Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Andrew Sanford | Film | December 6, 2023
It usually takes me a while to decide my Oscar picks. I developed grand plans to see everything that was getting buzz and make an educated decision about who should take home the gold (in my opinion). As the season goes on, I quickly realize I do not have the time to see all the films. Instead, I lean into the idea that the movies I have seen are the ones that will take home the trophies. This year, I feel slightly more confident about that!
One of the Oscar-contending films I have seen this year is Killers Of The Flower Moon. I enjoyed that motion picture (torturous as its subject matter may be). It is expansive, unrelenting, and carried by some beautiful cinematography and incredible performances. Yes, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro are fantastic. It is the performance of Lily Gladstone that steals the show.
Gladstone gives a grounded and haunted performance. She not only holds her own in scenes with the two Scorsese vets, but she runs circles around them in more than one scene. Everyone is splendid, but Gladstone stands out. Admittedly, I had no idea who she was before I heard of the film. The buzz surrounding her performance was immediate (and well-deserved). I may not have been aware of the actresses’ talents, but it was no secret. Especially not where she grew up.
Gladstone appeared on Jimmy Kimmel: Live to promote the film’s digital release. It’s important to note that she could not do such things during the film’s original release due to the SAG/AFTRA strike. Instead, she spent the release day protesting because she was fantastic. This time around, she got to soak in the love. Talk quickly turned to her Oscar buzz, and it was revealed that Gladstone already received enough votes for an Oscar in 2004. Her classmates voted her most likely to win an Oscar (though her male co-winner got to hold the fake trophy).
Lily Gladstone was humble and kind during the interview. I can’t wait to witness her Oscar press tour. Not only is she deserving, but she’s also sweet and relatable. At one point, she remarks that Return Of The Jedi inspired her to be an actor. It wasn’t the Rebels or the Empire that stole her imagination. It was the Ewoks. More revelations like that await us on Gladstone’s journey toward an Academy Award, and I await them happily.
