Hello Movie Lovers,
Welcome to the 7th year of the TLC Method in action! Whether you are new to this blog or a returning reader, I am glad you are here. Every year I challenge myself to watch all of the best picture nominees and apply my TLC Method to them to predict the best picture of the year. My main focus is the review of each nominated film, but you will find other anecdotes along the way. For the second year in a row, you will see the winners of my “TLC Awards” and as a special treat, I’ve included some thoughts from family and friends on select films.
Actress Margot Robbie in the movie Barbie
How it works
The TLC Method of rating films was originally created so my husband and I could get on the same page about what makes a movie “good”. I realized soon after that the method could be used to rank films. Many of the films from the last year deserved to be recognized, but it’s so hard to compare certain films. This is where the TLC Method comes in.
In my opinion, today's best films are the ones that tell unique and entertaining stories and are a reflection, in some way, of our collective human experience. The TLC Method was invented with this belief in mind. My theory has been that if a film can make you think, laugh and cry then it has a higher probability of being nominated for the top award. It is also fair to say that it is my opinion that a film should do all three in order to take home the top honors. It is not a perfect method, but it does take a realistic and easy-to-apply approach to assessing whether or not I’ve enjoyed a movie. Simple as that.
So, here's how it works.
When you’ve finished watching a film you simply ask yourself if it made you think, made you laugh and/or made you cry and to what degree. When I’m torn about one of those three, I may give a film a half laugh or a half cry. You get the idea. So, if a film made you think, laugh and cry then it was a successful film in the eyes of the TLC Method.
Image from the movie Past Lives
10 Films Nominated
Before 2009, only 5 films would expect to be nominated for Best Picture, but today the number of nominated films ranges from 8-10 films. This year it was 10 films and it was no small feat to make time to watch them all. For goodness sake, Killers of the Flower Moon was 3.5 hours. Thats basically a mini series (& likely should have been rather than a film). You’ll see below how I watched each film and if it took me longer than a single sitting to watch it. Full disclosure, I am a full-time working parent and we’ve been sick a lot in the last 2 months (thanks daycare illnesses). So, this year has come with its own challenges. Yes, I said year, I know its only March.
The length of time it took me to watch something is not a reflection on how good or bad a movie was, but rather just a consequence of having less time to myself.
Credit to this article from Gold Derby for the running times.
Actor Cillian Murphy in the movie Oppenheimer
Originality
I’ve loved many films that only made me think, or laugh or cry. I am not trying to say that there aren’t brilliant works of art that have belonged to an obvious category. The goal of my TLC Method has always been to try to determine for myself if something was “good” and subsequently more likely to win awards. In a way, thats where the categories of “Drama”, “Comedy”, and “Documentary” have come from. That separation makes it easier to compare films in the same category, but I would argue that the Best Picture of the year, needs to do more. Which leads me to my next thought…
Over the last seven years, I have been successful and unsuccessful at predicting the Best Picture winner. Some years multiple films receive a full Think, Laugh, Cry. In the years when a film has won and didn’t receive a full TLC, there was something unique about the story being told or the way the story was told. The film Parasite in 2020 comes to mind and last year, with Everything, Everywhere All At Once. As the years have passed, I think there is an additional secret sauce that can result to the top award, and that is originality. This is hard to pin point in an already subjective system, but I think its important to note. If a film has a particular originality to it, from this blog forward, I plan to call that out by giving the film an “O” for Originality. Of course, this is even more subjective, but I’ll do my best to explain why I feel a film deserves this letter and whether or not that is a factor in how it’s ranked.
Below you will see the latest data on how the TLC Method has worked over the years. I am excited to see how successful it has been. Please note a correction from last year’s blog - my numbers were not 100% accurate. In the last 7 years there has not always been 10 films nominated for best picture. The total number of Best Picture nominees in the last 7 years is 64 films. There were 9 films in 2018, 8 films in 2019, 9 films in 2020, 8 films in 2021, 10 films in 2022, 10 films in 2023 and 10 films in 2024. Source Link.
Of the 64 films nominated in the last 6 years (2018-2023) - 12 films have received a full Think, Laugh, Cry from me and 3 have won Best Picture.
The TLC Awards
Top Think
Anatomy of a Fall - For whatever reason, the thought that would not leave my mind even days later was this:
If my marriage was scrutinized with a microscope, would I look guilty if my spouse mysteriously died? What would that do to my daughter? How would I be judged?
