Movies of a Petite Aspie

Yes, I'm back!  I never really went anywhere, but I clearly haven't written any entries in nearly a year.  Oh well.  I decided to change the name of the blog to "Let's Get Critical," and you're welcome for now getting Olivia Newton-John's "Let's Get Physical" stuck in your head (as it is in mine).  Apparently, though, www.letsgetcritical.blogspot.com was taken, so I'll stick with my current web address until such point as I am able to -- or feel like -- getting a domain (gasp!).   Well, anyway, here are my 2017 Oscar nominee predictions, based on what/who have already won and been nominated for various other awards.  The nominees will be ranked in order of likelihood to receive a nomination and/or win, and this will not count tonight's Golden Globe winners.  Oscar nominees are announced Tuesday, January 24th and Jimmy Kimmel will host the ceremony, which airs Sunday, February 26th, on ABC.  If I have the time, I'll post individu...

I'm going to take some guesses -- many of which are quite wild -- as to who will take home Golden Globes this Sunday, hosted again by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (perfect choice).  I'm going to list my winner predictions, as well as who/what I see as runners-up (or runner-ups?).   Best Motion Picture, Drama: Winner -- 12 Years a Slave Runner-Up -- Gravity Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Winner -- Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) Runner-Up -- Sandra Bullock (Gravity) Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: Winner -- Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) Runner-Up -- Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Winner -- American Hustle Runner-Up -- Inside Llewyn Davis Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Winner -- Meryl Streep (August: Osage County) Runner-Up -- Amy Adams (American Hustle) Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: Winner -- Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) Runn...

Even though it's already October, it's still too early to accurately predict Oscar nominees, but I'll do my best.  (I'm including movies that have yet to be released).  I'm focusing only on the five major categories.    Best Picture 12 Years a Slave (10/18) American Hustle (12/13) August: Osage County (12/25) Before Midnight (on DVD 10/22) The Butler (now playing) Captain Phillips (10/11) Fruitvale Station (now playing) Gravity (now playing) Inside Llewyn Davis (12/6) The Monuments Men (12/25) Prisoners (now playing) Rush (now playing) Saving Mr. Banks (12/13) The Wolf of Wall Street (11/18) Best Actor George Clooney -- Gravity (now playing); The Monuments Men (12/25) Benedict Cumberbatch -- The Fifth Estate (10/18) Bruce Dern -- Nebraska (11/15) Leonardo DiCaprio -- The Wolf of Wall Street (11/18) Chiwetel Ejiofor -- 12 Years a Slave (10/18) Idris Elba -- Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (11/29) Ralph Fiennes -- The Invisible Woman (12/25) J...

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...