R.I.P. Buck Henry (1930-2020)

Buck Henry

On January 8, 2020, comedian and writer Buck Henry passed away at the age of 89 in Los Angeles, California. With over 50 years of experience, he created an incredible career featuring two Oscar nominations for the films The Graduate and Heaven Can Wait. Along with his work on the film, he became known for what he did on TV as the co-creator of Get Smart as well as frequent appearances on Saturday Night Live. As an entertainer, he was capable of finding deeper insight into even the most absurd of scenarios, managing to create a complex and sympathetic view of the world that made it a more interesting place. What he leaves behind is one of the most charismatic, entertaining resumes that an artist can give. He will be missed. 

Composing Greatness: #10. The Freshman Class of the 2010's - "La La Land" (2016)

Scene from La La Land

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.

This Year's Governor Awards Recipients Are...

David Lynch

As fun as it is to see who wins competitive Oscars every year, it's just as exciting to see who is going to receive a Governor's Award. Every year has produced an interesting collection of recipients, all voted upon by Oscar voters. This year is no different, as the results have produced an exciting array of talent that ranges from directors to actors who have made a strong impact on the industry. the Class of 2019 has indeed an interesting group, which includes David Lynch, Wes Studi, Lina Wertmuller, and the Jean Herscholt Award recipient Geena Davis. It's an exciting group and features one of the most eclectic mixes in recent years.

R.I.P. John Singleton (1968-2019)

John Singleton

On April 28, 2019, director and producer John Singleton passed away at the age of 51 in Los Angeles, California. As a resident of Los Angeles for most of his life, his films reflected the interests of urban cultures and lead to many iconic films such as Poetic Justice and Higher Learning. Among his greatest achievements was his work on his directorial debut Boyz n the Hood, which saw him at 24 earn a Best Director Oscar nomination. This helped to make him the youngest person nominated for the category as well as the first African American nominated in the category. He leaves behind an inspiring body of work, if just because of his passion for promoting black stories and creating a society that welcomes sharing authentic stories regardless of what the studios think. His ability to form a lasting career is itself an incredible achievement and makes him a unique talent within the industry. He leaves behind a massive body of work that is inimitable and influential front to back.

R.I.P. Michael Anderson (1920-2018)

Michael Anderson

On April 25, 2018, director Michael Anderson passed away at the age of 98 in London, England. Over the course of a career spanning 50 years, he produced a lot of great and powerful cinema ranging from the Best Picture-winning epic Around the World in 80 Days to the 70's sci-fi classic Logan's Run. He was game for any genre, and usually brought his all to making the films as great as possible. His influence continues to be seen in the filmmakers who have taken influence from his work, and his general openness to try anything. He leaves behind an impressive resume, and one that is going to entertain for generations to come.

R.I.P. Milos Forman (1932-2018)

Milos Forman

On April 13, 2018, director Milos Forman died at the age of 86 in Danbury, Connecticut. Over the course of his career, he is best remembered for two Best Picture-winning films: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus. Beyond that, his career encapsulated stories about people trying to understand what freedom truly mean, which he understood as a Czechoslovakian immigrant. His films tended to feature naturalist approaches to stories, capturing a documentary-like look to stories no matter how fictional. He was also great with actors, managing to earn major awards for actors ranging from Jack Nicholson to Woody Harrelson and Jim Carrey. His legacy can be found in his provocative cinema whose messages still feel immediate. He will be greatly missed, even if his influence isn't likely to go away any time soon.

Long Shot Week: Best Director - Jordan Peele ("Get Out")

Scene from Get Out

Welcome to the first Long Shot Week, where I will attempt to persuade you to think outside of the Oscar box. While it's too late to change voters' minds, I believe that audiences need to take a moment to look at the other contenders in any category and give them a chance. Long Shot Week is designed as a way to highlight these talents that likely don't stand a chance of winning, but more than deserve a chance to be appreciated for what they bring to the game. In a way, this is my list of "Films that should've won," though it's not always indicative of my favorite. Join me all week as I look at different categories and pose the question "Why not?" in hopes that The Oscars still have a few surprises up their sleeve.

Check This Out: The A24 Podcast

For readers of The Oscar Buzz, there's a certain knowledge of how much I admire the studio A24. I have dedicated an entire column to it called A24 A-to-Z, which just finished the films of 2015. With the studio looking to have a great 2018, it does seem exciting to announce that they also have started their own podcast, aptly titled The A24 Podcast. So, what is it about? To be honest, it's not entirely clear yet. However, their first episode does feature a lengthy discussion between two of the studio's biggest names, both of whom have received Best Director nominations at The Oscars. Greta Gerwig and Barry Jenkins bring a certain chemistry to the first episode that suggests that even if this is just more filmmakers talking shop, it's going to be fun for those who are as obsessed with A24 as I am. 

Birthday Take: Ang Lee in "Life of Pi" (2012)

Scene from Life of Pi

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "La La Land" (2016)

Scene from La La Land

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.

Theory Thursday: "The Elephant Man" is David Lynch's Best Movie

Scene from The Elephant Man

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

R.I.P. John G. Avildsen (1935-2017)

John G. Avildsen

On June 16, 2017, director John G. Avildsen died of pancreatic cancer in West Hollywood, California at the age of 81. Among his most memorable works are some of Hollywood's most beloved underdog stories, including The Karate Kid and the Best Picture winner Rocky. He made films to uplift people's spirits and provide hope to anyone struggling to be accepted. He also collaborated with some of the best artists of the 70's and 80's to help produce these masterpieces. Among his greatest attributes was his ability to make films that were as innovative as they were independently made and produced. In some ways, he was just as much an underdog as his greatest protagonist, Rocky Balboa. It's why his work will continue to live on, inspiring people to get up and train for success in any way that they can. 

