Get high, watch these (if you please) 4/20 recommendations

I have always cringed a little bit when people say a movie is better if you watch it high.  Sure, some movies can be enhanced -- but The Wizard of Oz, for instance, is great with or without weed. And, as someone who is a big marijuana proponent -- both for pleasure and medicinally -- I think it's silly to make too big a deal out of the unofficial holiday which is 4/20.

And yet, here we are. 

So in no particular order here are 10 films I'd recommend if you're looking to have a particularly trippy experience today or any day, sober or not...

House (1977) - One of the most surreal, strange films ever made -- feels like a bizarre glossy commercial mixed with unpredictable body horror. Hard to categorize. It's sort of a horror movie but it's far more weird than scary with its director Nobuhiko Obayahsi throwing all sort of fantastic homemade-seeming special effects at you to see what sticks. Tonally nuts. You can see a lot of influence on Michel Gondry here.

Mulholland Drive (2001) - The film that got me hooked on David Lynch 20 years ago is still a mind bending gut punch now. It works as both a deliriously sexy and strange update on the film noir and a darkly funny art film satirizing Hollywood's figurative cutthroat nature. It takes at least two viewings to fully appreciate. In fact, it might be cool to watch it back to back when under the influence after the initial shock wears off.

Vertigo (1958) - My favorite Hitchcock film and perhaps the most visually inventive -- the Jimmy Stewart nightmare dream sequence alone is worth the price of admission. It's the vibrant use of color and dreamlike atmosphere that engross me every time I see it, and like many of the movies on this list, it's about so much more than what it appears to be on the surface, which is perfect for drug-induced viewing.

The Big Lebowski (1998) - The ultimate stoner mystery-thriller (although The Long Goodbye is probably its equal) features Jeff Bridges in arguably his most iconic performance as a burnout drawn into an elaborate scheme at the urging of his ex-Vietnam vet friend (the great John Goodman). One of the Coen brothers' loosest, silliest movies is still one of their best and just great fun to watch.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - I've written about this before but 2001 is such a feast for the eyes, ears and soul that you can get quite a lot out of it if you're in the right headspace. Kubrick's legendary film famously didn't find much of an audience until it was embraced by the hippie crowd in the late 60s. Today, it's now viewed as the high water mark of a certain kind of heady sci-fi, one that has rarely, if ever, been equaled.

Inception (2010) - While I'm sure it's wacky premise falls apart if you scrutinize it too much, it's hard to deny how entertaining and accessible this film is, especially considering what it's trying to do narratively. Tenet showed the limitations of this type of movie when its relatively devoid of soul, but with Leonardo DiCaprio fully committed in the lead, this feels like more than just a technical exercise and it's big set pieces still pack a wallop.

The Tree of Life (2011) - Terrence Malick's stunning achievement -- a paean to the process of life and family, is an elegiac tone poem whose unorthodox rhythms are perfectly suited to a mental flight of fancy. Its montages are peerless as is it's swelling emotion. Definitely not for all tastes, but if you can get on Malick and the movie's wavelength it takes you on quite a journey.

MacGruber (2010) - Simply the best dumb comedy of recent years -- a gut-busting melange of high but mostly low comedy. Criminally under-appreciated when it first came out, it now feels like a genuine cult classic (can't wait for the TV series inspired by it). Wonderfully nutty tone and style that is eminently quotable and surprisingly endearing. 

Apocalypse Now (1979)  - One of my favorite war films in part because it really leans into the madness, chaos and creeping existential dread of war. It's last act in particular takes on a kind of mythological proportion that supersedes the drama and its melodrama makes for a surreal viewing experience. It doesn't hurt that the people making this film were almost certainly on a lot of drugs, too.

Solaris (1972 and 2002 either version) - Again, hard 'not for everyone's taste' warning on these too -- they are intentionally slow paced and meandering movies about the nature of humanity and the challenges of reckoning with our mortality -- all wrapped in the package of a genre sci-fi movie. The Soderbergh version, which boasts a powerful, against-type performance from George Clooney, is the more accessible one, but both films are deep, passionate and profound.

