# The Academy Awards thread for 2021
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** movies
**Created:** [April 4, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392 "2021-04-04T17:10:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2021, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/1 "2021-04-04T17:10:16Z")
> **[The 93rd Academy Awards | 2021](https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2021)**
>
> for his performance in "Judas and the Black Messiah"
I’ve seen only one of the Best Picture nominees, _The Trial of the Chicago 7_, which I liked but which I probably wouldn’t give such a high honor to.
How about you? And any other thoughts or observations on the Oscars this year?
---
### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2021, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/2 "2021-04-04T17:56:42Z")
I’ve seen four and would give it to _Nomadland_. A film about being alone probably hit home with a lot of people in 2020. I also wonder if the fact that all of the films have been so accessible through streaming might bring more interest to the awards this year. I suspect more people have seen most of the nominees than in previous years.
---
### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2021, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/3 "2021-04-04T19:23:54Z")
I’ve seen Mank, Nomadland, Sound of Metal and Trial.
Of those, I’d give it to Nomadland. I was very disappointed in Mank.
Sound of Metal seems like it’s only reason for being was to say “cochlear implants aren’t all they’re cracked up to be”.
---
### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [April 4, 2021, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/4 "2021-04-04T19:50:54Z")
I’ll go out on a limb and say the Academy Awards will lose even more viewers this year.
---
### Author:  [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/5 "2021-04-05T00:15:57Z")
Here is a link to my post about the Animated and Live Short nominees that prompted this thread. (Thanks @Elendil_s_Heir!)
> [@Movies you've seen recently](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently/699906/2070):
>
> Since it doesn’t look like there is going to be an Oscars thread (and I’ve seen shockingly few of the major award contenders), I’ll just put this here. I saw the Animated Short and Live Short nominees. My quick takes: Animated Short Meh. The “profound” shorts are a little too on the nose and the “funny” ones are mildly amusing at best. If I was forced to pick…probably Yes-People from Iceland. Live Short At least a couple of these moved me a little. But don’t go looking for chuckles. Ev…
I’ve only seen four of the Best Picture nominees, but I expect that I’ll see 2-3 more by the ceremony.
Out of **Mank** , **Nomadland** , **Minari** , and **Promising Young Woman** , I’d vote for **Nomadland** (Chloe Zhao is an amazing filmmaker), but if I was betting on one of the four, I’d go with **Mank**. It just seems to me that this year, the Oscar electorate is going to be exhausted by COVID, and, out of all the nominees, **Mank** is the one I’d describe as a “comfort food” movie.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/6 "2021-04-05T00:27:05Z")
Of the seven best picture nominees (The Father, Judas and the Black Messiah, Minari, Mank, Nomadland, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal and The Trial of the Chicago 7), I’ve only seen Nomadland so far, although I think four are available on the streaming services I subscribe to. (I haven’t felt the urge to see Mank or The Trial of the Chicago 7 or Judas and the Black Messiah.) I’m really not enthusiastic about many movies from the past year. And even though theaters have been open at times in the last few months, there’s been almost nothing I want to see. Really a boring year in movies, for obvious reasons. But on the bright side, there are several upcoming movies I’m looking forward to, some of which were delayed from the last year,
---
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/7 "2021-04-05T00:28:39Z")
There were movies in 2020?
---
### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/8 "2021-04-05T00:39:20Z")
I’ve seen most of the nominated films, and my vote is _Promising Young Woman_, along with cheering for Cary Mulligan for Best Actress. But that’s just me – I like films with unapologetic raw emotion. I wouldn’t put any money on the Academy actually going with my preferences, though. They’ll probably pick something artsy-fartsy like _Nomadland_. I do like Frances McDormand and must have watched _Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri_ three or four times, but TBH I switched off _Nomadland_ after about fifteen minutes and went to something else. I suppose I should give it another shot.
---
### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/9 "2021-04-05T01:51:24Z")
I’ve seen all 7 nominated films. I personally enjoyed **The Father** and **Sound of Metal** the most, though I did also really like **Nomadland** and **Minari**.
---
### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [April 5, 2021, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/10 "2021-04-05T01:53:51Z")
I forgot about Promising Young Woman! Which is surprising because it’s my favorite of the 5 I’ve seen.
---
### Author:  [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/11 "2021-04-08T15:21:19Z")
I’ve seen all of them so far except The Father and Sound of Metal. Of the rest, I didn’t dislike any, but I didn’t love any of them either. Trial of the Chicago 7 and Promising Young Woman were the most entertaining, and I enjoyed Mank, but my vote would probably go to Nomadland.
I want to set up an Oscar prediction pool for my co-workers. Does anyone know of a website that will let you do that easily? Or do I have to create my own?
