The OSCARS: What Were They Thinking?!

Bonus - No Competitive Oscars for Sidney Lumet Makes us ‘Mad as Hell!’

It also makes us 2 Angry Men spending a Dog Day Afternoon grousing about an unfair Verdict.  Yes, these are all ham-fisted references to Sidney Lumet films that were nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. And despite being beloved classics, all four films (12 Angry Men, Dog Day Afternoon, Network & The Verdict) failed to win Oscars for esteemed director Sidney Lumet.  But that’s just part of the story!  On this bonus episode we dive into the films and filmmaking of a true cinematic master that will have you appreciating Lumet’s genius and leave you wanting to watch or re-watch most of his filmography!  Enjoy and thanks for listening!   FILMS MENTIONED 12 Angry Men Dog Day Afternoon Network The Verdict Stage Struck Long Day’s Journey Into Night Fail Safe The Offence The Hill The Iceman Cometh The Seagull Equus The Pawnbroker The Anderson Tapes Murder on the Orient Express Serpico Deathtrap Prince of the City The Morning After Q&A The Wiz Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1963 - Oscar of Arabia

Hello!  We at Oscars WWTT? believe the beauty of this podcast comes from three things. 1. Looking back at the Oscars of the past to see which winners & nominees have stood the test of time, or not.  2. Trying to understand how or why the Academy voters chose that year’s winners and nominees, and 3) Putting hidden gems and/or movies you haven’t heard of on your radar.  For this episode, the 1963 Oscars for the films of 1962 — we get plenty of all three.  There are some legendary wins, some historically curious losses and lots of great movies you’ll want to add to your watch list.  So join us on an epic adventure as Bruce and “Tex” sift through the sands of time to discover WTF the Oscars were thinking!  As always, thanks for joining us!    FILMS MENTIONED The Longest Day Lawrence of Arabia The Music Man That Touch of Mink Mutiny on the Bounty To Kill a Mockingbird Days of Wine and Roses The Miracle Worker Whatever Happened to Baby Jane The Birdman of Alcatraz The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Divorce, Italian Style Gypsy Sweet Bird of Youth Billy Budd The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Long Day’s Journey into Night Lonely Are the Brave The Manchurian candidate Through a Glass Darkly The Bridge on the River Kwai David and Lisa Bonnie and Clyde Brief Encounter Dr. Zhivago Auntie Mame Elmer Gantry Some Like it Hot The Apartment The Gunfighter The Omen Dr. No Hatari! Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Superman 2 Lolita Freud: The Secret Passion Last Year at Marienbad Seesaw Taras Bulba Gigot Jumbo Tender is the Night Walk on the Wild Side Sundays and Cybele Jules and Jim Harikari Le Eclipse Autumn Afternoon Cleo From 5 to 7 Vivre Se Vie (My Life to Live) Childhood Sanjuro Yojimbo The Exterminating Angel Midnight in Paris Knife in the Water Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2009 - The Curious Case of the Slumdog Oscar

Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with the 2009 Oscars for the films of 2008.  This was an interesting year for many reasons: controversial winners; new formats, a singing & dancing Wolverine as host; and most notably, the reaction to The Dark Knight being snubbed causing the Academy to expand the number of Best Picture nominees from 5 to (up to) 10.  As for the movies that were nominated, it’s a curious mix of decent films that really only need to be seen once — and some possibly better movies that have stood the test of time and are even more relevant now!  Join us as we break it all down and get behind the scenes stories from Bruce Vilanch who got paid to spend an evening with Hugh Jackman.  Thanks for listening!.   Movies Mentioned *The Dark Knight **Wall-E *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Slumdog Millionaire *Milk *Frost/Nixon *Changeling *Revolutionary Road *The Wrestler *Frozen River *Iron Man *The Reader **In Bruges *The Visitor *Happy-Go-Lucky *Hunger Shame Billy Elliott **Good Will Hunting *A Beautiful Mind **The Social Network *Doubt *Shallow Grave *Trainspotting *28 Days Later The Beach *Chicago *Mystic River **Vicky Cristina Barcelona *Gran Torino W Rachel Getting Married *The Fighter *Tropic Thunder Che *In the Bedroom *My Cousin Vinny Red Belt **Idiocracy *Forrest Gump *Bolt  *Kung Fu Panda Departures **Bader Meinhof Complex Australia *The Nutty Professor Maverick: Top Gun Part 2 Contact us: info@oscars.wtf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore 1999 - Love vs War

