The Power of Lowered Expectations - 2020 Movie Wrap Up

Remember 2020? (Ha!)

That's the year in film we are celebrating. So, you know, go easy. Easy on the movies, easy on the film makers, easy on yourselves. Most of all, let's not expect too much from the Academy Awards Broadcast. We are still in a pandemic, still traumatized, still grieving.

I've heard a lot of complaints about this year's collection of films. Everyone was looking for that special film that transcended. And I get it, these were a different lot of films. But I have come to believe they are just right for where we are (or at least, where I am).  

Films like Sound of Metal, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Father and Pieces of a Woman grieved along with me. Nomadland, The White Tiger and The Life Ahead made me think about how our society values life and how different I think it should be. Promising Young Woman and The United States Vs. Billie Holiday and Trial of the Chicago 7 made me hunger for real justice. And I felt a little spark of hope for humanity through Minari, Soul and Another Round.

So I'm posting my favorites and picks and getting ready to be underwhelmed this evening. Thank you for reading, engaging or following along in some way. I love this journey every year and I think this year I needed it more than ever!

I managed to see ALL of the feature films nominated and all but three of the Shorts. Astonishing outcome; I never would have believed it possible.! Get vaccinated everyone, so we can meet back up in the theatres. I officially never want to watch a movie on a computer screen while perched on a pile of bean bags again!

2021 Oscar Picks

Best Picture

My fave: Promising Young Woman, My guess: Nomadland

Actress in a Supporting Role

My fave: Yuh-jung Youn (Minari), My guess: Olivia Coleman (The Father)

Actor in a Supporting Role

My fave: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah), My guess: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah)

International Feature Film

My fave: Another Round, My guess: Another Round

Documentary Short

My fave: A Concerto is a Conversation, My guess: Hunger Ward

Documentary Feature

My fave: Collective, My guess: Collective 

Original Song

My fave: Io Si (The Life Ahead), My guess: Speak Now (One Night in Miami

Animated Feature Film

My fave: Wolfwalkers, My guess: Soul

Adapted Screenplay

My fave: The White Tiger, My guess: Nomadland

Original Screenplay

My fave: Promising Young Woman, My guess: The Trial of the Chicago 7

Actor in a Leading Role

My fave: Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal), My guess: Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom)

Actress in a Leading Role

My fave: Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman), My guess: Andra Day (The United States Vs. Billie Holiday)

Director

My fave: Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), My guess: Chloe Zhao (Nomadland) 

Production Design

My fave: The Father, My guess: Mank

Cinematography

My fave: Nomadland, My guess: Mank

Costume Design

My fave: Pinocchio, My guess: Mulan

Achievement in Sound

My fave: Sound of Metal, My guess: Sound of Metal

Animated Short Film

My fave: Burrow, My guess: Burrow

Live Action Short Film

My fave: The Present, My guess: The Letter Room

Original Score

My fave: Soul, My guess: Mank

Visual Effects

My fave: Tenet, My guess: Tenet

Film Editing

My fave: Promising Young Woman, My guess: The Father

Make Up & Hairstyling

My fave: Pinocchio, My guess: Mank

 

Short Films

I spent a couple of days tracking down short films. I didn't think I'd get to see any of them without my special Laemmle screenings but it turns out many of them were available online or streaming. So I managed more than I thought I would!

Animated Shorts

Burrow (Disney+) - A bunny struggles to build a home in a crowded part of the underground. Adorable! My kids had me watch this one a while ago.

If Anything Happens I Love You (Netflix) - Mortfying. Horrible, Don't watch.  (It's about a couple dealing with the loss of a child after a school shooting.)

Genius Loci (Vimeo) - Cool animations style, I have no idea what it was about. Maybe mental illness?

Yes-People (Vimeo rental) - I just watched the trailer; looks like a quirky little piece. 

Opera (unavailable)

 

Live Action Shorts

Two Distant Strangers (Netflix) -  A Black man gets stuck in a Groundhog Day style nightmare where he gets murdered over and over again by the same cop, no matter how he tries to alter his behavior. It feels like every day in America.

The Present (Netflix) -  A guy tries to buy a fridge for his wife for their anniversary but has trouble navigating the military checkpoints in Palestine. Scary look at the dehumanizing treatment of Palestinians.

Feeling Through (Youtube) - A homeless kid helps a deaf and blind man. It's a nice tale of connection.

The Letter Room - I watched the trailer. This one has Oscar Isaac and looks really good. 

White Eye (Unavailable)

 

Documentary Shorts

A Love Song for Latasha (Netflix) -  The story of the life and 1991 death of Latosha Harlins in South Central, Los Angeles. It is told with so much love. The style of the documentary is very distinct and poetic. Moving!

Colette (on their website)- A former French resistance fighter remembers the life and death of her brother with a young historian. A very emotional look at the ritual of passing along memories and stories to preserve someone's life experience and contribution to history. Painful and precious.

A Concerto is a Conversation (Watch the New York Times Op-Doc here.)- A gorgeous short. A conversation between a composer and his grandfather. It is shot in such an open and vulnerable way as to bring you immediately into an intimate, loving and respectful relationship.

Do Not Split (Vimeo) - A tense and unnerving look at pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. It's a small look at an on-going fight.

Hunger Ward (Pluto.com) - Children die of starvation in Yemen. Hard to watch, heartbreaking.

The Father

Movie: The Father
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actress in a Supporting Role, Adapted Screenplay, Actor in a Leading Role, Production Design, Film Editing
How I watched: VOD
When I fell asleep: No, actually
When it had me: The puzzle element
When it lost me: I slowly drifted away from it
What I have to say: 

I waited so long for this one because I was hoping the price would drop form $20 to $5.99. No such luck. I dreaded this because who wants to watch two incredible actors remind us how harsh dementia can be? 

I've been engaging in a little introspection about why I feel avoidant here. You know I watch ALL of these films. I sign up to watch incredible actors remind me how harsh war can be and racism and rape and natural disaster and marriage and serial killers, etc. I think dementia is harder for me to face; my grandmother has it and I could be a candidate. I could be heading there much sooner than I would like. I think that's part of it. If I'm watching movies about murderers, I can learn to avoid murder (or at least I have myself so convinced.) If I watch movies about social injustice, it raises my awareness and I can fight for justice. But my own mind betraying me? I can do nothing about it, so I'd rather not engage.

What worked for me in this film was the care taken to show us what dementia might be like for the one experiencing it. The film is disorienting, confusing, frustrating, repetitive and does not offer clear answers. Puzzling things out became engaging for me and got me through a good portion of it. 

This film is also the first time I understood the irritability and anger that often come with dementia. It seems clear that once your mind becomes dissociated from the "now" it begins to feel like a cruel joke is being played on you and everyone is in on it. I got so sick of hearing people say, "Don't you remember?" We need to stop asking THAT question once dementia sets in.

Once I got through my aha moments, though, I just wanted out. I didn't want to watch things get worse. I couldn't see what more I had to gain from it. I was disengaged for probably about the last half hour.

I'm super interested to hear how others responded to this one! 

Better Days

Movie: Better Days
Nominated for: International Feature Film
How I watched: Amazon Rental
When I fell asleep: No, it was a day watch
When it had me: Right from the start
When it lost me: Near the end
What I have to say: 

The movie deals with school bullying and intense pressure to get into a top notch university in China. It doesn't start slowly. We get a death and a mystery right away. I was drawn into the impossible task of studying under heavy stress while living in poverty and then being singled out by the mean kids. There is a satisfying and unlikely connection between misfits that carries the film.

What slowly started to creep in was an unreality to the characters. What early on felt like a very realistic approach to the story became more and more melodramatic as time went on. The mystery that was set up carried me through but I became less invested as the movie felt less grounded in reality.

