02 | Are the 2022 Oscar Best Film Nominations Worth Watching?

In this issue: CODA, Belfast, Don't Look Up, Drive My Car, Dune, King Richard, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, The Power of the Dog, and West Side Story.

Hello everybody and welcome back! I hope you had a good week since I last wrote to you. 🌟

Today’s issue is a little long as we’re tackling the nine films from 2021 that got nominated for Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards. Of course, in this day and age, we’ve learned to take award nominations with a grain of salt, because of both those who get snubbed and those who get an express entry.

Still, if you’ve been wanting to give any of these films a go and were on the fence, here’s my handy SYWT? guide.

CODA (Winner)

Genre: Comedy Drama

Language: English, ASL

Gist: A musically gifted Child Of Deaf Adults must decide between being an aid to her family for the rest of her life or leaving them to fend for themselves while she goes to music school.

Review: As a movie about sound, I should’ve expected that CODA would not be visually distinguished. But its silence thunders and shakes you into emotion. CODA goes on to prove that the simplest stories are the most important ones, as Ruby wrestles with the responsibility of looking out for her family at the cost of personal sacrifices. It’s unfair to ask anyone to make such a choice, let alone a teen. But the way everyone comes to terms with the final decision is beautiful.

SYWT? Yes! Yes! Yes!

Belfast

Genre: Coming-of-Age Drama

Language: English

Gist: The childhood tale of young Buddy living in Belfast during The Troubles¹, a sectarian conflict, that may cause his family to leave their hometown.

Review: This film is short, sweet, and emotional — all of which are elevated by viewing a sociopolitical event from the eyes of a nine-year-old. While it’s lovely as it is, I do think something more could’ve been done with the story. The best way to describe this film is that it’s like flipping through a photo album, being nostalgic for a few moments, and contently moving on.

SYWT? For sure!

Don’t Look Up

Genre: Political Satire, Black Comedy

Language: English

Gist: A female astronomist discovers that an incoming comet will most certainly destroy Earth if it isn’t stopped in time… only for no one to give a damn.

Review: This movie is one that had people quite divided over it. One of the biggest criticisms was that it was too smug and over-the-top. Personally, I think the extremely exaggerated tone was necessary to drive home the point that there are LOTS of things happening on our planet right now (wars, environmental crisis, inflation, racial politics, the list goes on) that we’re desensitized to, and while this movie isn’t going to change the world, it’s definitely one of the wake-up calls we need.

SYWT? Please do.

Drive My Car

Genre: Drama

Language: Japanese

Gist: Yūsuke Kafuku is a renowned stage actor and director who has recently lost his wife. He bonds with his chauffeur who is also dealing with her own guilty past.

Review: It is really tough to successfully adapt a Haruki Murakami story, so kudos to the film for capturing the essence of his writing.
If you have read Murakami, you know that the stories can equal parts puzzle and exhaust you, and it is no different with Drive My Car. What ultimately makes this film good is that it truly imitates the road we take when we’re dealing with grief, guilt, and remorse. Hopefully, by the time the curtains close, this film has brought you some sort of catharsis.

SYWT? Yes, but this can be a taxing watch. Either break it up into two sessions or watch it on a day you’re entirely free.

Dune

Genre: Sci-Fi Epic

Language: English

Gist: The Atreides family finds itself in the middle of a war for the galaxy's most valuable asset, while their heir, Paul, learns he’s the “Chosen One” who will bring about a new world order.

Review: Dune, originally as a 412-page novel by Frank Herbert, is an intricate and interesting story in its own niche. But it does not make for a great movie.
If we had taken the same acting, cinematography, and direction and made it into a TV show that packed some punches — that, would’ve been a game changer. Instead, we have a film that is too slow (which can then turn boring) and not exciting enough to keep its audience entertained.

SYWT? This is a skip. Dune is bound to disappoint even the most massive sci-fi fan.

King Richard

Genre: Biographical Drama

Language: English

Gist: A focus on the efforts of Richard Williams to make his daughters, Serena and Venus, the best tennis players of all time.

Review: There is nothing supremely spectacular about King Richard’s cinematography, but you stay for the grounded story that knows where its heart lies. This film isn’t as much about tennis or even the two greatest players of all time, as it is about a father² who was present for his daughters in all the fundamental ways. And just for that, you marvel at Richard Williams, even if his tactics are eccentric or/and risky.

SYWT? Sure! This makes for a good family watch.

