"Conclave" and "A Complete Unknown" lead the AARP Nominations

by Cláudio Alves

What would Cardinal Lawrence's AARP ballot look like?

Though they're not especially insightful for punditry purposes, the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards have a special place in the season. If you've ever listened to the fabulous "This Had Oscar Buzz" podcast by Chris Feil and Joe Reid, you've undoubtedly heard of them and their distinctive tastes. Sometimes, the AARP Magazine offers choices that are good for a laugh. Still, there's obvious value in celebrating so-called movies for grownups within an industry that so often seems obsessed with youth – both as product and consumer. This year, Conclave and A Complete Unknown lead the nominations, with five a piece, closely followed by Gladiator II and September 5, with four, and Emilia Pérez with three. Come read their full lineup and some added commentary, after the jump…

Best Movie for Grownups 

• A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• CONCLAVE
• EMILIA PÉREZ
• GLADIATOR II
• SEPTEMBER 5

None of these choices is shocking. A Complete Unknown and Gladiator II have nostalgia working in their favor, while Conclave is quickly proving to be one of the year's great contenders. It's a film with major appeal that often feels like it harkens back to a time when such Grisham-like stories were the stuff of big studio, mid-budget glory. In other words, a kind of movie that's increasingly rare. Despite some boldness, Emilia Pérez isn't nearly as outré or radical as some of its fans make it out to be. Its values skew old-fashioned more often than not when one starts to reflect on its observations on transness and Mexico. The September 5 team has been campaigning hard since its festival premiere, and it's paying off.

Best Actress

• Pamela Anderson, THE LAST SHOWGIRL
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste, HARD TRUTHS
• Nicole Kidman, BABYGIRL
• Demi Moore, THE SUBSTANCE
• June Squibb, THELMA

This is a fantastic and fascinating quintet. In some ways, all of these performances and narratives are in dialogue with matters of aging womanhood, often in collision with patriarchal systems and expectations. Anderson and Moore's films are especially interested in such ideas, filtering through showbiz nightmares. June Squibb is the quintessential AARP nominee, and I mean that with immense affection.

Best Actor

• Adrien Brody, THE BRUTALIST
• Daniel Craig, QUEER
• Colman Domingo, SING SING
• Ralph Fiennes, CONCLAVE
• Jude Law, THE ORDER

After its Venice premiere, it seemed like most of the world had forgotten Kurzel's The Order, so this Jude Law nod is a pleasant surprise. Apart from him, every one of these thespians is a likely contender for the Oscars. I have to assume Fiennes is the favorite to win.

Best Supporting Actress 

• Joan Chen, DÌDI
• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, NICKEL BOYS
• Lesley Manville, QUEER
• Connie Nielsen, GLADIATOR II
• Isabella Rossellini, CONCLAVE

Finally, some love for the incredible Joan Chen, who delivers one of her best performances ever in Dìdi. Nielsen is something of a surprise inclusion, while Ellis-Taylor could be a dark horse contender most pundits are underestimating. Manville is so bizarre in Queer that one can't help but applaud the AARP's pick on boldness alone. Could this be Isabella Rossellini's time?

Best Supporting Actor 

• Clarence Maclin, SING SING
• Guy Pearce, THE BRUTALIST
• Peter Sarsgaard, SEPTEMBER 5
• Stanly Tucci, CONCLAVE
• Denzel Washington, GLADIATOR II 

With big ensemble pictures, it's always curious to see which cast members get singled out. I'm not sure I agree with Tucci getting the most love out of Conclave's deep pool of supporting actors. The same could be said about Peter Sarsgaard in September 5, a film with a talented cast who's been getting outstanding notices across the board. Maclin delivers a moving self-portrait in Sing Sing, while Guy Pearce seems well on his way to his first Academy Award nomination. Denzel Washington, delivering a quintessential movie star performance, is in it to win it.

Best Director  

• Pedro Almodóvar, THE ROOM NEXT DOOR
• Jacques Audiard, EMILIA PÉREZ
• Edward Berger, CONCLAVE
• James Mangold, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• Ridley Scott, GLADIATOR II 

How curious that Almodóvar made it here, yet neither of his glamorous movie star leading ladies found a place in the Best Actress conversation.

Best Screenwriter

• Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain & Nicolas Livecchi, EMILIA PÉREZ
• Jay Cocks & James Mangold, A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• Winnie Holzman, WICKED
• Peter Straughan, CONCLAVE
• Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts, DUNE: PART TWO

So Almodóvar makes it in directing but not writing, while Villeneuve gets the reverse treatment. Not sure that's entirely expected but it makes for an exciting race. This is the only nod for Wicked (Part One), which is surely about to become a box office hit of immense proportion.

Best Ensemble

• A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
• HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
• SEPTEMBER 5
• SING SING 

I was not expecting that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice nod, though I guess it makes sense. As far as I'm concerned, Sing Sing should be winning this with little competition, but I feel that September 5 will take it.

Best Documentary

• I AM: CELINE DION
• LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH
• PIECE BY PIECE
• SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
• WILL & HARPER

Personally, I can't stand it when documentary categories are dominated by celebrities' biographical profiles. It's the least interesting and most conventional of non-fiction forms, after all, though Piece by Piece at least tries something different – the merit of the chosen approach is debatable, however. Thankfully, the Academy's Documentary branch has better taste.

Best Intergenerational Film

• DÌDI
• HERE
• HIS THREE DAUGHTERS
• THE PIANO LESSON
• THELMA

It's interesting to see Zemeckis' latest show up, as many have noted its narrative leans on a despairing view of the Baby Boomer generation. Here appears to work a disarming warmth while developing darker themes beneath. Still, the criteria for this category are so nebulous as to make any discussion of its nominees futile.