The third act was really stretched, with several scenes feeling like the same scene and refusing to carry the action forward. I groaned aloud for one scene with no dialogue and at least a dozen cuts back and forth between two crying faces. It's like they just didn't want to end it. The last shot of the movie kind of made no sense to me but by then I was beyond caring.

The creepiest part of the film was a sequence over titles at the end which brags about the Chinese Government's brave and swift response to squash school bullying. It felt like it doth protest too much.

Tenet

Movie: Tenet
Nominated for: Visual Effects, Production Design
How I watched: VOD
When I fell asleep: You are sunk if you do!
When it had me: Plot anxiety - is that a thing?
When it lost me: I mean, yeah.
What I have to say: 

Tenet! Have you been warned? I had been warned that this was a mind maze from which you might never emerge. Christopher Nolan has one very unique brain and I cannot believe the sheer audacity it takes to try and tell a story like this.

I'm not going to try to tell you what it's about. You should go in cold and fight your way through it. It's an action adventure about saving the world from a threat that is difficult to grasp at first; that's all you need to start. Here's how we managed to get through:

1. We were warned.

2. We did not drink to excess before watching. You need your wits about you, people!

3. Watch with friends or family so you can help each other along.

4. Think of it as advanced puzzling. Like an Escape Room Movie. That way you get kind of invested in the challenge and it becomes fun to work on.

5. Take breaks. The movie is 2.5 hours of dense espionage, pseudo science and prolonged moments of WTH? Stop for snacks or to take a breath and check in with your team. This movie would have been way harder for me to comprehend in a movie theatre.

6. Regroup! As I said, check in with each other. At least three times we had to stop to go over what we understood to be happening, where we thought it might be headed and to exchange notes on the clues that were being dropped.

7. Along those lines, you might keep paper and pencil handy. Viviana literally took notes and discovered a really cool tidbit along the way!

8. Let yourself come down slowly after you finish. Don't try to rush off to your next thing. Allow time to stare off into space whispering, "Wait, what?" softly to yourself. Post-movie discussions might help to straighten out the kinks in your mind, but go easy. I don't think you want to delve too deeply into the movie's logic. Just seek to grasp the basics and then settle your thoughts down. 

I'm going to go ahead and say it. I think this film might be over-complicated. We enjoyed puzzling through it and I am so glad that Nolan is here to challenge visual story telling like this. I would rather this film be made and maybe miss the mark a bit, then not be attempted at all. I think more often, people are looking for a passive kind of story absorption and I think especially in 2020, no one quite had the energy to be the audience this film required. 

Also? We really liked the music and were disappointed it didn't get a nomination.

 

The Man Who Sold His Skin

Movie: The Man Who Sold His Skin
Nominated for: International Feature Film
How I watched: Amazon Rental
When I fell asleep: About halfway through, I dozed for ten minutes and had to go back.
When it had me: I'm not sure it ever did
When it lost me: Early and often
What I have to say:  

This one was such a struggle! A Syrian, desperate to get out of his country, sells his back for an artist to use as a canvas, becomes a commodity and complicates his life. It was slow and dark with a lot of low music and my eyes got heavy quickly.

There were some very gorgeous shots early on in the film and then either that went away or I just got bored with it. I was shocked to find that this was based on real life. A man, Tim, has sold his back skin to an art collector. After his death, the skin will be preserved and framed, but for now he gets to walk around wearing the art! Yikes!

It tapped a lot of big themes right now; inherent worth vs. perceived worth, capitalism, freedom and it's cost ($1.05, if I remember correctly) and the universal selfishness and depravity of humanity. Dark times, friends, the planet is living through its very dark "human period".

My Octopus Teacher

Movie: My Octopus Teacher
Nominated for: Documentary Feature Film
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Octopus Magic!
When it lost me: Not really, but I had questions
What I have to say: 

So here's a movie about a guy that is completely burned out because of the way he over-commits to his work and in order to calm down and reset, he finds a hobby to which he can completely over-commit. That tracks.

There are two characters in the film; man and octopus. Let's talk octopus, first. This film is such an intense study of this one animal and all of its habits and gifts. I was enchanted by the octopus so much! It's ability to change colors, shapes, textures, movement style. It is ever changing and ever learning. It uses discarded shells like armor! I mean, the attention to detail was amazing and we really got a full picture.

I enjoyed the anthropomorphism. The film maker loved and connected with this animal. He feared for her, identified with her and believed her capable of "human" type feelings as well. I thought it was a relief from all of the dry, detached, narration we get in so many nature shows. The added presence of a human who is emotionally invested definitely took this documentary to another level for me.

Now let's talk about the man. I felt all the usual humor responses to watching this man's love affair with the octopus. (I think of Janeane Garofalo's line from The Truth About Cats & Dogs, "It's ok to love your pet, just don't LOVE your pet.") Jokes aside, I think it's hard to see this as anything else. 

I didn't see the octopus as so much of a teacher as the title suggested. She taught him that resilience is possible, but other than that they don't really tell us what he learned. He found himself, he found balance, he reignited his passion for story telling, yes. But I really think he did that through his intense love for her, rather than through her role as a teacher. My Octopus Lover would have been a more apt title, but admittedly a problematic one.

Part of the reset that this man needed was because his marriage was suffering and I kept wondering how his wife and kid felt that he came home from working and decided to spend time every day in the ocean with a new obsession? Were they feeling rejected all over again? Were they happy to see him finding balance? Did they like or not like the 4,000 photos of an octopus that slowly took over the beach house? Eventually we see him connecting with his child, so I'm glad they addressed that. I think I would have enjoyed some interviews with family and friends to testify to the changes in him over this period of time. Did they see the improvements that he felt? Or were those so internal and personal that it didn't impact the other people in his world? Did he just move from one method of avoiding his life to another?

I don't even mean to judge him, but because they brought it up in the documentary, I had these questions. I do not doubt the magic of the experience that he had or the way in which it re-energized his relationship to himself, to his work and to nature. This was a powerful way to nourish his own soul and in theory that will only lead to better choices in all areas of his life.

The questions arose, but I should say that none of this bothered me. If anything, the tension of trying to figure out the human drama, only heightened my investment. This was a very enjoyable and moving story.

Another Round

Movie: Another Round
Nominated for: International Feature Film, Directing
How I watched: Hulu
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Mads Mikkelsen was so SAD!
When it lost me: I stayed with it
What I have to say: 

Another Round is about a (mostly) joyful experiment with alcohol. Four friends seek to incorporate a little mischief, intention and frivolity into their numbing middle staged lives. I was reminded of how great an actor Mads Mikkelsen is. His performance and the tone of the film are perfect. There's so much tension in watching the characters try things that are SURE to fail. And yet I found myself rooting for them again and again.

I have a feeling if 20 year old me had watched this film she would not have been amused. She was very judgy and would have viewed everyone in this film as a loser. But it was just right for Autumn now, who just wants people to find their own way to a better life, whatever it takes.

Mid life is tough. Exhaustion, disappointment and dissociation are real boogeymen and Another Round highlights a very unorthodox attempt to live mindfully. I'm all for it! (To be clear, more so the movie than the experiment, but I won't judge.)

The One and Only Ivan

Movie: The One and Only Ivan
Nominated for: Visual Effects
How I watched: Disney+
When I fell asleep: I wished for such relief
When it had me: No!
When it lost me: Talking animals!
What I have to say:  

I hate talking animal movies. I really do. I can't get over it. This movie was a kind of torture for me. I spent the first half hour enjoying the "guess the celebrity voice over" game and then it just got to be such a chore.

This is based on a popular children's book. I bet the book is enjoyable. But the movie has talking animals!