'Nobody' works as unconventional action vehicle for Odenkirk

I'm biased. I've been a Bob Odenkirk fan for over two decades. And his late career resurgence as a dramatic actor has been one of the most pleasantly surprising pop cultural developments in years. I will always cherish him as half of the Mr. Show duo, still my favorite sketch comedy show of all time. But even on that show he always showed a flair for getting deep into character and revealing the pathos even in the most absurd character.

His range is put to great use in the deliriously violent new action thriller Nobody. It's slightly derivative of the John Wick films and has a truly thankless role for the luminous Connie Nielsen as his wife, but for the most part it's an incredibly fun, fast romp in tongue in cheek carnage.

It's almost a throwback movie -- it reminds me a bit of a Walter Hill picture -- you feel every punch and the action is not graceful or too hyper choreographed. Of course it is, but it feels a lot more slapdash in the best possible way. And somehow, despite the fact that he's 58 years old and far from imposing physically, the movie really does make Odenkirk feel plausible as an action star.

He looks a bit more fit here, with a grizzled greying beard that suits him, The first half of the movie does a terrific job of creating an air of mystery about his character. Good cinema shorthand has ways of making you understand that a character is a badass based on how other characters react to them, and you quickly recognize that the Odenkirk character isn't the milquetoast suburban dad he initially appears to be.

And once the plot kicks in, which is knowingly threadbare and innocuously silly, it's a pretty much non-stop ride. It's self awareness isn't cynical -- people aren't constantly popping off one-liners and being irritatingly ironic. Nobody is much more straightforward and satisfying and it's blissfully just over 90 minutes, instead of a bloated mess like so many other modern action movies.

I don't see a Taken-like career re-route in Odenkirk's future though, or at least I hope not. He's too interesting an actor to be pigeonholed into a single genre, but this film does prove unequivocally that Odenkirk has it in him to be a movie star, too.

Better late than never I say.  It's had to gauge how successful it is and will be since most folks will be seeing it on streaming platforms, instead of a theater, which is a shame since Nobody has a rousing, crowd-pleasing vibe about it, especially when old favorite Christopher Lloyd shows up as Odenkirk's gun toting dad.

It's early, but this is the first great 2021 movie I've seen.

Flashback 2001: My top 10 favorite movies from 20 years ago

It's wild to think of 2001, the year that arguably changed everything in this country for mostly worse was 20 years ago. Although the attacks of 9/11 came late in the year, they cast a shadow on everything that can before and after.

It was too early for the movies to fully reflect the bleakness of this period (that would come later in the decade) and so many of my favorites from this year are surprisingly light-hearted. This was my sophomore year in college and so I have a lot of fond memories specifically tied to the viewing experience of several of these, which remain burned in my brain.

It definitely feels like a more innocent time in many ways -- pre-War on Terror, pre-Katrina, pre-Trump. It wasn't the best year bur far from the worst for movies. And, as per usual, there's a few stone-cold classics...

10) Zoolander - One of the most delightfully silly and quotable comedies of its time was like a ear-worm. It did just ok at the box office but it had real staying power. Sure, it's a little overstuffed with celebrity cameos and it's plot is laughably incoherent, but who cares -- Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are perfection as vapid supermodels who start at as rivals and then become pals, Will Ferrell is deliriously funny as the villain and it'll always remain a favorite dumb comedy of mine although I haven't revisited it in years. 

9) Sexy Beast - Ben Kingsley completely upended his on-screen image (he'd played mostly gentle characters after becoming a star with 1982's Gandhi) as a foul-mouthed and ferocious gangster in this cool and kinetic British gangster film. The joke of the film is that everyone, including the imposing Ray Winstone, is terrified of him, and his performance is so intense you believe them. A real who's who of hangdog Brit actors with a killer soundtrack to boot.

