Purns Tries To Oscars 2024

I’d like to believe that 2023 was year of growth for me, professionally and definitely on a personal level. I felt a little disappointed during the last cycle of films because I only saw 71 films when I used to close in on a hundred. I just managed to match my 2022 movie count, but I’ve realized I’m somewhat conservative about the movies I see now. A majority of my visits to the theater are opportunities I get through work, which I’m grateful for, but on my own I carefully select now what I want to see.

It’s a daunting thought but one I’ve accepted for quite a while. Yes I want to see as much films as I possibly can, but life is making me realize there are things just as important that they are worth sacrificing for. Still, the Oscars may be turning heads for different reasons across the years, it’s still the huge gathering for cinephiles — me included. Work may be where all my writing goes on a daily basis, getting to continue this series is my annual therapy session now. To just repeat what I said last year, “All I’ve ever wanted was to share my love of cinema in the hopes that others will discover it themselves through my words, and I will do my best to continue that.”

Purns Tries To Oscars 2023

2022 was a very tough year. My country experienced highs and lows in the first half, with mostly latter carrying in the second. I did have personal victories — I went back to writing full-time as a career, got my own place near work and have been living alone for nearly a year, met new friends and rekindled with old ones, and most importantly (for this write-up at least) I got to return to the cinemas “regularly” again.

I put the quotation marks because most of my theater visits were mostly for work, which is what I enjoy the most about my profession, but I do miss the times where I could have time for myself to be in a cinema alone. Going back to writing full-time meant going back to the life I once had pre-pandemic where coverage took a lot of my time, and I guess because I’m more experienced now I’ve been going out a lot more. As a result I didn’t have enough free time, at least to myself because I would always try to be with friends and colleagues when possible — the pandemic eliminated a lot of my social life and I wanted to recharge it — and my 2022 film count stood at 71, a far cry from the 98 I saw from 2021.

I accepted that I wouldn’t be able to keep up as much because I was growing as a person, and I’m content in knowing I won’t be able to watch all the films I wanted to see if it meant becoming a better individual and a better friend. That sacrifice also meant missing predicting the Oscar nominees for the first time in quite a while; that took some time to settle in my mind, but I accepted that too as long as I would make sure I wouldn’t miss the write-up proper. For some time now “Purns Tries To Oscars” has been my only outlet to write freely, scattered through the articles and Letterboxd reviews I’ve done, so it’s another form of therapy for me beyond actually seeing a film. Several people have told me in the last couple of months how much they like hearing and reading the way I talk about films, and it’s very validating as an aspiring critic (I’m still aspiring, right?). All I’ve ever wanted was to share my love of cinema in the hopes that others will discover it themselves through my words, and I will do my best to continue that.

Purns Tries To Oscars 2022

Ninety-eight. I was able to see 98 movies, documentaries, and shorts released to the public in 2021—and I’m lowkey wishing I made it to 100. Nevertheless I am so happy to have made a new mark in my annual watchlist, missing just one Oscar nominee (Ala Kachuu – Take and Run).

Still, I am also quite happy that towards the end of 2021 (and late releases in 2022), I was able to watch several of these movies in the cinema. Many of these filmmakers intended their works to be seen on the biggest screen possible, accompanied by stellar sound systems to match the “oohs” and “ahhs” of audiences. With another year of films down, it’s time for the Academy to take center stage and award who they feel is deserving of its most prestigious honours.

Purns Tries To Oscars Noms 2022

Another year has passed and for me personally it has been quite a ride. I can confidently say I feel I’m in a better place than I was the year before, and films continued to be a constant presence in my life which has been scattered for the most part.

The previous year has been hard for film lovers like me who enjoy being in cinemas and getting the full theatrical experience—comfortable seats, delicious snacks, great company—which is why I nearly burst into tears when I watched “Dune” last November. I was back in the theater after almost two years, and there I was again feeling the booming speakers and gazing upon the majestic screen. Since cinemas reopened here in the Philippines, I took every opportunity I could to watch the select films chosen to premiere—and if I was unlucky or the surges got in the way, I could always watch in the safety of my own home like I did for many months.

Whether I was in the theater or on my laptop, the feeling remains the same—film has this extraordinary power to entertain, educate, and endure, and we must count ourselves fortunate to be able to experience that. I have really missed frequently writing about films—work has recently reopened opportunities for me—and now we have come to that time of the year where we acknowledge the “best” of them.

