R.I.P. Albert Finney (1936-2019)

Albert Finney in Tom Jones

On February 7, 2019, actor Albert Finney passed away at the age of 82 in London, England. Over the course of his illustrious career, he has done acclaimed work on stage in Shakespeare productions as well as headlining Oscar-winning films including Tom Jones. Over a career spanning 60 years, he has continually proven himself to be a charismatic performer, complimenting his co-stars and elevating productions ranging from romance (Two for the Road), mystery (Murder on the Orient Express), and legal dramas (Erin Brockovich). His career knew no bounds and saw him willing to try anything in favor of enhancing the cinematic experience. There's few who could claim to have a career full of as many highs as he did. His work will continue to live on as new audiences discover the magic that he brings to every role he every did.

The Runner-Ups: Ewan McGregor in "Big Fish" (2003)

Ewan McGregor

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

The Directors Project: #9 - Tim Burton

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.