Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #6-10

Scene from Parasite (2019)

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.

A Look Back at My Oscar Predictions: How Did I Do?

Scene from Parasite (2019)

Now that the dust has settled and everyone knows what the results for this year's Oscars are, it's time to look back at one of the most fun/embarrassing things that we all do. Every year it's fun to predict the winners, and some years are clearly better than others when it comes to results. For me, this was a terrible year where almost everything was undone by the unexpected success of Parasite. Then again, I have yet to get 0%, so I'm doing something right. So... how did I do otherwise? The answer is just ahead and presents an interesting side to the Oscar season that is often overlooked. How did you do? Did Parasite get you too? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

A Wrap-Up of the 2019-2020 Oscar Season

Janelle Monae

At long last, the Oscar season is over. And much quicker than usual this year. That is why it feels absolutely strange to be saying goodbye already. It feels like there should be another few weeks for people to catch up on Oscar nominees, hold a conversation about why Jojo Rabbit was the dark horse Best Picture winner some expected it to be. It's one of the joys/frustrations that are lost to this adapted schedule, but in some ways, it's for the best. Where some years feel interminable, lasting so long that one can't help but resent half of the nominees, this one feels like a blip. Maybe it's something that the lower-than-average viewer ratings would suggest. Still, it was an interesting year existing in "The New Academy," where a new generation is rising and the definition of a winner is changing slowly. Was it the best year? It wasn't the worst. It was somewhere in the middle, where there's a need for change, but is exciting for making bold wins that proved just how great cinema has been. 

"Parasite" Revolutionized How We See Best Picture Winners

Bong Joon-ho

Back in 2009 when I was discovering who I was as a cinephile, there were a handful of movies I was recommended. My friend Dorian, more a fan of eastern cinema like J-Horror and Studio Ghibli, joined me on a quest to watch all of these films, discovering some of the finest voices of contemporary cinema. Among those films was The Host, itself already promising given our love for monster movies. While I had expected there to be rabid chaos letting loose, I hadn't expected there to be so much personality and humor, creating a social commentary within this realm that I hadn't fathomed would have anything memorable to say besides giving the audience a thrill. Maybe it was because I was young, but the way it enhanced story only proved to me that international cinema had this capability of connecting to me, even if I couldn't tell you a single thing about South Korea. In that way, I was a changed man.

Along with the great Park Chan-Wook (The Vengeance Trilogy), the decade to follow was an incredible time to watch The Host's director Bong Joon-ho emerge as this larger-than-life personality, helping to bring attention to the incredible Korean Wave of cinema still going on. There was something special about Joon-ho, who constantly returned to the conversation with these abstract genre thrillers like Snowpiercer and Okja: films that sought to connect Korean ideology with western interests. With Parasite, he found a way to create the ultimate universal tale in a story of the economic struggles of the working class as they fight for a little luxury. It was known not only by critics but also by its unprecedented box office run. This wasn't just another South Korean import. It was a $167 million success story that went even further. By winning Best Picture at the Oscars, Joon-ho did the unthinkable in elevating himself from connecting with the weirdos who love international cinema, to just being plain accepted for making an undeniable masterpiece that has a lot to say both in text and in success about the future of film.

Here Are This Year's Oscar Winners!

Well, that's it. Another year is officially in the books. The 92nd Academy Awards were held last night and, by all accounts, it was an exciting night full of many surprising winners. Most importantly, it was the night when Best Picture (and three other trophies) ushered in a new era as The Academy celebrated Parasite. While there was a share of obvious winners, there's no discounting that it was another fun year full of great artists finally getting their recognition for hard work. There is more Oscar coverage to come in the week ahead, but for now, there is one question on everyone's minds: what actually won? Presented here without further commentary are this year's winners in every category.

Here's My Official Predictions for This Year's Oscars Ceremony

Scene from 1917 (2019)

After months of prognostication, the moment is finally here. Tomorrow is the day that every film fan has been waiting for as The Academy Awards take to the stage to announce this year's winners. Who will be the big winners? 1917, Parasite, Joker? There's nothing known for sure until that envelope is open. While I don't have any answer regarding who will win, I am still capable of making predictions, sometimes wild as they are, for who will be walking up to that stage and joining the selective circle of Oscar winners. So, without further commentary, here are my predictions for this year's ceremony. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments and prepare for plenty of post-ceremony coverage coming on Monday.

