>> From WXXI News.

This is Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson.

Our connection this hour was made with the question, how would the 2026 Oscars go if each movie could only win maximum one award?

That's the headline of a recent piece on Screenrant.com 30 films are in the mix for 20 feature length movie categories, so there will be quite a few films that don't walk away with the trophy.

But if we could spread the wealth, so to speak, what would that look like?

Experts say this year's contest will be a tight one.

The awards are the 15th.

the the awards are the 15th.

How many?

How many years are we doing the Oscars?

More than 15 years, I don't know, 115.

My brain's broken.

there's a baby in the studio here, and we're just trying to hang in there.

but to continue a Connections tradition, we preview the ceremony with some of the smartest film experts in movie buffs in town.

And our guests this hour talk about who they think are going to win, who they think should win.

We'll talk about how they would spread the wealth if that were an option.

And this is always a chance for us to kind of hear about things that somehow we missed to make plans to go to a theater, to see a film or stream it, but probably theater.

let me welcome our guests here.

Scott Pukos is director of communications for the Little Theater.

Welcome back to the program.

>> Thanks for having me.

I will say the Oscars are March 15th, so maybe that was the 15 on your script.

>> Gosh, I can't read.

>> So in that case, you were correct.

>> I literally to myself, do you know how many times like, I can't even read my own handwriting, or I'll see my own notes and I'll go.

I don't even know what I meant there.

Yes, the awards are March 15th.

>> So you were right.

You were correct there.

>> There's literally a baby here.

Because some days, you know, the world doesn't have childcare and I haven't slept very much today.

Guys, anything could happen this hour.

Are you ready?

>> Oh, I like that.

That's exciting.

Are you ready?

>> Rob, get the dump button ready.

Get the Bleep button ready.

Who knows?

Welcome, Cielo Ornelas MacFarlane and Local cinephile and visual artist.

And someone who reads much better than I do.

It's nice to see you back here.

>> Thanks for having me.

>> Welcome back.

Jared Case Hughes, curator of film exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre at the George Eastman Museum.

They've got their own Party of Little event coming up.

We'll talk about.

Nice to see you back here.

>> So happy to see you again.

>> Johanna Lester was just here a little while ago talking about rom coms.

And as the pop culture critic for City magazine, we're broadening the gaze here.

We're going to have some fun here this hour.

It's nice to see you, too.

>> Thanks, buddy.

You too.

>> Okay, so, by the way, Jared, what is coming up on Saturday?

So let's talk about two events coming up.

First of all, Saturday, 2 p.m.

at the Dryden.

What's going on.

>> Yeah.

So for the fourth year in a row, I believe we have the critics from the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association coming to have our own Oscar panel, where we will predict the winners.

I only missed one out of the major six categories last year, which is unusual.

Usually I'm very bad.

but there's five critics and myself on stage at 2 p.m., it'll take about two hours free to everyone to come and listen to us talk about the Oscars and hopefully make your Oscar pool a little bit better.

>> And then in a couple of Sundays from now, it'll be a wonderful night for the Oscar, Oscar, Oscar.

Who will win?

>> Oh, well, that's.

I don't think I'm gonna answering that, but, yeah, we have the Oscar.

The little.

>> Hold on a second.

That was a callback to.

Billy Crystal.

>> Crystal?

>> Crystal.

That was a deep cut.

Appreciate it.

>> It's a wonderful night.

>> Nicely done.

>> Oscars.

>> I was pretending not to know.

So you would sing.

That was my.

That was my long.

>> I told you anything could happen this hour.

So what's coming up?

Two Sundays from now?

>> So we have the little Oscar movie trivia party at Sunday, March 15th.

Tickets are on sale now.

They're at the little.org.

They're selling really quickly.

So it's Hollywood's biggest night.

It's our biggest night at the little doors will open at 4:00 pm.

You'll want to get there early.

Trivia starts at 5 p.m.

It's pub style trivia.

We come up with the questions ourselves.

A lot of free prizes.

You'll end up winning something here.

so that's a ticketed event.

And then the Oscars start at seven and that portion is free.

You can come watch it on the big screen in our historic theater one.

It's a fun time.

It's fun to watch these awards with a crowd of people cheering and booing and.

And doing what?

Laughing, doing whatever they would like to do.

Singing.

>> Sometimes.

Jared only missed one category last year.

How many did you miss, Scott?

>> Oh, I did not.

I'm not great at predicting.

I go with my heart sometimes.

That is not the way to go.

>> Yeah, that's that's always a terrible idea.

>> It's awful.

>> so the list here, if you look just at the list of best picture, I got a note from someone this morning saying Bugonia is great.

go see Bugonia.

I don't know what that is.

So we're going to talk about this.

So here's the Best Picture nominations.

Bugonia F1 Frankenstein Hamnet Marty Supreme.

One battle after another, the secret agent, sentimental Value, sinners and Train dreams.

So, Jared, because you never miss what's winning best picture this year?

>> Jared I think it is going to be one battle after another.

>> And for those who, you know, haven't haven't seen that, give us the background on why why that's good enough to win.

Do you think I mean and do you think it should win?

>> well look well, that's entirely different question.

Do you think it will we do I do think it will win.

Yeah.

Paul Thomas Anderson has been around for a while, has gotten many, many nominations.

this is a film about our times, which I think is to its benefit in terms of the Oscar race.

but it's about people who are pushing back against the establishment.

there's a father who has a daughter, and we have a 16 year time jump where now they're both in danger because they're on the run.

And the military essentially is after them to bring them to justice.

It gets more complex than that.

with family history and everything.

But that is really an epic film from a great director who I think is finally going to win his Oscars this year.

>> So this that's the question of what will win, not what should win.

We'll get to that coming up here.

Joe, what do you think here?

What will win?

>> I also think one battle after another.

That's my pick okay.

Yeah.

It's great.

It's great.

I'm excited for PTA to to take it home.

I think he's, he's he's been close a few times I think.

And it's kind of exciting to to see him perhaps win for a good movie.

which doesn't always happen.

Well after so much time.

>> So if this wins, no one's going to say that's undeserving or we're not going to look back at that in the future and say that was not a good choice.

