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
Last year, Lebanon earned an Oscar nomination in the Foreign Language category for the courtroom drama, The Insult, which depicted toxic masculinity against the backdrop of sectarian violence. Now, a year later, acclaimed writer and director Nadine Labaki makes a strong case for consecutive nominations with Capernaum (derived from the Arabic word for "chaos"), another intense drama … Continue reading Hell is for Children – Capernaum
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!
Year in and year out, this is the hardest category to track down. That's because of the eligibility cycle and rules that govern this category, which differ from the rest of the field. Right off the bat, there's no requirement that the films be publicly screened in the United States. Eligible films must be in … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2018 – Foreign Language
This is my absolute favorite time of year. I've loved the Academy Awards since I was a child, and it's one of my bucket list dreams to just be nominated, or even get to attend. Today, for me, is like the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, when Santa Claus arrives to end the … Continue reading The Blitz is On! 90th Oscar Nominations Revealed!
I Actually Paid To See This 