Oscar noms quick survey

[Deadrody]

Now seen Arrival, Moonlight, and Hell or High Water. Liked them all. Hell or High Water the most so far, followed by Arrival, then Moonlight. The wife didn't care for Arrival. She thought it was too slow. Not sure Moonlight is necessarily worthy of a best picture nomination. Good, but not THAT good. A bit amateurish in style. Not too much, like if you've ever seen Chasing Amy, for instance - that was BAD amateurish. Had that same kind of thrown together feel.

Have Lion, Manchester by the Sea, Jackie, Allied, and Hacksaw Ridge on the near future watchlist.

 

[8893]

Tried to watch Midnight yesterday. Turned it off maybe 30-40 minutes in. Still don't know what the point of the movie is supposed to be. Really slow.

Now seen Arrival, Moonlight, and Hell or High Water. Liked them all. Hell or High Water the most so far, followed by Arrival, then Moonlight. The wife didn't care for Arrival. She thought it was too slow. Not sure Moonlight is necessarily worthy of a best picture nomination. Good, but not THAT good. A bit amateurish in style. Not too much, like if you've ever seen Chasing Amy, for instance - that was BAD amateurish. Had that same kind of thrown together feel.

I think I've said this here or elsewhere, but the worst thing for Moonlight is having big expectations. It's a small film, not a big movie. And yes, it is a much slower pace than most modern movies. On the one hand, I never would have seen it but for the hype; on the other hand, I didn't think it lived up to the hype. But I am glad I saw it. It is a provocative movie that stays with you if you stay with it, but it doesn't hit you over the head with anything. There are some very good individual performances that I think are Oscar-worthy, but I'm not sure I agree that the movie itself is worthy of best picture, either.

As for "the point," again I think I have said this when comparing it and Manchester By The Sea, but I think the point was to depict the humanity of living a tortured existence, and what people do to cope and try to overcome it in less-than-ideal circumstances, to put it mildly.

 

[Deadrody]

I really wish there was a useful way to sort through the bazillion movie options. IMDB used to have the weekly rental numbers that was pretty useful, but they got rid of that and the only thing they seem to have for "DVD / Bluray" is the "Releasing this week" page, which for my purposes, is entirely useless.

Redbox has a top 20, but only the current week / month. Once something drops off that list, it's gone.

Rottentomatoes has a lot of information, but too much, IMO. Hard to tell the wheat from the chafe there.

UPDATE: Ironically, as soon as I posted that, I found the iTunes top rentals and MRQE Netflix top 100 lists.

 

[Deadrody]

I think I've said this here or elsewhere, but the worst thing for Moonlight is having big expectations. It's a small film, not a big movie. And yes, it is a much slower pace than most modern movies. On the one hand, I never would have seen it but for the hype; on the other hand, I didn't think it lived up to the hype. But I am glad I saw it. It is a provocative movie that stays with you if you stay with it, but it doesn't hit you over the head with anything. There are some very good individual performances that I think are Oscar-worthy, but I'm not sure I agree that the movie itself is worthy of best picture, either.

As for "the point," again I think I have said this when comparing it and Manchester By The Sea, but I think the point was to depict the humanity of living a tortured existence, and what people do to cope and try to overcome it in less-than-ideal circumstances, to put it mildly.

I'd agree with that. The downside of Moonlight could be described as the movie focusing on the outcome, moreso than the coping. Maybe a bit too superficial feeling. I definitely fell into the cliche movie trap of expecting more bad things to happen than actually happened, but I think that's what mainstream movies will do to you, I guess. Maybe the issue is more that it tried to stradle that line too hard.

 

[meyers7]

Edit: Apparently I had the ending wrong. Please watch. Everyone lives happily ever after. I still think the beginning sucks.

So when you give the wrong ending you use "spoiler", but when you give the right ending you don't??

 

[temery]

So when you give the wrong ending you use "spoiler", but when you give the right ending you don't??

I take it you haven't seen the movie. Watch it. You'll like it, even with the Scoobee Doo ending where one of the aliens pulls his mask off and it's Jodie Foster returning from her trip in Contact.

 

[superjohn]

I think I've said this here or elsewhere, but the worst thing for Moonlight is having big expectations. It's a small film, not a big movie. And yes, it is a much slower pace than most modern movies. On the one hand, I never would have seen it but for the hype; on the other hand, I didn't think it lived up to the hype. But I am glad I saw it. It is a provocative movie that stays with you if you stay with it, but it doesn't hit you over the head with anything. There are some very good individual performances that I think are Oscar-worthy, but I'm not sure I agree that the movie itself is worthy of best picture, either.

As for "the point," again I think I have said this when comparing it and Manchester By The Sea, but I think the point was to depict the humanity of living a tortured existence, and what people do to cope and try to overcome it in less-than-ideal circumstances, to put it mildly.

