Oscar's Best 2023

2023 was an atypical year, as far as which type of movies got nominated for best picture Oscars, as well as for my thoughts about those movies.  My opinions are a little contradictory this year; features I enjoyed in one movie might be the same feature I didn't like in another.  For example, I loved how silly "Poor Things" was and yet didn't like "Barbie" as much because it was too "silly".  I believe this is also the first year in which three foreign language films got nominated in the Best Picture category.  My top three films this year were easily placed.  After that, it could have been just about any order, and I rearranged it several times.  As usual, there were also several movies that I really enjoyed and felt should have gotten more attention.  "The Iron Claw" was shockingly good.  I was expecting a formulaic wrestling movie but got a well-crafted and deeply emotional family drama.  Hats off to Zach Effron, for delivering an Oscar worthy performance.  "The Boys in the Boat" did deliver a formulaic film, but the formula exists because the formula tends to work.  "Air" was another very entertaining movie, with a great soundtrack, and safe for the entire family.  "Society of the Snow" is an intense recounting of the Uruguayan Rugby team that crashes in the Andes. If you're looking for a little more action, I enjoyed "The Covenant", starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Guy Richie.  As always, I welcome all comments, if they agree with my opinions or not.  Tell me what movies you liked, or didn't, and maybe what you think got overlooked......

1)  OPPENHEIMER:  For me, this is the best movie of the past 5 years, or perhaps longer.  Christopher Nolan is rapidly making a run at "best living Director".  He never fails to deliver visually gorgeous images, heart pounding action, smart writing, complex plots, and A-list performances.  I suspect everyone knows this movie is about the development of the Atomic Bomb which was eventually dropped on Japan.  Personally, I'm partial to actor driven movies, with the good writing being the second most pivotal feature I'm drawn to.  Although, even great acting can't always rescue bad writing.  Cillian Murphy delivers a deep, complex, powerful yet nuanced performance.  His range of expression is awe inspiring.  He's seemingly able to portray several conflicting emotions at once.  Robert Downey Jr. is his amazing self as Lewis Strauss.  I expect, and hope, both will win best acting Oscars.  Emily Blunt and the rest of the supporting cast are equally amazing, in lesser but important roles.  The music, the cinematography, the pace, the direction, all just add to the power and beauty of this film.  There's a reason this movie got the most nominations (13) of any film this year.  I particularly enjoyed the scenes in which the various scientists debate the science of various obstacle to be overcome.  Each scientist is passionate about their own opinion and are eloquent in defense of it.  However, as it should be in science, facts and math win out in the end.  You can argue opinion, but not facts.  Math doesn't lie.  The scene in which the bomb is first tested is one of the most memorable scenes in recent memory.  The silence during the anticipation of the countdown, followed by the KaBoom, and its chaotic aftermath, was simply breath taking.  I loved just about everything about film.  Of course, I'm still of the opinion that no movie needs to be 3 hours long, but "Oppenheimer" may be an exception. My only minor criticism would be about the ending.  The testing scene was so powerful, I'd have liked that be the end.  However, it was followed by a fairly lengthy "trial" sequence, in which efforts are made to discredit Oppenheimer.  While understandably necessary, I felt those scenes were far less dramatic and lessened the impact of the explosion.  That being said, I'll be rooting for Oppenheimer to win every award it was nominated for!

2)  POOR THINGS:  Talk about original!  Yorgos Lanthimos has directed some of the strangest movies.  "The Lobster" and "The Killing of a Scared Deer" are far too odd to easily explain.  Weird doesn't even begin to describe them.   I think his most popular film, "The Favourite", was his first mainstream film, it garnered 10 Oscar nominations, and was his first collaboration with Emma Stone.  The plot chronicles the physical and emotional development of Bella Baxter, played by Stone.  Bella has an adult body when she's reborn with an infant's brain.  We share in her journey of physical, emotional and intellectual transformation.  Her acting, particularly her physical performance, is hard to describe, and impossible to praise too highly.  Willem Dafoe plays a physically disfigured physician, in the mold of Dr. Frankenstein, while Mark Ruffalo plays Bella's first love interest.  He teaches her about the ways of the world, social norms, and carnal pleasures.  All three actors are at the top of their game.  Every word, action and mannerism seems genuine.  Every set, backdrop, costume, sound and spoken word has been clearly and carefully considered, artfully crafted, perfectly performed and brilliantly directed, with genuine passion, even love.  Ordinarily I'm put off by silly or nonsensical scenes or movies.  Having a medical background, I find myself overly critical of medical scenes that aren't accurate or authentic.  Just like my military background makes me more critical of inaccurate military scenarios.  That being said, this entire movie is so outlandish and over the top, that all the silly, crazy and impossible situations just somehow work and further the plot.  Want to take someone's brain out and pop it in to another head?  Why not!  This movie may be just too odd for some: so, as much as I enjoyed this masterpiece, I'm not sure I'd blanket recommend it to everyone.

3)  KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON:  I believe Martin Scorsese is currently the best living director.  I'm also of the debatable opinion that Leonardo DiCaprio is the best working male actor and that Robert DeNiro once also held that distinction.  This film is set in the 1920s Oklahoma, home of the oil rich indigenous people of the Osage Nation.  There are conspiracies, murders, and other crimes, committed in an effort to rob the Osage of their oil rights.  I loved just about every part of this movie.  The direction and acting were what you'd expect from this A-list.  I particularly enjoyed watching Leo play a somewhat dimwitted rube, who is easily manipulated.  The cinematography and depictions of the Osage people was simply breathtaking.  Scorsese fingerprints are all over this movie.  So, typically there are a number of things that make me like a movie less.  In this one, I liked every individual part, but still didn't love the movie as a whole.  With a 3 hour 26-minute run time it was simply too long.  Much of the action and beauty simply didn't move the story forward and the plot wasn't that complex to require so much time.  I likened it to a long stroll through a beautiful forest.  It may be gorgeous and invigorating, but after some time, it just becomes a long walk in the woods. In the end, he plot didn't support the length or hold my attention long enough.  

4)  THE HOLDOVERS:  If asked to name a great character actor, Paul Giamatti would certainly be a name that would instantly pop into my mind.  His ability to fully inhabit a character is unmatched.  In this movie he plays Paul Hunham, a history teacher at a boy's prep school in a snowy New England.  He is a cranky, pompous, lazy eyed professor, equally despised by students and staff for his rigid ways.  During the Christmas breaks, when most students depart, a few are "holdovers", unable to go home.  Paul is tasked with watching over them until the term resumes.  During the break he develops a special relationship with a troubled student, Angus, played beautifully by newcomer Dominic Sessa.  Rounding out the key players is Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Oscar nominated for best supporting actress.  She plays Mary Lamb, the school's cook, and a grieving mother.  There is nothing specifically wrong with this movie that I can put my finger on.  There are great performances and touching scenes with Giamatti and Sessa.  However, I didn't think the secondary plots added much to the film, a number or scenes seemed to meander, and not all the acting performances matched those of the leading men.  Overall, a very nice film that didn't need to be 2 hours and 13 minutes long.

5)  AMERICAN FICTION:  There is a lot to like about this movie.  Jeffrey Wright plays Monk, a serious but stalled novelist and literature professor.  As a failing African American writer, he becomes even more discouraged by the success of another writer, gaining notoriety, having written a "Black" novel.  Her book exploits negative racial stereotypes and relies on Ebonics to sell books.  As a goof, using a pseudonym, Monk writes a novel, exaggerating the same stereotypes he's enraged and repulsed by.  Lo and behold his book becomes a huge success.  Monk, his sister, his agent and his love interest give deep and poignant performances.  They are all characters I'd enjoy learning more about.  All the "real" characters in his life defy the negative stereotypes he exploits in his novel.  As I walked out of the theater, I remarked that I was disappointed by the character played by the typically excellent Sterling K. Brown.  He plays Monk's brother, Cliff, a newly out of the closet homosexual, cocaine snorting, self-absorbed, overcompensating, plastic surgeon.  I just felt the character, and his portrayal of him, didn't fit in with the more genuine, measured, and thoughtfulness of the other characters.  That being said, he was nominated for best supporting actor, so what do I know?!?!  Finally, I'm not a huge fan of the open ending, leaving the conclusion for the audience to decide.  Sadly, the haphazard ending didn't do the beauty of the rest of the film justice.  Still, this movie is clearly worth watching, with wonderful performances and more than a few laughs.  I was entertained!

6)  ANATOMY OF A FALL:  My favorite of the three international films.  Sandra, a successful German novelist, is living in a beautiful French mountain home, with her less successful husband, and severely visually handicapped son, Daniel.  After returning home from a walk, Daniel finds the body of his father, lying dead in the snow, under a balcony of the remote chalet.  There are suspicious circumstances and Sandra is eventually charged with his murder.  Sandra Hueller, who plays Sandra, gives a masterful performance and deservedly earned an Oscar nomination for her work.  It's no coincidence that acting performances soar when the writing is as good as it is in this film.  While I'm generally not a huge fan of child actors, I did enjoy the performance of Milo Machado-Graner, who portrayed Daniel.  This movie reminded me of another movie I loved, "Doubt", with Meryl Streep. Did she, or didn't she?  I particularly enjoyed the courtroom scenes; unlike any I've seen before.  I also found the scenes depicting a marital fight particularly powerful.  I suspect the fight will feel familiar to many.  I'm not proud to say that I recognized myself in several of the exchanges.  I also didn't object to the open ending in this film, as the not knowing is sort of the point.  As usual, this movie was just a little too long, but still very much worth seeing. 

