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.

Oscars Line-Up and Trivia 2020

It’s that time of year again – the movies have been chosen, complaints have been made, and ReelTalk is going to cover them one at a time.  Joker leads the pack with 11 nominations; The Irishman, 1917, and Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood follow with 10 nominations apiece. 31% of the nominees are women (though this year’s lineup has once again mostly excluded women and nominees of color in the “major” categories), and Netflix has garnered 20 nominations, despite some claims that it is not entirely relevant cinema.