A lot of people have pointed out (including myself) the similarities between Barbie and Poor Things as contenders across both "art" categories both for their achievement but also the similarities between the candidates. Like Black Panther, Barbie created a pop culture world. Both The Favourite and Poor Things are Lanthimos films. I think Barbie and Poor Things are heavier contenders. Wakanda as a world never totally felt tactile and specific. It was always more of an implied idea. Just discussing Production Design for a second, Barbieland may not make sense but I get what it is, and there's no part of it that feels pulled in from another movie. If anything, Poor Things might have more in common with Wakanda for how hodge-podgy it is. All of which to say, I think they're even heavier contenders than those two. Maybe it's the biggest coin-flip face-off since The Fellowship of the Ring vs. Moulin Rouge.
I'm guessing Poor Things because I think Barbie's achievement is more likely to be taken for granted as "Well, they just used the clothing from the dolls" whereas it's impossible to forget Bella's dress. I think like a lot of things in Poor Things, it might win one category due to the achievements of another. I think some of its costume design win will be due to its makeup. I also think some of its production design win (if it does win) will come from its cinematography.
Categories One-by-One: Costume Design
Re: Categories One-by-One: Costume Design
"How's the despair?"
Re: Categories One-by-One: Costume Design
I think Poor Things and Barbie will probably get a combined two-thirds of the votes in this category, and Production Design. But I think they are also going to split that vote share pretty evenly. Whether you predict Poor Things for both, a split between the two, or Barbie for both, I don't think you are making a bad prediction. (While I don't think it's at all likely, an Oppenheimer win in Production Design would be a defensible no guts no glory pick.)
I think I am leaning towards Poor Things in both, but I don't have any strong instinct about it. Which is a good thing.
I think I am leaning towards Poor Things in both, but I don't have any strong instinct about it. Which is a good thing.
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Mister Tee
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Categories One-by-One: Costume Design
The nominees:
Barbie (Jacqueline Durran)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Jacqueline West)
Napoleon (Janty Yates & Dave Crossman)
Oppenheimer (Ellen Mirojnick)
Poor Things (Holly Waddington)
Since Apple finally gave me freebie-access to Napoleon, I'm qualified to judge this category whole.
Napoleon is pretty much a bore, a basically undistinguished survey of well-known history (you'll be pleased to know Moscow/Elba/Waterloo all arrive on schedule). But it looks fine, as any such big-budget treatment is likely to. This sort of film used to frequently win in this category (and occasionally still will, as with The Young Victoria). Since the expansion, though, as in most categories, best picture nominees tend to have the edge. As it turns out, this year's best picture batch offers up pretty strong contenders for the prize even without that advantage.
Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon seem more there from best picture centrifugal force than from any strong impulse to honor their singular achievements. True, they're both period pieces, but, even in period, men's suits have rarely been triumphant in the category (The Sting about the only major exception I can recall). Killers has more to offer than the male-centric Oppenheimer, but i feel pretty confident bypassing both.
The other two, however...both probably easy winners most years, and heavily competitive, though in very different ways. Barbie is a cornucopia of color; a vast array of differing styles, each eye-catching and memorable. Poor Things is in some ways a more traditional period piece, though one filled with gorgeous gowns (putting it way ahead of Killers and Oppenheimer). But it also, like the film overall, projects a slightly wild-hair aspect, that makes the costumes more than just slavishly accurate recreations.
I really don't see a major advantage for either film. The BAFTA wins count for little with me, as I recall The Favourite taking both costumes and production design 5 years back, only to fall short at both with AMPAS. I think either Barbie or Poor Things could take both of those prizes, or we could have a split. If there is such a split, my instinct would be Poor Things here and Barbie in production design. But, really, it's fully up in the air.
Barbie (Jacqueline Durran)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Jacqueline West)
Napoleon (Janty Yates & Dave Crossman)
Oppenheimer (Ellen Mirojnick)
Poor Things (Holly Waddington)
Since Apple finally gave me freebie-access to Napoleon, I'm qualified to judge this category whole.
Napoleon is pretty much a bore, a basically undistinguished survey of well-known history (you'll be pleased to know Moscow/Elba/Waterloo all arrive on schedule). But it looks fine, as any such big-budget treatment is likely to. This sort of film used to frequently win in this category (and occasionally still will, as with The Young Victoria). Since the expansion, though, as in most categories, best picture nominees tend to have the edge. As it turns out, this year's best picture batch offers up pretty strong contenders for the prize even without that advantage.
Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon seem more there from best picture centrifugal force than from any strong impulse to honor their singular achievements. True, they're both period pieces, but, even in period, men's suits have rarely been triumphant in the category (The Sting about the only major exception I can recall). Killers has more to offer than the male-centric Oppenheimer, but i feel pretty confident bypassing both.
The other two, however...both probably easy winners most years, and heavily competitive, though in very different ways. Barbie is a cornucopia of color; a vast array of differing styles, each eye-catching and memorable. Poor Things is in some ways a more traditional period piece, though one filled with gorgeous gowns (putting it way ahead of Killers and Oppenheimer). But it also, like the film overall, projects a slightly wild-hair aspect, that makes the costumes more than just slavishly accurate recreations.
I really don't see a major advantage for either film. The BAFTA wins count for little with me, as I recall The Favourite taking both costumes and production design 5 years back, only to fall short at both with AMPAS. I think either Barbie or Poor Things could take both of those prizes, or we could have a split. If there is such a split, my instinct would be Poor Things here and Barbie in production design. But, really, it's fully up in the air.