12 Days of Christmas Catch Up, Day 7: Cuts; You Were Never Really Here and Best Director

It's time to make some unfortunate cuts to the 12 Days of Christmas Catch Up. I had high hopes, but alas, I don't think I can squeeze in as much as I want. The biggest challenge will be making it to the actual movie theater to see "Mary Poppins Returns," "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" and most sadly "Ben is Back." At this point it doesn't seem as if "Ben is Back" will even make it to Memphis, much less Oxford before the 25th, so it's immediately off the list.

That leaves a Sophie's Choice between 2 films that probably won't make my Top 10 anyway. Both "Mary Poppins Returns" and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" are going to end up with at least one Oscar nomination each, so I will see them eventually.

Should I leave them off altogether?

OH...and instead of watching a Christmas Catch Up film today, I've decided to do a life catch up and finally, yes I said finally, watch "A Princess Bride." It's a date that has been a long time coming and a sweet friend of mine is having me over to remedy the situation.

SO...let's break this down.

Thursday

The Princess Bride

Friday

We the Animals (if it comes in time!)

Spider-Man Into the Spider:Verse

Saturday

Burning

Sunday

Three Identical Strangers

Vox Lux

Monday

Free Solo

Looks like "Mary Poppins Returns" will have to wait. Maybe I can still squeeze it in by the end of the year.

Now that we have figured that out.

Last night I watched Lynne Ramsay's "You Were Never Really Here" starring Joaquin Phoenix, in a role I can't imagine anyone else playing. This film is unflinchingly (from the camera's standpoint at least) dark. Phoenix plays Joe, a veteran, haunted by his childhood and thoughts of suicide, who now hunts down missing girls.

I find myself comparing this film two ways. First, and mostly disturbing to me is alongside "Leave No Trace" and "Can You Ever Forgive Me." After watching this I wanted to go on Twitter and type:

Can You Ever Forgive me > You Were Never Really Here > Leave No Trace.

Why? Mostly because of the letter Jane Campion wrote stating the Debra Granik should be nominated for an Oscar for "Leave No Trace."

I personally didn't love "Leave No Trace." I've said it before, and I might say it again. You don't have to like characters in film, but in this particular film I felt that I needed to have some sort of empathy for the Dad (played by Ben Foster.) I did not. I was beyond grateful when the father/daughter pair were discovered and happy for her when her Dad decided to longer raise her. He gets to go back into the woods, doing his thing, getting away with it. I guess we are supposed to feel some sort of loss for their relationship? No. Not me.

I actually wish Joaquin Phoenix had showed up with his deadly hammer in Leave No Trace and saved Tom from her Dad. Now that's a movie I would've enjoyed better than the two on their own. 

The other comparison is with "First Reformed." Dark stuff in both films, but "First Reformed" seemed to have something to say where I don't quite get the same impression from "You Were Never Really Here." It played for me a bit more like a mood than great storytelling.

Back to the original comparison. The more delicate one.

I feel the best film directed by a woman is Marielle Heller's "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" Followed by "Private Life," directed by Tarmara Jenkins. Sadly Jenkins's only real chance is a Screenplay nomination. Ramsay doesn't really have a chance, unfortunately, either. (Although she is nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Director). That leaves Heller and Granik. Which one, if either will get in?

Here's the question though. Would I ever ask that sort of question about a man? Doubtful.

We live in a world where the idea of two women being nominated for an Oscar seems simply unfathomable.

We may, for the first time have two black directors nominated. Even that seems a bit dicey. At one point I wasn't sure either Spike Lee or Ryan Coogler would make it in. I worry we are compartmentalizing these artists without actually considering the work.

If I had to predict the category today, I think 3 directors are in.

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
Spike Lee, BlacKKKlansman

That leaves:

Ryan Coogler, Black Panther
Peter Farrelly, Green Book
Adam McKay, Vice
Damien Chazelle, First Man

Debra Granik, Leave No Trace
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me
Cold War, Paweł Pawlikowski

How do we get two from that list? Well, "Vice" is garbage, so I hope the Academy will leave him out. I think they will. Damien Chazelle is probably in, mostly because they will want to justify the win they gave him a couple of years ago. I also think Coogler is in. And, just like that, we have 5.

Alfonso Cuaron, Roma
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
Spike Lee, BlacKKKlansman

Ryan Coogler, Black Panther
Damien Chazelle, First Man

Maybe:
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite

If anyone is out of that list, it's Chazelle or Coogler and the replacement will be Yorgos Lanthimos. The directing branch loves to place both International directors and up and comers into this category. That's why I have Pawlikowski on the list. But...more than likely that 5th slot would go to Yorgos.

Which leaves Granik and Heller without a nomination. 

We'll have to see. The Academy of yesteryear rarely made statements, but the new landscape of the Academy may prove different. How would I break down Best Director? You'll get a better sense of that when you see my Top 10.