BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther lead the charge to make the Oscars “So Black”.
The 2019 Academy Award nominations are in and, as usual, we’re continuing to root for every one black. Word to Issa Rae.
This year only three films with black leads were nominated in the Best Picture category, two and a half if you’re not feeling Green Book due to the fact that the white, racist guy was centered as the hero. BlacKkKlansman and Black Panther are the other two films of born of black minds and hearts that were nominated this year.
Comedy-laced thriller BlacKkKlansman, which is based on the true story of a black Colorado Springs, Co police officer who infiltrates the Klan in the’70s, got major love from critics all year, has eight chances to walk home with at least one Oscar.
Perhaps the Academy will “Do the Right Thing” by Spike Lee and hit him with Best Director or Best Picture for one of his most commercially successful films to date? This is his first Best Director Oscar nomination, surprisingly. Adam Driver gets a nod for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film. It’s also nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Score categories as well.
Black Panther, based on the iconic Marvel Comics character created by Jack “King” Kirby and Stan Lee in 1966, garnered seven noms to get some act-right from a Hollywood apparatus that has shunned recognizing black cinematic thought up until very recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFw2SryZa-Y
It got seven noms, including Best Picture, Best Song “All the Stars”, Best Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Sound Mixing, among others. The sensational aesthetic of African provided by the legendary Ruth Carter was equal parts inspirational and inspiring to behold. We’re betting on this Hampton alum to bring home the Oscar. Shoutout to St. Louis’ own Kevin Mayes, who was the lead tailor on Carter’s team.
Meanwhile, Green Book, starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali and based on the life of classical pianist Don Shirley and tough guy turned chauffeur Tony Lip, played by Ali and Mortenson respectively.
Critics, many of whom were angered at the fact that the title alluded to black existence but instead centered the white guy as the lead, as whitewashing the existence of Shirley.
Be that as it may, the film is up for five Oscars. Mortenson is up for Best Actor while Ali is up for Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Editing round out the noms for Green Book.
The animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse kicked in the door to the Oscars even though it was released late in the year. It’s only nomination is for Best Animated Feature. If Beale Street Could Talk, which pretty much the talk of the Golden Globes, received three Oscar nominations.
Regina King, who The Shadow League interviewed back in November, is nominated in the Best Supporting Actress slot. Beale Street also received nominations in the Best Score and Best Adapted Screenplay categories
