2022 Academy Awards Best Picture

 

Here we go again. Oscar time is upon us. I refuse to say this has been a strange year because that seems to be all we’ve said for the last 2 years. This has been a great year. You know why? We got to get back into theaters. We also got to see a lot of films via streaming. This year’s crop is a wide variety of styles. It has newcomers and old guard. Small quiet films and loud brash movies join some political satire and dark, moody film noire. There is a little something for everyone. A complete slate with the max of 10 films nominated for the year. Judging and Ranking of art is borderline pointless in the grander scheme of things. That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun.

These are my rankings. This is NOT necessarily what I think is going to happen with the award. Do not use this list to make bets. You will lose your house. These are listed in the order that I would vote for them if I had such a vote for Best Motion Picture. I would love to hear from you and know what you think.  

 BELFAST– Quite simply my favorite film of the year. It is soul stirring and heart breaking. It is as tragic and menacing as it is warm and gracious. It is a condemnation on the evil in this world and the forces that only seem to hurt the innocent and it is a celebration of hope and sacrifice and joy of the possibilities of life. Like the family whose story it tells it is scared and remorseful and angry. Also like the family whose story it tells it is proud and gracious and forgiving. We see the “troubles” of Northern Ireland in the 1960s through the eyes of young boy named Buddy. We don’t understand it any better than he does. He just wants to live his life and love his beautiful family. Director Brannagh has written a love letter to the innocent and brave of Belfast during this time. The characters are rich and warm and caring. The relationship between Buddy and his Grandparents are life affirming. Cirian Hinds as Pop is the grandfather every child deserves. Dame Judi is as good as you would expect, and the biggest acting Oscar snub this year is the absence of Caitriona Balfe for Best Supporting Actress.

To say it warms the soul doesn’t do it justice. If a huge pot of Irish Stew and a fresh loaf of soda bread was ever made into a film….it would be Belfast.

DUNE -I was 6 years old with Star Wars was released. Mom and Dad took all three of us kids to see it and I woke my father up at the end. He just said, “Was that all there is?”
As for me, I was mesmerized. Even at 6, I remembered being transported to a world of lasers and x-wing fighters and wookies. In a lot of ways, it completely set a foundation for how I viewed movies from that point forward. I’ve got to believe the 2021 version of DUNE will be that for tons of young movie fans.
As much as any film as I have seen the last 30 years Dune engulfed me in a world and mythology as quickly and as easily as Star Wars did. That’s a tough task considering the horrible version of Dune that came out in ’84.
Let me stop you there…..YES THE ORIGINAL DUNE WAS HORRIBLE! It looked like it had been filmed in the basement bathroom of my house. It was cheesy and unemotional and may have singlehandedly been responsible for 26% of all the sadness in the world for the latter part of 1984. (That’s just an estimate.)

This Dune is soaring and epic. It is beautifully cast and acted. It understands its pace, respects the original texts, and deftly transfers the singular excitement of reading a book to the communal experience of seeing it on screen. How Villeneuve was not nominated for best director is ridiculous.

WEST SIDE STORY (2021) – Some movies are the gold standard of their genre, or at least one of a few films in each genre that define and are sacrosanct. The original West Side Story is one of those films. It is High Noon, Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Star Wars of the Movie Musicals. So you have to have a huge set of brass balls to even consider remaking it.

Enter Steven Spielberg. This iteration of WWS is darker, more menacing, deeper, and more nuanced than the original. And as technically impressive as the original was in 1961 and still is today…..its not Spielberg. West Side Story is as visually satisfying and technically gratifying as any film in Spielberg’s unparalleled catalog. The shooting, the design, the vision, the staging and …….well, it’s just amazing. It is as high a level of the art on display. The casting and performances are spot on. Visually it succeeds, emotionally it succeeds, musically it succeeds. It is true to the original and original all at the same time.

NIGHTMARE ALLEY – With all the hullabaloo with the Academy deciding to deemphasize some of the award categories this year I think of Nightmare Alley. In a year of some strikingly beautiful films (Dune, West Side Story, Belfast, and Power of the Dog) Nightmare Alley maybe the most luscious feast for the eyes of all of them. Not because of vast landscapes or colorful musical numbers but because of the exquisitely detailed set, costume, and art design. What is the old saying, “Talking about music is like Dancing about architecture” That is how I felt trying to describe the visual symphony Nightmare Alley uses to spoil the viewer. I am not exaggerating when I tell you the artistic design, costumes, and sets are so effective I you can smell this movie. It is an excellent story with superb acting in a dark and sinister film noir that really does have a feel of a flashback to old Hollywood.  

LICORICE PIZZA – Quirky is an understatement. Loosely based on some real-life exploits of one of the film’s producers, Gary Goetzman. Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age ensemble piece set in 1970’s Los Angeles about an entrepreneurial teenager obsessed with a young woman in her twenties. It is a strange dynamic. The obsession is never consummated but I cannot help but wonder how well this film would been received had the teenager been female and the 25-year-old had been male. At times the movie feels like 20 different, unrelated vignettes filmed separately but not necessarily a coherent film. Some of the scenes were violently funny and there are a lot of nods to famous LA spots and Hollywood legends.

