So – I’ve embarked on an EPIC challenge to watch every movie ever nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award. To do so, I’ve put all the years from 1929 to 2019 into a bucket and I’m pulling out years one by one to determine what movies to watch.
FIRST PULL: 1980
MOVIES
• Kramer vs. Kramer (winner)
• All That Jazz
• Apocalypse Now
• Breaking Away
• Norma Rae
THOUGHTS
Apocalypse Now: This was easily Martin Sheen’s best performance. Also young Robert Duvall was my favorite part of this film.
Breaking Away: I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. So sweet and heartwarming.
Norma Rae: SALLY FIELD YOU SKINNY BEAUTIFUL BAD-ASS LITTLE BISH THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS STORY TO LIFE. Also everyone is so sweaty in this movie!
Kramer vs. Kramer: I am so, so, so grateful that I wasn’t a child of divorce. This movie practically gave me an anxiety attack. But Justin Henry certainly earned his Oscar nomination for this movie (he was only EIGHT YEARS OLD. EIGHT!!)
All That Jazz: This self-indulgent movie describes itself perfectly in this quote from the film, “We take you everywhere, we get you nowhere.” HOW did this acid trip earn an Oscar nomination?
OVERALL
While the acting in Kramer vs. Kramer was certainly the best of the lot, I didn’t really think the story line was deserving of a Best Picture win. Apocalypse Now, and even Norma Rae for that matter, had much better plot lines with amazing scenery, character development and story progression. Breaking Away was the hidden gem in this lot and All That Jazz gave me serious fever dreams.
Thanks for all the chest hair, deep V-necks and brown power suits, 1980…onto the next pull!
The Hob-bee Hive 
I saw them all when they came out. I still love watching Breaking Away (Ciao Bella) and Norma Rae. And all that Jazz – what can I say – I hear the name of the movie and the songs come into my head. During the surgery scene I remember I was riveted and my friends thought I was strange. lol
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