The movie presents the choice between freedom, which has zero security and is essentially brutal in nature, or safety and security from inside a cage. I've heard this argument from Republicans; that liberals create a cage around ourselves by trying to create a base level of non-brutality for everyone in a society. I guess this movie showed me that what I really want is to live in a really fancy zoo.

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Movie: Quo Vadis, Aida?
Nominated for: International Feature Film
How I watched: Amazon rental
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: When thousands of refugees were closed out of a UN base
When it lost me: It didn't
What I have to say: 

What a sad movie! It turns out war is endlessly brutal and tragic. New information, I know! This time, it is Bosnia in the 1990s. Aida is a translator for the UN peace keeping soldiers. In this film, we focus on one town that was targeted and emptied by an army. And it's bad, you guys, really bad, what transpires.

The acting is really fantastic in this film. The pacing is great, the stakes are high and despite all efforts at negotiation and intervention by the characters, the film maintains a constant level of tension. You feel it in your bones that everyone is a hair's breadth away from total chaos.

I can't watch these movies without wondering what I would do in similar circumstances. How far would I go to save my family? How resourceful would I be in the face of rapidly evolving catastrophe? How would I survive after the worst has occurred? 

Then I just get OVERWHELMED with how horrible humanity can be and I need ice cream or cake and a hot bath. The end.

Minari

Movie: Minari
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actress in a Supporting Role, Original Screenplay, Actor in a Leading Role, Director, Original Score
How I watched: VOD, $20
When I fell asleep: Not a bit
When it had me: Glenn from The Walking Dead!
When it lost me: Third Act
What I have to say:

In Minari, a Korean family gambles on the success of a farm in Arkansas in the 1980s. I was invested in all of the challenges of the first act, charmed completely by the second act, and felt a bit lukewarm in the third.

The acting was strong in this film and they did a lovely job of setting up the characters. Starting a farm, settling somewhere new and living life as the outsiders pose such monumental and continuous difficulties and this movie sets it all up well. It's easy to root for the family, to guess where their failures will come and to celebrate their wins with them.

In the second act, a mother-in-law comes to live with them and this is when the movie became truly joyful for me. Maybe I was missing my own grandmother who shared so much in common with the one on screen; they both love soda and wrestling, occasionally steal things, hate cooking, act crazy and love their grandkids. The on-screen grandma also curses quite liberally and sings silly songs. This character coming into the mix just lifted the movie and deepened my investment. 

Even so, by the third act, we all felt the movie had begun to drag. The central problem of the film was, will they make it as a family on this farm? And somehow that questions was so broad that it felt like there wasn't anything solid and focused to root for. It's a small complaint and common of the "Slice of Life" film. There was a climax to the film, but then again, the challenges set up in the beginning will never be solved in the course of two hours.

There was a lot to enjoy in this film and I was glad to have been invited in to witness this family in this time, especially the Mother-in-law! I'll be rooting for Youn Yuh-Jung to take home the Oscar for my new favorite on-screen grandma.

Collective

Movie: Collective
Nominated for: Documentary Feature Film
How I watched: YouTube
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: Early on
When it lost me: It did not
What I have to say:

This documentary began awkwardly with silence and a lot of backstory delivered on title cards. This probably would have made more sense if I'd seen it in a theatre. In my room, mid-day, on a computer screen, it was harder to understand if the movie was properly beginning or not. This was a very slight bump in the start of an otherwise gripping documentary.

Collective was the name of a night club that burned down in Romania. In the aftermath of that disaster, a journalist and a newly appointed government official discover how broken, derelict and deplorably corrupt the Romanian healthcare system has become.

Shocking, horrifying problems, you guys. Really! Bad! 

This is one of those documentaries where I end up witnessing something I never imagined would one day be in my brain.

The investigative process is well tracked by the film makers and it is really exciting to follow along in the twists and turns as they uncover more and more egregious corruption. You know how in a documentary, if the film makers uncover one big surprise that they weren't expecting, it can really make it an impactful and satisfying film? Well that happens about five times in this doc.

Not all the questions that are raised get answered and you are left feeling that as shocking as the movie has been, only the tip of the iceberg has been exposed. I appreciated the humanity displayed by the journalists and the new Minister of Health in the film. I needed to be anchored in their very human responses as I made my way through this horror show.

This was a very powerful example of what documentary film can be.

The Mole Agent

Movie: The Mole Agent
Nominated for: Documentary Feature Film
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: Nope
When it had me: Old man in Spy Training!
When it lost me: I had some questions
What I have to say: 

A man in his 80s takes a job as a spy. His mission is to infiltrate a home for the elderly to assess the treatment of one resident in particular.

This movie had it all! An old man trying to learn spy tech? A retirement home popularity contest? An unlikely kleptomaniac? Yes, yes, yes.

It sets up a genuine mystery and then delivers on it. But more importantly it brings a level of humanity to the senior citizens that society likes to ignore.

The questions I had were about the inception of the documentary. Did they plan the spy mission first? Or the documentary? It's a small difference, but I wanted to know how authentic the entire premise was. Either way, it was very entertaining and enlightening.

News of the World

Movie: News of the World
Nominated for: Production Design, Cinematography, Achievement in Sound, Original Score
How I watched: VOD
When I fell asleep: No sleeping
When it had me: News Reader? I want to do that!
When it lost me: It's hard watching white supremacy play out
What I have to say:  

First, I'm not a fan of westerns. It feels like every western has some leering, skeevy white creeper who says things like, "well, well, well, what have we here?" and then there is literally no one to stop that bad guy and you basically have to run across the desert to escape him. Ugh. I'm sick of that. This movie had that, too, but I made it through anyway. 

Tom Hanks plays a man who travels from town to town reading newspapers to townsfolk. A pre-television news anchor, of sorts. I thought that was a cool job! This film takes place after the Civil War and brings to life all the resentments of the people of the South, racist and otherwise. It's weird to see that a lot of those resentments are still being played out in our political reality today. 

The acting was solid, of course. I became way more invested in the presentation of ever-increasingly dire and miserable circumstance than I thought I would. I know some people love the whole "wild west" vibe and sort of wish we could return to that. I suspect those people grossly over-estimate their ability to survive. The whole thing looks unbearable to me.

The story felt fairly predictable and Tom Hanks was very Tom Hanks-ish. For me, this was a solid work horse of a film. I had no complaints but it didn't light up my brain in any notable ways, either.

Wolfwalkers

Movie: Wolfwalkers
Nominated for: Animated Feature Film
How I watched: Apple TV
When I fell asleep: I started to nod and had to get some tea.
When it had me: Wild girls in a forest!
When it lost me: It did not
What I have to say:  

This was such a delightful surprise! An Irish tale of magic and family and choosing understanding over fear. I recently traced one branch of my family tree back to Ireland in the 1700s and this movie took place in 1650 Ireland, so I assume my ancestors were in there somewhere. I like to think we were depicted by one random lady who had an operatic quality to her panicked, "Oh my god!" screaming.

The animation style in this film was so beautiful! It reminded me of a very special storybook that you would treasure and read over and over again. There were lost of times that the kids or I gasped with awe over the visuals alone (when we exclaim, it probably has an operatic quality.)

The magic of the forest was so rich and inviting. The comparison of the grim, repressed and orderly town versus* the wild, unruly and free woodlands was inspiring. The tale of friendship was sweet and heartfelt. By the end, we were all sitting on the edge of our seats and felt like this is a very strong contender for the award.

* versus - I still say versus. Has anyone else noticed that it is commonly "abbreviated" to verse now? I began hearing it a few years ago and thought it demonstrated how dumb the user was but now it seems about 50/50 on sports channels. I fear the official evolution is near and the dictionaries will incorporate it and make it newly acceptable as correct speech. Language is ever-evolving, I get it. But this one makes me cringe.