Top Laugh
The Holdovers - Paul Giamatti’s character says “Hardy, I have known you since you were a boy, so I think I have the requisite experience and insight to aver that you are and always have been penis cancer in human form.” - In this scene, we’ve just experienced an emotional moment and when he says this line, I burst out laughing. It brought levity to the end of his character’s story.
Top Cry
Past Lives - It’s hard to describe the way this movie makes you feel. It was simply powerful. It was visceral. This year’s top cry goes to the the beautiful story and acting of Past Lives. There was no one scene, but rather a collective sob, a truly unique crying experience for me.
Top Poster
Poor Things - It should come as no surprise that this year’s top poster would go to Poor Things, there was so many to choose from. The production design is this film’s true strength, in my option, and that art direction lended itself to the various poster’s unique imagery and layouts.
Top Scene
Barbie - The “I’m Just Ken” Dance Number/ Scene
Top Phrase or Quote
American Fiction - “Potential is what people see when what's in front of them isn't good enough.”
Unlike these awards, in which I was the only one who voted, the Academy Awards has a unique voting system.
To learn more about how that process works, check out the button below.
Best Picture Reviews
American Fiction (Think, Laugh, Cry)
The first film on our list alphabetically and my personal favorite, American Fiction, has all the elements I want to see in a movie; an original or modern premise, good acting, humor, reality, and a good ending. When I finished watching this film, I had a moment where I thought of the film, Green Book. They are different films with very little in common, but I left both films feeling the same way - pleased with a sense of clarity. It’s as though writers Cord Jefferson and Percival Everett brought focus to a topic that was unspoken, in such a simple and realistic way. It was enjoyable to watch.
Some nominees can be challenging or difficult to watch because of their subject matter. I believe we are getting away from this mentality that movies have to be tough to get through in order to be good. Life is not one dimensional, we are not always laughing, we are not always sad, we are not always dealing with the ultimate struggles. This is why American Fiction has capture my attention so much, it’s like it was built for the TLC Method. Main character, Monk, played by Jeffrey Wright, is an author struggling with what stories of Black Americans are told and which seem to “sell”. My take away from this story was that like all Americans, Black Americans have multiple dimensions to their lives and it is disingenuous to reduce the complexities of their lives into certain clichés in order to sell movies, books, etc. I’d like for this film to be rewarded with the top honor, although I am skeptical that it will.
Anatomy of a Fall (Think, Cry)
I assumed this was going to be a thriller when I first read the description. Turned out to be quite the drama. This was a strong Think/Cry for me. I didn’t laugh, but the film wasn’t trying to make me laugh. I thought a lot about the French court system and the differences between it and the United States. I thought about how awful it must be to have her life picked apart in such a public way. I liked how you didn’t really know if she had done it or not, and even though you were following her in this story the filmmakers still wanted you to question everything.
As I mentioned in the TLC Awards, for days after watching I could not stop thinking about what I would do if I were in her shoes. Credit must be given to actress, Sandra Hüller, who was absolutely fantastic. I am always so impressed by someone who has the ability to act in multiple languages and she dominated the screen. At 152 minutes, this was still too long and could have been about 30 minutes shorter, in my opinion. I think if it had been shorter, this may have been one of my favorite films of the year, but the middle of the film dragged. I would be very happy if Sandra won Best Actress. I am not sure this film will win any other awards. As noted in this article form Forbes: “Despite garnering five Oscar nominations, Anatomy of a Fall was not nominated for the Best International Feature category because it was not submitted for consideration by France.” Source This is very surprising to me, it would certainly beat The Zone of Interest if it had been nominated. Ironically, Sandra Hüller also stars in that film.
Barbie (Think, Laugh, Cry)
When this film became available to stream at home, I bought it immediately. I had a feeling I would love it. For me, this is the female experience all wrapped up into one hysterical and touching movie. This years popular film is Barbie. There are so many funny moments from this movie, but I was truly surprised at how much this film made me think about the female experience, about patriarchy, about respect and communication in a relationship, and about how I want my daughter to see herself as she grows up. As an American who grew up with Barbie and a girl mom, I kinda feel like this hits a little harder. I was overwhelmed by the self reflection Barbie goes through and Margot Robbie was perfect. Honestly, shout out to this entire cast, the music, the set design, the costumes. I’ve watched it 3 times, I will watch it again.
Guest Reviews:
Shelley:
”Barbie was always Pam Anderson and the image of beauty and not the realistic figure that a women should strive to be. As I got older, I realized that image wasn’t realistic and felt vindicated to see Margot Robbie’s Barbie realize the same thing.”
