Alan Menken is Officially an EGOT!

Alan Menken

There is a lot that's uncertain about the year ahead. Among them is the potential for theaters to open, and whether anything will ever return to normal. It's easy to become skeptical during this time and think that nothing good comes during this time. Well, in a strange turn of events, this past weekend brought with it some great news for longtime Disney fans. Composer Alan Menken has finally achieved the illustrious EGOT status, becoming only the 16th person to achieve this. With his Daytime Emmy win for Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, he comes full circle in a fruitful partnership with Disney that has rewarded him greatly. 

Best Song: "(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (2019)

Scene from Rocketman

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now but wait until the bad years.

Check This Out: Billie Eilish Sings the Latest Bond Song "No Time to Die"

There's going to be a lot of reason to talk about James Bond in 2020. It isn't just that this is the latest film in one of Britain's most popular franchises. It's also the 25th film and one that features the current Bond (Daniel Craig) stepping down after playing the role since Casino Royale in 2006. For the first time in almost 15 years, there are so many things up in the air for where things will go. However, there is one thing that will never go out of style: the Bond song. Just as Bond is expected to drive fancy cars and play with nifty gadgets, audiences have been expecting a new and definitive addition to the sonic canon of 007. This time around is one of the stranger choices with Billie Eilish taking on the role with the titular song for No Time to Die. If it's not the perfect kick-off for the Best Original Song contenders for next year, then nothing is.

Review: "Harriet" Only Gets So Far With Conventional Story

Scene from Harriet (2019)

There's no biopic that has as much pressure to live up to as director Kasi Lemmons' Harriet. It's likely that those who have been in a history class anytime over the past 100 years will know the achievements of Harriet Tubman, even vaguely. She is a prime figure in the success of The Underground Railroad, and that's just the start to something more exciting and empowering about her story. There's so much ground to cover to the point that it's impossible to fathom why it took until 2019 for Tubman to receive the biopic treatment. Harriet is a film that has to be something for everybody as a result, being neither too salacious for those discovering her story nor too sentimental and false. Where does one possibly go with this material for a first outing? The answer is somewhere safe in the middle, producing a film that is satisfying but lacks any urgency that will revive Tubman's legacy to a new generation.

Review: "Frozen II" Embraces the Unknown Wonders in a Dazzling Sequel

Scene from Frozen II

In 2013, Frozen created one of the most unsuspecting phenomenons of the 21st century. Joining the ranks of such cornerstone blockbusters like Star Wars, Titanic, and The Sound of Music, Disney created their most successful film in 20 years. EVERYONE knows "Let It Go." Elsa merchandise litters every retail store internationally. The studio has created endless spin-offs including the controversial Olaf's Frozen Adventure and the LEGO short Northern Lights.  There was even a Tony-nominated Broadway show. Frozen II isn't even the first sequel that these characters have been in (see Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet). To suggest that their latest outing has been long overdue feels like a bit of a laugh because of how inescapable the franchise has been over the past six years. 

But how do you follow up a phenomenon that everyone knows by heart, complaining about their child watching the film on a constant loop of madness? It's a question that likely explains the long absence of an official sequel. Instead of striking while the iron was hot, Frozen II arrives fully formed in one of the studio's biggest miracles in quite some time. Sure there are constant nods to the original, but this film is far from a retread. In a story that feels richer, darker, and more emotionally complex, Disney has created a film that elevates the franchise to mythic status. It may have an uphill battle in that it isn't Frozen, but it's the next best thing. It's a sequel that uses every minute to enhance the world and prove why these characters deserve to be the international sensations that they are. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Frozen" (2013)

Scene from Frozen (2013)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Check This Out: "Cats" Enters the Best Original Song Category with Taylor Swift's "Beautiful Ghosts"

Scene from Cats (2019)

Somehow, everyone knew that it just had to happen. With director Tom Hooper's Cats marking the major movie musical of the Christmas season, it just had to sneak into the Best Original Song category somehow. With that said, the moment is finally here and the song that likely exists only for Oscar punditry is "Beautiful Ghosts." While there's still a long way to go until its premiere, there's at least now some sense of what the soundtrack will sound like. With Taylor Swift offering her vocals to the song, it is a curious little ditty that feels like it will be big on emotions, vying for a chance to win the category over whatever Frozen II puts forward. Still, it's a decent song and one that reflects a familiar trend for longtime fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber's film adaptations. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Dreamgirls" (2006)

Scene from Dreamgirls

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Composing Greatness: #6. "Titanic" (1997)

Scene from Titanic

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Composing Greatness: #1. James Horner - "An American Tail" (1986)

