I am always encouraging writers to watch movies & TV mindfully, to make every viewing experience a learning experience. This time of year we have a slew of great movies to help us elevate our own writing. Let's dig in!
After being a faithful devotee for decades, I had an Oscar burnout - maybe starting when Brokeback Mountain lost (and the dreadful Crash won), though I think I kept watching for a time. Anyhow, some years I checked in for the clothes if nothing else, then for a few years I wasn't interested in anything that was nominated unless it was the actors.
Last year was a glued watch as I've been a Cillian fan for ages - saw him in Batman and went home and rented a lot of early stuff. He still managed to amaze me in Peaky - I knew he could be sinister but not tough.
This year I'm interested in pretty much all the films to one extent or another. I've only seen Conclave. I'd read the book which went the other way in pretty much giving away the twist early on. I also found the book slow and clunky even though I'm a big fan of other Harris' books, An Officer and a Spy very much, since it's my era and a fabulous book, Pompeii, with all the fascinating and terrifying volcano info within a thriller, and the tricksy Fatherland. I think my view of the book colored my watching of Conclave. I loved Isabella Rossellini - such a subtle performance. I loved the cinematography and its use of color, or practically no color except red. I did find it interesting but was sort of surprised at the Oscar nomination.
I very much want to see A Complete Unknown, though the others highest on my list aren't up for Best Film: Nosferatu, Small Things Like These, and Queer.
Yves - Oscar burnout is a good way to describe it. I stopped being as interested when the Academy decided to nominate 10 films for Best Picture. Economically I understand it, it brings attention and revenue to more movies and artists. But it threw my usually very lucrative Oscar derby betting off! And the continued whiteness and lack of female director nominees is so grating.
Thanks for explaining how the twist of Conclave was handled in the book. That makes so much more sense! People have gone twist-mad and it's not working. Even worse in books and TV.
Nosferatu, Small Things Like These, and especially Queer are high on my list, too!
Emilia Perez was so bad I couldn’t believe it was nominated for 13 Oscars, I understand the real reason why, but still can’t comprehend it. The music was TERRIBLE, storyline was all over the place, it promised to carry such an important and meaningful idea, value annd cause, and it absolutely failed to deliver either. I usually make myself to watch the whole movie, good or bad, to make an objective opinion, but this time it felt like torture, I had to stop 30 before the end. They should’ve invented «Inclusion» award if they wanted to appease DEI climate, but to give it Best Movie??? It’s a spitting on a history of the Best Movie nominations and winners.
I haven't seen it so I can't comment. I am NOT a fan of mob/cartel/mafia movies (except The Godfather, which is on my Top Ten of all time) so haven't been in a rush!
After being a faithful devotee for decades, I had an Oscar burnout - maybe starting when Brokeback Mountain lost (and the dreadful Crash won), though I think I kept watching for a time. Anyhow, some years I checked in for the clothes if nothing else, then for a few years I wasn't interested in anything that was nominated unless it was the actors.
Last year was a glued watch as I've been a Cillian fan for ages - saw him in Batman and went home and rented a lot of early stuff. He still managed to amaze me in Peaky - I knew he could be sinister but not tough.
This year I'm interested in pretty much all the films to one extent or another. I've only seen Conclave. I'd read the book which went the other way in pretty much giving away the twist early on. I also found the book slow and clunky even though I'm a big fan of other Harris' books, An Officer and a Spy very much, since it's my era and a fabulous book, Pompeii, with all the fascinating and terrifying volcano info within a thriller, and the tricksy Fatherland. I think my view of the book colored my watching of Conclave. I loved Isabella Rossellini - such a subtle performance. I loved the cinematography and its use of color, or practically no color except red. I did find it interesting but was sort of surprised at the Oscar nomination.
I very much want to see A Complete Unknown, though the others highest on my list aren't up for Best Film: Nosferatu, Small Things Like These, and Queer.
Yves - Oscar burnout is a good way to describe it. I stopped being as interested when the Academy decided to nominate 10 films for Best Picture. Economically I understand it, it brings attention and revenue to more movies and artists. But it threw my usually very lucrative Oscar derby betting off! And the continued whiteness and lack of female director nominees is so grating.
Thanks for explaining how the twist of Conclave was handled in the book. That makes so much more sense! People have gone twist-mad and it's not working. Even worse in books and TV.
Nosferatu, Small Things Like These, and especially Queer are high on my list, too!
Emilia Perez was so bad I couldn’t believe it was nominated for 13 Oscars, I understand the real reason why, but still can’t comprehend it. The music was TERRIBLE, storyline was all over the place, it promised to carry such an important and meaningful idea, value annd cause, and it absolutely failed to deliver either. I usually make myself to watch the whole movie, good or bad, to make an objective opinion, but this time it felt like torture, I had to stop 30 before the end. They should’ve invented «Inclusion» award if they wanted to appease DEI climate, but to give it Best Movie??? It’s a spitting on a history of the Best Movie nominations and winners.
I haven't seen it so I can't comment. I am NOT a fan of mob/cartel/mafia movies (except The Godfather, which is on my Top Ten of all time) so haven't been in a rush!