Come on, how could I not preface the Independent Spirit Awards with a reference to quite possibly the greatest independent film of all time? The moment has come at last, and Awards Season is truly and officially underway with the first major announcement of nominees. Yes, technically the Golden Globe nods came out first with … Continue reading I’m 37?! – 37th Independent Spirit Nominees Announced
Grief is a universal experience. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you and everyone else in this world will feel the weight of loss at some point in your life. The ability to process it, cope, and find ways to move on, is an essential part of the human condition. It's … Continue reading The Long and Winding Road – Drive My Car
Every once in a while you come across a completely shameless tearjerker and are actually happy for the maudlin treacle. This is the case with Naomi Kawase's True Mothers, the official Oscar entry from Japan. Over the course of a deliberately paced two and a half hours, the film makes no illusions and no apologies … Continue reading Are You My Mommy? – True Mothers
Just like the Documentary branch of the Academy seems to have a seething vendetta against films that engage with mass audiences, so to do the Foreign Language voters seem to have an innate bias against one particular country. South Korea has been submitting off and on in this category since 1962, with 30 films put … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2019 – Foreign Language
It's time! It's finally time! Time to debate and debase the thinking of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, because the nominees for the 91st Oscars have arrived! Will I have to scramble to see multiple films I missed over the course of 2018? Will it just be a casual trip to the … Continue reading 3, 2, 1, BLITZ! – 91st Academy Award Nominees Announced!
Now that the Golden Globes are out of the way, and Awards Season is in full swing, it's time for the rest of the minor ceremonies to announce their nominees. We've already had the Independent Spirit and SAG nods for a while, but in the last few days we've also accumulated announcements from the Writers … Continue reading Let the Undercard Bouts Begin! – Guild and BAFTA Nominees Announced
For the first time ever, the Academy has revealed the shortlists for nine different categories all at the same time. Typically, this process is doled out over a few weeks to give each category a moment in the spotlight, but for our purposes, it's way more convenient. As ever, I will link to whatever reviews … Continue reading Short and Sweet: 91st Academy Awards Shortlists Announced!
I hope you enjoyed my weeklong streak of reviews, and if not, I hope you enjoyed the week off you had from my ramblings. I was on vacation, visiting my family in upstate New York, introducing them to my girlfriend, and meeting my newborn nephew. He was due this week, but he came early on … Continue reading Gaga on Dick – Golden Globe Nominees Announced!
Normally I only care about the Oscars when it comes to Awards Season. I certainly reference the other major ceremonies and union shows because they can portend the results on the Academy's biggest night, but for the most part, I don't really pay that much attention. But now that I'm doing this blog, and we're … Continue reading Independent Spirit Nominees Announced for 2018
I Actually Paid To See This 