Oscar Dash 2016--The Results

The Oscars ceremony last night was one of the most interesting, edgy, and entertaining I've seen. Despite my Oscar Dash failing miserably (still have most of the films to see), I really enjoyed the show. Congratulations to all the winners!

The Best Picture Winner: Spotlight


Click here to see the full list of winners.

Hail, Caesar!

Hail, Caesar! (Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, 2016)

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Rating: Q=7, P=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Comedy, Hollywood, Film about Film, 1950s

For a lover of cinematic history, this film really delivers. It's jam-packed with references to the quintessential genre films that dominated Hollywood films in the late 1940s and 1950s: musicals, westerns, epics, and broody dramas. And talk about a star-studded cast! I've never been so entertained by Channing Tatum and Frances McDormand, though her role is small, is hysterical. A fun film that pokes fun at the world of show business.

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Mr. Turner

Mr. Turner (Mike Leigh, 2014)

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Rating: Q=7, P=4 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Biopic, 19th Century, Art

Like stepping into one of his masterpieces, Mr. Turner transports you to 19th Century England--from the cloudy, dusty atmosphere of the city to the clear, picturesque and open countryside. I thoroughly enjoyed the visuals of this film. This is serious artistry and craftsmanship. The viewer really comes to understand why Turner felt compelled to paint the landscapes he saw--they were utterly beautiful.

Timothy Spall is incomparable as Turner--both gruff and polite, mysterious and sincere, closed and highly attune to the complexity and fragility of life.

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