Richard Jewell - 1 nomination

Supporting Actress - Kathy Bates

Richard Jewell follows the investigation following the bombing at the 1996 Olympics.  The central character, Richard, is an overly zealous security guard for hire.  He's had a difficult history in law enforcement, and has lost a series of jobs for overstepping his grounds.  He gets a job on the security team at the Olympics in Atlanta, and he is in heaven.  One night, he discovers a backpack loaded with a pipe bomb and works with the police to clear the area and save as many lives as he can.  He is lauded as a hero.  Until the FBI gets involved, sees his history, and begins to suspect that Jewell has planted the bomb himself so that he can save everyone and become a hero to the nation.  When an overly aggressive member of the media learns that Jewell is being investigated, she rushes to leak it to the world so that she and her publication will be first in the race to reveal what happened.  In the film, it is portrayed that she seduces an FBI agent to get this information, and if that's not true, I'd like to thank Clint Eastwood for the incredibly sexist portrayal of a woman who can only use sex to get the job done.  (If it's the truth, I'll apologize to Mr. Eastwood; if it's not, he can go screw.  No film would ever portray a male reporter attempting to seduce someone in order to get a story.  I guess that's the only way women can succeed.) . Thankfully, Richard has a relationship with an amazing lawyer who works tirelessly on Jewell's behalf, ultimately proving that the FBI had no case.

Kathy Bates plays Jewell's mother, and boy, is she her amazing, talented self in this film.  She is emotional, subdued, scared, proud, all the things a mother can be in this kind of situation.  I was not thrilled to see it, and only saw the movie because of the Oscars nomination.  After watching the movie, I did agree that she deserves the recognition; she was superb.  (And by the way, the entire cast was excellent.)

The film was fine.  Not great.  Not terrible.  Certainly not Oscars material.  If we are somehow now supposed to believe that this case is the epitome of our law enforcement agencies and the media, I don't buy it.  No question, Jewell's story deserves to be told, and the mismanagement on all ends is undeniable.  But the FBI never gets to tell its side of the story to the public.  The best of this film is that I'm certainly intrigued as to what was real and what was invented to make it an interesting story.  Here's a book I found upon which the movie is based, though I really love to read (though I'll never get to) the account from the FBI.

Here's the trailer:

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood - 1 nomination

Supporting Actor - Tom Hanks

This is not a biopic of Mr. Rogers.  This is a film of a troubled reporter, Lloyd Vogel, trying to deal with his own personal baggage, and the unexpected kindness and friendship of Fred Rogers who he had been sent to profile for an article.  The movie is based on the real life Vogel and his real life friendship with Mr. Rogers, but it is unclear how much - if any - of the details in the film are true.  But it doesn't matter. What is portrayed so beautifully is the essence of Mr. Rogers, and it is done in a way that creatively uses the familiar style of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.  We see Fred at the back end of his career in the later stages of his life, and we even get a glimpse into Rogers' own struggles with anger - remnants of a difficult childhood and how he evolved as a person to deal with his demons.  What Hanks does that is so memorable is embody the epitome of the man who appeared on our television sets.

This is not the story of Mr. Rogers' life.  This is one story of how Mr. Rogers impacted others' lives.  Whether the exact details of narrative are factual or not is irrelevant.  The movie feels true, and it feels true because of Tom Hanks' performance in the film.  We already know that he is a flawless actor.  It would be imprecise to say that this is the first time that he has played a real person, but it's fair to say that this is the first time he truly became (another) real person.  (That scene changing his shoes; it's eerie.)

Of course, without a doubt, there is only one thing to recommend if you liked this film... and even if you didn't like this film (because you didn't think it was enough about Mr. Rogers himself.)

Here's the trailer:

Judy - 2 nominations

Lead Actress - Renee Zellweger

Makeup and Hairstyling - Jeremy Woodhead

Judy captures the biography of Judy Garland later in her career, with her finances crumbling and her life falling apart.  To make money, she agrees to do a cabaret act in London, taking her away from her children back at home.  She has retained her talent, as well as the drug and alcohol addiction very inevitably forced on her as a child of the studio from the age of 14.  She started with diet pills, pills to help her sleep, pills to wake her up - how this woman lived as long as she did is a miracle in itself.  Judy had a lifelong search for love and connection, and yearned to be remembered and loved both on and off the stage.  Sometimes that life leads to desperation and bad choices, and it certainly did for Judy Garland.  This film is a heartbreaking portrayal of Judy's life, based on the stage play of the same name.