Best Time Capsule  

• A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
• THE BRUTALIST
• HERE
• MARIA
• SEPTEMBER 5 

Same goes for this other race. Does it just mean "Best Period Film" by another name? Does a true story have an advantage over fictional ones like The Brutalist and Here? Is this about accurate depiction? So many questions.

Best TV Series or Limited Series

• THE CROWN
• HACKS
• PALM ROYALE
• SHOGUN
• SLOW HORSES 

The Crown and Palm Royale got universally middling reviews and even poorer audience reactions, so I'm not sure how they ended up here. Hacks just delivered its best season yet, so its nomination is no surprise, and the same could be said about Slow Horses. Shogun continues its glorious trek through awards season after its record-breaking 18 Emmy wins.

Best Actress in a TV Series or Limited Series

• Jennifer Anniston, THE MORNING SHOW
• Jodie Foster, TRUE DETECTIVE: NIGHT COUNTRY
• Jean Smart, HACKS
• Meryl Streep, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
• Sofia Vergara, GRISELDA 

Despite having a diminutive presence in the latest season of Only Murders in the Building, Meryl Streep secured a nomination in a category filled with leading ladies. Then again, her showcase episode and dynamic with Melissa McCarthy are memorable enough to justify all the accolades.

Best Actor in a TV Series or Limited Series 

• Billy Crudup, THE MORNING SHOW
• Idris Elba, HIJACK
• Jon Hamm, FARGO
• Gary Oldman, SLOW HORSES
• Hiroyuki Sanada, SHOGUN

It's been such a pleasure seeing Hiroyuki Sanada get a new level of international acclaim this far into his legendary career. Moreover, it's amply deserved, all due to a performance that one would assume too restrained and formal for major awards attention, yet here we are.

What do you think of the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards? Who are you rooting for from these nominees?

Comments

[Frank Zappa]

Who am I rooting for?

Emilia Pérez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Daniel Craig, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Guy Pearce, Almodóvar, the Emilia Pérez writing team, the Sing Sing ensemble, Super/Man, The Piano Lesson, September 5, Slow Horses, Jodie Foster, Hiroyuki Sanada

[Frank Zappa]

I don’t think we’ll be seeing Pam Anderson at the Oscars, except as a presenter perhaps, but it’s good to see her out there campaigning.

[thevoid99]

Go Demi Moore. Here? UGH! Please, put Robert Zemeckis in filmmaker prison.

[Finbar McBride]

The failure to recognize Kathy Bates for her smash hit Matlock is a shocking oversight.

[Gallavich]

no Juror #2?

[Sad Man]

Always happy to see Kidman mentioned. Really hope she makes it to the Oscars.

Connie Nielsen is actively bad in Gladiator II. Days of Our Lives level bad performance. And I blame Scott for it, since no one is good in that movie. Not even Washington who's getting so much praise for a nothing performance.

[Peggy Sue]

Agree. Connie Nielsen is razzie-worthy in Gladiator. The whole acting in the movie is atrocious. Can't believe Denzel is going all the way with that performance.

[Lenard W]

I would be pleased if that was the Best Actress lineup in March, but not enough members are watching the body horror movie or consider Pam a serious actor. If PA had done a couple roles to build up that esteem in the past years, maybe but there is no foundation.

[Joe G.]

Even more than the academy, the AARP awards loves a biopic about a celebrity they grew up with or an event they lived through. I think that explains the September 5 (a very this had oscar buzz AARP title) and A Complete Unknown noms. The Unknown loves seems especially funny because most of the film's cast is so young.

I'm surprised the Juror isn't here, which should be catnip for them.

What's the time frame for their TV shows? The Morning Show aired fall 2023 and Hijack in Summer 2023, so are these noms aligned to the last emmy calendar? That would mean Meryl and Gary Oldman are nominated for their shows' 3rd seasons.

[Mr Ripley79]

Claudio,I am leaning towards a Fiennes win,his film is proving something of a hit and he's more overdue than a Chalamet or a 2nd time Brody.

I love the Lead Actress nominees not that I think any of them have a shot outside Baptiste,the films they are in are not the usual Academy cup of tea but i'll be rooting for Demi with a passion.

Strange about Nielsen as she was very good in the first one,some times Ridley fails to get the most out of his actors,they either do too much or are just plaid bad,i'm sad he hasn't got Sarandon level performance from anyone since that films debut,Plummer came close,Diaz is wildly out there in the Counsellor and Crowe was good in Gladiator and maybe GaGa in House of Gucci.

Maybe you could rank performances in Ridley Scott movies,i'm sure that would be alively discussion

[Frank Zappa]

@MrR

Jodie Comer, Adam Driver and Matt Damon in The Last Duel

[Wae Mest]

Perplexed by the omission of Richard Roundtree in THELMA. It was his final film role and he's terrific.

[Fabio Dantas Flappers]

AARP Movies for Grownups Awards?

Is Chalamet too young for a nomination?

[par]

they obviously liked shogun but somehow managed to ignore anna sawai??

[jules]

par, Fabio, and others - I am pretty sure you need to be 50 or older to be nominated, since these are the AARP awards. They're meant to recognize older people. Regardless, I'm glad to see June Squibb nominated somewhere this year - though I agree Roudtree should've been nominated as well.

I am rooting for Fiennes to win everything this year. If anyone ever deserved career honors, he does - and Conclave is actually a very good movie, unlike so many movies that generate "career honors" for actors.

[Fabio Dantas Flappers]

jules,
Thank you so much.
That's what I was wondering.

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