2017 Oscars: Personal Nominations

If I was all the Academy voters, what would my favorite categories look like?  I’m sure inquiring minds are dying to know (that I’m an incurable nerd, evidently, by my choices.)

Best Picture – Last year, I kept it mostly with movies that could at least be construed as Oscar-type films, but now, I’m just going for it.  Three of what I thought were the best films I saw this year were genre pictures, and I’m putting them all in here!

Arrival

Captain America:  Civil War – This film has such a huge task to fulfill, and it executes it amazingly, juggling its enormous cast with aplomb and balancing a really compelling story amid the insane action.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – I loved this movie so much.  Not sure if it would get the hypothetical win in any of my hypothetical categories, but it definitely deserves to be here.

Florence Foster Jenkins – This one really surprised me, but here we are.

Hell or High Water

Hidden Figures

Lion

Moonlight

Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story – I can’t believe my initial review of this film was anything less than glowing.  For me, it’s the gift that keeps on giving and such a valuable addition to the Star Wars canon.

Zootopia – Smart, savvy, fantastically creative, and ludicrously sophisticated.  Yes.

Best Leading Actor – A lot of changes here, even though the majority of my nominations are from this year’s Best Picture nominees.  (And then there’s Eddie Redmayne – Newt needs to be here, and no one can convince me otherwise.)

Hugh Grant (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Dev Patel (Lion) – If you read my post yesterday, you knew this one was coming.

Eddie Redmayne (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) – All my love to Newt; a gorgeous character, and it’s nice to have Redmayne lending his talents to a role I can love unreservedly.

Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight) – I thought about doing a shared nomination thing, here and with Lion, but in the end, I picked one actor each, and Rhodes’s performance as the adult Chiron is beautifully heartbreaking.

Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Leading Actress – I’d have liked to keep Ruth Negga in Loving, but this was a pretty packed category for me, and I didn’t have the room.

Amy Adams (Arrival)

Viola Davis (Fences) – Where she rightfully belongs.

Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures) – Had to spread the Hidden Figures love around.

Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Best Supporting Actor – The most genre-y of my acting categories.  I’m okay with it.

Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)

Chadwick Boseman (Captain America:  Civil War) – Yeah, I said it.  Is it 2018 yet?  Black Panther can’t get here soon enough.

Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)

Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins) – And the Florence Foster Jenkins love, surprisingly, keeps on coming, but it’s true.

Donnie Yen (Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story) – This might be a bit of a cheat.  In a way, Yen is my stand-in for the whole awesome Rogue One ensemble, but Chirrut forever, so he’s the one to make the cut.

Best Supporting Actress – Only one holdover here, even though I did genuinely love all the nominees I saw (in my defense, Viola Davis got upgraded to Leading rather than removed.)

Greta Gerwig (20^th Century Women)

Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters) – I feel absolutely secure in this choice.

Janelle Monáe (Hidden Figures) – All the Hidden Figures ladies need a little love, in my opinion.

Lupia Nyong’o (Queen of Katwe) – Yes, this movie is pretty live-action Disney, but Nyong’o is sublime in it.

Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures)

Best Direction – This is the one category where I debated leaving La La Land in.  I thought about it, and the directing is probably my favorite about the movie, but in the end, it just got crowded out.

20^th Century Women – I thought this film was really interestingly done all around, and the direction was a major part of that.

Arrival

Captain America:  Civil War – Again, pulling off its incredibly tall order was a major achievement for this film, and the Russo brothers deserve a lot of credit for that.

Lion

Moonlight

Best Original Screenplay – Okay, so I have, not one, but two animated films in here, and I don’t even think it was a very tough choice.  Speaks both to the quality of those animated films’ storytelling and how tough it can sometimes be to find an original story in Hollywood.

Captain Fantastic

Hell or High Water

Kubo and the Two Strings – That monkey made me cry.  What more do I need to say?

The Lobster

Zootopia – One of the most creative films of the year, hands down.

Best Adapted Screenplay – Another genre-heavy category, but I fully stand by it.

Arrival

Captain America:  Civil War – Yeah, the writers deserve a ton of credit as well for this film being amazing instead of the overstuffed, disjointed mess it so easily could have been.

Lion

Moonlight – It still seems a little weird for this to be an adapted screenplay, but it’s how the Academy ruled it, so I’m sticking with that.

Rogue One:  A Star Wars Story – This is my solace for not nominating more of the actors, because really, I love these characters as scripted and as performed, and I think the story is so great.

Best Cinematography – Probably my weakest category, if I’m being honest.  Unless the cinematography is truly wonderful (hello, Emmanuel Lubezki!), I don’t necessarily notice it if I’m not specifically looking for it.

