Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #40-44

Scene from The King's Speech (2010)

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.

A Round-Up of My Reviews for Oscar-Nominated Movies

With today being Friday, it would be a good enough reason to look forward to the weekend. However, most people are also looking forward to this Sunday for one reason. After a lot of speculation, the Academy Awards ceremony is finally upon us! Considering that you've likely seen all the movies and have your own thoughts, it's time to start finalizing predictions and placing bets. While I will be sharing my predictions tomorrow, I decided to dedicate this entry as a little primer, or a reminder, for those wanting to know my thoughts on the Oscar-nominated movies. This is mostly a place for me to share links from both The Oscar Buzz and Optigrab, where I wrote about the more pop culture-centered movies. Enjoy and good luck with your balloting. 

A Ranking of the 2017 Best Picture Nominees

It has been over a week since The Academy announced the nominees for this year's Oscars. While there will be plenty to talk about in the interim, it feels right to kick things off by ranking the Best Picture nominees. This is by no means a prediction on what film will win, but is more of a look into my personal preference. All things considered, I believe that this is one of the best years in general, with eight of the nine being among my Top 20 of last year. This new class of Academy voters has definitely brought forth an interesting mix of the old and new, and I think it's going to produce a very interesting discussion going forward. If you're interested, feel free to rank the films in the comments section, if just to see how much we differ from each other.

Oscar Predictions vs. Nominations: How Did I Do?

Scene from Dunkirk

This morning marked the announcement of this year's Oscar nominations. Like most years, it wasn't without its surprises. Like most people, I decided to make predictions for what would make the cut. It wasn't my best year, but there's a lot that I got right. So, let's look at how well I did at making my predictions in all of the major categories and determine whether or not I did a good job.

Check Out the Official List for the 2018 Oscar Nominations

Today was one of the biggest moments in every cinephile's year. This morning, hosts Tiffany Haddish and Andy Serkis presented the nominees for this year's Academy Awards. As with every year, it was full of surprises - good and bad - that will go on to be discussed in detail. With The Shape of Water and Dunkirk leading the nominations, this was an incredibly packed year full of interesting choices. The following is a rundown of those names. Come back throughout the week for further Oscar coverage, including pieces related to surprises, achievements, and how I'd personally rank the Best Picture category. Until then, here are the nominees for this year's Academy Awards.

Here's My Predictions for the 2018 Oscar Nominations

Scene from The Shape of Water

The moment is almost here. Tomorrow morning, The Academy will announce the nominees for this year's ceremony. It has been a rich year full of a diverse mix of movies, and the trail to this moment has been full of rocky surprises. While tomorrow answers the question about who made the cut, it will open other questions, such as who will win. It's a question that's not quite as fun, but a lot more fun to speculate about. The following is my personal predictions for what will make the cut in the major categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and the four acting fields. It's been difficult to whittle it down, but here's hoping that I get plenty right. Feel free to leave your predictions in the comments, and come back tomorrow morning for full coverage of the awards after they're announced!

A Ranking of the Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg Collaborations (Updated)

Left to right: Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks

Note: Updated with a ranking for The Post, originally published 10/19/15


There are few actor-director collaborations throughout history that spark enthusiasm and anticipation almost every time out. In the 1940's, the promise of James Stewart and Frank Capra meant a new Americana classic. In the 1970's, the promise of Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese meant a new gritty New York drama. Over the past 15 years, there have been few names as ubiquitous with this anticipation than Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg; the two giants of 80's and 90's cinema that surprisingly compliment each other by creating a blend of action and drama that is unsurpassed. With this past weekend's Bridge of Spies, they marked their fourth collaboration together, and it was pretty great. Have you seen them all? Here's a ranking of the four films from best to worst, including why they work.

Review: "The Post" Romanticizes the Value of Journalism to Its Full Potential

Scene from The Post

In 2017, the term "fake news" defined a crisis of journalistic integrity. Regardless of its actual merit, it lead to a rising concern of who could be trusted within the media. After all, these are the people telling millions of people the important events as they happen. With director Steven Spielberg's The Post, it's the heart of the conversation at The Washington Post prepares to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers. It's a film that asks the question as to who could be trusted to deliver the news, and the importance of reporting the stories honestly. It may be at times a conventional and polished look at the world of journalism, but its most triumphant moments are defined by hard work and the knowledge that truth prevailed. It's a message that seems as timely now as it did 45 years ago, making The Post into an even more prescient period piece.

Check Out This Year's Golden Globe Nominees

It's officially that time of year. With many critics groups putting out their Best of 2017 lists, it was only a matter of time until the major awards began releasing their nominees. There are few that trumpet in the season quite like the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), whose track record of predicting the Oscars is spotty, but paints an interesting look into what films will be discussed throughout the awards season. This year's nominees are officially here, and you can check them out below, including some commentary on the movie categories. What made the cut? What didn't? Read on to find out.

The First Trailer of "The Post" Shows Spielberg Digging Into a Seriously Promising Story

Scene from The Post

With less than two months to go, it's becoming harder to find new movies to add to the Oscar race. Of course, that is director Steven Spielberg's specialty. While he debuted a trailer for next summer's Ready Player One back at Comic Con, many have wondered what his prestige movie of 2017 would look like. The Post is lead by Oscar-winners Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, and at least promised to shake up one of the most unformed awards seasons in years. With the first trailer officially out, Spielberg is back in drama mode, and it looks like he's going to be taking audiences to the familiar serious ground of his last Hanks collaboration, Bridge of Spies, and there's plenty to like so far.