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The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

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The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Old 01-28-17, 08:01 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Just got out of the theatre where I saw Hacksaw Ridge. I don't know how I didn't realize it was directed by Mel Gibson. I'm pretty sure the battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan have just been outdone. They were gruesome!
Old 01-28-17, 08:05 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I think I should now watch the two Clint Eastwood WW2 movies, Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers. I think one or both of them got nominations. (And it's an excuse to drag out my HDDVD player)
Old 01-28-17, 08:26 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by lisadoris
...I watched Gigi. I hadn't seen that before and I didn't do my research ahead of time because I did not know it was a musical. I don't like musicals. I'm at a loss for how this film beat out Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Defiant Ones for Best Picture. Maybe it's my anti-musical bias but Gigi was not a particularly interesting film. I must be missing something.
I reccall being underwhelmed, too, though the specifics elude me.

I caught Odd Man Out via the TCM app (still free, still great) and was quite underwhelmed. It seemed like a half-hour story spread over two hours, and on top of that the story was thin and only very mildly tense. I wonder if some of my disappointment was from it seeming like an oft-told story now... but I can't imagine it's the only one from the forties either. It also seemed disappointing compared with my dim memories of The Third Man and James Mason's Nemo. Oh well.

Similar feelings for A Place in the Sun yesterday: not particularly novel, fairly obvious twist, very spread-out and lengthy... the acting didn't seem all that great, either. I was bemused at the actions of the prosecutor, though. Seemed a little overblown...!
Old 01-29-17, 08:12 AM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by ntnon
I reccall being underwhelmed, too, though the specifics elude me.

I caught Odd Man Out via the TCM app (still free, still great) and was quite underwhelmed. It seemed like a half-hour story spread over two hours, and on top of that the story was thin and only very mildly tense. I wonder if some of my disappointment was from it seeming like an oft-told story now... but I can't imagine it's the only one from the forties either. It also seemed disappointing compared with my dim memories of The Third Man and James Mason's Nemo. Oh well.

Similar feelings for A Place in the Sun yesterday: not particularly novel, fairly obvious twist, very spread-out and lengthy... the acting didn't seem all that great, either. I was bemused at the actions of the prosecutor, though. Seemed a little overblown...!
Agreed on GIGI and ODD MAN OUT, but I watched A PLACE IN THE SUN on TCM recently and I loved it. Great movie in all respects--acting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing, music, costumes... It won six Oscars--for all of the preceding categories except for acting. It lost Best Picture to a musical which, like GIGI, was directed by Vincente Minnelli, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS. Now I have to read the novel on which A PLACE IN THE SUN was based, Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy." I love how the film treats issues of intent, fate, and justice. There's enough ambiguity about Clift's motives and actions to make a case either way, although the prosecution's case wins out.

Interestingly, I've been watching a lot of "Perry Mason" for the ongoing TV Challenge and I found Burr's prosecutor in PLACE IN THE SUN to be the one prosecutor who could have made mincemeat out of Burr's Mason.



Old 01-29-17, 10:01 AM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
Agreed on GIGI and ODD MAN OUT, but I watched A PLACE IN THE SUN on TCM recently and I loved it. Great movie in all respects--acting, directing, writing, cinematography, editing, music, costumes... It won six Oscars--for all of the preceding categories except for acting. It lost Best Picture to a musical which, like GIGI, was directed by Vincente Minnelli, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.
I remember having positive-mixed feelings about American in Paris, so I'm mildly glad it edged out ..Sun (but may now check what else was nominated then). Biggest problem with both is that they're just too long... I think ..Sun lost me during the first hour; the second was better. Though the familiarity - both in story and reality - may have hindered my enjoyment, too.

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
I love how the film treats issues of intent, fate, and justice. There's enough ambiguity about Clift's motives and actions to make a case either way, although the prosecution's case wins out.
Agreed, but it wasn't done well enough for me. In fact, thinking about it now, I wonder if the film wouldn't have worked much better (for me) if it had started at the trial, and introduced everything else as punctuated flashbacks. Then the discussions and nuances you cite could have been dealt with more in depth, and illustrated in situ, rather than beforehand...

