The Oscar Buzz is Officially Going on Hiatus

Scene from Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

It is with some sadness that I report something important. Despite The Oscar Buzz being home to a celebration of film history, especially during awards season, I am going on immediate hiatus. This doesn't come without some serious thinking, doing everything to try and make things work out. However, I think that those who have inhabited this website in recent months will notice my inability to keep up, failing to review every potential contender and speculate about recent Golden Globes coverage. Even reliable columns like Nothing But the Best, Failed Oscar Campaigns, and A24 A-to-Z have been dormant more often than not. I have personally tried to keep this website operating, but it is a difficult period for me personally. That is why, as of today, I will be shutting the website down for six months, returning in August to provide an assessment of where everything is. For more information, please read on.

The Academy Awards Add Diversity Rules to Upcoming Best Picture Qualifications

For a near-century now, The Academy Awards have evolved and changed with the times in significant ways. Ever since 2015, there has been a push to have more diversity following the two-year Oscars So White protest. While this year's nominees reflected significant breakthroughs, there were still minor quarrels that proved how much still needs to be worked on. The measure of former president Cheryl Boone Isaacs was a great start and it has already made difference in major categories. However, there's still one particular field that feels like it needs to be updated, or at least given a few more tweaks to fit with their incredible voting body that allows films like Moonlight, The Shape of Water, and Parasite to win Best Picture.

Yesterday it was announced that those striving for a Best Picture nomination will now need to try a little harder to get consideration. In a letter published yesterday, The Academy outlined a qualification sheet where every film needs to succeed in two of four fields, all reflecting diversity whether in story or production. For some, it's lead to jokes about how terribly white films wouldn't be able to be nominated. Others have read into it more and understand that this isn't radical, but actually just set in place things that are already in place. It's a good measure and one that will hopefully produce meaningful changes in the years to come.

What to Expect from The Oscar Buzz This Season

Scene from All the President's Men

As they would say, it's been a summer. While it may have not entirely been the most exciting stretch of time, it was definitely a chance to have some fun on The Oscar Buzz, ranking Best Picture winners, and doing everything to make the upcoming season all the more exciting. But here's the thing. I am as confident as you as to what's going to happen on the road ahead, which is not much of anything. It means that any regular plans may need to shift at any time to compensate. But for now, I am here to announce something significant in regards to how this website will run. Yes, things will be kicking into higher gear starting in September, and I'm proud to say that there will be some semblance of regular columns to match. What are they? You'll have to read on to find out.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: The Full List

Scene from The Grand Budapest Hotel

At long last, Summer 2020 has come to an end. To make things more interesting, I have spent every week counting down all 88 films that were nominated for Best Picture between 2010 and 2019. It's a harrowing proposition, but one that produced some fruitful reflection on the films that helped to define the decade. As a wrap-up, I thought that I would run down, one last time, the films in ranked order along with who was the highest and lowest in any given year. This is more of a numbers column. If you want to commentary one very entry, please read the original rankings. So, without further ado, here's a look at everything good and bad about The Oscars' Best Picture category. To say the least, it's an interesting bunch.

Oscars to Hamilton: You Don't Have the Vote

Scene from Hamilton

If you're anyone who is anyone this past weekend, there's a good chance that you watched Hamilton on Disney+. How could you not? As one of the most revolutionary shows to hit Broadway this century, it is a show that has been shrouded in curiosity since its 2015 launch, and it has formed a deserved cult with its endless memorable song numbers. Though the one thing that has been asked since it was announced as if the live performance would stand any chance of getting a shot at Oscar glory. Well, there's been a bit of a delay. The prognostication may be put to rest as news came out that Hamilton is in fact disqualified from Oscar nominations. 

The List of the 819 New Academy Members Is Here!

LaKeith Stanfield

It's that time again. Every year The Academy puts in an effort to expand their voting base to include a lot of the best and brightest in the entertainment industry. This includes a goal of expanding diversity to include talents globally. With 819 new members, the list features an exciting new group that will help determine what next year's ceremony will look like. Along with the first time choice to let agents vote, check out the list of new faces, which continues to show how many interesting voices are out there, ready to make a difference. Who are some of your favorites? Feel free to leave them in the comments section.

The Academy Awards Ceremony Pushed Back to April 2021

Bong Joon-ho at last year's Oscars

Well, it looks like the news just keeps rolling in. Following last week's news that the Best Picture field will return to a 10 nomination system, it looks like they're not done making changes. Given how weird 2020 has been, it makes sense that they would announce that there would be a shift in the Oscar schedule. Because of that, everything has been backlogged well into the year for the first time in decades. For those looking forward to the regular February ceremony, prepare to have to wait a little longer. It has been pushed back almost two months and with that a whole host of dates. Read on to find out what we can (and can't) look forward to in the year ahead.

