I love movies. Not as much as I love books, mind you, but still a lot.
Every year, my husband and I (and his parents!) watch all of the best picture nominees. Some years we try to squeeze in some of the other major categories - actors, actresses, screenplays, and so on. Most years we don't get those ones, but we always get the best picture nominees.
Movies and books have a lot in common, of course. Stories, characters, great writing (theoretically!).
Indeed, there are some film adaptations of books I like as much, or at least almost as much (and two I like more!) than the books on which they were based.
So, in the interest of great stories, I thought I would run down the movies nominated for best picture. I'm not sure who will win, yet, but I have my guesses lodged in my brain.
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI
I really loved this movie. The acting is incredible. It's from an original screenplay. If you're only going to watch one of the nominees, this might be the one to watch. I was laughing one moment and crying the next. Highly recommend.
DUNKIRK
I'm not in love with war movies (except maybe Saving Private Ryan), but the raw reality with which this one was approached is pretty incredible. A lot of people say this is the best movie they've ever seen. That's pretty high praise.
DARKEST HOUR
I always have thought Winston Churchill was an impressive character in history. Gary Oldman's performance in it is insanely good and, though I can't say I ever met Churchill, seemingly shockingly accurate. This is another one for the history buffs out there.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
I still haven't read the novel this book is based on. I need to. Like, badly. A story of first love, set against incredible scenery. It's all just so lovely and moving and sad and sweet and did I mention lovely?
GET OUT
Maybe the most widely "watchable" movie on the list, this one I wanted to see when it was first released. It is a testament to this film that it isn't typical "Oscars" fare, yet still talked about and lauded months after its release. It's really just that good. How wonderfully upsetting and chilling. Wow.
LADY BIRD
Every year we go to the Reel Canadian Film Fest in Fernie, British Columbia. This film reminded me a lot of a movie we'd see there. It's quirky, funny, sad, and probably too easy to identify with. Anyone who works with teenagers or has teenagers or was a teenager, anyone who has a mother, particularly teens with maybe perfectly imperfect relationships with their mother, should watch this.
THE POST
This movie takes an influential moment of recent history, adds understated issues in gender equality in business and media, and throws in two of the best actors ever. Then add the whole current questions of the role of media in the government... Yeah, it's timely. Yeah, it's awesome.
PHANTOM THREAD
This is an intriguing, beautiful piece, and supposedly Daniel Day-Lewis' final full film before announcing his retirement. It focuses on romance and relationships with an artist, and the threads that interweave us together.
THE SHAPE OF WATER
Everything Guillermo del Toro does that I've seen, I love. This one was a beautiful tale, and right up there with the best. It is a question of humanity, and I really, really loved it. I strongly recommend watching this one. Wow, again. Wow.
Have you seen any of these films? What's your favourite? Any guesses as to which will win?
Will you be watching the Oscars tonight?