The Cannes Film Festival concluded this past weekend with a few potential Oscar contenders likely to have been screened.
I’m thinking the Cannes-premiered films with Oscar buzz will be “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Anatomy of a Fall,” “The Zone of Interest” and “The Pot-a-Feu.”
The latest Oscar spitball from Variety’s Clayton Davis also has Todd Haynes’ “May December” at #8 in terms of Best Picture rankings. Yeah, fat chance. As much I found it to be a very strong film, its ultra satirical tone will turn off many viewers. This isn’t “Carol,” it’s more like Haynes’ gonzo 1995 classic “Safe.”
What I’m even more bewildered by, when it comes to Davis’ early predictions, is what he put at #1: Bradley Cooper’s “Maestro.” If you’ve read this column then you know that test-screenings have not been going well for Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic, to the point where reshoots happened.
“Maestro” is said to be a great showcase for Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper, but the film itself, although well-directed, is supposed to be a mess.
It does, however, have the full-backing of the Netflix awards machine, so it could still get into the final 10 nominees, but winning? It’s looking unlikely. That’s all I’m saying.
I also firmly believe that if enough Academy voters watch Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” then it can WIN Picture, Director, Actor and Supporting Actress. Robert De Niro will also be a potential for Supporting Actor nominee. It’s that good of a film and, unlike “The Irishman,” much more accessible.
The rest of Clayton’s predictions are not out of the ordinary: “Saltburn,” “Oppenheimer,” “Dune: Part Two,” “The Holdovers,” and “Anatomy of a Fall.”
Davis has “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” at #10. Make of that what you will.