I have been in a frenzy this awards season, consuming all of the award shows, picking my favorites and checking out movies I’ve never heard of. I’ve even requested seat filler positions hoping to one day join in the fun. I recognize none of this matters in the big picture of our world right now,Continue reading “Best Picture Nominees 2025”
Author Archives: spiralpopcorn
Nickel Boys
Nickel Boys is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Colson Whitehead. It follows the bond of two young African American boys who are sent to an abusive reform school in Florida in the 1960s. While fictional, Nickel Boys is based on true accounts of the horrors of these schools in the Jim CrowContinue reading “Nickel Boys”
I’m Still Here
I’m Still Here is based on a true story and the autobiography Ainda Estou Aqui written by Marcelo Paiva. He shares what his family endured during the Brazilian military dictatorship in the early seventies. His father, former congressman Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello) disappears leaving his mother Eunice (Fernanda Torres) to wonder what happened to himContinue reading “I’m Still Here”
A Real Pain
A Real Pain is written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg who also co-stars along with Kieran Culkin. Nominated for Best Original Screenplay (Eisenberg) and Best Supporting Actor (Culkin), A Real Pain follows two cousins as they reunite to travel with a tour group to Poland to honor their late grandmother and connect with their JewishContinue reading “A Real Pain”
Anora
Hooray another Best Picture Oscar nominee! Anora is one of my new surprise favorites. Mikey Madison is Anora (Ani), a charismatic young sex worker from Brooklyn who impulsively marries one of her ultra-rich clients. Here’s the kicker – her new hubby Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn) is the son of a Russian oligarch. His parents are notContinue reading “Anora”
Emilia Perez
Emilia Perez comes in with a lot of buzz after winning four awards at the Golden Globes (including Best Picture musical or comedy), so I went into this thinking there must be something great about it. I can say I didn’t hate it, but I’m not sure what they were going for here. The toneContinue reading “Emilia Perez”
Hal & Harper
Wanna see how it goes when I don’t edit or overthink? I figure this is as good a time as any, considering Hal & Harper is debuting at Sundance even though it is not a movie so I can’t even catalogue it in Letterboxd (but I did for a few days, iykyk). Watching all eightContinue reading “Hal & Harper”
The Substance
I’m a little in love with Demi Moore lately so I was so excited to finally watch The Substance that I have been hearing so much about. Hahaha joke’s on me. Sometimes I think writers have an especially detailed dream and then this kind of shit erupts. When I say I had no idea thisContinue reading “The Substance”
The Brutalist
Here are my thoughts walking into the theater to see The Brutalist today knowing it has a 3.5 hour run time: “No problem, I’m an adult, and if I want to leave I will leave.” Also, “Every minute of this film better be vital.” And of course, “Should I get the bigger popcorn for thisContinue reading “The Brutalist”
Conclave
I think I know what a Conclave is from reading a book when I was younger. Maybe it was Angels and Demons or something in that series? I remember the black vs. white smoke. Anyway, this was interesting. Visually set up like a series of paintings, making the whole process feel even more important andContinue reading “Conclave”