Greyhound

 Movie: Greyhound
Nominated for: Achievement in Sound
How I watched: Apple TV
When I fell asleep: I wanted to, a bit
When it had me: Ships almost crashing into each other
When it lost me: Navy language
What I have to say: 

You guys, I am fully vaccinated now! 

I got my second shot and then turned on this movie to await the flu-like symptoms I was promised. At first, the heavy nature of the Naval wartime language was almost too much. I wanted to shut down, but I stuck with it. Like with Shakespeare, I eventually adjusted. 

Learning the ins and outs of a battle at sea was more interesting than I had imagined. Tom Hanks seems to have just one track on film anymore; honest, thoughtful, beleaguered, deeply moral. He's good, every time, I just can't help but notice it's one act in most of his movies.

The movie is paced well, follows a single event with a clear goal and finishes up in about 90 minutes. I appreciated the structure and conciseness. It's a movie that I ended up enjoying but I can't imagine recommending it very often. 

By the end, my body aches had begun. Good bye, Tom Hanks, I've got immunities to build!

Onward

Movie: Onward
Nominated for: Animated Feature
How I watched: On Demand ("in theatres")
When I fell asleep: No way
When it had me: Tom Holland and Chris Pratt!
When it lost me: No!
What I have to say:  

This was a very cute movie about loss, grieving, wishing and growing. I thought this movie's themes were very similar to Over the Moon but Onward felt more cohesive overall to me.

There was a whole host of interesting characters along the way, clever twists on "The Quest" story type and an ending that actually surprised and moved me.

 

Crip Camp

Movie: Crip Camp
Nominated for: Documentary Feature Film
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I think there was a little nodding off early on
When it had me: Learning about the origin of the 504
When it lost me: Some of it was painful and I wanted to tap out
What I have to say: 

Crip Camp is the story of the civil rights movement for people with disabilities, and the extraordinary camp that gave so many people the confidence to pursue that goal.

I had never questioned the "504" plan my kid gets at school in terms of where it began or why it was called that. Watching a group of people fight for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act despite discomfort, disability and indifference was pretty awe inspiring. There was a protest, a sit in, an occupation, a  hunger strike and a hearing before  this group of tenacious individuals reached some form of progress.

The hardest part was watching intelligent people with dynamic points of view who struggled so hard to even communicate through their physical challenges. And seeing how eager society is to turn away from people who are different.

There was so much hope in this film. The promise of what can be achieved when people form a community that treats one another with love and respect. A healthy community can gain strength in their numbers and make positive change against all odds. I mean, I guess it's obvious this was produced by the Obamas.

I cried and I learned things and I felt inspired, so that's good.

Mulan

Movie: Mulan
Nominated for: Costume Design, Visual Effects
How I watched: On Demand ("in theatres")
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Too long ago
When it lost me:  I don't remember
What I have to say:  

Um...I'll try to review this movie that I watched nearly a year ago...

I remember that there were things that they changed from the animated version that I didn't appreciate. My favorite scene in the original is how she uses her brain rather than brawn to get to the top of the pole in the boot camp. That whole aspect was lost in this film. In this movie it seemed that instead of being clever she was just magical, which felt like a step backwards.

The fight scenes were super cool! Well choreographed and beautiful to watch. Not Crouching Tiger beautiful, but trying to be. I do remember someone complaining that she won every fight with the same move, some crazy kind of kick.

My kids were mad there was no Mushu. As much as I like witches, they seemed really shoe-horned into this story and it wasn't clear why they needed to be.

This was a fun distraction from Covid at the time, but not a stellar movie overall.

 

The White Tiger

Movie: The White Tiger
Nominated for: Adapted Screenplay
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: Not this time
When it had me: Unique Story
When it lost me: I don't think it did.
What I have to say:

This one took three sittings to complete, but I got there. I had never heard of this film and was completely surprised by it (I know, I've been surprised by a lot this year. Haven't we all?)

The White Tiger looks through the lens of a servant in India and how he transmutes himself into a businessman. The change is part strategy, part spiritual, part philosophical. It was an elaborate journey that I took alongside the main character. 

He begins kind and sweet, but terribly used, abused and denigrated by the system in which he lives. He ends brutal, cynical and questionable but in charge of his own life. The choice is bleak. Would I rather see someone who is naive and only open to the wonder of the world...or someone who is willing to be cutthroat in service to their own advancement? Which would I rather be? 

I learned a lot about the brutality of India's caste system and the corruption of the democracy that is supposed to empower those at the bottom.

When the character breaks the fourth wall to look at me directly, I am uncomfortable. I can feel him asking me how much control I have over my life. I can feel him urging me to wake up fully and make an informed choice. I feel like I'm under a microscope. I'm squirming.

That's a powerful response to a film and I'm kind of digging the aftermath of thinking about it. This one is going to stick with me. Someone else should go watch this so we can discuss.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

Movie: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Nominated for: Original Song
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Will Ferrell
When it lost me: Nah
What I have to say: 

This was a pandemic delirium movie. I can't recall any of that!

I have a dim memory of a little elf village and a knife? I remember the joy of Ya Ya Ding Dong. Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams in weird costumes. Icelandic language and extravagantly absurd parties.

Look, I'm not even sure this movie is real at this point. Or that I didn't actually fever dream the whole thing. It's funny that it is nominated for original song, but it probably won't win, right?

The Midnight Sky

Movie: The Midnight Sky
Nominated for: Visual Effects
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: Not a bit
When it had me: Immediately
When it lost me: I had a "that doesn't seem right" moment
What I have to say: 

This movie was a complete surprise to me. I had never heard of it before it got nominated, knew nothing about it and thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite experience!

Directed by George Clooney, starring Clooney, Felicity Jones and David Oyelowo. The movie is a disaster played out through a small cast. The script is a tight presentation of the "everything that can go wrong, will go wrong" persuasion. I felt a low level anxiety about situations as they developed, not in a "oh crap, I can't handle this" sort of way but in the "I'm really invested and on the edge of my seat" way. I wish this had been nominated for script instead of Borat. Yeah, I'm still mad about it. So what?

This movie was "hard science fiction" which means my husband appreciated it. It also means the space travel in the movie was super cool!

A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

 Movie: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Nominated for: Animated Feature Film
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I nodded off a couple times, right in the middle of the day!
When it had me: ???
When it lost me: There's no speaking; this was difficult
What I have to say: 

Clearly the sheep represent the lowest class in a capitalistic hierarchy. They have a middle class overseer in the form of a dog that is there is to police them constantly and keep them from reaching their full potential.

A visitor from outer space arrives, representing the visionary radical future re-imaginer who can begin to open the eyes of those in the oppressive capitalist regime and allow them to see the system that isn't serving them. The farmer is the 1%, obsessed with consumer pursuits and wealth.

Through a strong and supportive alliance they work for the betterment of all. In the end, the middle class dog has come to accept that his happiness is tied up with the success and comfort of the lowest class. The farmer is still ignorant to the goings on of anyone outside of his own selfish desires but one is encouraged that soon the 99% will cease to fight over the scraps left by the farmer and band together to create a meaningful change to benefit everyone.

Either that, or it's a story about an alien invasion and some mischievous sheep. Although I am a big fan of Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep doesn't land for me. It's too long of a story form for me to go without any actual dialog. My kids enjoyed the references to many other science fiction classics, but ultimately found this to be boring.

Honestly, I like it better if I convince myself it's in line with my first theory. I'm going with that.

 

Over the Moon

Movie: Over the Moon
Nominated for: Animated Feature Film
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: Not this time
When it had me: Ken Jeong's character saved the whole thing
When it lost me: A lot and often
What I have to say:  

This movie was a confusing mess for me. It started by establishing a fairly realistic world and then switched into magical reality and the shift felt abrupt and disorienting.

