2019 Oscar Winners Viewing Marathon

[RCRochester]

01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)



Winner of 4 Oscars (Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score, Song)

One of my all time favourite movies, I could watch this over and over and never get tired of it. I love the movie's easygoing charm and the way it combines traditional western set-pieces with a modern (or late 60s anyway) sensibility. Thank goodness Steve McQueen dropped out of this project because it's the incredible chemistry between Newman and Redford that really makes it work and so much fun to watch.

[Dailyan]

8. Breaking Away (Best Original Screenplay)

In anticipation for the Super Bowl, I went with a sports film this go around. An excellent coming of age drama; one of my favorites of the genre.

[filmbuffTX]

4. Cavalcade (1933)



Oscar Winner for Best Picture, Director, and Art Direction. Diana Wynyard was also nominated for Best Actress.

It's a drama that chronicles the ups and downs of a well to do British family over several decades in the early twentieth century. Major world events serve as the backdrop for the story.

I'm not sure what the source is, but the video quality on the Blu-ray isn't great. It's currently in the Best Buy $5.99 bin and is definitely worth a purchase at that price if you're curious to check out this movie. This was a first-time viewing. I thought it was good/OK. 3 out 5 stars on this viewing. I think I'll watch it again this time next year. It doesn't seem like this is a very popular Best Picture winner. I assume this would be in the bottom half of most "Ranking Best Picture Winners" list.

[filmbuffTX]

5. How Green Was My Valley (1941)



10 Oscar Nominations, Winner of 5 including Best Picture. It famously beat Citizen Cane.

Directed by John Ford, a drama about a family in a coal mining town in Wales as seen through the eyes of the young son. Played by Roddy McDowall (Planet of the Apes).

First-time viewing. This was a lot more enjoyable and relatable to me than Cavalcade; it doesn't feel dated and the video quality is much nicer. They are both B&W films. This is also in the Best Buy $5.99 bin.

[RCRochester]

01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

02/03 - It Happened One Night (1934)



Winner of 5 Oscars (Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Adapted Screenplay)

Frank Capra's classic romantic comedy starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. This movie is now 85 years old(!) so there are naturally a few aspects that are quite dated but overall it's still pretty fresh and basically created the template for the whole romantic comedy genre right up to the present day. This was the first of only 3 movies to have swept the "Big 5" Oscars.

[Dailyan]

9. Monsters, Inc. (Best Original Song)


One of my favorite Pixar films. As a six year old, this was my first experience to the greats that are Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and James Coburn; been a fan of them ever since.

Previously viewed:

[Show spoiler]
1/27: Babe
1/28: The Apartment
1/29: Rebecca
1/30: Shane
1/31: Nashville
2/1: All That Jazz
2/2: Peyton Place
2/3: Breaking Away

[filmbuffTX]

6. Annie Hall (1977)



Winner - Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Woody Allen was nominated for Best Actor

This was a first viewing for me. I've seen several of Woody Allen's newer films, but I've never seen him act before and I thought he was really funny and weirdly likable in this. The surreal fantasy sequences and the animated bits were a nice touch. An all around fun romantic comedy.

This is also in the Best Buy $5.99 bin.

[filmbuffTX]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

9. Monsters, Inc. (Best Original Song)

One of my favorite Pixar films. As a six year old, this was my first experience to the greats that are Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and James Coburn; been a fan of them ever since.

Previously viewed:

[Show spoiler]
1/27: Babe
1/28: The Apartment
1/29: Rebecca
1/30: Shane
1/31: Nashville
2/1: All That Jazz
2/2: Peyton Place
2/3: Breaking Away

I still haven't gotten around to seeing this yet. I think I'll watch it this month.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by filmbuffTX

6. Annie Hall (1977)



Winner - Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Woody Allen was nominated for Best Actor

This was a first viewing for me. I've seen several of Woody Allen's newer films, but I've never seen him act before and I thought he was really funny and weirdly likable in this. The surreal fantasy sequences and the animated bits were a nice touch. An all around fun romantic comedy.

This is also in the Best Buy $5.99 bin.

First time! Wow! This was my first Woody Allen film (excluding Casino Royale) and it still stands as one of his best. I'm not a huge Woody Allen fan but the ones I've seen I've liked, mostly the comedies. Some of his early 70s stuff is really silly, Bananas being his funniest IMO.

