Category: Oscar: Case Of

Oscar movies

Oscars: The Case of Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once

As the mild-mannered Waymond Wang, husband to Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Ke Huy Quan is the final Supporting Actor entrant in my Case Of posts.

The Case for Ke Huy Quan:

It’s an Oscar storyline for the ages. Nearly 40 years ago, Quan was a child actor appearing in iconic blockbusters as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Data in The Goonies. His career stalled shortly after and he quit acting altogether in the early 90s. After Crazy Rich Asians (featuring his costar Yeoh) hit it big in 2018, Quan decided to get back in the mix. Everything clicked and he’s emerged victorious at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and SAG.

The Case Against Ke Huy Quan:

Just when it looked like he was on his way to a sweep, BAFTA threw a curveball and honored Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin). If Everything fails to capitalize on its frontrunner status in Best Picture and other races, it could hinder Quan.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

Despite Keoghan’s victory at BAFTA, Quan appears destined for Academy glory next weekend. Of the four acting derbies, this is the easiest to project.

My Case Of posts (all 35 of them!) have concluded. Keep an eye on the blog and podcast (search Movies at the Speed of Speculation on Apple or other apps) for FINAL predictions coming your way on Wednesday, March 8th.

If you missed my earlier Supporting Actor write-ups, you can find them here:

Oscars: The Case of Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Brian Tyree Henry in Causeway
https://toddmthatcher.com/2023/02/19/oscars-the-case-of-judd-hirsch-in-the-fabelmans/
Oscars: The Case of Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin

Oscars: The Case of Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Stephanie Hsu’s at turns villainous and sympathetic character(s) in Everything Everywhere All at Once is the final Case Of post for the Supporting Actress nominees at the 95th Academy Awards.

The Case for Stephanie Hsu:

Playing dual roles in the Daniels multi-genre tale, Hsu garnered raves as Michelle Yeoh’s daughter. SAG and Critics Choice nods followed and the Academy doesn’t shy away from honoring exciting relative newcomers (think Ariana DeBose from West Side Story last year).

The Case Against Stephanie Hsu:

The major precursors have spread the love around for Supporting Actress contenders, but it hasn’t included any victories for Hsu. Her costar Jamie Lee Curtis (who won SAG) may have a stronger narrative for the statue given her decades long career. Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) took Critics Choice and the Golden Globe (no nod for Hsu there) while Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) was honored at BAFTA (where Hsu also missed).

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

There are three performers vying for a walk up the stage and Hsu isn’t one of them.

My Case Of posts will continue with Hsu’s costar Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once!

Entries for the other Supporting Actress hopefuls can be found here:

Oscars: The Case of Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Oscars: The Case of Hong Chau in The Whale
Oscars: The Case of Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Oscars: The Case of Bill Nighy in Living

Bill Nighy’s performance as an English bureaucrat with a terminal cancer diagnosis in Living is the final Case Of post for the five Best Actor hopefuls.

The Case for Bill Nighy:

From a randy aging rocker in Love Actually to Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and a zombified stepdad in Shaun of the Dead, Nighy has been a fixture on domestic screens for two decades. His work in the acclaimed Living somehow marks his first major awards exposure. He’s been nominated everywhere that counts from the Globes to Critics Choice to SAG and BAFTA.

The Case Against Bill Nighy:

Despite being included in all significant precursors, there’s no victory to be found for the central performance in this remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru. All the attention has been focused on Austin Butler (Elvis) and Brendan Fraser (The Whale) as they battle down the stretch.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

While making the quintet was practically guaranteed, Nighy’s chances of winning are DOA for Living.

My Case Of posts will continue with Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once!

Write-ups for the other Best Actor nominees can be found here:

Oscars: The Case of Austin Butler in Elvis
Oscars: The Case of Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Brendan Fraser in The Whale
Oscars: The Case of Paul Mescal in Aftersun

Oscars: The Case of Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

As the laundromat running Evelyn whose many dimensions are explored in Everything Everywhere All at Once, Michelle Yeoh is the final Case Of post for the five Best Actress contenders.

The Case for Michelle Yeoh:

From acclaimed Hong Kong action flicks with Jackie Chan to fighting alongside James Bond in Tomorrow Never Dies to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to the overprotective future mother-in-law in Crazy Rich Asians, Yeoh had many career highlights until this multi-genre pic from the Daniels eclipsed them all. The Hollywood Foreign Press honored her with the Golden Globe for Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Last weekend, she took home the SAG for Actress where 16 of the last 22 winners became the Academy’s recipients in the 21st century. Everywhere is the frontrunner for Best Picture and that certainly doesn’t hurt.

