Oscar noms are out: [link]

I've seen less than half of the Best Picture nominees. Guess I've got some work to do! Been meaning to watch "Judas and the Black Messiah" and I see now that HBO Max took it off its streaming lineup just in time for its multiple Oscar nominations. Wahh.

Surprised and pleased about multiple nominations for "Minari" (I think the kerfuffle about it being relegated to the Foreign Language category in Golden Globes actually helped its Oscar chances?) And how weird is that a slow-moving drama about van dwellers in American West made by a Chinese woman is the front-runner in the race?

Honest to God though, the nom that made me the happiest might just be "Husavik" for Best Song from "Eurovision Song Contest." I love that stupid movie, and the song slaps in all its cheesy sincerity. Always chuffed when the song in question is actually featured in the film/important to the plot, and not just tagged on during the end credit.

I've seen less than half of the Best Picture nominees. Guess I've got some work to do!

Same

Honest to God though, the nom that made me the happiest might just be "Husavik" for Best Song from "Eurovision Song Contest." I love that stupid movie, and the song slaps in all its cheesy sincerity. Always chuffed when the song in question is actually featured in the film/important to the plot, and not just tagged on during the end credit.

Also, same.

I wrote up my thoughts here: [link]

I wrote up my thoughts here:

I agree with 90% of that, all the way to the grudging plan to watch Trial of Chicago 7 at some point and zero interest in Borat 2 or Hillbilly Elegy.

After hemming and haw'ing a bit, I reactivated my AMC A-list membership and went to see Judas and the Black Messiah on Friday. There were a couple of unmasked yahoos in the theater but since there were like 5 people in the entire theater, plus I've been vaccinated and had a mask on the entire time, and was sitting at the opposite end of the theater from others, it felt reasonably safe. Judas and the Black Messiah was FANTASTIC, and I'm glad this was the film that broke my year-long theater-going drought. I don't think this movie would have had the same impact had I watched it on the small screen. Daniel Kaluuya is just ridiculously charismatic and soulful as Fred Hampton, and LaKeith Stanfield is predictably great. All the supporting players really step up, especially Dominique Fishback as Hampton's partner. Dynamically filmed and scored as well -- an all around excellent film. I'm putting my money on Kaluuya nabbing that Best Supporting Actor Oscar right now (the fact that Stanfield was also nom'd as a supporting actor is... something. If anything, it's a two co-leads film.)

Tentatively planning on seeing a couple of other movies on empty week-night showings. My theater has once-daily showing of Promising Young Woman and The Father, as well as News of the World and Raya and the Last Dragon, all of which I want to see (plus Minari, which I've already seen.)

I agree with 90% of that, all the way to the grudging plan to watch Trial of Chicago 7 at some point and zero interest in Borat 2 or Hillbilly Elegy.

I have to say, one point my Century+ project has really hammered home is that there are far too many great films I have yet to see without wasting my time on mediocre contemporary fare.

I'm very jealous of your moviegoing, Vonnie. I wish I could go to the theater. I can't wait to be eligible for vaccination. California and SF have wiped all trace of the former Phase 1C (50+) from all their websites so I fear I will have to wait for the free-for-all that is everybody at once and then who knows when I'll get it.

there are far too many great films I have yet to see without wasting my time on mediocre contemporary fare.

Hear, hear. And fingers crossed that vaccination schedule would ramp up (the Oxford AZ vaccine will probably get an EUA approval soon, so that's 4 active vaccines available in near future).

On the streaming front, I just noticed that New Korean Cinema films were set to expire on Criterion Channel at the end of this month. I gotta knock off a few of these but it's so heavy on horror and violence, wahh. I did start watching Park Chan Wook's Joint Security Area last night and found it quite gripping, until I got to the scene where Upsetting Things were gonna happen (the film is in a flashback structure so you know it's coming). By then, I got so invested in the characters, the prospect of upcoming horror was unbearable, so I turned it off and went to bed haha (*hides face*). THIS is why I need to see movies in the theater where there is momentum and no escape. Sigh. I'll pick it up today, and I'm already dreading it.

I did watch Baby Song Kang Ho in Foul King, which was quite delightful. After JSA, I'll probably try Lady Vengeance if I can muster up enough nerve. It can't be more upsetting than Mr. Vengeance, surely (a film I found legit traumatizing).

Yeah, I have a few of those at the top of My List: The Quiet Family and the Vengeance trilogy (getting Oldboy from the library soon I hope), but I'm trying to regard the Criterion expiring movies as a "nice to have" rather than "need to have" situation, especially when it is stuff I can get from the library.

James Gunn Suicide Squad trailer. NSFW.

OK, maybe not as good as the Harley Quinn cartoon King Shark, or Gail Simone’s King Shark, but I still love me some King Shark.

Looks fun

James Gunn Suicide Squad trailer.

STARRO? Yeah, I'm going to see it. [edit: Although I really only like Peacemaker from the 2000-something Blue Beetle comics, I'm willing to see if John Cena can change my mind.] [Give me Blue Beetle, you cowards.] [Not that he's a villain; I just love Blue Beetle.]

And also, yes, King Shark is the actual goddamn best. And Harley Quinn cartoon King Shark is the best of the goddamn best.

Netflix is getting two Knives Out sequels from Rian Johnson: [link]