Nomadland wins best picture award...

[Cammalu]

LERCA. I hope you can join us when you break free. Did you say where you are?

We are in Quartzsite now but will be in KY for the summer.

 

[LERCA]

Hi Cammalu,
Thanks for the invite. I look forward to it. I’m from Southern California.
Although if you are in Kentucky in the Spring it might be closer to when all the car work is done. And sounds super exciting I haven’t been there.
The guy told me the carpenter wasn’t available until at least March. I need a reasonable storage unit (just 5’5’ ) new tires, and I have to buy a Thule rear cargo box (I’m too short to reach the top one) It’s going to be the most expensive part of the whole thing.
Would love to travel though makes it something fun instead of sad. Thank you!

 

[txmnjim]

well, we finally got to see at the theatre today. i thought it was very good, but yes a little slow and contemplative,
but it really inspired me to continue on this quest for van life! i thought Bob and everyone did a great job acting and
it cant help but attract more folks to the cause, although that could be a double-edged sword. it did a very good job of
showing how connected we all are and how important it is to have that connection. bravo!

 

[gsfish]

I just saw my first TV commercial for Nomadland. It was during 60Minutes.

Guy

 

[JasonMcD]

I was able to see the film tonight and i'm glad i was able to see it. Its a story that needed to be told, and i thought the filmmakers did a great job of telling it honestly and without frills. It perfectly captured the freedom of the nomadic lifestyle which is so often tempered with loneliness. It was nice to see Bob and the gang portrayed, and i hope it will bring more attention to folks who either choose to live this lifestyle, but more importantly to those who did not. I'm looking forward to beginning another chapter in my journey this spring in my 08' Chevy Uplander which i've nicknamed Dutch. I'll see you all down the road.

 

[Super_Dave]

I'm curious if anybody thinks this will attract an influx of Nomads. Some would stay, but I'm sure many would regret it. And with the way the economy and looming evictions, combined with fewer jobs available, this may be a viable option for too many people. Along with that will come more restrictions as people may overwhelm resources or just become noticeably more numerous. I fear the government may find opportunities to implement new laws and fees for the relatively untapped nomad resource.
I started my planning a while back and saw the trailer for the movie and thought, dang! I sure hope this doesn't trigger too many to join and also, I sure want to see it. After becoming familiar with Bob and Carolyn's work, it struck a chord for sure.
Anybody else feel the same senses?

 

[jacqueg]

I share your concern about too much camping pressure resulting in too many restrictions. But the fact is that the newcomers corner here has more new posters than it did a year ago. Will this new movie exacerbate this? I dunno - maybe some.

I will say that neither the book (which I've read) nor the movie (which I haven't yet seen, but have sure read plenty about) don't seem to over-glamorize the life. 

But I wouldn't want to even try to bar anyone from trying it out. It's anyone's basic right to try.

 

[Halfwaytree]

I just saw the film.

I will not give away any spoilers but will give my views.

I found it to be a blend of heartache, realization, personal growth and acceptance.

There are feel good moments and also very depressing and desperate scenes.

The way the story is told is refreshing. I'm tired of movies relying on computer generated special effects. None of that here, just great camera work and believable, wonderful acting performances.

I'm biased, but I think it will be nominated for an Oscar.

 

[mpruet]

I just saw it on Hulu.  While I thought that it was a beautifully shot video and quite contemplative, I’m not sure how well it will be understood by folks that haven’t experienced the lifestyle or at least rubbed shoulders with full-timers in Quartzsite.  There was very little dialogue as to how to earn money, just all of a sudden Fran was in an Amazon warehouse and then at a beet harvest.  While most of us will know that when she went to the ‘Big Tent’ that she was looking for work, there was not any dialogue about the process.  I’m just not sure that my neighbors or family would understand from the movie what was happening.

 

[Halfwaytree]

Actually mpruet, that is a very good point.
Even if they added a one minute scene where she talks to a fellow worker at the Amazon warehouse who is also a nomad and tells her about the campsite hosting and beet harvest jobs would have made a big difference to broaden the audience's understanding. They kind of took that for granted.

