by Joe Cradle
Nomadland, which is yet to be released in Australian cinemas (premiering on Boxing Day), stars Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside, Fargo, Moonrise Kingdom) playing Fern, a woman in her sixties who adopts a nomadic lifestyle travelling through the American West in a van after losing her husband, and her livelihood, during the rescission.
Written and directed by Chloé Zhao (My Brothers Taught Me, The Rider), the film has already received critical acclaim for its beautiful cinematography, dreamlike sequences and the way it captures the story of a character we are not used to seeing in the spotlight of a mainstream theatre.
The film won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Australian betting websites have priced Nomadland’s chance of winning Best Picture at next year’s Academy Awards between $3.00 (Unibet) and $3.60 (Sportsbet).
Mank, which hit Australian screens on December 4th, features Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Dark Knight), Amanda Seyfried (Les Misérables, Mean Girls) and Lily Collins (The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones).
The film is a biographical Drama about 1930’s alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) and follows his conflict with Orson Welles (Tom Burke) as he writes Citizen Kane.
Originally written by Jack Fincher, and later adapted and directed by his son David Fincher (Seven, The Social Network), the film began streaming on Netflix on December 4.
Aussie bookies have priced the chances of Mank taking Best Picture between $5.50 (Unibet) and $6.00 (Sportsbet).
The Trial of the Chicago 7, a legal drama following the 1969 trial of seven American protestors, is also given a good chance with its odds going as low as $7.00 and as high as $9.50.
Da 5 Bloods, Spike Lee’s latest drama, is paying between $11.00 and $15.00 depending on the bookie you choose.
News of the World ($11.00), One Night in Miami ($11.00) and even Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom ($15.00) are all sitting in the top ten and could win the award with a surprise upset.
A few months back, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet and un-released sci-fi remake Dune got attention but their prices have since fallen to $21.00 and $19.00 respectively.
As for the other big awards up for grabs, Best Director is most likely to be won by Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) paying $4.00, David Fincher (Mank) paying $4.33, or Regina King (One Night In Miami) paying $6.00.
Best Actor is tipped to go to the late Chadwick Boseman (Da 5 Bloods, Black Panther) with bookies paying $3.00. Other favourites include Anthony Hopkins (The Father) at $4.50, George Clooney (The Midnight Sky) at $8.50, and Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) at $9.00.
Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) is the odds-on favourite to win the Best Actress award paying $3.50 while Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) is at $6.00, Frances McDormand (Nomadland) at $6.00, and Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) at $8.00 are also given a chance.
