FYC: "Flee" for Best Picture

by Matt St Clair

Flee, now playing in limited release, is transcendent. The animated memoir could break records by competing in three Feature categories: Animated Feature, Documentary Feature, and, because it’s the Danish submission, Best International Feature. Both Collective and Honeyland recently made history recently by competing in the latter two categories simultaneously, but no film has found itself in contention for all three. Flee might accomplish this historic feat, but it should go even further by also being nominated for Best Picture.

A nomination would allow the glass ceiling for documentaries to finally break. In the ceremony’s soon-to-be 94-year history, no documentary has ever competed in the top category...

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The AFI Top Tens are here - what does it mean?

by Nathaniel R

One of the hit and miss traditions of year-end hoopla is the American Film Institute's Top Ten List. This list, which has a rotating jury, began as something kind of unpredictable but it's been veering towards straight up Oscar Best Picture frontrunners mirroring for some years now. The ten titles they've cited this year are...

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Quickies to Catch Up: West Side Story, Don't Look Up, Nightmare Alley, House of Gucci

by Nathaniel R

It's that time of year when it is literally impossible to keep up. Most weeks have one maybe two if we're lucky films of interest opening. But in December it's like 10 high profile movies per week or something outrageous. So much can get lost in the shuffle which is always sad.

Here are some quick thoughts on four recent high profile screenings though we'll do full reviews when they open...

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Remember 127 Hours?

It's 127 days until the Oscars. Remember Danny Boyle's 127 Hours in which James Franco sliced off his own arm years before his own career was cut off by allegations of sexual misconduct. Were you into that film at the time? Do you think it deserved its six nominations: Picture, Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Score, Song)?

I believed at the timethat it was in 10th place but its nomination haul was impressive. Now that we're back to a flat 10 for Best Picture (this year will be the first set of ten since that 2010 Oscar race) we can begin wondering which film might overperform on Oscar nomination morning that wouldn't have gotten nearly as fall without the benefit of the Academy having to choose a full top ten.

Best Picture, Directors, Screenplays. Where are we at?

by Nathaniel R

With virtually every late year release, save arguably House of Gucci, meeting an enthusiastic response even if they weren't quite expected to (hello showbiz drama Being the Ricardos and all star satire Don't Look Up) and two more potential behemoths about to start screening (West Side Story and Nightmare Alley) the Best Picture race is yet more crowded and confusing. Let's break it all down...

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