Casey’s Full Quarantine Movie Journey

Rating Scale

10: The GOATS 

Ex Good Will Hunting, Casablanca, The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather Parts 1 and 2

9-10: Masterpiece 

Ex Pulp Fiction, Inception, Unbreakable, Borat, Parasite, Moonrise Kingdom

8-9: Great

Ex Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Goodfellas, Stepbrothers, 1917, Grand Budapest Hotel, Toy Story movies

7-8: Good

Ex Zodiac, Moneyball, IT, Apollo 13, Lots of Pixar

5-7: Okay Ex Pretty much Every Marvel Movie

Ex Pretty much Every Marvel Movie

4-5: Already Forgot About it 

Ex: I don’t know because I forgot

3-4: Bad 

Ex: Jurassic World and its sequel, Paranormal Activities 2-7, Boss Baby

2-3- Terrible 

Ex:  Paranormal Activities 2-7, A Dog’s Way Home, Trolls 

1-2- Nope! These movies make me mad that they exist because of what they represent and their quality 

Ex: The Incredibles 2, Ghostbusters 2016, Lots of Adam Sandler Movies, Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

 

Inglorious Bastards (2009)

Available on Netflix

2h 33min

I started this journey off with a BANG! My friend has been telling me about this one for a while, and I finally took the time to watch Tarantino’s highly regarded WW2 flick.  While I am not Tarantino’s biggest fan he is a master in character development. Whether it be the famous Pulp Fiction or the recent Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino movies from top to bottom have memorable characters.  Tarantino brings some of his most colorful unique characters to a WW2 confined story full of tension and relevance to the film industry.  I smiled the entire way through.

8.6/10

 

Drive (2011)

Available on Netflix

1h 35m

I really, really liked Baby Driver when I saw it in 2017, it was a simple story, with a simple protagonist, and a unique style. Drive, in many ways, is very similar, it’s almost the same story, and its unique style makes it an hour and half of quality entertainment. With great EDM music, plenty of night shots with flare, this movie shows an artistic representation of Los Angeles and was fun.  It may not be as good as Baby Driver, but I enjoyed it.

6.7/10

 

Clue (1985)

Available on Amazon Prime

1Hr 37min

A who done it with colorful characters– yes.  An underdeveloped setting, boring deaths, and lack of style- yes.  I think Clue is very overrated.  If you want to watch a Who Done it with a more mysterious plot and setting just watch the 1942 And Then There Were None its free on Youtube.  Clue was boring, annoying, and slightly entertaining at points few and far between.

2.9/10

 

Marriage Story (2019)

Available on Netflix

2hr 17min

My Mom said this was a modern-day Kramer vs Kramer, but while I see the comparison I don’t think it’s fair.  Marriage Story is an all too real look at divorce and its repercussions as we watch the story of two characters go through the process. Every performance is brilliant, and this movie will make you hate one of two characters for valid reasons.  I have never genuinely disliked a character so much as in this movie and I think that gives credit to how realized this film is in developing the real-world it belongs in. 

8/10

 

The Lighthouse (2019)

Available on Amazon Prime

1hr 50 min

Two great actors trapped on Island and go mad.  I may be at fault for having too high expectations, but I wanted more out of this movie.  While it is well shot, acted, I never connected with the characters and left the movie not taking too much away from it.  There are plenty of stylized decisions, which make the film unique, but in the end, I think the story keeps it from being better in my mind.  

5.8/10

 

Blinded by The Light (2019)

Available on HBO

1hr 58min

In the same breath as Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman, Straight Out of Compton, and Yesterday, we see another film relying on the popularity of a certain musician. Luckily for me, I am a big fan of the Boss and wanted to see what this film had in store.  This movie is a simple story about a kid who finds inspiration to leave his hometown, and it could have been told in 30 minutes.  This movie has so much filler to make it a full movie I was checking my watch on multiple equations.  All the music scenes are campy and cheesy, all the characters are forgettable, you’ve seen the story hundreds of times.

3.7/10

Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Available on Netflix

1hr 57min

I was surprised when this film came in my suggestion tab, I was surprised when this film came critically acclaimed, and I was surprised when I saw that the cast was STACKED.  As much as I was ready for this film to surprise me, the only thing that really stuck with me is about the worst pies in London being stuck in my head for hours. Performances are as eccentric and fun as you would expect, however, the CGI is a bit distracting, the story is a bit simple, and I never felt the emotional weight the best Tim Burton movies make me feel.  Sorry, Sweeny but if I want a great Tim Burton movie I have Scissorhands and the Nightmare before Christmas.  Sweeny Todd wasn’t bad but it is not worthy of your time. 

