About Big Signs Next to the Road

Post 317:

            I only caught a few of the Oscar nominated flicks this year, but I finally got a chance to check out Three Billboards yada yada something something Missouri.

            It was… okay… I guess.

            Looking at all the nominees, I’d have to say the year was pretty light on good movies, but this is definitely done with a lot of skill and a slight amount of sophistication.

            Slight, because there’s lots of obvious sauce in this thing. It hints that the cops can’t find the killer due to lack of time considering they spend all their time brutalizing people.

            There are ways to make a case, but deftness of touch matters in art. This is so on the nose it’s almost cringe-inducing.

            So let’s see. Men are pretty much crap. Cops are racist. Okay, whatever.

            There are great things about the film. On the whole, it’s frigging depressing, which I love. It gives no shits about being a little bit funny and whole lot of sad. I like that, though I had a feeling that there would be more resolution to the plot.

            I’ve seen this dude’s other movies. Frankly, I think In Bruges was better. It had the same idiosyncratic tone but was more entertaining. It also had a dwarf. This director has a thing with dwarfs, I think. He really likes to redeem characters but only just so. It’s hard to wrap my head around, and I’ll never be able to because I can’t sit through it again.

            If it had won best picture it wouldn’t have surprised me. There’s enough political stuff in it to make it avant-garde or valuable. I guess it got out valuabled by another film.

            Don’t get me wrong. Pretentious niche films are totally up my alley. But a little more entertainment, a little less posturing.

            But look at the list. The best film of the year isn’t on it. Truly ridiculous. I’m referring to Wind River. They hand out nine nominations and it doesn’t make the cut? What a joke. Seriously absurd. It’s a shame, because small films need awards and nominations to make a little more money on the backend.

            Okay. Sorry for being so judgy with my review. Not my normal style, but whatever. Go see Three Billboards yada say dada yaya hey ho Missouri. Or don’t. It’s an original screenplay and not a reboot or adaptation. Which is a minor miracle these days. I changed my mind. Go see it.

            And see you after. Cheers.