Between Barbie, Oppenheimer and American Fiction, this year’s Academy Awards are stacked. If you don’t know how to make heads or tails about what to expect at Sunday’s awards ceremony, the Offbeat team has you covered.
The music for this episode is Lazy Love by KEM, brought to you by Uppbeat.
TOLU TALABI (0:00)
WELCOME BACK TO ANOTHER EPISODE OF OFFBEAT. FOR THIS EPISODE… OUR OFFBEAT TEAM WANTED TO DISCUSS THIS YEAR’S OSCAR NOMINATIONS. THE DIAMONDBACK’S DIVERSIONS EDITORS SOFIA APPOLONIO AND OLIVIA YASHAROFF JOINED THE OFFBEAT TEAM’S CAROLINE PECORA AND AARON WRIGHT FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT ALL-THINGS OSCARS.
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AARON WRIGHT (0:24): ALL RIGHT … YEAH. SO WELCOME … THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. OLIVIA … AND SOFIA. HOW ARE Y’ALL DOING?
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (0:33): GOOD … GOOD … THANK YOU FOR HAVING AN HONOR TO BE HERE. YES …
AARON WRIGHT (0:36): OF COURSE … THIS IS GONNA BE SO FUN TO TALK ABOUT THE OSCARS … AND ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR’S OSCARS … BECAUSE AS WE’RE ABOUT TO GET RIGHT INTO IT … I FEEL LIKE THIS BEST PICTURE IS GOING TO BE … I FEEL LIKE IT’D BE A VERY HOTLY CONTESTED ONE. FOR SURE. BETWEEN BARBIE … THE BARBIE MOVIE … KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON … OPPENHEIMER AND MY DARK HORSE PICK … AMERICAN FICTION. SO I’M CURIOUS … WHAT ARE Y’ALL THOUGHTS WHO YOU THINK’S GONNA TAKE BEST PICTURE?
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (1:11): YEAH … WELL … SO I ADMITTEDLY HAVE ONLY SEEN 50 PERCENT OF THE BEST PICTURE FILMS THIS YEAR. BUT I COULD REALLY SEE IT GOING TO ANYONE. I THINK THE ONES THAT YOU PICKED OUT … I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH. I THINK THE BARBENHEIMER FEUD IS GONNA … YOU KNOW … RAISE SOME EYEBROWS. THERE’S GONNA BE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON TWITTER TALKING ABOUT THAT. BUT YEAH … I ALSO PERSONALLY REALLY LOVED AMERICAN FICTION. IF I COULD PICK ONE THAT I HOPE WOULD WIN. I THINK IT MIGHT BE THAT. BUT I THINK … I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S A PREDICTION OR HOPE. I THINK IT MIGHT GO HOME TO OPPENHEIMER. AND I’M NOT SAYING I WANT IT TO … BUT I’M JUST FEELING THAT THAT MIGHT BE HAVING A SHAKE UP.
AARON WRIGHT (1:50): YEAH … I THINK SO AS WELL. I’VE WATCHED BARBIE IN AMERICAN FICTION AND JEFFREY WRIGHT … THIS NOT BECAUSE WE SHARE THE SAME LAST NAME … BUT HE’S MY DOG THROUGH AND THROUGH. AND I REALLY LOVE NOT ONLY HIS ROLE IN IT … BUT ALSO WHAT THAT MOVIE WAS ABOUT IN REGARDS TO WHAT BLACK ART IS AND WHAT THE GENERAL EXPECTATION FOR BLACK ART IS … AND HIS NAVIGATION THROUGH THAT. IT WAS FUNNY … BUT ALSO VERY POINTED FOR ME AS WELL AS A WRITER … AS A BLACK WRITER … SO I WOULD LIKE THAT TO WIN … BUT I’M NOT GONNA FRONT AND SAY THAT BARBIE WASN’T ALSO A VERY STRONG MOVIE. I REALLY LIKED THAT MOVIE A LOT … ESPECIALLY THE MUSICAL PIECES. THEY WERE ALL VERY FUN.
CAROLINE PECORA (2:43): I FEEL LIKE BARBIE WAS KIND OF CONTROVERSIAL THIS YEAR. IT CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS … ESPECIALLY COMING OUT AT THE SAME TIME AS OPPENHEIMER. SO I DON’T KNOW. AND THEN ALSO … PEOPLE WEREN’T SUPER … JUST PEOPLE DIDN’T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE POINT OF THE MOVIE WAS. SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY. SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT WAS SERIOUS. I DON’T KNOW. I JUST DON’T REALLY THINK COMPARED TO THE THREE OTHER MOVIES UP HERE THAT BARBIE WILL WIN. I’M NOT SAYING. I MEAN … I PERSONALLY REALLY LIKED IT. BUT I JUST DON’T THINK IT WAS POPULAR ENOUGH AMONG THE REST AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO REALLY WIN.
