Article submitted by Matt Mottl, MPL Public Services Assistant
It’s that time of year again where movie lovers come together to watch and discuss the celebrated films of the year, and those who act in them. Oscar season is upon us and as your local favorite movie aficionado, I am here once again to have a good discussion about everything Oscar related. It’s time once again for the Oscar Edition of Manitowoc Public Library’s Whatcha Watching!
Joined once again by my amazing co-hosts, Tim Gadzinski and Lisa Devins-Horohoe, we will discuss the Oscars a few days after they have aired. We’ll give our thoughts and opinions on the winners and, honestly, anything else we feel like! It truly is one of my favorite times of the year, and I look forward to it each time it comes around. This year’s nominees have been some of the most exciting yet, so I am very excited to dive in.
Typically, with the Oscars, you usually get the same old expected nominees, but things have been changing over the years and this year has quite a few pleasant surprises. We’re seeing recognition for films that never really got love from the Academy in the past.
Obviously, the most important award of the night is the Oscar for Best Picture, so here are brief snippets of what’s nominated this year:
- Once again from the twisted mind of Greek director, Yorgos Lanthimos, is the story of two cousins who are convinced a CEO is an alien in Bugonia
- The ever-charming Brad Pitt as a Formula One driver in the thrilling and intense F1
- A classic story through the eyes of visionary director, Guillermo Del Toro, is the newest version of Frankenstein
- A heartbreaking and beautiful showcase of grief through the eyes of William Shakespeare and his wife in Hamnet
- The life of a hustler who also excels at table tennis in the very chaotic Marty Supreme
- A chaotic on-the-run film with plenty of action and suspense in One Battle After Another
- A look at a professor on the run and others he encounters in a divided Brazil in The Secret Agent
- The relationship between a father and his two estranged daughters is explored in Sentimental Value
- Vampires and music reign supreme in the captivating horror film Sinners, which is now officially the most nominated movie ever in Oscar history!
- And finally, we have a beautifully shot slice of life film about a logger navigating grief amidst nature in Train Dreams
Some of the pleasant surprises that occurred this year for nominees is the love for the horror genre which has typically been ignored award season. With Sinners being one of those films and having the record for the most nominations in history is a huge accomplishment for horror films as well as the nomination for Amy Madigan in her sinister role in the horror film Weapons. Foreign films are also steadily rising for nominations the past few year and Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent are at the top of the pack for those films this year.
We will of course discuss some of the other categories as well so if you are ready for a great Oscar discussion please join us on March 19 at 6:00 for Whatcha Watching Oscar Edition on our Facebook page and enjoy the camaraderie between fellow movie lovers.
