Sunday
Mar192023
What's on your cinematic mind?
Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 9:11AM It's that post-Oscar lull. Are you even thinking about movies or catching up with tv or... reading a book (gasp)? The final few weeks of Oscar madness always have us losing track of what's in cinemas so we'll try to catch up this week.
Reader Comments (44)
Yesterday I saw The Magic Flute, a movie retelling the Mozart composition as a semi Harry Potter tale. Interesting although it could have been better.
I'm classifing the deserving best picture winners since I started to watch them.
2005: Million Dollar Baby-Yes
2006: Crash-Nope
2007: The Departed-Yes
2008: No Country for old men-Yes
2009-Slumdog Millionaire-Nope
2010-The Hurt Locker-Not my choice but it's ok
2011-The King's Speech-Soft yes
2012-The Artist-Soft yes
2013-Argo-Soft yes
2014-12 years a slave-Yes
2015-Birdman-Yes
2016-Spotlight-Absolutely not. You can't enter in the legacy of The Godfather and The Last Emperor with an afternoon TV Movie
2017-Moonlight-Yes. That ending is so simple and at the same time is one of the most powerful things I've ever seen
2018-The Shape of water-Not my choice, but it's ok
2019-Green Book-Soft yes. I think that the narration upon this movie is exaggerated. It's not a bad movie. Probably boomers really loved it. Ali gave a performance for the ages, Viggo was the really cringe element of the movie for me. Look like he was doing a SNL impression of an Italian.
2020-Parasite-Yes
2021-Nomadland-Yes.This movie is so simple in its mise en scene and so complex. It's a deep character study, a movie about the US that we don't know and a documentary about nature and nomads.
2022-CODA-Nope
2023-Everything you know the rest-Yes
Not too shocking but I'm still in the EEAAO afterglow checking out a few podcasts I don't usually listen to for their post-Oscar thoughts and even checking out what they say about EEAAO when it first came out. The latter is a really fun exercise for the most part since most people loved the movie but very few had legit Oscar hopes for it which is such a great story.
And as I do that I'm also thinking I should totally do a Michelle Yeoh binge of her older movies. I did that for Meryl Streep a few years ago realizing I hadn't seen too many of her acclaimed movies of the past so I think it'd be great to do for the most recent Best Actress winner.
And finally, I'm buzzing over A24's couple of projects which are getting great reviews from Julio Torres' PROBLEMISTA with Tilda Swinton to BEEF starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. Oh and not A24 but the trailer for Stephanie Hsu's next project JOY RIDE looks hilarious as hell too.
It’s Glenn Close’s birthday today (March 19). How did I not know (did I forget?) how much stage work she’s done? To such acclaim? She’s won 3 Tony awards.
After winning her 2nd Oscar 3 years ago what's happened to Renee Zellweger?
Do you Nat ever watch old Oscar shows from the past on YouTube.
Why didn't Bill Nighy win the Oscar.
@Ryan T.: I remember there was fleeting talk of lead actress recognition for Michelle Yeoh’s biopic role in “The Lady” as activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
I'd never heard of Slow West before stumbling onto it last week, but it's a real gem:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oAs_t_Z260
I'm thinking I need to watch Parasite again, but not for the reason everyone else does. I for one thought it was "meh" and not equal to the likes of, say, The Handmaiden. But I'm thinking it must have just been me, though no one in the room I saw it with loved it either. However, I am semi-obsessed with Korean entertainment and I didn't quite get why Squid Game was the one that everyone got excited about either.
What else? Everyone is lamenting the demise of cinema, but I've had to cut back years ago due to how expensive it can be. What I'm really missing are the "late run" discount movie houses and arthouse theaters showing old movies. That's how I used to catch most things. Short of moving to Paris, it looks like those things are gone forever. So, I renew my plea to ask everyone if there are any cities in America with a good bit of cinema to watch, not just current stuff. Maybe college towns somewhere?
Oh, and what is up with Tilda Swinton? Has she lost her mind due to entitlement or is the internet making a big deal out of nothing? Who can tell what is true anymore?
PS Pedro, I'm interested in the new version of The Magic Flute because Ingmar Bergman's version is one of my favorite musical films ever despite nothing about it sounding appealing, including that it's an opera!
I've been thinking I'll spend the Oscar afterglow with older Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh movies.
So I started with Heroic Trio. Yeoh is such a goddess in it, and you get why her work in that period led to the Bond movie. But the real reminder in Heroic Trio is what a treasure Maggie Cheung is. Come back, Maggie!
Hoping next year sees Jonathan Majors as a double-nominee for Magazine Dreams and Creed III.
(1) EEAaO afterglow here, too.
(2) Seeing THE QUIET GIRL later today, can't wait!
(3) Also want to see CREED III, despite not having seen the second one. Did I miss it or has there been no talk about it here?
(4) Next movie I'm looking forward to: SHOWING UP. Kelly Reichardt + Michelle Williams + Hong Chau = yes, please
Slow West is excellent. A shame Maclean hasn't made a film since that one.
Jennifer Jones.
Co-sign the love for Creed III. Possibly one of the best third films in a series ever. Michael B. Jordan the director has arrived.
I've been craving a rewatch of Saint Maud. I loved it when I watched it, but it's in that same category as Martyrs or Melancholia: phenomenal films so emotionally draining that I'm kind of scared of revisiting them again.
I'm excited for Lee Daniels' next movie, for Netflix, starring Mo'Nique and Glenn Close, among others.
Not only am I excited to see Mo'Nique getting back to it, it's a Lee Daniels movie about an exorcism, so I know it's gonna be extra -- I can't wait.
I was kind of craving a Bridesmaids rewatch last night, though I didn't go through with it in the end. That is one of the most fun movies ever...a good time from start to finish.
Also, will the Sunset Blvd musical movie ever get made? I sure hope so.
Still glowing from the EEAAO wins. Rewatched Some Like it Hot yesterday to see Jamie Lee's dad in his heyday. Marilyn may have been a handful in the filming, but the result is exquisite.
Because I like lists (and really appreciate PP92's list above!), I've put a litle thought into listing my favorite movie (some by overall quality, some by rewatchability/quotability) for every year of my life so far. The early '80s are slim pickings, but here goes. Also gave myself the challenge of not repeating any directors.
2022- EEAAO
2021- Tick, Tick... Boom!
2020- Promising Young Woman
2019- The Lighthouse
2018- Roma
2017- Lady Bird
2016- Moonlight
2015- Tangerine
2014- Boyhood
2013- Inside Llewyn Davis
2012- Beasts of the Southern Wild
2011- Bridesmaids
2010- Black Swan
2009- A Single Man
2008- WALL-E
2007- Across the Universe
2006- The Devil Wears Prada
2005- Brokeback Mountain
2004- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2003- Lost in Translation
2002- The Hours
2001- Mulholland Drive
2000- Dancer in the Dark
1999- Drop Dead Gorgeous
1998- Buffalo '66
1997- Boogie Nights
1996- Waiting for Guffman
1995- Babe
1994- Pulp Fiction
1993- The Piano
1992- A League of Their Own
1991- Silence of the Lambs
1990- Pretty Woman
1989- Steel Magnolias
1988- Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
1987- Adventures in Babysitting
1986- Stand by Me
1985- The Purple Rose of Cairo
1984- Amadeus (I guess... tempted to abstain on this one. Not a great year)
1983- ABSTAIN (Somehow I've hardly seen any moves from this year, none that I particularly liked)
1982- The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
1981- Body Heat
Thanks McGill. That one is definitely on my list. Directed by Luc Besson of all people! Didn't even know about THE LADY until I heard about it on podcast interview Yeoh did during this campaign season.
I’m reading the delicious Oscar Wars. Strong recommend to everyone who reads this site.
And started the Michelle Yeoh Kicks Ass curation on Criterion.
So, no quite moving on from Oscars I guess.
Thinking about next season: "Killers of the Flower Moon", "Maestro", "Dune - Part II", "Napoleon", "Air" ...
Will we have "Megalopolis" in 2023 or only in 2024?
Since last Sunday I've thought much about how those of us pulling for an Angela Bassett Oscar win were so disappointed because meaty film roles (particularly leads) for black actresses of her talent level still are few and far between, so every nod could be -- and often is -- the last. But then that made me consider how directors who have a track record of shepherding white actresses to nominations and wins seemingly never have an interest in working with black actresses.
And then I reflected upon how even when black actresses give tour-de-force performances, like Regina Hall in last year's Honk for Jesus..., critics groups are silent, and Academy members don't break their necks to mount social-media campaigns.
All of that brought me back to Bassett, whom people now say has a legitimate chance at another nod and maybe win, given the right role, with all of the good will she's stored up this go round. But then I remembered how she said she didn't work for a year and a half after her nomination for What's Love Got to Do with It?
And, yes, she's not in the same place in 2023 as she was in 1994, but I also doubt that there's a prestige filmmaker preparing her a starring vehicle right now.
Troy: when it comes to Bassett, the thing that makes me sad is that if WLGTDWI had just come in '94 instead of facing a juggernaut in '93, she very likely would have cruised to victory and been the first black best actress winner.
