RIP Robin Williams

Not gonna lie, guys.

This one hurts. A lot.

Robin Williams has died at 63 from an apparent suicide, and all I want to do right now is lock myself in a room with all his movies and pretend like he's still making them. The man was truly operating on a higher brain wave than the rest of us when it came to his rapid-fire stream-of-consciousness comedy, but he also had the range and discipline to imbue the quietest of roles with his unmistakable human warmth.

It feels appropriate to link back to a top ten list I made a few years back of Williams' best performances. I want to remember every detail of them more than ever today. He is already dearly missed.

Oscar Postmortem Pt. 3: The show

Properly reviewing an Oscar ceremony can be tedious business, so I'm not gonna do it. Not properly, at least. The whole never quite amounts to the sum of its parts (although the Condon/Mark production from 2009 comes awfully close), so it's easiest just to look back and assess those parts at face value. Let's take a look at some moments that stood out (for me anyway) at the 86th Academy Awards

After last year's show hosted by Seth McFarlane came under such harsh critical fire, the pressure was on returning producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron to atone. They made all the safest possible choices, and it started with the selection of Ellen Degeneres to return as host after her first kick at the can seven years ago.

Ellen assures viewers around the world, "We're fine. Thank you for your prayers" in regards to the rain.

Devasting...

I had a lengthy review for The Invisible Woman stored up in my head after being out all day at my not-so-local art house theatre, but I can't remember a word of it having just sat down at my computer to read this unbearable news. How can I write about anything else tonight? This is a deeply unhappy day.

I ordinarily avoid posting about celebrity deaths because it would just make me too sad and too often. But this abrupt tragedy simply cannot go without mentioning. Philip Seymour Hoffman was among the elite actors of our age. He earned four Oscar nominations, one win (Capote), and delivered countless other outstanding performances in the mere 46 years he had on this earth, and all signs indicate that he had no intention of slowing down. I honestly cannot think of a single role he played in which he was not great. The filmmaking community has lost an invaluable and irreplaceable member.

Sunday Top Ten - Paul Newman performances

I'm usually not one for writing obituaries when Hollywood's best and brightest pass away. Not that I feel they don't deserve them. It's just that the whole process is a bit depressing to me. So when the one and only Paul Newman, my favourite classic film star, passed away two years ago today, naturally I couldn't come up with words to pay the man adequate tribute. Two years on, and I think it's high time I got round to giving Ole' Blue Eyes his salute. Better late than never, am I right? Behold my ten favourite performances from one of the finest actors to bless the silver screen.

Sunday Top Ten: Leslie Nielsen line readings

I thought about doing this list after Leslie Nielsen's passing last November, but as the Oscar season was just getting started, I never got to it. Today I honour his wonderful career by highlighting my ten favourite line readings of his. I was hoping to work in something from Forbidden Planet, but nothing really stood out. Unsurprisingly, Airplane and the Naked Gun movies are healthily represented.

RIP Sidney Lumet

Here's to a long and rich career. 12 Angry Men has a spot on my top ten for all time.

R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor

We'll never forget you, Liz.

RIP John Barry

The composer of such terrific film scores as The Lion in the Winter, Dances With Wolves, and Out of Africa has passed away at 77.

Behold his lovely main theme to Out of Africa, which brought him his fourth of five Oscars.

RIP Blake Edwards

The legendary comic director passes away at 88.

R.I.P Leslie Nielsen

Here's the NYT story.

Surely, we'll always remember him fondly (and we won't call him Shirley).