THE BOONDOCK SAINTS (1999) For #StPatricksDay Seems appropriate Always heard about this film but never seen until today Willem Dafoe carries it There's some classic 90s slo-mo gun fu It's a cult film, but not sure I'll be coming back for more Bit of a slog for me

THE WHITE COUNTESS (2005) The last Merchant-Ivory active collaboration (Merchant died before release) Call me old-fashioned, but I enjoy their movies Kazuo Ishiguro's original screenplay captures 1930s Shanghai Measured. Slow at times But I didn't mind soaking up this unique world

I've always connected to PTA's films. They hit my sensibilities I'm usually on the verge of laughing (Anderson said you can view his films as comedies) Even in TWBB. The ridiculousness of Plainview Irony and absurdity can lie at the heart of even the darkest of stories 1/2

HONEYDRIPPER (2007) Sinners reminded me I needed to see this A John Sayles tale in a minor chord still sounds good A blues and "save the juke joint" narrative Sayles really knows how to construct a script Danny Glover and Charles S. Dutton sharing scenes is like music

There's a great line from a tour guide/educator Essentially, when we engage with a painting, we also bring our own story to it I feel that way about film too This is why movies are different for everyone. Our story can only be our story

NATIONAL GALLERY (2014) A wonderful tour of art and what goes into its preservation 3 hours flew by Wiseman's editing is so good. There's a sequence where people look at portraits. The back and forth of how faces look. Then and now. Incredible stuff RIP Frederick Wiseman

I'm decompressing from Oscar season with physical media from my collection To the end of March First watches unless indicated (Not my hand)

5 wrong

Yes, Canada! #NFB #Oscars

This scene.....

Here's what I'm doing: Sinners BP PTA Director and screenplay Coogler screenplay Jordan Buckley Madigan Lindo (no guts no glory) Frankenstein costume, make-up, design Sinners music and casting OBAA editing and cinematography K Pop song and animated Putin doc Sentimental Value intern'l

These 50 films. Incredible ride Having a tough time ranking the 10 BP nominees My bottom 3 is easier Most of the BP films made me laugh or made me reach for a Kleenex or got me excited about cinema The ones that didn't do a lot of that for me: Frankenstein F1 Hamnet

Ok. That's it for Feb-mid March! The 50 Oscar-nominated films for the 2026 ceremony Plus 79 other Oscar-related movies That's 129 So that's 243 movies watched so far this year

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER "Daddy daughter games" When we render down this absurd, muscled tale of revolution and extremism, it's about family and fatherhood (and PTA commenting on his own life) 160 mins flew by. Relentless filmmaking. Great stuff Banger Steely Dan needle drop

It's time for one more battle...

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930) A rare BP winner I hadn't seen Still feels fresh. Not just its unapologetic anti-war message, but also Milestone's cinematic techniques A template for the genre going forward War is hell. Never forget 3 Sight & Sound votes, Directors

My pickle dip is made #Oscars

THE LIVING CITY (1953) Short doc Oscar nominee Co-directed and shot by Haskell Wexler Urban sprawl. City planning A mixture of street photography, artful ideas, and amateur actors (or real people??) reciting on-the-nose dialogue

After the Oscars, I'm gonna do a quick round of physical media watch till the end of the month

And then there was 1... 49 out of 50 nominated films Tomorrow afternoon will be the final one

FRANKENSTEIN GDT's sympathies lie with the Creature. No surprise Heavy daddy issues Lavish design. Cinematography, a mixed look of dream and 4k screensaver Elordi effective; yearning, raging for meaning He's stitched together to create an empathy machine Much like a movie

DUNE (1984) * Watch 4 David Lynch received an Honorary Oscar in 2019 Viewed the 3 hour Spicedriver cut More Lynch footage 👍 More narrative sense helps I guess🤷‍♂️ But I never minded the incoherent fever dream of it Could Lynch be drawn to the power of the mind themes? TM related?

SINNERS Obviously, lots to unpack in terms of cultural appropriation and Jim Crow South But this is a tale as old as time: a song (in cinematic form) about the blues, and the lengths evil will go to take it away And Coogler's parable is full of flourish and a lot of damn fun

Todd Field's next film should be autobiographical How he co-created Big League Chew as a teen and got screwed out of the licensing rights and profits

Incredibly impressed with the 5 international features in the category. Some stunning films

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY (1985) * Watch 2 Nominated for an Oscar Early Ken Burns corn. More raw. More pure in a way Gorgeous shots. Conflicting ideas. McCullough's narration is a balm I could've listened to James Baldwin speak about freedom for the whole hour. And Miloš Forman!

I realize Oscar films are not "the best" films But there's some quality stuff there My dad (who passed away in August) brought me to see Amadeus because it was nominated for a bunch of Oscars I was 13. But I loved it. Still do Thanks Dad

My Oscar watch comes to an end Sunday 3 films to go out of 50 nominated this year!