5/10

 

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Available on Amazon Prime

8.8/10

Blade Runner 2049 was one of the biggest financial flops of 2017 and now after having seen the movie I regretfully feel ashamed I didn’t see this dynamite work of art in the theater. I have never seen the original Blade Runner, my dad said to skip it, my best friend didn’t like it, so I passed until now.  I watched a 12-minute video explaining what I needed to know about the previous film, made some popcorn, and stayed up until midnight entranced in this three-hour sci-fi masterpiece.  I do not say this lightly, Blade Runner 2049 is the most visually gorgeous movie I have ever seen.  Roger Deakins won the Oscar for his cinematography and it is glorious.  With this film under his belt along with previous entries of Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival I think it is time Denis Villenuieve starts to be regarded as one of the superstars of our generation.  Every shot is so carefully thought out, the camera tells a story while following an intriguing character which both respects and enhances the original.  All the performances are great, Gosling is one of my favorite actors working today, and Harrison Ford plays a very strong, subdued performance.  This movie is 3 hours long and while I loved every minute of visuals I feel like certain scenes thinking back could have been cut down without harming the story. Regardless if you are a Blade Runner fan, I am not, if you love film and the art of filmmaking this is a modern classic.  It makes me both excited to want to make a movie and intimidated knowing this is as good as it can get, I give Blade Runner 2049 an 8.8/10

 

Enemy (2013)

Available on Netflix

1hr 35min

7.2/10

I saw this movie 4 hours and I have spent a majority of that time thinking about what it all meant before watching explanation videos on what it all meant.  This film is a great puzzle.  It is well developed, intriguing, and is very well directed.  It was only after looking it up did I realize that Enemy too is directed by Denis Villeneuve.  There are several theories of what it all means, and it is a movie that is worthy of discussion and thought.  Enemy reminds me of a classic book I’d read in English class, how only through dissecting specific elements can one understand the true meaning.  If you are into puzzles, enjoy making the most out of this original story.  

 

The Florida Project (2017)

Available on Netflix

1h 55min

7.2/10

Available on Netflix

It is rare to see a movie with a good child actor, but seeing a showstopping performance from a six-year-old is one in a million. The Florida Project is a gritty, trashy, tragic movie focussing on the impoverished lifestyle surrounding the magical world of Disney. Overall I would say this movie is above average, well shot, good acting, but Brooklyn Prince’s singlehandedly make the Florida Project one to watch.  

 

Part 2 out soon…

 

The Office and Parks and Recreation are two of the most popular- binge-worthy comedic TV Shows ever put on television.  The American version of the Office first season dropped in 2005 the show starring Steve Carrell as the eccentric branch manager Michale Scott, Jenna Fischer as a quiet secretary Pam Beasley, Rainn Wilson as the iconic Dwight Schrute, and John Krasinski who plays the likable, prankster Jim Halpert.  Along with an ensemble of colorful characters, the Office portrays many of the exaggerated stereotypes of a common American workplace through likable characters and long-running gags. Parks and Recreation, created by Office writers Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, first came out April 9th, 2009, follows Amy Poehler portraying the overwhelmingly enthusiastic Leslie Knope, Aziz Ansari as the sarcastic, entrepreneurial Tom Haverford,  Chris Pratt as the oblivious Andy Dwyer, Abri Plaza as the apathetic April Ludgate, and Nick Offerman as the manliest man Ron Swanson. The show follows the cast of characters working for the local government of the fictional town Pawnee Indiana working through various problems and projects together. These two shows have stood the test of time through Netflix where people continue to binge-watch the characters of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and Pawnee, Indiana.  After having watched the entirety of both these shows twice I have noticed some interesting similarities and parallels demonstrating how the writers evolved over time.  

 

Learning from mistakes

 

Season one of both The Office and Parks and Recreation is so different from the rest of their respected shows that I would argue one should skip them entirely.

The Office: 

The Office was a very successful British show and when NBC wanted to bring their version to the states the writers had the task of bringing their alternate version.  While I have not seen the British Office in its entirety, I have seen multiple episodes. The main differences between the two shows come from their tones and comedic style.  While the British Office is much more laced in realism and satire, following a group of characters working meaningless jobs following a set of stereotypes, the American Office is much more silly and hopeful.  Season One of the American Office, however, used many of the British shows successful jokes and plots, which made season 1 seem a copycat satirical comedy. The evolution of the American Office can be seen in every character as they all evolve from sad stereotypes into likable exaggerations.  Michael Scott for instance in Season 1 is portrayed as an eccentric boss who will do anything for the sake of humor whether it be, impressions, insults, or forcing Dwight to eat his stapler out of Jello. Michael to anyone without an impression of what he becomes is extremely unlikable. He comes away as a sociopathic jerk who uses his power as a manager as a means to entertain himself.  It does not work. As the lead character, Michael Scott developed into a likable boss who craves the attention above all else. Through developing his backstory and persona the writers turn Michael Scott into the manager who loves his employees, but like a child craves the feeling of attention. Without sacrificing the comedy he becomes likable. Michael Scott emphasizes what the American did with all of its characters, developing them into likable flawed humans with identifiable traits that made them become comedic.  

