R.I.P. Curtis Hanson (1945-2016)

Curtis Hanson

On September 26, 2016, writer and director Curtis Hanson passed away at the age of 71 in Los Angeles, California. With a career spanning over 40 years, he has produced some of cinema's most exciting films from the James Ellroy adaptation L.A. Confidential to hip-hop drama 8 Mile and the romantic comedy In Her Shoes. Throughout his career, he did a fine job of mixing comedies and dramas that often explored harrowing figures going through complicated situations. His films were always exciting yet challenging, proving the power of what cinema could be without defining himself to one style. His massive appeal continues to be felt as his films continue to inspire and be discovered by new audiences. He definitely left a great mark on what film truly can be.

Best Song: "Lose Yourself" (2002)

Scene from 8 Mile

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution, but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now, but wait until the bad years.