# Oscars: 2016 Best Picture nominees - ongoing tracking thread of which of the films you have seen **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138 "2017-01-25T13:18:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Ardbeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58f4c7/32.png) [@Ardbeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ardbeg)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/61 "2017-02-13T20:39:41Z")
I thought Arrival was the best film of 2016…Untill I saw Manchester by the sea… It hit me in an emotional way which is hard to grasp… Casey Affleck deserves an Oscar for his role. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/62 "2017-02-19T02:40:24Z")
We saw four of them today. I prefer Metacritic scores to stars, so: Manchester by the Sea: 84. Some uneven tone, but completely compelling. Fences: 62. I understand the decision to have the actors emote as though on stage, but it didn’t work for me. But Viola Davis was spectacular. Hell or High Water: 80. I don’t get the nomination, but quite good within genre. La La Land: also 80. Good spectacle. Subject to change as my thoughts continue. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/63 "2017-02-19T02:56:46Z")
Just saw Lion. I have two adopted children, both from Korea and neither have huge stories like the movie. My wife and I absolutely loved Lion, though. It portrayed adoption well and was a great story. I have only seen Arrival and Lion so far, but I am cheering for Lion. I know La La Land is winning, but I am still cheering for Lion. ---
**Author:** ![4d3fect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/4d3fect/32/9728_2.png) [@4d3fect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/4d3fect)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/64 "2017-02-19T23:02:02Z")
Only seen Arrival (yawn) and LaLaLand (surprised this musical-hater) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/65 "2017-02-19T23:15:08Z")
The local Cinemark theater is showing all of the Best Picture nominees over the next week. For $35, you can see all eight movies or you can buy tickets for individual movies. So if you haven’t seen some of them yet, you can. Or, some are already available on DVD and probably streaming services. (The Netflix DVD-by-mail service already has Hell or High Water and Arrival and will have Hacksaw Ridge this week.) ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/66 "2017-02-20T01:24:31Z")
Finally got all nine Best Pictures seen. Oscar cliché tracker: Relationships go sour 8/9 Single moms 5/9 Guns 4/9 Adoptive parents 3/9 End montage of real people who inspired the story 3/9 Dead children for pathos 2/9 Car chases 1/9 Explosions 1/9 (+ a really big fire) British accents for gravitas 0/9 (Australian and “Boston” hold the fort this year, but Brits will be back, guaranteed!) Notable performances not nominated: Ralph Fiennes Teresa Palmer Sonia Braga Makis Papadimitriou Final analysis: **DrDeth** tried to warn us, we should probably apologize. I don’t go into model shipbuilding forums to say model shipbuilding sucks, but conversely, I’m not bombarded with billions of dollars of model shipbuilding ads or shills posing as critics telling me why a certain narrow category of model ships are the “must-build” ones. There’s a certain distinction to be made with simple threadcrapping. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/67 "2017-02-20T22:26:32Z")
**Arrival** was a disappointment. I wanted more of why the aliens came, how they, um, arrived, what their world is like. Instead I got a little family drama that left me unfulfilled. Renner’s character contributed next to nothing, near as I could tell, to the story (aside from being Daddy). Forrest Whitaker’s colonel was a cartoon character with puddle-deep development. The movie began to feel like WarGames (nothing against WarGames) as Big Military started strong-arming Louise and Ian. But I did love the heptapods. And their language. And their intentions. Three stars. Seen: La La Land \*\*\* Manchester by the Sea \*\*\*\* Lion \*\*\*\* Moonlight \*\*\*\* Hell or High Water \*\*\*\* Hidden Figures \*\* Fences \*\*\*\* Arrival \*\*\* Not seen: Hacksaw Ridge mmm ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/68 "2017-02-20T23:15:24Z")
Saw **Hacksaw Ridge**. It was good. Not amazing, not even super great. Just a really good movie. Loved the real-life clip of the sergeant at the end saying, “Yes, I’m aware of the irony that I didn’t want Doss by my side and he saved my life.” That tear running down his cheek told the story. Lion was the better movie to me. I’ve now seen: Arrival Hacksaw Ridge Lion Lion was the best of the three. However, my wife and I did something else. We tried La La Land…but turned it off. We must be insane, absolutely insane. We thought it was terrible. We watched 40 minutes of it. And we almost never quit movies. I may watch La La Land alone some time, perhaps just to figure out what is wrong with us. We like musicals, too. We just thought it was horrible. We aren’t even contradictory people. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/69 "2017-02-22T17:45:16Z")