 

Parks and Recreation:

 

Season 1 of Parks and Recreation is unbearable.  Leslie Knope is crazy. Anne Perkins is bland. Ron Swanson is one note.  Tom Haverford is a sad ripoff of Jim from the Office. Andy Dwyer is a jerk. Mark Brandowitz is just selfish. Everyone else is unmemorable.  What changed? Everything! Leslie became kind, caring, successful, and became the driving force of a show which featured an extremely memorable cast.  Ron Swanson developed from being a cynical libertarian to becoming embodied manliness. A carnivore, who cares about truth, freedom, nature, and of course never sharing your feelings. Characters Dana, Jerry, April received much more screen time and development.  All the characters found their own niche and season 1 is disregarded by almost all fans of the show.   

 

Setting

 

The Office: In the Office, I feel like there are two major aspects to the setting of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company.  There is the office itself with its distinct separate sections. Pam’s desk, Michael’s office, sales desk, accounting, conference room, lunchroom, and the warehouse.  Each of the separate settings makes up Dunder Mifflin but that is about it. While it divides the character’s into their groups, it does not add to the show or contribute to the humor.  The other aspect of Dunder Mifflin, which was a bit more interesting, was the idea of the corporate end of the business. The writers used the 2008 recession to their advantage, making specific episodes targeted at real-world issues for employers as the Office used episodes where the workers are worried their branch possibly closing, where Michael went to a conference meeting with people revolting against corporate leadership, and where Dunder Mifflin gets bought out.  By having the world of The Office mirror the real world the show used its setting as a means of real-life satire which played to its audience during struggling times.

Parks and Recreation: Where Parks and Rec gets everything right is through its characters and the setting really works as a playground for some of the most memorable reoccurring I have ever seen. Whether it is the Perd Haply’s shows, Joan Calimezio’s Today Show, the radio studio with the Douche, almost all recurring side characters have their own distinct locations where the show lets them work in their environment.  There are also Tom’s businesses; Entertainment 720, Rent-A-Swag, and Tom’s Bistro which in order show the development of the entrepreneur’s character, as they went from overly extravagant to much more successful over time. Parks and Recreations office puts all the characters together, Leslie center stage, and Jerry in position to make some sort of mistake. Parks and Recreation, Pawnee Indiana, is a playground for the characters, both the main cast and recurring characters, it is simple and effective. 

 

Season Rankings (Worst to Best)

 

Parks and Recreation Season 1: Skip It! That’s all I have to say.

 

The Office Season 8:  With Steve Carrell leaving the show to better his movie career, the show which was already declining, clearly took a massive hit from losing its main character.  The season included too much cringe from new unlikeable characters, and could never pick up the pieces, it was time for The Office to end, and the end was coming. 

 

The Office Season 9: A season lacking direction, heart, and humor, this show really limped to the finish but it did make it to that finish.  The final episode of season 9 including the return of Michael Scott allowed the whole fanbase to reflect on the greatness of the program. The finale alone is the reason it stands ahead of season 8. 

 

The Office Season 1: As mentioned earlier, it was a slow start, but The Office season 1 introduced us to the documentary-style show, and set-up the type of humor the show would make famous.  

 

The Office Season Season 6: The Office season 6 was not bad, but it was far from what people had grown accustomed to.  While seasons 2-5 were both goofy and memorable, it was Jim and Pam’s relationship that gave the show its heart. Having Pam and Jim officially tie the knot early on in the season was the beginning of a downtrend for the show overall, as the show tried to regain momentum with Michael and Holly, but nothing could replace the salesman and secretary whose arc was officially over. 

 

Parks and Recreation Season 7: The creators decided to have Parks and Rec take place in 2017, two years in the future, and the world changed quite a bit.  With many issues regarding adding new, unrealistic technologies, and a bit of a slow start. Season 7, with only 12 episodes, left the show off with a nice last few episodes, and the finale left the characters with a fitting conclusion. 

