Best Cinematography 2020

[Reza]

We're early in the year but I'm wondering had Judas and the Black Messiah been released this year, it might've made even bigger waves.

It was of course released this year although included as part of the 2020 lineup. Didn't understand the need for that. How many 2021 releases got mapped under 2020 and recieved nods? Judas and The Father. How many others?

[Sabin]

dws1982 wrote
As someone who thinks that the 1.37:1 ratio in modern films is a stupid gimmick 95% of the time, I think Mank should've been shot in that ratio. For all the talk about the effort it made in evoking late-30's/early-40's Hollywood, it doesn't make much sense for it to be shot in a ratio that didn't come around for about twenty more years. Also: it should've looked better.

Couldn't agree more. The worst winner of this category in a moment.

dws1982 wrote
I don't know if there's a cinematographer more consistently underwhelming than Phedon Papamichael, at least not one who constantly gets attached to prestige projects, but I can't remember a single visually arresting moment in The Trial of the Chicago Seven. (Not the case for Sorkin's Molly's Game, which was shot by Charlotte Bruus Christensen.)

I'm a bigger fan of the film Nebraska than most on this board. That film has images that stick in my mind. But Phedon is quite underwhelming in general. His Trial... nomination is most likely makeup for the nomination he didn't get (or deserve) for Ford v. Ferrari.

dws1982 wrote
Nomadland is my vote. There was some gossip that Richards may have rubbed some people the wrong way during production of Eternals, where he served as a camera operator and not cinematographer, and there is apparently some backstory in the fact that he is not an ASC member. At any rate, many of the scenes and shots in Nomadland have much more staying power with me than anything from any of the competition does.

Didn't know that. I have no difficulty believing that. His lack of ASC membership is certainly what hurt him the most. The dude has New York outsider written all over him.

I join the chorus in casting my vote for Nomadland, although it's great that Sean Bobbitt finally has a nomination and it was certainly a deserving one. He shot Kaluuya and Stanfield like movie stars. The film has a real energy to its camerawork.

We're early in the year but I'm wondering had Judas and the Black Messiah been released this year, it might've made even bigger waves.

[Big Magilla]

Nomadland.

[dws1982]

As someone who thinks that the 1.37:1 ratio in modern films is a stupid gimmick 95% of the time, I think Mank should've been shot in that ratio. For all the talk about the effort it made in evoking late-30's/early-40's Hollywood, it doesn't make much sense for it to be shot in a ratio that didn't come around for about twenty more years. Also: it should've looked better.

I don't know if there's a cinematographer more consistently underwhelming than Phedon Papamichael, at least not one who constantly gets attached to prestige projects, but I can't remember a single visually arresting moment in The Trial of the Chicago Seven. (Not the case for Sorkin's Molly's Game, which was shot by Charlotte Bruus Christensen.)

Nomadland is my vote. There was some gossip that Richards may have rubbed some people the wrong way during production of Eternals, where he served as a camera operator and not cinematographer, and there is apparently some backstory in the fact that he is not an ASC member. At any rate, many of the scenes and shots in Nomadland have much more staying power with me than anything from any of the competition does.

[CalWilliam]

Nomadland gets my vote, and its loss is very weird. Mank's cinematography is impressive as well. Its contemporary and digital approach may be intentional and anachronistic, but at least generates an interesting debate. The other three are very solid, specially Sean Bobbitt's work.