There are nine films nominated for "Best Picture" at this year's Academy Awards. About four of them have a real chance of winning. And at this point in the game, most signs point to "1917" coming out victorious.
"1917," directed by Sam Mendes, is nominated for 10 Oscars this year, including "Best Picture." It's in a three-way tie with "The Irishman" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" for the second-most nominations, behind "Joker," which has 11. But on its road to the big show, "1917" has been snatching up statues at every turn. It has won "Best Picture - Drama" at the Golden Globes and "Best Film" at the BAFTAs – and that's just scratching the surface.
But what is it about this movie that's so impressive?
The story goes like this: It's April 6, 1917. An Army regiment is getting ready to go into enemy territory – but it's a trap. So, two soldiers (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay) are assigned to race against time to deliver a message to call off the operation.
But the plot of this film barely matters. It's an interesting concept but the mesmerizing elements in "1917" aren't story or performance. It's the behind-the-scenes things – Roger Deakins's cinematography, Mendes's direction – that make this film stand out among its competition.
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"1917" is shot to make it appear as though the film is almost one continuous take. Frequently, the characters are in extremely tight quarters, constantly moving, so a continuous take for even a few minutes would be impressive. But "1917" goes above and beyond that. Nearly every moment of the film, the audience feels claustrophobically close to the actors, as if you're experiencing every moment right alongside them.
But it's not just the cinematography that makes the audience feel like they're on the battlefield. While the score sometimes feels a little out of place, almost like a spy film score laid on top of a war film (which is not, it turns out, too off-base), the sound editing and mixing are excellent. As the soldiers make their journey, you hear every squelch of mud, every buzz of a fly, even as the foreboding score swells, ratching up your anxiety – right up until some explosion or gunshot makes you jump in your seat.
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Ultimately, "1917" is a film that urges its audience to appreciate the art of filmmaking. It's a film made to win "Best Picture" – and, so, it probably will.
Now, the big questions.
Who might enjoy "1917"?
Fans of war films, of course. People who like to be wowed by the process of filmmaking. Fans of films that put an emphasis on feeling over action. People whose favorite part of James Bond films is their music.
What else is it nominated for?
Best Director (Mendes), Original Screenplay (Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns), Cinematography, Production Design, Score, Visual Effects, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing.
What's the likelihood it will win "Best Picture"?
Very likely. As the award season has progressed, "1917" has slowly revealed itself to be the Academy's likely choice. It's still possible they could vote for something more middle-ground ("Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood," even "Ford v Ferrari") or radical ("Parasite" or "Joker"), but "1917" is a very safe bet. Even if it doesn't take home Best Picture, it's a lock for Best Cinematography, it's in the ring for Best Director and it wouldn't be surprising if it scoops up at least both sound awards and maybe some others too.
Ahead of the 92nd annual Academy Awards, KVUE's Britny Eubank is reviewing all of the Oscars' "Best Picture" nominees. If you'd like to read more of her thoughts on all sorts of movies, she writes about them every month. And don't forget to catch the Oscars on KVUE on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m.
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