Getting Oscar Ready
The Oscars are this coming Sunday and, as is the tradition around here, we have been busy watching movies in preparation for the show. This quest used to involve traveling far and wide to go to theaters to see some of these movies but streaming services have changed all of that and we watched everything from the comfort of our own living room.
My favorite, and the one that most predict to win best picture, is Oppenheimer. Sure, it’s long, but it kept me entertained for the entire time. The story is compelling and the acting is terrific, plus there’s Bonny’s pond connection. I enjoyed Barbie far more than I expected to and also feel the women associated with the movie were robbed of their recognition. Oh, the irony. Killers of the Flower Moon was very good but I thought it was too long and it dragged for me. The acting, though, and the spotlight on the story of what happened to the Osage makes it very worthwhile. American Fiction is brilliant and the satire burns strong throughout the film. The Holdovers is also good and has some pretty great moments of poignancy and depth. For me, Maestro was just okay although Bradley Cooper is fantastic. I did not care for Anatomy of a Fall and Past Lives was just okay. I still have to watch Poor Things and Zone of Interest. I did also enjoy Nyad, and Annette Bening is wonderful in it, but, suprisingly enough, it’s not a Best Picture nominee.
I’m working on planning food for our Oscar watch party. It will be just Dale and Hannah and I so I don’t need a lot but I do like to have something to represent each movie. So far I’ve settled on stuffed mushrooms (Oppenheimer), Cosmopolitans (Barbie) and wine (American Fiction), Thanksgiving sandwiches (Maestro), Cherry Garcia ice cream (The Holdovers), and dumplings for Past Lives. Obviously I still have some work to do on this!
I realize this is a very niche post and my Oscar movie tradition is not for everyone but I hope you might feel inspired to watch a movie if not the actual Oscar show. I’ve said for years that this is my Super Bowl and I intend to enjoy every moment, from the Red Carpet to the final award.
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I think streaming has almost eliminated our shared experiences in entertainment. There’s no appointment tv, no big box office hit everyone sees almost simultaneously. Even sports is largely spread out on different platforms, even different days than it used to be. I guess WFH means less water cooler fodder is needed, but it’s certainly different. But I’ll always tune in for your Oscar party snacks.
I haven’t seen any of the Oscar Best Picture nominees but I do like hearing about them! I may watch Oppenheimer this weekend and the stuffed mushrooms you have planned for snacks made me laugh. American Fiction sounds intriguing and I may watch it also. I’ve had the book on hold for several months but the queue doesn’t seem to be moving. Have fun on Sunday!
I haven’t seen any of the movies at all except Barbie. But what I think is the most fun is the menu you prepare to highlight the movies (and I laughed too at stuffed mushrooms!) Have fun on Sunday night!
Stuffed Mushrooms FTW!!! What a great choice. I’m hoping to watch Oppenheimer soon and I’ve wanted to watch Nyad (thanks for that reminder). I loved Bradley Cooper’s performance in Maestro! I’ll look forward to seeing pictures of your snacks!!
I’m looking forward to the Oscars! I haven’t seen all of the movies yet, but may be able to sneak in one or two more yet before the show. I love your snacks!!
Have seen only Barbie in a theater. Saw Maestro at home (eh) and want to see Holdovers and Nyad likewise. We are actively avoiding Oppenheimer – too frightening! Food for Oscar viewing? Maybe something pink – shrimp and pink vanilla pudding?
The only Oscar movie I’ve seen is Barbie, but it’s pretty typical for me to watch the nominated films after the awards anyway. I’m hoping to watch Oppenheimer soon (we just found out we have access to Peacock through our cable subscription, and it’s streaming there) as well as Killers of the Flower Moon and Maestro. I expect Oppenheimer to win everything it’s been winning!
This year, I have seen only a few of the nominated movies (so far; probably about half). The pandemic took all the wind out of my old sails when it came to seeing ALL the movies — and I just never got it back. But I’m still interested, and I’ll still watch them. Just on my own schedule. I love that you guys still go ALL IN for the Oscars! Can’t wait to hear what you think after the awards are handed out.
I think your Oscar night ritual sounds great!