A Reel 20: KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

“We are, all of us, what we do.”

 

This month marks the 20^th anniversary of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

 

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN was the 15^th film from famed director Ridley Scott, who had helmed the modern-classics ALIEN (1979), BLADE RUNNER (1982), and the Oscar-winning GLADIATOR (2000). KINGDOM would be a fictionalized take on the events leading to the Third Crusade, focusing on the battle to defend Jerusalem. 

 

Scott would shoot on-location in Morocco, where he had previously filmed GLADIATOR, and BLACK HAWK DOWN (2001). Orlando Bloom, who was enjoying tremendous success in the early 2000’s, appearing in high-profile franchises such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, would land the lead role of Balian; a blacksmith turned knight. Scott would surround Bloom with an ensemble cast: Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, Michael Sheen, and Edward Norton. 

 

On release, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN would be met with mixed-to-bad reviews, and would be a box office bomb. However, in December of 2005 Scott would release a director’s cut, which was highly praised and considered to be one of Scott’s best works. 

 

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Re-cuts have been the topic of much discussion in film over the last decade. Divisive director Zack Snyder has spent the last three movies of his career re-cutting until they got better reviews. Elsewhere, studios crank out editions of films labeled as Directors Cuts or Extended Cuts, which simply have deleted scenes put back in; which is often a showcase for why those scenes were cut in the first place. 

 

For KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, Scott showed how to do it right. His Director’s Cut, which added deeper insight and better character, has often been hailed as one of the best alternate versions of a film ever made. Overall, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is nothing short of epic. Similar to GLADIATOR, it is a film that calls back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, when films were shot with thousands of extras for battle scenes in exotic locations, and the story is balanced with character and massive scale. Ridley Scott has an impressive catalog of classics, and his own vision of KINGDOM OF HEAVEN is one that hovers near the top. 

 

“What man is a man who does not make the world better.”

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode V

This is where the fun begins. 

 

The month of May holds Memorial Day Weekend, which is not only the start of Summer, but the start of the blockbuster season. It’s time to put the wretched months of Spring behind and embrace the lights, sound, and spectacle that only the big screen can bring. Here’s what’s coming to theatres this month: 

 

 

THUNDERBOLTS – The 36^th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a team-up of misfits assembled to take on a dangerous mission. The ensemble cast includes Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 

 

 

FIGHT OR FLIGHT – Josh Hartnett continues his cinematic comeback, this time playing a mercenary on the job on a flight. 

 

 

SHADOW FORCE – In this shoot-em-up, Kerry Washington plays a former special forces op who goes on the run to protect her child. Mark Strong co-stars, and it is directed by Joe Carnahan (THE GREY). 

 

 

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES – The horror franchise that won’t die is back for part 6, with a college student having dreams about her family’s demise. 

 

 

HURRY UP TOMORROW – This musical serves as a companion piece to Abel “The Weeknd” Testaye’s album of the same name. Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan co-star. 

 

 

LILO & STITCH – Disney continues their remake train, with another shot at their 2002 animated hit. 

 

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING – Tom Cruise is back as agent Ethan Hunt in this direct sequel to DEAD RECKONING PART ONE. This eighth and rumored final installment for Cruise has returning director Christopher McQuarrie, and it co-stars Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Nick Offerman, Angela Bassett, and Pom Klemenetieff. 

 

 

 

KARATE KID: LEGENDS – This sixth film in the KARATE KID franchise has the original kid, Ralph Macchio, and Jackie Chan reprising their roles. It also serves as a follow-up to the now-wrapped COBRA KAI TV series. Ming-Na Wen co-stars. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of June. 

 

 

 

A Reel Opinion - STAR WARS: Revenge of the Box Office

The famed far, far away galaxy returned to cinema this weekend, and the Force was with it. STAR WARS: EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, the third and final film in George Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy, was re-released for its upcoming 20thanniversary (May 19th), and earned a most-impressive $42.2 million at the worldwide box office. It pulled in $25.2 million domestically, helping it finish in second place for the weekend…beating out THE ACCOUNTANT 2. This is one of the top-grossing re-releases in history domestically, finishing behind the re-issue of STAR WARS ($36 million), in the 1997 Special Edition release, and THE LION KING ($30 million) in the 2011 3D release. 

 

The big numbers are seen as a victory for fans of the film. Response on social media (of all places), has been very positive, and fan reaction from seeing returning actors Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson making surprise appearances at screenings has been electric. For others, the reaction has been a surprise. Despite a healthy 79% approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, many fans still consider it to be one of the worst STAR WARS films. Reel Speak ranks it 9th out of the 11 films (more on that below), and the film generally seems to get lumped in with the other two films. But now…it came back and made big money. 

