We're officially one week from the 95th Academy Awards, and in these final days, the task falls upon me to begin officially closing the book on 2022 cinema. I was able to clear the vast majority of the Oscar nominees before they were even announced, and in my pursuit of hopefuls and also-rans after the … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Animation Nomination, Part 4
More than anything else in Creed III, this latest entry in the Rocky film series (notably the first where Sylvester Stallone doesn't appear, serving only in a Producer role) emphasizes the idea of casting aside the shadows of the past. Whether it's through personal healing, confrontation, or taking the reins on a meta level, this … Continue reading Out of the Shadows – Creed III
For the second straight year, my journey through the Short Film Program had an extra degree of excitement. Due to the timing and location of the screenings, I was able to view all three categories in one day. It started with Animation at the newly-remodeled NuArt Theatre on Santa Monica Boulevard, followed almost immediately by … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Live Action Short (VIDEO)
Let me tell you about the first video project I ever edited. It was my junior year of high school, and I was taking an AV elective, one that I actually had to come in early for, as I was one of about eight or ten kids who wanted to take the class but it … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Film Editing
The controversy surrounding this year's Best Actress category has been, in an odd way, rather fascinating. This is mostly because of which aspects of the situation people tend to get offended by, and which they're perfectly fine with. For those blissfully unaware, THE big shock of the nomination announcement was that Andrea Riseborough got the … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Best Actress
Of the three Short Film categories, the hardest to get through is Documentary Short. This is for two main reasons. One is that the entries are often poignant, insightful, and emotionally devastating in their honesty. In a relatively short span, the filmmakers are able to convey the breadth of the human experience - and sometimes … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Documentary Short
If you've been keeping up with the Blitz coverage so far, this category may feel like a bit of déjà vu. With only one exception, the list of nominees for Original Screenplay this year is exactly the same as for Best Director. And even then, we're not talking about a difference in films, merely the … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Original Screenplay
It's almost March, the time of year when things really start to turn around. The Oscars are handed out, the NCAA Tournament begins, snow starts melting, work tends to pick up in my little sector of the entertainment industry, and Hollywood studios start putting out some really good movies. Okay, everything but that last part. … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – March 2023
It's weird how things line up every now and then when it comes to cinema. In the late 90s, we had two movies come out within months of each other about meteor strikes (Deep Impact and Armageddon), volcanic eruptions (Volcano and Dante's Peak), ants (Antz and A Bug's Life), and men whose lives were broadcast … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Bear-ly Passable
As I've said a few times over the course of this Blitz, the men's side of the acting field is decidedly slight compared to the women. We still have a legitimate contest, as this is still a two-horse race, possibly even three. But the fact that it's not five consistently, year in and year out, … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Best Actor (VIDEO)
I Actually Paid To See This 