R.I.P. Mary Tyler Moore (1938-2017)

Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People

On January 25, 2017 actress Mary Tyler Moore died at the age of 80 in Greenwich, Connecticut from pneumonia. Over the course of her lengthy career, she has done a lot of work in shaping the view of women in movies and specifically TV with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She was also nominated for an Oscar with her dramatic turn in Ordinary People. As the opening song of her sitcom suggested, she could turn the world on with her smile. She did plenty work on screen as well as behind the scenes, donating time to charities related to diabetes and animal rights. She leaves behind a body of work that continues to inspire women generations later as well as fans of comedies in general.

A Ranking of Every Film By David O. Russel

David O. Russell

With this past weekend's release of Joy, director David O. Russell once again returns with a film that establishes his attempt to be a populous auteur. Ever since his comeback film The Fighter in 2010, the director has made it his goal to make films about the every man; the middle class who strive for a better existence. In a sense, he is doing it more successfully than anyone else. In a time where romantic acting pairs aren't a thing, he has continually made Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper work as a box office draw. To an extent, he is doing the impossible by making throwbacks to feel good films, often with an edge that makes his experiences wholly unique. The following is a ranking of every one of his films from his earlier and angrier days of Spanking the Monkey to the more recent happy side of Joy. Even if these two films are wildly different, it doesn't mean that they're any less interesting as a progression of behavior and craft from a director not known to always be pleasant.