I had initially planned to do a YouTube video for this category as well as the four acting fields and Best Picture. After all, the director is the ultimate creative force behind a successful film. It's their vision for the material that's ultimately realized through their ability to frame shots, wring the best performances they … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – Best Director
For the first time ever, I accomplished my goal of seeing the entire shortlist for International Feature. And trust me, it's quite the task, as this is the one category where even the most stalwart Oscar fanatic could be deprived of any chance to see a nominated film, or even a submitted one. According to … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – International Feature
Well folks, the last major hurdle of this year's Oscar Blitz is complete. With the viewing of Great Freedom last week, all films to view in and around the ceremony have been seen. I can officially close the book on the 2021 cinematic canon. We've still got two more weeks left of Oscar coverage, of … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – And the Rest… of the Blitz
Each of the three Short Subject categories offers something unique and extreme when compared to the other two. For Animated Short, you have the biggest variety of artistic styles, as animation comes in just about all shapes and sizes. For Live Action Short, you usually have more international fare than the other two, as well … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – Documentary Short
I would never characterize any Oscar category as "boring," because no matter what the discipline, the field is full of dedicated professionals and artists doing the best job they possibly can. But some are more expansive than others, creating legitimate intrigue and suspense year in and year out as to who might be nominated or … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – Costume Design
Earlier this month, I took the rare step of including Pixar's latest movie, Turning Red, in the monthly "This Film is Not Yet Watchable" column. That almost seems like tempting the cinema gods, right? Saying that a trailer for a Pixar project looks bad? Pixar, the studio that's only had maybe three misfires outside of … Continue reading Panda Express Yourself – Turning Red
Well, everyone, mission accomplished. With the successful viewing of Austria's Oscar submission, Great Freedom, which opened in American cinemas this weekend, I have finally achieved a goal I've been trying to manage for several years. With this final entry in 2021's canon, I have watched the entirety of the Academy's 15-film shortlist for International Feature! … Continue reading The Brokeback Redemption, er, I Mean, Shawshank Mountain – Great Freedom
While it's often thought of as the most glamorous award of the evening, Best Actress is often a category that gets underserved. This is mostly due to two main factors. One, as I've mentioned before, there's a marketing strategy that I refer to as the Best Actress Showcase, where a film is specifically made to … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – Best Actress
The purpose of any documentary film - regardless of subject matter - is the search for truth. It's the entire point of nonfiction storytelling, to deal in facts, to educate, to highlight elements of our world that deserve to be seen and appreciated, even if we don't agree with the overall point being made. That's … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2022 – Documentary Feature
If you were to tell me in a vacuum that Robert Pattinson, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and Paul Dano would be starring in a new movie directed by Matt Reeves, I would imagine that you'd be describing a cerebral, artsy exploration of the human condition through a distinctly animalistic lens. After all, ever since he … Continue reading The Knight is Still Young – The Batman
I Actually Paid To See This 