Stephen:
”As a father of a daughter, I enjoyed the pro-image platform that girls are more than the Barbie image. As far as the cinematography, I liked the way the Barbie world was portrayed in a way, that although fake, was not goofy and therefore the story and points still relatable and we did not get lost in the image of a toy setting. Plus Margot Robbie is hot!”
The Holdovers (1/2 Think, 1/2 Laugh, Cry)
This was a surprising underdog for me this year, I want all three of these actors to be recognized. It is certainly in my personal top 5 films of the year. Still, I couldn’t give this a full Think, Laugh, Cry. I did think about privilege and loss, but the story did feel like a combination of a number of 80s films. Not very original. As I mentioned in the TLC Awards, the biggest or most memorable laugh came from the one liner towards the end of the film, other wise it wasn’t like a “haha” sort of film, rather a smile and chuckle, so I leaned towards a 1/2 laugh. It’s one of the few films I would voluntarily watch again and I do think that says a lot. I cried several times over Mary’s experience losing her son and at the end when Paul and Angus are saying goodbye. There was a lot to love about this film and it was beautifully written and acted. I would highly recommend if you haven’t seen it.
Killers of the Flower Moon (Think, Cry)
I am surprised to say this, but this was not as good as I was hoping it would be. It was a full hour too long for a single film (probably would have been better as a mini series). The acting was okay, but did not blow me out of the water. The ending, where dinner theater performers wrap up the story, felt much more like a cop-out than an ending. I wanted to like this film because the story is fascinating, but I don’t think this was Director, Martin Scorseses best work. We spent way too much time with Ernst, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and not enough time learning about this experience through the lens of Mollie, played by Lily Gladstone, or the other Osage people. They felt secondary to their own story. I do not think this will win any awards and it really shouldn’t. The only reason I gave this a cry was because of the death of Mollie and Ernst’s child towards the end. I can not handle harm to children. This earned a Think from me because clearly I did not learn enough about the Native American experience in school. Overall, I would only recommend this to select friends who I think would have the patience for it. I will not be viewing it again.
Maestro (1/2 Think, Cry)
This film made me think about what it takes to write music. Leonard Bernstein, portrayed by Bradley Cooper, seemed to be a child at heart with spirit and imagination. What a legacy Bernstein has left behind. However, I only gave this film a 1/2 think, this is because this story and the way its been told felt very over-done. It was predictable and the last 20 minutes are just one long sad hug. I cried yes, but this film still didn’t land for me. Both the acting from Carey Mulligan and Cooper was superb, but it does not change the fact that this story was crafted in a way that felt pushy. Give me that Oscar, look at all the Oscar worthy moments. It’s seemingly desperate to be recognized. My only real compliment to this film was the cinematography, it was my favorite of all the Best Picture nominees and I hope Matthew Libatique is rewarded for his hard work. I would not view this again and if it does win any awards I suspect it will be for Best Sound.
Oppenheimer (Think)
There was a lot of hype around this film and I know right now this is the running favorite. It was good, it just didn’t hit for me the way it did for others. First, it only made me think, (by now you’ll assume that I favor films that do more) no laughing or crying. Secondly, it was too long. This could have been edited down at least 30 minutes. On a more positive note, this is certainly one of the easier Christopher Nolan films to watch because the time shifting isn’t too crazy. Known as a non-linear writer/director, Nolan has had a long career and I would understand this being “his year” to be recognized as Best Director, but I do wish it has been for Inception, Memento or The Dark Knight. All that said, the Think on this film is certainly strong. You really grapple with what these men are creating. When does someone owe responsibility to something they create? Is Oppenheimer as responsible as Truman for all of the deaths in Japan due to the bombs? Shout out to Robert Downey Jr. who played Lewis Strauss, he is getting a lot of attention for this role and I‘ll be stoked if he wins Best Supporting Actor. I love him 3000.
Past Lives (Think, Cry)
Wow. I just can not get over the way this movie made me cry. This was such a beautiful film. I really enjoyed learning about inyeon. In this article from The Conversations, “In Korean Buddhism, in (因) refers to “direct cause” and yeon (緣) to “indirect cause”, or the conditions that make an outcome possible. Together, in and yeon provide an explanation as to why certain beings meet in certain places and times.” Source. I think if you have ever questioned your feelings towards someone and wondered what could have been or why you felt such a connection to them, this film would resonate with you. The ending of this film was so wonderful and so emotional. I sobbed. I really connected with Nora’s feelings as she said goodbye to her past, to what her life could have been, and to someone who had brought her so much love and joy. I was really surprised to learn that this was writer/director, Celine Song’s debut. I’m very excited to see more work from her in the coming years. While this film was one of my personal favorites this year, I do not think it will win Best Picture. I am hopeful that Past Lives or even Anatomy of a Fall will win Best Original Screenplay for which it is nominated. If you are looking for a moving film that will make you cry, I highly recommend.
