Anora

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... Anora!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th November 2025

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 97 (2024) 
(clearly old habits die hard)

Funny thing: If this had never won Best Picture at the Oscars I wouldn't have given this the time of day - call it a case of it slipping under my radar. But I think I am, by now, well-versed enough in Best Picture Oscar winners to give this a look. Maybe, like numerous times before, I will be surprised?

Turns out, I was: Firstly, I will give the Academy credit as this has to be one of the times they show a spine and give the top prize to the most unconventional of candidates. I call this unconventional due to the subject matter and large amounts of swearing.
Secondly, it seems the reign of the 'small-scale-low-budget' trend of winners (that commenced with The Hurt Locker) shows no sign of stopping - Not that I'm complaining. 
Thirdly, this is both funny and sad in equal measure. In fact, I do agree with the observation that this movie owes more to the screwball films of the 1930s than would first appear. Certainly it comes with a coating of over nine decades of change but it's there. And, with said coating, fascinating to see.
Finally, Mikey Madison is indeed a force to be reckoned with.

So yeah, a well deserved winner of Best Picture on all accounts. 

Nomadland

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... Nomadland!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th December 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 93 (2020)

I am somewhat perplexed by this movie: On one hand, the strengths of this movie come through with it's beautiful photography, it's sensitivity of showing people struggling, the use of non-actors and it's realistic approach. 
But on the other hand, this does seem meandering in it's outcome. Granted that may be point given this is a film about the wanderer lifestyle but some scenes drag on and ultimately come out pointless.

Maybe I'm missing something? Most certainly but I feel it is fair to say that this is the point where the trend of honouring low-budget, low-box office movies - a trend started with the Hurt Locker - has come to an end. The model has outworn it's use and now a new one is required. 

It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for....

The Hurt Locker

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Hurt Locker!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th November 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 82 (2009)

As previously mentioned, I am convinced that the movie going public will never forgive Shakespeare in Love for it's upset Best Picture victory. So the question is raised: How do people feel about The Hurt Locker's upset win?
It seems to me that this movie is in the same boat as Shakespeare in Love as it both beat some stiff competition and became something of a watershed for the Best Picture Oscars: It beat out Up and Avatar. It was the lowest grossing nominee. It was a low budget/small scale movie triumphing over the bigger budget movies. It's director, Kathryn Bigelow, was the first female to win Best Director (and who also beat out her former husband James Cameron). It was the first movie since Mrs Miniver to be about a war that was then in progress. 
An impressive legacy to be sure but what of the movie itself?

It certainly is compelling in it's depiction of working in a bomb disposal unit. The setting, Iraq, is also handled convincingly as well as the distrust the troops get from the locals. I don't doubt the realistic manner of the situations and how they are handled but I do question the reckless behaviour of some of the grunts: I may not be a military expert but I'm pretty sure you don't go acting like a tool when the dangerous task of bomb disposal is in progress,
Still I won't fault this movie for it's incredible use of tension and the sense that one is put right into the action. Many war movies can claim to do that but this one, I feel, actually pulls it off.
Looks like we have winner.