Four Movies Down; Four More to Go

My wife and I found the time to cram in a quick movie marathon over the weekend, watching Room and Bridge of Spies. No spoilers here.

Room is a fictional story of a woman and her child held for years against their will. The drama on how they attempt to escape their dire situation grabs your heart.

Bridge of Spies stars Tom Hanks as the real-life attorney who worked to negotiate the release of two Americans held hostage during the Cold War of the late-1950s.

My wife and I have also seen The Revenant and The Martian. Each tells the story of a man in a battle for his life. Leonardo Dicaprio and Matt Damon are each up for Best Lead Actor for their role.

Each of the four we've seen is riveting in its own way. Not all of them have done well at the box office, but this is Best Picture not Biggest Money Maker. Each movie is well acted and pushes the boundaries of filmmaking. The way Room shows how the two live in their inhumane conditions and survive together is heart-warming. Performances by Hanks and Damon are strong and humorous despite their characters' challenging situations.

Some people felt Star Wars: The Force Awakens should have been nominated in this category. And, while I loved the movie, it felt like a re-boot of Star Wars: A New Hope to me. Other all-time blockbusters Avatar and Titanic were each ground-breaking and were up for Best Picture. The new Star Wars is not, and I don't have a problem with that.

The other Best Picture nominees are Mad Max, Spotlight, Brooklyn and The Big Short. The Oscar presentation is February 28.