Page IO
The
Portland Observer
Black History Month
February 26, 2014
The Oscars and My 10 Best Films of 2013
Some wonderful films get
the attention they deserve
B y D ari . een O rtega
I’m terrible at Oscar pools; I'm not
good at predicting the winners be
cause I'm too distracted by my opin
ions of who should win. So, it is my
tradition to release each year at Oscar
time my own list of the best films of
the year.
This year, there happens to be
more overlap between my list and
the Academy Award nominees than
PHOTO COURTESY
P aramount P ictures
Bruce Dem is a cantankerous
old man who suddenly springs
forth a fearsome determina
tion in life in ‘Nebraska, ’ the
best film of 2013 as rated by
movie reviewer and Portland
Observer columnist, Opinion
ated Judge Darleen Ortega.
usual. It's a pleasure to see so many
wonderful films get the attention
they deserve, though I imagine I’ll
still have plenty of occasions to
shake my fist at the TV during the
awards ceremony.
The first four on my list - all
Oscar nominees for best picture -
are so good that I had trouble rank
ing them. I could make a case for any
of them as the best picture of the
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w w w . h c c ! i V ,e . c o m
year. I've forced myselfto rank them
but, in a sense, all four are arguably
the best picture of the year. The rest
are less celebrated, but also won
derful - a gem from the Coen broth
ers, an inspiring story o f intellectual
courage, two wrenching documen
taries, a lesson in mindfulness, and
a dazzling Indian romantic comedy
that packs an unexpected wallop.
1. 1 give Nebraska the edge as my
favorite film of the year because it
has everything. It depicts ordinary
people with a kind o f gentleness
that few films attempt and fewer still
achieve. It is funny but doesn't make
fun, and captures a rather bleak swath
of American life in a way that reveals
its beauty and dignity.
The film is marked by a remark
able, career-capping performance by
Bruce Dem, who deserves the Os
car for best actor in my book (though
I'll be pleasantly surprised if he wins
continued
on page 12
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