OKLAHOMA CITY — Love them, hate them, or entirely disregard them, there’s no escaping the debates and celebrations each year when the Academy Award nominations finally drop.
Today was that day, as the official competitors for 2023’s installment of the Oscars ceremony – the 95th annual this year – were finally announced after a dizzyingly diverse cinematic year and a pointedly contentious and controversial awards season.
This year’s Best Picture race contains all the classic, reliable entries: the ultra-budget Hollywood crowd-pleasers, the foreign language art house favorites, the melodramatic musical biopic, and of course the Steven Spielberg movie.
Over the next six weeks leading up to the Academy Awards ceremony on March 12th, theaters all over the city will be welcoming the contending films back onto their screens, but here’s a look at a few nominees that will be screening at local theaters right now or very soon.
“Avatar: The Way of Water” – All Major Theaters – Now Playing
Regardless of your opinion of this multi-billion dollar global phenomenon, it’s assuredly a technical marvel and was always a lock for at least a Best Picture nomination.
Will it win? That feels like a long shot, admittedly, especially as no outright science-fiction film has ever won Best Picture, and with the caliber of some of its competition this year, it doesn’t seem likely that the “Avatar” sequel will break that curse.
That said, if you love the sheer excitement and escapism of classic, big-screen movie-going, then there was nothing bigger in cinemas in 2022.
If you haven’t seen this behemoth of a picture quite yet, or if you just want to relive all the towering, blue-skinned action once again before the Oscars telecast, you can still catch “The Way of Water” in practically every multiplex in the country.
“The Whale” – Rodeo Cinema – January 25th and 26th
At one time considered a legitimate contender for Best Picture, divisive director Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” hit some serious controversy for what some perceive to be an insensitive portrayal of obesity disability. That probably kept it from vying for the big award.
Whether the film is an insensitive, gawky sideshow or a quietly poignant portrait of an ignored and maligned disability is still the subject of fiery debate, but near-universally beloved Brendan Fraser remains the Best Actor front-runner for his revelatory performance in a remarkably challenging role.
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – February 3rd through 5th
It’s strange to think, being that it’s a kaleidoscopic mind-warp of multidimensional action and experimental film craziness framing the story of an Asian-American woman, but this honestly might be the current front-runner for the night’s top prize.
Nothing about “Everything Everywhere” says “Oscar bait,” but it’s possible that no other film in 2022 resonated as deeply with critics and audiences alike.
As it’s also competing for Screenplay, Direction, four Acting categories, and a slew of technical awards, this is likely to be the most important film to see headed into the big night, though its toughest race might not even be for Best Picture.
The brilliant Michelle Yeoh is facing off for Best Actress against multi-winner Cate Blanchett for her own ceaselessly buzzed-about turn in “Tar.”
“The Banshees of Inisherin” – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – February 3rd through 5th
Almost definitely the other front-runner, writer/director/genius Martin McDonagh’s film lands him in familiar territory. His last effort, the outstanding “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” was also considered a front-runner for Best Picture until it was upset by stylistic fantasy “The Shape of Water.”
Will McDonagh’s work be passed over once again in favor of “Everything Everywhere”? We’ll all just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, if you haven’t seen “The Banshees of Inisherin,” very probably McDonagh’s best ever film work, you owe it to yourself to take the opportunity to catch it on the big screen.
The story may be a simple, hilarious, and strangely emotional tale of friendship gone sour, but the sweeping, pastoral Irish landscapes couldn’t be more beautiful, and they beg to be seen big.
“Living” Rodeo Cinema – January 27th through 29th
These days, remakes and rehashes of cinema classics are mostly seen as unloved and unnecessary, but “Living,” based on the 1952 masterwork “Ikiru” by Japanese filmmaking giant Akira Kurosawa, clearly struck a chord with Academy voters.
British treasure Bill Nighy received an unexpected but surely deserved Best Actor nod for his performance of an aging man that decides to appreciate all life has to offer in the face of a tragic terminal diagnosis.
This one has been almost entirely under the radar in the States, so here’s your chance to experience both Nighy’s nominated performance and the nominated screenplay, adapted by acclaimed Japanese novelist Kazuo Ishiguro.
Oscar-Nominated Short Films – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – February 17th through March 12th
Each year, OKCMOA’s Noble Theater presents a continuing run of nominated shorts, including live-action, animated, and documentary entries, right up to Oscar Night.
The short-form nominees are usually easy to lose in the awards shuffle, with even many Oscar diehards ignoring them in favor of the more flashy and respected features.
But the nominated shorts usually represent some of the most groundbreaking, creative, and artistic filmmaking efforts of the year, and having the opportunity to experience them on the big screen is always a gift.
For show times, tickets, and more, including information for the planned Oscar Night events at both OKCMOA and Rodeo Cinema, visit okcmoa.com and rodeocinema.org.
Brett Fieldcamp has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