While the story is heartbreaking, the acting is breathtaking. This film captures Renee Zellweger at her best, and with the help of the makeup and hairstyling, it's hard to see anyone but the real Garland on the screen.  In fact, I'm a bigger fan of the Judy Garland as portrayed by Renee Zellweger than I am of the original herself (who was a great performer and actually, a mediocre singer.)

This is hardly one of the films that I would encourage you to see if you have time for only 2 or 3 of the films with nominations.  But, that comes with a caveat - if you want to see a film featuring the winner of the 2020 Lead Actress Oscar, this is the one to choose.

As always, I remind you that films are not documentaries and are not beholden to the truth!  Here's a biography of Judy Garland herself (though there are many more).

Watch the trailer here:

Bombshell - 3 nominations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Charlize Theron

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Margot Robbie

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling - Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker

It's hard to know where to begin with Bombshell.  It recounts the story of sexual harassment and assault that appear to have been commonplace under the leadership of Roger Ailes who made Fox News into the voice of conservative Republican politics (and by the way, woe to those who think the problem was solved by simply removing him.  He covered for many harassers).  The movie is based on the widespread reporting and whistle blowing initiated by Gretchen Carlson (who had been a co-host of Fox's early morning show), and corroborated by a reluctant Megyn Kelly.  The film follows three main characters, Carlson who, like the smart reporter she is, documented incidents for years before finally doing something about it, Kelly, the reluctant survivor and company woman, and a young reporter played by Margot Robbie who is in the unenviable position of having to decide whether to capitulate to Ailes for the promise of an advancing career.

I realize there is no way to talk about this film without raising the hackles of both sides of the political divide.  There are those who would only believe a woman claiming sexual harassment if there is some sort of documentation (video, audio recording... and let's face it, even when some of these folks hear an audio recording of an assaulter confessing his crimes, that still isn't enough)... as though this is the standard they hold for all crimes.  (Do they only send people to prison for other crimes when there is absolute documentation?  I think not.)  And again, I remind you that no narrative film is a documentary and therefore, if Bombshell spoke to you, it's important to read the accounts of the facts (if you believe Ailes' accusers as I do), rather than retelling the narrative of the film as gospel truth.

But this film was outraging in the best of ways.  Finally, the story is told through the eyes of the women experiencing inappropriate and illegal behavior, rather than through the perpetrators'.  The most important moments of the film are those that speak precisely to the common arguments made by idiots.  "Why didn't she report it?"  You mean, report the bad behavior to the people perpetrating it?  "Women aren't idiots," say Megyn Kelly.  "Why didn't she leave?"  Ah yes, SHE has to leave, you know, the one not doing anything wrong, just showing up and working hard every day.  She gets to be further punished.  The best part of this film is that it is told through the lens of a conservative woman, NOT a feminist (I mean, she still wants to be paid what she is worth regardless of her gender, she still wants to be able to make and own her choices, she still wants to have access to the same successes as men are allowed to pursue... but definitely not a feminist.  As though those things aren't just the friggin' definition of feminism.  But I digress.)

The thing that troubles me so much is that this whole real life experience and the film will just have no impact among the people who just believe what they believe.  But the acting, the story, the entirety of the film was outstanding and comes just at the right time in history.  Feel free to fight me.  I AM a feminist, and this film spoke to me.

It is worth mentioning that this is first time that Charlize Theron has ever used prosthetics (including her Oscar winning role in Monster), and it was highly successful.  The incredible work made her look like a bang on facsimile of Kelly, herself.

If you're interested in knowing more, Megyn Kelly talks more about it in her book Settle For More.

Watch the trailer here:

Harriet - 2 nominations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role - Cynthia Erivo

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song) - Cynthia Erivo, Joshuah Brian Campbell, For song "Stand Up"

The life story of Harriet Tubman, a leader in the underground railroad, is beyond compelling.  This woman was strong, brave, and was the only woman ever to lead a battalion of African American union soldiers.  She credited some of her success to being able to hear divine instructions, thereby avoiding those who would capture her and those who she led to safety only to return them to slavery, or terrible punishment.  The characters that surround Harriet are strong; people with a strong moral compass who do not need to have been born into slavery to know that they must get involved and do the right thing.  They judge what's right and wrong by that standard in and of itself.  They don't sit idly by and decide, "this doesn't affect me and therefore it is not important, and therefore it is not really a problem for someone else."  They put their own lives in danger, and Harriet, time after time, becomes a hero for not taking her rightful rest after having escaped, but inexplicably going back to help others as she was helped.  If there is any take away from Cynthia Erivo's brilliant performance, and from the beautiful song that she co-wrote and performed, it is this: one may never say that the politics of the day don't affect me personally and therefore are unimportant.  We must always "Stand Up."

