#oscars 53

[theoscarsproject]

Somewhere in Time (1980). A Chicago playwright uses self-hypnosis to travel back in time and meet the actress whose vintage portrait hangs in a grand hotel.

I'm genuinely a bit baffled by this one, because the plot is kind of bonkers? I mean, it's about a playwright time travelling via hypnosis to fall in love with an early 20th Century actress. The writing is...mmm....Not Great, but there's a charm to it anyway between the lovely score and the fun (albeit mixed) cast. If you feel like a kinda bad, kinda trippy romance with Christopher Plummer playing what's basically a moustache-twirling bad guy, this is worth checking out, but it's probably one you have to be in the mood for. 4/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Breaker Morant (1981). Three Australian lieutenants are court martialed for executing prisoners as a way of deflecting attention from war crimes committed by their superior officers.

Oh, I really loved this one. From the lush and thoughtful cinematography, to his question of whether or not it's possible to have morals in war, to the shifting dynamics of the British, the Australians and the Boers. It's layered and compelling and a good story well told. Both one of the best war films and one of the best courtroom dramas I've seen in a long time. 8/10.

[theoscarsproject]

9 to 5 (1980). Three female employees of a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot find a way to turn the tables on him.

God, this movie is just wonderful. There's such a bounce to it in humour, in character, in plot, which carries it through even the more absurd plot points. It captures the way women are pitted against each other professionally and ground down by the heel of both the patriarchy and capitalism, while finding hope and joy in community and solidarity too. Magic stuff! 8.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Tess (1979). A strong-willed young peasant girl attracts the affection of two men.

I have complicated feelings for Roman Polanski for all the obvious reasons, but this movie, which Polanski credits as a tribute to his late wife, Sharon Tate, who was murdered by the Manson Family a decade earlier, feels like a graceful, heartfelt and authentic eulogy. The cinematography is sublime, and the story about a woman forced to endure a life she didn't deserve feels especially relevant.

Men are trash, Polanski included, but this movie really is something special. 8.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Fame (1981). A chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.

I enjoyed this so much more than I was expecting to. Yeah, it's pretty disjointed and frenetic and grittier than it has any right to be, but it really captures both the headrush and the grind of what these kids experience. It's messy, sure, but it also surprisingly really works. 7.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Day After Trinity (1981). Scientists and witnesses involved in the creation and testing of the first ever atomic bomb reflect on the Manhattan project and its fascinating leader, J. Robert Oppenheimer, who upon completion of his wonderful and horrible invention became a powerful spokesperson against the nuclear arms race.

A pretty solid documentary that looks at the man behind a terrible invention. The strength of this is really in the interviews with the people who knew and worked with him, and it's exploration of the toll his creation had on both him and the world. Insightful and compelling, but not quite as nuanced I think as it maybe wanted to be. 7.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Private Benjamin (1980). A sheltered young high-society woman joins the United States Army on a whim and finds herself in a trickier situation than she ever expected.

Goldie Hawn has charm for days, but even she can't save this one. 3/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Kagemusha (1980). A petty thief with an utter resemblance to a samurai warlord is hired as the lord's double. When the warlord later dies the thief is forced to take up arms in his place.

This isn't my favourite Kurosawa, but a not-fave-Kurosawa is still a pretty transcendent movie-watching experience. The use of colour is sublime and you really do feel steeped in this storyworld, even if the narrative drags sometimes. Magic! 8/10.