>> I don't think we'll look back and say, that's not a good choice.

I think if it does win, there will there might be some disappointment in the room at the Oscars.

about what?

Possibly what else could have won?

>> Okay.

Fair enough.

What's the worst best picture winner ever?

>> Yeah.

Oh.

Crash or.

crash beating Brokeback Mountain?

Not a rom com.

>> So you're saying Brokeback should have won?

>> Yes, 100%.

Okay, I think crash is probably the one that we all look back on.

Or most people look back on and say that was that was not a good not a good choice.

Bad choice.

>> Jared, do you want to endorse that idea?

Crash the worst Best picture winner.

>> Green Book, greatest show on earth.

Green book.

Yeah, yeah.

>> Oh, interesting.

>> Also bad.

Yeah.

>> Agreed.

Oh, really?

Okay.

greatest show on earth.

No, no.

>> No, not really.

>> Wasn't the greatest show on Earth.

>> It was not.

>> Wasn't even the greatest Spectacle.

Certainly.

Yeah.

Okay.

So yellow.

Worst best picture ever.

This is a fun little category we didn't know we were going to.

>> Do until.

>> Yeah, I should have done my research.

yeah.

When you said crash, I feel like that's the the classic that everyone always brings up.

I feel like crash really solidified what we think of as Oscar bait.

It's like that type of movie where it's like, has to be some kind of, like, weirdly, just like all about your feelings and also has to have some kind of weird racial thing going on, which, again, bringing back to Green Book, where it's like.

And so in a way, one battle after another is actually kind of like the opposite of that, because it's like the stuff that we think of as Oscar bait, but executed well in a just a story organically.

So then you can look at it and say, oh, there's actually probably some similarities between one battle after another and crash.

>> What's going to win Best Picture?

>> Yeah, I also think one battle after another.

>> Okay, let's see if it's a clean sweep.

>> What's going.

>> What's going to win?

>> So if you asked me a month ago, I too would have said one battle after another, but you didn't ask me a month ago.

You're asking me now?

I'm going to say sinners.

Sinners has.

>> Is going to win.

>> It's going to win.

Yeah.

It has a record 16 nominations.

It's been getting momentum.

I think.

I feel like in recent years we've seen a favorite, like everything everywhere, all at once win or kind of something that is more of a surprise, even parasite, I think and I think it's going to be that that way with sinners this year.

I think it's the one that a lot of people want.

It's one that that people are passionate about.

And I think we're going to see an upset.

>> So because there's vampires here, is this a horror movie?

>> Yes.

>> Yeah.

All right.

>> Yes I think it's more it's yeah.

Horror adjacent I would say it definitely has terrifying, frightening moments.

I think it's more more of a drama in the first half.

And then the second half is more suspense in my mind.

But suspense horror, I think, are both fare for that.

>> Had no compunction.

>> About, well, I think Scott maybe forgot the terrifying opening of the movie, which flashes you to the end of the movie.

So I think that is an intentional tone setter for it, which to me especially makes me be like, yes, this is horror because you made me be scared immediately.

>> And I think I know how you're going to answer this one.

But should a horror film win Best Picture?

>> Yes.

>> I knew.

>> You'd say yes.

>> Respect the category, right?

Okay, but you don't think it's going to?

>> No.

That would be my pick.

For what?

I want to win.

>> So you want sinners to win?

That's what you would choose.

What would you choose?

Scott Pukos.

>> I would choose the boring one.

My favorite.

There was one paddle after another.

sinners.

I love.

>> It's boring.

>> Boring.

>> Boring choice.

>> Because it's.

It's what a lot of people say, but I it was my favorite of the year.

That's what that would be.

My my pick.

But I would be absolutely fine with sinners winning too.

I think that would be that would be a good TV and that would certainly be thrilling.

>> Joe Scott's got a right to be wrong.

It's still for the moment, it's a free country as far as.

>> I know.

>> And so yeah.

>> And so.

>>, so if he's wrong, why is why does he think it's a boring movie here?

What's the.

>> Oh no, I don't think it's a boring movie.

I think it's a boring pick.

>> It's a boring choice.

>> Yeah.

The movie is is exhilarating.

>> Yeah.

I'm gonna say.

Okay.

but you're saying it's not even a boring choice.

It's good enough movie.

But what would you pick?

>> I probably would pick one battle or sinners.

I have a lot of affection for train dreams.

>> Honestly.

>> Which is, like, not which is much smaller in comparison to to many of the films in this category, but that movie, that movie is like a little novel that kind of sits in your heart, breaks your heart a little bit.

But I liked it, okay.

>> And Jared what would you choose?

>> I would flex my old man Creed and choose train Dreams, probably with with sinners a close second.

>> Okay.

Yeah.

what is the worst movie on the best picture list this year?

>> That's an interesting question.

>> See, look, when I'm punchy, this is where.

>> We go.

Oh, man, I love this.

Love this energy that's coming out of you right now.

Yeah.

>> are there any bad movies on the list?

Any movies that you guys look at and go, how in the world did that movie get on the list for Best Picture?

Go ahead.

>> I got to be the bad guy.

Do it.

F1 who invited you?

>> I had a feeling about that one.

>> I haven't seen all of the best pictures.

I haven't seen F1, so I can't say that from any place of being actually informed, but this whole season it's just been like, oh, F1 for sound and visual effects.

Yeah, that makes sense.

It's a racing movie.

It's got some cool car stuff, I'm sure.

And then best pictures like what?

Really?

I guess I have to watch it.

>> Well, you can't watch it now because you can't watch it at home.

That's a theatrical experience.

Oh my bad.

That is definitely something you need to have the surround sound.

>> Oh, actually you can.

I wrote this down.

I have notes, guys.

Cinemark, Tinseltown is doing a special Oscars week festival.

so it's the week before the Oscars, and for $40, you can go see every single Best Picture nominated film, including F1.

So maybe I should go see F1 at Tinseltown.

>> Definitely, yeah, make a date to do that.

Shout out to Spencer Wren over there too.

>> Is it a good film?

>> F1 you know what?

I found it the most satisfying action film of the summer.

>> Wow.

