Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot No. 1: ‘Conclave’ for Best Picture, ‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Lost His Vote with Tweets

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This “Straightforward Oscar Vote,” the first in a sequence to be published before the Oscars, showcases the opinions and reasons behind them of an anonymous male member from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Short Films Group. It is important to note that THR does not back these views or claim they represent anything more than this voter’s individual standpoint.

The first article in a series before the Oscars, titled “Straightforward Oscar Vote,” shares the opinions of an anonymous male member from the Academy’s Short Films Group, along with his explanations for those choices. However, THR does not support these views and they are only representative of this particular voter’s viewpoint.

Best picture

In my opinion, I found Emilia Pérez enjoyable when I watched it, but it didn’t make it into my top 10 list even before the controversy surrounding lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón. Instead, I would have preferred to see its spot go to Sing Sing, which was overlooked; or Juror #2, which I truly appreciated; or The Wild Robot or No Other Land, but as you may know, the Academy often fails to appreciate animated and documentary films. I am a fan of musicals, and Wicked was quite impressive. I’m Still Here was excellent, and it is my pick for international feature. I admired the performances in A Complete Unknown — the fact that Timmy [Chalamet] and Monica [Barbaro] were both singing and playing the guitar was remarkable. Anora was great — the story and the performances were entertaining, Sean [Baker] directed it superbly — but other films had a greater impact on me. The Substance was exceptional, embodying the best of cinema. It was daring — the narrative, the sound design, the makeup. They offered the audience an immersive experience. It’s uncommon for the Academy to recognize a horror film, but I believe that the fact that this one deals with what it’s like to be a woman in Hollywood probably helped more people relate to it. I was captivated by the first Dune. Dune: Part Two had some narrative flaws — Denis Villeneuve seems to prioritize visuals over storytelling, which is evident in this sequel more than the original — and I wasn’t particularly impressed with Zendaya’s performance. However, the cinematic grandeur of it left me astonished. Nickel Boys was audacious — having read the book, I can tell you that adapting it was no easy feat, but RaMell Ross achieved this brilliantly using a first-person perspective. Yet, the final two films were difficult to choose between. Having never heard of Brady Corbet before The Brutalist, I initially dreaded its lengthy runtime, but the buzz surrounding it convinced me to watch it early in the season, and by the end, I appreciated its unique approach. It’s a fantastic film — beautifully shot, boasting exceptional performances, and delivering a powerful storyline. However, Conclave was fascinating and exhilarating in a completely different manner — offering a little mystery and an outstanding ending that didn’t try to make a statement but instead provided a perfect resolution. Edward Berger is a remarkable director.

POLL: (1) Gathering, (2) The Harsh One, (3) The Nickel Institutions, (4) Dune: Sequel Two, (5) Essence, (6) An Unknown Completely, (7) I’m Continuing to be Here, (8) Wicked Witch, (9) Emilia Pérez Woman

Or in a more conversational tone:

WHAT ARE THESE MOVIES/BOOKS? (1) Gathering of people, (2) Harsh-looking building, (3) Place for nickel-making children, (4) Sequel to Dune, (5) Essence or substance, (6) A person who’s hard to recognize, (7) I’m still here, (8) Wicked witch, (9) Book about Emilia Pérez woman.

Outstanding film director or
Exceptional movie maker or
Top-notch cinema director or
Superior film craftsman or
Skilled and accomplished movie director

In my opinion, evaluating this award category is akin to assessing an Olympic event: the complexity of the task, combined with its successful execution – did they manage a perfect landing? I believe this category ought to be extended to at least eight nominees. Edward Berger, RaMell Ross, and Denis Villeneuve deserved recognition, yet they were overlooked. How many other directors could have accomplished what they did, and why is James Mangold included here while they are not? Don’t get me wrong; Mangold is an excellent director who effectively told the story, but his direction in that film didn’t stand out compared to directing an epic in the desert. It seems unfair to suggest that managing Timothée Chalamet in New York was more challenging than creating a visually stunning movie on a modest budget of $10 million. I found myself torn between Brady and Coralie Fargeat, ultimately choosing Coralie. If Fargeat wasn’t an option, I would have picked Brady for his exceptional work on such a limited budget. However, considering historical underrepresentation (only three women have ever won this category’s Oscar) and the high level of execution, I felt that Fargeat excelled in her film.

VOTE: Coralie Fargeat, The Substance

Best actor

I found this one particularly challenging. Among all, letting go of Timmy seemed effortless for me. The performances by Ralph Fiennes from the series “Conclave”, Adrien Brody in “The Brutalist”, and Colman Domingo from “Sing Sing” were truly exceptional. I had a chance to interact with the cast from “Sing Sing”, and I developed a liking towards them. I believe Colman’s work, both on and off-screen, for that movie was nothing short of extraordinary.

VOTE: Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Best actress

Initially, I was seriously contemplating casting my vote for Karla. However, her controversial tweets left me utterly astonished – I found myself exclaiming, “I can’t believe she said that!” The situation only worsened day by day, leading me to firmly decide, “I will not vote for this person. Absolutely not.” From there, the choice came down to Mikey from Anora and Demi from The Substance. Both have a strong connection with their respective films, and I admired both productions. While I don’t mind supporting new, younger candidates when they are exceptional, Demi has a long-standing career in the industry. Her exceptional performance solidified my decision to vote for her.