Ranking the Best Picture Nominees of 2020

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

One of the greatest games to play following every Oscar season is to see every film that's nominated in any given character. None are more fun than Best Picture, which remains the most anticipated category year in and year out, leaving behind a winner that is going to be talked about for decades and (very soon) a century. Now that I have seen every nominee in the class of 2020, I am throwing in my hat to determine which films I love the most and what are some of the weak spots on the list. As a whole, the films picked from 2019 presented another strong class that reflects the best of cinema's diverse potential. Could it be better? Sure, but the nine films here are no slouches.

A Look at Academy Award Nominations That Make Me Happy

Scene from Little Women (2019)

With the recent announcement of The Academy Award nominations, many have already taken to the internet to give criticism for what they have done wrong. Oh, Jennifer Lopez didn't get a nomination for Hustlers, or Greta Gerwig missed Best Director for Little Women. They're all fair criticisms that help prove why the Oscars have remained such an important part of film discourse. However, there is something else to highlight from these crop of nominees: the positive. Yes, for as much as they "got wrong," The Academy got a lot right and introduced a variety of things to be excited about. The following is a quick rundown of nominees that personally make me happy, or come as a pleasant surprise. While there's more that I liked, these are the pleasant surprises that make the season all the more worth supporting year after year.

Looking Back at Predictions: How Did I Do?

Scene from Parasite (2019)

On Monday, The Academy announced its nominees for this year's ceremony. There's a lot to be excited about on the list, including Parasite becoming the first Korean movie to be nominated... well, ever. Having had time to mull over all of the nominees, there is one thing that is fun to do: look back on predictions and see just how accurate things turned out. After all, they were the last moment to shape what should be nominated before finding out what ended up making the cut. The following is a rundown of six categories that I predicted along with how well things turned out. To say the least, it always produces interesting results. 

The 2020 Oscar Nominations Are Officially Here!

Ladies and gentlemen, at long last the day has arrived. The Academy gathered together to announce the nominees for this year's ceremony. Among the highlights is that comic book movie Joker lead the pack with 11 nominations, and Parasite became the first South Korean film to be nominated, period. Across the board, there are nonstop things to celebrate and get excited for. Now there's only one question to go: who will win it all? While nobody has the answers for that yet, there are several nominations to get excited about. Read on to discover what made the list and come back in the weeks to come to discuss news and reviews about all of the nominees.

Last-Minute Predictions for This Year's Oscar Nominations

Scene from Joker (2019)

The big moment is here! After a year of prognosticating, this year's Oscar nominations will be upon us and put to rest a lot of complicated questions. Which actors will make the cut? Will this be one of the best years for Best Picture ever? How big does Parasite or Joker show up? So many questions will finally be resolved, leaving only the biggest one (who wins?) to be resolved. With time ticking away until this moment comes, it feels like a good time to announce my predictions for what will get nominated this year. Like every time, it's difficult to narrow it down, but if half of these end up on the list, then we should be happy.

Review: "Parasite" is a Sick and Desperate Masterpiece

Scene from Parasite (2019)

As its title would suggest, Parasite is a film that has infected the public consciousness for most of 2019. After winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, it has slowly gained more acclaim for being one of the weirdest, most twisted films of the year. No amount of advertising could truly take away its mystique. Even the fact that it's dominating at the American box office in ways that few Korean films have should say how special this film is. But what is Parasite, and why is director Bong Joon-ho suddenly being labeled as the Oscar front-runner? To put it simply, the film is just that good. This isn't just a story that appeals to Korean ideals. It's a story that feels like a universal problem finally distilled in one entertaining, horrific package that is impossible to ignore. Not only is this Joon-ho's best work (which is really saying something), but it's one of the most essential narratives of the decade.

Palme d'Or Winner "Parasite" Gets a Haunting, Funny Trailer

Scene from Parasite (2019)

Things are looking to be very exciting this Oscar season, especially if director Bong Joon-Ho is involved. With Indiewire already naming his latest Parasite among the best films of the decade, the Palme d'Or winner has received nonstop praise for the Korean director and has lead many to wonder if it can truly live up to the hype stateside. While it's a longshot to argue that a foreign-language film will make the cut, there's still room to suggest that Joon-Ho will given his impressive track record and recent success with the Netflix film Okja. The first trailer for Parasite is here to start making arguments as to why he needs to be taken seriously this season. One can hope that everyone listens.