AARON WRIGHT (3:20): REALLY? I’M ACTUALLY SURPRISED TO SAY THAT. I MEAN … I JUST THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS YOU KNOW … BARBIE AND OPPENHEIMER JUST BECAUSE OF THE BARBENHEIMER BOX OFFICE PHENOMENON. THAT’S WHEN I GOT INTO BARBIE. UNFORTUNATELY … I COULDN’T PARTAKE IN BARBENHEIMER BECAUSE I WAS ON A SILLY CRUISE. BUT I DIGRESS … I MEAN … JUST BECAUSE OF THAT PHENOMENON. BARBIE ENDED UP MAKING MORE MONEY THAN OPPENHEIMER AT THE BOX OFFICE … IF I RECALL CORRECTLY. AND AGAIN … I FELT LIKE BARBIE WAS … FOR ME … I UNDERSTOOD THE GENERAL MESSAGE OF IT. AND IT WAS FUNNY … AS WELL. I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF FOLKS DIDN’T FIND MUCH HUMOR IN IT … BUT I FOUND IT FUNNY. BECAUSE IT GAVE … TO ME IT GAVE ME THE SAME VIBES AS THE LEGO MOVIE WAY BACK WHEN. SO THAT WAS FANTASTIC.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (4:19): I THINK AT THIS POINT … IT’S 95 PERCENT CHANCE OPPENHEIMER. OPPENHEIMER HAS WON. IT WON BEST CAST IN MOTION PICTURE AT SAG … IT WON THE BIG AWARD AT BAFTA. IT HAS EVERYTHING THAT THE ACADEMY IS LOOKING FOR. I FEEL ACADEMY LOVES BIOPICS IN THE MOMENT THAT’S LIKE … THE GENRE DEJOUR. IT HAS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN WHO AS THE DIRECTOR WHO’S NOMINATED WHO’S KIND OF BEEN LIKE … I WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT … IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE HE’S BEEN AROUND FOR SO LONG … IT IS TIME TO AWARD HIM AND THAT’S NOT TO DISCREDIT OPPENHEIMER. I REALLY LIKED IT WHEN I SAW IT … BUT I THINK IT’S THE SAFE CHOICE. IT’S A BIT OBVIOUS TO ME WITH EVERYTHING THAT IT’S WON SO FAR. AND I THINK TECHNICALITY WISE … IT WAS REALLY WELL DONE. THERE WERE SOME ISSUES THAT I HAD PERSONALLY KIND OF WITH THE STORY AND WITH SOME OF THE CHARACTERS … BUT THAT DOESN’T TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT LIKE … SOUND WISE … CINEMATOGRAPHY WISE … IT’S A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL FILM.
AARON WRIGHT (5:24): YEAH. BUT LET’S NOT ALSO DISCREDIT KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON. NOW … I UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. BUT I’VE BEEN HEARING NOTHING BUT FANTASTIC THINGS ABOUT THIS MOVIE … AND ESPECIALLY THE LEAD ACTRESS LILY GLADSTONE INVOLVED IN IT … SHE’S JUST BEEN ON A TEAR … WITH NOT ONLY THE NOMINATIONS … BUT GETTING THE AWARDS AND THE BEST ACTOR OR BEST ACTRESS CATEGORIES. AND I FIND THAT VERY REFRESHING FOR AN INDIGENOUS ACTRESS TO WIN AWARDS LIKE THAT … TO GET THAT RECOGNITION … ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BIG DRAMA LAST YEAR … IF I RECALL CORRECTLY … WAS THIS LEAKED INTERNAL MEMO IN REGARDS TO VIOLA DAVIS AND A COUPLE OTHER BLACK ACTRESSES NOT GETTING ANY NOMINATIONS OR ANY NOD AND THEN THE GUY SAID THAT THEY ALREADY HAD THEIR NOMINATIONS LAST YEAR … OR HE GAVE THEM A BONE. AND I FELT SLIGHTLY ANGERED TO SAY THE LEAST … IN REGARDS THAT STATEMENT … BECAUSE IT … AGAIN … REMINDS ME OF THE INHERENT RACISM THAT IS PREVALENT IN AWARDS SHOWS LIKE THIS … BUT TO SEE LILY GLADSTONE COME UP … AND THEN WIN THESE AWARDS … IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE SHE HAS A REAL WINNING SHOT AT BEST PICTURE … BEST ACTRESS WITH KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (6:59): ABSOLUTELY. YEAH … I TOTALLY AGREE. IF I HAD TO PICK OUT OF THE NOMINEES FOR ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE … I THINK I WOULD DEFINITELY GO WITH LILY OR MAYBE EMMA STONE? BUT I THINK I WOULD HOPE FOR LILY … PERSONALLY.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (7:09): YEAH … IT’S DEFINITELY BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM … THIS RACE. AND WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING IS I FOLLOW … I DON’T REALLY WATCH THEM … BUT I FOLLOW THE AWARDS THAT LEAD UP TO THE OSCARS … BECAUSE THEY’RE VOTED BY THE SAME PEOPLE AS WELL. SO IT’S BEEN INTERESTING TO SEE EMMA TAKE THE BAFTA IN THE GOLDEN GLOBE. BUT THEN LILY TAKES SAG AND THE GOLDEN GLOBE. AND IT REMINDS ME A BIT OF THE RACE LAST YEAR BETWEEN MICHELLE YEOH AND CATE BLANCHETT THAT WAS REALLY TIGHT UNTIL THE END. NO ONE KIND OF KNEW WHO WAS WINNING. BUT YEAH … I THINK FOR ME NOW … I THINK WHO WINS SAG IS A BETTER INDICATOR OF WHO WILL WIN THE OSCAR. AND THAT WAS LILY … AND I THINK ALL THE PRAISE THAT I’VE HEARD ABOUT HER PERFORMANCE … JUST HAVING HER ON THE STAGE … WHAT IT MEANS FOR REPRESENTATION … WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE ACADEMY MAKING MOVES GOING FORWARD AND BEING MORE INCLUSIVE … I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND SHE JUST HAD A GREAT PERFORMANCE OVERALL. THERE WAS SO MUCH … I REMEMBER … I DIDN’T GET THROUGH ALL OF KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON BECAUSE IT WAS VERY LONG. BUT FOR ME … WHAT I ENJOYED THE MOST ABOUT HER PERFORMANCE WAS THE SUBTLETY. SHE HAD JUST SUCH GREAT CONTROL OVER HER MANNERISMS … HER FACIAL EXPRESSIONS … AND IT WAS LIKE … SHE WAS SAYING SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE OF HER BODY LANGUAGE. AND TO ME … THAT’S CRAZY IMPRESSIVE.