Five minutes in, this happened:

    Viviana: Which one of the parents is going to collapse because of                         cancer?

    Angelina: I'm betting it's the mom.

    Movie: (mom stumbles and grabs her head, dies within minutes)

It's so creepy when my kids do that!

Early on, it felt too sugary sweet, like there was too much baby talking, but that eased up. The animation styles switched around, which felt disorienting, lots of things felt strange like space blobs, spiky dogs, angry birds, moon concerts. All of the songs felt like they went on for too long.

I love the message about grieving and growing and moving on. All of that was solid. Maybe the film was just meant for a younger audience than me and my minions.

Da 5 Bloods

Movie: Da 5 Bloods
Nominated for: Original Score
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: The turns
When it lost me: Extended bickering between the friends
What I have to say: 

I did not know quite what to expect from this movie before or during my viewing. This is Spike Lee's Vietnam War piece and it felt like it borrowed heavily from those that went before. Vietnam War Movie is such a genre on its own, I feel like it is hard to stand out at this point. But this film also deals with PTSD in the present day survivors, fraught relationships between distant fathers and their children, survivor guilt, treasure, smuggling, charity and mortality.

If it sounds like this movie is all over the place, then I'd say that's an accurate representation. Mostly though, I would characterize the meandering in a pleasant way. As in, "whoa! I didn't expect that!" or "yikes! That took a turn!" Those are the kinds of surprises that keep me engaged and prevent my eyes from closing. This was a satisfying enough movie that hasn't really stuck with me in the aftermath.

Pinocchio

Movie: Pinocchio
Nominated for: Costume Design, Make Up & Hairstyling
How I watched: VOD
When I fell asleep: I nodded off a few times
When it had me: I was quite charmed by many of the fantastical characters
When it lost me: It was sometimes creepy, sometimes boring
What I have to say: 

My children were horrified by this film. A live action version of a wooden boy that talks was just too much for them to deal with. Don't even get me started on the cricket conscience creature! They would not stop screaming. It made me wonder if Disney has made all of the old creepy kids stories too beautiful and palatable.

Pinocchio is so insufferably selfish and gullible. I guess that's pretty accurate in terms of children's behavior and gradual learning curve, but it's hard not to feel impatient with this tale.

I found Fox and Cat quite charming and interesting. The Blue Fairy and her friends were pretty freakish but it felt like a nice kind of imaginary home to me. So much like a comfortable home, in fact, that I began to nod off here. Angelina woke me up and said there was no way I was allowed to sleep through the disturbing movie I was making them watch. By the time we got to the whale I had really kind of lost interest.

If you love Pinocchio and weirdness and Roberto Benigni, go check out this movie. If not, you can probably skip it.

Love and Monsters

Movie: Love and Monsters
Nominated for: Visual Effects
How I watched: Amazon Rental
When I fell asleep: No way
When it had me: Early on
When it lost me: It didn't
What I have to say:

This movie was such a fun discovery! A family friendly action adventure in a post-apocalyptic setting. My whole family enjoyed it.

After insects mutate into large monsters, a young man decides to leave the safety of his underground colony to find an old girlfriend. A quest ensues.

The movie borrows from so many others; Zombieland, A Quiet Place, The Walking Dead, The Road, even Monty Python and the Holy Grail! But it borrows with love and respect and tells an enjoyable story. I had never heard of this film before and don't know if this movie would have been in the mix in a non-pandemic year? It's hard to guess, but it was a welcome gem for us to enjoy in the midst of a lot of "serious film."

The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Sé)

Movie: The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Sé)
Nominated for: Original Song
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I did not
When it had me: Italian Language!
When it lost me: Not really
What I have to say: 

I was very excited to watch this film. Last year I took two Italian Language classes at PCC and I was eager to practice my listening skills. Unfortunately, this film is dubbed, other than a couple of short interchanges. Oh, well! 

I watched this one with my children and we all enjoyed it. It's a story of those people who live outside the margins of society, how they struggle and how they hopefully can find in one another the support that is denied to them within the empowered systems. Sophia Loren is great in this film, as are the child actors. 

This was a lovely balance of heartfelt without being a "tear jerker". I'm really glad we got a chance to watch this film. And the song that is nominated, Io Sí, is really beautiful (and it IS in Italian, so I get to practice!)

Emma

Movie: Emma
Nominated for: Costume Design, Make Up & Haristyling
How I watched: HBOMax
When I fell asleep: Didn't
When it had me: I was lightly invested
When it lost me: I don't think it did
What I have to say: 

What I enjoyed most was watching this with my Marvel obsessed teen. My child is very story savvy and is always able to guess where a movie is headed before it gets there; it's a little annoying. However, my kid has NO knowledge of the romance related genres. So I was highly amused by their constant struggle to see where the story was going and how it would end up. To me, the romance is always the easiest to predict, but it really had them guessing.

This movie was light, enjoyable, beautiful to look at and competently made. This is one I wish I had been able to see at the Arclight Theatre. I specifically remember that the trailer of this film looked WAY better there than anywhere else...back in the part of 2020 where I was still going to theatres...sigh.

Time

Movie: Time
Nominated for: Documentary Feature
How I watched: Prime
When I fell asleep: Nope
When it had me: Fox Rich is charismatic and compelling
When it lost me: Sometimes I had questions
What I have to say: 

I got up at 7am on the weekend to watch this one. My family sleeps in but I haven't been doing that lately so maybe this is my new prime time viewing slot! Then, I intended to watch The United States Vs. Billie Holiday but I didn't have the sign in for Hulu (does this happen to anyone else? There's too many things to know all the passwords!) So I pivoted to Prime to watch Time.

This is a documentary about a family growing up while their husband/father is incarcerated. A young mother and father commit a serious crime and separate their family for over 20 years. It is one specific look at our broken justice system, yes, but maybe even more than that it highlights our broken philosophy about the world.

What stood out to me were a few quotes of Fox's. She said she believed in the American Dream, that she could do anything. She said her biggest fear was failure. She said when their business was failing they became desperate and desperate people do desperate things. And she said after their crime, she had to apologize to all of the people her decision affected because she had thought that she was an island.

They drill this into us here in America; the rugged individualism, the personal responsibility is the only factor, the belief that if you have success, you got there alone and if you failed it's because you weren't worthy. Every person is an island. That kind of thinking is creating so much pain. It leads to desperate people getting incarcerated because they didn't feel like there was a community to fall back on. It leads to mass shooters who are also an island, because once you have personally had enough, there's nothing left to do but go out in a blaze of glory.

What if we felt as if we were an inherent part of a truly interconnected community? Would we feel less isolation? Desperation? Could we fail more graciously with love and support? Could we succeed more graciously as part of a network of humanity? Would we weigh our decisions more critically if we understood that our actions affect other human beings whose lives also have weight and substance? 

This movie is inspiring me to some radical re-imagining of how the future could look different without this damned rugged individualism hanging over our heads every day in this country. I'll call that a win for Garret Bradley, the director of Time.

Hillbilly Elegy

 Movie: Hillbilly Elegy
Nominated for: Actress in a Supporting Role, Make Up & Hairstyling
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: I was never completely IN
When it lost me: I was never completely OUT
What I have to say:

I had a complicated response to this movie. 

Let's start with the good. Hillbilly Elegy addresses generational trauma. I think this needs to be right at the top of the list of what we are examining and acknowledging in our society. If you are living in generational trauma, you can't reach your greatest potential, because you don't ever feel safe. Even worse, if you are living in unexamined generational trauma, you can easily get into a mindset where you believe no one else deserves to feel safe either.