Bradley Cooper gave a hysterical portrayal of Hollywood UberProducer Jon Peters. It was worthy of a best supporting nod, but nobody asked me. Sean Penn chews up the scenery as an aging movie legend that was obviously supposed to be William Holden.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s films are usually well received in Hollywood. They aren’t always as consumable to the rest of the movie going universe. That being said I found myself laughing at this film much more than I expected.

KING RICHARD – King Richard is a pretty, formulaic biography pic. Here is the thing, formulas are formulas for a reason…..they work. Will Smith is and always has been extremely watchable and endearing on screen. With films like Ali he has proven he can be more than an amiable star. He has acting chops and deserves the Best Acting nod from this role as does his on-screen bride Aunjanue Ellis. King Richard is an entertaining film and gives a deeper appreciation of the struggles faced by the Williams family. It is inspiring and funny and familiar because of who it is about. The audience has a built-in ownership. That familiarity can be a double-edged sword but not here. My only knock and its not even a knock is that we have seen this film before and will see it again because, and here is that dreaded word again, the “Formula” works. That’s not the film’s fault. It does its job and is there for all to enjoy. There’s just too much high-level competition to be film of the year.

CODA  - This year’s quiet sleeper. It is a heartfelt, adorable film about a young girl who is the only hearing member in her family. CODA stands for Children of Deaf Adults. In this case she’s a sister as well. Film at its best can illuminate and show the view a life or a struggle of a person over obstacles they themselves may never have considered. How do there struggles over obstacles things we take for granted relate to our lives. Thus, giving us all a better connection and understanding to those around us. CODA does that. Is the most complex story? No. Is it visually stimulating or cinematically intriguing? No. But it is honestly acted and portrayed, and it most definitely succeeds in the most important way. It makes you care. Not every film has to be complicated. Sometimes and not often enough the film just has to be honest and sincere. This could have easily been an Afterschool Special and it would have been a great one because of its sincerity.

 

THE POWER OF THE DOG – Couple of things first.
First, Just because a movie has horses doesn’t make it a western.
Two, no movie is going to reinvent or redefine the American Western…..nor does it need to.
That being said, The Power of the Dog is a psychological drama set in the American west…Montana to be exact. There are horses and cowboys. If you want to call it a “Western” or a “Drama” or a box of skittles I don’t’ care. What is the story and at the end do I care? That’s pretty much how I judge all films. Benedict Cumberbatch plays, Phil Burbank, a crass, vile, cruel bully of a man. He’s contemptible and works to make the lives around him more miserable than himself. The drama unfolds when his brother George, (Jesse Plemmons), takes a wife, (Kirsten Dunst) and brings her and her exaggeratedly, effeminate son to live on the family cattle ranch.

The film asks many more questions than it answers. Its characters and textured and complex. There is mystery and intrigue. There is a menacing overtone to the film that distracts you from what you are seeing until the conclusion. Exquisitely shot, it is a beautiful film to watch if not necessarily to experience. It is contemplative and thought provoking if not emotionally satisfying or efficient. There is some expert filmmaking here and the story has a surprising and effective finish. The problem is the pace of the film is so slow by the time you get to the payoff you’ve almost forgotten why you are supposed to care.

DON’T LOOK UP – Funny, smart, well-acted with some great “against type” casting for DiCaprio and Streep. It was also self-absorbed, way too long, scattered and for my money a little too preachy. I didn’t hate it but if I was a filmmaker, I would aspire to make it either.

DRIVE MY CAR –To be fair I was unable to finish this film. Not because I didn’t want to, but technical difficulties disabled the subtitles and surprisingly my conversational Japanese is not nearly as functional as you may imagine. That being said I saw the first 2 hours……unfortunately it felt like 6 hours, and I still had an hour and half to go. Normally, I’m not against a three- or four-hour film when it is needed to convey the story. Unfortunately for the viewer, Drive My Car doesn’t have anywhere near 3 hours of story to tell you. The prelude to the film lasted over an hour before the opening credits rolled to “start” the movie. WTH? Not every movie should be quickly paced and efficiently shot. Pensive, methodical, slow burn films are fine and even phenomenal until they cross the line of being pretentious, self-absorbed and the most dreaded BORING!

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!!

Unsolicited Movie Listing – Sean Connery’s top 10 Performances Ranked

To be fair this list is actually 11.
Sean Connery is James Bond. There have been adequate and exceptional bearers for the standard Connery set but make no mistake….Connery is Bond…James Bond.

This listing is for the more than respectable career the legendary Scotsman had irrespective of the Bond series. This isn’t a ranking of his best movies. Although it would be similar list it wouldn’t be identical. Additionally, I admit I have not seen Mr. Connery’s entire catalog. His feature film career started in 1954 and includes 79 films. That’s a good sized body of work for anyone and Connery, sans Bond, still has an impressive career.