8) The Pledge - 2001 was a great year for old man action films (there was also The Score which I am embarrassed to admit I like). Here, Jack Nicholson plays one of his most subdued roles as a retired cop who can't get over a serial killer who slipped through his fingers. To date, the Sean Penn-directed film I've enjoyed the most, keeps throwing curveballs at you, including a murderer's row of supporting performances from the likes of Helen Mirren and a devastating Mickey Rourke. A haunting little thriller that's worth rediscovery and reappraisal. 

7) Heist - Like I said, a great year for old man action. Here you have Gene Hackman at his most badass as a professional thief trying to get out of the business clean. A David Mamet script and directorial effort that works because his hyper stylized dialogue is a great fit for the genre. And again, you have an excellent cast surrounding Hackman including Delroy Lindo, Danny DeVito and a young Sam Rockwell -- all of whom are having a ball. Not reinventing the genre or anything, but old fashioned in the best way.

6) Ghost World - A moving and vivid interpretation of a popular underground comic with a scene stealing lead performance from Thora Birch (who should have had a bigger career). An episodic look at a hipster high school graduate trying to figure out her place in the universe who gets into an unlikely romantic relationship with a socially awkward blues aficionado played to perfection by Steve Buscemi, who was robbed of an Oscar nomination for his work in this film.

5) Wet Hot American Summer - Easily one of the funniest, most on target parodies of all time. This cult classic with a stacked cast of up-and-coming stars (including Paul Rudd, Bradley Cooper and Elizabeth Banks) hits out of the park with its bizarro and remarkably committed recreation of the 80s camp movie aesthetic. Deliriously weird and crude, this is always a fun rewatch and I even enjoyed the recent reboots for Netflix. I'm so glad this film (and now franchise) has the fanbase it richly deserves.

4) Training Day - Denzel Washington finally won a Best Actor Oscar for one of his greatest performances (at the time it was viewed as a career consolation prize, but that was a very wrong assessment) and his first full blown villain role. He is electric (and an underrated Ethan Hawke is a great sparring partner) as a deeply corrupt but undeniably charismatic Los Angeles narcotics detective who is indebted to the Russian mob and doing all sorts of dirty deeds to dig himself out. Exciting, funny and evocative, director Antoine Fuqua has yet to top his work here and Denzel gives a master class in genre movie acting.

3) Mulholland Drive - For many, this was a comeback of sorts for director David Lynch. It was originally intended to become a television show but it totally works as a standalone film. It beautifully explores many of his fascinations with artifice, Hollywood, glamour, sex and of course, death. An incredible breakthrough movie for Naomi Watts, Justin Theroux and the stunning Laura Harring (who never got her due). For me, it was the movie that started a lifelong love for Lynch's work and it remains a rewarding revisit all these years later.

2) Ocean's Eleven - Just a unadulterated blast of star-driven fun. I still remember how plesantly surprised and delighted I was by my first (and then second, third and fourth -- I mean who hasn't seen this movie a million times by now on cable?) viewing of this franchise launcher. George Clooney and Brad Pitt proved to be the most charming male leading duo since Paul Newman and Robert Redford, and the whole supporting team all get their moments to shine. Most importantly though, director Steven Soderbergh (who was on an all-time hot streak) didn't sacrifice his directorial flair to make it.

1) The Royal Tenenbaums - For me, it remains Wes Anderson's warmest most glorious picture. All of his specificity works wonders with this sweet and hilarious tale about a wayward patriarch (Gene Hackman again, in one of his greatest, if not his greatest performance) trying to win back the love of his eccentric family. It looks like it could be taking place in the 1970s, even though its in this fantasy version of NYC that has sort of never existed. It's got one of the best soundtracks, some of the biggest laughs, and it pulls on your heartstrings when you least expect it. In other words, it's a perfect movie.

'Thunder Force' is a bland, boring waste of its star's talents

Just when I thought Zack Synder's Justice League had cemented how creatively bankrupt superhero movies have become, here comes Thunder Force to bring the genre down yet another peg.