Arrival

Jackie

Lion

Loving

Moonlight

News Satire Roundup: February 19th-February 23rd

Sunday, February 19 – In what I imagine will be a regular feature, the first part of the show was a Trump recap, covering the rally and #LastNightInSweden, the unhinged press conference , and a nod for the stories that aren’t getting covered in depth (such as the assassination of Kim Jong-un’s half-brother) because of Trump’s constant onslaught of disasters.  Vladimir Putin was the subject of the main story, looking at the idea of what Trump’s repeatedly-expressed wish for the U.S. to “get along better” with Russia might actually entail.  It was interesting to see footage of how seriously some Russian citizens take the ridiculous Putin photo ops, the list of “coincidentally” deceased/discredited/jailed opponents was chilling, and I loved John’s horror at what sort of “monster” works out in a $3000 track suit.  I enjoyed the show’s parody of the Putin-themed pop number at the end, but it wasn’t half as crazy as the real thing.

Monday, February 20 – The Daily Show is doing clip shows this week, each night covering a different post-election subject.  Tonight was the end of the Obama era, bidding farewell to the 44^th president (and sanity in the White House.)  For the most part, it was fairly lengthy clips, showing several large chunks of a handful of stories (McConnell’s mission to destroy Obamacare, baby-proofing the White House before the arrival of President Trump, silly commentator amazement over vacation Obama’s backwards baseball hat, OMG!, etc.)  I like that approach better than just flitting from punchline to punchline.  The episode also included clips from different interviews that touched on Obama and his legacy – though I was surprised there wasn’t anything from Trevor’s interview with Obama himself – and they reaired the entire Key & Peele bit with Obama and Luthor one last time (see what I did there?)

Tuesday, February 21 – The theme here was “The Celebrity Appresident,” seemingly a Trump catch-all.  His time as president-elect is mostly what’s covered here, along with a little “bonus” Kellyanne Conway (I enjoyed the repeats of Trevor’s breakdown of the “alternative facts” moment and Michelle’s piece on Conway’s bag of tricks.)  I suppose because Trump is a nonstop source of satire-worthy material, this episode pulled from a lot more stories and it was more of a canter through punchlines, with a few longer clips here and there.  No surprise, there were tweets galore, ludicrous press conferences (sigh – remember the days when loading up a table with blank manila folders was a trainwreck of a Trump press conference? that’d be tame now,) hints of Russian shadiness, attacks on the media, and a heap of general unpleasantness.  It’s exhausting to get all of it smashed into one half-hour.

Wednesday, February 22 – Here we got Trump’s inauguration (plus the buildup/aftermath.)  More like Monday’s show, with more time spent on fewer stories, which is definitely the way to go.  Trevor’s impression of Trump telling the “story” of his inauguration like he’s reading a fairy tale to a bunch of CIA agents kills me, and Lewis’s glee at the many celebrities who turned down their invites is still great.  It was encouraging to see the footage of the Women’s March again, and they showed quite a bit of Jordan and Desi’s tag-team report covering both the inauguration and the march.  I have to say, though, while they got in some good crowd-size jokes, I was really surprised they didn’t include anything from Trevor’s riff equating Trump’s crowd size with his manhood; they may have been dick jokes, but I thought they were all excellently-made dick jokes, and I was expecting to see them again.

Thursday, February 23 – Basically, President Trump so far.  Even though the episode mostly took the “fewer stories, longer clips” approach, it still seemed exhausting to watch; Trevor was spot-on when he said that every day with Trump as president seems more like a year.  A few blasts from the past, including Sally Yates and Michael Flynn actually being National Security Advisor, and the show revisited Steve Bannon as the shadowy overlord behind the scenes.  Seeing it a second time, I’m still impressed with the show’s coverage of the travel ban.  Trevor laying out the illogic of the seven countries was excellent (particularly in light of how the administration has been calling out 9/11 and San Bernardino as examples,) and I loved Hasan taking all the Republicans who’d assured him that “a Muslim ban is something that could never really happen” to task.  One month down – 47 more to go!

2017 Oscar Picks

As with last year, these are picks, not predictions – the films/people I’d like to see win rather than the ones who may be likely to win.  So, since I have no great love for La La Land, what I’m saying is, this post will not constitute an airtight Oscar ballot.  Covering my nine favorite categories here.

Best Picture:  Lion – I’ll be sad if this film takes home nothing on Oscar night, even though I’d say that’s more than likely, because it remains my absolute favorite of the nominees.  There are others I like, admire, and love, but this one wows me, absolutely.  So gorgeously made, with heartfelt emotions and an amazing story.

