R.I.P. Jonathan Demme (1944-2017)

Jonathan Demme

On April 26, 2017, director Jonathan Demme passed away a the age of 73 in Manhattan, New York from complications involving esophageal cancer and heart disease. Over the course of a career spanning over 45 years, he created one of the most diverse bodies of work that ranged from studio comedies to prestige thrillers to iconic concert documentaries. He leaves behind such great movies as The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Stop Making Sense, and Rachel Getting Married. No matter how varied his career became, he still managed to influence with his unique style of close-ups and his ability to find tension in otherwise conventional scenes. His work was as influential as it was unpredictable, and that's just some of the reasons that he'll be missed greatly.

Review: "The Circle" Finds the Horror in Wanting to Feel Connected

Tom Hanks

The idea of technology disconnecting society is a theme common among modern sci-fi films. It has become more apparent as society has become reliant on phone updates and the belief that any moment of life could go viral. For The Circle, it is baked into the mentality while reflecting the constraints that the proposed convenience has on everyone. The movie asks the tough questions not by exploring how technology is evil, but by how desperation for convenience can undermine humanity. It's an interesting move, and one that turns the conventional thriller into a more interesting parable for the digital era.

Introducing My New Column "Composing Greatness"

John Williams

After some delay, I am proud to announce my next weekly series. Following the wrap-up of Best Song, I had trouble deciding what topic could be prolific enough to warrant a continual series. Well, there's plenty of room to suggest that the only smart answer is John Williams. Over the course of his career, he has been nominated 50 times to date. That's a lot of music, which doesn't seem like such a problem for a composer who probably has the most recognizable body of work in film history. So join me as I chronicle his career from nomination one to the present day in a series that I am calling "Composing Greatness," which will be starting next Sunday. Click below to read more about this column.

The Runner-Ups: Mary Elizabeth Winstead in "Smashed" (2012)

Scene from Smashed

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

Theory Thursday: "Saving Private Ryan" Should've Won Best Picture

Scene from Saving Private Ryan

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. 

Check It Out: A Look at the First Annual La La Land Day

Dancers celebrating La La Land Day

It is likely by now that you have seen La La Land. If you waited for home video, yesterday was your chance to bring home the beloved musical that rejuvenated the genre and brought in $440 million internationally and won six Oscars, including Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Actress for Emma Stone. However, there was another reason to remember the movie yesterday. April 25, 2017 has officially become the first annual La La Land Day in Los Angeles, California. To say the least, it wasn't just a name on the paper. The city went all out with a celebration full of dancing and an appearance from composer Justin Hurwitz. You can read about the festivities and more after the jump.

Why "The Silence of the Lambs" is One of the Best Directed Movies Ever

Scene from The Silence of the Lambs

With today's passing of director Jonathan Demme, it only seems right to look back at his work. The one that's probably going to get the most attention is his 1991 crime film The Silence of the Lambs. While not a film of the horror genre, it's a wonder that this Best Picture winner often gets considered the scariest movie ever. But why is that? Why did Demme's serial killer tale resonate with audiences on such a deep level? One could argue that it's Anthony Hopkins' excellent performance as Dr. Hannibal Lecter - but then why are the sequels considered inferior if he's just as menacing? In fact, neither Lecter nor antagonist Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb (Ted Levine) have a high murder rate compared to Jason Vorhees or Michael Meyers. What is Demme's secret? The answer is subtle and hard to pick up on unless you're intentionally going for it. The answer is direction.

Theory Thursday: "Mirror Mirror" is Underrated

Scene from Mirror Mirror

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. 

The Runner-Ups: Greta Gerwig in "20th Century Women"

Greta Gerwig

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

R.I.P. Michael Ballhaus (1935-2017)

Michael Ballhaus

On April 11, 2017, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus passed away at the age of 81. Through is career spanning almost 60 years, he helped to create some of the most memorable films from collaborators Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Mike Nichols, and most notably with Martin Scorsese. His work has created some of the most gorgeous and innovative films in cinema history, including the famous tracking shot in Goodfellas. He lives behind an impressive and expansive body of work that more than speaks for itself. He inspired many to copy his often gorgeous and cryptic style, and it's quite an impressive legacy to have. 

Kathryn Bigelow Returns with a Powerful First Trailer for "Detroit"

Scene from Detroit

It has been five years since director Kathryn Bigelow released a movie. That was the phenomenal Best Picture nominee Zero Dark Thirty, which chronicled the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. While it goes down as one of the more controversial movies of the decade, it is also an intricately paced procedural style through obsession and what fulfillment comes from it. While her recent films have dealt with war overseas, Detroit looks to be capturing the war at home in America. The first trailer shows her tense pacing mixing with her powerful imagery of violence and misunderstanding. Much like her previous films, it's one to look out for this year. It's also probably going to be full of great controversy.

Theory Thursday: "Tokyo Drift" is the Best of "The Fast and The Furious" Franchise

Scene from The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift

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. 

Review: "T2 Transpotting" is a Fun Return to a Deranged World

Scene from T2 Transpotting

A lot has changed since Trainspotting was released in 1996. In director Danny Boyle's career, he has had three Oscar nominations, including one win for Best Director (Slumdog Millionaire). He directed the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. Jonny Lee Miller is now Sherlock Holmes in Elementary. Even Ewan McGregor became Obi-Wan Kenobi in a few Star Wars movies. To say the least, the rough and tumble gang of Scottish drug addicts had quite a career ahead of them. It makes sense then why it was so hard for Boyle to bring the cast back together for a sequel to the breakout indie hit. To say the least, it's a miracle that everyone managed to show up. It's even more surprising then that the performances are great - it's the writing that unfortunately takes some of the good will out of the nostalgically named T2 Trainspotting.

A Look at the New Rules for Oscar Season 2017

Scene from O.J.: Made in America

It is likely that if you saw O.J.: Made in America that you think it's a one of a kind experience. Its journey into the tumultuous celebrity around O.J. Simpson created one of the most fascinating documentaries of 2016. What if I were to tell you that O.J. was a one of a kind experience in another way? The Academy has recently announced their new rules for this upcoming Oscar Season, and there's been a heavy blow to the documentary nominees-to-be. There will no longer be documentaries eligible that are released in multiple parts. This is one of the major rules to come out. Read on to find out new rules involving Best Animated Film, Best Original Score, Best Picture, and more.

A Look at Oscar Season 2017's Big Dates

Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting

It has only been a month since this year's Academy Awards. However, there is plenty of time to prepare and think of next year's ceremony. In fact, it's a good time to think about the next few years. In a recent announcement, The Academy has announced the dates for the major events for this Oscar season. Among the changes is moving Oscar Sunday 2018 from the familiar grounds of February to March. They will also be bringing back their Oscar concerts as well as various other events. While little else is known about what these events will hold, the following is a list of the important dates to mark off to make your upcoming Oscar Season a successful one.

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Terms of Endearment

Hello everyone. I wish to apologize for my extended absence. I usually post an open letter detailing why I'm going away, but plum forgot to do so this time. As long time readers know, I like to take a break after each Oscar season. This involves stopping the blog for about a month (in this case, a little over one) to focus on other endeavors. While it will be awhile until The Oscar Buzz is back up in top form for Oscar Season 2017, I hope to have a fun way to pass the time until the big hits start rolling in and we're forced to prognosticate what the big players will be. For now, I'll run down what to expect for the next few months as well as my intentions on ways to improve the blog.