For the third year in a row I attended the Regal Theaters Best Picture Film Festival.
I highly recommend it if you’ve not ever attended. For $35 you can see each nominated film as many times as you’d like. Plus, you could get a small popcorn/small drink combo for $5 at each movie if you wanted (personally, I can’t eat that much popcorn).
Of the eight movies, four stood out in good and bad ways. There were also a couple of movies where I have no idea why they are on the list other being more social conscious than usual.
Here is my list in order of best to worst:
1) Bohemian Rhapsody—This is my top pick. It moved me. I laughed. I cried. The story made me mad at times and to feel sorry for the characters. And, really, can you beat the music? My son went with me and commented how all I did was sing. If you don’t sing and rock in your seat for this film, you need to have your hearing checked. The topper is the acting not only by Malek, but the rest of the cast as well.
1) Black Panther—Until I saw Bohemian Rhapsody, this was my top pick. If it wins, I’ll still have a happy ending to the evening. Another great story with an excellent soundtrack, which helps move your emotions so deftly. The acting is superb. But what really got me was having a mainly black cast as super hero and protectors. We also get to see how being an isolationist country can be detrimental to its population and effects the rest of the world as well. More Black Panther movies please.
2) Green Book—One of the four movies based on a true story, and the best of them. Watching how no one thought Tony would last a week as the driver, then being an outside observer in seeing how Tony evolves over time. Or was this how he was all along, but felt he had a role to play and played it well. I say this based on how he reacted to the YMCA scene and nonchalant reaction other than anger the Doc went somewhere without him. The fact the Doc and he remained friends for life after and died within a few months of each other was icing on the cake.
3) Vice—I was very angry throughout much of this movie. If there is even an inkling of truth, which there was enough public knowledge of much of story, I blame the Republicans even more for our country being in the quagmire it is in right now. Cheney, no matter how one looks at it is not a very nice person and this story only solidifies that thinking. The fact his ilk believe the President can do no wrong by simply being the President, and that the Vice President has presidential powers just put me over the top. Worth seeing, but how you feel politically will affect how you feel when you leave.
4) BlacKkKlansman—Shock, utter and complete shock is how I felt at the end of this film. Spike Lee knows how to drill things in in a way that is both informative and hard hitting. I left feeling so sad that we have come so little in such a long time, and that it is getting worse rather than better. One scene really hit hard because I have nieces who are African-American. Seeing a policeman thinking it was okay to sexually harass a citizen because he feels he can was maddening. I also had a new perspective, as I continue to do, about the day-to-day realities of living and driving while black.
5) A Star is Born—The music was fantastic; I downloaded the album while the credits rolled. Lady Gaga did fine as an actress, and Bradley Cooper and Sam Elliot are just, well, fine—who knew Bradley could sing. Story was predictable and stale though for me. Wondering throughout the movie why it was on this list when there were more deserving movies this year.
6) Roma—Another movie I have no clue as to why it was on this list. Thank goodness it was on Netflix so I could use the 10-second jump ahead to make it through the film. I feel for the main characters plight, which is the plight of so many. But, it did not deserve an Oscar nod.
6) The Favourite—This was the most disappointing film. Loved the previews, loved the actors, hated the movie. In fact, it took all of my will power not to walk out half-way through. For me, I saw the best parts of the movie in the previews. It may be because of our current political turmoil in real life that left no patience for the petulance of the Queen, the power hunger of the Ladies-in-waiting, or just plain meanness in how they treated one another. And, really, all for what in the end?
On the Basis of Sex was cheated in not being nominated over the bottom two. A must see movie.
Pick for Lead Actor is Rami Malek for Bohemian Rhapsody, and I’d be fine with Christian Bale for Vice.
Lead Actress goes to Glenn Close for The Wife, but Melissa McCarthy for Can You Ever Forgive Me gives Glenn and run for her money.
I’ll Fight gets my nod for best song. Shallows is my second choice.
What are your picks?
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 