Little Women: A Specific Genre Taste

Of all of the Best Picture nominees, I’m finding that Little Women is the hardest one to write a review for. It was not a movie at the top of my list to see when it was released, and after it was over, I found that I wasn’t enjoying it as much as everyone else seemed to. It’s not that I don’t think the movie was poorly made – there are great performances, wonderfully sweet moments, and good camerawork throughout. It evokes very genuine emotions and I can see why it is a beloved tale, both on and off the screen. And I wanted to enjoy it simply because I know that director Greta Gerwig is good at what she does; after Lady Bird, I really want to love everything she gives us, because she crafts stories with care and makes sure that the audience feels what they need to feel. But like reading the book in your English Literature class, it is a story that not everyone – even the ones who love books and stories – is going to enjoy. I think it just comes down to the fact that Little Women is a very specific genre of story, and it’s not going to be for everyone.

Isle of Dogs: Fluid and Stable

This may have been one of the most advertised films I’ve seen that’s not a sequel, reboot, or part of a cinematic universe in quite a long time. I think I’ve been seeing commercials for Isle of Dogs in theaters as far back as December, if not before that (I definitely know I saw it before watching Three Billboards Outisde Ebbing, Missouri (2017)). This probably shouldn’t be surprising, considering Wes Anderson is widely considered to be the modern-day example of an auteur filmmaker. To be completely honest, this is the first work by Anderson that I’ve ever seen – though The Grand Budapest Motel (2014) and Moonrise Kingdom (2014) have been on my list because of recommendations; I’ve just never gotten around to them. Based on what I’ve seen from Isle of Dogs, there is no doubt that Anderson is good at what he does – I’m just not sure that what he does is quite my taste. I have seen a few reviews, however, that say this is not the strongest work that Anderson has ever presented, so perhaps I’m working with a poor example.

Oscar® Nominations: 2018

It is time for one of the most prestigious film awards of the year: the list of Oscar®-nominated films has been announced! There are both surprises and expected additions, as well as some insane snubs (How The Greatest Showman got only one nomination is beyond me, and no mention of Girls Trip at all? Come on…). There will be plenty of Oscars® content to come before the award ceremony on March 4, but for now, you can form your own opinions on what will and will not take home that golden statue. To see Reeltalk’s take on nominated films, follow the links at the bottom of the page.

Trivia: The Shape of Water leads for most nominations at 13 (the same as last year’s La La Land).