R.I.P. Alan Parker (1944-2020)

Alan Parker

On July 31, 2020, filmmaker Alan Parker died at the age of 76 in London, England. Over the course of his career, he was known for his diverse body of work that ranged from everything including musicals like Fame and Evita to dramas like Bugsy Malone and Midnight Express. With a hung to continually push boundaries, his work reflects a filmmaker eager to tell engaging stories that he felt would matter for decades to come. The results speak for themselves, leading to several Oscar nominations for various members of his cast and crew. With a great and lengthy career, he leaves behind cinema that not only matters but will be talked about for decades to come. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Dick Tracy" (1990)

Scene from Dick Tracy (1990)

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.

Best Song: "You Must Love Me" (1996)

Madonna in Evita

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.

Best Song: "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" (1990)

Scene from Dick Tracy

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.