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Completed Category: Makeup & Hairstyling
I recently was on TV and on that occasion I got to have actual Los Angeles studio professionals touch my hair and makeup, for two seconds. I believe this is the first Awards Season in which I've had this recent, fresh perspective. This, of course, is of no actual consequence whatsoever to anything. On to the nominees!
All Quiet on the Western Front * The Batman * Black Panther: Wakanda Forever * Elvis * The Whale
The other day I got around to watching Im Westen Nichts Neues which is German for not much is happening on the western front, and by the way I loved it, and since it got a whole lot of Oscar noms, this viewing let me chip away at eight more categories AND complete another one: Makeup and Hairstyling.
I will say this. There is a pivotal moment in Im Westen Nichts Neues (aka AQotWF) where the makeup of caked up mud etc. on our protagonist's trench-war-weary face is really, really close up for a good long scene and it is haunt-your-nightmares memorable. That one scene, along with all the various blood and guts, could bring a Makeup win here. I think it would be well deserved.
It's interesting that this category is mostly thought of as Makeup, when Hairstyling is clearly also right there in the name. I think that IWNN/AQotWF, The Batman, and The Whale had far less going on hair-wise than makeup-wise, whereas BP:WF and Elvis had notable hair.
As I've mentioned, BP:Wakanda Forever was OK but loooong and boring, and I'm not sure that I would pick this category for it to win. It might get overlooked because it just did its Makeup/Hairstyling job well and that's that. The Batman, a much worse movie (in fact, in the bottom two of all nominees I've seen so far), had at least one superb makeup job (everyone's raving about the Penguin) but that movie was mostly about being dark and moody and brooding and dark (and terrible) and I don't predict a win here for it.
What about The Whale? This is an interesting question of how a full-body prosthetic is "makeup." It is, of course - but just interesting to think about. For example, how much daily work was it, how many touch-ups, versus building how many prosthetic bits in the first place? Also, the whole fat suit and the movie got some backlash because they are said to be one big fat-shaming mess, so I suspect that might lead some people to not vote for it. But, it's a secret ballot, so who knows?
Elvis, on the other hand, is definitely going to get some proud votes including for the nominated Actor performance, and sometimes when the Makeup & Hairstyling is a big part of the actor's "transformation," people like to applaud both and talk incessantly about them throughout the Awards Season. Elvis could definitely take home this prize without much other thought being given to anything else.
I, however,would probably vote for Austin Butler's actual acting performance. HE was great. It wasn't the makeup and hair. That said, this movie DID have a constant stream of shows and glitz and performances and aging and many people to make up and style over many decades, and I won't be mad if it wins this category.
If I were an Academy voter, I'd check the Makeup & Hairstyling box for All Quiet Im Westen, because I can still see that soldier's face now, vividly. Not to mention various other bullet wounds, blood, guts, and human tragedy that we somehow will never, ever learn not to perpetuate.
