In other news (apolitical thread)...

[bayareabadger]

You are my favorite dipstick liberal that I've never met.

Great post, and I can't find much to disagree about here.  My opposition to the virtue signaling movies, are those of the overt, transparent variety.  The making of the movie, just for the sake of pushing a narrative --- and that can go either way politically.  Both are ick for me.

You listed a couple of good ones there that are culturally relevant and informative, without the 'in your face', condescension.  The ones that don't make you feel like Hitler, if you have a different perspective.  Just tell the story, without dehumanizing one side, or the other.  Those are effective, and I can get down with it.

I am a particular fan of the historical pieces on the marginalized.  Glory, Dances with Wolves, Men of Honor, etc ---those types, even if some of them are fictional, or take creative license.  Feel good films, that hit the ole ticker.

Out of curiosity, and maybe if it can stay somewhat removed from politics, which of the current crop do/did you find to be virtue signaling?

[jgvol]

Out of curiosity, and maybe if it can stay somewhat removed from politics, which of the current crop do/did you find to be virtue signaling?

I haven't seen a single one this year.

But what I've read of "Conclave", I'd certainly include it.

[bayareabadger]

I haven't seen a single one this year.

But what I've read of "Conclave", I'd certainly include it.

I could see that.

That’s an interesting one because the part I think you’re taking about is a real twist at the end. Unless that’s more a commentary on the larger treatment of the church.

Of the set of movies, I think two could probably fall into that space (Emilia Perez, which is not that good, and Conclave, which is mostly good, though the twist is whatever), and if you stretched, maybe a third (Nickel Boys is set in the Jim Crow south in a pretty grotesque setting). The Substance could be read that way, but it’s also probably too gross to draw much flack there.

The other six I’ve seen feel like they’re just movies. Anora was probably my favorite. I think 20 years ago, Complete Unknown would be more of a consensus movie.

[betarhoalphadelta]

Is it sad that I've only seen 4 out of all the Best Picture nominees of the last 5 years?

[ELA]

I haven't seen a single one this year.

But what I've read of "Conclave", I'd certainly include it.

I think Emilia Perez certainly is.

I had so many issues with the ending of Conclave, mainly that it was out of nowhere, and did nothing to alter anything that happened up to that point, nor did it change the ultimate conclusion.  I would have had that feeling with any number of endings that were equally nonsense.  But the route they chose, in the current climate, felt like they were trying to shoehorn it in.  As bay pointed out, it's based on a book, which is like a decade old, so I don't think its trying to do anything there.  I think it's just a bad ending to an otherwise enjoyable film.  And honestly, it's not just the twist.  It wraps itself up too neatly without ever really figuring out the motivations of how we got where we got.

I'm hopeful I'll find one that jumps out and grabs me, possibly Anora.  There seems to always be one that does that.  It was The Holdovers last year, and Coda the year before.  Two movies that I figured I'd power through, but were both outstanding.

[jgvol]

I could see that.

That’s an interesting one because the part I think you’re taking about is a real twist at the end. Unless that’s more a commentary on the larger treatment of the church.

Of the set of movies, I think two could probably fall into that space (Emilia Perez, which is not that good, and Conclave, which is mostly good, though the twist is whatever), and if you stretched, maybe a third (Nickel Boys is set in the Jim Crow south in a pretty grotesque setting). The Substance could be read that way, but it’s also probably too gross to draw much flack there.

The other six I’ve seen feel like they’re just movies. Anora was probably my favorite. I think 20 years ago, Complete Unknown would be more of a consensus movie.

“Conclave” is one I really wanted to see.  Before I had the opportunity, the chatter started and so I read up a bit.  Ugh.  No point wasting my time.  Too bad.

[ELA]

I do want to see The Brutalist, but man, 4 hours is a grind.

I assume A Complete Unknown will be fine.  I think with the ranked voting they do now, it has a chance to win, simply because I'm guessing it will be everyones like 3rd favorite, while the other ones are more divisive.

[betarhoalphadelta]

I assume A Complete Unknown will be fine.

Obviously I haven't seen it, but it seems like we're now in a copycat "biopic of an iconic / quirky musician" genre... I mean, we had Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rocketman in the last few years. I saw the first two, but not the last. I thought Elvis was terrible and yet it was nominated for Best Picture. 

[bayareabadger]

Is it sad that I've only seen 4 out of all the Best Picture nominees of the last 5 years?

Not sad unless you feel that way about it.

[betarhoalphadelta]

Not sad unless you feel that way about it.

LOL good point. I guess I really don't care...

[bayareabadger]

Obviously I haven't seen it, but it seems like we're now in a copycat "biopic of an iconic / quirky musician" genre... I mean, we had Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rocketman in the last few years. I saw the first two, but not the last. I thought Elvis was terrible and yet it was nominated for Best Picture.

I would say it was considerably better than Elvis, and have heard it was better than the other two.

if you are a person who modestly likes Bob Dylan, it’s probably worth a watch.

[MikeDeTiger]

Dune was great, Deadpool and Wolverine was extremely well-made and a lot of fun, and Wicked was a very good adaptation of a very entertaining musical.

I thought Deadpool and Wolverine was enjoyable, but not that "good."  What I mean by that is, I think it got most of its mileage out of the fun cameos and finding yet another way for the multiverse to abuse meaningful story-telling and bring Hugh Jackman back, rather than tell an interesting story with an interesting plot or theme.  

But, I suppose Deadpool movies are more about Ryan Reynolds playing Ryan Reynolds again, and enjoying the moment, moreso than they're meant to be classes in plot or character development.  

[MikeDeTiger]

And I agree that not all movies have to be art house fare. I really liked Inception, but even more blockbuster-y, I enoyed the Mad Max reboot, and the first two John Wicks (I haven't seen the next two). I really liked La La Land. I know it wasn't all that groundbreaking, but it was a fun night at the movies. Was it the best picture that year? I have no idea, but I enjoyed it. And the Death of Stalin? Gold.

Hey.....I really liked Inception, and John Wick, and La La Land.  And yes, The Death of Stalin is absolute gold.  

...

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I don't like where we're headed lately.  I'm gonna focus on how much I dislike Mad Max and how much we disagree on that.  

[SFBadger96]

Out of curiosity, and maybe if it can stay somewhat removed from politics, which of the current crop do/did you find to be virtue signaling?

Barbie. Overall, I thought it was a fine movie. It did a great job of taking a toyland and turning into a live action universe. Technically, it was really well done.
But the women's liberation story arc was ridiculous. SFIrish, who has worn pink hats and gone to DC for the Women's March, was put off by it. It was just soooo over the top.

Because they are attached at the hip, I would say that Oppenheimer may have pushed the virtue signaling more than it needed to, but I don't think it was so overtly over the top as to make me shake my head about it.

I would love to see a film about the 442 Regimental Combat Team (consistent with Jgvol's comment above), but the parts of Masters of the Air that included the Red Tails were just silly. (In general, I thougth Masters of the Air was a ham-handed, by the numbers war epic, with really cool visuals of air combat, but nothing else.)