And now I have seen all 9 nominees. **Hacksaw Ridge** was another letdown. Gibson’s heavy-handed direction cost him some of my stars (I’m sure he’s crushed). I feel he directed this movie with a dog-eared copy of The War Movie Cliche Handbook in his back pocket. Andrew Garfield was adequate - I think he kept channeling Jeremy Davies’ character in Saving Private Ryan - but not Oscar-worthy. The battle scenes I found fairly gripping, though still cliche-ridden. 2 1/2 stars. My final rankings: Lion Fences Manchester by the Sea Hell or High Water Moonlight Arrival La La Land Hidden Figures Hacksaw Ridge ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/70 "2017-02-23T02:37:24Z")
Thanks to [Honest Trailers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o-aEUulEDQ) for giving a rundown of this year’s Best Picture nominees: **Squid Words** (If you say you’ve seen this, you’re probably) **Lyin’ Hell It’s a High Honor** (just to be nominated) **Diary of a Black Math Woman Manchesta by the Feckin’ Sea All of the Oscar Things Actors War and Pieces Hollywood Hand Job** ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/71 "2017-02-27T19:45:47Z")
I just saw Moonlight. Very well made, a good movie. Nothing amazing, though. I actually though the opening 40 minutes with the young protagonist was the most powerful. As a teacher with a lot of students who grow up like the main character, I thought it was powerful. His high school years and beyond were less interesting. I’d now rank my “have seen” movies as: 1. Lion 2. Arrival 3. Hacksaw Ridge 4. Moonlight Again, we quit on La La Land, so I owe it a full viewing. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/72 "2017-02-27T20:38:50Z")
I saw Hacksaw Ridge Friday night (just getting under the Oscar wire) on Amazon. I was blown away. It moved to the top of my list, just edging out La La Land. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/73 "2017-02-27T21:01:59Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I just saw Moonlight. > > Very well made, a good movie. Nothing amazing, though. I actually though the opening 40 minutes with the young protagonist was the most powerful. As a teacher with a lot of students who grow up like the main character, I thought it was powerful. His high school years and beyond were less interesting. > > I’d now rank my “have seen” movies as: > > 1. Lion > 2. Arrival > 3. Hacksaw Ridge > 4. Moonlight > > Again, we quit on La La Land, so I owe it a full viewing. Are you sure it wasn’t Moonlight you quit on? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/74 "2017-03-16T01:58:25Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > We saw four of them today. I prefer Metacritic scores to stars, so: > > Manchester by the Sea: 84. Some uneven tone, but completely compelling. > Fences: 62. I understand the decision to have the actors emote as though on stage, but it didn’t work for me. But Viola Davis was spectacular. > Hell or High Water: 80. I don’t get the nomination, but quite good within genre. > La La Land: also 80. Good spectacle. > > Subject to change as my thoughts continue. We saw the other five the next weekend: Arrival: 84. Really enjoyed this. We talked quite a bit about it later. Hacksaw Ridge: 56. Great action, terrific story, more cliches than I coyld have imagined being squeezed into one movie. Moonlight: 78. I loved it while watching it, but it did not stick with me at all. Hidden Figures: 74. Kinda pro forma, but not bad. Lion: 62. Just so histrionic and cliched. Some great acting, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138/75 "2017-03-16T02:51:34Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Are you sure it wasn’t Moonlight you quit on? Yes. I still think only the first segment when the protagonist was a kid was a great movie. The other two segments were only OK. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscars-2016-best-picture-nominees-ongoing-tracking-thread-of-which-of-the-films-you-have-seen/778138.md?page=3)