Olly Gibbs Best Picture Nominations Illustrations 2024

The Boys In The Boat

Growing up in the Roanoke/Portage Bay neighborhood of Seattle across from the University of Washington, the sight of early morning crew practice on Lake Union was common.  My brother was part of Greenlake Crew in high school and one of his best friends had a single shell.  Every year, on opening day at the Montlake Cut, we’d trek over to the bridge, pack a picnic lunch, to watch the crew races and the boat parade.  I wasn’t around in 1936 when this group of kids earned their way to the Summer Olympics in Berlin and captured the gold medal, but my parents were and I’m pretty sure that the level of excitement at that time matched or exceeded what I saw in this little film of hope and inspiration.  Like “Sleepless In Seattle”, there are few scenes that didn’t jive with the landscape, but the story was engaging and the races were adrenaline inducing.  Rating:  3.5 stars - paddles up, shove off, stroke, all are one.

Poor Things

Victorian steampunk sets, costuming, and an out of this world plot that will leave you seriously debating whether you should be repulsed or delighted that you watched it.  Emma Stone rules as Bella Baxter, a mad scientist’s experiment in reanimation.  One unique feature is that the film begins in black and white, transitioning into color as Bella becomes more aware of the world and herself.  It’s like watching lightbulbs going off in the character’s head as she experiences new sensations, deals with a less than scrupulous lawyer, self-love, extremely questionable choices, empathy, and maturity.  Mark Ruffalo is a study in obsession going from lust to insanity.  If you’re not comfortable watching autopsies, full frontal nudity, or different sex acts, I recommend you pass and watch Wonka.  Rating:  I have no words except for the one’s that preceded.  

Anatomy of a Fall

Revolving around the death of a writer, this film takes place in Grenoble, France and centers on the widow, her disabled son, and the ensuing trial to prove her innocence when she’s indicted on circumstantial evidence.  Unlike courtroom dramas that are commonplace in the States, the process of reaching a verdict is, for this writer, notably different than Perry Mason, any of the thousands of versions of CSI, or any of the hundreds of films involving juries that I’ve witnessed in the past.  There’s a sense from the get-go that the family dynamic is passive aggressive and getting to the outcome is frankly, one of listening between the lines and not jumping to conclusions.  Rating:  3.6 stars - details are important.  Subtitled - French/English language.

The Holdovers

A professor, cafeteria supervisor, and student are left behind at an east coast boys boarding school over winter break, 1970.  It’s a match made in purgatory.  As their time together progresses, each are given an opportunity to develop trust and a friendship that will impact the rest of their lives.  Paul Giamatti is a natural for the role of the professor that nobody likes.  Da’Vine Joy Randolph kills it as Mary, who has recently lost her son to the war in Vietnam.  Dominic Sessa debuts as the troubled/troublemaking student who drives the story to its surprising conclusion.  The film is dead on when it comes to detail.  You could say it’s very nostalgic for my generation, it was the year I graduated from high school and started community college.  Not exactly a Dead Poet’s Society, The Emperor’s Club, or even a Breakfast Club sort of film, but a lesson in humility and treating everyone with respect and understanding.  Rating: 3.75 stars—a make-up final will be provided after break, please read chapter six and be prepared to discuss the Peloponnesian war.

Past Lives

The melancholy is strong in this film which deals with childhood friends who part ways and lives when the girl immigrates to Canada and then again to New York from Seoul.  Twelve years pass before they reconnect via the internet.  Have you ever wondered about an old friend or a lost love?  This could have been creepy, sort of an international stalker film, but it’s anything but that.  Instead, it’s handled delicately because, although so much time has passed, the connection or in-yun, has been established when they were children and the possibilities were left without any closure.  Bittersweet and honest, relatable.  Rating:  3.5 stars…may I see your green card, please.

Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese has adapted a horrific piece of American history that shows the very darkest side of greed and racism.  This isn’t the first time we’ve witnessed Robert DeNiro in the role of Lucifer.  He’s older, but that’s about the only thing that’s changed, and he’s portraying a real person.  The lot that’s dealt to the Osage tribe is heartbreaking.  It’s a different sort of slavery with what seems, on the surface, to be a most fortunate turn of events.  Set in the 1920’s, it follows the life of Mollie Burkhart and the subsequent events that lead to finding justice for both her and her tribe.  Lily Gladstone makes her film debut as Mollie and it’s stellar.  She states volumes with a look.  Leonardo DiCaprio is channeling a brandoesque cross between Stanley Kowalski and Terry Malloy, his entire existence is wrapped up in his loyalties, unfortunately, he isn’t good at making choices.  There’s so much to take in and process during this film’s 3 1/2 hour timeframe.  It’s almost difficult to believe that it actually happened.  Kudos to the cast, production, director for visually recreating and bringing awareness to the Osage and the tragic events that occurred.  Rating:  4 stars

American Fiction

In nearly one month, the Oscar’s will be awarded to the crème dela crème of the films we all viewed, or in this case, didn’t get a chance to see in 2023.  Thank you bebejesus for streaming apps.  Unfortunately, some of the Best Picture nominations will be a challenge to review before the big show, but thankfully, this gem became available for purchase on VUDU.  I usually don’t buy before I’ve had a chance to see in a theater, but time is of the essence and the press and trailers have all been stellar.  I know, get to the point.  The point is that this film captures frustration on the level of Five Easy Pieces.  Jeffery Wright is Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, author, professor, son, brother and curmudgeon when he witnesses the success of writing about the black experience that panders to the white consumers’ stereotyping.  He’s having trouble at work, selling his latest book, his mother is in declining health, his sister is enlisting his help, there’s an unexpected death, and his recently out brother is bouncing back and forth in his life without contributing much more than added stress.  An ideal storm.  The ensuing solution to his troubles is satire in its highest form.  You want to hug him, slap him, nod your head in agreement, and shrug your shoulders in a wtaf is happening disbelief.  This is a really good film and deserves the accolades and nominations, all categories.  Rating:  a  Pulitzer 

Oppenheimer

There’s a song by Randy Newman titled “Political Science”.  This wasn’t played anywhere during the film, but it readily popped into my twisted little head while I watched.  Being born after WWII and spending my grade school years learning about atomic and hydrogen bombs, practicing duck and cover, waiting to go home after a simulation on an extremely packed yellow school bus, doesn’t make it any easier to justify why any country would build this implement of destruction.  Think about it and I’ll guarantee you’ll get a huge moral headache.  However, it happened and even though we can’t turn back time, we live with the consequences.  As a film, it’s damned near perfect.  Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon deliver the goods hands down.  Hopefully, there won’t be a sequel, or if some idiot thinks there should be, they really didn’t get it and should not be allowed to make films in the future.  Seriously.  Rating, one potato, two potato, three potato, boom.  4 stars

Wish

I wish I could say I loved this new Disney offering, but for the life of me, it was like eating corn.  I can barely recall what I saw other than there was singing, a group of “misfits”, a talking sidekick goat, some animated chickens, and bunnies.  In all honesty, I’d have to watch it again, but right now I don’t wish to.  Rating:  one star, it was pretty.