7)  MAESTRO:  No doubt Bradely Coooper is a force to be reckoned with.  His body of work as an actor and director is truly impressive.  Carey Mulligan, who plays his wife Felicia, is also at the top of her game and a top character actor working today.  I'm a huge fan of both leads.  This movie was clearly a passion project of Cooper's, and his admiration of Leonard Bernstein is evident in every frame.  The movie is lovingly crafted and directed.  This biopic primarily focuses on Bernstein's family relationships, particularly his marriage.  He's openly bisexual, which is a fact Felicia accepted prior to marriage.  I try to rate a movie on what it is, rather than what I wish it was.  However, I really wished the movie would have been more about his artistry than his family life.  Ultimately, I felt the movie was just too artsy for its own good; maybe trying too hard.  The film just moved too slowly and didn't consistently hold my interest..... didn't pass my watch test, in that a looked at my watch several times to see how much longer.

8)  BARBIE:  I don't think I'm the demographic this movie was targeting.  Although I'm a huge fan of both Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie, this movie just didn't resonate with me.  I found the entire movie a bit too campy and the kind of silly I don't particularly enjoy.  Seldom do non-musicals, with dance numbers in the middle, appeal to me.  While the leads were their usual spectacular selves, I thought some of the other actors were sub-par, and not consistent with "best".  Sadly, I have to say I found the performances by Will Ferrell and Kate McKinnon to be particularly poor and distracting.  While I understand why so many people really enjoyed this movie, it just wasn't for me.

9)  PAST LIVES:  This film chronicles the lives and relationships of two South Korean childhood friends, Hae Sung and Nora.  They are shown walking home together from school and playing together on a chaperoned playground date.  At around 13 years of age Nora's family moves to Canada, and eventually, as an adult, she moves to NYC.  The two remain intermittently in contact, primarily through the internet.  There are long intervals during which they totally lose touch, although neither has forgotten or gotten over the other.  Once in their 30's Hae travels to NYC in hopes of rekindling.  Nora, played by Greta Lee, gives a performance worthy of the praise she's received.  However, I thought Hae, played by Teo Yoo, showed very little real emotion and even less range.  He had the same lost expression throughout, regardless of circumstance.  I also didn't feel like the first third of the film adequately laid the groundwork, or demonstrated, the deep connection that fuels the remainder of the movie.  I didn't feel the crackle of passion and chemistry between them.  The movie seemed to be about the choices we make, and how different choices may lead to vastly different paths and outcomes.  It explores the "what might have been" of it all.  I did particularly enjoy a conversation during which Hae tells Nora, and I'll paraphrase, "in my life you're someone who leaves, but in his (her husband) life you're someone who stays." My son, Dylan, who usually shares my sensibilities about movies, loved "Past Lives".  In fact, he went so far as to claim it might have been better than "Oppenheimer".  I'm in the process of removing him from my will!

10)  THE ZONE OF INTEREST:  This was a tough movie to watch, in part because of my own personal history.  Rudolf Hoess, played by Christian Friedel, is commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp.  He lives with his wife Hedwig, played by Sandra Hueller, and their children, in a gorgeous home, next to the camp, separated only by a high wall.  The home is lavish with modern amenities, a full refrigerator, a beautiful garden, and even a pool.  They want for nothing.  There are servants toiling in the home and others working in the garden, clearly cheating death while on work release from the camp.  Rudolf has a very busy work schedule, in part finding more efficient ways to operate the ovens.  His work portrayed as important but rather mundane.  Behind the wall you intermittently hear the pop of distant gunfire, you occasionally see glimpses of the camp, you get clear views of a large chimney spewing smoke and flame.  The camp is never in your face, but constantly smolders in the background.  The family members go about living their lives, able to treat the atrocities being committed only a few feet away as commonplace; background noise.  The only positive images in the film are those of a girl placing apples, under cover of night, where prisoners might find them in the daylight.  Those scenes are filmed in a photo-negative way, as to appear otherworldly.  While powerful and well-constructed, the movie simply doesn't have much depth or arc.  The point that humans are capable of inhumane and monstrous acts is demonstrated over and over.  There didn't seem to be much more of a point to it than that.... 

Oscar's Best 2022

In my humble opinion 2022 was not a very good year for great movies.  As a result, I have spent more time than usual considering my ranking of the movies, in large part because none of them really stood out as "best" and many didn't seem Oscar-worthy at all.  I know it's a commonly held opinion that the Academy nominates "art" or "independent" movies, that often go unseen, and excludes the more popular, summer blockbuster type movies.  The majority of movie goers don't see and don't enjoy or appreciate the films that are more typically nominated.  Crowd pleasers, like comic book movies, rom-coms, horror, action, and comedies are seldom nominated.  If the Oscar was awarded to the most popular movie, we wouldn't need a nominating committee at all, but could just give the awards based on box office data.  In that case we'd probably have several from "The Fast and Furious" franchise winning Best Picture.  Personally, probably because I'm old, I appreciate the way the Academy nominates movies.  To me, "best" should mean a lot more than popular.  While I typically also see the blockbusters, and enjoy them, I don't expect them to be, or want them to be, nominated in this category by the Academy.  Let those other movies win Golden Globes, or People's Choice awards.  So, this year, my rank order could have gone any number of ways.  My top and bottom 3 or 4 changed several times and are essentially interchangeable.  Didn't love any of them nor hate any of them, so my reviews and opinions will be brief.  

Actually, my favorite movie this year was "The Whale", which wasn't even nominated in this category.  Other movies that I enjoyed, that weren't, and probably shouldn't have been, nominated, include "Bullet Train", "The Batman", "Hustle", "Vengeance" and "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent". 

As always, I welcome all comments and opinions, especially if they disagree.

1)  TAR:  Reluctantly ranking this first, based largely on another amazing performance from Cate Blanchett, who I suspect will win her third Oscar, on her eighth nomination.  It's the tale of a fictional classical music conductor who struggles with her personal and professional demons, in a rather compelling way.  Talent, power, and sexuality aren't always what they seem to be. Admittedly, it's far too long at 2h 38min, but her performance is simply spellbinding, and I'm a sucker for good acting and actor driven films.  The movie is expertly crafted by Director Todd Field who also directed two of my favorites: "Little Children" and "In the Bedroom".  It was too long, inconsistently paced, and didn't stick the landing.  Still, a very good movie and very much an "Oscar-type", art film.

2)  ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT:  This World War 1 epic, based on the book by the same name, is intensely beautiful.  There is no sugar coating or glorifying war in this film.  It begins with schoolboys clamoring to join the military, to be patriots, eager to fight for country.  Of course, once bullets fly, and bodies drop, they quickly realize that war really is hell on earth.  Start to finish this movie unflinchingly shows just how dark, oppressive, cruel, and relentless war can be.  The movie features stunning cinematography, gripping performances, and a compelling plot.  Not quite as good as "1917" but still worth a watch, if you don't mind sub-titles.

3)  ELVIS:  A very entertaining studio movie, but still worthy of a "best" nomination.  Obviously, this biopic follows the career or Elvis Presley, from humble beginnings to worldwide stardom.  The film focuses largely on Elvis's complicated relationship with Col. Tom Parker, his manager.  Austin Butler does an amazing job mimicking Elvis, both in sound and style.  He's the front runner for "best actor"; although, I'll be rooting for Brendan Fraser's performance in "The Whale".  My only criticism of his portrayal of the King, is that he often seemed like he was posing more than acting.  The musical sequences were spot on and engrossing.  His physical performance was dynamic and authentic.  However, off stage scenes, involving dialogue, were typically brief and consisting more of static posed facial expressions rather than dynamic interactions, lacking the appeal of the musical sequences.  Another distraction to me was Tom Hanks.  As much as I like him as a person and as an actor, I don't think his accent, his look, or his acting choices hit the mark.  Easy movie to recommend, even at 2 hours and 39 minutes.

4)  THE FABELMANS:  Typical Spielberg.  A well written, well told, entertaining, reality based, story.  Ultimately, that's what he is, a storyteller.  Hard to argue that many have done it better.  This clearly auto biographical movie follows the life of Sammy (read Steven) and chronicles the events that shape his development.  Sammy begins his love affair with film, at a very young age, after his parents take him to a matinee at the local cinema.  He beings making his own movies, before he even gets to high school.  Moving across country, being bullied for being the rare Jewish kid in a California high school, and the family turmoil surrounding his work obsessed, by the book, father, and his artsy self-indulgent, free spirit, mother, are among the critical events that shape his future.  At times the performances seem a bit staged and stiff but overall, it's an interesting story, well told.  Not Spielberg's best work, but not his worst either.

5)  THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN:  I don't have many criticisms about this movie.  On the contrary, the plot was interesting and original, the performances were outstanding and Oscar worthy, the cinematography was beautiful, and the direction was professional.  So, despite virtually everything about this film being technically good, I simply found it boring.  Clearly there were many things to like about this film, but in the end, I just checked my watch too many times, wondering "how much longer".

6)  TOP GUN: MAVERICK:  What can I say, this was a super fun movie?!?!  Much like the original "Top Gun", the relationships were compelling, and the action was gripping.  I'm an unapologetic Tom Cruise fan, and there was a lot of him, and he did not disappoint.  I was a little shocked that he allowed himself to be shown as so short in a few scenes, especially opposite Miles Teller.  I did have issues and difficulty suspending disbelief in a number of scenes.  Particularly hard to accept as plausible was the sequence in which two jets are shot down over a snowy forest.  The two ejecting pilots are able to parachute down and then jog to one another in minutes.  Hard to believe.  Because I enjoyed, and remember, the original so much, I felt like the sequel was a little bit "more of the same".  While fun to watch, how many original or different ways can you feature jets flying around?  I'd have liked to see more of the younger pilots and their stories, and a little less melodrama.  No doubt you will be entertained if you see this movie, making it easy to recommend, but to me it's just not an Academy Award kind of film.

