The Academy Award nominations will be announced in less than two weeks, with the actual awards ceremony set for February 26. Many of the films that are in the running for major nominations (either because of the amount of publicity the studios are generating for them or because of strong critical reviews and insider predictions) are now showing in local theaters. Here are capsule summaries of ten (in the order we saw them).
“Arrival” (directed by Denis Villeneuve) is this year’s serious sci-fi offering. It depicts the arrival of egg-shaped pods that arrive at various locations on Earth and hover over the land where they are open to exploration and possible communication. The story then centers on a character played by Amy Adams who makes a remarkable personal discovery that promotes the philosophical questions the film raises.
“Moonlight” (Barry Jenkins) depicts, in three separate episodes, the tale of a young black male who struggles with his sexual identity, his relationship with his drug-addicted mother, and his position in his community. Three actors play the central character at ages 8, 16, and around 30. The film is shot largely from a subjective perspective, adding thereby to some of its poignancy and pathos.
“Nocturnal Animals” (Tom Ford) explores the subject of unrequited love from the perspective of a writer who seeks a reconnection by penning a novel of intense drama. The manuscript is read by the writer’s former lover, and she then envisions the scenes, many of which are exceedingly violent. It all leads to a possible restoration of the writer’s relationship with his erstwhile lover.
“Loving” (Jeff Nichols) tells the story of the white man and black woman who married in Virginia in violation of the state’s then-existing anti-miscegenation law. The couple’s court case, which is only briefly shown in the film, led to the Supreme Court decision declaring such laws unconstitutional. The film focuses on the couple and the effect of the law on their marriage and their lives.
“Manchester by the Sea” (Kenneth Lonergan) stars Casey Affleck as a disgruntled and sorrowful handyman who is suddenly given custody of his teenage nephew when his brother dies. The story behind his sorrow is revealed midway through the film in a dramatic flashback. Michelle Williams has an important role and she and Affleck have been critically praised for their performances in this deeply moving film.
“Lion” (Garth Davis) depicts the true story of a man who was separated from his family in India as a five-year-old child and then was adopted by a couple in Australia. As a young adult he determines to find his birth family in India, even though he does not know the real name of the town (or its location) in India and been raised as an Australian. The film details the lengths to which the man goes to find his birth family.
“La La Land” (Damien Chazelle) is the musical that follows the struggling careers of a jazz pianist (played by Ryan Gosling) and a young actress (Emma Stone). The love story that ensues is the heart of the story, but the film is most noted for the song-and-dance sequences that make it a throw-back to an earlier era in Hollywood films. The music is all original and the scenes of Los Angeles and Hollywood are authentic.
“Jackie” (Pablo Larraín) is a biopic of Jackie Kennedy in the days following the assassination of her husband. It is told as an exclusive interview the widow provides in which she tells the story of her husband’s presidency and their marriage in the way she wants history to remember them, emphasizing the “Camelot” image. Natalie Portman plays the title character in a strong performance.
“Fences” (Denzel Washington) is a film version of the August Wilson Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. The story focuses on a black man and his wife and the struggles they face in raising their son in Pittsburgh, PA. Intimate relationships are depicted between the man and his son by another marriage and the man and his brother, a brain-injured war veteran. The film has been heralded for the acting by its ensemble cast.
“Hidden Figures” (Theodore Melfi) portrays the significant role that three black women played in the early years of the U.S. space program that culminated with the historic space flight of John Glenn. The three women play pivotal roles in making the flight successful. The film depicts the racism and sexism the women endured in the Florida of the early 1960s when even bathrooms were segregated.
And for what it’s worth, of these films, the following won Golden Globes in the categories indicated this past weekend:
“Moonlight” – Best Film (drama)
“La La Land” – Best Film (comedy or musical), Best Actor (comedy or musical – Ryan Gosling), Best Actress (comedy or musical – Emma Stone), Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Score, Best Song
“Manchester by the Sea” – Best Actor (drama – Casey Affleck)
“Fences” – Best Supporting Actress (Viola Davis)
“Nocturnal Animals” – Best Supporting Actor (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)