My 2020 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tomorrow's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: PARASITE
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: JOJO RABBIT
My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: THE IRISHMAN

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: JOKER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: THE NEIGHBORS' WINDOW
My Pick: NEFTA FOOTBALL CLUB

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: HAIR LOVE
My Pick: HAIR LOVE

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE IRISHMAN
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from ROCKETMAN
My Pick: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from ROCKETMAN

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: JOKER

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: BOMBSHELL
My Pick: BOMBSHELL

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: PARASITE
My Pick: PARASITE

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: JOJO RABBIT
My Pick: PARASITE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL)
My Pick: IN THE ABSENCE

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: THE CAVE
My Pick: HONEYLAND

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Sam Mendes for 1917
My Pick: Todd Phillips for JOKER

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: LITTLE WOMEN
My Pick: LITTLE WOMEN

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: THE IRISHMAN
My Pick: 1917

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: TOY STORY 4
My Pick: TOY STORY 4

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Laura Dern for MARRIAGE STORY
My Pick: Kathy Bates for RICHARD JEWELL

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Brad Pitt for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
My Pick: Brad Pitt for ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Renee Zellweger for JUDY
My Pick: Renee Zellweger for JUDY

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Joaquin Phoenix for JOKER
My Pick: Joaquin Phoenix for JOKER

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: 1917
My Pick: ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

~~~

Parasite

On Thursday I saw Parasite, starring Jung Ji-so and Jo Yeo-jeong.

The Kim family is poor; the Park family is rich. The Park family needs assistance running their high class household and the Kim family sees an opportunity. Soon, in devious ways, all four of the Kims are employed by the Parks doing various tasks for them, though they don't disclose they're at all related.

Soon, they've infiltrated their entire world and begin to reap the benefits in healthy salaries and access to the mansion when the Parks are away (i.e. a camping trip).

Inherently, as a girl raised in an Immigrant-led, blue collar home, my gut almost always roots for the lower class in stories such as this ... but not here. The screenplay is so good that the characters are developed in a very complex way, making the Kims less sympathetic than the Parks, who are basically decent people being taken advantage of because they're naive.

After one big event that results in a twist I can't expect anyone saw coming, all hell breaks loose and this goes from being a black comedy to a borderline campy horror film. I couldn't look away, and was definitely entertained, but I never would have put this in a Best Picture category.

So then I wondered what I was 'missing' regarding the hype surrounding this film and the only reason why I expect it's gotten such universal praise is because it's different. It's not a film with a simple formula or predictable outcomes in any way, shape or form. It's inventive, it's fast-paced and it makes you think.

But it's also not the second coming of film.

~~~

Documentary Short Film Nominees (Oscars 2020)

Yesterday I saw all five of the nominated films in the Documentary Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order the films were shown.

LIFE OVERTAKES ME (Sweden, USA)

A mysterious illness is breaking the hearts of refugee parents all across Sweden. This film shows real-life cases of Resignation Syndrome, where children effectively enter into a coma after a series of traumatic events renders their bodies unresponsive. Facing deportation, the parents often have to parent children not afflicted by the ailment and tend to every basic need of those who do while battling for asylum. It's devastating to watch and I found myself hungry for additional answers when it came to an end.

LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WAR ZONE (IF YOU'RE A GIRL) (USA)

A group of young girls in Afghanistan get to experience school—and learn how to skateboard—in a special program that's empowered thousands. Not only do they gain the practical skills of basic education, but they gain a self-confidence not usual for girls in their community. An inspiring slice of hope for change ... that really goes on a bit too long. Shame about the lack of editing.

IN THE ABSENCE (South Korea)

In the spring of 2014, over 300 lives were lost when the MV Sewol ferry sank in the wake of an incompetent government rescue response. Those who did survive were largely saved by area fishing boats and commercial vessels who arrived and intervened before the Coast Guard showed up. Even worse, among the dead were hundreds of children who were on board for a school trip. This film superbly recalls the order of events of this preventable disaster using archive footage and audio mixed with recounts from survivors and the families of the dead. The strongest of the five, I was thinking about this one long after I left the theater. This is my pick to win.

