Matt vs. the Academy

I remember when television shows would screen the end credits in their entirety. Often, there was a voice over while the credits rolled, promoting another show on the same channel. Fair enough. A little while ago, to capitalise on advertising time, some channels began squishing the credits to one side of the screen and presenting a video promo on the other side. Okay, no biggie. But recently I witnessed what must be the conclusion to this escalation. I saw the next show begin as the previous show's credits flashed in a tiny font at the bottom of the screen. Now, that's efficiency. Yesterday, I had a chance to watch another classic from 1940's Best Picture ballot... The Philadelphia Story Director : George Cukor Screenplay : Donald Ogden Stewart (based on the play by Philip Barry) Starring : Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart, Ruth Hussey, John Howard Academy Awards : 6 nominations 2 wins, including Best Actor (Stewart) Tracy Lord (Hepburn) is an upper-class social...

It is undoubtedly summer in Pennsylvania. This week, the heat has been almost unbearable, topping 38 degrees Celsius, which sounds much more powerful and effective when expressed in Fahrenheit: It's a hundred degrees! As I write this, the weather gadget on my computer desktop is displaying the temperature in Boiling Springs as N/A. I can only assume that the intense heat has broken the recording instruments. Yesterday, I remained indoors as much as possible, where I watched another film from the selection of 1940's Best Picture nominees... All This, and Heaven Too Director : Anatole Litvak Screenplay : Casey Robinson (based on the novel by Rachel Field) Starring : Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Barbara O'Neil, Jeffrey Lynn Academy Awards : 3 nominations 0 wins Mademoiselle Henriette Deluzy (Davis) is the new French teacher at a girls school in mid-nineteenth-century England. Her first day is marred by taunts from her impudent students, who have heard rumours that their teacher...

Life in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania is quiet. That much is certain. While I enjoy that silence in comparison to the unrelenting noise of New York City, it is accompanied by few options in the way of entertainment. Quiet towns, I guess, are quiet specifically because there is not much going on. Not that I want to discourage people from visiting. I hear there's a very fine playhouse here with a couple of very entertaining shows this summer. In my down time today, I watched another nominee from 1940's Best Picture shortlist... Foreign Correspondent Director : Alfred Hitchcock Screenplay : Charles Bennett, Joan Harrison, James Hilton and Robert Benchley Starring : Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Albert Bassermann, Robert Benchley Academy Awards : 6 nominations 0 wins One of two Alfred Hitchcock films nominated for Best Picture in 1940, Foreign Correspondent begins innocently as a drama about New York Globe reporter Johnny Jones (McCrea), whose fresh as...

Rehearsals are in full swing here at the Allenberry Playhouse in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. Fortunately, I have found some free time to continue this silly little project of mine. The poll to decide the next year of review is ready for your input and, considering there are ten nominees in the current year, I suspect you will have plenty of time to vote. We begin the review of 1940's Best Picture contenders with... The Long Voyage Home Director : John Ford Screenplay : Dudley Nichols (based on the four Glencairn Plays by Eugene O'Neill) Starring : John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Ian Hunter, Barry Fitzgerald, Wilfrid Lawson, John Qualen, Ward Bond Academy Awards : 6 nominations 0 wins One of two John Ford films nominated for Best Picture in 1940, The Long Voyage Home follows the crew of the freighter SS Glencairn as they sail from the West Indies back home to Mother England with a shipment of explosives that they are secretly transporting to aid in the Allies' war effort. Th...

It's hardly worth mentioning any more, but yet again, I have reviewed five more excellent films. The 2002 crop of Best Picture contenders is an impressive assortment worthy of their nominations. My pick of the bunch was not an incredibly difficult decision, but it was a close call, nonetheless. The nominees for Best Picture of 2002 are: Chicago Gangs of New York The Hours The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers The Pianist The fascinating thing about this collection is the level of disillusionment one takes away from each film. Despite their artistic and entertainment value, each picture presents a relatively bleak view of life, sometimes leaving the audience with little faith in humanity. They each retain the positive aspects of their respective genres while introducing some darker themes to boot. Of course, there's nothing wrong with dark themes. The films are all very effective and touching. It's just interesting that they were all nominated together, that's all. The L...