Among the many notable films made each year there are always a few that are left out of the major awards.
The movie Pig, written and directed by Milwaukee-raised Michael Sarnoski, is a story about a reclusive man named Robin (played by Nicholas Cage) who lives in the woods alone with his truffle pig. His pig is stolen from him one night, and he goes on a quest to get it back.
Archer Parquette is the managing editor at Milwaukee Magazine, and he wrote an article all about why Pig is the best movie of the year.
Cage's character, Robin, barely speaks throughout the film, which Parquette attributes to him having "clearly experienced a very painful loss" in his past. At no point does he open up about it.
"[Pig] already establishes everything about [Robin] and the pig and why what will happen to the pig is important. Somehow, it does that without making it seem ridiculous because the premise of him being extremely bonded to a pig that sounds like a Nicolas Cage goofy thing," says Parquette.
Another character, Amir, who works in the restaurant industry and pays Robin for the truffles ends up being his partner in searching for the pig. He becomes equally as important as Robin, Parquette adds.
"By the end, you can already tell that there's a level of healing between Robin and Amir, and it's conveyed through in the very final scene, with just one line. It's sort of a callback to the beginning of the movie. It works so well. It's kind of astounding that [Sarnoski] was able to do that," says Parquette.
In Parquette's view, the film should be have been nominated — and go on to win best picture, best actor, best director and best original screen play.
He points out that the film is deeply layered in both writing and cinematography. It doesn't conform to any exceptions a viewer might have and it does an exceptional job in its exploration of grief.
On top of that, Parquette says that Cage's performance of an essentially broken person was both convincing and amazing.
"It's as moving as any other performance this year, I would say. Then in terms of best picture, I think all of those elements add up to just one of the best movies of the year. I think it should have won. I think there were others that are on par with it, but I still lean toward picking the best movie of the year," says Parquette.