WALK, RUN, CHA-CHA (USA)

A couple who escaped Vietnam during the war (facing certain death because they were Chinese), makes a new life in Los Angeles, bonded by the love for dance that started their romance when it was forbidden in their former country. We see them learning new moves, practicing for a formal performance and telling the history of their love story—all very endearing, but at times unfortunately a bit slow-paced and repetitive. My least-favorite of the five nominated films this year.

ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN (USA)

A young black man in Missouri, Bruce Franks, Jr., vows to ignite change after the Michael Brown incident happens, having grown up knowing violence first-hand after his young brother was killed in a gunfight being used as a human shield. He runs for office and wins—fighting for a bill that declares gun violence a public health risk. An excellent look at how change may take time, but is absolutely possible.

~~~

My 2019 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tonight's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: FIRST REFORMED

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: BLACKKKLANSMAN
My Pick: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: FIRST MAN

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: A QUIET PLACE
My Pick: A QUIET PLACE

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: SKIN
My Pick: DETAINMENT

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
My Pick: BAO

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: MARY POPPINS RETURNS

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "Shallow" from A STAR IS BORN
My Pick: "Shallow" from A STAR IS BORN

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: BLACK PANTHER
My Pick: IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: VICE
My Pick: VICE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: ROMA
My Pick: COLD WAR

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: VICE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: LIFEBOAT
My Pick: END GAME

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: FREE SOLO
My Pick: RBG

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron for ROMA
My Pick: Spike Lee for BLACKKKLANSMAN

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE FAVOURITE
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: ROMA
My Pick: THE FAVOURITE

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
My Pick: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Regina King for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK
My Pick: Regina King for IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali for GREEN BOOK
My Pick: Richard E. Grant for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Glenn Close for THE WIFE
My Pick: Melissa McCarthy for CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Rami Malek for BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: Christian Bale for VICE

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
My Pick: BLACK PANTHER

~~~

Documentary Short Nominees (Oscars 2019)

Tonight I saw all five of the nominated films in the Documentary Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order the films were shown.

BLACK SHEEP (UNITED KINGDOM)

A first-person narrative by an African boy whose mother moved their family from London to Essex to be less susceptible to racist violence. Unfortunately, the area they moved to was run by racists and he suffered terrible bullying at the hands of the street kids. His solution was to become more like them so they would leave him alone ... and it worked.

A classic story of becoming a monster to defeat a monster. 

END GAME (UNITED STATES)

An intimate look at several patients who are near death and their many caretakers working to make their last days and weeks the best they can be. By the time the credits are rolling you are invested in what happens to each and every one of these lovely people.

A testament to the good that remains in our world and the agony of the tough decisions that have to be made as we all exit this earth.

A NIGHT AT THE GARDEN (UNITED STATES)

Archival footage provides the burden of proof that 20,000 Americans gathered to celebrate the Nazi movement rising in 1939. This short film reminds us that even in our most diverse of cities, hate can fester and grow.

Chilling, horrific and sadly timely for today.

LIFEBOAT (UNITED STATES)

The organization Sea Watch, a German nonprofit, is responsible for saving over 35,000 people by rescuing refugees from the rough Mediterranean waters. This film explores the lengths they go to on a daily basis to perform those rescues and the severe trauma of the journey.

This serves as a sad reminder of what refugees face as they flee their unsafe home countries.

PERIOD. END OF SENTENCE. (UNITED STATES)
Women in a small Indian village are shamed by their menstruation cycles and finally they may be taking steps to overcome this—by producing modern sanitary napkins and selling them to area women. 