>> Wow.

Yeah.

It was you know, it's Top Gun in cars.

Brad Pitt is is Tom cruise getting in the cockpit of a racer?

But it's it's kind of a standard story, but it's really well done.

>> Okay.

And what is this?

Is it Frankenstein?

Frankenstein.

Is that is it a new spin on the old tale, or is there anything new about this?

Is it worth being on this list?

Is it a good movie?

>> Yes.

>> Everybody.

Joe.

>> I know, do it.

Let's go.

>> I don't like that movie.

oh.

We don't have enough time.

But.

I love the.

I love the Jacob Elordi performance as Frankenstein's monster, a hugely deserving nomination.

I think in another year, he probably might win.

I don't think he's going to win this year, but I think half of Frankenstein is great.

I think the other half of Frankenstein is actively bad.

Actively not great.

>> Bad, bad.

Sorry.

>> Mary Shelley who?

Oh my, my heart, my God.

But yeah.

>> I don't think she's gonna see it.

>> Yeah.

>> She's mad, she's boycotting it.

>> Didn't you hear bad?

>> I wouldn't say bad.

I so I've seen all ten of the best picture ones.

My two least favorites were F1 and Frankenstein, but I don't think any were bad movies.

I just Frankenstein our audience.

Is that the little loved?

And everyone's like, that was so wonderful.

I loved it, and I was like, oh yeah, I thought it was good.

Yeah, I appreciated parts of it, and some of it looked like a Netflix movie to me.

And I mean, that derogatory I was like, this just looks like a Netflix movie.

But seeing that on the big screen, same with F1.

What is the.

>> That's an interesting point.

What does that mean?

What is a Netflix movie look like?

>> It's just the the I guess overall production values, just the way it looks, looks like a streaming movie rather than like a big theatrical, you know, a movie.

A movie has a certain look and I'm having a hard time articulating this, no, it might be.

>> That ineffable thing that it's hard to articulate, but you, it just feels like it doesn't quite hit the floor.

>> When you're watching something on Netflix.

You're like, oh yeah, that looks like a streaming movie.

These are sets.

>> These are like manufactured, like there's a fakeness.

>> And it's Guillermo del.

>> Toro, I love and it's wonderful.

>> But the lighting is always so flat.

I just want to punch myself in the eyes when I look at.

>> It.

>> This is really an interesting Oscars conversation.

Cielo is Frankenstein.

>> Is that.

>> Frankenstein?

Whatever it is, is it a is that a horror movie?

>> with del Toro?

I would say it's always hard to answer that.

And I am here as number one, Guillermo del Toro.

Stan, in case you didn't know.

so I feel like all his movies are kind of hard to categorize.

I don't think he would say it was a horror movie.

And I think that matters a lot.

>> Okay.

Is it any good?

>> I like it a lot.

>> You do like it?

>> Yeah.

>> Ostensibly, we live in a free country.

Why is Joe wrong about this?

>> listen.

It's allowed.

You can be a hater.

That's fine.

I'll see you outside after this.

Happily.

No.

I feel like.

Especially like I feel like Guillermo just has that effect on people.

Like, either you connect with him and you're like, oh, my God, that's so true.

I wish I was in love with a fish man.

Or you watch his movies and you're like, this is schmaltzy.

I don't get it.

And that's fine.

It's allowed.

>> I think the casting of Oscar Isaac is such a misstep.

I just want to put that onto the radio.

False.

>> Incorrect.

>> He's way too old.

He's way too old.

>> Yeah.

>> He's way.

>> Too old.

>> No, no, we can talk about this later.

>> We will.

>> The point is not for it to be like an accurate adaptation of Mary Shelley's work.

The point is that it's Guillermo del Toro's extremely Mexican telenovela version of Frankenstein, and Oscar Isaac is a crucial part of that.

>> All right, now.

But let me also ask about Bugonia.

I got that email from a listener who said, loved it.

anybody here seen Bugonia?

Oh, sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Good.

I like it worthy on the list.

>> Yes, I think so, Joe.

>> It's fine, it's fine.

>> Yeah, that's what we want.

Best picture nominees to be like.

>> It's fine.

>> Yeah.

It's okay.

Your voice went up a register.

Like, it's like when I cook at home and I'm like, how was it?

>> Like, it.

>> Was fine.

Like, why is your voice an octave higher?

So you don't think it's the best picture, but you liked it?

>> I appreciated a lot of it.

I'm not sure if it's, like, a likable movie.

but I think it has its merits.

>> But you liked it.

>> Jared I did, yes.

>> Okay.

What's wrong with you?

>> Well.

>> That's that's a whole other hour.

but yeah, it was so engaging.

I thought Yorgos Lanthimos, he's a real up and down director for me.

you know, some of the things that were more popular I didn't like as much, but the lobster, it was probably one of my favorite films of the last decade.

he really gets into issues in a way that's unexpected.

so he's dealing with a character who is sort of very isolated and very sort of in his own head and, you know, being influenced by people that he doesn't even know.

and he sees the world then through this lens and his actions sort of represent sort of that, that online chatter that we get.

And it's I think it's a really fascinating exploration of that dynamic between people at home and people out in life.

>> Okay.

Bugonia guys over here.

Yes.

>> I liked it.

>> Yeah.

See it?

>> I don't know, like, if it if we're talking about, like, you know, Best picture nominees kind of slash why are there so many.

I feel.

like it definitely deserves a nom in some other categories.

like cinematography where it didn't get one.

Yeah.

>> That's that's interesting.

>> Like the way that it opens is immediately so striking and beautiful.

And like, when it first starts, I was like, oh, like, I haven't seen anything like this on screen before and were two frames in.

>> So.

Okay.

>> Well, we haven't talked about the premise.

Do you know what Bugonia is about?

>> Well, we have I plant begonias every year.

and just they're they're annuals.

>> I think it's so Emma.

Bugonia Emma Stone plays a CEO and she is kidnaped by Jesse Plemons character.

And another character, by the way, I think Jesse Plemons was was snubbed for an Oscar nomination.

and they are convinced that she is an alien.

And they are.

So they are holding her hostage.

