Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #60-64

Scene from Hugo (2011)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Ranking Robert De Niro's 7 Oscar Nominated Roles

Robert De Niro in Joy

Today marks the 73rd birthday of actor Robert De Niro. While it may be easy to ignore among his later and lesser films, he is an actor that so deftly earned the honor of being one of the greatest actors of his generation. One can easily see it in his impressive work between the 70's and 90's where he constantly embodied the roles with rigorous attention to detail and enough crazy stories to make Jared Leto look tame. Still, can you name all seven of his Oscar-nominated performances? Better yet, can you name the two of his that won? The following is a ranking of his nominations that reflect an actor at various stages of his career doing his work so well that lesser actors can only hope to achieve half of the level of gravitas.

Theory Thursday: "Joy" is Jennifer Lawrence's Best Performance

Jennifer Lawrence

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. 

A Ranking of Every Film By David O. Russel

David O. Russell

With this past weekend's release of Joy, director David O. Russell once again returns with a film that establishes his attempt to be a populous auteur. Ever since his comeback film The Fighter in 2010, the director has made it his goal to make films about the every man; the middle class who strive for a better existence. In a sense, he is doing it more successfully than anyone else. In a time where romantic acting pairs aren't a thing, he has continually made Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper work as a box office draw. To an extent, he is doing the impossible by making throwbacks to feel good films, often with an edge that makes his experiences wholly unique. The following is a ranking of every one of his films from his earlier and angrier days of Spanking the Monkey to the more recent happy side of Joy. Even if these two films are wildly different, it doesn't mean that they're any less interesting as a progression of behavior and craft from a director not known to always be pleasant.

Jennifer Lawrence to Work with David O. Russell Till He Dies

Left to right: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Joy

There is a good chance that if you're into The Oscars as much as I am, you'll have a big opinion on Jennifer Lawrence by now. After her first Oscar nomination in 2010 for Winter's Bone, she has become one of the most successful and overstated actresses out there. Her big break came in 2012 with the one-two punch of The Hunger Games and her Oscar-winning role in Silver Linings Playbook. If you're one of those that felt that that film was part of her best work, then I have some good news for you: she's not going to stop working for director David O. Russell. At least, not until one of them finally dies.

Will David O. Russell Ever Win an Oscar?

David O. Russell

There are few people that are practically as synonymous nowadays with The Oscars as David O. Russell. Among the working talents, very few directors have had a track record so perfect as him (maybe Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese come close). Since 2010 with The Fighter, he has racked up 25 Oscar nominations between three films, including the achievement of having nominations in all four acting categories TWICE between Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. It is no laughing matter. It is an honor very few films hold with the last one being director Warren Beatty's 1981 masterpiece Reds. With today marking his 57th birthday, I pose a question that I ponder every awards season just because of his clout: Will Russell ever win an Oscar?

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012)

Left to right: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

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.

A Few Thoughts on the 85th Academy Awards Ceremony

Ladies and gentlemen, it has come to a close. The 85th Annual Academy Awards were announced tonight and there was plenty of cheers and jeers. For those that took my votes, you lucked out big time. True, my 9 out of 24 meant that it was my lowest predictions year on record, but that doesn't mean that there were some great surprises sprinkled throughout. True, my Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) appreciation wasn't enough to overcome the towering Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln), but on the bright side, I can go with the delusional logic that at least I predicted Argo for Best Picture. While this isn't a recap of the winners (which I assure you will come later in the week) or a highlights, it is an initial collective of thoughts on the ceremony. What went right, wrong, and how I feel things could have been different. 

Review: "Amour" is a Great Love Story Coming to an End

Left to right: Jean Louis-Trintignant and Emmannuelle Riva

One of the great perks of the Oscars this year was director Michael Haneke's surprise Best Picture/Best Director nominations for Amour. While foreign films have managed to sneak into the Best Picture race (the previous being Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), it is a rarity that was met with fine applause that at least the Academy was still recognizing world cinema. True, the Best Foreign Film category may be lacking great films like Holy Motors and Rust and Bone, but it still has some reputable titles like No. However, what is it about Haneke's tale of love in the twilight years that was so enduring, and was it really Best Picture worthy?

Reasons Why Daniel Day Lewis Doesn't Deserve A Best Actor Statue

Daniel Day Lewis as Lincoln

As I have long established on this blog, I feel like director Steven Spielberg's historic drama Lincoln is a little on the overrated side. While the buzz around it winning Best Picture has diminished, a few things haven't. True, I root Spielberg to take Best Director, but there seems to be something more definite. Something that I have never quite been able to accept. True, it is largely due to an insane dedication to The Master and more specifically Joaquin Phoenix, but there is more to it than that. Why is Daniel Day Lewis the clear runaway hero for Best Actor?  

The Oscar Nominations Are In, and It Is Looking Great!

For movie fans around the world, this morning was one of the greatest days of the year. Okay, maybe second favorite. Today was the day that Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone got up on stage and announced this year's Oscar nominations. As usual, there are many cheers and jeers to be given out. However, in a very interesting year for film, even what ended up snubbing superior films isn't all that embarrassing. It is actually a strong year for nominations, in fact and I cannot wait for the ceremony. Following the jump is my personal thoughts on each category as well as my official votes. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Picture Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Picture Winner, cast and crew for The Artist

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Actress Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Actress winner Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Supporting Actor Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Supporting Actor winner Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Golden Globe Nominations 2013 Are Here, and Guess Who Got Ignored?

It is an exciting time for movie awards fanatics. With all of the nominations coming out, we are only a month away from when we finally get a peek at what will be nominated for this year's Academy Awards! Unfortunately, the Golden Globes have always been perceived in some way as a predecessor to the event and for no good reason. Each year, they mistake celebrity for quality with very few wins for the right people. However, that's kind of why they are my favorite whipping boy. I love to criticize their choices with a heavy hand. The following is a look at the nominations that were released this morning and my brief opinions about each category.

Can Winstead Use "Smashed" for an Acting Nomination?

Left to right: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul

One of the toughest categories that I have had to gauge this year involves the female acting fields. While we're starting to see a handful solidify, it has been shakier than the male counterpoint, which almost seemed to be concrete since Joaquin Phoenix impressed us with The Master. With the fields starting to tighten, there is a long shot that Mary Elizabeth Winstead can earn her first nomination for James Ponsoldt's Smashed, a tale of overcoming alcoholism. Is the film capable of competing with the big names, or is the no name production holding it back?

Will "Silver Linings Playbook" Build on its TIFF Win?

Left to right: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

It wasn't long ago that a movie came onto my radar that could possibly get Oscar Buzz big time. In fact, my previous knowledge to last week was that it was a small film by director David O. Russell that focused on mental disabilities. Sounds very much like the great Flirting with Disaster, but we won't hold that against him. After all, he did just come off of The Fighter, which was a Best Picture nominee and earned acting wins for Melissa Leo and Christian Bale. However, as much as I loved the tale of the Pride of Lowell, I had to question myself. What the hell is Silver Linings Playbook?