7)  AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER:  I agree with a review I read that described this movie as a 3-hour long screen saver.  I saw this film in IMAX 3D, which no doubt greatly enhanced the experience, as it would most movies.  In the end, the plot was predictable and not that compelling, the acting was mediocre at best and the pacing was slow and inconsistent.  I couldn't help myself, wondering what they did all day in the jungle or at sea, when they weren't hunting.  Where did the electronic gear come from?  Do they have jobs?  Do they have bathrooms or toilet paper?  Are there stores in the trees?  Do the adults just hang out and play with the kids all day?  I know, not great reasons to dislike a movie.  It was often visually beautiful, but the thin script and 3 hour run time, make it pale in comparison to the original.  On the other hand, nearly 2.5 billion in ticket sales translates to people liking it!

8)  EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE:  More people told me I had to see this movie, than any movie I can remember in recent history.  Even Dan, my brother, and Dylan, my oldest child, with whom I usually agree about movies, recommended this one to me.  It's garnered the most Oscar nominations of any movie in 2022 and won several significant awards from other agencies.  I just don't get it.  In fact, I was certain that I'd seen it in a bad mood, or was tired, or something else, explaining why I alone didn't care for it.  I actually watched it a second time, something I virtually never do.  There have been movies about which I dramatically changed my mind, after a second viewing (e.g., "Minority Report"), and I was convinced this would be one of those.  Alas, I disliked it just as much a second time, maybe more.  I found the acting to be mediocre at best.  Michelle Yeoh was good, Ke Huy Quan was okay, and Stephanie Hsu was less than, although they all got nominated.  How Jamie Lee Curtis got a nomination is beyond me, likely a career popularity nomination.  I didn't find the action to be all that original, including somewhat mundane fight sequences, lacking visual appeal.  I found the plot to be uninspired, given all the potential in a multiverse.  I found the main characters reactions, while shifting within the multiverse, to be unbelievable and inconsistent.  I think what bothered me most was the pure silliness, while still trying to be profound.  It's listed as a comedy, but I don't recall ever laughing.  Hot dog fingers, super karate pinkies and talking/walking rocks were just too much for me to bear.  I was completely unable to buy-in to the story and was supremely disappointed....... both times.

9)  TRIANGLE OF SADNESS:  Male model Carl and his gorgeous model girlfriend Yaya, get a free suite on a luxury yacht.  This is a story about male-female relationship norms as well as class distinctions and shifting roles in modern society.  The clever writing is likely what made the Academy consider this movie "best", and why it's not last on my list.  When the yacht goes to ground, the ship's crew and guests find themselves marooned on an island.  All social norms are abandoned, title and status, nor physical appearance and beauty carry much value, and mayhem ensues.  For me, the overwrought, predictable, and often unbelievably "silly" situations along with sub-par acting performances, make this movie average at best, hard to watch at worst.

10)  WOMEN TALKING:  It's in the name.... a lot of talking and very little doing.  Females of all ages, in a modern Amish-like religious community, have been sexually abused by the men in the community, for decades.  Once the perpetrators come to light, the women must decide if they should do nothing, stay and fight, or pack up and leave. They have to weigh how each decision might change their own future, the future of their children, and their relationship with God. The leading women in the community get together and discuss the merits of each option, knowing the rest of the women will follow whichever path they choose.  The women are often supportive of each other, but just as often are aggressive and combative with each other.  Most of the film takes place in a hay loft, in the rafters of a poorly lit barn.  The acting is reasonably good, but in addition to being dark in tone and lighting, the plot is inconsistent and just not very captivating.  At times it feels preachy and often becomes repetitive.  The positives in this film simply don't outweigh the negatives.  Possibly a movie Dan would like.

Oscar's Best 2021

Movies, in theaters, seem to be on the comeback trail, and I couldn't be happier about it.  Still, 2021 wasn't ideal, having to watch several of the Oscar movies on TV rather than in the theater.   I'm also not thrilled that the trend of longer movies continued in 2021.  Movies approaching 2.5 to 3 hours have practically become the norm.  Maybe filmmakers are trying to lure people back to theaters by giving "your money's worth", but it's a trend I can't get behind.  I enjoyed many movies this past year, but none of them jumped out as particularly superior.  I struggled more than usual coming up with my rank order.  I'd say the top four were close, and the remaining six could have come in just about any order.  Most had many elements that I really enjoyed but also had elements that I found lacking or even distracting. I will continue my "stripped down" version of the blog to remain on record.  Commentary and disagreement are encouraged.

1)  CODA:  I think I liked this movie so much because it was so simple, pure, genuine and heartfelt.  While nothing about it was over the top amazing, there just didn't seem to be anything wrong with it either.  It's a movie I watched with family, and we all came away touched and happy for having seen it; thoroughly entertained.  Simply being entertained has always been the primary benchmark by which I judge movies.  Plus, I've always had a soft spot for coming-of-age movies.  The themes are often formulaic and can become melancholic or cheesy, but CODA remained truly original.  Ruby is a high school student, facing all the anxieties and uncertainties that torment most teens.  She's from the wrong side of the tracks, finding it difficult to balance work (fishing with her brother and father), romance, peer pressure and her secret desire to become a singer.  Her life is complicated by the fact that her brother and parents are all deaf.  She's spent her entire youth being an oddity to her peers and an interpreter for her parents.  She's an outsider in every way imaginable.  Despite her overwhelming vulnerability and mistrust "CODA" avoids becoming sad or edgy.  In the end, due to excellent writing, superb acting, and thoughtful direction it was just beautiful, sweet, funny, and thoroughly enjoyable.  I recommend this film be seen with family.

2)  LICORICE PIZZA:  After watching this movie I was certain it would be my favorite of 2021.  There is so much to love about this movie.  Perhaps I'm a bit biased as Licorice Pizza was directed by one of my favorite directors, Paul Thomas Anderson, who is responsible for some of my all-time favorite movies (e.g., Magnolia, Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread).  The movie is set in the 1970s and follows the lives and relationships of Alana and Gary, played beautifully by Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, son of Phillip Seymor Hoffman.  It was impressive to see both of these young actors so expertly tackle the complexities of the characters they portrayed.  This movie, very much like Magnolia, felt like a collection of short stories, or skits.  Each "story" had a life of its own and could have become a movie of its own.  All the skits are tied together by the relationship of our young protagonists.  Each "story" also had a significant co-star to drive the sub-plot.  For example, Sean Penn, Tom Waits and Bradley Cooper each contributed to this amazing movie.  While the overall film was extraordinary on many levels, the reason I didn't rank it first, was that some of the skits fell short, leaving the movie somewhat inconsistent and intermittently less enjoyable.

3)  NIGHTMARE ALLEY:  Another terrific director in Guillermo del Toro, but WOW, what a cast.  Bradley Cooper, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and Toni Collette to name a few, star in this movie set around con men and the circus life; themes I've historically enjoyed.  Nightmare Alley follows the rise and fall of Stan, a man seemingly born to be a carny.  As he creeps out and up from his pitiful beginnings, he achieves increasing success, and his pride and ego grow in equal measure.  Ultimately, pride and the desire for more, become his undoing.  However, what makes this movie truly special, along with the wonderful acting, is the gorgeous cinematography.  It really is a visually beautiful film to watch.

4)  KING RICHARD:  Similar to CODA, this movie felt like "nothing special but thoroughly entertaining".  A very simple premise, Richard Williams raises and coaches Venus and Serena to tennis stardom.  Living in poverty, against all odds, through sheer determination Richard overcomes all hurdles to propel his children into the then Caucasian dominated world or tennis.  In the end it's a touching story about the importance of family, passion, and hard work.  Will Smith gives his customarily solid performance, but the young women are also surprisingly strong actors.  I'm usually down on young performers, but many of this year's films feature younger actors, who do far more then deliver.

5)  BELFAST:  Speaking of young actors, Belfast stars 9-year-old (at the time) Jude Hill, playing Buddy.   The film is the semi-autobiographical story of Kenneth Branagh's youth.  He grew up on a lively street in Belfast, where everyone knew everyone else.  Children playing in the streets, parents chatting on the stoop.  One day Protestant and Catholic are living in harmony, the next there are riots, explosions, relentless violence, barricades and mounting rage.  The film follows one family's struggle to adapt to these changing times, and to do what's right to protect themselves and their loved ones.  This movie is filmed in black and white yet is visually beautiful.  As most films nominated for Best Picture, the acting is also superb.

6)  DUNE:  I grew up reading comics and sci-fi and I do consider myself a fan of this genre.  However, as I get older, I find myself more and more critical of these movies.  I'm less impressed by special effects, costumes and makeup.  That being said, this movie is extraordinarily visually beautiful and, of course, features top notch acting.  Timothee Chalamet has amassed quite a resume for such a young actor.  I think most films nominated for Best Picture, tend to have strong writing, acting, and cinematography.  In the end, what else really matters?  I found the plot of Dune to be somewhat confusing and the pacing was meandering (code for too damn long).  I wasn't bored, but I'm not checking to see when the Part 2 comes out.

7)  POWER OF THE DOG:  This film is set in1925 Montana.  There are cows, lassos, guns and horses but I wouldn't call it a western.  The story centers on wealthy rancher brothers.  Benedict Cumberbatch, always amazing, is Phil and rising star Jesse Plemons is his brother George.  Kirsten Dunst is Rose, who finds herself the object of George's desire.  Phil is dark, bitter, and increasingly mean-spirited as his brother becomes increasingly involved with Rose.  Rose has a son, stealing most scenes, played by Oscar Nominated Kodi Smith-McPhee.  Ultimately, I believe, this film is about what it means to be a man.  What is a man's responsibility to family, community, and to himself?  There is a subtext about what sexuality has to do with male identity in 1925.  While I was entertained, this movie was far too "artsy" for my liking.  Sometimes "independent" movies just seem too artsy for the sake of being artsy.  The narrative and "meaning" can be cleverly disguised.  Often it feels like you need to read up after watching, to find out what it was really all about.  To me, that's more work than I want from a movie, going against my "entertain me" preference.  I do understand that this might be exactly what some people cherish and enjoy (read- my brother Dan), and why it garnered the most nominations of any film this year.  I guess it's similar to the difference between a story and a poem.

