4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films is all about letting the visuals do the talking.
On this Thanksgiving, here are four films that I am thankful for.
4 Shots From 4 Films
Dunkirk (2017, Dir by Christopher Nolan)
Nomadland (2020, Dir by Chloe Zhao)
CODA (2021, Dir by Sian Heder)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022, Dir by Joseph Kosinski)
4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
As a photographer, I love movie that feature shots of beautiful landscape. Here are four of my favorites!
4 Shots Of 4 Beautiful Landscapes
The Quiet Man (1952, Dir by John Ford)
Barry Lyndon (1975, Dir by Stanley Kubrick)
Days of Heaven (1978, Dir by Terrence Malick)
Nomadland (2020, dir by Chloe Zhao)
In 2020’s Nomadland, Frances McDormand stars as Fern.
Fern had a job working in an U.S. Gypsum plant in Nevada but, after years of steady employment, she’s laid off. Recently widowed and struggling to pay the bills, Fern sells almost everything that she owns and moves into a van. She travels across the country, taking work where she can find it and hanging out at other camps with self-styled “nomads.” She meets Bob Wells, the real-life guru of the van-dwelling, nomad lifestyle. She forms cautious friendships with other people who have decided to spend their lives in their vans, traveling from one location to another. Some of them are people who have fallen on hard times. Some of them are just people who don’t want to be tied down. One thing that becomes clear about Fern is that, while she’s a kind and caring soul, she’s also not one to allow people to get too close to her. She values her independence.
The film becomes a portrait of people who have been largely forgotten by conventional society but who have created a society of their own. (Fern may occasionally work at an Amazon warehouse but one gets the feeling that she would never order anything from there herself.) The film centers on Frances McDormand’s performance as Fern but most of the people that she meets are played by actual nomads. Director Chloe Zhao directs in documentary fashion, emphasizing the natural beauty of America and the lined but strong faces of people who are determined to live life their own way.
Nomadland can seem like a curious best picture winner. It’s almost plotless and, at time, the film itself can seem a bit heavy-handed in its portrayal of the nomad lifestyle. (I value my independence but I doubt that I could handle living in a van. And, even if I could handle it, I wouldn’t want to.) Even though it’s only been a few years since Nomadland won its Oscar, it sometimes seems as if it’s become one of the forgotten Best Picture winners. Some of that is because Nomadland won during the COVID pandemic, at a time when the release a lot of the films that were expected to be big Oscar contenders (like West Side Story and Top Gun: Maverick) were moved back so they could be released in theaters. While Nomadland did get a limited theatrical release, most people who watched it did so on Hulu. The 2020 Best Picture nominees were films that probably would not have been nominated in a different year and Nomadland, with its cinema verité style, is far more lowkey than the typical dramatic Oscar winner. Fairly or not, the film’s reputation has also suffered due to the failure of director Chloe Zhao’s The Eternals. Nomadland is perhaps now best known as being a part of a cautionary tale about what happens when a director makes an acclaimed film and then gets hired to do a Marvel movie.
(You have to feel bad for Chloe Zhao, who was the second woman to win the Oscar for Best Director but who was given the award as a part of perhaps the worst ceremony in the history of the Oscars. So determined were the producers to end on the triumphant note of Chadwick Boseman receiving a posthumous Oscar that both Zhao and Nomadland‘s victories were treated as distractions. And then, of course, Boseman didn’t even win the Oscar. It was an awkward night all around.)
That said, I can understand why Nomadland was embraced when it was released. It came out at a time when people were not only scared of getting COVID but also having to deal with the government’s heavy-handed approach to dealing with the pandemic. Living off the grid and away from society was something that looked very attractive to a lot of people back then. Future film students may be confused as to why Nomadland was so honored but it was definitely a film of its time. People forget (or willfully choose to ignore) how crazy things felt during the pandemic. When Fran told the world to leave her alone, she spoke for many.
4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
Today, I’m using this feature to take a look at the history of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Decade by decade, I’m going to highlight my picks for best of the winning films. To start with, here are 4 shots from 4 Films that won Best Picture during the 2020s! Here are….