An inspiring, uplifting look at female empowerment, entrepreneurship and necessary cultural shifts.

~~~

So, what's my pick to win? End Game will undoubtedly stay with me the longest, so that gets my vote.

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars 2019)

Today I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order the films were shown.

MADRE (Spain)

What begins as a mundane day for Marta (Marta Nieto) rapidly unfolds into a nightmare as her 6-year-old son Ivan (Alvaro Balas) calls to tell her he is alone on a beach in France (she and her mother, who is with her, are in Spain). His father left to retrieve a forgotten toy and he has yet to return. Concern turns to panic when Marta can't deduce exactly what beach Ivan is stranded on and the police are of no help. Did I mention Ivan's phone battery is running low?

An intense back-and-forth commences right up until the end. A well-done suspense tale that will keep your heart racing throughout.

FAUVE (Canada)

Friends Tyler (Félix Grenier) and Benjamin (Alexandre Perreault) are out exploring their surroundings as young boys often do. Benjamin "cries wolf" faking an injury, then swears he sees a fox, but Tyler doesn't believe him and they go on about their day. The end up running around a surface mine and when Benjamin gets close to the water, his feet slide into the moving earth and he yells out for help. By the time Tyler realizes he's not again crying wolf, it's too late for him to retrieve him without being sucked into the mud/sand himself, so he leaves the mine to seek help from an adult.

Grenier deserves an Oscar of his own for the way his face changes when he realizes his friend is in real danger, and his shell-shocked manner in the events that follow. Difficult to watch, but brilliantly executed.

MARGUERITE (Canada)

Marguerite (Béatrice Picard) is elderly and in poor health. She requires in-home care. Her nurse, Rachel (Sandrine Bisson), is wonderfully attentive, bathing her and administering all of her necessary tests. The two develop a lovely friendship as Marguerite nears the end of her life and begins to reflect on her younger years.

Though this is the slowest-paced film of the five, it's no less poignant as the two characters realize they share a bond they didn't know they had. Beautiful story.

DETAINMENT (IRELAND)

Based on a true story, this film recounts the questioning of the killers following the horrific kidnapping, torture and murder of toddler James Bulger (Caleb Mason) in Liverpool, England. The tragic twist? The murderers were kids themselves. The transcripts of the two ten-year-olds, Jon (Ely Solan) and Robert (Leon Hughes), confessing to the crime is how the filmmakers tell the story. It was almost unbearable to watch, so good were these young actors.

A college student when this happened in real life, I don't recall hearing about it on the news at the time, but it stands as one of the most notable murders in modern U.K. history because of the age of the killers. These images won't leave me anytime soon.

SKIN (USA)

The worst of America is represented in the small-minded, trashy community surrounding Johnny (Jonathan Tucker). The white group of friends teach their young how to be sharpshooters and how to hate people of other races.

One night when a black man makes Johnny's son laugh in a grocery checkout line, Johnny snaps, calls for "backup" and beats the man to a pulp in the parking lot as his wife and child look on in horror. They get away with it until ... it's payback time.

The audience I watched with in a Seattle theater literally clapped when Johnny got what was coming to him (which very much re-defines the Biblical "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth") — a powerful psychological exercise that should perhaps be used in schools today.

~~~

So, what's my pick to win? These were all strong contenders in their own right, but I feel as if Detained will linger in my psyche longer than the rest.

Free Solo

Today I saw the documentary, Free Solo, about the life of Alex Honnold.

You know a documentary is good when you have absolutely zero interest in the topic, yet it grabs you from the first few frames and keeps you until the final credits. That was my experience here, watching nearly two hours of scenes about rock climbing.

Alex Honnold is an almost-fearless climber. He has turned his hobby into his career and as a result has very few human connections. He remarks that friends and former girlfriends have concluded he's not normal (which he attempts to validate with an MRI that admittedly has telling results), but he proclaims this with more curiosity than contempt.

Digging into Honnold's past, we learn that his immediate family was never affectionate and that he had to 'learn' to be a hugger in his '20s. His relationship with his current girlfriend (who he met in Seattle at his own book signing) shows that he still struggles with emotional maturity, but he's chosen a wonderful, patient partner to navigate that with him.