Discovering ECM jazz...wow

THE SECRET AGENT The absurdity and danger of regime-life in 70s Brazil Fun 70s film techniques (split screens, diopter, wipes) A real slow burn. Structured a bit like a limited series? Some bravura set pieces. Wagner Moura's compelling, soulful performance backbones it all

SENTIMENTAL VALUE A blend of family drama and the making of a movie. How art and life intersect Strong acting from the main quartet I thought of Bergman. Content-wise, but the last name Borg (hello...Wild Stawberries?) Trier's filmmaking feels as effortless as breathing

IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT A very intense experience Men and women confront their torturer Panahi's film made in secret adds to the tension A screenplay masterclass. Complications, stakes, reversals What is justice? Forgiveness? Dramatic questions for this time and all time

CHANGELING (2008) A rare Clint blindspot for me A riveting mystery turns into an indictment of systemic corruption Infuriating, sad. Horrific gaslighting Some classic Clint. Individual vs the system. Buffoons in authority 3 Oscar noms including Jolie And a great hat movie

COME TO THE STABLE (1949) Nuns on the run! Man, I laughed. Loretta Young drives like an Indy driver. Celeste Holm, in full nun garb, plays doubles tennis They try to raise funds for a new hospital A parable about selflessness. The wordless ending really got me 7 Oscar noms

The 80s music vibe worked for me. Creates a time-out-of-joint effect (for a movie set in the 50s) It gives the Marty character a vibrancy but also a feeling of arrested development. He needs to grow up The final needle drop we hear a lot, but it's one of my faves. Still an absolute banger

THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (1951) 3 S&S votes, Critics Powell & Pressburger's adaptation bursts with color and memorable imagery A celebration of opera, ballet, painting, and even puppetry 2 Oscar noms George A. Romero's comments on the film are also a gift

Entirely appropriate to follow up a Chalamet film with an opera film...

MARTY SUPREME Offbeat rhythms of a ping pong match. A sweaty, jazz riff A bit of Philip Roth too? Many side quests on Marty's picaresque journey Timmy perfectly captures an irksome, ambitious character...who finally gives way to vulnerability Also, Fisk and Khondji ftw

WHO IS HARRY KELLERMAN AND WHY IS HE SAYING THOSE TERRIBLE THINGS ABOUT ME? (1971) Songwriter. Mid-life crisis Felt like a stream of consciousness novel. Felt "of its time" Stars Dustin Hoffman But Barbara Harris gets the Oscar nomination here. Excellent in a small role

THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978) * Watch 5? Right from the opening credits, with Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score, the waltz music lets us know we're in for an unhinged romp And we are. A ludicrous plot. Peck and Olivier chewing on hambones A thumbs up from me

SIRĀT A seach for a lost daughter. Techno in the desert. What could go wrong? Maybe everything The sonic soundscape is impressive The narrative takes unexpected turns. Some earned and organic. Others random and imposed A polarizing watch, but image and sound immerse you

BUGONIA Oh, how the human race is fucked. Let me count the ways Loved Stone and Plemons Jerskin Fendrix's histrionic score Conspiracy theories. Class disconnect. Coen-ish black, bloody comedy Yorgos with a caustic slice of "today" I had fun. What can I say? 🤷‍♂️ lol

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY (2015) What English major doesn't know what butt plugs are? Finally watched this phenomenon No camp. No chemistry. Generally dour and creepy One of the editors cut Lawrence of Arabia (Anne V. Coates) I liked the Oscar-nominated song by The Weeknd 🤷‍♂️

TRANSAMERICA (2005) Huffman Oscar nom. Felt like a landmark back in the day Finally watched. It feels "well-intentioned" but hard to get past the "secret" reveal, the buddy-comedy road trip cliches, and emphasis on surgery Glad we're seeing the need for more authentic trans stories and voices

THE MESSENGER (2009) Casualty notification. One of the most difficult pieces of info to give and receive Pain. Day after day. "Hit" after hit A war of its own A battle between "protocol" and the complexities of grief An Oscar-nominated Woody Harrelson. One of his best

ZOOTOPIA 2 Huge hit We revisit characters we missed (I was mostly waiting for Flash Sloth) Sequels can be redundant or reductive. Some truth here But I like a good Shining gag And there are focused themes on the power of inclusion and diversity Anti-DEIers can pound sand

URGE TO BUILD (1981) I guess DIY house building was a revolutionary concept back then One guy said he gets a lot a sawdust in his food. It doesn't taste good Yeah, no shit Nominated for a documentary short Oscar

WEAPONS Missing children in a small town A creepy Pied Piper story A bit of Magnolia and Rashomon. Rashnolia? I was drawn in but also felt alienated. A constant push and pull At the core is Amy Madigan, who made me laugh and thoroughly creeped me out