Tag Archives: Christopher Nolan

Oscars Winners 2024 — Predictions and Afterthought

Posted on March 11, 2024 | Leave a comment

I’ve accurately predicted 14 out of 23 categories, which comes out to about 60%. It’s not my lowest success rate over the past three years on Gold Derby, but it’s not my best either. I had a feeling I should have stuck with the winners of the precursor awards, but the Academy has a reputation for making unexpected choices sometimes. Overall, I’m quite content with the outcome. I really thought Lily would win Best Actress, but I also believe Emma was very much deserving of the recognition.

As for Best Original Song, I was particularly confident about “I’m Just Ken” because I feel that the Academy might go for something unexpected this year just to make noise. LOL

Wow, Poor Things overperformed! I was convinced Maestro had the makeup and hairstyling category locked down. Tough break, Bradley!

The Boy and the Heron taking the win is just fantastic news! I was on the edge of my seat, especially considering the strong campaign for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Seeing Hayao Miyazaki come out on top is truly gratifying.

A big round of applause for Godzilla Minus One as well! What a tremendous victory for Japan! Perfect Days should’ve won, tbh, but to each his own. 


Here are the the winners:

Best Picture – Oppenheimer

Best Director
Christopher Nolan — Oppenheimer

Best Actor
Cillian Murphy — Oppenheimer

Best Actress
Emma Stone — Poor Things
(I predicted Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon)

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. — Oppenheimer

Best Supporting Actress
Da’Vine Joy Randolph — The Holdovers

Best Adapted Screenplay
American Fiction
(I predicted Oppenheimer to get this)

Best Original Screenplay
Anatomy of a Fall
(I predicted The Holdovers to win this one)

Best Visual Effects
Godzilla Minus One

Best Costume Design
Poor Things
(I had Barbie here)

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Poor Things
(I predicted Maestro here)

Best Cinematography
Oppenheimer

Best Production Design
Poor Things

Best Sound
The Zone of Interest

Best Film Editing
Oppenheimer

Best Original Score
Oppenheimer

Best Original Song
“What Was I Made For” — Barbie
(Tsk. I should have stuck with Billie here. I predicted I’m Just Ken to pull an upset instead)

Best Animated Short Film
War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko
(I predicted Letter to a Pig)

Best Live-Action Short Film
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Best Documentary Short Film
The Last Repair Shop
(I predicted The ABCs of Book Banning)

Best Documentary Feature Film
20 Days in Mariupol

Best International Feature Film
The Zone of Interest

Best Animated Feature Film
The Boy and the Heron

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Review: Oppenheimer (2023)

Posted on March 5, 2024 | Leave a comment

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing.

Set during a major moment in history, the movie dives deep into J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life with incredible detail and authenticity. Nolan’s careful attention to every aspect of the film, from the special effects to the cast, shines through.

Led by the remarkable Cillian Murphy in a career-defining role, the performances in “Oppenheimer” are nothing short of incredible. Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon shine in their respective supporting roles, adding layers of depth to an already stellar cast.

The movie’s pace keeps you hooked, with multiple storylines unfolding seamlessly. The hauntingly beautiful music by Ludwig Göransson adds to the overall experience, and Nolan’s refusal to use CGI makes everything feel real.

While some might nitpick some scenes, like the Trinity test, it doesn’t take away from the overall greatness of the film. “Oppenheimer” showcases Nolan’s storytelling genius and solidifies his place as one of the best directors ever.

In short, “Oppenheimer” is a masterpiece that goes beyond typical historical movies. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves historical films and this cements Christopher Nolan’s legacy as a visionary and one of the best filmmakers in history.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Produced by: Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh

***I’ve watched Oppenheimer around the same time I’ve seen Barbie, and they’re so opposite, and I feel that I kind of messed up my review here, so I’m adding a few things I remembered from the film. ***

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Film Review: Dunkirk (2017)

Posted on March 2, 2018 | Leave a comment

The film is a narrative of the successful evacuation of the Allied troops from Dunkirk as the Nazi Army advances to the French city. The battle of Dunkirk depicted one of the historical catalysts that made the people in Europe come together against the war propagated by the Nazi regime.

The Academy gave Nolan’s film eight nominations including his first directorial nod, Best Picture and Best Editing. The latter I wholeheartedly agree and would predict this film to win said category. As for Nolan’s vision, I feel that the whole thing was well-executed, the way he played with our emotions but didn’t really hit the mark of capturing the essence of the topic. This was Dunkirk glossed over. There was too much technicality, hence the great editing, but it lacks the gravitas of what really transpired in those days. Yes, we see them soldiers fighting for their lives to stay alive, to be able to survive and be with their loved ones but I somehow find it devoid of motivation.

I thought it was critically overrated but at the end of the day – I still enjoyed it more than the Darkest Hour so that at least should be a consolation. Despite the measly character development, I’d still give it a 3 star ratings because it’s Nolan being Nolan and on a technical spectrum, this is heaps better than most films from last year.

Dunkirk scored eight nominations at the 90th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Production Design

Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance, Jack Lowden, Tom Glynn-Carney, Tom Hardy, Harry Styles
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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