AARON WRIGHT (8:26): ALL RIGHT. AWESOME. NOW SPEAKING OF DIRECTING … I WANT TO GET ON TO THOUGHTS ON THE DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS … ESPECIALLY SINCE I REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS AGAIN … A LOT OF DRAMA … AND A LOT OF CONTROVERSY IN REGARDS TO THE SNUB THAT WAS GRETA GERWIG … FOR NOT GETTING THE DIRECTING NOMINATION FOR THAT. SO I KINDA WANT TO HEAR Y’ALL THOUGHTS ON THAT.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (8:51): YEAH … ABSOLUTELY. YEAH … I GUESS I CAN GET US STARTED ON I MEAN … PERSONALLY … I WAS SHOCKED THAT GRETA WASN’T ON THAT LIST. I THINK SHE WOULD DEFINITELY DESERVE A NOMINATION FOR THAT. BUT THEN AGAIN … IT’S LOOKING AT THE LIST … I DON’T KNOW … WHO YOU WOULD TAKE OUT BECAUSE I GUESS YOU CAN ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF NOMINEES … OF COURSE. AND PERSONALLY … I THINK SHE BELONGS ON THAT LIST. BUT YEAH … I GUESS FROM THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE … IT IS HARD TO MAKE THAT KIND OF DECISION. BUT I MEAN … I THINK NOT MANY OTHER PEOPLE COULD DO WHAT GRETA DID WITH THIS MOVIE. AND SO I THINK I WOULD CALL IT A SNUB … I THINK … BUT WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? YOU DISAGREE? IT’S OKAY TO DISAGREE. YEAH … IT’S OKAY.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (9:28): MY THING IS … WHEN SHE HAD THE SNUB … I FELT THAT THE I JUST FELT THAT THE OUTRAGE WAS A LOT. CONSIDERING SHE HAS BEEN NOMINATED BEFORE IT’S NOT LIKE SHE’S CONTINUOUSLY PUT OUT FILMS AND WORK AND HAS NEVER BEEN RECOGNIZED. AND THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULDN’T BE NOMINATED AGAIN. BUT FOR ME … A LOT OF WHAT I WAS SEEING WAS … OH … ‘SHE PUT OUT A MOVIE THAT MADE A BILLION DOLLARS. IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL,’ BUT VERY LITTLE OF LIKE … ‘I THOUGHT THIS MOVIE WAS CRAFTED SO WELL. I THOUGHT HER DIRECTORIAL STYLE WAS REALLY INTERESTING THING VERSUS KIND OF LIKE … I … I DON’T THINK IT’S JUST LIKE ABOUT ‘OH … YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE WOMAN IN THE DIRECTORS NOMINEES.’ AND THAT’S NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. BUT THE SNUB I DON’T THINK IS BECAUSE SHE WAS A WOMAN LEADING A FEMALE-DIRECTED MOVIE. FOR ME PERSONALLY … WHEN I WAS WATCHING BARBIE … I FELT BARBIE WAS A LOT OF LIKE FLUFF WITH ONLY A LITTLE BIT OF SUBSTANCE. IT WAS JUST … IT WAS SO FUN TO WATCH. BUT TO ME … IT’S LIKE … I LIKE KNOWING THE OSCARS ARE KIND OF … THEY’RE PICKING MOVIES THAT ARE THINKING DEEPER … AND THIS IS A LITTLE PRETENTIOUS … BUT YOU KNOW … SORRY … BUT I WAS SEEING COMPARISONS TO EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE … BECAUSE THAT HAD JUST SO MUCH GOING ON. BUT IT’S LIKE TO ME … WHEN I WAS WATCHING EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE … IT WASN’T JUST THE EDITING … IT WASN’T JUST THE EFFECTS … IT WAS THE DEEP PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION OF LIKE … “YEAH … LIFE DOESN’T MATTER … BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT?” AND I DON’T FEEL BARBIE HAD KIND OF THAT SUBSTANCE BEYOND ITS PINK EXTERIOR.
AARON WRIGHT (11:03): INTERESTING. INTERESTING.