4 Shots From 4 Best Picture Winners: The 2020s
Nomadland (2020, dir by Chloe Zhao, DP: Joshua James Richards)
CODA (2021, dir by Sian Heder, DP: Paula Huidobro)
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021, dir by Zack Snyder, DP: Fabian Wagner)
Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022, dir by The Daniels, DP: Larkin Seiple)
Best Picture — Nomadland
Best Director — Chloe Zhao for Nomadland
Best Actor — Anthony Hopkins In The Father
Best Actress — Frances McFormand in Nomadland
Best Supporting Actor — Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Supporting Actress — Yuh-jung Youn in Minari
Best Adapted Screenplay — Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller for The Father
Best Original Screenplay — Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman
Best Animated Feature — Soul
Best Documentary Feature — My Octopus Teacher
Best International Feature Film — Another Round
Best Live Action Shot Subject — Two Distant Strangers
Best Animated Short Subject — If Anything Happens, I Love You
Best Documentary Short — Collette
Best Original Score — Soul
Best Original Song — “Fight For You” from Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Cinematography — Mank
Best Costume Design — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Editing — Sound of Metal
Best Makeup and Hair Styling — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Production Design — Mank
Best Sound — Sound of Metal
Best Visual Effects -Tenet
Since today is Oscar Sunday and all, I guess it’s time for me to make my final predictions for what will win tonight! Here we go! No guts, no glory!
Best Picture: Nomadland
Best Director: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Actress: Carey Mulligan in Promising Young Woman
Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah
Best Supporting Actress: Youn Yuh-jung in Minari
Best Original Screenplay: Promising Young Woman
Best Adapted Screenplay: Nomadland
Best Animated Film: Soul
Best International Feature Film: Another Round
Best Documentary Feature: Collective
Best Documentary Short: A Concerto is a Conversation
Best Live Action Short Film: Two Distant Strangers
Best Animated Short Film: If Anything Happens I Love You
Best Original Score: Soul
Best Original Song: Husavik from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Best Sound: Sound of Metal
Best Production Design: Mank
Best Cinematography: Mank
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Costume Design: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Best Editing: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (bleh)
Best Visual Effects: Tenet
If I score 100% accuracy on my predictions, here’s how the night will end in totals:
3 Oscars — Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Nomadland
2 Oscars — Mank, Promising Young Woman, Soul
1 Oscar — Another Round, Collective, A Concerto is A Conversation, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, If Anything Happens I Love You, Judas and the Black Messiah, Minari, Sound of Metal, Tenet, The Trial of the Chicago 7, Two Distant Strangers
In another few hours, we shall discover how good I am at guessing.
The Independent Spirit Awards were awarded tonight, honoring the best in independent film. Nomadland picked up Best Feature while Carey Mulligan won Best Female Lead for Promising Young Woman. It wouldn’t surprise me if this proved to be a preview of what will happen this Sunday at the Oscars!
Here are the Spirit winners:
BEST FEATURE
First Cow
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Minari
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Nomadland
BEST FEMALE LEAD
Nicole Beharie – Miss Juneteenth
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Julia Garner – The Assistant
Frances McDormand – Nomadland
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman
SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD
The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 27th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.
David Midell – Director of The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
Ekwa Msangi – Director of Farewell Amor
Annie Silverstein – Director of Bull
BEST MALE LEAD
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Adarsh Gourav – The White Tiger
Rob Morgan – Bull
Steven Yeun – Minari
PRODUCERS AWARD
The Producers Award, now in its 24th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.
Kara Durrett
Lucas Joaquin
Gerry Kim
BEST DIRECTOR
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Kelly Reichardt – First Cow
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD
The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 26th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.
Cecilia Aldarondo – Director of Landfall
Elegance Bratton – Director of Pier Kids
Elizabeth Lo – Director of Stray
BEST NEW NON-SCRIPTED OR DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children
City So Real
Immigration Nation
Love Fraud
We’re Here
JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD (Given to the best feature made for under $500,000)
The Killing of Two Lovers
La Leyenda Negra
Lingua Franca
Residue
Saint Frances
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Jay Keitel – She Dies Tomorrow
Shabier Kirchner – Bull
Michael Latham – The Assistant
Hélène Louvart – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Joshua James Richards – Nomadland
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM (Award given to the director)
Bacurau
The Disciple
Night of the Kings
Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time
Quo Vadis, Aida?