[RCRochester]

01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
02/03 - It Happened One Night (1934)

02/04 - The Sting (1973)



Winner of 7 Oscars (Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design and Score - Adaptation/Song Score)

Decided to watch this after having watched Butch & Sundance over the weekend. Another wonderful film that is endlessly watchable. This film relies a bit less on the chemistry between Newman and Redford, and is more about the clever plot and its twists and turns. I still remember when I saw this for the first time as a teenager having a huge grin on my face when it was done.

[Dailyan]

10. Paper Moon (Best Actress in a Supporting Role)


Such a fantastic film; O'Neal's win is deserved.

Previously viewed:

[Show spoiler]
1/27: Babe
1/28: The Apartment
1/29: Rebecca
1/30: Shane
1/31: Nashville
2/1: All That Jazz
2/2: Peyton Place
2/3: Breaking Away
2/4: Monsters, Inc.

[RCRochester]

01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
02/03 - It Happened One Night (1934)
02/04 - The Sting (1973)

02/05 - Laura (1944)



Oscar Winner for Best B&W Cinematography (Joseph LaShelle)

A film noir classic. Technically, this is my second time watching this but it's been so long I kind of forgot most of what happens so it was for all intents and purposes a first time viewing. I'm more of a Sam Spade / Philip Marlowe type guy when it comes to noir mysteries so I didn't love this one, but I did like it.

[filmbuffTX]

7. Panic in the Streets (1950)



Best Writing, Motion Picture Story, Edna Anhalt and Edward Anhalt

This was a first viewing; I enjoyed it.

[Dailyan]

11. Pulp Fiction (Best Original Screenplay)


I'm not a big fan as much as I use, however, this will be one I'll pretty much always re-watch when given the opportunity. While I enjoyed Landau in "Ed Wood", Jackson was robbed for Best Supporting Actor.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

11. Pulp Fiction (Best Original Screenplay)


I'm not a big fan as much as I use, however, this will be one I'll pretty much always re-watch when given the opportunity. While I enjoyed Landau in "Ed Wood", Jackson was robbed for Best Supporting Actor.

I can see that. I saw this on the big screen when it first came out and loved it. That was just an amazing movie going experience. But in the years that followed it got so much overexposure I kind of tired of it for a while. But I rewatched a couple years back and remembered why I loved it so much in the first place. I was thinking of watching this during my Oscar marathon but with his new film coming out in the summer I was going to have a Tarantino marathon later this year.

[Dailyan]

12. Gosford Park (Best Original Screenplay)


I've always wanted to check this one out but I had heard that the Canadian Blu was trash. I love a good old fashioned "whodunit".

[RCRochester]

02/07 - Cat Ballou (1965)



Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Lee Marvin)

A fun comedy western starring Jane Fonda as a headstrong young woman looking to save her father's ranch from greedy land developers. Lee Marvin steals the show in what is essentially a supporting role as a ruthless outlaw with a fake metal nose, as well as a boozy gunfighter hired by Cat Ballou. I'm not as enamored by this movie as lots of other people are, though it's interesting seeing tough guy Marvin in a comedic role which is one of the rare ones to actually earn an Oscar. Other than Marvin's performance, the highlight for me is the two balladeers played by Nat King Cole & Stubby Kaye.

Previously Viewed:

[Show spoiler]01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
02/03 - It Happened One Night (1934)
02/04 - The Sting (1973)
02/05 - Laura (1944)

[Dailyan]

13. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay, Best Director)


Bogart, Huston (both) are fantastic. I never forgot my first introduction to this film thru “8 Ball Bunny”.

[RCRochester]

02/08 - Tom Jones (1963)



Winner of 4 Academy Awards (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score)

A wonderfully satirical and sometimes silly tale of a young man with a good heart whose bawdy behaviour and status as a "foundling" keep getting him into trouble. The "food eating scene" has become somewhat iconic now. I obviously watched this in honor of Albert Finney (RIP).

Previously Viewed:

[Show spoiler]01/28 - To Catch A Thief (1955)
01/29 - The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
01/30 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
01/31 - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
02/01 - Thank God It's Friday (1978)
02/01 - Raging Bull (1980)
02/02 - Speedy Gonzales (1955)
02/02 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
02/03 - It Happened One Night (1934)
02/04 - The Sting (1973)
02/05 - Laura (1944)
02/07 - Cat Ballou (1965)

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Dailyan

13. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Screenplay, Best Director)


Bogart, Huston (both) are fantastic. I never forgot my first introduction to this film thru “8 Ball Bunny”.

"Can you help out a fellow American who's down on his luck?" LOL.

The first thing I ever saw that references Sierra Madre was the Weird Al movie UHF... "Badgers, Badgers, we don't need no stinking badgers."