This one hurts.

Rest in Peace Sir Sean of Fountainbridge

1 - Jim Malone – The Untouchables
Connery hadn’t gone anywhere since Bond. He had been working but not nearly at the commercially successful level as Bond. The Untouchables vaulted Connery to a different level of legend. It won him his Oscar and set off a string of blockbusters for the next 16 years as an A-List Hollywood star.

2 - Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez – Highlander 
If you were a teenager in the late 80’s you probably didn’t go see The Highlander in a theater. Not that many people did. But you probably bought the VHS or rented it a dozen times. It puts the cult in cult classic and just a fine SciFi piece of gold. Connery"s flamboyant Spaniard was brilliant and his death was heartbreaking and he was only on screen for about 15 minutes.

3 - Captain Marko Ramius – The Hunt for Red October
You want to know how good Connery was as Ramius? He played a Russian/Ukranian submarine commander with a Scottish accent and NOBODY gave a damn.

4 - Robin Hood – Robin and Marian
Any list of greatest Robin Hood projects that doesn’t included Robin and Marion is just not credible. Connery as the middle-aged Robin and Audrey Hepburn as Marian turned nun is the perfect “ending” to the fabulous love story….with a dramatic fight at the end to boot.

5 - Joe Roberts - The Hill
Lesser known character study from 1964. Soldiers in a North African prison and lets just say the guards are not very pleasant. Proved Connery had chops and was more that the glitz of 007 which is exactly what he wanted.

6 - Jack Kehoe – The Molly Maguires
Lesser known film but absolutely awesome. SC and Richard Harris as immigrant coal
miners in 1876 Pennsylvania. Intrigue, sabotage, murder, betrayal….and its loosely based on actual events. LOVE this movie. Maybe my favorite of the 10.

7 - Jesse McMullen – Family Business
If anyone ever questioned Connery’s straight up acting chops just send them a link to Family Business. In a straight up drama with industry acting darlings like Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick and SC was their Daddy…and Granddaddy respectively.

8 - Henry Jones Sr. – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Completely played against type. There are few enough people on the planet who could have been Indiana Jones/Harrison Ford’s Dad but SC topped the list.

9 - William Forrester – Finding Forrester
Totally believable as the reluctant and regret filled genius. Movie was a bit manipulative but terribly effective.

10 - Daniel Dravot – The Man Who Would Be King
Possibly SC’s favorite film. Mainly because he got to drink and smoke and gamble with his dear friend Michael Caine. 

 

Clint Eastwood Non-Western 1965-1990

 

For my money, no one has a better or more complete career in the history of Hollywood since Charlie Chaplin than Clint Eastwood.
I know that is a debatable statement to say the least, but I’ll stand by it. I am open to contrary suggestions. But remember, I didn’t say Clint was the best actor. I didn’t say Clint was the best director. What I said and what I’ll defend is that over his career there isn’t another figure who has the combination of successes, both critical and financial and in sheer volume, in all phases as an Actor,

Director and Producer and even a composer. There are a few that come real close IMO. Robert Redford makes a more than a compelling case behind and in front of the camera. Mel Brooks could be a fun argument. Mel Gibson, lunacy aside, has a strong resume for my criteria. But when you add everything up you still have Clint. And truth be told…. Clint is not my favorite actor or director by a long shot. But the body, the size and the success of the work are hard to deny.

Probably a year ago I had ranked all of Jimmy Stewart’s Westerns. I enjoyed the process so a few months ago I asked a question on Facebook about what I should do next. The winning suggestion was to revisit and rank all of Clint Eastwood’s Non-Westerns. By the way, Clint has a substantial film catalog and while planning I realized it was probably going to be too many films to work with. So, I made a not so arbitrary cutoff in 1990. I did this for 2 reasons. First, starting with Coogan’s Bluff in ‘68 through 1990’s the Rookie there were 25 films that hit my criteria. That seemed like a good round number. Secondly, and this can’t be overstated, there is a clear demarcation in Clint’s career starting in 1992 with the release of Unforgiven through last year’s Cry Macho. To put it plainly, he got better. At least his movies did, especially his non-westerns. To be fair his westerns have always been held in high esteem. It is hard to get better than The Outlaw Josey Wales in 1976. But his non-western films were much more inconsistent until 1993’s In the Line of Fire.  He hit a creative groove with non-westerns after Unforgiven with Million Dollar Baby, Grand Torino, In the Line of Fire, Bridges of Madison County, A Perfect World etc that deserves to be looked at separately.

So…Here we go.
Clint Eastwood 1968 – 1990 Lead Feature Films, Non-Westerns…..Don’t hate me in the morning!! 

25.       Coogan’s Bluff ’68 – Somewhere, someone decided Clint needed should make a hippie movie. This was his. He wasn’t the hippie, but he tried to have sex with as many hippies as he could. It is horrible. Just a mess of a film.

