Review: "Zero Dark Thirty" is the Great War on Terror Epic We Deserve

Upon initial release, director Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty looked like a clear front runner for Best Picture. After winning big with the  New York Film Critics Awards, the film has dispersed a little. After a not-so-stellar performance at the Golden Globes, it has fallen behind titles such as director Ben Affleck's Argo, a film which many cannot help but compare vaguely. Maybe it was the violent subject matter of torture and endless disputes brought forth by former CIA agents criticizing the realism. Then again, what stopped director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained from losing steam for being a more hyper-violent (and frankly, a little shoddy) story? However, say what you will, but what Bigelow has produced is a masterpiece in the War on Terror genre of film making.

Review: "Silver Linings Playbook" Isn't Quite All There

Left to right: Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro

One of the great surprises of 2010 was watching director David O. Russell's boxer family drama The Fighter, which featured a captivating look into drug addiction and how sports can unite a family. In many ways, this feels like the overview of Russell's follow-up Silver Linings Playbook, which attempts to turn a story about mental illness into a sports-craving romantic comedy that somehow earned Oscar Buzz along the way. Is the film a worthy follow-up, and more-so, is it one deserving of a few Oscar nominations?

What Happened to "The Master"?

Amy Adams

*This will be my last piece for The Oscar Buzz for 2012. I want to thank everyone for making its brief existence so far much more successful than I planned. What I established as a website just to talk about the Oscars has evolved into something that I enjoy doing. Do know that I probably will be back later this week writing more, but I figured now was as good of a time as any to thank you, the reader, for choosing to join me. Here's hoping that success continues to be granted to this blog in 2013, and may the best movies win.

This entry marks the 50th entry in The Oscar Buzz. With that in mind, I thought that I would look back at the one film that started it all for me: director Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, which is my second favorite movie of 2012 and features probably the best Joaquin Phoenix performance of his career. After initially a strong start with Oscar Buzz, it fell behind colleagues like director Ben Affleck's Argo and Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty. Even in the acting fields, Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman have fallen upon hard times. It has gotten plenty of nominations, but not as many wins, despite making almost every critic's Top 10 lists. Today's installment is a personal analysis on what happened to The Master to move it from a strong contender to just another nominee.

Review: "Les Miserables" is the Amazing Musical Adaptation We've Been Waiting For

Hugh Jackman

One of the greatest joys of watching director Tom Hooper's latest Les Miserables is the realization that the musical genre has been regenerated with life. After mainstream duds like this past summer's Rock of Ages, it is fascinating to watch as Hooper takes the beloved stage show based on Victor Hugo's novel and turn it into this big lavish story with an all star cast and live recordings. Even if the film has flaws (which it does), it wears the passion and craft so proudly that it turns a movie that is essentially three hours of singing into a well constructed narrative with vivacious tunes and some jaw dropping performances. Les Miserables is a refreshing sight for the sheer fact that it feels like people are trying. But with all of this effort in place, can it go the extra mile and earn Best Picture?

Announcement from The Oscar Buzz

Joaquin Phoenix in The Master

Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially two weeks away from the big reveal. That's right, on Thursday, January 10, we will finally get all of the Oscar nominations. As a result, there will be some new things going on in the time leading up to this announcement. Along with regular coverage, reviews, and speculations, as well as continuing thoughts on opposing awards shows, I will be occasionally posting my predictions on major categories. If you wish to share your thoughts or lists of possible nominees, please feel free to join me in the comments section. Until then, keep an eye out for my Les Miserables review (tomorrow) and enjoy your end of the year festivities. What do you think will get the big nominations when January 10 rolls around?

Which Christmas Release Stands the Best Chances at Best Picture?

Les Miserables

Update: I have written a review for Les Miserables posted here.

Before I begin, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Why is this relevant? Because as per usual, almost every December 25 sees the release of the tent pole movies of the year. This year's class joins the ranks of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (though that did open on the 20th) in terms of films that somehow deserve to be the last of the awards-worthy. This year, we have three very interesting, if entirely different nominees: director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, director Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty (released December 21), and director Tom Hooper's Les Miserables. Will any of them stand a chance when it comes to winning Best Picture, or is Argo pretty much locked in?