Hey Oscar fans. Bruce and "Tex" are on a slight hiatus, so we're doing an encore presentation of one of Oscar's most controversial years. A year that pit 'Love' VS 'War.' Of course we’re talking about the 1999 Oscars, for the films of 1998 in which Shakespeare in Love won the Oscar over Saving Private Ryan.   This is known as the year that changed everything thanks to a guy you may have heard of named Harvey Weinstein.  In a shocking upset, a brash, shameless, indie upstart managed to out-campaign the Hollywood elite and take home a best picture Oscar for an artsy film about love and Shakespeare. Using the test of time, many people look back at this year as a complete miscarriage of justice. But was it really? And what other controversies and unbelievable moments took place that evening? Bruce was there and is more than happy to share them..  What do you think?  Did Shakespeare deserve Oscar love? Or did Saving Private Ryan “Earn it?”        MOVIES MENTIONED From Russia With Love Shakespeare in Love Elizabeth Saving Private Ryan The African Queen Life is Beautiful The Thin Red Line Armageddon A Simple Plan The Truman Show Affliction Civil Action  Apollo 13 Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid In Like Flint Shine Rushmore The Big Lebowski Rocky Horror Picture Show A Fish Called Wanda Gods and Monsters Hillary and Jackie Little Voice Primary Colors Mrs. Brown Schindler’s List Amistad Warhorse Lincoln West Side Story Munich The Mask of Zorro Out of Sight The Big Chill Mighty Joe Young King Kong What Dreams May Come Pleasantville Velvet Goldmine Beloved The Last Days Dance Maker The Farm Angola USA Lenny Bruce:  Swear to Tell the Truth Regret to Inform Prince of Egypt Patch Adams Mulan A Bug’s Life The Horse Whisperer Babe: Pig in the City Skyfall Barbie Quest From Camelot Wicked Tango The Grandfather Children of Heaven Central Station Frankenstein Bride of Frankenstein American History X Two Women Lord of the Rings One True Thing Gia Bulworth The Best Years of our Lives E.T. The Day the Clown Cried Guilty By Suspicion On the Waterfront Streetcar Named Desire East of Eden A Face in the Crowd Splendor in the Grass America, America Gentleman’s Agreement Viva Zapata Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1943 - Minvers, Ambersons & The Pride of the Yankees Doodle Dandy

Welcome Oscar fans.  Bruce is back to help break down the 1943 Oscars for the films of 1942.  It’s another stacked year with 10 Outstanding Picture nominees (most of which are very deserving) and yet, there are still several other great films left out in the cold. And while there are a few curious decisions and omissions, most of the winners in all the categories are surprisingly and refreshingly solid. Instead of controversy — this is definitely an episode you’ll want to take notes during, because there are a lot of hidden gems to go with the classics. Either way, you’re going to want to update your ‘Watch List!’ As always for joining us for another look back at the Oscars of the past, through the lens of today! Movies Mentioned *Mrs. Miniver *The Magnificent Ambersons *Yankee Doodle Dandy *The Pride of the Yankees *The Talk of the Town *The Invaders AKA The 49th Parallel *King’s Row The Pied Piper *Random Harvest Wake Island *Now Voyager *To Be or Not To Be *The Palm Beach Story *Johnny Eager Around the World in 80 Days *The Letter *The Little Foxes Wuthering Heights Doddsworth *Angels With Dirty Faces *My Sister Eileen Woman of the Year *I Married a Witch *This Gun for Hire *Tortilla Flat *The Affairs of Cellini *The Wizard of Oz *Shadow of a Doubt Holiday inn White Christmas *Road to Morocco One of Our Aircraft is Missing The Black Swan Jungle Book Bambi Arabian Nights The Shanghai Gesture The Corsican Brothers The Battle of Midway (first Documentary Winner) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices