2017 Academy Awards - Best Picture Rundown
Every Oscar season, along with a great group of girlfriends, I become obsessed with movies and try to get to every Best Picture film. This year was no different. I was able to watch all 9 films (most in the theaters, a couple at home on PPV). Here's a quick recap.
La La Land
My absolute favorite. This movie is definitely worth watching in the theater. However, if you do not care for musicals, you will NOT enjoy this movie. If you have a love of them, this movie is absolutely magical. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling Jr. were fabulous. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD so I can watch it over and over again. Oh and the music... we have the soundtrack on repeat at our house.
Moonlight
This won Best Picture. I did enjoy this movie, but I think it could have been shorter. There are a couple of slow periods during the film where I kept checking my watch.
Lion
I want to adopt the little Indian kid in this movie! This movie is definitely a tear jerker but at the same time so happy. My only beef about this movie is Oscar nominated movies which happen to take place in India always highlight the poverty. There is so much more to India than just poverty and it makes me sad they don't emphasize the culture and beauty of the country.
Manchester by the Sea
This might have been one of the saddest movies I have ever seen in my life. It's up there with Sophie's Choice. My friend and I were ugly crying in the movie theatre. I did not agree with Casey Affleck winning Best Actor for a couple of reasons, but mainly because I didn't think his role displayed a vast range of emotions.
Hacksaw Ridge
This one should definitely be watched in the theater, especially if you love violence, blood and guts. It's an inspiring movie about a soldier during WWII. Despite the violence, I really loved this movie. Andrew Garfield was amazing.
Fences
This movie was exhausting. There was so. much. dialogue. You had to really concentrate on this movie to understand what Denzel was saying. He absolutely deserved the Best Actor Oscar for this movie just for the sheer amount of lines he memorized for this movie, not to mention that he also simultaneously directed it. Viola Davis was incredible and she owned that Oscar!
Florence Foster Jenkins
I've got one word for you. Earplugs. Meryl Streep, as always, was wonderful in this movie but not for her singing. Oh my goodness, that was painful to listen to. This one is definitely a rental. It was probably my least favorite, but I'm always a sucker for Hugh Grant.
Hell or High Water
This is one of the movies I rented at home and surprisingly, really enjoyed. But then again I love bank heist movies. It's a modern Western of sorts. Jeff Bridges was unexpectedly funny and deserved an Oscar nod for this movie.
Arrival
I don't like Sci-Fi movies. Period. However, I did enjoy this one, but I don't think I understood the message. Amy Adams should have gotten a nomination for this movie. This one deserves a trip to the theatre.