The Academy Awards Will Return to a 10 Nominee Best Picture Field in 2021

All things considered, the upcoming Oscar season has one of the most exciting, uncertain line-ups in decades. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the rules have changed drastically and will include streaming films for the first (and likely only) time in the ceremony's history. As a result, nobody really knows what's about to happen or if the Fall will return to normal and make this whole exercise moot. With that said, there's still room for some new rules to be put into place, including one that hasn't been seen in eight years. That's right. After years of existing on a sliding scale of 5-10 nominations, The Academy has voted to go back to a solid 10 nominees, if just to guarantee a more diverse Best Picture line-up. After all, they need that more than ever right now and this looks like a good course correction.

Coming July 2020: Ranking All 88 Best Picture Nominees of the Decade (2010-2019)

Scene from The Artist

One of the greatest things about this past year that nobody talks about is that with the announcement of this year's Best Picture winner (Parasite), an era of The Oscar was brought to a close. Another decade is officially in the book and we can now look back at the growth and change of the past 10 years as envisioned by The Academy. This exciting proposition is one that has filled me often with a curiosity to see what the 1990s winners say about the era, or how the 2000s felt like a time of searching for an identity. Whatever the case may be, it's inspired me in another way. Coming next month, I will be spending every weekend this summer ranking the 88 nominees for Best Picture. It's an exciting proposition, and I can't wait for you to see what I have in store.

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Amadeus

As most of you are aware, I mentioned that following this year's Academy Awards that I would be going on a one month hiatus. Well, that was actually two months ago and I greatly apologize for not being more open during this time. Sure I have written stuff, but there hasn't been a clear picture of what's going on. I guess the easiest way of putting it is that, like you, I was turned flipped upside down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. I had no idea how to continue things other than to run my regular columns. Well... what have I been up to in that time? How will I move forward? I figure that everyone deserves to have some answer from me, even if it's an underwhelming one. The Oscar Buzz will continue, but nowhere near what I hoped it would be for the immediate future. 

The Academy Awards to Allow Streaming Movies for First (and Possibly Only) Time

If you've been wondering why The Oscar Buzz has been largely quiet in the past month, it's because I'm sure as to how to open operations back up. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of uncertainty, and I don't know if I have enough content to return to publishing stuff on here full time. However, there is some news that has finally arrived, suggesting that this year's Academy Awards aren't hopeless just yet. With theaters closed, one had to wonder what would happen next. Would we just be giving all of the statues to The Invisible Man and Birds of Prey? That seems ridiculous. Here's some good news, though. The first big update since the Academy Awards ceremony has dropped, and there's plenty to look forward to this season. It may not be the same, but it will definitely be an interesting one for the record books.

An Open Letter From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from From Here to Eternity

Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come. As I do every year, the post-Oscar season is one that is often used to focus on anything other than awards prognostication. This year is no different. For me, it's time to step away from running this blog and focus on other projects. For instance, I am currently working on releasing a short story collection called "Esoteric Shapes," currently scheduled for an April 1, 2020 release date. I will likely be sharing updates on that as the date approaches. For now, I need to step away and shift my interests on other projects, including running various columns over at Optigrab, where I currently am working my way through Madonna's discography with The Madonna Project (the next entry will be the "Who's That Girl" soundtrack), Channel Surfing for new TV shows, movie and theater reviews, and various other projects. Any additional reviews will be posted there. For now, I will not return at all this month, save for the latest entry in A24 A-to-Z, which is on a stricter schedule than my other columns. Expect my return to also include some announcements for what the summer months will include. For now, it's a time of rest, and I hope you enjoy it. Also, hopefully you'll be convinced to pick up Little Women when it comes out on DVD (speaking of March). Other than that, I will see you in April for the return of more regular coverage. Have a good day and I'll see you soon.

A Look Back at My Oscar Predictions: How Did I Do?

