Favorite Movies of 2019

[GrahamS. 803]

I just saw Uncut Gems and I’m also adding it to my list of the best that came out this year. The previous movie by the Safdie brothers—Good Time—was also really good.

For recommendations, I’ll also flash back to 2017 (I think) for Thoroughbreds. This is its last month streaming on HBO. I really liked that film.

[sycasey 2.0 2301]

4 hours ago, grudlian. said:

Definitely. Actors are getting nominated for the work of costumers and makeup artists (see also:  Vice). I probably wouldn't balk is Bohemian Rhapsody got an Oscar nomination for that because, in parts, that the costuming and makeup was good. But that was mostly just Freddie Mercury in parts and the Brian May wig. For the rest, even the makeup and costumes looked kind of crappy.

Totally. I liked Bale in Vice, but there's an obvious reason why he gets the nomination for that and not for, say, American Psycho.

The other thing that gets awards attention is some big physical transformation, like gaining or losing a lot of weight (Joaquin Phoenix this year) or a normally beautiful actor making themselves look ugly (that's how DiCaprio got his). Again, that's not necessarily an indication of the best acting, but it is the obvious external thing that makes a performance look difficult.

I guess you could argue that "looking like another famous person" is just a subset of "extreme physical transformation."

[taylor anne photo 11311]

12 hours ago, sycasey 2.0 said:

or a normally beautiful actor making themselves look ugly (that's how DiCaprio got his)

Wait... did you think Leo looked ugly in The Revenant? Cause... lol nah

Better examples of this would be Gary Oldman for The Darkest Hour, Nicole Kidman for The Hours, or Charlize Theron for Monster (altho Charlize kills it in that role regardless of the physical transformation).

[grudlian. 4725]

41 minutes ago, taylor anne photo said:

Wait... did you think Leo looked ugly in The Revenant? Cause... lol nah

Better examples of this would be Gary Oldman for The Darkest Hour, Nicole Kidman for The Hours, or Charlize Theron for Monster (altho Charlize kills it in that role regardless of the physical transformation).

Leo gets dirty and ate meat despite being a vegetarian is about as ugly as I expect he's willing to let himself get.

I think he got the Oscar because it was a kind of weak year for lead actors and the whole "can u believe leo never won an oscar!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

[taylor anne photo 11311]

1 minute ago, grudlian. said:

Leo gets dirty and ate meat despite being a vegetarian is about as ugly as I expect he's willing to let himself get.

I think he got the Oscar because it was a kind of weak year for lead actors and the whole "can u believe leo never won an oscar!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Couldn't agree more. I think the Academy has a habit of celebrating an actor they've realized they should have celebrated in the past for a better performance (see also Colin Firth winning for The King's Speech when it's obvious he should have won for A Single Man instead).

[grudlian. 4725]

26 minutes ago, taylor anne photo said:

Couldn't agree more. I think the Academy has a habit of celebrating an actor they've realized they should have celebrated in the past for a better performance (see also Colin Firth winning for The King's Speech when it's obvious he should have won for A Single Man instead).

I'm too lazy to look up what else came out in 2010, but looks like that was another year without a standout lead actor (in my opinion). But the Academy also thought King's Speech was the best picture. So, maybe they just went crazy that year? I agree that it's definitely not what I'd say is Firth's most award deserving performance.

Retroactively, I'd give it to Jesse Eisenberg probably but I don't think I would have done it in 2010.

[taylor anne photo 11311]

2 minutes ago, grudlian. said:

I'm too lazy to look up what else came out in 2010, but looks like that was another year without a standout lead actor (in my opinion). But the Academy also thought King's Speech was the best picture. So, maybe they just went crazy that year? I agree that it's definitely not what I'd say is Firth's most award deserving performance.

Retroactively, I'd give it to Jesse Eisenberg probably but I don't think I would have done it in 2010.

People in my movie loving circle usually suggest 2010 was a better year for Jeff Bridges, but I disagree with that because I didn't actually enjoy True Grit as much as everyone else did... although I had a terrible movie going experience when I went to see that movie so it could have heavily effected my thoughts.

Despite the fact that Christian Bale probably still would've won (another giant transformation win for him that year) I am still angry that Andrew Garfield was denied even a nomination for The Social Network. His performance was truly the stand out in my opinion.

[grudlian. 4725]

14 minutes ago, taylor anne photo said:

People in my movie loving circle usually suggest 2010 was a better year for Jeff Bridges, but I disagree with that because I didn't actually enjoy True Grit as much as everyone else did... although I had a terrible movie going experience when I went to see that movie so it could have heavily effected my thoughts.

Despite the fact that Christian Bale probably still would've won (another giant transformation win for him that year) I am still angry that Andrew Garfield was denied even a nomination for The Social Network. His performance was truly the stand out in my opinion.

Yeah. I don't have anyone I was pushing for that year. I was probably rooting for Javier Bardem just to be a contrarian. But I'm honestly good with anyone that got nominated winning.

[sycasey 2.0 2301]

2 hours ago, grudlian. said:

Leo gets dirty and ate meat despite being a vegetarian is about as ugly as I expect he's willing to let himself get.

I think he got the Oscar because it was a kind of weak year for lead actors and the whole "can u believe leo never won an oscar!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

Yeah, making himself look dirty and scruffy was the thing. There was also a big narrative about how difficult it was to film the movie.

[RyanSz 3140]

Key to an Oscar nomination:

1. Biopic of famous, preferably well loved, individual, bonus points if they have debilitating ailment - Firth in King's Speech, Redmayne in The Theory of Everything

2. Movie set in entertainment industry or emphasis on media of some kind, though this usually works more towards Best Picture nominees - The Artist, Argo, Birdman, Spotlight, Chicago

3. Major physical transformation - Theron in Monster, Bale in The Fighter, Leto and McConaughey in Dallas Buyer's Club

It's why the final scene of Tropic Thunder is even more funny as when Ben Stiller's character is getting his Oscar you see the other nominees include Tom Hanks as an athlete in the Paralympics, Sean Penn as a blind man, Jon Voight in some sort of period piece, and Tobey Maguire as a gay monk.

Also for the original purpose of this thread, I need to add the Jacob's Ladder remake to the worst of last year as that movie is an utter dumpster fire, while if you want a nice chuckle for a fairly short kitchy movie, check out The Velocipastor on Prime. It realizes you're watching it to see how bad it is and plays very well into that in a very Black Dynamite kind of way.