A Final Goodbye From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Modern Times

Back in February, I made the comment that I was going on an extended hiatus. For the first time since 2011, I was not going to be reporting on an Oscar Season, citing burnout and mental health reasons. I promised to return in August to give an update on how I was feeling. I was hoping in all that time that the story would play out differently but, every few weeks, I would return to the same prompt “Do I want to relaunch The Oscar Buzz?” and every single time, without fail, I was not motivated to say anything resembling a yes. 

For as much as I’ve gotten better, where I’ve had happier days and been in better headspaces than I was back then, I find myself unable to work up the motivation. The website that began as a passion project in 2012 has become a bit of a burden, and even the fun columns like Failed Oscar Campaigns and Nothing But the Best have lost their muster. Do I still like what I did? Of course. I love the way it’s introduced me to a great online community. The issue is that for as much as I want to talk to them still, I just don’t feel like I have anything of merit to share on here anymore – at least for the foreseeable future. There is a chance that things COULD change, but as of today, The Oscar Buzz is closing its doors.

The Oscar Buzz is Officially Going on Hiatus

Scene from Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

It is with some sadness that I report something important. Despite The Oscar Buzz being home to a celebration of film history, especially during awards season, I am going on immediate hiatus. This doesn't come without some serious thinking, doing everything to try and make things work out. However, I think that those who have inhabited this website in recent months will notice my inability to keep up, failing to review every potential contender and speculate about recent Golden Globes coverage. Even reliable columns like Nothing But the Best, Failed Oscar Campaigns, and A24 A-to-Z have been dormant more often than not. I have personally tried to keep this website operating, but it is a difficult period for me personally. That is why, as of today, I will be shutting the website down for six months, returning in August to provide an assessment of where everything is. For more information, please read on.

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Grand Hotel (1932)

Lo and behold, here we are at the end of another year. 2020 has been such a wild year with its endless ups and downs. For fans of the Oscar season, it's been one of the most interesting, unprecedented years on record. This is the first (and possibly only) time that The Academy will accept streaming movies in all significant categories. The ceremony has been pushed back months. What exactly is there to make of this season? There's been plenty to talk about in light of this, and I can't wait to see what happens next. But, before 2021 kicks off I thought that I'd open up for why I've been rather dormant on here over the past three months. I need to apologize for myself. The Oscar Buzz will continue, though there will be some minor changes going forward.

The Oscar Buzz Celebrates Its Eighth Anniversary!

 

Scene from Hard Eight

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to announce that the odometer has rolled over. We're entering my eighth year of running things here at The Oscar Buzz. Boy has life been sweet as I've continued to expand my area of interest here annually, finding new and exciting topics to explore as I wait for each season to start. As I do every year, I try to use numerology to figure out something interesting to explore about myself. This is a moment where I get personal and expand upon what I love about film. With the number "8," I've had a variety of topics to choose from, such as BUtterfield 8 or The Hateful Eight. However, those feel small, not allowing for me to really open up in significant ways that go back more than a few years.

Much like how I chose The Seven Year Itch for 2019 to explore my love for Marilyn Monroe, I have decided to use Hard Eight as an entry point into Paul Thomas Anderson. As long-time readers will know, I started this whole website because of The Master. It all started because I wanted to see Joaquin Phoenix get that Oscar win (seven years late, but we got there!). However, I have reserved criticism of that 2012 masterpiece to a certain upcoming anniversary (guess). For now, I am using Anderson's debut film to better explore the question: why do I love PTA so much? I'm sure everyone from my generation has an answer and those who know me personally likely already will find these key notes predictable. For everyone else, welcome to my anniversary piece, the one where I finally get to the heart of a very specific kind of movie love.

How Joaquin Phoenix Encouraged Me To Start The Oscar Buzz

Joaquin Phoenix

Among the many winners at last night's Academy Awards was Best Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix (Joker). For months following the release of the divisive film, he's been the category front-runner and in the process has excelled at giving some of the most memorable speeches. For as much as Brad Pitt made his run seem polished and charismatic, Phoenix chose to make his feel from the heart, addressing whatever issues came to mind. Who could forget his speeches detailing Australian forest fires, or the more recent backlash at The Academy where he called out their lack of diverse nominations? There is so much to take from Phoenix that it kind of makes up for the fact that I wasn't that impressed with his Oscar-winning performance. To me, Joker was mediocre and lacked any real substance that it was vying for. However, his win had a lot more power than simply recognizing a movie or an actor. Phoenix's win sort of brought a certain narrative regarding The Oscar Buzz to a close.

The Oscar Buzz is Celebrating Its Seventh Anniversary!

