But yes, when the credits rolled, I found myself not liking the movie much, and thinking it could have been vastly improved by removing every last bit of dialog.

And adding a jaunty piano soundtrack!

That tracks in the movie, quite clearly, but it's the story that Teddy told about how George had committed a crime, landed in jail, then escaped and that's how Teddy found out about the experiments

coupled with the story that George then tells about how he got out once and now he's back because of Teddy. That could be part of a truth that Teddy did indeed run into George on the outside. Or could he possibly mean that he got out of ward C, rather than the island itself?

I read the book of Shutter Island.

Or well, I started reading it, guessed where it was going, skipped to the end, found I was right and stopped reading.

It was like the author heard about this kind of storytelling and then wrote the book without really understanding what makes that type of thing work.

Don't know about the book, but reflecting back on the movie, there's tons of moments that take on a new perspective, and not in a "neat, but whatev!" ways but in an emotional, character-based way.

Like how in the beginning when the warden is seemingly expositing in an annoying way about the new fangled methods and the doctor is talking about his methods, when really they are trying to impress upon Leo how much they care and how they are trying to avoid the attitude that Teddy has towards the prisoners/patients.

I figured it out the end, but the journey was hauntingly beautiful and reaching the end just enriched that journey in reflection.

I'm not throwing an Oscar party this year, but Epicurious just published their menu if anyone else needs inspiration:

[link]

Given the number of Best Picture noms and the noms themselves, I decided against a themed menu. And given my apartment, I need to serve something easy to eat or that can be served in one bowl. Right now, I'm leaning towards either Cioppino, or tamales.

ETA:

Almond Baklava with Rosé Water

I'm going to assume that this is a typo and that the good folks at epicurious know the difference between rosé and rose.

That's an impressive hotel-inspired continental breakfast.

That's an impressive hotel-inspired continental breakfast.

And it includes one of the recipes from my "easy favorites" list, namely, "Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Lemon Cream"--they are yum!!

Oscar nominee/food mashup posters:

[link]

I adore A Serious Manwich and Avatunatartare.

Which reminds me, I have an Oscar party Evite to respond to.