The Oscars Talking Movies

Now with a preview of this weekend's Oscars, it is Talking Movies.

Hello from Hollywood and welcome to our special Oscars preview edition

of Talking Movies. I am Tom Brook. In today's programme, everything you

need to know about the Academy Awards. The big-name stars in the

running. It does not mean -- doesn't mean a lot due to get this

recognition? Obviously. Always. There are document is in

foreign-language films vying for a prize. Will protest over President

Donald Trump's policies take centre stage? This could be the most

politicised Oscars we have had. Plus our predictions on who will win the

top prizes. All of that and more in our special Oscars preview edition

of Talking Movies. The 89th annual Academy Awards is about to get under

way, and the big question, it seems, is how many trophies will La La Land

take time? This ode to a Hollywood's golden age of musicals has many

ardent supporters. It dominates the Optus deal with its four

denominations. This match is all about Eve and Titanic. -- dominates

the Oscars field. La La Land has won the hearts and minds of many in the

lead into the options. Its creator, Damien Chazelle, for six years to

bring it on the screen. It stars, Emma Stone Orions Gosling. It is a

shot that with all was gone. -- Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. It is very

special that it happened. And I think that the audience is

connecting. Most of the other best pitches nominees are less dreamy

than La La Land, and several when they come to storytelling and

casting display diversity. Last year, the Oscars was the siege by

protest. This year, there are many feel is rooted in black expresses

that largely black casts, like fences, Moonlight, and Hidden

Figures. I think it is great that we have had more nominees across all

categories from acting nominations to cinematography and director and

screenplay, but obviously, Oscars Are White is about not just the

blacks, but people of all races who are not white. There were surprise

nubs and inclusions within the nominations this year. One of the

biggest exclusions was Amy Adams, the star of Arrival, who was widely

expected to read best actress on a seat. -- Best actress nominee. But

lives in movie got a nomination. A surprise inclusion was Mel Gibson

for his work on Hacksaw Ridge as director. That was also nominated as

Best Director. He expected nomination suggests a degree of

rehabilitations Hollywood. Another possibility is people using the

awards podium to express their frustration over President Donald

Trump and his policies. This could potentially be the most politicised

Oscars that we have ever had. Because they think people are so

scared and angry at what is happening in our country. And I

think for the first time, a mass number of actors feel that perhaps

their role as citizens in this is very important. And they will speak

out. The protest extends beyond American shores. The Iranian

director of The Salesman has decided not to come to the country based on

Donald Trump's Executive Order and emigration. Many are expressing

their displeasure with the administration. We are living in a

politicised moment. I think people have things they want is a Banega

platform, they will say them. What you said the people that do not

think that it is the appropriate arena for is pressing process? I

think art is inherently political. I think the Oscars as a platform to

the art. And I think politics goes without art. So I think it is

appropriate. Here in LA, the murdered trial of O.J. Simpson more

than 20 years ago mesmerised the local population and much of the

world. Those events have inspired a film that has been nominated as a

strong contender in the best of major category. That is our focus

now. You could I do everything you have done, man. If nothing else,

this is a hugely ambitious work. It is the commendation of a 5-part TV

series runs late hours. It covers the trial of more than 20 years ago,

in which O.J. Simpson was a man tried and then acquitted of

murdering his ex-wife. The director sees his film to the story of

America through the lens of O.J. Simpson. He was a star athlete, a

plain earing commercial pitchman. He was a Hollywood star. So before he

became infamous, he was already someone who had broken barriers,

especially for black athletes. -- plain

-- pioneering. Another groundbreaking documentary is The

13th. It covers the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution. The

documentary maker says that slavery still exists. The 13th Amendment

abolishing it, but not for those who committed crimes. It has been

politically and deliberately exploited for profit. This has been

used for everyone but black people for along time. How is -- household

goods, guidance systems for weapons are being put together by inmates

and convicted people, who are not being paid for it. That is very

labour, and is slavery. Race is also as central theme in I Am Not Your

Negro. The film is based on the work of a Northern who died 30 years ago.

