Movies of a Petite Aspie

Even though I have cut the cord -- which I don't regret in the slightest, as commercials are often annoying, to say the least -- I will make it a point to watch the 90th  Academy Awards ceremony this Sunday, March 4, 2018, at 8 p.m. (with red carpet coverage commencing at 6:30) on ABC, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel for the second year in a row. Free trials are available for YouTube TV, DirecTV now, and Hulu Live, but you have to remember to cancel the subscription once the trial period is over and, knowing me, I might  will probably forget.  This does prevent me from hosting an Oscar party, although my last one was three years ago.  So I'll most likely be crashing at my parents' house, which is usually where I spending my Sunday evenings.   I did manage to see many of this year's Oscar-nominated films -- and those that were snubbed, like Wonder Woman -- whether streaming, on my Roku, or in the theatre.  Below I have ranked every single one of these movies, ...

As I've done for the past I'm-not-sure-how-many years, I intend to watch every single Oscar-nominated film, even the shorts and song nominees (yes, that means 50 Shades).  I'm going to rank every single nominated performance based on my letter grade of that film.  I still have many more to see, which I will put under TBS (for To Be Seen), and will update the list as I see each film.  (Reviews to come later , if I have time) Ranking/Grades A -- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Original Score, Visual Effects, Film Editing) A -- Inside Out (Animated Feature, Original Screenplay) A -- Room (Actress, Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay) A -- Brooklyn (Picture, Actress, ADapted Screenplay)   A -- Amy (Documentary Feature) A -- The Big Short (Director, Picture, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Adapted Screenplay) A -- Shaun the Sheep Movie (Animated Feature)  A -- World of Tomorrow (Animated Short) A -- Shok (Live Action Short)...

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see every single Oscar-nominated movie, but I did my best.  Here, I rank all the ones I saw, including the live action shorts.  1. Whiplash - A 2. The Lego Movie - A 3. Boyhood - A 4. The Imitation Game - A 5. Feast - A 6. Gone Girl - A 7. Virunga - A 8. The Phone Call - A 9. Birdman - A- 10. The Grand Budapest Hotel - A- 11. Interstellar - A- 12. Guardians of the Galaxy - A- 13. Selma - A- 14. The Theory of Everything - A- 15. Still Alice - A- 16. Boogaloo and Graham - A- 17. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - A- 18. Nightcrawler - A- 19. Last Days in Vietnam - A- 20. American Sniper - B+ 21. X-Men: Days of Future Past - B+ 22. Big Hero 6 - B+ 23. Into the Woods - B+ 24. Two Days, One Night - B+ 25. Ida - B+ 26. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - B+ 27. Begin Again - B+ 28. Aya - B+ 29. The Boxtrolls - B+ 30. Citizenfour - B+ 31. Parvaneh - B+ 32. Finding Vivian Maier - B+ 33. Mr. Turner - B+ 34. Unbroken - B...

  Hailee Steinfeld and Douglas Booth Director: Carlo Carlei Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Ed Westwick, Paul Giamatti, Skellan Skarsgaard Genre(s): Drama; Romance DVD Release Date: February 4, 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 22% Romeo & Juliet is undoubtedly the most renowned and most tragic love story ever told, and one of the most famous of William Shakespeare's plays.  Julian Fellowes, best known for the Emmy-winning Downton Abbey, has scripted the latest version of the Bard's tragedy, helmed by Italian director Carlo Carlei.  Unlike Baz Luhrmann's Leonardo DiCaprio-starring 1996 version, this adaptation has a far more authentic setting -- it was filmed in Italy -- and authentic British accents -- although some are more authentic-sounding than others.   Fellowes has received harsh criticism for paring down Shakespeare's beautiful language, and in a sense "dumbing it down" for modern audiences.  While that was not ...

Tommy Lee Jones, Meryl Streep, and Steve Carell Director: David Frankel Stars: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell  Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Romance Release Date: August 8, 2012 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77% It's extremely difficult to review a movie when there is any type of bias involved, in terms of the reviewer's relationship to the film.  In this case, a great portion of Hope Springs was filmed in my hometown of Stonington, CT.  At times, I found myself focusing more on the setting than on dialogue and actual movie, and relished in recognizing shops, restaurants, and other sites that are only within a few minutes' walk of my home.  I had to exhibit quite a bit of restraint in the theatre to avoid squealing every time I spotted a street or other locale that I know so well.  I knew this was what it must have felt like to see Mystic Pizza in the theatre: feeling an astounding amount of pride for own's hometown is something that canno...

Jennifer Morrison and Joel Edgerton Director: Gavin O'Connor Stars: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo Genre(s): Action, Drama, Sports Release Date: September 9, 2011 Rotten Tomatoes Score:  82% Warrior, Director Gavin O'Connor's exciting yet flawed film about two brothers who become involved in a high-stakes mixed martial arts event, benefits from the tremendously impressive performances of relative newcomers Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton.   Tommy (Hardy) is a soldier with a mysterious past who enlists the help of his formerly alcoholic father (Nick Nolte) to train him to be a mixed martial arts fighter in a high-stakes tournament.  Tommy's older brother, Brendan, is training for the tournament, for the sole reason that he his high school teacher salary is not sufficient to provide for his family.   The morales of the film, in particular the importance of family, seemed to be forced on the audience a bit too muc...

Jessica Chastain Director: John Madden Stars: Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, Tom Wilkinson, Sam Worthington, Martin Csokas Genre(s): Drama, Thriller Release Date: August 31, 2011 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%   "The Debt," a remake of the 2007 Israeli film of the same name, is an exciting thriller that takes place in two distinct time periods and benefits tremendously from the commendable acting of its cast.  In 1997, a tragedy causes retired Mossad secret agents Rachel (Helen Mirren) and Stephan (Tom Wilkinson) to confront a terrible secret that existed only among Rachel, Stephan, and former colleague Stephan (Ciaran Hinds).  In 1966, the three (portrayed by Jessica Chastain, Martin Csokas, and Sam Worthington) worked together in Berlin to capture a Nazi who had perpetrated monstrous crimes during the Holocaust (Jesper Christensen).  Mirren is excellent, as would be expected of the dependable Oscar winner, yet it is newcomer Chastain, who steps ...

Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, and Anton Yelchin Director: Craig Gillespie Stars: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots, David Tennant Genre(s): Comedy, Horror Release Date: August 19, 2011 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%   Fright Night , which is a remake of the 1985 movies of the same name, succeeds in being a hilarious vampiric horror film that often goes to extremes to garner laughs and amusement, which works perfectly in a film of this nature. Charley (Anton Yelchin) is an awkward high school senior who has managed to gain the affections of Amy (Imogen Poots), one of the most popular girls in school, and simultaneously alienate his dorky best friend (Christopher Mintz-Plasse).  Charley begins to suspect that Jerry (Colin Farrell), his new muscled and hunky neighbor, is a vampire, after a series of mysterious disappearances occur in the area.  Charley asks Las Vegas vampire expert/magician Peter Vincent (David Tenant) how he can kill...