Sunday, March 10, 2024

Just in time - my movie reviews on the day of the Oscars

I've really enjoyed the diversity of this year's Oscar best picture nominees.  I've been lucky to have seen all of the 10 films, including 4 in the last week.  I rated most of these films highly because of the depth of character complexity - sometimes relating to real people, other times - beautiful creations that are three dimensional.  Most are wonderful cinematic productions and a feast for the eyes that create a rich visual background for super storytelling. But, I'm sorry, Oppenheimer should not win.  No one would be unhappy if The Holdovers won and some may dare to say Poor Things is worthy of the top prize.

Best to worst:

  1. Poor Things
  2. The Holdovers
  3. Anatomy of a Fall
  4. Killers of the Flower Moon
  5. Past Lives
  6. Maestro
  7. American Fiction
  8. Oppenheimer
  9. Barbie
  10. The Zone of Interest


Poor Things


Loved it.  Like what - the chaos of Moulin Rouge + the artistry of Wes Anderson + the poetry of a Woody Allen character?  Stunning visuals.  Superb performances - Emma Stone is my pick for Oscar’s best actress.  Loved the dance scene, and the scene on deck of the ship, and Paris, and the end.  Beautiful adaptation of the book that I assume was a master class in imagination - my pick for Oscar's adapted screenplay.  As it says “a fantastical tale” but one with lots of lessons for humans wandering this crazy blue orb.  Mark Ruffalo is my pick for Oscar’s best supporting actor.  9/10.  


The Holdovers


Wonderful in every way.  Superb acting for multi-dimensional complex characters.   Lessons and love.  Characters and comedy.  Da’vine Joy Randolph is my pick for Oscar’s best supporting actress.   The only big movie of the year I watched twice.  9/10 


Anatomy of a Fall


I was glued from the opening scene with the beautiful border collie played by Messi. A terrific story and my pick for Oscar's best original screenplay (just pipping The Holdovers).  Perfect pacing throughout and felt the language switching added to the tension.  Magnificent performance by Sandra Hüller and 15 year-old Milo Machado-Graner.  Stunning location shots and cinematography.  So many elements contributed to a highly-entertaining movie.  8/10

Killers of the Flower Moon


Superb movie making, cinematography, sound, costume, soundtrack and directing.  Martin Scorsese is my pick for Oscar’s best director.  A very powerful story.  I loved DeNiro’s jail cell words about people will forget.  It was long but massive actors can keep your attention.   DiCaprio was superb - completely convincing portrayal of a tragic? slow-minded fool.  I sadly didn’t know it was based on a true story.   Superb cast with a few interesting cast members from the music world that I missed: Jason Isbell as Bill Smith, Peter Yorn as Acie Kirby and Jack White.  8/10


Past Lives


Cinematic visions galore.  Loved the tone and mood.  A simple, familiar story made more acute by the cultural (and language) differences.  Carefully acted on a delicate edge of sensitivity.  More artistic than I expected - in a wonderful welcome way.  8/10


Maestro


The scene in the cathedral was one of my favourites of the year - breathtaking. Cooper completely transformed for this role and gave us a beautiful memory of a music lover - Bradley Cooper is my pick for Oscar’s best actor.  Mulligan’s performance was also superb - perhaps creating the best duo performance of the Oscar year.  The revelation of complex characters always creates a great movie for me.  7/10


American Fiction


I came out thinking it was a decent movie but not Oscar worthy.  Then my wife explained what the movie was really about.  It was meta.  Then it became brilliant.  But I missed it.  I was the internal audience.  7/10


Oppenheimer


Torn on this one. Acting was superb - Downey Jr. was dazzling.  Cinematography was great.  But it was massively complex with so many characters.  Important from a historical point of view. 7/10   


Barbie


Fun, but way too silly to have any chance of making a serious point.  Musical bits were cringe worthy.  I’m man enough to admit I had to look up the meaning of patriarchy.  Loved McKinnon’s whackiness.  BUT, it's my pick for Oscar's best song.  6/10. 


The Zone of Interest


A strange film and hard-going - I don’t really understand why it’s nominated.  I did appreciate the cinematography, its premise and some shocking scenes.  Just hours before watching it, I'd seen Sandra Hüller in Anatomy of a Fall - I didn't know she was also in this film -I recognized her quite quickly.  The cut to a scene from today was perhaps its most concrete element and made the point. 5/10

Sunday, January 29, 2023

I’m way behind in posting movie reviews, but here are a few that have been nominated for awards in 2023

 In order of my favourites…

Everything Everywhere All at Once



Incredible filmmaking.  A true hero’s journey.  Very bizarre at times.  Crazy crazy scenes.  SFX and fight scenes WOW.  So much to absorb, ingest and enjoy.   You could consider it massively complex but the messages it delivers is simply spot on.  A multi-course journey for your eyes and ears.  I get quantum and multiverse theory, but I didn’t buy into the rocks. I’m buzzing.  Perhaps Tarantino-like but with magnificent Asian taste.  Bonkers.  Every feeling all at once.  Nothing matters and everything matters.  Life paradox.  9/10.


Really, really well done.  Modernized, fast paced version of the King’s rise to fame under the guided hand of a snowman.   It definitely reminded me of the style of Moulin Rouge and only now found it out it was the same director Baz Luhrmann.  8/10


Top Gun: Maverick



Even on a small Air Canada screen, the action was still magnificent.  Except for the expected melodrama and close to “jump the shark” story manoeuvres, the rest was perfect.  I’m man enough to say I bought in and my emotions were along for the warp speed ride.  I had heard about the accuracy (or lack of) the flight sequences so I’ll have to now do a little more research (lots of real pilot comments that suggest a lot of it was possible, if not realistic). Regardless, very impressive production, great cast, cool music and all around great fun.  8/10


The Fabelmans



I loved the story and Michelle Williams’ portrayal was mesmerizing.  But it was the filmmaking of the filmmaking that I really enjoyed.  Capturing the joy of film within a film.  Solid old-time movie with strong modern, complex themes of family and a personal journey.  7/10


Original notes that are a little cryptic now:

New release

Storytelling within moviemaking

Moviemaking = storytelling

Colour, framing, moments, editing

Very meta


Banshees of Inisherin



I liked it but for the wrong reasons.  Superb acting, magnificent cinematography.  Humour was a cruel joke.  I thought it may have been making sense but quickly turned horribly tragic.  The complete opposite of Everything Everywhere All at Once but Jenny the donkey was an adorable touch. 7/10


Turning Red 



Loved the Toronto connection and found the Chinese heritage interesting.  Fun, cute and superb rich animation.  Very cool to find out a friend taught the director Domee Shi at Sheridan College. 7/10


Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery



Superb cast, production design and sets.  Craig was incredible again, Norton was a superb baddy addition, and Monae was delightful.  Lots of fun all around and a satisfying mystery.  7/10


The Batman



Very long very slow.  Cool style was just enough for 6/10. 


Saturday, January 21, 2023

2022, Best of... (Music)

20 tracks that caught my attention and were in regular rotation in 2022.

Saw two of them live in 2022 and another three I've seen live in the past.

15 with male singers and 8 with female singers.

10 British acts, 6 American acts, and 4 Canadian acts.

Mostly beats and pop with a little alternative, hip hop and one country track.

Note that there are a few cheats (released earlier, but found in 2022) and alternate video versions to my official list on Apple Music.

On YouTube - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr6cXkv59iLKpaYJFpliys7YzEWi2VqFx

On Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/2022-best-of/pl.u-V9Dgkbkf7WLRZ