Saturday at the Movies

The Oscars show is tomorrow People!!!

Sorry about the lack of Movie Mondays (and other features) lately. I have movies to talk about, but I haven't taken the time to sit down and collect my thoughts. Since I've been out living my dash, I've been neglecting some areas of my life. Sadly, online endeavors have been taking the biggest hit. I hope the three of you who read my blog have been out living your respective dashes and haven't minded too much...

I had a pleasant surprise. Trumbo was released to On Demand Movies last week; so, I was able to see it. Bryan Cranston plays Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten who refused to testify before Congress during the Communist witch hunt of the 40s and 50s. It was a good movie and Cranston did  a fine job of acting. I liked it.

Spotlight, starring Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci and more, is the name of the  Boston Globe's investigative unit. The film centers around the group's investigation of widespread sexual abuse of children by several Roman Catholic priests and the church's attempt to cover up the matter. It was very, very good.

In Room, Brie Larson plays a young woman who was abducted and locked away for years. Her captor indulged in sexual encounters with her that resulted in an adorable and precocious little boy. The mother and child live out their days in a one room structure. The child has never been outside of this room and is ignorant of the world beyond it. They do escape and life outside of Room is challenging for both of them. The actor who plays this little boy is phenomenal and I think he should have been nominated for an Academy Award. I really liked this movie.

Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay give bang-up performances in 45 Years. The movie focuses on the week between a startling revelation from the husband's past to their lavish 45th wedding anniversary party. In that week, the wife reconsiders everything she thought she knew about her marriage. It was harrowing. At first, I thought the issue shouldn't matter, as it had happened prior to their meeting. Then I realized, it wasn't about me. It was about her and her feeling of betrayal and I was able to relate to her anguish. Although the pace was slow, it was a good story and the film was beautifully shot. I like it.

I saw Mustang (in Turkish with English sub-titles), one of the movies nominated for Best Foreign Film, and I'm glad I did. The film is set in a small Turkish village. Five orphaned sisters are being raised by their grandmother and uncle. On the way home from school one day, they join up with classmates on the beach and play a game of chicken with some of the boys. When they get home, the gossip of their "inappropriate" behavior precedes them and they are punished. The girls are not allowed to leave the house for any reason. Of course, they don't take this judgment lying down. It was very, very good.

This year, I was able to see the Best Animated Short Films. They are: 
Bear Story - a bear makes a mechanical diorama of a bear who wants to return to his family.
Prologue - a little girl witnesses a battle to the death between two Athenian and two Spartan warriors. Sanjay's Super Team - an Indian-American boy comes to find the wisdom in his father's daily prayers in his own way.
We Can't Live Without Cosmos - two best friends train to become cosmonauts.
World of Tomorrow - little Emily gets a sneak peak of her future.

MK out.