The Long Take Review

That’s a wrap, folks! We have arrived at the end of awards season, with one of the better Oscar telecasts in recent memory. Oppenheimer’s predicted success largely came to fruition, but there were also some key surprises in categories Oppenheimer did not take.

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and I share our experience watching the 96th Academy Awards, evaluate this year’s Oscars as a televised show, and dissect all the winners, diagnosing the surprises and celebrating what made us happy. Which jokes landed? What do the upsets tell us about the evolution of the Academy or how to become better prognosticators? And why is Ryan Gosling the ultimate winner of the night?

We want to thank all our listeners for following along with us all season. We’ve had a blast, and can’t wait to do it all again.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: Vox

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Hollywood’s biggest night is only days away, this Sunday, March 10. The ceremony will air live on ABC at 4PT/7ET. Voting has closed. All the precursors have been awarded. It’s time to place your bets and shoot your shot!

Need some help with your office Oscar pool? Want to be more informed at the party you’ve been invited to? We at The Long Take Review are here to help. Across two episodes, we will share our final predictions in each category, while comparing those predictions to which nominees we personally think should win.

In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T., Antonio, and I take on 12 of the 23 categories: Actress, Supporting Actor, Original Screenplay, Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design, Production Design, Visual Effects, Sound, Film Editing, Cinematography, Original Song, and Best Picture. P.T. is quick with stats and the history of past winners, Jen proposes her grand unifying theory of this year’s winners, and Antonio reminds us that sometimes what’s actually good about these movies matters too. We make a crack(pot?) prognosticating team.

Want to predict alongside us? We’ve made our own ballot that listeners can use to test their own skills Sunday night. You can download it using the link below and print copies for your own Oscar party. After you’ve filled it out, you can share a photo with us on Instagram and Threads using #ltrpod.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: Oscars.org

Best Actress 13:28

Best Supporting Actor 31:37

Best Original Screenplay 44:02

Best Makeup and Hairstyling 59:50

Best Costume Design 1:13:20

Best Production Design 1:22:43

Best Visual Effects 1:33:30

Best Sound 1:45:11

Best Film Editing 1:21:35

Best Cinematography 1:57:57

Best Original Song 2:03:376

Best Picture 2:15:19

Note: We use the terms “above the line” and “below the line” throughout the episode. “Above the line” typically refers to categories with more recognizable people associated with them: actors, writers, and directors. “Below the line,” in contrast, includes all the technical artists, designers, and musicians in more technical or craft categories. The phrases themselves originated from film budgets that typically use a line in the top sheet to separate the costs incurred by these two groups. 

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Happy Oscars week, everyone! Hollywood’s biggest night is this Sunday, March 10. The ceremony will air live on ABC at 4PT/7ET. Voting closed last week, and all the guilds and other awards groups have given out their prizes. So we have all the clues we’re going to get to predict who takes home a gold statuette this weekend. 

Need some help with your office Oscar pool? Want to be more informed at the party you’ve been invited to? We at The Long Take Review are here to help. Across two episodes, we will share our final predictions in each category, while comparing those predictions to which nominees we personally think should win.

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg and I take on 12 of the 23 categories: Actor, Supporting Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, International Feature, Animated Feature, Documentary Feature, all three shorts categories, Director, and Best Picture. Greg has seen EVERY single Oscar-nominated film, including all the shorts. So he has special insight into many categories that trip up most folks. I have not seen all the films, but have been keeping my ear to the industry ground all year and can share the pundits’ most popular picks. Later in the week, P.T., Antonio, and I will tackle the remaining 11 categories and provide additional commentary on Best Picture.

Wondering how you can watch the Oscars? The ABC app and website will host a livestream, but you will need a login from another cable/tv provider to log in. For cord cutters, the best way to watch is to subscribe to a streaming service that offers live TV. I usually upgrade my Hulu subscription to Hulu Live for the month and then cancel it. They offer a recording feature that makes it easier to skip commercials if you want to watch on a slight delay or go back to something you missed.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: Oscars.org

Best Actor 17:00

Best Supporting Actress 23:54

Best Adapted Screenplay 32:48

Best Original Score 43:11

Best International Feature Film 52:09

Best Animated Feature Film 59:10

Best Animated Short Film 1:05:35

Best Documentary Feature Film 1:15:31

Best Documentary Short Film 1:21:35

Best Live Action Short Film 1:26:44

Best Director 1:38:50

Best Picture 1:45:10

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Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two is finally here! And only one weekend into its opening, the prestige blockbuster has already delivered at the box office, bringing in $81.5 million domestic and $178.5 million global at the time of this post. Meanwhile, speculation percolates as to whether or when Villeneuve plans to make a third Dune film, presumably based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah. Warner Bros. has not yet confirmed that there will be a third film. How long will fans hang in the balance, hungry for more?

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and I rejoice and revel in our very recent (and, in Greg’s case, multiple!) viewings of Dune: Part Two. We also try to interpret all that we have seen (and, in some cases, read).