 

How is this possible? 

 

Age, and time have been kind to REVENGE OF THE SITH. Fans who were kids in 2005 are now in their late twenties and early thirties, and a return to the theatre can be a big wave of nostalgia. Older fans who grew up with the Original Trilogy (1977-1983), who may not have loved SITH in 2005, now have twenty years of maturity to look at the film in a new light; it’s possible that its better than we remembered. Also, new owners Disney have done a fair amount of “rehab” work in recent years with their new films and streaming series; filling in gaps and beefing up old storylines that now gives SITH some better consistency in the overall Saga. 

 

And let’s face it: it’s STAR WARS. A year ago, EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE pulled in a respectable $14.1 million for its 25th anniversary re-release, showing that the franchise still has a presence on the big screen. STAR WARS has proven its resilience and can endure more than any other franchise. There is no better spectacle or feeling when that big logo slams on the screen and the music starts. No better sense of awe when Darth Vader’s breathing or the hum of a lightsaber fills the auditorium. This franchise is still a cinematic force. 

 

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Read Real Speak’s ranking of the STAR WARS films HERE.

 

A Reel 20: SIN CITY

“This is blood for blood and by the gallons.” 

This month marks the 20th anniversary of SIN CITY. 

 

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, SIN CITY neo-noir crime anthology, based on Frank Miller’s comic book series of the same name. It adapted the first, third, and fourth books in Miller’s original run; The Hard Goodbye (about an ex-con hunting his lover’s killer), The Big Fat Kill (a P.I. caught in a street war), That Yellow Bastard (an aging police officer and a disfigured killer), and the intro and outro based on the short story The Customer is Always Right.

 

Shot in black-and-white with moments of color, SIN CITY was filmed mostly green-screen, with several scenes shot before any actors had been cast (they were added digitally later). Rodriguez re-created shots from the graphic novel so faithfully he shared a directing credit with series author Frank Miller. 

 

The cast was an impressive ensemble: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, Brittany Murphy, Josh Hartnett, Devon Aoki, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Madsen, Powers Boothe, Benicio del Toro, Carla Gugino, Rutger Hauger, Nick Offerman, Tommy Flanagan, and Elijah Wood. 

 

SIN CITY released to mostly positive reviews and opened at no. 1 at the box office. Mickey Rourke won a Saturn Award for his performance, and the film would win another Saturn for Best Action Film. A sequel would be released in 2014.

 

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SIN CITY has come to be known as one of the most unique films of this millennium. Starting with the first thing we see: the look. Its vision is unlike anything we’ve seen before or since, and stands as a loving homage to the film-noirs of old. The anthology style of storytelling gives us a reset every 20 minutes or so, but each one is engaging, fun, emotional…and even a little grotesque in a glorious kind of way. 

 

SIN CITY’s uniqueness also comes from what it represents. It arrived in April of 2005. At this time, there was no Marvel Cinematic Universe, STAR WARS had only five films, and HARRY POTTER had only three. This was an era before big-budget franchises became the want and need of audiences and studios, and SIN CITY represents a time when studios, and movie-goers, would take a chance on something new. SIN CITY may have been based on a comic that had been around a while, but it was still fresh, and is the type of film cinema could benefit from embracing again. 

"And after I pull off that miracle, maybe I'll go punch out God."

 

Val Kilmer: 1959 - 2025

Actor Val Kilmer has passed away at 65.

 

Born Val Edward Kilmer in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer’s acting career got off to a hot start when he became the youngest person to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Drama Division. He headed for the stage and in 1983 made his small-screen debut in an ABC After-School Special. His big break came in 1984 when he received top billing in the spy-spoof TOP SECRET! A year later he would appear in REAL GENIUS.

 

In 1986 he landed one of his most iconic roles, as the hotshot aviator Iceman in TOP GUN, opposite Tom Cruise. He would reprise in the role in the 2022 sequel, which would be his final film role. In 1988 he would play the self-proclaimed greatest swordsman who ever lived in the Ron Howard-directed, George Lucas-produced fantasy, WILLOW. In 1991 Oliver Stone would hand him another iconic role: the role of Jim Morrison in THE DOORS.

 

In 1993 he delivered what is probably the performance of the decade as Doc Holliday in TOMBSTONE. Two years later he would have a high-profile year, appearing as Bruce Wayne/Batman in BATMAN FOREVER, and in Michael Mann’s towering crime drama, HEAT.