CAROLINE PECORA (11:05): I FEEL LIKE GRETA GERWIG … THIS IS LIKE THE DIRECTING CATEGORY. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE SPECIFIC MOVIE. AND WHEN YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT SHE DID WITH WHAT SHE HAD … I THINK THAT … I DON’T KNOW … I THINK SHE DESERVES TO BE UP THERE. AND ALSO LIKE … I DON’T KNOW … THE LIST OF PEOPLE ON THE LIST OF NOMINEES IS KIND OF GOES TO SHOW LIKE WHAT THE POINT OF BARBIE WAS ALL ABOUT. I DON’T KNOW … AGAIN … LIKE IT’S NOT ABOUT … THIS CATEGORY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MOVIE ITSELF. IT’S MORE JUST ABOUT LIKE … HER PERFORMANCE AS THE DIRECTOR AND I FEEL LIKE SHE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB. I THINK SHE AT LEAST DESERVES TO BE UP THERE.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (12:01): THAT KIND OF MAKES ME THINK OF THE BEST ACTRESS CATEGORY AS WELL. AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT MARGOT WAS SNUBBED. I DON’T KNOW IF I PERSONALLY AGREE WITH THAT … BUT IT DOES … KIND OF LIKE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING … KIND OF MISSES THE POINT OF THE MOVIE … YOU KNOW … WITH KEN BEING LIKE THE THING THAT BLEW UP THE MOST ABOUT THE BARBIE MOVIE. IT’S KIND OF LIKE “DID WE ALL WATCH THE SAME MOVIE HERE? REALLY GUYS.” SO I DON’T KNOW … I THINK INITIALLY WHEN I SAW SOME OF THE NOMINEES … I WAS A BIT SURPRISED. BUT YEAH … DEFINITELY EVERYONE HERE IS DEFINITELY OBVIOUSLY VERY DESERVING. AND I’LL BE EXCITED TO SEE WHO WINS. BUT IT DID COME AS A BIT OF A SHOCK TO ME … TO BE HONEST.
AARON WRIGHT (12:43): YEAH. AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE. BUT AGAIN … I’D LIKE TO REITERATE THAT I REALLY DO THINK THAT THIS IS LILY GLADSTONE’S OSCAR FOR THE TAKING. AND IF IT GOES TO THE MAESTRO … I’M GONNA THROW A FIT. NOW I KID YOU NOT … EVERYTHING I’VE HEARD ABOUT THE MAESTRO … THIS IS A BIT OF A TANGENT … BUT EVERYTHING I HEARD ABOUT THAT MOVIE IS PURE OSCAR BAIT. THROUGH AND THROUGH. I COULD CARE LESS THAT BRADLEY COOPER SPENT SIX YEARS LIKE IN THE HIMALAYAS LEARNING THE CRAFT OF CONDUCTING AND THIS THAT AND THE THIRD. I [COULDN’T] CARE LESS.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (14:08): IT’S ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW … AND THAT’S WHY IT’S LIKE … IT’S SO HARD WHEN YOU SEE SOMEONE WHO YOU FEEL IS JUST REALLY DESERVING OF A NOMINATION. LIKE I PARTICULARLY ENJOYED GRETA LEE’S PERFORMANCE IN PAST LIVES. AND IT WAS LIKE … NOT SEEING HER IN THE BEST ACTRESS … EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD BEEN CONSIDERED THIS SEASON … THAT WAS LIKE “OH … MAN … NO … LIKE THAT REALLY SUCKED.” BUT ALSO … HER NOMINATION … NO HATE TO CAREY MULLIGAN … BUT … AGAIN … SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN NOMINATED BEFORE … SOMEONE WHO IS OFTEN INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ACTRESSES AND PREVIOUS NOMINATED MOVIES. IT’S LIKE … “WELL … YEAH … YOU GET A SPOT BECAUSE WE KNOW YOU AND WE LIKE WHAT YOU DO.” AND I DON’T KNOW … THAT’S HOW I FELT WITH BRADLEY COOPER. HE’S KIND OF THE VILLAIN THIS YEAR. IT’S LIKE … WE DON’T WANT YOU TO WIN … WE DON’T WANT YOU TO WIN. BUT I DON’T KNOW … I THINK IT IS KIND OF LIKE A MAKEUP NOMINATION FOR NOT WINNING FOR A STAR IS BORN … BUT THAT’S ANOTHER HOT TAKE. SORRY.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (15:19): I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT. DEFINITELY MAESTRO BEING OSCAR BAIT AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP ABOUT GRETA LEE AND PAST LIVES. I THOUGHT SHE WAS SPECTACULAR. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU … BUT THAT MOVIE HAD ME SOBBING IN THE MOVIE THEATER. SPECIFICALLY LIKE THAT LAST SCENE JUST … I THOUGHT … YOU KNOW … THE MOVIE MIGHT NOT BE FOR EVERYONE. YOU KNOW … IT’S A PRETTY SLOW FILM. IT’S VERY TALKY … BUT IT WAS JUST SO LIKE … INTIMATE. AND LIKE … I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU FELT ABOUT IT … BUT IT JUST … I HADN’T REALLY SEEN A MOVIE THAT MADE ME FEEL LIKE THAT BEFORE. AND IT’S A LOT ABOUT … YOU KNOW … LIKE … RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE.
AARON WRIGHT (15:53): I WAS GONNA ASK THAT FOR THE FOLKS WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW … COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT BRIEFLY ON WHAT PAST LIVES IS AND WHAT IT’S ABOUT?
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (16:00): YEAH AND SOFIA CAN JUMP IN HERE IF YOU WANT. BUT BASICALLY … GRETA LEE IS OUR MAIN CHARACTER. AND I THINK SHE GREW UP AND SHE HAD THIS BEST FRIEND … WHO SHE WAS OBVIOUSLY VERY CLOSE WITH AND THEN SHE AND HER FAMILY … I BELIEVE MOVED TO AMERICA WHEN SHE WAS PRETTY YOUNG … MAYBE LIKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE?
