Ana de Armas, nominated for best actress at the Oscars 2023

For some time now, the Oscars look for the new, which is not always synonymous with the good (and sometimes as in the case of ‘coda‘, otherwise). But what difference does it make? Seeing in perspective what we have been through in the repetitive and increasingly voracious (or just tiresome) awards season, and allowing ourselves to be carried away by the sensations that the last editions of the Oscars have transmitted, the entry candidate with the most possibilities was the comedy of the Daniels (as the directors Dan Kwan, Daniel Scheinert call themselves) ‘Everything at once everywhere’. And the announcement of the nominations ‘urbi et orbi’ the morning (very morning) in Los Angeles, which was lunchtime in Spain, by the actors Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams, he confirmed. For the moment, and waiting for what happens until arriving at the gala on March 12 (keep in mind that votes are taken between the 2nd and 7th of that same month after all the influential awards given by the unions), she is the favorite with 11 nominations. And all of them important.

Few surprises then, except those that touch. The surprise appearance of The triangle of sadnessthe strength of No news at the frontand their 9 nominations or, and here what touches us, the confirmation of Ana de Armas among the best. Let’s say that the Academy wanted to make amends to the actress after she Blonde, Andrew Dominik’s highly controversial film has been viciously butchered. She is the favorite of the Razzies that point to the worst. Undoubtedly in the unfair treatment of her, but, seen what has been seen, she pious. The immeasurable work of the Spanish-Cuban woman is safe from everything. Until that fateful step The anteater.

The main conclusion to be drawn is that the prized and always remembered Oscar for best film released in 2022 will probably be decided between three candidates: that of the Daniels already mentioned, ‘The Fabelmans’, by Steven Spielberg, who sports 6 options, and ‘Banshees of Inisherin’by Martin McDonagh, who gets 9. The first one is assisted, as we said, by the grace of novelty, of freshness and of seeing at the top an unclassifiable comedy that does not renounce action or science- fiction nor to simple madness.

It is another matter whether the aging hard core of Palm Springs voters will enter or have already entered this fable of multiverses that parodies everything, confuses everything and destroys everything (including the box office). In front is the two Golden Globe winners be it drama or comedy. On the one hand, the autobiographical film in which the last great king of popular cinema opens on the canal (it is about time that he repeats after ‘Schindler’s List’) and, on the other, the wonder of cinematographic writing signed by the already winner for ‘Three advertisements on the outskirts’.

At his side, in the list of ten, nothing is missing. Of course, there are the great heroes of movie theaters in a time that drags the post-pandemic depression with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, by Joseph Kosinski and Tom Cruise (this is not a director, but as if I know), and ‘Avatar: the sense of water’, led by James Cameron. And next to him, five more, who wear their own, but only as comparsas in the queen category. ‘tr‘, by Todd Field; ‘Elvis‘, by Baz Luhrmann, which is done with 8; ‘No news at the front’, the Edward Berger film that sneaks in by surprise and force as the eternal loser of Netflix (although it does not appear in the category of director or actors, it remains second in number of mentions); And, pay attention, two nice surprises: ‘They speak’by Sarah Polley, whose candidacy will help him now that the brutal Palme d’Or is opening in Cannes ‘The Triangle of Sadness’by Ruben stlund (who is also up for best director and original screenplay).

And a fact: all the nominated directors are directors. All men.

In the actors sections, emotion is relative. Barring a global natural disaster, it seems clear that cate blanchett will win his third Oscar for his more than delivered role in ‘tr‘. He has it all: from social opportunity due to the subject he raises (abuses) to one of those overactings that are so popular in drama schools. only michel yeoh for ‘Everything at once…’ It seems a reliable rival if that dragging effect followed by the fatigue effect occurred. That is, if Blanchett kills off every possible thank-you speech. At the moment she has two and the ones that remain. Of the rest… Ana de Armas. We repeat, Ana de Armas. Few or none are the chances of her entry, but, it has already been said, she is safe. Good. And one more consideration: Andrea Riseborough for ‘To Leslie’, by Michael Morris.

In their case, everything points to a duel (we hope not to slaps like last year) between Colin Farrell, for ‘Souls in pain…’Y Brendan Fraser, for ‘The whale’, by Darren Aronofsky. If what needs to be rewarded is awarded, Colin wins. If, on the other hand, it is decided to award all that surrounds the awards and makes them emotional and those things of feeling, then Fraser has no rival. He has been through a whole campaign in tears and that ends up affecting. And be careful with the falsetto Austin Butler in ‘Elvis‘, which you always like. The quintet completed by Paul Mescal, for his effort in the miracle’aftersun‘, by Charlotte Wells, and by Bill Nighyhand in hand with ‘Living room‘, by Oliver Hermanus, seems like a list to frame.

In the case of the secondaries, things are, to say the least, hot. Among them, it seems that Angela Basset leads the stakes for the latest Marvel show off in ‘Wakanda forever’, Ryan Coogler, versus Stephanie Hsu, who is the choice of ‘Everything at once…’. And between them, viz. Ke Huy Quan for ‘Everything at once…‘ again it is the one that seems most fit for what it is and for what it represents: Who does not keep a piece of his heart for ‘The Goonies’?

If the thing were measured in carats, by what gold weighs, it would be nice to see how Hollywood is divided between two characters as conflicting as James Cameron and Tom Cruise. It seems clear that the technical prizes will go to the prodigy that supposes the elimination of the barrier between the real image and the synthetic one in the hands of ‘avatar 2 after 13 years of work and with a collection among the five largest in history. But let’s face it, Cameron doesn’t like him very much. Perhaps that is the option of Cruise and the physical and technical boasts of him. Or maybe not, because the Scientologist isn’t that great either. A nice fight, then, in which she has slipped into the ring ‘No news at the front’ that right now can show off with all honors the title of more than deserved surprise. And who knows if the third wheel also.

As far as Spain is concerned, so in general, bad. Let’s say that Spain has stayed as the soccer team: in the round of 16. After the unprecedented success of seeing four short films among the shortlisted, in the end nothing. We will have to keep waiting after the failed attempts by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Javier Fesser, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, Nacho Vigalondo, Esteban Crespo and Borja Cobeaga. Let us remember, by way of consolation, that last year Alberto Mielgo in the animated short section made it.

That’s how things are, Ana de Armas, because yes, and ‘Everything at once everywhere’, because too. The two against all.

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