R.I.P. Jonathan Demme (1944-2017)

Jonathan Demme

On April 26, 2017, director Jonathan Demme passed away a the age of 73 in Manhattan, New York from complications involving esophageal cancer and heart disease. Over the course of a career spanning over 45 years, he created one of the most diverse bodies of work that ranged from studio comedies to prestige thrillers to iconic concert documentaries. He leaves behind such great movies as The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Stop Making Sense, and Rachel Getting Married. No matter how varied his career became, he still managed to influence with his unique style of close-ups and his ability to find tension in otherwise conventional scenes. His work was as influential as it was unpredictable, and that's just some of the reasons that he'll be missed greatly.

Check It Out: A Look at the First Annual La La Land Day

Dancers celebrating La La Land Day

It is likely by now that you have seen La La Land. If you waited for home video, yesterday was your chance to bring home the beloved musical that rejuvenated the genre and brought in $440 million internationally and won six Oscars, including Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Actress for Emma Stone. However, there was another reason to remember the movie yesterday. April 25, 2017 has officially become the first annual La La Land Day in Los Angeles, California. To say the least, it wasn't just a name on the paper. The city went all out with a celebration full of dancing and an appearance from composer Justin Hurwitz. You can read about the festivities and more after the jump.

Why "The Silence of the Lambs" is One of the Best Directed Movies Ever

Scene from The Silence of the Lambs

With today's passing of director Jonathan Demme, it only seems right to look back at his work. The one that's probably going to get the most attention is his 1991 crime film The Silence of the Lambs. While not a film of the horror genre, it's a wonder that this Best Picture winner often gets considered the scariest movie ever. But why is that? Why did Demme's serial killer tale resonate with audiences on such a deep level? One could argue that it's Anthony Hopkins' excellent performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter - but then why are the sequels considered inferior if he's just as menacing? In fact, neither Lecter nor antagonist Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb (Ted Levine) have a high murder rate compared to Jason Vorhees or Michael Meyers. What is Demme's secret? The answer is subtle and hard to pick up on unless you're intentionally going for it. The answer is direction.

Looking at Oscar Predictions: How Did I Do?

Scene from Hell or High Water

Well, the moment has come. The Oscars have been announced and La La Land leads the pack with 14 nominations. While we predict what's to come, why not take this opportunity to look at how things went before. I am talking specifically about my own predictions that I made yesterday regarding who was going to make the cut. As you'll see, I didn't do terribly, though betting on horses like 20th Century Women didn't exactly pan out either. The following is a rundown of the main categories as well as what I picked. 

Here's the Predictions for the 2017 Oscar Nominations

Scene from Moonlight

The big day is almost here. With Oscar Sunday approaching slowly but surely, it's time to see what the big nominations will be. Who will be in Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress? Ahead of tomorrow's nominations at 5:18 AM (check your local listings for more information), I will be doing the annual tradition of trying to predict these major fields (I'm not ambitious enough to do the entire slate). You can read my predictions after the jump, and prepare for regular coverage following the announcement. It's guaranteed to be a fun day full of highlights and snub talk. See you then.

R.I.P. Arthur Hiller (1923-2016)

Arthur Hiller

On August 17, director Arthur Hiller died at the age of 92 in Los Angeles, California. Over the course of his impressive career, he was known for making sophisticated comedies as well as the occasional branching out into romantic dramas and war films. Among his most recognizable work is Love Story, which remains one of the greatest love stories in cinematic history. He also collaborated with screenwriters such as Paddy Chayefsky and Neil Simon, as well as seemed to have a silver streak when it came to making Oscar-nominated films. While he only received one nomination in his career, his films were constantly nominated and/or won. For a director who made 33 films in 50 years, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that shows the power of comedy as well as what good film making can actually be. 

R.I.P. Hector Babenco (1946-2016)

Hector Babenco

On July 13, 2016, director Hector Babenco died at the age of 70 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. With a career spanning over 40 years, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that includes the Oscar-nominated films Kiss of the Spider-Woman and Ironweed. After getting his start in Latin American cinema, he would go on to work with actors like William Hurt, John Lithgow, Raul Julia, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Tom Berenger, Daryl Hannah, Aidan Quinn and Kathy Bates. While he doesn't have the most memorable resume, his films explored love and identity in strange and interesting places. With a career that continued until his death, he was passionate and capable of making great things.

R.I.P. Michael Cimino (1939-2016)

Michael Cimino

On June 2, 2016, director Michael Cimino passed away at the age of 77 in Los Angeles, California. While his later career was met with several problems, he received early acclaim as part of the New Hollywood system on films such as Thunderbolt and Lightfoot as well as the Best Picture winner The Deer Hunter. He was known for his perfectionist style of film making, often focusing disillusionment caused by the American Dream. Still, his 1979 tale of the Vietnam War remains one of the greatest looks not only at the war, but of the traumatic results of dealing with such overpowering violence. His filmography may be small, but what he produced spoke volumes, and for that he will be missed.