What your role is and what your future is in this country... His

voice is quite important today. I think it is at a time where we have

huge black clouds in front of us. His guidance and his wisdom is

really important. Fire At Sea, and attained a matter, is also in the

running. It is a cinematography profile of an island that becomes an

entry point for African refugees seeking a home in Europe. If Volkers

is not just on refugees, but also the islanders, some affected by the

influx, and others not. -- it focuses not just on. And Life,

Animated is the last document to nominated, about an autistic boy

that was able to communicate with his parents by using the lines of

the difficulty loves. The family realised they could draw when out of

his autism, and he learned not only to talk, but to connect with the

world through these classic Disney animated cells. With a host of

clinical awards already under its belt, O.J. Simpson: Made in America,

appears to be at the front runner. It still resonates with audience

today. The Academy Awards are the most sought after it is in industry.

Not only for actors. It is a priser can enhance career prospects. So

with that in mind, let's take a look at who is in the running the best

actor and actress categories this year. The best actor prize is

looking like it could go to Denzel Washington. He also directed the

film. It is based on the prize-winning play at the same name.

Fences. It is an honour and a privilege to be part of it. First as

Troy is an actor, and now to be given the responsibility if you will

of interpreting it. I think the idea was that you would relocate. The

Best Actor trophy can also go to 41 your old Casey Affleck, who is

running neck and neck with Denzel Washington, for his betrayal of a

handyman haunted by his past in Manchester by the Sea. A complete

character. You was so difficult. I really felt like I learnt a lot. The

next I might do a movie, I will take all that stuff that I learnt on to

the next movie. Ryan Gosling is in the running for playing a passionate

jazz musician who dances and Singsin La La Land. Britain's Andrew

Garfield is also up for a Best Actor opera for his role in Hacksaw Ridge.

-- Oscar. And then there is Viggo Mortensen who wants his children to

grow up off the grid in Captain Fantastic. The best actor category

is seen as almost a dead heat between Casey Affleck and descent

Washington. -- Denzel Washington. With best actress, Emma Stone seems

to be the clear favourite for playing an aspiring actress in La La

Land. There is something special about this grand, larger-than-life

musical also being something that is relatively small and heartbreaking

about love and dreamers in a relationship. It kind of

encapsulates both of those. In recent times, it has been uncommon

for the best actress prize to go to someone who isn't a non-native

English speaker, but it could go to Isabelle Huppert for a woman who

behaves in an unusual manner after being raped in the psychological

thriller, Elle. Was attractive to me was that I did not have to choose

one side of her persona rather than the other. She is so complete and

that is what makes us so worthwhile, being an actor. Natalie Portman, who

has won an actor at -- and Oscar before has been nominated one more

time for her role in Jackie. Ruth Negga has also been nominated for

her role in the film Loving. This covered the story that led to the

ban of interracial marriage being lifted. And finally, there is Meryl

Streep, for her record 20th nomination for playing tone deaf

opera singer for playing Florence Foster Jenkins in the film the same

name. If she went, it will be her fourth, matching the wings of Audrey

Hepburn. The prize is widely expected, however, to go to Emma

Stone. One often overlooked Oscars

category, at least by the inward looking American media, is that of

best foreign-language film. All five this year as strong candidates. If

cinema is, as the late critic Roger Ebert put it, energy generating

machines, foreign films often do the most heavy lifting. Of the five

films up for a foreign language film Oscar, the Australian entry takes

place in a monster location. It is a Romeo and Juliet style story and the

cast is made up of locals. The dialogue is in a distinct native

language. Sweden is represented in the Oscars sweepstakes, the story

that blossoms as a result of the relationship he forms with his newly

arrived Persian neighbour. In this Trump era it does have a certain

appeal in that it's a -- about a Conservative in and who initially

presents and does not like his middle eastern neighbours, but then

grows to find they are good people. This could be one that people choose

for political reasons as well settled -- sentimental ones. One of

the strongest Oscar contention is in the foreign film race may be the

German picture macro -- Toni Erdmann. It is a funny film that

serves as a critique of modern corporatism. Although when I make a

film I don't say, yes, I want to be critical about this or that, I don't

like to judge people or things. Another contender is Land of Mine,

which comes from Denmark and is set in the aftermath of World War Two. A

key element is the relationship between a tough Danish sergeant and

German teens. The fifth foreign language entry is

a film called The Salesman, from Iran, which observes the

relationship between a couple after the wife is attacked. The director

sees the film as both drama and social criticism. TRANSLATION: It's

a realism drama, so the audience follows the story and tries to

understand what will happen, but at the same time there is another angle

because it's a family in society, set it can talk about society as

well. He was planning to go to the Oscars but criticised the Trump's

travel ban and has decided not to attend the ceremony. This could if

humanitarian chief in EU when the left-leaning Academy descender

message to the president. As Oscar nominees, all of these films will

benefit from more public city and -- increased exposure. Their message

will be received by a larger audience than those that failed to

make the cut. In this case it really is an honour just to be nominated.