His main quest throughout the film is to 'free solo' (climb without using ropes) the vertical El Capitan peak at Yosemite National Park. This is challenging for countless reasons: it's never been done before; the camera crew interferes with his concentration and sometimes his physical movements; there's a section of the rock that's slippery, etc. The part about falling to his death if he screws it up seems to be the least of his concerns, though his loved ones—especially his girlfriend—understandably agonize about it frequently.

If you've watched the news in the past year, you know how this ends, but the journey of it is no less nail-biting as even his own film crew turns around at a certain point because they can't bear to watch if he doesn't make it.

It's a thrilling path to watch, though one I'd never have a desire to replicate. However, the human spirit setting an unimaginable goal and reaching it? That's the stuff of [good] movies.

~~~

A Star Is Born

Last night I saw A Star Is Born, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

Jackson (Cooper) is a star of the stage—unfortunately he's as good at drinking as he is at singing and playing guitar. Ally (Gaga) is an amateur with an amazing voice who performs as the only "real" girl at drag shows. Jackson stumbles into one of those shows one evening and experiences love at first sight.

Soon, Ally is piggybacking her talent onto his successful music career and getting noticed in her own right. All the while, Jackson keeps drinking, keeps drugging.

Even if you've seen any of the previous versions of this story, you'll be able to predict where it's headed. Her star shines bright, his addiction worsens, etc.

At the heart of it, it's a story about the endurance of love through tough times. Anyone who has suffered from addiction, or suffered because of someone else's addiction will be able to relate. Anyone who's been so deeply in love with another soul will relate. Anyone who has struggled to reach their dreams will relate.

With the two leads having insanely strong chemistry (not to mention brilliant singing voices), it will be terribly surprising if they aren't both Oscar-nominated for their performances. It just works on so many levels.

If you can stand blinking through your tears, go see it. You won't regret it.

~~~

My 2018 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for Sunday's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: LADY BIRD
My Pick: LADY BIRD

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: CALL ME MY YOUR NAME
My Pick: MOLLY'S GAME

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: MY NEPHEW EMMETT
My Pick: DEKALB ELEMENTARY

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: LOU
My Pick: GARDEN PARTY

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "Remember Me" from COCO
My Pick: "Mighty River" from MUDBOUND

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: VICTORIA & ABDUL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: THE SQUARE
My Pick: THE SQUARE

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: DUNKIRK
My Pick: I, TONYA

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: EDITH+EDDIE
My Pick: HEROIN(E)

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: ICARUS
My Pick: FACES PLACES

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: Guillermo del Toro for THE SHAPE OF WATER

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: PHANTOM THREAD
My Pick: PHANTOM THREAD

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: THE SHAPE OF WATER
My Pick: THE SHAPE OF WATER

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: COCO
My Pick: LOVING VINCENT

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Allison Janney for I, TONYA
My Pick: Allison Janney for I, TONYA

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Sam Rockwell for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Christopher Plummer for ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Frances McDormand for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE OF EBBING, MISSOURI
My Pick: Sally Hawkins for THE SHAPE OF WATER

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR
My Pick: Gary Oldman for DARKEST HOUR

