Being the Ricardos - 3 nominations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nicole Kidman

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Javier Bardem

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role J.K. Simmons

Being the Ricardos imagines a week in the life of Lucy and Desi Arnaz while producing their top-rated hit show, "I Love Lucy."  We see how a Cuban and a woman owned and operated their show, exercised their incredible power, and navigated the racism and sexism of the time.  Alongside this plot, we see a marriage in trouble over cheating rumors, and an embattled Lucy with a past affiliation with the Communist party.  All the while, fretting over every minor comedic detail, we also see how Lucy Arnaz crafted the Lucy Ricardo persona down to the tiniest detail.  In fact, I most believed Kidman as Lucy Ricardo and less as Lucy Arnaz, and I'm wondering if that's because I watched her shows as a child and so thorough fused the two in my mind.  Kidman's reproduction of the Lucy Ricardo voice is impressive. Honestly, I'm a little shocked that Nina Arianda was never in the mix for an Oscar nomination, so beautifully and convincingly playing Vivian Vance in the film.  I found her performance more believable and on point than even Javier Bardem's, whose nomination is my least favorite of the Leading Actor category.

I'm an ardent Sorkenite and his writing style gets me every time.  I thought Being the Ricardos was a truly entertaining film.  Do I consider it Oscars great?  Meh, maybe not.  Do I consider it a fun film for a Saturday night great?  You bet I do.  And that's all the "'splainin'" I got to do.