Movies: They're Pretty Good!
Movies: They're Pretty Good!
2024 Academy Awards Nominations Special
Unlock the secrets of this year's most talked-about films as I, Travis Dudding, bring you a heartfelt and meticulous breakdown of the 2024 Academy Award nominations. Prepare to embark on an impassioned journey through the Best Picture category, where I'll champion the artistry of 'Killers of the Flower Moon' and weigh in on its chances against the powerhouse that is 'Oppenheimer'. With a critical eye, I'll also spotlight the humor and depth of 'Poor Things', the nostalgic warmth of 'The Holdovers', and make a case for 'Barbie'—a film that's more than just child's play.
Step into the shoes of Hollywood's finest with me as we discuss the performances that made us laugh, cry, and sit on the edge of our seats. From Cillian Murphy's spellbinding performance in 'Oppenheimer' to Paul Giamatti's soul-stirring act in 'The Holdovers', these roles are sure to be etched in your memory. I'll also address the elephant in the room: Lily Gladstone's powerful performance in 'Killers of the Flower Moon', and the industry biases that cannot dim her shine. As we explore various categories, the discussions will lead us to the unsung heroes of cinema who've stolen the spotlight this awards season.
Finally, witness the craftsmanship behind every frame and note as we explore the vibrancy of film through its cinematography and scores. Stand in awe of scenes from 'Oppenheimer' that are so expertly captured, they deserve their own exhibit, and tune into the musical masterpieces that have defined the year's top films. From the steampunk charm of 'Poor Things' to the rhythms that gave 'Barbie' its heartbeat, this episode is a symphony of cinematic praise that's not to be missed. So, fellow film aficionados, settle in for an audio experience that celebrates the magic of movies with the same fervor as opening night.
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Hello and welcome to another episode of Movies, colin. They're pretty good. I'm your host, travis Dutting, and today we have a special episode. We are just going to talk about the 2024 Academy Award nominations announcement, or what movies are nominated, and so on and so forth. I did this last year as a bonus episode. I figured I'll just do it as a regular episode because I don't have the time for a regular and a bonus. But alright, let's get into it.
Speaker 1:So number one category, main thing, let's start there Best picture. So nominees for best picture we have are American Fiction, anatomy of a Fall, barbie, killers of the Flower Moon, maestro Oppenheimer, past Lives, poor Things, the Holdovers and the Zone of Interest. So I've seen six out of the ten so far and I'll just go down my list of what my favorites are and talk a little bit about each one and why I like it. So I'm going to say, even though I think Oppenheimer is going to win, but my pick personally and they are very neck and neck but personally I preferred Killers of the Flower Moon. I thought that movie was incredible. It did not feel like three and a half hours in the movie theater, it just when it was over. I'm like I could keep watching. It was just very moving, very powerful film and I just feel like it was the more important film of the two. But I mean not that Oppenheimer wasn't, and not that it is, but it just. If I had to pick one, that's the one I'd go with. That being said, second Choice Oppenheimer would not be disappointed. If that one it's incredible, it's Nolan's best work as a director for sure. Is it the one I'm going to be watching over and over again? The prestige or inception, dark Knight, those I'll probably go back to just because they're more fun. But this was just, I'd say, his most well done movie so far. Performances are great. We'll get to those in their respective categories, but man, just Oppenheimer.
Speaker 1:Another one where it just didn't feel like three hours. I mean you felt the length a little bit, just because you're not sure where it's like what's the end point? You would assume, going into it, maybe that the atomic bomb test or all that stuff, that's where we're heading to and that happens in the second act. So you're like okay, like what, now what? But that's just me in my head, thinking like okay, I thought this would be the end. It's not the end. So then I'm like all right, how much time is left? Just not that, I was bored, it was just curious. I'm like this feels like too soon for what I thought was going to be the ending. But yeah, oppenheimer is incredible and yeah, just love that one so much.
Speaker 1:Next in my ranking, another one that I don't think will win but would love to see it win is Poor Things. Very, as you know, I'm a big fan of your Ghost Lathamos. I did an episode on Dogtooth, will plan on doing more episodes in the future on some of his other films, but Poor Things was incredibly well done. The set design, the concept, the writing, the performances were amazing, like, and you know, as with the other ones, I'll get to those later but it was just so funny and so well done. And also, like with a, you know it had something to say other than just being like funny and weird, but it was great. There's just such a good movie and, yeah, like I said, like I would be shocked if it won, but I wouldn't be upset that basically, of all the ones I've seen, this is the case. I'm like, yeah, I've, you know I'd be okay with that.
Speaker 1:Next one on the list is the Holdovers.
Speaker 1:That one was incredible. I just recently watched it. It's streaming on Peacock. It is just so like heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. It's so beautiful, it's so funny, it's so it's just, it's just perfect and it's like it's great to have a new like Christmas film to to talk about, to see, to watch every year, and because there just aren't a lot like the Holdovers, like there. I mean, obviously there's no shortage of Christmas films. There's no shortage of Christmas films that are tear jokers and stuff like that, but I just don't think a lot of them are this well done. I just loved every second of it. I was, you know, either had a big smile on her face or tears going down your cheeks. So it was just. It was good all around. I just really liked that one. That's yeah. Only check that one out if you haven't. Okay.
Speaker 1:So this one, what is one of my like favorite films of the year. It's like if I had a top 10 for this year, this is in there and I definitely think it deserves to have a best picture nominee and I don't think it will win and I think there will obviously be people that are very upset about it, because they're very upset about a lot of the wrong things. Barbie. Barbie was very good it. I was excited about it from the get go, just because everything well, all two movies that Greta Gerwig has done before it were both incredible Little Women and Lady Bird, amazing, great movies, deserved all the recognition that they got. And then some Barbie is was very well done.
Speaker 1:It. I love the fact that most of the effects were like practical and stuff like they. They didn't CG in the when they're like getting from Barbie land to the real world, like all of that was like actual old school sets, like with a moving background and stuff like that and moving foreground, crazy Like there's did not have to do it like that and it it adds to everything that's going on in that movie. I loved what it had to say Like yes, like I think a lot of the the feminism stuff was a little like feminism light when it's just like, hey, yeah, like it's your basic one-on-one level class, basically on feminism, like it's and that's fine, you know it doesn't not everything has to be that deep, you know, and not everything has to be surface level. You know you can. You can have it both ways. And Barbie was fine the way, the way it handled those subjects. That's fine. Obviously, if you look at me or hear me, I'm not the like the end all be all of expert on feminism. But you know, just in my opinion, that's just the way it is. But we'll get more into the controversy part when we get to those categories, cause obviously people think that Marco Robbie was snubbed and Greta Gerwig was snubbed. But you know, we'll get get there when we get there.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I just thought that I just really enjoyed that movie. It was really funny and and it made me cry. You know just like the holdovers it was. You know one or the other you're crying or laughing and I thought it was great, you know. And I really also just loved the fact that it you know neither movie that and Oppenheimer back down and change their release date. Both came out and for the most part I know me personally, but I know a lot of people saw both in the same day and that's great, like that was the first, like real big, like we're back to the movies, like those the first big blockbuster event. Obviously we had blockbuster movies but nothing felt so pre pandemic movie theater going until Barbenheimer, you know.
