One of the things I love about the Academy Awards is all the history involved. I'm not just talking about the history of films, but the depictions of actual human history within them. And there's no better showcase for the subject than the Costume Design category. To say that the Art Directors Branch favors so-called … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Costume Design
Creating a compelling sound profile is a tricky task. No matter how many times we have to hear Nicole Kidman gush about the idea of "sound that I can feel," ideally that's not what you want to go for. You certainly want your audience to have an enjoyable experience, and sometimes the sensation that you're … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Sound
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and anyone who's offended that I didn't mention whatever gender terminology they align with, welcome one and all to the 2023 Oscar Blitz! The films have played, the grievances have been aired, and it's time to finally get down to business and break down this year's field for the … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – Supporting Actress
When I saw Old a couple years ago, I commented on the fact that M. Night Shyamalan had a solid idea on his hands that could have been insanely compelling, but that almost all of the fun and suspense of the film was lost because of his over-reliance on twist endings. As I said back … Continue reading A Plague on this House – Knock at the Cabin
The previous entry in the Sword Art Online film series began the cinematic adaptation of the "Progressive" spinoff light novels, where franchise creator Reki Kawahara began a more detailed retconning of the main story, which originally jumped from Floor 1 of the floating castle Aincrad inside the titular virtual reality death game (if a player's … Continue reading Finding Your Strength – Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night
Man this is going to be a busy month. Between my work, the Oscar Blitz, and any number of other side projects, it'll be any wonder if I sleep at all over the next four weeks. Imagine if I had a girlfriend right now. She'd be so neglected. But hey, I love what I do, … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – February 2023
Well folks, it's time. The nominations are out, the vast majority of the films have been viewed, and I've gotten my lovely little tuxedo t-shirt out of the closet. The Oscar Blitz for 2023 has begun! There are going to be a couple changes to the coverage this year. First off, I've decided to retire … Continue reading Oscar Blitz 2023 – The Hub
Back in 2018, I named Aneesh Chaganty's debut, Searching, as one of my favorite films of the year. John Cho's lived-in, tense performance as a man looking for his lost daughter through the voyeuristic framing device of using only his computer screen was compelling on a number of levels, and was the first social media-based … Continue reading Like, Follow, and Find My Mom – Missing
Today's the big day, folks! It seems like only yesterday Will Smith was committing assault and battery on live television because of a G.I. Jane joke, but it's already time to begin the 2023 Oscar Blitz! In a ceremony hosted by Riz Ahmed and Allison Williams, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced … Continue reading A Surprise Blitz – 95th Academy Awards Nominees
We're about 48 hours away from Oscar nominations, just enough time to squeeze in one more "Back Row Thoughts" column tackling this year's Documentary Feature shortlist (here are Part 1 and Part 2 if you want/need to catch up). Of the 15 films up for the prize, this set of reviews will bring us up … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – Doc’s Orders, Part 3
I Actually Paid To See This 