But instead it came out in '93, and fans had to put their hopes, 30 years later, on a Marvel movie.
-I really want to revisit the JLC jiggle fest ‘Perfect.’ Just reviewing the trailer made me dry heave recalling how John Travolta & Jann Wenner ruined it. She was striking in it, but it was over-hyped and never set off a revolution.
-You Tube has past TCM ‘In Memorium’ videos. The Academy needs to learn from them…
@Kelly Garrett: just finished Oscar Wars by Michael Schulman yesterday and agree it's a great and often powerful read, on a par with Mark Harris's Pictures From a Revolution and Willey & Bona's Inside Oscar. Highly recommend to readers of this site.
I’m waiting for my copy of Oscar Wars to be sent to my local library for me. I’m excited to give it a read!!
Supporting actress smackdowns are on my cinematic mind! Did we get one for this year? Also, I’ve been hoping Nathaniel would circle back to the 2019/Parasite year. If memory serves, no podcast for that season because of how rushed and early everything was over by. And especially now that it’s been a few years to sit with those films, and not to mention how bad (in my opinion) the entire lineup was from nominees to especially winner, I’d love to hear a group talk about that crop.
If Germany’s ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ had won BP, that would’ve been the 1st remake/updated version of a previous BP winner that won. Do you think that any other previous BP winner can get updated/remade and win again? Looking through the 94 previous winners, I’d say that, maybe, Hamlet (1948), Ben-Hur (1959) or Gladiator (2000) might be able to do it.
Given the traditonal year-later response to "unusual" BP winners (recent years - PARASITE followed by GREEN BOOK, NOMADLAND followed by CODA), I wonder which middle-of-the-road, unremarkable, safe film will win the top prize next year? (My money is on THE BEAUTIFUL GAME.)
I also recommend Oscar Wars. I'm halfway through the chapter on the films of 1975. Such a great book so far!
I'm in the process of moving to a house for the first time, so my film-viewing has been much lighter than usual lately. Yesterday for the first time in a month I saw a film in the theater, Return to Seoul. It was impressive in how it repeatedly took unexpected and yet completely realistic turns; I look forward to seeing more from the director and star.
still in delight with EEAAO's sweep...
just rewatched one of my fave Asian films, The Wedding Banquet, by Ang Lee... I would have nominated,it, back in 93 for...
Picture
Director
S. Actor - Si-hung Lung (winner)
Original Screenplay
Art Direction & Set Decoration
International Film (winner- it was nominated but lost to the also magnificent Belle Epoque)
@Travis C: I thought about that too, although just for clarification, Green Book was the year before Parasite, not after (although I think you could argue Green Book still fits into this trend since The Shape of Water wasn’t exactly a conventional choice for Best Picture either). It actually seems more like the trend has been two well regarded/less conventional picks followed by one safe one: Parasite and Nomadland followed by CODA, Moonlight and The Shape of Water followed by Green Book, and I think you could probably even argue 12 Years a Slave and Birdman followed by Spotlight counts too. If that is the trend, we may get another well regarded/less conventional winner this year, and 2024 will be the year they go with something safe again.
So, that means that we are not gonna have a post about the Oscar gowns? I'm picking my favorites.
Is terrific that the reader´s choice come back because I already know what to watch. My cinematic mind is a little empty, I'm trying to watch the films recently released from this year but none of them catch much of my attention
Do you recommend "Cocaine Bear"?
Three cinematic things:
1. Will Sharpe is going to direct Crying in H Mart - yay! One of my favorite food-related memoirs, and Will Sharpe is a very talented young man.
2. In an Irene Dunne sort of mood. Just finished A Guy Named Joe, now streaming on HBO. What a well-written and acted film. Dalton Trumbo wrote it, Victor Fleming directed. And, wow oh wow, Irene Dunne was 18 years older than Van Johnson, and older than all of her co-stars. She is so lovely and no wonder they called her the "first lady of Hollywood".
3. Finally getting to see A Quiet Girl tonight. It's been on my watch list since I first heard about it.
Sorry, THE Quiet Girl, not to be confused with A Quiet Place I or II.
I made a list of upcoming movies by women directors that I want to remember to see when (and IF) they come here.