 

The Office Season 7:  The Office season 7 is put ahead of Parks and Rec season 7 because although they both are decent seasons with major goodbyes, the execution of goodbye Michael Scott was perfect.  Singing a parody of Seasons of Love, the tension of Pam missing Michael, meeting him at the airport, taking off the microphone, you can’t help but be choked up.

 

Parks and Recreation Seasons 2-6 and the Office Seasons 2-5 

I can’t decide.  This is the best of these two shows and the best television I had seen since Avatar the Last Airbender.  Choosing between the primes of these series is as hard as ranking these series. They are all so good, so memorable, don’t worry about what’s best just watch these 10 perfect seasons of television.

 

Conclusion: While I prefer Parks and Recreation over The Office, the two shows have stood the test of time over the last decade.  The work of creators Michael Shur and Greg Daniels has them as two of the greatest show creators of all time.  

 

  

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March: Why its the Best Month of the Year

We’re here. We’ve made it! The date is March 1st, and I am pumped to celebrate the next 31 days of the best month of the year.  March is simply the best when you compare it to all other months there is no competition:

January– You’ve already failed your new year resolution

February– It’s still freezing

March– LET’S GO!!!!!!!

April- You’re still in school

May- Cinco De Mayo is not a real holiday

June- Overrated!

July- There are typically 20000 firework accidents in July

August- Summer is ending, it is time to come to terms with it.

September- Ask Green Day

October- It’s coming the four months of freezing, its right around the corner

November- Not even Thanksgiving can make up for the first 30 days of cold

December- Santa is a creep

 

1. March Madness

“ONIONS!”

“Watford for the Win!”

“Jenkins for the Championship”

“It’s a circus!”

“Jordan Poole! He got it!”

“OHHHHHH OHHHHH UNBELIEVABLE”

I’m getting goosebumps writing about the ultimate tournament in all of sports. 68 teams, 67 games, 6 rounds, 1 champion, and countless amounts of unforgettable, miraculous moments.  It’s been my favorite three weeks of the year since I fell in love with basketball in the 5th grade. There are so many memories upsets like Lehigh beating the mighty Duke, VCU or Loyola making runs to the final four, or men becoming timeless legends: Shabazz Napier, Carmelo Anthony, Tyler Zeller, Tyler Hansbrough, Grayson Allen, Jerian Grant, Clayton Custer, Karl-Anthony Towns. What other sport can a three-week stretch turn no ones into celebrities? What other sporting events could make a ninety plus-year-old nun a house-hold name?  March Madness is more than a celebration of basketball, its a celebration of hope. From the players to the fans, to the people who know nothing about basketball the NCAA Tourney is full of hope. Anyone can fill out a bracket, any player can make a name for itself, and any team can make a run. On all levels, there is hope, heck a 16 seed, a tiny school from south Baltimore beat the number 1 seed ACC Champion two years ago in the first round. Anything is possible in the tournament hope is everywhere in March. 

—

Hope is dead in March 2020

2. Springbreak

Winter break you celebrate holidays with your family.  The summer break is three months spent with your friends.  Fall break does not exist, however, Thanksgiving is probably the most underrated holiday.  Spring break is the best because there are no obligations. Spring break disregards holidays, does not require family, and is not reliant on friends.  Spring break is an entire week, as the weather gets warmer for you to do whatever you can think of. If you want to travel, you can. If you want to play sports you can.  If you want to sleep in until 3 pm, eat nothing but Mac-n-cheese, and gain 20 pounds in a week, you can. Spring break is your break! Do whatever you want to do it’s your time no one else’s.  March has an entire week dedicated to you, what another month can say that?

—

Spring Break 2020 you trapped in your home 

 

3. St Patricks Day

An entire holiday dedicated to an Irish culture primarily associated gingers, drinking, kilts, bagpipes, four-leaf clovers, and the color green. Sign me up!  City parades are legendary, the drinking is relentless, the music is spontaneous, and everyone is in their best mood on St Patricks Day. Don’t let me forget the pleasure of eating warm corn beef and cabbage with the family.  St Patricks Day is a quality party. 

—

Party was canceled in 2020

4. Spring Weather

Look it’s a bird! It’s a plane! No no its the SUN! Finally!!!!!!! For the first time in what feels like forever March brings out the sun, accompanied by beautiful 50 degree temperatures and a nice breeze.  Enjoy wiping the dust off your bikes, skateboards, and roller skates. Get your friends together and plays some games. Kick-the-can, basketball, soccer, football, if its march you can play it. Go on a hike! There is no snow stopping you!  Enjoy the weather ladies and gentlemen it’s the first days of warmth, more is to come.

