I was planning to open this article by writing about why I didn't watch this year's Oscar show. But Will Smith's slap stole the show. If you didn't watch it, here it is. As I write this, I don't know if Smith will have to return his Best Actor Oscar. Benedict Cumberbatch gave a better … Continue reading The Oscars got a slapdown!
Category: Awards
Best picture candidates from best to worst
Here's my opinions of the ten Oscar Best Picture nominees, from really fantastic to "Did they spend money to make this thing?" You might notice that I'm giving most of these movies very good grades. That's how it should be. These are, in theory, the best films made last year. Click the name of a … Continue reading Best picture candidates from best to worst
My thoughts on the Oscar Nominees
The Oscar nominations came with a very big disappointment. Cyrano received only one nomination, and that was only Costume Design. I was hoping Peter Dinklage would come home with the Best Actor Oscar. I also thought that this wonderful film should have been in the running for Best Picture. Cyrano Why is it so overlooked? … Continue reading My thoughts on the Oscar Nominees
Sloan Science & Don’t Look Up
A huge comet will hit the earth and destroy all life within months. The good news: It's a movie, and a metaphor for the climate crisis. Rather than months, in real life we have a few years to fix the problem. This year's Sloan Science in Cinema Prize goes to Adam McKay, the writer and … Continue reading Sloan Science & Don’t Look Up
My best moviegoing experiences of 2021
I don't write a list of the year's best ten movies. Instead, I list the best ten moviegoing experiences (sometimes I list more than ten). I couldn't do that last year, but this time I could. What do I mean by moviegoing experiences? The movies can be old or new. The experience must happen in … Continue reading My best moviegoing experiences of 2021
The Pandemic Oscar Ceremony
Last year, I attended the Academy Awards at the Roxie and I had a great time. I didn't know that within a few weeks, the Roxie and every other movie theater in the Bay Area would go dark. That would be the last time I would be in a movie theater in more than a … Continue reading The Pandemic Oscar Ceremony
The Oscar Nominees, and my opinion
The Motion Picture Academy usually announces the Oscar nominees in January. But everything was weird last year, and the weirdness has not yet worn off, so they waited until yesterday to announce them. I'm not going to list the nominees. You can find that list all over the web. So, I'll just offer a few … Continue reading The Oscar Nominees, and my opinion
And the Golden Globe nominees are…
Last week, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced the Golden Globe nominees. Filmmakers vote for the Oscars, international critics vote for the Globes. What makes the Globe more interesting than the Oscars? They happen first. So, let's look at some of the nominees: Best Motion Picture - Drama I've seen and liked four of … Continue reading And the Golden Globe nominees are…
My best top 10 films of 2020
I usually start the year with a survey of my best movie-going experiences - considering projection, sound, audience enthusiasm, and, of course, the quality of the movie. But I had very few chances to go to the movies in 2020. So, this year I'm offering the best new movies I've seen while sitting in front … Continue reading My best top 10 films of 2020
Watching the Oscars at the Roxie Theater
I think I enjoyed the Oscars last night more than any other time in my life. And that's not only because of the big surprise happy ending. I was part of an enthusiastic crowd at the Roxie, cheering, groaning, and applauding. And we were very well entertained during the commercial breaks. This wasn't the first … Continue reading Watching the Oscars at the Roxie Theater
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