Time for my 100% correct ranking✝ of this year’s Oscar Best Picture Nominees:
- Anora
- The Brutalist
- Dune Part Two
- Nickel Boys
- Conclave
- A Complete Unknown
- Wicked
- Emilia Perez
- The Substance
✝Give or take an I’m Still Here
Current Things: March 2025
Currently Reading
Currently reading: The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver 📚
Currently Watching
- Yellowjackets, Season 3
- Mythic Quest, Season 4
- Severance, Season 2
- Dune: Prophecy, Season 1
- Disclaimer
- Shrinking, Season 1
Currently In Queue
Currently Listening
Currently Planning
- Been too busy planning trips to blog about them!
Concurrently
- Got through my week of watching all the best picture nominees– save I’m Still Here, which isn’t streaming or on VOD yet. Would love to have supported this one by going to the theater, but couldn’t make it work this week.
- Here’s my ranking of the Best Picture nominees:
Time for my 100% correct ranking✝ of this year’s Oscar Best Picture Nominees:
✝Give or take an ‘I’m Still Here’
Finished in February:
Nickel Boys: mundane horror is still horror
Conclave: I could have used about a half click more pulp, but can’t complain too much with these performances, cinematography, and score. It’s not the main focus of the movie by any stretch, but it’s a nice warning about process getting in the way of humanity.
A Complete Unknown: interesting twist on the biopic where instead of learning more about the subject, you walk away almost feeling like you know less. It does a good job of illustrating Dylan’s talent, but doesn’t shy away from the possibility that he doesn’t stand for anything but contrarianism
The Brutalist: I’m a sucker for these types of movies that attempt to comment on an America as reflected in an individual’s experience. I’m a bit more hopeful about our chances than The Brutalist, so keep me on Team Anora for the moment.
The Substance: The idea is fine, but this movie needed someone who could realize it better than it was. It’s a textbook case of a solid first act with zero clue of where to go from there. (See also American Fiction from last year)
Emilia Pérez: This felt like a high school production of Emilia Pérez. I don’t mean that entirely derogatory
Dog Man: Nailed the spirit, but didn’t quite capture the energy of the comics. Still, even attempting to bring this to the screen was a big endeavor and I’m impressed how much they were able to fit in mostly organically
(Oh yeah, kids loved it. Guess that’s what’s important…)
Previously, in Current Things…
February 2025
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
Nickel Boys: mundane horror is still horror
Conclave: I could have used about a half click more pulp, but can’t complain too much with these performances, cinematography, and score. It’s not the main focus of the movie by any stretch, but it’s a nice warning about process getting in the way of humanity.
Conclave, 2024
I could have used about a half click more pulp, but can't complain too much with these performances, cinematography, and score. It's not the main focus of the movie by any stretch, but it's a nice warning about process getting in the way of humanity.
First time in a while I won’t get to all the Best Picture-nominated movies: I’m Still Here isn’t on streaming or VOD. There’s no bigger proponent of movie theaters than me, but just couldn’t find the time for it this month.
A Complete Unknown: interesting twist on the biopic where instead of learning more about the subject, you walk away almost feeling like you know less. It does a good job of illustrating Dylan’s talent, but doesn’t shy away from the possibility that he doesn’t stand for anything but contrarianism
A Complete Unknown, 2024
Interesting twist on the biopic where instead of learning more about the subject, you walk away almost feeling like you know *less*. It does a good job of illustrating Dylan's talent, but doesn't shy away from the possibility that he doesn't really stand for anything but contrarianism.
The Brutalist: I’m a sucker for these types of movies that attempt to comment on an America as reflected in an individual’s experience. I’m a bit more hopeful about our chances than The Brutalist, so keep me on Team Anora for the moment.
The Brutalist, 2024
I'm a sucker for these types of movies that attempt to comment on an America as reflected in an individual's experience. I'm a bit more hopeful about our chances than The Brutalist, so keep me on Team Anora for the moment.