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: LA Times

The Short Take We each share our general impressions of Dune: Part Two. 4:14

The Recommendation Algorithm Can you jump in without having seen Part One? Should you see this in IMAX or at a Dolby theater? Plus, we give a popcorn bucket/merch report from each of our theaters: AMC, Regal, and the Alamo Drafthouse. 7:57

SPOILER MODE What surprised those of us who have read vs. not read the books? What do certain reveals or plot twists contribute to the story? 20:22

The Rhetorical Situation How well does this film subvert or dispel the White Savior Narrative that some critics associate with the Dune mythology? What is this film saying about politics, power, and prophecies? Is Paul Atreides the hero of this film? 46:23

Our Favs After we conclude The Rhetorical Situation, we celebrate the cast of this film and shout out our favorite performances. The conversation then devolves into us just naming and gawking at shots, visual effects, or other elements of the film we loved. 1:05:28

Oscars Watch Now that we’ve seen the film, what do we think its Oscars chances are next year? Had it been released as originally planned, how would it have fared at this year’s Oscars? 1:37:09

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After multiple delays due to historic Hollywood labor disputes, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two finally arrives in theaters this weekend. His 2021 hit Dune: Part One made $433 million worldwide, and cleaned up at the Oscars with six Academy Awards. The film was not immune to discourse, however. Many critics claimed they couldn’t pass judgment upon the film until they saw how the story completed in Part Two. Others were upset that they only got half a movie. Regardless, early reviews of Part Two seem very positive, with a 4.5 (out of 5) average on Letterboxd and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. So it seems like everyone is ready to get hyped. 

We’re hyped too. On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and I celebrate Dune: Part One and the Dune franchise more generally in order to prepare for Dune: Part Two. We share our memories of seeing Dune: Part One, discuss the history of the franchise, and try to pinpoint why Villeneuve’s adaptation is the most successful to date. Then we have way too much fun sharing our Top Three Things We Love About Dune. To round out the conversation, we look back at Part One’s performance at the Oscars and speculate as to how Dune: Part Two might fare at next year’s ceremony.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: The New Yorker

The Short Take We walk down memory lane and reflect on our reactions to Dune: Part One. 4:21

SPOILER MODE The history of the wider franchise and The Top Three Things We Love About Dune. 20:12

Oscars Watch How did Dune: Part One perform at the Oscars? And what might we expect for Dune: Part Two? 1:35:55

Show Notes:

Jen’s original Dune: Part One review referenced in this episode.

Here is some news coverage of the Nolan/Villeneuve team-up we mentioned, plus the original clip from the Tenet screening that started the story.

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Out of all the Best Picture nominees this year, Bradley Cooper’s Maestro has probably generated the most “discourse,” amongst film critics and Internet users alike. The film in general has been polarizing, but narratives like “it’s just Oscar bait” or “Bradley Cooper is so desperate to win an Oscar” have also formed. The Academy nominated the film for seven Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Original Screenplay, Makeup and Hairstyling, Cinematography, and Sound, but it has won very little since nomination day. Is this film getting a fair shake? Would it have performed in any other year?

Maestro tells the multi-decade story of the marriage between actress Felicia Montealegre, played by Carrie Mulligan, and composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein, played by Bradley Cooper. The big, sweeping, romantic biopic is now streaming on Netflix.  

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, and I discuss our theories as to why this film has received so much criticism and share what worked and didn’t work for us personally. Then, we try to figure out why everyone is being so tough on the mega-talented Bradley Cooper.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: The New York Times

Movie News Update It was a big awards season weekend! We recap the SAG, PGA, and Indie Spirit Awards 2:56

The Short Take We each share our general impressions of Maestro. 30:30

The Recommendation Algorithm Who should watch this? And do you need to already know and love Leonard Bernstein to appreciate it? 35:29

SPOILER MODE What is the thesis of the film? What is it trying to say about Leonard Bernstein? 41:47

The Rhetorical Situation Critical discourse surrounding the film, Netflix, and Bradley Cooper. 1:16:20

Oscars Watch Is this film going home empty-handed on Oscar Sunday? 1:40:06

Image Credit: The New Yorker

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Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest is one of the ten Best Picture nominees at the Oscars, as well as one of the films nominated for Best International Feature. Even the Producer’s Guild of America, which typically favors more mainstream blockbusters rather than arthouse films — nevermind international ones — included the disturbing Holocaust film in its nominations.

The film adopts an immersive fly-on-the-wall view of the family of Auschwitz’s manager or commandant, who live just on the other side of a wall, next to the concentration camp. We never see what’s happening on the other side of the wall, but we can hear more than enough through the chilling sound design.

The film is still playing in theaters, but is also available to buy digitally at home.

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and discuss why others should try to see this movie despite its upsetting subject matter. We then perform a close reading of the film, with special attention to the bold formal choices. What does Glazer have to say about the rise of fascism, domesticity’s role in it, and about how we can relate to this painful past? (And we never once use the phrase “banality of evil” like everyone else did.)