24.       The Rookie ’90 – Ill-fated, buddy cop movie with Charlie Sheen. Enough said!

23.       White Hunter Black Heart ’90 - Did you ever see the movie where John Wayne played Genghis Kahn…. Well, Clint Eastwood impersonating John Huston isn’t much better. Stay in your lane Clint!

22.       Play Misty for Me ’71 – Clint’s directorial debut. It was a hit and a well-received psychological thriller. Unfortunately, it DOES NOT hold up over time. Sensibilities have just changed.

21.       Pink Cadillac ’89 – Anytime you expect Clint to be the over the top, extravert it may not go well.  A bail bondsman with a heart of gold who will dress up in disguises really feels like a last grasp at a once successful action formula.

20.       The Eiger Sanction ’75- The movie is never sure if it is trying to be an American pseudo-James
Bond spy film or a mountain climbing adventure
. There is a good movie of either one in there but not both. Also having a inter-racial love interest seemed progressive until you realized her name was Jemimah……. even in 1975…. My goodness.

19.       Honkytonk Man ’82 – I remember seeing this at the theater when I was 11. I liked it. None of the adults I knew were as enamored as I was. It has got its problems but I’m personally fond of the film. Sadly, Eastwood’s son can’t act, and his dad can’t sing. Not a big deal but the movie just happens to be about a guy who can sing.….so….  I still find it to be one of Clint’s better acting performances.

18.       Firefox ’82 – Two movies in One. A potentially, exceptional cold war espionage thriller ruined by a deplorably awful plane chase for the last 30 minutes.

17.       City Heat ’84 – Two of the biggest stars of the 70’s and early 80’s were Clint and Burt Reynolds. This should have been a hit. IT WASN’T. Much of the reason may have been the marketing. I remember it being billed as a slapstick comedy. It had funny moments but was much more a period crime piece. Not nearly as slick or sophisticated as The Sting from a decade earlier but along those same lines. 

16.       Sudden Impact ’83 – Dirty Harry Callahan was back after an 8-year hiatus. He hadn’t really learned anything since he left. How in God’s name can he always be shocked that there is a Constitution and a Bill of Rights and Police Procedure. I get that Harry’s appeal is how he’s willing to ignore those things to get the bad guy, but he acts surprised every time he gets in trouble. This is the 4^th movie for God’s sake. When will he learn? This was a huge hit, but the film had most of the same problems as the earlier Dirty Harry films.

15.       Tightrope ’84 -Psychological thriller from different source material. Not Clint’s typical flick. The parallels between Clint’s character and the serial killer he is chasing was deeper and a little out of character for Clint. He plays a much more vulnerable character and really ramps up the tension. I liked it much better than I did in 1984. I was expecting Dirty Harry.

14.       Paint Your Wagon ’69 – This was the first time Clint sang on screen. Sadly…. very sadly it wouldn’t be the last. By all counts Clint is an accomplished musician. Unfortunately, he is a deplorably, awful singer. Regardless his handsome, straight arrow next to a crusty, scene-chewing Lee Marvin proves to be pretty funny even if the premise is pretty outlandish. Not a movie to overthink. Just enjoy for what it is and the time it came out.

13.       Every Which Way but Loose ’78 – It is hard to imagine but adjusted for inflation THIS is Clint Eastwood’s biggest hit and one of the top 250 grossing pictures of all time…WTH?  On the surface it’s just horrible. The plot is non-existent and seems like Clint is trying for a Burt Reynolds level of silliness. The acting is bad. Sondra Locke sings and she may be a worse singer than Clint if that’s possible. Then the level of ridiculousness achieved by the nemesis biker gang, the Black Widows of Pacoima, can’t be overstated. ….BUT and this is important…Philo Beddoe and his strange, colorful family are terribly likable and watchable characters. Plot be damned. Not to mention that everyone loves Clyde the orangutan…and the monkey maketh the movie!

12.       The Enforcer ’76 – Disgruntled Vietnam vets and drugged out hippies are terrorizing San Francisco but they didn’t count on Harry Callahan. This was the 3^rd of 5 Dirty Harry movies. Killer opening and seriously the whole counter-culture gang of hippie bad guys works. All the Dirty Harry films have some head scratching moments but here the good outweighs the confusing.

11.       Heartbreak Ridge ’86 – There is a lot to love about Heartbreak Ridge. Clint is superb as the aging Marine nearing retirement lamenting the mistakes of his life and fearing a future outside of the corp. Every nook and cranny on his face tells a story. He’s believable and sympathetic and really gives a great performance. But the festering boil of this film is the downright absurd way it portrays the Marine Corp unit Gunny Highway is taking over. The dialogue, the scenarios, the acting and the premises are laughably awful. I must fast forward through about 6 scenes and
then I love it.

10.       The Dead Pool ’89 – While not the most popular, Dead Pool is probably the Dirty Harry movie with the least warts. Story is much more coherent, and Harry’s popular antics at least advance the story as opposed to just popping up out of the blue.  Future heavy weights Liam Neeson and Jim Carrey in supporting roles was fun to revisit.