Speaker 1:So at the bottom of the list of the ones that I've seen is Maestro. That being said, it was great movie. Now do I think this will be the one of the ones I've seen? You know I plan on seeing all of them, at least all the best picture nominees, but for Maestro it's. It's the one that I'll be like, okay, like I'll be underwhelmed like I was with Coda if that one wins, but it was still great, like it. I think it deserves. It deserves its spot. You know, I guess I like I'm not upset that it's nominated but and not that it is at the level of Green Book, but it's going to feel like when Green Book won if this wins.
Speaker 1:Not that it's like that, that's a very different conversation about why Green Book sucked and shouldn't have won. You know that's a very touchy subject about. You know, the these movies about race that win awards are very like, like I said about the feminism and Barbie, it's just like very, it's very surface level. It's very like, palatable for people that need to hear it, but it's not going deep enough for them to change everything. It's one of those things like where if you're not like, if you're not on the right side of history, it's not going to be changing your mind. It's just going to make you give you a little warm fuzzy. It's like oh see, I do like black people because I saw Green Book and I liked it. You know that you didn't change anything about yourself and I think that.
Speaker 1:But yeah, like I said, I don't know why I got on that tangent about Maestro, because I don't think it's that type of movie. Maybe it is for some people, but it's just very. It was just kind of it's just very run of the mill Oscar movie. You know it's well done, it's good. I don't think it was as good as A Star is Born you know Bradley Cooper's other directorial film but it was still good and I enjoyed it and you know, the emotional parts got me and yeah, it was good. Yeah, that I'll, you know, add to that when we get to the other categories for it. But as for the other ones, I know Past Lives is going to be streaming on Paramount Plus very soon, like in a few days. So I'm very excited to check that out. As for the other ones, I'm going to kind of see if anything's announced on whether they'll be coming to streaming. But and if not, then I'll just have to find them in the theater or rent them whatever. But yeah, I will see them. But I'm excited for all of them because they all do look very good, especially Past Lives. I feel like that's the one that I've heard the most good things about.
Speaker 1:Okay, moving on, we got Best Actor. We got Bradley Cooper from Istro, killian Murphy for Oppenheimer, coleman Domingo for Rustin, jeffrey Wright for American Fiction and Paul Giamatti for the Holdovers. So, as you know, from the best picture part, I haven't seen American Fiction yet, so I won't be commenting on his performance. I do love Jeffrey Wright and everything I've seen of him. He even had like a little part in Rustin that he was good in.
Speaker 1:But as for the other ones, I would say my number one pick is Killian Murphy. I thought he did amazing in Oppenheimer. I think it's his best role that he's done so far. He just really killed it in that great act. I think he did a very good job of driving home the point of the film, which is that internal conflict of, yes, we need to build this bomb, because it's better that we have this bomb than Hitler having this bomb, but also what we're going to do with it isn't what we should be doing with it and he's very good. Yeah, of course he does bring up the stuff, but he's very good at showing on his face that internal struggle that he's going through and you see it in all the different visions that he gets and everything like that and he's just incredible at that. Incredible at all those scenes and him trying to hold together and everything. He was just amazing in that.
Speaker 1:My second choice would be Paul Giamatti for the holdovers. I thought he did amazing in that he really brought home the emotion. You made this character relatable. Even if you're not just like a cromudgingly old man, you still felt for him and how he was, just this guy that got screwed over a bunch in his life and then you can see how he got to where he is and everything and why he is the way he is and it has a great character arc and everything and he was just really good. I think that's the best. That's personally the best I've ever seen him. But yeah, really enjoyed his performance.
Speaker 1:Next I would go Coleman Domingo as Rustin or in Rustin. I mean, I mean he does play the guy last name, rustin, but yeah, he was great. He's a guy that I first noticed in the Walking Dead spinoff, fear of the Walking Dead. I thought he was so good in that, just like this enigmatic presence, that you just can't help. But, like you know, like I don't know whether to love him or hate him, but I can't help but love watching him, you know. So he's just, he's very good at that and I'm super stoked to hear that he's going to be playing Nat King Cole, who I whose music I love like number one best Christmas album of all time is his Christmas album, but, yeah, just a really well done performance. You could tell that he can really just become whoever and he does like a killer job at it. And at the bottom of the ones I've seen, but still very good and very deserving of being there, is Bradley Cooper and Maestro. I thought he was great.
Speaker 1:He might have been it's hard to say, without being like super familiar with Leonard Bernstein if he's overdoing it or if that's just how Leonard Bernstein was, and that's very possible, I think it, which would not surprise me whatsoever. If anything in this movie is to be believed like, that's probably just how he was Like. If that's, if that was his personality type, then yeah, he probably was just like a very overactive type of guy because he's, you know, he's a composer, he's a theater person, like all this stuff, like that's. That's a very over the top personality. So I'm not going to like doc points from Bradley Cooper for possibly just being very accurate to who he was playing. But you know, it's just. I just think that the it was more so with the other performances that I felt like oh yeah, they're, this is really good acting versus just like this is. You know, it's really hard to put into words. He was good, I liked the performance, it's just. I didn't like it as much as the other ones. Let's just leave it at that.
Speaker 1:So, next category, we have best actress, leading actress. We have Annette Benning in NIAD, carrie Mulligan in Maestro, emma Stone in Poor Things, Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon and Sandra Hohler Hohler in Anatomy of a Fall. I haven't seen that one yet, so I'll talk about the other four. My number one, without a doubt Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon. Oh my God, she was the heart and soul of that movie. I don't know what people are talking about, thinking that she should have been in the best supporting actress, and I think that's just a little hidden. That's your racism is showing, because they want Bargarabi to be there for Barbie, and so let me just talk about that real quick before I get into Lily Gladstone's performance.
Speaker 1:Margarabi was good as Barbie. That being said, I don't think she was my favorite performance in there. I think America Ferrera deserves her nomination and I think Ryan Gosling deserves his nomination, but I just I don't know. It was just something about Barbie that I just didn't. I wasn't, I don't know, I just didn't feel like I was on her team, and not that I was on Ken's team because I wasn't. They were being ridiculous. It just like. I don't know, but maybe that's the point of it. It's like she's supposed to be complicated because she's supposed to be like I'm every woman, it's all in me and like and bearing the burden of that. You know what I mean. So I don't know, it's just something about it. And I love Margarabi, like. I think she is incredible in everything she is and she was really good in this. I just think, compared to the other ones that I've seen, yeah, maybe I'd put her, I don't know, no, not necessarily like, because I have, like I said, I haven't seen Anatomy of a Fall yet, so I can't compare her, but of the ones I have listed, I have a net betting at the bottom and I thought her performance as Diane Nied was better than Margarabi's as Barbie.
