Oscar Marathon

This past weekend, I re-watched all of the Best Picture Oscar nominees at a series of screenings at a local theatre. I've already seen and commented on all of them, but after second (and in two cases, third) viewings, here are my current thoughts, in the order that the movies screened:

Gravity: Still a great technological accomplishment, but it wasn't nearly as impressive in a traditional, non-IMAX theatre. Again, I think that due to the complicated technical processes that went into making the film, its Best Picture nomination is not unwarranted. However, it seems to be considered one of the front-runners to actually win the prize, and that would not be justified. The film has a pretty fantastic one trick, but it's still a one trick pony.

The Wolf of Wall Street: This was the third time I had seen the movie. It's one minute shy of three hours long, and I have not been bored in the slightest for even a second of the almost nine hours I've spent watching the film. According to everything I've read, it doesn't stand a chance of winning Best Picture, but it probably should. It is an incredibly tight, fascinating film. I've seen movies half its runtime that have felt longer.

Nebraska: I enjoyed this more than the first time I saw it. This is, in part, because the audience seemed to be having a lot of fun with it. It's a fine film, but not really Best Picture material. I would have liked to see "Before Midnight" nominated in its place.

Captain Phillips: My opinion hasn't changed. The first half is still pretty good, while the second half drags on for too long.

12 Years a Slave: This is another one of the front runners to win Best Picture. Out of the films that seem to actually have a chance, it's the one that should win. It has its issues, but it does have a compelling narrative that draws the viewer in.

Her: I still like the first two-thirds of the film, but again, the ending was weak. In fact, the movie runs out of steam a little before that. It gets to the point where it has thoroughly explored its concept and seems to be treading water, not moving in any real direction. It never fully recovers from this.

Philomena: The other film I was seeing for the third time, and the only film I might want to win Best Picture over "The Wolf of Wall Street". My heart says, "Philomena", because I really, really liked it, but my head says that "Wolf" is actually the better film by a nose. Unfortunately, this stands no chance of actually winning, either.

Dallas Buyers Club: I still found it hard to get into the movie. It wasn't just the frequent title cards, either, although they are a convenient scapegoat. It is primarily, as my Dad said, that the plot is disjointed. There's no real sense of progression.

American Hustle: Generally considered the third most likely film to win Best Picture if "Gravity" or "12 Years a Slave" doesn't. It's good, but not great. My opinion that Jennifer Lawrence is the best thing about the film was reaffirmed.