>> Is this a comedy?

>> Oh, no.

Well.

>> I so most of Yorgos Lanthimos films have like, a dark humor to them, more of a dry, deadpan type humor.

And I thought, I'm like, this movie isn't as funny as, like, The Favorite or some of his other or poor things.

and at the end, I thought, there are some choices made that had me guffawing and laughing a good amount.

it's pretty wild.

>> But it is not, say, a rom com.

>> Oh no.

>> It's neither ROM nor com.

>> I would say.

>> But people will be hooting and hollering in the in the theaters or watching at home too, I guess.

>> Can I ask all of you just the way things have changed with the Oscars?

So there used to be 4 or 5 nominees for Best Picture, five, and then it, it, it shifted to ten, what, like a decade ago?

Something like that.

>> It's been off and on.

I mean, back in the 30s and 40s, they would have multiple nominations, maybe more than ten sometimes.

>> Oh, okay.

>> but then pretty standardized to five for a long time.

Then they tried ten, then they didn't like that and went back to five.

And now we're back to ten.

>> Yeah.

I mean, I'm just thinking about this point about like, why F1 or why certain films and there's I'm sure there are a lot of great films out there.

I have a baby.

I don't see movies anymore.

And I, I seek to again someday, and I look forward to being in a theater again very, very soon.

But I'm wondering if part of the the allegations, the wrong world were the idea that they're trying to please certain audiences.

So I don't see a lot.

If you see F1 on the list and you go, I see what you're trying to do, you're trying to pull in different audiences.

You're trying to get it.

Or do you think that the Academy in recent years has said we need to be more open to the art of horror films, the art of comedy, the art of action films, and that we've been too narrow in Best Picture.

What do you think?

>> I think maybe for other categories you could say that like, I know a lot of people were really excited.

That ugly stepsister got a nomination.

because that was for makeup and hairstyling.

And, like, not a lot of people have seen The Ugly Stepsister.

That's pretty much just a movie that, like, horror hounds have seen.

but like more cynically, I think for categories like Best Picture, F1 is nominated because it's an Apple production, like it's a campaign, they pay money like that's that's why because Apple is a huge company that invested a lot of time and effort and marketing into this, specifically to say we're going to get a Best Picture nom and they did it.

Good job.

Apple.

>> Okay.

do you think that there is pandering or not even pandering, but even something maybe a little unseemly about some of the campaigning or the financial ties to some of these films?

>> Oh yeah, I definitely think that.

Yeah, yeah, I think, yeah, it's always all, always about the campaigning and doing that.

And that's why sometimes when you'll see something that we all think is deserving to be nominated and not get nominated, it's a lot because of the strategy that the studio made or, or politics or something involved that will keep it off.

Like it's like anything there's, you know, there's behind the scenes stuff in politics there are impacting this.

>> Yeah, I and I lied, I have watched a movie recently, watched For Your Consideration after Catherine O'Hara died because I love Catherine O'Hara, 71 years old, is way too young.

She was still working.

What a terrible loss.

and she was so good in everything she did.

And she did a lot of films with the, you know, the the Christopher Guest sort of group with Best in Show and waiting for Guffman and a mighty wind, and the list goes on.

Anyway, I hadn't seen For Your Consideration, I liked it.

I mean, it wasn't like the top of the list of the best films for me, but I just love watching her, and I love watching that group together.

And that movie riffs on how Oscar buzz starts or doesn't start, or how confusing that can be, and the way these campaigns run and and so I don't know, Jared, if you look at the best picture list and you go, huh, this feels right or this feels off or a little dirty.

>> Oh, I mean, I if you say it's dirty, you have to say it's all dirty.

well, this is this is not a not for profit organization that we're running here.

This is a business in Hollywood.

And contrary to what Cielo is saying, I think that there is sort of a recognition of the craft of below the line people.

So, you know, I think there's a lot of support for F1 from the craft categories and the, the great work that the people in sound and visual effects did.

So I think there's support from there, and it's not necessarily top down in terms of, you know, remembering Citizen Kane over how green Was My Valley.

It's about the work that's going on now and recognizing that at all different levels.

>> Okay.

Any problems that you have with the way the list comes.

>> Out.

>> I might defend this list a little bit just because I think the makeup of the Academy is skewing younger and more international.

I think we are seeing an interesting mix of movies.

Sinners was a huge blockbuster, not a typical Best Picture nominee.

Like, like historically, not represented blockbusters just in general.

I think, you know, you have something tiny like Hamnet on the other side of the spectrum, which is probably the most Oscar baity movie, I would say maybe among this Best Picture slate.

It's it's small, it's British, it's about death.

Like, it kind of checks a lot of Oscar boxes.

great movie, to be frank.

I think F1 checks like the dad movie box sort of appeasing maybe the older contingent of the Academy.

Also those craft categories which I make up, you know, have a good representation within the academy in general.

Bugonia so weird.

Like, what a weird movie.

And to to to its credit, to be able to sneak in there.

being so kind of off kilter is, is kind of a testament.

But also, you know, Yorgos is kind of become a little bit of a darling of the academy.

So not really a surprise to see him.

Marty Supreme, you know, the softy is like he's also like up and coming, but I don't know, I think there's good diversity of of theme of success in this Best Picture lineup that I'm interested in.

>> In our second half hour.

We've got some I think we've got some clips, we got a few to share.

But Joe just mentioned Marty Supreme.

That's first.

We've talked about that.

I don't think anybody thinks it's going to win.

but this is me being a total outsider.

But I will say one interesting thing I've seen about modern Hollywood is how much Timothee Chalamet wants to be like a great actor and is like open about it.

And I don't know if he's campaigning to get his films nominated, but he certainly recognizes that he loves great filmmaking.

He wants to be great, and it feels somebody smarter than me wrote a piece, and I don't have it in front of me that recently was saying like, it's like he was born in the wrong era because, you know, he wants to be in the everybody goes to the theater, everybody's eyes are on the same movies, and you're in the conversation versus you're competing with streaming.

You're competing with the theaters are struggling.

All this stuff.

He's kind of a throwback in that way.

I don't know if he's a great actor.