Best Leading Actor:  Denzel Washington (Fences) – While the three performances I saw are obviously all very good, there isn’t a clear standout for me.  I went with Washington because I really enjoy how he plays a man who spends his life “performing” his personality to those around him.  (I didn’t see Casey Affleck in Manchester by the Sea or Andrew Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge.)

Best Leading Actress:  Natalie Portman (Jackie) – It was between Portman and, surprisingly for me, Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins, but in the end, I thought Portman had the clear edge.  She has some really meaty moments here and carries them off beautifully.  (I didn’t see Isabelle Hupert in Elle.)

Best Supporting Actor:  Dev Patel (Lion) – This was a tough one, because Mahershala Ali is great, too; if Patel had been up for Leading Actor, I would’ve gladly picked him there and gone with Ali here.  But I couldn’t not pick Patel.  Lion just knocked me out, and his superb, emotional performance is a big part of that.  (I didn’t see Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea.)

Best Supporting Actress:  Viola Davis (Fences) – Another one that I think would have been better placed in the Leading category, which makes it a little unfair to the actresses who are in supporting roles.  Still, of what we have, it’s no contest for Davis.  She’s sublime, and her big speech to Troy (you know the one) is just incredible.  (I didn’t see Michelle Williams in Manchester by the Sea.)

Best Directing:  Arrival – Yes, yes, yes.  Visually inventive, making Louise’s first contact such a sensory experience for us the viewers.  The heptopods, their language, their ship, and everything about them feels so real and well-thought-out.  The other films I saw were really well-directed, but Arrival is a slam-dunk for me.  (I didn’t see Manchester by the Sea or Hacksaw Ridge.)

Best Original Screenplay:  Hell or High Water – I didn’t have a clear favorite here; I just knew that I didn’t think La La Land was up to snuff.  But while The Lobster and 20^th Century Women are both excellently-written films, I think Hell or High Water is probably the most consistent of the bunch.  (I didn’t see Manchester by the Sea.)

Best Adapted Screenplay:  Lion – Super unfair category here, because I unreservedly love pretty much every one.  Ultimately, though, I had to give it to Lion – this story just tears at my heart, and it’s so beautifully realized onscreen.  (I saw all five nominees here.)

Best Cinematography:  Lion – Sensing a theme?  I debated for quite a while about Arrival, because that one’s pretty spectacular too, but Lion has a few sequences that pull me so much more deeply into the story on the strength of its cinematography, especially young Saroo arriving at the train station and adult Saroo “walking” his familiar streets in his mind.

Relationship Spotlight: Sam Wilson & Capt. Steve Rogers (The Avengers)

Yes, I know Sam is military, too, but I’m not sure what his rank is, so he doesn’t get a title (sorry, Sam!)  I’m also aware that this is about the 4,000^th Relationship Spotlight I’ve done on a Marvel hero and their nonpowered close friend.  Really, though, as long as the MCU keeps giving them to me, I’m going to keep loving them.

Cap and Sam have their friendship version of a meet-cute in The Winter Soldier, where both guys are out on the National Mall for an early-morning run and Steve laps Sam repeatedly, much to Sam’s chagrin.  It’s a funny bit, with Steve just doing his thing and Sam reaching increasing levels of “come on!” as Steve keeps passing him.  Immediately afterwards, though, they introduce themselves and start discussing their respective military experiences.  Sam is quick to pick up on Steve’s struggles readjusting to the world after being on ice, and he invites Steve to stop by the VA hospital where he works.  His ostensible reasons are 1) everyone there would love to see Steve, and 2) it would score Sam major points, but a more serious reason is unspoken but evident:  it can be hard coming home, and everyone deserves some help on that front.

I really like this aspect of their friendship.  At this point in the franchise, Steve is feeling pretty isolated.  Virtually everyone from his time is dead or dying, and he’s having difficulty connecting with people because they can’t relate to his experiences.  Now, Sam is from a different time and fought in a different war.  He was never given superpowers, and he was certainly never frozen for 70 years.  But on an emotional, psychological level, war is much the same no matter what the era, and there, at least, Sam can understand some of what Steve’s going through.  It’s good for Steve to have a friend who doesn’t necessarily expect him to be okay, someone who offers support and a friendly ear.

On Steve’s side, I like that he meets Sam, finds him to be a standup guy, befriends him, and approaches him as an ally all in a very short span of time.  Someone as famous as Steve is bound to have short encounters with strangers all the time, and I’m guessing Sam doesn’t expect him to actually drop by the VA, but that’s just what Steve does.  It’s a nice demonstration both of Steve’s judge of character and of the way he shows people his estimation of them.  Later in the movie, when Steve and Natasha are on the run and there’s seemingly no one to trust, Steve turns to Sam, sure that he can be relied on.

