One word is about to stir up the 2021 Oscars. Say it with me: Mank.
Mank Set To Be An Oscars Juggernaut
With the Oscar eligibility window pushed back to February 28, 2021, it’s safe to say we’re in the middle rounds in this fight for Academy Awards. If this is Round 5 or 6, then Mank just scored a knockdown.
The first round of reviews arrived this afternoon for Mank and to say they were anything but positive would be an understatement. I’m struggling to find a negative word, let alone an entirely negative review. Type “Mank Review” in your search engine and it will flood with adjectives for “great.”
Mank revolves around Herman J. Mankiewicz, played by Gary Oldman, and his battle with Orson Welles over the screenwriting credit for Citizen Kane. Mank was directed by David Fincher, who directs his first feature film since 2014’s Gone Girl, from a script written by Fincher’s father, the late Jack Fincher. Oldman stars alongside Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, Lily Collins, Arliss Howard, and Tom Burke.
Mank hits all the right notes in terms of films that are typically rewarded by the Academy. It’s a black and white movie about the film industry in Old Hollywood from a well-respected director and accomplished cast. If the Academy Awards were a game of Texas Hold’Em and Mank came to the table, Mank would be sitting on a pair of Kings. Frankly, all you had to tell me was “David Fincher’s first movie since Gone Girl” and I was in.
Without guessing winners, the best bet you can make for the 2021 Oscars is that Mank will lead the field with the most nominations. I’m counting at least eight automatic nominations and honestly, that’s on the low side.
Mank Nomination Predictions
- Best Picture
- Best Director (Fincher)
- Best Actor (Oldman)
- Best Supporting Actress (Seyfried)
- Best Supporting Actor (Dance)
- Best Orginal Screenplay
- Best Cinematography
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Original Score
- Best Production Design
- Best Sound
If you can’t count, that’s 12 nominations, which would easily make it the nomination leader. Thankfully, consumers won’t have to wait much longer as Mank will stream on Netflix on December 4.
One Night In Miami Oscar Campaign
Mank may have made a statement in the middle rounds, but One Night In Miami will look to come on strong in the 11th round. Regina King’s directorial debut portrays the fictionalized meeting between Malcom X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), and Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke). One Night In Miami premiered to strong reviews at TIFF and King will be in the running for a Best Directing nomination.
With four actors positioning for acting nominations, Amazon Studios confirmed where they will campaign all four men. Kingsley Ben-Adir and Eli Goree will be entered as lead actors while Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. will run in supporting. Out of the four actors, Odom should have the best chance for a nomination thanks to his previous accomplishments in the Emmys, Grammys, and Tonys.
One Night In Miami opens in theaters on Christmas and streams on Amazon Prime Video on January 15, 2021.
Other News And Notes
– I still haven’t seen Tenet. However, there is good news on the horizon.
Previous Discussions:
- 2021 Oscars Discussion, Vol. 2: Chadwick Boseman, Glenn Close Emerge As Early Frontrunners
- 2021 Oscars Discussion, Vol. 1: The Year Of Netflix
Are you excited for Mank? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.