I used to pay to see hundreds of movies a year in theaters. Around 2009 or so I decided I was playing into the profit stream of the industry and giving them more of my money than necessary. I now usually wait until the movies hit Redbox or premium channels. One thing I have done for decades, and will continue to do, is take note of the nominations (when they come out) for Best Picture and the 7 major categories (to me) other than Best Picture....namely Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Adapted Screenplay....and attempt to see those films...if i haven't already.
I do allow politics to influence movies I might want to see during the rest of the year, but not re the above Oscar categories.
IMO, most winners over the years in the major categories aren't 'political choices'.
Once the nominations come out, depending on the situation, I'll travel a bit to satisfy the nominations above. In the 90s, one film was only playing only in L.A., not the Bay Area. I hadn't seen a good friend in a while (my best friend's brother), so i flew down, stayed with him, and we went to see the movie (American History X).
The Cinemark chain has now made this easier. A few days after the nominations are announced, they start selling an Oscar pass that covers all of the films nominated for Best Picture....usually costs $40...this year they reduced it to $35 (plus tax in Texas....but not in some other states that don't charge sales tax on 'services'). Since the Best Picture category expanded from 5 to 'up to 10', IIRC, the 'lowest total' has been eight. This year there are 9.....
....This year those 9 cover 36 of the 44 'major' nominations from the categories I listed above. The other 8 nominations....one film each this year, so 17 films encompass those 44 'major' nominations. Other than the 9, I saw Jackie in a theater (while visiting a friend in Waco), and rented Captain Fantastic, The Lobster, and Florence Foster Jenkins via Redbox.
Best Picture ----- I saw all 9 ----- not only no clear winner, IMO, but more overall than ever (among the choices) deserve the win....Hidden Figures, Lion, La La Land, and Hacksaw Ridge.....all deserving
. Second tier = Moonlight, and Fences, Third tier = Arrival.
Best Supporting Actor ----- The deserving Mahershala Ali already won
.....beating out Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water, Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea, Dev Patel in Lion, and the one I didn't see - Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals.
Best Supporting Actress ----- Viola Davis...one of the 3 equally deserving, IMO...won for best Supporting Actress
. The other two at that level....Olivia Spencer in Hidden Figures, and Nicole Kidman in Lion. The Second tier - Naomie Harris in Moonlight, and the Third tier - Michelle Williams in Manchester by the Sea. I saw all 5 performances.
Best Actor ----- I saw all 5 performances and, IMO, Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge) should win....followed by Ryan Gosling (La La Land), then Denzel Washington (Fences), then Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), and then Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic).
Best Actress ----- I saw 3 of the 5 performances ----- Emma Stone in La La Land, Natalie Portman in Jackie, and Meryl Streep in Florence Foster Jenkins. Among those three, Emma Stone should win, but I didn't see Isabelle Huppert in Elle, nor Ruth Negra in Loving.
Best Director ----- I saw all 5 films ----- IMO, Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) and Damien Chazelle (La La Land) are equally deserving. Second tier ----- Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Kenneth Lonnergan (Manchester by the Sea). Third tier ----- Denis Villenueve (Arrival)
Best Original Screenplay ----- I saw 4 of the 5.....La La Land, The Lobster, Manchester by the Sea, and Hell or High Water...missing only 20th Century Women. IMO......La La Land is the clear winner. Second tier ----- Manchester by the Sea, and The Lobster. Third tier ----- Hell or High Water.......20th Century Women = ?
Best Adapted Screenplay ----- I saw all 5 films ----- Arrival, Fences, Hidden Figures, Moonlight, and Lion. IMO, Moonlight should win. Second tier ----- Fences, Hidden figures, and Lion. Third tier ----- Arrival.
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