With Steve and Sam, the military dynamic is definitely there, and although Sam has no official Avenger affiliation until Age of Ultron and thus isn’t beholden to Steve in any formal way, he still approaches Steve as both a friend and a commanding officer.  When they undertake something together, Sam gives his input, but usually in more of a “this is what I think, but I’m with you either way” sense.  He frequently defers to Steve and is incredibly loyal to him, risking physical injury as well as incarceration on Steve’s behalf (anyone who complains that Cap is a perfect boy scout should wonder why he’s so often on the wrong side of authority.)  Steve doesn’t ask for this and in fact repeatedly checks in with Sam and offers him outs when Steve is planning a big move; Steve takes on a lot of responsibility for the welfare of the people who follow him and never wants them doing anything they’re not comfortable with.  However, the fact that Sam is so all in with Steve, despite Steve’s tendency to get them both into trouble, is a testament to Steve’s power as a leader.  Following him isn’t easy, but those who do never regret it.

Nocturnal Animals (2016, R)

This is the last Oscar film I’ll likely have a chance to see/review before the ceremony on Sunday, with Michael Shannon scoring a Supporting Actor nomination.  I have vague memories of Nocturnal Animals being in theaters, enough to know that Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal were in it and that it was pretty dark, but it wasn’t until I learned it was written and directed by Tom Ford (of the exquisite A Single Man) that I really became interested in seeing it.

Susan, an art gallery owner with an air of sophistication and an appearance of “having it all” that belies her true situation, is blindsided when her ex-husband sends her the manuscript for a novel he’s written.  The book’s title is an echo of a description he used to make of her, her name alone adorns the dedication page, and the dark plot resonates with her deeply.  She recognizes him in the main character, and the female lead, if not precisely her, is certainly his image of her, and as the characters get caught up in a story of brutality, violation, and revenge, Susan is drawn deeper and deeper into it.

I’ll cop to being disappointed.  It might be unfair to compare Nocturnal Animals to A Single Man, but I can’t help it, and it doesn’t measure up.  While the direction here is undeniably very beautiful and there are some singularly-arresting shots, it doesn’t stand out nearly as much as the incredibly thoughtful, stunning visuals on display in Ford’s debut.  Similarly, the writing doesn’t particularly impress.  Part of this is because, in my opinion, A Single Man had much better source material than Nocturnal Animals seems to have had, but it’s more than just that.  The film feels slow rather than deliberate, and I can’t get an exact bead on the emotions the film is looking to evoke. 

Most of all, though, I can’t really get behind the depiction of ex-husband Edward’s book.  Conveying a made-up “great novel” in a movie is always tough, and while I get that Susan is drawn in largely by the similarities she finds between herself/Edward and the characters, I don’t have that same connection, and the story itself isn’t enough to make me think Edward has a winner here.  (Some voiceover prose might have helped?  Risky, since it’s always at least a bit presumptuous for a writer to invent lines that we’re expressly told are “beautifully written,” but the book scenes might have needed it – as is, they mostly leave me cold.)

A lot of familiar faces here turning in good work.  The aforementioned Michael Shannon appears in the book scenes as a determined police officer, as does Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Quicksilver!) as a menacing redneck.  Amy Adams does a nice job of showing us both present-day Susan and the one in flashbacks of her and Edward’s time together, giving us marked differences and yet still leaving enough hints as to how one grew into the another.  Jake Gyllenhaal does double duty as Edward in flashbacks and the main character in the book, while casting Isla Fisher as the book version of Susan’s character makes for an absolutely uncanny visual.  The film also features brief appearances by Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough (who I still remember best from The Devil’s Whore,) and Michael Sheen.

Warnings

Violence (including rape,) language, nudity, drinking/smoking, and strong thematic elements.

Captain Fantastic (2016, R)

I’m glad Viggo Mortensen got a Best Actor nomination for this film, so I could learn of its existence.  It’s wonderfully fascinating, populated by intriguing characters whose unique world is so unlike that of pretty much anyone likely to be watching this movie.  I was really taken with it as a whole.

Ben and his wife have been raising their six children in isolation in the woods.  There, they’ve learned everything from survival skills (hunting, fighting, climbing, lighting a fire) to self-sufficiency (making many of their own clothes/shelters/tools) to philosophy, government, and literature.  However, Ben’s wife has been away for several months, in a mental health facility back in civilization, and Ben has just received word that she’s died.  Determined to attend her funeral and make sure her final wishes are brought to bear, Ben and the children venture into the “real world,” where the kids are overwhelmed by everything they encounter there.

