Top 10 Academy Award Best Picture Winning Films: Part 2

Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins an Oscar and Spotlight wins Best Picture at the 88th Academy Awards. With yet another Academy Awards coming to a close, let's take a look back at the best of the Best Picture winning films, and if you missed it, click here for Part 1.

5: Ben-Hur

Clocking in at around three and a half hours, Ben-Hur is historical epic that follows the fictional character Ben-Hur on his journey that takes him through various historical events. From the incredible chariot race to seamlessly tying in Christ's resurrection into the film's plot, Ben-Hur truly is an epic in every sense of the word. Ben-Hur even won eleven Academy Awards, which is tied with Return of the King for the most all-time, so there is little doubt that Ben-Hur is one of the best?

4: Casablanca

My first exposure to Humphrey Bogart films, Casablanca is an undeniable classic of the romance genre. While it might not be Bogart's finest film, it is easily one of his many best. If you consider yourself a film fan and have not seen this classic, you are doing yourself a disservice. "Here's looking at you, kid."

3: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Based on the novel of similar name, The Bridge on the River Kwai deals with the psychological, opposed to physical, damage caused by the horrible tragedies that the Japanese put the Ally POWs through in World War II. Despite the heavy subject matter, the film is still very entertaining, largely thanks to Alec Guinness’ brilliant Oscar winning performance.

2: The Silence of the Lambs

As thrilling and it is disturbing, Silence of the Lambs blends a riveting mystery thriller with elements of horror. While the film is certainly not for the squeamish or faint of heart, the plot is brilliantly crafted from beginning to end. Thanks to exceptional performances from Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, the film's plot was elevated even further, with the Academy even rewarding it the much deserved Best Picture. However, despite my praise, The Silence of the Lambs is not exactly a film I want to watch again anytime soon, if ever, but it is an unforgettable watch for sure.

1: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Could there be any other? The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King provides a fittingly epic and emotional conclusion to one of the greatest achievements in the film history. Despite being the first fantasy film to win Best Picture, the gateway to science fiction, comic book, and other fantasy films remains, unfortunately, closed in the minds of the Academy. Even though all of the LOTR films should have won Best Picture, since they all are equally amazing, The Return of the King more than deserved it the year it won. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, along with the other LOTR films, are the closest thing we have seen to a flawless masterpiece of film in the 21st Century, and while others have made a valiant effort, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy still reigns supreme.

Honorable Mentions: Dances with Wolves, The French Connection, The Godfather Part II, Patton, The Sting, Rocky, Unforgiven,

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 10 Academy Award Best Picture Winning Films: Part 1

With the Oscars on Sunday, there is no better time than the present to rank the Top 10 Best Picture winning films. Even though the Academy have gone with safe picks for most of the last ten years, they did actually give the award to quite a few films that deserved it in the past, and this list will rank my ten favorite. Of course, I have not seen ever Best Picture winning film, and these are my personal favorites, so please let me know what yours are in the comments.

10: Braveheart

While it not the most well liked film, Braveheart is a personal favorite of mine. Some of the appeal is that my ancestors fought on both sides of the real war that the film portrays, and even though the movie itself is grossly historically inaccurate, what matters in the end is that it is a great film. Mel Gibson both stars in and directs the film, and his performance as William Wallace is top notch. He manages to balance the stoic nature of the character, while still providing the human aspect. Plus, no one else could deliver such an epic speech other than Gibson! Braveheart might not be for everyone. However, Mel Gibson's historical (or rather fictional) epic is an inspiring tale of standing up against tyranny.

9: The Departed

Martin Scorsese's crime drama about undercover cops and corruption in Boston is a riveting tale. Despite the two and a half hour long run time, Scorsese's direction is crisp, briskly edited, and well paced with enough twists and turns to keep the audience engaged from beginning to end. Thanks to the exceptional performances by the insane all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, and Martin Sheen, just to name a few, The Departed is a perfect example of excellent talent both in front and behind the camera.

