Interestingly, the final movie I saw in my 2019 Oscar race was my favorite. I loved this movie. It provided everything that I want in an excellent film. The movie tells a compelling story. The characters are well developed. I liked the characters and cheered for them, even with all of their messy parts. The…
Until about 2pm on this day I’m finally writing my thoughts about The Favourite, this film was my favorite of the season. This means it’s still a beloved film. It’s still a movie that has settled down deep inside of me as a great piece of art. And it’s still a film that puzzles and…
For the first time, a super hero movie is nominated for Best Picture. This might be the first time too so many people under the age of 15 have seen a Best Picture film. This makes me happy. So too did watching Black Panther. I should start with a couple of confessions: First, I am…
Roma is a beautifully poignant movie. From the opening scene of the sky’s reflection on the water below to the closing scene of the open sky itself, the movie fills everything in between. Admittedly, I had to look up 1970s Mexico to have a better understanding of the premise of what was happening in history…
How is this in any Oscar Category other than six entries in live action shorts? The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is not a feature-length film. Instead, it’s a series of six short films. Okay, so apparently this means it’s an anthology film because each of the six is tied together in theme: the American west.…
This film is beautiful. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s beautiful. It’s beautiful in how it’s told, in the love of family, in the belief in others, in tenderness. It’s beautiful visually. It’s beautiful to experience. It’s also, though, heartbreaking in the reality that is injustice. And discrimination. It’s heartbreaking in the reality of hate-filled people. It’s…
Here’s the second of Best Picture nominations that someone referred to as a comedy that wasn’t. A friend and I caught sight of this trailer one afternoon, and I mentioned wanting to see it. He mentioned the movie was a comedy. I countered that I didn’t have the impression it was a comedy. No doubt…
As my movie companion noted after we saw Bohemian Rhapsody, a jolly time! (Okay, so that was part my fabulous company as we spent a few hours after the movie catching up over lunch and a few beers, but the movie was a great time too!) Really, though, there’s little I had to complain about watching…
Like most movies I see, especially this time of year, if a film is up for a major award, I purposefully avoid any reviews or other information about the film. I usually go in knowing only what I might have seen on a preview. And I’m so pleased when a film delivers something particularly interesting. The…
Some time ago, someone I know on Facebook (I don’t recall who) mentioned watching BlacKkKlansman and commented not liking this movie “that was supposed to be a comedy.” I was busy, so I didn’t stop to comment, but I should have. I’m not sure who gave her that impression, that this film is a comedy.…
“He’s shell-shocked, George. He’s not himself. He may never be himself again.” Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk is not a movie about dialogue, but that line from the film certainly says a lot about the movie and about those who will survive being trapped at Dunkirk. This movie is bleak. It’s wonderfully filmed. But it is bleak.…
The best thing about seeing movies this time of year is the prevalence of high caliber films. Three Billboards is one such film. It isn’t flawless. But it is a fine film falling easily at the top of the list for the year. If you’ve seen the preview, you aren’t surprised when I say revenge…
In case you haven’t heard, the new film Lady Bird has nothing to do with LBJ. Or Texas. Or female birds. It has everything to do with family and growing up and relationships and love and meanness and gentleness, and, well, I think you’re getting the idea. And I bet you’re not surprised to learn…
The Florida Project is not a movie for everyone. Case in point: I utterly adored this movie, my movie companion, not so much. My companion wanted a movie with a more traditional story arc with a defined beginning and end. He complained as the movie progressed, he did not see “the point.” But to find…
Chaos. From the opening scenes as masses of people in the dark night are hurried into a building and a room to disrobe, a man with a hat, averting his eyes from anyone in charge, a large red X painted across his back, helps to lead those masses into the building, helps them leave their…