Cinema Mishmash

I didn’t make it to the cineplex very often in 2009. Of the 43 films nominated for Academy Awards this year (see previous post), I have seen 16. What follows is my impossible plan of attack over the next 33 days. (If Netflix would buy more than 10 copies of new Blu-ray discs, perhaps those like me who pay a monthly premium in hopes of obtaining the highest possible quality in home viewing would actually see the movies, rather than the words “Very Long Wait.”)

Have Seen:
Avatar (9 nominations)
Coraline
The Cove
District 9 (4 nominations)
Food, Inc.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
In the Loop
Inglourious Basterds (8 nominations)
Julie & Julia
Paris 36
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (6 nominations)
Sherlock Holmes (2 nominations)
Star Trek (4 nominations)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – This one so should not count.
Up (5 nominations)
The White Ribbon (2 nominations)

Indefinitely in the Netflix Queue:
Bright Star
The Hurt Locker (9 nominations)

Available to Stream on Netflix:
Il Divo

Out Soon on DVD:
A Serious Man (2 nominations)
Coco before Chanel

Still in Local Cinemas: (In order of priority)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2 nominations) – At the Brew & View, yea!
Up in the Air (6 nominations)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2 nominations)
Crazy Heart (3 nominations)
An Education (3 nominations)
Invictus (2 nominations)
A Single Man
The Lovely Bones
Nine (4 nominations)
The Young Victoria (3 nominations)

Yet to Be Released Theatrically in Chicago:
The Last Station (2 nominations) – I suspect this will be at the Landmark soon.
A Prophet (Un Prophète) [France] - Ditto.
Ajami [Israel]- Screening at New York’s Film Forum tomorrow.
The Secret of Kells
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos) [Argentina]
The Milk of Sorrow [Peru]
Which Way Home [doc]
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers [doc]
Burma VJ [doc]

Out of Luck: (Missed the theatrical run and no imminent DVD release)
The Messenger (2 nominations)

Not That Bothered:
The Blind Side (2 nominations) – This film could have garnered 10 nominations and I would be just as loath to go see it. Someday on DVD. Maybe. Sorry to my parents and all the others who’ve gushed about it.
The Princess and the Frog (3 nominations) – My boy turns 2 soon. It will happen some day.