If I Had an Oscar Ballot 2024
The voting has begun, and films like ‘Origin’ and ‘American Fiction’ should make the final cut
AWARDS CIRCUIT
It’s decision time.
After months of campaigning, festivalgoing, splashy premieres, magazine profiles and talk-show appearances, Academy voters will finally get their ballots this week. Hopefully, the organization’s nearly 10,000 members did their homework and watched as many of 2023’s offerings as possible.
It’s hard to distill an entire year of cinema into five (or, in the case of best picture, 10) achievements. I love many of the films that the Academy will surely nominate for top prizes, such as Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” And who could resist the phenomenon of Greta Gerwig’s
“Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” forever linked in pop culture as “Barbenheimer.”
But for me, nothing tops the excitement over Cord Jefferson’s audacious debut, “American Fiction,” which boasted sharp writing, smart satire and an invigorating ensemble led by Jeffrey Wright. Jefferson is the real deal, a director whose boundless future I can’t wait to see unfold. I only hope the Academy recognizes his brilliance.
Then there’s Ava Duvernay’s emotionally stirring “Origin,” which ranks as the finest directorial achievement of her career. If I controlled the Oscars, Duvernay’s film would land multiple nominations, including best actress for Aunjanue Ellis-taylor.
As for lead actor, there’s an embarrassment of riches. While studios campaign for their stars in specific categories, voters can make their own decisions about which roles qualify as leading ones and which are supporting. For me, “Blackberry’s” Glenn Howerton and the “May December” duo of Charles Melton and Julianne Moore feel better suited for lead recognition than for the supporting categories in which they’ll likely be nominated. At the same time, Lily Gladstone, unforgettable in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and Laurie Metcalf, under-heralded for “Somewhere in Queens,” seem better fits for supporting salutes.
John Magaro’s heartbreaking and understated turn in Celine Song’s “Past Lives” has been unjustly ignored this season, despite the film being a sure-fire best picture contender. A supporting actor lineup without the journeyman actor just feels wrong.
Here’s what my Oscar ballot would look like if I were a voter. Go to Variety.com for the complete list.