The Case Against Michelle Yeoh:

Cate Blanchett in Tár. While Yeoh’s previous victories are a road map to Oscar glory, so are Blanchett’s as she has taken the Globe in the Drama competition, BAFTA, and Critics Choice.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

It cannot be overstated how this is a coin flip between Yeoh and Blanchett. One could argue Yeoh has the late momentum given the recent SAG and Everything‘s likely success in the biggest race of all.

My Case Of posts will continue with Bill Nighy in Living!

For my other entries on the Actress hopefuls, click here:

Oscars: The Case of Cate Blanchett in Tár
Oscars: The Case of Ana de Armas in Blonde
Oscars: The Case of Andrea Riseborough in To Leslie
Oscars: The Case of Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans

Oscars: The Case of Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans

Steven Spielberg’s direction of The Fabelmans is my final Case Of post for the filmmakers vying for the prize at the Academy Awards.

The Case for Steven Spielberg:

He’s Steven Spielberg. Arguably the most iconic and famous director in the medium’s history, he drew kudos for this most personal of projects that drew from his upbringing. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association honored him with their directorial statue at the Golden Globes. For his ninth nomination in this category (marking 22 total when factoring contending Pictures and his screenplay for this), voters may feel he’s overdue since it’s been nearly a quarter century since the last win. As a reminder, he’s a previous recipient for 1993’s Schindler’s List and 1998’s Saving Private Ryan.

The Case Against Steven Spielberg:

He’s not Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert of Everything Everywhere All at Once. The Daniels have taken the majority of the precursors like Critics Choice and especially the Directors Guild (where the DGA and Oscar match is high). Spielberg wasn’t even nominated for BAFTA. The film itself, while critically acclaimed, was a box office flop.

Previous Nominations (directing only):

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977); Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982); Schindler’s List (1993) – WON; Saving Private Ryan (1998) – WON; Munich (2005); Lincoln (2012); West Side Story (2021)

The Verdict:

Due to his legendary status, Spielberg has a sliver of a chance to pull a major upset over the Daniels. Yet it’s grown much smaller due to the Daniels dominance this season.

My Case Of posts will continue with Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once!

For the other directorial hopefuls in my Case Of series, click here:

Oscars: The Case of the Daniels for Everything Everywhere All at Once
Oscars: The Case of Todd Field for Tár
Oscars: The Case of Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Ruben Östlund for Triangle of Sadness

Oscars: The Case of Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin

As the sympathetic Dominic in The Banshees of Inisherin, Barry Keoghan is the next Case Of entry for the Supporting Actor contenders.

The Case for Barry Keoghan:

Following acclaimed performances including Dunkirk and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Keoghan get his first major awards exposure along with his three Banshees cast mates. Critics Choice, SAG, and Golden Globe nods followed with a surprising win at BAFTA. His lovestruck monologue to Kerry Condon is a ready made for your consideration Oscar clip.

The Case Against Barry Keoghan:

Ke Huy Quan from Everything Everywhere All at Once has a dandy clip or two himself and he won Critics Choice, SAG, and the Globe. Academy members may assume Keoghan has plenty more bites at the apple and he could split votes with costar Brendan Gleeson.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

Despite the unexpected recognition from friends across the pond, Quan remains the heavy favorite for Supporting Actor.

My Case Of posts will continue with Steven Spielberg’s direction of The Fabelmans!

Write-ups for the other hopefuls in the race can be found here:

Oscars: The Case of Brendan Gleeson in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Brian Tyree Henry in Causeway
Oscars: The Case of Judd Hirsch in The Fabelmans
Oscars: The Case of Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Oscars: The Case of Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once

As the no-nonsense IRS inspector with hot dog hands in an alternate universe, Jamie Lee Curtis’s in Everything Everywhere All at Once is next up for my Supporting Actress Case Of posts.

The Case for Jamie Lee Curtis:

For four and a half decades, Curtis has been a mainstay on the silver screen across all genres from Halloween to Trading Places to A Fish Called Wanda and True Lies to Freaky Friday and Knives Out. Despite that impressive and varied filmography, Everything marks her first nom from the Academy. A victory could double as a career achievement award. That could help explain her surprise win last night at SAG. She also made the cut at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and BAFTAs.

The Case Against Jamie Lee Curtis:

The same career achievement narrative can be applied to Angela Bassett for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and she won the Globe and Critics Choice. Kerry Condon from The Banshees of Inisherin took the BAFTA. Curtis could also split votes with her costar Stephanie Hsu.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

If I had written this post on Saturday, I wouldn’t have given Curtis much of a chance. The SAG recognition puts her in a three-way race with Bassett and Condon.

