Shea Cinema: The Best Picture Project

In our first official episode, Sara and Dad go over the creation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, details of the first awards ceremony in 1929 (honoring the best in films from 1927 and 1928), and give an overview of the six films nominated for the top honor.  Subsequent episodes of Season One will cover each of these films in detail.

The Movies:

• Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness, 1927
• 7th Heaven, 1927
• Win...

In our third official movie review episode Sara and Dad watch and analyze the winner of the first Academy Award for Outstanding Production, Wings. Released on August 12, 1927 (just a few months after7th Heaven), Wings astounded audiences with its stunning engineering effects and matter-of-fact look at the tragedies of war.

All of the flying in the film is REAL (the actors are flying the planes--just like Tom Cruise!), and ...

This is our second official movie review episode! Sara and Dad watch and discuss the classic silent film, 7th Heaven. 7th Heaven was released on May 6, 1927, and was nominated (and won) for the most awards at the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929.

Additional insights include a brief look at the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope Road Pictures, Sara getting emotional over the language "heard" in silent films, and our first ...

This is our first official movie review episode! Sara and Dad conquer their chang-st and chang-xiety and get down to discussing the oldest of the movies on the list this season, Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness. Chang  was released on April 29, 1927, and rather defies definition. To be sure, a movie like this will never show up again on this podcast, no matter how many films we cover.

Additional insights include a brief lo...

In our fourth review this season, Sara and Dad watch and analyze the winner of the first (and only) Academy Award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture,  Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. Released on September 23, 1927, Sunrise divided critics and wooed audiences with its inventive camerawork and allegorical love story.

What seems to be a standard "murder your wife in order to run away with your mistress" opening mor...

In our fifth review this season, Sara and Dad watch and analyze the last of the three nominees for the Academy Award for Best Unique and Artistic Picture, The Crowd. Released on February 28, 1928, The Crowd blends the emotional ups and downs of married life with interesting and artistic camera work that pulls even further at the heartstrings.

For the first time ever, this episode features a VERY SPECIAL GUEST who weighs in...

In our sixth and final review this season, Sara and Dad watch and analyze the "newest" of the nominees, The Racket. Released on November 1, 1928, The Racket was thought lost forever, and it's still not readily available online.

This is a curious "gangster" romp based on a Broadway play. Dad and Sara speculate on its influence on the many famous gangster movies that follow over the decades.

Find us o...

In our Season 2 Premiere episode Sara and Dad cover the 2nd Academy Awards ceremony (honoring the best in films between August 1, 1928 and July 31, 1929), and give an overview of the five films nominated for the top honor.  We also discuss the (somewhat painful) transition from silent film to this newfangled sound business, and perhaps reveal a little award chaos behind the scenes.

The Movies:

• The Patriot, 1928
• In Old Ar...

In our first review in this, our second season, Sara and Dad find themselves in quite a conundrum, because...well...

We attempt to discuss The Patriot, which was released on August 17, 1928. The problem? This movie is unwatchable...because it doesn't exist. It is a lost film. 

A historical drama (and the last silent film to be nominated for Best Picture until The Artist), The Patriot documents the final day...

It's our highly anticipated coverage of the allegedly most hated Best Picture Oscar winner...The Broadway Melody, which was released on February 1, 1929.

This all talking, all singing, all dancing production was so successful in its day that it inspired studios to scramble to cash on its fame by producing 75 musicals within the following  year. Yes, SEVENTY-FIVE. How can something so controversial with modern audience...

We looked for every excuse in the book while watching this fourth movie nominated for the 2nd Academy Award for Best Picture...This week we are covering Roland West's Alibi, which was released on April 20, 1929.

This gangster/crime drama has something of an identity crisis as it features three musical numbers! We also discuss ASMR, science galore, mining and minerals, some Frankenstein-like electricity, and, as always...

This is it, our last review of Season Two! While reviewing a (Hollywood) revue, Sara and Dad realized they don't agree on what's good and what's bad, but they also admit how astounded they are that this movie is absolutely NOT the worst choice this season. The Hollywood Revue stars (nearly) everyone under contract to MGM, including appearances by fabled stars Joan Crawford and Jack Benny. And what's that? Our fi...

This is our Season Two finale, closing out our examination of the films nominated for Outstanding Picture at the Second Academy Awards.
Join us as we do a deep dive into the transition to sound in the film industry – there are lots of challenges and successes during this tumultuous time!
Plus, our personal rankings, and Oscar Bridesmaids.

Link to beginning of LA Times Annual Preview (requires subscription to ...