8)  DRIVE MY CAR:  This is another very artsy movie, and it's three hours long, Japanese, with subtitles.  As I've said before, subtitles almost automatically mean a slight downgrade.  Your eye-line isn't on the action as you read, and nuances in language are missed when interpreted.  This movie is still somehow captivating, in part for its novelty and in part for its sad beauty.  Our protagonist is a renowned stage director and actor.  His wife, his muse, dies unexpectedly and the story truly begins two years later, when he takes a job in Hiroshima.  There he is assigned a young woman to serve as his driver.  The story revolves around his relationship to his wife, self-discovery and his art.  He if forced to confront is loneliness and the errors he made in his life and marriage.  It's a very slow pace, stoic acting, and overall sad..... not a movie for everyone, to be sure, but on some level I did enjoy it.

9)  DON'T LOOK UP:  Hard to imagine I'd have a movie featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep on the bottom of any list.  He is clearly at the top, or near the top, of the "best actor of all-time" list.  She is unequivocally at the top of that list for actresses.  While Leo and Jennifer Lawrence are characteristically fabulous, the movie just isn't.  The two play an astronomy professor, Dr. Mindy and his assistant/student Kate.  One night they discover a giant comet that is on a collision course with earth.  If impact can't be averted global extinction is a certainty.  They go about trying to alert the authorities and the public; with very little success.  Meryl plays the President of the USA, Jonah is Hill is her son, the Chief of Staff.  Mark Rylance is an eccentric billionaire funding the efforts to derail the comet.  Adam McKay is a wonderful comedic director.  However, I think he relies too much on humor and silliness in this movie.  It's always bothered me when a director tries to play it straight/realistic but periodically go off the rails with unbelievable silliness.  There is an inconsistency in delivering the message that I find distracting.  Meryl, Jonah, and Mark are simply too over the top, unbelievable and unrealistic caricatures of real people.

10)  WEST SIDE STORY:  I remember loving the 1957 original and I'm a fan of Steven Spielberg.  His credits need no explanation.  That being said, this is a three-hour long song and dance.  While the singing and dancing is entertaining enough, with some extraordinary scenes, there just wasn't enough story to support three hours of it.  To be fair, I'm not a huge fan of musicals in general, which likely colors my opinion.  Rachel Zegler and the other leads were clearly well-trained professional singers/dancers.  Ansel Elgort was more than acceptable.  Still, the movie didn't feel very modern, innovative, or different enough from the original.  The romance, the forbidden love, felt forced and overly dramatic.  It also didn't really address racial tension or gang life in a believable way.  Ultimately, the fact that I checked my watch several times during the show, says it all.

Oscar's Best 2020

2020, by all accounts, was a dumpster fire of a year.  That may be a harsh overstatement for the movies of 2020, but overall it wasn't a very good year for movies either.  Even my favorite movie of 2020 wouldn't have been in my top 3 most years.  Once again I'm fairly sure my top choices won't win many Academy honors, it's just my own opinion.

This year my personal choice for the best and for the worst picture was easily made.  However, my choice for 2 and 3 could have been a tie, and 4 through 7 were nearly a coin toss as well.

I have to confess that I haven't seen any of the pics this year in an actual theater.  While I have a nice television there is no duplicating the feel and ambiance of a theater with an audience.  I toyed with not writing this blog at all this year, but decided to do a stripped down version, just to be "on record".

As always, I welcome comments of praise and agreement, as well those of disagreement.  Naturally, I'm also interested in movies you may have particularly enjoyed, and why.  No other movies I've seen stand out, although I did enjoy "Tenet" and surprisingly the four hour long Zach Snyder version of "Justice League".

1)  Sound of Metal:  Without question the best film I've seen this year.  Riz Ahmed was simply fantastic as Ruben, a suddenly deaf metal drummer.  His ability to quietly and subtly convey emotion was impressive for such a relatively inexperienced actor.  I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised given his great starring performance in HBO's "The Night Of".  The film takes us through Ruben's journey from a drummer with a joyful life, full of music and love, through his rapid hearing loss, his transition to be a member of the deaf community, and his growth as a human being.  The direction is terrific and the film beautifully shows his evolution, the eventual acceptance of his circumstance, and his ultimate ability to find "stillness".  I was also impressed by how they were able to demonstrate the phases of his hearing issues, audibly, to the audience.  One of the reasons I often find myself enjoying a film is due to which, and how many, characters I genuinely care about or am interested in.  Pretty much every character in this movie has a story I'd have liked to discover more about.  Lou, his wonderfully portrayed girlfriend (Olivia Cooke), Joe, the leader of the deaf "school" (Paul Raci), and several of the other "students" were rich, genuine, complex and interesting in their own right.  They contributed heavily to my enjoyment and the quality of this movie.  I'll be rooting for Riz to win the Oscar but I doubt he will.  The academy seems to give Oscars posthumously, as lifetime achievement awards.  Chadwick Boseman, who has clearly been one of the past decade's best actors, will likely win for "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", a movie and performance I unfortunately didn't much care for.

2)  The Trial of the Chicago 7:  This movie is part documentary, part bio-pic, and part courtroom drama.  Aaron Sorkin, the prolific writer of some of the best dialogue in movies and on Tv (eg The West Wing, The Newsroom, The Social Network, Moneyball, A Few Good Men) is still somewhat of a novice director and it showed.  The movie details the protests around the 1968 Democratic Party Convention in Chicago, and the trial of 7 key "instigators" that followed.  The characters are certainly well played and interesting.  The trial is equally captivating and infuriating.  It's a very entertaining film, depicting an important part of American history, but I just found it too busy.  Too many characters and opposing points of view to fairly deal with them all. "Herding cats" comes to mind.  That being said, it was still the second best film, to me, of 2020.

3)  Judas and the Black Messiah:  Another historical drama depicting the influences of Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) on the Black Panthers, and their infiltration, by the FBI, through the reluctant informant Bill O'Neal (LaKeith Stanfield).  Both of the leads were absolutely superb and both were nominated as best Supporting Actors.  How Daniel Kaluuya was nominated as a Supporting Actor  instead of as a Leading Actor is beyond me.  He dominates and captivates in every one of his many scenes.  I'm very much looking forward to whatever his next projects are.  He has limitless talent and the potential to be the next Denzel.  The film reminds us of a very sad part of our American history.  I think my personal politics, as a white middle aged man, made much of it quite disturbing and hard to watch.  I suspect many won't appreciate the quality of the film for similar reasons.  Still, it's very good and well worth seeing.

4)  Mank:  As I mentioned, the next four choices could have come in just about any order, and on any given day I may have rated them differently.  I probably liked "Mank" more then the others because it deals with movies and movie making, topics I obviously care a great deal about.  The movie details the process by which alcoholic screen writer, Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), comes to write "Citizen Kane" for famed director Orson Wells and RKO studios.  As much as I've loved many of David Fincher's films (eg "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Fight Club", "Se7en") this one is black and white, meandering, and slow.  While the performances are solid and the writing good, it's probably a movie meant for hard core movie buffs.  

5)  Nomadland:  I keep hearing this is the front runner to win Oscars in many categories, but I'm just not sure why.  As always Frances McDormand is hypnotic, but for me, her performance wasn't her best and it just wasn't enough to elevate the whole movie.  The movie is about how a middle aged woman deals with loss.  Her husband, her town, her community, and her entire way of life have all essentially died.  She finds herself content, in a new life, traveling through the American west as a nomad, living out of her van.  She encounters several other nomads who are on journeys of their own, all adopting this unconventional lifestyle.  The cinematography and the acting are all certainly great but ultimately there was very little character development or "plot".  No real arc and a lack "spark".

6)  Minari:  Another well acted, interesting tale, that just moves too slowly.  It tells the story of a Korean American family that leaves California to settle in Arkansas to start a new, hopefully better, life.  It poignantly depicts the importance and value of self actualization, sacrifice and compromise, family, community and belonging.  Once again the acting and cinematography are excellent, there was much to like, but once again it's just too slow and somewhat boring.

7)  The Father:   This may sound familiar....... it's a very well acted and interesting film that's just a little slow/boring.  I'm not going out on a limb to call Anthony Hopkins an acting treasure, even an icon.  He does not disappoint in this film about the sad impact Alzheimer's disease has on those who have been afflicted.  The film cleverly demonstrates his own confusion and mental decline as well as the chaos it creates for those who love him.  However, like several other movies in recent years, it feels more like a stage play then a movie.  Only one or two sets for the entire movie, clever dialogue, but no real "movie magic".  I feel like "Amour" and "Still Alice" were both far more powerful movies about how Alzheimer's can destroy a life and a family.  I'd suggest watching either of those ahead of "The Father".

8)  Promising Young Woman:  I've been accused of liking too many movies; being a soft critic.  I've consistently said a primary criteria for me is simply how entertained was I?!?!  Did I check my watch or look at my phone during the movie, or was I swept away?  It's why I'm in favor of comedies, animated and action  films, as well as comic book movies being considered for the best picture award.  These types of movies tend to focus more on pure entertainment, which is a wonderful thing and doesn't preclude greatness in my book.  However, to be considered BEST, a film really should be more then just entertaining, it should have some weight, a message, or gravitas.  If it doesn't have those things it really should at least be supremely entertaining.  I'm sure many will find this particular movie more entertaining then some of the other nominated films.  At it's core this is a movie about revenge.  A young woman struggling with her own identity after a trauma endured during her college years.  She seeks some measure of control as she tries to right the wrongs and punish those who in her eyes deserve it.  While entertaining enough, there is nothing truly special about this movie.  To be kind, I'd say that I didn't find the acting to be spectacular.  The plot was unrealistic and over-wrought.  This movie was inconsistent and ultimately forgettable as just another decent movie.  I have no idea what about this particular film merits consideration as BEST anything.