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Movie News Update EE BAFTA reactions. Who were the big winners? To what extent are the British gonna British? 2:50

The Short Take We each share our general impressions of The Zone of Interest. What did we brace ourselves for and how did the film ultimately surprise us? 28:10

The Recommendation Algorithm Can we recommend this film to anyone when it’s so hard to watch? How do we talk about it without making it sound like vegetables or homework? 37:31

SPOILER MODE What explanations can we come up with for several haunting yet ambiguous scenes? What scenes or moments stick with us long after we’ve seen the film? 49:18

The Rhetorical Situation History, palimpsests, and the means of production. 1:27:20

Oscars Watch What realistically can The Zone of Interest win, especially outside of International Feature? Can it create an upsets? 1:49:22

Notes:

In case you are wondering, Jen’s intro for P.T. references BAFTA’s “rising star” award and her intro for Greg references a bit Hugh Grant did when he presented the Best Director category:

Oompa Loompa doompety dee, now the best director category…

Oompa Loompa doompety dong, most of these films were, frankly, too long…

Ooompa Loompa doompety da, but for some reason the nominees are...

Greg’s response references the opening skit for the BAFTAs ceremony, im which David Tennant has to find a dog sitter for “Bark Ruffalo.” Tennant jokes that Bark Ruffalo, a tiny white dog, is actually being played by Andy Serkis.

Image Credit: LA Times

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Andrew Haigh’s romantic fantasy, All of Us Strangers, got shut out of the Oscars, with zero nominations. And that’s a shame. A strong ensemble cast — Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, and Jamie Bell — delivers subtle yet heartbreaking performances. The screenplay adapts its source material with a series of bold choices. And it shows us things we think we know in completely unexpected and fresh ways.

The unusual story of All of Us Strangers follows Adam, a screenwriter who lives alone in London and has to confront the loss of his parents along with the prospect of starting a new relationship.

This smaller, quieter take on genre and LGTBQ+ identity does, at least, have six nominations at the British Oscars, otherwise known as The BAFTAs. The haunting film was also named one of the top ten independent films by the National Board of Review. And, of course, we awarded an LTR or “Letter” to Andrew Scott for Best Actor. 

The film only recently left theaters and arrives on Hulu on Thursday February 22nd.

In this episode of The Long Take Review, Antonio, P.T., and I lament how under-appreciated All of Us Strangers has been this awards season and consider the competing interpretations of not only the events within but the basic premise of the film.

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Movie News Update Oscar nominee luncheon, and the new Best Casting category 4:40

The Short Take We each share our general impressions of All of Us Strangers. That is, how much did we all cry? 17:40

The Recommendation Algorithm To whom might this film appeal and why might that be difficult to determine? 24:18

SPOILER MODE What are the “rules” of this film and how should we interpret what we see? Does the ending work? And what does it mean? 29:10

The Rhetorical Situation What genre or genres does this film occupy and what do those potential genres afford the story? Why does the story need to be told in this way? 1:07:30

Oscars Watch If the Oscars Fairy paid is a visit, which nominees would we swap out to make room for All of Us Strangers? And what BAFTAs, if any, could the film win? 1:26:45

Image Credit: LA Times

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The Chiefs may be on their way to Disneyland, but we’re going to the movies. The Super Bowl is, of course, famous for its high-powered ads, and this year was no exception, with several new movie trailers airing during the live broadcast. Can Deadpool save the MCU? Are we entering the era of unsolicited 90s reboots? And should Jen binge all of the Planet of the Apes movies? In this episode of The Long Take Review, P.T. and I share our thoughts on all the newest and most noteworthy trailers.

While Las Vegas readied for the big game, Hollywood celebrated the best directors of the year at an un-televised awards ceremony for the Director’s Guild of America (DGA). Before we dive into the Super Bowl ads, we discuss the DGA winners and speculate as to how they might impact the Oscar race.

Image Credit: IndieWire

Show Notes:

After we recorded, we realized we didn’t talk about the big announcement that the Oscars are planning to add a Best Casting category in 2025. We’ll discuss it on our next episode.

Jen compliments Judd Appatow on his opening monologue at the DGAs. You can watch that here.

And here are all the trailers we discuss, in case you need to watch them before you listen. Listed in alphabetical order.

A Quiet Place: Day One

Deadpool & Wolverine

Despicable Me 4

If

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Monkey Man

Twisters

Wicked

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It may seem premature to speculate about next awards season when we haven’t even made it to the Oscars, but that’s never stopped us before! The Sundance Film Festival wrapped last week at Park City, Utah and online. It’s the first big film festival of the new year and, in recent years, has premiered several Oscar-winning films, such as Navalny (2022), Coda (2021), Judas and the Black Messiah (2021), and Minari (2020). Oscar buzz aside, there’s usually a few exciting acquisitions, and sometimes even some bidding wars as distributors try to snatch up films they think will become hits upon release. 

P.T. and I were not able to attend in person, but we did take advantage of several of the online screenings on offer. In this episode of The Long Take Review, we distill our review reading and podcast listening to identify the films that seemed to come out of Sundance with the most buzz. Then we share our loose rankings of the films we watched, from most to least favorite. Which films or actors could get the most Oscars traction next year? How might the distributor (or a lack thereof) of certain films impact their future releases and awards chances? And why couldn’t Jen quite get into the documentary about moths? Put on your hipster chic beanies and parkas and listen as we try to answer these questions. 

You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Image Credit: NYT

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