Year: 2019

Our 10 favorite Oscar nominations: 7. ‘Vice’ – Best Picture

Jeff Mitchell

7. “Vice” – Best Picture – The Academy only nominated two of AHFW’s Top 10 films, as “Roma” and “Vice” are AHFW’s #3 and #6 films of 2018, respectively.   Of course, “Roma” seemed like an easy nomination, but Adam McKay’s “Vice” split audiences, so we are especially happy that the Academy included this wild biopic as a Best Picture contender. Christian Bale transforms physically and seemingly spiritually into former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in a film that entertains, informs and horrifies.  McKay employs his similar snappy, wise-cracking style of…

Our 10 favorite Oscar nominations: 8. Paul Schrader – Best Screenplay

Jeff Mitchell

8.  Paul Schrader – Best Screenplay for “First Reformed” – Writer/director Paul Schrader wrote “Taxi Driver” (1976), “American Gigolo” (1980), “Raging Bull” (1980), “The Mosquito Coast” (1986), and “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988), so a screenplay Oscar nomination for the man is way overdue.  The Academy finally recognized Schrader for his written work  about a reverend (Ethan Hawke) preaching sermons to a small congregation in rows of white pews, while black outlooks fill his soul in “First Reformed”. The film asks big questions within a small Upstate New York…

Our 10 favorite Oscar nominations: 9. (tie) Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen

Jeff Mitchell

Hollywood’s biggest night arrives on Sunday, Feb. 24.  The Academy Awards!  AHFW is excited to see who wins the coveted statues, but rather than focus on who was not nominated, we wanted to proudly proclaim our Top 10 favorite Oscar nominations.   Now, come the 24th, and they don’t win, well, then we’ll have problems.  Haha. 9. (tie) Best Supporting Actor Mahershala Ali and Best Actor Viggo Mortensen – Mortensen has never been funnier, and Mahershala Ali delivers a nuanced performance and is out of this world on the piano in…