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
Interestingly, I've been watching a lot of "Perry Mason" for the ongoing TV Challenge and I found Burr's prosecutor in PLACE IN THE SUN to be the one prosecutor who could have made mincemeat out of Burr's Mason.
But how did he avoid contempt of court for
Spoiler:
breaking the oar?!
Old 01-29-17, 10:36 AM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Good question, LOL!
Old 01-29-17, 03:55 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by lisadoris
... so I watched Gigi. I hadn't seen that before and I didn't do my research ahead of time because I did not know it was a musical. I don't like musicals. I'm at a loss for how this film beat out Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Defiant Ones for Best Picture. Maybe it's my anti-musical bias but Gigi was not a particularly interesting film. I must be missing something.
I didn't like Gigi. I generally do not like musicals although there is a handful I'll willingly watch if anyone asks and occasionally put on without being asked. Lerner and Lowe's My Fair Lady is one of those so I thought I might enjoy Gigi since it's the same team. Boy was I wrong... I disliked it very much. There was only *one* song I recognized, "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which was absolutely ruined for me due to watching the movie. All because of Chevalier's character, who, to me, comes of as a leering letch and the song, taken in context with the film, makes him seem even *more* smarmy. Considering the main plot of the film... well... it just made it more unappealing after that.

Either of the films you mentioned are superior and should have won Best Picture over Gigi. Maybe it's just time that's done that and Gigi was a good film in its day but I don't see how.
Old 01-29-17, 03:56 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I've watched a few things for the Challenge this afternoon, including a first time view of Tootsie, on my local PBS station. I thought it was great, and was pleasantly surprised to see Bill Murray in it. I followed it up with a couple Oscar nominated documentaries from 1942, on YouTube. One, called 'Combat Report', about the reporting of the war for the magazines, and another about the American farmer during the war from the USDA, called 'Henry Browne, Farmer'.
Old 01-29-17, 04:17 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

So on Sundays I usually play catch-up with my DVR and watched The New Edition Story which obviously doesn't count for this challenge. Since I was feeling nostalgic for my youth, I decided to watch Purple Rain which won an Oscar and would have counted anyway for the in memoriam category.

I danced through all of the musical performances and it feels very strange to watch this film now that Prince is dead. After over thirty years the songs should feel dated but for the most part they don't (except for Sex Shooter which feels like an 80s song). I really hope the Oscars don't omit him from the memoriam segment because they always leave a bunch of folks out.
Old 01-30-17, 01:33 AM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by lisadoris
I really hope the Oscars don't omit him from the memoriam segment because they always leave a bunch of folks out.
Doubt they'll forget...given that he was a presenter recently.

Nonetheless, still a good movie....I think I'll spin that new Blu-ray this year, too...thanks for the suggestion!
Old 01-30-17, 01:30 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

The memoriam segment is going to be like an hour long this year...
Old 01-30-17, 05:57 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Yes the in memoriam segment is going to be super long this year.

Watched The Lobster and I must say that there was some false advertising going on with this film. It's supposed to be a dark comedy but aside from the overall premise, I didn't find any humor in this movie. Very strange film.

Kubo and the Two Strings was far more interesting. I'm still torn between Zootopia and Moana for best animated feature though.
Old 01-30-17, 06:01 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by BobO'Link
I didn't like Gigi. I generally do not like musicals although there is a handful I'll willingly watch if anyone asks and occasionally put on without being asked. Lerner and Lowe's My Fair Lady is one of those...
Hopefully - and I think I recall at least one - Singin' in the Rain and Mary Poppins are on that list. I hope to get to both this month; either might very well be The Best Film Ever Made...

Originally Posted by BobO'Link
I thought I might enjoy Gigi since it's the same team. Boy was I wrong... I disliked it very much. There was only *one* song I recognized, "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," which was absolutely ruined for me due to watching the movie. All because of Chevalier's character, who, to me, comes of as a leering letch and the song, taken in context with the film, makes him seem even *more* smarmy. Considering the main plot of the film... well... it just made it more unappealing after that.
Yep! I know (most of) the (official) answer, but... whose idea was it to make this film?! And HOW did it win awards... maybe it was a different time....

