Pan and Slam

Director: Tom McCarthy

Writers: Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy

Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams

by Jason Koenigsberg

Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight, The 2015 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture is now available to stream on Netflix. An unflinching look at the betrayal of faith and a gripping love letter to investigative journalism that earned six Academy Award nominations, winning two for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, it deserved them both. In many ways Spotlight was the best written and best directed film of the year. A brilliant indictment of Boston’s small town mentality as much as it was a condemnation of the massive cover-up by the Catholic Church of pedophile priests on a global scale. This film was not only masterfully directed and insightfully written but it also featured outstanding performances from its ensemble cast including Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams who both earned Best Supporting Actor nominations. Even though Straight Outta Compton may have moved me more emotionally and Mad Max: Fury Road was a more exciting and visceral cinematic experience, Spotlight was undeniably the most intellectually satisfying and riveting film of 2015. The Academy got it right this time. 

Spotlight is currently available to stream on Netflix. Here is Morgan Freeman handing out the Best Picture Oscar at this years Academy Awards, notice the surprise on his face as he read the winner since this was a long shot to take the top prize.