More nominations: The Square, Coco, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

2/22/18 The Square, nominated Best Foreign Film, 2017

That is two hours of my life that I will never get back. I really want to know who the people are who think this movie is the best Sweden had to offer this year. At first I thought maybe I'm going soft in the head and didn't get it; well, I didn't get it, but I think it's because it wasn't very good. When I think satire and movie, I always think of Brazil by Terry Gilliam (comedy and drama, satire, just like The Square). I wouldn't even put this in the same category. The Square uses the art world, art installations, performance art and some of the pompous pretentiousness (that seems to be one of my favorite words) that is found when 'those in the know' extol the virtues of certain types of art. So, I guess you could say that is juxtaposed with the arrogance of gallery director, Christian, who essentially threatens an entire apartment building because he thinks the thief who stole his wallet and phone lives there. There is some bizarre relationship with a journalist, Anne (American actress Elisabeth Moss) which I cannot explain or understand why it's in the movie. There is another scene of performance art involving an actor imitating a chimp and getting very violent with the guests at a dinner event; his violence incites violence form the guests. Was that the point? I actually think there may have been a good point (the impact of social media on society, can social media be art, etc.) I like to encourage people to check out foreign films, but I won't be recommending this at all. I probably won't get to see the other nominees until after the Oscars, so I really don't have any idea which one will win.

2/24/18 Coco, nominated Best Animated Feature, Best Original Song, 2017

I wasn't all that bothered whether I saw Coco or not; sadly, that's what happens when I get to the end of the list and have such a short amount of time before the Oscars. I kind of just get burned out. However, one of my movie companions kept mentioning it and that she would like to go with me if it worked out with our schedules. I'm really glad that it did work out; I had heard really good things from adult friends who saw the movie, and then my snark got the best of me. But, I am here to tell you that this was a really good animated film: a sweet, heartwarming story; good animation techniques (not as technically interesting as Loving, Vincent); funny bits that kids and adults laughed at (that is the benefit of being in a pretty crowded theater, you can hear others' reactions); and little bit of an introduction to Mexican culture and the Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead (before someone gets upset with me, it's just an introduction, but hopefully it will interest kids and their families, and I guess just adults, to learn more on their own about the holiday and its traditions). I will say, and again, someone will disagree with me, I didn't think the music was all that great, not like other Disney or Pixar films. Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) is a 12 year old boy who comes from a family with a history of hating music, but he's never really given a reason for this, and causes a little bit of hysteria when he reveals his love of music. Miguel has a close relationship with his great-grandmother, Coco, even though is very old and doesn't always remember his name. He wants to try out for a talent contest that will be held on the Day of the Dead when he has a confrontation with his grandmother. Something happens and Miguel is transferred 'over the bridge' to where the dead live, and he meets his great-great-grandmother, aunts, uncles, as well as a few other characters. His appearance as a human boy is as disconcerting to them as their appearances as skeletons is to him. Miguel wants to go back home, but he can only do that with the blessing of someone form his family; great-great-grandmother Imelda gives him the blessing, but it includes the condition that he will never play music again, a condition he cannot abide. He goes on a quest to find another member of his family, perhaps the famed singer, Ernesto de la Cruz (voiced by Benjamin Bratt who brings the same smarmy quality he has when playing Javier on Modern Family), whom Miguel believes to be his great-great-grandfather. Miguel befriends Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) a lonely spirit who is fading from the memory of his family (when a spirit is no longer remembered, they disappear for good). The way the story unfolds is part of the charm, and if you haven't seen it, I do not want to ruin it because I think it was pretty clever. I have bemoaned the lack of family films, and rightly so I think, but Coco works on so many levels without getting sappy or preachy, and an adult can watch it and enjoy it as much as a kid. These days movies come and go so quickly, so when there is a movie with staying power (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Greatest Showman) like Coco which was released in November and up until recently was playing in chain theaters and is now at the 2nd run theater and was playing to a large number of people, I think that says a lot. It also says a lot when the audience applauds at the end, and to my surprise, this audience did, and loudly. My comment to my friend at the end was also kind of a question: how in the world is Boss Baby even considered on the same level as Coco or Loving, Vincent? I still have yet to see Ferdinand or The Breadwinner.

2/24/18 Roman J. Israel, Esq., nominated Best Actor, 2017

I wasn't exactly sure what Roman J. Israel, Esq., starring Denzel Washington, was about; I guess I made some assumptions based on the trailers, but they were all wrong. Or mostly. Tony Gilroy wrote and directed the film, and his last writer/director film, Nightcrawler was nominated for Best Original Screenplay, was a really well done piece of suspense and creepiness, and there was definitely some suspense (I was happy to not have the creepy aspect). Israel is an attorney, very happy in his current role writing briefs, doing legal research, etc., and not actually dealing with clients. That duty falls to his partner (actually, that may be more in Israel's mind than reality) and mentor, William Jackson, whom we never meet, but who becomes incapacitated and leads to the dissolution of the firm. Jackson made provisions for another attorney, George Pierce (Colin Farrell) to step in and give Israel a job opportunity. Israel has difficulty relating to other people; one could speculate he is on the autism/Asperger spectrum; he does acknowledge his social challenges. In his desire to get back to his roots, using the law for social change, he has an awkward encounter with some younger people who don't appreciate his 'old fashioned' ideas and it doesn't end well. However, he does being a friendship with Maya (Carmen Ejogo), a community organizer.  Meanwhile, Israel is having a tough time fitting in at Pierce's firm; challenged by the drive for billable hours and not practicing the law for the good it can do. Israel is given the opportunity to handle a case where the defendant is accused of killing a store clerk in a hold up. He says he didn't do it, but was there, and can tell Israel who and where the person is hiding. Israel makes a choice that will have impacts on the rest of his life, and that appear to change who he is as a person. He loses a bit of his optimism, his belief in the good of the system, to be dramatic - he loses a bit of his soul (much like Jake Gylenhaal and Rene Russo's characters in Nightcrawler). I liked that character study, and Washington is so damn good; you kind of believe that he is socially awkward. I thought the story was intriguing and not without possibility in the real world, but thought the end was kind of too neat. I would be surprised if Washington won for Best Actor because of the other nominees; Daniel Day-Lewis (whom I have yet to see in Phantom Thread, but who has won three Oscars for his five nominations) and Gary Oldman are probably the front runners. Who knows? That's the fun of watching. Out now on DVD.