—

Enjoy the indoors as it gets warmer in March 2020

 

My thoughts on March 2020:

 

The NCAA Tournament has been canceled along with Spring break plans, and St Patricks Day parades.  We have been told to quarantine indoors and avoid spreading the Coronavirus. March 2020 represents the most unfortunate month because it is unbelievably unfortunate timing.  If all this Coronavirus chaos was over November- February, it would still suck, but like we still have March Madness, we still have St Paty’s day, we still have a spring break.  This month, right now, just proves the fact. March is the greatest month, its a shame it’s being taken away.  

 

Feed My Starving Children: Taking Advantage of Service

 

I believe that helping others is one of the most gratifying sources of joy.  Over the summer I go on a week-long service trip with my church, I volunteer at Dupage Pads to help the homeless, and I help church retreats for junior-high through sophomores over the course of the year.  The satisfaction and pride that comes from serving are second to none, and people at Feed My Starving Children know this all too well. According to the 2017- 2018 Feed My Starving Children Annual report more than 333,000,000 bags of meals were packed and sent to a variety of third world countries dealing with starvation.  Feed My Starving Children takes a lot of pride in saying how it is 100 percent packed by volunteers, and how none of their work would be possible without the community. Feed My Starving Children understands how helping others makes one feel, they take advantage of it, rely on it, and have used it to take advantage of people for the last thirty years. 

 

The Cycle of Poverty

I have been to Feed My Starving Children twice over the last year, both times with my basketball team as a form of service, and both times they talked about “ending the cycle of poverty” explaining how 12.9 million people in the world are undernourished.  They proclaim that it is their goal to get that number down 0, how there is no reason that the world should have so many people going hungry. What they fail to mention is what happens if they succeed in achieving their “goal”. They would close their doors, shut down, and the business model will be obsolete.  They know that with their help of providing food, their doors will remain open for years to come. They may say their goal is to end hunger, and the volunteers who are leading the groups may truly believe that the company spends over 3 million dollars on their administrator’s salaries, there is no way that the people at the top want their business to fail. 

 

Why is starvation not improving?

 

Let’s take a look at one Feed My Starving Children’s main destinations: Haiti

 As US president in the 1990s, Bill Clinton lobbied for US foreign Aid to send all the leftover rice from the American farmers’ surplus to Haiti.  Theoretically, it would be a solution to both an economic issue in America and the starvation problem in Haiti. The policy completely ruined Haiti’s already poor economy.  Haiti, a developing country, used its farmers and agriculture as a backbone to their economy. What is the number one crop grown in Haiti? You probably already guessed, the free rice coming in from America dropped the rice price all the way down to practically nothing.  Domestic markets crashed, farmers lost their jobs, moved their families to cities like Port-au-Prince, which overpopulated its streets. With Haitian cities overpopulated and an economy dependent on US donations, turmoil comes to a tragic climax when Haiti a nation at risk of both earthquakes and hurricanes experiences natural disasters.  Such natural disasters kill the homeless, displace resources, and lead to more American NGOs and foreign aid to come in and rebuild slums, that are only strong enough to stand until the next disaster. All these years later American aid is still making major impacts in Haiti for all the wrong reasons, Feed My Starving Children, and other providing organizations continue to damage the foreign nation’s domestic economy and the cycle of poverty in Haiti keeps spinning.

 

The African Lie

 

In the mid-eighties, with the “Feed the World” campaign, worldwide starvation became a major issue at the forefront of culture.  There were several charitable events such as “live aid” which raised over 127 million dollars for famine relief in Africa. Around the world, people were donating money, resources, and time, in order to help solve starvation in third world countries.  For all the donations, all the food, and all the volunteers the work was courageous, important, however, all these years later it is clear they made no significant impact, as in 1990 according to the UN, over a billion people were still struggling with starvation.  

One of the major issues within the foreign aid industry is propaganda.  We hear songs like Feed the World, see pictures of African children starving, and we immediately want to help.  Donating our resources to them may be a short term solution, however, it is clear that over time we have formulated an image of what Africa is…

“There’s a world outside your window, and it’s a world of dread and fear

Where a kiss of love can kill you, and there’s death in every tear…

 

A song of hope where there’s no hope tonight, ooh

Why is coming first deadly feared?

Why is to touch to be scared?”  

 

Those are some of the actual lyrics to feed the world.  I hate to break to everyone, but Africa and its people are no so different than us.  I hope this does not surprise anyone, but I think that the image we have of the entire continent is unbelievably ignorant and out of touch.  We Americans see all African’s as poor, sick, underdeveloped, and while this may be somewhat true about many parts of Africa, they are people all the same.  African’s are just as capable of lifting themselves out of poverty as anyone else, they just need the resources to do it, and need foreign countries to stop taking advantage of them by creating a system of dependency. 

