Review: "Dallas Buyers Club" is an Engrossing Portrait of the AIDS Epidemic and the Power of One Man

Matthew McConaughey

One of the biggest surprises in the Oscar race this year is just how successful a threat that director Jean-Marc Vallee's Dallas Buyers Club has become. In a year where conversation has been heavy around 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle, it is exciting to see a film that had limited appeal sweeping up wins from groups such as the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild (S.A.G.) and ending up with a Best Picture nod as well as five others. Then again, one of the biggest underdogs of this year's ceremony had an uphill battle and managed to turn in an impressively audacious look at AIDS and the vaccinations in 1980's America. It may not be the best nominee, but it does make itself worthy of mention.

"Alone Yet Not Alone" Gets Disqualified from the Best Original Song Category

News has recently come out that Best Original Song nominee Alone Yet Not Alone has been rescinded from the category. The nomination itself came as a surprise when the contenders were announced a week and a half ago. Nobody knew what the film was nor had heard the actual song that beat out songs from more legitimate contenders such as The Great Gatsby and 12 Years a Slave. So what are the reasons behind this strange move and why is this a big deal? The truth is that the craziest Oscar nomination of the year was probably because of a bias beyond that of being an uplifting religious song.

A Look at the Oscar Nominees of 2014 and the Many, Many Surprises

This morning, the Oscar nominations were announced and there was more than a fair share of surprises. With plenty of snubs to go around, the final cut is an impressive mix that much like the Golden Globes, shows that there isn't a definitive front runner as initially predicted all the way back in September. However, there's a strange emergence of competition that seemed unlikely as well. Here is a look at the Oscar nominations for 2014 and brief thoughts on every category. To say the least, my Oscar predictions were far from perfect.

Calculating the Golden Globe 2014 Winners

Left to right: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler

Last night saw the Golden Globes ceremony take place hosted once again by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. The show itself had plenty of memorable moments and with the hosts managing to do what Ricky Gervais couldn't (not outstay their welcome), it was a night that managed to pack a lot of surprises, notably for those rooting on 12 Years a Slave to dominate in every available category. In fact, there wasn't a single film that really "dominated," though it has raised questions on how the Oscar race could change (read my nominee predictions here). As it stands, things look less concrete going forward.

My Final Predictions on the 2014 Oscar Nominees

We are officially less than a week away from hearing the Oscar nominations for this year's ceremony. With Chris Hemsworth scheduled to announce them on Thursday, January 16 with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Cheryl Boone Isaacs, it is as good of a time as any to predict who will make the final cut. As mentioned earlier this week, the race looks quite different than it did at the start, and that is quite exciting. The follow is my predictions for each category, save for Best Animated Short and Best Live Action Short. Check them out and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. 

Is "August: Osage County" Capable of Being a Last Minute Best Picture Contender?

Left to right: Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts

*Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was unable to write up a piece on director John Wells' August: Osage County during its premiere week.

With the Oscar nominations exactly one week away, it is an exciting time at The Oscar Buzz to look at all of the nominees. While I have covered majority of the big contenders over the past few months, the one that I forgot to write a piece on is August: Osage County, which looks to be a haven for potential actor nominations, specifically for that of Meryl Streep in the Best Actress race. The truth is that as the literal last film of 2013 to come out that had any awards potential, it does seem strange that it hasn't quite caught any buzz yet. 

Reevaluating My Pre-Oscar Season Predictions

Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

It is an exciting time for Oscar fans. On Thursday, January 16, the nominations come out and we will know for sure what films made the cut. It has been a strange, rocky road that has revealed some favorites and some upsets. For those familiar with The Oscar Buzz, I published my initial predictions before the Oscar season went underway. With a little over a week before the final votes come in, I decided to revisit my predictions and see what ended up making the cut and what turned out to be surprises. The following is a re-editing of my predictions to match the conversations and my overall understanding of how I think that the race will go.

Review: "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a Flawed Classic About a Flawed Class System

Left to right: Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio

If there is one indisputable fact, it is that Martin Scorsese transcends time almost every time he directs a film. Now in his 70's, he continues to make challenging tales with cinematic grace and beauty. Movies such as The Aviator and Gangs of New York reflect a director now capable of making an epic out of personal American stories. It is arguable that he lost the fervor and sting that gave us Goodfellas or The King of Comedy, but one needs to not look any further than his latest: The Wolf of Wall Street. Even with controversy surrounding it, its sustenance is so thick with cocaine-stained suits that this capitalism epic is striking and reflects the Scorsese film that we'd never expect: a $100 million budgeted unbiased exploitation flick.