Glenn Close's character (Mamaw) got pregnant at age 13 and ran away to get married and start a life. That life included a LOT of abuse and violence in their marriage. Her daughter, Amy Adams (Bev) was raised in a completely unsafe home and despite being a very smart child (salutatorian) she never experienced safety within herself which led to her not believing in herself enough to make strong choices for the betterment of her life. Consequently, she begins raising children while struggling with drug addiction and a string of boyfriends in whom she seeks (and never finds) the safety she desperately craves. Her son (JD) sees her mistakes and seeks a better life for himself but might lose it all because he must keep interrupting his own life in order to come to his mother's rescue.

Our society tends to value personal responsibility to the point where we would blame Bev for her "choices", ignoring the fact that she had the deck stacked against her from the start. Or we would blame JD for prioritizing his "loser" mother over his future. We expect each person born to begin life with the same blank slate, ignoring that some people are born into a family that already needs so much healing. No one offers them healing, they just have to claw and scratch for it. Some will find it; many will not.

I'm glad this movie addresses this with compassion and shows us how especially difficult it is for the family member who decides to break the cycle of trauma and try to begin a new way of living.

Now the less than good. This movie has a tone problem. One scene where a grown man panics over which fork to use at a dinner feels over dramatized and almost silly. Another scene, where Bev roller skates through the ICU is downright hilarious, but unintentionally. At times, it rolls along quite smoothly, and at other times it feels like a TV movie of the week. I'm guessing this is why only Glenn Close and her make up team are in the mix. (To be fair, you end up finding out that Glenn Close looked exactly like the real Mamaw!)

Soul

Movie: Soul
Nominated for: Animated Feature Film
How I watched: Disney +
When I fell asleep: Nope
When it had me: When they showed people "in the zone"
When it lost me: I don't recall that it did
What I have to say: 

I actually did NOT want to see this movie. I was SO afraid it would be devastatingly sad. I knew it had to do with death and during the year of our pandemic, I just didn't want to think about it. But everyone said it was great so I watched it.

And it WAS great! It turned out it was less about death than it was defining passion, discovering purpose and living fearlessly as yourself. I can't complain about any of that. Also? A cat! I love cats. When they first showed someone "in the zone" through their music, I thought, "Yes! I've been there in meditation." Later they showed people getting to that space through their own meditations or other methods and I was kind of floored. Like, how did they nail that? I guess it's actually universal? Mind blown.

I haven't seen all the nominees in this category yet but I can't imagine anything else winning it yet. These movies from Pixar are just so perfect in tone and flawless in their story telling. It's always a pleasure.

Pieces of a Woman

Movie: Pieces of a Woman
Nominated for: Actress in a Leading Role
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Did it, though?
When it lost me: Oh boy.
What I have to say: 

I didn't love this movie. In lieu of a review, I wrote my reactions as I watched, so it's full of spoilers. Do with it what you will!

My real time reactions to the viewing:

I said I would not watch this film unless I absolutely needed to. BUT, demolition is beginning on my house right now and I need a distraction! I know this is a movie about a woman's childbirth going horribly wrong and I am weary of emotional manipulation. There is a certain distance I prefer from emotionally wrecking material and not all film makers choose to respect that distance. Some make me feel like they are dragging me through the mud in unkind ways and I choose to pass on those films whenever possible.

So let's get started. Day 1:

-First off, Shia Labeouf? Oh no! This seems like a bad omen.

-Oh, ok. We are beginning right at the start of the home birth contractions. Am I actually going to have to watch an entire birth? I'd really rather not.

-Why is nothing set up for the planned home birth? She just sunk to the floor next to the fireplace for a pelvic exam. Is this how they do it? When did they last mop? I am so uncomfortable!

-Doula can't make it; they are stuck with the assistant to the doula. I already know this is going to go bad, can we skip ahead?

-Do you get in the bathtub at home after your water breaks? It's not clear any of this is accurate. Also? These people don't seem to know that much about birth for choosing to do this at home.

-Wait! Everything is fine! And.....no it isn't.

-Ok, at this point I made it to the Opening Title and my kids finished zoom school so I get a reprieve from this movie! Whew!

Day 2: 

-I watched 20 more minutes of the film. I am going along kicking and screaming. Their lives are all torn up by losing the baby. Yes, of course. Why am I watching, Kornel? I don't want to simply watch a family fall apart form this loss. Will you elevate this experience in some way? Consider me a hostile viewer. It's not worth it to me if you only want to make me feel pain.

Day 3: 

-Alright, the woman seems to be trying to re-identify herself within the world and she can't do it by being around the people who knew her before (her husband and mother) because they are too busy telling her who she should be. The man is coping through revenge on the midwife, substance abuse and his genitalia. He gets real rape-y with his wife presumably because she isn't doing enough to process his emotions for him. Ugh. She might be aware that he is using again but seems like she wants him to handle that because she has a lot of her own stuff to work through. Then the guy turns his needs to their lawyer in the trial, who happens to be his wife's cousin. This guy was going to be a terrible dad anyway; if there is any silver lining it's that she is free of any shackles to him from here on out. Let's hope I finish this movie in my next sitting.

Day 4: 

-The movie got interesting today with a scene between mother and daughter. The mom who has been trying to control her daughter's reaction to the loss of the baby finally lets fly with her own story. How her own mother struggled to keep her alive as an infant in the midst of a holocaust. Basically, bringing children into the world is a brutal and often traumatic business and it always falls to women to handle the crises and the aftermath. It's not that the father of the baby isn't grieving, but there is so much more burden on a mother by design. That scene was interesting. Also, I think the whole point of this film is that life is better without Shia LaBeouf.

The United States Vs. Billie Holiday

Movie: The United States Vs. Billie Holiday
Nominated for: Actress in a Leading Role
How I watched: Hulu
When I fell asleep: No
When it had me: Whenever Billie's greatest hits were on
When it lost me: Lots
What I have to say: 

First off: a disclaimer. This film suffered the consequences of my fractured life. I watched it in four different chunks over a couple of weeks; not exactly optimal viewing.

I liked the music. I've been a fan of Billie Holiday since college. There's a quality about her music that cuts through and just evokes a sad serenity in you when she is singing, even when it feels like the silliest of songs. The movie made me see what that quality was; a bare and stripped down soul. That woman was traumatized her entire life; abused, assaulted, devalued, imprisoned, dehumanized, harassed, used and harmed by too many people to count. When she sang, whatever she sang, you somehow heard all that pain along side the tiny little piece of her soul that she saved for herself. I'm glad the movie helped me to understand her better, and it was also torture watching it all happen.

The movie struggled to find a rhythm, to find a style, to find itself. Andra Day was great in this film and I learned a lot about her life but it otherwise felt very clumsy. 

Side note: I was surprised to see Simone Sheffield as one of the Executive Producers on the film. She Produced on the very first movie I worked on when I moved to L.A. and she was one of the most viciously abusive people I ever came into contact with in Hollywood. I sure hope for everyone involved that she got nicer over the years!

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

 Movie: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Nominated for: Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Leading Role
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: When Chadwick Boseman was onscreen
When it lost me: All other times
What I have to say:  

Some theatre just doesn't really translate to the screen. Like Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis were both amazing. I feel like it was more of a vehicle for Chadwick, but maybe I just viewed it that way because I was feeling the whole time that he would probably get a posthumous Oscar for this role. Which would be deserved and feel both satisfying and super sad. Otherwise the pacing between scenes felt off. The movie only offers small bits of plot stitched together with music. That could work, but didn't for me this time.