 

Feed My Starving Children Labor

So I have addressed how providing food to foreign nations damages their economy, but there is another aspect to Feed My Starving Children I have recently come to realize.  What do you do when you’re at Feed My Starving Children? You scoop, rice soy, spices into a bag, another person closes the bag, weighs it and puts it in the box, while a warehouse crew packs up the boxes, and provides enough of the food for all groups to continue working.  Scoop, scoop, scoop, bag after bag after bag, box after box after box, it’s pretty simple, so simple it could be EASILY automated. An automated system would make donating the food exponentially more efficient a Feed My Starving Children could run 247 providing their donations, why don’t they? Again the answer is money, they rely on people’s donations, and volunteers provide donations if they automated they would be more successful in their goal of delivering food but would be less successful in turning a profit.  They take advantage of free labor, hoping you help them continue their ineffective ways so they can proudly say they are ‘making a difference’ as their bank account increases.  

What should we do?

So you have been to Feed My Starving Children before and you had a great experience.  You are like anyone else and find joy in helping others, what should you do as a better means of helping end the cycle of poverty?  The answer is simple, take a look at the world around you, your home town, your state, your community. In order to make an actual difference in people’s lives help those around you, volunteer at homeless shelters, volunteer your time facilities, think global act locally.  There are many problems in our world and international affairs are very complicated. While you may think that sending that bag of rice feeds a child, you must think… to what end? Volunteering locally combats the cycle of poverty by making a difference in those around you while letting foreign nations dig themselves out of the cycle by empowering themselves.  

Sources:

 

“Charity Navigator – Rating For Feed My Starving Children”. Charity Navigator, 2020, https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=9307. Accessed 2 Mar 2020.

 

“Financial Accountability : Feed My Starving Children”. Fmsc.Org, 2020, https://www.fmsc.org/about-us/financial-accountability. Accessed 2 Mar 2020.

 

“Misplaced Charity”. The Economist, 2016, https://www.economist.com/international/2016/06/11/misplaced-charity. Accessed 2 Mar 2020.

 

Lyrics, Slade. “Slade – Do They Know It’s Christmas (Feed The World) Lyrics | Azlyrics.Com”. Azlyrics.Com, 2020, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/slade/dotheyknowitschristmasfeedtheworld.html. Accessed 2 Mar 2020.

 

Ranking the Last Ten Best Picture Winners

• 2019 – “Green Book”
• 2018 – “The Shape of Water”
• 2017 – “Moonlight”
• 2016 – “Spotlight”
• 2015 – “Birdman”
• 2014 – “12 Years a Slave”
• 2013 – “Argo”
• 2012 – “The Artist”
• 2011 – “The King’s Speech”
• 2010 – “The Hurt Locker”

Oscar weekend is upon us.  Which for me means it’s time to sit with a large bowl of popcorn and watch 90 minutes of annoying advertisements, 30 minutes of boring performances, and another 30 minutes of stupid celebrity interviews talking obnoxious dresses in order to see the moments the Oscar awards will be announced.  Worth it. In celebration of the year’s greatest waste of my time lets take a look at Oscar’s past. I have seen all of the Oscar’s best pictures of the last ten years, and now its time to rank them. My ranking will have two scores summed to create complete rating– 

1. The ranking compared to other Oscar Best Picture Winners: this ranking will be 1 (worst) to 10 (best)
2. The ranking compared to other films the year of its winning of the award, how far did the oscar’s miss the mark? A score of 1 is the worst, a film completely undeserving of the best picture that year, and a 10 is best when a film is undeniably the year’s best picture.  

The average between the two rankings will determine the best of the “Best Pictures” ranked from the last 10 years.  

 

2010 – “The Hurt Locker”-5.5

It’s only fair to start this list with what I would say is the very middle of the pack.  Calling the Hurt Locker an intense experience that made my palms sweat, knees shake, and body restless is an understatement.  This movie takes a simple idea, defusing bombs for the military and takes it to the extreme. Jeremy Renner does a great job leading the performance through all the points of suspense. For better and for worse the Hurtlocker is at no point is it anything more than the most suspenseful movie I have ever seen.  It is not my favorite movie of 2009, it’s behind both Fantastic Mr. Fox and District Nine, but it is a very well deserving movie it gets a 6 compared to other films from 2009, and a 5 compared the movies you’ll find on this list.

