The calendar has finally turned over, and of course, because we just can't have nice things, the universe decided to take Betty White out at the last fucking minute. But anyway, the official book has closed on 2021, a year where we almost, kinda, sort of got back to something resembling normal, only for the … Continue reading The Best (and Worst) of 2021
We're in the preliminary stages of next year's Oscar Blitz, with me sitting here eagerly anticipating the official announcement of specialty submissions before the shortlists come out on December 21. Part of that early zeal has included monitoring news feeds (and let's be honest, Wikipedia) for individual countries to announce their entries for International Feature, … Continue reading DownStream – Netflix International
If there's any one category that gives me fits and anxiety attacks year in and year out, it's this one. It's not that the entrants are bad by any means, it's simply a matter of access. The eligibility calendar for International Feature submissions shifts back a couple of months before the general ballot, so as … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2021 – International Feature
It's here. It's time. We've made it at last. After the most tumultuous year in cinema history, we finally arrive at Nomination Day. Twenty-three categories have been filled with hopefuls vying for the top prize in the film industry, and the annual Blitz is officially on! It's not lost on me that it's been exactly … Continue reading Time For the Delayed Blitz! – 93rd Academy Award Nominations!
There's a strange, yet telling line in Hong Kong's Oscar submission, Better Days, that seeps deeper than anything else in the film. "You're either a bully, or you're the one being bullied." Essentially, it means that there are no innocent bystanders, but it sticks out because there's a disturbing wisdom to it. Even if you … Continue reading Disabusing Yourself – Better Days
A year ago today, Parasite shocked the world by winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. For a lot of film lovers out there, that was the last pleasant memory before the world went to Hell. Today, in the slimmest sign of a return to normalcy, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced … Continue reading The First Cuts – 93rd Oscars Shortlists Announced!
I Actually Paid To See This 