Maybe he is, and maybe he deserves everything he's getting, but he clearly is seems to want that.

And you're nodding over there.

You think he's great?

>> I do think he's.

>> Pretty great, honestly.

>> Is it good in this one?

>> He's great in.

>> This one.

Marty Supreme Marty.

>> Supreme good.

Good movie.

He's he's quite excellent.

>> I think.

Jared.

How is he here?

>> He's fine.

>> Did I say that?

>> I like the callbacks.

here in general.

Is he a great actor?

>> Not yet.

>> Okay.

Do you think it's interesting that he talks about wanting to be.

>> No, I don't think it's interesting at all.

I mean.

>> You find it off putting.

>> I've been through Anne Hathaway doing the same thing until she won her Oscar, and now she's doing sequels.

>> So it's theater, kid energy, everybody.

This is exactly what it is.

>> This is this is the campaign.

This is, you know, how you appear to appeal to an older generation is like, well, you know, I remember all the classics.

I remember Burt Lancaster and Jack Nicholson and his prime.

That's how you're supposed.

>> To talk.

Doesn't work on.

>> You don't believe anything that comes out of an actor's mouth during Oscar.

>> Season.

>> Joe.

You find it charming.

>> I just.

>> Think it's refreshing to be like, yes, I want this.

This is my profession.

Instead of being like, oh no, I couldn't possibly.

Why?

What?

>> Yes you do.

I would.

work for free.

Yeah, no.

Like everybody wants it.

>> The the the amount of people who actually say they want it is so infinitesimal to, to to see somebody want to get better, to do the work, to put the work in and to want to be recognized.

I honestly, I'm fine with it does not bother me.

>> Okay, interesting.

What do you think of him?

>> He's all right.

>> No, I like Timmy.

I definitely felt in Marty Supreme.

I like, honestly didn't like the movie that much.

But Timmy is what kept me engaged in it.

So.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah, I think he's electric and Marty's supreme.

And what I like is it's.

He's really a bombastic character in Marty Supreme.

Like, it's a lot of talking, kind of an annoying character.

But the reason I think Timothée Chalamet is a great actor is he has range.

Like, one of my favorite roles is in Call Me By Your Name and the very last part of that is just just his face as the as a Sufjan Stevens song plays, and it's one of the best bit of acting I've seen in the last, like, I don't know, decade or so.

It's this is really powerful.

So he can play that quiet role or, or a bigger role, like playing Bob Dylan or playing the titular Marty.

>> Supreme here.

Wonka?

Yeah, Wonka.

Yeah.

>> Who could forget.

>> by the way?

let me just.

I'm going through the notes here.

I don't see I'm sure we just.

It's an oversight.

I mentioned that I don't watch movies, and I plan to watch this.

And then again with the baby.

I didn't go see it yet, and I haven't seen it, but I'm sure Jeremy Allen White's on here.

>> Somewhere.

Right?

>> I mean, didn't deliver me from nowhere.

Wasn't there a lot of Oscar buzz for that one?

Nothing for the Bruce Springsteen movie.

Nothing.

>> Nothing.

>> Nothing?

>> No.

>> Okay, I haven't seen it, but that's.

>> An outrage.

>> But you know what I have done?

I've listened to Jeremy Allen White singing as Bruce Springsteen, and he is incredible.

If you listen to him doing spring, it's wild how good he was at that.

so I'm sure the film was great and the Academy is the film not great?

Is it?

Not very good?

No, >> Are you good?

>> I didn't see it.

>> It's it's an interesting take on a biopic.

It's taking a very specific, like one year period out of his life and sort of extrapolating that.

It only extrapolates it like at the end with like titles that come up on screen talking about his dealing with depression and how that affected him in his career.

>> Okay, so you kind of thought it was.

>> Okay.

Yeah.

>> I didn't I didn't not enjoy it.

Okay.

Yeah.

>> So you would say still see it if you like Springsteen.

definitely go see it Joe.

Did you.

>> See it?

No, I.

>> Don't like Springsteen.

Just kidding.

>> I did not see it, though.

Scott I.

>> Did not see it.

>> Oh my gosh.

For shame, everyone.

It's gonna win Best Picture.

And none of you have seen it.

>> Yep.

>> Okay.

>> I'll program it at the Dryden.

I'll bring you out personally, and we can sit next to each other and watch it together.

>> You got to take care of the baby, though.

>> Oh, we're gonna get a babysitter.

>> Okay.

That's fine, that's fine.

We're talking to a great panel here as we talk Oscar season.

And on the other side of our only break, we've got some clips.

We're going to have a lot more fun here.

We'll get you all set on events that are coming up here at the Dryden at the little.

It's Oscar season with our friends, and we're coming right back on Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Third Way on the next Connections.

We first talked to Dr.

Ross Greene, the author of The Kids Who Aren't Okay The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, belonging, and Hope in schools.

How we'll talk about it in our second hour.

Miguel Meléndez president of Rochester City Council, joins us talking about the city's report on homelessness.

Talk with you on Thursday.

>> Support for your public radio station comes from our members and from Mary Cariola, center, proud supporter of Connections with Evan Dawson, believing an informed and engaged community is a connected one.

Mary Cariola.

>> This is Connections.

I'm Evan Dawson Scott Pukos, Director of Communications for the little theaters here.

Cielo Ornelas MacFarlane a local cinephile and visual artist is here Jared Case cured of film exhibitions at the Dryden at the George Eastman Museum.

He's here Johanna Lester pop critic, pop culture critic for City magazine is also here.

And we're talking Oscars nominations.

What they got right, what they got wrong.

And Scott Pukos, we got some things we can listen to here, to kind of what our appetite for the events coming up here.

What do you got?

>> Yeah.

So I guess we can start with the sinners one because that.

>> Is.

>> Talking about sinners is a.

>> Vampire movie.

>> The one that I think will win.

So in this clip.

So as I mentioned earlier, I feel like the first part of the movie is really establishing the characters.

I think you and I will relate to this.

It is a twin movie.

Michael B Jordan plays twins in it.

I'm a twin as well.

If he did not, if he weren't aware that was my reference.

Yeah.

so the it kind of takes a while to build the characters.

