Box Office Films

#101      
Saw Knives Out. VVG film. Had pretty high expectations. It exceeded them. Closing track of the Stones Sweet Virginia was the perfect capper for me.

just saw it last night. Didn’t realize it had been out so long already. That’s what happens when it’s basketball season and you’re coaching l guess. It was great. I was tired though because we saw it at 1030pm and I couldn’t stay ahead and make my predictions the way I normally like to do in movies like that. So I kinda just watched it without thinking about it. Rather refreshing honestly.
 
#102      
Went to see 1917 yesterday. Definitely one of the best war movies I've ever seen. The performances by the two main actors in the film is great and I'd be shocked if it didn't get nominated if not win for best cinematography at the Oscars based on how they shot the film.
I saw it today and the cinematography was excellent! Roger Deakins is a master and I seek out films for his work alone. It shamefully took 15 nominations to win his first Academy award for Bladerunner 2049.

Another poster mentioned a similarity to Dunkirk, which I somewhat agree with, the exception being that I have no desire to see Dunkirk a 2nd time but will likely watch 1917 again. The depictions of the WW1 No Mans Land struck me as very realistic compared to several written accounts and photos I've read/seen, very harrowing.
 
#103      

Ransom Stoddard

Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
It was a film I've seen a dozen times before, three of which were already directed by Scorsese (Mean Streets, Casino, Goodfellas). On top of that, Scorsese's heavy use of digital age-reversing for most of its characters seemed quite hypocritical of him given his recent critical commentary on modern cinema. His last film, Silence, was nearly a three hour run time, but had much better pacing and felt like it was a story worth telling.
This is spot on. I felt like I was watching a Scorsese mix-tape. His visual storytelling is still fantastic, but he's telling a story we've seen several times now.

FWIW, I felt the same way about the last 2 Avengers movies as well--they were basically "Greatest Hits" movies. Nothing new, but get the gang back together to fight the big bad.
 
#105      
Well Ian, you have a feel for how any of the awards will go at the Oscars tomorrow night?

I feel like they are going to spread the love this year. Winners listed first with runners-up in parentheses.

-Best Picture: Parasite (1917)
-Best Director: Sam Mendes (Quentin Tarantino)
-Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan (Renee Zellweger)
-Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix (Adam Driver)
-Best Supporting Actress: Laura Dern (Scarlett Johannson)
-Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt (Joe Pesci)
-Best Adapted Screenplay: Jojo Rabbit (Little Women)
-Best Original Screenplay: Parasite (Knives Out)
-Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 4 (I Lost My Body)
-Best Documentary Feature: American Factory (The Edge of Democracy)
-Best International Feature Film: Pain and Glory (Les Miserables)
-Best Original Score: 1917 (Little Women)
-Best Original Song: (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again, Rocketman (Into the Unknown, Frozen II)
-Best Cinematography: 1917 (The Lighthouse)
-Best Costume Design: Little Women (Jojo Rabbit)
-Best Film Editing: Parasite (Ford v Ferrari)
-Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Joker (Judy)
-Best Production Design: Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood (1917)
-Best Sound Editing: 1917 (Ford v Ferrari)
-Best Sound Mixing: 1917 (Ford v Ferrari)
-Best Visual Effects: 1917 (Avengers: Endgame)
-Best Short Film: Hair Love
-Best Short Film, Documentary: "Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)"
-Best Short Film, Live Action: The Neighbors' Window

Relatedly, my favorite films of the year were Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, and Knives Out. Of the nominated films, my least favorite was Joker.
 
#106      
Belated edit: My least favorite was The Irishman.

I also thoroughly enjoyed Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood, Marriage Story (though it is a gut-punch of a film), and Little Women (Greta Gerwig was robbed of a Best Director nomination).

My only thought I will provide on 1917 is that when people look back on the film, it will not be because of its script, story, or acting performances, but rather the mastery of its surrounding creation.
 
#118      
So there's more to the story behind Eminem's surprise appearance tonight (per Variety):

His appearance was a tightly kept secret: Sources say the Dolby Theater was put on lockdown during rehearsals (which must have been extensive, as he was accompanied by a large band and a string section), and that if the news of his appearance leaked to the media, he had the option to cancel.

He wanted to do an uncensored version of Lose Yourself for the 2003 ceremony but the Academy wouldn't let him so he refused to participate.
 
#121      
And if I'm not mistaken, I think The Irishman got completely shut out. For how much publicity there was around that film, it has to be a massive disappointment they didn't at least get one award.
 
#122      
Maybe Scorsese ticked a few people off with some of his recent criticisms????
 
#124      
Parasite completely deserved its wins. Very happy for Bong Joon Ho!
He has been putting out great movies his entire career. I've been a fan since The Host. Even though I enjoyed Parasite, Snow Piercer is still my favorite.
 
#125      
Giving this thread a late night bump.

Purchased a digital ticket to see Judd Apatow's latest The King of Staten Island. It has its unrealistic moments for a film that is a delayed coming-of-age film, but at it's core the message is about the long-term impact of grief and the importance of men figuring out how to genuinely communicate their emotions.

Warmed my heart.