Let's Talk Movies! #21...Oscar Bait, Christmas Movies, "Bad" Movies You Loved......)

[Cachoo]

I don't think that just because a movie is very watchable it will necessarily become a classic.

True. I remember the --at best--lukewarm reviews for "Blade Runner." But now it is considered one of the better sci-fi films. I think I am interested because the process (if there actually is a process) is a mystery to me.

[Vash01]

Somewhat OT: I finally discontinued by Netflix account because I don't have a DVD player that works anymore. I am in the process of getting one, but I have to wait until I buy HDTV. So the only movies I can watch right now are in the theaters, which is not a bad thing. All the good movies/Oscar contenders are still running.
I may see Django unchained, after all.

[Artemis@BC]

My viewing this weekend:

Attenberg (from Greece): meh. I can see how this movie would be heralded as a landmark for Greek filmmaking, but I found it flat. It's a story I've seen a thousand times before, and without any personal connection to Greece it was hard to get excited about anything here.

I Wish (from Japan): Delightful. About the hopes and dreams, big and small, of children. Well worth watching.

Pitch Perfect: What a hoot! Hard to describe this without using the words "Glee, the college years." There's nothing really original here, but the music is great, the characters engaging, and it's just a whole lotta fun.

[Grannyfan]

Somewhat OT: I finally discontinued by Netflix account because I don't have a DVD player that works anymore. I am in the process of getting one, but I have to wait until I buy HDTV. So the only movies I can watch right now are in the theaters, which is not a bad thing. All the good movies/Oscar contenders are still running.
I may see Django unchained, after all.

I recently got a Roku, hooked it up, and can now watch Netflix stuff for $8.99 a month. I've really enjoyed it. Other channels are available to purchase, but I'm satisfied with just Netflix.

[PeterG]

New movies this week are below. I have to admit that omitted one trailer from this list. It's a movie called "Boys Against Girls" and I think it might be the closest thing I've seen to a snuff film. I hate to think of myself of pro-censorship, so I'm giving you the title of the movie but I'm not providing a link to it's trailer! :barf:

February 1 The Haunting in Connecticut 2: The Ghosts of Georgia (Horror thriller with Chad Michael Murray and Cicely Tyson)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHUVqbSyLfA

February 1 Sound City (Musical documentary featuring Stevie Nicks, Trent Reznor, Tom Petty, Barry Manilow, Dave Grohl, Rick Springfield, John Fogerty, Lars Ulrich, James Brown, Frank Black and Kevin Cronin. From imdb.com: “A documentary on the fabled recording studio that was located in Van Nuys, California.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQoOfiLz1G4

February 1 Koch (From imdb.com: “A documentary on Ed Koch, the mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkBI-fYQIHE

February 1 Mumia: Long Distance Revolutionary (Documentary. From imdb.com: “The film chronicles the life and revolutionary times of death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2-p0Ac-KYo

January 30 As Luck Would Have It (Spanish drama with Salma Hayek)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLDZwO4X_7E

February 1 Stand Up Guys (Crime comedy with Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin and Julianne Marguiles)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NApJNjPTqZs

February 1 The Gatekeepers (Documentary. From imdb.com: “A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets.”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWx0e7KXg0Q

[Buzz]

I thought Stand Up Guys was supposed to be released a while ago?!

[michiruwater]

I AM IN THAILAND AND BOTH LES MISERABLES AND ZERO DARK THIRTY ARE SHOWING

I almost cried, and of course I went to see Les Mis immediately. I agree with pretty much everything that has been posted by people for whom it was somewhat of a disappointment Totally seeing ZD30 tomorrow. So excited! God, there are so many things about being in Thailand I am excited about but seeing some of the Oscar contenders is going to rank probably disproportionally high

Under 'coming soon' they had SLP, which of course is my #1 want to see, and a few of the other contenders but if they had dates for when they open I have no idea where they were. If it somehow magically opens during the week I am here I will actually cry.

[PeterG]

rjblue, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy "Silver Linings Playbook." The director was actually drawn to the material because one of his family members is bipolar.

I think on one of the recent awards show, it was mentioned that it's his son, who Russell made the movie for. I think Russell may have dedicated this movie to anyone who has a family member who is dealing with similar issues.

I also didn't realize that Jennifer Lawrence replaced Anne Hathaway, who bowed out because of scheduling conflight with making "The Dark Knight Rises."

Wow. I love Anne Hathaway, but after seeing Lawrence in this movie, I can't imagine anyone doing a better job.

I looked at reactions on the internet from the mental health community and they are quite mixed. The first part of the movie does a good job of portraying a manic state, but I find that difficult to laugh at.

imdb.com lists this movie as a "comedy drama romance". So I think it's up to the viewer to decide where the comedy is and where the drama is. I remember seeing "On Golden Pond" with a friend and during the scene where Jane Fonda is trying to hard to open up and share with her Dad, she shows him his wedding ringer and says, "I got married in Europe!" Henry Fonda looks at her and says, "does he speak English"? My friend burst out laughing and I burst out crying. I guess we could take this back to the old movie where someone slips on a banana peel and lands flat on their back. Some people laugh at that, but I always flinch thinking how much that could have hurt. I guess what I'm saying is that sometimes it's the audience that reacts in a way we might object to, but how what's taken on the screen was not what the filmmaker was trying to acheive.

I thought Stand Up Guys was supposed to be released a while ago?!

