We are less than a week away from the big show and it is crunch time. I am pulling two movies a day even on a full work schedule, keeping up on Oscar news and trying to write blog posts whenever I find time. Forgive me if these reviews are a bit snappy and pay attention for a future blog post about the controversies surrounding this year’s Academy Awards. Today we are going to be talking about The Favourite, Roma, RBG, If Beale Street Could Talk, Blackkklansman, At Eternity’s Gate and The Wife.
The Favourite
Sadly, I have to admit, The Favourite, was from from my favorite film this year. (I am sure I am not the only one to make that pun this award season.) The film is about a Queen who is stuck in a love triangle between two female cousins: one who fakes her love to gain control of power and one who actually cares for the queen and for her country. The story is unique and extremely uncomfortable. There were some excruciating close ups(or face shots as my mother calls them) and the film seemed to wrap up before we ever had any resolution. I know this is what the director/writer intended, and I know all films are not going to be wrapped in a happy, sunshine-filled bow, but it really just left me feeling uncomfortable as hell for the rest of the day. Acting was superb in the film especially by Rachel Weisz and Olivia Coleman, both women deserved their nominees. Emma Stone was good, but her performance pales to Weisz’s. The film was also a visual stunner. Cinematography/Costume Design/Production Design should definitely go to this film. Will it win Film Editing, Screenplay, Director or Best Picture? Fat chance.
Roma
Roma surprised me. I had heard so many bad remarks about this film. While watching the first twenty minutes, I started to understand their reasoning. It was a very slow introduction and build. I even listened to my Aunt who warned me to have some snacks on me while watching, which was perfect advice. Right when the plot was introduced, though, I was engaged. The film is about a young, house-maid who finds out she is pregnant. She has to navigate pregnancy without her family, without the father and without a peaceful environment as her living location is in the middle of political turmoil. It was absolutely heartbreaking and I was in shambles by the end of the film. It is nominated for a lot of awards, but I do not think it will win anything but Best Foreign Language Film and possibly Best Director. I do, though, urge you all to push through the slow beginning because it is a very good film.
RBG
RBG was a good documentary that really shows an amazing life from a spectacular woman. Even if you do not believe in her politics, you can appreciate the hardships RBG has overcome to be on the Supreme Court. The love story between Ruth and her husband will also give you a new view of the tiny, rather quiet and almost stoic woman. It was a very good documentary that ALL people should see, but it still was not as good as Free Solo.
If Beale Street Could Talk
If Beale Street Could Talk was a heartbreaking love story about a woman who has only been in love with one man her entire life, who is now serving a sentence in prison for a crime he could not have possibly committed. It was a romantic film about young love, but also showed the injustice of our legal system towards black men. This film will not win any awards. Regina King was good, but there are plenty of other women who deserve this award more. The score was decent and the script was also decent. Sorry Beale Street, I enjoyed watching the film but you will not be holding that gold statue.
Blackkklansman
The film that DOES deserve to hold all of the golden statues this year is Blackkklansman. Holy shit, you guys, this film was so good! It is a true story about a black officer who became a member of the KKK. I am not going to say more because I want you all to go watch the film right this minute. Literally, stop reading this blog and go see the film……. did you watch it? Alright, we can carry on. I will be so disappointed if this film does not win Best Picture. Spike Lee has put out his best film yet, yes I said it. I even like it more than Do the Right Thing and 25th Hour. I need to know, right now, why Denzel Washington’s son did not get a nomination for Best actor. I also need to know how in the hell it is possible that this is Spike Lee’s FIRST Oscar nomination for Best Director. I can go on and on about why I love this film but I’ll leave it at this: If it does not win Best Picture I will boycott next year’s awards. (I won’t, but that’s how passionate I am!)
At Eternity's Gate
Not much to say about At Eternity’s Gate. I did not even finish the film, unfortunately. It is a film about Van Gogh, which has been done before and done better. Willem Dafoe was good, as he always is. But like every other year, he will not win. Can we please get him in better films? He is too good of an actor to only be in okay movies.
Now onto my last quick review. The Wife was an excellent film. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The film is about a man getting a Noble Peace Prize for books that were ghost written by his wife. It shows the complex story of a women who is torn between her love of writing in a world that was not ready for female authors and her duty as a wife/mother. It was very short, only an hour and forty minutes, and left me wanting more. Glen Close did a fantastic job, as did her real life daughter who played her mother at an earlier time in her life. Glen Close will finally get her first Oscar.
Where to watch these films.
I saw The Favourite at the Laemmle theatre. I RedBoxed At Eternities Gate and Blackkklansman, and saw RBG through Redbox on Demand. I saw Roma through Netflix, The Wife on Amazon and (don’t judge me) streamed If Beale Street Could Talk online.
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