Well, everyone, the day has come at last. This morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences trotted out Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman to announce its nominees for the 98th Oscars. A new category made its official debut, and a longstanding record was broken, perhaps permanently. There's a lot to get to, so … Continue reading A Hefty Blitz Package – 98th Academy Award Nominations
When I was a kid, I did my best to learn as much as possible about everything I could. My grandmother even had a full set of Encyclopedia Americana that I pored over from time to time. I took the old slogan of "knowledge is power" to heart. But I also remained blissfully unaware of … Continue reading Hail St. Nick! – One Battle After Another
Martin Scorsese is the greatest living film director on the planet, and possibly the best of all time. I know it, you know it, gestating fetuses know it. He made his bones telling crime stories like Goodfellas, but his ability to take on basically any genre and turn it into gold is what makes his … Continue reading Blood for Oil – Killers of the Flower Moon
The Oscar nominations have finally been announced, and as such, the annual Blitz is in full effect. In the final days leading up to the reveal, I was able to squeeze in two more movies via Netflix in the hopes of checking off a couple nominees in advance. Well, I half succeeded. One of these … Continue reading DownStream – The Netflix Pre-Blitz
We're in the home stretch, folks. In five days, we will know where the Academy stands, and the Oscar nominations will be announced. Before that happens, however, we have one last entry into the Awards Season undercard, the most prestigious ceremony for our friends across the Pond, the BAFTAs. Now obviously, being more Anglo-centric than … Continue reading I Say, Good Show – 75th BAFTA Nominations
It's the holiday season, and bad movies are the gifts that keep on giving. This year is no exception. As Awards Season reaches its peak, there are oh so many also-rans and downright pieces of shit out there that studios are hoping to make some money off of in the meantime, either by selling them … Continue reading This Film is Not Yet Watchable – December 2021
Part of my major problem with this year's Oscar-winning documentary, My Octopus Teacher, was that it was in large part a vanity project, a form of self-therapy for the film's creator. I'm happy for the emotional breakthroughs he made, and the footage of the titular octopus was gorgeous, but it felt like watching something that … Continue reading A Cry in the Dark – The Loneliest Whale
It's appearing that the acting categories are going to be well sewn up long before Oscar Night arrives. The results from the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild are identical, which means really, only the BAFTAs can create any real intrigue. That's what happened last year with Best Actress, as Olivia Colman's upset of … Continue reading Oscar Gold 2020 – Best Actor
The moment has come at last. Over 300 films were submitted for this year's Oscars, and now the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has had their say. After weeks and months of anticipation, conjecture, campaigning, and outright nail-biting on my part, we finally have our list of contenders across 24 categories. Issa Rae … Continue reading Put on Your Blitzin’ Shoes! – 92nd Academy Awards Nominations Announced!
The Academy Award nominations are just under a week away, and as the final preview, we now have the list of contenders for the major Hollywood labor unions and the British Film Academy! There's a lot to sift through, and as the results trickle in over the next few weeks, we'll get a lot of … Continue reading Unions, Jack! – BAFTA and Guild Nominations Announced!
I Actually Paid To See This 