So in this clip is when the action starts happening.

It's when the vampires parts are in and there's someone who they suspect maybe is turned.

He's trying to get in.

He's like, let me in.

And then suspenseful things happen.

>> All right, let's listen.

>> What y'all doing?

Just step aside and let me hone in.

Now.

>> Why you need him to do that.

You being strong enough to push past us?

>> Well, that wouldn't be too polite, now, would it, miss Annie, I don't know why I'm talking to you anyway.

>> Don't talk to him.

You talking to me right now?

Why?

You can't just walk your big up in here without an invite, huh?

Go ahead.

Admit to it.

>> Mr.

What?

>> That you dead.

>> So, you you listening to this now?

Now we out here playing games, telling ghost stories in place of doing what we ought to do.

>> And what is it we supposed to be doing?

>> Being kind to one another and being polite.

Now we is one people and we shouldn't go in barging into other folks places uninvited.

So.

You've been in and out of here all day.

Ain't never needed invite.

Then.

And something ain't adding up.

Can I at least get my money?

>> Careful.

>> All right.

>> Are we going to see an Oscar?

Not just for Best Picture.

Is Michael B Jordan going to win for actor in a Leading Role?

>> I think the momentum is there.

So for a while, again, if you asked me a month ago, I would have said Timothee Chalamet.

He was campaigning hard.

I think it's Michael B Jordan.

and again it's it's just is the one I think people are rooting for the most director will be interesting between Paul Thomas Anderson and Ryan Coogler who directed sinners.

I think that is really where the interest of this ceremony is between those two movies, which are both great.

I liked them both.

>> The actor in a leading role nominees are Michael B Jordan for sinners, Wagner Moura for the Secret Agent, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, Leonardo DiCaprio, one battle after another.

Timothee Chalamet for Marty Supreme here, and Patrick wrote in to ask, Is Leonardo DiCaprio great?

I think he's asking, is he great in this movie?

>> Generally?

Is he is he like.

>> Is he in the greatness pantheon now?

>> Scott he's awesome in this movie and I think he's been in enough good roles where he's up when he's in a movie, you pay attention.

>> Generally you'll give him that, okay.

Selah.

>> Yeah, he's the best.

>> Yeah.

Is he good in this?

I mean, did you what is it?

What is he in here?

>> One battle.

>> After oh.

One battle.

Yeah.

>> Yeah.

We all established that it's.

it's gonna win, and Scott's gonna be.

>> Wrong.

Probably.

So here.

Probably.

>> Is he great?

Jared Case.

Is he a great actor?

>> I think at this point in time, yeah.

I mean, when we talk about Timothee Chalamet, is he a great actor now?

I don't see that.

I look at DiCaprio at the same age and I see more from him at that age.

So I'm hoping that I can get to that point.

But I think DiCaprio is definitely one of certainly the iconic actors of our age, if not one of the greatest.

>> Joanna.

>> Is he great?

>> He's great.

I also think it's interesting that in a year with a potentially Best Picture winning Leonardo DiCaprio fronted movie, he's not really in the Best Actor winning conversation.

Yeah, like that's kind of wild to me.

Like he's not he's maybe third on this on this list.

Maybe fourth.

>> He's not.

>> Going to win.

>> He's not going to win.

And it's and never really was kind of I don't I don't ever recall a time where he was like at the top of of the conversation.

Even in the conversation to win, which I think speaks to to to those two, to the Timothy and Michael B Jordan, the strength of those two, two performances are really great.

>> All right.

So that's actor in a leading role.

Let's just briefly before we get back to the clips, let's talk actress in a leading role Jessie Buckley for Hamnet.

Rose Byrne for if I had legs I'd kick you Kate Hudson song Sung Blue Renate Reinsve I hope I did that right.

Sentimental Value and Emma Stone Bugonia who is going to win Joe.

>> Jessie Buckley if there's one.

I think if there's one sort of locked up category at the moment, it's Best Actress Actress in a Leading Role, and I think it's Jessie Buckley.

>> That's locked up.

>> I think it's probably the closest to a sure bet in this slate.

>> Jared agreed.

Yeah.

It's the only one of the acting categories I think is clear.

>> Well, dang.

I mean, I feel like I can't really have, like, an opinion because I didn't see if I had legs, I'd kick you or Song Sung Blue, but I've heard that Rose Byrne is really great.

And if I had legs.

>> She is okay.

Scott.

>> Yeah.

So I do think Jessie Buckley will win.

And we do have a clip from Hamnet, but I think one of my favorite performance of the year, maybe just out of anyone supporting lead is Rose Byrne.

For if I had lakes, I'd kick you.

She is so good in that.

And just that movie is almost like an assault on the senses.

Like it's really a lot.

And part of it is just her performance as a parent.

And a lot of times when you see a movie about a parent who's struggling, it's always the focus on they're a good parent, they're trying their best.

She is not a real great mom at times and not a great person a lot in the movie.

And that's what makes it so compelling.

She just is.

You can't look away from her.

So I think that was one of my favorite performances.

She won't win.

Jessie Buckley will.

Jessie Buckley was very good in Hamnet.

I'm fine with that.

But Rose Byrne I think would be a better pick.

>> Yeah, I don't think Evan should watch.

If I had legs, I'd kick you right now.

>> Yeah.

>> Or Hamnet.

>> That's true.

Watch.

Go watch F1.

>> My son, my older son is thing.

One has.

>> Seen.

Thing one F1.

>> He's a big F1.

>> Fan okay.

>> Good thing two is not watching anything.

>> No, no.

>> but thing one.

Yes.

So Hamnet, we got a clip here.

>> Yes.

So this.

>> Set this.

>> Up for us.

>> This is with Jessie Buckley and she is speaking with the titular Hamnet with her.

>> Son.

>> Show me a hand.

>> What?

What do you see?

>> I see you grown.

Very strong.

I see you in London, working with your father.

>> In the theater.

>> At the Playhouse.

>> What will I be doing?

>> What do you wish to do, hamlet?

>> I should be one of the players with the sword.

>> Sword?

>> Yes.

And I shall class it against the sword of the other player.

>> Show me.

