Two days ago I caught The Son (Sony Pictures Classics, 1.20), which I found well-written, well-acted and somewhat arduous to watch. Which doesn’t mean it’s a bad film — it’s just a bit of a thing to get through. Not a slog, which has negative connotations, but somewhat burdensome.

Directed by Florian Zeller (The Father) and cowritten by Zeller and Christopher Hampton, it’s about five characters — a 50ish, high-powered Manhattan businessman (Hugh Jackman), his anguished and estranged teenage son (Zen McGrath), the son’s divorced, worry-fraught mother and Jackman’s ex (Laura Dern), Jackman’s second, 20-years-younger wife (Vanessa Kirby) and Jackman’s crusty, tough-as-nails father (Anthony Hopkins) who’s in his late 70s or early 80s.

My mp3 review lasta around 12 minutes.

Hollywood Elsewhere is extremely bummed that Everything Everywhere All at Once nabbed 11 Oscar nominations this morning. Congrats, however, to Martin McDonagh‘s The Banshees of Inisherin and Edward Berger‘s All Quiet on the Western Front, which took nine noms each.

Given that All Quiet landed so many noms without much promotional help from Netflix, it seems to be the Best Picture frontrunner. Will Netflix finally start promoting it? Or will they continue to sit on their hands?

Especially given the negative responses to EEAAO from the over-45 crowd, and given the bloody finger stump residue from Banshees.

All Quiet is not an easy sit, but it’s obviously a compassionate, humanistic film at the end of the day.

9:17 am tally: Best Picture — All Quiet on the Western Front, Avatar: The Way of Water, The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tar, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Women Talking.

8:32 am: Wait…Best Supporting Actress nominees include Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu, both from Everything Everywhere All At Once? Bad sign. Very bad sign.

8:47 am: To Leslie‘s Andrea Riseborough got nominated for Best Actress! Her seat-of-the-pants campaign worked! And Ana de Armas overcame the Blonde negativity to land a nomination also. Till‘s Danielle Deadwyler snubbed though…sorry, raw deal, tough darts.

Against all odds, Women Talking managed to get nominated for Best Picture. Not a prayer of winning, of course. But at least saved from being snubbed.

Decision to Leave snubbed in Best Int’l Feature category…admired the chops, didn’t like the film, fine with me.

Allison Williams speaks with one of those mincing Millennial beep-beep “sexy baby” voices. Lauren Bacall she’s not.

Director friendo: Netflix totally blew it with All Quiet on the Western Front. No campaign. I know many directors who were unaware that the film even existed.
HE: But it was nominated for Best Picture and five or six other Oscars….right?
Director friendo: Yes. Nine. But no Best Director nomination for Edward Berger. It can still win Best Picture if only Netflix would mount a campaign.
HE: Netflix was strangely reticent with this film. Odd.
Director friendo: More than reticent. Neglectful. It scored 9 noms with no Netflix suppoprt. What does that tell you?

The 95th Oscars will happen at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, March 12. Jimmy Kimmel will host.

In a 1.23 World of Reel post that riffs on a 1.13.22 Daily Mail interview, Empire of Light director-writer Sam Mendes laments the bombing or under-performing of not only his own film** but other auteur-stamped features that opened during 2022’s award season.

The comment thread that follows is fascinating, but I was particularly stirred by a post from “Andrew”, who compares the Miramax-dominated realm of 1998 (when well-educated boomers and GenXers were avid followers of critically-approved award-season flicks) to the coarse downmarket reality of today.

Mendes:

Andrew:

** Empire of Light is HE’s choice for the best film of 2022. And I’m far from alone in my admiration.