Scene from An American Tail

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

R.I.P. Doris Day (1922-2019)

Doris Day

On May 13, 2019, actress and singer Doris Day passed away at the age of 97 in Carmel Valley Village, California. Over the course of an extensive career, she recorded over 650 songs and starred in such iconic movies as Pillow Talk and Calamity Jane. While she only received one Oscar for acting, many of her biggest hits would win Best Original Song awards, including "Que Sera Sera" (from The Man Who Knew Too Much) and "Secret Love" (from Calamity Jane). She leaves behind a massive body of work both on screen and in various recordings, including several major awards distinctions that have yet to be met. With almost a century of talent to her name, she leaves behind a career that's hard to ignore and work that shows just how talented she always was.

Best Song: "Shallow" (2018)

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now but wait until the bad years.

A Rundown of Who's Performing on The Academy Awards this Sunday

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Things are getting exciting. With approximately 48 hours left until this year's Oscars ceremony, it's time lo look forward to the ceremony. Knowing that there isn't any host, what is there to look forward to? Well, there's good news (and some bad) in regards to this year's music performers. As of this moment, four of the five songs will be performed at the ceremony. While some would think this is a side effect of the infamous cuts that the show temporarily had, it's merely a side effect from scheduling. To find out who is still on the show, please feel free to read on and prepare for what is shaping up to be one of the oddest ceremonies in the modern era.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The LEGO Movie" (2014)

Scene from The LEGO Movie

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Coming Soon: Composing Greatness Looks at This Year's Nominees

Terrence Blanchard

In what will become an annual tradition, it's time once again for Composing Greatness to revive itself for a week of covering every Best Original Score nominee from this year's ceremony. Given the great diversity in styles, it's going to be fun to look through what's here and find the heart of why these scores were nominated. So feel free to join in, starting the week of February 18 as I cover all five of the scores in alphabetical order by title. How will BlacKkKlansman, Black Panther, If Beale Street Could Talk, Isle of Dogs, and Mary Poppins Returns compare with previous nominees? You'll have to wait and see.

*NOTE: Due to Composing Greatness' return, this month's Legitimate Theater has been cancelled. Please feel free to enjoy it next month when it returns.

An Update on The Academy Awards Ceremony's Many Strange Decisions

Scene from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

In every sense of the word, the three weeks leading up to the Academy Awards ceremony should be a time of excitement and anticipation. After all, the nominations have been revealed and everything should be in place for the broadcast. However, this year has been a bit of an uphill battle for most, as the past year has embodied a series of bad decisions lead by Academy President John Bailey that culminated in a Best Popular Film category that was rightfully laughed out of the conversation. However, it also brought with it a need for serious change that is unfortunately a bit baffling. Less than a week after it was announced that only two of the Oscar-nominated songs would perform, the ruling has been reversed. However, it does come with a bit of a price, especially if what has been said is to be believed. There's a lot wrong with the broadcast's proposed plan and part of that is cutting the music down to 90 seconds.

R.I.P. Michel Legrand (1932-2019)

Michel Legrand

On January 26, 2019, composer Michael Legrand passed away at the age of 86 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Over the course of his career he has worked with several French New Wave luminaries and even a few Orson Welles films (including his posthumous release The Other Side of the Wind). In such a prolific career, he has composed music for over 200 films and theater productions. In total, he has received 13 Oscar nominations and won for three starting with The Thomas Crown Affair song "The Windmills of Your Mind." With such an incredible career, he remains one of cinema's most influential composers who never stopped working and brought his heart to every production. His prolific nature means that you'll know at least one of his works, and that is an achievement few others could possibly achieve.

The Academy Rumored to Be Limiting Music Performances at Ceremony

Kendrick Lamarr

With the Oscar nominations firmly upon us, The Academy has found a way to make the final month-long stretch to Oscar Night more frustrating than trying to guess who will win. With theaters boycotting Roma, and the current plan of the show having no host, one has to wonder where the controversial decisions end. It didn't happen yesterday when a rumor surfaced that the show would be going without another key piece of the puzzle. While there hasn't been any confirmation as of yet, there's a report from Variety that there will be limited performances by the Best Original Song nominees. It makes sense then why people are once again annoyed by this decision, The Academy Awards is a place to celebrate film from over the past year. If they won't acknowledge the music that goes into a film, then what will they recognize?

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Greatest Showman" (2017)

Scene from The Greatest Showman

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Composing Greatness: #9. Thomas Newman - "WALL-E" (2008)

Scene from WALL-E

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.