Disclaimer: I do not consider myself a film specialist, nor I am. I am just a film enthusiast, meaning I love to watch movies. Who doesn’t, I guess? The following is just a humble opinion about the movies I saw.
With a very busy schedule sometimes it is hard to catch movies but this year I was determined to watch as many as I could. The best part of this whole thing is that I took myself on dates (I even went to the theatre by myself on Valentine’s Day morning- that was how determined I was). It felt so good to do something for myself, a treat, an indulgence.
So, without further ado, my take on (most) of the 2018 Oscar nominated movies:
The Post
????? (5 out of 5)
Mix Steven Spielberg with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, add The Pentagon Papers, freedom of speech, women empowerment, and did I mentioned Meryl Streep? I cannot imagine anyone who doesn’t like it. An already known film formula that we’ve experienced many times before, nothing original about it, but still so good!
A must see!
Lady Bird
????? (5 out of 5)
This kind of movie is my ultimate cup of tea. I loved each and every character. They are so well written and their relationships are perfectly portraited. All the performances are outstanding, my favorite was Laurie Metcalf, who plays Ladybird’s mom. I hope she wins the Oscar, she deserves it. I laughed, I cried, and I left the theatre moved, touched, and inspired. Do not miss it.
The Shape of Water
???? ? (5 out of 5)
I may be a little biased because of Guillermo del Toro but I really liked this one. Do I think it will win the Oscar for best picture? Mmh… I am not sure. Best director? For sure! I loved the performances, the story is very original and it deeply and majestically portrays human emotions and traits such as love, tolerance (and the lack of it), and friendship. It is inspiring. Unlike The Post, I don’t know if this is a movie that everyone will like. I did, and I really did. The cinematography and use of imagery are delightful and being a visual person it was a real treat for my eyes (remember, I am no expert I just like what I like).
Call Me By Your Name
????? (5 out of 5)
Sigh. This movie left me sighing and wanting to rent a Villa in Italy for the whole summer and eat peaches all day and soft-boiled eggs with toast for breakfast. The setting is absolutely beautiful. The story? Well, I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories, and I am a sucker for Italian and French-speaking films, so it wasn’t difficult for me to like this one. A story about romance and the angst of coming out, the guilt of forbidden love. A kind of film where apparently nothing is happening, but a lot is going on. It is a little bit long for my taste if it were me, I’d cut 15 minutes.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
???? (4 out of 5)
An uncomfortably violent dark-humored story about grief, tolerance, and rage. All the performances are out of this world. Sam Rockwell’s character was my favorite. I can definitely see why this one is the favorite picture to win the Oscars, but it is not my personal favorite.
Phantom Thread
????? (5 out of 5)
I LOVED this film. I am still dreaming about Daniel Day-Lewis playing Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned British post-war dressmaker. A complex man with many walls built within him and the woman that patiently knew how to break those down. A movie that left me smiling for hours. Do not miss!
Movies that I haven’t watched yet:
Get Out – Saw the trailer, it looks so good but I am not watching it if I want to sleep ever again. I don’t like horror movies anymore.
Dunkirk – I will catch up later
Darkest Hour – Saw the trailer and Gary Oldman’s performance seems outstanding.
Let me know your thoughts. Which one was your favorite? Have you watched them all?
I hope you enjoy watching the Oscars tonight, especially the Red Carpet which is always my cup of tea.
?,
Marcela