Speaker 1:Now, I haven't seen Past Lives yet that's another name that gets put as a snub. Is the lead actress in that? I think Gretta Lee, but that could be the director. I just haven't seen it so I don't know. So I don't wanna be like, hey, you just like like I haven't seen it yet, so once I have, then I'll have that squared away, those names. But I just keep hearing Past Lives and Gretta Lee, and I don't remember if that's the actress or the director, because both are being said that they got snubbed, yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's just kind of funny that people are this outraged over a. You know I don't wanna make it about this, but people are very outraged about a white woman who's previously been nominated yeah, someone who's been nominated three times already oh wait, no two for acting, because she's executive producer on Barbie, so that counts as a nomination for her, but she's been nominated twice for acting. So like I don't understand getting that upset over losing a nomination in a year that we are clear there is a clear winner in my eyes Lily Gladstone, who is the first Native American woman to be nominated for a lead acting role, maybe even just acting role, and she deserves it. You know it's not like. You know doubters will be like, oh they have to nominate the? You know. Whatever, this isn't the woke mob. This is a woman that put on the most amazing performance of the year in all categories. I would say I put her above any of the supporting actors or actresses or the lead actors. You know, this was the best acting performance I've seen this year and she deserves it. So why are we getting so upset over this? You know, white lady, who's been nominated before and will get nominated again.
Speaker 1:I think her not getting nominated for Babylon was a bigger snub than her not getting nominated for Barbie. And I even saw, like I don't remember if it was on TikTok or Instagram, but someone said like I wish I could like shout out who it was. I don't even remember, but someone said that her performance in like three minutes of Asteroid City was better than her whole performance at Barbie. And I would honestly say that I was more moved by her like short little thing in Asteroid City than in Barbie. I was more moved by Barbie overall the movie, but it wasn't her part. Like, even like I'd say Rhea Perlman gave me a more, made me more emotional than Margot Robbie did in there. And that's not her. That's not like I'm not saying that Margot Robbie's a bad actress or that the character is poorly written at all. That's just like I don't know, like I feel like I'm like being too harsh, but at the same time I don't think I am. It's just, it is what it is.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, it would have been cool to see her nominated, but it's just like to me it doesn't matter when we have this other like historic for multiple reasons nomination and possible win, and it's like we're just getting upset about her. You know, it's like it's like getting upset that like, oh no, like Meryl Streep didn't get her 50th nomination this year for whatever shit movie she happened to be in, because that was the trend for a while. Didn't matter what the fuck Meryl Streep was in, she would get nominated. And it's like, oh my God, like come on, like she's great, but we're nominating her for this, you know? So, anyways, lily Gladstone just she was just so good and, like I said, the heart of the movie and not that everyone else wasn't good too, because she was Just, she was the best of them and the best part of it and yeah, just an incredible performance, so powerful and yeah.
Speaker 1:So, moving on from there now I this is where it gets hard with the Oscars because my next favorite one is Emma Stone, who I think put on her best performance in Poor Things Like this is the only other thing that like she might have been better in is the favorite the other Yorgos Lanthimos film, and but she was just so good in this one. Like so good, yeah, just like she. But that's also just the problem with these award shows is like, take Leonardo DiCaprio Well, I think him, even though he's already won, I think his performance in Killers of the Flower Moon was better than Margot Robbie's and Barbie, so his was a bigger snuff In my opinion, even though I'm fine with him not getting a nomination because he's already got the award, and but the point of bringing him up is that he won for the Revenant, which he was amazing in, but we all know that he's done better performances than that. He was better in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood he was supporting but was I think his best one was in Jango Unchained, you know, he was just like an incredible villain. But at the same time Christoph Waltz was there. He's the one that got nominated to Ann the Win and I'm fine with that because he was amazing. So it's just, this is you can have like ah, I don't know, it's just, it's just frustrating.
Speaker 1:But Emma Stone and Poor Things my favorite performance of her so far. She was really good in that, I think better than she was in. I think she won for La La Land and she was great in that. But I think this is more. It just sucks when you have a year like this, that like they're all good, so but yeah, next I would have Carrie Mulligan in my Stroke. I think she was the the better performance in that one. Like, if I had to pick between her and Bradley Cooper, carrie Mulligan was the one I was like the most, not like attracted to, like physically attracted, but like that's who I wanted to watch, like I was more interested in her journey and her inner fight and everything that she had to like deal with. And you know, I mean not that she had to deal with it, but that's just like that internal struggle that we go through is like do I want? Am I happy with this life? And you know, she was just incredible in that.
Speaker 1:And then, last but not least, of the ones I've seen, annette Benning and Niyad. I thought she was amazing in this and, yeah, I think she deserves to be there. She did an incredible job and she played like a character, like a performance, not a character cause. It was a real life person but she had a performance. That it's like you root for her but you get frustrated with her and you see that the other characters are frustrated and like all this stuff, but you also see why they would keep like coming back to her and helping her and everything and it, yeah, I think she did like an amazing job. And then it was, it was cool to see you know the real footage of her and and you know and you can compare like how accurate she was and I think it was like, oh yeah, she did, she did a good job, you know.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, moving on, next, we have Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Now, this one like the other, the previous ones, I've seen all but one, but we have Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things, robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon, robert Downey Jr in Oppenheimer, ryan Gosling in Barbie and Sterling K Brown in American Fiction, which is the one I haven't seen yet. So, as for what I have seen, my number one is Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things. I thought he, like he surprised me with his performance and like I, it's just one of those performances I was like I didn't know Mark Ruffalo had that in him and he was just so, so good and so funny and so over the top, but like in a good way, like and you know, which sounds contradictory to my thoughts on Bradley Cooper I was like, oh, he seemed like a little over the top. This was like I don't know the vibe of this movie compared to Maestro, calls for over the top. You want over the top and he's just like hamming it up and like super, he's so quirky, yeah, just really funny. So I, yeah, I loved his performance, but also, like I'm gonna be honest with you, of all the four that I've seen, I'm happy, no matter who wins, like I'm happy with it's honestly a four way tie and Mark Ruffalo is just the one I give like a little edge to cause he was the most surprising to me, but Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon amazing, like one of his better performances.
Speaker 1:I think I didn't know going in like the true story and like who was gonna be like good guys and bad guys, cause I tried to like only watch the trailer like once or twice and not really like. I just knew like, okay, I'm gonna go to this movie and I'm gonna love it and I would write and. But yeah, his performance was so good and just so menacing. But also you get why people like him and like get why people would trust him and everything like that. And oh man, he was good.
Speaker 1:And then Ryan Gosling and Barbie he was just so funny in that. Like honestly, like he's been like an underrated comedic actor for a while and I've known since Crazy Stupid Love I think I talked about this in a previous episode but yeah, he was great in Crazy Stupid Love and nice guys. He was hilarious in that. Yeah, he was just, he was really funny and I think like his performance in that was like what made me wanna like honestly, it was what made me wanna watch the movie. I was like okay, like that, like his lines and the trailers, his jokes and everything like like all right, yeah, he's killing it. This looks so funny and he was a big part of that.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying no one else was funny in there or no one else did a good performance. I'm just saying that's what personally drew me to wanting to watch it and like and I don't think I'm alone there and I don't think that makes me anti-woman because I preferred Ryan Gosling's performance as Ken. I just thought he was like more of the heart of the movie or the draw at least. But anyways, it was great, he was funny. And then Robert Downey Jr in Oppenheimer was also amazing. He like much like Robert De Niro's performance where you don't really know from the trailer that this is, oh, this is like, you know, the bad guy or whatever. And I don't think that's much of a spoiler. I mean, just read history, I guess. But you know he just pulled off a great performance and it was cool that all his stuff was in black and white and like.
