Matt vs. the Academy

Oscar season is not too far away now. Some might even say it's begun already. I've somehow managed to get to the movies a number of times recently, and while there have been some films I've really loved (Baby Driver, Brigsby Bear, Ingrid Goes West, The Big Sick), probably the only real Oscar contender among them is Dunkirk. If it can keep up the momentum, it seems like a good shot for a Best Picture nomination. And if it can convert that into a win, it would be the first 70mm film to do so since Patton in 1970. But enough of the useless Oscars trivia. Next up, we take a look at another nominee from 1972's Best Picture contest... Cabaret Director : Bob Fosse Screenplay : Jay Presson Allen (based on the musical play by Joe Masteroff, also based on a play by John Van Druten, also based on stories by Christopher Isherwood) Starring : Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem, Joel Grey, Fritz Wepper, Marisa Berenson Academy Awards : 10 nominations 8 wins,...

You may remember several weeks ago, when I returned to this blog after such a lengthy break, that I mentioned having watched four movies within the space of as many days. The driving force behind that feat was a screening by Fathom Events, in collaboration with TCM. The film in question was a Best Picture winner that I'd always wanted to see on the big screen, so it was tough to pass up the opportunity. But of course, in order to appease my own sense of order, I felt the obsessive need to finish the previous year of review before starting a new one. Hence, I crammed in the remaining three 1943 Best Picture nominees just in time to treat myself to 1972's winner. And with this review, I'm finally caught up. So, our first nominee from the 1972 Best Picture race is... The Godfather Director : Francis Ford Coppola Screenplay : Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola (based on the novel by Mario Puzo) Starring : Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Rob...