Pezchasers.net

2 Saturdays. 10 movies. Today marked the end of the Best Picture Showcase, with the AMC screening the last 5 films. Of all the films we saw today the only one I had previous watched was Inglourious Basterds and I definitely enjoyed seeing it again. On with the reviews:

13) An Education –
One of the movies that I had heard the least about turned out to be a great film. The acting was excellent, particularly Peter Sasgaard, and the narrative was extremely compelling. The movie does start to drag a bit toward the end but is generally well paced. The film is essentially a tale of growing up and the pitfalls that accompany it (as well as the chances at redemption that sometimes are offered along the way). Well worth the admission price.

14) The Hurt Locker –
A story about a bomb disposal unit in post-war Iraq is a haunting reminder of the continual upheavel in that area of the world and the toll that it takes on not only the civilians but also on the soldiers stationed there. The whole film plays like a psychological study of the effects of war. The story is incredibly intense and the underlying emotion of the entire film is one of sadness and resignation. It is almost uncomfortable to watch. The main character, much like Ryan Bingham (George Clooney in Up in the Air), is a tragic figure in the mold of a Hamlet.

15) Up in the Air –
Another excellent film from George Clooney. The supporting cast all performed admirably. Initially, I had thought that it was going to be a comedy but am glad that a friend had told me that it was definitely more serious in tone. Not exactly what I had expected but a good selection for the final pool of Oscar candidates.

16) The Blind Side –
The film that I watched with the most trepidation in advance (I really don’t like Sandra Bullock) turned out to be an average film so, better than I had anticipated. The script seemed to have trouble getting it’s story told and Sandra Bullock’s accent is just awful but the film is fairly entertaining and the rest of the cast put in good performances. Overall, an average movie and one of two (the other being District 9) that really have no place being nominated for a best picture Oscar.

17) Inglourious Basterds –
I would argue that Inglourious Basterds is the best Quentin Tarentino film since Reservoir Dogs (my all time favorite of his). The entire cast are fantastic but Christoph Waltz steals the show as the sociopathic and hilarious Col. Hans Landa. The film is incredibly violent (as are all of Tarentino’s films), particularly climactic blood bath, so definitely not for the kiddies (or anyone remotely squeamish about gore). A film that I will be adding to my Blu-Ray collection very soon.

Of the 5 films that I watched today the best, in my opinion, was An Education. The worst was the Blind Side. I still believe that Avatar will win the best picture but leave out hope that A Serious Man somehow pulls it out. Will be back tomorrow with review of the new Alice in Wonderland (on an IMAX 3D screen!).

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 6:33 pm and is filed under Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.