Speaker 1:I just thought he was like really good in it and yeah, I'd say he deserves to be up there and if he wins, like any of these other four, then I'm fine with that. Yeah, and then I'll once I see American fiction, you know, I'm sure it's gonna be just a five way tie for me. You know cause? Sterling K Brown is really good too. I think the first thing I saw him in was the American Crime Story, the OJ1, the miniseries that was on FX. Yeah, he was great in that.
Speaker 1:All right, moving on, best supporting actress. Okay, so much like the other one. I wouldn't say it's quite a four way tie for the ones I've seen. But all right, well, let me just list them off. First we got America Ferrera and Barbie, divine Joy Randolph for the Holdovers, daniel Brooks for the Color Purple, which is the one I haven't seen yet, emily Blunt and Oppenheimer and Jody Foster in Niaid. So I alright. So honestly, I have like my top two I would say are tied, which would be Emily Blunt and Divine Joy Randolph, because both of those performances were really good, like incredible.
Speaker 1:I think part of me is like I really want Emily Blunt to win. You know, I don't think she's uh. So I personally give Emily Blunt a little more edge because I just remember. So I went in, you know, because Oppenheimer came out in the summer, holdovers came out a little later and it the nominations were out by the time I watched it, so I had that in my head of like, oh, I need to look at her performance and see, like you know, how good she is.
Speaker 1:But with Emily Blunt I was just watching a movie that I knew was going to be good, or I figured would be good, and her performance did stand out, I'd say a little more than Killian Murphy's did, and he was great, and so I just remember thinking when I left Oppenheimer that she was the standout performance of that film. And Florence Pugh was really good too, but she was just in it a lot less Like. But yeah, emily Blunt was just so good in that and I thought she was like just had a really strong performance and would just love to see her win this. But, like I said, I'm fine if she doesn't and if it goes to, you know, if it goes to any of them, it's there, they deserve it. But I think the other very strong one was Divine Joy Randolph and I think she was the standout performance even over Paul Giamatti for that film.
Speaker 1:Like she was just so good and you know it makes sense, like with her character's background on, why she would have such a powerful performance. But you can also have that backstory and not pull it off and she pulled it off Because she's just just brought everything to it and then you, you know you could see the struggle that she's going through and she makes it very believable and so, yeah, it's a pretty. It's pretty much tied for those two. But my next choice would be America, ferrera and Barbie. And I think like and I've heard people like upset about that like that she was even nominated and I don't get that, because I think she had the more like she had the more poignant point to make.
Speaker 1:You know, it wasn't like, I think she just had like the bigger, like the more important role. Like she's the one that makes the big speech, saying like what it's like to be a woman, and it's the one it's like the turning point in the film and she's amazing at it. She's amazing at being just like a mom to a teenage girl. That's you know that they're butting heads and stuff like that Like she's just pulling all of it off and like, yeah, she was great, like there's no reason for her to not be there, you know. You know maybe there are other people that might have deserved him more, but you know who cares? Usually the the examples that people give are other people that have already been nominated. So why not let her be there for the nomination? And because I don't think she'll win, but I do think it will be one of the my two favorites. But who knows, you know, maybe it will go to Jodi Foster, you know, I think she did well in that role.
Speaker 1:I think she yeah, I guess she has like the more like her characters dealing with more internal conflict than a net Bennians character, because a net Bennians character is just very driven, like it's just like it's going to happen and I'm going to do it, and Jodi Foster is trying to be more realistic but also being supportive. So it's not that there's more to her character, but I don't know, I think it's just, yeah, it's just. I think I just enjoyed a net Bennians character more like I don't know. But and then you know she's already won before, so she doesn't need it All right.
Speaker 1:So, best director, we have Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer, jonathan Glaser for the Zone of Interest, justine Triette for Anatomy of the Fall, mars Corsese for Killers of the Fall or Moon and Jorgo Slamthimos for Poor Things. So I've only seen three of these. I already talked about how Oppenheimer was my favorite Christopher Nolan film and I think yeah, I think it was. It's just, it's very hard to pick between that and Killers of the Flower Moon. I would say Killers of the like. I said that's my, that's my pick for best picture. But I would say that if I wanted to give both of them the prize because I know that's sometimes how the voting works is like, oh, we don't really want to give best picture to this one, so we'll give them best director. So I think Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer a little better directed in my opinion. But I think I'm just more impressed with like the directing stood out. You know, the overall picture of Killers of the Flower Moon was more impressive, I think, but maybe it was just the stronger performances made me like that movie more. But the directing really shines through in Oppenheimer.
Speaker 1:But, that being said, my second choice would be Killers of the Flower Moon, martin Scorsese. And you know and I'm not upset at all if that happens, and same with Jorgo Slamthimos for Poor Things, not upset at all Like it's a very well directed film. It's, you know, he brings something very special that a lot of people can't pull off. Like I said, like it's. You know, mark Ruffalo did the performance, but it takes a director like Jorgo Slamthimos to bring that out of someone like Mark Ruffalo. You know, we already knew that Emma Stone could do that from the favorite, but when you saw her in the favorite you're like that's very different than what we know Emma Stone to be like. So he's, he's a very impressive director. I would say so, wouldn't be upset if he won, and so. But I'll have more to say once I see the other two films.
Speaker 1:So for best original screenplay, we have Anatomy of the Fall, maestro, may, december, past Lives and the Holdovers Scene. Three of these I would say my favorite script like if I'm referring to just going off the writing, then the Holdovers was is just so well written and I'm happy to see it there. It, you know, this is best original screenplay. It's, you know, just it. It did feel very original, you know, you know. I mean, every movie has some tropes, but I can't think of any like right off the bat that were in this and it was just very well done, you know, and very well written. It had the humor, had the all the emotions. So yeah, that that'd be my number one pick, but it's a very close second and maybe I would just want to give it to this one, just so, because it's the only nomination that it has and it deserved a lot more, I think.
Speaker 1:And that's May, december, oh, my gosh like, and that I just finished watching it before recording, well, like an hour before, and, man, that that movie was incredible. It was so well done. It's by Todd Haynes same guy that Carol, which was also really good. And, oh man, this is so good Like, it's so like like very dark humor that you might not even like register as humor and it, yeah, it was just really good. Like. Then, the performances. I'm surprised that some of that Julianne Moore, natalie Portman or Chris Melton didn't get nominated for any acting awards for this one. But hey, the original screenplay, it deserves to be there. It was very well written movie, so good, and then just by default, being the other one that I've seen Maestro in the trailer behind, but still good, it's well written for sure.
