Judas and the Black Messiah 📄 + Oscar predictions #1
Judas and the Black Messiah 📄 + Oscar predictions #1
Happy Thursday! Today’s recommendation comes straight from this year’s Sundance Film Festival. What? You missed my coverage? Here’s a whole recap just for you! Plus, I break down the Oscar race for Best Picture. ICYMI, here are the shortlists for several categories.
🍿 Today’s movie: Judas and the Black Messiah
Today’s movie is Shaka King’s drama thriller biopic Judas and the Black Messiah. The film, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, stars two of the best actors of this generation: Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield. It will be released on HBO Max ~*tomorrow*~.
Judas and the Black Messiah tells the story of Black Panther Party chairman Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) and the plot by the FBI to bring him down with the help of a confidential informant, Bill O’Neal (Stanfield). [Trailer]
Why you should watch it: Of the movies that have come out after last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, Judas and the Black Messiah is perhaps the most essential. A raw and in the trenches look at the Black Panther party through the eyes of Fred Hampton. It feels like a magnum opus even though it is director Shaka King’s sophomore feature.
Judas and the Black Messiah is perhaps the closest I’ve gotten in this long quarantine to feeling engulfed by a film like it is to watch one in a theater. Its oscillation between electric moments of genre storytelling — thrilling moments of action — and quiet introspective studies of character keep you spellbound. That’s the word I’ve been looking for this whole review. It’s a spellbinding movie. One that will be studied for years to come.
Directed by Shaka King
Runtime 126 mins
Year 2021
♞ State of the Race
🔮 Oscar predictions: Best Picture
Last year, Oscar pundits were hailing the 2020 Oscar race as the most unpredictable with its shortened season. Then, this year outdid itself. With an extended awards calendar, fewer new releases than ever before, and the lack of in-person voter schmoozing events, this is truly uncharted territory for awards season.
After the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, here is my best approximation of where the Best Picture race stands. I’ll dive into Best Actor and Actress next week.
Best Picture
After years of Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video fighting to be taken seriously at the Oscars, this year we might see streaming releases accounting for more than half of the Best Picture nominees.
Remember: There can be anywhere between 5 and 10 nominees — since this rule has been implemented there has only ever been 8 or 9. For a film to be nominated, it has to receive at least 5% of all first-place votes (i.e. it needs to be *Glinda voice* popular).
Frontrunners (in order of likelihood): I’d be shocked on Oscar morning if any of these contenders are left off of the list.
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Nomadland
One Night In Miami…
Likely, but not certain (in order of likelihood): After scoring Best Ensemble nominations at the SAG Awards, Ma Rainey and Minari are in better shape than ever. Mank is fading, but Hollywood loves movies about itself. That’s enough to keep it in.
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Minari
Mank
Fighting for the last spot (in order of likelihood): Only two or three of these contenders will make it onto the final list. Right now, I think the line is drawn after Sound of Metal. Promising Young Woman had a strong showing at the Globes and Da 5 Bloods led nominations at SAG.
Promising Young Woman
Da 5 Bloods
Sound of Metal
News of the World
The Father
Dark horses: Surprises that could happen.
Judas and the Black Messiah
First Cow
Soul
Have a beautiful weekend! No matter what, practice self-love. You’re enough.
See you next week —
Karl