Oscar Alert: Will Sam Mendes win Best Director for 1917?

“Anyone who appreciates cinema should see this movie, any casual movie lovers should also see this movie, as a matter of fact everyone should see this movie.”
-NerdyPopcorn

Sam Mendes is at the top of the list for the Oscar for best director, if he wins it’ll best his second, he won at the 72nd Academy Awards for his first major motion picture, American Beauty. Since then he has Directed numerous big budget movies, none of the were met with the same critical acclaim, however, 1917 has. 21 years after his first win Mendes, who still shoot movies on film instead of digital, is taking us on the journey of a pair of British servicemen tasked with delivering a message in the middle of battle.

The cinematography is beautiful, the flow of the camera as it follows the character is flawless , even if you don’t like war movies you’ll be mesmerized by the camera work. The movie has a beautiful amount of tension, which is a result of the music, done by Thomas Newman, whose resume also includes American Beauty. What I absolutely love about this movie is that you could never guess what happens next, Mendes does a fantastic job capturing the uncertainty of war, which gives you a sense of dread as you watch the story unfold.

The two lead actors are virtually unknown, but Mendes accounts for this by surrounding them with Hollywood royalty, within the first 15 minutes you’ll see appearances by Colin Firth and Andrea Scott, brief but strong performances by both. 1917 is a perfect example of what can be achieved when you have some of the best in the world behind the scenes, the acting was fabulous, but what makes this story special is the collaboration between director/writer, cinematography, music, and photography.

This movie will win both Best Picture and Best Director. Entertainment value is through the roof, minimal slow and drawn out parts, and never a dull moment. Anyone who appreciates cinema should see this movie, any casual movie lovers should also see this movie, as a matter of fact everyone should see this movie.