The thing I loved about Moonlight is that it doesn't hit you over the head to make a point like some Spike Lee films and that awful dreck "Crash" from Paul Haggis. Moonlight is a slow burn, I have thought about it several times since.

 

[meyers7]

I take it you haven't seen the movie. Watch it. You'll like it, even with the Scoobee Doo ending where one of the aliens pulls his mask off and it's Jodie Foster.

I've seen it. Just messing with Sasquatch.

 

[8893]

I'd agree with that. The downside of Moonlight could be described as the movie focusing on the outcome, moreso than the coping. Maybe a bit too superficial feeling. I definitely fell into the cliche movie trap of expecting more bad things to happen than actually happened, but I think that's what mainstream movies will do to you, I guess. Maybe the issue is more that it tried to stradle that line too hard.

The thing I loved about Moonlight is that it doesn't hit you over the head to make a point like some Spike Lee films and that awful dreck "Crash" from Paul Haggis. Moonlight is a slow burn, I have thought about it several times since.

Funny you say that, SJ, as I was just writing a reply to @Deadrody 's post along those lines. I think the movie does a good job of showing cause and effect, but not making the connections so obvious. Perhaps this is what Deadrody means when he refers to "focusing on the outcome." Personally, I didn't focus much on the outcome until after the movie.

As for "expecting more bad things to happen than actually happened,"

Spoiler: Spoiler

I mean the kid grows up fatherless, black and gay in drug-infested 1980s Miami. His mother is a crack whore who is being supplied by the guy who becomes his de facto father figure, and who is apparently killed himself. He doesn't know that he's gay or what it means until that one night with his friend, who promptly beats him to a pulp the next day at the urging of the school bully. He apparently overcompensates for that by retaliating and getting himself thrown in jail, where he models himself on the dead drug dealer/father figure to survive. Years later he reconnects with the friend and confides that that one night back in school was the only time in his entire life that he has been touched by another human?!? I'm getting pretty moved again just typing that and thinking about it again. At the time I had no idea what to think, but upon reflection it's pretty breathtakingly sad imo, yet ultimately hopeful in that he is able to express it and, hopefully, build from there.

So...lots bad things happened to my observation, but we don't see most of the bad things; instead, we see the effects of them. I think that was a very interesting and unique stylistic choice, and one that has made it have a greater impact at the end of the day.

 

[Fishy]

I saw Hacksaw Ridge last night.

Ah, it was fine. Nothing special - great story, but kind of a generic war movie most of the way.

 

[Deepster]

Saw La La Land this morning. Thought it was shot well and captured the city and "story" of what people,come to LA for....but I think 14 oscar moms is crazy.

 

[superjohn]

Saw La La Land this morning. Thought it was shot well and captured the city and "story" of what people,come to LA for....but I think 14 oscar moms is crazy.

14 oscar moms is definitely crazy.

 

[Fishy]

14 oscar moms is definitely crazy.

Just whip up a batch of cosmos and see where the night goes.

 

[Deepster]

Saw Arrival last night. Yeah, I've been on a movie binge lately. I thought it was the best of all the Oscar flicks I've seen. The payoff in the last half hour was not at all what I expected and I had to really think to try and grab it all. Very well done.

 

[superjohn]

Funny you say that, SJ, as I was just writing a reply to @Deadrody 's post along those lines. I think the movie does a good job of showing cause and effect, but not making the connections so obvious. Perhaps this is what Deadrody means when he refers to "focusing on the outcome." Personally, I didn't focus much on the outcome until after the movie.

As for "expecting more bad things to happen than actually happened,"

Spoiler: Spoiler

I mean the kid grows up fatherless, black and gay in drug-infested 1980s Miami. His mother is a crack whore who is being supplied by the guy who becomes his de facto father figure, and who is apparently killed himself. He doesn't know that he's gay or what it means until that one night with his friend, who promptly beats him to a pulp the next day at the urging of the school bully. He apparently overcompensates for that by retaliating and getting himself thrown in jail, where he models himself on the dead drug dealer/father figure to survive. Years later he reconnects with the friend and confides that that one night back in school was the only time in his entire life that he has been touched by another human?!? I'm getting pretty moved again just typing that and thinking about it again. At the time I had no idea what to think, but upon reflection it's pretty breathtakingly sad imo, yet ultimately hopeful in that he is able to express it and, hopefully, build from there.

So...lots bad things happened to my observation, but we don't see most of the bad things; instead, we see the effects of them. I think that was a very interesting and unique stylistic choice, and one that has made it have a greater impact at the end of the day.

Great analysis.

 

[Fishy]

The only category on which I can speak with authority...

Moana should win best animated movie, but it won't. Zootopia is favored, but I suspect Kubo and the Two Strings will win.

 

[Fishy]

All right, I was wrong.

 

[Walker11]

Poor Warren Beatty. What sad sack gave him the wrong card?

Poor Lala Land folks even though the film was hugely overrated.

Thank God Moonlight wasn't the initial announcement, only to be overturned.

