2018 Oscars Challenge: [21] “Phantom Thread” – 6 Nominations

“PHANTOM THREAD”
JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison and Daniel Lupi

Director & Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
Producers: JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Megan Ellison and Daniel Lupi
Cinematography: Paul Thomas Anderson
Editor: Dylan Tichenor
Composer: Jonny Greenwood
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: December 25, 2017
Run-time: 130 minutes

FILM SYNOPSIS: In 1950s London, middle-aged couturier Reynolds Woodcock is at the height of his fame and creative powers. His sister Cyril helps to manage his precisely ordered world, but when he falls for a younger, high-spirited waitress, Reynolds finds that his new muse has transformed his life in more ways than he thought possible.

Set in the world of fashion, “Phantom Thread” is unlike anything director Paul Thomas Anderson has done before. But that can probably be said for every film he takes on. Look at his filmography and you see such a diverse set of films. From a film about the life of porn stars in “Boogie Nights” to a film about an awkward man played by Adam Sandler in “Punch-Drunk Love,” to an oil boom period piece titled “There Will Be Blood” to a psychedelic mystery in “Inherent Vice” to a film set as an allegory for Scientology in “The Master.” All of these films are so different from one another and “Phantom Thread” takes that same step away from anything he’s done before. However, not having gotten the Director Guild nomination, Anderson has little chance of actually winning for Best Directing. But it’s always seemed like the Academy loves him and for that, here is, nominated once again.

On the Best Picture front, I would say “Phantom Thread” was lucky to get nominated. Not that it was a bad film, because it wasn’t, but it just did not scream Academy Award for Best Picture. “There Will Be Blood” was probably Paul Thomas Anderson’s closest bet thus far and that erred on the side of masterpiece. That film also starred Daniel Day Lewis, who won an Academy Award for his role in that film and is nominated here again. The special thing about this pairing is this is supposedly Lewis’ final performance before retirement. If there were any chance he could pull off his fourth victory, this would be it, seeing as the Academy will never have another chance to award him. However, the man already has three Academy Awards and I think the Academy has done their due diligence in honoring the man throughout his career, which cannot be said for most of the actors working today. Most have to wait until one of their later, big roles to finally grab the elusive Oscar gold. But Lewis has had no problem there and I still think this will be Oldman versus Chalamet, both of whom have never won the gold.

Lesley Manville is nominated for her supporting role as Daniel Day Lewis’ sister, whom helps him run his fashion empire. Manville plays the role wonderfully, even stealing some of the scenes. But Manville has absolutely zero heat coming into the Oscars. Allison Janney and Laurie Metcalf have all of that, and at this point, Janney is well on her way to taking the win. That leaves Manville out. But if you count “Phantom Thread” out in Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role, will it win anything? My thoughts are that it is actually a pretty strong contender in both Best Costume Design and Best Original Score. If I were to pick one that it could almost definitely win, it’s Best Costume Design. The film is about a fashion designer. So it would only be natural that a film with so many strikingly gorgeous dresses would find its way to an Oscar win. “Darkest Hour,” “The Shape Of Water,” and “Victoria and Abdul” are mostly period dress films, where they simply must match the period in which they live. “Phantom Thread” does this as well, but does so also in volume. It also goes above and beyond by delivering beautiful dress after beautiful dress. In Best Original Score, its biggest competition is “The Shape Of Water,” which won the Golden Globe award. The scores from “Dunkirk” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” are probably nowhere near as elevating as these two scores are and for that I believe one of them will take the win.

PREVIOUS NOMINATIONS

PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON
Director

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS
“Reynolds Woodcock”

CHARACTER SYNOPSIS: As Reynolds Woodcock, Daniel Day-Lewis plays a couturier who unexpectedly finds love with a waitress who challenges his obsessive insistence on order and perfection.

LESLEY MANVILLE
“Cyril Woodcock”

CHARACTER SYNOPSIS: As Cyril, Lesley Manville portrays a woman striving to keep her fixated brother’s personal life running as smoothly as she does his dressmaking business.

MARK BRIDGES
Costume Designer

JONNY  GREENWOOD
Composer