Widescreen: Three names to root for when Oscar nominations are announced Tuesday

Posted January 18, 2023 5:00 am

Sean Stangland

Colin Farrell, left, Jodie Turner-Smith, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja and Justin H. Min star in “After Yang,” written and directed by Koganada. Courtesy of A24

Here are three unlikely names I'd love to hear Tuesday morning when the nominations for the 95th Academy Awards are announced.

Koganada - Best Director, 'After Yang'

The second feature from the single-named filmmaker is the first I've seen that might be best described as both cozy and devastating. The ever-present Colin Farrell stars as Jake, a father in the near-future attempting to repair his adopted daughter's older brother, an android named Yang (Justin H. Min) who has unexpectedly shut down. Jake unlocks Yang's digital memories - presented to the audience in a unique, ethereal interface - and discovers the synthetic man lived several very real lives. Koganada, who also wrote and edited the film, composes uncommonly beautiful frames in uncommonly delicate, human films. (Streaming on Showtime.)

Rebecca Hall gives another harrowing performance in "Resurrection." Courtesy of IFC Films

Rebecca Hall - Best Actress, 'Resurrection'

The British actress is no stranger to big blockbusters (“Godzilla vs. Kong”) or indie darlings (“Christine”), and in recent years she has become a powerhouse of art house horror movies like “The Night House.” In “Resurrection,” Hall plays a mom whose teen is about to go off to college when a man from her past (Tim Roth) suddenly re-enters her life, beginning a chain of events that has us questioning Margaret's sanity right up until ... well, you won't believe until what. Hall's harried performance includes an extended monologue that reminds of another memorable 2022 horror movie, “Pearl.” Horror is the most consistent genre going, and it's time the Academy recognized that. (Streaming on Shudder.)

Alexander Skarsgard and Anya Taylor-Joy star in "The Northman." Courtesy of Focus Features

Jarin Blaschke - Best Cinematography, 'The Northman'

Robert Eggers moves from “The Lighthouse” to Scandinavia for a mythic Viking tale starring Alexander Skarsgard and Anya Taylor-Joy, but the real stars are Blaschke's beautiful and horrifying visuals: a long, unbroken shot of a Viking raid, the darkness of night broken by smoke and flame, a Valkyrie riding the skies to Valhalla, and combat waged inside a volcano. Whatever you do, don't watch this movie on an iPhone. (Streaming on Amazon Prime.)

Sean Stangland is an assistant news editor who will be watching the Oscars March 12 on ABC.

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