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Oscars: WWTT? Podcast – Welcome to an Oscars full of murder, greed, corruption, violence…
By Bruce Vilanch
April 7, 2025

Welcome Oscars: WWTT? fans to the 2003 Oscars for the films of 2002. In the US we are in post-9/11 recovery; in the Middle East the Iraq War has just begun and on the Oscar stage it’s a battle between the hit musical adaptation of Chicago VS. The Hours, Gangs of New York, The Pianist and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. So, which film about murder and/or death takes home the gold and why? And who else should have been considered? That’s what we’re here to find out as we re-examine an Academy Awards show that was equal parts razzle-dazzle and controversy — including some things that would never fly today!

MOVIES MENTIONED

Bowling for Columbine

Chicago

Gangs of New York

The Hours

The Pianist

Frida

Road to Perdition

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Adaptation

Far From Heaven

Talk to Her

About Schmidt

Catch Me if you Can

Spiderman

Oliver

Joker 2

The Aviator

Shutter Island

The Lord of the Rings

25th Hour

Minority Report

Spirited Away

Y tu mama tambien

The Quiet American

Leaving Las Vegas

One Hour Photo

Punch Drunk Love

Uncut Gems

8 Mile

Secretary

Igby Goes Down

Unfaithful

The Deer Hunter

Entrapment

About a Boy

Winged Migration

Roger & Me

Fahrenheit 9/11

The Wild Thornberrys Movie

The Lion King

A Hard Day’s Night

Cats

Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

The Departed

Amelia Perez

The post Oscars WWTT? Podcast: Welcome to an Oscars full of murder, greed, corruption, violence… first appeared on We Got Bruce!.

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Bruce Vilanch’s Podcast: 1999 – Saving Private Oscar
By Bruce Vilanch & Tex
Feb 18, 2025

On this episode of ‘The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?’ Bruce Vilanch and “Tex” storm the beaches of one of the Academy Awards’ biggest Best Picture controversies. 

Of course we’re talking about the 1999 Oscars, for the films of 1998.  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 with us.  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

The post Bruce Vilanch’s Podcast: 1999 – Saving Private Oscar first appeared on We Got Bruce!.