Another talky Steven Spielberg political drama in the same vein as Lincoln and Bridge of Spies. "The Post" is old-fashioned Hollywood craftsmanship. The Spielberg's clearly going through a Victor Fleming phase, one of his idols, or, dare I say it, a Stanley Kramer phase as well, another favorite of his. Meryl Streep clearly overshadows Hanks here despite both sharing equal amounts of screen time. Bob Odenkirk is the supporting actor MVP. Kaminski photography wasn’t too intrusive and, in fact, his least showy work ever? John Williams’ score was atrocious. A by-the-books drama that goes along just fine, has a few powerful scenes here and there. I really liked how it just zipped along, not wasting any time between scenes. Overall if this wins best picture it’ll be because of the current political parallels it predictably and forcefully tackled than it being the best of the year.
I could see critics attacking the film for its glibness, lack of overall dimension and being quite subpar to the much preferable "Spotlight." I felt like this was an episode of dramatized experience that undertook soapy creative liberties to make a thin story as cinematic as humanely, where the gist of it goes down in what 15 hours? It felt like a stripped down, borderline play at times. Skeptical of the passion it'll have, but the political atmosphere, resistance to powerful intimidating men and the obvious ties to Trump and press, favor it. I never understood why Bridge of Spies received such high marks, and I remain almost as dumbstruck by this if it receives similarly high marks. I could see critics attack it for its glibness, lack of overall dimension and being quite subpar to much preferable Spotlight. I felt like this was an episode of dramatized experience that undertook soapy creative liberties to make a thin story as cinematic as humanely, where the gist of it goes down in what 15 hours? It felt like a stripped down, borderline play at times. Skeptical of the passion it'll have, but the political atmosphere, resistance to powerful intimidating men and the obvious ties to Trump and press, favor it.
Anyway, "The Post" just won the National Board of Review award:
Best Picture: “The Post”
Top Ten Films: “Baby Driver,” “Call Me By Your Name,” “The Disaster Artist,” “Downsizing,” “Dunkirk,” “The Florida Project,””Get Out,” “Lady Bird,” “Logan,” “Phantom Thread”
Best Director: Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird”
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, “The Post”
Best Actor: Tom Hanks, “The Post”
Best Original Screenplay: “Phantom Thread,” Paul Thomas Anderson
Best Adapted Screenplay: “The Disaster Artist,” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Webber
Best Documentary: “Jane”
Top Five Documentaries: “Bacus: Small Enough To Jail,” “Brimstone & Glory,””Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars,” “Faces Places,” “Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of Isis”
Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project”
Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird”
Best Ensemble: “Get Out”
NBR’s Top Ten Independent Films of 2017 (in alphabetical order): “Beatriz at Dinner,” “Brigsby Bear,” “A Ghost Story,” “Lady Macbeth,” “Logan Lucky,” “Loving Vincent,” “Menashe,” “Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer,” “Patti Cake$,” “Wind River”
Best Animated Feature: “Coco”
Freedom of Expression Award: “Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992” directed by John Ridley and “First They Killed My Father” by Angelina Jolie
Best Foreign Language Film: “Foxtrot”
Top Five Foreign Language Films: “A Fantastic Woman,” “Frantz,” “Loveless,” “Summer 1993,” “The Square”
Spotlight Award: Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot for “Wonder Woman”
Breakthrough Performance: Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name”
Denzel playing a broken ex-cop with nothing to lose, under McQuarrie's direction? We all know Washington loves to attach himself to redemption stories. It's his bread and butter.