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Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog: Straight Road to the Oscars?
Photo: Kirsty Griffin/AP
Three years ago it was almost time: »Roma«, a masterfully staged black-and-white drama by Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón (»Gravity«) had made an impressive run through Hollywood's award season and entered the Oscar race in 2019 with ten nominations .
But in the end, the trophy for the best picture didn't go to the arthouse movie distributed by Netflix, but to the overly maudlin racism road movie »Green Book«, a classic Hollywood production.
Nevertheless, "Roma" is a benchmark for the streaming service, which is ambitious in the film market, having won three Oscars - the greatest success to date in the fight for prestige and recognition by the traditional film industry and the Academy.
In 2022, the chances are again very good for Netflix to finally win the title "Best Picture", again not with an in-house production but with a worldwide exclusive distribution deal: "The Power of the Dog", a sensual and intensely told western full of homoerotic tension, received twelve Oscar nominations on Tuesday, more than any other film - and is therefore the clear favorite at the awards ceremony on March 27 in Los Angeles.
Once again, the director is a person already introduced at the Oscars: Jane Campion (»The Piano«) is now the first woman in the history of the award to be nominated twice for best director.
"Old" Hollywood and its road blocks
Almost the entire cast of her film, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and supporting roles Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Jesse Plemons, was also nominated.
It also received nominations for Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay and Soundtrack by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood.
»The Power of the Dog« has won 21 awards in recent weeks, including the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival for Jan Campion – a dead straight road to the Oscars?
One could think.
But the »old« Hollywood still has a few road blocks to muster, as the nominations also show.
Denis Villeneuve's visually stunning desert planet spectacle Dune received ten nominations, also including Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay.
A nice success for Villeneuve, who argued with his studio Warner Bros. about the early broadcast of his blockbuster on the in-house streaming service HBO Max and had to worry about being able to shoot the second part of his saga because of decent, but not great box office results.
While box-office smash Spider-Man: No Way Home garnered just a single Best Visual Effects nomination, Dune now takes the role, the popular fantasy and sci-fi cinema at the Oscars to represent.
However, French-Canadian Villeneuve (»Arrival«, »Blade Runner 2049«) was again denied his first, overdue nomination for best director.
Is West Side Story the new Green Book?
Netflix also has to reckon with Hollywood's nobility.
Steven Spielberg's box-office hapless re-imagining of the musical classic West Side Story has a surprisingly strong presence, with seven nominations including Best Picture and Best Director, an indication that much of the Academy, despite numerous makeovers and openings, always has plenty of love for have left the good old ham of traditional design and theme.
»West Side Story« could become the »Green Book« of 2022.
Kenneth Branagh's autobiographical emotional drama "Belfast" also falls into this category, competing for five nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
However, the biggest wildcard against the Netflix triumph is held by a Japanese film: »Drive My Car«, since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in spring 2021, a mourning ballad by director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi that has been enthusiastically celebrated by critics in particular, is the first production from Japan, which was not only nominated in the "international" category, but is also in the running for the best film in the main category.
Hamaguchi is also nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.
At least since the success of the Korean film »Parasite« at the 2020 Oscars, the Academy, which now also has an international cast, has become more permeable to foreign-language films, which have proven to be favorites with audiences and critics.
This is also reflected in the historically unique three nominations for the Danish refugee drama »Flee« by director Jonas Poher Rasmussen, which competed for best animated film, best international film and best documentary.
Biggest point for "Drive My Car": The drama, which is interwoven with references to Chekhov's theater classic "Uncle Vanya", can also intellectually and cinematically compete with Campion's meta-westerns.
So the upcoming Oscars could be interesting, if not exciting.
Netflix received a total of 19 nominations with »Power of the Dog«, Maggie Gyllenhaal's »The Lost Daughter« and the popular apocalyptic comedy »Don't Look Up«, the streaming competition from Apple and Amazon was able to win some important nominations for » The Tragedy of Macbeth«, »Coda« and »Being The Ricardos« score - all high-quality productions that don't have to hide from studio competition like »King Richard« or »Nightmare Alley«.
Gradually more diversity
This award will be about art house versus Hollywood power.
Diversity, i.e. the nomination of non-white and non-male actresses, filmmakers and other creative people, is gradually finding its way into the Oscar world after the controversy of recent years, even if a person of color is missing from the nominated leading actresses this year.
more on the subject
Academy Awards 2022: 12 Oscar nominations for Netflix film »The Power of the Dog«
TV and Film Awards: Three Golden Globes each for »Succession«, »West Side Story« and »Doggy Violence«
Dog Violence by Jane Campion: The New Face of the Western by Hannah Pilarczyk
Movies of the week: Steven Spielberg dances his way to the Oscars
Science fiction blockbuster »Dune«: The desert planet seemed scorched earth...By Andreas Borcholte
Our films of the week: Even "My Heart Will Go On" is treated surprisingly casually
Oscar for "Green Book": The wrong film by Andreas Borcholte
»Macbeth« Denzel Washington (with his seventh nomination - record!) and Will Smith (»King Richard«) are among the main actors, while Ariana DeBose, cast for her supporting role in »West Side Story«, is the first Afro-Latina to received an Oscar nomination, she competes against, among other things, the African American Aunjanue Ellis from »King Richard«.
Troy Kotsur from »Coda« is only the second deaf-mute actor to be nominated after Marlee Matlin (»God's Forgotten Children«, 1986).
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi is the fourth Asian filmmaker in three years to be nominated for Best Director, following Bong Joon Ho (»Parasite«), Lee Isaac Chung (»Minari«) and Chloe Zhao (»Nomadland«).
And Jane Campion?
Even if »The Power of The Dog« doesn't end up as best picture, she could make history twice over: If she wins the Oscar for best director, she would be the second woman in a row after Chloe Zhao to win this trophy.
The third in Hollywood's 94-year history.
Winner and Loser
Winner:
Kristen Stewart
earned the only nomination for Spencer for her brave portrayal of Princess Diana.
Lin-Manuel Miranda:
With his nomination for Dos Oruguitas, his first Spanish-language song from the Disney animated film »Encanto«, the Broadway star ("Hamilton") and multiple Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner could become an EGOT - this is what artists are called who have won all the important entertainment prizes.
Billie Eilish:
The pop singer, 20, was predictably nominated for her James Bond song 'No Time To Die' - making her the youngest-ever contender in that category.
Jessie Buckley:
The Irish singer and actress plays the young version of the also nominated leading actress Olivia Coleman in »The Lost Daughter« – her nomination for best supporting actress is the big surprise of this Oscar season.
Loser:
Lady Gaga
: The singer-actress was considered to be placed in the Leading Actress category for her furious performance in House of Gucci.
Ridley Scott's star-studded fashion-murder farce was completely ignored save for a Best Make-Up nomination.
Denis Villeneuve:
The "Dune" director is considered to be the innovator of science fiction cinema apart from Marvel and DC - but absolutely does not get an Oscar nomination.
Jennifer Hudson:
The Dreamgirls Oscar winner deserved a nomination for her portrayal of soul icon Aretha Franklin on Respect, but she didn't even get one for her song Here I Am.
Alana Haim:
The youngest sister of the pop trio Haim is the discovery of the year in "Licorice Pizza", one of the most beautiful films of the year - but neither did supporting actor Bradley Cooper get a nomination.
After all, director PT Andersons is nominated - and an outsider role in the »best picture« was still possible.