Your 'Best Picture" Award

INGRID THOFT

Last night, "The Shape of Water" was awarded the “Best Picture” Oscar at the 90th annual Academy Awards show in Hollywood.  This film was a feast for the eyes and a grown up fairy tale about love, acceptance, and the meaning of "humanity."  I really enjoyed it, but that's not always the case when it comes to the "Best Picture" winner.

It seems that the “Best Picture” often goes to the movie deemed “most important” by the Academy.  Movies definitely play a role in moving forward cultural conversations and societal norms—isn’t that, in fact, one of the main benefits of any art form—but movies are also forms of entertainment.  Sometimes, we just want to escape the woes of the real world and lose ourselves in an alternate reality. 

We’ve discussed our favorite bad movies on Jungle Red, but I’m wondering to which movie you would award your personal “Best Picture” award?  My vote goes to "Raiders of the Lost Ark."  It has everything that a best picture should have:  adventure, action, a social conscience, romance, exotic locations, Harrison Ford, and it stands the test of time.  The official Best Picture winner in 1982?  “Chariots of Fire," which was a terrific movie, but not one I’ve watched multiple times.

Which film gets a shiny gold statue from you, Reds?

RHYS BOWEN:  One I thought had everything was "Out Of Africa."  Incredible romance and those gorgeous African scenes. Of the current crop I was impressed with "The Darkest Hour" and my daughter loved "The Shape of Water."

JENN McKINLAY: I'm not a huge fan of award shows because I feel like these people give themselves an awful lot of accolades and they're not exactly curing cancer, but I digress. If I had to pick my best movie, it would be "Field of Dreams." It had so many layers. I just loved it. Side note: I would absolutely follow James Earl Jones anywhere, even into the cornfield. I adored "Out of Africa" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark," too, but Shoeless Joe's story wins out for me.

Ray Liotta and Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams"

HALLIE EPHRON: I know I'm going WAY back to a movie that came out before I was old enough to even go to the movies, but I still love: "Born Yesterday." It stars Judy Holliday who was the most divine comedienne. A sort of precursor to "Pretty Woman" except the guy is a gangster and she outs him. Then, of course, "Some Like It Hot." And "Singin' in the Rain." Another much darker oldie: "Diabolique" with Simone Signoret: a man's wife and his mistress conspire to kill him and the corpse disappears. The scariest bathtub scene in moviedom.

IPT: "Singin' in the Rain" is one of my favorites, too!

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Oh, I love "Born Yesterday," too! ("It's car-TEL!")  But that is the world's toughest question.  For big movies, "The Godfather" is incomparable--I could watch that a million times, and see something fabulous and different every time.  But I also love "The Philadelphia Story," (and "High Society.")

I will watch "Working Girl" any time it's on--I think Melanie Griffith's character is  touching and empowering, and every time the Let The River Run theme comes up at the end, and you see her pure happiness soar compared to the vastness of New York City..ah.  I guess I love ugly duckling stories, because I am also fond of "The Devil Wears Prada." And! "Desk Set." And "Adam's Rib." But best movie of all time?  I need to keep thinking.

DEBORAH CROMBIE: Ingrid, I love "Raiders of the Lost Ark!" I also love the first Star Wars, clunky dialogue and all, but such fun. "Out of Africa" was one of my picks, too, Rhys. And "Field of Dreams," Jenn! "Field of Dreams" is my daughter's favorite movie ever, but for me, "Bull Durham" is right up there with it. But, at least for the moment, my final Best Movie comes down to two that I can't choose between. "The Holiday," written and directed by Nancy Meyers, staring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black, with fabulous supporting actors including Eli Wallach, great music by Hans Zimmer, funny, sweet, smart, and romantic.

And--"The Big Easy" starring Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin. Mystery, suspense, romance (sexy!!!), humor, great dialogue, great New Orleans atmosphere, and GREAT music. Anyone who has never seen it should do it now.

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I'm so glad we're discussing picks from all movies, because the only things I've seen of this year's nominees has been "The Post" and half of "Dunkirk." (Ross and I went to see it, but the sound was SO LOUD he called it quits after forty minutes, poor guy.) I tend to spend my money on flicks that need a big screen: superhero movies or splashy thrillers. I wait for others until they come out in DVD or streaming.

That being said, my award-winner would be the original "Die Hard." It's an almost perfect example of storytelling. Every little beat from the early part of the film turns out to be relevant later. No dangling threads, nothing not in service to the plot or characters. And despite being the very definition of an action movie, it's still completely focused on the people at the center of the story: the scared, vulnerable hero; his steel-spined business executive wife; the ordinary schlub cop; and of course, Alan Rickman playing his villain just shy of over the top. Love it, and we watch it every year on Christmas Eve.

Your turn, Readers.  What is your "Best Picture?"