9.         Dirty Harry ’71 – Tip of the hat and props to the original. With Dirty Harry, Clint now has another iconic film character that is the standard bearer for its genre and this one actually talks. Not too shabby. 

8.         Magnum Force ’73 – The second of the Callahan movies and the best story of the bunch. A rogue group of vigilante cops making life hard for Harry. Great early roles for David Soul, Robert Urich and Tim Matheson.  None of them are Jim Carrey but not shabby.

7.         The Gauntlet ’77 – It would be easy to think The Gaunlet was a Dirty Harry movie, but it isn’t. It looks like one. Sounds like one and probably smells like one but…. It isn’t. This is Clint’s 2^nd of 6 films with Sondra Locke and their chemistry is very good. It turns into a bit of a travel/buddy movie with the most marvelously ridiculous final sequence someone could imagine. But…and this is important…. It works…. regardless of how ridiculous it is….it works.

6.         Thunderbolt and Lightfoot ’74 – Really enjoyable buddy/heist movie with a painfully, young Jeff Bridges and a nasty, mean, larger than life George Kennedy who plays a great foil for Clint and Jeff’s lovable losers. A strangely, sweet film when all is said and done.

5.         Any Which Way You Can ’80 – The only reason I put either of these in the top 10 is because as horrible as they are there is a certain charm and likeability for the characters and they both made so much damn money it’s hard not to acknowledge them. This movie was strangely better that the original. No, this is not a Godfather vs Godfather II situation. However, there is a slightly better plot and they made sure to use the orangutan every chance they got. He even has a love scene…but Fellini it ain’t.

4.         Kelly’s Heroes ’70 – Released three years after The Dirty Dozen, Kelly’s Heroes has a similar feel but counter-culture was kicking a little harder. So instead of vile criminals banding together to kill Nazis we get a bunch of goofy burnouts so sick and tired of the war they go on a mission behind enemy lines to steal Nazi treasure. So, nothing like DD and very similar at the same time. You also get Donald Sutherland and Telly Savalas as cross overs between the two.  This was released the same year at M*A*S*H and Tora Tora Tora!  Those are 3 very different looks at war to be sure. Terribly entertaining!! With a cast for the ages Clint, Don Rickles, Carol O’Connor, Gavin McCloud and Harry Dean Stanton join the aforementioned Hawkeye Peirce
and Kojak!            

3.         Escape from Alcatraz ’79 – Clint hasn’t made it a habit of playing real live characters. That’s probably not a bad idea especially if you’ve seen his impersonation of Walter Huston in White Heart Black Hunter. He’s not that kind of actor. But in Escape from Alcatraz, he’s playing someone nobody knows so an imitation isn’t necessary. Whether or not the film is historically accurate is debatable because honestly, we don’t know exactly who it ended. However, as a piece of entertainment the film works. The script is tight, and the performances are earnest. You are rooting for the “bad guys” to make it and the suspense is real.

2.         Where Eagles Dare ’68 – Clint had made a name for himself. The “Man with No Name”

movies were huge hits. His star was on the rise, but he was still getting 2^nd billing especially to Sir Richard Burton. When you think of Alistair MacLean films you think action-packed, large-scale events. Where Eagles Dare is no different. British spies team with an American to break into a mountain-top, Nazi stronghold to save someone that will turn the tide of the war. The suspension of disbelief required of an audience in 1968 is no greater that required in 2022 but it is different. Fight scenes, special effects and action sequences are just different. That doesn’t make the filmmaking worse or less sophisticated. Since Clint wasn’t the main star, it would be easy to drop this on in the list. This is Burton’s movie. Clint is handsome window dressing but that’s OK cause the film is still that good. Anyway, this would be one of the last times Clint Eastwood’s name wasn’t on top of the marquis.

1.         Bronco Billy ’80 – In my experience you either love Bronco Billy or you hate Bronco Billy, and most people hate it.  I get it. It’s not typical Eastwood fare. People came to the theater to see Dirty Harry or Josey Wales and instead they got a quirky, almost whimsical, love story. Instead of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood They got someone who actually believed all the John Wayne, Roy Rogers and dare I say Clint Eastwood movies were real…..or at least their ideas and themes were real.  Bronco Billy has its issues. The love story feels genuine and believable within the context of the film. However, its campy, over-the-top portrayal of Antoinette’s family is at the least distracting. But Bronco Billy is about truth and honor and working hard and obeying your parents and all the lessons Bronco learned from his heroes and now wants to teach the little buckaroos who come to his show. It’s about protecting your friends and being an example of righteousness and doing good. For Bronco it is not silly and its not hokey. Bronco’s amazing level of naivete and optimism is such a contrast to the image Clint cultivated for years. That’s why it is one of Clint’s best performances of his entire career. And not for nothing, when it’s all said and done, you end up pulling for Bronco. Even though he’s frustrating and oblivious and painstakingly loyal despite the consequences you want him to be right. You want this optimism to actually be the truth and doggone it…..maybe it is.
Such a sweet film.

I’m open for rigorous questioning!!

