R.I.P. Richard Williams (1933-2019)

Richard Williams

On August 16, 2019, animator and voice actor Richard Williams passed away at the age of 86 in Bristol, England. With a career spanning several decades, he was best known as a beloved animator who helped bring to life such stories as Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and worked profusely and passionately on every project he was given. There were few animators like him, notably because of his dedication to craft, producing quality work with a focus and skill that few others had. His work continues to dazzle as a result, leaving behind a body of work that is breathtaking in its style and form that reflects the potential of art in film, whether through character movement or title sequences. He did it all, and had quite an impressive career as a result.

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.

A Round-Up of Recent Movie Trailers With Oscar Potential

Amy Adams in Arrival

With Oscar season upon us, it becomes harder and harder to keep track of all potential nominees with trailers released. I apologize for not quite keeping up with every new release over the past few weeks. As I do from time to time, I have decided to round up a few trailers for films that have potential to be awards contenders in some respects. While they range from plausible to a stretch, it's intriguing to think of which contender has already shown its face. Will Arrival, Allied, or even (but not likely) Hacksaw Ridge be the film of awards season? I don't have any answers, but I sure have plenty of opinions to make up for it.

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.

The First Trailer of "The Walk" Hopes That You Haven't Seen "Man on Wire." Otherwise, What's the Point?

Joseph Gordon Levitt

In 2008, director James Marsh released the documentary Man on Wire. It followed the journey of real life tightrope walker Philippe Petit as he infamously performed a routine between both of the World Trade Center buildings. It was an astounding achievement in film making as it turned an unnerving real life story into a cinematic heist film as well. It was a film that was so acclaimed that it remains one of the highest rated titles on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes and took home the Best Documentary award at that year's Oscars ceremony. With The Walk, director Robert Zemeckis is looking to reenact these events with Joseph Gordon Levitt in the central role. The better question is why this is even necessary.

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.

Is Washington Ready to Take "Flight" into the Acting Category?

Denzel Washington

It has been awhile since we've had a likely candidate for Best Actor. Along with director Steven Spielberg's upcoming Lincoln, we are looking at that field to be closing fast. With Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) and John Hawkes (The Sessions) almost guaranteed and with a possibility of Anthony Hopkins (Hitchcock), it seems like movies like director Tom Hooper's Les Miserables will need to do double time to break the mold. However, this weekend sees the rise of the next possible candidate: Denzel Washington in director Robert Zemeckis' return to live action film Flight about an alcoholic pilot who averted a plane crash. Are we looking at the return of the acting juggernaut who last won Best Actor for director Antoine Fuqua's Training Day, or is the same old Washington that we've come to expect?