BEST EDITING
Andy Canny – The Invisible Man
Scott Cummings – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Merawi Gerima – Residue
Enat Sidi – I Carry You With Me
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Conphidance – Little America
Adam Ali – Little America
Nicco Annan – P-Valley
Amit Rahav – Unorthodox
Harold Torres – Zero, Zero, Zero
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
Elle Fanning – The Great
Shira Haas – Unorthodox
Abby McEnany – Work in Progress
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan – Never Have I Ever
Jordan Kristine Seamón – We Are Who We Are
BEST NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
I May Destroy You
Little America
Small Axe
A Teacher
Unorthodox
BEST SCREENPLAY
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Mike Makowsky – Bad Education
Alice Wu – The Half of It
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Collective
Crip Camp
Dick Johnson is Dead
The Mole Agent
Time
BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Colman Domingo – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Orion Lee – First Cow
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Glynn Turman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Benedict Wong – Nine Days
BEST FIRST FEATURE
I Carry You With Me
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Miss Juneteenth
Nine Days
Sound of Metal
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Kitty Green – The Assistant
Noah Hutton – Lapsis
Channing Godfrey Peoples – Miss Juneteenth
Andy Siara – Palm Springs
James Sweeney – Straight Up
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Alexis Chikaeze – Miss Juneteenth
Yeri Han – Minari
Valerie Mahaffey – French Exit
Talia Ryder – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Yuh-jung Youn – Minari
ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
One Night in Miami…
Director: Regina King
Casting Directors: Kimberly R. Hardin
Ensemble Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge & Leslie Odom Jr.
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST IN A NEW SCRIPTED SERIES
I May Destroy You
Ensemble Cast: Michaela Coel, Paapa Essiedu, Weruche Opia & Stephen Wight
The Producers Guild announced its picks for the best of 2020-2021 last night and, not surprisingly, the winner for Best Film was Nomadland. Nomadland now pretty much how a clear road to winning the Academy Award for Best Picture at the end of April. I have to admit that I have yet to see it, even though I’ve got Hulu. I don’t know …. I just can’t work up any enthusiasm for the prospect of sitting through it.
Anyway, here are the PGA’s winners:
The Award for Outstanding Producer of a Feature Theatrical Motion Picture
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Judas and the Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
The Croods: A New Age
Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Dick Johnson Is Dead
My Octopus Teacher
Softie
A Thousand Cuts
Time
The Truffle Hunters
The DGA nominations have been announced!
The Directors Guild of America nominations are about as close to a reliable Oscar precursor as you’re going to get during the awards season so this is very good news for everyone who was nominated. It’s also good news for those of us who were worried that the Borat momentum couldn’t be stopped.
DGA Nominees
Lee Isaac Chung – “Minari”
Emerald Fennell – “Promising Young Woman”
David Fincher – “Mank”
Aaron Sorkin – “The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Chloe Zhao – “Nomadland”
DGA Nominees For First-Time Feature:
Radha Blank (“The Forty-Year-Old Version”)
Fernando Frías de la Parra (“I’m No Longer Here”)
Regina King (“One Night in Miami”)
Darius Marder (“Sound of Metal”)
Florian Zeller (“The Father”)
The Producers Guild announced their nominees for the best of 2020 earlier today. A lot of people are expression shock that Borat picked up a nomination but it’s something that I’ve been predicting for a while now. The film industry is largely made up of Democrats and Sacha Baron Cohen has managed to convince a lot of otherwise intelligent people that his film was somehow essential to defeating Donald Trump.
(Seriously — do you know of any Trump supporters who changed their mind as a result of Borat or who even watched the movie?)
Borat was nominated. Da 5 Bloods and News of the World, two films that many are expecting to be Oscar nominated, were not. Does this mean that Borat is going to pick up an Oscar nomination? Perhaps. Then again, let’s not forget how excited people briefly were when Deadpool was nominated by the PGA a few years ago. And, before that, Nightcrawler.
In other words, we’ll see. (Personally, I think that Borat will be nominated. If they were willing to go for VIce, it’s hard to imagine the Academy not going for Borat.) The Oscar noms will be announced next week. Until then, here are the PGA Nominations!
The Award for Outstanding Producer of a Feature Theatrical Motion Picture
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Judas and the Black Messiah
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Minari
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
The Croods: A New Age
Onward
Over the Moon
Soul
Wolfwalkers
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
The PGA previously announced the nominations in this category on February 2nd, 2020.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Dick Johnson Is Dead
My Octopus Teacher
Softie
A Thousand Cuts
Time
The Truffle Hunters
Through the Shattered Lens 