This month was the SNUBBED edition. In honor of awards season, we focused on films overlooked by the Academy. We picked 3 acclaimed films that didn’t receive an Oscar nomination and gave our PaaM teens a chance to judge for themselves… does this movie seem like an Oscar-type movie? If so, why do you think it was snubbed?

And the Snubs were….

The Thin Blue Line, 1988: Best Documentary Feature

Half Nelson, 2006: Shareeka Epps for best supporting actress

Selma, 2015: Ava DuVernay for Best Director/David Oyelowo for Best Actor

And the winner was…

Half Nelson

2006

106 min

Director: Ryan Fleck

Stars: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a history teacher at a Brooklyn school. Though well-liked by his students and colleagues, he secretly spends his evenings hopping bars and getting high. A female student named Drey (Shareeka Epps) catches him in a drug-induced haze after a basketball game, and the two strike up an unlikely friendship. As Dan struggles with his addiction, he tries to act as a mentor to the girl, whose brother is serving time for dealing drugs.

FINAL RATING: 6 out of 8 slices

We asked four teens to give you their reviews on the film. Check out what Brandon (The Newbie), Joseph and Esther (The PaaM Regulars) and one shy PaaMer have to say about the raw drama…

How would you sum up the movie in one sentence?

Brandon: Controversial and brilliant. Makes you think twice about someone’s character.

Joseph: A teacher fights his drug problem with the help of his student and lollipops.

Esther: Very human–shows how every individual is more than just a label and has a complex life “behind the scenes”.

Anonymous: Pain, hope, dependence, grit, reality.

Who would you recommend this movie to?

Brandon: Everyone 🙂

Joseph: My family and friends.

Esther: Ryan Gosling fans or those who want to see his early work.

Anonymous: Anyone who has ever thought the grey area doesn’t exist.

Join us for the next FREE Pizza and a Movie!

MARCH date COMING SOON!!

How to RSVP for Pizza and a Movie Night:

Seating is limited, so you must lay claim to your seat & slice by selecting “Free Ticket- RSVP HERE” on the Pizza and a Movie event page at http://teens.artsconnection.org/high5/. Fill in your information and you will receive a reminder email the day before the event. Please let us know exactly how many people you’ll be bringing. If you have any questions, feel free to email Briana, Teen Programs Assistant at

 PLEASE NOTE: This is a TEENS ONLY event, open to anyone currently in HIGH SCHOOL.