The Last Emperor: A Second Look

This does feel like a weird one for a Best Picture win, huh? A movie about the final Chinese emperor, filmed in English by an Italian, all while something like Broadcast News is over there just waiting to be awarded? Did the Academy fall out of love with James L. Brooks, or something?

I’m not complaining. If I really cared about which films won the Best Picture Oscar, I’d be happy that this beat Broadcast News (it’s a fine little film, but nothing too terribly special, a lot like Terms of...