I only saw two of the Best Picture nominees, and one of them was by accident. Skyfall was sold out, so I saw Argo.
I thought Argo was a good movie. It’s “ripped from the headlines,” and it manages to do a lot of business in 120 minutes. You only get glimpses of the hostages, but you still get a sense of who they are. The Iranians are definitely the villains, but there’s no sense that they’re all terrible people. Ben Affleck is a bit of a cipher at the center of it, but you do get some hints of his character. I really was at the edge of my seat at the end.
But I had no idea I was watching the year’s best picture. I figured it would go to Lincoln of Zero Dark 30, which seem like “bigger” pictures. I thought maybe their voters canceled each other out? But of course, I haven’t seen either film, so I can’t say. I hate it when people judge a piece based strictly on “buzz.”
I dunno, I feel like I don’t know what’s good anymore.
Argo is a movie about the movie business, so it was always a lock with the Academy. I haven’t seen it yet, myself. In fact, of all the big buzz films this year, the only two I’ve seen are Zero Dark Thirty and Django Unchained.
A little sad that The Hobbit didn’t get more play, but I suppose it’s shot itself in the foot by making it plain that there are still two more films to come.
I didn’t have much urge to see Hobbit myself. I’m not a fan of the books, and danged if I’m going to sit there for 3 hours to get 1/3 of a story.
But like I say, I didn’t see it, so it could be really great.
I also don’t see how Argo managed to win the Oscar without the original Jack Kirby drawings.
“Argo is a movie about the movie business, so it was always a lock with the Academy.”
So true. I like movies as much as the next guy, but I just can’t watch even a second of the Oscars anymore. Or give them any credibility. Watching Hollywood suck its own dick for three hours or more is a lot more boring than it might initially sound.
Yeah, award shows suck. What’d you think about Argo?
I guess it makes sense. I always assumed whatever was the biggest spectacle would win. I haven’t seen any of them either. Panel movie night?
I have yet to see Argo although the DVD is sitting at home waiting for me. In general, I’m not real fond of these “based on real events” films, especially when they are based on historical events. I understand that film is a different medium and some liberties are taken to adapt the material for a dramatic effect. But so often, outright distortion occurs and too many moviegoers never bother to dig any deeper. They simply assume that what they saw on the screen is fact. For example, from what I’ve heard, Argo ends with a climactic scene where the jet carrying the embassy workers zooms away from an Iranian airport while being hotly pursued by armed revolutionaries in jeeps. In reality, the plane took off without a hitch after some brief mechanical issues. I know that would make a boring movie, but the “dramatizations” really bother me.
A long way of saying I am probably not the intended audience for Argo. Dredd was really good though.
That’s funny. I avoided the Social Network for the same reasons, although I’ve heard it’s really good (as a film).
I avoided Dredd because (from what I understand) they cut the satire elements.
I liked Social Network. Don’t know if I’d run out and buy the dvd but it was alright.
You’re right about Dredd, the movie was essentially humorless which was a bit disappointing. But I enjoyed it because it was such a tightly focused bit of brutal action and Karl Urban did a nice job as Dredd. It was cool to see Judge Anderson (Psi Division!) on screen as well, and thankfully changed from the callipygian temptress she is too often depicted as in the comics to a rookie struggling to come to terms with the challenges of being a judge. It’s worth a rental, I think, even for the doubters.
Callipygian: Having well-shaped buttocks.
Thanks you, Matt, for enriching my vocabulary.
My pleasure, Dara. If there’s anything I do know, it’s well-shaped buttocks and how to lovingly describe them.