Best Picture Oscar Power Rankings: December Edition

We’re less than a month away from the Oscar nominations now, and we have a clearer picture than ever as to which films will be in the conversation! With the Globes nominations behind us and the guilds beginning to announce theirs, who are the frontrunners for the biggest award of the night?

“Pain and Glory” Film Review: The Virtues of Vulnerability

Pain and Glory (2019) is the latest film from esteemed Spanish filmmaker and two-time Oscar winner Pedro Almodóvar. It stars Antonio Banderas as Salvador Mallo, a film director undergoing a life crisis, in the semi-autobiographical tale of Almodóvar’s life. It was one of the most acclaimed films out of Cannes Film Festival, where Banderas won the Best Actor award. Where does it rank among Almodóvar’s filmography? Will the film stand a chance in this stacked Oscar field?

My (Post-Festival) 2020 Oscar Predictions

It’s still early in awards season (if you can even call it that at this point), but by now most or all of the major awards players have premiered on the festival circuit. I’ve already given my thoughts on the results of the major film festivals (Sundance, Cannes, Venice, and TIFF), but before I see most of the films for myself, I want to give my updated early predictions. Here are my best guesses for how the major categories will look at the 92nd Academy Awards next February!

Cannes Film Festival 2019 Review Round-Up

Cannes Film Festival is perhaps the most prestigious awards circuit stop on the planet, and it just closed its doors on the 2019 season. Some high-profile films made their much-anticipated debuts there this year, while some under-the-radar picks surprised many, including the ultimate winner. What did critics have to say about the big contenders, and what does it mean for the Oscar race?