Oscars Best Picture race: The Power of the Dog is a masterpiece, but CODA stole my heart

The 94th Academy Awards race for Best Picture is coming down to two compelling films (both from streaming apps!), The Power of the Dog is seemingly the frontrunner with a whopping 12 nominees, and CODA, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults, is the feel-good narrative in the bunch. With just three nominees—including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur, in addition to Best Picture—here’s why I think CODA will sweep all of its categories, including the movie of the year.

Don’t get me wrong, Jane Campion’s Power of the Dog is a cinematic masterpiece. It is stunning in scope, rich in complex character, full of plausible surprises, and meticulously directed. As a huge fan of The Piano, one of the best films ever made, Campion has turned out another piece de resistance in Dog. Her use of atmospheric music alone throughout the film is complete genius. I was blown away by the breadth of cinematic landscape and multi-faceted tone that enveloped the Western. Although, in reality, the film isn’t a classic Western at all, a gothic, breathtaking allegory on character.

Nominees Benedict Cumberbatch, but especially Kirsten Dunst (she’s incredible) and Jessie Plemons (remember him as the Captain Kirk-type character in that Black Mirror episode about the USS Callister? He was hilarious there) all put in excellent work here. However, they’re all up against other powerhouse performances and I won’t be surprised if they come up empty-handed despite their stellar work. But Power of the Dog should clean up in the Cinematography, Editing, and Music categories, who all contributed to turning out a masterclass in gorgeous narrative development.

But the brilliant director who threaded it all together was Jane Campion, who will also walk away with the statue, surprisingly for the first time. It’s also a consolation for losing out to Stephen Spielberg in 1994. Granted The Piano was incredible, but she was nominated in one of the stiffest competitive years in Oscar history, up against the great Robert Altman (Short Cuts), Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father), and James Ivory (The Remains of the Day)– there just wasn’t a weak one in the bunch. Even with those who’s-who names and movies, Spielberg’s win for Schindler’s List probably was the de factor winner anyway, but I would have been perfectly happy to see Remains of the Day (my favorite Merchant Ivory film of all time) or Campion, and many felt she was robbed (myself included).

Campion’s (probable) win on Sunday has been almost 30 years in the making and long, long overdue.

But I fully expect CODA to take home prizes for Best Adapted Screenplay, considering that the film is a remake (which I don’t think most people know) of a 2014 French film, La Famille Bélier, re-imagined in a sleepy Massachusetts fishing town instead. I believe CODA will steal Dog’s thunder in this category.

An even stronger category is Best Supporting Actor for Troy Kotsur, who is destined to break more barriers for deaf actors and about to become the second deaf performer to win an Oscar for acting (the first, of course, was his CODA co-star, Mary Matlin). Considering that Kotsur has won multiple awards for the role already and he’s considered a shoo-in for his poignant, profoundly moving performance, I would be shocked if anyone else wins here.

Even though the competition for Best Picture lacks a huge, groundbreaking tour-de-force like Parasite—that kind of film comes once a decade if not longer—CODA’s entry as one of the top contenders has taken several by surprise. Belfast was an early frontrunner but is frankly overrated in this category. And entries such as Don’t Look Up are just baffling. As much as I would love to see the team behind The Power of the Dog walk away with the statue, CODA is the film that tugged at my heartstrings and felt the most emotionally honest. Strong word of mouth has continued to boost its Oscars odds.

I was first acquainted with CODA while covering the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and it’s the movie among all the 2022 nominations that made me cry (actually, bawl). The moment of silence, told from the deaf family members’ perspective, during Ruby’s (Emilia Jones) musical concert, and the profound effect of his daughter’s ambitions on the father (Kotsur) had so much emotional resonance for me. Even more so, is the scene that follows, when he feels her singing (see clip below).

CODA is a dark horse pick for the Oscars,and I’ll totally accept if The Power of the Dog wins. But I know I will cheer the loudest if CODA takes home the Academy Award for Best Picture. The 94th Oscars takes place tonight, Sunday, airing on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.