Oscar watchers - Best Pictures

[thyme4change]

70% of the nominees for categories that relate to regular feature films come from the movies that are nominated for best picture.  In some cases - it makes sense that the best picture would need the best script, the best directing and the best acting - but, yes, I know it is all political and there is a great deal of "professional influencing" that goes into all of these nominations.  Even knowing that, my husband and I try to see as many of the best picture nominees as we can.  

This year we have seen (so far)

Arrival
Hidden Figures
La La Land
Lion 
Manchester by the Sea 
Moonlight

We will probably watch at least Fences and Hacksaw ridge before next Sunday.

Which ones did you see, and which one would you want to win?  Who do you think will or should win the actor/actress and supporting actor/actress?  

Discuss as desired - spoilers allowed!!

[thyme4change]

I think La La Land will win - because Hollywood is obsessed with themselves and their lifestyles.  Personally, I hated it.  I thought the script was somewhat weak (at best average), the singing was bad, the dancing was okay, and the whole thing was over-acted, especially my beloved Emma Stone.  I have liked her in so many things, but this one - blech.  

Lion - so good, I think, I was too busy crying to really criticize it.

Hidden Figures should be required watching.

Arrival - also so good - I saw it before Christmas, so I'm having a hard time really comparing.

Manchester and Moonlight - good, but slow.  

[swamp]

I've only seen Arrival.  I hated it. 

[Deleted]

Lion- saw it yesterday. Yes very good, great visuals too.
Hidden Figures, I agree. Terrific.
Arrival I don't regret, but it wasn't my favorite.
manchester the same. 

I didnt see the others. 

[siralynn]

I've only seen Hidden Figures. I LOVED it. Even though I spent at least half the movie in tears.

[thyme4change]

I just saw Hacksaw Ridge. It was good. But I am not into WW2 movies.

[steph08]

Arrival - cried like a baby, interesting story, enjoyed but probably wouldn't watch it again (see 'crying like a baby' part)
Manchester - cried somewhat, very good, Casey Affleck was superb
Hacksaw - awesome story and stayed mostly true to what happened in real life, but mainly just 'eh' on the larger scale WWII movies (it's no Saving Private Ryan)

[thyme4change]

I rolled my eyes when La La Land was announced as the winner. Hollywood tends to love movies about Hollywood, so I was sure it would win.

But then.....Bam! Moonlight.

[Virgil Showlion]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone.

I do a lot of reading: newspapers, blogs, major news sites, IEEE and MIT publications, Christian publications, this board, ... . I usually watch an hour or two of US TV on the weekends. I listen to the radio. I see dozens of ads and billboards in any given day. I'm not "culturally disconnected" and I have a decent memory. I heard about entertainment events in 2016 constantly. For example, I must've heard about "Deadpool", "Captain America", and "Game of Thrones" at least a hundred times each.

I have not heard or read about a single one of these movies except "La La Land", which I seem to recall I saw advertised somewhere.

Were these really obscure titles or is it just me?

[thyme4change]

It was just you. Hacksaw Ridge was a major release. Arrival was advertised continuously for 2 months. Fences has two huge stars, and money behind it. And Hidden Figures was everywhere.

[movingforward]

I saw Hell or High Water a couple of weeks ago. It was okay. Chris Pine is nice to look at .

I have no desire to see La La Land or Hacksaw Ridge

Manchester by the Sea will be coming to Amazon Prime in May (I think) so I will watch that one then.

Hidden Figures and Moonlight are the two I REALLY want to see.

I used to try and watch all the Oscar nominated films but I have found some of them are just not all that great IMHO. Through the years I was bored out of my skull during some of them so now I watch the ones that a lot of people recommend or that seem interesting to me personally.

[thyme4change]

Hidden Figures was so good. It should be required watching.

[movingforward]

I watched Manchester by the Sea last night. It was okay...it was on the boring side to me. I am certainly no expert but I personally didn't see anything in Casey Affleck's performance that was all that riveting.

Moonlight is also on Amazon now so I hope to watch that one in the next week or two.

[flan327]

I adored Moonlight

Did NOT like La La Land