Oscar's Best 2019

Overall I'd say it's been a very good year for good movies, but I'd also say that it has not been a good year for great movies.  I found myself struggling again, but far more then usual, to create my own personal rankings of the best picture nominees.  I was pretty comfortable with my first choice, but the next two, or three, could have come in just about any order; the same could be said about those on the bottom.  I have a feeling that the order of my list won't be shared by many.  The critics front runners, and movies I've had friends and family rave about, are not necessarily those at the top of my list.

I should also say, with the advent of high quality original content from the streaming services, I was unable to watch each of the films on the big screen.  It's clear that these type of movies are going to get more nominations in the future, but they can be difficult, if not impossible, to find in a theater near you!  I haven't missed a best picture nominee on the big screen for probably a decade, until Roma, which was essentially only available on Netflix.  While I applaud excellence in movie making, wherever it comes from, I do lament missing the "best" on the big screen.

As usual I'd like to mention a few movies that I enjoyed but were overlooked by Oscar's major categories, or were not the type of movies Oscar would typically recognize at all.  So, if you're searching for something to watch/rent, consider these movies.
If you have a daughter and want her to learn a little about the amazing Ruth Bader Ginsburg I strongly recommend On The Basis Of Sex.  Last year's documentary about her was also worth watching.  In my mind she's as important as anyone who has fought for equality and social justice.  Brittany Runs a Marathon was another surprisingly enjoyable movie with a strong female protagonist.
This year three movies pay tribute to musicians in very different ways.  I particularly enjoyed Yesterday, honoring the Beatles in a rather unique way.  One of the most original plots in quite a while.  Blinded by the Light shows just how meaningful and motivational music can be.  Bruce Springsteen's music and lyrics give hope to an oppressed Pakistani boy living in England.  Finally, in a somewhat atypical biopic, Taron Egerton brings Elton John to life in Rocketman.  With all the awards going to Bohemian Rhapsody last year I was a little surprised by how little love the Academy showed this movie.  It's not nearly as good but was still enjoyable.
A few heavier and darker movies that I particularly enjoyed this year were Uncut Gems, Dark Waters and Richard Jewel.  If you like to think about and discuss religion The Two Popes is quite engaging and thought provoking.
While I'm not typically a huge fan of comedies, this year I enjoyed Long Shot, Booksmart, Good Boys, and Shazam.

I probably mention it every year, but movies are once again just too damn long.  Having gotten that off my chest, for better or worse, here is my personal ranking of the best picture nominees.  I actively invite debate, agreement, or dissent.  While I'd love some accolades, I'm just as happy to be called out.

1)  1917:  "War is hell" is made palpable.  This film vividly shows the violence, sacrifice, loyalty, pain, loss, and heroism against the backdrop of World War 1 trench warfare.  Two soldiers are sent on a suicide mission to get a critical message to a front line unit.  If they fail, 1600 will die, including the brother of one of our "heroes".  The writing is exceptional, the tenor is dramatic, the acting is spot-on from the mostly unknown leads as well as from the entire supporting cast.  Sam Mendes directed one of my all time favorite movies, American Beauty, and once again his direction is first class.  However, what makes this film extraordinary is the cinematography.  Some of the amazing visuals were almost too stunning and beautiful.  A few times I found myself nearly taken out of the action as I sat gaping at the beauty of a particular shot or scene, momentarily forgetting where the action was going.  This is not just a technical masterpiece, it's also a mesmerizing story.  Quite simply this is the most complete and most entertaining movie, from start to finish, and was therefore my favorite this year.

2)  Joker:  While I suspect the key to a great movie is the script, it can argued that a strong director is actually the most pivotal ingredient, merging all the necessary components together.  That being said, I'm personally most awed by great acting.  Of course all the elements of movie making are important to the process, but I'm fairly consistently drawn to movies with strong performances.  Joker is definitely one of those actor driven movies.  Joaquin Phoenix, to my mind, is one of a small group of elite actors, consistently bringing honesty, vulnerability and truth to his performance.  I may not have loved every movie he's made, but I always enjoy his performances, and this movie is no exception.  He plays Arthur Fleck, a wanna be comedian, with severe psychiatric issues.  His gritty and inspired performance is simply mesmerizing.  It's impossible to take your eyes off him.  I was conflicted walking out of the theater, not sure how I felt about it.  But it's one of those movies that grow on you over time, creeping in to your thoughts.  I was expecting more of a caper movie, with the Joker hatching some evil plot only to be thwarted by a hero in the end.  However, this was no typical super hero movie.  Instead the Joker's origin story is an exploration in to the anguish of mental illness and it's impact on an individual as well as on society.  Todd Phillips is best known as a comedic director, but this dark and intensely personal film, with its homage to Taxi Driver, marks him as a far more versatile director whose future films I'm eagerly awaiting.

3)  Jojo Rabbit:  When I saw this movie I thought it would be my favorite of the year.  It slipped to number 2 after I saw 1917, and ultimately to it's current location.  I went back and forth between it and Joker.  Ultimately, my brother, who's opinion I respect and who is not easily offended, explained to me why he found it "wildly offensive".  Something about "oh those fun loving and misunderstood Nazi's".  Clearly we had a different take.  It's a movie about a lonely ten year old boy, growing up against the backdrop of World War 2, and Nazi occupation.  The boy is part of Hitler youth, wearing his little brown uniform, with the swastika armband.  He has an imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, played hilariously by the film's director, Taika Waititi.  His mother, played beautifully by Scarlett Johansson, is a antiwar activist, and is harboring a Jewish girl in the crawl space of their home.  In time the boy comes to discover her and they form a complicated friendship.  I'm not generally a fan of children actors but these two were tremendous.  Given the disturbing premise and the overall terrifying darkness of the film, it was still quite unique and surprisingly hopeful, funny, and endearing.  Heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

4)  Once Upon a Time in Hollywood:  It can't be argued that Quentin Tarantino is a top notch director and screen writer.  His mastery of the English language is peerless, even if at times it can be a bit pretentious or self congratulatory.  Put his words in the mouths of some of the greatest acting talent and how could you go wrong?!?!  Leonardo DiCaprio play a past his prime television actor and Brad Pitt is his trusty friend, assistant, and stunt double.  Margo Robbie is Sharon Tate as the movie loosely revolves around the "Helter Skelter" crimes of Charles Manson.  All the leading and supporting actors are hypnotic.  I found relative newcomers Margaret Qualley and Julia Butters to be particularly effective.  This is also a visually stunning movie with a multitude of story lines; perhaps too many.  To me it ended up being a series of fantastic short films; like a collection of skits or vignettes, versus a cohesive story with an understandable arc.  I personally enjoyed the scenes in which DiCaprio has a long conversation with a young aspiring actress played by Julia Butters.  Ultimately I found this movie to be long on style and a little short on substance, leaving me feeling like "what was the point", which isn't ideal for a 159 minute run time.  That being said, I was quite entertained by what is sure to become another Tarantino classic!

5)  Ford v Ferrari:  I would call this a formula movie....but in a good way.  "Good Guys" having to overcome impossible odds to defeat the villain.  Recalcitrant and troubled "bad boy" has to be corralled by family or friends, to give a top performance.  There is a formula because it consistently works.  When you add Matt Damon and Christian Bale to talented director James Mangold, it's bound to do more then just work.  I'll admit I have a bit of a man-crush on Bale.  He and Damon have excellent chemistry portraying deeply complex characters and give customary top level performances.  Not to be overlooked are all of the many supporting cast members who also contribute significantly to the success of this movie.  I don't know, or care, all that much about cars and I don't follow racing at all.  Still, the movie seemed to have gotten all of the technical aspects of this film right.  Overall a beautifully shot, expertly crafted, well acted, engaging, and very entertaining movie.

6)  The Irishman:  Martin Scorsese may well be the best living director and it's impossible to understate the many accomplishments and talents of Robert DeNiro.  This movie is commonly considered a front runner to win significant awards, including best picture.  Al Pacino gives a tremendous performance as Jimmy Hoffa and DeNiro as a mob hitman.  However, it was Joe Pesci who stole every scene he was in, as the sweetly terrifying mob boss.  It was really great to see him and Harvey Keitel again.  I did have a number of "issues" with this  movie.  Considering how little actually happens, and how slow the pacing is, it was a bit boring and self indulgent.  I'm not sure why it needed to be 3 and a half hours long.  I also had a problem with the different ages played by DeNiro.  The de-aging effects just weren't all that good.  I was distracted by the fact that the young man version looked and moved a bit awkwardly, which made it difficult to fully buy in to the character.  While it is a fascinating story of loyalty, friendship and "honor among thieves" I found it to be more nostalgic then entertaining, trading more on reputation then achievement.  I asked a few friends to quickly recall one scene that stuck out in their memory........ most came up blank.  To me, when I think of any great movie, a number of specific scenes come instantly to my mind.  Clearly not Scorsese's best.  Perhaps it would have fared better on the big screen, but for me it was only available on Netflix.

7)  Little Women:   This is a lovely little film but I'm clearly not the target audience.  It's a well told and well known tale of four sisters struggling to be part of a family, while retaining their own unique identity.  The performances of the sisters are all believable and the direction by Greta Gerwig points to a promising future behind the camera.  The compulsive attention to detail and the gorgeous costuming do help make this ensemble period piece enjoyable.  I also particularly enjoyed the brooding performance of fast rising young star Timothee Chalamet; clearly an actor to watch.  On the flip side there is something about Laura Dern that I just don't care for.  While she's been in a number of excellent movies, I don't typically enjoy her performances.  I also found some of the action to be erratic, jumping around between characters and time lines.  Ultimately this movie is good enough, but to me it was a little boring, predictable, "on the nose", lacking depth and nuance.  "Family Friendly" just isn't typically my cup of tea.