Speaker 1:I'm always interested in what makes a biopic adapted versus original. Is it just because there's no like written biography of Leonard Bernstein that they based it off of? You know, because part of me is like, oh, if it's based on a true story, then it's adapted. But you know, I don't know, I think it may be there has to be an actual written document that they are basing it off of, or another movie or franchise, whatever that has to be based off of. But but yeah, it's well written. So it's not like they don't deserve to be there. It's just, you know, wasn't my favorite of the three.
Speaker 1:Moving on to adapted screenplay, we got American fiction Barbie, oppenheimer, poor things and the other one where it's basically a three way tie. All of them are very well written and very clever. So, but you know, if I had to pick one, you know, then I'd say Oppenheimer, poor things and Barbie would be my ranking of the adapted screenplay. But yeah, all of them are very well written. I don't have anything that I could point to that put that puts one like way above the other or anything like that. But yeah, like screenplay wise, I think they're all deserving to be there For best cinematography.
Speaker 1:So our nominees for that are El Conde, which is the count, uh, killers of the flower, moon, maestro, oppenheimer and poor things. I'd say my favorite cinematography wise would be El Conde, because that that was shot very beautifully, that was like the most like visually pleasing of all five, because this. Oh hey, this is my first complete category. Yeah, I'd say like, visually, that was the best one of them, but it's, you know, it's not that far ahead of my second, which would be Oppenheimer. But it's just something about the black and white and, you know, like one person said on Letterbox, so it's like it's all style with less substance. You know, I'm not as harsh on it. I thought it was really good, but you know it's. You know, visually it's just so stunning, it's so well done, it's so fun to look at. Um, yeah, I, I. It was a great one, it was, it was funny, it was dark and just like the. The ending wasn't my favorite, but you know it could have been a lot worse too. So, um, moving on, after that, we got Oppenheimer.
Speaker 1:Uh, yeah, amazing cinematography, which is not surprising because all of Christopher Nolan's films are like that and the same with Killers of the Flower Moon, which would be my third. Amazingly shot, beautiful, great to look at. You know it's what? Uh, all of these are ones that, like at least 80% of the frames, would like make a great like wall art. You know, so good. Um, then I would say poor things. Uh, also very well shot. Um, a lot of great photography on that. Um, and then Maestro, that was also like really good. I think that's.
Speaker 1:One of its stronger elements is the cinematography. It's a half black and white, half color, much like Oppenheimer, um, and yeah, it's just very, very uh stunning, you know, very well shot. So, honestly, with that category, any of them can take it and they deserve it. So, and that's and that's coming from someone who's very uh like cinematography is like one of my favorite things about a movie. You know, I'm not saying that I would be a good cinematographer at all, I'm just saying that, like, that's one of the things I pick out and one of the things I enjoy the most about film is the cinematography. So, um, yeah, they, they killed it this year. They killed it this year, you know.
Speaker 1:Next we have best achievement in film editing, uh, anatomy of a fall, killers of a flower moon, oppenheimer, poor things and the holdovers. Um, my number one would be Oppenheimer. I think it was edited together very well. Um, like the intercutting shots of, you know, science happening I don't know what you would call it where it's just like like elements reacting or like sparks and stuff like that. Like it. It's cut together very well, and the blending of the black and white going back in color and everything, and one's the past, one's like closer to the present. Very well edited, Uh, no doubt about that. Um. Next, I would say poor things was my favorite editing. Wise, couldn't really tell you why, but just I just felt like that the editing on that one was a little better, um. And then killer to the flower moon, you know, also very well edited. You know you can't have a three and a half hour movie that is poorly edited, then you're just gonna, it's not going to hold your attention, um, and then I just put the holdovers at the bottom, not that it was poorly edited or by any means, but you know, it's just, if I had to rank them, that's how I'd rank them.
Speaker 1:So next we have production design. Uh, barbie, killers of the flower moon, napoleon, oppenheimer, and poor things. Haven't seen Napoleon yet, but it's a period piece, uh, by Ridley Scott. So at least the production design deserves to be there, you know. And everything else is debatable, but I haven't seen it yet, so I can't judge it. Um, but I would say Barbie for production design, like building all those pink sets and everything making them look like the toys and the play sets and everything. Uh, like I mentioned before, with the, the practical, you know fake background going while they're in the car and everything like that's impressive. To do all that, to do all those things in a world of relying on CG and a giant dome, you know. So I think. Production design wise, then, yeah, barbie, barbie deserves the win in my opinion.
Speaker 1:Um, next, I would say poor things, because it's also very impressive. Set design. Um, just, uh, you know, if I had to pick one or the other, I'd pick Barbie, but you know, poor things was really well done. Production wise, it has, you know, crazy architecture, very visually appealing. It's like steampunk, without being annoying, if that makes sense. Um, yeah, uh, I, I just loved, I loved the look of everything in that, so wouldn't be upset about that. Winning Um and same with any of these, to be honest, uh, except for Napoleon, because I don't know yet.
Speaker 1:Um, killers of the Flower Moon, I would put next, uh, I think, having a period piece. I think the further back you go then, the more impressive it is to have those sets. There's a lot of places that still look the same from Oppenheimer days. You know what I mean. It's not like you had to search that far for buildings from the 30s and 40s, because there's still plenty of them. It's a little I mean not that they don't exist, but it's a little more impressive for that turn of the century style out in the middle of nowhere and everything like that. So that's why I would put Killers of the Flower Moon first, and then you also have to have the legitimate, accurate native dwellings of the Osage tribe. So it, you know, just feel like a little more work went into the production design side. If I was comparing that between Oppenheimer and which puts Oppenheimer at the bottom, but not really, because it's very well made production design. So the sets are great, everything looks accurate, well, okay. So maybe they do get dinged on production design because they had the wrong American flags in that one scene. I don't think that's that big of a deal, but for whichever, like Boomer had an aneurysm about it or history nerd, sorry, that puts it at the bottom. Whatever, I hope you're happy. So kind of going hand in hand with production design would be costume design, it's all the same.
Speaker 1:Nominees Barbie, killers of the Flower Moon, napoleon Oppenheimer, poor Things. But for this one I would say Poor Things would be my favorite. I think it had the more interesting costume design, because it's like period specific costumes, but with their own spin on them, and I just thought it was more fun to look at. But I mean also Barbie's very impressive too, because they're basing those costumes, seeing them posted online, like all of those costumes were based off of actual Barbie figures that were for sale. So it's like you gotta go back through the archives and stuff, but you also have something to base it off of, whereas Poor Things is kinda just doing its own thing.
Speaker 1:But, like I said, with the period specific costumes, when you have just dudes in suits in the 20s or not 20s in the 30s and 40s, versus the further back you go and you add the element of having accurate native tribal dress and everything like that, then that's more impressive and as long as I haven't heard contrary to this, like I feel like I've heard that it's very accurate and it had, like the, there was a lot of Osage tribe members that were consultant on there, so and plus you have the photographs and everything too, but those don't have the color, so it's that's why I would put that one a little ahead and then I put Oppenheimer in the bottom. But that's still work that you gotta do. But same rules apply as before. It's just easier to make something more recent than older, but that's why I put Poor Things on the top, because they're kinda inventing it to an extent.
