We have made a concerted effort to see as many of the Oscar nominees as possible and continued this week with three more films. All were noteworthy in some way, although I can see why Nomadland is favored by a number of critics for best picture. I agree with them.
Time (Amazon Prime $)
Time is nominated for best documentary feature and was made in conjunction with the New York Times. It is an especially relevant film as this country re-examines our prison system and inequities in the sentencing and treatment of Blacks and other minorities. Combining home movies going back twenty years with contemporary film footage, Time documents one mother’s challenge to raise six kids alone.
Sibil Fox Rich’s husband Rob was sentenced to 60 years in jail for robbing a bank. As the driver of the getaway car, she herself served three years. Over the years, she visits him in prison and works tirelessly to try to gain him a reduction in his sentence and early release. Sibil is an amazing study in fortitude, determination, and love as she works hard at her jobs and instills in her boys good values and the importance of education.
Shot in black and white, the opening scenes are almost dizzyingly jerky given that they are home movies. I hesitated initially and then got caught up in this family’s story.
Promising Young Woman (Amazon Prime $)
I had put off viewing this film since I wasn’t sure I liked the overall revenge premise. But I kept reading about Carey Mulligan’s great performance and felt I needed to give it a try. I found it painful, even shocking, but watched to the end.
Cassandra, a medical school dropout working in a coffee shop, plots ways to get revenge on the individuals who played a role in the tragedy of her friend Nina. Cassandra’s schemes are clever, but then verge on outrageous, and you realize she is somewhat unhinged. Even her boyfriend Ryan does not emerge untarnished. The film is billed as a comedy thriller and is one answer to the #MeToo movement. Despite its black humor, I didn’t find it funny, especially given the ending.
The opening scenes made me think of the vulgarity of Carnal Knowledge which appalled me (I was young when I saw it). Later scenes in Promising Young Woman echo testimony given at Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing. My advice: approach with caution, as I don’t think it adds up to a cohesive whole.
Nomadland (Amazon Prime $, free after 4/27)
This is a quiet film with some gorgeous scenery. No violence, no sex, no great events, just the wide outdoors and folks living rustic lives on the road. When her husband dies and the plant where she also worked closes, Fern leaves Nevada in a van and wanders the country. She tells people she is houseless, not homeless. Picking up temporary jobs here and there: at an Amazon warehouse, as a host at a van park, and as kitchen help, Fern occasionally joins up with other van nomads. The life is hard and often not a choice, but folks are genuinely kind to one another and amazingly resilient.
Frances McDormand is superb as Fern. She is joined by actor David Straithaim as well as by real-life nomads playing versions of themselves. Nomadland is definitely deserving of the Best Picture award and director Chloe Zhao of the Oscar for Best Director.
CULINARY CORNER
After the long year of Covid, we returned to Bridge Street Bistro for dinner with friends. This upstairs restaurant in Bradenton Beach is both popular and very good. In fact, the food was even better than my recollection. Grilled salmon over herb risotto with spinach and shrimp alongside was wonderful! Although a bit overdressed, the tasty Caesar salads easily served two. Others in our party ordered crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, and the stuffed chicken. Service was good despite it being mostly full. We were happy diners!
