Jojo Rabbit - 6 nominations

Best Motion Picture of the Year - Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Scarlett Johansson

Best Adapted Screenplay - Taika Waititi

Best Achievement in Costume Design - Mayes C. Rubeo

Best Achievement in Production Design - Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková

Best Achievement in Film Editing - Tom Eagles

I am so excited to talk about Jojo Rabbit, a farcical film about a young member of the Hitler Youth who discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their cupboard.  Meanwhile, little Jojo has an imaginary friend... Hitler himself!  A very different kind of Hitler, the kind who is basically a play companion with the same hopes and fears that Jojo shares.  The child's life is not a simple one - he is basically flunking out of Hitler youth, his sister has died, his father is gone, and he must rely on his mother to keep him safe.  She is secretly a member of the resistance, and how she gets Jojo to challenge his own assumptions before her secret guest is revealed is beautiful.  What if you were raised in a time and place where the conventional wisdom led to the horrors of the Holocaust?  Would you see it happening or would you accept what leaders are telling you?  How would you know the moment when leadership has turned the corner from popular to evil?  These are the questions that this satire explore in a variety of ways, and it seems particularly relevant in this time and place.

I was quite taken by Jojo Rabbit.  Some of the events that transpire are absurd.  It reminded me of a Sarah Silverman joke... Nazis, they might be evil but they are so cute when they are little.  (with apologies to Silverman for butchering her joke.) . There are so many small and big moments in this film, it is really hard not to be both entertained and provoked to thought.  I loved it.

And now for the other recommendation.  So far, I have shared books connected to the films, or other documentaries related to the nominee.  This time, I'm recommending another film by the extraordinarily talented Taika Waititi, and it's one you probably haven't seen.  Waititi wrote Hunt for the Wilderpeople, a film produced in New Zealand that is utterly charming and worth your time.  You can see what a talented writer TW is, and I bet you'll fall in love with this film as much as Jojo.  Waititi has a knack for finding children who are not actors and making them compelling, wonderful lead characters.  You'll enjoy both!

Watch the Jojo Rabbit trailer: