Best picture predictions? — Page 2

I will never understand why people think "Black Panther" is Best Picture material. It was a great comic movie but other than the black representation (which I love by the way) ...... what about it screams Best Picture? Personally, in regards to a comic book movie, I think "Captain America: Winter Soldier" is/was superior.

I wish "If Beale Street Could Talk" or "Eighth Grade" would have been nominated in it's place.

But, personally, I think "Roma" or "The Favourite" should win although I really like "Blackkklansman" too.

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Updated On: 2/21/19 at 05:31 PM

While I appreciated the symbolism of THE SHAPE OF WATER, I very much have to agree that the metaphor was overdone almost to the point of after school special ridiculousness. Particularly in the year that gave us DUNKIRK and CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, I was incredibly disappointed that it won Best Picture.

Hopefully, ROMA or THE FAVOURITE will right that wrong... But I think it's still possible that GREEN BOOK could pull a CRASH-- ugh

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'Vice' and 'BlacKkKlansman' are terrific movies which both unfortunately beg to be documentaries. I suspect that many viewers are not yet detached enough from the subject matter or the main characters to either wax nostalgic or marvel at the progress we've made as a society since the time depicted on screen. That's why, imho, period pieces like 'The Favourite' are safe bets for Best Picture, provided they're well-directed, well-written, well-cast, and well-acted with breathtaking vistas and costumes. Viewers and critics alike tend to overlook certain historical inaccuracies or directorial slights of hand if an entertaining movie with a larger than life presence is delivered.

Thus, I gotta once again come to the defense of the mother of all spoilers, 'Crash'. 'Crash' felt BIG on screen with an international ensemble cast and an underlying story that touched viewers across the spectrum, at the time. In other words, it wasn't a low-budget niche film like some of the other contenders. That said, it was an utterly forgettable movie that I never felt inspired to watch more than once. I'm still slightly disappointed that 'Good Night, and Good Luck' didn't win that year but such is "sport".

Take heart in the fact that there is no 'Crash' among the field this time around. 'The Favourite' is a great movie with a cast of en vogue British actors, that also just happens to be #MeToo & #TimesUp-friendly. I can't help but think that the movie got some mileage out of the Harry-Meghan love story. On balance, It's got its politics right which seems to be the all-important final determinant these days.

Wakanda forever!

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Updated On: 2/23/19 at 11:15 AM

I'm thinking it'll be Roma tonight. I didn't enjoy Greenbook a ton tbh, very nice and well acted movie, but not best picture quality. I'm hoping The Favorite or Roma win, although praying for the surprise last minute decision that they screwed up (again) and reward best picture to If Beale Street Could Talk.

I still haven't seen the 15th version of A Star Is Born and never had any desire to see Green Book. It would be just my luck that one of them wins.

Of the remaining Best Pic nominees, The Favourite remains my favorite due to the whip smart and bold writing alone. "This mud stinks"..."they shaite in the streets here"...priceless. The somber tale of Queen Anne's 18 pregnancies is worthy of a documentary itself.

Both Bohemian Rhapsody and BlacKkKlansman had so much potential given the source material. The former just wasn't a good movie and the latter was upstaged by the footage of the Charlottesville VA riots inserted at the tail end of the movie. Spike Lee has toned down the strident messaging considerably but he's never broken any new ground in terms of writing or cinematography. Sometimes I just wanna watch an entertaining movie, not be lectured on every social justice challenge on the planet or be forced to endure revisionist history.

ETA: When I posted originally, it had slipped my mind that Spike only directed BlacKkKlansman which explains the change in messaging.

Roma was an interesting realist film with breathtaking camera work but I felt like I've seen it all before. I've watched my share of Mexican neorealist movies and soap operas. The ones that appeal to me most these days are those that don't deal with the theme of domestic workers and their wealthy overlords or narco-trafficking. But, then again, as a non-Mexican, perhaps there are some nuances in Roma that simply escape me. I'll admit that Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo is a refreshing breath of fresh air in the context of Mexican cinema. I still recall the rage I felt the first time I saw the oil painting "Las Castas" which depicts a very strident Mexican caste system based on a citizen's perceived percentage of Spanish, Native, and African blood. It was certainly more elaborate than the 1/16 rule that was once in vogue in parts of the US.