Can "Django Unchained" Add Best Original Song to its Nominations?

Left to right: Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained

Last week, the Academy announced that 75 songs were eligible for nomination for Best Original Song. Leading the pack with four original titles is director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. This is noticeably shocking, considering Tarantino's history of using pre-existing music. With the release of the soundtrack today, it seemed like a great time to not only look at Django Unchained, but also the other music nominees and how doomed we are because of the lack of inspired choices at the Golden Globe this past week.

Will "This Is 40" Be Able to Add Comedy to the Best Picture Race?

Left to right: Iris and Maude Apatow, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann

With the upcoming release of director Judd Apatow's midlife crisis comedy This Is 40 set to open in theaters next week, there is one thing that is peculiar. While it hasn't been nearly as massive as others, many have argued that Apatow's latest stands a chance at a few Oscar nominations. As absurd as it sounds, this isn't that far fetched, considering his influence on the comedy community (he did direct this bit for the Oscars). However, is the film capable of even placing this late in the race, especially since it didn't get a Golden Globe nomination?

Review: Lose Yourself in the Breathtaking "Life of Pi"

Suraj Sharma

*NOTE: This review was originally published on CinemaBeach, a website dedicated to reviewing independent and independent-minded movies in the Southern California area. I review movies there every Thursday. Also, not covered in this article is the Oscar chances. I believe that this deserves many awards, including a Best Picture slot and I believe that Suraj Sharma deserves a Best Actor nomination over Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)

Social commentary has long been a component of great movies. However, commentary on spirituality is one of the least profitable, being reserved for smaller films like Red State and The Way. Religions may be practiced by over five billion people, but the box office receipts rarely reflect them as the big moneymakers. With this in mind, it is an interesting gamble to see director Ang Lee’s $100 million epic Life of Pi centered on a story that is referenced as being so incredible, it will make you believe in god. Is the CGI-heavy adaptation of Yann Martel’s best seller capable of transcending beyond believers, or is it just a beautiful piece of spiritual propaganda?

Will "The Hobbit" Continue Jackson's Winning Streak?

Depending on your stance, next week's release of director Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is either nine years of painful waiting, or nine years too late. Very few people will deny that Jackson's work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a cinematic achievement and its bounty of Oscar wins only solidifies that statement. However, between Return of the King and The Hobbit series was nine years, in which time a lot has changed in cinema, including Jackson's style. While many predict that the film will get an easy Best Picture nomination just like the last three, is it possible that the film will actually prove to be a continued hot streak with a possible win?

Will the Academy Award "Django Unchained" for its Portrayal of Revisionist History?

Jamie Foxx

One of the longest hold outs of the awards season, director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, finally made its premiere at a Directors Guild of America screening on December 1, a little over three weeks until its international release. Speculation has long surrounded the film on if it is worthy of at very least a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. While there were differing opinions and a standing ovation at the screening, the question remains unanswered. For now, we cannot help but wonder if Tarantino can pull back-to-back nominations, or if he just created another fun film.

Is "Rust and Bone" Capable of Competing with American Films?

Left to right: Matthias Schoenaerts and Marion Cotillard

Anyone who has been following The Oscar Buzz will be aware that I have referenced director Jacques Audiard's Rust and Bone multiple times. This is notably in contrast to Marion Cotillard in the Best Actress category. While the film is in limited release and impossible for most people to see, it is still getting some impressive traction, including participating in the annual event of sending Academy voters DVD screeners. While it has widely been regarded as one of the year's best, it is ineligible for Best Foreign Film (France submitted the more acclaimed The Intouchables instead), it is still looking to reap some nominations at the Oscars. Is the film capable of competing against the more popular American films, or will it be lost in translation?

Review: "Wreck-It Ralph" is the Best Animated Film, and why the Academy Won't Recognize That

As previous speculation had me believe, director Rich Moore's biggest obstacle with Wreck-It Ralph will be the subject matter. Of course, that is only the case for those that ignore the story. Disney has managed to do an impossible feat. They have managed to turn video games into an allegorical tale of accepting others as well as a tale of how disabilities shouldn't ruin your life. Sure there is a lot of video game references, but in general, Wreck-It Ralph succeeds in being one of the more heartfelt animated movies to come out in 2012.

