Oscars 2025: The Nominations

It's that time of year again...The Oscar nominated films were released. Like the last few years I'm not compelled to do an Oscar Dash. I just hope to watch all the films eventually. And I do plan to post about each one once I do watch, so you can anticipate those throughout the year and beyond. And don't forget to watch the awards on March 2, 2025!

Here are the nominees for best picture:

Anora

The Brutalist

A Complete Unknown

Conclave

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Perez

I'm Still Here

Nickel Boys

The Substance

Wicked

Skeleton Crew

Skeleton Crew, Season 1 (Christopher Ford and Jon Watts, 2024)

Click here for the basics

Rating: DSQ=10, SP=6 / Can't Get Enough

Scale A=4, Scale B=3, Scale C=3, Scale D=3, Scale E=3

Fantasy, Science Fiction, Star Wars Universe, Epic

Unlike the most recent Acolyte series, Skeleton Crew was a breath of fresh air. Yay, back to another good, well-written Star Wars show! Sure, this one is lighter and more family friendly, but it felt like pure escape and not heavily bogged down by Star Wars lore and rules, etc. It is still within the Star Wars universe and has tons of Easter eggs for fans, but it also holds its own and feels fresh. I loved the adventure, the character development of the kids as individuals and also as a team, trying to figure out the mystery along with them, and the great places and people they met along the way. Does it need more? No. Would I like more? Not necessarily. Maybe a related, separate story about Jod. But I'm satisfied with this lovely story. It is just right.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here

Happy 2025!

Happy 2025! I watched a lot more fantasy, adventure, and some excellent new shows and seasons again this year. Started revisiting Hitchcock, Coen Brothers, and favorites. My favorite film I saw this year was Furiosa. Favorite show was Shogun.

Other highlights were Bad Batch season 3 and starting to watch Skeleton Crew. Also A Complete Unknown as a pleasant surprise this last week.

My goal for 2025 is to continue watching old favorites, forgotten classics, and dig into more Dickens adaptations. There is just so much to watch!

Best wishes!

A Complete Unknown

A Complete Unknown (James Mangold, 2024)

Click here for the basics

Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

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

Biopic, Bob Dylan, 1960s, Music

I am a huge Bob Dylan fan and student of his work. As a songwriter and musician, he has always been somewhat godlike, to me. So, I wasn't sure what to think when I heard Timothee Chalamet would be playing him in a film. I love Chalamet but I still thought, "sure, he looks the part and probably can act like Dylan, but can he sing and play like Dylan?" As soon as he started to sing "Song for Woody" near the beginning of the film, I gasped. I knew it wasn't actually Dylan singing and playing, but wow. He nailed it. The intonation, the cadence, the way he emphasized words. I can't really fathom the sheer amount of work involved in learning to play guitar and sing and on top of that, sing like one of the most well-known and iconic people in music history. Truly remarkable.

I was also pleased to learn that Dylan supported the script and choice of actor in Chalamet. And the film itself is really quite good. It's paced well, has lots of great moments and music, and feels immersive. It is a little meandering and there isn't much character development, but that's kind of the point. After all, Dylan has always been enigmatic and mysterious.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here