8)  Parasite:  This Korean movie is another critic favorite and front runner to win best picture.  These past few years I seem to be on a run of rating eventual winners low on my personal list.  This movie is so incredibly highly regarded I've come to question my own tastes.  I do have to admit to a mild bias against sub-titled movies.  Although, this year I did very much enjoy the Spanish language film Pain and Glory. Part of my problem is that I'm most interested in the acting.  When you're reading subtitles you often miss the nuances of facial expression, because your eyes are drawn elsewhere.  Add to that, you simply can't hear and discern all of the inflections in tone or expression when you don't understand the language.  It all just sounds foreign.  Perhaps that's why I didn't find the acting to be superior.  I also found the movie to be a very slow build for the first two hours, with a somewhat silly and hard to accept premise.  I've read that this bit of cinema is a masterful and nuanced depiction of class war.  The haves versus the have nots.  To me it felt like the have nots were basic criminal con artists.  The haves weren't exactly angles but they also didn't seem to deserve what they ultimately get. As the films nears it's conclusion it changes from slow and somewhat boring to absolute mayhem.  It goes from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye, making it feel uneven, almost like two different movies.  Again, there are clearly things to like about this movie.  It is a fascinating glimpse in to another culture.  While visually excellent I still wasn't all that entertained and am not sure what all the hype was about.

9)  Marriage Story:  This would normally be a film right up my alley.  Dark and actor driven. I'm a fan of both Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver and they were both in top form.  However, I have to say, I've never been a fan of writer-director Noah Baumbach, and no surprise I didn't care for Laura Dern's contributions. I found the performances of many of the supporting characters, and all of the lawyers involved, to be unbelievable at best. The scenes with the social worker on a home inspection were particularly distracting. To me, this movie felt like a stage play, scripted and rehearsed.  Each actor gives long monologues while the other actor waits for their turn to perform.  I had a similar feeling and review about Fences, a few years ago.  I know a lot of people were touched by this film and the subject matter, but to me it felt manipulative, over wrought and overly dramatic.  Having heard and read all the hype, I eagerly anticipated this film, expecting to love it.  I did enjoy many parts of it, especially the acting of the leads, and some of the writing/dialogue, but in the end was disappointed. 

Oscar's Best 2018

It's been a very unusual year for movies, and for best picture Oscar nominations.  There were a significant number of very good movies this year, probably more then usual.  However, there was a shortage of truly amazing movies.  It was also unusual in that a number of my personal favorites this year got completely ignored by the Academy.  In fact, my absolute favorite movie of the year wasn't even nominated for best picture, although, it was nominated for best documentary.  It was an unusual year in that it was the first time in many years that I haven't seen all the nominees in a movie theater.  It was also unusual in that a "comic book" movie got recognized as a best picture nominee.  What's getting to be less unusual is how long movies seem to be.  Most have run times of over two hours, which in my opinion is just too long.  Two hours should be the max for most films.
Before I go through my ranking of best picture nominees, I'd like to mention a few movies that I enjoyed and think are worth checking out.  I'll try to list primarily those that Oscar overlooked, so if a movie got a significant nomination I won't mention it here.  The next time you're searching for a movie, consider these.  I'd love your feedback, good or bad, if you watch any of the following movies based on my recommendation.
In the "chick flick" or family friendly category:  Crazy Rich Asians, The Greatest Showman, Juliet Naked, and Love Simon were very entertaining and fun to watch.
In the "guilty pleasure" category:  Upgrade, Annihilation, Widows (visually stunning), The Mule, and Avengers: Infinity War are worth checking out.
In the "unique" category:  Searching,  American Animals (movie/documentary hybrid), and Tully were something a little different but still quite interesting and entertaining.
In the "indie" category:  The Rider, Eighth Grade, Beautiful Boy, and most especially Blindspotting were the movies I hoped Oscar would recognize.  Blindspotting was near the top spot on my personal list of favorite films this year.  It's the story of a man haunted by a single act that caused him to be imprisoned and changed his life forever.  It explores how it might feel "to be judged by the color of your skin or remembered only for the worst thing you ever did".
There were two other movies that did get recognized for Academy Awards, but not best picture, that I think deserve special mention.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse got nominated for best animated feature, but it should have been nominated for best picture.  It's the first animated movie that captured the feeling and joy of reading comic books.  If you grew up reading comics, you'll enjoy this film.
Free Solo got nominated for best documentary and it was my favorite movie this year.  I'm not typically a huge fan of documentaries, I generally prefer to be entertained and not educated by film. This year had a number of exceptional documentaries, to include RBG, Three Identical Strangers and Won't You Be My Neighbor.  Free Solo chronicles the life of Alex Honnold and his obsession with rock climbing; specifically his desire to climb Yosemite's El Capitan.  He climbs the 3000 foot sheer rock wall "Free Solo" which means without any ropes or other safety gear.  While it is a tale about a rock climbing savant, it's really of an examination of what makes Alex tick.  We learn about his motivation, his singular focus, and most interestingly about his personal and romantic life.  There is nothing fake or pretentious about Alex.  He seems incapable of deceit or artifice.  It really is a fascinating film that deeply moved and inspired me and it still lingers fondly in my memory.
Now on to my reviews of the best picture nominees from best to worst- IN MY OPINION.  My first two choices and last two choices were somewhat easy to  make, the four in the middle could have been in any order.

1)  A Star Is Born: This year, more then most years, I'm basing my list primarily on how entertained I was.  I usually put more weight on acting, cinematography, writing and direction, but this year was more about pure entertainment value.  Having said that, A Star is Born was the most entertaining movie this year.  Following in Ben Affleck's footsteps Bradley Cooper is off to a great start with his directorial debut.  It may have been easier filming a re-make (number three) but it's still quite an accomplishment.  A Star Is Born is the love story between an alcoholic, aging, deeply troubled, famous musician, played by Cooper, and the heart of gold, young, unknown, meek, aspiring singer song-writer played by Lady Gaga.  The chemistry between them simply works.  Together they amount to more then either of them could have independently, the ideal of any productive and rewarding relationship.  They seem to have genuine affection between each other and it shows.  The film could easily have become melodramatic or cliche but it avoided those traps with clever writing, great songs and authentic performances.  The evolution of their romance felt real, and the musical numbers even more so.  Clearly Cooper is a superior actor and Gaga a superior singer, but each proved to be more then adequate in the opposite role.  I do think the movie slowed somewhat during the last third.  The build up and growth of the relationship was well paced and gripping.  However, later in the film, when the focus drifted to more peripheral topics, like her family and dealing with fame, it seemed to slow and lose focus.  However, it's an excellent film, worthy of the top prize.

2)  Bohemian Rhapsody:  Another supremely entertaining film.  I had forgotten how much I liked Queen music.  I had the pleasure of seeing them live in concert, a million years ago, and had that memory as a backdrop.  I saw the film with my wife and youngest daughter, and we all had a very positive experience; we were all entertained.  The film works well beyond simple nostalgia.  Rami Malek clearly did his homework and seemed to embody the essence of Queen front-man Freddie Mercury, both in appearance, swagger, and on stage presence.  The remainder of the cast was more then adequate, but Malek steals the show, and all scenes without him are somewhat lacking.  The writers and director (Bryan Singer) expertly captured the essence of the time and the complexity of the relationship between band members.  Freddie Mercury was a complicated person, struggling with his identity.  He doesn't quite know how he fits in with his Indian Parsi family, in society, with his band, or with his sexuality.  These topics are explored but only superficially.  It's not really a deep dive in to his motivation as much as a tribute to the music.  Singer does beautifully captures the look and feel of the era.  Bohemian Rhapsody "sticks the landing" with the final Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium, which is breathtaking, visually and musically.  Despite being a gay man, the key emotional relationship, is between Freddie and the love of his life Mary Austin.   The film examines all aspects of his life, his motivations, relationships, the music, and ultimately his fatal battle with HIV/AIDS.  This film joins the growing list of great musical biopics, such as Walk the Line and Ray.

3)  Vice:  This movie reminded me a lot of Adam McKay's other wonderful film, The Big Short.  He uses several of the same actors and the same unique quirky style of telling a complicated, potentially boring, story.  He was able to make the details of very complicated financial collapse, and now the life of vice president Dick Cheney, both understandable and compelling.  Of course it helps when you have Christian Bale doing the heavy lifting.  I'm typically drawn to movies that are actor/performance driven, and Vice is definitely that.  Bale is consistently able to transform himself, both physically and in character, which in my opinion is the hallmark of exceptional acting.  He's arguably one of the finest actors working today and in many ways reminds me of my personal favorite Meryl Streep.  He takes chances, accepts a wide range of roles, and seems to become whoever he's portraying, instantly erasing any lingering memory of any other prior equally mesmerizing performance.  Working across from Sam Rockwell (George Bush), Amy Adams (his wife Lynne), and Steve Carell (Donald Rumsfeld) gave Bale equally talented actors to play against.  Three outstanding performers at the top of their game.  I'm sure most won't put this movie as high on a list as I did.  Even with McKay's directing talents and superior acting, it's still too long, meandering and a bit dry.  That being said, it's a very enjoyable film and if you're not careful you might actually learn some history.