Review: "Lincoln" is More Accurate than Entertaining

Daniel Day Lewis

Now that director Steven Spielberg's Lincoln has been put out to wide release, it is an easy time to ponder just how much of a chance that it has at the Oscars this year. Is Daniel Day Lewis' portrayal of the president an enthralling, engaging performance worthy of leading him to a third Oscar win? Is Spielberg capable of adding another directorial statue to his resume? In many ways, Lincoln is an accurate, well filmed biopic of the beloved president. However, despite all of the glowing cinematography and great as usual Lewis performance, Lincoln just feels like another film about Abraham Lincoln.

Will "Rise of the Guardians" Get the Gift of Best Animated Feature?

It has been quite a year for animated movies. Not only have we seen Pixar bounce back into prominence with Brave, but we have also seen two horror-based films (Paranorman and Frankenweenie) and a brilliant video game fueled Wreck-It Ralph (review coming next week). It may be one of the most diverse years in recent times. However, the race isn't quite over. Opening today is Dreamworks Animation's Rise of the Guardians, which can serve as The Avengers of holiday icons ranging from Santa Claus to Jack Frost and the Tooth Fairy. However, is the film capable of standing a chance against the already strong competition at the Oscars, or is it just another holiday film?

Can Winstead Use "Smashed" for an Acting Nomination?

Left to right: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul

One of the toughest categories that I have had to gauge this year involves the female acting fields. While we're starting to see a handful solidify, it has been shakier than the male counterpoint, which almost seemed to be concrete since Joaquin Phoenix impressed us with The Master. With the fields starting to tighten, there is a long shot that Mary Elizabeth Winstead can earn her first nomination for James Ponsoldt's Smashed, a tale of overcoming alcoholism. Is the film capable of competing with the big names, or is the no name production holding it back?

Is "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" Capable of an Oscar Nomination?

Left to right: Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart

This Friday marks the end of an era for many people. What started as an independent film has grown into an international phenomenon that has broken box office records and has popularized vampires for a new generation. However, with director Bill Condon's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, can the series join the pantheon of series finales such as director Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 as Oscar nominated films that at very least have gotten recognition for the culmination of work over the past few years?

Will "The Simpsons" Finally Win an Oscar for Animated Short?

It is possible that one of the overlooked categories is Best Animated Short. Besides the shorts that appear before Pixar and Disney films, they are often reserved for obscure films that result in majority of the nominations being unpredictable. However, there is looking to be one contender this year that you may have heard about this past summer, especially if you saw Ice Age 4. The short film based on the long running TV show The Simpsons called The Longest Daycare has made it to the final 10 contenders and looks to get an actual nomination? Can this help the show add another honor to its mantle? 

Will the Word of Mouth Success of "Beasts of the Southern Wild" get the Film Oscar Nominations?

Left to right: Quvenzhane Wallis and Dwight Henry

Check out my review for the film here.

It has been quite a year for indie films in regards to awards season. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master managed to win over critics and place Joaquin Phoenix as a top contender (though his comments may cause problems) and has gotten a few record breaking titles attached to its legacy. However, long before The Master was winning over audiences, there was director Benh Zeitlin's Beasts of the Southern Wild, which saw one of the most original stories of the year with an equally engaging cast, thus making it the indie film that could. However, is the early praise of the film able to sustain now that we're seeing all of the big shots starting to compete?

An Amazing Trailer #2 for My Best Picture Front Runner

Amanda Seyfriend

Update: I have written a review posted here.

There is no doubt that anyone who has been to the theaters to see the "prestige" films of 2012 this fall has been forced to sit through the original trailer for director Tom Hooper's Les Miserables, which features Anne Hathaway belting "I Dreamed a Dream." It has been effective enough to make it this long as the film's sole trailer (not including the Regal Theaters exclusive behind the scenes video). However, as the release date for one of the biggest films of the year comes around, it is time to start moving out the heavier promotional materials.