Speaker 1:So next we have Best Sound. For that we have Maestro, mission Impossible, dead Reckoning, part one, oppenheimer, the Creator and the Zone of Interest, now scene three. Of these I would say Oppenheimer had the best sound. I think just the anytime they have like a, they make a choice to cut out all the sound and you get to experience that in the theater and no one ruins it. So when that, like when that bomb went off, and there's that silence for a while. You know it's funny that I'm using the absence of sound to explain why it has the best sound, but it still has like the best sound other than that. But it's still very impressive to pull that off and blend it the right way and edit it to where it's not too long but it's not too short either. So that would be my pick for Best Sound. And then just all the other sound effects, like I said, when, like the sparks and stuff are like cut between it. Yeah, just love the sound design on that one.
Speaker 1:Next, I would go Maestro another strong category for that film. Yeah, just very well done. Mixing between the you know the concerts and stuff like that putting in I mean I don't know if it counts, but you know, putting in his own music in there that's more score, but it's not an original score because it's already been done. But yeah, I just thought it was well done, you know. And then I'd put Mission Impossible at the bottom, just because I just think that the sound stood out more in the other two. And I haven't seen the creator yet. And then you already know I haven't seen Zone of Interest, but with Mission Impossible I was really impressed with that one.
Speaker 1:I had never seen any of the Mission Impossible films and last year Top Gun Maverick impressed me so much that I'm like, all right, you know, I'll give these Mission Impossible movies a try. They were all on Paramount Plus, so I just went from the beginning all the way to Dead Reckoning and this was the strong one in my opinion. I thought it was incredible. And not that the other ones weren't good, I just think that the first two weren't so strong and they definitely picked up in quality after, from three and on. But yeah, it was a great movie and the sound design is done very well, so it deserves to be there.
Speaker 1:Next is Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling, so I would say I'd put oh yeah, let me list off all of them. First, golda, maestro Oppenheimer, poor Things and Society of the Snow, which is the one I haven't seen, but it's on Netflix so I'll get to it soon. I've seen everything. I've seen all but two that are streaming available. So it's just that and the creator that I haven't seen. So, but I'll probably watch those later tonight. But yeah, I would say number one for me would be Poor Things, because they're just. He's just doing his own thing, you know, and he's just coming up with these looks that are unique and interesting and fun to look at and, you know, like Willem Defoe's facial prosthetics and everything look really cool. Yeah, I just liked everything about it and that was one of the stronger areas on that, not that it had any weak areas, but yeah, I'd give it to Poor Things.
Speaker 1:Next I would go Maestro, because I think they did a really good job of making Bradley Cooper look like Leonard Bernstein, which I know was a bit of a controversy for some people. I don't know how many actual Jewish people were upset with it or if it's just. You know people that like to get outraged about anything To me, what really matters I'm not saying that there weren't any Jewish people upset about it, but I think what mattered most is that his family approved it. You know the people that actually knew him and they're like, yeah, like he had a bigger nose and they made him look like him. He looks like him a lot. And when you see the side-by-side it's like, yeah, they did a good job. That looks like Leonard Bernstein. So but yeah, and then, like everyone else's, like hair and makeup and everything looked good too. So, yeah, I think they did a good job on that one.
Speaker 1:I'd go Oppenheimer next, and the only reason I'd put Golda on the bottom is just, I just didn't like that movie that much. I just found it kinda boring. You know, not like trying to take some like major stance and like not liking it because that seemed to be the trend on the letterbox. I just, you know, like world politics and everything aside, just looking at the movie itself, it just wasn't very good in my opinion. But hey, and then, you know, like I said I haven't seen the Society of Snow yet, okay.
Speaker 1:So next we have Best Original Score. There's American Fiction, indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, killers of the Flower of Moon, oppenheimer and Poor Things. To me, the music, honestly, all four of these had great scores, the ones that I've seen. Like you know, I haven't seen American Fiction yet, but of the four that I saw amazing scores, like actually that stood out, you know, and I think that's important, and I think the one that I can like hear the music in my head, the two that I can like kind of hear the music, would be Poor Things and Indiana Jones. Now I gotta say that Indiana Jones is because what am I hearing? Am I hearing the new stuff or his references to older Indiana Jones music pieces? You know what I mean which I'm totally fine with those work. Like I'm not sure I'm gonna be able to do that, but I'm gonna be able to do that, which I'm totally fine with those work.
Speaker 1:Like you know, if you're watching Indiana Jones and you know he's having a memory or he's thinking about Marion and Marion's theme plays, and it's like, okay, that works, like that gets an emotional response from the audience and that's what you want from a score. But you know, like I said, like, is anything new for this one sticking out? And yes, there is, but not as much as Poor Things. I think I was really struck by the music in that one by Durskin, fendrix or Fendrix, not Fendrix Staring at the ring lights like making my eyes all weird. But it would also be great to have John Williams win, you know, at least one more time. You know he says he's not retired anymore, but he's also in his 90s. So I think he just broke two records with this nomination. I think he's now the most nominated person that's still alive and the oldest nominated person ever.
Speaker 1:So yeah, and I think he did a really good job with this, it was one of the better scores. Like, I don't think anything really stuck out in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull the way that the first three movies did, but this one, I think, was a little closer of a return to form for all aspects of it. You know, which is ironic, because two of the major people weren't involved at all no, george Lucas or Steven Spielberg. No, I think Steven Spielberg still produced, but he wasn't directing. So but yeah, the score was great and I you know, not that this is nominated for anything else, but I think it was, and I'd say that, oppenheimer, that one sticks out the score on that, and so does Killers of the Flower Moon. So, honestly, you know, give it to any of them and they all deserve it.
Speaker 1:So next we have a best original song, and these I've all seen Got American Symphony, the song being it Never Went Away, by John Batiste and Dan Wilson. Then you have Barbie, the song what Was I Made For, by Billy Eilish and Phineas O'Connell. You got another one from Barbie, got I'm Just Ken by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. From Flamin' Hot, you have the Fire Inside by Diane Warren, and from Killers of the Flower Moon you have W'shotsie. I don't know, I should have looked up the pronunciation of that, but the parentheses is a song for my people by Scott George, I would say my number one.
Speaker 1:Honestly, what I think should have at least been nominated I think this was a bigger snub than anything from Barbie is I think that Peaches from the Mario movie or Super Mario Bros movie should have been nominated. It was so fun, I think, more fun than I'm just Ken. I think I'm Just Ken is a fun song and was really funny and I liked that sequence. But I think the context and the visuals add to that one. Not that they don't for Peaches, but it's just Jack Black doing his thing, you know, and I thought it was really funny when I saw it in the theater and I was just like oh, yeah, duh. Of course Jack Black is gonna give us a little tenacious D in this movie, because why wouldn't he? And but yeah, I think it should have been nominated for Best Song.
Speaker 1:I liked it better than most of these on here, but I'd say my actual favorite, you know, like what's the best song and what gave me an emotional reaction while watching the movie? I would say what Was I Made For? By Billy Eilish for Barbie? I think it was used perfectly in the film. I think it's just a good song on its own that I would listen to, and I already did listen to before the movie came out, because she put it out beforehand and I was like, oh, that's a good song and yeah, I just think that's the better one.
