I got lucky this year in that the SAG, PGA, WGA and DGA guild nominations guided my choices of what to see before today's Oscar noms. I agree that ARRIVAL came out of the blue and socked me in the gut, e.g., sort of like "The Sixth Sense" in that all the clues were laid out - yet I was still blown away by its ending, never saw it coming. It asks important questions about your own life, a real mind-bender. I also agree Amy Adams was robbed. She and Michelle Williams are among the most underrated actresses who keep getting nominated - but who also keep losing. In the most overrated category, a.k.a., a film you must love because you're supposed to, it would have to be "Fences" for me. I love Viola and Denzel as always - but Denzel chewed the scenery and it felt like he didn't cut a thing for this adaptation, which resulted in a film that was like the stage version - long and talky and stuffed - just shot outside and on a couple of sets. Meanwhile, "La La Land" screams for a show-stopping number or numbers given the homage it's supposed to be - but they never landed for me, despite my admiration for Damien Chazelle, who seems a lock regardless to win. - d.
________________________________ From: MoPo List <mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU> on behalf of Toochis Morin <fly...@pacbell.net> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 7:22 PM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Subject: Re: AA Nominations Very cool noms. I think ARRIVAL was the best script along with DEADPOOL (which didn't get nominated). Amy Adams was robbed. I LOVED THE LOBSTER and of Colin was robbed as well. Happy about the other nominations otherwise. Ryan Gosling is amazing in LA LA LAND. Toochis ________________________________ From: Principal Archivist <archiv...@swanarchives.org> To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 6:21 PM Subject: Re: [MOPO] AA Nominations Yes. Except "best song." On Jan 24, 2017, at 6:17 PM, Michael Greenwood <newswan...@hotmail.com<mailto:newswan...@hotmail.com>> wrote: In a near-perfect world, The Lobster sweeps all categories. Oh well... M ________________________________ From: MoPo List <mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU<mailto:mopo-l@listserv.american.edu>> on behalf of David Kusumoto <davidmkusum...@hotmail.com<mailto:davidmkusum...@hotmail.com>> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 8:10 PM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU<mailto:MoPo-L@listserv.american.edu> Subject: Re: [MOPO] AA Nominations I agree. "La La Land" is likely to win the big prize, and it was impressive when I saw it on the Cinerama Dome last month - but none of its original tunes have "classic" written all over 'em, such as you'd find in many Broadway or Disney animated musicals. And I don't get its nom for best original screenplay. To me the best written script was "Manchester by the Sea." Looking over the selections - this is the first time in my LIFE - that I have seen all nine Best Pic nominees before TODAY. Subjective rankings: Likely favorites to win Best Picture: 1. La La Land 2. Moonlight 3. Hidden Figures 4. Manchester by the Sea 5. Arrival 6. Lion 7. Hell or High Water 8. Fences 9. Hacksaw Ridge The films I liked the most among the Best Picture noms: 1. Manchester by the Sea 2. Arrival 3. La La Land 4. Hidden Figures 5. Hacksaw Ridge 6. Moonlight 7. Hell or High Water 8. Lion 9. Fences Have to add that although constructed in a conventionally formulaic and self-aware way, "Hidden Figures" was for me the most crowd pleasing / enjoyable of all the movies nominated for Best Picture, followed by "La La Land." "Manchester" was the most depressing to many patrons - (but not to me) - yet it's gifted with some of the best writing and acting of the year, esp. Casey Affleck, who plays with a quiet self-hatred that's volcanic. Watching it, I felt the air go out of the audience at the end, but to me, it's not a bad ending. For me, NONE of the films nominated for the top prize this year are dogs. They're all good. (Although I wouldn't have minded to see Michael Keaton's evil portrayal in "The Founder" slip in there.) And FWIW, if the Best Director noms remain an a signal of Best Picture odds - (in recent years they have not) - then the choices are limited to "La La Land," "Moonlight," "Arrival," "Manchester by the Sea" and "Hacksaw Ridge." "Hacksaw," BTW, plays out like a sentimental William Wyler film with a lot of "Private Ryan" carnage; excellent craftsmanship but I thought Mel Gibson's pariah status in Hollywood would shut him out. "Arrival" is slow but has a mind-bending, out-of-this-world payoff - and "Moonlight" is heartbreakingly vivid in its portrayal of bullying, gay self-identity and its relationship to the ethos of masculinity among young black men. All good selections. - d. ________________________________ From: MoPo List <mopo-l@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU<mailto:mopo-l@listserv.american.edu>> on behalf of Doug Taylor <douglasbtay...@hotmail.com<mailto:douglasbtay...@hotmail.com>> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 9:36 AM To: MoPo-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU<mailto:MoPo-L@listserv.american.edu> Subject: AA Nominations Well, let the Hollywood self-gratification begin. La La Land (14 nominations) was enjoyable and fun, but we all know that any film that glorifies "the business" (see entries The Artist, Argo) is a rock-solid lock to be celebrated whether it was the "best" entry or not. Regards Doug Taylor Profile<http://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasbtaylor> ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 ________________________________ To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: lists...@listserv.american.edu In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
