Margin Call. Pretty decent Mamet-style financial drama, although there was something about parts of the script and acting that didn't quite gel for me.
News of the World, 6.5/10
Tom Hanks reads the news, fights bad guys and makes a new friend.
The first bit is kinda cool, and has lots of potential.
It gets 4 Oscar nominations, of which Cinematography is one of them. Bit surprised tbqh. It looks alright but nothing special and the storyline isn't exactly novel but hey ho, Hanks looks he'd fit into 1870s Texas.
Mank, 8/10
I haven't seen any of the other Best Picture nominees but I'll say this, I'd be surprised if this film dosen't pretty well clean up! Ticks all the boxes, well, certainly by previously accepted standards. Mind, the times they are a changing so who knows.
Anyway, it looks fantastic, and the director forever has the scenes/angles continually changing. Oldman and co are hitting it off left, right and centre, and mainly out the park.
Need to research the era and players of the day to get a better grasp of it all to surely enjoy it all again.
Trial of the Chicago Seven, 6.5/10
Ordinarily no chance of best picture!
More of a story as such (compared to theatre-esque Ma Rainay) but lacking any performances.