What Happened to Jason Reitman?

Left to right: Rosemarie DeWitt and Adam Sandler

How did it come to this? After making an impressive career with films like Juno and Up in the Air, director Jason Reitman has done something disappointing. He has become somewhat of a shell of his former self. Where his past few films all had a sense of urgency that made me call him the contemporary Frank Capra, he hasn't quite captured the magic since Young Adult. In 2014 alone, he has released two films that have failed in one way or another. After Labor Day saw him attempt to do a straight-up drama in ways that were stilted, there was hope that it was a misguided effort. However, when Men, Women & Children matched the rating on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes at 33%, the dreams of this being a potential Oscar nominee became shattered. What happened to Jason Reitman? He used to be so perfect.

Reitman Returns to Thought Provoking Drama with the First Trailer for "Men, Women & Children"

Left to right: Ansel Egort and Kaitlyn Dever

One of the great things about the end of summer is that it marks the beginning of Oscar season. While films like Inherent Vice, Interstellar, and Foxcatcher have their positions planned out, there is still the actual race. Despite what prognosticators will say, there are very few instances where predictions in July will be the same in January. There's way too much that comes out that takes surprising turns. For instance, did anyone see Gravity as a Best Director winner from the first trailer? Alfonso Cuaron fans maybe did, but all of the attention was on 12 Years a Slave. With the first trailer for director Jason Reitman's Men, Women & Children, he looks to be back and ready to surprise the world not only with a film about technology and how it isolates as well as potentially surprising performances. Is this going to be Adam Sandler's foray into the Oscar race? Knowing Reitman's abilities, it just might.

Will "The Fault in Our Stars" Bring Cancer Back to the Best Picture Race?

Left to right: Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

One of the biggest surprises of summer 2014 is the news that director Josh Boone's The Fault in Our Stars may end up being Shailene Woodley's better young adult adaptation instead of the presumed Divergent.  Reviews leading up to its release this Friday have almost been universally acclaimed with many calling it the best love story in years. With that said, is the Academy above nominating a film about sick young people? Oscar season may not fully kick off until the Fall, but its summer time and anything could be eligible. It's just a matter of changing up the trends.