9 Notes on the List of 276 Movies Eligible for the 94th Oscars

by Nathaniel R

Raya and the Last Dragon was the first wide release of the eligibilty period for the 94th Oscar

The Academy has released its official list of all 276 movies that are eligible for Best Picture (and all general categories that apply) at the 94th Oscars, to be held on March 27th. Usually the list is about one-hundred titles longer than this but it was a strange year, especially since it was only 10 months long according to the Academy. Last awards seaon they considered 2020 to be 14 months long (January 2020 through February 2021) due to the Pandemic. After the jump the full list and 9 observations...

Click to read more ...

Doc Corner: The 25 Best Documentaries of 2021 (and where to see them)

By Glenn Dunks

Dear readers, I watch a lot of movies. Then again, what else was I supposed to do throughout yet another pandemic year with city-wide lockdowns and curfews? Which is why it was no real struggle at all to think of enough titles to make this list of the 25 best documentaries of 2021. Nor why I do not consider it the least bit excessive. Movies are great, so let's celebrate them! Each of the films listed are deserving of your eyes, although often for very different reasons—I hope my pseudo-weekly reviews and below captions help explain why.

It was a strong year for films about artists and art more broadly. Nearly half the films on the list below are related to film, music, painting, dance and/or the people to make them. Queer themed docs were also prevalent. The longest film here is 194 minutes. The shortest is 61. There is almost a 50/50 between male and female directors across 25 films that travel the globe from sex doll factories in China to political campaigns in Zimbabwe, a jail cell in Guantanamo Bay and the streets of Harlem...

Click to read more ...

Which movies will squeeze into the last two slots of the Best Picture lineup?

by Nathaniel R

Time for Oscar chart updates. And, the way we see it there are two relatively "open" slots in Best Picture with five films either showing some form of strength at the moment or feeling like they might happen. But which will prevail?

PICTURE
If we were still in a sliding scale Best Picture situation as we were at this time last year we'd only be predicting 8 films for the top honor, and in this order: All locked up -- The Power of the Dog, West Side Story, Belfast, King Richard, Dune, Don't Look Up; The Probablies - CODA and Licorice Pizza. But the Academy has ruled that we're back to a full top ten list like we had (briefly) in 2009 and 2010. So there are two spots open...

Click to read more ...

TV Review: Does "How I Met Your Father" Live Up To The Original Series?

By Christopher James

Hilary Duff headlines Hulu's new show, "How I Met Your Father," a spin-off of the CBS hit.Do you have a favorite sweater? It’s something that always makes you feel good, keeps you warm, shrinks in the wash but you still try to wear it because you love it? We all have these comfort items that we love even past expiration dates. In terms of TV, this perfectly describes CBS’ How I Met Your Mother, a charming comedy that we all stuck with longer than we should’ve in anticipation for a reveal that soured much that came before it. Thus, Hulu’s new series How I Met Your Father has a lot to live up to. How can it re-engage a fan base burned by the finale while still replicating the fun breeziness of the original...

Click to read more ...

Gaspard Ulliel (1984-2022)

by Eric Blume

My heart broke this morning, waking up to news that the great French actor Gaspard Ulliel passed away today as a result of a skiing accident. He was just 37. This is a true tragedy, and a huge loss to the cinema.Despite his youth, he'd been in the film business for over twenty years...

Click to read more ...