Almost There: Gena Rowlands in "Opening Night"

by Cláudio Alves

It's fair to say that Gena Rowlands is one of the most important screen actors of the 20th century. Her films made with husband, director, and costar John Cassavetes helped usher in a new kind of immersive realism that would thrive in the American indie scene for decades after the pair's heyday. To honor this acting genius, the Criterion Channel curated a collection of 10 films that feature some of Rowlands' most acclaimed work. For the Almost There series, I'm interested in those achievements that got some awards glory while not scoring any recognition from the Academy. After her Oscar nomination for 1974's A Woman Under the Influence, Gena Rowlands returned to the awards discussion with 1977's Opening Night…

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Was Peter Ustinov the best Poirot?

by Cláudio Alves

Growing up in a house furnished with the complete written works of Agatha Christie made me a fan of the whodunnit genre from a young age. My mum, an unabashed fan of criminal narratives and detective stories, made sure I was familiar with the figure of Hercule Poirot and, eventually, I too became a fan. While we've long spent joyful evenings sharing our love for the adventures of Belgium's most excellent fictional investigator, we don't always agree about this entertainment.

For instance, our idea of who the perfect on-screen Poirot  differs significantly. Her heart belongs to David Suchet's book-faithful incarnation, while I prefer Peter Ustinov's joyful take on the same character. On the centennial of the the two-time Oscar-winning thespian, I thought I could elaborate on why Ustinov is my perfect Poirot…

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Showbiz History: Giant 1956, Best Actor 1972, and Quentin Tarantino's birthday

Today, March 27th, in Oscar history only...

Quinn, Malone, Brynner, and Grant (subbing in for absent Ingrid Bergman) at the 56 Oscars

1957 The 29th Academy Awards are held honoring the best of 1956. Very strange Oscar year in which the brilliant epic Giant loses Best Picture to the disposable travelogue Around the World in 80 Days. The King and I ties 80 days for most Oscars won with 5 that night. This year is also notable for making James Dean the only actor to have ever received two posthumous Oscar nominations. Though he died in 1955 before completing Giant the film was in post-production for a full year. We've discussed this year just for fun before. 

1973 The 45th Academy Awards are held with their very historic face off between Cabaret (10 noms / 8 wins) and The Godfather (10 noms / 3 wins including Best Picture. We've discussed this race countless times as total freaks for Cabaret. But here's one aspect I don't think we've ever touched on: Best Actor of 1972...

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Death in Venice @50: Piero, I love you

by Cláudio Alves

For a cinephile, costume enthusiast, and Oscar obsessive like myself, there are few things more enticing than the lone nominee. That elusive movie that gets nominated only for the Best Costume Design statuette. Such is the case of Luchino Visconti's adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel Death in Venice. To celebrate the film's 50th anniversary, I decided to explore that wondrous wardrobe that caught AMPAS' collective eye. It's one of the best works of Piero Tosi, a man who may have been the greatest costume designer to ever create for film.

After five unsuccessful Oscar nominations, Piero Tosi won an Honorary Academy Award in 2014, the first costume designer to ever do so. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving artist...

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Goodbye, Cicely Tyson (1924-2021)

by Cláudio Alves

Cicely Tyson, who died earlier this afternoon at the age of 96, was one of a kind. "Legend" doesn't even come close to describing her grandiose wonder, her legacy, her impact. No words I can scrounge up are enough to summarize the greatness of this model turned acting sensation, icon, pioneer. Her career spanned more than half a century and Tyson made sure to leave her mark on the big and on the small screen, on stage too, earning countless golden accolades, much-deserved acclaim, and the adoration of millions across generations.

She was an inspiration to many, a woman who made sure to immortalize and celebrate Black History in her roles and embody Black excellence in her exquisite craft. I still remember the first time I ever saw her…

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