4)  Green Book:  It's the 1960's, racism is alive and well, and a black virtuoso pianist takes on a musical tour through the deep south.  He requires a driver/security for this trip and hires a white Italian American man for this purpose.  Mahershala Ali gives an Oscar worthy performance as the musician.  His performance is rich with elegance, dignity, and even subtlety as he uncovers the complexity of his own personal motivations and illustrates the complexity of the nation's racial divide.  Ali is rapidly becoming a force in the acting world.  He may have one of the most expressive faces I've seen.  It's impressive how much emotion and intent he's able to convey with a mere glance, smile, raised brow or tilt of the head.  Viggo Mortensen portraying the driver, is his acting equal.  The film contrasts a man struggling with his identity with that of a man deeply rooted and secure in his identity.  Ali doesn't know where he fits in, in his personal life, within his own race, or in society at large, while Viggo has deep family roots and a clear place in his Italian-American neighborhood.  The film is well told, well directed and extremely well acted.  However, there isn't much that is surprising or original about it.  Two men from opposite sides of the tracks are forced together and learn they aren't so different after all,  in the end coming to respect and understand each other.  My oldest son pointed out that he knew exactly what to expect and could have easily predicted how it would end even before it began.  Sadly he was right.  Although it is predictable and stereotypical in many ways it is still an important story, well told, and worth seeing.  I was entertained.

5)  BlacKkKlansman:  Spike Lee directs this "based on a true story" account of Colorado Springs' first black detective, who was able to infiltrate the KKK along with his Jewish partner, played by Adam Driver.  The movie is well acted, expertly directed and beautifully shot.  Denzel's son, John David Washington plays the police officer who against all odds infiltrates the KKK.  It's the 1970's, and the civil right's movement is heating up.  America is a far cry from racially tolerant.  Up and coming Adam Driver plays a Jewish cop, who hides from his own ethnicity, seemingly unwilling to recognize his own minority status.  Washington tries to embrace and promote his race, unable to hide from it, while struggling to be accepted by his peers and by society.  In the end Driver comes to recognize the significance of his own ethnicity and how all races deserve to be treated equally.  I very much enjoyed Topher Grace's performance as David Duke, the leader of the KKK.  While the acting, the direction and the action make this movie worth seeing, I found the writing to be somewhat redundant.  The film kept making the same point over and over.  Considering the high stakes of a Jewish man going undercover to infiltrate the KKK, the tone of the film lacked a degree of menace that the theme would suggest be present.  There were far too many "silly" and comical moments which I felt took away from the weight and seriousness of the theme.  Overall it was an enjoyable experience but I felt there could have and should have been "more".

6)  The Favourite: Who doesn't love a great period movie?!?!  Director Yorgos Lanthimos has made some of the oddest and most uncomfortable films in recent memory, such as The Lobster, Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Dogtooth, all films clearly NOT made for the masses (watch at your own risk).  In The Favourite he has assembled a cast of fine actors.  The Academy seems to reward performance driven films, very much like I do. The film is beautifully set in the 18th Century, with a sickly Queen Anne, wonderfully played by Oliva Colman, on the throne.  The sets and costumes are spectacular.  Rachel Weisz is the Queen's aide but also her confidant and lesbian love interest.  She controls the Queens itinerary, has her ear, and is even able to influence policy.  Naturally her position incites envy and others conspire against her.  Emma Stone appears as a prior lady, now a manipulative servant down on her luck, but with limitless ambition.  She quickly befriends and charms the Queen, eventually challenging for control and power.  Her character will do anything, stoop to any level, to gain an upper hand.  There is plenty of intrigue as each party schemes to rise in the ranks.  I particularly enjoyed the scenes involving a somewhat secondary character, Robert Harley, played by Nicholas Hoult.  Each of his all to few scenes were outstanding.  It's never quite clear what each person's motivation is, what emotion is genuine, which words are true......  It's a quirky and unique film, beautifully told, cleverly written, and expertly acted.  While I was entertained, in the end, it was just a bit to absurd to rate more highly.

7)  Black Panther:  While I did enjoy this movie, and understand it's social significance, I simply didn't think it was even the best comic book movie of the year.  My brother, whose opinion I don't always share but always respect, absolutely hated this movie.  In any case, I thought both Avengers: Infinity War and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse were superior comic book movies this year.  If ever such a movie deserved a best picture nomination, to me, it would have been Deadpool.  In general I suspect I'm guilty of being a movie snob when it comes to the Academy Awards.  I don't think critical acclaim should have anything to do with box office success.  While I do watch and enjoy the block busters I prefer that the Academy Awards go to more meaningful, serious, or artsy, type movies.  I'd be more in favor of a different Oscar category to allow for fan favorites like X-men, Mission Impossible, James Bond, comedies or horror movies to give them a chance at winning Academy Awards.  Although, there are other award shows that more readily recognize these type of movies.  All that being said Chadwick Boseman was wonderful as The Black Panther, just as he was as Jackie Robinson (42) and Thurgood Marshall (Marshall).  I'm glad I saw this film as it has great production value, strong women characters, fantastic effects, excellent costumes, and an interesting plot, but it simply wasn't extraordinary, or not extraordinary enough to warrant a best picture nomination.

8)  Roma:  I have no idea how this movie got one, let alone ten, Oscar nominations.  It's a black and white, very long, sub-titled movie.  The story is set in Mexico and is told through the eyes of a maid, serving a dysfunctional family, in the 1970's.  I found the performances to be flat, the direction and pacing to be inconsistent and meandering, the writing to be uninspired and pointless, with the color literally taken out.  The only praise I have is for the cinematography.  Many of the visuals are stunning.  The scenes of Mexico City at the time were interesting and beautiful, there is also a gritty hospital sequence that's excellent.  Still, I was unable to connect or relate to any of the characters and didn't really care what happened to them.  It's been a long time since I've disliked a "best picture" nomination so much.  One scene perfectly summed it up for me; a close up of a car tire slowly rolling over a mound of dog excrement.  This was the first time I've missed seeing a best picture nomination on the big screen, and I'm glad for not having spent the money.  Often nominated movies are re-released to theaters, taking advantage of the buzz nominations generate.  As of yet, Roma has still not been released in any of the many theaters I frequent, including the art house theaters.  Roma is a Netflix original that never went in to wide release.  I'd love to hear from someone who enjoyed this movie.  Clearly I must be missing something as I was NOT entertained.

Oscar's Best 2017

Oscar night has snuck up on me this year.  I've seen all of the best picture nominees but have simply been too busy, or too lazy, to actually write down my thoughts.  As always, I'm hoping to spark some conversation or debate.  There have been a number of very good movies, but just like last year, no single movie blew me away.  I did enjoy movies throughout the year, without the customary lag during the winter and summer months.  I have noted that movies seem to be longer then usual this year, with many run times well over two hours.  It's a trend I'm not a fan off as longer films can become indulgent and boring.  Some of the movies I enjoyed this year, that didn't get any love from the Academy, included: Logan Lucky, Baby Driver, Wonder Woman, Tragedy Girls, Only The Brave, Jumanji among others.  Some more "out there" and harder to recommend films I enjoyed, or at least found interesting, included: Hostiles, The Disaster Artist, Wind River, Split and Mother.
As always I'll review the best picture nominees from best to worst- IN MY OPINION.

1)  PHANTOM THREAD:  I suspect I may be alone in my admiration of this movie, above all others this year.  I am typically drawn to movies that are driven by great acting, far more so then by those driven by plot, character, action, suspense, humor, etc.  That being said, Daniel Day-Lewis may arguably be the single best currently working male actor.  Let's hope his claim to now be retired turns out not to be true, although I fear it is.  Direction and writing are probably the next most important element to a great movie.  Paul Thomas Anderson wrote AND directed Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood.  Need I say more?!?!  Daniel Day-Lewis plays the dressmakers to the stars in 1950's London.  He lives and works out of a house, which is run like a military barrack.  He has a rigid militant manner to his life and to his work.  Life is on his terms and he no tolerance to be pushed out of his comfort zone personally or professionally.  The only people who seem to have a permanent place in his life and in his heart, are his equally cold sister, Cyril (Oscar nominated Lesley Manville), and the memory of his beloved mother.  The inspiration for his dress designs seem to come from the women he currently loves, although he eventually discards them unceremoniously.  The movie begins with a chance encounter, and eventual love affair, with Alma (Vicky Krieps), a simple but strong and beautiful waitress.  While acting as his muse and lover she throws his orderly way of life in to chaos.  In time, as their love grows, each figures out what the other wants and needs.  They become interdependent and bring out the best in each other, even if unconventionally.  Does she become the third woman with a permanent place in his life?  Does he dump her?  Will his art suffer?  The acting, direction, writing, cinematography, and the music all weave together seamlessly in to a beautiful crafted work of art.

2)  THE SHAPE OF WATER:  Another interesting movie by director Guillermo del Toro who also brought us the stunning Pan's Labyrinth.  This somewhat darker twist on "Beauty and the Beast" takes place in the 1960's, set mostly in a secret, underground, government, research facility.  Elisa (Oscar nominated Sally Hawkins), the beauty, is a sweet and charming, deaf custodian, with a heart of gold.  She encounters the beast, a scaly, water bound, "monster" imprisoned at the facility.  She finds herself drawn to him and endeavors to save him.  Naturally, in time her affection is reciprocated and romance blossoms.  A number of expertly portrayed secondary supporting characters bring life to this film.  Octavia Spencer plays her colleague and ally while Michael Shannon plays the antagonist determined to "break" the beast.  There is a great deal of humor, tenderness, beauty and intrigue interwoven in this unconventional love story.  The movie is beautifully shot, well scored, and tremendously well acted.  Del Toro has a way of filming that is dance-like.  The choreography and motion of the scenes flows so beautifully, almost whimsically.  The film genuinely captures the time period and cleverly sets the mood visually.  I did take issue with a bathroom scene that while beautiful was just too far fetched to believe and was inconsistent with the prior "realism".  I also didn't love the ending.  It felt rushed, awkward, and unsatisfying.  As my brother likes to say "it didn't stick the landing".  I'm not sure it deserved all the nominations it received, but it is an excellent movie worth seeing.

