What else is there to talk about this week, when it comes to pop culture, aside from The Odyssey? Like yes, some Real Housewives are getting divorced, and we can always talk about Big Brother (both of which I will touch on later), but this week is for The Odyssey. Honestly, next week is also for The Odyssey as every other studio decided to steer clear of Christopher Nolan and Spider-Man (out at the end of the month), leaving The Odyssey to claim so many theaters.
And there’s much to discuss regarding The Odyssey, such as conservatives getting mad about the film being historically inaccurate (i.e., including trans and non-white people in the cast) despite having never read the book. (Also, as an aside, Greek people were super gay, so we’d need to add that in for historicity if we want to go there, which I assume they don’t). But let’s start with the box office. The Odyssey has already brought in over $300K, and it hasn’t even been open a week. Given that Oppenheimer nearly earned $1B and this film has a much wider mass appeal, it seems extremely likely that it will hit that mark. As someone who, once upon a time, watched every $1B movie, I can tell you it’s very rarified air for a non-sequel.
Given the various formats that The Odyssey is playing in, as well as the fact that screenings are selling out across the country, it’s safe to say that The Odyssey will be one of this year’s most enduring cultural touchstones in addition to making a shit ton of money. While there are plenty of $1B movies that are already lost to time (Transformers: Dark of the Moon anyone? Aquaman? Moana 2?), the nine $1B movies that have also earned Best Picture nominations (Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, Barbie, Black Panther, Joker, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Titanic, Top Gun: Maverick, and Toy Story 3) are all bona fide pieces of cinema history. The Odyssey seems destined to join this list, which brings me to some early Oscar predictions for the year.
Awarded to THE standout figure of the week, recognizing exceptional talent across disciplines.
This year is already turning out to be an EXCELLENT year for cinema, and while there is plenty of prognostication going on about the fall lineup of movies (Digger, Wild Horse Nine, Dune: Part 3), I’d like to keep this conversation to known contenders. Below is a list of every Oscar category along with already released contenders and some commentary:
Best Picture: Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey, Obsession, The Invite
While The Odyssey and Project Hail Mary are obviously the two frontrunners when it comes to the Oscars so far, Obsession provides an interesting contrast. The plucky indie narrative will certainly appeal to many voters, and I think it would go a long way to welcoming Gen Z into the Academy.
Best Director: Christopher Nolan (The Odyssey), Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (Project Hail Mary)
Christopher Nolan is a lock here. Lord & Miller are a bit less so, and it really depends on how the fall movies shake out.
Best Actor: Ryan Gosling (Project Hail Mary), Matt Damon (The Odyssey), Michael Johnston (Obsession)
Gosling and Damon both appear to have their spots locked. I’m very interested to see if Obsession can nab an extra nom, especially given that the lead duo will probably be campaigning as a pair.
Best Actress: Inde Navarrette (Obsession), Emily Blunt (Disclosure Day), Olivia Wilde (The Invite)
So far, Best Actress has the weakest field of the four acting categories given that both Project Hail Mary and The Odyssey are devoid of female leads. Inde Navarrette seems like an obvious choice, especially given the Academy’s bias towards ingenue actresses.
Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton (The Invite), Robert Pattinson (The Odyssey), John Leguizamo (The Odyssey)
I’m pegging my Odyssey hopes on Pattinson (in honor of an overall great year) and Leguizamo (in honor of an overall great career), but there’s definitely room to play here. Edward Norton’s incredible monologue in The Invite will also stick out in people’s minds.
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (The Odyssey), Penelope Cruz (The Invite), Samantha Morton (The Odyssey), Sandra Huller (Project Hail Mary)
Anne Hathaway is the third lock in the acting races after Damon and Gosling, but depending on how these other films do, they could nab spots as well.
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Odyssey, The Invite, Project Hail Mary
With The Odyssey and Project Hail Mary already ensured spots, it’s a rough year for other adapted screenplays.
Best Original Screenplay: Obsession
The original lineup is much looser, and this feels like the correct spot to honor Curry Barker for his work on Obsession.
Best Documentary Feature:
Documentary contenders don’t usually come out until later in the year, so this field is wide open.