 

[superjohn]

Poor Warren Beatty. What sad sack gave him the wrong card?

Poor Lala Land folks even though the film was hugely overrated.

Thank God Moonlight wasn't the initial announcement, only to be overturned.

Why is everyone blaming Warren Beatty? He seemed a bit confused the whole time he was up there but he looked like he tried to stall and Faye Dunaway read La La Land. Someone else screwed up by handing them the wrong card.

 

[Walker11]

Why is everyone blaming Warren Beatty? He seemed a bit confused the whole time he was up there but he looked like he tried to stall and Faye Dunaway read La La Land. Someone else screwed up by handing them the wrong card.

Undoubtedly. I haven't seen the backlash since my social media feed is solely NBA writers who were more concerned about the end of the Hornets Clippers game but I imagine their is a lot of unfounded vitriol towards Beatty. Colossal F up regardless.

 

[Deadrody]

Funny you say that, SJ, as I was just writing a reply to @Deadrody 's post along those lines. I think the movie does a good job of showing cause and effect, but not making the connections so obvious. Perhaps this is what Deadrody means when he refers to "focusing on the outcome." Personally, I didn't focus much on the outcome until after the movie.

As for "expecting more bad things to happen than actually happened,"

Spoiler: Spoiler

I mean the kid grows up fatherless, black and gay in drug-infested 1980s Miami. His mother is a crack whore who is being supplied by the guy who becomes his de facto father figure, and who is apparently killed himself. He doesn't know that he's gay or what it means until that one night with his friend, who promptly beats him to a pulp the next day at the urging of the school bully. He apparently overcompensates for that by retaliating and getting himself thrown in jail, where he models himself on the dead drug dealer/father figure to survive. Years later he reconnects with the friend and confides that that one night back in school was the only time in his entire life that he has been touched by another human?!? I'm getting pretty moved again just typing that and thinking about it again. At the time I had no idea what to think, but upon reflection it's pretty breathtakingly sad imo, yet ultimately hopeful in that he is able to express it and, hopefully, build from there.

So...lots bad things happened to my observation, but we don't see most of the bad things; instead, we see the effects of them. I think that was a very interesting and unique stylistic choice, and one that has made it have a greater impact at the end of the day.

I meant more on the downstream side. Yeah, lots of "bad" growing up, but other than you know he's a dealer, and alone, lots of people live far worse existences. When you light that fuse with him as a kid, I expected it to blow later on and it never did. Not in the least. The idea that Moonlight was best picture is laughably stupid. Fine job by the Academy of beclowning themselves. As usual.

 

[Deadrody]

BTW, we saw Manchester by the Sea on Saturday. Great story to work with, horrific execution. The time jumps were completely unnecessary and really distracted from story. I guess now "brooding grief" or more accurately, "Casey Affleck in most every movie he's in" is the new standard for best actor. Really bad Oscars IMO. The dude in Moonlight winning best supporting, when he's in 1/3 of the movie and has 10 lines of dialog was not a shining moment for them, either. Yikes.

 

[8893]

I meant more on the downstream side. Yeah, lots of "bad" growing up, but other than you know he's a dealer, and alone, lots of people live far worse existences. When you light that fuse with him as a kid, I expected it to blow later on and it never did. Not in the least. The idea that Moonlight was best picture is laughably stupid. Fine job by the Academy of beclowning themselves. As usual.

BTW, we saw Manchester by the Sea on Saturday. Great story to work with, horrific execution. The time jumps were completely unnecessary and really distracted from story. I guess now "brooding grief" or more accurately, "Casey Affleck in most every movie he's in" is the new standard for best actor. Really bad Oscars IMO. The dude in Moonlight winning best supporting, when he's in 1/3 of the movie and has 10 lines of dialog was not a shining moment for them, either. Yikes.

So, not enough grief for you in Moonlight; too much in Manchester By The Sea.

Safe to say you entirely missed the point of both, Goldilocks, but that's nothing new.

 

[Deepster]

I ended up rewatching Moonlight yesterday afternoon and really didn't give it a fair shot the first time around. I realize I had cut it short really, really soon into the first third and thought the 2nd and 3rd "acts" were pretty amazing. I don't agree with the Best Supporting Actor award though. He was in it for the first third and barely spoke.

 

[8893]

I have more of a problem with lead actors and actresses opting for the supporting category instead, which is what it looks like Viola Davis and Dev Patel did imo. How were they not leads?

I think Michelle Williams had less screen time and fewer lines in Manchester By The Sea than Ali had in Moonlight; but both of their roles were very impactful and the epitome of "supporting" imo, as were Naomi Harris in Moonlight and Lucas Hedges in Manchester By The Sea. I thought all were deserving of their nominations.

Ali's “At some point, you got to decide for yourself who you’re going to be. Can’t let nobody make that decision for you.” line and that scene were very moving and I loved his character from the get-go. And clearly even though he was only in the first third his influence on Chiron is pretty profound.