Scene from The Seven Year Itch

On this day in 2012, The Oscar Buzz launched as a place to celebrate all things involving awards season. As its core writer, I feel that it has given me a lot of opportunities and has even expanded my general interests as I've gone deeper into what makes an average film year remarkable. It's expanded to include coverage of awards season (Nothing But the Best, Best Song, Failed Oscar Campaigns) as well as indie film (A24 A-to-Z) and even stage musicals (Legitimate Theater). Whatever the subject, I have enjoyed exploring in grand detail and raising interest in the discussion of a medium that means the world to me. For a website that started to track The Master's Oscar chances, it has evolved into something greater, and I'm proud to see it continue to flourish.

So, how exactly do you celebrate seven years? In general, I have used this area to discuss my life in relation to film. It has ranged from discussing favorite EGOT winners to favorite nominees of the same source material (last year I discussed Pygmalion and My Fair Lady). While it was difficult to land on a specific subject, I began to realize that instead of doing a list, I am choosing to use director Billy Wilder's The Seven Year Itch as a springboard to discuss my love of a very certain kind. After all, I have been with this sweetheart for seven years. How could I not have some itching going on? Much like the Marilyn Monroe vehicle, I still have a lot to say, and what follows will hopefully give you a sense of who I am through the lens of a performer who deserved more credit than she deserved. I hope by the end you'll understand what really made her special to me.

An Open Letter From the Oscar Buzz

Scene from Gigi

While I hope that it hasn't been too apparent to my audience here, I want to make something clear. Those who have noticed my lack of productivity will not be wrong. Following an eventful Spring that saw me graduate from college, I thought that I would have more free time to regularly update my website with information that would be relevant. On one hand, this remains true. I'm still producing work on a weekly basis. However, in a time where dozens of trailers seem to be dropping for potential Oscar movies, I am sometimes a day late or even worse. But why is that? Well, I have some unfortunate news for those who have come to expect me to meet my deadlines. I'm having time scheduling issues that will impact the immediate future. 

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Unforgiven

As loyal readers will notice, I made some serious errors over the past month. In my last open letter, I mentioned all of these big plans for what I was going to do in May. Well, how many of them came to fruition? Almost zero percent. I want to personally apologize for doing this. I personally felt like I had set up a schedule that would work within my system. However, there was another issue. I fell ill from stress and things became increasingly difficult as I moved closer towards graduating from college. That's why Legitimate Theater and Composing Greatness didn't return. It's why A24 A-to-Z is still a bit behind. Save for the occasional review, I have been letting you down, and I want to apologize for that. The good news is that I have graduated from college. I now have more time to apply myself to this blog. So, what do I have to offer? It's a bit of a rehash, but I hope you enjoy this reminder.

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Marty

Hello, one and all. It's been a while since I last spoke on here. As per usual, I take the month following The Academy Awards ceremony off in order to pursue other projects and think about other things, including what's to come for the next 11 months of coverage. The good news is that I have more of the same planned. While I'll admit that the blog has been whittle down to its core essentials in recent years, it's with all hope that I still cover the important things when I can. So, what do I have in store for the immediate future? You can read on and find out what I'll be doing before the season starts picking up again.

The Oscar Buzz is Celebrating Its Sixth Anniversary!

Scene from Pygmalion (1938)

On this day six years ago, The Oscar Buzz launched as a place for me to discuss everything related to awards season. It was 2012 and it stemmed largely from an interest in discussing everything related to the Paul Thomas Anderson film The Master. Things have evolved since then and in 2018, the blog has covered a lot of ground both in Oscar history, as well as attempts to branch out into other subject matters ranging from the Tony Awards to chronicling the entire output of A24 studios. It's a daunting task that I love to put upon myself. But on these anniversary entries, I have one tough question: how do I open up? These entries are about discussing who I am as an individual more than just my opinions on film. It's easy some years, where variables can lead to cutesy lists (for instance, last year was about the year with the five Best Picture nominees that best represented me). But where do I go with six? It's difficult. However, I have decided to look at something that I don't discuss too often: the double-nominee. What film adaptation stands out as saying something integral about who I am? In this particular case, I am going back to the work of George Bernard Shaw and the adaptations Pygmalion and, in its musical form, My Fair Lady.

It's Almost Time for Oscar Season Coverage to Begin!

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

Tomorrow marks the end of August and the summer movie season. For those who enjoy Oscar culture, it's the perfect time to begin warming up for another fun season full of big contenders. Who knows what lies ahead in September and onward, and what already has made a strong case for itself. Still, there's a lot to look forward to with The Oscar Buzz, as per usual. While it's been a bit too quiet around here (I apologize), I hope to begin picking up the slack as the season gets more interesting and the prognostication becomes more serious. But before things get too serious, what is there to look forward to? It's time to start the guessing game with a round of goodies coming as soon as this weekend. 

An Open Letter From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Million Dollar Baby

Hey everyone. I'm taking this opportunity to give a quick update on my future with The Oscar Buzz. I know that I generally take a month off, but this year has been a little hectic between personal affairs, including college. You've probably also noticed that I haven't exactly been quiet either, choosing to release columns for A24 A-to-Z and Composing Greatness with some regularity. Well, I am proud to say that I am planning on coming back gradually as the summer approaches with regular coverage, reviews, and all things that are fun about film. I have a few changes as well in store, all of which I will get into after the jump.

