2024 Oscar Romance Films
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An overview of the 2024 Oscar Romance films, with a summary of my reviews and a look at the best example from last year.
Romance
Elemental (2024.14, Disappointing , Light )
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Elemental is top-notch creative world building on top of a mundane story! (3*)
Poor Things (2024.10, Beautiful , Sex )
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Poor Things, the story of a baby’s mind in an adult woman’s body, is probably the most bizarre movie I’ve ever seen. It is also one of the best. (5*)
Past Lives (2024.7, Simple, Love)
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Past LIves tells the story of three characters in a whirlwind of fond memories, painful regrets, and doubts of self-worth. A simple and tightly emotional story, but not one you will long remember (3.5*)
Maestro (2024.2, Powerful , Solid )
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Maestro is a well told story of a romance between two individuals over decades and how it developed in the shadow of fame. (4.5*)
Killers of the Flower Moon (2024.1, Exceptional, Murder )
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Killers of the Flower Moon is an exceptional and powerful movie about the Osage Native American murders of the 1920s, but it’s just too long! (4*)
Empire of Light – Frugal and Pale (2.5*)
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Empire of Light is a visual and sonic delight but leaves you empty. It portrays a May – November romance, set in a 1980s coastal movie theater. Needs much more chemistry between the characters and with the audience.
2023 Oscar Minor Genre Films
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An overview of the 2023 Oscar Minor Genre Films. The minor (2 or fewer films) genres are, mystery, romance, music, musical, sports, westerns, war, and horror.
Blonde – Long Sexy with Hidden Truths (3.5*)
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Blonde is not a biography of Marilyn Monroe, although she is the central character. This is, instead, an unusually forceful exploration of how difficult it is for women to fuse their public and private personas. It is also an indictment of Hollywood, and of men generally. (3.5*)
2022 Oscar Romance Movies
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Romance Movies from the 2022 Oscar List – a summary review.
Cyrano
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Cyrano (4*) – A wonderful movie with a powerful performance from Dinklage – even if the music isn’t all that great.
The Worst Person in the World
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(4*) The Worst Person in the World is a beautiful film with a fantastic Renate Reinsve, but maybe appeals most to a certain audience.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
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(3.5 Stars) Great acting from Chastain, and overwhelming makeup, but kind of a mess of a movie.
West Side Story
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(3.5 *) Technically near perfect, but lacking in the dramatic storytelling.
Licorice Pizza
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(3.5 *) Alana Haim is a real gem, but the movie is a Hollywood-inside-joke.
The Power of the Dog
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(4.5 Stars) Quite likely the Best Picture of the Year. Let me explain why.
Emma.
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(4 Stars) Engaging and sumptuous. A superb production from millennials.
Better Days
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(3.5 Stars) An interesting film with some very good dramatic elements. But seems to have some heavy-handed government overlays.
The 2020 Romance Genre Movies
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Little Women (5 Stars) Marriage Story (4.5 Stars) I Lost My Body (4 Stars) Judy (3.5 Stars) IMDB Benchmarks (Forrest Gump/Casablanca) By far, the best
Little Women
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(5 Stars) A wonderful feminist approach that is perfect holiday entertainment. A well crafted movie.
Marriage Story
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(4.5 Stars) A sometimes difficult movie to watch, but with powerful moments. The boundaries between love and hate are thin.
Judy
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(3.5 Stars) An exceptional performance by Zellweger in an otherwise mediocre movie.
I Lost My Body
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(4 Stars) A surprising mental challenge exploring destiny and free will, but definitely not a family movie
Border
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(4 Stars) Perhaps the strangest film on this year’s list, it certainly keeps your attention.
Cold War
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2/5 Oscar Nominations: Foreign Language Film (Poland)Director (Pawel Pawlikowski)Cinematography (Lukas Zal) Maybe one shouldn’t screen this movie after watching the German film “Never Look
Never Look Away
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(4.5 Stars) A German drama tracing the life of an East-German artist who struggles to find his true art form, and the meaning of his life. Professional critics didn’t like this as well.
If Beale Street Could Talk
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(4.5 Stars) A wonderful romance with terrific music. Another one of the better movies this year.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
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(4.5 Stars) A Coen Brothers film and a collection of six stories, each of which will puzzle and amuse.
A Star Is Born
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(3.5 Stars) In yet another remake, Lady Gaga shows she can act better than Bradley Cooper can sing. Its OK if you’re into sappy romances.