Interview: Oscar nominee Ariana DeBose is ready for her close-up and in ‘West Side Story’ she shines bright
Ariana DeBose is a triple threat force to be reckoned with. From the moment she arrives on the screen of Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the... Read More
Ryan McQuade
Ryan McQuade is the AwardsWatch Executive Editor and a film-obsessed writer in San Antonio, Texas. Raised on musicals, westerns, and James Bond, his taste in cinema is extremely versatile. He’s extremely fond of independent releases and director’s passion projects. Engrossed with all things Oscars, he hosts the AwardsWatch Podcast. He also is co-host of the Director Watch podcast. When he’s not watching movies, he’s rooting on all his favorite sports teams, including his beloved Texas Longhorns. You can follow him on Twitter at @ryanmcquade77.
Interview: Oscar-nominated hair and makeup artist Donald Mowat on the greatest challenges of designing ‘Dune’ and how he found out about his nomination
Last week, when the Academy announced Oscar nominations, hair and makeup designer Donald Mowat was on set in Spain, hard at work on his next... Read More
Sundance Review: Eva Longoria Bastón examines the feud and friendship of Oscar De La Hoya and Julio César Chávez, Latinx pride in documentary ‘La Guerra Civil’ [Grade: B+]
In sports, there is nothing better than a rivalry. When two opponents step up to face one another, and have nothing more than animosity towards... Read More
Sundance Review: Mind the age gap and narrative cohesion in ‘Palm Trees and Power Lines,’ stay for Lily McInerny’s bracing performance [Grade: C-]
Bored out of her mind, 17-year-old Lea (Lily McInerny) is doing what a normal teenager has to do to fill in the time before her... Read More
Sundance Review: Julian Higgins’ ‘God’s Country’ is a showcase for a powder keg performance from Thandiwe Newton [Grade: B]
Ashes in the snow. That is what we see in the beginning of Julian Higgins’ slow-burn thriller, God’s Country, as Sandra Guidry (a dynamic Thandiwe... Read More
Sundance Review: The cute and quirky ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ glides right into your heart with pitch perfect performances from Cooper Raiff and Dakota Johnson [Grade: A]
At a certain point in our lives, we’ve fallen in love. Could happen at a young age, as it does for Andrew (Javien Mercado), at... Read More
Sundance Review: Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown preach a committed yet familiar gospel in church satire ‘Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul’ [Grade: B-]
“You’ve got to be strong to be a First Lady.” That’s a line stated by Trinitie Childs (Regina Hall) early on in Adamma Ebo’s feature... Read More
Sundance Review: Mariama Diallo’s ‘Master’ balances horrors real and imagined in the world of institutionalized academic racism [Grade: B]
Mariama Diallo’s debut feature Master begins as most coming of age college films do, with orientation and getting to know the place our characters have... Read More
Sundance Review: A career-best performance from John Boyega and a farewell to Michael Kenneth Williams highlight true-life hostage thriller ‘892’ [Grade: B]
Every day, soldiers come home from across the world and face a common, harsh reality; that after years of dedicated service to their country, we... Read More
Sundance Review: Kogonada’s emotionally rich ‘After Yang’ is destined to be one of the year’s best films [Grade: A]
After Yang, director Kogonada’s highly anticipated follow up to his 2017 indie darling Columbus, starts with a Jake (Colin Farrell), Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith), and their... Read More
‘Mouse’ Review: Sophie Okonedo and Katherine Mallen Kupferer Shine in Tender Portrait of Grief and Growing Up [B+] Berlinale 
UK Casting Directors’ Guild Awards: ‘Hamnet,’ ‘Adolescence’ Take Top Wins 
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 139 – ‘Les Rendez-vous d’Anna’ (Chantal Akerman, 1978) 
Frontrunner Friday Oscar Predictions: Paul Thomas Anderson Inches Closer (2/13/26)