>> There'll be a terrible fight.

And everybody watching will be frightened out of their wits.

>> And who will win?

>> I shall, of course.

>> Of course you shall.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah.

So that is, I don't know, the movie kind of treated a aspect of this film as a big reveal, but I the marketing said it, so I'm going to say it and I don't think it's a spoiler, but he's talking about his father, which is Paul Mescal, who plays William Shakespeare.

so he wants to be part of that.

And it's Hamnet is a very emotional movie, and this is kind of setting up some stuff later in the film that that is emotional.

it was one when we played it at the little and we played it for two months at like really, crowds love this movie.

We handed out tissues when people came in and people used those tissues.

>> let's let's make sure the the panel weighs in here, too.

Let's go around the table here and see.

Did you see Hamnet here?

>> I didn't, and I was talking about it before because it's like, for reasons of spite, I haven't seen.

>> Spite.

>> Yeah, I'm being unfair.

I'm sorry, Chloe, but.

>> Jared.

>> Yeah, it's very good.

it's it had one of those interesting experiences in the cinema for me, because the entire film hinges on a gesture.

You know, you're going through an hour and a half of this film, and there's some terrible things that happened, but it's there's this gesture that happens near the end that everything the entire t of the film that had happened before that comes crashing in just in this one gesture.

So I think that was really a moment that that stood out for the year.

>> Okay, Joanna.

>> I did see Hamnet.

I reviewed it for city.

I cried a lot.

I think it's I think it's really really lovely movie.

And I just think that Jessie Buckley's performance is so sort of raw and, and and emotive, and I think she's the crux of that movie.

And, and her, her place in the plot is really is really critical.

And it's great.

It's great.

It's a great movie.

>> We got one more clip here.

Scott Pukos what do.

>> We got?

>> So this is from one battle after another.

There is a very iconic line.

So Benicio del Toro is nominated for Supporting actor.

This is toward the end of the movie.

he's helping Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Bob, try to find his daughter.

They're on the run.

The police are after them.

so this is after they part ways with Leonardo DiCaprio.

The police pull him over, and he's.

He utters an iconic line, which we all people have seen the movie are fans of.

>> All right, lift your shirt and turn around.

Put your hands on top of your head.

>> All right, let's go to work.

>> Not move.

Do you have any weapons on you, sir?

No, sir.

>> Why are you running from us?

>> I've had a long day, man.

>> You didn't see the lights back there?

>> Oh, yes I did.

>> What did you toss out of the vehicle?

Excuse me.

What did you toss out of the vehicle back there?

>> Trash.

>> Are you sure about that?

>> Yes, ma'am.

>> You've been drinking today?

>> I've had a few.

>> A few what.?

>> Pretty small beers.

>> So a few small beers.

A few small beers.

Yeah.

>> And so at the little Oscar movie trivia party, March 15th, we always have food and stuff themed to the Best Picture stuff.

So one of the the slam dunk things will do is a small.

>> Beer, like, like a four ounce beer.

>> They're gonna be normal sized beer.

We're just gonna call them a few small beer.

>> Oh, I see, it's a flight.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean.

>> A few small beers is actually a lot of beers.

>> I mean, okay.

>> So that's a great segue here.

What is coming up two Sundays from now.

>> Yeah.

So Sunday, March 15th, we have the little Oscar movie trivia party.

Our doors will open at 4 p.m.

Sunday, March 15th.

Tickets for sale at the little.org trivia starts at 5 p.m.

We have pub trivia.

we write all the questions.

It's really fun.

There's some goofiness to it.

It's a really silly good time.

We have a prize wheel.

You'll win some free stuff.

And then afterward, you can watch the Oscars on the big screen and cheer and boo and root for for sinners and other movies with your fellow movie fans.

>> And have a few small.

>> Beers and.

>> Have a few small beers.

>> Maybe just one small beer.

>> Whatever.

But please.

>> Don't do it.

Benicio del Toro.

Don't get a ride home.

>> Please.

>> To state the obvious.

Jared, what's coming up on Saturday at the Drive-In?

>> Saturday.

Well, Friday, we're showing, actually, an Oscar nominated film.

Kokuho Japanese selection.

The Japan selection for best international film.

And that's nominated in makeup and hairstyling.

Saturday afternoon, we have the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association join us on stage for our own Oscar panel, talking about the year in film, as well as the major awards and who's going to win and who will win.

That's free to everybody.

>> Let's briefly to help your Oscar pools out there.

Don't do like, Kalshi and all that weird betting site stuff.

Rely on our team here.

So briefly, actor and actress in supporting roles.

Joanna, who's winning?

>> I think I did this for city hold, please.

I think for actor in a supporting role, I believe I predicted Sean Penn.

Not who I'd want to win, but I think he's taking it home.

an actress in a supporting role.

I think it's going to be Amy Madigan for weapons.

which I think is an exciting nomination and would be a really exciting win.

this year.

>> Weapons is the one where the kids were being all the kids in the community went missing.

>> And yeah.

>> Did you see that one?

No, I.

>> Didn't think so.

>> First of all, that's pretty dark.

And my guess is lots of stabbing in that movie.

>> So there's some stabbing.

Yes.

>> There's some ripping.

>> So vegetable peeler.

>> Yes.

Oh my God.

>> Thank you for the warning.

Yellow.

yeah.

No I've got like a no stabbing rule as best I can.

>> It feels like a.

>> Good life.

Ever since Halloween, which I thought when I saw Halloween, when I went to go see Halloween as a kid, I thought just a nice movie about.

>> Halloween.

Yeah.

>> Oh, no surprise.

That's not actually how it happened.

but I was just the theme music from Halloween for years haunted me.

And so stabbing is is out, but, I mean, I'm sure monsters is good.

And I do hear that's a very good performance.

Okay, Jared.

supporting roles.

Who's winning?

>> so there's, like, three people in play in each of these categories.

So just to be separate from Johanna, I'll.

I'll go with Benicio del Toro and Wunmi Mosaku.

>> Love would love those wins.

Honestly.

>> Okay, Cielo.

>> I'm willfully ignoring you and saying who I would want to win.

Go for it.