Borat Subsequent MovieFilm or Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan

Movie: Borat Subsequent MovieFilm or Borat: Gift of Pornographic Monkey to Vice Premiere Mikhael Pence to Make Benefit Recently Diminished Nation of Kazakhstan
Nominated for: Actress in a Supporting Role, Adapted Screenplay
How I watched: Amazon Prime
When I fell asleep: Nah.
When it had me: In some isolated moments
When it lost me: A lot. Over and over. All the time.
What I have to say:

This movie is so problematic for me. 

First off, I watched it because I heard all the fuss about Giuliani being caught in an inappropriate moment. I wanted to know what was really going on there. It wasn't world changing. I long ago decided Giuliani was gross and dangerous, so his questionable encounter with a fake reporter was to be expected. 

Sacha Baron Cohen has said that he wanted to release this movie to expose truths about Trump followers before the election. But my problems with the ethics behind his film making would leave me feeling that this film is not the best resource for deciding on your vote for president.

It is never clear to me who in the film is in on the joke and who is not. It is hard for me to believe that all the real people presented on screen bought into his story about being from Kazahkstan. Since they never tell us what people know and what they don't, it feels very unfair to me. I can't be sure who is displaying stupidity, who is showing they are mean-spirited and unkind, and who is just trying their best to play along with some crazy, eccentric dude?

If you have decided that racists are idiots and deserve to be tricked and made fun of, I'm totally fine with that, but there is also a scene in a synagogue where Borat sits with two elderly Jewish women and says all the horribly antisemitic things he can. I don't know who that is making fun of? I don't know if they were in on it or just politely horrified. The whole thing feels sketchy and disingenuous and makes me uncomfortable.

This film is nominated for Adapted Screenplay. My first question is: how does one even qualify this as a screenplay? It is a series of  improvised tricks and sketches. Much of what they capture is designed to be unscripted and surprising, similar to making a documentary. My second question is: how does it qualify as adapted? I found out the answer to this one. The Academy considers all sequels to be material that was "adapted" from the original. Ok, that's fair.

What's not fair is that a film like Midnight Sky did not get an Adapted Screenplay nomination because Borat happened. Ugh. I'm over this movie.

One Night in Miami

Movie: One Night in Miami
Nominated for: Actor in a Supporting Role, Original Song, Adapted Screenplay
How I watched: Amazon
When I fell asleep: I think I had a couple of minor dozes
When it had me: Leslie Odom, Jr. singing!
When it lost me: It's all conversation, so much talking
What I have to say: 

Trying to embody larger than life real history makers is always a struggle. I kind of hate biopics because sometimes the focus is more on looking the part that communicating something meaningful. Also, real life doesn't always translate into a solid standalone 90 minute to 2 hour story so it usually just feels clunky to me.

However, this film is a kind of 'what if' scenario that avoids having to adhere strictly to events in a certain order. And these performances were truly brilliant. Eli Goree as Muhammed Ali was amazing. He showed us enough of the showman persona of the man to make us believe the accuracy of his quieter moments, too. Admittedly, I was stunned watching the film, wondering how they got Sam Cooke's voice to come out of Leslie Odom Jr. It looked so real and convincing! Well, that's because it was actually Leslie Odom Jr. singing which makes me so delighted and amazed I can't even tell you! Go watch Leslie Odom Jr. sing Change is Gonna Come from the end of this film. There should be a special Oscar for that performance alone (and I guess there might be).

Historical figures become caricatures; their whole identity as humans boiled down to a single speech or quote or mythical story. It was so refreshing to see these humans in a movie where they are given room to breath. They have doubts, they have senses of humor, they have tempers and close connections. It feels like a luxury to see them 'living' with such fullness.

The real power of the movie for me, comes from witnessing a variety of powerful black Americans who take different actions and have multiple responses to the racist world around them. We see the activism and fight, the personal development, the community building and none of it is depicted as wrong. The characters may argue passionately for one approach or another but we are left feeling that there is no single answer that wins the day and that maybe it really is best to have everyone working toward justice and equality in the way that best suits them as individuals. Allow different ways of making change rather than judge them and pit them against one another. That's beautiful.

This movie originated as a stage play. The upside is a scene that is so sharp and so stark and stunning as the depiction, early in the film, of Jim Brown going to visit an old coach (wow, is it a slap in the face!) The downside is that this film has no action and little movement. It is ALL talking. The talking is great, riveting, important, but damn, movies really benefit from more showing and less telling. Even a movie as good as this.

Sound of Metal

Movie: Sound of Metal
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actor in a Supporting Role, Original Screenplay, Actor in a Leading Role, Achievement in Sound, Film Editing
How I watched: Amazon Prime
When I fell asleep: My eyes closed a couple of times, but I fought it
When it had me: Pretty much from the start
When it lost me: I'm not sure
What I have to say: 

I don't know that I love this title for the film? It sounds cool but does it tell us much? I'm not sure. And it doesn't matter. This is a solid film about a musician's journey into deafness. The film makers do such a good job of immersing you in his experience that you cannot help but ask yourself what you would do, how you would react and whether you would be able to cope. I consider that the good kind of uncomfortable for a movie goer. 

It also raises larger questions about how we deal with change. Is it better to try to adapt yourself to fit the life you had already been living and continue to reach for the future you once envisioned? Or does it make more sense in the face of huge change to adapt your entire life and future to fit your new set of circumstances? Sometimes there isn't a choice, but often it's a matter of mindset. Even when we face smaller changes, do we recognize that the old dreams and goals no longer fit the person we have become? Or do we doggedly pursue our old notions of success or happiness even when they no longer make sense? I do love a film that makes me ask these kinds of questions.

The acting was great. I love that they hired many deaf actors; how often do their agents call them? The sound design was particularly smart and integral to the story telling.

Mank

Movie: Mank
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actress in a Supporting Role, Actor in a Leading Role, Director, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Achievement in Sound, Original Score, Make Up & Hairstyling
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: About 20 minutes in. I had to restart.
When it had me: It was never gripping.
When it lost me: It was never impossible to watch.
What I have to say: 

I started the movie and then stopped it. I fell asleep, true, but I also started to realize that this movie was very linked to Citizen Kane. So I decided to re-watch that classic before watching this one. It turns out Citizen Kane still fails to hold my attenntion. It has very cool camera tricks, lens usage and optical artistry but as a compelling story, it just doesn't grab me. That said, I think re-watching helped me to appreciate Mank.

My response to Mank is similar to my feelings for Citizen Kane. It is lighter on the cool camera effects and stronger on story overall. I would think Fincher would have wanted to evoke some of those really iconic shots from the older film, but apparently not. It jumps all over the place in time, with many flashbacks within flashbacks. They are mostly easy enough to follow. Gary Oldman is great in this. The movie winds its way through the political, creative, interpersonal and ethical challenges of Hollywood at the time. In the end, I'm not sure it reaches the dramatic crescendo I might have wished for.

It feels like such a safe and boring bet. A movie about an older beloved classic movie, evoking Hollywood's golden age of glamour and shot in black and white. It's as if Dr. Frankenstein is trying to cobble together the perfect pieces of an Academy Award winning film but somehow it still doesn't feel truly alive.

On the bright side, I am looking forward to the dramatization of Justin Fincher, screenwriter, and his challenges while writing Mank!

Nomdaland

Movie: Nomadland
Nominated for:  Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Actress in a Leading Role, Director, Cinematography, Film Editing
How I watched: Hulu
When I fell asleep: Watched during the day, so no.
When it had me: Trying to understand the lifestyle drew me in instantly
When it lost me: It did not
What I have to say:

Here's a movie that is such a different animal compared to most Hollywood film making and I'm thrilled that it is the favorite for the Best Picture this year. Nomadland feels part narrative, part documentary, part plot-driven and part poetry. It is an immensely emotional, compassionate, patient and thoughtful study of a Nomadic style of retirement (or living, in general) that is probably pretty foreign to most of us.

