“In Theory, Communism Works”… But Only When You Work Together – The Young Karl Marx

Director Raoul Peck seems to have a thing for revolutionary intellectuals. Last year he was nominated for the Documentary Feature Oscar for his film, I Am Not Your Negro, about the life of James Baldwin. Now, in a work of historical fiction (which tracks very closely with factual records), he looks at the founders of modern … Continue reading “In Theory, Communism Works”… But Only When You Work Together – The Young Karl Marx →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Best Actor

We're down to the final three categories, and tonight we deal with the last one that I actually finished this year. It's always interesting to me to see which category ends up being the final one to wrap up the blitz. Two years ago, the first time I completed every film, it was Foreign Language, … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Best Actor →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Cinematography

This is the most important technical category in all of film. Without brilliant men and women behind the camera and lighting the scenes, there literally is no movie. Strictly speaking, you don't need sound, editors, visual effects, or even actors. But with no camera, film cannot happen. Even the most visionary directors and auteurs cannot … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Cinematography →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Foreign Language

Year in and year out, this is the hardest category to track down. That's because of the eligibility cycle and rules that govern this category, which differ from the rest of the field. Right off the bat, there's no requirement that the films be publicly screened in the United States. Eligible films must be in … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Foreign Language →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Sound Mixing

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, there's a distinct difference between Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. Editing has to do with special sound effects, while Mixing is a focus on the overall audio balance, bet it live on the set or in post-production. I'm certainly no expert in the matter, but that's always been … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Sound Mixing →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Live Action Short

Tonight we enter the home stretch of this year's Oscar coverage. There are seven categories left to dig into, plus one more omnibus post on Friday, March 2, where I'll actually predict the results, whether they concur with my analysis and preferences or not. We have two more technical categories and two more specialty film … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Live Action Short →

A Film Fit for a King, and a Message Fit for its Maturing Audience – Black Panther

I'll admit I've had a difficult relationship with the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the past few years. Sometimes it's a matter of quality, and sometimes it's simply a lack of access. We are now in what is referred to as "Phase Three" of the MCU, and I confess I haven't seen half the films in … Continue reading A Film Fit for a King, and a Message Fit for its Maturing Audience – Black Panther →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Best Supporting Actress

There's a lot of interesting history associated with this award. Most famously, Hattie McDaniel's win for her role in Gone with the Wind made her the first black performer to take home an Oscar. We've also seen youth get rewarded, as both Tatum O'Neal and Anna Paquin won as children. And of course, we'll always have … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Best Supporting Actress →

Prehistoric Footballers Bend it Like Bedrock – Early Man

Most people this weekend will be clamoring to see Black Panther. Honestly, I'll probably be one of them. It's going to be the first true blockbuster of the year. But there's another movie worth checking out if you get the chance (or if Black Panther is sold out), the latest claymation family feature from Nick Park (Wallace … Continue reading Prehistoric Footballers Bend it Like Bedrock – Early Man →

Oscar Gold 2018 – Documentary Short

Tonight we continue our coverage of the short subject categories, with Documentary Short, typically the longest of the set. I've seen the groupings four years in a row now, and twice there was a case where enough of the films pushed up against the 40-minute time limit that an intermission was necessary after watching three … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Documentary Short →