Poor Things (1/2 Think, 1/2 Laugh and O for Originality)
I felt the boundaries being pushed from the first minute of the film. This is the first movie I will be giving an “O” to for its originality. Let’s be clear though, that does not mean that I liked it. The strengths of this film for me were Emma Stone’s acting, the costumes, and the production design. Otherwise, I did not enjoy this film. Now, everyone’s perspective is their own. I am a mom deep in the trenches of toddler survival which in reflection is a huge influence on what I am about to say; This film felt like the work of a pedophile. To me, this film was about watching how much sex a child would have if it had the body of an adult. Yes there was a plot and an effort was made for there to be a character arch, but I left the theater feeling sick. Why was this only rated “R” and not “NC-17”? Violence and sex in a film does not often bother me, but under the circumstances of this story, it felt wrong. Emma Stone may win Best Actress for this role and I support her in general, but I do not recommend this movie and will likely never watch it again.
Guest Reviews:
Tom:
Thought the movie was an expression of carefree living without bounds of social norms. Emma stone did an amazing job embracing her character.
Leslie:
Thought the movie was technically and visually astounding. She loved how the quirky story was told in such a unique style. Emma encapsulated it all!!!
The Zone of Interest (1/2 Think)
Do you remember what a thesis is? Well this film is a thesis and only a thesis. This film places you, the viewer, into a place that you already know has the potential to be tumultuous. You spend 105 minutes waiting for the story to happen and then it ends. I am going to go out on a limb here and assume every single person watching this movie understood what the Auschwitz concentration camp was and likely felt the unease as you watched this family live their lives next to it. But that was it, nothing happens. It was like reading the thesis of a term paper, becoming very intrigued by the potential then realizing there was nothing written on the next 20 pages. I don’t think this film has any business being on the Best Picture nominee list. Since it is nominated for both Best Picture and International Feature Film, I assume that means it will likely win the latter, but this was not something I would have recognized and I suspect that it is only on this list because of the obsession the Academy has with films related to world wars.
Guest Review:
Leslie:
Felt the movie was able to portray the horror of the Holocaust without going inside the concentration camp. It showed a banal kind of evil - seemingly normal people doing their job and able to ignore the horror next door. It was an assault of senses.
Scott:
The only interesting thing about this movie comes from the tension of off-screen horrors. The lack of significant plot points highlights a boring-ness that makes this sub-2 hours film feel long. Focusing on such a brutal aspect of the attempted genocide of the Jews compared to the then tepid everyday life of the Nazi family felt as disconnected as I did from this movie. While an interesting scenario to contemplate, this movie did not evoke the right emotions to carry the story on its own.
Actors Dominic Sessa and Da'Vine Joy Randolph in the movie The Holdovers
Best Picture Nominees
(TLC Ranking)
American Fiction (Think, Laugh, Cry)
Barbie (Think, Laugh, Cry)
The Holdovers (½ Think, ½ Laugh, Cry)
Past Lives (Think, Cry)
Anatomy of a Fall (Think, Cry)
Killers of the Flower Moon (Think, Cry)
Maestro (½ Think, Cry)
Oppenheimer (Think)
Poor Things (½ Think, ½ Laugh)
The Zone of Interest (½ Think)
Actors Sterling K Brown, Jeffrey Wright and Erika Alexander from the movie American Fiction
Who will win? My prediction for the Best Picture winner:
American Fiction
The Oscars are this Sunday, March 10th at 7pm EST on ABC!
As always, I am proud to have seen all of the nominated Best Pictures. I am really looking forward to watching the Oscars this Sunday! I am predicting that American Fiction will be the big winner. Even though both American Fiction and Barbie each received full Think, Laugh, Cry - American Fiction was my personal favorite this year.
What did you think of the nominees this year? Was there another film you thought deserved to be nominated? How do your opinions line up with my reviews? Do you think The TLC Method is flawed? I always love to hear the feedback from readers, so thank you for taking the time to read. Comment below (no sign-in necessary)!