The lists I use for weekly releases sometimes show differing release dates, so I looked this up at imdb.com and while it's wide release is this week, it did get a limited release in dinner, probably in the hopes of getting some Oscar nominations? Oh well...

[Cachoo]

Peter--just which film is going to win best picture? We have an Oscars contest in our local paper and I am at a loss for Best Pix, Dir, Actress, Supp Actor. You know we usually have a pretty good idea by now but I am flummoxed. What do you think?

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Check out these Oscar-themed posters:

http://shop.mrshabba.com/collections...nominated-2013

I personally like the Zero Dark Thirty one the best. I think Jessica Chastain's pose and the coloring creates a nice image.

[michiruwater]

Picture: I still say Lincoln but Argo has the momentum. If they'd nominated Argo for Director I would say it was a lock. That's the flummoxing part. In a contest, I would go with Lincoln.
Actress: Lawrence. Chastian possibly, but I'd go with Lawrence in a contest. I think she's more likely.
Director: Spielberg
Supp. Actor: This one I really don't know. I would go with Christoph Waltz in a contest, but this is the category I'm least sure about. But Waltz is sexy, so he gets my vote.

[Cachoo]

Interesting---I do wonder if "Argo" is receiving votes because of Affleck's predicament. Plus it is a fine movie. I like that we really don't know. It has been awhile since I felt that way with the Academy Awards.

[PeterG]

Peter--just which film is going to win best picture? We have an Oscars contest in our local paper and I am at a loss for Best Pix, Dir, Actress, Supp Actor. You know we usually have a pretty good idea by now but I am flummoxed. What do you think?

Gosh, I dunno! So I googled "Oscar odds" to see what others are thinking. (Actually I only looked at the first three sites! )

Picture: My first thought was Lincoln, and that's what both sites I looked at are predicting. Argo looks to be its' main competitor, but with Affleck not receiving a director's nomination, I'm not sure it will overtake Lincoln. Plus Lincoln is Oscar fodder and Argo is more of a popcorn movie. Les Miserables is next in line followed by Silver Linings Playback (which I would be fine with winning).

Director: Looks pretty clear that it'll be #3 for Spielberg (after Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan). I was disappointed that Ang Lee wouldn't get his first win, but wikipedia highlights my brain freeze as Lee won for Brokeback Mountain. Guess I'm still smarting that this movie didn't win Best Picture. Anyway, I think Stevie will take home his third directing award.

Actress: Lawrence over Chastain (one site says Jessica is gaining on Jen, but still has her in second). There was talk about Watts taking this one, but all three sites have her in fourth after Emmanuelle Riva.

Supporting Actor: Jones over Hoffman. I thought DeNiro would be in the running, but he seems to be in fourth after Christoph Waltz.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Which sites are you using?

That ranking seems pretty high for Les Miserables. The sites I've read that have it lower than third (they have SLP, Life of Pi, and Zero Dark Thirty ahead of it in some order).

Here's a chart from Awards Daily. This is where I usually get my news for Oscar news and odds.

http://www.awardsdaily.com/blog/2013...lf/#more-60916

Of course, this is all subject to change after the DGA winner is announced this weekend. Also, Oscar ballots aren't sent out until February 8th, and the mood may shift by then.

[michiruwater]

Saw Zero Dark 30 today. It was excellent. Easily the best movie I've seen for this awards season. Chastain was, as expected, really, really good as well, though I agree with those who said that at the end of the movie they still didn't feel they really knew the character. But it was well-written, deftly paced, and had me fully invested and very tense at times even though I obviously knew the outcome of the mission. Good job to Kathryn Bigelow. Like others, I'm not sure why it's fallen off the bandwagon for awards - but I haven't seen Argo or Lincoln.

[Cachoo]

Thanks Peter...I'm going to look at VIETgrl's site too. I want to put together a winning ballot (but doesn't everyone?)

[DarrellH]

We had a special showing of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" last night.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Thanks Peter...I'm going to look at VIETgrl's site too. I want to put together a winning ballot (but doesn't everyone?)

Take note that the site is pretty pro-Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty, and Life of Pi (although it loved Argo when it came out). I'm fine with that because so am I.

[Vash01]

Saw Zero Dark 30 today. It was excellent. Easily the best movie I've seen for this awards season. Chastain was, as expected, really, really good as well, though I agree with those who said that at the end of the movie they still didn't feel they really knew the character. But it was well-written, deftly paced, and had me fully invested and very tense at times even though I obviously knew the outcome of the mission. Good job to Kathryn Bigelow. Like others, I'm not sure why it's fallen off the bandwagon for awards - but I haven't seen Argo or Lincoln.

ITA on all. I have seen Lincoln & Argo. My ranking would be

1.Argo
2.Zero Dark Thirty
3.Lincoln
4.Les Miserable (despite its flaws)
5.Silver linings playbook
6.Life of Pi

I have not seen the rest of the nominated movies.

My pics for best actor and actress are Day Lewis and Chastain, but it does not look like Chastain is going to win this year. She is too good an actress to not have won, so I am sure she will be in line next year (to make up for this year).

IMO two things will keep Chastain from winning the Oscar. 1)the director was not nominated (it shows the academy has something against this movie), 2)the movie was released too late, thus limiting her visibility.

I don't understand the hoopla over Lawrence (as THE winner) in SLP at all. She was very good, but others were better. JMO.

[mrr50]

We had a special showing of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" last night.

One of my favorites. My husband and I really enjoy pointing out the bloopers. On a slight tangent, Johnny Depp did a good job in "Ed Wood", liked that movie.