 

[jacqueg]

I just saw the film.

I will not give away any spoilers but will give my views.

I found it to be a blend of heartache, realization, personal growth and acceptance.

There are feel good moments and also very depressing and desperate scenes.

The way the story is told is refreshing. I'm tired of movies relying on computer generated special effects. None of that here, just great camera work and believable, wonderful acting performances.

I'm biased, but I think it will be nominated for an Oscar.

Just wa[size=small]tched i[size=small]t. [/size][/size]I agree.

 

[jacqueg]

  I’m just not sure that my neighbors or family would understand from the movie what was happening.

Ah, but they have you to answer their questions, don't they? 

I think it's a cinematic choice to draw people into Fern's emotional life, rather than focus on "this happened, then that happened, then this third thing..."

Because of course, fundamentally this movie is not just about a van dweller's life. Lots of folks have been economically abandoned by our national system. It's also about getting older and how you cope with the losses we have all experienced by the time we get to our 60s - and beyond.

 

[sreesekelley]

I watched the film last evening. I wasn't really impressed, to be honest. I've seen other films that deal with the emotional growth of an individual and their self-realization of happiness. I won't spoil it but I think there was only one scene in the movie that actually touched me. personally, I think the nomad portion of the film just happened to be the set for the actual story. Winters Bone was a far more dramatic and believable journey of determination and personal growth and it was nominated for best picture at the Oscars but didn't win. I guess that viewpoint will place me in the minority.

 

[Jon Donahue]

Saw Nomadland today at the Uptown Theater in Sierra Vista, AZ. Best Actress for McDermond? Easy. Best movie? Probably not. The grief theme does not transit to joy for the open road after she turns down an offer to live in a friend's lovely house. The film never really amplified Bob Well's take that mobile life is much better than fixed-abode life. The cinematography had far more dreary scenes, instead of the vibrant electric saturated color we enjoy every day once outside of the cities. But I guess the lack of deep blue skies and saturated color had to do with the grief theme. Anyway, is it a must-see? Absolutely. Will it be a very long time until there's another Hollywood movie with lots of real people playing themselves? That's for sure. Nomadland is real; the people in it are real; it is about as far away from popular shows like The Bachelor as you can get, thank God. 4 of 5 stars. Takeaway? Beg, borrow or steal, but see this movie!

 

[txmnjim]

  Winters Bone was a far more dramatic and believable journey of determination and personal growth and it was nominated for best picture at the Oscars but didn't win.  I guess that viewpoint will place me in the minority.

Winters Bone was also very good. I usually watch action-type films but i liked Nomadland as it pretty
much validated my desire to jump in and start travelling. I bet it would be fun and definitely cool to
meet up with folks on a similar path...

 

[Tony's Dream]

I thought it had not been released tot he public yet. I have been looking for it online (amazon prime) and I can't find it.

 

[jacqueg]

I[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]t's no[size=small][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]t on Amazon Prime, i[size=small][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]t's on Hulu.
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[Katt]

I had never heard of it until my husband told me about it a few days ago. We watched it on Hulu the other day and again today as a watch party with my oldest, who is thinking about coming along with us at some point soon.

I love this kind of film. It really laid bare the realities a lot of people are facing right now. Watching Fern come to terms with giving up her old life and overcoming her fear was both sad and inspiring. I cried through a good portion of it. I think the overall message was more about how everyone's path is different and there's no real right or wrong way to do it or reason for doing it. And also that some people only live the nomadic life for a time while they figure out where they want or need to be, and that's OK.

If the sense of community I felt was present in the film is anything like reality, I am really looking forward to meeting you folks on the road.

 

[JohnnyM]

Nice review, Katt.

Good to hear from you.

Johnny

 

[RollingOm]

  I guess that viewpoint will place me in the minority.

I agree with you, that makes two of us.