Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: The Top 5

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

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.

The Problematic Legacy of "Gone With the Wind"

Scene from Gone With the Wind

Earlier this week, the new streaming service HBO Max received scrutiny when they decided to pull Gone With the Wind. The reason was inspired by an op-ed piece written by John Ridley (screenwriter of 12 Years a Slave) printed in the Los Angeles Times, encouraging them to notice how its themes would have a negative impact on the current political climate. This has lead to many debates, including whether the film is dated or even relevant. To be honest, it's a difficult call that is worthy of hearing the pros and cons for, but what is ultimately clear is the need to recontextualize its place in the modern conversation. Should it be removed? No, though the context through which it's discussed should be greatly changed if we plan to get anywhere in this debate. 

Theory Thursday: Hans Zimmer's Score for "12 Years a Slave" was Unnecessary

Scene from 12 Years a Slave

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. 

Why "Moonlight" Winning Best Picture is a Big Deal

By all accounts, the 89th annual Academy Awards ceremony was going according to plan. Over the course of the evening through 24 categories, the nominees who had won almost every preliminary got up and gave acceptance speeches. There was nothing new. There rarely is when it comes to the Oscars. Viola Davis won. Emma Stone won It was a predictable even. That is, until the last category was announced. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway announced La La Land, which was predicted to sweep the entire ceremony. Moments later, it was revealed that there was a mistake and that Moonlight actually won. While this is a moment that will be analyzed for decades to come, it should also be seen as a ceremonious moment that hopefully marks a change in the Academy Awards. Hopefully, this is the moment where things become more inclusive.

Theory Thursday: Benedict Cumberbatch is Overrated

Benedict Cumberbatch in Zoolander No. 2

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. 

Nothing But the Best: "12 Years a Slave" (2013)

Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Theory Thursday: Chiwetel Ejiofor Should've Won Best Actor for "12 Years a Slave" (2013)

Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

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. 

17 Pleasant Surprises on BBC's Greatest American Films

Left to right: Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

Today marks the release of the latest "Best Movies Ever" list. This time, it comes from BBC Culture and it focuses on the Best American Films (click link for commentary on Top 25). While it features a lot of familiar, obvious choices (Citizen Kane, The Godfather, and Vertigo tops yet another list), the list has its share of surprises both great and bad (omission of most recent films, animated films, and directors). Instead of arguing about every last thing that is wrong with this list (where's Paul Thomas Anderson  and The Coen Brothers?), it does feature a lot of pleasant surprises. The following is a list of films that made the list that you wouldn't expect and definitely should check out ASAP.

Birthday Take: Michael Fassbender in "12 Years a Slave" (2013)

Michael Fassbender

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Final Thoughts on This Year's Oscar Season

With that, we say goodbye to another Oscar season. While there has been plenty of wrap-up for this year's program, I have chosen to bring this season to a close with a summary of my thoughts not only on the winners in general, but of the season as a whole. Much like every year, there's a few highs and lows that make awards season so memorable. How did this year stack up to every other one? Well, frankly it wasn't my favorite despite the consistent media conflicts with race and the odd race between Boyhood and Birdman which saw the former only receive one win total. It wasn't the worst year, but considering its options, it did fine enough. Click the jump to read more.

A Theory on Why "Boyhood" Could Win Best Picture

Ellar Coltrane

As I wrote in the past with articles on Selma and Birdman, I feel like there is a three way tie for Best Picture between these two and director Richard Linklater's Boyhood. Where Selma captures a historical drama with a modern poignancy and Birdman captures cinematic passion through technique, neither has the emotional core that has made Boyhood a runaway hit during awards season. True, between Boyhood and Birdman, the honors have been almost predominantly split with the Best Picture equivalents looking like 26 to 22 wins. Still, with the BAFTA win this past Sunday, Boyhood is looking to be the clear favorite for a lot of reasons. The most notable of which is that it is ripe with ambition and wasn't made to be an Oscar darling, but just an impressively crafted film.

Why the BAFTAS Mean Nothing (To the Oscars, That Is)

Scene from Boyhood

This past afternoon saw the announcement for the winners of the annual BAFTA Awards. For many, it is the ultimate sign of where the Oscar race is going to go. It could simply be because it is the final major award until the Oscars in two weeks. It could be that it is the British counterpoint for the award. However, it is more lucked up to coincidence with the past few years being exceptionally accurate across most of the major categories. Many are already predicting that Boyhood is going to take it after winning Best Film today. However, let me just say something that is important to remember: the BAFTAs don't matter. To the Oscars, anyways.