Speaker 1:I liked the sequence that it was in it was it just added to the emotion, I think, and it deserves to be there and I think it deserves the win. The second one I would put is the Washasi from Killers of the Flower Moon, because when that song came on at the end it was like it was also used very like for like peak emotional reaction, I think, and it was just so beautiful like that sequence and I don't know it. Just I think those are the two strongest like emotional reactions. Well, and then also I'm just Ken, but it's just a different emotional reaction of like humor. I'd say those three stick out the most of all the five, but just in that order, because the reason I give the edge to what was I made for is that that's the one I would just listen to, whether it was in a movie or not. And then I'm just Ken. Like I said, I think it is aided more by seeing it in the film and it's more fun when you're watching it in the film. Not to say it's not a fun song because it is, but yeah, I just remember like cracking up, like oh my god, he's gonna start singing this like emotional ballad and it was just really funny, really well done. But yeah it, you know I'm fine with it being there and you know everyone can be whatever about it and I would say it never went away by John Batiste in the American Symphony.
Speaker 1:I thought the documentary was good. I think that I'm surprised it wasn't up for best documentary, to be honest, or best documentary feature, because I thought it was really good, it was really powerful, just like this. The song didn't stick out as much to me but like I was like, oh wait, which one was that? And then because, honestly, when I was watching and I'm like, okay, this is not like in my head, I was thinking this is nominated for best documentary. So I wasn't really thinking about the individual songs. So I had to go back and be like, oh, which song was that? Okay, that one was good and but yeah, like I said, it just didn't stick out the way that these other ones did. And then on the bottom, not that it's a bad song, but from Flamin' Hot, diane Warren's the Fire Inside, this is a good song. You know it's just a good credit song. You know that's.
Speaker 1:I don't have much more to add on that. That movie was better than I was expecting. But so next we have Best Achievement and Visual Effects. I have only seen two of these, but the full list is Godzilla minus one. Guardians of the Galaxy, volume 3, mission Impossible. Dead Reckoning, part 1, napoleon and the Creator.
Speaker 1:So I would say, of the two that I've seen, which are Guardians and Mission Impossible, that I would give the edge to Guardians, and the reason I'd say that is because, like, while I prefer the method that Mission Impossible takes, which is minimal visual effects, like they are minimal computer visual effects, like you have like Tom Cruise doing these real stunts and shit, and that's really impressive, but I would say that Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the better examples of good CGI. I think it's done a little better than most of the other Marvel movies. You know it's not entirely on a screensaver, like Ant-Man and Quantumania was, but yeah, I just think Guardians does a better job with their visual effects compared to the other Marvel films. So I think it deserves like hey, like you've done this thing, that is, you know this, you use this method that can make everything look terrible, but you do a good job at it, so it's very impressive. So I think that's a little more impressive. It's not best. Stunts, which I do think should be a category, is stunts, and if you're doing that, then yeah, give it to Mission Impossible, because you know, we all saw that in that trailer where Tom Cruise like actually drove the motorcycle and jumped off and did the squirrel suit and all that and that was. That was crazy, but it wasn't really a visual effect other than they see. They see G doubt the ramp and made it just look like like only rocks so, and that they did a good job at that. But that's less work than was put into Guardians of the Galaxy.
Speaker 1:Now, what do I think will be my favorite once I see it is Godzilla minus one. I hear nothing but good things. I just need to find a theater near me that's showing it. So, all right, moving on, all right. So next we have best documentary feature 20 days in Mariupol. I don't know if that's the right pronunciation, so sorry if it's not.
Speaker 1:Bobby Wine, the people's president for daughters, the eternal memory and to kill a tiger. So I've seen two of these, and which both? I would say. I think I gave both of them four stars on Letterbox. They were, you know, about the same level of quality and everything, just on very different subjects and different like tones and everything, but both like very sad and informative, but they're dealing with different aspects. You got Bobby Wine, the people's president. He's, you know, trying to revolutionize the government in Uganda and it's like really showcasing the corruption and all that stuff and it's very sad in that way, you know, because you actually see some, you know, depictions of the violence that's going on against the people and everything. So, yeah, and it's very well done and, you know, very interesting, especially like for two hours, you know so, and it didn't feel like it was two hours long.
Speaker 1:Next is the. The other one that I saw is the eternal memory, which was also very sad and very moving, but very different subject matter. It's about a. This couple, it's been together for 25 years. He has Alzheimer's and it's so it's just about, you know, you kind of see it get worse as the movie goes on and it's just, you know that decline is very sad. It's also intercut with home movies of them together and their journey as a couple. She's a, they're, they're both in Chile and he used to be a journalist, like on the news and everything, and she's an actress and you know she still does plays and stuff and you see your in a couple of them. But yeah, it's just, it's very moving, it's beautiful to see their relationship and it feels like it's very strong and you just see how, like you really see how much she loves him and also how hard it is to see him the way he is, and especially as he gets worse as it goes on. I'd honestly like give it to either of those, like they were both amazing and I think there was just more to the Bobby Wine one, just because it's it's more active, whereas eternal memories little more passive, if that makes sense. But they're you know, they're both really good and yeah, either way, I'm good and just got to try to find these other other three.
Speaker 1:Moving on, we have best animated feature for this. We have elemental Nimona, robert Robert. Robert dreams, not Robert dreams, robot dreams, spider-man across the spiderverse and the boy in the heron. Okay, so I've only seen three of these. I've seen elemental Nimona and across the spiderverse. I can't wait to see boy in the heron. That's the Hayao Miyazaki. Never let me down before. I just need to find a place that's playing it or hopefully it comes to streaming or at least renting or available for rent before the Oscars happen. But yeah, can't wait to see that one. But so, for the ones I have seen, I would say the strongest one.
Speaker 1:Honestly, my favorite animated movie this year was the Super Mario Brothers movie. I thought it was so good. It was yeah, it was fan service, but who the fuck cares? Like I'm a fan, so I want to see the things I like. So show me the things I like. And they did that. And it was so good and I loved it so much. I thought it was hilarious, I thought it was funny, I thought it was like, you know, it did everything I wanted out of a Mario movie. Much like, very different from the 90s.
Speaker 1:Bob Hoskins, john Leguizama, won Not everything you want out of a Mario movie, especially when you're four when it comes out. But yeah, I think that should be on here and that would be my number one. But you know, I think it just came out too early in the year. Maybe people didn't like it, but I think that is part of it, because I feel like it was not. The rotten tomatoes is the end, all be all and I do hate its existence, but it had a really low critic score, but a high audience score, if I remember right.
Speaker 1:So but of these choices I would say my favorite was Spider-Man Across the Spiderverse. Was I happy that it ended on like a major cliffhanger and that I was pissed off about that at the time. And then all the writers and actor strikes happened which pushed everything which they should have happened, like they were right to do that, and everything. I'm mad at the studios, not the writers and the actors, but yes, and now it's just going to take even longer for all that to happen or all that to get resolved for the third in the third one. But it was, if you're going on animation, that was the best looking one of the three that I've seen, so, so beautiful, so amazing and just like good story, good action, good performances, everything. Like they killed it, like all the way through and, yeah, even better than the first one, which did win best animated feature.
