| hfelknor |
The wife and i have decided that we want to review the movies that have been nominated for best picture.
So far we have seen Aviator and Million Dollar Baby.
We plan to see Ray, Sideways and Neverland. (Johnny Dep is my favorite actor, tho I hate his politics and would not be upset if he went away and never made another movie in the US)
I guess a lot of people like Aviator.
It is a favorite for best pix and many are saying that Martin Scorsese will win best director.
Well if he does IMO, it will be to correct past years.
The main problem with Aviator (And I give the pix no more than 3 stars out of four.....and 2 1/2 if I think about it.....)is the directing. DiCaprio DOES do a good job of acting. The lady that does Kate Hepburn has the role wired. But the pace of the movie (A directoral objectiive) is all over the map. The story line is garbled. Granted that this movie is, by it's very nature (A partial bio of Howard Hughes), a very complex story.
I would give this movie a rating of 3 stars in a 4 star system.
Million Dollar Baby OTOH, is one of the great movies in the last several years.
Eastwood is great, as is Hillary Swank and Morgan Freeman (Who is ALWAYS good) does an outstanding job.
It may well be Eastwood's career Pinnacle as both an actor and as a director. I'll also grant that this is a tale that is mostly very strightforward with a very dark twist. But it is done to perfection IMO.
I would give this movie a rating of 4 stars in a 4 star system.
Can't hardly wait to see the rest.....
Homer |
|
|
| pcs15394 |
| I have not seen Aviator (not a huge DiCaprio fan) or Million Dollar Baby, but I have seen Ray. The Acting in the movie is great. Jamie Foxx seems to meld into Ray Charles and I hope he wins for Best Male lead actor. The movie is a little choppy, like maybe they cut out some parts that may have linked it all together. I suppose I should rent the DVD which has the missing footage. The Music is great, but I have always been a huge fan of Ray Charles' voice. The movie even made a fan out of my son, now whenever we get in the Murano he puts in the soundtrack. I would like to see Million Dollar Baby - Big Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman fan. I suppose Clint is a one of a kind Actor/Director/Composer. He directs the movies, acts in them and composes the theme music. I hope he wins for Director. |
|
|
| Trev |
| We saw Sideways last week and highly recommend it. It's refreshing not seeing the same old tired faces. Don't follow the awards much but I believe it has been nominated for a few. |
|
|
| hfelknor |
Rented RAY.
Very good movie.
Maybe Jamie Fox wins best actor.
He IS Ray Charles.
This is Ray's life up to about 1965.
Great soundtrack up to about "tell me what I say!"
Tomorrow off to see Sideways or Neverland, the last two big award winners this year.
I would give Ray 3 and 1/2 stars in a 4 star system.
Best movie so far is Million Dollar Baby.
Homer |
|
|
| hfelknor |
Guess no one is interested, but since I started this thread I guess I will keep it current.
Saw Finding Neverland.
Neverland is a good movie. Certainly not great and not in the class of the others rated so far.
Johnny Depp does a good job. Far short of some of his rolls. I get the impression that he just walked thriough this one. He was after all playing a more or less normal human being who was inspired and wrote Peter Pan. No Edward Scissorhands here!
The story was decent and the roles were all portrayed "OK". The children matched the requirement that they be cute.
The cinematography was OK and the one scene of "neverland" was appropriatly cool.
I would give it 2 and 1/2 stars on a rating system of 4 stars.
I see no major oscars here.
Homer |
|
|
| Trev |
Homer,
Go see Sideways and give us your opinion as you've seen the rest. We're going to see Million Dolar Baby, I always like Clint. |
|
|
| hfelknor |
Well, that goes to show how one mans junk is another man's treasure.
We hated Sideways.
We watched this movie for 1 hour and 15 minutes and got up and left the theater.
We had never done that before with any film.
A friend said that we must have left just as we got to the good part........
I have never heard so much superfluous dialog before.
We were way into it before I realized that more than likely the long soliloquies about various wines were actually some sort of discussion of the players.
When our intrepid alcoholic hero is talking to this girl, and she asks him why he likes Pinot grapes so much, he explains that they are shy and sensitive and only grow under certain conditions, etc, etc and I realize he is talking about himself........
Yikes.
No awards here from me.
Shouldn't even be mentioned in the same category as the others IMO.
Homer |
|
|
| hfelknor |
My Awards
I did not see every possible award recipient. We did not see movies like Hotel Rwanda, Closer and Vera Drake for instance. So, by necessity my Awards go to the movie, director and cast in the 5 Nominated movies for Best film, which we DID see.
Million Dollar Baby
Aviator
Ray
Finding Neverland
Sideways
Cinematography - Aviator
(The flying scenes while making the movie within the movie, and the crash scene was better IMO than the train wreck in the Fugutive)
Costume design - Ray
(All of it seemed authentic and the scenes of his childhood showed poverty. Real poverty.)
Best supporting actor - Morgan Freeman
In Million Dollar Baby
(Best thing he's done since the Shawshank redemption.)
Best supporting actress - Cate Blanchett
in Aviator
(She just NAILED a young Katherine Hepburn. I rember Kate from back in the 50s. Cate just NAILED it!)
Best Actor- Jamie Foxx in Ray
(Wow. Clint Eastwood did the best role of his career. Yes, even better than Unforgiven. But this WAS Ray Charles.
At least up to 1965. Hope they don't wait too long to make the sequel.)
Best Actress - Hillary Swank in Million Dollar Baby
(Didn't see ANY of her competition, but she played a MAGNIFICENT role.)
Best Director- Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
(This movie just flowed and after it was completly laid out for your inspection, it took a dark twisting turn. What a great treatment)
Best film - Million Dollar Baby
(I thought I was watching a boxing movie......for the first 30 minutes or so....... what a GREAT ensemble cast to bring us a wonderful story)
We certainly enjoyed going to the movies for the last few weeks.
Other people will see these films differently.
Homer |
|
|
|