8: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Jack Nicholson's character, "Mac" McMurphy, enters a mental institution for evaluation. In the institution, the free-spirited Mac teaches the others in the institution to live a little and fight back against the institution's oppressive rules. However, the crux of the story are the relationships Mac builds with his fellow patients. There is humor, tragedy, and cheer worthy moments through the film, and Nicholson's performance pulls everything great about the movie together in brilliant fashion.

7: Lawrence of Arabia

Over three hours in length and featuring some of, if not, the best cinematography of the era, Lawrence of Arabia is the definition of a film epic. As the name implies, the film follows T. E. Lawrence, played brilliantly by Peter O'Toole, during World War I. The film captures the personal struggles of Lawrence and his fall into madness. 

6: The Godfather

Despite my expectations that The Godfather would be an overly hyped mess, it actually turned out to be one of the best crime films of all-time. While the film is not flawless, Marlon Brando's iconic performance and Francis Ford Coppola's direction more than makes The Godfather a classic of the medium. Considering that The Godfather is so highly regarded by critics, I recommend the movie to anyone old enough that considers themselves a film enthusiast.

What are some of your favorites? Please comment below and let me know!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The 87th Oscars are Tonight!

The Academy Awards, where snobs and "critics" get together to award the most Oscar bait worthy films of the year, and the winners are revealed tonight at the 87th Oscars. All jokes aside, although my opinion of the Academy is not necessarily positive, I do not agree with them most of the time, or at least not since The Return of the King won Best Picture. However, I generally agree the Academy's picks during the 90s, 70s, and in the past. Anyway, tonight is the Oscars, and even though I do not plan to watch them, I will be interested to see the winners. However, I am surprised that Gone Girl only received one nomination, which was for Rosamund Pike in Best Actress in a Leading Role. Fincher should have been nominated for Best Director and maybe even Cinematography. With that said, if Rosamund Pike does not win, it will be the biggest mistake of the Oscars of the year; well, except for certain a snubbing, which I will get to in a minute. She was incredible in her role, and speaking of Gone Girl, look for my review of that film on Tuesday.

As for the snub, how the heck did The Lego Movie not get nominated for Best Animated Feature!? Seriously, almost everyone loved it, so tell why it was not nominated!? It was nominated for Best Original Song with "Everything is Awesome," yet it failed to be nominated for Animated Feature! Yes, I have read the reasons for it getting snubbed in Variety's article, but even Rotten Tomatoes rated it higher than any other animated film last year, so there is really no excuse. With that said, at least The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was nominated. Despite being one of Studio Ghibli's weaker efforts, maybe it can win to make up for the last year's travesty of Frozen beating The Wind Rises. 

Obviously, the Academy did not nominate any of the amazing blockbusters except for Best Visual Effects, but it is not like that is ever going to happen.

What do you think of the nominations and snubs? Please comment below and let me know, and be sure to check back Tuesday for my review of Gone Girl.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Top 5 Best Picture Winning Films

With the Oscars on Sunday, there is no better time than the present to rank the Top 5 Best Picture winning films. Even though the Academy have gone with safe picks for most of the last ten years, they did actually give the award to quite a few films that deserved it in my eyes in the past, and this will rank my five favorite. Of course, I have not seen ever Best Picture winning film, and these are my personal favorites, so please let me know what yours are in the comments.

5: The Godfather

Often considered one of the best films ever made, The Godfather might not live up to its reputation but is certainly a great film in its own right that revolutionized the crime drama genre.

Plot: 8.8/10- The Godfather's first 20-30 minutes are mostly setup the rest of the film by establishing the characters as well as the setting. Fortunately, however, the movie begins to pick up the pace a little as the story finally grabbed my attention by the 30 minute mark and after that, it was an entertaining experience. The plot took some unexpected twists and turns, and despite the long running time and occasional pacing issues, The Godfather did not feel like a long movie. Also, the conflict between the crime families is one of the more entertaining aspects as they each use calculated attacks to affect the other’s businesses or family. 

Characterization: 8.5/10- In general, the characters of The Godfather are mostly well established characters for the type of movie being made. However, only three or four of the characters are actually memorable and identifiable, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Vito Corleone, head of the Corleone family, is the most memorable character, and he has many unforgettable quotes. Michael Corleone is the character that receives the most development throughout the course of the film, and he is the one that the audiences can connect with the most.

