Were there even any upsets on Oscar night?

by Danny Cox

Part of the fun of the Oscars are when the winner of the award is not the odds on favorite that  had been predicted. Olivia Colman winning over Glenn Close, Parasite taking Picture and  Director from 1917, and Anthony Hopkins over Chadwick Boseman all added a sense of surprise  and shock to each of their ceremonies. With the uprise of precursor award shows, internet communities dedicated to predicting the awards, and even gambling sites taking odds and  providing bets the outcome of the awards tend to be more predictable. Last night’s awards were  no exception, with Everything Everywhere All at Once winning 7 of its 11 nominations as pretty much predicted from the outset even though sweeps hadn't yet happened in the Best Picture era. But was everything as predictable as it seems? Were there any  moments of surprise and shock? The answer is tricky. 

While some of the categories seemed set in stone (Supporting Actor, Animated Film, Visual  Effects) there were others with uncertain outcomes...

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Doc Corner: The female rockers of 'Nothing Compares' and 'Sirens'

By Glenn Dunks

Showtime's Sinéad O'Connor documentary, Nothing Compares, much like the artist herself, is at its best when it is prickly and confronting the hard truths of the world. It is less interesting when conforming to now well-worn standards of this sub-genre, distilling information like a Wikipedia profile. The Irish singer, known for a shaved head and distinctively accented vocals, has had a hard life of struggle and sorrow amid mega-selling hit singles and critically acclaimed albums. In short, she's perfect fodder for a documentary. Director Kathryn Ferguson and editor Mick Mahon find their strongest rhythms when observing the singer’s career through the prism of her homeland and the pull-and-tug of Catholicism, which lingers over her music like a haunting spectre...

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First 3 International Feature Submissions for the 95th Oscars

by Nathaniel R

The incredible Tang Wei stars in Park Chan-wook's "Decision to Leave"

Finally some news on the Best International Feature Film Oscar race. It's the most exciting for us to track since you really have to play along to be in the know.  Earlier today we told you about the possibilities from Israel (they always select the winner of the Ophir... unless they can't for eligibilty reasons) and we also have our first three official submissions. They are...

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Albania, Ireland, Kyrgyzstan, Slovenia, and Ukraine choose their Oscar submissions

by Nathaniel R

We have five more Oscar submissions for the Best International Feature Oscar to share, all from countries that have never been nominated. With 13 official contenders we're probably around 15% there -- we don't even have enough "official" contenders for a full finalist list (of 15) yet...

ALBANIA is going with Jonid Jorgji's road trip comedy Three Lions Heading to Venice about filmmakers headed to the festival who meet adult movie actresses on the way, derailing their plans...

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Best International Feature: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Ireland, Lithuania

by Cláudio Alves

Historical narratives tend to do quite well in the Best International Feature Oscar race. For decades, World War II stories dominated the category though, more recently, this tendency has faded. Every sort of real-life drama enshrined in the appearance of prestigious importance is still catnip for Oscar voters. It's especially true if the film in question is European. Considering AMPAS' tastes, let's look at three submissions from the Old Continent, whose explorations of history differ in fascinating fashion. The Bosnian entry makes a thriller out of a massacre, Ireland draws western stylings from famine while Lithuania revels in the ridiculous ideas that stem from pre-war panic…

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