Well, here we are. It's Oscar weekend! So I guess it's time to tell you what I want to win. For each category, you'll see links to my posts about each nominee, and then my prediction of what will actually win, my preference for what SHOULD win among those nominees, and in some cases my comments on what should have been nominated but wasn't. (Note: I'm 100% convinced that I'm forgetting A LOT of the other things I would have ideally nominated.)
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Best Picture:
The Nominees: Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
What Will Win: The Shape of Water, though I keep going back and forth between that and Three Billboards
What Should Win: Call Me By Your Name, Call Me By Your Name, Call Me By Your Name
In a Perfect World... I'd have nominated Wind River and maybe The Florida Project in the place of Three Billboards and The Shape of Water.
Actor in a Leading Role:
The Nominees: Call Me By Your Name, Darkest Hour, Get Out, Phantom Thread, Roman J. Israel, Esq.
What Will Win: Gary Oldman for Darkest Hour
What Should Win: I'm torn between Oldman and Timothee Chalamet for Call Me By Your Name.
In a Perfect World... I'd have nominated Jeremy Renner for Wind River in the place of Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Actor in a Supporting Role:
The Nominees: All the Money in the World, The Florida Project, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (twice over)
What Will Win: Sam Rockwell for Three Billboards
What Should Win: Willem Dafoe for The Florida Project
In a Perfect World... I am COMPLETELY FURIOUS that Three Billboards got TWO slots here and Call Me By Your Name got none. I would have nominated both Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg, and Hammer should have won.
Actress in a Leading Role:
The Nominees: I, Tonya, Lady Bird, The Post, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
What Will Win: Frances McDormand for Three Billboards
What Should Win: Margot Robbie for I, Tonya
In a Perfect World... Daniela Vega should have been nominated for A Fantastic Woman.
Actress in a Supporting Role:
The Nominees:I, Tonya, Lady Bird, Mudbound, Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water
What Will Win: Allison Janney for I, Tonya
What Should Win: Laurie Metcalf for Lady Bird
Animated Feature Film:
The Nominees: The Boss Baby, The Breadwinner, Coco, Ferdinand, Loving Vincent
What Will Win: Coco
What Should Win: Coco
In a Perfect World... Surely there was SOMETHING better than The Boss Baby to nominate.
Cinematography:
The Nominees: Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, Mudbound, The Shape of Water
What Will Win: Blade Runner 2049
What Should Win: Dunkirk, though I wouldn't mind seeing the first female cinematography win for Mudbound.
In a Perfect World... I'd have nominated Call Me By Your Name and maybe Phantom Thread.
Costume Design:
The Nominees: Beauty and the Beast, Darkest Hour, Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water, Victoria & Abdul
What Will Win: Phantom Thread
What Should Win: Phantom Thread
Directing:
The Nominees: Dunkirk, Get Out, Lady Bird, Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water
What Will Win: Guillermo Del Toro for The Shape of Water
What Should Win: Christopher Nolan for Dunkirk
In a Perfect World... I'd have nominated Luca Guadagnino for Call Me By Your Name
Documentary (Feature):
The Nominees: Abacus: Small Enough to Jail, Faces Places, Icarus, Last Men in Aleppo, Strong Island
What Will Win: I'm torn between Icarus and Last Men in Aleppo.
What Should Win: Icarus, though there's no bad option here.
Documentary (Short Subject):
The Nominees: Edith+Eddie, Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405, Heroin(e), Knife Skills, Traffic Stop
What Will Win: Traffic Stop
What Should Win: Heroin(e)
Film Editing:
The Nominees: Baby Driver, Dunkirk, I, Tonya, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
What Will Win: Dunkirk
What Should Win: Dunkirk, though I wouldn't be mad at Baby Driver or I, Tonya.
Foreign Language Film:
The Nominees: A Fantastic Woman, The Insult, Loveless, On Body and Soul, The Square
What Will Win: A Fantastic Woman
What Should Win: A Fantastic Woman
Makeup & Hairstyling:
The Nominees: Darkest Hour, Victoria & Abdul, Wonder
What Will Win: Darkest Hour
What Should Win: Darkest Hour
In a Perfect World... I might have nominated Beauty and the Beast here.
