Malcolm X is struggling with Elijah Muhammed and his top brass at the Nation of Islam, checking the lamps at the Hampton House for bugs, and criticizing pop star Cooke for catering to white folks. (They go toe-to-toe in a tense exchange that pays off late in the movie.) Peacemaker Brown reveals that he’s starting to act in movies. And Clay is sneaking swigs from Cooke’s liquor flask as he makes up his mind to announce that he, too, is a Muslim.
Tatum Mangus / Annapurna Picture If King lands a directing nomination for her elegant directing of this testosterone-charged talk-fest (like the play, much of it takes place in a hotel room), she’d be the sixth woman and the first Black woman nominee in the category in 92 years. So far, the continuously diversifying Academy has failed to anoint contenders Ava DuVernay (2014’s “Selma”) and Dee Rees (2017’s “Mudbound”).
It may be King’s time. Like previous directing nominee Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), she gets a celebrity boost on the popularity scale, and has been on a roll, taking home her first Oscar for Supporting Actress for Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk” (after not landing a SAG or BAFTA nomination) and winning an Emmy for Limited Series “Seven Seconds.” This year, she’s a leading contender for the Best Actress Emmy for her kick-ass role in HBO’s popular limited series “Watchmen.” Also coming into the limelight is writer Kemp Powers, who could be nominated in the same year for adapting his own play “One Night in Miami” and also co-writing “Soul,” Pixar’s original movie about a jazz musician (Jamie Foxx), which was supposed to debut at Cannes. (Powers would follow Francis Ford Coppola’s double nomination in 1974 for “The Conversation” and “The Godfather Part II.”) Below the line, two-time editing nominee Tariq Anwar (Best Picture winners “American Beauty” and “The King’s Speech”) could land a third nod for his tight 110-minute cut, while Tami Reiker (“The Old Guard”) could follow Rachel Morrison (“Mudbound”) as a female cinematography nominee. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