Best International Feature: Exit 8
The same goes for international feature, although I continue to adore Exit 8.
Best Animated Feature: Hoppers, Toy Story 5
Another year, another Pixar head-to-head matchup. It’s silly to bet against Toy Story, but I do think that Hoppers is by far the superior movie.
Best Casting: Michael, Obsession, The Odyssey
I’m terrified that Michael, fresh off its $1B box office run, will pop up somewhere at the Oscars. Casting feels like a potential nom, given what an ensemble movie this is.
Best Cinematography: Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey
The craft battles begin.
Best Film Editing: Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey
And continue.
Best Production Design: Wuthering Heights, Project Hail Mary, Backrooms, The Odyssey
Obviously, The Odyssey will win this Oscar, but I have to shout out Backrooms.
Best Costume Design: Wuthering Heights, Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, I Love Boosters, The Odyssey
Lots of gorgeous gowns and headpieces already this year. I’m praying for some I Love Boosters love, because those costumes were exceptional.
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Michael, Is God Is, The Odyssey
Is God Is wasn’t widely seen, but that makeup was perfect. Michael certainly used a lot of makeup to transform its lead.
Best Original Score: Project Hail Mary, The Odyssey
Another obvious battle.
Best Original Song: Wuthering Heights, Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Toy Story 5, The Odyssey
Charli XCX vs. Charli XCX vs. Lady Gaga vs. Taylor Swift vs. The Odyssey’s credit song.
Best Sound: Project Hail Mary, Disclosure Day, The Odyssey
More incredible crafts.
Best Visual Effects: Project Hail Mary, The Sheep Detectives, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Disclosure Day
And given that The Odyssey is mostly practical effects, who will spot an opening and pounce?
Awarded to the best-dressed individual of the week, either a real-life human or an on-screen character.
The Big Brother costume punishments are always delightful, but bringing back Vince’s egg costume just one year later for Angela was a dream come true. Here’s to hoping she gets about 15 more punishments this year.
Awarded to the best use of the English language in the past 7 days.
A Vulture list is made to be a bit controversial, and some of the placements here are scream-inducing, but Nate Jones did an excellent job reasoning through everything, and I love his writing. Mostly, I just enjoyed looking through this list and realizing how many incredible directors there are working today. There are 100 artists here, numerous more in the honorable mentions, and that doesn’t even include most of the international auteurs. It’s a great time to be a cinephile.
Awarded to the individual(s) who deserve(s) an Oscar for their remarkable performance(s) on screen, large or small.
While I did not pick Elliot Page as a potential Oscar nominee, I’d just like to give him a special shoutout for his work in The Odyssey. His underworld scene especially is brutal and grounds the movie from becoming too fantastical and high-minded. Put him in more movies, please.
Awarded to the entity with the worst energy, most unwell aura, and bleakest constitution.
I have grown weary of all these INCORRECT Christopher Nolan film rankings that put Tenet near the bottom. Tenet is a brilliant, brain-twisting film, and I think people who don’t like it mostly just don’t have big enough brains to understand it. If you rank it in the bottom half, you’re a big dumb dumb who probably hasn’t read a book in years and still doesn’t know the difference between Oliver Twist and Oliver Pope. You are a stupid, ignorant weirdo with bad taste, and I hate you.
Anyways, here’s my Christopher Nolan film ranking (minus Insomnia, which I still need to see).
Inception
Tenet
The Odyssey
Interstellar
The Dark Knight
Dunkirk
Oppenheimer
The Prestige
Following
Memento
The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Begins
Get mad. I don’t care.
If you’re going to engage with media in the upcoming week, this is what you should be engaging with.
This film is certainly not for everyone (as evidenced by its 65% on Rotten Tomatoes), but if you love a bit of absurdist, magical realism akin to Paolo Sorrentino’s Hand of God, then this might be up your alley. An aimless woman inadvertently kidnaps a child, and the two go on a grand adventure through the Italian countryside. It’s currently playing at IFC in New York.
You can find more of my written work at matthewhuff.com.
I also co-host a weekly podcast, P.S. You’re Wrong, where I dissect all things pop culture.
Find me on Instagram, TikTok, and Letterboxd.
No posts
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.