Unsolicited Movie Review - 2021 Oscar Edition

Here we go again. Oscar time is upon us. Not to belabor the fact that this has been a strange year……but this year has been exceptionally strange.  I did not see any of this year’s nominees in an actual theater. I hated it. However, it was not necessarily devastating to the process. The movies have been streamed and the ballots have been cast. This is me taking a few minutes to reflect on the Oscar nominees and humbly offer my opinions on said list. A few years ago, the Academy expanded the number of movies that could be nominated for Best Picture to 10. This year the voters presumably found 8 movies worthy of the top honor. Unlike a lot of years there really wasn’t a movie in this year’s class that I hated….Dammit!  Conversely, I am not sure there is a masterpiece of the ages either. Time will tell. Regardless these 8 films are all worthy and as much as I would love to hate one of them I really can’t.

There are three films that rely heavily on non-actors (real people) to add authenticity to their story, a modern day Grapes of Wrath, 4 period pieces with varying emphasis on the period, Hannibal Lecter losing his mind, the first Asian and the first Muslim Best Actor Nominees, an actor who appeared in The Black Panther playing an actual Black Panther and Borat playing a serious role….sort of and one of the more satisfying revenges in a film I can recall.
All these films achieve connecting you with the stories and most importantly the characters. What else could you ask for? I know. How about popcorn and a theater and sticky floors and squeaky seats and……but that is for a different column.
 

These are my rankings. This is not necessarily what I think is going to happen with the award. Do not use this list to make bets. You will lose your house. These are listed in the order that I would vote for them if I had such a vote for Best Motion Picture. I would love to hear from you and know what you think.  

 

Promising Young Woman – No other movie smacked me so bluntly and so unexpectedly as Promising Young Woman. No other movie surprised my as much as PYM. Two choices that I just did not see coming. This could have easily been movie of the month or a slasher horror film or a silly romantic comedy. Lesser hands could have and would have made this a less consequential film. Instead, we have a serious examination of one woman’s dedication…even compulsion…for justice or at least vengeance for her friend. While it is a bit cliché to say good people have done bad things and bad people have done good things. PYM expands that and demands accountability for those that did wrong and those that looked another way…..ourselves included. The story takes a few minutes to find its purpose and direction. When it does, be careful. That purpose and direction may be coming to hit you between the eyes.

Minari

Some movies foreshadow their story so poorly that they become predictable and bore you to death. Some films intentionally lead you down a path just to drop the floor out from under you. Those can be fun even if they are ridiculously manipulative.  Then on occasion you get a film that is patient and subtle and deliberate. It engages you with characters and a story and keeps you interested with the choices and directions as the story unfolds. On some levels Minari is a standard fish out of water tale. A young Korean family moves to rural….very rural…Arkansas because the father has a dream of making his life as a farmer and he has a vision.  It would have been easy for the director of Minari to fall into cinematic tropes of overly aggressive racists or typical cultural differences. Those stories are important, but they are not this story. The director slyly uses the viewers built in expectations to suggest tension that is not even there only to allow the story to develop further without relying on overused cliches. This is a story of family and struggle. It is a story of husbands and wives and making a better life. It is a story of trust and commitment and discovery and most importantly love and eventually understanding.

Nomadland 

Stark , raw, believable and touching. Nomadland is a movie of its time yet it has the potential of being timeless. It is also the front runner to win this award. Frances McDormand plays Fern. She is a modern day Tom Joad devastated by events beyond her control. Where Joad has his family on a specific destination to the promised land of California, Fern’s road is more ambiguous but no less desperate and much lonelier. Fern’s is a continual journey with no goal beyond living. She finds a community along the way. Other fellow travelers resigned to a life of constant motion and changing landscapes either by circumstance or self-awareness.  Frances McDormand’s ability to strip any sense of ego and pretense from her acting serves her so well. There is no sense of “star” or “privilege”.  She blends into this amazing life and community seamlessly. The lives and tales of the people she encounters serves the story. Most importantly it builds in the viewer such a level of admiration for the perseverance of those who have found this life through choice or more often through desperation.  

Mank

There are few Hollywood legends more juicy and more famous than the tale of the making of Citizen Kane. Orson Welles commentary on the corruption of power through his veiled expose of William Randolph Hearst was and is a masterpiece. It was Welles’ opus. He was 27 and created this brilliant film where he was the star, the director and the co-writer…….well that’s where Mank comes in.
Mank was  Herman J. Mankiewicz legendary screen writer as much for his writing as his drinking and carousing. An amazing writer, Mankjewicz was known as a script fixer and worked on dozens of projects often receiving no credit. He was brilliant and funny and bigger than life and a raging alcoholic whose self-destructive behavior was nearly as legendary has his talent. He was also part of Hearst’s inner circle. Mank the film is much like the man himself. It is quick paced, fast witted, extremely smart and entertaining as hell.  The writing is in his style with the same brilliant banter and dialogue Mank made his trademark. Shot in a gorgeous Black and White that stands as such a contrast the to the ever- present grays of morality in the lives of these men. The parallels to Kane are not subtle nor are they meant to be. Just like Kane these stories are about men who may be larger than life, but the real drama and truth only comes once they begin to comprehend just how small they are.