The new Netflix film starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer could have, and perhaps aimed to, subvert some of the genre's cliches -- but besides the unconventional casting of the two actresses, this movie does absolutely nothing new and does it with barely any laughs.

It's all particularly disappointing because McCarthy and Spencer are two of Hollywood's most likable and under-appreciated talents, and they deserve so much better. McCarthy, whose husband Ben Falcone wrote this film, directed it and appears in a small role, does lots of her patented physical humor and struggles mightily to supply emotional pathos but there's nothing fresh or interesting about what she is doing here. In movies like Spy she actually played a real character, here she's an underachiever and a big Chicago sports fan, and that's about it.

Spencer fairs even worse, serving for most of the film as a humorless straight man to McCarthy. The two characters are supposed to be playing estranged best friends but they simply don't have the chemistry and camaraderie to sell it. In fact, most of the 'laughs' are limited to Jason Bateman's role as a potential villain with lobster arms. And his one-joke role lands flat.

And that doesn't even begin to scratch surface. The plot is one of the most mind-numblingly dumb superhero plots I've ever seen, something superheroes who behave badly called Miscreants (a word that is said seemingly 600 times throughout the inane script). I have no idea if this film was every intended for the big screen, but it looks cheap and shoddy, even for a Netflix film.

Much ink has been spilled about the mixed to miserable results of McCarthy numerous collaborations with her husband and it's rough when a movie like this doesn't even make it's odder, more inside-y jokes work (like a gross, unfunny running gag about raw meat). The movie ends with a crowd chanting the duo self-appointed moniker -- Thunder Force -- and then a post credit sequence that also begins with the rote chanting of the title.

I suppose we are meant to find this infectious -- that the name will become an irresistible earworm, but it's just dull and never funny no matter how hard McCarthy and co try. I am all for a big dumb comedy -- McCarthy's Bridesmaids co-star Kristen Wiig hit it out of the park with one, her recent Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar (which almost  removes the stink of Wiig's performance in Wonder Woman 1984).

I have no doubt McCarthy will do plenty of better films -- she is a wonderful actress besides being a great comedian -- and in the right role there's no one quite like her. But this is her coasting at best. Octavia Spencer seems to be in a more challenging spot. She's gone wildly campy with Ma, returned to grounded work with Luce and is clearly trying to broaden her persona here too -- but she doesn't have a single moment to shine. Her character's an uptight drag who mostly tries to reign in McCarthy when she's trying to be funny. What did she see in this part? This is an Oscar winner, is this the best Hollywood can offer her?

I'm honestly stunned by how bad, cynical and lazy this movie was. By all means skip it. And if you're trying to get a superhero fix check out The Boys instead on Amazon Prime. That show tackles the idea of rogue superheroes much more effectively and hilariously than any moment in Thunder Force does.

'The Father' is a return to form for Anthony Hopkins

Films about the debilitating physical and emotional impact of Alzheimers has become something of a genre. It makes sense. They're relatable, profoundly moving and provide a lot for an actor to chew on, That being said, I almost always avoid these movies like the plague because they are so unbelievably sad.

I am still reeling from 2007's incredibly downbeat Away From Her. And I never got around to seeing Still Alice which won Julianne Moore, I hear, a richly deserved Academy Award. I am frightened of this happening to my parents, in laws, myself or my spouse.

The Father, effectively taps into that fear -- in its strongest moments it plays almost like a horror film where we are placed in the shoes of Anthony Hopkins, a proud octogenarian whose daughter (played empathetically by Olivia Coleman) wants to get him an in-home caretaker because his memory is dramatically failing.

He resists her entreaties vociferously, even when his world is spinning out of control. He confuses his daughter and his son-in-law, he conflates moments in time and locations. All of this is not just disorienting for him but the audience too. It's also remarkably sad.

The best thing about the film is Hopkins, who at 83 finally has returned to form after decades of dramatically uneven work. He's working at the peak of his powers here -- he can be charming and cruel and he is utterly convincing when he is helpless. When the character finally lets his guard down and has an emotional meltdown, it's difficult to watch and rather sublime.