I experienced it as gentle, subtle invitation to be with people in an intimate setting and witness their joy and vulnerability. I felt it challenge my own perceptions and force me to think more deeply about people who choose to live unconventionally. I found myself questioning American capitalism and the choices it forces people to make; either join the system and spend all of your life's energy in working for someone else's aims, or struggle to live unsupported on the outside, but live always for yourself.

Because it was such a quiet sort of film, I was left feeling like maybe this lacks the punch of a Best Picture Film. But I actually don't think that is a fair assessment; it's just how The Academy has my brain trained. I'd be happy to see this film win.

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Movie: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Nominated for: Best Picture, Actor in a Supporting Role, Original Song, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Film Editing
How I watched: Netflix
When I fell asleep: I didn't
When it had me: Early on
When it lost me: Sometimes I just had to stop and shake my head because Sorkin is SOOO Sorkin
What I have to say: 

I very much enjoyed this film! Sorkin has made great strides in his directing skill since his debut of Molly's Game. This movie feels like a force with a pace that kind of grabs you and pulls you along through what feels like it should be a completely unbelievable set of events in our history.

He manages to build in a kind of mystery to the story that unfolds gradually over the course of the trial and then solve that mystery through a detailed look at language and a demonstration that big moments turn on small specifics. It is SO SORKIN that I was both exasperated and delighted, leaning more heavily toward delighted.

The casting is great, showcasing this disparate and passionate group of characters that converged on the DNC in Chicago. The title tells us this is a court room drama, which I love but it can be tricky to get stuck in the same room for so much of the film. Sorkin does an excellent job of breaking that up with flashbacks and time out of court. 

I learned things, I enjoyed the story and I felt satisfied by the wrapping up of this re-telling of true events. Additionally, we get to reflect on the divisive nature of politics, the ugly pervasiveness of racism and the mechanics of how a riot gets started. All of which are extremely relevant in our current landscape. It's a very solid film.

Promising Young Woman

Movie: Promising Young Woman
Nominated for: Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Actress in a Leading Role, Director, Film Editing
How I watched: DirecTV (Pandemic On-Demand style where the film is in theatres AND you can watch at home for $20)
When I fell asleep: No way
When it had me: The trailer
When it lost me: Never
What I have to say:  

I will always remember when I saw the trailer for Promising Young Woman in the theatre. It was January of 2020 and I was alone at the movies that day, watching some potential nominee for the Oscar Glutton Blog. When I realized the movie was about a woman speaking out about sexual assault AND getting some level of revenge, I gasped out loud in the theatre. And then came my nervous laughter. I sat up straighter in my seat, I started sweating. I was scandalized! You see, I believe in my bones that WOMEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

I felt a thrill that Emerald Fennell, the writer and director, had somehow broken the rules and made a whole movie that talked about it. ALL of it. I felt like she would get in trouble for making this movie and I felt like I would get in trouble for watching this movie but I knew so deeply in my soul that I had never wanted to see a movie more.

Imagine my shock one year later when this movie earns six nominations from the Academy! Maybe she won't get in trouble for this? Maybe we can talk about this stuff after all?

I finally got to watch this movie and I loved every little thing about it. I loved that there was a measure of humor and irony, because this mire is impossible to talk about without people tuning out from discomfort. I loved that it was a thriller because, in my experience, nothing makes men more afraid than women talking about this. I loved the production design that juxtaposes a light, bright feminine aesthetic with the underlying battle so many women fight every day. I loved Carey Mulligan's performance; she has created a hero that I have never seen before but I always needed. I loved the smart and nuanced brand of revenge that Cassy, the main character, exacts. But most of all, I love that Emerald Fennell talks about ALL of it.

Emerald Fennell talks first and foremost about the nice guys. The nice guys that scoop up Cassy and take her home so she will be “safe”. Cassy has a weekly ritual of appearing too drunk to take care of herself in a public setting and waiting to see who will take advantage. Within the realm of the movie she discovers, unfortunately, that every week someone is willing to help her out by volunteering to be her assaulter. These men are very vocal about how nice they are; seemingly proud of their role. These nice men think they are saviors for taking a woman home and somewhere along the way decide that they will take advantage of her. Are they good guys for making sure she will only be assaulted by one guy, instead of many? Are they good guys because, although they don't have “consent”, they aren't intending to cause her physical harm? Are they just too drunk to view her as a human being? I'm not sure.

I love that Cassy doesn't try to talk to the nice men. She shows them rather than tells them. She demonstrates for them, with herself as a clear-headed witness, what they are doing and how their actions do not match with their “nice guy” self image. She uses fear as a motivator to change behavior. She creates a culture where the men in her area have actually heard of her and talk amongst themselves and warn other men about the psycho that tries to entrap men. It is a brilliant strategy because if you get enough men to fear for themselves, then it doesn't matter if you have changed their minds about issues of women, sex and consent! To Cassy, the safety of women matters more than the comfort of men. Yeah, girl. I'm with you there.

Emerald Fennell sure makes it look like there are actually NO nice guys. I think there are "nice guys" but I don't think being nice is really enough. No one is all good or all bad and every one of us was raised in a misogynistic patriarchy that has historically allowed men a lot of free reign with women's bodies. None of us magically knows the right way of things. If we were raised to believe no one who knows you or cares about you can be a rapist, or that only sluts get themselves into those situations, well then, that's all we know. If men are told by society and peers that women are the gatekeepers of their pleasure and must be tricked into giving it over to them, then they will spend their entire lives trying to game that system; some in not so nice ways. Being nice doesn't mean you are immune to the ills of our larger society; it just means that you operate well within those confines.

And what about women? Women will tell you they don't want to get in the middle of a he said/she said. Women will say maybe you need to use words that are less disturbing or triggering for men. Women will shrug at you as if to say, “Join the club. It happens all the time.” Yes, Emerald Fennell holds up the mirror for them too, demonstrating that we suddenly feel different about it when it happens to us directly or to someone we hold dear; when we can no longer look the other way and count ourselves lucky.

Emerald Fennell talks about men's fear. The rapist in the film tells Cassy, “You don't understand. It's a man's worst fear to be accused of something like that.” He says it unironically, knowing the price paid by his victim! A man, knowing that a woman has faced something much more difficult than an accusation, still needs his fear centered. Because men have historically not faced any consequences for their non-consensual exploits, when there is even the threat of consequences, they explode in a rage. Does anyone else remember the veins bulging out of Brett Kavanaugh's forehead? Is that just me?

Even the most caring of guys in this film are unwilling to prioritize women's safety above men's fear because it has been demonstrated their entire lives that it just doesn't work that way. Cassy just keeps pushing to find out how hard men will go to escape their consequences.

This movie was smartly made and well done and likely to be my favorite film this year.

You can read further for my thoughts on the ending if you want. But maybe go watch it first?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The most heart breaking and brilliant scene in the movie for me comes after the Doctor-Rapist-Good Guy character must kill Cassy to preserve the life he has built for himself. His friend comes to him and repeatedly tells him, “This is NOT your fault. We are going to get through this.” Someone is there to support him and help him and assure him that this event will not be allowed to ruin his life. That friend even crawls over the dead body of a woman in order to reassure his friend. It's very touching and emotional. It is everything a victim of sexual assault should be told, complete with hugs, tears and fervent determination. It is a perfect script for a different circumstance.

My husband was disturbed and saddened that Cassy died for her cause in this movie and I was unfazed. I expected it. “Of course she had to die. We all know women can't speak up like that!” I realized it speaks to my own experience of our society that it makes sense to me that a woman would pay the price for such bravery. But maybe things can change. Maybe I can say some things. Maybe Emerald Fennell can show us some things. Maybe she can be celebrated for her story-telling and vision. It's a maybe that I am so ready for.