Rocketman, Ad Astra and The Lighthouse

Movie: Rocketman
Nominated for: Best Original Song
How I watched: On Demand
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: First jump into the past
When it lost me: I'm Still Standing
What I have to say: This was one of my favorite biopics! I usually find them quite clunky and unsatisfying, but this one worked for me. I loved the way in which they integrated Elton John's music into this film. They picked songs that fit the moment in his life rather than playing them strictly in chronological order. I also appreciated that other characters in his life are sometimes the one who voice the songs. Using rehab as a device to jump forward and back in time was really smart and the first time we jump back in time for a big song number was really enchanting! I had thought the Academy might acknowledge this one more, but I guess their plate was full.





Movie: Ad Astra
Nominated for: Sound Mixing
How I watched: In theatres, ages ago
When I fell asleep: Nope
When it had me: The Pysch evals
When it lost me: I'm not sure 
What I have to say: It's been a long time since I saw it but I remember feeling like this brought up a lot of feelings about masculinity and the need to have absolute control of your emotions. The older generation (repped by Tommy Lee Jones) became fanatical about that need for control over all their feelings and suffered by becoming detached from life and from their purpose in many ways. Through the film we watch, Brad Pitt, the next generation trying to navigate the problems caused by that detachment and trying to find another way to approach life, in spite of everything he had been taught. It was a quiet and really thoughtful film with left me a lot to mull over. I appreciated that.





Movie: The Lighthouse
Nominated for: Cinematography
How I watched: Prime
When I fell asleep: Nope, it was an early screening. I had to fit it in before the day's Senate proceedings began!
When it had me: From the trailer
When it lost me: Somewhere in the 3rd act
What I have to say: I was so excited to see this movie! Two "Light Keepers" tend a remote island light house in the 1800s. The movie almost looks like it was shot in the 1800s. It is black and white, faded and blurry. It is shot in a square frame, creating even more tension and exacerbating the feelings of being trapped; by an island, by small living quarters, by a tiny circle of light created by an oil lamp every time the sun goes down. Everything in this movie was confining. Early on I thought, "Man! Not an iPhone in sight! How will they survive?" Then the two men face bad weather and start to go mad. There's such a great sense of dread and doom. My favorite scene is the best argument about cooking ever. Unfortunately right after that the movie gets a bit repetitive. It stays weird, it stays doomed and like the men on the island, the story has nowhere to go. With the exception of some questions about what is real or not, there is no real mystery unfolding, or any particular outcome to root for or against. It's just weird until it ends with no significant sense of resolution.