I've been watching films lately that I never got around to watching before and I have finally realized something; I think I watch horror movies so much because I'm so damn sensitive and it is absolutely emotionally draining for me to watch dramas, melodramas, anything of the sort. I do not dislike them by any means but I need to pace myself so I don't dehydrate or jump out of the window.

Some people have considered this film almost controversial because it won best picture over Raging Bull and while people have a right to that opinion I would gladly debate with someone who doesn't think that Timothy Hutton should have won an Oscar for his performance.

This is not a movie that makes me want to call my mom like that of Terms of Endearment but it definitely makes me thankful for the mom I have.

Sure, Raging Bull should've won Best Picture that year, but Ordinary People is still a damn fine film with some terrific performances, especially Timothy Hutton as Conrad. That Oscar was definitely well deserved.

A self-loathing and pasty family mess. Nothing really hit me emotionally, and the performances, despite being good, do not pass a believable or grieving family.

It's hard to believe that this beat Raging Bull for Best Picture at the Oscars. It's beautifully acted and at times, heartbreaking, but it doesn't resonate over time the way Raging Bull has. It's heavy on the melodrama and there isn't much levity in it, making it laborious to watch at times. It's good but not great like I've heard it been called before.

Film # 6 - June Challenge

An emotional family drama. Mary Tyler Moore was such a bitch in this and that was a good thing.

Filme sério, adulto, sem floreios, sobre uma família tentando sobreviver depois de uma tragédia. As atuações estão ótimas, e a personalidade de cada um é muito bem construída. Mesmo assim, o filme padece de um mal crônico: é muito óbvio em todos os seus temas. Não tem subtexto nenhum no filme. Tudo acontece por um motivo e tem uma consequência e tudo é muito bem explicadinho. Não tem tons de cinza. E num filme como este, isso é um pecado capital.
Hoje em dia, se vêem dramas muito mais sutis e interessantes em seriados como Mad Men, Six Feet Under, Sopranos e Treme. Talvez seja o formato de filme que não dê tempo de expandir os relacionamentos e mostrar todos os nuances, mas eu acho que a culpa é do roteiro e da direção mesmo. Uma pena, podia ser uma obra-prima.
Agora só falta eu descobrir porque o Wilson, do House, tinha esse poster colado na parede do consultório.

Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" is one of those forgotten Best Picture winners, which seems a tad unfair. A slice of life melodrama in which a middle-class family struggle with the loss of their eldest son, "Ordinary People" is believably heartbreaking and very strongly performed by a committed cast. Timothy Hutton (who picked up an Oscar for his work) is particularly excellent as a suicidal teen, but Donald Sutherland and Mary Tyler Moore also hit high notes as parents with very different coping mechanisms. The drama boasts a striking rawness and is unafraid to wrap things up on an inconclusive note, highlighting the cyclical poison of grief. Redford's direction is as restrained and solid as always. [B+]

Probably quite good if you can get past how horribly depressing it is.

A decent drama with some great elements in it. I feel that the film would be much stronger if it only focused on the family elements- all of the high school story lines, such as Conrad's relationship with Jeannine and his time on the swim team, felt like something out of a different movie and slowed everything down for me. Also, the scenes in the psychiatrist office felt a bit too clichéd. The best scenes were those between Calvin, Beth and Conrad and I wish the film focused almost entirely on their interactions. Some of the emotional beats in the film really hit hard, and two of the performances were brilliant. Timothy Hutton was incredible throughout, and I was impressed with Mary Tyler Moore, specifically during the scene on the golf course.

A stunning domestic drama, one that gives you a feeling of sadness and regret that is difficult to shake. Sutherland is great, Mary Tyler Moore has never been better, but Timothy Hutton takes the movie and runs away with it. It's incredibly powerful.