Composing Greatness: #2.The Musical or Comedy Scores - "The American President" (1995)

Scene from The American President (1995)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Review: "The Report" Does a Decent Job of Telling Harsh Truths

Scene from The Report (2019)

It's Fall 2019, and writer/director Scott Z. Burns is concerned about America's well-being. Two months after collaborating with Stephen Soderbergh on the Panama Papers drama The Laundromat, he takes to something even more pressing and controversial. The Report finds Adam Driver starring as Senator staffer Daniel Jones as he discovers some dark secrets in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks. Apparently, the War on Terror isn't off to the friendliest of starts with suspects being waterboarded, tortured, and placed in confined spaces while soldiers blare Marilyn Manson tracks. Jones is one of the few in Washington D.C. with a conscience to stand up against the system, and it's here that the procedural begins to take form. The results are engrossing yet uncomfortable, managing to reflect a taboo subject with such visceral force that it's equal parts shocking and too much. 

Composing Greatness: #4. Thomas Newman - "American Beauty" (1999)

Scene from American Beauty

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

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.

A24 A-to-Z: #2. "Ginger & Rosa" (2013)

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.

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 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.

Warren Beatty Returns After 18 Years With Underwhelming "Rules Don't Apply" Trailer

Scene from Rules Don't Apply

It has been awhile since we've heard from the multi-talented Warren Beatty. For a man whose career has given us cherished films such as Bonnie & Clyde and Reds, he seems to have become quiet in recent years. So quiet that we haven't seen him on the big screen since 2001's Town & Country, and behind the camera since 1998 with the rapping politician satire Bulworth. However, his long gestating film about Howard Hughes has finally broken his silence. With many wondering what's in store from one of cinema's richest voices, it's Rules Don't Apply: a film that looks far more comedic and slapdash than one could imagine for a director known for his meticulous nature. However, it looks to be good, even if it isn't quite the welcome home party that people waiting 18 years would want.

Super Delegates: President Andrew Shepherd in "The American President" (1995)

Michael Douglas in The American President

Welcome to Super Delegates, a bi-monthly column released on Tuesdays and are done in part to recognize politics on film, specifically in regards to Oscar-nominated works. With this being an election year in the United States, it feels like a good time to revisit film history's vast relationship with politicians of any era and determine what makes them interesting while potentially connecting them to the modern era. The series plans to run until the end of this 2016 election cycle, so stay tuned for every installment and feel free to share your thoughts on films worthy of discussion in the comments section.

Nothing But the Best: "American Beauty" (1999)

Mena Suvari in American Beauty

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Birthday Take: Annette Benning in "The Kids Are All Right" (2010)

Annette Benning in The Kids Are All Right

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.