I’ve been traveling and haven’t been able to write frequently, so let’s get back to posting?

We’ve been finding everything weird in Hollywood for five years, although the truth is that weirdness has always been part of the system, and business changes (after cultural ones) are still felt on the screens. We needed the mandatory pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which required isolation and physical distancing for almost two years so that the awards parties in the capital of American cinema became more awkward than they already were. Strikes and other problems don’t help, especially the proliferation of events between January and March that make us see the same people, saying the same things, just wearing different clothes. But 2025 has already proven to be “different”.

Drama is needed to keep the flame of interest alive for these parties that leave no room for authenticity or improvisation (everyone is saying the right thing, wearing beautiful clothes, etc.), and thanks to the film with the most Oscar nominations, the musical Emilia Perez, we have enough to talk about. Not even a decade of Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Jennifer Aniston generated so many posts, magazine covers,s and opinions on the same subject, which only got worse thanks to the “unforgivable” and “self-destructive approach” (in the words of the film’s director, Jacques Audiard) of actress Karla Sofía Gáscon, who was making history by being the first trans person nominated for Best Actress but is now the protagonist of one of the most complex years in the history of the Oscars due to the prejudice against her, hers and everyone else on a series of delicate topics.

The implosion of successful marketing yielded 13 nominations for a film that Mexico officially rejects (the story takes place in the country, but it is a French film with Spanish, American, Venezuelan, and Puerto Rican actors), which is a musical that talks about drug trafficking, sex change, acceptance, and redemption, is unique in any awards ceremony. Karla Sofía had less chance of winning than Fernanda Torres or Demi Moore. Still, she not only threw away her chance but also threatened her co-star, Zoe Saldaña, the favorite for the Best Supporting Actress category. Yes, because from being the critics’ darling, Emilia Perez became the indefensible pickle of the moment.

Therefore, the “victories” at the Critics Choice Awards seemed out of tune, and they need to be contextualized as well. The party, which as you mentioned, is the American Critics’ Choice, was supposed to have been held a few weeks ago, but the Los Angeles fires forced the postponement of the party, and the votes had already closed BEFORE all this and BEFORE the Karla Sofía drama. This long introduction is necessary to look at the winners and tease what the upcoming parties will signal. There are many more interesting things than Emilia Perez, believe me.

First, the films. Anora has gained a reputation as an “underdog”, but all the critics (can I include myself?) loved this gem by Sean Baker. It has always been among the favorites, although The Brutalist still seems to have a better chance at the Oscars. Speaking of which, Adrien Brody is already expected to win Best Actor in March, he has been winning EVERYTHING in the United States, sharing the lead with Ralph Fiennes in the international awards. He is between the two, but only the SAG Awards will confirm the winner, I think it will be difficult to take away Brody’s second Academy Award (for a role similar to The Pianist).

Likewise, Supporting Actor and Actress are locked in Kieran Culkin for A Real Pain and (ugh), Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Perez. The only real competition is precisely between Best Actresses, which has so many good performances that they are not even the same ones nominated for each award. Here, Fernanda Torres, Kate Winslet, and Nicole Kidman were “snubbed” and with that, the one who had the advantage was Demi Moore, the winner of the night.

Demi and Cynthia Erivo are the two who are at every party, we could argue that they would be the favorites of the year, but the fact that they are not is what makes 2025 so interesting. Karla Sofía was the shadow of the night, even in her expected and studied absence. She warned that “after Jacques’ interview” [Audiard, who spoke to CNN complaining that the actress was “hurting people who were very close to her”] she would remain silent so that “the film could be appreciated for what it is,” apologizing “to everyone who was hurt along the way.” It’s still too early to know if it worked because the critics’ votes came before everything else, but I suspect that Saldaña will still be the winner.

Interestingly, Jon M. Chu was chosen as the director for Wicked, a craze in the US and also a film that was “criticized” for several changes to the original material. This victory reminds us that we cannot ignore the strength of the musical in the competition, especially since their drama is insignificant compared to the others. Will the tide change?

Coralie Fargeat won Best Original Screenplay for The Substance, which is not unfair and shows its chances at the next festivals, just as Peter Straughan won Best Adapted Screenplay for The Conclave. It generates discussions about the more interesting work of Sean Baker in Anora or Dennis Villeneuve in Dune 2, but it cannot be said that it was a surprise or a mistake.

In the field of series, few surprises.

Shogun still appears here, even after the Emmy wins, because it premiered in 2024 after the awards that year. It is a delay that still reflects the year that has passed. In the drama category, it won almost everything: from best series to best lead and supporting actors and even supporting actress, all deserved. Anna Sawai lost to Kathy Bates in Matlock, which is bizarre because the positioning of the series is always highlighting comedy, but it is still in the Drama category. Anna has already won the Emmy, the Critic’s Choice would be just a bonus, it’s possible to live without it.

As for comedy, the rejection of The Bear and the idolization of Hacks are clear. I’m crazy about Jean Smart and celebrate every time she wins, and the series is also in the top spot for the awards ahead. Adam Brody’s win for the romantic comedy Nobody Wants This (another one with controversy behind the scenes) is a welcome relief, as is giving Michael Urie the supporting award for Shrinking, but I’m going to be against it: I don’t see either of them as anything brilliant.

The biggest clash in the series was in the limited series field because the strength of Baby Reindeer, on the same delay as Shogun, threatened my favorite of 2025: The Penguin. It was a Solomonic choice: Baby Reindeer won Best Series and Best Supporting Actress, both undeniable, but Best Actor and Best Actress went to Cristin Milioti and Colin Farrell, my favorites and the ones who will win the Emmys in September.

I know there are those who question the victory of Squid Games 2 over Senna, but I put it this way: how can you take the result seriously when they not only nominated Liev Schreiber for the pitiful The Perfect Couple but also awarded him? We always have to give a lot of credit to the winners as well as to the losers.

Next stop? The night of the SAG Awards, on February 23.

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