Originally Posted by BobO'Link
Maybe it's just time that's done that and Gigi was a good film in its day but I don't see how.
...but I doubt it, too!
Old 01-30-17, 07:13 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I enjoyed a first-time viewing of Bonnie and Clyde today. The film itself was fun, along with the chance to see the young faces of Beatty, Dunaway, Hackman & Wilder.
Old 01-30-17, 08:14 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by ntnon
Hopefully - and I think I recall at least one - Singin' in the Rain and Mary Poppins are on that list. I hope to get to both this month; either might very well be The Best Film Ever Made...
Yes, Mary Poppins is on that list, along with Fiddler on the Roof, The Sound of Music, Little Shop of Horrors (1986), A Hard Day's Night, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Paint Your Wagon. I've seen Singing in the Rain once and recall it being enjoyable. I need to watch it again to see just how I truly feel and if it'll join my short list of "Musicals I'll watch without prodding."
Old 01-30-17, 09:26 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I finally got around to finishing the Extended version of The Two Towers this afternoon. I found it very enjoyable, but since it's such a long movie, I had to watch it in parts. Of the three, I have to say the second part has always been my favorite of the trilogy, because Theoden is one of my favorite characters, and, while he is in the third movie, he plays a central role in The Two Towers.
Old 01-31-17, 04:41 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by lisadoris
So on Sundays I usually play catch-up with my DVR and watched The New Edition Story which obviously doesn't count for this challenge.

I really hope the Oscars don't omit him from the memoriam segment because they always leave a bunch of folks out.
I doubt they will. It was nice to see SAG include him on Sunday night. I also enjoyed The New Edition Story!
Old 01-31-17, 06:14 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

So today I watched Les Miserables (2012) for the first time. Unlike Gigi I knew this was an opera going in so no surprise but the film still wasn't my cup of tea.

Forgot to mention I saw Moana for the second time yesterday. The music for that film is cool though I hoped "Your Welcome" would have been nominated for the Oscar just for the fun of watching Dwayne Johnson perform it. I also had the entire theater to myself and that hasn't happened to me since right after 9/11.

I can't decide if I should watch the Indiana Jones trilogy or the Star Wars prequels tomorrow.
Old 01-31-17, 11:19 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I've got a good start going and have made headway with this year's nominees. Thankfully, many of them are still in theaters. Also, my local cinema has a Best Picture marathon that I'll attend the weekend before the ceremony, so I'm super excited about that!

Today, I watched James Ivory's The Remains of the Day, a beautiful and contemplative costume drama about a reserved butler in pre-WWII England. It was quite moving and (like many things I've been watching/reading) made me think long and hard about our current political landscape. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson are absolutely captivating, doing so much with characters that are good at hiding emotions. Hugh Grant shows up in a minor role and is pretty charming. I was so taken with the story that I put the novel on which it is based on my reading list.
Old 01-31-17, 11:20 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I also watched "The Danish Poet", an animated short from 2006. It's available on the National Film Board of Canada's YouTube channel. They actually have quite a number of past winners and nominees - definitely worth perusing.
Old 02-01-17, 11:05 AM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Speaking of musicals, I watched THE GREAT CARUSO (1951) for the first time yesterday when it ran on TCM as part of its Mario Lanza birthday marathon. It was nominated for three Oscars and won one. It's a really superb crash course in opera, with songs and arias from over two dozen great operas. You may not be "into" opera--I'm not particularly into it myself--but there's so much great singing and great music and it's compiled into a movie under two hours that you can just revel in it without having to sit through an entire three-hour opera. I really wish they'd shown this to us in school to give us a taste of opera. And Lanza was a superb actor as well.

Old 02-01-17, 04:23 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Big update to my 2017 Oscar Availability Post:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/12995814-post34.html
Old 02-01-17, 04:47 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

I'm thankful that the TCM's 31 Days of Oscar is finally here! Looking forward to All About Eve, An American in Paris, and Annie Hall. But first, a Marty movie I can't believe I've never seen in its entirety (even though I've watched every episode of the sitcom it inspired), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
Old 02-01-17, 06:27 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by Mao
Big update to my 2017 Oscar Availability Post:

http://forum.dvdtalk.com/12995814-post34.html
Thanks for putting this together! FYI, O.J.: Made in America is also available on Hulu.
Old 02-01-17, 06:29 PM
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Re: The 11th Annual Academy Award Challenge (January 24, 2017 - February 26, 2017)

Originally Posted by mrcellophane
Thanks for putting this together! FYI, O.J.: Made in America is also available on Hulu.
Added! Thanks!

Just picked it up on Blu....if you haven't seen it, it's reeealllyyy long, but fascinating!

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