The Beehive Asks: How many best picture nominees have you seen?
In my years as full-time movie critic for The Bee, I lived and breathed Oscars. (I even got to cover the ceremony with press credentials the year “Titanic” swept. That was a long time ago.) Back then, of course, I would see all five best picture nominees each year, and most of the time I would see every film featuring a best/supporting actor/actress nominee.
But now I’m off that beat, and a part of me still thinks it’s ludicrous that there are up to 10 best picture nominees now. Ten! That’s way too many. This year’s total is actually nine. They are: “Amour,” “Argo,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Django Unchained,” “Les Misérables,” “Life of Pi,” “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”
I’ve seen “Django Unchained,” “Les Miserables,” “Life of Pi,” “Lincoln” and “Silver Linings Playbook.” So it turns out I saw five after all. (I guess I’m a traditionalist.) I don’t want to be boring, but I’m rooting for “Lincoln.”
The question is: How many best picture nominees have you seen? Has anyone out there actually seen all nine?
Responses to "The Beehive Asks: How many best picture nominees have you seen?"
Remember our days together on the morning show? I miss those! I’ve seen eight. Missed “Amour” when it was in Fresno for one whole day. I’m rooting for “Argo”.
I do, Zara! What fun. I’m impressed you’ve seen eight.
I’ve only seen 4: Lincoln, Argo, Silver Linings Playbook, and Les Mis. I think Silver Linings was good, but not Oscar good. Would love to see any of the other 3 win.
I’ve seen all but Amour and Beasts. I’m in for Argo, but I think that Zero Dark Thirty is going to win.
I’ve seen eight – didn’t get a chance to see Amour. I’m expecting a win for Argo.
I’ve only seen 1 (Django Unchained). I still want to see Silver Linings Playbook, and Life of Pi.
I’ve only seen Lincoln, Argo, and Les Miz. I enjoyed all three, but I would be happy to see either Lincoln or Argo win. Both had excellent screenplays, excellent casts, excellent direction. Both had special challenges; Lincoln had to recreate a past we think we know, but really don’t. Argo had to recreate a past some of us lived through (from a different perspective) and can be very critical about. Both were dazzling films, but I think Lincoln should win. This is one of the most important stories of American history. Lincoln’s presidency wasn’t about his assassination; it was about the end of slavery–the Thirteenth Amendment. Tommy Lee Jones’s performance was transcendant; we have neglected the true heroes of American history–the die-hard abolitionists. They were right when everybody else was wrong. Pitch perfect.
I’ve seen all nine this year. Given how few people turned out for Thursday’s screening of AMOUR, there can’t be many of us in Fresno. I have to agree with all the critics who have called Haneke’s film a “masterpiece,” but the American Academy doesn’t have a history of awarding masterpieces for Best Picture. So, for me, the best film with a chance of winning is LINCOLN. Having said that, ARGO will take the prize, right?
We bow before your movie-going stamina, John.