93rd Academy Awards: Ceremony Reaction by Nate Blake

This morning, a thought both hilarious and terrifying occurred to me: The next Oscar telecast, as currently scheduled, is barely more than 10 months away. After last night's debacle, the producers should be very, very afraid. It started off quite well, actually. A very cinematic and glamorous opening featured Regina King, Oscar envelope in hand, …

Alex’s Oscar Predictions

I know you all have been refreshing your webpages waiting for my Oscar picks to show up. Well, the wait is finally over! Per usual, I will do “will wins” and “should wins.” In addition, I will also designate three upsets. BEST SOUND NOMINEES: “Greyhound,” Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman “Mank,” …

Nate’s Oscar Predictions

The 93rd Academy Awards are finally only a couple weeks away. Most of the precursor awards have been handed out already, with only the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and Directors Guild of America (DGA) ceremonies left of those that are usually helpful in predicting who will be victorious on Oscar night. …

“Godzilla vs. Kong” Review by Nate Blake

Starring: Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Millie Bobbie Brown, Shun Oguri and Kyle Chandler Written by: Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein Directed by: Adam Wingard Length: 113 Minutes Rated: PG-13 Legendary's MonsterVerse is back with what could possibly end up being its finale. After 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters became a box office disappointment, …

Nate’s Mini Reviews: Production Design Oscar Nominees Edition

Tenet Christopher Nolan’s latest is a spy thriller with (of course) a time bending plot. The visual effects and production design are as impressive as anything in his previous films, but the storytelling is weak and the characters are somehow less than one note. The script shows promise early on, but quickly devolves into an …

Nate’s Mini Reviews: March 2021 Edition

I watch a lot of movies and try to write full reviews for as many as I can. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Some movies I don’t see until months or years later when they appear on streaming services or someone gives me a recommendation. Then there are others that just get pushed back …

“Straight Up” Review by Nate Blake

Starring: James Sweeney, Katie Findlay, Dana Drori, James Scully, Tracie Thoms, Betsy Brandt and Randall Park Written and Directed by: James Sweeney Length: 95 minutes Rated: Not Rated How to Watch: Netflix  Occasionally I get requests to review films that I either haven’t seen or just haven’t reviewed yet. A few weeks ago a friend …

“Wow, Academy! Nice Job!” Nate’s Oscar Nominations Reaction

It is truly unusual how happy I felt immediately after the Oscar nominations announcement this morning. Yes, there were small criticisms, but the overwhelming feeling, category after category, was one of relief and joy. This year's ceremony, which will be held two months later than usual because of the pandemic, features a slate of nominees …

Oscar Countdown: Revisiting “In the Bedroom” by Nate Blake

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Marisa Tomei, Nick Stahl Written By: Todd Field and Robert Festinger (Adapted from the short story "Killings" by Andre Dubus Directed By: Todd Field Length: 131 Minutes Rated: R for some violence and language Awards season is moving right along. Last Sunday was a wild, unusual and in some ways …

Oscar Countdown: Revisiting “Foxcatcher” by Nate Blake

Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave Written By: E. Max Frye & Dan Futterman Directed By: Bennett Miller Length: 134 minutes Rated: R (for some drug use and a scene of violence) Welcome to my latest installment in this year's Oscar countdown series. This entry is a bit of a one off …