Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #15-19

Scene from Boyhood (2014)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #25-29

Scene from Roma (2018)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Roma" (2018)

Scene from Roma (2018)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Composing Greatness: #5.The Freshman Class of the 2010's - "Gravity" (2013)

Scene from Gravity (2013)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

An Overview of the 91st Annual Academy Awards Ceremony

Spike Lee

If one viewed Twitter seconds after The 91st Academy Awards announced its Best Picture winner, one would believe that this was the worst year ever. How could a film like Green Book beat more culturally relevant films like BlacKkKlansman or Roma? In some ways, it can be viewed as the perfect metaphor for a year of constant controversy where Academy President John Bailey tried (and failed) to introduce a Best Popular Film category, cut out several music acts, and go forward with no hosts. No matter what, this year was threatening to be different and many wondered just how well that turned out. Those who stopped at Green Book's Best Picture win, much like the other controversial missteps, didn't recognize how great this year was in small ways. It's a year where diversity was recognized, which shows that even if you view Green Book as a regressive winner, there has been inevitable change since the Oscars So White controversy of three years ago. This may have not been the most beloved Academy Award year, but it's far from the contrived mess people wanted it to be.

AMC and Regal Theaters Refuse to Play "Roma" Amid Several Oscar Nominations

Scene from Roma

If you've read the Oscar nominations that were announced on Tuesday, then there's a good chance that you've had plenty to celebrate. For Netflix in particular, there's plenty to enjoy as they not only get their first Best Picture nominee, but has the most nominees of any film (they also have a sizable total for The Ballad of Buster Scruggs). Considering that Amazon Studios and Hulu also have considerable nominations, it's a sign of the times that The Academy is finally recognizing streaming services as the quality distributor of entertainment that they are. But, there's an issue for anyone who wants to see Roma on the big screen. The nominations may have done plenty to raise its profile, but thanks to the ongoing conflict between Netflix and theatrical distribution, you may have to try extra hard to see it anywhere besides your home.

Review: "Roma" Finds Cuaron Getting Personal in a Beautiful, Nostalgic Way

Scene from Roma

In 2013, director Alfonso Cuaron created what is considered one of the most groundbreaking technical achievements of the decade with the Oscar-winning Gravity. It wasn't just a film, but an experience that needed to be seen on the big screen and, in a very rare instance, warranted a 3D treatment. He is one of the most essential directors of the moment, managing to convey human emotion while testing the limits of what a camera can film. It's why there's something to be said for the power of Roma: a film that is almost entirely antithetical to Gravity from its length (Roma is approximately 45 minutes longer) to its personal portrait of a woman whose life is undervalued by those around her. It's by no means a thrill ride, but instead a meditative journey into Mexico City in the 1970's as Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) goes about her days as a maid and an unexpected mother. It may be among Cuaron's least flashy plots in his entire career, but that only helps the film to be rich with subtle detail, feeling like a personal love letter to his own childhood with a perspective not often caught on film.

Here's My Pre-Season Oscars Predictions

Scene from Roma

With the start of September, it only feels right to enjoy the final naive days of Oscar season by playing the game every prognosticator loves to do: predict. Speaking as many films haven't so much as appeared on the radar yet, these columns are always ridiculous and antiquated, mostly going based off of what's popular in September. With that said, why not take chances and try to make bold predictions, of which might come true? The following is my attempt to predict the six top categories, including all four of the acting fields. What will make the final cut? Come back in a few months when I'll compare these to whatever makes the cut. I assure you that it may end up being a worthwhile laugh after a busy, hard fought season of more unpredictable achievements. 

Composing Greatness: #40. John Williams - "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" (2003)

Scene from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Why I Hate the "Oscars So White" Campaign

It's the happiest time of the year for fans of movie award shows. For better or worse, the Academy Awards are perceived as the pinnacle of cinema in any given year. In fact, there's very little to argue against this, considering that when someone "bad" happens, the internet gets into a frenzy over a few poor judgment calls. While this is a warranted comment on a society desiring further equal representation in their pop culture media, it is also a little uninformed. With the slogan "Oscars so white" popping up on Twitter, there's concern that 2014's nominees is the least diverse in 20 years. This is true, but please stop acting like this is a new outrage.

Save the Date: Oscar Nominations Announcement to Be Presented in Two Parts

J.J. Abrams

In case you were worried about the Oscars seeming too much of an old hat nowadays, they have done an incredible job to anticipate otherwise. Along with MC MVP Neil Patrick Harris hosting and a group of solid writers backing him up, 2015 looks to be way way different from what you'd expect. However, there's been some exciting news for those who are awaiting the moment when those nominees are finally announced. For the first time ever, all 24 categories will be announced in a live public event in two parts. What does this mean? It's actually something kind of exciting.

