Awards Season 2024 Recap, Vol. 1
Wicked witches, super men, real estate moguls, and more
Awards season is here, and as usual, many films are rising to the top and warranting attention. While awards and nominations don’t always equate to quality or timelessness, they can serve as a useful barometer for discovering underrated or underseen films, or for reaffirming the cultural impact of more mainstream productions.
It’s time to catch up…
Wicked
Notable Honors: Golden Globe Awards, National Board of Review, American Film Institute Awards
Rating: PG
Where to Watch: Theaters
My Reaction: Wicked is the movie America needs right now because it does what cinema does best: entertain—and it delivers in spades.
We follow the archetypal odd duck, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo, electrifying in her performance), a young woman who faces rejection due to her green skin and unpredictable magical abilities as she attends Shiz University in the Land of Oz. Tensions rise when she clashes with popular girl, Glinda (Ariana Grande, making an impressive big-screen debut).
While there are a few missteps—such as the climactic musical number losing momentum each time it pauses for dialogue, and my growing intolerance for CGI-heavy action sequences—Wicked still dazzles with breathtaking musical numbers, lavish sets, and unforgettable performances from its lead actresses. This is a worthy adaptation of the immensely popular Broadway musical.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Notable Honors: National Board of Review, Producers Guild of America Awards, Critics Choice Documentary Awards
Rating: PG-13
Where to Watch: Max
My Reaction: Super/Man chronicles the life of Christopher Reeve, the actor who immortalized Superman, only to see his world shattered by a life-changing accident.
The documentary deftly explores Reeve’s personal life through the eyes of his surviving children, revealing a loving and adventurous father behind the glitz and fame. His accident, occurring before many key ADA protections, transformed him into a passionate advocate for people with disabilities.
At its core, the film is a poignant human story that draws you in. However, it often gets bogged down by interviews with famous figures who only tangentially connect to Reeve, adding little emotional value. I may be judging Super/Man against Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)—the gold standard for documentaries about celebrities coping with illness—and that might be a bit unfair.
The Apprentice
Notable Honors: Cannes Film Festival, Golden Globe Awards, Independent Spirit Awards
Rating: R
Where to Watch: Rent
My Reaction: Portraying a highly polarizing historical figure, especially one still alive, is a daunting task. It’s easy to fall into clichés or appear overly judgmental or sympathetic.
Director Ali Abbasi, however, strikes a remarkable balance, letting the actions of his deeply flawed but undeniably human subjects speak for themselves. The film reimagines what it sees as Donald Trump’s (Sebastian Stan, in a transformative performance) most formative experience: his complex friendship with notorious NYC fixer Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong, a venomous snake wearing human skin).
Shot in a documentary style, the film feels like a series of grainy TV memories. Trump and Cohn emerge as the bizarro versions of Socrates and Plato—two unscrupulous men relentlessly pursuing power and infamy.
Ghostlight
Notable Honors: National Board of Review, Independent Spirit Awards
Rating: R
Where to Watch: Rent
My Reaction: On its surface, Ghostlight feels like a love letter to theater and its restorative powers—and indeed, there’s plenty of that. But if we listen closely, we uncover a deeper exploration of guilt, compassion, and loneliness.
Construction worker Dan (Keith Kupferer, a revelation) joins a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, and the drama onstage gradually begins to intersect with and shape his personal life. There’s more to the story, but I’ll leave that for you to experience.
Ghostlight is the kind of film that rewards patience. It doesn’t rely on major twists or melodramatic fireworks. Instead, it’s about real people navigating profound, genuine pain and uncertainty, making its quiet emotional depth all the more impactful.
I want to see the Christopher Reeves documentary. Adding this to the list. Thx Joe! Loved Wicked too. The Apprentice- crazy back story. I wrote recaps about the show’s first season back in the day and cowrote a book about it. I also met one the show’s contestants.