In a refreshing and unpredictable swerve, Aaron Schimberg’s New York theater satire “A Completely different Man” picked up Greatest Function on the 2024 Gotham Awards on Monday evening. The Sundance premiere, a few washed-up actor (Sebastian Stan) with neurofibromatosis who undergoes facial reconstruction surgical procedure solely to be confronted by his way more assured double (Adam Pearson), shot on the Higher West Facet in New York and has been an awards season darkish horse with help from critics right here.
Stan can be within the Oscar combine for his portrayal of Donald Trump in “The Apprentice,” which didn’t place on the Gotham nominations checklist. Bets have been on “Anora” to win the Greatest Function prize, so “A Completely different Man” successful was an sudden deal with.
On the occasion held at Cipriani on Wall Avenue, I ran into Stan and Pearson early within the night, with Pearson flying in from the U.Ok. over the weekend and again in New York having fun with the bar scene after a packed press cycle again in September, when “A Completely different Man” opened to muted field workplace however sturdy opinions. This morbidly humorous film shall be an element within the New York Movie Critics Circle vote occurring on Tuesday, December 3.
“Sing Sing,” a summer time launch from A24, cleaned up as effectively. The drama, set contained in the Upstate New York jail a few troupe of actors forming inside its partitions, received Excellent Lead Efficiency for Colman Domingo (the Gothams now consolidate all lead performers no matter gender into one class) and Excellent Supporting Efficiency for Clarence Maclin in his function movie debut. Earlier within the evening, the movie additionally picked up a pre-packaged Social Justice Tribute Award from the Gotham Institute; “Sing Sing” revolves across the Rehabilitation Via the Arts program, which has seen a low recidivism charge for its contributors. Directed by Greg Kwedar, “Sing Sing” wanted this enhance heading into the Oscar race, the place Colman Domingo appears destined for a nomination, a minimum of.
Although keep in mind that the Gotham nominations are chosen by clusters of insiders — critics and programmers who don’t overlap with the Academy and make their choices in tightly huddled Zooms for only some. “Anora” was anticipated to win a minimum of one thing, however the film went dwelling empty-handed. Not so for “Nickel Boys,” which wants help heading into the Oscar race and received Greatest Director for RaMell Ross and Breakthrough Performer for Brandon Wilson as a younger man subjected to the cruelties of an abusive reform faculty within the Nineteen Sixties.
Getting some awards-voting consideration was “Dune: Half Two” director Denis Villeneuve with a tribute from “Challengers” star Zendaya. “Challengers” screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes was in attendance together with his accomplice, Celine Music, who was the belle of the ball final yr together with her Greatest Function win for “Previous Lives.” Her subsequent movie, the star-studded “Materialists” with Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal, is in post-production at Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler’s Killer Movies, which backed “A Completely different Man.” Whereas the romantic drama (one other love triangle of kinds) isn’t anticipated to pop at Sundance as was the case for “Previous Lives,” we might see it at Berlin or Cannes.
High nominees like “Babygirl,” “I Noticed the TV Glow,” and “The Brutalist,” all from “A Completely different Man” distributor A24, have been also-rans. Trans filmmaker Vera Drew received Breakthrough Director for her outré tackle the titular DC villain with “The Individuals’s Joker.”
Angelina Jolie, who appears a lock for a Greatest Actress Oscar nomination for “Maria,” gave a heartened speech about impartial movie artistry upon accepting her personal tribute award. I used to be happy to see Azazel Jacobs win Greatest Screenplay for the awards-season-underrated and beautiful “His Three Daughters,” additionally at Netflix. “No Different Land,” concerning the Israeli navy dissolution of a Palestinian settlement within the West Financial institution, received Greatest Documentary Function. It has no U.S. distributor however stays a frontrunner for the Greatest Documentary Function Oscar. It’s on many a prime 10 checklist, together with the #2 spot on IndieWire’s personal.