One of the best films at Telluride was “Waves.” Don’t miss it. Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, starring Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Taylor Russell, Sterling K. Brown, Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Lucas Hedges.
One of the best films at Telluride was “Waves.” Don’t miss it. Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults, starring Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Taylor Russell, Sterling K. Brown, Renee Elise Goldsberry, and Lucas Hedges.
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What do people think about Oscar chances for Waves? Based on word from Telluride I thought it sounded like it could totally be in the conversation then all those people who were gushing about it went and updated their Oscar predictions and almost none have it getting much, if anything (including Sasha who praised it massively but doesn’t have it in her predictions at gold derby – I know they didn’t have it at first but I’m pretty sure her predictions are from after it was added)… What does everyone think?
It looks gorgeous!
My take on Waves’ Oscar possibilities at the moment:
Best Picture
Supporting Actor – Sterling K. Brown
Original Screenplay
Cinematography
Editing
Original Score – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Out of interest are you predicting it for all of those categories or are they categories where you think it could potentially be a player?
The reason I ask is the point being that I keep seeing people saying it could be a player in a bunch of categories then leaving it out of their predictions, which to me reads as if they are saying “this is great and it could be nominated but I have no faith that it actually will be”… Basically I’m struggling to get a read on it (it could also be that they are just waiting on it to see what happens to the buzz over a bit more time).
With very few exceptions (like predicting Get Out for the Original Screenplay win when it came out in March 2017), I’m not too keen on making actual predictions before November. But I think these six categories are at least solid shots for Waves to land in at the moment.
That is totally fair enough – I wasn’t asking to hold you to it (as I agree predictions right now are often wrong) I was just trying to get a feel for whether or not you think it has an actual good shot.
But interesting, thanks, I guess as with everything it is a waiting game now… It looks great and with what feels like a slight lack if diversity this season (with obvious exceptions like the farewell) it feels like we kind of need something like it. Also the idea of Oscar nominee Sterling K. Brown is something I would be really keen to see happen.
I wonder if it might need to follow the Moonlight route, i.e. extensive support from critics’ awards after the festival raves to land it in mainstream conversation, to get there. And, having not seen the film myself, I wonder if it will get that support. Extensive comparisons to Moonlight will probably not help though.
I think that there’s a bit of wait and see where they place actors first. is Brown lead or supporting? when that clears people will give it more attention. I think it’s going to be a big contender.
Brown is definitely supporting. Harrison and Russell are co-leads (he’s the lead of the first half then all but disappears, she’s barely in the first half then becomes the clear lead of the second) but I suspect that means they’d be campaigned for supporting too. Anyone else (Hedges has potential) would be supporting too.
Thank you. Sounds like everyone is going supporting.
It’s probably too adventurous (and perhaps too youth-oriented) for Picture/Director, but Sterling K. Brown has a really strong shot at a Best Supporting Actor nom (if I had to make predictions now I’d put him in my 5), Lucas Hedges could be in the conversation for that too. I think Actress is too stacked for an unknown like Taylor Russell to break through but because she’s only prominently featured in half the movie (when she switches from minor character to the protagonist), could see her having an outside shot at a Best Supporting Actress nom if they commit category fraud and campaign her there. She’s the breakout star and many feel hers is the best performance in the film.
It’s a serious contender for Cinematography, Original Score, and Sound Mixing/Editing, featuring dazzling, attention-catching work in those categories. There are probably 5 films better positioned for one, but I could see it getting an Original Screenplay nom too, ala First Reformed, The Lobster, Ex Machina (other recent A24 films too “out there” to make the top category, but also too impressive and unique to ignore) as a consolation prize recognizing Shults.