Category: Oscar Nominee

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Marlene (1984)

While agreeing to participate in a documentary on her life, reclusive Marlene Dietrich refused to be photographed, forcing director Maximilian Schell to combine his audio interviews with her with earlier video from her film and career along with contemporary footage of him and his staff struggling with the production. At most times Marlene proves to be cantankerous and guarded, but Schell still manages to get her to talk about her films, the movie industry, and her feelings on life in general. What was certainly a frustrating experience resulted in a unique and fascinating art work.

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary, Features

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The Fifth Element (1997) – Rewatch

In the 23rd century, Milla Jovovich, while on the run from authorities, lands on Bruce Willis’s cab, drawing him into a centuries-long, intergalactic battle for the future of humanity. A Sci-Fi spectacle, it’s not surprising that the story began in the mind of a teenaged Luc Besson. While this came before Willis started auto-piloting his action roles, he is nowhere near the highlight of the film. That distinction goes to the bright, candy colored visuals and an over the top performance by Chris Tucker. Honorable mention goes to Gary Oldman in an almost unrecognizable turn as one of the movie’s villains.   SciFi  Action  Fantasy

Oscar Nomination: Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing

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Nightmare Alley (2021)

I have been anticipating Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of this title since watching the 1947 version last year. As in that earlier film, the main character, here played by Bradley Cooper, is a man who stumbles into a carnival job but has higher aspirations. I had been apprehensive toward Cooper carrying on the role, which were somewhat unfounded though he just wasn’t capable of really closing the the ending. This version has del Toro’s amazing visuals and incredible period details with a stellar cast that includes Cate Blanchett, David Strathairn, Willem Dafoe, and Toni Collette among countless others. Unfortunately it also adds almost 40 extra, almost all unnecessary, minutes to the story, dragging many of the parts on for way too long.  Best Picture Nomination

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Cinematography; Best Costume Design; Best Production Design

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Birth of the Blues (1941)

Clarinetist Bing Crosby puts together a band so he can bring jazz music to the white masses of New Orleans. Bing is joined by Mary Martin and Brian Donlevy in a mild love triangle while Carolyn Lee provides some unnecessary child precociousness. Other than a few of the musical numbers, the film is quite unremarkable and isn’t a standout in any of the actors’ filmographies.  Musical  Music

Oscar Nomination: Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture

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The Best Man (1964) – Rewatch

At the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, no single candidate is a certain forerunner with the two most likely contenders, Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson, representing polar opposites of the politician spectrum. Even dying former President Lee Tracy has refused to take a side between them. It’s a bit simplistic in its approach (Fonda representing a flawed but generally moral man and Robertson an opportunist willing to do whatever is necessary to get elected) but with some quality acting, it remains a fascinating view into the ugly maneuvering that happens behind political closed doors.

Oscar Nomination: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

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Knock on Wood (1954)

After another failed relationship, ventriloquist Danny Kaye takes his anger out on his dummies. Unfortunately the doll maker he hires to do the repairs is a member of a spy ring and unbeknownst to Kay, hides secret plans inside the dolls’ bodies. Ever since being surprised by The Court Jester, I’ve been wanting to check out more films with Kaye in the lead in hopes of finding a similar vibe. There are some bright moments in this film that match that zaniness with tongue twisters and gags, but the spy aspect is dragged down by Kaye’s visits to a Swiss therapist and the love interest he finds there. It is appealingly bright visually and while I don’t know if Danny has experience as a ventriloquist, he is committed in the scenes where he is required to mimic the activity.  Comedy

Oscar Nomination: Best Writing, Story and Screenplay

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Peter & the Wolf (2006)

Similar to the well-known 1946 Disney version, this is an animated rendition of Prokofiev’s similarly titled musical composition. Young Peter disobeys his Grandfather’s directive to stay out of the forest and plays with his animal friends only for the party to come face to face with a large wolf. The story is told completely through the music without any narration. While I appreciate some of the clever changes made to the story, I was less enamored with the stop motion animation style.   Animals  Musical

Oscar Win: Best Short Film, Animated

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The Cove (2009)

Every year in Taiji, Japan, dolphins and other cetaceans are driven into a small bay where the attractive ones are culled to be sent to marine parks all of the world and the rest are then indiscriminately slaughtered. A group of activists used hidden cameras and microphones to record the otherwise secretive practice. The practice is undoubtedly barbaric (the film does not hold back in graphically showing the event), especially as the dolphin meat that is recovered from the murdered animals has an inordinately high amount of mercury, cadmium, DDT, and other poisons and shouldn’t be eaten, but the way it is presented does feel a bit like Westerners preaching to another culture. There is throwaway moment in the film that touches on the fact that without places like Sea World paying big money for the culled mammals, the hunt probably wouldn’t happen. While ending the hunt is a noble goal, it seems focusing closer to home to end the inhumane treatment of more intelligent creatures works better in the theory of cleaning up your own backyard before preaching to others on how to clean theirs.   Animals

Oscar Win: Best Documentary, Features

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Blue Skies (1946)

Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire again team up as friends who fall in love with the same woman. Here Astaire dances for the stage while Crosby is a night club owner who is never satisfied with the success he experiences. There are some highlights, especially Astaire’s Puttin’ on the Ritz performance, but it’s outclassed in all categories by the superior Holiday Inn. The narrative supposedly moves through decades of time, but the film doesn’t feel like it changes at all. The main love interest Joan Caulfield is serviceable, but even she is dull when compared to supporting player Olga San Juan.  Musical

Oscar Nominations: Best Music, Original Song; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture

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For All Mankind (1989)

This documentary chronicles the Apollo space program through footage taken during the actual missions, the only sound provided by interviews with thirteen of the actual astronauts. For anyone into NASA and space flight, I’m sure this is incredible footage to watch. I am not one of those people and must admit to getting lulled into zoning out during too much of the film. There are bits I find interesting especially just knowing how much footage the astronauts managed to capture on each voyage, but one of the overlying feelings is how much litter we’re willing to leave on other landmasses as if we haven’t ruined our own planet enough.

Oscar Nomination: Best Documentary, Features

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