I really <3 Black Panther but found the Fantastic Beasts duo more entertaining. Don't see a winner there.

There's no way 'Vice' will win.

So, I'm predicting Green Book by a nose despite not seeing it or any likelihood of ever doing so.

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Updated On: 2/24/19 at 03:25 PM

It softens the blow a bit that I've never seen Green Book. Congrats.

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Updated On: 2/24/19 at 11:25 PM

Congrats to the perfectly pleasant safe choice for winning Best Picture!

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Miles, Do you have Redbox where you live? Although Green Book is not available as yet, many of the nominees and now winners are. They send me a $1.25 promo code every Friday, so it costs me .50 to rent a dvd.

Updated On: 2/25/19 at 12:18 AM

ArtMan said: "Miles, Do you have Redbox where you live? Although Green Book is not available as yet, many of the nominees and now winners are. They send me a $1.25 promo code every Friday, so it costs me .50 to rent a dvd."

I do, but I’m not willing to contribute one cent to either Green Book’s (see link above) or Bohemian Rhapsody’s (company hired well known sexual predator then fired him for non-attendance 90% into filming then let him reap backend - up up $40,000,000 - profits) profit margin. I’ll wait until I’m flying and watch for free on a Delta flight. I fly a lot.

I do plan on watching If Beale Street Could Talk, The Favourite, Cold War, First Man, and Boy Erased.

I love Spike Lee.
“Every time someone’s driving somebody I lose.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spike-lee-green-book-2019-oscars_n_5c738464e4b00eed08364f90

Updated On: 2/25/19 at 02:57 PM

Saw 2 great Oscar nominated movies today (gotta love $5 Tuesdays for AMC Stubs Premier rewards members plus having a gift card).

Pawel Pawlikowski was nominated as best director for the foreign language film Cold War. After seeing it, it is easy to see why. The beautiful black and white cinematograpy captures the hard realities of living in Poland (or being an expatriate is Paris) from the 1940 ‘s to 1960’s. It is part romance of sorts but def not a romantic comedy. No one comes off as an saint or monster just as in most of life. The movie asks us to explore what we would forgive and also what we would sacrifice in the name of love.

Now, The Favourite. To the consternation of at least two Facebook friends, I absolutely loved it. I thought it was close to perfection. Bloody brilliant. Hilarious in many parts, but hard truths run throughout. It can be seen as a reflection of how society sets women up to compete against each other when power is so hard for them to achieve. It would probably be a mistake to consider it a metaphor for our current U.S. presidency (a clueless leader surrounded by sycophants), but if you don’t peer too closely you’ll see that too (as I did). This is now my favorite Oscar-nominated movie (tied with Roma) for Best Picture. I didn’t think I could love Emma Stone and Rachel
Weisz more as actresses. I was wrong. And Olivia Colman, all is forgiven for taking best actress from Glenn Close.

Miles2Go2 said: "

Now, The Favourite. To the consternation of at least two Facebook friends, I absolutely loved it. I thought it was close to perfection. Bloody brilliant. Hilarious in many parts, but hard truths run throughout. It can be seen as a reflection of how society sets women up to compete against each other when power is so hard for them to achieve. It would probably be a mistake to consider it a metaphor for our current U.S. presidency (a clueless leader surrounded by sycophants), but if you don’t peer too closely you’ll see that too (as I did). This is now my favorite Oscar-nominated movie (tied with Roma) for Best Picture. I didn’t think I could love Emma Stone and Rachel
Weisz more as actresses. I was wrong. And Olivia Colman, all is forgiven for taking best actress from Glenn Close."

Now you need to go watch Yorgos's other amazing films, Dogtooth, The Lobster and Killing of a Sacred Deer.

All of which are FAR superior to The Favourite!

I think it's hilarious that anyone thought a comic book film could EVER win Best Picture.

Okay. I think it's hilarious you wanted everyone to know that.

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