Let's face it, Best Picture is always subjective, but since Harvey's win with Shakespeare in Love (which I actually did love a lot better than Saving Private Ryan by I just want an Oscar Spielberg) the Academy has pretty consistently honored smaller pictures.
You know, ones that old Academy folks can watch at home on their big screens instead of in the Theaters.
This year's bunch is primarily disappointing....
As for The Shape of Water. It was a very, very good deaf-girl-meets-boy-monster story - with a big dose of anti-government of US fascists : which plays well right about now. I give it props for lots and lots of things. Particularly Del Toro's amazing use of color and cinematography. But in 10 years it will look like the win The Artist chalked up - forgotten and embarassing. I didn't think it was the best movie of the year.
Call Me By Your Name would be my favorite, if Dunkirk wasn't in the race. It was a touchy coming of age story that worked wonderfully. I totally think Timotheé Chalamont should win best actor (but he won't - he is too young). But it has the "gay movie" tag - which is true, but pretty incidental to the film. And "that gay movie"'s time is passed (it was over when Brokeback Mountain lost to Crash, "Really, I hear you say, "Crash?". Yep really.)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri was a odd little change of pace movie. But, like The Shape of Water, will be in forgettable in a few years. The power of Frances McDormeand and Woody Harrelson will live on!
I haven't seen the rest yet - and I don't need to see The Post or The Darkest Hour. They both seem like vanity projects and you don't have to prove to me Gary Oldman is a fantastic actor. I'm pass on The Post because Steven Speilberg shouldn't misdirect who released the Pentagon Papers in order to tell a story about the first female editor at the Washington Post.
I have Get Out backed up on my tivo and will watch it soon, but I don't see it (or Lady Bird) as the best picture of the year.
That only leaves The Phantom Thread as a possibility. It might be fine (even great), but it raises my hackles to see it as some tribute to Daniel Day Lewis who is quitting acting. Just quit, don't make a talk show event out of it. And don't try to guilt me into seeing your stupid movie about a seemstress(er).
Hey!!!! If you want to see a great movie about a seamstress, see The Dressmaker. Funny, beautiful, fantastic acting, heartbreaking and Liam Hemsworth nuded up.
