Oscar Winners

No surprises, at least for me, at the unveiling of Oscar winners last night. Click here for a complete list of the winners, in case you don't know. I thought the show went quite well and was very pleased that Woody Allen was awarded for his writing. I'll be continuing to watch all the nominations as I can so keep checking back!

Oscars Update

As you are probably aware, I still haven't seen all the Academy Award nominated films. And so I don't have any guesses or my own personal ballot to share. Of those I have seen, however, I think Midnight in Paris deserves awards for writing, directing, and art direction. George Clooney was great, Tree of Life inspired me, and from the bits and pieces I've read and seen of The Artist, I think it will likely win big. So... keep watching the blog as I eventually will see them all and then I'll likely have something to officially say.

Meanwhile, the BBC has a really great visualization/chart of Oscar nominations/wins & genre that I think is fascinating. Check it out here.

Buck & Forks Over Knives

Buck (Cindy Meehl, 2011)

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

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

Documentary, Biopic, Life Lessons, Horses

This is an incredibly poignant story. The film is about the lifestyle, history, and work of Buck Brannaman -aka the "real" horse whisperer. Don't be fooled into thinking this is only about horses or only about a cowboy. Serious issues are discussed and Brannaman's life philosophy is seen in beautiful action through his connection to each horse. How he is able to understand human beings by seeing and interacting with their horses, however, is perhaps the most amazing part of it all.

Forks Over Knives (Lee Fulkerson, 2011)

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Rating: Q=5*, P=6 / Average OJ

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

Documentary, Food, Health, Socio-Cultural, Science

I love socio-cultural documentaries. This is probably because I love to learn and try to improve my life. Forks Over Knives, like many other recent food documentaries (Food Inc., The Botany of Desire, King Corn, Killer at Large, Super Size Me, Fast Food Nation), takes a look at the very serious epidemic of obesity and health-related diseases that is crippling the globe and causing millions of humans to be forever medicated. So-called truths about what we should and should not eat are erased. Alarming information and conclusions about cancer, heart disease, and diet kept me totally immersed. I highly recommend this film to anyone who eats.

*Please keep in mind that Q scores for documentaries should be interpreted differently as this genre usually does not involve acting or the same theatrical elements.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Hud

Hud (Martin Ritt, 1963)

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Rating: Q=7, P=5 / Can't Get Enough

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

Western, Family, Changing Times & Values, Dramatic Dialogue

A classic Western has many elements: a man who struggles to find his place, a dramatic and life-changing event, questions of morality, and desolate but beautiful scenery. Hud has all of this with the added bonus of setting the story at nearly present day (early 1960s). The Texas plains fill the screen with dust and openness, the father-son conflict is believable and tense, the societal shifts from life on the range to moneymaker makes you reflect. Even though the title suggests the main character is Hud, played magnificently by Paul Newman, to me it is a story about the young nephew Lonnie. It is Lonnie who starts the story searching for his uncle and eventually he finds him, along with himself.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here