Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #20-24

Scene from Django Unchained

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.

Tarantino Reveals Why Django Was Not in "The Hateful Eight"

Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained

With the release of director Quentin Tarantino's latest film The Hateful Eight only weeks away, it feels like a great time to pull up old retrospectives about his career. With a great ear for dialogue and some of the best stylized violence in mainstream cinema, the director has slowly built his way into being one of the most definitive voices of his generation. Among his more controversial films is 2012's Django Unchained, which starred Jamie Foxx as a freed slave who seeks revenge on his white captors in a bloody, anachronistic fashion. While these two films share relations to the western genre, there's something else that they have in common. Django almost appeared in The Hateful Eight.

Will Smith Opens Up About Not Starring in "Django Unchained" With Hypocritical Reasoning

Will Smith in Wild Wild West

There's a good chance that if you're attentive to the news cycle, you'll know that director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained almost ended up a little differently. While audiences now know title character Django Freeman as being played by Jamie Foxx, there was a time where it looked to belong to Men in Black actor Will Smith. While nobody really had a good idea why that was, guesses were that it was just too violent or crazy for the actor who has consistently been self-aware of his image (though that doesn't explain After Earth). In a recent interview while doing the rounds for his latest drama Concussion, he has opened up to why things didn't pan out. On the plus side, it's not anything irrational. On the other hand, it's a little strange.

Theory Thursday: Leonardo DiCaprio is the Last Traditional Movie Star

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

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. 

A Few Highlights From Quentin Tarantino's Vulture Interview on Film Culture and the Oscars

Quentin Tarantino

By now, you likely have an opinion on Quentin Tarantino. Love him or hate him, he is one of the most recognizable directors working in cinema. After making a splash in 1994 with Pulp Fiction, he came out with a string of increasingly stylized films that made him one of the most authentic and successful genre directors of contemporary times. His love of film also seems to be a point of acclaim every time he has an interview. With a very strange taste in pop culture, his recommendations are always worth a head scratch. With his latest interview for Vulture, he doesn't disappoint as he provides his thoughts on TV, movies, and his own career. Check out his thoughts after the jump.

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.

The Directors Project: #8 - Quentin Tarantino

Scene from Cinema Paradiso

With the many lists and essays written on the subject of film, there has been one thing that The Oscar Buzz has tried to understand: Who is my favorite of the film world? For 10 weeks this summer, I will be exploring this with a countdown of the Top 50 names based on a numerical ranking of ratings from various sources, the following is a list of directors who rank above everyone else. With occasional upsets, this is intended as both a discussion opener as well as a better understanding of me as a film critic and fan. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have regarding the entry's selection.

Review: "Django Unchained" Suffers From Multiple Genre Personalities

Samuel L. Jackson

I am officially back from my two weeks hiatus. I want to thank you for being patient and I hope to continue to bring you updates and other entries detailing my thoughts on this upcoming Oscars ceremony, including predictions on Seth MacFarlane's performance, why Argo will win Best Picture, and quite possibly a Zero Dark Thirty review.  But for now, we look at director Quentin Tarantino's latest slave epic Django Unchained. Is it up to par with the other Best Picture nominees, and does it have what it takes to win big on Oscar Night?

The Oscar Nominations Are In, and It Is Looking Great!

For movie fans around the world, this morning was one of the greatest days of the year. Okay, maybe second favorite. Today was the day that Seth MacFarlane and Emma Stone got up on stage and announced this year's Oscar nominations. As usual, there are many cheers and jeers to be given out. However, in a very interesting year for film, even what ended up snubbing superior films isn't all that embarrassing. It is actually a strong year for nominations, in fact and I cannot wait for the ceremony. Following the jump is my personal thoughts on each category as well as my official votes. Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Picture Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Picture Winner, cast and crew for The Artist

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Actor Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Actor winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist)

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Predictions: Who Should Get a Best Supporting Actor Nomination in 2013?

2012's Best Supporting Actor winner Christopher Plummer (Beginners)

We are in an exciting time for Oscar enthusiasts. We are officially one week away from the announcement of this year's nominees. In order to contribute some thoughts, I will be going down the major categories (Acting, Directing, and Best Picture) and predicting who will be the most likely to get nominated, as well as a few tidbits on why I agree with these decisions. Be warned that every story that I am going to write in relation to predictions will not actually feature any bias towards who should win. However, I will be detailing why I think each should be nominated. Also stay tuned for post-coverage in which I will actually be sharing my thoughts on the nominations and solidify who I believe should win in each category.

Which Christmas Release Stands the Best Chances at Best Picture?

Les Miserables

Update: I have written a review for Les Miserables posted here.

Before I begin, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Why is this relevant? Because as per usual, almost every December 25 sees the release of the tent pole movies of the year. This year's class joins the ranks of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (though that did open on the 20th) in terms of films that somehow deserve to be the last of the awards-worthy. This year, we have three very interesting, if entirely different nominees: director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, director Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty (released December 21), and director Tom Hooper's Les Miserables. Will any of them stand a chance when it comes to winning Best Picture, or is Argo pretty much locked in?

Golden Globe Nominations 2013 Are Here, and Guess Who Got Ignored?

It is an exciting time for movie awards fanatics. With all of the nominations coming out, we are only a month away from when we finally get a peek at what will be nominated for this year's Academy Awards! Unfortunately, the Golden Globes have always been perceived in some way as a predecessor to the event and for no good reason. Each year, they mistake celebrity for quality with very few wins for the right people. However, that's kind of why they are my favorite whipping boy. I love to criticize their choices with a heavy hand. The following is a look at the nominations that were released this morning and my brief opinions about each category.

Will the Academy Award "Django Unchained" for its Portrayal of Revisionist History?

Jamie Foxx

One of the longest hold outs of the awards season, director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, finally made its premiere at a Directors Guild of America screening on December 1, a little over three weeks until its international release. Speculation has long surrounded the film on if it is worthy of at very least a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. While there were differing opinions and a standing ovation at the screening, the question remains unanswered. For now, we cannot help but wonder if Tarantino can pull back-to-back nominations, or if he just created another fun film.

Will the Christmas Release of "Les Miserables" be a Gift in Disguise?

Anne Hathaway

Update: I have written a review that is posted here.

One of the most highly anticipated movies of this year, director Tom Hooper's Les Miserables, has once again made a shuffle. Originally set for release on December 7, it was moved back a week to compete against director Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. However, things have come up in which it needs time to finish shooting and we see another release date shuffle. Taking over the spot once belonging to director Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, Les Miserables is now set for a Christmas Day release. Is this a good or bad move for what will easily be one of the front runners at this year's Oscars?