When it comes to the Oscars, even the most casual observer has something — a nomination, a snub, a ceremony gripe — that sends them into an apoplectic rage. Here, Star staffers share their controversial Oscars opinions, haters be damned.
Have an Oscars hot take of your own? Let us know in the comments!
Popcorn flick “F1” deserves its best picture nod
Some might say that at 62, Brad Pitt has aged out of playing even a veteran Formula One driver chasing one last shot at glory — but fellow Hollywood hunk Paul Newman was racing cars well into his 80s. So if age is but a number, suspend disbelief to enjoy Joseph Kosinski’s followup to his best picture nominee “Top Gun: Maverick.” Like that Tom Cruise action epic, this one comes with a full tank of testosterone and a killer soundtrack. People often complain that the Oscars overlook popular movies, and “F1” is among this year’s most technically adept blockbuster thrill rides. — David Friend
Benicio del Toro should win the Oscar (and maybe Leo, too)
There’s the old saying that the academy loves to give out Oscars not for the best acting but the most acting. It also loves bestowing what is effectively an lifetime achievement award on shaggy old thespians. Early supporting-actor favourite and industry vet Stellan Skarsgård gave a good performance, but nothing overly memorable, while potential new front-runner Sean Penn went full ham for his. But it was Benicio del Toro who offered the kind of subtle, sublime performance that the academy so rarely rewards. He suffused “One Battle After Another”‘s Sensei Sergio with warmth, compassion and quirk, and gave one of the best line readings of the new century with “a few small beers.” And his co-star Leonardo DiCaprio would be a great choice for best actor; he loves going all Serious Actor, but arguably, his true talent lies in his comedic skills, which he shows off to brilliant (and affecting) effect. — Briony Smith
“The Secret Agent” secretly stinks
“The Secret Agent” seemingly has everything going for it: a beautiful tropical locale, a charismatic lead in Wagner Moura, handsome hit men, en vogue political themes. So why is it so boring?! I support filmmakers eschewing traditional story structure in favour of a tone-poem vibe or meta social-justice commentary, but even if you toss out plot and pacing, there’s one thing you need to keep: the viewer’s interest. The film’s scene-setting and character development are non-existent, so there’s nothing to cling to, and the remaining potential fun stuff (the crime element) comes off as slapdash. It’s sort of the point, sure, since the film is about the twin evils of societal corruption and the cheapness of human life, and I’m glad the Oscar attention is helping a non-English film with political themes get more widespread interest … but did it have to be this one? — Briony Smith
“Sinners” may have great music, but “One Battle After Another” deserves to win best score
With “Sinners,” Ryan Coogler may have given us the horror movie of the year. But the real horror of this Oscars campaign is how “Sinners” composer Ludwig Göransson seems practically guaranteed to win best original score over “One Battle After Another”‘s Jonny Greenwood, whose work everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten. While Göransson’s score is certainly accomplished and perhaps more accessible than that of his fellow nominees — it’s a bluesy feast that conjures up the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of a southern juke joint — it pales in comparison to Greenwood’s extraordinary achievement. Underscoring almost the entire film, his music is a feverish, sonic manifestation of a world crumbling apart. Pedal tones cut through the silence and ratchet up the tension — with melodic lines darting about as if an abstract artist were spurting paint on a canvas. Without this score, “One Battle After Another” wouldn’t be half the film it is. — Joshua Chong
The academy needs to quit obsessing over weepies like “Hamnet”
Weepie shouldn’t be a dirty word. This fan-fiction — based on a 2020 book by Maggie O’Farrell, about William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes grieving their son — fills out a bingo card for every Oscar-movie stereotype, as director Chloe Zhao desperately tries to milk every last tear from her audience. All the free-flowing energy and lived-in qualities of her “Nomadland” (which won Oscars for best picture, director and actress) have been replaced with a static camera and screaming actors. While it’s largely about grief, the film distracts itself with loosely developed ideas around family trauma that keep the son, Hamnet, and his father apart, and their bond at arm’s length from the audience. The film should ultimately be remembered for its opening title card, which feels the need to explain that the names “Hamnet” and “Hamlet” used to be interchangeable, as the film doesn’t trust its audience to make the connection on their own. — Kristjan Lautens
