Nickel Boys
The ZEJ team’s first assignment after the Oscar nominations was Nickel Boys - based on the true story of the Dozier School for Boys, a reform school that operated in Florida for 111 years and following its closing in 2011, nearly 100 hidden burials have been found on the grounds of students, mostly black, that had been murdered there. In the movie, you see primarily the point of view of two students and their time there and much of the worst of the abuse that went on at the school is hidden from you. Which is to say, the film isn’t completely bleak, there’s beauty, joy, and life depicted in addition to the abuse, but that gnawing forebodingness never leaves you, and as such, it is certainly not a feel good movie, and not one I particularly would want to watch again. But as many people are ever more happy to whitewash the atrocities of our past, it’s an important story to experience. From a cinematography and directing standpoint, this was also one of the most creative movies of the year, though it grabbed neither of those Oscar nominations.
-Z
The first-person perspective here was really well done and made this feel unique. There was a great balance between the darker themes and everyday lightness. I also appreciated the subtleties here in the plot - nothing felt too preachy or overdone. Not my favorite of the Best Picture list, but I think it deserves to be there.
-E
“If everybody looks the other way, then everybody's in on it. If I look the other way, I'm as implicated as the rest.” -Elwood
I will say it once, and I will say it again. Going into a movie blind is the best way to do it. I did see one cryptic trailer awhile back and was intrigued by the fact that it was going to be filmed in first person, but that was about it. I had someone recently ask me if I had seen The Whale, and I had an interesting conversation about how good it was, but that I would never want to see it again. This definitely feels that way. If you don’t really enjoy cinema and appreciate the technicalities that can come with it, this film would be a tough watch. It is a sad story that is hard to watch, along with the historical background that comes with it really can cut you to the core. This is a film that definitely deserves the praise that it got from the academy, if not more. It pushes boundaries not only within its story, but more so with its direction. A movie shot almost entirely in first person is not something I have seen before. It also really puts a lot of trust into the audience to make connections which is also very refreshing since most films now-a-days are extremely in your face. A lot surely went over my head, but I feel like I was able to appreciate the important parts. Like I said, if you love cinema and its technicalities, give it a watch, if not you may struggle!
-J
