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Yay!!! It's Thursday!!! That means it's again time for Thursday Movie Picks hosted by Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves. If you're not taking part in this, I've no clue what you're waiting for. It's a weekly meme where bloggers are invited to suggest three movies based on a specific topic chosen by our wonderful host. The thing you really need to know is that I've had all sorts of fun doing this week after week. There's your inspiration. If you need more, click the link to her site and see the upcoming topics.
Got it? Good. This week is Oscar week, so it's only fitting that our theme is Oscar Winning Movies. We're limited to movies that won one of the following three awards: Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, or Best Foreign Language Film. This makes it a bit difficult to do what I like to do and go with hidden gems. I'll give it my best shot. My picks, chronologically (year released, award), as always...
In the Heat of the Night
(1967, Best Picture)
Sidney Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs, a black detective from up north who comes south to the town of Sparta, Mississippi to investigate a murder. In 1967, no such thing as a black detective existed in Sparta. Lots of tension ensues. This classic has sadly become overshadowed by the TV series it spawned. When released it was one of two films that served as a dissertation on race in America starring Poitier. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, also nominated for Best Pic, is the other.
Midnight Cowboy
(1969, Best Picture)
John Voight and Dustin Hoffman star in one of the greatest bromances of all time. The story is of Joe Buck (Voight) leaving Texas for New York City in hopes of becoming a big time gigolo. Despite his obvious charms, this doesn't go so smoothly. Along the way, he meets Ratso (Hoffman), a con-man who initially gets the best of him, but later takes him in. Both men, and the movie as a whole, are deeply layered. Their relationship is simultaneously simple and complex. Voight is excellent as our titular cowboy. However, it's the master class in acting given by Dustin Hoffman that really makes the movie. This is his very best performance. (My full review)
Tsotsi
(2005, Best Foreign Language Film)
This South African picture is a poignant look at a young man who makes plenty of bad decisions and tries to make a good one during a really bad situation. Tsotsi is a gang-leader who realizes he has an unwanted passenger after he commits a car-jacking. Yup, there's a baby in the back seat. He then goes on a journey of self-discovery while trying to deal with the issue. We see him grow as the movie progresses. Somehow, the unthinkable happens and we empathize with the young man.
Man, I need to see these. I've seen a good portion of Tsotsi when it was on IFC, but not all of it. I've always wanted to see the first two, but never got around to it. Maybe I'll put them on my Blind Spot list next year.
ReplyDeleteThey would be great inclusions for your Blind Spot list! Hope you get to see the rest of Tsotsi, too.
DeleteBritt, you better see Tsotsi soon, as we'll be covering it in our Four Ways a Best Picture roundtable!
DeleteThe man has spoken!
DeleteLove Midnight Cowboy, and Hoffman's performance SO MUCH. In the Heat of the Night is also a great movie, but I have this special place in my heart for the television series it spawned.
ReplyDeleteWe'll talk more about about Tsotsi in a few months.
I love the TV series, too, I just hate that the movie has taken a back seat to it. And Hoffman killed it in Midnight Cowboy.
DeleteI haven't seen Tsotsi but the first two are great films. Just read Lee Grant's autobiography last month and she told of the resistance to her casting as Mrs.Colbert in Heat of the Night due to the remnants of the blacklist which had scuttled her early career. Both director Jewison and Poitier had to fight the studio to get her cast. Ironic that a film about fighting prejudice had a battle of its own behind the scenes.
ReplyDeleteWow. I hadn't heard that story. That is amazing, and very ironic. Thanks for sharing that!
DeleteI honestly though In the Heat of the Night was only a TV show, ahha. The commercials would always give me anxiety. I just looked up the trailer for the film, and it looks great! Sdiney is the shit!
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend the film, obviously. I'm curious, though. Why do the commercials for the show give you anxiety?
DeleteI've had OCD all of my life, so I've had all sorts of really irrational fears growing up. The commercials came out when I was a lot younger, and the show looked really dark and gritty. Some of my favorite films were dark growing up, but at the time I couldn't handle "real life" dark and gritty, if that makes any sense.
DeleteOk, I get it. That is extremely fascinating. Sounds like you've learned to manage it.
DeleteA few months ago, I read Mark Harris's brilliant book "Pictures at a Revolution", about the Best Picture nominees from 1967 (In The Heat of the Night, Bonnie & Clyde, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, and Doctor Dolittle) and since it's the only one of the lot I haven't seen, I put it on my Blind Spot list for this year. I can't wait to watch it. The book should be required reading for anyone who loves movies, especially those who love the Oscars.
ReplyDeleteMidnight Cowboy is one I know I need to watch, as is Tsotsi. Wow, this is the first time I haven't seen a single one of someone's picks!
That sounds like a great read
DeleteHave to see if I can track that down. Hope you get to see these soon.
The only movie I've seen on your list is ironically one I chose for my list as well, In the Heat of the Night. Excellent choice, Sidney Poitier is an extraordinary actor and although I kind of preferred Carrol O'Connor's rendition of Chief Gillespie over Rod Steiger (if you've seen the TV series), I feel Steiger also did a good job of working with a African-American back then with the potential concern for racial tension among the southern community.
ReplyDeleteI am very familiar with the TV show. No doubt, Carol O'Connor is Chief Gillespie. However, I do think Steiger was also excellent in the role.
DeleteI have to finish the Best Picture winners of the '60s, man. I've come so close to seeing both of those, and I just haven't yet. Tsotsi has likewise been on my radar in the past. Need to check it out.
ReplyDeleteHope you get to see all of them. I think you'll enjoy them.
DeleteThe only film in that list I've seen is Midnight Cowboy which I liked a lot. Especially in the way it plays to the fallacy that is the American Dream.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly does that and a whole lot more.
DeleteI didn't know In the Heat of the Night had a TV series. I only know it as a movie which I unfortunately have not seen.
ReplyDeleteMidnight Cowboy I've seen and I remember it as being pretty depressing.
Interesting that you hadn't heard of the TV series. It ran for quite a long time and is still popular in syndication. As for Midnight Cowboy, it certainly isn't what u would call a feel good story, but I do love it.
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