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Gentleman's Agreement

Well, well, well... it's that time of year again. The Oscar season has wrapped up and everything that needs to be said has been said (for now). It leaves one major question in the balance: what is there left to do for The Oscar Buzz now that there's some significant downtime? Long time readers will recognize that it's during this time that I take a break from Oscar coverage, and that pattern is likely to hold true this year as well - with some exceptions. Yes, it's hiatus time once again, and I hate to say goodbye for awhile. I hope in this time that I will be able to get my ideas together and prepare for an eventful off season once again. The following is a look into what I have planned for the interim between now and my return.

The Oscar Buzz Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary!

Well, the moment is here again. The Oscar Buzz is celebrating its fifth anniversary with the familiar rapturous applause. But how do I choose to remember this occasion? I looked at the previous years and found that sticking to Oscar-related number themes was a good idea. So, I began thinking: What goes with five? At worst, this could be an essay on FIVE Easy Pieces, at best I could rank "The Big Five" winners, which sounded a bit dull to me. While I was looking, I saw another trend: personal stories that connect me to these movies. It's why I decided to go with something less obvious. I would try and pick the year with five Best Picture films that I felt represented me the best. It doesn't necessarily have the best, but I felt this could be a launch pad for a personal remembrance of how cinema has impacted my life. So, why does the Class of 2002 stand out above the rest? I'll tell you why after the jump.

An Open Letter From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Tom Jones

Hello everyone. As I feel the need to do every now and then, I am here to share a quick update of everything that's going on over at The Oscar Buzz. I do apologize if it does seem like I am not producing as much work as I normally do, as I am currently juggling this blog (as well as Optigrab) with school. However, I have noticed that we have entered September, and it's time to get serious about all things Oscar. It has been a fun summer with plenty of great movies. But what is going to stick around and make a difference? The following is a quick rundown of ideas that I hope to get around to as this Oscar season rolls on and things become much clearer. 

An Open Letter from The Oscar Buzz

Scene from Terms of Endearment

Hello everyone. I wish to apologize for my extended absence. I usually post an open letter detailing why I'm going away, but plum forgot to do so this time. As long time readers know, I like to take a break after each Oscar season. This involves stopping the blog for about a month (in this case, a little over one) to focus on other endeavors. While it will be awhile until The Oscar Buzz is back up in top form for Oscar Season 2017, I hope to have a fun way to pass the time until the big hits start rolling in and we're forced to prognosticate what the big players will be. For now, I'll run down what to expect for the next few months as well as my intentions on ways to improve the blog.

An Open Letter From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from The Life of Emile Zola

As you likely have noticed, output on here has been a little low in recent weeks. I have stated before that this is in large part because of my return to school, which has sucked up plenty of my free time. However, I do think that I still owe everyone an apology for not producing more content, specifically on weekends where I would have had ample time to make up any missing assignments. The missing entries weren't done out of spite, but more the fact that life has been a bit hectic in recent weeks. While school is over, the holidays are literally a week away and that is sure to eat up more of my time. So, what am I going to do out of compensation? I'm probably not going to make up the missing work, but I will do my best to do a little extra in the days ahead.

An Open Letter From The Oscar Buzz

Scene from In the Heat of the Night

With the start of a new month, it only feels right to share a personal update about what's going to be happening at The Oscar Buzz. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. However, you may have been noticing in recent weeks that the output has been... slow. While this is in part because of Oscar season not really heating up until October, it is also because I have personal obligations that has made upholding this blog a little more difficult. While I intend to continue to provide regular coverage of the important events, I feel the need to share an open letter explaining where I am at the start of this awards season.

A Few Words on the Return of The Oscar Buzz

Scene from All the King's Men

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to formally announce the return of The Oscar Buzz blog after a one month hiatus. You are likely wondering what has been going on in the time in between the final Oscar recap and now. It has been a personal moment to get my affairs in order and potentially come back ready for an enjoyable summer. While we're still months off, I would like to say that The Oscar Buzz is back... with a soft launch as it were. While it will be awhile until the coverage likely picks up, I do plan to return to delivering a few pieces weekly and hopefully coming up with yet another summer series on par with The Directors Project (though more organize). What will it be? Who knows. However, I do have some announcements to make, which can be read after the jump.

What to Expect from The Oscar Buzz During the Downtime

Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

It's official. The second year of Oscar speculation and predictions here at The Oscar Buzz has come to a close. I want to personally thank everyone who has continued to read my work and interact on a personal level, sharing thoughts about everything. I hope to continue to bring quality coverage when the next Oscar season starts up in the Fall. As for now, we have a few months until we should even ask "Is this our Best Picture winner?" and that will mean that we'll have a lot more downtime. So, what can you expect at The Oscar Buzz between then and now? Quite a bit, actually.