Scene from Parasite (2019)

Now that the dust has settled and everyone knows what the results for this year's Oscars are, it's time to look back at one of the most fun/embarrassing things that we all do. Every year it's fun to predict the winners, and some years are clearly better than others when it comes to results. For me, this was a terrible year where almost everything was undone by the unexpected success of Parasite. Then again, I have yet to get 0%, so I'm doing something right. So... how did I do otherwise? The answer is just ahead and presents an interesting side to the Oscar season that is often overlooked. How did you do? Did Parasite get you too? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

A Wrap-Up of the 2019-2020 Oscar Season

Janelle Monae

At long last, the Oscar season is over. And much quicker than usual this year. That is why it feels absolutely strange to be saying goodbye already. It feels like there should be another few weeks for people to catch up on Oscar nominees, hold a conversation about why Jojo Rabbit was the dark horse Best Picture winner some expected it to be. It's one of the joys/frustrations that are lost to this adapted schedule, but in some ways, it's for the best. Where some years feel interminable, lasting so long that one can't help but resent half of the nominees, this one feels like a blip. Maybe it's something that the lower-than-average viewer ratings would suggest. Still, it was an interesting year existing in "The New Academy," where a new generation is rising and the definition of a winner is changing slowly. Was it the best year? It wasn't the worst. It was somewhere in the middle, where there's a need for change, but is exciting for making bold wins that proved just how great cinema has been. 

Check This Out: Tom Hanks Announced the Opening Date of The Academy Museum

For those who watch The Oscars with due diligence, there is likely one thing that feels like a punchline at this point: The Academy Museum. It was announced eight years ago during the ceremony as a place to house movie props and give guests immersive experiences to enhance the value of film. It's been pushed back for roughly two years now, but according to an announcement at the 92nd Academy Awards, the wait is almost over. In fact, it's going to happen within the year. What does that all entail? Listen to Tom Hanks girl the rundown of how things are likely to go after the jump.

A Quick Rundown on How to Watch This Year's Oscars

The moment is finally here. The Oscars are upon us and soon another piece of history will be made. But the question still remains: WHERE and WHEN can they be seen. Well, here's the short answer. The Academy Awards will air on February 9, 2020, at 8 PM PST on ABC and its affiliates (check your local listings). There are also options to Livestream it on ABC.com, or on the app. Also, consider options on Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, AT&T TV Now or YouTube TV (where available). In keeping with last year, there is no host, though the festivities will continue as expected, including performances by every Best Original Song nominee as well as an appearance by Billie Eilish. Get ready for Hollywood's big night and have your ballot of predictions ready (here's mine) Don't miss any of the action as it happens live, because it's sure to be a night to remember. 

Here's My Official Predictions for This Year's Oscars Ceremony

Scene from 1917 (2019)

After months of prognostication, the moment is finally here. Tomorrow is the day that every film fan has been waiting for as The Academy Awards take to the stage to announce this year's winners. Who will be the big winners? 1917, Parasite, Joker? There's nothing known for sure until that envelope is open. While I don't have any answer regarding who will win, I am still capable of making predictions, sometimes wild as they are, for who will be walking up to that stage and joining the selective circle of Oscar winners. So, without further commentary, here are my predictions for this year's ceremony. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and prepare for plenty of post-ceremony coverage coming on Monday.

Looking Back at Predictions: How Did I Do?

Scene from Parasite (2019)

On Monday, The Academy announced its nominees for this year's ceremony. There's a lot to be excited about on the list, including Parasite becoming the first Korean movie to be nominated... well, ever. Having had time to mull over all of the nominees, there is one thing that is fun to do: look back on predictions and see just how accurate things turned out. After all, they were the last moment to shape what should be nominated before finding out what ended up making the cut. The following is a rundown of six categories that I predicted along with how well things turned out. To say the least, it always produces interesting results. 

A Quick Rundown of Where to Watch the Oscar Nominations

At long last, tomorrow (Monday, January, 12) will bring to an end the prognostication of the one question awards fans can't help but ask: who will be nominated for Oscars? Well, tomorrow morning the question will be answered. If you wish to watch the broadcast live, you can join in on Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook as Issa Rae and John Cho present this year's nominees. You may also watch via your local news programs. They are currently scheduled to take place at 5:18 AM PST (check your local listings for more information) and will be presented in two halves, all culminating in the Best Picture category. So get ready for a fun morning and plenty of coverage to follow, for it's a day that we're all looking forward to. 

Last-Minute Predictions for This Year's Oscar Nominations

Scene from Joker (2019)

The big moment is here! After a year of prognosticating, this year's Oscar nominations will be upon us and put to rest a lot of complicated questions. Which actors will make the cut? Will this be one of the best years for Best Picture ever? How big does Parasite or Joker show up? So many questions will finally be resolved, leaving only the biggest one (who wins?) to be resolved. With time ticking away until this moment comes, it feels like a good time to announce my predictions for what will get nominated this year. Like every time, it's difficult to narrow it down, but if half of these end up on the list, then we should be happy.