St. Hubbins blithely insists he won\u2019t miss Nigel any more than insignificant band members who played briefly in the group. DiBergi is stunned. He loves Spinal Tap and fears for its future. Reiner plays the moment with such sincere heartbreak,<\/a> partly in character, but mostly I think because that\u2019s who he was. Reiner couldn\u2019t help it. He felt things deeply and spent much of his life working to make things better for those on society\u2019s margins. He will be missed in so many ways. <\/p>\n I\u2019m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. How to describe this week? None more black<\/a> will do. But Christmas is coming, and that Vince Guaraldi song<\/a> never fails to make me smile. Let\u2019s look at some good news for those who made the Oscar shortlists this week. <\/p>\n Sign up for The Envelope <\/p>\n Get exclusive awards season news, in-depth interviews and columnist Glenn Whipp\u2019s must-read analysis straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service<\/a> and our Privacy Policy<\/a>. <\/p>\n Voters, consider these<\/p>\n The film academy announced shortlists for 12 categories at the 98th Oscars, whittling down the list of contenders and offering a few indications about what films are scoring early points with voters. <\/p>\n Ryan Coogler\u2019s critically acclaimed, genre-defying blockbuster \u201cSinners\u201d<\/a> picked up eight mentions, as did \u201cWicked: For Good.\u201d<\/a> Both movies placed two songs on the original song shortlist and both were cited in the newly created casting category. <\/p>\n Guillermo del Toro\u2019s \u201cFrankenstein\u201d<\/a> followed with six mentions, and \u201cOne Battle After Another,\u201d<\/a> \u201cF1\u201d<\/a> and \u201cSir\u00e2t\u201d each scored five. <\/p>\n The bounty for \u201cSir\u00e2t,\u201d<\/a> the Oliver Laxe thriller that is unquestionably one of the most memorable movies of the year, offered an indication that the word of mouth on this movie is strong enough to land it a spot among the nominees for international feature. <\/p>\n Can it do better than that? It should. Here are five suggestions for voters, including \u201cSir\u00e2t,\u201d as the lists are narrowed ahead of Oscar nominations on Jan. 22. <\/p>\n Cinematography: \u2018Sir\u00e2t\u2019 \u201cSir\u00e2t\u201d contains so many surprising twists and turns that when asked to describe the plot, I simply tell people that it\u2019s about a father who shows up at a rave in southern Morocco with his young son looking for his missing daughter. The long desert journey they end up taking is astonishing, and cinematographer Mauro Herce, shooting on 16mm film, captures every treacherous mile in dramatic detail.<\/p>\n Original score: \u2018Marty Supreme\u2019 Voting with the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., I cast my ballot for Kangding Ray\u2019s hypnotic score for (you guessed it) \u201cSir\u00e2t.\u201d But that was just one of many soundtracks that found its way into my life this year. Hans Zimmer\u2019s synth-heavy \u201cF1\u201d score makes for propulsive listening while pedaling on an exercise bike and ranks among the celebrated composer\u2019s best work. And I share Times film editor Josh Rothkopf\u2019s enthusiasm<\/a> for Daniel Lopatin\u2019s throwback electronic beats in \u201cMarty Supreme,\u201d a delight for anyone who grew up listening to the ethereal soundscapes created by Tangerine Dream.<\/p>\n Casting: \u2018Weapons\u2019 I\u2019m highlighting Zach Cregger\u2019s horror-mystery \u201cWeapons\u201d here partially because of its inexplicable absence in the makeup and hairstyling category. I guess voters knew it was Amy Madigan in that bright red wig<\/a> all along. That omission aside, \u201cWeapons\u201d is a prime example of what a great casting director can do, making use of familiar faces (Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Madigan) in unexpected ways, finding the right child actor (Cary Christopher) to deliver big emotional moments and elevating emerging talent (Austin Abrams) to unexpected heights. Allison Jones, one of the greats, belongs among the casting category\u2019s inaugural set of nominees. <\/p>\n Original song: \u2018I Lied to You\u2019 I mean, you saw that scene in \u201cSinners,\u201d<\/a> right?<\/p>\n Documentary: \u2018My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 \u2014 Last Air in Moscow\u2019 <\/p>\n
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