The Best Picture award is the most coveted trophy of all and this year

there are nine films in the running. It seems that La La Land is the

favourite to win, but there are several other deserving candidates.

I remember the last time I saw you. Moonlight, seen as a low-budget

wonder, one of the most praised films of recent times, has eight

nominations. It was put together on a shoestring and shot in 25 days. It

begins in a neighbourhood in Miami, the story of a young, gay, black

man. It is the journey of a boy becoming a man, finding himself in

the process. Arrival, also with eight nominations, is an alien

invasion movie with a twist. It chronicles what happens to a

linguist who learns the aliens' language. Through this encounter,

learning the language, this particular language will change her

life and I should maybe not say that on camera, was it is one of the keys

of the movie, but it is really a film about our relationship with

nature also. I've dreamt about being a doctor... With six nominations,

Hacksaw Ridge is also up for Best Picture. Lyon also has six

nominations. It is the feelgood tale of a young Australian man of Indian

heritage who uses his Google Earth to find his birth mother in India.

The boy gets very lost. This is a boy who was struggling for survival

on the streets of India. He is torn away by his family and the first

half of the film is about him using his instincts to escape danger and

predators in the city. Manchester by the Sea also has six nominations.

The story is emotionally powerful and some would say brilliant cinema.

Other Best Picture include Fences, an adaptation of a play. And Hell or

High Water which could be described as a modern Western, as two bank

robbing brothers Robert bank. One of the most liked Best Picture

nominees, with three and nominations, is Hidden Figures, the

story of three African American women who battled sexism at NASA in

the 1960s. Their mathematical tabulation is played a pivotal role

in a manned space programme. And back to our Best Picture

frontrunner, La La Land, for each filmmaker who is very likely to win

for best director. It is a personal story. In a young artist trying to

make it today and trying to deal with how do you balance streams with

reality? That was the story I wanted to tell the story that I felt was

rooted for a musical and I just hope it will connect with other people.

You've never seen it! I've never seen it. Odd makers predict it will

take the Best Picture trophy. If not, the prize will go to Moonlight

or Manchester by the Sea, but it seems it will be a big night for La

La Land. SINGS: Here's to the fuss we made... Now, let's look into the

Talking Movies crystal ball and come up with the guesses for who will win

the best prizes. It seems the prize for best supporting actor will go to

Mahershala Ali for playing a tenderhearted drug dealer in

Moonlight. He is kind, gentle, why is. Loving. He is also someone who

comes from really challenging circumstances and so in some anyway

is he reflects a lot of people that I knew growing up and it's why I am

attracted to it, why I was so attracted to playing the part.

Moving onto Best Supporting Actress, nominees Michelle Williams, Octavia

Spencer, Nicole Kidman and Naomie Harris or give excellent

performances. But it is expected the sky will most definitely go to buy

all Davies, who portrays the matriarch in Fences, opposite Denzel

Washington in some powerful things. I think the script was perfect and I

think he broke a role that is absolutely completely in her

narrative. Her journey is complete, her journey can't be any more

specific, so all I did was I was courageous enough to just dive into

her life. In a major best actor, best actress prizes, expect both to

go to Denzel Washington and Emma Stone. Best director, that of La La

Land, will take that one. The best film could be a salesman or Toni

Erdmann. Best adapted screenplay will be awarded to Moonlight and

Manchester by the Sea will and up with best original screenplay. Best

documentary feature will go to OJ Simpson: Made in America. And

finally we think Best Picture will go to La La Land, the film as a

whole getting ten statuettes. That brings our special Oscars preview

edition of talking movies statuettes. A close. We hope you've

enjoyed the show. Remember you can always reach us online. And you can

find us on Facebook as well. From me and the rest of the talking movies

macro production crew, goodbye. But remember you can catch me reporting

live from the red carpet on Oscars night.