 

2011 – “The King’s Speech”– 2

The King’s Speech, like the story, is about, struggles to find its own voice.  On one hand, it is a well-acted, well-directed, tight script about an uplifting drama during a climactic moment in human history, yet on the other hand, it is a slow, grey film with soothing British accents which will consistently lead you to dose off.  I would tell you its a great movie if I could make it to the end awake. I would give the film a 3 when compared to its counterparts, there simply isn’t anything special about it to make it more memorable. In a year with modern masterpieces like Inception, The Social Network, and Toy Story 3, the Kings Speech representing the years best picture is a definite dud. I would rank it a 1 compared to the year’s other films, giving it a score of a 2 in my eyes. 

 

2012 – “The Artist”–6

I am a bigger fan of this silent picture then most would probably expect, and wasn’t at all mad when it won the best picture over a year with a pretty subpar list of nominations, as much as I personally enjoy Moneyball and The Help.  The film does a great job keeping you invested in the protagonist as we watch his career fall apart during Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies. The movie’s memorable moments coming from a scene involving a fight over his own shadow, a dog who saves its owner from suicide, and a perfect Hollywood ending.  There is no question why the Oscar’s loved this picture so much, as it both is a well-made stylistic movie, and gave classic Hollywood a nice pat on the back. I would give it a 6 compared to other best pictures, and a 6 against the other films of 2011.–6

 

2013 – “Argo”- 3.5

My man-crush’s directorial debut was a triumphant success of a film Argo won the best picture for its mix of major suspense, intertwined with a tiny bit of comedy while telling an uplifting story.  “Argo f***yourself” however when compared to other movies from that year. There is no way it deserves the best picture over likes of Moonrise Kingdom, Django Unchained, The Master, and Silver Linings Playbook.  Argo is good, I don’t think its great will give it a 5 compared to other best pictures, and a 2 compared other movies from that year.–3.5

 

2014 – “12 Years a Slave”-7

This is a tough one.  While it’s a difficult watch 12 Years a Slave is beautifully told and immerses you into the world of slavery. It is definitely not as fun as other films from 2013 including, American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street, but this dramatic story is worthy of best picture.  I would give it a 7 compared to other movies from 2013, and a 7 compared to other best pictures.

 

2015 – “Birdman”-10

Birdman was the film of 2014 and now six years later its the film of the decade.  This movie is truly revolutionary, made to appear as a single take, the picture is brilliantly acted with performances from Michael Keeton, Emma Stone, and Edward Norton.  The single shot is not used as a gimmick but a way of portraying the story which focuses on a former movie star and his new play. The film is dramatic, epic, and unique, it is one you won’t forget about and it’s very rewatchable.  It is the best movie from 2014 and the best film on this list Birdman gets perfect 10s around the board. 

 

2016 – “Spotlight”- 8

Mark Ruffalo embracing the inner Mark Ruffalo where he is always unsure, speculative and angry, you got to love it.  The biopic of investigative journalists from the Boston Globe uncovering the massive conspiracy covering up the sexual assaults by Priests is riveting.  While everyone was going crazy over the return of Star Wars 2015 gave us a year great for film, The Big Short, Mad Max Fury Road, and The Revenant were among the best of the year, but I would argue nothing beat out Spotlight and it deserved to win the best picture.  Spotlight earns an 8 out of 10 compared to the other movies of 2015 and an 8 compared to the other Oscar winners of the decade.

 

2017 – “Moonlight”- 9.5

Moonlight was the culmination of the 2016 year in film.  A year dominated by great character pieces such as Arrival, and Manchester by the Sea, Moonlight topped them all.  The movie is entrancing as you follow the life of Chiron and his unique journey growing up homosexual in the streets of Miami.  This movie hits you from all angles, direction, music, and acting and is without a doubt a great film. It is the best film of 2016 and gets 10 compared to other movies from the year, and a 9 compared to other films on this list, Birdman has it by a hair. 

 

2018 – “The Shape of Water”- 1

NO! NO! NO! ABSOLUTE NO! I don’t care if it is stylistically brilliant! I Don’t care if Guillermo needed his oscar! I don’t care! I don’t care! Watching a naked mute be pleasured by a scaly sea creature with my parents beside me in a dark theater was and will forever be the most uncomfortable theater experience of all time and I absolutely hated every second of it, and I have not will not see it again. It gets a 1 and 1 from me absolutely not!

2019 – “Green Book”- 4

Well, this is a disappointing one to conclude this list, as it was a disappointing one to conclude Oscar’s last year.  Green Book is a pleasant film, a nice buddy-movie, however, its been a year and I don’t remember much about it. That’s its main flaw, its very forgettable, not that last year was a great year from movies, but Green Book is a bit of a dud. I will give Green Book a 4 on each aspect of this ranking.

