"Parasite" has already made history as the first South Korean film ever to get nominated for Best Picture, but will it go on to take home the gold? Is Lead Actor Joaquin Phoenix's to lose, or Leonardo DiCaprio's to win? Or will the seemingly unsinkable "1917" steal the whole show?
Employees at WGBH cast their votes for the 2020 Oscars, placing their predictions for some of the hotly-debated categories. WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen added thoughts of his own to the outcomes. One thing is clear, between the selected, the snubbed, and everything in between, it was a great year in film.
Bowen's comments are founded on the candidates that he thinks should win, not will win. Find out who the official winners are this Sunday, February 9, during the broadcast of the 92nd Annual Academy Awards.
Best Picture: “Parasite”
The margins were small between all of the nominees in this category ("Parasite" barely edged out "1917" and "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" in our predictions), but Bong Joon Ho's black comedy thriller about greed and class discrimination climbed up for the win. Another notch in the history-making belt for "Parasite"? It would also be the first non-English language film to win in this category.
Jared: This is an incredibly difficult category this year. Any of the films here (aside from “Joker”) are terrific candidates. “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” had me until its bonkers ending. I thought “Little Women” was gorgeous and lyrical. And I’d love to see “Parasite” win—no other film kept me ruminating for days on end as that did.
Lead Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
First the Golden Globes, then the BAFTA's - if these Oscar predecessors have anything to say about the outcome of the Lead Actor category, it's that it's Joaquin Phoenix's to lose. His performance as the mentally ill Arthur Fleck in "Joker" both shocked and beguiled audiences around the world. And let's not forget, Heath Ledger already won an Oscar for playing the same character, so we know Academy members are fans. Employees at WGBH think Phoenix has got this one in the bag.
Jared: This one comes down to showy and not showy. While I was fairly mesmerized by Joaquin Phoenix when I saw “Joker,” his performance didn’t stay with me the way Adam Driver’s did in “Marriage Story.” Driver gave a naturalistic performance that delivered us directly into the complicated soul of a truly flawed and pained human being. In my mind, his film (and even his work in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) have bumped him up into an entirely new acting tier.
Speaking of naturalistic performances, Antonio Banderas is pretty glorious in “Pain and Glory.” It pains me to see that it hasn’t registered.
Lead Actress: Renée Zellweger, “Judy”
Renée Zellweger's thoughtful and committed portrayal of Judy Garland has been dazzling critics and audiences since the release of the film. Most recently, it earned her the Golden Globe and BAFTA for Lead Actress. Third time's a charm? WGBH employees think so.
Jared: While I enjoyed and appreciated “Judy,” I am so not on the Zellweger bandwagon for this one. I’m staying with my love of “Marriage Story” here. As with Adam Driver, I see an actor finding new depths. Along with Driver, Scarlett Johansson made “Marriage Story” so much more than just a story about divorce. It’s a film about love and the pain of pulling it apart.
Supporting Actress: Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
WGBH employees agreed that Laura Dern's performance as Nora, the unflappable divorce lawyer representing Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) in a custody battle for her son, was just as complex as the outcome of the film.
Jared: In 2019, there was one definitive must-win for me. That was Florence Pugh in “Little Women.” Thanks to her performance, which charts Amy March’s extraordinary growth and conviction, a whole new generation of little women (and hopefully, men) will grow up finding themselves identifying with Amy and not just obvious choice Jo.
Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood”
Brad Pitt's captivating performance as Cliff Booth, the wise and grounded stunt double/friend to aging movie star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), is as charming as it is strong. Finding a role that combines his acting skills and unmatchable movie star persona, this is his year to win.
Jared: I agree! This is Brad Pitt’s year. See him in “Ad Astra” and “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” and you find an actor reaching a new plane. He’s joked that all he does in “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” is take his shirt off. What he’s really done is remove all the preconceptions of him while still playing a radiant Hollywood golden boy. And in the process, he’s left us a role that will go down as iconic.
I will say, the mighty return of Joe Pesci in “The Irishman” gave him a monumental run at the prize though.
Director: Sam Mendes, “1917”
Among WGBH employees, it was almost a dead tie between Sam Mendes ("1917") and Bong Joon Ho ("Parasite"). But Mendes' work in the epic World War I drama eeked out the win. The recent BAFTA's can confirm this if they're still a harbinger for the Oscar outcomes. "1917" earned Best Film, Best British Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography. Mendes also picked up the Golden Globe for his directing.
Jared: I’m with you again on this one. For the mastery of filmmaking, Sam Mendes deserves the honors here. Not to mention the fact that he was smart enough to prevent the shock and awe of his visual effects from overshadowing an equally compelling story.
Cinematography: Roger Deakins, “1917”
It's period pieces for miles in the cinematography category this year. But there was one that stood out for the employees at WGBH. Filmed to look like one continuous take, Cinematographer Roger Deakins' work in "1917" is a staggering filmmaking achievement worthy of the prize.
Jared: This is a tough one so I’m going to cop out with a tie. And neither of my winners is “1917.” “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” was picture perfect with its pervasive glow of old Hollywood just before the darkness of a modern and more violent world sets in. Speaking of darkness, I was also mesmerized by Jarin Blaschke’s work in “The Lighthouse” with imagery that remains indelible all these months after I first saw the film. And I don’t know if it was intentional (I’m sure it was), but I loved the nods to the great New England printmaker, Rockwell Kent.
Best Documentary Feature: “For Sama”
Among WGBH employees, this was a landslide win for the FRONTLINE co-production. This Syrian war documentary, about a young mother raising her daughter through the siege of Aleppo, took storytelling to a new level.
Jared: Best. Documentary. Ever. That’s what I’ve been saying about “For Sama” ever since the first film festival circuit screening I saw this summer. For all that I’ve read or seen about bombings and invasions in Syria, no storytelling has taken me inside the horrors of that conflict the way this film did. It is a heroic effort in the truest sense of the phrase given the immense risk filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab assumed to both film inside Aleppo and ferry her footage out.
Film Editing: Jinmo Yang, “Parasite”
Employees at WGBH went back and forth between "Parasite" and "Ford v Ferrari." But Jimno Yang's meticulous editing skills swept up the win. His ability to elevate the concept of the film by building tremendous amounts of tension, and a dark and fascinating plunge into utter madness, is incredible.
Jared: “Jojo Rabbit” nearly had me on this one and it definitely has me in the writing category. But part of the brilliance of “Parasite” is editing done to jaw-dropping effect thanks to the film’s myriad surprises. I mean, will you ever go to an open house again without conducting a very thorough investigation?
