FB Awards: Movie Posters of the Year

by Nathaniel R

It's that time again! I'm going to do the Film Bitch Awards a little differently this year and give them each their own article... all 40ish categories. At least that's the plan over the next month but we'll see. First up, movie posters of the year. The state of movie posters in general is dire, many often looking more like an AI generated collage of faces with sizes proportioned by legal contracts and no consideration of visual appeal. But, gripes aside, there are always bright spots. Honorable mentions to this list include the upside down "don't get lost" teaser for Saltburn,  the retro-painted poster  of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Oppenheimer 's literally explosive biography. 

Herewith 12 favourite movie posters of the year in not very particular order...

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"Ode to a Snub". Plus nominations that had us reeling on Tuesday

While Oscar nomination morning (this past Tuesday) brought its share of happiness -- which we'll get to soon. It also brings small shockwaves (never large, really) at unexpected nominations and sadness in the form of beloved favourites missing from the "Best" conversation, however unthinkable that may be in the moment. So we polled Team Experience asking them for their saddest snub* and nominations that had them reeling for various reasons.

"Past Lives"

Their answers are after the jump and we hope yours are in the comments shortly...

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FYC: A Best Costume Design Celebration

by Cláudio Alves

PASSAGES should earn Khadija Zeggaï an Oscar nomination.

As the voting for the 96th Academy Award nominations continues, there's a possibility that we'll get a repeat of 2019 in Best Costume Design. Though not disastrous, that season saw the lineup comprised exclusively of Best Picture nominees – a sad sight for a race where, once upon a time, brilliant work could be rewarded regardless of a film's general buzz. Maybe Wonka, The Color Purple, or Napoleon will stop that from happening, but it'll still result in a fairly expected ballot. Why not look elsewhere to some of the year's underrated gems? Please, Costume Branch, remember you represent the category of I Am Love, Bright Star, Marie Antoinette, and many others. 

I've already made the case for La Chimera, Passages, and Pain Hustlers, so I won't repeat it. Still, even with those out of the way, there's plenty to celebrate from 2023 cinema. Here are ten Oscar-eligible achievements in costume design…

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Oscar Volley: Is There Room for Surprise in Best Original Screenplay?

Team Experience is discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Eric Blume and Nick Taylor to talk Best Original Screenplay...

Portrait of Nick and Eric discussing the Best Original Screenplay race

ERIC:  Hi Nick, we have some great options in the Original Screenplay category this year.  It feels like there's two guarantees for a nomination:  Greta Gerwig's Barbie (unless it changes categories and is nominated for Adapted instead) and David Hemingson's The Holdovers.  I like both of those pictures enormously, and both films succeed largely on the words and structure of their screenplays.  The Holdovers is essentially out of a Screenwriting 101 class, in the best way possible, in that it has all the classic elements (inciting incident, minute 30 turn, minute 60 turn, etc.) that scripts are built upon, but Hemingson executes everything very artfully so it feels satisfying rather than him hitting points...

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Oscar Volley: It’s Whimsy vs History in Production Design

Team Experience is discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Nick and Cláudio to talk Production Design...

BARBIE sails to a sure nomination, but can it win?

CLÁUDIO: Last year, the trenches took gold, but what will even be nominated this season? The gloomy days of WWI behind us, Barbie shines a pink promise on the plastic horizon, with Killers of the Flower Moon and Oppenheimer providing some period seriousness. Maybe it'll be Wonka or Poor Things, colorful lunacy with a candied twist. There are other musicals to contend with, more biopics than your mind can process, sci-fi, diorama-land, and even a detour into mid-00s opulence. Yes, this is the Best Production Design race, where anything is possible until it isn't. May the odds be ever in your favor…

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