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: GET OUT
My Pick: GET OUT

~~~

My 2017 Oscar Picks and Predictions

Here are my final picks for tonight's ceremony:

WRITING: ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
My Pick: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

WRITING: ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Who Will Win: LION
My Pick: LION

VISUAL EFFECTS
Who Will Win: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY

SOUND MIXING
Who Will Win: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
My Pick: HACKSAW RIDGE

SOUND EDITING
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: SULLY

SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
Who Will Win: SILENT NIGHTS
My Pick: LA FEMME ET LE TGV

SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
Who Will Win: BORROWED TIME
My Pick: PIPER

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: "How Far I'll Go" from MOANA
My Pick: "How Far I'll Go" from MOANA

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Who Will Win: SUICIDE SQUAD
My Pick: SUICIDE SQUAD

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Who Will Win: THE SALESMAN
My Pick: THE SALESMAN

FILM EDITING
Who Will Win: HACKSAW RIDGE
My Pick: HACKSAW RIDGE

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
Who Will Win: JOE'S VIOLIN
My Pick: WATANI: MY HOMELAND

DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
Who Will Win: O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA
My Pick: 13th

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

DIRECTING
Who Will Win: Damien Chazelle for LA LA LAND
My Pick: Mel Gibson for HACKSAW RIDGE

COSTUME DESIGN
Who Will Win: JACKIE
My Pick: FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Who Will Win: LA LA LAND
My Pick: LION

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Who Will Win: Zootopia
My Pick: THE RED TURTLE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Viola Davis for FENCES
My Pick: Nicole Kidman for LION

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali for MOONLIGHT
My Pick: Michael Shannon for NOCTURNAL ANIMALS

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Emma Stone for LA LA LAND
My Pick: Ruth Negga for LOVING

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Who Will Win: Denzel Washington for FENCES
My Pick: Andrew Garfield for HACKSAW RIDGE

BEST PICTURE
Who Will Win: HIDDEN FIGURES
My Pick: LION

~~~

Hacksaw Ridge

Last night I saw Hacksaw Ridge, starring Andrew Garfield and Vince Vaughn.

Desmond Doss (Garfield) is a simple country boy from Virginia in the mid 1940s. He's fallen in love with a local girl and asked for her hand in marriage. She's agreed to be his bride, anxious to marry him on his first leave home from the service.

He's a dedicated soldier, but a tortured one. His religious beliefs prevent him from taking human life, therefore he is labeled as a Conscientious Objector. He won't operate a rifle, but he will attempt to save lives as a medic in combat.

And that combat becomes very real as Doss, along with his Sargent (Vaughn) and company, are sent to Okinawa, Japan to battle on Hacksaw Ridge. The soldiers before them didn't come out so well in the same location, and they are their replacements.

After his peers resented him for not having to participate in all the drills and training they did, they soon see his dedication to helping them in their most dire moments.

Garfield is inspiring as the humble Doss. The kindness glows from him as he defends his mother from his abusive father, falls head-over-heels for the town nurse and aims to calm his fellow injured soldiers. Any accolades he gets from playing this real-life hero are well-earned.

Director Mel Gibson should also be commended for his painfully real combat scenes and the excellent job he does creating a believable world in 1940s Virginia.

I was surprised by how much I liked this brutal war film.

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2016)

Last night I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

AVE MARIA (Palestine, France and Germany)

Of all the things Orthodox Jewish settlers could crash into in the West Bank, a convent of Catholic nuns is unlikely. But that's what happens here when a family trip takes a turn (literally) into one. Problem is: the nuns have taken a vow of silence and due to the Sabbath, the family is unable to use the telephone to call for help. Through a series of comedic events, the two groups together find a surprising solution. The one is light and the story is cute; I just don't think I'd consider this Oscar caliber material.

SHOK (Kosovo and UK)

Amidst the Yugoslav wars two young boys form a deep friendship that is tested repeatedly by the pressures of the time. Instead of making choices about what games to play each night, they're faced with much more grim decisions—some even a matter of life and death. The film is about war, but above all else, about love. Though hard to watch because of the subject matter (these horrors took place not long ago, after all), it's expertly done with two lead actors that deliver on every note.

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY (Germany and Austria)

A divorced couple shares custody of their young daughter. The father comes to pick the girl up for a routine weekend and the tension between the parents is evident. The father quickly takes his daughter shopping to spoil her with new toys, then makes a trip to the nearby bumper cars for additional fun. Things only go sideways when he tricks her into taking passport pictures at a nearby photo booth. The girl soon realizes they're not having a normal weekend and calls him out on it. Just how far (and how fast) this weekend goes off the rails is what makes this my pick for the Oscar. I don't think I breathed for the last 10 minutes. It was that good.