SOFIA APPOLONIO (16:21): IT WAS IT WAS YOUNG. AND THEN SHE HAD LIKE A CHILDHOOD FRIEND. AND THEY JUST WERE VERY CLOSE. AND THEN THEY KIND OF FELL APART AND SHE WAS LIVING IN THE STATES ONLY TO MEET 20 SOME YEARS LATER … I BELIEVE … BUT SHE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED TO ANOTHER GUY SO THEN IT’S LIKE … HMM … IT’S INTERESTING. AND NO … I MEAN … I AGREE. AND THAT’S KIND OF WHAT I LOVE WITH MOVIES THAT MAKE IT TO THE OSCARS. MAYBE THEY’RE NOT AS FLASHY. THEY’RE NOT AS BIG BUDGET … BUT IT’S THE HEART. IT’S THE STORY THEY’RE TELLING ABOUT PEOPLE AND ABOUT LIFE. AND I THINK IN JUST THE PAST … BEST PICTURE WINNERS … THAT’S WHAT MOST OF THEM HAVE HAD IN COMMON. AND SO LIKE WHEN … WHEN I SEE IT … AND THEY CALL OUT THE NAME OF THE MOVIE … I’M LIKE … “NO … THAT FEELS RIGHT.”
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (17:02): I WISH PAST LIVES GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE. YEAH. SPECIFICALLY GRETA. I THOUGHT SHE WAS SPECTACULAR. BUT YEAH … I FEEL LIKE I DON’T KNOW. IT’S A LOT ABOUT MISSED CONNECTIONS … WHAT IFS. BUT YEAH … I THINK GRETA SHE WAS JUST … I COULD TALK ALL DAY ABOUT HER. SHE WAS SPECTACULAR. I THINK ANOTHER MOVIE THAT I WAS SURPRISED BY … I DON’T KNOW IF YOU GUYS SAW POOR THINGS?
CAROLINE PECORA (16:35): OH MY GOD … I SAW THE TRAILER. I WISH I SAW IT. IT LOOKED SO GOOD. I JUST LOVE THE CREATIVITY. LIKE … IT WAS JUST SO LIKE … I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING ON HERE … LIKE EVERYTHING THAT WAS NOMINATED WAS JUST SO … BASED OFF A TRUE STORY … BASED OFF A BOOK AND ALTHOUGH POOR THINGS WAS BASED OFF A BOOK LIKE IT WASN’T … IT DIDN’T LOOK LIKE IT. IT LOOKED LIKE A FUN KIDS STORY. I DON’T KNOW. I LOVED IT.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (17:09): WHEN I TELL YOU THAT I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I DON’T THINK I EVER WILL AGAIN … IT WAS … SO I WENT INTO THE THEATER SEEING IT LIKE WITH ZERO INFORMATION. I SAW LITTLE SNIPPETS AND TRAILERS LIKE THAT. BUT I KIND OF PURPOSELY DIDN’T LOOK UP THE PLOT AT ALL BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE SURPRISED. AND I’VE NEVER LAUGHED OUT LOUD OR GASPED SO MUCH IN THE THEATER IN MY LIFE BEFORE. I SAW IT WITH A COUPLE OF FRIENDS AND WE ALL JUST KEPT LOOKING AT EACH OTHER LIKE … “ARE WE ALL SEEING THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW?” LIKE … I FEEL BAD FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE THEATER … JUST LIKE “WHAT IS GOING ON?” BUT NOT NOT EVEN NECESSARILY IN A BAD WAY. IT WAS JUST SO UNIQUE. AND I SAW ONE LETTERBOXD USER DESCRIBE IT AS “BARBIE FOR DEPRESSED PEOPLE.” AND HONESTLY … I AGREE WITH THAT. IT WAS A MUCH DARKER INTERPRETATION OF A BARBIE STORY. BUT YEAH … IT WAS … I CAN GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND … BUT IT WAS KIND OF ALMOST LIKE A SCIENCE FICTION.
AARON WRIGHT (18:09): I MEAN … I’VE I HEARD A LITTLE BIT OF AND I SAW A TRAILER FOR IT. IT LOOKED LIKE YOU SAID … A DEPRESSED BARBIE BUT I GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT IT WAS BARBIE MIXED WITH FRANKENSTEIN. THAT’S WHAT I GATHERED FROM IT LIKE … OH … THIS LOOKS REAL … FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (18:40): 100 PERCENT YEAH … SO IT’S KIND OF A FULL GROWN WOMAN BUT WITH THE MIND OF A CHILD OR BACK OF WATER … FOR LACK OF BETTER DESCRIPTION. AND SO YOU KIND OF GET TO SEE HER ALMOST GROW UP … SO SHE LOOKS THE SAME THE ENTIRE TIME … BUT HER MIND CHANGES AND IT’S SIMILAR TO BARBIE LIKE SHE’S KIND OF DISCOVERING THE REAL WORLD AND SHE’S BEEN COOPED UP HER WHOLE LIFE BY LIKE HER FATHER FIGURE WHO’S A SCIENTIST.
AARON WRIGHT: WILLEM DAFOE … RIGHT?
