A24 A-to-Z: #45. "20th Century Women" (2016)

Scene from 20th Century Women

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

Coming This June: A24 A-to-Z

I do apologize for being quiet in recent weeks. In all honesty, I have been doing my best to get through the final month of school through rigorous studying. Those who have paid attention noticed that I still produce work a few times a week, but currently find it hard. School and personal matters are keeping me from staying on top of current trends as much as I should - and most of what I do focus on is TV related, which I feel is antithetical to The Oscar Buzz's content (though I do highly recommend The Leftovers). If you want that content, please check it out on Optigrab. For now, I want to announce what will be coming this June. It's a new column, and probably one as ambitious as my Nothing But the Best column was initially. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to introduce to you A24 A-to-Z. As the title suggests, it focuses on A24's rich filmography. But why them? Well, I'll tell you why after the jump.

The Runner-Ups: Greta Gerwig in "20th Century Women"

Greta Gerwig

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

"20th Century Women" to Donate Part of Ticket Sales to Planned Parenthood This Weekend

Greta Gerwig

This past weekend, director Mike Mills' latest 20th Century Women opened in wide release. If you haven't seen it, just know that it's a great movie worthy of your time. Though if you're looking for another reason to not hold off on seeing it, just know that the profits from this weekend's box office will go to a special cause: Planned Parenthood. With countless concern over the future of women's rights in the face of a new presidency, it feels appropriate that this movie centered around the lives of women in 1979 would join causes with an organization meant to help women's health. That's a pretty good deal for seeing one of the best films currently playing in theaters.

Review: "20th Century Women" is a Great Big Hug of a Movie

Scene from 20th Century Women

In 2011, director Mike Mills raised eyebrows with his highly acclaimed Beginners, which chronicled the life of an elderly man revealing that he was gay. The most surprising thing was that this comedy was a bit autobiographical to Mills' actual life. Even then, he showed a knack for creating an indie film with artistic flourishes that didn't overshadow the main drama. In his follow-up, 20th Century Women, he explores the other parental figure of his life: his mother. The story takes place in Santa Barbara, California in 1979 and focuses around a 15-year-old being raised by three women. It's a film that's just as personal and reflects the strength and diversity of its female cast while also telling a powerful and candid story that will resonate for anyone with close ties to their own mothers. 

Check Out This Year's Golden Globe Awards Nominations

Scene from Deadpool

This morning, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) released the nominees for their annual Golden Globes ceremony. Along with being one of the first major awards of the season, it is always a curious bunch of nominees to look at. This year proved to be no different, reflecting the best in drama while also giving us some semblance of potential upsets for awards shows to come. The following is a list of the movie nominees, including the good, the bad, and whatever Deadpool's Best Comedy or Musical nominations are supposed to be. Oh well, it wouldn't be awards season without The Academy's drunk cousin giving out nominations to off the wall selections. Read the list after the jump as well as personal commentary on each category.

Check Out the Nominees for the 2016 Spirit Awards

Scene from Moonlight

It's that time of year again. With a little over one month of the year to go, awards season has officially launched with its first major awards ceremony. The Film Independent Spirit Awards have officially announced their nominees in all of the categories with major players like Spotlight, Jackie, and Manchester by the Sea coming out strong. The following is a list of every category and its nominees. What do you think of the results? Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comments and be sure to check out the ceremony on February 25: the day before Oscar Sunday. More information will be given as it develops.

The "20th Century Women" Trailer is a Delightful Look at Womanhood

Scene from 20th Century Women

Six years ago, director Mike Mills released one of the most striking LGBT comedies in recent history with Beginners. Focusing on an often ignored perspective of a father coming out as gay, he made a tender and effective story that paralleled the embrace of life with the strange news that few sons ever get to experience. To some extent, his follow-up 20th Century Women feels like his attempt to discuss his mother's life, whether pulled from personal accounts or not. The story follows a mother (Annette Bening) as she raises children in 1979 during a changing culture. From the looks of the latest trailer, it's bound to be just as charming and effective as he's always been.