If Hopkins never played another role in his life besides Hannibal Lector in The Silence of the Lambs his status as a legend would be secure -- but he has several other time capsule performances. I especially love his work in two other '90s films: Nixon, where he gives a surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the former president and the devastating Remains of the Day, where he plays a tragically repressed butler opposite Emma Thompson.

This film reminds of that one, since it's also about a man who insists on trying to maintain a facade no matter what. It's a tricky thing to play someone who is very vulnerable trying to project invulnerability, but Hopkins does it very well.

I can't say The Father is an enjoyable film. There are moments of gallows humor and pathos but it is pretty relentlessly dour and a bit claustrophobic -- which may be the point. It would make a phenomenal stage play but it may be a tad one note as a film although it occasionally plays with perspective in ways that I appreciated.

Quite frankly, the trailer spoils much of the films surprises, which is unforgivable. It ends up blunting some of the movie's impact. In fact I would suggest that if you are curious about The Father you SHOULD NOT watch the trailer first. Go in cold. It'll remind you not just what a great actor Anthony Hopkins used to be, but how good he still is.

2020 Oscar pick-a-palooza finale: What's the Best Picture?

This is the latest post in an ongoing annual Oscars conversation with Too Fat 4 Skinny Jeans' Brian Wezowicz. We've previously broken down: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Director...

Brian: On to the final category of the night, Best Picture.  Overall, this is a mixed bag of nominated films.  There's some very deserving nominees on this list and a couple head scratchers, especially when compared to a couple films left off this list.  Again, it's nice to see a range of stories, people, and cultures presented and a break away from #OscarsSoWhite, but I can't help but feel slightly let down by this list.  

We've got some heavy hitters on this list (Nomadland, Minari, The Sound Of Metal) who absolutely belong at the top of this list.  I think The Trial Of The Chicago 7 is a film that belongs on this list, even if it's a slightly over-the-top film at times.  You've got a self-congratulatory film that Hollywood loves to nominate in Mank, and some good but ultimately lacking films (Judas And The Black Messiah, Promising Young Woman), whose place on this list could and should be disputed.  I haven't seen The Father, so I'll reserve judgement for now. Overall, there's 8 out of a possible 10 films on this list.  

That leaves us two empty slots that could have potentially gone to Da 5 Bloods, One Night In Miami, and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.  It seemed like, for whatever reason, they weren't nominating stage-to-screen films, so that could be a reason for the omission of One Night and Ma Rainey.  I think it's a dumb reason, but at least it's a reason.  Both films were deserving to be on here and both have a legitimate gripe with the Academy for being left off.  Da 5 Bloods is the best film of the year by far, and to not have it competing for the top prize is a shame... especially with a couple open slots in the slate of nominated films.  

I know we keep harping on this topic, but the Academy really dropped the ball with this one.  I know Nomadland or Minari are probably going to walk away with Best Picture, and that's great, but it still feels like something is missing here.  I know each year I say I won't care about the nominations, and yet every year I'm still annoyed.  I know that art is subjective, and that they'll never please everyone with these, but to leave out such a powerful film is borderline insulting.  Not only to us, but to the other nominees.  You want to face the best competition and the '99 Chicago Bulls are sitting on the sidelines here.

Here's the nominees:

Best Picture

“The Father” (David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, producers)

“Judas and the Black Messiah” (Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, producers)

“Mank” (Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, producers)

“Minari” (Christina Oh, producer)

“Nomadland” (Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, producers)

“Promising Young Woman” (Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, producers)

“Sound of Metal” (Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, producers)

“The Trial of the Chicago 7” (Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, producers)

Will Win:  Nomadland.  It's a beautiful piece of art that's both timely and timeless.  They could play this movie in an art gallery without sound and you would still be blown away by its beauty and sadness.

Should Win:  Both Nomadland and Minari could and should win.  I won't be angry if either film wins.

