Listen HereDylan Frazier
@dylanfrazier44
Awards season in film is well underway with this past Tuesday announcing all of the nominees for the 92nd edition of the Oscars.
When the nominees are announced for the Oscars, the biggest thing we always hear about are the snubs of the awards, and this year is no different. Professor Kit Medjesky, Professor of Communication, follows the Oscars very closely and watches a ton of movies. He believes that there were some snubs by the Academy this year.
“For many, the biggest snub is going to be in the action branches. Adam Sandler for his best performance in Uncut Gems was ignored. The criticism of #OscarsSoWhite could have been avoided with the recognition of Jennifer Lopez for Hustlers or Awkwafina for The Farewell. However, for me, the biggest snub was Lee Smith for editing of 1917,” said Medjesky. “While you may say 1917 was filmed as if it was one take and, thus, had very little editing, in reality, this means all of the editing had to be planned ahead of time carefully with the director. What would have been real edits in post-production had to be figured out as hypothetical ones in pre-production. That’s an intense amount of work that, I feel, should have been recognized.”
Everyone has a favorite movie that came out last year and Medjesky is no different. He too is rooting hard for one movie, in particular, one that anyone can watch because it’s a Netflix Original Film.
“Marriage Story was my favorite movie of the year. Choosing a favorite is very personal. I saw my mom divorced twice as a child, and, as a married man, I know the difficulties of working through disagreements and compromise. This was as real and fair as any divorce film I have ever seen and the work should be acknowledged,” said Medjesky. “In particular, I hope Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson’s subtle, pained, and heartwarming performances take the top acting prizes.”
The crowned jewel of the Oscars is always will be the best picture award. Nine movies were nominated this year; Ford v Ferrari, The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit, Joker, Little Women, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Marriage Story, Parasite, and 1917 were all nominated for best picture for this year. Medjesky is hopeful that the Academy will award Bong Joon Ho’s film, Parasite, with the coveted award.
“Best Picture is chosen through what is known as a “preferential ballot”. This ranked system means that the picture with most overall top picks does not necessarily or usually win the top prize. I think the divisive reactions to Joker and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood will keep them out of the top,” said Medjesky. “The surprisingly strong show of support for Parasite—it is truly an outstanding movie—suggests it may be the first international film to win Hollywood’s biggest award.”
Like everyone else, Medjesky will have to wait and see how the Oscars turn out in about a month from now. The Oscars will take place on Feb.9.
For all things Findlay, pick up The Pulse on newsstands, read it on our site, and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
