In a year when there were many good films, but few that really were incredible, Martin Scorsese was the big winner at the Oscars ... and for the first time in his career. He finally won Best Director for his gang film about deception, loyalty, and even rats. The Departed is one hell of a ride. A great script, incredible performances by an A-list cast, and memorable scenes make this a truly special film. However, looking back almost two decades, did the Academy get it right? Was it deser...

What a year it was! Some great, legendary classics came out in 1957. But it was The Bridge on the River Kwai that came out on top at the Academy Awards for that year. David Lean's WWII classic about obsession is still as riveting as it was almost seven decades later. With brilliant performances by the entire cast, especially Alec Guinness and Sessue Hayakawa, the film is captivating in every aspect ... including the legendary whistling tune Colonel Bogey March. However, was it deserving...

Well ... another year is done. The 50th Annual Toronto International Film Festival is over. Eleven days ... eleven looooooong incredible days of dozens and dozens of films, conversations with directors, actors, producers, organizers, fellow film critics, and of course the thousands of fans. It was an absolutely incredible adventure for film critic Jack Ferdman. On this podcast, he shares his take on the festival and some of the amazing, and not-so-amazing films he saw at this festival. ...

It's time again! The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is back ... and this year is a big one! It's the 50th anniversary of the greatest film festival in the world. And Jack Ferdman will be there each and every day, talking to directors, actors, screenwriters, fellow film critics, and even the fans ... about the event AND the great movies that are premiering during those 11 days of fun. The festival runs from September 4th through to the 14th. On this podcast, Jack will p...

In 1941, there were a couple of classic films that were released and are currently revered by critics and cinephiles alike. But the Academy decided to choose a drama about a family in a mining town in Welsh town, focusing on a young boy and his perspective of the events that unfold around him. This film, directed by John Ford, is a moving story and visually striking. However, was it deserving of the five Oscars it won, including the Best Picture prize? Listen to film critic ...

There are only a handful of comedies that changed cinema ... and even fewer that took home the Best Picture Oscar. Annie Hall was both of those things. Woody Allen's career, with this classic, altered the course of his career from hysterical madcap comedies to hysterical, deep-meaning thought provoking artful films that became a template for future rom-coms. He used every stylistic trick in the book to make his point. From breaking the fourth wall to split-screen dialogues and eve...

There are small, medium, and big films ... and then there are HUGE ones. Those epic films. that are grandiose spectacles. Gladiator was made to be one of those larger-than-life films. The battles, the colosseum, and everything are huge. Ridley Scott was the perfect director to bring this film to life, and Russell Crowe and Joaquim Phoenix are perfect foes battling it out. Gladiator is a lot of fun ... and there is a lot of heart and emotion to it as well. But does it still deserve to be...

There are all kinds of films ... films that entertain us, films that move us, and those that are important. This best picture winner does all that. The Life of Emile Zola is a movie that will stir up your emotions as it relates to the world of today. A world that is divisive and full of the powers that be that control our world ... for both good and bad. This William Dieterlie-directed film, about the life of the famous French author, Emile Zola, and his batter to help free a man who wa...

There were many great films in 1985. However, the Academy decided to give its Best Picture Oscar to a long and sweeping epic that was touted as a romance for the ages. A film that had the beauty of a continent, A-list actors in Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, and it's love story. Out of Africa was a box-office blockbuster. However, many critics have felt that film's shine has tarnished over the years. Well, did it really deserve to win the top prize of that year? Listen to film c...

In an age where people started to stay home to watch television and listen to the radio, and attendance in movie theatres was waning, big spectacles were the way to get people interested in cinema again. Also, the resurgence of the circus was on the rise. Cecil B. De Mille, known for directing huge extravaganzas, decided to combine the two and make this huge epic film about a story with the big top, and all its glory, as the backdrop. The Greatest Show on Earth was a huge blockbuster. It went...

The Oscar for Best Picture is usually given to films that are epics or biographies. On the rare occasion maybe a western or a thriller. But it is extremely rare for a film that is sweet and somewhat small in scope. But in 2021 there was a film that grabbed the attention of audiences, and film critics got on board as well. That film was Sian Heder's sweet movie about a young girl trying to find herself in a world outside of the confines of her parents and brother who happen to be deaf.&n...

The passion of music and choreography in film was never more prevalent than in the Best Picture winner of 1961. West Side Story is a story about love, gangs, cultural wars, and ultimately tragedy. But mostly it's about the music and dance. We remember all the songs ... incredible tunes including Tonight, I Feel Pretty, Officer Krupke, and of course America. They have stood the test of time. We also love the story of two young adults madly in love amidst the turmoil and hate of other cul...

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was a huge game show that started in 1998, and then it became a global phenomenon by around 2005. Soooo .... it isn't surprising that a film that was made based on that show. But no one could have imagined the huge success this small film that had a hard time getting any funding to be made, about that game show in India, and was directed by a white British filmmaker. Slumdog Millionaire is more than just a film about a game show. It's about poverty, class and cul...

The Best Years of Our Lives made an impact when it was released back in 1946, both on the Academy with its numerous nominations and wins, but also on the movie-going public. William Wyler's film brought real-life issues of the men returning home from battle in WWII and dealing with acclimating back into society ... into the world they once knew, yet has changed. This is a special film full of important themes including social class, reintegration, disability, and friendship. With ...

Biographies are very interesting. The are hundreds that have been made over the years that have not only been entertaining but also are educational in some way. Learning about an event or a person that has made an impact in some way in the past, in a movie, has always been something fans have been going to the theatre ever since the start of cinema. Obviously, we want some truth to what we are watching. So in retrospect, it is very disappointing to find out how inauthentic B...

Biographical films can be incredible ... that is if they delve deep into the main protagonist's character based on their past. Their influences growing up drive who they are and why they became the important figure, we are watching being analyzed on screen. In 1970, there was a larger-than-life war hero, who for better or worse was a strong force for the American effort in defeating the Nazis in WWII. However, George S. Patton ruffled more than a few feathers during the last few years of the ...

Another Oscar broadcast for the history books! Download and listen to Jack's take on the 97th Annual Academy Awards that took place on Sunday, March 2nd. Anora rocked the night with 5 awards including the big prize. Conan O'Brien did a great job with his first time hosting, but who will come back next year? Jack recaps the night and gives you his insight on what happened ... from the winners, the great jokes, the presenters, and even the contoversy. The night went pretty smo...

Only two more days until the big night, so I guess it's time for film critic Jack Ferdman to make his final picks. He has seen all the films ... that's not surprising. But what is, are some of the predictions he has made for what will win each, and every one of the 23 little golden statuettes that will be given out on Sunday, March 2nd. Will he pick The Brutalist, Anora, Conclave, or maybe a film that is a long shot to win the top prize. Download and listen to his choices on...

There is no doubt that this film has a backstory that is fairly controversial. Director Elia Kazan testified to Congress and the HUAC hearings, and named names. There are many people who became his enemy, and never forgave him. However, undoubtedly, his film On the Waterfront is a true classic. A great story about redemption, incredible direction, and amazing performances by the entire cast, including a legendary one by one of the greatest actors of all time, Marlon Brando in his Oscar-winnin...

Films usually have a nice structure to it that makes us feel complete ... the movie has a beginning, a middle, and an ending that kind of wraps everything up neatly. And then there are a few that just don't do that. LOL! The Academy Award-winning film for Best Picture of 2014, Birdman, doesn't do thta. The film is as open-ended as can be. However, the film's technical aspects, the acting, and direction, are all brilliant. This film is very unique ... and was praised by critics and movie goers...