Snub:  Other than the 3 I've mentioned (Da 5 Bloods, One Night In Miami, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), I'll go with a couple comedy movies.  I don't think any film better captured 2020 than Borat 2.  It has gotten some love in some of the other award shows, so why not throw it in there?  Another film that I loved, but would never get nominated was Palm Springs.  It didn't break any new ground, but it did bring me a lot of joy in a year when there wasn't a lot of that going around.

Which film takes home your top prize?

On a final note, it looks like our 8th annual Oscar pick-a-palooza is wrapping up.  I look forward to doing this next year.  Who knows... maybe it'll be the year that they finally get everything right... lol.

Adam: I agree with everything you said, so I am not sure what more I can possibly add. I am surprised that 9 films didn't get enough voters to make it in, especially when terrible movies like The Blind Side have in recent years. The only explanation for the blatant omission of Da 5 Bloods from so many categories is that Oscar voters either didn't see it or didn't like it. For shame, cause I think it'll have a lot more staying power than a few of the films on this list. 

But to your point there's nothing outrageous here. There's no Crash, Bohemian Rhapsody or Green Book to make you want to bang your head against the wall, so that's something. But really other than Minari and to a lesser extent Nomadland and Sound of Metal, there are few movies here I feel really passionate about either. Which probably means I'll be skipping watching this year's awards show for the second year in a row, Last year's Parasite win still feels like an outlier -- the rare great, unassailable film that justly wins. 

But historically that just isn't what happens. It's why movies like The Artist, The King's Speech and How Green Was My Valley (which beat Ciitzen Kane!) are Best Picture winners and movies like Do the Right Thing aren't even nominated. The Oscars are barely a notch above the Grammys when it comes to irrelevancy. They reflect the stodgy and safes impulses of an industry that purports to be progressive but in many ways is deeply conservative.  Ultimately this looks like it will be a good year for diversity and women, and that's great, but as far as I'm concerned, the damage is done by these awards and can't be undone.

Will win: Nomadland. It's just a movie no one I know has a problem with. It's also incredibly moving and beautifully crafted. I think Minari is more enjoyable, but that is not a strike against this movie that is clearly capturing a mood and a moment that feels very relevant. The only think I could see upsetting it is Mank, which to your point has the whole Hollywood industry thing that they love and does have the most nominations. if it does win I do think it'll be the most eye-rolly result, especially because I just don't think that film matters to anyone who isn't an Orson Welles fanboy. 

Should win: I agree with you again. Minari was my favorite of this bunch. But I also thought Nomadland was fantastic and is equally deserving.

Snubs: Da 5 Bloods obviously. I do wonder if traditional movie theaters were open and if Lee's film had been given a proper release and been successful would it have been ignored... we'll never know. Same goes for One Night in Miami, which plays well enough at home but would have been interesting to view with an audience.  And as long as we're throwing curveballs here I want to show some love for On the Rocks, a movie I know you're less enthusiastic about, but for me was just a lovely love letter to the city I love and a real return to form for Sofia Coppola.

Thanks for doing this with me again Brian. I have zero faith in the Oscars, but I always know i'll have a good back and forth with you. And congrats on becoming a daddy again!

2020 Oscar pick-a-palooza: Who's the Best Director?

This is the latest post in an ongoing annual Oscars conversation with Too Fat 4 Skinny Jeans' Brian Wezowicz. We've previously broken down: Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress and Best Actor...

Brian: You know what, I was totally wrong about the number of nominations Anthony Hopkins has received.  I guess I just assumed he's been nominated a million times.  I stand corrected.

On to Best Director... another category with some pleasant surprises and some very noticeable absences.  It's great that we have two women nominated.  Chloe Zhao seems like the favorite for Nomadland and, to me, would be well-deserving of this award.  And while we both agree that Promising Young Woman was a good but flawed film, it's always exciting to see another woman break into the boys club.  Lee Isaac Chung did an excellent job directing the universally praised Minari.  