 

Other notable roles would include TRUE ROMANCE (1993), THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (1996), THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (1996), THE SAINT (1997), THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998), RED PLANET (2000), THE MISSING (2003), ALEXANDER (2004), KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005), and Francis Ford Coppola’s TWIXT (2011).

 

In 2015 he was diagnosed with throat cancer which damaged his vocal chords. In 2021 the documentary film VAL, which followed his health struggles and career, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.

 

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Val Kilmer was custom-made for Hollywood stardom. With perfect good-looks, talent, and a cool name that wasn’t made-up, there was nothing else he ever could have done. He acted against names such as DeNiro, Brando, Russell, and Cruise. He worked for directors with names such as Coppola, Stone, Howard, Schumacher, and Scott. He won fights with six-shooters and swords and brought Jim Morrison back from the grave. His rapid reloading technique in the famous gunfight in HEAT would be taught to Marines and Army Rangers. He would steal the show in MAVERICK by saying one line of dialogue. That is the stuff of legend.

 

For this Blogger, there was a period in the 1990’s where my friends and I were obsessed with TOMBSTONE, and Kilmer’s stunning performance was a big part of it. His Doc Holliday was the most quotable, and his quip “I’m your huckleberry” was quoted often then and now. In WILLOW, he was the owner of one of my all-time favorite lines: “Give me a sword, I’ll win this war for you”. But perhaps the best quote surrounding him came from his co-star Tom Cruise in their emotional goodbye in MAVERICK:

 

“Thank you, Ice. For everything”. 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode IV

The cinematic month of April tends to serve as a gateway to the beloved Summer Movie Season. This year April is a bit packed with some big IP, original fare, and re-releases. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this month: 

 

 

 

THE FRIEND – Bill Murray and Naomi Watts star in this drama dealing with pet ownership and loss. Carla Gugino and Ann Dowd co-star. 

 

 

 

A MINECRAFT MOVIE – Jared Hess, director of the famed NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, directs this long-awaited adaptation of the massively popular video game, where four misfits are pulled into a fantasy world made of blocks. The cast includes Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks. 

 

 

 

THE AMATEUR – Oscar-winner Rami Malek (BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY), plays a CIA operative looking for revenge after the death of his wife. The cast includes Laurence Fishburne and Jon Bernthal. 

 

 

 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE – This 2005 adaptation of the famed novel, starring Keira Knightly, returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

 

SINNERS – Director Ryan Coogler (BLACK PANTHER), helms this supernatural horror film with Michael B. Jordan playing dual roles; twin brothers returning home to face a great evil. Hailee Steinfeld co-stars. 

 

 

 

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 – Ben Affleck reprises his role as the non-traditional hitman in this sequel to the 2016 hit, this time looking to solve a mystery. 

 

 

 

STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH – The final episode in the STAR WARS Prequel series returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the first month of the 2025 Summer Movie Season. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Acting Debuts

Everyone has to start somewhere. Moses was found in a basket. Shakespeare had to learn his ABC’s. Tom Brady played with a Nerf football. There are humble beginnings for every great figure in history, literature, art, sports, and…the movies. Directors and writers get their start making short films, commercials, or TV episodes, and within those works are the actors: the faces of the movies. Every actor has a beginning. Some start small and are in the background, while others come out of the gate like hellfire; coming out of nowhere in their feature debut so strong that we would think they had been doing film for decades. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Cinematic Acting Debuts. 

 

Before proceeding, it seems prudent to note the difference between a debut and a breakthrough role. The breakthrough is when an actor already has a few films under their belt before finding that one role that elevates them. Peter O’Toole is often miscredited as LAWRENCE OF ARABIA being his debut, when he had three prior films to his credit (same with Robert DeNiro, who had done 12 films before THE GODFATHER PART II). This blog focuses on the debut, which is the very first credit for an actor. The best ones are the debuts that define the actor, create memorable characters, and set them on their career paths. 

 

 

Here are the best of the Firsts: 

 

 

 

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES (1985)

 

Someone from THE GOONIES had to be chosen, and it might as well be a two-fer. Brolin and Astin play brothers and un-official leaders of The Goonies in this rollicking, generation-defining hunt for rich stuff. Both Brolin and Astin would go on to stellar careers; Brolin doing everything from Oscar winners (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), to supervillain work (AVENGERS). Astin of course would play a pivotal role in THE LORD OF THE RINGS…because Frodo would not have got very far without Sam. 

 

 

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT (2010)

In this Coen Brothers-directed remake of the John Wayne Western, Hailee Steinfeld was just 14 years old when she went up against acting heavyweights Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, and (ahem), Josh Brolin. Not only did Steinfeld hold her own, but she stole the show…helping this new version surpass the original in every way. 