---
### Author:  [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2021, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/12 "2021-04-11T08:31:48Z")
Of the films in all the categories, I’ve seen:
All the Animated Shorts
All the Live Action Shorts
All the Documentary Shorts
_Sound of Metal_
_Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom_
_Minari_
_Judas and the Black Messiah_
_One Night in Miami . . ._
_Nomadland_
_Borat Subsequent Moviefilm_
_Tenet_
I’m not blown away by any film I’ve seen over the past year. It’s not worth it for me to even try to pick either my favorite or my guess for the winner for Best Picture, since I’ve only seen four of the eight nominated films. If I had to pick a film I’ve seen over the past year that I enjoyed, it would be _Bill & Ted Face the Music_. Yes, it’s silly and minor, but it was actually fun. This hasn’t been a great year for movies.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2021, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/13 "2021-04-11T14:37:23Z")
How did you see the nominated short films? In past years, they’d have showings in theaters of all of the short documentaries, or all of the short animated films. Did they do that this year? Or was it possible to stream all of them?
---
### Author:  [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2021, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/14 "2021-04-11T15:15:21Z")
Several movie theaters in the Washington D.C. area are showing the three sets of short films.
---
### Author:  [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2021, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/15 "2021-04-11T15:19:39Z")
I watched all the Animated and Live Action Shorts over the weekend. IFC has the option to purchase an online screening:
> **[IFC Center - Academy Award-Nominated Short Films 2021](https://www.ifccenter.com/series/academy-award-nominated-short-films-2021/)**
>
> Our popular annual showcase of the animated, live-action and documentary short films nominated for an Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards is back! Each category is presented as a separate program, for separate...
---
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2021, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/16 "2021-04-11T20:29:09Z")
Even though movies have been off the radar for the wife and me this past year, we are pulling for Carey Mulligan to win for Best Actress. I know her cousin. He lives in Bangkok, and I worked with him on two different newspapers there. A really great guy. We keep in touch.
We are so out of it regarding movies that I did not even know Mulligan had been nominated or even had a new one out until seeing her host _SNL_ last night.
---
### Author:  [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2021, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/17 "2021-04-25T00:13:58Z")
Wow! Usually this thread would be 50-100 posts by this time. I think it shows how muted the passions about movies are when they are only available through streaming.
I finally managed to see all the Best Picture nominees in the theater (even though the local theaters only opened this month). My opinion and predictions are:
**The Father** - Almost a filmed stage play, with some excellent performances. However, outside of the performances, while it is worthy of a nomination, I can’t get passionate about it.
**Judas and the Black Messiah** - A movie that leaves you seething and sad, anchored by excellent performances. However, it’s a biopic at heart, and I just can’t get excited about biopics.
**Mank** - A love letter to classic Hollywood films that also eviscerates classic Hollywood itself. Well shot, acting that is both modern and recalls the classic films of the late 40’s. I really like this movie, but I _wanted_ to like it a lot more than I did.
**Minari** - An elegiac and heartfelt movie about what it means to be a family. It accomplishes the difficult task of simultaneously being a foreign and american film. Would have been my favorite, except for…
**Nomadland** - I am a Chloe Zhao fan. I’ve been a fan since **The Rider** , one of my favorite films of 2017. She’s only made 3 films in her career, but two of them have been masterpieces (I haven’t seen her first film, **Songs My Brothers Taught Me** ). It will be interesting to see how her penchant for non-professional actors and internalized conflict works with a Marvel property. Anyway, I loved the performance by Frances McDormand and the story Zhao told.
**Promising Young Woman** - I certainly enjoyed the roller coaster ride and I’ve loved Carey Mulligan since An Education. However, while I like the nomination, it isn’t even the best #MeToo film of 2020 (IMHO).
**Sound of Metal** - Just got back from seeing this. A great central performance, but a story arc that didn’t take any chances with the audience.
**The Trial of the Chicago 7** - Another “biopic at heart”. Well written ensemble drama, but it won’t replace **Twelve Angry Men** in the pantheon of justice system films.
Should Win: **Nomadland**
Will Win: Who knows? It’s a weird year. The buzz is around **Nomadland** , but the Academy still skews older and white, plus actors are the biggest single demographic, so that would tend to favor meaty performances as in **The Father** or celebrations of when “pictures were PICTURES” like **Mank**.
---
### Author:  [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2021, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/18 "2021-04-25T00:52:35Z")
I’ve seen, among those nominated in any category:
All the Animated Shorts
All the Live Action Shorts
All the Documentary Shorts
_Sound of Metal_
_Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom_
_Minari_
_Judas and the Black Messiah_
_One Night in Miami . . ._
_Nomadland_
_Borat Subsequent Moviefilm_
_Tenet_
_Promising Young Women_
I plan to see _Mank_ tomorrow. Nothing blows me away. Maybe I like _Promising Young Women_ the best among those of the Best Picture nominees I’ve seen. I don’t think there have been any great films this year among those I’ve seen. Part of the problem is that I’ve seen so few movies this year (where the year is January 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021). My personal choice for the best movie of the year is often one that doesn’t even get nominated.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/19 "2021-04-25T23:44:31Z")
Anyone know why the ceremonies are being held in a train station? I assume this is because of the pandemic.
---
### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2021, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392/20 "2021-04-25T23:51:33Z")
Because it is a large open space and sentimentally it is also a frequently used location in Hollywood movies.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-academy-awards-thread-for-2021/939392.md?page=2)