 

Complete Ranking (Worst to Best)

The Shape of Water 

The King’s Speech 

Argo

Green Book

The Hurt Locker

The Artist

12 Years a Slave

Spotlight

Moonlight 

Birdman

Bonus! This year’s Best Picture will go to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I would vote for it to be won by Jojo Rabbit, but due to the Academy needing to show Tarantino love, and this being one of his final films, it only makes sense.

1) The Pass Rush

These are two of the best QBs in the league.  Everyone knows Mahomes is a stud and Jimmy Garrapollo’s record speaks for itself. The success of the QB play will have everything to do with the battle of the trenches. Who can stop the run, forcing the offense to be one dimensional and who can consistently put pressure on the QB? The 49ers have taken on a new identity this season after falling 4-12 last year, they are now a Superbowl team in part due to the massive impact rookie sensation Nick Bosa has provided from the Defensive End position.  Bosa, the defensive rookie of the year, had a total of nine sacks during the regular season and proving not to be a fluke as his performance has carried over into the playoffs where he has already recorded three sacks in just two games. It will be fun to watch how Bosa can effect Mahomes over the course of the game. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have a weapon of their own. Frank Clark is borderline impossible to block. many have tried, all have failed. Since being acquired by the Chiefs he has been not only a dominant pass rusher, but the best in the league, and in the two playoff games, he has recorded four sacks.  The amount of pressure on these two superstar QBs may be the only way to slow them down and it must be tracked over the course of the game.

2) The Run Game

Last week against the TItans the Chiefs used the run game very effectively in the third quarter, taking time off the clock, and setting up Mahomes for the play-action pass.  A balanced offense will go a long way for the Kansas City attack. On the other side, the 49ers run game has been unstoppable.  They have run for 471 yards in two playoff games if the Chiefs can not stop it, then the Niners will keep Mahomes off the field, winning the time of possessions game, and it most likely run their way to the Lambeau trophy.  Niners dominate the run game as they have, I don’t see a world where San Francisco wins their 6th ring. On the other side of the ball, last week against the TItans the Chiefs used the run game very effectively in the third quarter, taking time off the clock, and setting up Mahomes for the play-action pass. A balanced offense will go a long way for the Kansas City attack.

 

3) New Decade, New Era

It may be coincidental but this Superbowl being the first in the new decade does not have, Belichick, Brady, and the Patriots. With rumors that Brady may be leaving, the Pats being one of the league leaders in expiring free agents, and failing to make the AFC championship for the first time in 9 years, the time is now for the next NFL dynasty and the winner of this game may prove to be exactly that. The Niners have an innovative offensive play-caller head coach, a QB with all the tools, and dominant offense and defensive lines.  They are set up and are destined for prolonged success, dominating the NFC over this decade. Meanwhile, the Chiefs offense is an electric force with no sign of ever stopping. Patrick Mahomes in 2 years has established himself as not just the best young QB in the league, not just the best QB in the league, but maybe the greatest player who has ever lived. No one is on this guys level, he consistently shreds defenses throwing for at least 300 yards passing. Paired with Andy Reid who although never winning a Superbowl is one of the most accomplished coaches in football. With Mahomes and Reid it doesn’t seem to matter who else in the roster, these chiefs have a shot at the Superbowl, year in year out.  With the door open it is time for a new dynasty to reign over the national football league.

4) Kelce vs. Kittle

The two best tight ends on the planet face off in this contest. They both have similar play styles, speed and size make them a go-to target on third down. While Kelce may be a more proven threat being a four-time pro-bowler. Kittle has proven his own importance with last week’s performance against the Packers where he was a major factor blocking in their run dominant performance.  Watching these two tight ends make their presence known will be fun to watch over the course of a 60-minute contest.

5) Two Legendary Kickers

Don’t be quick to discount the importance of a strong kicking game. These two kickers are absolute legends. Robbie Gould, a longtime Chicago Bear, has plenty of experience.  He has made 381 kicks at an 86% rate over his career and coming in hot after banging a 54-yard kick through the posts in the NFC Championship. Meanwhile, the Chiefs Harrison Butker is Mr. Automatic. Since joining the league in 2017 Butker has made kicks at 89 percent, and has proven himself to have one of the strongest legs in the game by making a 70-yard field goal, 6 yards longer than the NFL record, in warmups.  While there is no doubt that there are more factors in a game than kickers, how many double doinks does it take to remember how important a great, reliable kicker is in a playoff game.

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