I keep forgetting this blog exists, but I decided I'm going to care about the Oscars this year following a few year hiatus, so here are my reviews of the nominated movies I've seen.
1. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
I've heard my sister go back and forth between Mandarin and English while talking on the phone, so watching this movie kind of made me feel like I was giving her a hug. That aside, the scene where the mother and daughter reconcile in the reality where they are rocks with googly eyes pretty much ... broke me ... and I cried.
This is a really fun movie, other than the thing where I cried and stuff, and I'd love to see it win best picture or a win for Michelle Yeoh (best actress) or Ke Huy Quan (best supporting actor).
If you liked this movie, consider watching Tag (2015). Similar concept of main character working her way through multiple realities.
2. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
I think this is the best war movie I've ever seen. It's an improvement on the original that I watched in high school, and I really can't find fault with the acting, special effects, or overall message. If Everything Everywhere doesn't win best picture, I hope this does.
3. THE BANHEES OF INISHERIN
This movie is messed up. Was the acting good? Well, yeah, but, how is this a comedy. There are some comedic moments, but by comedic I mean uncomfortable, not comedic.
I did not watch "Triangle of Sadness" because I knew a donkey also gets killed in that movie, and I'd reached my quota of best picture nominees full of donkey murder for the year.
I have no idea how this beat out Everything Everywhere for best comedy at the Golden Globes. I mean, neither is a straight up comedy, but Everything Everywhere had ... raccocoonie ... at least
If you liked this movie, consider watching Scenic Route (2013). It's also a movie about two men's friendship dissolving disastrously, but does not even try to be funny, and has one of the best endings I've ever seen. My boyfriend disagrees with me.
4. ELVIS
I was bored. Given, I didn't really have a frame of reference because I've never actually seen Elvis in anything. And I might have been going in with a bad mindset from the beginning because straight up biopics of people I'm too young to know anything about were all the rage when I worked at a movie theater (I had to wear a "Ray" hat) and I tire of them. Maybe I didn't pay a lot of attention to this movie. Disregard everything I say about it.
5. TAR
Vehicle for Cate Blanchett, who has already won two Oscars. She plays a toxic character who speaks flatly and is not very sympathetic, but, to her credit, this was not based on an actual person, so I'm assuming she contributed to the character's creation.
I was interested in the premise of this movie, but I didn't like her character enough, and there were way too many conversations about conducting classical music. YES I GET THAT'S WHAT THE MOVIE WAS ABOUT but I am kind of over movies about elitist mediums and conversations between vying characters going over minutia that the everyday audience member would not even pick up on. DO NOT MENTION THAT BLACK SWAN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES. ALSO DO NOT MENTION THAT I FAILED TO COMPLETE A MUSIC MINOR IN COLLEGE.
If you liked this movie, consider watching Whiplash (2014). I think I remember it being better.
6. THE WHALE
Ok. I watch every Aronofsky movie. This is ... basically ... The Wrestler ... but even more of a gut punch.
I would love to see Hong Chau win for best supporting actress. The scene where she goes toe to toe with the missionary kind of broke me. I cried.
Brendan Fraser and his fat suit were also nominated. I really prefer his performance to Colin Farrell and Austin Butler, but I'd like to see All Quiet win for makeup/costume effects over Brendan's fat suit.
7. THE ELEPHANT WHISPERERS
Nominated for best documentary short, this movie also made me cry. What doesn't make me cry? I'll figure that out someday.
Five years in the making, it follows a woman who's been through a lot and finds solace in taking care of an animal. I mean, my life doesn't revolve around feeding my cats. Shut up. It doesn't.
