Fargo ❄️ // My Cousin Vinny 👨⚖️ // Death Becomes Her 🧪
Happy Thursday. Today I’m taking a page from the great Do You Like Apples? newsletter and recommending some of my favorite (and odd) Oscar-winning films.
In movie news: The Oscars are this Sunday and will be the second in-person awards show following the Grammys. The producers told nominees and guests in a recent zoom call that masks are not required while on-camera. However, if they are not on-camera (like during commercial breaks) they will be asked to put their masks back on.
You can find my final Oscar predictions below! Have a great weekend.
Fargo ❄️
In an ever-unfolding comedy of errors, Fargo follows Jerry (William H. Macy), a used-car salesman who hires two unstable men (Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi) to kidnap his wife so he can collect a ransom from his rich father-in-law. Things don’t go well. After a trail of bodies starts piling up, Police Chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) sets off to solve the case with a cup of coffee in hand. Here’s the trailer.
Why it’s great: Fargo is one of the Academy’s braver choices — it was nominated for seven Oscars and won two (Best Actress for McDormand, who is going for her third this year, and Best Original Screenplay). Its bleakly comedic plot and tone mixed with the often ridiculous Minnesota nice characters make it an odd wonder of a crime thriller — akin to Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite — that grabs you from minute one and keeps you laughing (and cringing) at its series of unfortunate events. 98 mins.
My Cousin Vinny 👨⚖️
My Cousin Vinny starts with Billy (Ralph Macchio) and his friend Stan (Mitchell Whitfield) being wrongly accused of murder while driving through rural Alabama on a college tour. Billy calls on his cousin Vinny (Joe Pesci), a Brooklyn mechanic who just passed the bar exam after his sixth try, for help. He brings along his fiancé Mona Lisa Vito (Marisa Tomei, who won Best Supporting Actress for the film) along for the ride. Let’s just say Alabama and Brooklyn don’t mix. Here’s the trailer.
Why it’s great: Lawyers have praised My Cousin Vinny for its accuracy in procedure with one lawyer saying, “part of why the film has such staying power among lawyers is because, unlike, say, A Few Good Men, everything that happens in the movie could happen—and often does happen—at trial.” And while the story isn’t ridiculous, Vinny Gambino and Mona Lisa Vito certainly are. They’re already larger than life. And put them in rural Alabama and they’re giants (in leather jackets). With more than enough one-liners to fill two movies, the movie will have you howling about your “biological clock ticking” in no time. 120 mins. Full review.
Death Becomes Her 🧪
Death Becomes Her follows Madeline (Meryl Streep) who is married to Ernest (Bruce Willis), who was once arch-rival Helen's (Goldie Hawn) fiance. After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen vows to kill Madeline and steal back Ernest. Unfortunately for everyone, a magic potion that gives you (almost) eternal youth and life causes things to be a great deal more complicated than a little murder plot. Here’s the trailer.
Why it’s great: Robert Zemeckis is known for his quirky spectacle movies (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) that ask you to suspend your disbelief and take your imagination for a ride. It’ll come in handy when you’re faced by Meryl Streep with her head on backward and Goldie Hawn with a shotgun hole in her torso. Teetering on the edge of ridiculous, Death Becomes Her is an often hilarious romp through the sci-fi/fantasy genre with a madcap plot and three memorable lead performances by Streep, Hawn, and Willis — who are clearly having the most debaucherous fun. The film won Best Visual Effects. 104 mins.
Who’s going to win at the Oscars?
Best Picture
The ranked-choice voting system typically favors a broader favorite. However, Nomadland has so much love behind it that it should get enough first-place votes to keep it in the top spot.
Will win: Nomadland
Could win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should win: Minari
Best Director
Will win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Could win: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
Should win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Best Actress
It’s not hyperbolic to say this is the most competitive Oscar race in history. Each of the major televised awards went to a different nominee, so you truly can’t go wrong with any pick. If Nomadland is the behemoth I think it is, McDormand is going to nab her record-tying third Best Actress trophy.
Will win: Frances McDormand, Nomadland
Could win: Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should win: Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman
Best Actor
Anthony Hopkins has been making a last-minute rush for the finish line with a BAFTA win. However, the British Academy often rewards their own, so Boseman should sail to a well-deserved posthumous Oscar.
Will win: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could win: Anthony Hopkins, The Father
Should win: Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal
Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Youn Yuh-jung, Minari
Could win: Olivia Colman, The Father
Should win: Youn Yuh-jung, Minari
Best Supporting Actor
Will win: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Could win: Sasha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should win: Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Original Screenplay
Voters looking to reward Promising Young Woman are likely to do it here. However, Oscar-favorite Sorkin could still sneak in. PYW, in my opinion, is more of a directorial achievement, which is why I think Minari would be a more deserving winner.
Will win: Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman
Could win: Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should win: Lee Isaac Chung, Minari
Best Adapted Screenplay
Using the same logic as Original Screenplay, voters looking to reward The Father can do it here. Plus, as an exercise in adaptation (it was based on a play), the film is clearly the most impressive of the category.
Will win: Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller, The Father
Could win: Chloé Zhao, Nomadland
Should win: Christopher Hampton & Florian Zeller, The Father
Best International Feature
Will win: Another Round
Could win: Collective
Should win: Another Round
Best Documentary Feature
Will win: My Octopus Teacher
Could win: Time
Should win: Collective
Best Animated Feature
Will win: Soul
Could win: Wolfwalkers
Should win: Soul
Best Original Score
A decade after winning this category for The Social Network, Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor will likely walk away with this award for Soul, the first animated movie since Up to do so. However, Mosseri’s mesmerizing score for Minari will always be a favorite.
Will win: Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor, and Jon Baptiste, Soul
Could win: Emile Mosseri, Minari
Should win: Emile Mosseri, Minari
Best Cinematography
Will win: Nomadland
Could win: Mank
Should win: Nomadland
Best Film Editing
Will win: Sound of Metal
Could win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Should win: Sound of Metal
Best Costume Design
Will win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could win: Emma
Should win: Emma
Best Production Design
Mank should avoid the fate of The Irishman, Netflix’s awards contender last year, with a win in this category. However, The Father’s simple yet effective enigmatic apartment design is the most deserving of the prize.
Will win: Mank
Could win: Tenet
Should win: The Father
Best Sound
Duh. The brilliant sound design (and smart editing) are why Sound of Metal works.
Will win: Sound of Metal
Could win: Soul
Should win: Sound of Metal
Best Original Song
Will win: “Husavik” - Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Could win: “Speak Now” - One Night in Miami
Should win: “Husavik” - Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Will win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Could win: Mank
Should win: Hillbilly Elegy
📽 P.S. You can see every movie I’ve ever recommended right here.
🍅 I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes! You can find new movie reviews here and here.
Hey, thanks for the shoutout! As much as I love the Soul score, I wouldn't hate it if Minari won in that category. I've been listening to them both a lot lately.