Oscars 2019: The Big Techies

Yesterday, we analyzed some of the less sexy categories at this year’s Oscars. Today, the sexiness has arrived; we’re moving on to five below-the-line fields that I’ve arbitrarily labeled “the big techies”. Get excited, film editing enthusiasts!

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

NOMINEES
The Irishman—Rodrigo Prieto
Joker—Lawrence Sher
The Lighthouse—Jarin Blaschke
1917—Roger Deakins
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—Robert Richardson

WILL WIN
The Oscars work in mysterious ways. For a solid decade—beginning with his double-nomination in 2007, for No Country for Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James—Roger Deakins was deemed to be the greatest living cinematographer never to have won an Academy Award. Two years ago, after 13 straight nominations without a win, Deakins finally got off the schneid for his breathtaking lensing of Blade Runner 2049. This year, he’s winning again for 1917. This will not be close.

SHOULD WIN
There’s a healthy debate about whether the ostensible single-shot technique of 1917 helps or hinders the film; some critics argue that it draws you in, while others contend that it’s so visible as to be distracting. I tend to fall more on the admiring side—Deakins’ silky tracking shots hypnotize me, even if I’m subconsciously aware of the assiduous craft on display—but I can understand both viewpoints. What isn’t debatable, however, is the sheer achievement of his work. 1917 is a massively impressive movie, and Deakins’ fluidity with the camera is astonishing. That I also found it mesmerizing was just gravy.

THE MANIFESTO’S BALLOT
Climax—Benoît Debie
Long Day’s Journey Into Night—Yao Hung-i
1917—Roger Deakins
Portrait of a Lady on Fire—Claire Mathon
Shadow—Zhao Xiaoding

International cinema had quite the year in terms of imagery, huh? Climax was, to put it mildly, not my favorite movie of the year, but its wall-climbing camerawork is flat-out amazing. Long Day’s Journey Into Night gives 1917 a run for its money in the single-shot department, sporting a transfixing, hour-long take that spans acres and eons. Like its characters, Portrait of a Lady on Fire’s images are crisply composed and brimming with feeling. Shadow turns shades of grey into a veritable kaleidoscope.

The Manifesto’s winner: 1917—Roger Deakins.

BEST FILM EDITING

NOMINEES
Ford v Ferrari—Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker
The Irishman—Thelma Schoonmaker
Jojo Rabbit—Tom Eagles
Joker—Jeff Groth
Parasite—Jinmo Yang

WILL WIN
And so, we go from perhaps the easiest prediction of the night to one of the hardest. I don’t see either Jojo Rabbit or Joker winning here—though if Jojo pulls this one off early in the evening, you might want to start frantically revising your Best Picture pick—but the other three are all in play. Schoonmaker is a beloved figure in the industry, but at 210 minutes, I just don’t see The Irishman holding up. That leaves Ford v Ferrari versus Parasite, and while the guild went for the latter, the Academy’s picks in this category have skewed bigger and flashier in recent years: Dunkirk, Hacksaw Ridge, even The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That predilection gives Ford v Ferrari the edge in a photo finish.

SHOULD WIN
Parasite. I mean, Parasite should probably win most categories, but it should definitely win this one.

THE MANIFESTO’S BALLOT
Ford v Ferrari—Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker
Knives Out—Bob Ducsay
Luce—Madeleine Gavin
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—Fred Raskin
Parasite—Jinmo Yang

I didn’t love the racing scenes in Ford v Ferrari, but the movie is still edited with a sly combination of coherence and panache. Knives Out builds momentum from its very first scene. Luce transcends its theatrical origins thanks in large part to its peculiar editing rhythms. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood runs long, but it’s still smartly paced. knowing when to slow down and when to get your pulse pounding. Parasite is downright musical in its cutting and timing.

The Manifesto’s winner: Parasite—Jinmo Yang.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

NOMINEES
Joker—Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women—Alexandre Desplat
Marriage Story—Randy Newman
1917—Thomas Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—John Williams

WILL WIN
If 1917 develops big sweep energy, then it could win here, especially given that Newman currently sports a Deakins-esque 0-for-13 mark at the Oscars. Failing that, this is Guðnadóttir’s trophy to lose for Joker.

SHOULD WIN
This is a solid group, but Little Women is the clear standout for me. With tender piano and limber woodwinds, it represents some of the finest work in Desplat’s storied career.

THE MANIFESTO’S BALLOT
A Hidden Life—James Newton Howard
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World—John Powell
Joker—Hildur Guðnadóttir
Little Women—Alexandre Desplat
Never Look Away—Max Richter

Terrence Malick and I possess decidedly different views as to how movies should unfold, but Howard’s work in A Hidden Life is still thoroughly lovely. The Hidden World is easily the weakest How to Train Your Dragon picture overall, but Powell continues to showcase his gift for creating stirring themes. Guðnadóttir’s strings add some welcome edge to Joker’s thematic fuzziness. Richter is one of the most distinctive composers working today—even if you don’t know him by name, you surely know “On the Nature of Daylight” by ear—and his music for Never Look Away synchronizes perfectly with Never Look Away’s artistic grandeur. (Recall that, even though Never Look Away was Oscar-eligible last year, it came out in 2019 in the United States.)

The Manifesto’s winner: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World—John Powell.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

NOMINEES
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

WILL WIN
According to the oddsmakers, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has a slight leg up here, which makes some sense; it’s a well-appointed period piece laden with recognizable Los Angeles iconography. But I’m going to go against the grain and take 1917; it’s a handsome war movie, and I think its coattails are long enough to accommodate it here, especially with Hollywood’s star dimming by the day.

SHOULD WIN
I… don’t care? I don’t mean that I don’t care about production design, because I definitely do. I just mean that this is a pretty solid quintet, and I don’t know that any of the nominees truly distinguishes itself. Still, ties are un-American, so I’ll vote for Parasite. That house!

THE MANIFESTO’S BALLOT
Glass
Little Women
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

Hey, remember Glass? There was an asylum, with lots of different colors! There were giant water tanks and banks of strobe lights! It was super-cool!

The Manifesto’s winner: Parasite.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

NOMINEES
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
1917
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

WILL WIN
The Lion King featured by far the most visual effects of any 2019 movie, but it hasn’t generated any buzz as a legitimate Oscar contender. Neither has Avengers: Endgame, though it’s certainly possible that the Academy decides that this is finally the year to honor an MCU picture for its big-budget wizardry. Still, I’m skeptical. I’m even more skeptical of The Irishman, whose de-aging work seemed to be more derided than applauded. That leaves 1917, and while I typically wouldn’t predict a winner in this category with such low-key effects (the opposite of its cinematography, oddly enough), it’s impressive enough—and beloved enough—to pull an upset.

SHOULD WIN
Look, I didn’t like The Lion King any more than you did, and as a conceptual matter, making a “live-action” movie with a bunch of computer-generated animals is very dumb. But as a matter of technological accomplishment, the film’s effects are downright staggering. In an underwhelming field like this, that’s enough for me to give it a nudge.

THE MANIFESTO’S BALLOT
Alita: Battle Angel
Dumbo
Fast Color
The Lion King
Spider-Man: Far from Home

Dumbo has been thoroughly forgotten, but its integration of digital imagery with flesh-and-blood actors was arguably more impressive than The Lion King’s computerized savanna. On that score, Alita: Battle Angel was even better, lending its title warrior real soul. Fast Color used quiet effects to subtly enhance its story. And unlike Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home wielded its massive budget in visually inventive ways.

The Manifesto’s winner: Alita: Battle Angel.

Coming tomorrow: the supporting actors!