STUTTERER (UK and Ireland)

There have been six months of flirtatious Facebook bliss for a couple and now there's a chance for them to meet. The man has reservations because he suffers from a severe stuttering problem—so much that he's learned sign language to imply to strangers that he's simply deaf. As the day approaches, he at first hides, then practices his speech, hoping not to disappoint this love of his life. It's a sweet, sometimes funny story with a lot of heart.

DAY ONE (USA)

An Afghan-American interpreter is assigned to an Afghanistan tour of duty with the U.S. military, and on her first day the team is sent to investigate a report of bombs in a nearby residence. As the weapons are found and the man of the house is being arrested, his wife goes into labor—with complications. As the only woman present, the interpreter has to begin acting as a doctor to save the mother and baby. 

This was the only of the five films where people actually got up and left the theater. It was incredibly intense and touched on several sensitive subject matters (religion, birth, war, death, etc.). But I stuck it out and was glad I did, if not only for the life-affirming ending, but the photo of the real interpreter, for which the film was based, that appears at the end.

~~~

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars® 2014)

Tonight I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

HELIUM (Denmark)

I want to know where Denmark trains their child actors because I have yet to see a weak performance from any of them. In this story, a young child named Alfred is terminally ill. He has a love for balloons—hot air, blimp, etc. so the adults fill his hospital room them to cheer him up. It's not until a hospital worker develops a special bond with Alfred, and makes up a "Helium" heaven that the child is able to accept his tragic fate. Beautifully written and wonderfully acted; a tender reminder of what's important in life.

THE VOORMAN PROBLEM (United Kingdom)

Familiar actors and an unbelievable situation make this lighthearted entry one of the easiest of the nominees to digest. A psychiatrist is sent to a prison to evaluate an insane inmate who thinks he's a God and is forced to confront the fact that he may indeed be one. Brilliant "what if" that reminds us to be careful how we define "crazy."

JUST BEFORE LOSING EVERYTHING (France)

The strongest entry (and my pick for the win) comes from the lengthiest of the nominees, with a 30-minute running time that flies by. A woman is desperate to escape her abusive husband and take her children with her in this race-against-the-clock situation. If this film were a book, it would be one of the best page-turners I've ever read. It conveys the fear, the pain, the shame and the hope associated with such a plot and has you wondering if she'll pull it off right to the very last frame.

THAT WASN'T ME (Spain)

The horrific dangers of the Sierra Leone are magnified in this brutal, violent look at what can (and probably has) happened in one of the most volatile patches of the world. Two humanitarian doctors are taken hostage trying to cross a sensitive border and the torture that follows is unspeakable. The humanity that emerges from the awful situations they endure is what redeems the images in the end. Still, certain parts of this story will be forever burned into my brain and I'm not sure I'm okay with that.

DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING? (Finland)

Women everywhere will cheer and laugh along with this sweet, hilarious take on an over-scheduled family trying to get themselves ready to attend the wedding of their friends. The husband is endearing, the kids are adorable and the mom is—well—super. Delightful romp, without question.

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12 Years a Slave

Today I saw 12 Years a Slave, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender.

It will be the topic of our November Cinebanter episode, so tune in later this month for our review.

Live Action Short Film Nominees (Oscars 2013)

Yesterday I saw all five of the nominated films in the Live Action Short category. I'll present my reviews in the order they were shown.

DEATH OF A SHADOW (Belgium/France)

This sci/fi head scratcher centers around a purgatory-dwelling soul who died in the war and is now tasked with photographing the shadows of death. These 'moments' he captures are then collected for a ghoulish gallery managed by a more dominant presence, who may or may not be evil. It's all very confusing, but the haunting elements and beautiful cinematography hold the audience attention well.

HENRY (Canada)