The family and their wilderness home is so superbly realized.  I love every detail of it:  their hodgepodge clothes, their hair adorned with flowers and feathers, the daily “training” they undergo, the odd mix of strict regiment and utter freedom in their lives, the kids’ frank questions and Ben’s uncensored answers.  Even though I’ve never met anyone who was raised as these children are, somehow their characterization feels just right.  Somewhere between scholars, hippies, soldiers, tribesmen, and revolutionaries.  Unhindered and yet rather hobbled by the incredibly-specific view of the world they’ve been taught.  Smart and strong and fearless but without a hint of disguise in their emotions.  In only two hours, the film creates an entirely-convincing family unit, immersing the viewer in the life they’ve led.  When they make the trip into society – in their eyes, full of so much bewilderment, temptation, and danger – things get really engrossing.

Viggo Mortensen leads the young brood as the fierce, single-minded Ben.  Because he’s so intrinsically tied to the upbringing the kids have had, he becomes instantly complex – the children’s lives are brutal and limiting, but they’re stunning and luminous, too, and so Ben himself is both extraordinary and terrible.  A couple familiar faces among the kids.  George MacKay, who played Joe in the excellent Pride, is the oldest son Bodevan.  I knew I recognized Annalise Basso as daughter Vespyr, and it turns out she had a guest spot on Nikita playing a girl who also received intense, isolating “training” at a young age.  I don’t know any of the other young actors, but every last one of them is great.  And over in civilization, we have appearances from Frank Langella, Steve Zahn, and Missi Pyle.

Warnings

Language, sexual references and brief nudity, violence, drinking, and thematic elements.

Favorite Characters: Ian Chesterton (Doctor Who)

I’ve already written about Barbara, and she’s hardcore amazing on her own, but you really can’t have one without the other, and I thought Ian needed some love as well.  While I’m not sure if, like Barbara, he’d make my classic Who companion Top Five, but I’m almost positive he’s in my overall companion Top Ten.  Let’s hear it for the science teacher!  (A few Ian-related spoilers.)

Again, as with Barbara (I promise I’ll stop with the comparisons soon,) one thing I really love about Ian is how blame teacher-y he is.  It’s so great to watch him with Susan, explaining things to her and appreciating her love of learning.  I also enjoy the way the One-era serials always tend to start out with just some general exploration; Ian is really in his element studying alien flora and speculating what sort of planet they’ve landed on.  Not to mention, you can see that, although he’s always intrigued to learn something new, he gets just the slightest bit on the defensive when the Doctor starts talking over his head with the sci-fi babble.  Hee!

As I’ve said before, the Doctor doesn’t actually invite Ian and Barbara aboard the TARDIS but instead abducts them after they stumble upon it, and so Ian doesn’t come into his adventures with a “companion mindset.”  At first, his main focus is just on keeping himself, Barbara, and Susan (and, since he’s their only hope of getting home, the Doctor) safe in whatever unwelcoming environment the TARDIS takes them to.  He shows off a surprisingly-effective set of survival skills and demonstrates a lot of courage and determination, taking on wild foes he never could have dreamed of.

But as time goes on, Ian really gets into the spirit of things (as do the others,) which is a fun aspect of the One years.  Especially with the historicals, there’s enough space to feel our heroes getting acquainted with the culture of whatever time/place they’re in, complete with the local clothing, customs, and cuisine (not that there’s never an element of “(20^th-century) England Knows Best,” but I appreciate that they don’t just stand on the outside looking in.)  In particular for Ian, that seems to mean learning a lot of local fighting styles.

Yep, Ian is way more badass than any science teacher I ever had, and yet he doesn’t generally carry himself like a tough guy or otherwise-formidable guy.  It’s an aura he only pulls out when he needs to – when he and/or the others are in danger and he’s trying not to look like easy pickings – but the skills are always at the ready.  Whether he’s facing opponents in the Aztec empire, alongside Marco Polo, or during the French Revolution, Ian knows how to throw down and often holds his own.  It’s a surprising characterization, because the knit sweaters and overall unassuming nature might lead viewers to see him only within the context of a much narrower archetype, but there’s a lot more to him than that.

While he and the Doctor clash over ideas early on (again, abduction, so it’s understandable,) I like the power dynamic they settle into, wherein each respects the other for the specific assets he brings to team TARDIS.  Just as Ian recognizes that the Doctor is capable of being more than self-serving and curmudgeonly, the Doctor that learn Ian is no mere primitive being who doesn’t know what he’s doing.  Over time, they learn to share their leadership role rather than quarrel over it, which is cool to see.