It's Time For the Oscars!!

Are you ready? Did you get the chance to see all the nominated films?

Me neither.

I've never been much of a movie goer, watcher, lover. And I'm pretty picky about what I will or won't see. I usually never let the critics' opinions influence me. I am what I am, and I likes what I likes.

But mostly, I just never had much time. Between raising kids, going to school, working, etc. there just wasn't a lot of empty space in my schedule to pencil in the cinema.

This year I want things to be different. I want to experience more. I don't want to be the one standing around the proverbial water cooler at work and not knowing anything about the films being discussed.  I want to participate. Join in.

So, first step. I watched the Golden Globes awards show.
Step two. I read the list of nominees for the upcoming Academy Awards.
Step three. I've googled info on the movies that piqued my interest.

And now for the biggest step of them all.....actually going to the movie theater.

To date, I've seen 2 movies. In one month. I think that's a record for me. Hubby, who's going along with my new cinematic endeavor, (he's the total opposite of me and is a true move-a-holic), has seen 3.

We went together to see "Lincoln" and "Argo". Thankfully, he went with a friend to see "Zero Dark Thirty"; much too violent for me. I'm sure its a great movie but I've got to draw the line somewhere.

Funny how so far the movies have all been based on actual events.

Credit - Believe Creative (Flickr)
"Lincoln", starring Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones, was a great film. We both agreed. Oh for sure, there were quite a few liberties taken but a movie must not only tell a story but entertain as it does so. Hollywood rises to the occasion by fluffing it up here and there. But it certainly didn't detract from the main facts of the story Steven Spielberg was trying to tell. The movie stuck to only a certain period of time in Abraham Lincoln's presidency. Which I liked. Because it meant the storyline stayed on target. The film wasn't supposed to be about the 16th president's entire life or even both of his terms of office. It was focused on his determined resolve to get the 13th amendment passed. And even though we all know how this historical event was settled, it was fascinating to watch it unfold in living color on the big screen. Kudos to Mr. Spielberg and a talented cast and crew.

The second film we saw, "Argo", was also based on an event in our nation's history. Except for it wasn't from our distant past. It occurred a mere 30 years ago. The hostage crisis in Iran. Some of you may have been too young at the time to remember it or maybe you weren't born yet. It's all there in the history books. Yet though I was a young adult at the time of this event, the storyline was news to me. It tells the tale of an unbelievable behind the scenes CIA operation, the details of which were kept secret for quite a while afterwards. Like "Lincoln", facts were added and/or deleted from the telling of the story in order to enhance the suspense and fear factor. But Ben Affleck, the star and director of this film, is only giving movie audiences what they want. A story that grips the viewer from the beginning, makes their heart race and keeps them on the edge of their seat until the first credit rolls. I thought this was also a great contender for best picture.

Next up? Les Miserables and Life of Pi.

How about you? Are you a videophile? Film buff?

Have you seen any of the nominated films? Lincoln? Argo? What are your thoughts on these movies?