Reviewing the Oscars Slate Reviewing the Oscars Slate

not be confronting, but certainly acknowledging, some mommy issues.

Sammy Fabelman is depicted as a young prodigy, finding inventive new ways to stage shots and direct actors, even as a small child. His films get standing ovations and his ability to capture people on camera and manipulate the way they are portrayed through editing is addressed head on. You can call it self-serving or egotistical, but history has proven that Spielberg is right! He invented the blockbuster with Jaws. He won Oscars for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. He wowed audiences with a childlike sense of wonder in E.T. and Jurassic Park. Now he is shooting his own life with that very same childlike sense of wonder, and its among his very best work.

This movie has already won at the Golden Globes and been among the critics and industry darlings this season. It made an impressive showing at the Oscars with nominations for Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay, Production Design and more.

Gina Prince-Blythewood is a talented artist who shines at directing romantic, character-based dramas and she de- serves so many more opportunities than she has been given. The Woman King combines the personal, emotional touches of Prince-Bythewood’s previous work with the action packed intensity of The Old Guard, though the violence is less stylized.

The film tells the true story of the Agojie, the West African all-female clan of warriors who protected the Dahomey Kingdom from the 17th century until the late 19th century. Set in the 1820’s, we follow General Nanisca, played by a commanding Viola Davis. She leads the Agojie on a mission to liberate Dahomean women from slavery under the Oyo Empire, which then leads to an all-out war.

Lashana Lynch stands out with a complex and devastating performance as Izogie, a fellow Agojie warrior who carries burdens from her past that alter the dynamic of the clan. There is also a welcome turn from John Boyega as King Ghezo, whose strong and tender presence balances out the propulsive, action-driven battle sequences.

The Woman King takes its rightful place on the mantle with other epic, sword and sandal films of its kind -- think Braveheart and Gladiator. It puts people of color at the center, in a story that wouldn’t have been told at this scale even 10 years ago. The film has done solid box office in the U.S., contrasting with typical original films for grow-ups that resort to streaming for its audience.

It became a huge story when the movie was completely snubbed at the Oscars, with many deriding the Academy’s continued disrespect for Black creatives. Here’s to hoping we see more diverse, large-inscope stories like this, not just on screens but also on the biggest awards stage of the industry in the future.

MMartin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin is one of the finest films of 2022. Set in 1923 during the Irish Civil War, it tells the brutal story of two friends breaking up on the fictional Isle of Inisherin. It turns out, Colm, the wannabe musician played by Brendan Gleeson, doesn’t want to be friends anymore with Pádraic, played with a heart-on-his-sleeves sincerity by Colin Farrell.

From there, tensions escalate and surprising acts of violence exacerbate this break up into a rivalry. Pádraic seeks mediation from his sister, Siobhán, played by an arresting Kerry Condon, and puts up with the annoying efforts of a strange young man, Dominic, played by the great Barry Keoghan.

Banshees goes to eerie and unexpected places, keeping you in its grip the entire runtime. The beautiful Irish Isle with its blue skies, green meadows, and adorable farm animals provide a soulful contrast to the political backdrop of the real Civil War, both infusing the forefront friends-to-enemies dynamic with metaphorical meaning.

The film is bitingly funny, odd and sad. It taps into the very real, journey of humans developing beyond old friendships and commitments. It reveals the real-life chasms self-maturity and enhancement leave behind in such self-actualizing journeys. The screenplay is near perfect, and there’s a sense of trust with every word effortlessly coming out of the actor’s mouth that it is going to take you somewhere worth your time.

The movie has been the talk of the industry since its release. All it’s four main actors nabbed Oscar nominations. The film will also vie in Picture, Director, Screenplay, Editing and Score at the Oscars.

A genuine word-of-mouth hit, Everything Everywhere All At

Once stayed in theaters for months, steadily climbing to a worldwide box office of over 100 million dollars. Daniel Kwan and and Daniel Scheinert have directed a heartfelt, comedic epic about a Chinese-American family being audited by the IRS who tap into parallel universes to save the multiverse.

The legendary Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn, who is so all-consumed by her work and the audit, she is blind to the disintegrating family around her. When a parallel-universe version of her husband warns her of the threat from the evil of Tupaki, the film pivots into a fast-paced thrill ride that will have you laughing at the absurd humor and crying at the emotional payoffs.

Daniels began their career directing music videos, followed by the inventive Swiss Army Man. With EEAAO, they found a large new audience with this blender of a film that draws from The Matrix, Looney Tunes, Wong Karwai, and countless other inspirations to create a new generation’s favorite movie. It may be too exhaustive for some, but if you’re open to having your heart (and attention span) pulled to other universes, the results will be rewarding.

EEAAO is the Oscars front-runner to beat this March with 11 nominations across the board for it’s acting, directing, and editing, screenplay and a slew of techs. Even before, critics almost unanimously lauding it as their Best Picture winner. Reviewers have marveled at how intimately the movie blends immigrant drama and domestic hurt and affection with a kaleidoscope of today’s popular genre tropes.

“Barnyard in Winter,”

At Marianapolis Preparatory School, our mission is to educate students in the Catholic tradition of academic excellence with a commitment to an active faith in God and a dedication to building character with content, compassion, and integrity.

The school, founded in 1926, has been a long-time fixture of New England independent school education. Yet, the current global health crisis is a timely test for whether an institution’s mission can meet the needs of students in an unprecedented historical moment.

So what are we doing to meet those needs?

Our academic excellence is all about innovation. The school had a ten-year history of virtual education before students ever needed to pivot online. Our combination of infrastructure and experience was invaluable to sustain scholastic rigor, regardless of location. The current need is flexibility; in-person learning is prioritized and preferred, but online work may be necessary for some to ensure health and safety on campus. Marianapolis classrooms are outfitted with Clear Touch Boards that allows instructors to teach directly to students in the room, as well as to any classmates who may need to log in from home for the day. Similarly, our online platform allows students to view and submit assignments, preview when assessments will occur, and stay connected with our faculty outside of classroom hours.

Marianapolis Preparatory School

Grades 9-12, PG

Dedication to building character with content, compassion, and integrity remains central to our operations and community life. Character growth occurs as a result of open discourse, with supportive adults helping to contextualize priorities and outcomes for each student. The extracurricular program has also remained active, with interscholastic sports competing throughout the year. The social/emotional benefits of physical engagement are endless. The focus for our extracurricular educators is growth, resilience, and teamwork, as this extension of the traditional classroom fosters countless learning opportunities. In each context, we stay hands-on in our approach to student development.

Finally, our commitment to an active faith in God is central to helping students understand the scope of – and approach to overcoming - challenges. While not all of our students are Catholic, our community approach is wholly values-based. Our students are taught to defend the lives and dignity of all people, seek common humanity, and advocate for both individual rights and the common good. The School holds the philosophy that there is no greater responsibility than to recognize our role in caring for ourselves, our community, and our world.

It is through this principled approach and innovative pedagogy that we are helping students at Marianapolis tackle the obstacles of the twenty-first century. As we approach our centennial anniversary as a school, we sincerely hope your student will consider joining us.

Kevin Dooley

A selection from “Midjourney: 25 variations of an industrial warehouse.” Flickr; CC-BY 2.0