Oscars
Yesterday I was fortunate enough to attend a 'special event' put on by AMC Theaters. They showed all of the movies nominated for 'best picture' in one marathon session beginning at 11:00 and ending at 23:30. It was $30 for all 5 movies and unlimited Coke and popcorn - a pretty good deal if you can stand the marathon. So, here's a quick review of all the movies we saw - in Top 5 format.
5 - Letters from Iwo Jima - Grade: F
I could give a s*** less how those f****** nips FEEL about shooting US Marines. I felt physically ill at points during this movie and actually wanted to walk out. I can see now why I'd never heard of this movie and also why it is nominated for an oscar. I don't buy the 'showing both sides' argument for this movie - this movie is an advocacy for the Japanese cause in WWII. Puke!
4 - The Queen - Grade: B-
Helen Mirren. It's pretty hard for me to get interested in a movie about the eccentricities of the British monarchy in 1997 - which is exactly what that movie is about. Michael Sheen did an excellent job playing Tony Blair.
3 - Babel - Grade: B-
Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett. It was pretty hard to follow and to understand why so much attention was paid to things that has so little to do with the story. It also had a little too much America bashing - even for a hollywood movie.
2 - Little Miss Sunshine - Grade: A-
Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin. I was impressed by originality of this movie, although I was really distracted by the touchy-feely 'Huckabee-ness' of the characters. Alan Arkin stole the show even though he was only in half of the movie.
1 - The Departed - Grade: A
Matt Damon, Leo DiCaprio, Mark Walhberg and Jack Nicholson - enough said. This Martin Scorsese joint was exactly that, with trademark blood, gore, and shocking moments. The only complaint I had about this movie was the amount of gunshot wounds to the head - even I was kinda grossed out towards the end.
The award goes to 'The Departed'. It's a classic Scorsese mobster movie with a great cast. I guarantee it will leave you shocked and amazed.
5 - Letters from Iwo Jima - Grade: F
I could give a s*** less how those f****** nips FEEL about shooting US Marines. I felt physically ill at points during this movie and actually wanted to walk out. I can see now why I'd never heard of this movie and also why it is nominated for an oscar. I don't buy the 'showing both sides' argument for this movie - this movie is an advocacy for the Japanese cause in WWII. Puke!
4 - The Queen - Grade: B-
Helen Mirren. It's pretty hard for me to get interested in a movie about the eccentricities of the British monarchy in 1997 - which is exactly what that movie is about. Michael Sheen did an excellent job playing Tony Blair.
3 - Babel - Grade: B-
Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett. It was pretty hard to follow and to understand why so much attention was paid to things that has so little to do with the story. It also had a little too much America bashing - even for a hollywood movie.
2 - Little Miss Sunshine - Grade: A-
Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin. I was impressed by originality of this movie, although I was really distracted by the touchy-feely 'Huckabee-ness' of the characters. Alan Arkin stole the show even though he was only in half of the movie.
1 - The Departed - Grade: A
Matt Damon, Leo DiCaprio, Mark Walhberg and Jack Nicholson - enough said. This Martin Scorsese joint was exactly that, with trademark blood, gore, and shocking moments. The only complaint I had about this movie was the amount of gunshot wounds to the head - even I was kinda grossed out towards the end.
The award goes to 'The Departed'. It's a classic Scorsese mobster movie with a great cast. I guarantee it will leave you shocked and amazed.
Labels: movie review, Top 5
10 Comments:
That's quite the marathon! Sounds like our True False film festival next weekend, except we'll have more breaks inbetween movies, for the most part.
All I've seen on that list is Departed and Sunshine. Departed was good, but not great. Good cast, good directing, etc. I guess it's not my favorite genre.
I liked Sunshine, but didn't necessarily think it deserved a bunch of awards, except for Original Screenplay, which it won. When I heard it took about 4 years to get the movie made, since the big studios weren't interested, and it took a lot of people to get it made, I had more respect for the team effort, instead of just the big names and big money. If there was an award for Ensamble Cast, it should have won.
I have not been able to see Babel, since it was all checked out at the video store last week. I think that whole tradition of the "supposedly random but really interconnected stories of people," a la Traffic, Crash, and that George Clooney oil movie that was incoherent is getting tired. What's wrong with a linear story that doesn't jump around with seizure inducing edits?
If anything, the safe bets of the Oscar winners have put me even more in the mood for some unknown docs that tell plain old human stories.
~Jade
out of the list, i've only seen Little Miss Sunshine.
5. Iwo Jima - no desire to see this
4. The Queen - wanted to see this cause i DO like crazy british stuff. it seems so other worldly for a people who speak the same language as us.
3. Babel - I didn't want to see this except for Gael Garcia Bernal. he's hot.
2. I really liked this movie and thought it rawked.
1. Departed - i had no desire to see this movie, but i might rent it since it won best picture.
Sounds like a fun day! Unlimited popcorn? I would've been in HEAVEN!!!
I've seen The Departed and Sunshine. Departed was good, but it wasn't really a stretch. I mean, another gangster movie with Boston accents....I haven't seen that about a thousand times before. That being said, I really did like it. All the actors are of course top notch. The one thing that bothers me with so many famous actors in the same movie is that it sometimes detracts from the story. It's hard to get sucked in when it's Jack doing Jack, Matt Damon doing his same old same old, etc.
I would have picked Sunshine for Best picture, but that's just because I like that type of film. The Departed was clearly the better, more traditional film. I also would have nominated Steve Carrell for best actor/supporting actor in Sunshine.
Also, I would have liked to see The Prestiege nominated for best picture. That was a pretty cool movie. Other than that, I can't think of what all I've seen in this last year....way too many movies.
The departed was a pretty good movie but I don't think it deserved the award it got. It almost seems like they were just throughing Scorsese a bone for nver giving him and Oscar for WAY WAY better and much more deserving movies in the past.
I agree with that Denny - he'd had more worthy films in the past.
a-ron -
what is that crazy picture of you and your gun?
whaaa????
Durka Durka Jihad!
I wish that were my gun.
That's my freedom fighter photo.
That's my new Ak 47 I bought it at a gun show in KC. Shoots smoothly, but the sight needs adjusting. Can't wait to try it out at the local range.
It's the genuine article. The preferred weapon of jihadists the world over. Never been shot and only dropped once.
Which movie SHOULD win best picture?
Letters from Iwo Jima
0 (0 %)
The Queen
0 (0 %)
Babel
0 (0 %)
Little Miss Sunshine
3 (75 %)
The Departed
0 (0 %)
Other
1 (25 %)
Total votes: 4
Would you go to an all-day oscar movie marathon?
Yes
3 (100 %)
No
0 (0 %)
Yawn
0 (0 %)
Total votes: 3
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