The Father

If Anthony Hopkins had never played Hannibal Lecter he would still have been a legendary actor. His bona fides are second to none. At 83 he would be the oldest actor ever to win Best Actor. He is ridiculously awesome but set that aside. This is about Best Picture, and The Father immerses you in a slow, frustrating demise of an otherwise brilliant mind. Adapted from a stage play The Father attempts to make the viewer feel the anger, fear, embarrassment and helplessness of someone suffering from dementia.  What you see and what you hear is not necessarily what you saw and what you heard.  Hopkins’ ability of subtly switching his emotions from elation to confusion to anger add vital human effect the director needs to tell his story. You are at times upset, hopeful, sad, offended, surprised, suspicious, exhausted and eventually resigned to the cruel fate the situation. That comes as much from the editing and construct of the film as it does from the brilliant performances by all the cast.

                                                                                    Judas and the Black Messiah

Few actors have had a better run in the last several years than Daniel Kaluuya. His options and choices have been second to none. Judas and the Black Messiah is another stellar film. Excellent performances top to bottom. The Black Panthers elicit such extreme emotions across the political and social landscape that this movie will be completely dismissed by some and overly praised by others just off that basis alone.  Because of the current political climate, the film becomes less of a period/historical piece about a turbulent time in the civil rights movement and more of a direct comparison and parallel to current struggles in today’s legal and political system.  The more things change. Judas and the Black Messiah gives much deserved depth and dimension to what is all too often viewed through flat, binary, monochromatic lens.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Of all the films this year ToC7 is one that I will watch again and again. It will probably find its way to TNT or FX. It has stars, it is an interesting retelling of a famous trial. It is a grand courtroom drama, and it is just entertaining as hell. Aaron Sorkin is phenomenal at his job. He fills this already interesting story with superbly timed dialogue and gives ample opportunities for an absurdly gifted cast to shine. There is civil unrest, legendary characters, an over-the-top villain to hate and a group of passionate, albeit colorful, underdogs fighting for justice. What’s not to like?  It is by far the most commercially friendly of all this year’s selections and I do not mean that as an insult. ToC7 does not have the built-in cache or artistic freedom of an indie pic. It works inside stricter parameters and for that may be a bit more formulaic. However, formulas are formulas for a reason……they work.

Sound of Metal – In a bit of theme this year is another film that uses several “non-actors” throughout the story to increase the authenticity of the story and lets me honest…..save money on salaries. Call me a cynic. I’ve listed Sound of Metal at the bottom of my list but that doesn’t mean it is a bad film. To the contrary it is an extremely emotional film and character study of a man losing what he thinks is his entire life after fighting so hard to regain a life he had lost before. Riz Ahamed plays a heavy metal drummer who wakes up one day to find he has lost most of his hearing practically overnight and probably will lose more. From there the movie reveals his struggles with addiction and how losing his hearing is also losing a life he had fought so hard to regain to begin with. This anguish fuels an even greater struggle in Ruben to refuse the reality he now finds himself and a desperation to hold onto this life as he knows it even though it is already lost. The acting is devastatingly good. You truly ache for Ruben and his inability to accept. 

So there is the list.  8 really well done films with a broad range of interests, styles, direction and topic.  Let me know what you think!!

My lunch with Larry King.....Sorta

In the summer of 1993 I was living in College Park, Maryland working for my national fraternity as a Summer Recruiter. The chapter was going through reorganization and I was tasked with traversing the state meeting with incoming freshman and their parents.

It was the summer before my last semester. Shelli and I had been dating a couple of years. I was worrying, at least as much as I worry about anything, about the how in God's name I was going to get a job after December graduation. The two best prospects were going to work full time for my fraternity or trying to get a job on Capitol Hill working for the office of a member of Congress. Neither position paid more that about $12k a year but who needs money?

One of the the prominent alumni of the Maryland chapter was Paul Weller a respected lobbyist (yes I know that is a bit of an oxymoron but true) on K street. My friend and part-time mentor John Kruse had worked several years in the world of DC fundraising and made sure I got in contact with Paul as someone good to know. If I wanted to work in DC he would be a great resource. Also, I think John was somewhat nervous that without a job after graduation I would be sleeping on his sofa and his new bride Susan probably wouldn't have approved. Paul was very gracious and invited me to lunch right a way.

