I am usually reading, but at the beginning of each year I set a goal to see all of the Academy-nominated “best pictures.”

I REALLY enjoy this challenge. I see such a diverse selection of movies (and get to have opinions on them). It makes Oscar Night much more fun for me!

RELATED POST: Last year’s nominees & my favorites.

In this post I’m going to name my favorites (there are two!!) and talk a little about all the nine nominated films. I include no spoilers (I want you to enjoy these movies for yourself) only some inside jokes or quotes from the movies.

I also added some “thoughts from Jeremy” which are tidbits from my husband (when applicable); we rarely watch & enjoy the same types of movies, but his reflections are often amusing to me (and admittedly accurate).

Disclaimer: I am not a movie critic; I am just a normal person who watched all of these films!!!

A Favorite: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

A woman who lost her daughter in an unsolved murder takes matters into her own hands by renting out “three billboards” that call out the police chief for lack of progress on the case.

This movie kept me guessing. Francis McDormand’s character was one I was sympathetic to, but she sometimes goes “too far” as do some of the other characters in their “anger” towards each other. But I loved the irony of the evolving relationships between characters.

“Anger begets more anger.”

Jeremy & both loved this movie!!! I look forward to watching it again.

Another favorite: Lady Bird

A teenage girl survives her senior year of High School.

Nothing in this movie is too far out of the ordinary from a normal life (in this instance a Catholic High School girl from the “wrong side of the tracks “) but it portrays this one life and family so deeply and honestly. This film is funny and beautiful, and it’s hard to explain why I liked it so much except for saying the characters are so well written and acted.

“Don’t you think maybe they are the same thing? Love and attention? “

 

 

Pleasant Surprise: Darkest Hour

Winston Churchill assumes the role of Prime Minister and guides Great Britain through WWII, including the retreat at Dunkirk.

This is a film I watched to check off my list, but I actually really enjoyed it. As for the character portrayal of Winston Churchill (and the movie is ALL him) –  I had no idea he was like this at all (drinking a lot & smoking cigars and seemingly bumbling around except he’s actually really effective and gets it right). I also appreciated its crossing with the action of Dunkirk, another nominated film.

“Those who never change their minds never change anything.”

My favorite scene is the “subway scene.” I guess this is not actually true but also not out of his character to have surveyed ordinary Londoners on their opinions.

Beautiful: The Shape of Water

A mute woman falls in love with an amphibious man that is trapped in the government lab she works in.

This movie was beautiful and easy to watch. It is unbelievable, of course, but also a parable that touched on many things, including the “other” and what people will do to what scares them.

“A more serious remake of ‘Splash'” – Jeremy

I predict this movie will win best picture. It’s not my “best picture” but that’s still my prediction. I did really enjoy it and so did my husband. But I have to say it didn’t “get to me” like the first two I listed.

 

Beautiful: Call Me By Your Name

A love story between two men – one young & one a bit older – in Italy.

The characters in this movie are so likeable. The older one is a magnetic personality and the younger one is not as sure of himself but so endearing. This narrative moved a bit slow for me, but the beautiful scenery helped.

There is a conversation (rather a monologue) at the end that made the movie for me because I wish so many other people could have this support.

“How you live your life is your business, just remember, our hearts and our bodies are given to us only once.”

I believe this is the only one of the best picture nominations adapted form a book. Here it is: Call Me by Your Name: A Novel

Bizarre but I liked it: Phantom Thread

An eccentric dressmaker finds his muse.

It’s hard to write about this movie without giving away the story. It is slow moving at first. Jeremy thought there were too many scenes of slow moving meals in the first 20 mins. But I stuck with it, and it ended up being surprising enough that I keep thinking about it. I have decided to embrace its bizarre-ness to like this movie!

 

 

 

 

OK: The Post

Under its new female owner, The Washington Post maneuvers difficult choices on what to publish regarding government secrets exposing the Vietnam war.

I did appreciate this film both as a historical account and an ode to newspapers. But I don’t find it  extremely noteworthy. I did enjoy it at the time I was watching it, but as I list it with all these others it just seems OK to me.

“The free press exists to serve the governed not the governors.”

 

 

 

Surprising: Get Out

A white woman lures her black boyfriend to her parents’ estate.

Actually Jeremy was the first one to watch this earlier last year, and I was the one who didn’t finish it because it was creeping me out. Then it was nominated so I had to go back and watch the entire film to see if I could appreciate it. I could! Once I was more prepared for what was going on (and all of this is alluded to in a preview) I really liked the movie.

Horror/suspense it is outside my usual genre. But I do believe it deserves a place here with the others. Jordan Peele (the director) provides a bit of comic relief with his cameo appearances.

 

 

 

OK: Dunkirk

Thousands of British soldiers are trapped at Dunkirk. 

This movie is my least favorite but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate its historical value and the spirit of it.

I found it confusing and hard to follow and kept getting the characters confused. I did find some of the overhead shots of the beach extremely affecting.

To be fair, I saw it on a TV screen not the big screen, and my friend who is way more of a movie critic than me said he appreciated it much more on the second viewing

 

 

Now I’ll get back to my books!!

Which films did you see this year and which were your favorites?

 

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links you will not pay any extra but I may make a small commission. Thank you for supporting Leslie’s Bookcase.

.