- Kelly Reichardt, “Showing Up” (Michelle Williams, Hong Chau)
- Marielle Heller, “Nightbitch” (Amy Adams)
- Celine Song, “Past Lives” (Greta Lee, John Magaro)
- Alice Rohrwacher, “La chimera” (Josh O’Connor, Isabella Rossellini)
- Emerald Fennell, “Saltburn” (Rosamund Pike, Barry Keoghan)
- Nia DaCosta, “The Marvels” (Brie Larson)
- Chloe Domont, “Fair Play” (Alden Ehrenreich, Phoebe Dynevor)
- Raven Jackson, “All Dirt Roads Taste Of Salt” (Cynthia Erivo, Moses Ingram)
- Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” (Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling)
- Rebecca Miller, “She Came to Me” (Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, Marisa Tomei)
On my cinematic mind: why didn't Steven Yeun get any awards traction for Nope? His was my favorite performance in the film.
I'm looking forward to watching him in Beef.
@TOM
Of course, another BP can be remade and win again. We have already seen successful remakes/updates of previous BP winners, West Side Story and Mutiny on the Bounty, that scored BP nods in addition to All Quiet on the Western Front.
I think the most likely possibility now would be the Broadway update of My Fair Lady. Director Bartlett Sher helmed a stage revival in 2018 that imposed an ending more in keeping with the original source material, George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play Pygmalion where Eliza Dolittle exits the stage at the finale with a rebuke of Henry Higgins. The 1957 musical sought audience adoration and ended with the couple reunited.
The 2018 version returned to Shaw's embrace of an Eliza who is no man's plaything. I think a film version that brings that vibe of an empowered woman to the 1964 Best Picture winner could be the first remake of a previous Oscar winner of the top prize to win Best Picture.
On a personal note, I have longed to see a contemporary version of Midnight Cowboy. James Leo Herlihy's novel deserves a more faithful adaptation that today's freedoms in cinema would provide.
@jules-added to my list!
Watched 'The Night Porter' last night. Interesting watch. Charlotte Rampling is a beautiful woman but good god she was stunning when she was younger. I read that she lived with 2 lovers when she was young...so very Tilda Swinton of her.
Next up, Masculin Féminin
MMinDC
RECAST THIS
Nancy Myers’ proposed (but stalled) new rom-com had a rumoured cast that didn’t seem very romantic or very comedic or even very much fun.
Make your suggestion for a Nancy Myers rom-com duo.
The principal pair apparently is 2 filmmaking partners who work together; split apart; come back to work together again (and fall in love?). Maybe consider people where recent talk has wondered when or if they will get another lead role, good role, or next role.
CAST AWAY!
- Michelle Yeoh & Stanley Tucci
- Jennifer Garner & Ke Huy Quan
- Jamie Lee Curtis & Jackie Chan
- Stephanie Hsu & Glen Powell
- Hong Chau & James Marsden
- Angela Bassett & Cliff Curtis
- Sandra Oh & Timothy Olyphant
- Dale Dickey & Samuel L. Jackson
- Nikki Amuka-Bird & Brendan Fraser
- Gwendoline Christie & Winston Duke
- Cynthia Erivo & Lil Rel Howery
- Taylour Paige & Simu Liu
- Danielle Deadwyler & Dan Stephens
- Viola Davis & Hugh Jackman
@McGill Love this! Given that the BAFTA TV noms are now out, my list is all British-y
Martin Freeman & Sarah Lancashire (they were supposed to do a rom-com political play together a few years ago, but she got sick and Tamsin Greig filled in)
Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle (yes, they were once an IRL couple, but they had SUPER chemistry in P&P)
Sean Bean & Lesley Manville (both marvelous in comedy and drama, had some scenes in the meh World on Fire, but would totally love to see them together in something else)
Jack Lowden & Saoirse Ronan (yes, they ARE an IRL couple, but what fun)
Michelle Coel & Donald Glover (yes, please, universe)
Don't have any opinion on the film critic, A.O. Scott, but his decision to leave his job as the top film critic for the New York Times, as described in the Daily podcast yesterday, was fascinating.
Wondering what other cinephiles here on this site think about that.
Link is here, but you can download however you get podcasts:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/podcasts/the-daily/ao-scott-film-critic-american-cinema-movies.html
Show biz aside: A. O. Scott’s great-uncle was the actor Eli Wallach (always so fun, what a versatile live wire and bundle of energy).
I like A.O. Scott (my taste mirrors his more than Manohla's), so I'm sad to see him go, though I'll read his book criticism; I love books and movies pretty much equally, and book criticism can often be more helpful than movie criticism, because it can be more difficult to wade through new book releases than it is to wade through new movie releases.
I completely understand why he's quitting. I am so tired of superhero movies I don't even want to post about my exhaustion on forums like this anymore, so I can't imagine having to deal with them in my day-to-day job. And he's right about stan culture. The behavior of stans sometimes has the effect of turning me against actors or films I'd be otherwise neutral on, and even for artists I adore (Taylor Swift, Meryl Streep) it makes me cringe.