The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences showered little-seen movies rooted in progressive politics with nominations for the 97th Oscars on Thursday. “Emilia Pérez,” a musical exploration of trans identity, and “The Brutalist,” a three-and-a-half-hour study of immigrant trauma and antisemitism, emerged as films to beat by securing nominations …
Sometimes, when I poll Oscar voters about the films and performances they plan to nominate, they turn the tables on me. “What do you want to happen?” they ask. Maybe they’re expecting me to advocate for an underseen movie or steer them toward a performance that hasn’t gotten its flowers. …
Elphaba might have been reluctant to go to Shiv University, but Cynthia Erivo still wants to get a Ph.D. Specifically, the star who plays Elphaba in “Wicked” onscreen is interested in how everyday experiences affect people’s voices, not just when they are speaking but when they are singing, too. Erivo …