Spotlight

This is a great film, an excellent film really. It's tightly written and wonderfully acted by everyone in the cast. It takes a tough subject, which is a true story to boot, and tells both in a poignant and realistic way. This is an important film, one that people should see, because this subject is so real and vital and timely. But, having said all that, I can't understand how anyone would vote for this film for Best Picture over "Room". I just can't. "Room" is a better film in every way. It's more ambitious, it's better directed, better acted, and even more of a tough subject in a lot of key ways. I don't see anyway that "Spotlight", no matter how good and solid it is, beats "Room", and I wonder how many other Oscar nominees I'm going to say that about, because I'm just getting started going through the nominees. I'm startled that last year "Birdman", which was such a atypical Best Picture nominee, won, and this year the "Birdman" of this crop didn't. And I have to wonder about that, something I'll be wondering as I watch more of the nominated pictures. 4.5/5

Spotlight on Netflix