The “Roma” team, clutching another award, via satellite.

Yesterday, the Brits held their Oscars, the BAFTAs, and it was the usual suspects this awards season: Roma and Rami. “The Favourite” was also a favorite, being a British monarchy tale seasoned with some Greek astringency, but it didn't win Outstanding Film; it won the lesser Outstanding British Film, which still seems the saddest of categories to me. Does any other country's film awards have a special category for their own country? Do the Golden Horse Awards, for example, have “Best Taiwanese Film”? No. Just the Brits do it. A consequence of their “special relationship” with Hollywood, I suppose.

Anyway, here they are: 

• Outstanding Film – Roma
• Outstanding Director – Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
• Outstanding Leading Actress – Olivia Coleman, The Favourite
• Outstanding Leading Actor – Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
• Outstanding Supporting Actress – Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
• Outstanding Supporting Actor – Mahershala Ali, Green Book
• Outstanding Adapted Screenplay – BlacKkKlansman
• Outstanding Original Screenplay – The Favourite
• Outstanding British Film – The Favourite
• Outstanding Film Not in the English Language – Roma
• Outstanding Documentary – Free Solo
• Outstanding Cinematography – Roma
• Outstanding Special Visual Effects – Black Panther
• Outstanding Costume Design – The Favourite
• Outstanding Production Design – The Favourite
• Outstanding Editing – Vice
• Outstanding Animated Film – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

Thoughts: Editing for “Vice”? Good god. Also “BlackkKlansman” for adapated screenplay? They adapted poorly—going for the ‘fros of ’72 rather than the right-wing resurgence of ‘79. That’s where the story takes place and where the true story is. 

Nice win for “Free Solo”; my friend Erika is happy. 

Malek seems a shoo-in now. Glad Coleman won here and hope Glenn Close wins in Hollywood—just to end it already. Close should‘ve won supporting for “Garp” back in ’82 (over Jessica Lange, whom I loved in “Tootsie”), and then we wouldn't be in this situation. You could also say for “Albert Nobbs” in 2011 over Meryl's “Iron Lady” but that was the year Viola Davis got robbed. The first year she got robbed.

Does the “Roma” win here mean anything for the Academy? Who knows? BAFTA and Oscar's best films didn't agree at all from 2004 to 2007; then they agreed every year from 2008 to 2013; then they haven't agreed since. Nor should they. But I wouldn't be surprised if this is the year they do. There's no real option, other than “The Favourite,” which couldn't even win with the Brits. Every other nominee is problematic. A superhero movie? A shitty music biopic? An otherwise good true-life period road film in which the white guy teaches the black guy everything—including about black culture—and was written by the white guy's son?

We'll find out Feb. 24.