The Oscar Buzz Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary!

Well, the moment is here again. The Oscar Buzz is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the familiar rapturous applause. But how do I choose to remember this occasion? I looked at the previous years and found that sticking to Oscar-related number themes was a good idea. So, I began thinking: What goes with five? At worst, this could be an essay on FIVE Easy Pieces, at best I could rank "The Big Five" winners, which sounded a bit dull to me. While I was looking, I saw another trend: personal stories that connect me to these movies. It's why I decided to go with something less obvious. I would try and pick the year with five Best Picture films that I felt represented me the best. It doesn't necessarily have the best, but I felt this could be a launch pad for a personal remembrance of how cinema has impacted my life. So, why does the Class of 2002 stand out above the rest? I'll tell you why after the jump.

R.I.P. Frank Finlay (1928-2016)

Frank Finlay in Othello

On January 30, 2016 at the age of 89, actor Frank Finlay died in Weybridge, England from heart failure. Having worked in stage, movie, and TV, he remained a frequent actor until 2009 when he retired. He is likely best known for starring opposite Laurence Olivier in the screen adaptation of Othello. His other credits include appearances in The Longest Day, Bouquet of Barbed Wire, and Roman Polanski's The Pianist. What he leaves behind is an impressive career spanning over 50 years as a character actor who complimented his supporting cast very well. 

The Directors Project: #24 - Roman Polanski

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.