Five Ways That "The Birth of a Nation" Shaped the Oscars

Scene from The Birth of a Nation

Today marks a revolutionary moment in cinematic culture. 100 years ago today, director D.W. Griffiths' Civil War epic The Birth of a Nation opened. It is important to note that prior to this, film was a novelty and the concept of auteurs was foreign. Still, over the course of three hours and 20 minutes, Griffiths shaped a medium that has evolved beyond its limited confines to become something far more compelling. While many will likely (and rightfully) focus on the dated racism of its work, there's a lot of other things that the film helped to revolutionize. Some of them even are present in the Academy Awards nominees and winners; the top tier of awards established 12 years after this film's release and a testament to how the medium has grown.

A Theory on Why "Selma" Could Win Best Picture

Scene from Selma

I know that I haven't necessarily been kind to director Ava Duvernay's Selma. After seeing an advanced screening awhile back, I was left with a middling reaction. In all honesty, the film was adequate, occasionally using violence to overtly dramatize situations. It also hurt that I wasn't necessarily invested in any supporting character despite the film's title (and impressive cast) suggesting that I should be. I came away feeling like Dear White People had a more invigorating take on race relations in America. I feel isolated now in having a humble opinion because everybody seems to love it. Even critics that I have considered to have defined tastes (David Ehrlich) have put it on the Best of 2014 lists. With all of this said, I want to put aside differences for one post and suggest something radical. It is only a theory right now, but I think that Selma can take Best Picture simply by good timing.

A Few Thoughts on the 86th Academy Award Winners

*NOTE: This is not a recap or highlight of the ceremony. This is a discussion of the films that won isolated from the ceremony.

There is something to be said when the applicable films that won at Saturday's Independent Spirit Awards ended up being the big heroes at the Academy Awards. Unlike most years, there wasn't much of a race between anyone. Even from the moment that 12 Years a Slave hit the scene with its limited October release, there seemed to be an aura of predictability. At best, those who hoped that Gravity would be good would have a surprise by how openly acknowledged it became. Otherwise, as the race moved on, things became abundantly clear: it was the year of the front runners.

My Official Oscar Votes for 2014

With the Oscar ceremony this upcoming weekend, the time to see all of the Oscar nominees is dwindling down. For me, there are many notable categories where I unfortunately came up short. With that said, I also had the opportunity to see majority of the nominees in the major categories, which allowed me to have a more invested take. What follows is a reassessment of my initial votes, which have since changed. This will not be a rehashing of every nominee, but an abbreviated version of the list with any additional thoughts listed.

"12 Years a Slave" to be Taught as Curriculum in High Schools

Left to right: Sarah Paulson and Lupita Nyong'o

It may not actually be a marketing scheme, but for those placing money on director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave having some significant legacy, it already has begun. Lead by Montel Williams, a campaign to get the film as well as the memoir by Solomon Northup into the high school education system has hit a milestone. As of this upcoming September, 13,809 local school districts serving over 50 million public school students will be equipped with everything associated with Northup's story thanks to a joint deal with the filmmakers, Penguin Books, and New Regency.

What Happened to "12 Years a Slave"?

Chiwetel Ejiofor

It seemed like since its debut director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave was bound to sweep the Oscars. It was a powerful film about a dark time in America's history told through thought-provoking images that haunted the viewer. With performances by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and newcomer Lupita Nyong'o adding depth of unprecedented nature to the story, it seemed like it was bound to win everything and anything that stood in its path. With less than two weeks until the big ceremony however, things are starting to paint a different picture. Is the film's prestige too much of an issue, as it has allowed the conversation to grow stale and move onto other films?

A Closer Look at the Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees

Closing out our dissection of the big Oscar categories, here is a look at the Best Adapted Screenplay nominees. Much like the Best Original Screenplay selections, this year's batch features an impressive and diverse group of nominees that reflect the best in bring a film's story to life. Some are vivacious with profane bliss (The Wolf of Wall Street) while others explore slaver (12 Years a Slave) and long term guilt (Philomena). It is an interesting group and while less interesting than its counterpart category, it is as open a race.

A Closer Look at the Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Continuing this year's sense of ragtag nominees in the supporting categories is the Best Supporting Actress category. Where the lead categories feel like competitive locks with numerous outcomes, this category feels less assured. It isn't that any of their roles are necessarily lackluster, but more that all of them, save for Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) come to this film without any strong bias backing them. With three of them being first time nominees, it makes the race a little more interesting and raises curiosity on if they can transcend the rookie chances and beat the veterans.