Thanksgiving Break. Screener Madness. What's Left?
Tuesday, November 25, 2014 at 9:04AM 
1/2 my screener stack. The ones that are coming with me for the holiday. Just in case. What do you still have to cram in before your film year is done? I imagine a lot given the Christmas release dates, damn these last-minute movies, amirite? This Thanksgiving, I am very thankful for screenings and screeners. I couldn't keep up without them given the writing and interviewing and blog prep and awards coverage necessary in December and January.
SCREENER SUGGESTIONS
Over at the Gurus of Gold, David Poland asked us to name three screeners we'd suggest that Academy / SAG / etcetera voters watch over the holiday break. The collective results aren't up yet but I went with:
- Pride because it might end up topping the list of 'best movies of 2014 that people didn't watch or even hear about'
- Nightcrawler because Jake Gyllenhaal did better work than some of the alleged frontrunners and I've been surprised to realize how few AMPAS voters have seen it from the anecdotal evidence I've collected at luncheons & parties. (Six more luncheons/dinners/parties to get through next week before they're not allowed to throw them anymore once voting begins)
- Ida -Speaking of Jake. He showed up at his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal & Peter Sarsgard's FYC screening of the Polish hit I attended last week. I only included this one (which isn't exactly an underdog in its category) because I think Oscar voters should be thinking of it in other categories, too.
How would you have answered that question?
OSCAR BAIT MOVIES YOURS TRULY HAS LEFT SO SEE
- Unbroken
- American Sniper
- The Homesman
Otherwise I will try to rewatch a few that feel way fuzzy in memory (Grand Budapest for sure) and try to catch up with a handful or two of key films I missed this year before handing out the film bitch awards, like this sample pack...
- Archaelogy of a Woman
- Blue Ruin
- Calvary
- Fury
- A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
- Only Lovers Left Alive
- Skeleton Twins
I'm heading to Vermont for a "Friendsgiving" starting tonight but some posting will still be headed your way this week. What are your big plans this week?
Next up today: The Spirit Award Nominations
Reader Comments (21)
Aside from end-of-year releases, I've seen most of what I want to see for the year. It's an amazing feeling. I may squeeze in some more foreign films before Dec 31-- Borgman, Bethlehem, and if I can stand it, Norte End of History.
I'd suggest the Academy view: Under the Skin (for cinematography, direction, and ScarJo), Le Week-End (Lindsay Duncan), and Snowpiercer (Production Design and Tilda). I'd encourage TFE types to see Stranger by the Lake, Gabrielle, Land Ho!, Blue Ruin, and In Bloom if they haven't seen them.
I feel like "unbroken" doesn't even need to be released. the publicity is enough for the voters.
I'm very curious about American Sniper.
Is Filth eligible? If so I'd sugest that. James McAvoy's performance is brilliant.
Blue Ruin and Only lovers Left Alive are looking like strong Top 10 contenders for me. How have you resisted Tilda this long Nathaniel?
DrG -- i dont even remember why i resisted it. I think i heard it described as "languid" and I have such issues with so many bloated long movies lately -- this year has just been terrible for that -- that I got nervous and then it just got less convenient to see it.
Do see Only Lovers Left Alive - that's definitely one of my faves from this year.
I wish Blue Ruin had opened theatrically up here, and I'm praying that The Babadook comes - they're on my wish list.
I have so many 2014 releases still to see. I'm way behind. Waaaaay behind.
Tilda in Only Lovers Left Alive <3
From an Oscars standpoint I'd definitely recommend watching or rewatching Nightcrawler, Snowpiercer, and perhaps Grand Budapest Hotel (I haven't seen Pride yet - though I very much want to).
From a simple enjoyment standpoint, I'd pick Only Lovers Left Alive. It's not a perfect film, but I think Tom and Tilda do a delicious form of "languid".
I'll take this moment to say that I loathed "Calvary". Overwritten, loaded with false moments and constructs instead of characters. I can't buy into a larger moral/allegory if everything so plainly has fingerprints all over it. Seems like it wants to be about people being awful to each other, but it's more about a screenwriter being awful to the audience.
For this weekend: finally finding "The Babadook"! I also have "Ida" home at the moment; looking forward to it.
Please, do watch Only Lovers Left Alive. I'm sure you will have some pleasant surprises with the cast and general mood. I've watched in 2013, but it is still my favorite of the year...
Your praise of Nightcrawler is so spot on. I have never really felt the love for JG until now. His final scene with Russo is just awesome. And Riz Ahmed is quite good as Rick. JG's performance works largely because of Riz. So glad that I saw it.
So - you did see ARCHAEOLOGY OF A WOMAN!?
:makeithappen:
thomas - i didn't. it only played one week in NYC and i was in Toronto at the time.
Nat - Have you caught up with We Are The Best! ?
You'll feel guilty if you wait until after all the year in review coverage is done. It's right up there with Pride for most overall good vibes generated by a 2014 film.
I watched Only Lovers Left Alive and Under the Skin pretty much back to back recently, which probably wasn't a good idea, because I've been in a very strange mood ever since. I'm almost scared to watch Snowpiercer now (which I have right in front of me). In any case, I like them both. Loved Hiddleston and ScarJo. The deleted scenes from Lovers are illuminating about how a filmmaker "trims away the fat."
I still need to see The Homesman, Gone Girl, Birdman, Ida, Nightcrawler, Stranger By the Lake, Calvary etc. etc. and will be seeing Wild and Black or White this weekend.
And of course Into the Woods, Unbroken and American Sniper coming soon.
I need turkey. And booze.
Have you seen We Are The Best!? It's on Netflix Instant and really great. So sturdily built, funny, warm, with impressive performances!
@Dave Couldn't agree more! I didn't like Calvary at all, outside of Gleeson's performance. I had high expectations given the praise but found it very disappointing. I think they could've done so much with the initial premise of the movie, but the screenwriter doesn't take us anywhere that interesting (in my opinion, of course). There's nihilism and then there's cruel writing like we get here.
Please see THE HOMESMAN I am dying to know your thoughts on The Swankster.
I'm reading "Unbroken" which is harrowing but Triumph of the Spirit stuff. Truly horrifying the things people do to each other.
And on that note, I'll be in St. Louis for Thanksgiving, away from Ferguson, but still an anxious city. I was here in Los Angeles for the Riots in 1992. I don't want to go through that again.
On the movie front, though, it will probably be "Hunger Games".
Pride is still one of the best films I've seen this year. Better than some of the films in the Oscar conversation. I just caught Nightcrawler. I was impressed by Jake, the cinematography and the unease that kept building in the film. Not sure if it's a great film but it's an effective, creepy tale.