10 Great Films I Discovered Thanks to FilmStruck

Yesterday, November 29, 2018, FilmStruck shut down after a brief two year run. While it may not seem impressive in an era where companies like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime have inspired anyone with an internet connection to make their own streaming service, the ambitions of the TCM/Criterion Collection-hybrid were unmatched and a reflection of how much cinephiles desired to see good cinema. It wasn't just a chock-a-block website with no-name titles popping up every two weeks. It was catered in unprecedented ways, providing behind the scenes content for cinema that ranged from world cinema to Hollywood classics to modern indie greats. While they're shut down, the reports of a reemergence in 2019 with The Criterion Channel is a welcomed blessing. To pay tribute to their greatness, I thought that I would share 10 films I watched via FilmStruck that made an impression on me (for a full list of what I did watch, you can find it here). If anything, I hope this get you to hop on board with The Criterion Channel and make it last, because it's the only thing like it and easily the best variety of cinema for your streaming service money. 

Birthday Take: Katharine Hepburn in "Woman of the Year" (1942)

Katharine Hepburn in Woman of the Year

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.

Ranking the Oscar Winning Performances of Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn in Summertime

As Oscar Sunday lingers closer, it's time to look at the rich history and commemorate each passing day with something unique and special. For today's entry, it feels important to mark the 4 days left by honoring the only actress in Oscar history to have 4 acting wins: Katharine Hepburn. With a total of 12 nominations, she is widely considered one of the best actresses in classic film history for her strong and independent women characters and her charming and distinct voice. Her legacy lives on and while she may not have won for her most iconic films (The African Queen, The Philadelphia Story), she left behind an enviable body of work the likes of which are hard to ignore. The following is a ranking of her 4 wins.

My 10 Favorite Double Digit Oscar Nominees

Chris Rock

Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially getting close to one of the biggest days in every Oscar season: the nominations! That's right. In 10 days, we will be informed on every nominee for this year's festivities. While I intend to make a predictions list, I am choosing to celebrate the last 10 days of uncertainty by paying tribute to a different kind of double digits. That's right, I'm going to pay tribute to the nominees and winners of Academy Award history who have earned 10 or more moments of recognition. While it was hard to whittle down the list (sorry Edith Head fans), these are the ones that I like the most and feel are more than deserving of their legacies. This category will look at everyone beyond acting that has been nominated, so expect a nice and diverse crowd.

Birthday Take: Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator" (2004)

Left to right: Leonardo DiCaprio and Cate Blanchett in The Aviator

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.

Birthday Take: Katharine Hepburn in "The Philadelphia Story" (1940)

Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story

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.

Watch This: The Famous Hepburn/Streisand Best Actress Tie of 1969

Left to right: Barbra Streisand and Anthony Harvey

There was a lot of reason that the 42nd Academy Awards - held on April 14, 1969 - stood out as something special. For starters, this was the year in which they didn't have any host and it would also be the year in which the Best Picture would go to their first (and so far only) X-rated film Midnight Cowboy. However, these details are overlooked in the history books in favor of something even more peculiar. This was the year in which a newcomer and a veteran performer tied in the Best Actress category. It was a trend that hasn't been seen before or since and introduced the world to the woman who was so thankful for the Academy making her miserable: Barbra Streisand.