VOTE: Demi Moore, The Substance

Best supporting actor

It struck me as unusual that Yura Borisov from Anora was nominated instead of Mark Eydelshteyn and Karren Karagulian. Initially, I contemplated choosing Jeremy Strong from The Apprentice or Guy Pearce from The Brutalist, but in the end, my affection for Kieran Culkin’s performance in A Real Pain won out.

VOTE: Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain

Best supporting actress

I didn’t find myself as captivated by Zoe Saldaña from Emilia Pérez as others seemed to be. Instead, Isabella Rossellini in Conclave caught my attention. However, it was Monica from A Complete Unknown who truly left an impression on me. The only other time I had seen her was in Top Gun [Maverick], and she was virtually unrecognizable – it was as if I were watching a completely different person.

VOTE: Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown

Best adapted screenplay

I was willing to consider any of them, but not Emilia Pérez. As I pondered over it, I found myself increasingly conflicted among Conclave, Nickel Boys, and Sing Sing.

VOTE: Sing Sing

Best original screenplay

Anora and A Real Pain are excellent screenplays, yet nothing quite compares to the unique originality of The Substance.

VOTE: The Substance

Best animated feature

Initially, I was convinced that my vote would go to “Inside Out 2”; however, after witnessing “The Wild Robot”, my decision has shifted dramatically. The narrative, humor, emotional depth, and music in “The Wild Robot” are truly compelling.

VOTE: The Wild Robot

Best documentary feature

I found “Sugarcane” to be underwhelming compared to my top two picks, “Black Box Diaries” and “No Other Land”. Ultimately, I chose “No Other Land” because it deeply touched me. To be honest, I wasn’t well-informed about the situation over there in the West Bank, but it was so heartbreakingly terrible, objectively speaking.

VOTE: No Other Land

Best international feature

If that situation hadn’t occurred, I likely would have cast my vote for Emilia Pérez. Afterward, it came down to choosing between “I’m Still Here” and “The Seed of the Sacred Fig,” but ultimately, I found myself preferring “I’m Still Here” slightly more.

VOTE: I’m Still Here, Brazil

Best cinematography

Instead of selecting numerous shots from “The Brutalist” to frame, I opted for “Dune: Part Two” as Brady was capturing miniatures, whereas what Denis and Greig [Fraser] achieved was on a much grander scale and appeared stunningly beautiful.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best costume design

In the end, I chose “Conclave” over “Wicked,” mainly due to Edward Berger’s discussion about the intricate process of choosing and altering the robes, which looked quite fascinating. However, if I had known that Paul Tazewell was involved in “Wicked,” I would have reconsidered my decision, as he is highly respected in the industry.

VOTE: Conclave

Best film editing

In the intriguing film Anora, scenes such as the unexpected home invasion stand out, however, my preference lies with The Brutalist. Some viewers argue that a three-and-a-half-hour movie necessitates further trimming, but I viewed it as two separate films divided by an intermission. To me, there was barely any excess content in the narrative.

VOTE: The Brutalist

Best makeup and hairstyling

I found it quite convincing: “The Substance”. The way they developed the makeup and prosthetics to show Demi’s rapid aging, all the way until the final scene, was truly impressive.

VOTE: The Substance

Best original score

As a music enthusiast who’s had the pleasure of listening to this year’s nominees multiple times, I can confidently say that each one is exceptional. However, when it comes to the 2022 awards, Kris Bowers from “The Wild Robot” truly stands out. For years, his talent has been deserving of recognition, and this year feels like the perfect time for him to shine.

VOTE: The Wild Robot

Best original song

As a music enthusiast, I found myself underwhelmed by this year’s song selections. Before the controversy surrounding Karla, I was already on the fence about Emilia Pérez’s songs [“El Mal” and “Mi Camino”]. Afterwards, my enthusiasm for awarding that movie waned significantly. Between “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing and Elton John’s “Never Too Late,” I cast my vote for Sing Sing. While The Six Triple Eight’s song didn’t resonate with me personally, I later discovered it was penned by Diane Warren – a fact that might have swayed my decision had I known earlier. [Laughs]

VOTE: “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing

Best production design

I attended with Conclave. Essentially, they undertook a complete renovation of the Vatican, an astonishing feat. It was so meticulously done that it appeared as if they were filming there. Impressive indeed!

VOTE: Conclave

Best sound

Among all the contenders, I chose “Dune: Part Two” as it seemed more challenging from a sound design perspective compared to the other nominees, which primarily focus on music.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best visual effects

Dune: Part Two. It wasn’t close.

VOTE: Dune: Part Two

Best animated short

Several of them were very good, but I voted for Yuck! because it was really adorable.

VOTE: Yuck!

Best documentary short

As a captivated viewer, I found both “Incident” and “I Am Ready, Warden” enthralling. The unique appeal of “Incident” lies in its use of surveillance and body camera footage to construct a compelling narrative without explicitly telling the story. Instead, it presents the scenes and leaves the interpretation up to the viewer, allowing for a personal conclusion.

VOTE: Incident

Best live-action short

Among many options that I found appealing, “I’m Not a Robot” and “The Last Ranger” stood out to me significantly. Ultimately, I chose “The Last Ranger” due to its exceptional cinematography that left me curious as to how such visual effects were achieved.

VOTE: The Last Ranger

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2025-02-23 22:55