This Month in History

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BY » Mickey Dunaway

April is Oscar month this year because of the pandemic, so we are taking a look at Oscar winners released in the month of April.

As we begin our turn on the red carpet, we see the movie posters for Oscar winners released in April. But don’t hold your breath. Since 1934—the Oscar awards began in 1929—only 17 Oscar-nominated best pictures have been released in the month of April with only eight winners. I compiled the list below from the Internet Movie Database (www.IMDb.com), and I have found some discrepancies with release dates from Wikipedia. Where you see (USA-wide release), this is an indication that the premier occurred earlier, but the film was not released to the public until later.

April 15, 1933

Cavalcade (USA-wide release) Drama, Romance, War

April 8, 1936

The Great Ziegfeld (USA-wide release) Biography, Drama, Musical

April 12, 1940 April 1, 1965

The Sound of Music (USA-wide release) | Biography, Drama, Family

April 2, 1970

Patton (USA-wide release) | Biography, Drama, War

April 20, 1977

Annie Hall | Comedy, Romance

April 9, 1982

Chariots of Fire (USA-wide release) Biography, Drama, Sport

April 15, 1988

The Last Emperor (USA-wide release) | Biography, Drama, History

As we continue, it is interesting to take a look at the top-grossing April movies of all time, according to Forbes. Sorry, no Oscar winners here. Understandably, market conditions are much different today for the box office than for a film released in 1990. In 2020, the average movie ticket costs $9.37—but 30 years ago, the average ticket stood at a mere $4.23.

1. Avengers: Endgame ($858.4 million) 2. Avengers: Infinity War ($678.8 million) 3. The Jungle Book ($364 million) 4. Furious 7 ($353 million) 5. Captain America: The Winter Soldier ($259.8 million) 6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding ($241.4 million) 7. The Fate of the Furious ($226 million) 8. Fast Five ($209.8 million) 9. Clash of the Titans ($163.2 million) 10. Fast & Furious ($155.1 million)

Mature readers of Limitless, you will be excused if you suddenly cry out,”“What happened to real movies?!” I recognize the titles of all of these movies only because I have teenage grandchildren. My oldest granddaughter visited us last month— and you guessed it—we watched Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Our last consideration for this month is the question of “How good were these winners?” Like all critics worth their salt, I will let my personal feelings come through only slightly. Unfortunately, since I am not a movie buff of any renown, I don’t expect any insights either. Since 1965 I have seen every April Oscar Winner. Their order of significance, according to my tastes, is below in descending order. 1. Patton (7 Oscars) George C. Scott’s performance as the irascible four-star General George S. Patton, by itself, makes this worth watching over and over. 2. The Sound of Music (5 Oscars) It is number one in family movies. I put it above Wizard of Oz because those flying monkeys still scare me! 3. Annie Hall(4 Oscars) The epitome of a classic romantic comedy, Diane Keaton’s smile filled the screen and the hearts of more than a few red-blooded males. Probably Woody Allen’s best. 4. The Last Emperor (9 Oscars) The first Western feature film authorized by the People’s Republic of China to be filmed in the Forbidden City. The sweeping cinematography was worth the price of admission. 5. Chariots of Fire(4 Oscars) If you listen hard. you can hear the haunting theme by Vangelis. But it comes with a WARNING. The song is an excellent earworm example. You know that tune that stays in your head for days at a time!

“I thought the drama was when the actors cried. But drama is when the audience cries.” -Filmmaker, Frank Capra

3 Immediate Steps to a More Confident Retirement

In life, when times are good, it’s easy to get comfortable; even complacent. We’ve all been there. But what about when things start to go a little sideways? When uncertainty enters into the picture, it’s easy to start to panic, especially when that uncertainty impacts your financial security and peace of mind. It’s only natural that when the market gets volatile and you watch your life-savings start to fluctuate, that you experience some level of doubt, anxiety, and even fear.

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1. SCHEDULE A RISK ASSESSMENT:

It’s one thing to experience fluctuations in your investments, but are you comfortable with fluctuations in your income? Most people aren’t, and if you aren’t sure how a market downturn could impact your retirement income, a risk assessment will offer transparency around exactly how much risk you’re taking with your income, so you can determine if there are potential adjustments you might want to make.

2. REQUEST A RETIREMENT INCOME ANALYSIS:

How much income do you really need to support the lifestyle you desire in retirement? What sources of income do you have that you know you can depend on in retirement? Do you know how you’ll coordinate those income sources with your retirement savings to build an income plan that will deliver the life you want in retirement, without running out of money in the process? A Retirement Income Analysis can deliver the clarity you want to help you retire with increased security and peace of mind.

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Don’t make the common mistake of confusing an Investment Plan with a Financial Plan. While your investment strategy is very important, it’s only one piece of the puzzle when considering a comprehensive plan. How you coordinate your income plan, your investments, your tax plan, your risk management strategy, and your estate plan, could mean the difference between running out of money in retirement, and experiencing the retirement of your dreams.

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Derek Bostian, CFP® Professional Jason Rindskopf, WMCP® Two Waters Wealth Management | 704.275.2500