Music (Original Score):
The Nominees: Dunkirk, Phantom Thread, The Shape of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
What Will Win: The Shape of Water
What Should Win: Phantom Thread
In a Perfect World... I'd have put Call Me By Your Name in the place of Three Billboards.
Music (Original Song):
The Nominees: Call Me By Your Name, Coco, The Greatest Showman, Marshall, Mudbound
What Will Win: "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman
What Should Win: "Mystery of Love" from Call Me By Your Name
In a Perfect World... Well, "Visions of Gideon" was actually the better original Sufjan Stevens song in Call Me By Your Name.
Production Design:
The Nominees: Beauty and the Beast, Blade Runner 2049, Darkest Hour, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water
What Will Win: The Shape of Water
What Should Win: Blade Runner 2049, though both WWII movies are close seconds for me here.
In a Perfect World... Guess what, I'd put Call Me By Your Name here too.
Short Film (Animated):
The Nominees: Dear Basketball, Garden Party, LOU, Negative Space, Revolting Rhymes: Part I
What Will Win: Dear Basketball
What Should Win: Negative Space
Short Film (Live Action):
The Nominees: DeKalb Elementary, The Eleven O'Clock, My Nephew Emmett, The Silent Child, Watu Wote/All of Us
What Will Win: DeKalb Elementary
What Should Win: My Nephew Emmett or The Silent Child
Sound Editing:
The Nominees: Baby Driver, Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
What Will Win: Dunkirk
What Should Win: Dunkirk
Sound Mixing:
The Nominees: Baby Driver, Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk, The Shape of Water, Star Wars: The Last Jedi
What Will Win: Dunkirk
What Should Win: Dunkirk
Visual Effects:
The Nominees: Blade Runner 2049, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kong: Skull Island, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, War for the Planet of the Apes
What Will Win: Blade Runner 2049
What Should Win: Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Writing (Adapted Screenplay):
The Nominees: Call Me By Your Name, The Disaster Artist, Logan, Molly's Game, Mudbound
What Will Win: Call Me By Your Name (This is the only category for which I'm letting myself hope.)
What Should Win: Call Me By Your Name
Writing (Original Screenplay):
The Nominees: The Big Sick, Get Out, Lady Bird, The Shape of Water, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
What Will Win: Get Out, though this is the category I'm having the most trouble predicting. I wouldn't be at all surprised by anything except The Big Sick here.
What Should Win: Anything but Three Billboards.
Showing posts with label Oscar Project 2018. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscar Project 2018. Show all posts
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Friday, March 2, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: Loveless
Movie: Loveless
Well, here it is, the one Oscar-nominated movie I couldn't see. (It hasn't opened anywhere in New England.) It's the Russian nominee and it looks interesting!
Availability: In a very few theaters, but more soon.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Well, here it is, the one Oscar-nominated movie I couldn't see. (It hasn't opened anywhere in New England.) It's the Russian nominee and it looks interesting!
Availability: In a very few theaters, but more soon.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Marshall
Movie: Marshall
This movie is about future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall as an NAACP lawyer during WWII, focusing on a case in which he defends a black man accused of raping his white employer. I feel like this didn't make much of a splash when it came out, but I really enjoyed it - and, of course, it seems ALL TOO RELEVANT right now/still/always. Chadwick Boseman is great in the title role.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Music (Original Song): Uh, sure. The song had nothing at all to do with why I liked the movie in general, but it was good!
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This movie is about future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall as an NAACP lawyer during WWII, focusing on a case in which he defends a black man accused of raping his white employer. I feel like this didn't make much of a splash when it came out, but I really enjoyed it - and, of course, it seems ALL TOO RELEVANT right now/still/always. Chadwick Boseman is great in the title role.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Music (Original Song): Uh, sure. The song had nothing at all to do with why I liked the movie in general, but it was good!
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Watu Wote/All of Us
Movie: Watu Wote/All of Us
This short film was about the tensions between Christians and Muslims in Kenya, culminating in a terrorist attack on a bus. It was very well done, building tension extremely well and creating interesting characters in a short time. It was also surprisingly nuanced and packed a lot in without feeling preachy. Not easy to watch, but definitely worthwhile both as art and for its message.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Yes! Definitely deserves the nomination.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This short film was about the tensions between Christians and Muslims in Kenya, culminating in a terrorist attack on a bus. It was very well done, building tension extremely well and creating interesting characters in a short time. It was also surprisingly nuanced and packed a lot in without feeling preachy. Not easy to watch, but definitely worthwhile both as art and for its message.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Yes! Definitely deserves the nomination.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: The Big Sick
Movie: The Big Sick
I kept putting off watching this for some reason - I guess because I knew the main character was a comedian? - but that was a mistake because IT WAS GREAT. It's a culture clash rom-com in which the stakes get much bigger when half of the couple becomes unexpectedly very ill, and it was a total delight to watch - hilarious and heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once.
Availability: Streaming on Amazon Prime.
Nominated In:
Writing (Original Screenplay): Yes! This was wonderfully written; what could have easily seemed cheesy or weepy was smart and funny and real instead.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
I kept putting off watching this for some reason - I guess because I knew the main character was a comedian? - but that was a mistake because IT WAS GREAT. It's a culture clash rom-com in which the stakes get much bigger when half of the couple becomes unexpectedly very ill, and it was a total delight to watch - hilarious and heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once.
Availability: Streaming on Amazon Prime.
Nominated In:
Writing (Original Screenplay): Yes! This was wonderfully written; what could have easily seemed cheesy or weepy was smart and funny and real instead.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: War for the Planet of the Apes
Movie: War for the Planet of the Apes
I watched this whole trilogy, because I am not a person who can just watch a third movie in isolation, and they're another great example of "I think this is probably effective at what it's trying to do, but I'm not into it." (I did like two and three better than one, though; all the humans in one made such constantly terrible decisions that I just wanted the apes to take over already.) I also apparently have ape face blindness, so I found these a little hard to follow. But, you know, they were fine! Far from the worst movies I've ever seen! If you like this kind of thing you'll probably like them!
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Visual Effects: Sure! They were impressive.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
I watched this whole trilogy, because I am not a person who can just watch a third movie in isolation, and they're another great example of "I think this is probably effective at what it's trying to do, but I'm not into it." (I did like two and three better than one, though; all the humans in one made such constantly terrible decisions that I just wanted the apes to take over already.) I also apparently have ape face blindness, so I found these a little hard to follow. But, you know, they were fine! Far from the worst movies I've ever seen! If you like this kind of thing you'll probably like them!
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Visual Effects: Sure! They were impressive.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: My Nephew Emmett
Movie: My Nephew Emmett
This short film tells the story of the murder of Emmett Till from the point of view of the uncle he was visiting. (He was a black teenager who was lynched in 1955 because a white woman said he offended her; here are the basics of the case.) This is obviously an extremely important incident, both in general and at this moment in our country, and this is a beautiful, heartbreaking film that definitely does it justice and creates a moving narrative while illuminating the horrors of racism and white supremacist violence. Highly recommended.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Yes. This is probably my pick for this category.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This short film tells the story of the murder of Emmett Till from the point of view of the uncle he was visiting. (He was a black teenager who was lynched in 1955 because a white woman said he offended her; here are the basics of the case.) This is obviously an extremely important incident, both in general and at this moment in our country, and this is a beautiful, heartbreaking film that definitely does it justice and creates a moving narrative while illuminating the horrors of racism and white supremacist violence. Highly recommended.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Yes. This is probably my pick for this category.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: Faces Places
Movie: Faces Places
I was NOT looking forward to this documentary from the descriptions I've read, but it wound but being completely charming and engaging. It's about French director Agnes Varda (now in her 80s, with failing eyesight) traveling around France with young photographer JR, turning portraits of people they meet into giant murals. Along the way, they get the stories of factory workers, waitresses, dock workers, farmers, and more, often detailing the way that life in various industries is changing. It's a fascinating look at French life, and the relationship between Varda and JR is touching and compelling.
Availability: Available for digital purchase.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Feature): Yes. It didn't deal with a Big Issue the way the other nominees here did, but it was just so GOOD.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
I was NOT looking forward to this documentary from the descriptions I've read, but it wound but being completely charming and engaging. It's about French director Agnes Varda (now in her 80s, with failing eyesight) traveling around France with young photographer JR, turning portraits of people they meet into giant murals. Along the way, they get the stories of factory workers, waitresses, dock workers, farmers, and more, often detailing the way that life in various industries is changing. It's a fascinating look at French life, and the relationship between Varda and JR is touching and compelling.
Availability: Available for digital purchase.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Feature): Yes. It didn't deal with a Big Issue the way the other nominees here did, but it was just so GOOD.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
This is another case that's partially just "not for me" - I like most Marvel movies to varying extents but have never been able to get into this flavor. I don't like the humor and don't care about the plot. But while I just felt kind of meh about the first Guardians, I thought this one was actively bad - and I talked to a few friends who liked the first movie and they agreed that this one was not good. So! I do not recommend it!
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Visual Effects: Nah.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This is another case that's partially just "not for me" - I like most Marvel movies to varying extents but have never been able to get into this flavor. I don't like the humor and don't care about the plot. But while I just felt kind of meh about the first Guardians, I thought this one was actively bad - and I talked to a few friends who liked the first movie and they agreed that this one was not good. So! I do not recommend it!
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Visual Effects: Nah.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: The Silent Child
Movie: The Silent Child
This British short film is about a young Deaf girl living in isolation until a social worker starts teaching her to sign - which opens up her world until her complicated family intervenes. I LOVED this; I'd happily read a novel or watch a whole limited series of it. It was extremely well done, and illuminates an important issue. They provided statistics on how many Deaf children are put into mainstream classrooms with no support, and it's horrifying.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Definitely.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This British short film is about a young Deaf girl living in isolation until a social worker starts teaching her to sign - which opens up her world until her complicated family intervenes. I LOVED this; I'd happily read a novel or watch a whole limited series of it. It was extremely well done, and illuminates an important issue. They provided statistics on how many Deaf children are put into mainstream classrooms with no support, and it's horrifying.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Definitely.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: Baby Driver
Movie: Baby Driver
This was one of those movies that I thought was probably doing a great job at what it was trying to do, but it just wasn't really for me. But if you like this kind of thing, you'll like it! I will say that Ansel Elgort was GREAT in it - I had no idea I liked him so much! - and that it was very well-made, especially the editing and the soundtrack. It was all very slick and shiny and fun.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Film Editing: ABSOLUTELY.
Sound Editing: Sure.
Sound Mixing: Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This was one of those movies that I thought was probably doing a great job at what it was trying to do, but it just wasn't really for me. But if you like this kind of thing, you'll like it! I will say that Ansel Elgort was GREAT in it - I had no idea I liked him so much! - and that it was very well-made, especially the editing and the soundtrack. It was all very slick and shiny and fun.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase.
Nominated In:
Film Editing: ABSOLUTELY.
Sound Editing: Sure.
Sound Mixing: Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: A Fantastic Woman
Movie: A Fantastic Woman
This Chilean film is the story of a young trans woman dealing with her boyfriend's sudden death and her own treatment by his family and the state. This is such a vital story to tell, and the movie itself is just wonderful - well-written, great acting, beautifully shot. Definitely try to see this one if you get the chance.
Availability: In limited release.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film: Absolutely. This was great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This Chilean film is the story of a young trans woman dealing with her boyfriend's sudden death and her own treatment by his family and the state. This is such a vital story to tell, and the movie itself is just wonderful - well-written, great acting, beautifully shot. Definitely try to see this one if you get the chance.