Another sad look at the progression of dementia in the elderly—this film focuses on Henry, a man who desperately misses his beloved wife Maria and can't face the fact that she is gone. The character is treated with dignity and the story is bittersweet as we see Henry's memories brought to life through his own confusion.

CURFEW (USA)

The strongest of the five, this short brings us into the life of a troubled brother and sister. They're trying to navigate their adult lives, which are littered with drugs and abuse, and find a common purpose in the sister's young daughter Sophia. This is sad, funny, poignant and unfortunately relevant in today's tumultous times.

BUZKASHI BOYS (Afghanistan/USA)

Two boys maintain a friendship and a sense of normalcy in one of the most dangerous areas of the world. What's remarkable about the film is not the plot (as we've seen this coming-of-age message time and time again), but the fact that the filmmakers shot on location in Kabul with the blessing of an international film alliance.

ASAD (South Africa/USA)

A young Somali boy has the weight of the world on his shoulders, collecting food and saving friends from armed soldiers who will kill them in the blink of an eye. It's a tender story that is made lighter by the clever screenwriting and somewhat unexpected ending.

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Amour

Last night I saw Amour, starring Emmanuelle Riva and Jean-Louis Trintignant.

If this wasn't a Best Picture nominee, I would never have made it through the whole film.

Georges (Trintignant) and Anne (Riva) are a happy old couple. Their adult daughter has made a life of her own abroad and they seem content in their retirement.

One morning during breakfast, Anne zones out. Not for a moment, not for a second, but for a terrifying few minutes while her husband scrambles to decide what to do next. Anne has suffered a stroke and soon she will be paralyzed on one side of her body.

In a matter of days, this vibrant couple who still attended concerts and playfully flirted with one another will become a frustrated, pained duo who survives only for the other's benefit.

Emmanuelle Riva, who is still stunning in her mid 80s, is shown deteriorating piece by piece, while every last morsel of her dignity is stripped from her being. Jean-Louis Trintignant as Georges wears each heartbreaking revelation in his expressions, as he witnesses the love of his life leaving.

There is no greater devastation, and none of us want to think of our loved ones ever reaching these stages of their lives, but sometimes it happens. And there is always someone who carries the burden of dealing with it more than any other.

The film does a phenomenal job of communicating the quiet that comes with perpetual depression. Water left running is suddenly more noticeable, as is a window left open during a rain storm. The quiet is no longer peaceful; a home once filled with music is now stale with decay.

Every part of the movie (the acting, the script, the direction) is good, but I enjoyed none of it.

Life is hard enough as it is.

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Lincoln

On Friday I saw Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field.

The last few months of Abraham Lincoln's life are often overshadowed by stories of his famous assassination at Ford's Theatre. In Steven Spielberg's new film, the months leading up to that event take center stage.

Daniel Day-Lewis plays the popular president in the most historically accurate way possible: hunched over, soft-spoken and thoughtful. According to the scholars, Mr. Lincoln was all of those things.

What's so brilliant about this performance is that his humanity, and his elegant simplicity, shines through. Lincoln was a common man from humble beginnings, and his gift for knowing 'real' people is part of what made him a great politician.

The film shows the president's struggle to get the 13th Amendment passed as his son threatens to go off to war and his wife Mary (Field) forbids it, having already lost one son to the country. Field's performance as the 'crazy' First Lady is played less hysterically than one might expect, and that's what makes it work.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a convincing young Robert Todd Lincoln, and the rest of the supporting cast: David Strathairn, John Hawkes and Tommy Lee Jones, all work their magic as the movers and shakers of the time.

The usual Spielberg-ian grandeur is traded in this time for what mimics a quiet stage performance, and that makes sense since the screenwriter, Tony Kushner, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.

If you're looking for a Civil War-era film with action, this isn't the movie for you; but if you want to see some of the most impressive acting of the year, coupled with a slice of history often forgotten, you need to see Lincoln.

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