I’ve been very delinquent in watching this year’s Best Picture nominees, so here’s my way-too-aggressive schedule to finish watching them this week:
Sunday: The Brutalist (Part 1)
Monday: The Brutalist (Part 2)
Tuesday: I’m Still Here
Wednesday: A Complete Unknown
Thursday: Conclave
Friday: Nickel Boys
The Substance: The idea is fine, but this movie needed someone who could realize it better than it was. It’s a textbook case of a solid first act with zero clue of where to go from there. (See also American Fiction from last year)
The Substance, 2024
The idea is fine, but this movie needed someone who could realize it better than it was. It's a textbook case of a solid first act with zero clue of where to go from there. (See also American Fiction from last year)
Emilia Pérez, 2024
This felt like a high school production of Emilia Pérez. I don't mean that entirely derogatory
Dog Man, 2025
Nailed the spirit, but didn’t quite capture the energy of the comics. Still, even attempting to bring this to the screen was a big endeavor and I’m impressed how much they were able to fit in mostly organically
(Oh yeah, kids loved it. Guess that’s what’s important…)
Current Things: February 2025
Currently Reading
Currently reading: The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver 📚
Currently Watching
Currently In Queue
- The Brutalist
- The Substance
- I’m Still Here
- Nickel Boys
- A Complete Unknown
- Emilia Pérez
- Conclave
- Challengers
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- Furiosa
- The First Omen
- Skinamarink
Currently Listening
Currently Planning
- Been too busy planning trips to blog about them!
Concurrently
- Academy Award nominations are out and I’ve only “organically” seen three of them. Have a lot to catch up with before the ceremony on March 2!
Finished in January:
January: Ski Trip to Québec Charlevoix
Silo, Season 2: there’s so much to like here, but it lost a step from Season 1: the middle of the season really drug for me. But ended with a bang and excited to see where it goes from here.
My Neighbor Totoro: The biggest takeaway I have from this movie is to trust your kids.
(i.e., I’d been hesitant to show them the Studio Ghibli movies because they’re on such a different wavelength and I couldn’t bear them not liking it. But they loved it and we played Totoro for five days straight)
Previously, in Current Things…
January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
Live shot of me logging on to social media today: media.giphy.com/media/v1….
Mariann Budd is the bishop for my church. I don’t know her, but I’ve met her a few times and seen her preach before. Happy to report that this could have been a sermon she preached any Sunday and her bravery doesn’t surprise me in the least.
Very proud to be a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington today
(gift link! Watch the video!)
Silo, Season 2: there’s so much to like here, but it lost a step from Season 1: the middle of the season really drug for me. But ended with a bang and excited to see where it goes from here.
My Neighbor Totoro, 1988
The biggest takeaway I have from this movie is to trust your kids.
(i.e., I'd been hesitant to show them the Studio Ghibli movies because they're on such a different wavelength and I couldn't bear them not liking it. But they loved it and we played Totoro for like five days straight.)
There are some people who can create things that make so much sense that they immediately ring true. And then there are people who can create things that make no sense, but somehow can ring even truer.
Going to have a damn fine cup of coffee in your honor tonight, Mr. Lynch.
Current Things: January 2025
Currently Reading
Currently reading: The Signal and the Noise by Nate Silver 📚
Currently Watching
Currently In Queue
Currently Listening
Currently Planning
- January: Ski Trip to Québec Charlevoix
Concurrently
- Not really felt like blogging: it’s mainly because I’ve been slammed at work and with the holidays, but it’s also because I’m still in a bit of an election funk. Grateful for the habits I have in place for reviewing movies/TV shows to keep the blog going. Beginning to get the itch again– just have to find time to do it.
Finished in December:
post-Christmas trip to Kentucky
Nosferatu: Saw this as a double feature with Babygirl and I feel like Romy and Count Orlock could do each other a lot of favors.
Babygirl: what a performance from Nicole Kidman– she simultaneously shows how much she’s in control while relaying her want to be controlled.
There’s such a tightrope to be walked with telling a story about desire–especially one with these kinds of dynamics– and Reijn walks it perfectly.
What We Do in the Shadows, Season 6: so sad to see this show go. I didn’t find it as laugh-out-loud funny in the latter seasons, but it was still as good as ever. Gonna miss these guys– even you, Gizmo
Previously, in Current Things…
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
Nosferatu, 2024
Saw this as a double feature with Babygirl and I feel like Romy and Count Orlock could do each other a lot of favors.