Please enjoy the Academy Award nominated song:

There are innumerable biographies of Harriet Tubman, and I must admit that I haven't read one since elementary school.  But you know my admonition.  If you loved the film and you want to know the real story of her life, don't rely on the fictionalized version.  One highly reviewed version of Harriet's life is Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land.  I assure you that there are several others.

Watch the film trailer here:

The Two Popes - 3 nominations

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Jonathan Pryce

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Anthony Hopkins

Best Adapted Screenplay - Anthony McCarten

The Two Popes begins with the election of Cardinal Ratzinger to become Pope Benedict, and his church embroiled by child molestation scandals, slowly losing relevance to young Catholics everywhere.  (This, not uncommon to any religion, as younger people are more connected to spirituality and less connected to institutions.  My commentary, not the film's.) . He decides that he would like to resign, which is very rare indeed; most Popes don't live to see their successor.  He confides this desire in Cardinal Bergoglio, a priest who Benedict considers far too liberal but potentially the right man to lead Catholics through worldwide change, and who has come to see the Pope to resign his role and retire.  The film is a conversation and also, a look back to Bergoglio's life, how he decided to become a priest, and his rise during a tumultuous time in Argentina.  They share their demons with each other, and work to hear each others' confessions as they take ownership for their biggest transgressions.  

I've done a lot of reading about these two actual Popes since I saw the film, and this is one of those movies that seems to get a large majority of its facts wrong about each of these men, so a reminder that narrative movies are not documentaries.  (While I have not fact checked this article, I thought this the best of the pieces I read explaining the real history versus what is depicted in the film: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/the-two-popes-real-story)

But we are not meant to watch fictional films and expect to learn history.  We watch them for entertainment, for character study, for overcoming obstacles with satisfying resolutions - and if those are the jobs of a film, The Two Popes scores on all counts.  Both actors are outstanding as they always are (this is Pryce's first Oscars nomination.... say what?) and Hopkins' 5th (he won for Silence of the Lambs).  Neither will win his category, but the acting in the film is the centerpiece of the experience, there isn't a lot of flash or folly, the film is primarily two aging men flawlessly holding the attention of the audience for a few hours.

The film is based on a play, and obviously I'm in no position to recommend seeing that.  So, for more information on the child molestation cases against the Catholic church, I'd like to recommend another Oscars nominated documentary called Deliver Us From Evil.

It was an excellent documentary, and relates tangentially to this film.  (and I'll bet you haven't seen it!)

Watch the trailer:

Pain and Glory - 2 nominations

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - Antonio Banderas

Best International Feature Film - Spain

Pain and Glory is an exquisite film about a famous movie director who recalls the key moments of his life, those that shaped everything he knows about himself in the present day.  Antonio Banderas is nominated for playing Salvador Mallo, the man who is about to celebrate a significant anniversary for his most enduring film, SABOR.  (This is inexplicably the first Oscars nomination for Banderas.) This means reconnecting with the wild lead actor, a man with whom he had a terrible falling out, who turns Mallo onto the "wonderful world" of heroin addiction.  All the while, he is suffering from a series of very serious ailments, including chronic and severe back pain.  Alone and depressed, he thinks about the history of his life, when he began to discover his homosexuality, what his life was like with an absent father and living in an underground cave as an apartment, and all of the key moments in his autobiography, happy and sad.

The film is more than a character study, it's touching, it's engaging, and Banderas is magnetic. We feel his pain inside our own bodies; both the physical and the emotional.

Almodovar's films are powerful, and I have yet to see one I haven't liked.  Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is wonderful, but for today I'll recommend Talk to Her for which Almodovar won an Oscar for Original Screenplay.  All About My Mother is another of Almodovar's films to have been nominated for the International Feature award, which it won in 1999. When you have finished that film... just watch everything he's made.  I'm a fan.

Watch the trailer: