By Nadia Ranaputri

Image credit: IMDB

It's that time of the year again. The Oscar nominations have just been announced yesterday, and the biggest category out of the bunch had an impressive selection of films. 2020 was an unexpected ride, and many big films like Black Widow and Dune have been pushed back. But that doesn't mean that the year lacked good films. In fact, there's plenty of incredible entries, ranging from stunning independent films and directors that truly got their time to shine, to impressive entries from well-known directors. It was as much of a feast for good films as it is in the prior year. From Lee Isaac Chung's heartfelt film about the struggles of an immigrant family, to David Fincher's glamorous portrayal of 1930s Hollywood, I've re-capped my thoughts on each of the Best Picture nominees (with the exception of Florian Zeller's The Father) Full reviews for these films are also available to read. Let's get into them, shall we?

1. Nomadland

Image credit: Deadline

Director: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Frances McDormand, David Straithairn, Linda May, Swankie, Peter Spears, Bob Wells, Derek Endres.

Nomadland is a simplistic but dreamlike feature from Chloé Zhao. It shows an everyday life in the world that many may not even know, and it's a refreshing take on the portrayal of the American life. McDormand is a powerhouse in the lead role as Fern, as she carries the role with a gravitas. Her performance is filled with repressed emotions that slowly unravel throughout the film, and McDormand conveys this beautifully. There are scenes where Fern remains silent, but her eyes convey something else entirely. Much of the film consists of McDormand's Fern going on the road, but it's the things she finds along the way that fill in the gaps between and give the film its substance. It's these moments that give the film a breath of fresh air, adding a sense of levity and warmth. The people she meets, the lands she discovers, they all bring a slice of life into the film that prevent it from being too somber. The cinematography by Joshua James Richards is stellar, creating a minimal yet immersive atmosphere that almost makes us feel as if we're tagging along on the journey, whilst Ludovico Einaudi's score accompanies it perfectly in the background. Beneath all that, it's a film about self-discovery, and in a way, it's like a cathartic experience. Throughout her journey, Fern begins to adapt and open up to the life on the road, and eventually to the nomads she encounters. It's a quiet film, and there's something almost poetic about it, too. Nomadland is certainly not going to be for everyone, but for me personally, it's a stunner, and it makes me all the more excited to see what Zhao has in store for her next big feature, particularly that of Marvel Studios' The Eternals. 

Stars: 4.6/5

You can read my full review of Nomadland here

2. Minari

Image credit: IMDB

Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Cast: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Yuh-Jung Youn, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho, Will Patton.

Stars: 5/5

You can read my full review of Minari here

3. Sound of Metal

Image credit: The Pit

Director: Darius Marder
Cast: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Matthieu Amalric.

Sound of Metal is no doubt one of the standout films of 2020. It's a film that's driven by the strong performances and visual execution. Riz Ahmed is a revelation in this role, able to convey Ruben's conflicting emotions and slow process to acceptance without making it feel like an over exaggeration. Olivia Cooke is just as impressive, and despite her limited screen-time, she becomes the very heart that grounds Ruben at his most vulnerable. The sound design is also worth mentioning, as it becomes a significant part of the storytelling. Once Ruben loses his hearing, we get to experience it along with him. It makes the film much more visceral and entertaining. Sound of Metal may not sound like the most appealing film at the surface, but its execution is what makes it worth watching. It never treats deafness as a negative, rather as a means for moving forward. And even then, the film isn't solely about deafness itself, there's so much more to that. It's a film about recovery, about learning to accept everything that has happened, regardless of how one reacts to it. Yet the presentation is also fairly simple without being underwhelming. It doesn't make the subject matter complex, nor does it underestimate the situation. In the end, Sound of Metal is able to execute such a simple story and turn it into something impactful and poignant.

Stars: 4.4/5

You can read my full review of Sound of Metal here 

4. Judas and the Black Messiah

Image credit: IMDB

Director: Shaka King
Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Martin Sheen. 

Judas and the Black Messiah is a strong second debut from director Shaka King, bringing the ever compelling story of  Fred Hampton and the person responsible for his downfall to the screen in an engrossing way. Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya deliver perhaps the best performances of their careers as William O'Neal and Fred Hampton, respectively. Kaluuya especially, is spectacular. While he lacks physical similarities with the real Fred Hampton, he certainly makes up for it in his performance, which is nothing short of electrifying and demands every bit of your attention. Stanfield, on the other hand, brings a more stoic and quiet performance, but it's one that's eventually unraveled with depth and nuance. The sharp and thought-provoking execution is what makes the film the maestro that it is, though it also isn't short of heartfelt and grounded moments, particularly through Dominique Fishback's Deborah Johnson. Its deliberately slow place makes for a brutal third act that took the film to its very peak. However, it isn't without its flaws. Though O'Neal's perspective is interesting enough, I couldn't help but feel like Hampton should have been the main focal point as opposed to O'Neal, but I consider this as more of a minor flaw. Overall, Judas and the Black Messiah is an engrossing outlook on a story that is more significant than ever. It is really one hell of an captivating film, and how it plays its cards is simply masterful.

Stars: 4.6/5

You can read my full review of Judas and the Black Messiah here

5. Promising Young Woman 

Image credit: IMDB

Director: Emerald Fennel
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alfred Molina, Alison Brie, Jennifer Coolidge, Clancy Brown, Laverne Cox, Chris Lowell.

Promising Young Woman is a stellar directorial debut from Emerald Fennel. Carey Mulligan brings another outstanding performance as the film's lead Cassandra, showcasing the many layers of Cassandra's character in impressive fashion, from menacing, lively, and even a little comedic. Bo Burnham was also a surprise favorite, giving a charming performance that grounds the film a little. The first thing you'd probably notice going into Promising Young Woman is the visuals. The film has its fun with striking cinematography and vibrant candy colors. But the themes that it discusses contrasts those visuals. It is a film that touches on serious subject matters regarding sexual assault, and it conveys its message in a very compelling way. It's direct in saying what it wants to say without ever feeling like it's being shoved down your throat. Fennel's script imbues these themes and messages in a thought-provoking and engrossing way, whilst also able to juggle various genres in its run-time. It first starts off as a revenge thriller, then it switches into a dark comedy, and even a drama at times; yet it's so swift in balancing these genres that you don't feel like you're watching several different movies at once. Moreover, Fennel is able to create a story that borders the line between stylistically entertaining and compelling, whilst giving it a reasonable amount of depth, making Promising Young Woman as more than just a typical revenge story. 

Stars: 4.4/5

You can read my full review of Promising Young Woman here 

6. MANK

Image credit: IMDB

Director: David Fincher
Cast: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, Tom Burke, Sam Troughton, Tom Pelphrey, Charles Dance, Tuppence Middleton

Mank might feel like a bit of a gamble, because there's a chance that a general audience who is unfamiliar with Citizen Kane won't connect to it.  Moreover, even if you have seen Citizen Kane and want to know how the creation of the film came to be, Mank doesn't delve too deep into it. It instead focuses on mere glimpses of stories and figures that became the inspiration for the characters and arcs of Citizen Kane. It isn't a bad thing in it of itself, as Fincher manages to address these plot lines in a cohesive way, but doesn't fully emphasize on how Citizen Kane was actually made, or came to be. Depending on how you see it, this might be either a good thing or a bad thing. For me, it didn't bother me too much, but I did wish that the film would delve in more to the creative process of a film that is considered one of the greats. Despite that, Mank is still able to present its ideas in intriguing fashion, particularly about the politics and mechanics of 1930s Hollywood, whilst also paying homage to the time period. From its stunning cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt, who previously collaborated with Fincher in the brilliant Netflix show Mindhunter (if you haven't seen that show, please do, it is fantastic), to the lively score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Fincher is able to transport us into this whimsical world of the 1930s. Mank is a welcome addition to David Fincher's already impressive filmography. Though it isn't my personal favorite film of his (The Social Network and Gone Girl still hold those titles), it is still a remarkable entry from Fincher.

Stars: 4/5 

You can read my full review of Mank here

7. The Trial of the Chicago 7

Image credit: HITC

Director: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Frank Langella, Alex Sharp, John Carroll Lynch, Noah Robbins, Daniel Flaherty, Michael Keaton.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is yet another impressive entry from Aaron Sorkin, especially on his second directorial piece. The film boasts an incredible cast, and there are many standout performances that it's hard to pick just one. It's Eddie Redmayne and Sacha Baron-Cohen whose characters take center stage, and both with incredible performances that demand your attention. The rest of the cast in the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong, and Frank Langella; all bring their A-game and complete the cast in stunning fashion. When it comes to the humor, it is definitely more noticeable in Chicago 7 compared to Sorkin's prior projects, a slightly unusual departure from a standard Sorkin script, but a very welcome one, since it rarely ever takes you out of the film. Still, it's able to raise the stakes very well. The timing of Chicago 7 is ever the more relevant, especially in a time of divisiveness. Once it opens, we're immediately tossed into the chaos that ensued and its harrowing aftermath. From there, it tells its story effectively and tells enough to engage us in these characters and the stakes that are held in place. In its two hour runtime, it is able to tell an engaging and powerful story, with tension-filled scenes that will linger with you long after the film ends. Overall, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a brilliant film with an equally brilliant execution, made all the better by the performances, as well as Sorkin's gripping screenplay and ace direction. 

Stars: 4.4/5

You can read my full review of The Trial of the Chicago 7  here

There you have it, the big contenders of the main prize. Which of these films do you think will win Best Picture?

You can also read my re-cap of last year's nominees for Best Picture here

By Nadia Ranaputri

Image credit: IMDB

Director: Chloé Zhao
Cast: Frances McDormand, David Straithairn, Linda May, Swankie, Peter Spears, Bob Wells, Derek Endres.

Chloé Zhao has certainly made her mark in the film industry. Having started out with films like The Rider and Songs My Brothers Taught Me, Zhao is the latest director to bring her own unique vision to the screen. Seems like she has quite an impressive feat, taking this year's Awards Season by storm when she took home the award for Best Director and Best Motion Picture- Drama at the Golden Globes, not to mention her upcoming foray into the Marvel Universe with the much anticipated The Eternals. Her latest masterwork, Nomadland, draws on a topic that many may not know much about. It's not often that we get to see a portrayal of people whose lives consist of being on the road, balanced on a line between going nowhere and going somewhere, but as Zhao's film later proves, it's a life that is no short of meaning.

Nomadland is based on Jessica Bruder's non-fiction book, Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, which in the light of the Great Recession, depicts the people who are essentially nomads, traveling and wandering on the road in vans around America in search of seasonal/short-term work. Zhao's latest film focuses on Fern (Frances McDormand), a widow who formerly worked in Empire, Nevada until it was promptly shut down, causing her to lose the very life that sourced her stability. Due to the closing of the company town, as well as the recent passing of her husband, Fern decides to take her chances and leave the comforts of her once stable life to live out in her van and venture into new territories, seeking various seasonal work; and in the process, a life that's constantly changing with every new place and opportunity.

Frances McDormand is a powerhouse, and she always has been. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri proved that wonderfully. In this one, McDormand carries the film with grace in a performance that like in Three Billboards, feels raw, it's brimmed with a hidden layer of despair and a sense of isolation. With the company of Zhao's already dazzling script, McDormand makes sure that every ounce of Zhao's script flourishes off the page in phenomenal fashion. Even in scenes where Fern doesn't say anything, her eyes convey a myriad of reserved emotions. There are scenes where her stares linger in a sense of melancholy, while her mouth stays silent. But there are also times where there's a spark of this comforting charisma that has an element of homeness or domesticity to it, such as when she slowly adapts to the life on the road, or when she meets other fellow nomads and starts opening up to them. ("I'm not homeless," as she corrects early on in the film, "I'm just houseless. Not the same thing, right? ") She imbues Fern with such a fervent and authentic performance, that I forgot I was watching an actress. David Straithairn is also a standout as Dave, one of the nomads that Fern runs into often. Straithairn balances out McDormand by adding in that much needed liveliness. Their frequent encounters lead to Dave's growing fondness towards Fern, and it plays out a little like something out of a rom-com, but cheekily low-key. It's just subtle enough to give the film some gaiety essence. 

Image credit: The MacGuffin

Nomadland is very slow paced. It may not be a typical portrayal of the American life, and it's one of those films where you don't really see a lot of things happening, but it still leaves a lasting mark. It plays out like life itself, it takes its sweet time. You get to see how Fern's life is depicted through the journey she goes through and the people she meets. Essentially, most of the film is just her on the road and encountering people that make a small but significant impact in her life. And the nomads she meets brings out moments of humanity and levity in a life that's always on the road. It's a deliberately slow character study, where you get so much of the main character through her silent emotions and her conversations with others. So much of the liveliness comes from the lasting encounters, and Fern's slow methodical process in overcoming grief that is enlightened piece by piece. Zhao's film really takes us by the hand and invites us to Fern's journey of self-discovery, like we're discovering her just as much as she is discovering herself. Every moment of pain, sorrow, happiness, Zhao is taking us through those moments, every step of the way. And similar to how Sound of Metal incorporates real deaf actors to portray the supporting characters, Nomadland has real nomads playing the role of the ones that Fern comes across. It adds a lot of authenticity to the film, and it does feel as if you're watching real people as opposed to just characters.

The cinematography by Joshua James Richards is stunning, it's incredibly simple, yet it doesn't make it any less interesting. In fact, it thrives in minimalism. It isn't looking to go all out on creating the most inventive visuals out there, but instead, it relishes the simplistic nature, and lets the landscapes and performances speak for itself. But simplicity doesn't always mean dull, and Richards uses minimalism to its full advantage. The craftsmanship behind the camera almost makes it feel as if you're in on the journey. It isn't just Fern, you're also along for the ride. It becomes a sort of first-hand experience, the people she meets, the lands she explores, it's like we're going through it too. The vast landscapes are beautifully captured, they give the film a boost in visuals. It rarely ever feels stuck down, the camera moves freely alongside Fern, and it makes it seem as if you're walking right beside her. As a result, it gave the film an immersive and atmospheric quality to it. Through the lens of Richards' cinematography, we see nomads on the road, their daily routines, and even moments of sorrow, like a gorgeous scene of a memorial to a fallen nomad, accompanied by Ludovico Einaudi's splendid score. Slowly, you start to realize that the visuals become one of the heroes of the story, it's playing as big of a part in the film as the story itself. It adds elements of heart, emptiness, and a sense of something uncertain but hopeful, almost like it's imitating the life of the nomads themselves.

Nomadland is not going to be for everyone. It can be a film that many will find boring and not finding much to it, and I can certainly understand that. You do feel the sluggish pace at times, so it's easy to see why people tune out. For me personally, it's a really interesting outlook into a life I don't know much about. It feels almost like a documentary of sorts, with Frances McDormand being the focal figure that leads us through her journey of becoming a nomad. It might be a somber film, but it also has its moments of humor and light-heartedness that prevented the film from being depressing. Chloé Zhao really made something intricate here. You can look at it as an experience as opposed to an actual film, because I think that's the best way to watch this film. It may not have much to say, but at the same time, it has a sense of comfort. It was almost like a cathartic experience for me. Imagine drifting into the cold at first, then you find yourself sinking into a lukewarm blanket with a steaming cup afterwards. That's how I would describe Nomadland. When one character says, "You know, I've met hundreds of people out here and I don't ever say a final goodbye. I always just say, "I'll see you down the road." And I do. And whether it's a month, or a year, or sometimes years, I see them again," it feels like a hug, inviting and warm, and it puts a smile on my face. It reminds you that while the world is big, there will always be people and moments, no matter how small or simple they are, that are worth cherishing in life. 

Image credit: IMDB

Overall verdict: Nomadland is a simplistic but dreamlike feature from Chloé Zhao. It shows an everyday life in the world that many may not even know, and it's a refreshing take on the portrayal of the American life. McDormand is a powerhouse in the lead role as Fern, as she carries the role with a gravitas. Her performance is filled with repressed emotions that slowly unravel throughout the film, and McDormand conveys this beautifully. There are scenes where Fern remains silent, but her eyes convey something else entirely. Much of the film consists of McDormand's Fern going on the road, but it's the things she finds along the way that fill in the gaps between and give the film its substance. It's these moments that give the film a breath of fresh air, adding a sense of levity and warmth. The people she meets, the lands she discovers, they all bring a slice of life into the film that prevent it from being too somber. The cinematography by Joshua James Richards is stellar, creating a minimal yet immersive atmosphere that almost makes us feel as if we're tagging along on the journey, whilst Ludovico Einaudi's score accompanies it perfectly in the background. Beneath all that, it's a film about self-discovery, and in a way, it's like a cathartic experience. Throughout her journey, Fern begins to adapt and open up to the life on the road, and eventually to the nomads she encounters. It's a quiet film, and there's something almost poetic about it, too. Nomadland is certainly not going to be for everyone, but for me personally, it's a stunner, and it makes me all the more excited to see what Zhao has in store for her next big feature, particularly that of Marvel Studios' The Eternals. 

Stars: 4.6/5