My 2021 watches are not yet done, but I’m already close to finishing it off this early which makes this quite a remarkable year for me personally—I have a feeling I may surpass last year’s count. But with the Oscar nominations announcement coming soon, it’s time to reignite the writer in me as I predict who the Academy will be setting their eyes on.

Purns Tries To Oscars 2021

If my count is correct, I think this is the year I’ve watched the most Oscar-nominated films—including documentaries and shorts—at 52. And that is just over half of the total number of new films I’ve seen in 2020, 91. Unfortunately, I only saw one of those at the cinema, and that was Birds of Prey. I am grateful to have seen the other 90 because each have their own merits in some way, but there really is nothing compared to enjoying a film in the theater.

And I think this experience away from the cinema in some way has shaped the way we have perceived films, and to further appreciate its creativity and those of film makers. Not even a global pandemic was going to stop these storytellers from sharing their visions to the world. And in return, a number of them will be recognized by the Academy because they what they have given us also filled us with emotions, hope, admiration, and support.

This Oscars series of mine is starting to feel old, but being able to write again about a medium that has fuelled me with passion is something I really needed after the whirlwind that was 2020.  I will list down who I think the Academy will award, who I think deserves to win, and my personal predictions among the given nominees. Afterwards I’ll discuss my thoughts in each category for why I chose them as such for each section, starting with the major awards leading to the technical awards. Those underlined are what I haven’t seen (which is a few left, hooray!), and will update those categories if I grab a chance to see them. I’ve missed this—lights, camera, action.

Purns Tries To Oscars Noms 2021

Well, 2020 was quite a year. Much has been said about it, and it has greatly affected everyone’s lives. Personally, I was going through some big changes when suddenly 2020 decided to become the year that it was. One thing that has kept me sane throughout the year was my love for films. I would look forward to seeing a new movie after a long day at work, it almost didn’t matter to me if the movie was great or not.

Almost an entire year watching films on a computer or television has really got me missing cinemas. As grateful I am for Netflix, Amazon, Disney, and all the streamers that are on the rise, nothing really compares to being inside the theater. There’s something about the experience, to be in your own seat holding a tub of popcorn, surrounded by people you don’t know who are about to share in the same two hours of cinematic wonder. Truly 2020 has become a test for the movie industry, many having to shift to VOD or streaming platforms. While I do appreciate more access to films, I hope we all get back into theaters because some movies are best seen that way, in all their glory.

I am so happy that I somehow get to write about films again, even to just share my predictions about Oscar nominations. Updating my blog about the film pieces I made in the past has only kept my love for films alive. I am amazed at how much movies I saw this year, to the point I was only waiting for new releases. Like before, I will save my final thoughts and predictions when the nominations are final and the very-delayed show finally approaches.

Purns Tries To Oscars Noms 2020

I made good on my promise at beginning of 2019 to watch more films, as often as I could. Almost every week, there was a new movie for me to watch, a new movie to be impressed at, be disappointed to, and many times simply to enjoy. 2019 was another good year for films, despite all the discussions regarding streaming and what can be considered cinema. Regardless of that, film has always been a big part of my life, now more than ever, and I feel so happy that I get to marvel at it each and every day.

Because of that for my annual Oscars nominations predictions, rather than my usual rough Word draft, I decided to return to this site (which hasn’t rusted I hope) and put it to good use. I’ve always wanted to keep this blog alive, and continue sharing my thoughts about films and why I love them so much.

Purns Tries To Oscars 2019

2018 was a great year for films, at least for me personally. The first half of the year were my final days in college, while the latter half was more free time for myself – at least until I started working. Nevertheless, I made a promise to myself that I would watch new films more often, and I am proud to say that this year I have watched more movies than I have ever have in a given year. Whether alone or with friends, there is always something special about the movie-going experience – for the next two hours or so, a new medium is set for you to appreciate and admire, and the best ones are what keep you wondering days on end.

Now it’s that time of the year when the “best of the best” come together to find out who comes out on top in the different aspects of film making. I say “best of the best” because the ones in charge of selecting and awarding are the Academy of Motion Picture Art and Sciences (the Academy for short), who needless to say haven’t had the good year as I did. They’ve faced a lot of issues in the months building up to their awards ceremony, most of them caused by themselves. You would think that an organization claiming to be the most recognized in the film industry would show appreciation for ALL the people involved in film making.