If you haven’t heard about them already, you’re hearing it now. The 2022 Oscar nominations are officially out. Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the 94th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 27, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Now that the Oscars are right around the corner, L+A assistant editor Jessica Mingalone and L+A intern Vivian Schafbuch share their opinions on who will win Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Best Picture
Jessica: King Richard
In a positive sense, “King Richard” stems back to a period when slick, exciting, trustworthy sports and biopic movies were common in filmmaking, and there’s something really comforting about that. The film’s cinematographer is the legendary Robert Elswit; he is outstanding in everything he’s ever done. No one understands how to capture life in Los Angeles better than Elswit. As Richard’s wife, Brandy, Aunjanue Ellis provides an important balance to Will Smith, while Jon Bernthal gives a charming performance as the passionate teacher Rick Macci. Smith does well never to let his calmness and talent as a performer be suffocated by mimicry, and neither his performance nor the screenwriting brush over Richard’s more troubling peculiarities. Sporting events can be extremely difficult to shoot, but this film does it, successfully. Tennis moves so rapidly and is so visually complicated that it may be one of the most difficult sports to portray on film. The film’s conclusion, in which a 14-year-old Venus confronts top international challenger Arantxa Sánchez Vicario in her debut professional event, is both masterfully executed and a daringly theatrical choice by director Marcus Green. “King Richard” definitely deserves to win.
Vivian: West Side Story
Voting for Best Picture is a difficult decision, since most of my favorite films this year were not nominated. If I were to choose what movie exhibited filmmaking at its finest this year, I would have to vote for Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of “West Side Story.” Although it is a remake of the classic 1961 film, everything about this revival feels fresh and original. Every element, from the problematic casting to the backstory of certain characters, has been updated. This is what filmmaking is about: change, updates, and the creation of a new look at old material. It is an encapsulation of what has progressed in the film industry in the sixty years between the original release and the 2022 release. No filmmaker could have done this but Spielberg. This is what cinema is all about, and this is why the new “West Side Story” should win Best Picture.
Actress in a Leading Role
J: Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
Watch out for Jessica Chastain to win the Oscar for Best Actress for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” She is on a roll with awards after a huge win for Best Actress at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” Her transforming portrayal as the extravagant televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker has received critical acclaim since its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, and despite a poor box office gross, her performance was unmatched. Chastain is a successful actress, and I believe she deserves this award.
V: Kristen Stewart, Spencer
As an avid Princess Diana and Kristen Stewart enthusiast, I anxiously awaited the release of Pablo Larraín’s biopic “Spencer.” I have watched every piece of media about the late princess, but Kristen Stewart’s powerhouse performance shows a side to Diana that is often overlooked. This film blew me away and altered my perception of what films and biopics can achieve. There are countless portrayals of the late British royal, but Stewart’s performance as Diana in “Spencer” feels fresh and cycle-breaking. It is a tale about a woman going mentally insane, through bouts of anxiety-induced panic attacks, instead of a portrait of a perfect princess. Stewart gives the audience a more profound look into her mindset, giving a deeper, more meaningful performance than any of her competitors this year. “Spencer” will go down in history as a revolutionary piece of cinema, and Kristen Stewart’s performance will be seen as one of the best to ever grace the screen.
Actor in a Leading Role
J: Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Because of his unequaled success as a movie star, filmmakers and executives have been determined to keep Washington in front of the camera. It’s been 20 years since the talented actor has won an Oscar. If Washington wins an Oscar for his performance as Macbeth, he will be the first Black male to win three Oscars. In “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” he plays the eponymous figure, whose hunger for power proves to be his demise. Brendan Gleeson, Corey Hawkins, Kathryn Hunter and Frances McDormand all appear in the film. Washington’s amazing performance has been positively recognized by critics around the world. “’The Tragedy of Macbeth‘ was one of the best experiences of my career. Joel Coen is a genius, and I hope the nominations for the film will allow for more people to enjoy a terrific cinematic experience. “Thank you to the members of the Academy for the recognition and to Apple and A24 for their ongoing support,” stated Washington according to Deadline. Being a huge fan of Washington, I love all of his film work, and I truly believe he deserves this award.
V: Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick… Boom!”
The male acting categories this year have been pretty unexciting in my opinion, as nothing stood out to me except for Andrew Garfield’s performance in “Tick, Tick… Boom!” While many people have been raving about Will Smith’s performance in “King Richard,” I am shocked that Garfield is not the obvious frontrunner. Garfield portrays Jonathan Larson, the late creator of the revolutionary musical “Rent,” in his years as a struggling artist in New York City. Garfield does everything in this movie: act, sing, dance, etc. He makes what could have been a pretty standard biopic into something special, unique and intoxicating to watch. Portraying someone as beloved as Larson is a daunting task to take on, but Garfield is not just portraying him; it seems like he really is Jonathan. I am hopeful Garfield will win, as his performance is deserving of all the awards.