It seems like the Academy is always honoring films most people have never heard of. With Oscar night coming soon, here is a guide to the good, the bad, and the ugly that the Best Picture nominees have to offer.
The Big Short
This film is a humorous exploration of the 2008 financial crisis with some big name actors (Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, and Ryan Gosling) playing real life figures who predicted and attempted to profit from the collapse.
The Good- The movie is funny and dumbed down enough to valiantly attempt to explain things like a credit default swap and a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) bubble.
The Bad- The characters aren’t that interesting and neither is the plot. Unless you have a burning desire to understand the complexities of the housing bubble, there is not much else here.
The Revenant
This is one of the best movies of the year and should and I think will win Best Picture and Best Lead Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. While on a trapping expedition in the American wilderness in 1823, Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), the most experienced hunter in the group, is viscously attacked by a grizzly bear and left for dead. What follows is one man’s harrowing fight for survival during a brutal winter and his spiritual journey toward redemption.
The Good- The scenery is majestic, and with Alejandro Inarritu’s masterful direction, the audience is completely immersed in the story. The viewer feels every claw of a horrendous bear attack and takes flight with Glass after a stunning leap off a cliff. In spite of long periods of no dialog, DiCaprio keeps the audience riveted to this man’s internal and external struggles. The actor disappears into character here and does his finest work in years. Inarritu elevates this action filled western into a brutal yet beautiful film that explores themes of revenge, death, rebirth, and redemption.
The Bad- The violence is shocking and visceral and just might be too much for some people.
Bridge of Spies
Tom Hanks stars in a Cold War spy drama directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on a true story, lawyer James Donovan (Hanks) is enlisted by the CIA to negotiate a prisoner trade between the Soviet Union and the USA.
The Good- Hanks is great at playing an everyman, and Spielberg knows how to stoke the drama and suspense of every moment.
The Bad- It is all a little too predictable and dare I say boring.
Brooklyn
A young Irish woman immigrates to Brooklyn in the 1950’s to find work and hopefully a brighter future. After a bout of homesickness, she enrolls in night school and falls in love with an Italian-American suitor. Called back to Ireland after a death in the family, she begins seeing a local young man and gets a great job opportunity. Which of the two equally promising futures will she choose?
The Good- Saoirse Roman’s performance is fresh and engaging and there are several nice, quiet moments of reflection in the film.
The Bad- It’s a decent movie but not very memorable.
Mad Max: Fury Road
This insane, high-octane action flick will thrill fans of the previous Mad Max films. Set in the future after a nuclear holocaust, barbaric thugs rule the stark landscape. While people beg for water to survive, women are enslaved and forced to breed against their will. One brave woman (Charlize Theron) leads a daring escape to free a group of imprisoned women.
The Good- Two hours of nonstop explosions, crashes, and fighting might be heaven to some people. Theron creates a fantastic, kickass heroine who is hard to forget.
The Bad- Not much plot, character, or dialog here - just a frenzied cacophony of violence. So if a two hour car chase with excessive violence, repugnant characters, and disturbing images is not to your taste, then run - don’t walk away from this film.
The Martian
The most crowd pleasing film of the bunch, The Martian is a suspenseful space thriller with a healthy sense of humor. Left stranded on Mars, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) uses every resource at his disposal including potatoes, duct tape, and lots and lots of science to stay alive long enough to be rescued.
The Good- Not many actors are likable enough and talented enough to single handedly keep an audience engaged during a two hour plus film. Without Matt Damon’s appealing performance, the movie simply wouldn’t work. Director Ridley Scott has crafted a smart, feel-good film that leaves its audience thoroughly entertained.
The Bad- I can’t think of anything.
Room
Like The Revenant, this film can be hard to watch at times, but it creates an emotional resonance that lasts long after a viewing. Room tells the story of a young woman held captive in a shed for years, and the protective world she creates for her child (born in captivity.) The story is told from 5-year-old Jack’s perspective, which softens the horror of the situation and elevates the magical way he sees the world. Halfway through the film, Jack and his mom escape and have a rough time adapting to their newfound freedom. The fascinating part of this film is seeing how a child’s mind forges a world view to make sense of his surroundings. Then witnessing the child’s fear and wonder when circumstances change and that world expands.
The Good- Brie Larson’s performance is raw and utterly believable as a tortured woman struggling to keep her sanity and protect her son. She deserves and hopefully will win Best Lead Actress. Jacob Tremblay delivers an amazing performance, portraying Jack’s delight, fear, affection, and confusion, at such a young age. Director Lenny Abrahamson deftly creates a life-affirming film that chooses to focus on the light instead of the darkness.
The Bad- The subject matter may be too unsettling for some viewers.
Spotlight
Based on a true story, in 2001 The Boston Globe began an investigation into child abuse allegations against several priests in the Boston area. A group of dedicated journalists broke the story of the Catholic Church’s massive cover up of the scandal.
The Good- Reminiscent of films like All the President’s Men, Spotlight accurately captures the excitement, frustrations, and rhythm of a newspaper newsroom. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams all provide passionate, complex performances.
The Bad- Some may find the investigative process less than exciting.
The Ugly
There were a few films that should have made the big list this year, like Straight Outta Compton, which is as good a music biopic as Ray or Walk the Line. Concussion is an excellent film that was all but ignored by the Academy and audiences. Will Smith’s performance was more than worthy of a nomination.
The 88th annual Academy Awards begins Feb. 28 at 5:30 p.m.
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