Photo Focus Features

Although everyone was talking about turkeys last week, you will not find any at the Orinda Theatre. This is the season when Hollywood gives us the cream of the crop and Oscar buzz is in the air. Let's take a look at the three films that are shoe-ins for Best Picture nominations: "Brooklyn," "Spotlight" and "Trumbo."
"Brooklyn" is an amazing movie about an Irish immigrant in 1950s New York who falls for an Italian plumber in Brooklyn but faces temptation from another man when she returns home.
"Spotlight" is the front-runner to win the Best Picture Oscar. It is based on the true story of Boston Globe editor, Marty Baron, who in 2001 assigns a team of journalists to investigate allegations against Roman Catholic Priest John Geoghan, who was accused of molesting grammar school boys.
"Trumbo" is my favorite movie of the year for it has all my favorite elements: it is based on a true story; it is an excellent film; and the history is accurate. Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter in 1947. He and nine other Hollywood executives (The Hollywood Ten) were jailed and blacklisted after refusing to answer House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) questions about their alleged involvement with the Communist Party. Amazingly Dalton won two Academy Awards for best writing using a pseudonym - "The Brave One" (1956) and "Roman Holiday" (1963). Look for an Oscar nomination for Bryan Cranston for his role as Trumbo.

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