Availability: In limited release.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film: Absolutely. This was great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: The Eleven O'Clock
Movie: The Eleven O'Clock
This short about a psychiatrist treating a patient whose delusion is that he is a psychiatrist had a twist that was pretty predictable, but it was still hilarious and well-acted. Definitely the lightest of the live action shorts this year.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This short about a psychiatrist treating a patient whose delusion is that he is a psychiatrist had a twist that was pretty predictable, but it was still hilarious and well-acted. Definitely the lightest of the live action shorts this year.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: Blade Runner 2049
Movie: Blade Runner 2049
This did some interesting things but, like the first movie, it just never really grabbed me the way the book did. The world-building is fascinating, though - I keep wanting to know more, but a different more than they give us. This went on FOREVER and felt a bit meandering and that decreased the impact of what actually happened, I think. The performances were good, though.
Availability: Available to rent or purchase.
Nominated In:
Cinematography: Sure.
Production Design: Yes, definitely. The creation of this world was the primary strength here.
Sound Editing: Sure.
Sound Mixing: Sure.
Visual Effects: Yes! They were great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This did some interesting things but, like the first movie, it just never really grabbed me the way the book did. The world-building is fascinating, though - I keep wanting to know more, but a different more than they give us. This went on FOREVER and felt a bit meandering and that decreased the impact of what actually happened, I think. The performances were good, though.
Availability: Available to rent or purchase.
Nominated In:
Cinematography: Sure.
Production Design: Yes, definitely. The creation of this world was the primary strength here.
Sound Editing: Sure.
Sound Mixing: Sure.
Visual Effects: Yes! They were great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Roman J. Israel, Esq.
Movie: Roman J. Israel, Esq.
This sounded like something I'd like, in theory, but it was just . . . not good. It somehow managed to be boring and occasionally difficult to follow at the same time, and I say that as someone who a. LIKES boring stuff and b. is pretty good at following plots. It's about a civil rights lawyer who has a crisis of faith when his longtime business partner dies, but the way this was done made him very unsympathetic without actually making him interesting in any way, and I need at least one of the two. (Preferably interesting. I don't care if your characters are likable as long as they intrigue me.) The pacing was weird, the writing was weird . . . just bleh.
Availability: Available to rent or buy.
Nominated In:
Actor in a Leading Role: No. I can't even give a "he did well with what he was given" here. It was all a mess and the acting felt like part of that.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This sounded like something I'd like, in theory, but it was just . . . not good. It somehow managed to be boring and occasionally difficult to follow at the same time, and I say that as someone who a. LIKES boring stuff and b. is pretty good at following plots. It's about a civil rights lawyer who has a crisis of faith when his longtime business partner dies, but the way this was done made him very unsympathetic without actually making him interesting in any way, and I need at least one of the two. (Preferably interesting. I don't care if your characters are likable as long as they intrigue me.) The pacing was weird, the writing was weird . . . just bleh.
Availability: Available to rent or buy.
Nominated In:
Actor in a Leading Role: No. I can't even give a "he did well with what he was given" here. It was all a mess and the acting felt like part of that.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: DeKalb Elementary
Movie: DeKalb Elementary
This short film is about a school shooting - it's going to win, I assume, because of the timing - and it does an AMAZING job of creating tension. I could barely make myself sit through it. Unfortunately, it also has a terrible message - basically, that mass shooters just need people to be NICE to them and if a shooter is successful it's because the targets didn't say they loved him. As he was trying to kill them. Now, this film is based on a specific real incident, and I get that it's mirroring what happened there. And it's great that he was stopped in that case! But it seems really irresponsible to hold that up as a model of how it "should" go and therefore kind of blame victims. It just left a really bad taste in my mouth.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Ehhh. It was well-made but, well, see my issue above.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This short film is about a school shooting - it's going to win, I assume, because of the timing - and it does an AMAZING job of creating tension. I could barely make myself sit through it. Unfortunately, it also has a terrible message - basically, that mass shooters just need people to be NICE to them and if a shooter is successful it's because the targets didn't say they loved him. As he was trying to kill them. Now, this film is based on a specific real incident, and I get that it's mirroring what happened there. And it's great that he was stopped in that case! But it seems really irresponsible to hold that up as a model of how it "should" go and therefore kind of blame victims. It just left a really bad taste in my mouth.