3)  DARKEST HOUR:  Now this is a movie almost solely driven by a single acting performance.  Gary Oldman portrays Winston Churchill in this historical biopic.  I know makeup, prosthetics, and special effects have come a long way, but I was still blown away by how they were able to physically transform Oldman in to Churchill.  However, flushing out the complexities of the character is a testament to Oldman's superior acting skills.  I was instantly hooked and convinced I was watching Churchill.  His interactions with the King were particularly riveting.  As a fan of history, particularly the history of World War II, I greatly enjoyed learning how Churchill rose to power and how he struggled making the weighty decisions he faced.  Annihilation and/or annexation seemed likely.  Should he fight to the end and risk more innocent lives, or should he try to negotiate with Hitler?  His action, or lack of action, would determine the fate of Britain.  Like all of the historically set films on the list this year, this film truly captures the essence of the time period in which the events take place.  I don't even really care that much how historically accurate the film was.  I was completely swept up in the journey and enjoyed the ride.

4)  LADY BIRD:  A beautifully written and acted coming of age comedy.  I have been critical of several movies Greta Gerwig acted in.  However, she did a spectacular job writing the screenplay and directing this film.  The gifted Saoirse Ronan, who burst on the scene in Brooklyn, plays a Catholic high school senior, who like most teenagers, struggles with her identity.  She is looking to discover what her mother calls "the best version of yourself".  In an effort to define herself and have some control she insists on being called Lady Bird instead of Christine, her given name.  Like most teens, she's often charming, lovable, witty, clever and kind. However, she can also be selfish, petty, and even mean spirited, making her feel very "real". She has complicated interactions and feelings about her sexuality, parents, siblings, friends, teachers, and religion.  There is a natural and inherent selfishness to youth, thinking we are the center of the universe, but why doesn't everyone else recognize it?!?  Teens don't necessarily see that others have equally complex and difficult lives.  What makes this movie even more entertaining are all the rich secondary characters.  An interesting movie could easily be made out of most of the supporting cast.  I'd have liked to learn more about each of her parents, her brother and his girlfriend, her boyfriend/s, teachers etc.  I admit that I tend to enjoy coming of age movies and this one did not disappoint (and it wasn't two hours long).

5)  THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI:  What makes this dramatic dark comedy rank so high is that is was simply entertaining.  I never checked my watch and time flew by; a primary criteria by which I evaluate movies.  I suspect this film will be a fan favorite, appealing to a wider audience.  It's a fictional story about a grieving mother who takes out three billboards to motivate the police department.  She accuses the chief of police of ineptitude or laziness.  Her daughter has been brutally murdered months ago, and she perceives a lack of action and investigation, and she blames the chief.  Much of what makes this movie so entertaining, aside from the script, are the poignant performances by the leads as well as by the secondary characters.  Frances McDormand as the mother, Woody Harelson as the Chief, and Sam Rockwell as the racist/violent Deputy are the heartbeat of this film.  But Woody's wife, Sam's mother, and McDormand's ex husband, along with a slew of other interesting characters contribute greatly to this film.  Both Woody and Sam are consistently excellent and yet seem under-rated.  My primary issue with this film are the number of unrealistic scenes which I found distracting.  I don't mind suspending disbelief and absolutely don't require realism, but I do like some consistency.  I was particularly distracted by Sam Rockwell's character.  While expertly played, I found it impossible to believe that a small town, in the deep south, would not only employ but retain a police deputy with his degree of overt racism, ineptitude, immaturity and complete disregard for the rule of law.  By rights he belonged in prison.  There were other inconsistencies and unbelievable moments which lowered this movie's rank.  It also didn't quite "stick the landing", leaving me a bit unfulfilled.  That being said, it's a fun ride and worth seeing.

6)  CALL ME BY YOUR NAME:  Another coming of age movie.  I found it fascinating how this movie seemed to be the opposite of Lady Bird.  Both movies are about teens struggling with finding their own inner identity and their place in the world.  However, they do so in equally interesting but wildly different ways.  This is very much an "indie" type movie while Lady Bird is more mainstream.  It might make an interesting project for a film student to compare and contrast.  Elio, played by Timothee Chalamet, who incidentally also had a part in Lady Bird, does an impressive job conveying his search for identity.  The movie is set in Italy and feels like a meandering stroll through the countryside.  It's beautifully filmed but in no hurry at 132 minutes.  Elio is a gifted musician, highly intelligent, well read and well liked, with understanding and supportive parents.  Mostly he seems to struggle with his sexual identity, even his sexual preference.  Armie Hammer's character Oliver, comes to live at the summer home in Italy, serving as the teaching assistant to Elio's father (Michael Stuhlbarg).  The two eventually become friends and slowly a reluctant, tender and passionate love affair develops.  Additionally both have sexually satisfying relationships with women.  It's a wonderful movie but I simply had a hard time relating to the characters.  Being able to relate to, understand, identify or empathize with a character is critical to becoming invested in the action and outcome.  This is the second year in a row that I struggled to identify with a gay themed movie.  I just didn't connect.  I think I'd have had an easier time relating to Elio were he simply gay, rather then bi.  Moonlight, last year's best picture winner, was my least favorite of the nominated films. I am not at all homophobic and have loved many movies which had homosexuality was at their heart.  Films like Milk, Dallas Buyers Club, A Single Man, and even Philadelphia are just a few such films that come quickly to mind.  There is a lot to love about this film but for me it was too long, a little self indulgent and hard to relate to.

7)  THE POST:  Meryl Streep is probably my favorite actor of all time, Tom Hanks is no slouch, and Steven Spielberg is obviously in rarefied air as a director.  With those ingredients you'd think this movie would be slam dunk amazing.  The Post explores the US government's deception of the American public about the Vietnam War, and the cover-up that followed.  Secret government documents exposing wrong-doing are covertly leaked to the Washington Post.  These documents become known as the Pentagon Papers.  On the grounds of protecting national security Nixon endeavors to legally bar the Washington Post, owned by Kay Graham (Streep) and edited by Ben Bradlee (Hanks) from publishing these damning documents.  Should she risk her freedom and the future of the paper, violate the law and publish, or let an important story about corruption and deception go untold?  Intrigue, suspense, and dramatic tension should have been at the heart of this movie and yet it was slow and a little boring.  Graham who eventually does the right thing, doesn't come across as the strong willed titan she was.  She comes across as a timid, confused and a reluctant participant, lost in her late husband's shadow.  Additionally many of the scenes felt contrived, unnatural and staged.  Shots to make sure every character was in frame, nobody obscuring anyone else.  Characters standing by unnaturally, waiting for a cue, eager to give their own lines.  It felt a bit like a stage play rather then a big screen movie.  In 2015 Spielberg collaborated with Hanks in Bridge of Spies and I had similar directorial issues with that film.  I did enjoy the movie overall, but compared to Spotlight, another movie about journalism and uncovering deception, it simply didn't measure up.

8)  DUNKIRK:  I had such high hopes for this movie.  Director Christopher Nolan brought us amazing movies such as Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar.  However, Dunkirk was somewhat disappointing.  In 1940 Allied soldiers were isolated and surrounded on the beaches of Dunkirk, France.  The German army had them pinned down and trapped, with a real opportunity to end and win World War II.  The story is told from three different perspectives.  There is the military drama on the beaches, a view from a fighter pilot's cockpit (Tom Hardy), and there are civilian boats rushing to Dunkirk in hopes of evacuating stranded soldiers.  Technically this movie was amazing.  Many of the images and several of the scenes were visually stunning; beautifully filmed and acted.  The opening few minutes and all scenes with Mark Rylance, as a small boat captain, were particularly effective.  My daughter loved every scene with boy-band heartthrob Harry Styles, of One Direction fame.  However, I'm not sure this alone qualifies for a higher ranking.... Sorry Lauren.  On the other hand, Kenneth Branagh's superior talents were absolutely wasted and his scenes went nowhere.  There was minimal character development with very little meaningful dialogue, making it difficult to connect with any character or the action.  Overall I found the story confusing without a smooth arc to the narrative. Much of the action seemed contrived, disjointed and unrealistic.  With no ship in sight why were rows of soldiers lined up on the beach, virtual sitting ducks?  It wasn't clearly explained how Dunkirk came to be, what the issues were, and what made it so important.  The action at sea and in the air were far more entertaining and coherent then what transpired on the beaches.  For example, a minor sub-plot story develops when a group of soldiers seek refuge on an small grounded ship.  The entire sequence felt alternately pointless, confusing, manipulative, and in the end cliche.  The technical merit of this film can not be denied, and it is worth seeing, but I just don't think this movie deserved to be on the best picture list.

9)  GET OUT:  At the risk of being inconsistent, or a movie snob, I'll say this movie was more entertaining, interesting, and "fun" then Dunkirk, yet I rank it last among the best picture nominees.  If I had to re-watch any of the movies on the list, I'd easily watch Get Out before I'd watch 6, 7, or 8 again.  I should say that horror is by far my least favorite genre of movies and straight comedy may be next.  Jordan Peele, of the hilarious Key And Peele fame, writes and directs his first movie.  I can't wait to see the next film he directs.  Get Out is the tale of an interracial couple, portrayed beautifully by Daniel Kaluuya and the gorgeous Allison Williams.  Their relationship has reached the point where she wants to take him to meet her parents.  They travel deep in to the woods, to her parent's isolated home.  At first everything is harmonious and he's accepted with open arms.  Eventually he begins to notice odd happenings but writes them off to his imagination.  When her mother, a psychiatrist (too rarely seen Catherine Keener), hypnotizes him things take a dramatically darker turn.  It's a unique, fun, poignant and interesting tale well told.  So, I guess it depends on what you think "best" means when raking a movie.  I think Get Out just lacked some of the gravitas or weight of a great Oscar caliber film.  It's a fun movie for sure but it lacks the elements that make a movie important or "best" to me.  It's why so few comedies, comic book movies, animated or horror movies even get nominated.  By all means see this movie and feel free to tell me I'm wrong for not listing it higher.  You may be right.