Written by Ali Grutchfield, Images courtesy of Julia Fischer, Gabby Emma and Ethan Shahine, Featured Graphic by District Staff
Lights! Camera! Action! It’s that time of year again; Oscar nominations are out!
Filmmakers and fans alike are prepping for the 93rd annual Academy Awards on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Viewers at home can tune in to the awards online, on cable at ABC channel’s free live stream or with a Hulu Live TV subscription. Until then, let’s hear from some SCAD Film and Television students on what films they think will reign as 2021 Academy Award recipients and more importantly, why.
Julia Fischer, first year Film and TV student, is most looking forward to the results for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Her hopes lie with Glenn Close for her performance in “Hillbilly Elegy.” Fischer said, “Her role was what made the film so convincing, it sealed the deal for me.” However, she also acknowledged the likelihood of the award going to Amanda Seyfried as Seyfried’s role in “Mank” caught the attention of other viewers. But for Fischer, nothing felt special about it.
Speaking of “Mank,” Fischer is wary of it receiving ten nominations. “Although it’s a solid movie, there are certainly more deserving films such as “Minari,” and “Judas and The Black Messiah.” Fischer said. A general theme she noticed in this year’s nominees was the presence of unfortunate half-baked social commentary, specifically in “Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Nomadland.”
“Although receiving copious critical acclaim, “Nomadland” is not landing well with the general audience. It is highly overrated and reliant on its theme rather than the actual filmmaking.” Fischer said.
Concerning the Best Sound category, Fischer was at ease. “I believe there’s no chance it doesn’t go to “Sound of Metal.” The very nature of the film being rooted in the protagonist’s descent into deafness. The sound complemented everything perfectly.” Fischer said.
However, the category is so topical it seems to place even more pressure on the film yet, she maintains that the sound was so powerful that it made her emotional while watching the film.
First year Film and TV student, Ethan Shahine believes that “Nomadland” will succeed this year, predicting it to win Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay. His prediction based on the other copious awards its director, Chloe Zhao has won and been nominated for. Similarly, the film’s cinematographer, Joshua James Richards has swept the floor with an impressive winning streak. Shahine agrees with Fischer’s view on “Mank” hypothesizing that the film could be like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and only take home an Oscar for Best Production Design.
Conversely to Fischer, however, Shahine greatly enjoyed “Trial of the Chicago 7.” Shahine said, “Although the film is cheesy, that’s the whole point. It solidifies the impact that intention can have on an audience’s enjoyment of a film, regardless of taste.”
With regards to “Mank,” he cites the work of Musicians Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as better than their collaboration with John Baptiste on Pixar’s Animated Feature “Soul,” which he predicts to win Best Original Score.
Gabby Emma, first year Film and TV student, shares Julia Fischers’ view on Glenn Close’s success in “Hillbilly Elegy.” “Her performance was raw, compelling and pushing the boundaries.” Emma said.
One of her favorite films this year was “Promising Young Woman,” which she hopes receives awards such as Best Actress in a Leading Role for Carey Mulligan. “Her performance felt new and innovative and kept me on the edge of my seat from one scene to the next.” Emma said. Additionally, Emma agrees with Shahine that “Mank” will claim very few wins out of its ten nominations.
“ For “Mank,” the Oscar will go to Erik Messerschmidt for Best Cinematography rather than Best Production Design. And for Best Director, the award is going to be given to Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman” rather than common front runner Chloe Zhao.” Emma said.
In alignment with her namesake, Emma thinks Best Costume Design will go to “Emma,” for the strength with which it depicts the period. She maintains that some of the strongest wins go for the most subtle components that often go unnoticed. “Just because the costumes were not fashionably great, they were great for their purpose and that is deserving of an Oscar.” Emma said.
Additionally, she believes Best Documentary Feature and Short will go to “My Octopus Teacher” and “Colette” respectively. Although these categories never get the spotlight, they often tell some of the greatest stories as they illuminate marginalized groups, cultures and stories.
There is a consensus amongst Film and TV students that “Soul” is “running away” with the Oscar for Best Animated Feature rather than “Onward,” which was also released by Pixar. This prediction predominantly based on the passion “Soul” evokes in the underrated category and the Pixar films being the only two real contenders.
Even with all the predictions that can be made, there is no telling what could happen in the end. These awards can be shocking, the excitement almost untamable. As the countdown to the Oscars continue, Film and TV students anxiously wait to see which of their favorite films will claim an Oscar.