Speaker 1:So next I would go with Elemental. That one I was hesitant about like I hadn't been. It feels in my head like Pixar had this really long run of flops, but really it was just light year that I didn't like, and so I don't know what like, why in my head I'm like oh, like Pixar needs a win, but I think it is because light year was the first one to go to theaters and it's like this is the one you like that you put it put in the theater. Not turning red, not soul, not Luca, not how was the no onward did come out in theater. Maybe I'm just thinking of those three, but I feel like there was another one that came out that straight to Disney Plus.
Speaker 1:That was really good, but I'm blanking on it, but you know it doesn't matter. Elemental was really good. I thought it was enjoyable. It was one of those like kind of returned to what, if blank had cognitive cognizance and feelings, you know, and so it was like you know the elements mixing and you could. There's very strong Immigrant and race relation allegories in there that I thought were very well done and yeah, I thought it was really. It was really beautiful, it was sad, it was happy and all the right spots and yeah, I enjoyed it. I thought it was One of the better. Well, there you go again. It was good. It was better than light year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I think it's like I'm putting a lot on Pixar for having a bunch of flops in a row, but it was more the main studio that was cranking out the less good ones, but then they have like they space them out enough to where you had in canto, in the middle or in canto, and that one was incredible. And but then you have strange world, which was written by the Manatees from South Park. Just putting you know, like the you know that's that's who writes the family guy jokes, and that's South Park episode. It kind of felt like that, like I'm not you know, I'm not one of those people who was upset that there was a LGBTQ representation. That's fine, that doesn't bother me. Same with light year.
Speaker 1:That it's just so is such a non issue of what was like wrong with the movie. That's like not even an issue. What was wrong with the movie is that it just was not Paced well, not written well, and I don't even know what I'm talking about. That's a last year movie, but all I'm saying is that elemental was a breath of fresh air on a not so impressive Disney lineup for the last couple years. A lot more more misses than hits, so it was nice to have a hit finally. And then I would say Nemona was not as good, but but still very good. You know it's a, it's a.
Speaker 1:I think my complaints with that one would be a lot of like the very overdone humor, like the awkward, you know stuff like that and it's just like okay, like that's was outdated, like a decade ago, and we're still doing it. So come on like let's, let's be a little more original. But I think the story was very touching. Animation style was interesting not my favorite, but it wasn't bad either. But yeah, it's just, it was good, you know. But you know I'm probably won't be, you know, jumping at the bit to rewatch it the way I would. Spider-man across the spider verse, or maybe even elemental. But even that one is, like I said, all right moving on. And then so excited to see boy in the hair and, but robot dreams never even heard of that one until it got nominated so and don't know where to find it. So we'll see that. I feel like that's going to be a hard one to find.
Speaker 1:Haven't seen any of these, but I'll list them off. Best animated short film we have letter to a pig 90, 95 senses our uniform, pachyderm or just, I guess just Pachyderm this is the way it's spelled makes me want to pronounce it that way. And then War is Over. Exclamation point inspired by the music of John and Yoko. Yeah, haven't seen any of those, so can't really comment on them.
Speaker 1:Live action short film Invincible Red, white and Blue. I think this is good fortune and it only has, like, the untranslated version. Something happened on here. It wasn't like that before, but the After and the Wonderful World of Henry Sugar. My favorite of those was the Wonderful World of Henry Sugar, but I've only seen one other one, which was the After, which was very, very good, but it was just so heavy that, like it's one of those like oh, I saw it and I don't really ever want to watch it again. You know, it was just very heavy, but it was so well done though, and like, honestly, like David Oyoella's performance was so good and you know it's like man, I wish he could get an Oscar nom for the short, but you know he was so good and that it was so like heartbreaking and touching at the end. You know it's the journey that this character goes on and but yeah, it was good, but I just loved the Wonderful World of Henry Sugar so much. I've already like rewatched it. I just love I mean, I love Wes Anderson. I would love to see him win an Oscar for this. Finally, you know, I know like his movies have won them, but he hasn't won an Oscar and it was just so like like it's just such a fun environment to be in. Like you just want to like I don't know, and it was just like it was so interesting, like the style of it and something like very different than anything else he's done before, but but still like feels like him. You know what I mean. But yeah, that's the one I hope wins, but the after was really good and wouldn't be upset if it does win.
Speaker 1:Next we have a documentary short film. We have Island in Between, nainai or Nene, and Waipo ABC's of book banning, the barber of Little Rock and the last repair shop. So I've seen two of these Seen the last repair shop and the ABC's of book banning, and that's the one I would pick as my favorite of the two. Super interesting. It's like it's crazy to me to like see these like sections at Barnes and Noble of like banned books, because they're banned at like school districts and stuff like that, and then they tell you the difference between a book that's banned, restricted, or was the third option, contested maybe, I don't know, but or yeah, just like ones that have been like petitioned against, you know, or like people have like brought up a complaint about it but it didn't go further than that and then restricted they're at the library but you have to have parental consent to check it out and then banned. Just you know that school district or that school kept it out of their library, but it's all.
Speaker 1:It was always crazy to me to see, like, which books were on these lists and stuff like that and it's you know, and it was just very powerful to see this documentary that had it starts off and it starts, its book ended, book ended with this 100 year old woman who goes to the town hall meeting to like give her piece about, you know whether or not books should be banned, and she's like very against them being banned. She says my husband died in World War two for the, you know, to fight for the freedom to, you know, uphold the Constitution, freedom of speech and all that stuff, all these things that you guys are trying to censor. And you're doing exactly what Adolf Hitler did, like that's what he was doing. He was burning books, banning books, like all this stuff. And it's like you know she's just bringing up the hypocrisy of this, it's like you're just doing what he did. And but it's not just. You know, you're not just hearing from her, you're also hearing from the children that are the ones that are get, that actually get affected by this, and it was really powerful to see these kids that are like the age appropriate for whatever book they're being like restricted from and they just put it in such like simple terms of like, hey, like you know, this isn't that big of a deal. So why, you know I don't understand why you know they are keeping this from us, but, yeah, it was really well done. Last repair shop was good. I think it like definitely builds, because you're hearing multiple stories from multiple employees and I think the more powerful stories are towards the end, but that one was really good.
Speaker 1:Haven't seen any of the best international film feature films, but we have Yo Capitano, perfect Days, society of the Snow, the Teacher's Lounge and the Zone of Interest. But so, yeah, that's. Those are the nominees. I may or may not do post an update closer to the awards show. I don't want to promise anything one way or the other, but I plan on trying to see as many more of these as I can, if not all of them, then at least the best picture nominees. So even if I got to pay a 20 bucks to watch it on Apple TV, I don't want to, but I will. So there you go. I hope you guys enjoyed the episode. I know I got a little rambly, but hey, that's what happens. And thank you guys for watching, listening and see you next week. Thanks Bye.