Check This Out: "Gravity" to Get Silent Treatment with New Special Edition Release in 2015

It seems like strange timing, but now is a great time to hop on a rocket ship and go out into the depths of space. With Interstellar taking us to the far regions of the universe, it is easy to forget about the scrappy, simpler blockbuster from last year that won over audiences with nothing more than two actors floating around as space debris hit them. I'm of course talking about director Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, which went on to sweep the Academy Awards with Best Director, Best Original Score (Steven Price) and a whole lot of technical wins. However, there's some big news coming for those that found the soundtrack to be too distracting. Coming in early 2015, you can officially see what the film would be like if you removed the Price score. It may seem like a very big gimmick, but one that should make for a fascinating alteration of the film.

A Few Thoughts on Long Takes and the Best Director Category

Left to right: Michael Keaton and Edward Norton

There is something magical about the long take in cinema. The longer that a moment is held, the more engaging it becomes. The more that it swerves around the room, the more relaxed it feels. The long take is an approach that has long been reduced to a shot here or there in cinema. However, in 2013, director Alfonso Cuaron received universal acclaim for his work on Gravity, which didn't so much use long takes, but seemed to have them floating through space in awe-inspiring ways. This Friday marks the release of director Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu's Birdman, which ups the ante. For those that found five or even 15 minute long takes fascinating, wait until you see this gimmick. According to reports, Birdman is shot so that its two hour run time looks like one uninterrupted take. If that doesn't impress you, nothing will.

The Directors Project: #39 - Alfonso Cuaron

Scene from Cinema Paradiso

With the many lists and essays written on the subject of film, there has been one thing that The Oscar Buzz has tried to understand: Who is my favorite of the film world? For 10 weeks this summer, I will be exploring this with a countdown of the Top 50 names based on a numerical ranking of ratings from various sources, the following is a list of directors who rank above everyone else. With occasional upsets, this is intended as both a discussion opener as well as a better understanding of me as a film critic and fan. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have regarding the entry's selection.

A Few Thoughts on the Academy Awards Ceremony: The Bad

Ellen Degeneres

If there was one issue of this year's Academy Awards, it was its desire to try and be hip. While it resulted in the ceremony's highest ratings in over a decade, it also lost focus of what the Academy Awards is: an awards show. This isn't a moment for spectacle, but to highlight a year of film with the prestigious award. This was most evident in the host, whose lack of spectacle was replaced be a series of happenstance moments literally ate up a lot of time, making her one of the dullest hosts in the show's recent history. Even if she was tame and appealed to the audience with off kilter remarks, Ellen Degeneres essentially lost the plot. While she isn't the only one to blame for this year's ceremony being one of the worst in recent memory, she does at least earn credit for ruining the fun nature.

A Few Thoughts on the Academy Awards Ceremony: The Good

Steve McQueen

In order to best explore all sides of the 86th Academy Awards Ceremony, I have decided to split my opinions up into two posts: the good and the bad. We'll begin with the good, as any given year is not without its charm. For starters, there wasn't any major upsets for those predicting the top dogs. While this means that it limits the bickering for most of the ceremony's legacy, it does mean that the Academy has done something right and the results will now be tested by time. Of course, there is much else to be said from speeches to performances to the overall presentation. Even if this year's ceremony had a lot of downsides, it definitely had a lot of great memorable moments.

A Closer Look at the Best Director Nominees

*Note: While I had previously publicized that I was covering all of the categories in a look at the Best Picture race, I have decided to dedicate posts to each of the main categories (Best Picture, Best Director, Acting, and Writing fields). I will be critiquing each nominee as well as ranking them in order of preference.

One of the more exciting things about this year's Oscar nominations is that there is uncertainty in the front runner. While speculation has it that American Hustle may be a potential upset, there is still Gravity and 12 Years a Slave proving to be roadblocks. Even The Wolf of Wall Street, despite controversy, is capable of thriving on its notoriety into some unforeseen glory. A lot of that has to do with the directors behind the camera. This year's selection is an impressive mix of fast-paced adrenaline to meditative slowness to stylistic nostalgia. Each of the five Best Director nominees have something unique to offer, and that may be the most exciting of all.

Review: "Gravity" is a Beautiful, Intense and Meditative Ride Through Space

Sandra Bullock

There are few films that get released in any given year that manage to feel like more than another great movie. There's a specific class that reaches above the echelon and joins the class of iconic, groundbreaking films that shape the way that cinema is perceived. Nowadays, it is easy to take it for granted with films like Life of Pi pushing the boundaries of what narrative storytelling and CGI can do when properly blended together. Even harder is to find a film on a large scale with minimalist interaction in wide open spaces that manage to feel simultaneously claustrophobic as well as gut wrenching, full of suspense... and that's just the story. For director Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity, he takes sci-fi to someplace new, and all just right outside the cusp of Earth's atmosphere.