Which movie was better:Mean StreetsorThe Sting?
It didnt win any Oscars because it wasnt even nominated for a single award.
So you could debate whetherThe Stingwas the best movie of 1973.
Credit: Hooman Bahrani
But you cant excuse the Academy for completely ignoringMean Streets.
History, fortunately, is the ultimate arbiter of greatness.
These are the Non-Nominees.
How much is his soul worth, and does Dennis have a breaking point?
There is a conflicted protagonist and a defined villain who represents a corrupt system.
It hurts more, hits closer to home.
Perhaps that made it harder to consume, too.
Shannon was nominated for a SAG Award for best supporting actor, so his peers did take notice.
Its a competitive field, but a stronger awards push from Broad Green Pictures may have made a difference.
Why history will remember it better than the Academy did:There are the performances.
They both excel in the eviction scene, where the family is given mere minutes to pack their things.
But it is the devilish Shannon who really steals the film.
When you work for me, youre mine, he tells Dennis.
Its an Alec-Baldwin-in-Glengarry-Glen-Rossperformance, right down to the monologue aboutwhat it takes to be successful in America.
Also, what might have held99 Homesback could be exactly why its remembered more favorably years from now.
The film really gets at the human element of the housing crisis.
More than that, it feels very important, while still maintaining its artistic integrity.
99 Homeswill be available onBlu-ray, DVD, VOD, and Digital HD on Feb. 9.