Licorice Pizza

Genre: Coming-of-Age, Romantic Comedy

Language: English

Gist: The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around, and navigating through first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.³

Review: To preface, this film has a 90% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while I’ve given it a 5 out of 10, which is still me being generous.
If the age gap between the lead couple (15 male, 25 female) wasn’t appalling enough, the plot itself is inane and goes in circles. What was supposed to sell it even more was its 70s nostalgia paired with some big Hollywood cameos (example: Bradley Cooper playing Jon Peters and mentions of Barbra Streisand) — but it comes off as nothing but a caricature.
I love nostalgic, coming-of-age films and this wasn’t it.

SYWT? No, spare yourself.

Nightmare Alley

Genre: Neo-noir Psychological Thriller

Language: English

Gist: Stan starts off as a carnival worker but soon makes his way up as a mentalist who can swindle even the toughest crowd. That is… until he meets his match.

Review: To understand the setting you’re getting into, think of this film as a gory, dark, and tragic version of The Greatest Showman.
You’re in pulled in because you’re trying to make sense of these “circus acts” that seem horrific today, but were enjoyed and paid for as normal entertainment just a century ago. In the midst of all this mysticism, there’s Stan, who’s recklessly taking this as an opportunity to fleece people and his exploits are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat.

SYWT? It’s definitely a story you don’t want to miss — so even if you don’t watch it anytime soon, do keep it on your list!

The Power of the Dog

Genre: Revisionist Western⁴ Psychological Drama

Language: English

Gist: Rancher Phil Burbank is feared by most and awed by others. He uses this very power to torment his effeminate step-nephew, Phil, but ends up digging a treacherous hole for himself.

Review: At its core, The Power of the Dog is about toxic masculinity, internalized homophobia, and a slow-drawn revenge. The story itself is clever, almost sneaky even, with the way all the nuances make sense at the end. Sadly, it’s not enthralling enough and midway you might even ask yourself why you’re watching this. This kind of story is much better experienced via the page, so reading the book instead may be a better choice.

SYWT? Not really — It's not a bad watch, it just doesn't make it to the top of the list.

West Side Story

Genre: Romantic Drama Musical

Language: English

Gist: Tony and Maria fall in love, which is not tolerated by their respective street gangs, the Jetts and the Sharks.

Review: It’s a Speilberg movie, so it is guaranteed to be a masterpiece in all its technical aspects: visuals, camera work, music… especially how it imbues the rhythm of a stage play. Although it is marketed as a love story, the romance itself is ridiculous and completely unbelievable. It’s inspired by Romeo and Juliet — but I think we’re beyond stories where teens meet, fall in love, and are ready to die for each other all within the span of three days.
It is perhaps better to focus on the other aspects of the film such as gentrification and racial dynamics which actually make this rendition of the story a vast improvement over the previous one.

SYWT? West Side Story is a classic, which to some people would mean that you should watch it at least once. If you haven’t seen any version before, go for this one only if you’re looking to educate yourself.

That’s a wrap! Whew!

Sharing Time: I spent the last week trying to gobble some of the titles above that I hadn’t seen before. During these watch sessions, I refrained from using my phone or pausing the movie at all — much like what you’d do at a theatre.

And… it made a big difference! Perhaps, it is important to introspect on the way we consume films/TV nowadays, because it may affect how impactful the stories are and how enjoyable the experience is… just my two cents.

I want to hear back from you! If you’ve already watched any of these films or are planning to, don’t forget to comment your thoughts down below 🌟 Be a bestie and also hit that like button 💜

Before I go:

1. While we’re waiting for Spotify Wrapped, get yourself a cute receipt of the songs you’ve currently been listening to.

2. If you’d like to read the previous issue, here’s a link to SYWT’s archive.

3. Looking for any title in particular? Cue the database — This has the list of movies/TV shows covered so far with ratings and links to the newsletters they were reviewed in.

4. What’s stuck in my head:

Yours truly,

sal.

1. Also known as the Northern Ireland Conflict. You can read more about it here.

2. Siri please play Daddy Issues & Therapy for the rest of us.

3. I usually write the Gists in my own words, but this film left me so baffled and conflicted that I simply copy-pasted the blurb from IMDb. Here, credits.

4. Revisionist Westerns are pretty interesting as a concept because they seek to demystify the “heroism,” romanticism, and ideas of masculinity associated with traditional Western/Old West/"Cowboy” movies.