Let's talk Oscars. Any must-see movies before the awards are given out?

I've actually only seen one of the best picture nominees...it was The Post, and I was pretty meh about it.

2/16/2018 3:07:43 PM

I enjoyed Three Billboards. Sam Rockwell was pretty good in it, though I'm not sure why Woody Harrelson got a nomination too.

Not really a critique about the movie, but it was neat to see scenes filmed where I did a Spartan Race near Black Mountain about 2 years ago.

2/16/2018 3:59:09 PM

On Monday I'm going to see either Phantom Thread or Shape of Water. Would anyone recommend one over the other?

2/17/2018 8:39:34 PM

I've been trying to see all of the best picture nominations the past few weeks. Have a few left.

I still really like Dunkirk the best but I don't see them going with it. Should at least get best director and/or cinematography.

Three Billboards was good but forgettable. Could see it winning - it seemed very academy-y. Definitely like it for best actress (Frances McDormand), best supporting actor (Sam Rockwell), and best screenplay.

I really enjoyed the Post and would gladly watch it again. Meryl Streep was great, as was Hanks but not award-quality. No way Frances McDormand doens't get it for three billboards imo.

Darkest Hour was pretty boring imo. I wouldn't really want to sit through that again. Could see it getting best actor (Gary Oldman).

I'm gonna check out Shape of Water this week. Also need to see Phantom Thread.

[Edited on February 18, 2018 at 7:26 PM. Reason : .]

2/18/2018 7:22:24 PM

Phantom Thread is beautiful

2/18/2018 7:32:57 PM

Qui Gon Jinn's performance was magnificent

2/18/2018 7:54:00 PM

I saw Shape of Water, thought it was fantastic. I usually love Guillermo del Toro films, and he did not disappoint on this one. Some of the best character and plot development I've seen in years. My only complaint came in the final 3 minutes, but the 2 hours leading up to it were so intriguing and well done.

Probably too weird to win best picture, but it's my favorite so far. (Actually my favorite of the year was Coco, but unfortunately not up for best picture)

2/19/2018 7:58:37 PM

ceremony is march 4th

2/20/2018 11:38:06 AM

Watched I, Tonya and Phantom Thread this week. Still have to see Shape of Water.

I thought I, Tonya was great - really interesting to see it from her (crazy) point of view. Margot Robbie was fantastic but I don't think she'll get it over Frances. Allison Janney was also good but she always seems to play that same character.

Phantom Thread was a beautiful movie in many ways and DDL was outstanding, as always. I wasn't a fan of the ending and I also thought seemed to run a bit long. I loved the music, though, among many other things.

So far I really like Dunkirk (I know it won't win) but there hasn't really been a war movie since Saving Private Ryan that's hit me like that and it was done with hardly a paragraph worth of lines and never seeing the enemy. The cinematography, sound, etc. was spot on.

2/21/2018 10:39:21 AM

Good night for Guillermo del Toro.

3/5/2018 3:23:22 PM

Still can't believe a love story starring the Creature from the Black Lagoon won Best Picture...

I'll watch it at some point, but the trailers looked awful/ridiculous.

3/5/2018 3:36:10 PM

The sea creature is nowhere near the star of the film.

3/5/2018 6:48:30 PM

Yeah, but it's just a crazy concept for me to buy into. Can already see conversations several years from now...

"So what won Picture of the Year back in 2018?"
"The Shape Of Water"
"Oh wow, can you give me a brief synopsis, I'm trying to go back and watch the classics."
"Oh sure. A lady works at research facility and falls in love with the creature from the Black Lagoon."
"....the fuck was going on in 2018?"
"The men in Hollywood were such assholes that it made more sense to have a woman fall in love with a sea creature, was more believable."

3/6/2018 9:37:34 AM

Jimmy Kimmel made that same joke in his opening monologue. But it was just a joke, it's not what the movie is really about.

Sexism definitely plays a part, but it's also about race, disabilities, foreigners...every marginalized group. She feels for the creature because they both are treated the same way by the world around them.

And it's not a new concept to use creatures, monsters, or animals to represent disenfranchised peoples.

3/6/2018 7:08:40 PM

it wasn't really a creature. It was a supreme being.

3/6/2018 8:27:07 PM

Quote :

"Still can't believe a love story starring the Creature from the Black Lagoon won Best Picture..."

It's easy to not believe something when you didn't watch it or know what the fuck it was about.

3/7/2018 11:21:53 AM

That's why I didn't watch Chicago when it won. I have no interest in gang killings on the south side and the associated news coverage

3/7/2018 11:42:18 AM

I thought Chicago was about a Saturday in The Park (I think it was the 4th of July).

3/7/2018 1:27:55 PM

just watched Shape of Water. the film was trash - I don't know how that could win best picture.

3/10/2018 2:57:20 AM

It was the best sci-fi musical romantic drama ever made. The movie was an artistic masterpiece because it blended all of these elements into a cohesive plot with a distinct start middle and end. The characters were dynamic, and the acting was brilliant.

What are your criticisms even?

3/10/2018 3:18:42 AM

Pan's Labyrinth was better.

3/10/2018 11:24:19 AM

There have been quite a few oscars handed out the last couple of years to people who didn't really deserve it but who deserved to win in the past and didn't then. (Emma Stone, Leo, Martin Scorsese, just to name a few)

Pan's Labyrinth was del Toro's best film for sure, and the Orphanage is one of my top favorite ghost movie of all time. This might have been a make-up call for him not winning sooner, but it's still the best movie of the ones nominated.

Coco was still the best movie of the year imo, and I'm surprised it didn't even get nominated. Only three animated features have made the list before, and Coco was better than all of them.

3/10/2018 7:43:38 PM

Coco was indeed good, but it won't no Beauty and the Beast!

3/10/2018 8:11:49 PM

Shape of water was pretty simple plot wise. Agreed pans labyrinth was better

Creature from the black lagoon was very similar.

I think that SoW was about all the disadvantaged groups, but in an intellectual way, not a touching way.

The gay movie last year was touching but melodramatic.

3/12/2018 3:45:05 AM

^ Spot on. Not that the Neandercrowd would care.

I'm kinda mad now. I really like The Florida Project and Logan. I became a father of a little baby girl this year so yea, those are mine. Fuck you, lol.

3/24/2018 1:52:08 AM

The movie was stupid. I don't care what fishdude was a metaphor for, it doesn't change the fact that it wasn't a good movie, and it beat out much more deserving movies.

3/24/2018 12:52:15 PM

Did anyone like mother!?

[Edited on March 24, 2018 at 9:57 PM. Reason : m]

3/24/2018 9:56:51 PM