Which Films Will Take Home the Prizes for Cinematography, Sound, and Writing? –

We are all abuzz when it comes to the big Oscar categories, but the other categories we are going to discuss today are equally important. Actors sell the message and intention of a film, but without sound, cinematography and stellar writing, nothing the actor does would matter. Think back to all those large ensemble films, with such big names attached, yet failing to make a dent because these other elements failed to come together – Blackbird is the latest one that comes to mind.

These categories are also difficult to pick winners for, since aspects like cinematography isn’t just about whether the movie looks beautiful or if the film is framed well – the DP (Director of Photography) has to use the visuals to capture a film’s subject matter and we need to ascertain if it succeeded in creating a compelling atmosphere. It’s hard to find a kind of parity sometimes, with some films just better placed to win because of the setting chosen.

The same goes for writing as well, and depending on the film, each script falls into fulfilling different objectives. A character piece moves differently from a film that has a distinctive plot, with both screenplays having to hit varying beats – so how do I compare?

It’s not the easiest of jobs, but someone’s got to do it. Here are my predictions for the cinematography, sound and writing categories at the 2021 Oscars.

 

Cinematography

Prediction: Nomadland

Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland will surely take this. The setting and environment is so integral to the storytelling, almost functioning like a secondary character on screen. We travel from the vast expanses of the Western desert, to the purple mountains, with the bleak setting reflecting the state of these nomads, who roam around in their vans, so detached and removed from the space they should call home.

News of the World hasn’t been on the radar quite like the other films nominated in this category, perhaps because it is slightly predictable in the way it pans out, which is quite a shame because it is a beautiful film. Being a Western (the first Western for Tom Hanks) and a film built around a journey, the setting of the Wild West lends itself to a natural poetic treatment on screen. However, there isn’t enough traction for it to win.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a bit tame when it comes to cinematography. There are some interesting choices, like how the beginning of the film is framed, but it plays it safe for the most part. Judas and the Black Messiah is a magnificent film, but its main selling point is really as a character piece, so it will perform better in the acting and scriptwriting categories.

It will come down to a fight between Mank and Nomadland. Mank does excel on a technical level, and emulates the look and feel of 1930s cinema (as a homage to Citizen Kane). However, my opinion is that Mank mimics too much and never quite stands on its own, with the black and white aesthetic just giving a really dated look to the film.

 

Sound

Prediction: Sound of Metal

Without a doubt, this Oscar will have to go to Sound of Metal. I watched the film on Amazon Prime, so basically in my own living room, and yet the sound experience was like nothing I have ever experienced before. Kudos to Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh, because they were truly able to capture the sounds a hearing-impaired individual like Ruben (Riz Ahmed) would be privy to. God, it made my ears so uncomfortable, and I truly felt the same sense of panic Ruben felt, not being able to hear anything when I should.

Films like Mank and Soul performed better on the original score front, so if we are thinking in terms of Sound, then Sound of Metal truly has no competition. Come on, it has to win, why else would it have sound in its title?

 

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Prediction: One Night in Miami

Firstly, films like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and The White Tiger, while entertaining, aren’t exactly powerhouse films. The strength of the screenplay is seen in how excellent the film product is, so Borat Subsequent Moviefilm can win big at the Golden Globes, but it’s a different level of measurement when it comes to the Oscars. While The Father is very good, it will probably do better in the acting categories than in the scriptwriting category.

Thus, it will come down to Nomadland and One Night in Miami. I mean, Nomadland was written for the screen by Chloé Zhao herself, and the fact that it is one of the nominees for Best Picture is a testament to a good script. However, I have a soft spot for the crackling wit and dialogue that features heavily in One Night in Miami, which screenwriter Kemp Powers adapted from his play of the same name. I hope it isn’t a landslide victory for Nomadland, and One Night in Miami pulls off a win in this category.

 

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Prediction: The Trial of the Chicago 7

While I love Promising Young Woman and Sound of Metal, I think the screenplays for both films aren’t strong enough to overcome the other films nominated in the category. There are powerful moments in both films, and interestingly the pair have subversive narratives (Promising Young Woman is a twist on the revenge plot, and Sound of Metal fleshes out a different element of addiction), but it’s the performances that sell these films to me. It’s the same thing with Minari, since the film paints an intimate portrait of family and assimilation.

It will be a close fight between Judas and the Black Messiah and The Trial of the Chicago 7, and quite aptly, both films have a kind of overlap in subject matter – speaking truth to power, despite the possible devastating consequences. Aaron Sorkin is no stranger to this category, having won for The Social Network in 2011, and his usual zippy and razor-sharp dialogue is still ever present in his latest film. He has also been declared by Tarantino to be one of the greatest writers today.

Since Sorkin has already snatched the Golden Globe for this category, I do think Judas and the Black Messiah is really the underdog going into this. The writers onboard are also fairly new to the scene. Will Berson was mostly in TV before this, and Shaka King also mostly did shorts and TV before writing and directing this feature film. As much as I want to root for the underdog, I think this category is going to swing in a more predictable fashion, with Sorkin going home with his second Oscar.

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