Overall: 8.8/10- Despite being overrated to a degree, The Godfather is undeniably a well crafted film with excellent performances and surprising entertainment value, providing the long running time is not a turn off for you. (For my full review, you can click here to check it out).

4: Braveheart

While it not the most well liked film, Braveheart is a personal favorite of mine. Some of the appeal is that my ancestors fought on both sides of the real war that the film portrays, and even though the movie itself is grossly historically inaccurate, what matters in the end is that it is a great film. 

Acting: 8.7/10- Mel Gibson both stars in and directs the film, and his performance as William Wallace is all around great. He manages to balance the stoic nature of the character, while still providing the human aspect. Plus, no one else could deliver such an epic speech other than Gibson!

Soundtrack: 9.7/10- James Horner's score is one of my favorites. The main theme is easily the most memorable tracks, and it is fittingly epic and sweeping to fit the stunning cinematography.

Overall: 8.8/10- Braveheart might not be for everyone. However, Mel Gibson's historical (or rather fictional) epic is an inspiring tale of standing up against tyranny.

3: Gladiator

Much like Braveheart, Gladiator is the type of epically manly movie (not to say that it excludes the female audience in any way) that has both great spectacle and a well told story of revenge.

Action/Direction: 9.3/10- Ridley Scott's direction is superb. From the impressive cinematography to the thrilling gladiatorial battles, everything in Gladiator looks fantastic. Even though the opening battle sequence is often overrated, the rest of the action sequences throughout the film feature well choreographed battles and well framed shots. 

Acting: 8.9/10- Russell Crowe's Oscar winning performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius is still his most iconic role.

Overall: 9.0/10- Gladiator is an impressively filmed and well told tale of revenge that never fails to entertain, and yes, "We are entertained."

2: The Silence of the Lambs

The first horror film to win Best Picture, The Silence of the Lambs surprised me by delivering a disturbing thriller that does not forget about the characters or plot.

Plot: 9.5/10- Silence of the Lambs is one of the most perfectly paced films in the mystery genre. Despite a plot that can be perceived as slow moving with dialogue sequences progressing the majority of the plot, the direction and performances maintain the audience’s attention as details of the mystery are slowly revealed. The direction the story goes is occasionally predictable, and the main character can seem a little slow at figuring out the plot for herself, but it rarely detracts from the tension and intrigue of the film.

Characterization: 8.9/10- Even if you have never seen the Silence of the Lambs, you would be hard-pressed to have never at least heard of the legendary character of Hannibal Lector, and he certainly lives up to the legend, largely thanks to Anthony Hopkins' Oscar winning performance. 

Overall: 9.0/10- As thrilling and it is disturbing, The Silence of the Lambs is not necessarily an entertaining film, but rather an intriguing and exhilarating one. However, it is certainly not for everyone due to the disturbing nature of the film, and it is not one that I would want to watch again anytime soon. (A full review coming at some point)

1: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Could there be any other? The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King provides a fittingly epic and emotional conclusion to one of the greatest achievements in the film history. Despite being the first fantasy film to win Best Picture, the gateway to science fiction, comic book, and other fantasy films is, unfortunately, still closed in the minds of the Academy. Even though all of LOTR films should have won Best Picture, since they all are equally amazing, The Return of the King more than deserved it the year it won.

Characterization: 10/10- The Return of the King's large cast of characters all have their character arcs brought to a satisfying conclusion that reflects of the themes that Tolkien instilled in his original novel.

Overall: 10/10- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, along with the other LOTR films, are the closest thing we have seen to a flawless masterpiece of film in the 21st Century, and while others have made a valiant effort, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy still reigns supreme.

What are your favorites? Please comment below and let me know!

Honorable Mentions: Ben-Hur. The Bridge on the River Kwai, Casablanca, Dances with Wolves, The French Connection, The Godfather Part II, Lawrence of Arabia, Patton, The Sting, Rocky, Unforgiven,

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.