Well, folks, whether you plan to savor it, or avoid it at all costs, Super Bowl weekend has arrived.
For the non-football fans, fear not, the countdown to the Oscars marches on as well, and with only three (and half) weekends left to take in the best picture nominees, it’s time to get viewing.
As long-time readers know (and Zer shared last week), we’ll be reviewing all of the Best Picture nominees leading up to this year’s Academy Awards (and you can see some early reviews here), and we like to encourage our readers to play along at home.
Last Friday, Zer eased you in with some of this year’s lighter fare, so this week, I thought I’d dive a bit deeper with a quick look at a couple nominated films with a common thread, to offer for your weekend viewing consideration. Grab the tissues now…
Class, language, and hundreds of miles separate young Saroo from his family in India, after he loses his brother at a train station. “Lion” is truly an extraordinary story about the (almost) unbelievable journey of young Saroo, and the most incredible part is that it’s true…and Sunny Pawar who plays young Saroo will make you laugh, cry, and wonder how this kid did not get nominated.
“Kubo and the Two Strings” is not nominated for best picture, but it pairs really well with “Lion” so I’m granting myself a little latitude here. Just like Saroo, Kubo is separated from his family and faces incredible odds. Unlike Saroo, Kubo has a magical monkey and beetle to help him on his journey.
