I am overjoyed at this year's International Feature field. Not only is it one of the strongest we've seen in years, but for the first time since I've done the Blitz the result is genuinely in doubt. Yes, we had a bona fide shock last year when I'm Still Here beat out Emilia PĂ©rez, but … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – International Feature
Over the years, when covering Best Actress, I've harped on a few major sticking points for me. There are too many Showcase entries that seem to exist solely to highlight the performance. Far too many nominees are shoehorned into wife/mother roles rather than having independent agency. The result is often set in stone way earlier … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Best Actress
Every year when I do the Blitz, I try to think of new and fun ways to break down each category. Sometimes it's by doing some research and finding a few fun facts about the nominees themselves. Sometimes I dig into Oscars history for some juicy tidbits that might be relevant to the discussion. Sometimes … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Sound
Ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between, we are about to venture where have never gone before. For the first time since the advent of Animated Feature a quarter-century ago, we have a brand new category for the Academy Awards, and thus, for the Oscar Blitz. Welcome to the first ever breakdown of Best Casting! … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Casting (VIDEO)
Sometime around 2013, I wrote a short story as a form of creative expression in a time when I was feeling very empty inside. It was about a young man who meets a little girl in a Tokyo train station when she mistakes him for her older brother. I had written shorts before, even entered … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Adapted Screenplay
If you've followed the Blitz over the years, you know this is NOT my favorite category. I love music, and I love how music is used in film, whether it's a full-blown production number, a nice diegetic catalog track, or even occasionally a thematically appropriate coda during the credits. Also, as I've never been successfully … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Original Song
Over the last several months, I learned more about interior design than I ever cared to know. Working in door-to-door sales, focusing on windows and entry doors, my job required me to knock on over 100 properties a day in an assigned neighborhood, and attempt to set up appointments for the actual salesmen. While it … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Production Design
Hello, everybody! Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, welcome to the 2026 Oscar Blitz! We have five weeks chock full of analysis as we count down to the 98th Academy Awards, and it's a labor of love every year. However, I do have to open on something of a down note, and admit that … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – Best Director
It's been just over 48 hours since we got this year's crop of Oscar nominees, and with the actual Academy Awards ceremony not being until March 15, I have more lead time than I have in a long while. So naturally, I'm front-loading the fuck out of things and looking to do as much prep … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2026 – The Hub
Well, everyone, the day has come at last. This morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences trotted out Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman to announce its nominees for the 98th Oscars. A new category made its official debut, and a longstanding record was broken, perhaps permanently. There's a lot to get to, so … Continue reading A Hefty Blitz Package – 98th Academy Award Nominations
I Actually Paid To See This 