My Case of Posts will continue with Barry Keoghan in The Banshees of Inisherin!

Write-ups for Curtis’s competition can be accessed here:

Oscars: The Case of Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Oscars: The Case of Hong Chau in The Whale
Oscars: The Case of Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Oscars: The Case of Paul Mescal in Aftersun

Paul Mescal’s big screen breakout work in the coming-of-age drama Aftersun is the next Case Of post for the Best Actor contenders.

The Case for Paul Mescal:

At age 27, voters took notice of the Irish thespian with nominations at BAFTA and Critics Choice. Expect to see a lot of Mescal in the coming years with potential awards hopefuls from Richard Linklater, Garth Davis, and a Gladiator sequel.

The Case Against Paul Mescal:

Another young performer – Austin Butler as Elvis – is picking up the bulk of precursor victories. Mescal didn’t make the cut at the Golden Globes or SAG. His placement for Aftersun marks the picture’s sole Academy nom. That’s typically not a recipe for an Actor victory.

Previous Nominations:

None

The Verdict:

Mescal should have more opportunities in the future. At the 95th Academy Awards, he’s probably fifth in the running for the aspiring quintet.

My Case Of posts will continue with Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once!

If you missed my other write-ups on the Actors, click here:

Oscars: The Case of Austin Butler in Elvis
Oscars: The Case of Colin Farrell in The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Brendan Fraser in The Whale
Oscars: The Case of Bill Nighy in Living

Oscars: The Case of Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans

Playing a version of Steven Spielberg’s real mother, Michelle Williams is nominated for her fifth Oscar in The Fabelmans.

The Case for Michelle Williams:

From the moment this personal project of Spielberg’s was announced, Williams was correctly assumed to have an awards bait role. Precursor noms have materialized at Critics Choice and the Golden Globes. There could also be a feeling that she is overdue given that her track record is 0 for 4 on previous mentions.

The Case Against Michelle Williams:

Universal Pictures surprised everyone when they announced they were campaigning Williams in lead instead of supporting. I maintain that she would stand a considerably better shot at winning in the latter. Some wondered if the Academy might choose to put her up in supporting anyway. SAG and BAFTA left her off their ballots and there’s no significant victories to speak of. The general consensus and one I agree with is this is a two-person race between Cate Blanchett (Tár) and Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once).

Previous Nominations:

Brokeback Mountain (Supporting Actress, 2005); Blue Valentine (Actress, 2010); My Week with Marilyn (Actress; 2011); Manchester by the Sea (Supporting Actress; 2016)

The Verdict:

I believe the choice to slot Williams will universally be regarded as an unforced error. She seemed headed for 0 for 5.

My Case Of posts will continue with Paul Mescal in Aftersun!

If you didn’t catch my other write-ups on the contending Actresses, click here:

Oscars: The Case of Cate Blanchett in Tár
Oscars: The Case of Ana de Armas in Blonde
Oscars: The Case of Andrea Riseborough in To Leslie
Oscars: The Case of Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Oscars: The Case of Ruben Östlund for Triangle of Sadness

Swedish satirist Ruben Östlund’s direction of Triangle of Sadness is next up in my Case Of posts for the directors vying for the Oscar.

The Case for Ruben Östlund:

After garnering acclaim for Force Majeure (2014) and 2017’s The Square (which nabbed a foreign language feature nod), his English-language debut cornered three noms in Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay. It generated buzz early when it took the Palme d’or at Cannes. The admiration for the film led to his surprise inclusion in the filmmaking quintet.

The Case Against Ruben Östlund:

In Best Director, there is usually a surprise nominee. That’s Östlund this time. The downside is that the surprise nominee doesn’t win. He wasn’t up in any of the key precursors like DGA, Golden Globes, or Critics Choice Awards.

Other Nominations:

None for direction

Foreign Language Film (The Square; 2017); Original Screenplay (Triangle of Sadness; 2022)

The Verdict:

Of the five hopefuls in the race, Östlund stands the fifth best (so… worst) chance at nabbing the statue.

My Case Of posts will continue with Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans!

The other entries for the Best Director contenders can be accessed here:

Oscars: The Case of the Daniels for Everything Everywhere All at Once
Oscars: The Case of Todd Field for Tár
Oscars: The Case of Martin McDonagh for The Banshees of Inisherin
Oscars: The Case of Steven Spielberg for The Fabelmans