I hope that Jacob Elordi wins, and I hope Amy Madigan wins.

>> Amy Madigan for weapons, Jacob Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein.

Okay.

Scott Pukos.

>> So I do think Amy Madigan will win.

And she is great in weapons.

Like a lot of people dressed as her character is kind of a spoiler.

If I say what it is.

It's part of the surprise of the movie.

But she is very theatrical at one part, but she's also very terrifying, and I think that's why she will win.

For supporting actor, I'd say Stellan Skarsgard sentimental value.

I didn't love sentimental value as much as the worst person in the world, which was Joachim Trier's film before that, which I adore.

It wrecked me in all the best ways.

Sentimental value.

It didn't connect with me quite as much, but it's a film that people have really loved, and Stellan Skarsgard is great.

He's almost more of a lead in the role, in my opinion, but I think he's.

>> Good for odd.

Yeah.

>> Roger writes to say I don't know too much about today's movies and actors.

I do miss the days when Joan Crawford and Bette Davis would trash each other ruthlessly and publicly in order to try to diminish each other's chances of winning an award, especially if they were competing for the same award.

That level of competition simply does not exist in the movie industry today.

that is from Roger.

Do we want people?

I mean, I think I think he's being light hearted about it, but do we want more competition?

Is is it too is it too chummy?

I don't know, guys.

>> I think it's it would backfire in today's.

Yeah.

In today's world, that's probably that that would make people not want to vote for you.

>> before we close here, I want to ask all of you an off beat question, but, you know, it's my show.

And when it's your podcast, do whatever you want.

Scott.

I've never seen Citizen Kane, 1941, Orson Welles.

and I want to ask, first of all, should I see Citizen Kane?

>> Absolutely, yes.

>> What if I know what Rosebud is?

>> Okay.

>> It's it's.

>> It's so good.

It's.

I was kind of skeptical the first time I saw it.

I'm like, oh, I don't know, but it's.

I think you'll enjoy it a lot.

Especially as as someone in radio.

>> Rutte a recent a long recent piece about some of the controversy about the film that he made next, which is called The Magnificent Ambersons.

And this is a story that's a lot less known than Citizen Kane.

So Citizen Kane, obviously you know, these days has Orson Welles on the map for one of the best movies ever made.

but at the time, he still had total control in filmmaking.

And he makes Magnificent Ambersons, which is a film about a wealthy family in the sort of horse and buggy era that gets drowned out by the automobile and the.

It was a downer, according to a lot of people at the studio, they didn't like it.

Orson Welles goes off to South America.

He's working on a separate project.

He's already made this film.

They cut 40 minutes out of the movie, and they release it when he's out of the country, and they got rid of, like, that.

40 missing minutes is gone.

They tried to soften it, lighten it up.

He was furious.

And it's an interesting story now because there's a whole group of people using A.I.

to try to recreate it.

>> Oh boy.

>> And they have tried to piece together the surviving script of The Missing 40 minutes.

What people know about it, they have stand in actors who will walk through the scenes, and then they try to use A.I.

to recreate everything.

And here's my question.

As cinephiles, do you want that?

>> Do you?

That was fast.

>> That's evil.

>> That's evil.

I like that, I like.

>> I, I think it actually might be evil, but.

Scott, what do you think.

>> Yeah, no, I don't I don't want that at all.

>> Okay, that's very interesting because, you know, Orson Welles family has said, like, he really felt wronged by this, that he felt that this would have been a better movie than Citizen Kane.

The people would talk about it.

Today is better now.

Most people have never heard of Magnificent Ambersons, and there's a part at the end where one of the matriarchs of the family is talking about, like, the automobile is going to ruin society, it's going to speed everything up.

It's going to change people.

And one of the family members is like, it might.

And in 20 years from now, we're going to have to have that conversation.

But we can't stop it.

And I'm like, oh, they're talking about A.I.

>> Yeah.

>> In 1942, you know, like, wow, how prescient that is.

But you don't want the A.I.

recreation.

>> No, I, I get frustrated with these people who are seeking, you know, the, the, the lost cuts of things instead of dealing with what we do have.

But, you know, I think it's more interesting conversation to have people from different backgrounds talking about what we can actually share, as opposed to using their imagination to especially since that it's never worse in their imagination.

It's always better.

>> Yeah, I take that point, Jared.

And obviously you work at a place that has these amazing historical artifacts.

And from what everybody knows about this Orson Welles film, those 40 minutes are gone.

Gone.

That's why they're trying to use A.I.

But you're saying if they're gone, gone, they're gone.

Don't use A.I.

to try to recreate here.

>> No.

Okay, Joanna.

>> No interest.

You don't want.

>> To see.

I don't want that.

No.

Thank you.

Yeah.

>> That's that's not a use of A.I.

I want use A.I.

to cure cancer.

Let's do that.

Can we get A.I.

back to the things that we're supposed to be good about it?

Can we stop using it at the Pentagon?

And for making movies?

Okay.

Anyway.

>> Yellow.

>> You actually said evil.

>> You think stark cited?

That's not good.

>> Not not happy about this.

And you wouldn't see it?

>> No, I mean, it would.

It's slop.

It doesn't look good.

It's bad for the environment.

And it's just we don't need.

>> It, okay.

>> But I should see Citizen Kane.

>> Citizen Kane.

>> Absolutely.

Immediately.

>> Go home right now.

>> Okay.

All right.

Well.

>> Guys, I've had a great time here.

And now you know Dryden on Friday and Saturday, the little every day of your life, but also.

>> Two Sundays.

>> Can I mention two other quick things?

Yeah, we have K-pop.

Demon Hunter is nominated for animated feature film March 16th and 17th and Asfura nominated for best international and Best Sound that starts Friday, March 6th.

>> Have a great time.

Have an absolutely wonderful time.

I love having you all on.

You're very generous with your time.

Thank you for being here.

Everybody.

>> Thanks.

>> For you.

You are all are all much more educated about the Oscars now.

See movies in theaters, everyone.

We should be together in person more often.

from all of us at Connections.

Thank you for watching, listening wherever you are.

And we'll be back with you tomorrow on member supported public media.

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