#won: actor

[theoscarsproject]

The Color of Money (1986). Fast Eddie Felson teaches a cocky but immensely talented protégé the ropes of pool hustling, which in turn inspires him to make an unlikely comeback.

Paul Newman truly is That Actor - boundless charisma and an undeniable screen presence - he always delivers, and does so again here. He actually pairs really well both with Tom Cruise, who's playing the ingenue here in a kinda fun role reversal, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who plays a woman hungry for a life bigger than the one she's ended up with. It's got some great and tense action sequences too, and is just overall a pretty fun sports film. 8/10.

[theoscarsproject]

A Fish Called Wanda (1988). In London, four very different people team up on a jewel heist, then try to double-cross one another for the loot, complicated by their efforts to fool a very proper barrister.

I was really expecting to love this one - particularly as a big Monty Python fan - but I don't know. It didn't really do all that much for me. I didn't mind the silliness or the hijinks, and Kevin Kline really is pretty funny in it, but to me it just felt like it kept changing its mind about what it wanted to be in a way that didn't charm me as much as it seems to have others. So yeah. Just not for me, I guess. 4/10.

[theoscarsproject]

On Golden Pond (1981). Norman is a curmudgeon with an estranged relationship with his daughter Chelsea. At Golden Pond, he and his wife nevertheless agree to care for Billy, the son of Chelsea's new boyfriend, and a most unexpected relationship blooms.

This is a movie both defined and elevated by its cast - like, god, Henry and Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn - does it get any better than this in 1981? They all really deliver moving, rich performances too, and it's a shame that the writing doesn't quite rise to meet them. 7/10.

[theoscarsproject]

The Goodbye Girl (1977). After being dumped by her live-in boyfriend, an unemployed dancer and her 10-year-old daughter are reluctantly forced to live with a struggling off-Broadway actor.

This is cute! There are definitely elements of it that have not aged well, particularly in the sense of the boundaries between Elliot and Paula, but Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason have such a personable chemistry they mostly pull it off. It's light and charming, and it's genuinely pretty wonderful that there was an era of cinema history where romcoms could be nominated like this. 7/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Coming Home (1978). A woman whose husband is fighting in Vietnam falls in love with another man who suffered a paralyzing combat injury there.

You guys, I am baffled that this not only was nominated to such a broad degree, but that it won so many awards. Like!! Jon Voight winning best actor over Robert De Niro in The Deer Hunter!!!! Or hell, even Gary Busey in The Buddy Holly Story. Jane Fonda, who I usually love, winning over Jill Clayburgh in An Unmarried Woman and Ingrid Bergman in Autumn Sonata!!! Insane. This movie is mediocre at best, the characters ill-defined and the drama dull. As an anti-war film, it's message is heavy-handed, and it never really finds a story to back it up. Just really, really dull, and I kind of hate it for how it swept certain categories, haha. 5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Network (1976). A television network cynically exploits a deranged former anchor's ravings and revelations about the news media for its own profit.

Oof, this movie is another one that feels more relevant than ever. Darkly cynical and acid-tongued, it really unpacks the sensationalism of media and the hunger for views that can - and often does - swallow up integrity. It's full of exceptional performances and some really beautiful cinematography which only elevates an already great script. Definitely one to watch! 8.5/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Save the Tiger (1973). A disillusioned war veteran has two days to let go of his shaken morals if he wants his small fashion company to survive.

I wasn’t really sold on the premise of this, but I actually really enjoyed the film. Jack Lemmon is always charming, but the film overall captures the themes of disillusionment, loss and delayed trauma in a pretty affecting way. It’s not a perfect film by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s one that feels honest and earnest in it’s intent, and the good performances and loping pace elevate it overall. 7/10.

[theoscarsproject]

Harry and Tonto (1974). When his apartment building is torn down, a retired lifelong New Yorker goes on a cross-country odyssey with his beloved cat Tonto.

Ah, this movie is CUTE! Road trip movies are often my jam, in case you couldn’t tell from my Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore review, haha, but this one is particularly charming. You really like Harry, and his relationship with Tonto forms this really compelling arc around connection and companionship. It’s well shot, languid, and travels as well as Harry does. It’s a really enjoyable, sweet, lowkey movie. 7.5/10.