Winter's Bone (2010)

This is one I've been meaning to watch for a long time. It was the only Best Picture nominee since 2010 that I had missed. Prompted by Debra Granik's powerful Leave No Trace this year, I caught Winter's Bone. And I admit I was a little disappointed. I thought it was kind of boring. This is the movie that made Jennifer Lawrence a star. She is an optimistic figure in what is otherwise a bleak Ozark landscape in a relentlessly brutal movie. I just wasn't in the mood for this kind of movie.

Leave No Trace (2018)

This movie takes my fear of camping to the next level. It's one-part Captain Fantastic, one-part American Sniper. It's not a very explicit movie. It leaves much to be inferred about the main character, but we know just enough to understand that this veteran with PTSD cannot reintegrate into society. What Thomasin McKenzie does is to add another dimension of tragedy to this: a young daughter who cannot integrate into society either because of her father's attachment to her combined with his affliction. McKenzie gives a quiet but deeply moving performance.

Hell or High Water (2016)

Hell or High Water is representative of a foreigner's perception of America. The British director David MacKenzie nails all the Texas stereotypes to the point of hilarity. I think the racism is meant to be funny, but there are some other observations that are accurate and ridiculous but probably not meant to make you laugh, like the ubiquity of firearms.  I really liked the screenplay. It starts at a bank robbery gone wrong. And slowly, the story unravels giving us insight into the process and motive behind the protagonists' actions. And it is actually very clever. Thinking back, I think they drop us hints along the way if you're astute enough to pick up on them. It is not just some heist film. There was some genuine thought to put into this story. And Chris Pine and Ben Foster execute their roles with care. There is also a good use of country music to move along the story. I don't really like country music, but it undeniably works in this context. Like I said, it's stereotypical Texas.

And the cast was there! Minus Jeff Bridges. But we saw Chris Pine, Captain Kirk himself! He was having a grand old time. And why shouldn't he? It's a fun movie.