Lights, camera, blunder

Failing to be nominated for an Academy Award is a slap in the face for many studios. But for these films losing out in specific categories is just unacceptable says CONSTANTINOS PSILLIDES

With the ceremony taking place on March 12, here are some of the biggest Oscar snubs of the year.

James Cameron /Joseph Kosinski– Best Director

Make no mistake about it: Tom Cruise didn’t bring back just his Top Gun franchise from the dead; he brought the whole Hollywood movie industry with him. Following the pandemic, studios were hesitant to release their films for the big screen as the world was still reeling from the lockdowns and gathering restrictions. Adding to that was the fact that streaming was the newest, hottest trend, giving studios a new release option. The death of cinema was prophesised. The end times were here.

In swoops Cruise with his aviator glasses, boyish grin and crazy cult leader status.

Top Gun was scheduled to be released in July 2019, but the pandemic changed that plan. Seeing that the movie had an uncertain future, streaming services tried to purchase the rights and give Cruise an easy way out and a generous lump sum for his troubles. Cruise was not having it though, rejecting every offer, determined to take the risk of releasing it in cinemas.

The movie made over a billion, so I think the decision paid off.

One of the reasons for Cruise’s insistence was the work director Joseph Krosinski put in, as he managed to get all pilot shots from the actual jets, rigging a camera system for multiple takes and directing his actors from the ground. Krosinski did an amazing job and has probably set the standard for filmmaking when it comes to fighter jets. Working under such demanding conditions and innovating a camera rig that others will use should have at least given Krosinski a shot for Best Director.

The same goes for another box-office success of the year, the return to the lush planet of Pandora, Avatar: The Way of Water. James Cameron’s triumphant re-launch of the franchise came with real advances in filmmaking, especially in the field of motion capture performance. The techniques and tech used by Cameron – much of it his own design – will be industry standard for years to come. Just like Krosinski, his work should have been recognised by the Academy.

RRR – Best Picture

SS Rajamouli’s epic action faux-historical drama is a film so over the top it might as well take place on the moon. This roaring crowd pleaser tells the fictional story of two real Indian revolutionaries who fought against British rule. Rajamouli’s film imagines a parallel universe where the two met and became best friends. RRR needs to be seen to be believed. One of the most successful films of 2022, it features a bromance so pure it stops short of a tent in Brokeback Mountain, and included set pieces packed to the brim with jaw-dropping action sequences that had people cheering in cinemas. Rajamouli employs every trick in the book. It is pure, dumb fun, and I loved every absurd minute of it.

Not including RRR in the Best Picture category is a decision that defies logic. Not every good film needs to be esoteric and melancholic: sometimes, the big blockbusters are good films, worth considering for an award.

Also, one of the protagonists kills a guy by throwing a tiger at him. Beat that!

The Menu – Best Screenplay

Written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, this film is a delicious satirical look at the pretentious world of haute cuisine and ultra-fine dining. Quick-paced, with many twists and turns, it is helmed by a scary-looking Ralph Fiennes, playing celebrity chef Julian Slowik, who decides to offer his guests a menu they will never forget! The film takes a skewering look at the society of foodies and exclusive restaurants, captivating audiences with the question: What will the Chef do next?

The writing duo definitely did a great job of portraying the vapid emptiness of the high class. Maybe that’s why they were left out of the Oscars.

The Woman King – Best Actress/Best Director

The Academy was on the receiving end of a wave of criticism after the Best Director category saw no women nominees. What was perceived as a shunning of women went double for The Woman King, a Viola Davis led film about a group of elite women warriors in West Africa in the 19^th century. Both Davis and film director Gina Maria Prince-Bythewood were left out of their respective categories, which was a major surprise as both were considered favourites.