For movie lovers, the weeks before the Oscars can feel like an old-fashioned collegiate cram session. So much stuff to catch up on and not enough time to get to it all.
So what should you see in anticipation of Hollywood’s annual back-patting ceremony? What’s really worth seeing—especially, if you’re like me, you’ve got an interest in faith and film? Should you go see, say, Fences instead of something else?
Hey, you can see whatever you want, but I really liked the movie, and I think it deserved the four Oscar nominations (including for Best Picture) it got. Here’s why.
1. The acting. We all know Denzel Washington’s got some chops. He’s got two Oscars on his mantel and a resume full of unforgettable performances to prove it. He’s as watchable as any actor out there right now. And when he wants to be, Washington can be electric. That’s exactly what he is here. Stepping into the shoes of hard-working garbage man Troy Maxson, Washington plays as complex a character as I’ve seen him tackle in a while, a man who’s hero, cad and ogre at once.
But as good as Washington is, Viola Davis is better.
I’ve been a huge fan of Davis for a while now. Typically, her gift is in underacting—turning in incredibly restrained performances that, for all their economy and brevity, can take your breath away. (She earned her first Oscar nomination, in Doubt, with less than eight minutes of screen time.) She’s restrained here, too—until she isn’t. And then it’s as if someone unshackled a hurricane.
Washington’s nominated for Best Actor, Davis for Best Supporting Actress (even though it’s a lead role in my opinion). Watching these two great actors inhabit two mesmerizing roles made for one of the cinematic treats of the year.
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