'Most Boring' Oscar goes to 'The Favourite'

If you waste your time and money on The Favourite, you'll be as sad as Olivia Colman who plays Queen Anne, center in the mobile chair. That's Rachel Weisz carrying a hot water bottle to soothe upset stomachs from engaging in this joyless, dull film by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Final 4 and Waypoint.


It's hard to believe that any movie can be more boring than the lame 2014 cat movie the critics loved, moviegoers hated and which dived at the box office, but The Favourite wins hands down.

Speaking of hands, Favourite wins the award for "Most Hand Jobs" in cinema.  I think it was during one of them that I dozed off for the sixth or seventh time, either then or during the 6,325 times the characters walked back and forth in the hallway which consumed about 45 minutes when all the marches are put together. (I searched for a photo of the march walk but, conveniently, the producers supplied none, probably because the actors made a culvert, and the set was destroyed.)

Speaking of, this has got to be the cheapest set in movie history since it varied none.  But, of course, the de rigueur bare breasts were present, and we almost got to see a naked man except no one would want to see that naked man whose body could be mistaken for a giant wrinkled can, not worth throwing a tomato at (AKA "blood orange").

Also, the F-bomb and (new!) the C-bomb (write and ask) play dominant roles.  

My former colleague, Ben, used to tell me that men love to watch lesbians go at it which explains why this yawning, fawning movie was nominated for Best Picture.  You gotta be kidding.  The only possible nominations should have come for costuming (Sandy Powell:  Why were the gowns so dull and repetitive?) and Best Supporting Actress (but she was nominated for Best Actress) Olivia Colman who plays Queen Anne.

You will thank me for saving you from wasting time and money on this monstrosity which infuriates me that I did. What does it matter that part of it is based on history? It's still horrible. 

Watch for movie takes on other films coming to this site, but none as bad as The Favourite (with British spelling included!). 

patricialesli@gmail.com

Quick takes on 2016 Best Picture nominees

Sunny Pawar in Lion

Here are my impressions of the movies I have seen on the Best Picture list, plus Snowden which should have been included but wasn't (too political, I guess) and a huge thumbs up to Hell or High Water  
(already reviewed). 

La La Land - is for la la brain dead. After the first scene on the highway, it descends and never recovers.  A chick flick.  If you like dancing and singing, this one's for you but it doesn't have much meat.  No to Best Picture. (Attention: Carla:  Rafi will not like.)

Manchester by the Sea - yes, as depressing as rumored. A good story but if there's a movie with a more unpredictable, worse ending, I can't recall what it is other than, maybe, Ole Yeller.

Skip Manchester if you are experiencing an emotional upset, are downfallen, sick, sad, disturbed about the presidency, Ziki, alt-right, global warming or romantic ventures, need a pedicure, money, drugs, or can't find the remote. No to Best Picture (Carla:  I'm not sure how Rafi will like Manchester.  Better to stay at home.)

Lion - great all the way around.  Will win Best Picture unless (likely) overtaken by Fences (the trailer looks so mundane) or Hidden Figures, two movies of color and Figures about women, both very much in vogue today.  Neither movie have I seen but that's not stopping me to predict Hidden Figures (women and black women) will win.  

The prime weakness in Lion (they all have weaknesses) was the rush to finish the search.  More time should have been devoted to the hunt for his homeland rather than the buildup.  You'll understand if you see it.  

Nicole Kidman in Lion is good, but not good enough to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress, let alone  win. (Carla: Lion is a yes for Rafi.)

The Salesman - nominated for Best Foreign Language Film.  Dull.  One of those you keep hoping will take off, but it never leaves the runway. Acting, commendable, but nothing to write Aunt Frances  about. This is a "psychological thriller"?  Maybe to friends of the producer, to Iranians, or the critics (they are so predictable) but not to those of us accustomed to "psychological thrillers." (Carla:  No)

And that's all she wrote!

Sincerely,
patricialesli@gmail.com

Oscar flicks for free at National Archives

Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, 2012, The Invisible War

The public is invited to attend screenings of Academy Award nominees in four categories for free at National Archives beginning Wednesday.

The categories are documentary feature, documentary short subject, live action short film, and animated short film.

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and saving seats is prohibited.  Reservations are not taken.  You must be present to receive a ticket which will be distributed an hour before show times at the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue.  Doors open a half hour before start time. Alert:  Not every film is rated "G," and the schedule may change.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in partnership with the Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film and the Foundation for the National Archives have made the showings possible.

National Archives is located on Constitution Avenue between Seventh and Ninth Streets, N.W.  For more information, call 202-357-5000.  The closest Metro station is Archives-Navy Memorial.

