Last Five Movies - Oscar Edition

I will say right out that I actually had to squeeze in more movies than necessary, as I didn't want to have to describe the indescribably bad Benjamin Button, which may win the Best Adapted Screenplay award for adapting the screenplay of Forrest Gump into this. Anyway, here ya go:

Rachel Getting Married (2008)
If you can make it through the almost-unbearable first half of this, it has a pretty good second half. If nothing else, the acting is top-notch all the way through.

The Reader (2008)
I'll echo what every critic has said about this movie and say that, if not for the acting of Kate Winslet, this movie be run-of-the-mill. And if you can't figure out the "twist" about 15 minutes in, you need to visit the doctor, because your brain has died.

Revolutionary Road (2008)
Another example of the quiet discontent of the Eisenhower years; think: a movie version of Mad Men. I will say that while it's very well-written, no one in the history of the English language has ever spoken like this; the dialogue is too eloquent by half. They might as be speaking in Shakespearean iambic pentameter.

Changeling (2008)
This, somehow, only got nominated for three Oscars when it deserved many more. A surprising movie, as it turns out to be about more than you think. Followers of L.A. true crime will recognize the story immediately, but others will be in for a surprise. Yet another winner by Eastwood.

Doubt (2008)
Most movies hope to get one nomination for acting. This got four, so you know you're going to see something here. There's a reason why Meryl Streep has been nominated 15 times, and you only need to watch this (what I would consider probably her best role) to understand why. Oh, and everybody else is pretty good, too.

And the award for Best Picture goes to...

Coraline (2009)
So, I cheated on this one. No, it's not nominated for any Oscars this year, nor is it even eligible, as it came out two days ago, but if this doesn't win Best Animated Picture next year, they should probably just not give out that Oscar anymore. Absolutely beautiful and creepy in the best way possible, in hand-articulated stop-motion animation that makes the Herculean effort behind computer-animating movies like WALL-E and Kung Fu Panda seem simple by comparison. It's a shame that only Nick Park and Henry Selick make these kinds of movies anymore, as they seem more impressive (and are generally better) than their computer-animated brethren. A must-see for animation fans, although I will caution any parents that this really isn't for little kids; they will be freaked out.

Check it out anyway.