I was 21 from the Smoky Mountains of NC, driving a beat up Ford Tempo getting ready to have lunch with a DC lobbyist. So on a Wednesday morning I put on my ONE navy blue, double-breasted, worsted wool suit I bought from Steinmart for $99. To be fair, it looked great dressed up with a shirt and tie that cost more than the suit itself. Shelli Hamer York had helped my pick it out for just such an occasion. Got on the train and rode into K street like I was somebody. I had visions in my head of Granny in the back of the truck on the opening of the Beverly Hillbillies. I found Paul's office which was nice but modest. I hadn't tripped or farted and nobody was staring at me. So I was doing all right. Paul came in and we shook hands. The first thing I noticed was he wasn't wearing a $99 suit from Steinmart. Then I noticed his tailored shirt with french-cuffs and his "Presidential Seal" cuff links. Dorothy wasn't in Kansas anymore. After intros and some small talk he asked where I wanted to eat and I am pretty sure I responded with "Its Your Town Paul" . LOL what a schmooz! We walked a couple of blocks up the street to Paul's favorite spot called Duke's. He said it like I was supposed to have heard of it but the only Duke's I knew was a mayo. I was feeling a bit more like a rube. Paul walked at a quick step and I hurried along with my faux-leather portfolio under arm trying to make sure I didn't trip or otherwise embarrass myself. Then we ducked into an office building which I found odd. With a name like Duke's, I was expecting to be standing at a counter eating a greasy dog, a dive with ambiance. Then we got on the escalator. Maybe not a greasy spoon I thought. At the top of the escalator, which I disembarked without falling, there were 2 large double doors. They were opened for us and we entered Duke's. As we stood a moment waiting on the maitre d, I glanced to my left to a huge glass case with three silver trophies. Three Vince Lombardi trophies from the 3 Super Bowl championships of the Washington Redskins. Paul must have seen me standing there with my jaw open and explained to me that Jack kept the trophies here so everyone could enjoy them. You know, Jack. Old salt of the earth, buddy and pal Jack. Or as I would have referred to him Mr. Jack Kent Cook the legendary owner of the skins. I'm sure I grunted and we were led to our seat.

Between the reception area and the table I saw no fewer than 3 Senators, 2 House members, 1 current cabinet member and a future Secretary of Defense all having lunch. If I told you my head wasn't spinning I would be lying. I was star struck as much as if my Mom had met Elvis. I had a romantic idea about Washington and politics and from what I could tell I was currently smack dab in the epicenter. We were seated by a window overlooking L street if I recall. All the waiters in Dukes were middle aged men. I found that extremely odd. Most restaurants I could afford the wait staffs were teenagers and women. All of Duke's linens were crisp. All of Duke's silver was sparkling. Everything was professional. Dukes was famous for their homemade pickles and fresh baked onion rolls. I ate both and I assume they were phenomenal but if I am honest I didn't taste a thing. Paul had a martini and I ordered a Heineken. The only thought that kept going through my mind was "Dear God I hope he offers to pay!" I literally had $7 in the bank and less than that in my wallet. Once we were settled I started looking around and glanced to my right. There, two tables over was ....Larry King. Not sure how I missed him before but there he was larger than life. His table was on the front side of a dividing wall. So it looked like he was holding court. There was himself and what I would assume were staff and a couple of lunch guests. One was an author he we going to interview that night. While we sat there everyone who was anyone stopped by to say hello to the King. I didn't know this at the time but Larry King was famous for his routines. For instance, every morning of his life he darted into the same barber for a touch up and a shave. He also ate lunch almost every day at Dukes. And he must have because it was like he owned the place. It was his world and he was letting everyone else hang around. He was younger and still quick to his feet to shake a hand or hug a neck. Like I said we were close and all the "Hello Senator" "Good to see You Tom" exchanges were just like I was sitting there. I was having lunch with Larry King...sorta. A few weeks later I was watching the Larry King show and he mentioned lunch at Dukes. Silly as it seems, it felt so familiar. Oh yea, I remember dining there. Just like it was Arby's or KFC. It was was our place. LOL....My old buddy Larry. Do you remember seeing the Senator the other day? Like I said, what a schooz. lol Paul and I finished our lunch. He assured me I must try the soft-shelled crab. They weren't always in season but we lucked out. He was right. I didn't take a bite till Paul did because I wasn't exactly sure how to attack it. I was feeling a little less like Marcel Ledbetter in a Jerry Clower story but not much. And I have to admit the crabs were divine. Luckily, I was able to come out the ether long enough to talk to Paul about the recruiting efforts at the chapter, some current events and possible job opportunities in DC for when I graduated. Paul and I stayed in touch the rest of the summer and he took me out for Monte Christo's another time but not at Duke's I must not have been nearly as hopeless as I felt. Paul wrote me a glowing letter of recommendation for which I was always grateful. I made it back to Raleigh a few days after classes had started for my last semester. Then spent the next semester planning for a job and praying I didn't fail Spanish III. Paul's letter and some other contacts got me a couple of interviews with Congressmen and a shot at working in Kansas for the national fraternity. In the end, I also got a job offer in the private sector that was an astonishing $22k a year with a company car and promises of exoctic travel to places like Hamden CT, Adairsville GA and Williamston, NC. If that wasn't enough of an enticement it came with the added bonus of letting me stay in Raleigh and not causing Shelli the excruciating heartache of me moving hours and hours away. I mean seriously, how often was she going to have the opportunity to snag someone who had lunched at Duke's with Larry King?