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (19:08): EXACTLY … WHO ACTUALLY … A SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE. I LOVE WILLEM DAFOE. HE’S GREAT. HE’S SO AWESOME. AND HE’S VERY GOOD AT THIS … A LITTLE A LITTLE CREAKY A LITTLE OFFBEAT. BUT YEAH … SO SHE KIND OF GOES ON AND EXPLORES THE WORLD AND IT’S YEAH … IT’S EMOTIONAL. IT’S DARK. IT’S LIFE. IT’S A LITTLE CREEPY … A LITTLE WEIRD … BUT I REALLY ENJOYED IT. AND I THOUGHT THE PERFORMANCES WERE REALLY SPECIAL.
AARON WRIGHT (19:37): AWESOME. THAT COULD GO FOR EMMA STONE IN THE … I THINK SHE’S IN THE BEST ACTRESS [CATEGORY].
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (19:45): YEAH … ABSOLUTELY.
AARON WRIGHT (19:48): NOW ME PERSONALLY … I’M A HUGE ANIMATION NUT. SO WHEN LOOKING AT THE … I WANT TO TALK A BIT … JUST BECAUSE IT’S NOT THE SCRIPT … BUT I STILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BOY IN THE HERON … NEMONA AND SPIDERMAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE. AND I FEEL LIKE … I DON’T KNOW … I FEEL LIKE SPIDER MAN HAS TO GET IT … EVEN THOUGH IT’S A TWO-PARTER. I DIDN’T GET THE THEATER EXPERIENCE WHERE EVERYONE WAS LIKE … “WHAT? IT’S A TWO PARTER?” I CAUGHT UP WITH THE PRESS LEAD UP TO THE MOVIE. I KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A TWO PARTER.
I DON’T KNOW. I KIND OF ALSO WANT TO GIVE IT TO THE BOY IN THE HERON. THAT MOVIE WAS VERY … IT’S VERY EXISTENTIAL … A LITTLE BIT. JUST BECAUSE KNOWING THAT THIS COULD BE HAYAO MIYAZAKI’S FINAL FILM … HE SAYS THAT ALL THE TIME AND THEN PUTS OUT ANOTHER BANGER … BUT I FEEL LIKE THIS ONE SUMS UP A LOT OF HIS MOVIE-MAKING AND THEMES THROUGHOUT ALL OF HIS PRIOR MOVIES. IT FELT … I REALLY QUICKLY GOT ATTACHED … I MEAN … I CRIED IN THE MOVIE … I DIDN’T EXPECT TO TEAR UP THAT MUCH AND TO GET INVESTED IN THIS MOVIE ABOUT THIS BOY AND THIS HERON GOING ON THIS WHIMSICAL LAND TRYING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FANTASY AND REALITY. NO … NO … IT CAUGHT ME BY MY BLINDSIDE. AND FOR ME … USUALLY WHEN A MOVIE DOES THAT … FOR ME … THEN I’M LIKE … “OKAY … THIS HAS TO THIS HAS TO WIN IT FOR SURE.”
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (21:38): THAT’S REALLY COOL. I THINK THAT’S WHAT MAKES LIKE … ANIMATION SO SPECIAL IS THAT YOU DON’T ALWAYS EXPECT TO LIKE FEEL SO CONNECTED WITH IT. I HONESTLY I FELT A SIMILAR WAY ABOUT SPIDER-MAN … ACTUALLY. BECAUSE I’M PERSONALLY NOT LIKE THE BIGGEST SUPERHERO PERSON. BUT LIKE THIS SERIES … I JUST LOVE SO SO MUCH. I THINK IT’S SO CREATIVE. I LOVE LIKE ALL THE EFFORT POURED INTO THE DESIGN. AND LIKE IT MAKES SENSE TO ME AS SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T EVEN GET ALL THE EASTER EGGS AND STUFF … I STILL APPRECIATE IT ALL … EVEN THOUGH A LOT OF IT … I’M SURE … GOES OVER MY HEAD. BUT I REALLY LIKE WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE BOY AND THE HERON. I THINK I DEFINITELY NEED TO SEE THAT BUT I THINK IT’S PROBABLY BETWEEN THAT AND SPIDER-MAN IN MY BOOK. BUT I WAS WONDERING WHAT YOU GUYS THOUGHT ABOUT ELEMENTAL BECAUSE FROM WHAT I GATHERED KIND OF FROM ONLINE … IS THAT THE MARKETING MAYBE DIDN’T REALLY DO IT JUSTICE?