 

 

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001)

 

Along the same lines as Steinfeld, Anne Hathaway was just 19 when she went toe-to-toe against Hollywood legend Julie Andrews in this coming-of-age comedy. Hathaway would launch into a stellar career; winning an Oscar for her stunning role in LES MISERABLES (2012), and surprising us all with her villainous turn in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (also 2012). 

 

 

7. Lupita Nyong’o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)

 

In her first feature film, Lupita Nyong’o would win an Oscar for her gut-wrenching performance as a slave in this Best Picture winner. Her big monologue about body stench sums up slavery as well as can be done, helping 12 YEARS A SLAVE earn its reputation as a difficult, yet required watch. Nyong’o would go on to further accolades in her career, while also having fun in Marvel and STAR WARS movies.  

 

 

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)

 

Before she won an Oscar for BLACK SWAN (2010), and played the love of Anakin Skywalker, Natalie Portman played the protégé of a hitman in this iconic film that has grown in popularity over the years. THE PROFESSIONAL is known for a lot, including Jean Reno as a non-traditional hitman and Gary Oldman going batshit crazy…but it was Portman, who was 13 during filming, who came out the cleanest. 

 

 

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN (1978)

 

The HALLOWEEN franchise has (so far) produced 13 films with ever-changing lines of continuity, but none of the 12 films can match the splash made by Jamie Lee Curtis. The stalking shape of Michael Myers may get most of the attention, but it’s Curtis, who gave us fear and strength at the same time, who became the true icon of the series and one of the best Scream Queens. 

 

 

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE (1941)

 

Cinema was changed forever when 26-year-old Orson Welles wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this towering epic that set the standard for the modern Hollywood film. Often regarded as one of the best (and maybe the best) of all time, Welles’ mighty accomplishment has yet to be matched. 

 

 

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

 

This legal mystery thriller was capped by one of the best twist-endings of all time, and it all worked thanks to Ed Norton’s stunning debut. Norton would get an Oscar nomination and win a Globe…and then go on to a productive and impressive career of hits, including an Oscar win for AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998), a Wes Anderson regular, a Marvel film, and a movie that we do not talk about.  

 

 

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD (1988)

Before he was Snape, he was terrorist Hans Gruber who took over an L.A. high-rise before famously getting tossed off the roof by a barefoot John McClaine (Bruce Willis). Rickman made the jump from Shakespeare theatre to cinema seamlessly, while creating one of the best villains the big screen has ever seen. No matter what season we choose to watch DIE HARD, Rickman’s ice-cold performance still chills. 

 

 

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS (1964)

Julie Andrews won an Oscar for her charming and delightful performance as the magical nanny, while creating one of the most iconic characters of all time. Everyone, including non-Disney fans, knows who Mary Poppins is. Andrews’ performance would earn her a role in THE SOUND OF MUSIC the following year, and it’s been practically perfect since. In a stack of impressive film debuts, all one has to do is see the famous silhouette of the umbrella and hat to know who flew in the best. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK’S TOP 10 ACTING DEBUTS

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL

7. Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES

 

A Reel 60: THE SOUND OF MUSIC

 “The hills are alive…”

 

This month marks the 60th anniversary of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

 

Directed by Robert Wise and often considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, THE SOUND OF MUSIC was based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp. The film was a fictional telling of her experiences as a governess to seven children, eventual marriage, and their escape from the Nazi regime. 

 

The journey to bring music to the hills started in 1956, when a German producer purchased the film rights. In the same year, THE TRAPP FAMILY was released as a comedy. A sequel, THE TRAPP FAMILY IN AMERICA, followed two years later. Paramount Pictures would later acquire the rights, looking to produce an English-language version with famed actress Audrey Hepburn in the lead. The studio would later drop the option, but the story would be adapted for the stage in 1959. A year later, 20th Century Fox would step in and acquire the film rights. 

 

By 1963 director Robert Wise, who had won several Oscars with WEST SIDE STORY (1961), was brought on to helm the film. Wise and writer Ernest Lehman went to Disney Studios to view footage from the yet-unreleased MARY POPPINS, and decided then and there to sign Julie Andrews to the lead role. Christopher Plummer would join the cast, beating out favorites Bing Crosby, Sean Connery, and Richard Burton. Filming would begin in 1964 at 20th Century Fox Studios, and would continue on-location in Salzburg, Austria. 

 

On release, critical reaction was mixed, but the film would be a box office smash, becoming the highest grossing film of all time in a year. The initial theatrical release would last four and a half years. At the 38th Academy Awards, THE SOUND OF MUSIC would win five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. 

