I’ve seen all of the movies nominated for Best Picture this year and there is only one of them that I didn’t like. I think 2019 was a great year for movies and these nominations do seem to be the best of the best.
Here are my ratings for each of them in the order that I LIKE them:
Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7131622)
This is definitely an interesting spin on the Manson Family story. I think it’s an excellent story about Hollywood in 1969 and very well written. I think the performances are what really stand out. Leonardo DiCaprio as fading actor Rick Dalton and Brad Pitt as his stunt double Cliff Booth take Quentin Tarantino’s script to another level. I also enjoyed seeing Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Sharon Tate as a wide-eyed, fun-loving young woman. And Julia Butters as the young actress Trudi Fraser is just a treat. I really liked this movie…9.0/10 stars
Little Women (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3281548)
I’ve neither read the book nor have I seen any previous version of “Little Women”, but I loved this new version of it! Writer & director Greta Gerwig again delivers a wonderful movie. Another movie with great performances with Saoirse Ronan as Jo March and Florence Pugh as her sister Amy doing their best work. Pugh is quickly becoming one of the best young actresses in the business and Ronin just continues to deliver. Again, I loved this movie…9.0/10 stars
Sam Mendes’ World War I movie about a mission two young soldiers are assigned to is a technical wonder. It is shot in “real time” and was edited to look like one single take. This approach ramps up the drama & terror these boys went through attempting to fulfill their mission and it’s very effective. I was on the edge of my seat for most of it. The cinematography by renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins is astounding. One particular scene in the middle of the movie took my breath away and this movie should be viewed in a movie theater. It is a brilliant film…9.0/10 stars
The Irishman (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1302006)
The first thought that went through my mind after watching this movie was “A modern epic”. I still believe that as it is epic in scale, star power, and film making. The bringing together of Martin Scorsese, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci delivered exactly what I was expecting. I did manage to watch this in one sitting and the length of it didn’t bother me one bit. The de-aging of the actors took a little getting used to, but eventually it seemed seamless. I truly enjoyed this movie…9.0/10 stars
Marriage Story (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7653254)
At times, this movie about a failed marriage is hard to watch. But the performances by Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Laura Dern (plus Alan Alda in the few scenes he’s in) make it worth watching. Divorce is ugly, especially when there are children involved and this movie demonstrates that ugliness effectively. It’s not entirely depressing as it sprinkles in just enough light-hearted moments to keep it from going down a dark road (who knew Adam Driver could sing?). I definitely really liked it…9.0/10 stars
Ford v Ferrari (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1950186)
Sometimes I just want to watch a fun movie and this movie is definitely fun to watch. It has big stars, an entertaining story, and loud race cars. This story based on real events about Ford’s attempt at dethroning Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is thrilling and keeps non-racing fans engaged with gripping human drama. I am not much of a racing fan, but I enjoyed this thrill ride. And who doesn’t want to see a movie with Matt Damon & Christian Bale in it? The racing scenes are really good and REALLY LOUD…8.5/10 stars
Parasite (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6751668)
This movie about class difference is funny (albeit darkly at times), dramatic, and even horrific. Early on, I laughed out loud a lot as the struggling Kim family uses its street smarts to work their way into the lives of the wealthy Park family. Once that happens, it gets much more dramatic. This rollercoaster ride of a movie is one that you are anxious to see how it ends, but once it gets there, it leaves your jaw on the floor. This is an excellent movie…8.5/10 stars
Jojo Rabbit (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2584384)
This movie is goofy, sweet, and tender at times yet dramatic when it needs to be. Getting used to Hitler as a comedic character in a movie was not easy, but once I did it, I went with it and enjoyed this satirical WWII movie. The performances by the young actors, especially Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo, make this movie mostly a fun watch…8.0/10 stars
Joker (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7286456)
This is the only Best Picture nominee that I didn’t like. I found this movie to be too dark & disturbing and not enjoyable to watch. I will give Joaquin Phoenix the credit he deserves for playing the titular nihilistic criminal and it will probably land him an Oscar. Of the few things I liked about this movie were the usage of two of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs, Send in the Clowns (an obvious choice for this movie) and That’s Life. That’s not saying much about the movie itself, obviously. This movie was not enjoyable for me…4.0/10 stars
This is the only Best Picture nominee that I didn’t like. I found this movie to be too dark & disturbing and not enjoyable to watch. I will give Joaquin Phoenix the credit he deserves for playing the titular nihilistic criminal and it will probably land him an Oscar. Of the few things I liked about this movie were the usage of two of my favorite Frank Sinatra songs, Send in the Clowns (an obvious choice for this movie) and That’s Life. That’s not saying much about the movie itself, obviously. This movie was not enjoyable for me…4.0/10 stars
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