Just got around to watching it for the first time tonight. We had so many people tell us we’d love it and need to watch it, so it was high on our list. Great cast, and it won so many awards.
I didn’t hate it, but I was left scratching my head over all the hype. I like odd movies and books, so it’s not that I couldn’t handle the weirdness. It seemed like in the same vein as Scott Pilgrim, and if you told me it wasn’t a bit box office but got a cult following, I’d totally believe that.
My wife felt exactly the same way. Maybe it’s just one of those cases where there was too much hype for us, but I felt kind of let down.
Like I said, it’s not that I didn’t like it. I liked it, I just didn’t think it was that remarkable. I’m dumbfounded that it won best picture. It was cute and quirky. Like I said, I’d put it with Scott Pilgrim or Buckaroo Banzai.
What kind of movie do you think should win best picture?
“Kind” of movie? No particular kind. Here, look at the Wikipedia page on the best picture awards and scan through the winners. There’s quite a variety of type of movie, but I feel like the caliber is generally higher. You, of course, might disagree.
I’m very familiar with the best picture winners. The only qualification is that the members voted for it. And the members are creatives in the film industry who either have already won an Oscar for something like best actor or best director or who have been sponsored by multiple other members for membership.
So those members clearly recognized or connected to something in the movie that has merit to vote for it for best picture. I think it was the fact that it was both unique and surreal but also accessible with an emotional core. Personally, I’d rather see more films that take chances like that than traditional “Oscar bait” (most of which I also enjoy).
Honestly, I’m glad people enjoyed it. I also have zero problem with unusual Oscar winners, and I love movies that take chances. And, as I keep saying, I didn’t dislike this one. It just didn’t seem remarkable to me. But it’s a subjective thing - as you say, clearly a lot of other people felt differently.
To be fair there are lots of movies that don’t deserve Best Picture and win anyway. Years ago, I couldn’t understand Slumdog Millionaire’s win. Love the Coen Bros., but clearly There Will Be Blood was the superior film over No Country, in my opinion.