The big surprise in this category would be Thomas Vinterberg for his work on Another Round.  I have not seen this film, so I can't speak on its quality.  I guess the big surprise is who he pushed off this list, and I'll get to that in a bit.  David Fincher is on here for Mank, which is an Oscar-bait film celebrating the drama that occurred during the production of arguably the greatest film of all-time, Citizen Kane.  It's definitely not his best work and we've touched on some of the flaws of the film throughout our back-and-forth.  I'm not surprised to see him on this list, but it's a shame that he's here over a couple more deserving directors.  For me, this is an incomplete list and there's two big-time snubs.  The first being Spike Lee for his career-defining film Da 5 Bloods.  I know he's had his issues with the Academy for years and that, deep-down, I think he secretly might enjoy his outsider status, but to leave him off this list is criminal.  

Also, the fact that he's only been nominated once for directing (BlacKkKlansman) is also criminal.  Another big-time snub would have to go to Regina King for the phenomenal One Night In Miami.  Whether it's because it was her debut as a film director or the fact that it seemed like the Academy didn't really reward stage to screen adaptations this year, she definitely got screwed.

Anyway, on to the nominees.

Best Director

Thomas Vinterberg (“Another Round”)

David Fincher (“Mank”) 

Lee Isaac Chung (“Minari”) 

Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) 

Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) 

Will Win:  Chloe Zhao.  She seems to have the inside track to this award and for good reason.  It's well past due for another woman to join the boys club.

Should Win:  Zhao or Chung.  Both did incredible jobs, and of the people on this list, both are well-deserving.

Snub:  Other than Spike Lee or Regina King, I'll go with Aaron Sorkin.  I wonder if he's thought of as "just a writer" and it'll take a few more directorial efforts before he starts getting recognized.  While The Trial Of The Chicago 7 was very Sorkini-esque, and that could turn people off, I still thought it was directed really well in a way that kept the pace moving at just the right level.

Who's your best director?

Adam: The Oscars diversity conversation is so maddening. It's always one step forward, two steps back. That being said, it's hard not to be thrilled by the presence of two women and two AAPI directors here (especially in the wake of a spike in hate crimes directed at that community), It's always been strange to me how every year a director is nominated whose film is not in the Best Picture race (in this case Thomas Vinterberg) while several filmmakers whose movies are get snubbed. The Spike Lee omission is particularly infuriating, especially since Da 5 Bloods is arguably an even more ambitious and powerful film than BlacKkKlansman was. 

I am not a big fan of The Trial of the Chicago 7, but I still thought Aaron Sorkin would make it because his stamp was all over that movie. I also am surprised that One Night in Miami didn't get more love for Regina King and appreciation overall. I too haven't seen Another Round, but I hear great things. I also felt like Promising Young Woman was exactly that 'promising' but it didn't really deliver for me until its devastating last act. 

And Fincher -- well he's a classic auteur who has several bonafide masterpieces to his name. His loss to Tom Hooper in 2010 (he was nominated for his era-defining The Social Network) is one of the greatest Oscar missteps in recent memory. And yet, while I think Mank is impeccably crafted and personal (Fincher's late father wrote it) I just didn't get as engrossed with it as I did with most of his work. Still, it's the most nominated film and if movies like Birdman are any indication, Hollywood loves movies about show business. 

Will win: Chloe Zhao. I still think she is the favorite. I've never heard any detractors of her film (although i could also say the same thing about Lee Isaac Chung) and its such a unique vision that she deserves much of the credit for the movie's success. I could see Fincher upsetting if Mank ends up running the table. But you're right Zhao has the momentum right now.

Should win: I loved Minari slightly more than Nomadland, but just by a hair. So like you I'd be happy with Chung or Zhao. But since only one woman has ever won Best Director, which is insane, I supposed I'm rooting for Zhao.

Snub: Again, we're on the exact same page. Spike Lee, who has truly returned to form after about a decade of shaky work, really deserved to be nominated and Regina King did a phenomenal job of taking what could have been a claustrophobic adaptation of stage play and made an emotional tour de force with four great, moving acting turns. I guess nominating more than two people of color was a bridge too far for the Academy Awards.