10 Great Films I Discovered Thanks to FilmStruck

Yesterday, November 29, 2018, FilmStruck shut down after a brief two year run. While it may not seem impressive in an era where companies like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime have inspired anyone with an internet connection to make their own streaming service, the ambitions of the TCM/Criterion Collection-hybrid were unmatched and a reflection of how much cinephiles desired to see good cinema. It wasn't just a chock-a-block website with no-name titles popping up every two weeks. It was catered in unprecedented ways, providing behind the scenes content for cinema that ranged from world cinema to Hollywood classics to modern indie greats. While they're shut down, the reports of a reemergence in 2019 with The Criterion Channel is a welcomed blessing. To pay tribute to their greatness, I thought that I would share 10 films I watched via FilmStruck that made an impression on me (for a full list of what I did watch, you can find it here). If anything, I hope this get you to hop on board with The Criterion Channel and make it last, because it's the only thing like it and easily the best variety of cinema for your streaming service money. 

Birthday Take: Krzysztof Kieslowki in "Red" (1994)

Scene from Red

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

R.I.P. Emmanuelle Riva (1927-2017)

Emmanuelle Riva in Amour

On January 27, 2017, actress Emmanuelle Riva died at the age of 89 in Paris, France from cancer. The French actress had a lengthy career full of great performances. She is most likely going to be remembered for her role in director Michel Haneke's Amour, in which she played a dying woman opposite Jean-Louis Trintignant. Her career featured several astounding performances that played to her strengths and helped solidify her as a unique talent. She leaves behind an impressive body of work the likes of which cannot be matched. 

The Directors Project: #36 - Krzystof Kieslowski

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.