Availability: Find out how to see the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Short Film (Live Action): Ehhh. It was well-made but, well, see my issue above.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Friday, February 23, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: The Breadwinner
Movie: The Breadwinner
This animated feature (based on a children's book) is the story of a young girl in Afghanistan who pretends to be a boy in order to help support her family after her father is arrested by the Taliban. It's a lovely film, both heartbreaking and life-affirming. It does a very good job of illustrating life under the Taliban in a way that's appropriate for children but doesn't sugarcoat things.
Availability: In a few theaters, and available for digital purchase.
Nominated In:
Animated Feature Film: Yes - it's a beautiful rendition of a moving, important story.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This animated feature (based on a children's book) is the story of a young girl in Afghanistan who pretends to be a boy in order to help support her family after her father is arrested by the Taliban. It's a lovely film, both heartbreaking and life-affirming. It does a very good job of illustrating life under the Taliban in a way that's appropriate for children but doesn't sugarcoat things.
Availability: In a few theaters, and available for digital purchase.
Nominated In:
Animated Feature Film: Yes - it's a beautiful rendition of a moving, important story.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Knife Skills
Movie: Knife Skills
This documentary short is about the founding of a restaurant in Cleveland that aspires to be a world-class French restaurant - and is also staffed almost entirely by people recently out of prison. It's an interesting, worthwhile project, and the film does a pretty good job of showcasing the good it does while not ignoring the problems and trainees who didn't work out. And it's certainly fun to watch (some of the) people with no cooking experience discover that they love restaurant life. The deadline of the restaurant opening gives this nice momentum.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase. Find out how to see all the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Short Subject): Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This documentary short is about the founding of a restaurant in Cleveland that aspires to be a world-class French restaurant - and is also staffed almost entirely by people recently out of prison. It's an interesting, worthwhile project, and the film does a pretty good job of showcasing the good it does while not ignoring the problems and trainees who didn't work out. And it's certainly fun to watch (some of the) people with no cooking experience discover that they love restaurant life. The deadline of the restaurant opening gives this nice momentum.
Availability: Available for rental or purchase. Find out how to see all the shorts here.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Short Subject): Sure.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: On Body and Soul
Movie: On Body and Soul
This Hungarian film is an unconventional romance about misfit coworkers at a slaughterhouse who realize they are sharing dreams in which they are deer. It's both disturbing and enchanting; I was skeptical based on the description but wound up being totally drawn in. It's bloody and WEIRD and funny and sort of heartwarming, all at once; the characters are very distinctive and allowed to just be themselves without too much explanation.
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film: Sure. This was fascinating.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This Hungarian film is an unconventional romance about misfit coworkers at a slaughterhouse who realize they are sharing dreams in which they are deer. It's both disturbing and enchanting; I was skeptical based on the description but wound up being totally drawn in. It's bloody and WEIRD and funny and sort of heartwarming, all at once; the characters are very distinctive and allowed to just be themselves without too much explanation.
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Foreign Language Film: Sure. This was fascinating.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Strong Island
Movie: Strong Island
In this documentary, filmmaker Yance Ford investigates her brother's murder and why the judicial system let his killer go free, as well as examining the role of race and showing the lasting effects the murder had on their family. The details of the case were a bit confusing at times - I wished I had a thorough article about the case as background reading - but what Ford did wonderfully was just letting her own grief and that of her family show through. It was uncomfortable to watch and would have seemed exploitative if it weren't her own story, but since it was her story it was the perfect way to make the audience confront the aftermath of the crime.
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Feature): Sure. It was an interesting way of approaching the material.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
In this documentary, filmmaker Yance Ford investigates her brother's murder and why the judicial system let his killer go free, as well as examining the role of race and showing the lasting effects the murder had on their family. The details of the case were a bit confusing at times - I wished I had a thorough article about the case as background reading - but what Ford did wonderfully was just letting her own grief and that of her family show through. It was uncomfortable to watch and would have seemed exploitative if it weren't her own story, but since it was her story it was the perfect way to make the audience confront the aftermath of the crime.
Availability: Streaming on Netflix.
Nominated In:
Documentary (Feature): Sure. It was an interesting way of approaching the material.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
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