 

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One of the biggest crimes in cinema is to dismiss THE SOUND OF MUSIC as just a musical. As a film set in the early days of WWII and the Nazi takeover of Austria, it can fall into the war film genre…despite not a single shot being fired. The exploration of themes such as family, finding one’s identity, and a country in turmoil via hostile takeover are even more relevant today. 

 

After 60 years THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a towering film. Julie Andrews’ opening number The Sound of Music, set in those famous hills, has become one of the most iconic scenes of all time, and Do-Re-Mi is used today to teach music. It is a big part of cinema history, and American and worldwide culture. It is a film that everyone knows at least a little of, which makes it an all-time favorite. 

 

“These are a few of my favorite things…”

 

 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode III

Awards Season is over, and we have moved out of Movie Siberia. The month of March can usually serve as a warmup to the fun Summer months, and although this year the month is a little light, can still offer some shelter from the cold. Here is what’s coming to the big screen in March: 

 

 

MICKEY 17 – Director Bong Joon-Ho, who delivered the Oscar-winning PARASITE (2019), returns with this sci-fi black comedy about a clone worker (Robert Pattinson), working in dangerous off-planet conditions with his clones as a backup. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. 

 

 

IN THE LOST LANDS – Up and down director Paul W.S. Anderson (RESIDENT EVIL), helms this epic fantasy about a witch and a hunter journeying to find an artifact for a queen. Dave Bautista and Mila Jovovich star. 

 

 

SEVEN VEILS – Amanda Seyfried plays a theatre director with repressed trauma in this drama. 

 

 

BLACK BAG – Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh (OCEAN’S ELEVEN, TRAFFIC), is back with a spy thriller. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan.

 

 

NOVOCAINE – In this action thriller, Jack Quaid plays a bank executive who has an inability to feel pain, and uses his gift to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. 

 

 

THE ALTO KNIGHTS – Acclaimed director Barry Levinson (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, WAG THE DOG), directs this mob thriller with Robert DeNiro in a dual role of playing two mob bosses. 

 

 

SNOW WHITE – Walt Disney Pictures continues its live-action remake era with this re-do of its beloved classic. Rachel Zegler (WEST SIDE STORY), plays Snow White, and Gal Gadot (WONDER WOMAN), plays the Evil Queen. 

 

 

A WORKING MAN – Jason Statham once again plays a retired killer pulled out of retirement. It is directed by up and down director David Ayer (TRAINING DAY, SUICIDE SQUAD). 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of April. 

A Reel Opinion: The 97th Academy Awards - The Good, The Bad, and the Glorious

 

The year in film 2024 was put to rest last night with the 97^th Academy Awards. ANORA was the big winner with five wins, including Best Picture. Other multiple winners included THE BRUTALIST with three, while EMILIA PEREZ, WICKED, and DUNE: PART 2 tied with two. Here is how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious:

 

THE GOOD

-First time host Conan O’Brien was a blast with good energy and spot-on jokes. One would think he had been hosting the Oscars for years.

 

-The opening with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reprising music from WICKED was spectacular.

 

-This year, in an effort to keep things moving, the Academy did not have performances of the Best Original Song nominees. The nominees still had plenty of attention, however…and music was still given its proper tribute.

 

-ANORA director Sean Baker become only the second person in history to go home with four Oscars for one film, winning for producing, directing, writing, and editing. He’s in an exclusive club with Walt Disney, who in 1954 won four for four different films.

 

-Baker’s acceptance speech included a plea for the survival of movie theatres. It was an echo of an earlier sketch done by Conan O’Brien.

 

-The James Bond tribute, which also served as a farewell for long-time retiring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, was very well done…even though it felt like a wake for the series as we’ve known it.

 

THE BAD

 

-One too many winners in the below-the-line categories had no idea what to do on the stage and looked like idiots. A little preparation goes a long way.

 

-ANORA winning Best Picture. Sorry/not sorry…but this Blogger found ANORA to be a pointless, meandering pile of nonsense.

 

THE GLORIOUS

 

-Adrien Brody winning his second Oscar in over 20 years for his towering performance in THE BRUTALIST.

 

-FLOW winning Best Animated Feature. The dialogue-free film that was made in Latvia bested the favored THE WILD ROBOT and the highest grossing film of the year, INSIDE OUT 2. The win delivered the Baltic nation its first Oscar; an important feat for small independent films, international cinema, and proper attention to a nation living under the threat of war. The world needs more films like FLOW to be recognized…and the Academy got that right.

 

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The 98th Academy Awards will be in 2026.