With the Academy Awards right around the corner, I’ve had history on the brain. Ever since I bought my mom The History of Oscar in the 11th grade (she’s a lover of Hollywood’s big night), I’ve been curious about Best Picture winners. What made something the Best Picture of its particular year, and how has the criteria for such an award evolved over the years? In an effort to start this journey, I sat down this weekend with four best pics from an era long before my time…

Who cares about Thanksgiving? Just like Corporate America, we’ll be skipping right over it in favor of starting our whirlwind Christmas coverage. Cross your fingers for snow.