AARON WRIGHT (22:30): OH YEAH … THE MARKETING … THEY TOSSED. THEY TOSSED ON THE MARKETING […] LIKE GET THIS GET THIS YOUNG JET OUT OF HERE. YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE’S DOING. BUT AFTER WATCHING THE MOVIE … IT’S SURPRISINGLY MATURE … I WANT TO SAY. IT’S DECEPTIVE IN THE WAY THAT IT’S THESE ELEMENTS … THEY’RE HANGING OUT. BUT IT’S REALLY AN IMMIGRANT STORY WITH THE … I THINK HER NAME’S AMBER … THE FIRE LADY IN THE MOVIE … AND HER FAMILY AS WELL HAVING TO RUN THE SMALL BUSINESS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME FACING THE PREJUDICE … PREJUDICES THAT FOLKS GET. BECAUSE AGAIN … THEY’RE MADE OUT OF FIRE … AND THEY TEND TO HURT … BUT ALSO GIVE WARMTH AND SEEING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HER AND WADE … THE WATER GUY … WAS REALLY NICE AND SWEET TO UNFOLD.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WRITING FOR ORIGINAL AND ADAPTED SCREENPLAY … JUST BECAUSE I FEEL THAT … I CONSIDER THIS ONE OF THE BIG OSCAR NOMINATIONS. SO I DON’T KNOW. WE TALKED ABOUT BARBIE A LOT. AGAIN … I’M A SUCKER FOR AMERICAN FICTION. I REALLY AM. I REALLY LIKED THE SCRIPT FOR THAT MOVIE. SO … AGAIN … I’M GONNA GIVE IT UP FOR AMERICAN FICTION FOR ADAPTED SCREENPLAY.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (26:46): HONESTLY … I THINK I MIGHT HAVE TO AGREE WITH THAT ONE. I THINK THAT MOVIE … I MEAN … FROM LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MARKETING … LIKE WHEN I FIRST SAW THE TRAILER … I WAS EXPECTING MORE OF A COMEDY. AND THEN WHEN I GOT THERE WAS A LOT MORE EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH THAN I EXPECTED … WHICH ISN’T A BAD THING. BUT I WAS JUST … I WAS SURPRISED BY IT. AND I REALLY … REALLY ENJOYED THE WRITING. SO I THINK … I MEAN ALSO LIKE … CAN WE ABOUT THE CAST FOR A MINUTE LIKE ISSA RAE … JEFFERY WRIGHT … WE GET A LITTLE ADAM BRODY IN THERE … WHICH IS KIND OF SILLY. AND THEN … OH MY GOD … STERLING K. BROWN … FANTASTIC. I KNOW THIS IS THE WRITING CATEGORY … BUT JUST HAVE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT. I WOULD PERSONALLY REALLY LIKE TO SEE AMERICAN FICTION. I MEAN … KIND OF WHAT WE WERE SAYING EARLIER … I CAN SEE OPPENHEIMER KIND OF TAKING HOME A LOT OF STUFF. I’M HOPING NOT THIS ONE.
AARON WRIGHT (25:03): YOU KNOW WHAT? I’LL BE HONEST. I’M A LITTLE CONFUSED WITH OPPENHEIMER AND ADAPTED SCREENPLAY.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (27:49): I THINK OPPENHEIMER … IT WAS BASED OFF A BIOGRAPHY … THE BASIS OF IT … [AMERICAN] PROMETHEUS. FOR ME … I FEEL THAT I UNDERSTAND WHY I CAN GET WHY BARBIE WAS PUT IN ADAPTED SCREENPLAY BUT I FEEL IT’S A BIT HYPOCRITICAL TO PUT BARBIE IN ADAPTED SCREENPLAY … AND THEN MAESTRO IN ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY. BECAUSE I THINK THE ARGUMENTS PEOPLE WERE MAKING FOR BARBIE OF LIKE … “IT’S BASED OFF OH … IT’S BASED OFF A DOLL … LIKE IT’S BASED OFF THIS PRE-EXISTING THING … CONCEPT.” AND WELL … ISN’T MAESTRO? HE WAS A REAL PERSON! SO THAT TO ME WAS MORE OF THE PROBLEM RATHER THAN LIKE IT BEING IN ADAPTED. I FEEL LIKE … THAT … TO ME WAS KIND OF ODD. BUT I AGREE WITH ADAPTED GOING TO AMERICAN FICTION. I FEEL LIKE THAT IS THE CLEAR CHOICE. AND I HAVEN’T GOTTEN A CHANCE TO SEE AMERICAN FICTION BUT LIKE … I’VE SEEN A COUPLE OF CLIPS HERE AND THERE AND I FEEL LIKE IT IS JUST LIKE WHIP SMART … IT’S ON TOP OF POLITICAL COMMENTARY AND IT STILL HAD SOME COMEDIC MOMENTS … SO I’M EXCITED.
AND THEN I DON’T KNOW FOR ORIGINAL … I THINK IT’S GONNA BE ANATOMY OF A FALL. I KNOW THAT WON THE PALME D’OR AT CANNES AND THEN JUST LIKE SHE WON AT GOLDEN GLOBES … JUSTINE. BUT IT’S EITHER THAT OR THE HOLDOVERS. I FEEL THOUGH THAT ANATOMY OF A FALL MIGHT JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF KIND OF AN EDGE TO WIN. BUT TO ME … THOSE ARE THE TWO CATEGORIES [WHERE] I’M STILL VERY UNSURE. I’M NOT TOO POSITIVE.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (26:00): YEAH … I MEAN … FOR ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY FOR ME … I THINK I CAN DEFINITELY SEE THE HOLDOVERS. I PERSONALLY WOULD LOVE PAST LIVES TO WIN THAT ONE. I DON’T KNOW IF IT WILL … BUT I’M ALWAYS ROOTING FOR THAT ONE. BUT YEAH … IT’S INTERESTING WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADAPTED AND ORIGINAL AND I DIDN’T REALLY PUT TOGETHER THE MAESTRO PART.
AARON WRIGHT: ME NEITHER.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF: YEAH … BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND WHY BARBIE COULDN’T BE ORIGINAL BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW … WHEN WE’RE JUST WATCHING IT … WE ALREADY KNOW THE LORE OF BARBIE AND KEN. BUT I DIDN’T THINK OF MAESTRO. THAT’S REALLY … REALLY INTERESTING. I FEEL LIKE YEAH … MAYBE WE NEEDED TO DO A SECOND THOUGHT ON THAT ONE.
