Alas! 'Poor Things' lost Best Picture against 'Oppenheimer'
In the 2024 Oscar Ballot section on IMDb, 14% of users had chosen "Poor Things" to win Best Picture, ranking second. In comparison, ranked first was "Oppenheimer", with more than double the percentage of users’ votes at 36%. Ben Zauzmer, the author of "Oscarmetrics: The Math Behind the Biggest Night in Hollywood", predicted on The Hollywood Reporter that "Oppenheimer" had a 78% chance to claim Best Picture, while "Poor Things" only had 4.6%.
The statistics and math were right. "Oppenheimer" did win Best Picture in the end. It appears that the result was in popular favor, as many of my friends posted online to cheer for Christopher Nolan. While I do think "Oppenheimer" deserves the award, it doesn't necessarily mean that "Poor Things" doesn't. In my earlier review, I examined the former’s merits. However, when it comes to innovativeness, "Poor Things" is not outdone by "Oppenheimer". It excelled in every aspect—it received a total of 11 nominations and this is relatively comparable to the latter, which received the most number of nominations at 13.
"Poor Things" unfolds in an imaginary world, where everything, from attire to transport and city décor, doesn't link to contemporary society. The movie features a myriad of unique characters. They may harbor fondness or disdain for one another, yet they all orbit around the central themes of interaction and rivalry during their quest for freedom and equality, both mentally and physically. These are universal pursuits we share and things we chase endlessly.
What makes "Poor Things" innovative in its storytelling is its protagonist, who defies any conventional social categorization. Emma Stone's character, Bella, is a "synthetic human", conceived by a deranged scientist who transplants an infant's brain to its mother's body. While Bella possesses a female physique, her gender remains ambiguous. After all, she's yet to be born. To some extent, we may refer to Bella her a "creation of science", but she is definitely not an object. Moreover, as she escapes London and then tours the world, she develops her very own independent consciousness and ability to think.
This character is a baby in an adult body, possessing the physical capabilities and physiological responses of an adult woman. However, she lacks the psychological maturity of an adult. This "synthetic human" is not only unique but also poses ethical and moral dilemmas. Therefore, the screenwriters were required to think creatively about Bella’s transformation after designing her, while the director and cinematographer worked hard to maintain our engagement. In this complex film narrative, even a momentary lapse of attention can make the story seem nonsensical. Being a fan of sci-fi movies, I find the story easy to follow. Yet, I can see why the film has divided opinion.
Anyway, congrats to "Oppenheimer". The fight for Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars was a close game. Although "Poor Things" didn't bring home the award in the end, I do believe it will be remembered by history and continue to inspire new generations of filmmakers.
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