Like texanjana, this year I saw all the nominated movies. Hadn't planned to but by January realized I'd seen 7/9 so I caught Captain Phillips and 12 Years a Slave too. I quit paying Woody Allen years ago when he started sleeping with his stepdaughter but relented and saw Blue Jasmine, to my chagrin when Dylan Farrow came forward a few weeks later. Anyway, my thoughts: American Hustle was entertaining but I also don't quite get the critical acclaim; there just wasn't all that much to it. Thought Amy Adams killed it in her role, though. Gravity was certainly entertaining, but again by the time I saw it I was expecting The Most Incredible Movie Experience of My Life. It wasn't all that. "I really enjoyed Captain Phillips-thought Tom Hanks was robbed not to be nominated" What she said. I hadn't seen it during its first run, thinking it just didn't sound entertaining. Boy was I wrong. Great film, how he didn't score a nomination is going to be one of those Oscar trivia 'stars who were robbed' entries for years. "I am embarrassed to say I really liked Wolf of Wall Street, even though I felt like I needed a shower after watching it!" Ok, still channeling Texan on this one too. I literally sat through much of the movie with my mouth open in shock and awe. I wasn't particularly offended either and as someone who lived in Miami during the 80s, the shenanigans weren't that unbelievable but it was sooooo over the top. Actually enjoyed Leo DiCaprio which is a first, as I really don't care for him usually. 12 Years a Slave - this one felt like a movie that was determined to hit every last stereotype about the evils of slavery. I know, I know, based on fact etc but it just didn't move me all that much. Dallas Buyers Club did move me very much. Matt McConaughey was absolutely amazing in his role. Not a feel-good movie but it stayed with me for a long time. "Philomena was beautiful, and oh so sad. Dame Judi was excellent, as always." Texan is making my reviews easy :). I adored this movie too. Thought it was a perfect blend of drama, humor, and poignancy. Although I can't argue about Blanchett winning Best Actress, I was really rooting for Judi Dench. Her was an odd movie for me. I suppose it was a success in that if the intent was give the audience two hours of watching a dysfunctional, sad person in a vaguely depressing near future setting pursue a fantasy that ended up leaving him more sad and dysfunctional--great job. I left feeling sad, if not dysfunctional. Side note: another Amy Adams role and she literally was unrecognizable as the same person who appeared in American Hustler. That woman really deserves to and I hope will someday win an Oscar. Nebraska-was a nice indie picture. I am not sure I found it quite as moving and significant as many critics and viewers seemed to. Agree that June Squibb was a hoot. I only watched a few minutes of August Osage County (peeked into the multiplex after seeing another film) because I just didn't feel like sitting through hours of Meryl and Julia chewing the scenery and the entire premise sounded utterly depressing. My 10 minute clip seemed to confirm that impression.

Bumblebeez - whenever I happen upon Last of the Mohicans while channel flipping I stop immediately and watch it again. It gets me every time. Last night it was on AMC - Story Notes, an AMC feature where they insert captions at the bottom of the screen with brief 'notes' about the film. It's the first time I watched one - the notes were interesting the first time, but I wouldn't want to see it that way again. But I discovered you can simply read a list of the trivia on AMC's web site. Here is a link that might be useful: AMC Story Notes - Last of the Mohicans

I'd love to but I cannot access the American site in Canada. I will keep an eye out for it - read the write up/reviews and it sounds good. Ta, Peggy

Vee, thanks for the link to the Gallup poll. Whew! It will take me a while to assimilate it. As for "the sad state of affairs": I understand now. I tied it to the wrong paragraph. :-) Woodnymph, yeah, I realize that I'm in the minority about the film of To Kill a Mockingbird. I figure my love of the whole book makes me too critical of the adaptation, which picks out and gives emphasis to a particular part. Which reminds me: June, if you watch the Olivier/Oberon Wuthering Heights, don't expect to see the whole story -- you will only get part of it. Otherwise, it's a quite fascinating interpretation: telling, I think, of what adaptors of the 1930s thought was important and what subsequent audiences have taken in. Woodnymph, I saw The English Patient film first, and then read the book. While the "essence" of the book might have been captured in the film, the two are so different! I like the film better. Another essence capturer, I think, is The French Lieutenant's Woman. Oh gosh, yes, the Polanski-directed Tess is superb, I think, and very faithful. Actually I like nearly all of the film versions of Hardy's books, particularly Tess and Far from the Madding Crowd -- Alan Bates will always be my Gabriel Oak. I also liked most of the Merchant-Ivory productions. I certainly like their adaptations of Forster, though I find Forster's writing insufferably Edwardian. I do like some Edwardian writing but Forster's was even more uptight than most. Knowing his bio and the times, I can understand why he wrote the way he did but the priggishness still exasperates me. Speaking of another Forster -- Margaret Forster, that is -- and Alan Bates: I adore the 1966 adaptation of Forster's Georgy Girl. I loved that book so much as a teenager that I determined I was to live in London. When this subject comes up, I always have to mention two of my favorite short story adaptations: John Huston's "The Dead" (from Joyce's Dubliners) and "Babette's Feast" (from Dinesen's Anecdotes of Destiny). June, you're right: there are so many good films that owe their genesis to a book.