 

David France and Howard Gertler, 2012, How to Survive a Plague

Documentary Feature Nominees

Wednesday, February 20, at 7 p.m.
Searching for Sugar Man
Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn
(85 minutes)

Thursday, February 21, at 7 p.m.
The Gatekeepers
Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky, and Estelle Fialon
(97 minutes)

Friday, February 22, at 7 p.m.
How to Survive a Plague
David France and Howard Gertler
(110 minutes)

Saturday, February 23, at 7 p.m.
The Invisible War
Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
(97 minutes)

Sunday, February 24, at 4 p.m.
5 Broken Cameras
Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
(90 minutes)


Live Action Short Film Nominees

Saturday, February 23, at noon
Asad
Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
(17 minutes)

Buzkashi Boys
Sam French and Ariel Nasr
(30 minutes)

Curfew
Shawn Christensen
(20 minutes)

Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)
Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
(20 minutes)

Henry
Yan England
(21 minutes)

Total Running time: 108 minutes.

Animated Short Film Nominees

Saturday, February 23, at 3:30 p.m. & 5 p.m.
Adam and Dog
Minkyu Lee
(16 minutes)

Fresh Guacamole
PES
(2 minutes)

Head over Heels
Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
(10 minutes)

Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"
David Silverman
(5 minutes)

*Please note: Although submitted and nominated in 3-D; due to technical limitations we will present Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare" in 2-D.

Paperman
John Kahrs
(7 minutes)

Total Running Time: 40 minutes.

Documentary Short Subject Nominees

Sunday, February 24, at 11 a.m.
Inocente
Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
(40 minutes)

Kings Point
Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
(31 minutes)

Mondays at Racine
Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
(39 minutes)

Open Heart
Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
(39 minutes)

Redemption
Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill
(35 minutes)

Total Running Time: 184 minutes

TCM Sale Section, up to 40% off!

patricialesli@gmail.com

Free Oscar screenings at National Archives start Wednesday

Entrance to The U.S. National Archives for free Oscar screenings is on Constitution Avenue at Seventh/Patricia Leslie

For the eighth consecutive year, Oscar nominees in four film categories will be screened at no charge at National Archives from Wednesday through Sunday.

The categories are Documentary Feature, Documentary Short Subject, Live Action Short Film, and Animated Short Film, however, the acclaimed Pina documentary feature will not be shown on February 24 as previously announced.

The screenings will be presented in the William G. McGowan Theater by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in partnership with the Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film and the Foundation for the National Archives, located across the street from the ice-skating rink at the National Gallery of Art at the corner of Seventh and Constitution.  (Metro station:  Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter.)

Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and no reservations are permitted. All must be present to receive tickets which shall be distributed at the Special Events entrance on Constitution Avenue, 60 minutes before start time, and doors will open 30 minutes after that.  (I have seen lines form two hours before showtime.)  

Some films may be inappropriate for general audiences.

The hole left by Pina's cut from Friday night will be filled by another screening of the Live Action Short Film Nominees (100 minutes) which will also be shown on Saturday at noon.

Screening schedule (subject to availability)

Documentary Feature Nominees

Wednesday, February 22, 7:00 p.m.

Hell and Back Again

Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner

(88 minutes; unrated)

Thursday, February 23, 7:00 p.m.

Undefeated

TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

(113 minutes; unrated)

Friday, February 24, 7:00 p.m.

Live Action Short Film Nominees (100 minutes) in place of Pina

Pentecost

Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane

(11 minutes; unrated)

Raju

Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren

(24 minutes; unrated)

The Shore

Terry George and Oorlagh George

(30 minutes; unrated)

Time Freak

Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey

(10 minutes; unrated)

Tuba Atlantic

Hallvar Witzø

(25 minutes; unrated)

Documentary Feature Nominees, continued

Saturday, February 25, 7:00 p.m.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs

(105 minutes; unrated)

Sunday, February 26, 4:00 p.m.

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman

(85 minutes; unrated)

Live Action Short Film Nominees

Saturday, February 25, noon.

Pentecost

Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane

(11 minutes; unrated)

Raju

Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren

(24 minutes; unrated)

The Shore

Terry George and Oorlagh George

(30 minutes; unrated)

Time Freak

Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey

(10 minutes; unrated)

Tuba Atlantic

Hallvar Witzø

(25 minutes; unrated)

Total running time: 100 minutes

Animated Short Film Nominees

Saturday, February 25, 3:30 p.m.

Dimanche/Sunday

Patrick Doyon

9 minutes; unrated)

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg

(15 minutes; unrated)

La Luna

Enrico Casarosa

(7 minutes; rated G)

A Morning Stroll

Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe

(7 minutes; unrated)

Wild Life

Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

(14 minutes; unrated)

Total Running Time: 52 minutes.

Documentary Short Subject Nominees

Sunday, February 26, 11:30 a.m.

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement

Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin

(25 minutes; unrated)

God Is the Bigger Elvis

Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson

(37 minutes; unrated)

Incident in New Baghdad

James Spione

(22 minutes; unrated)

Saving Face

Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

(40 minutes; unrated)

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

(40 minutes; unrated)

Total Running Time: 164 minutes