30
FEBRUARY2016
AMERICANWAY
THEPASTTHREEYEARS,
I’vewaiteduntil the
daybeforetheAcademyAwardstoseeany
Oscar-nominatedmovies.That’sbecause
I’veattendedtheAMCBestPicture
Showcasemarathon, inwhicheach
nominated film isshownback-to-back
(withbreaks)overa24-hourperiod. (It
usuallycosts$65,and it’sheld incities like
Boston,Chicago,Dallas,LosAngeles,New
Yorkanda fewothers.Fordetails,goto
Amctheaters.com
.)
Itsounds insane,but it’sglorious, for
severalreasons.One, it feels likeabigevent:
Youshowupatyourtheaterearlyon
Oscar-weekendSaturday,pillowsand
snacks inhand,withdozensofother film
geeks.Youget lanyardsandgifts.Everyone
talksaboutwhichmoviesthey’remost
excitedtosee.Thenthere’samaddash into
thetheatertoclaimyourspot,because
that’swhereyou’regoingtobe forthenext
20to24hours(dependingonrunningtimes
andhowmanymoviesarenominated).
Two, it feels likeachallenge:AMCalso
doestwo-dayall-dayshowings in50orso
cities(whichrunonconsecutiveweekends
with fouror fivemoviesshowneachday),
buttheseare forwimps.Anyonecanwatch
fivemovies inarow.Butcanyoustay
focusedduringthebackhalfofanart filmat
4a.m.?Theanswer isoftenno.Snoring isan
occupationalhazard—oneguywhocomes
toourshowcaseeveryyear is legendarily
loud—and, trustme, it’snoteasytosleep
comfortably inamovie-theaterseat.
Butthebestthingabouttheshowcase is
itsaftermath:You leaveearlyonOscar-
Sundaymorning,eatahugebreakfast,
sleepa fewhours, thenheadtoyour favorite
Oscar-watchingparty,whereyoucan
annoytheheckoutofeveryonewithyour
just-formed, 100percent inarguable
AcademyAwardsopinions.Makes
sleep-deprivationworth it.
ThisexhibitionofPicasso’s
relatedworksshedsnew lighton the
manandhismistress
Adelicate sketch, adramatic scene, a
vibrant portrait: Though these three
works by themultifacetedPablo
Picasso are strikinglydifferent, each
depictsMarie-ThérèseWalter, his
Frenchmistress. Thismonth at the
exhibit “VisitingMasterpieces: Pairing
Picasso” at theMuseumof FineArts
inBoston, you canexamine this and
dozens of other waysPicassomas-
terfullyusedhis expertise in various
mediums to represent a single subject,
all grouped accordingly. Theexhibit
runs fromFeb. 13 toJune 26.
“THERESCUE,”1932
AdevastatedPicasso created this
work afterMarie-Thérèsenearly
drownedwhile kayaking inFrance. She
survivedbut caught an infection from
the river rats, which left her ill
and temporarilyhairless.
“HEADOFAWOMAN,PORTRAITOF
MARIE-THÉRÈSEWALTER,”1934
AsPicassowas consumedwithdesire
forMarie-Thérèseduring this stage
of his life,manyof hisworks from this
periodusebright, joyful hues.
“SLEEPINGNUDE
(MARIE-THÉRÈSEWALTER),”1932
Mariewas 17when shemet the
married, 45-year-oldPicasso. Inwhat
has been calledhis “lovestruckperiod,”
Picassoproducedwork rapidly,
inspiredbyhis secret, forbidden love.
—AMANDAOGLE
PORTRAIT
OFAN
OBSESSION
Binge-Watching
ontheBigScreen
Anyonecango seeanOscar-nominatedmovie, but it takes a
special kindofperson to see themall inonego.
—E.C.
POV
ILLUSTRATION
BRIANAJHAR
PHOTOS
MICHELSIMA/RDA/GETTY IMAGES;COURTESYOFMUSEUMOFFINEARTS, BOSTON (3)
