A Look at How Cinema Has Made John F. Kennedy the "Absent President"

Scene from Forrest Gump

What do we mean when we talk about President John F. Kennedy in film? Had the answer applied to any other leader of the free world, the answer would be simple. These were men who lead the country through historical periods and should be honored with a noble retelling of their legacy. But over the past 25 years especially, has there been a president more undermined by cinema's potential than Kennedy? With the recent release of director Pablo Larrain's Jackie, it feels like an important time to analyze why one of the most revered presidents of the late 20th century is largely absent, even in his own filmography. It's not likely because he didn't mean anything, but that he has become symbolic of something greater than his career.

Top 10 Favorite Tom Hanks Performances

Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips

Today marks the birthday for the two-time Academy Award winning actor Tom Hanks. Over the course of his career, he has gone from playing comedic roles in films such as Turner & Hooch to a more respected actor with dramatic roles like Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. In honor of this occasion, it feels as good of a time as any to share a personal list of my Top 10 favorite Hanks performances spanning over his film career. If for no other reason, it will help to show the range and give you a better understanding as to why I consider him one of the best and charismatic actors of his generation.

Nothing But the Best: "Forrest Gump" (1994)

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

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.

Watch This: David Letterman at the Oscars

David Letterman

After an impressive 33 years, late night talk show host David Letterman will be retiring from his job as the host of The Late Show. For many, it is the end of an era that was full of anarchy and very odd comedy choices. Unlike his competition, specifically that of Jay Leno (The Tonight Show), he was influential in making pranks and lists into an art form for hilarity. With all of this in mind, it is interesting to note that his Academy Awards hosting gig has gone down as one of the worst, yet is it considering the countless names that have come since (Ellen Degeneres, James Franco, etc.)? Along with celebrating the 20th anniversary of that frightful gig this year, it is as good of a time as any to revisit it as we lose one of the most inimitable and ornery talk show hosts in American history.

A Celebration of Best Picture Films Featuring Drug Use

Scene from Annie Hall

Do you like to party? Do you like prestige movies? Well, this article is the perfect crossroads for you. In honor of 4-20, a holiday based around freebasing, here is a look at the many films that have embraced debauchery and still managed to win the Academy's love. While we won't get into the drinks, we'll take a look at every drug-fueled film that has featured some sort of substance abuse and pay tribute to those Best Picture winners and nominees that made a difference while under the influence. So, I won't harsh your buzz for much longer. Just hit the jump to find get the full experience.

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.

The Directors Project: #27 - Robert Zemeckis

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.

A Look Back at "Forrest Gump" and its Controversial Best Picture Win Over "Pulp Fiction"

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

In honor of Forrest Gump's 20th anniversary, I have decided to run something special. I have decided to personally explore the Best Picture category of 1994 as well as my personal thoughts within the nominees. Despite becoming an iconic film with countless catchphrases, a restaurant chain, and a rock band, it seems like Robert Zemeckis' technologically groundbreaking film has received flack for pandering to baby boomers through an intellectually stunted character by rewriting American history. I won't go into politics, but it does challenge how I view the film, especially as it was an iconic piece of my childhood. Instead, I will choose to focus on the "controversy" that surrounds it. Did it deserve to beat Pulp Fiction?

To Celebrate 20 Years, "Forrest Gump" Will Return to Theaters This September

Tom Hanks

In general, a lot of great things can be said about 1994 in terms of movies. Consider what came out: Pulp Fiction, Quiz Show, The Three Colors: Red, The Shawshank Redemption, and plenty more. It was an amazing year for movies and very few years since has captured the zeitgeist in quite the same way. However, among all of these films is director Robert Zemeckis' Forrest Gump, which celebrates its anniversary a month from tomorrow. To many, including myself, it was an important film to my childhood because it influenced what we said and watched. Its iconography are moments of endearment for me and with Tom Hanks being one of the most likable actors still working, it is easy to see why Forrest Gump is till being talked about.

A Look Back at My Oscar Best Picture Challenge (1960-2013)

While it is fun to report on the future of The Oscars, I also have set up a challenge to myself to see every previous Best Picture winner. Through this method, I am hoping to get an overall understanding of themes and hopefully to understand the psychology that goes with the voting. With 2013 coming to a close, I have finished another leg of my goal by having seen everything that won after 1960. This feels like as good of a time as any to look back and see what made the running goal worthwhile and if it continues to be an enjoyable experience.