The Academy Award nominations for best picture are out, and before the winners are announced on March 10, I thought I would give you my take on the 10 films nominated this year.
Anatomy of a Fall
(Rated R–streaming
on multiple platforms)
The Anatomy of a Fall is not an enjoyable movie. It had poor camera work, and it was boring overall. It felt like a drama more than a thriller. It had good acting, but it was extremely boring. I did not enjoy it.
Past Lives
(Rated PG-13–streaming on multiple platforms)
Past Lives is a Korean movie about two childhood friends meeting again after decades. The plot is the same as any other love story. I didn’t find it amusing at all because it wasn’t my thing. It did, however, utilize The Morning Show’s Greta Lee who is a phenomenal actress.
The Holdovers
(Rated R–streaming
on multiple platforms)
The Holdovers isn’t one of those movies you’d watch in movie theater. It fits better as an it-was-playing-on-the-television, so-I-just-kept-watching kind of movie. It’s not something you would make popcorn and gather everybody for. It was Dominic Sessa’s first time acting in movie, and he’s honestly not that bad. The movie was okay, but I don’t think it’s award-earning.
Barbie
(Rated PG-13–streaming on multiple platforms)
I had really high hopes for Barbie. The movie is about trying to cover what women go through and problems that many people struggle with, and I’m totally here for it. The casting was one of the best parts about the movie. The only thing I didn’t like about it was
how they could’ve done a better job. It was like they were doing too much. It felt too fast-paced, and it lacked when dealing with emotional scenes. You can watch it for it’s message, but it just felt like they did it wrong.
The Zone of Interest
(Rated PG-13–
in theaters)
The Zone of Interest is directed by Jonathan Glazer. The movie is mostly German, so we already know it won’t be win an Oscar because they don’t like foreign films. It’s an interesting movie about a family’s whose house sits next to a concentration camp. You can
see the smoke and faintly hear gunshots in the background, and that alone is scary to think about. I’m impressed with the acting and overall feeling of the characters. It is a good watch if you don’t mind reading subtitles.
Poor Things
(Rated R–in theaters)
I liked the setting Poor Things. The whole aesthetic is fun. It stars Emma Stone. It’s kind of like a female Edward Scissorhands. It’s a pretty good watch, but it is rated R, so some of you will have to wait for it to stream.
Killers of the Flower Moon
(Rated R–streaming
on multiple platforms)
Killers of the Flower Moon is from legendary producer/director Martin Scorsese. This film is a Western crime thriller that depicts the Osage murders and the beginnings of what we now call the FBI It had a great casting. Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. I wish Brendan Fraser had more screen time. Overall, it was a pretty decent movie. I didn’t have any prior knowledge of the movie before I watched, but it was enjoyable.
Maestro
(Rated R–streaming on multiple platforms)
Maestro is a bio pic about legendary composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper) and his wife (Carey Mulligan). This is such a pleasant movie. Cooper’s acting was just wow–they say he will win the best actor award. Some parts of the movie are in black-and-white to depict different times.
American Fiction
(Rated R–streaming on multiple platforms)
American Fiction is a very entertaining movie. Yeah, the movie might not be perfect, but it mixes in both soul-touching and humorous scenes. It depicts a frustrated Black novelist who is fed up with how the establishment exploits work of Black entertainers. It was really enjoyable watching this one. Definitely up there in the list.
Oppenheimer
(Rated R–streaming on multiple platforms)
My pick for best picture goes to Oppenheimer. This movie swept millions off their shoes and was the most talked about film for a while. (You wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve watched it.). It is possibly Christopher Nolan’s best script yet. It is the epic biographical story of the “father of the atomic bomb.” Be prepared, though, because this movie is over three hours long. Luckily, it is streaming, so you can pause it.