AARON WRIGHT: I DON’T KNOW … I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER MACHINATION OF BRADLEY COOPER. I THINK THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED.
SOFIA APPOLONIO: I’M SO CURIOUS IF HAVING AN ADAPTED SCREENPLAY IS SOMEHOW CONSIDERED LESSER THAN ORIGINAL … BECAUSE I FELT LIKE BEING NOMINATED FOR A SCREENPLAY IS AN ACHIEVEMENT IN ITSELF. SO WHY DID IT MATTER SO MUCH TO YOU THAT IT WAS PUT IN ADAPTED RATHER THAN ORIGINAL?
AARON WRIGHT: NO … I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT LIKE THAT. BUT I GUESS THINKING ABOUT IT NOW … I GUESS THERE’S ALWAYS THAT STIGMA I FEEL WITH ADAPTED SCREENPLAY … LIKE … “OH … YOU TOOK IT OFF LIKE A PRE-EXISTING WORK.” BUT THEN AGAIN … THEY STILL MADE A MOVIE OUT OF IT. THEY STILL DID GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHY … THEY STILL WROTE A SCRIPT FOR IT BASED OFF OF … EVEN IF IT SAID BASED OFF OF PRE EXISTING IP’S … IT STILL MADE A SCRIPT. THEY STILL GOT ACTORS … THEY STILL ACTED IT. SO I FEEL LIKE … YEAH … YOU’RE RIGHT.
CAROLINE PECORA: I MEAN … I FEEL LIKE BARBIE IS MORE ORIGINAL THAN MAESTRO WAS. MAESTRO IS JUST A BIOGRAPHY. LIKE IT’S A DOCUMENTARY … I DON’T KNOW … BARBIE WAS ITS OWN SHE WROTE … OR THEY … SORRY … I DIDN’T REALIZE IT WAS GRETA AND NOAH. BUT THAT WAS A COMPLETELY MADE UP STORY. I’VE NEVER HEARD THAT STORY BEFORE. BUT MAESTRO IS BASED OFF OF HIS LIFE. SO I DON’T KNOW … BUT THEN TO ALSO HAVE OPPENHEIMER IN THE ADAPTED SCREENPLAY IS LIKE … I DON’T KNOW … IT FEELS WEIRD.
OLIVIA YASHAROFF (29:05) I’M GONNA GO BACK AND DO SOME RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY OF THESE CATEGORIES NOW. I’M SO CURIOUS NOW.
AARON WRIGHT: THEY ACTUALLY DO THIS … YOU KNOW WHAT … THEY DO THIS FOR A LOT OF THE BLOCKBUSTERS. THEY GIVE A NOD TO VISUAL EFFECTS WITH LIKE THE CREATOR OR THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY OR MCU MOVIES. ALL THE ACTION BLOCKBUSTERS LIKE … “WE’LL GIVE IT TO VISUAL EFFECTS,” BUT THEY CAN’T HANG WITH BEST PICTURE … WHICH IS FAIR … I SUPPOSE. I FIND THAT A LITTLE SNOBBISH … IN MY OPINION … BUT GODZILLA MINUS ONE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN BEST PICTURE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR THAT. IT’S SUCH A GOOD MOVIE. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT AFTER THIS. PLEASE WATCH IT. IT’S SO GOOD.
SOFIA APPOLONIO: I THINK ABOUT LIKE … I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU KIND OF THIS IDEA OF WHY IS THE OSCARS SO SCARED TO PUT BLOCKBUSTERS AND ALSO ANIMATED FILMS IN BEST PICTURE? BECAUSE I MEAN … I CAN ONLY THINK OF BLACK PANTHER IN RECENT MEMORY BEING IN BEST PICTURE AND IT WAS A NEARLY PERFECT FILM CONSIDERING SOME OF THE OTHER BEST PICTURE NOMINATIONS THEY’VE HAD? BUT I ALSO REMEMBER GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S VERSION OF PINOCCHIO.
AARON WRIGHT (30:18): THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
SOFIA APPOLONIO (30:20): AND I FEEL LIKE … THAT COULD HAVE TOTALLY BEEN A BEST PICTURE NOMINATION. I HEARD PEOPLE … THIS MIGHT NOT BE VERIFIED … BUT WHEN YOU GO ON X AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE … “OH THE BOY AND THE HERON HAS TO GET A BEST PICTURE NOMINATION. IT MIGHT BE HIS LAST FILM. IT’S REALLY GOOD.” AND IT DOESN’T. AND SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THESE INCREDIBLE BLOCKBUSTERS OR ANIMATED FILMS TO GET UP THERE AND TO BE A BEST PICTURE NOMINEE?
AARON WRIGHT: I KNOW … THEY MIGHT HAVE TO EMULATE THE MAESTRO. I’M SORRY … I’M NEVER … I’M NEVER GONNA NOT RIP ON THE MAESTRO.
TOLU TALABI: THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER EPISODE OF OFFBEAT… A PODCAST FROM THE DIAMONDBACK. THIS EPISODE HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY TOLU TALABI AND AARON WRIGHT. FOLLOW OFFBEAT ON TWITTER AT @DBKOFFBEAT AND FOLLOW THE DIAMONDBACK ON TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM @THEDBK. YOU CAN FIND A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE AT DBKNEWS.COM. IF YOU LIKED THIS EPISODE… TELL YOUR FRIENDS.
EVERYONE: AND ALL TOGETHER NOW… TAKE CARE.
