"Ford V Ferrari" and the Power of Good Editing

Scene from Ford v Ferrari

On the surface, director James Mangold's work on Ford v Ferrari doesn't seem that impressive. After all, how many times has a camera zoomed in on Vin Diesel pulling the hammer down as he prepares to start a drag race? It has to be a few dozen at this point. People love watching cars go fast, and that only begins to explain why Mangold's latest has gotten where it is. True, it has some fun performances by Matt Damon and Christian Bale, but what it does in its third act is one of the most magnificent uses of editing and sound design by any film in 2019. So what if it's a period piece grounded in realism and not Furious 7 jumping from skyscraper to skyscraper? It still has a lot to achieve, and it does so over the course of one of the most daunting 40 minutes of cinema of the past year.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Bohemian Rhapsody" (2018)

Scene from Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

The Academy Has Common Sense After All, Will Present All 24 Categories Live

Something John Bailey forgot about The Oscars

With the seal cracked on the single digits countdown (nine days to go!), things should be in place for The Academy Awards, right? People have turned in their ballots and now everyone is tallying up scores. If you're like me, you'll enjoy reading anonymous voter articles. However, what makes the Class of 2019 all the more impressive is that even this close to the air date things are once again changing. At the beginning of this week, Academy president John Bailey shot himself in the foot once again by suggesting that four categories would not be presented at the ceremony. Before diving into the responses, one had to ask "What did you expect?" The decision was met with universal ridicule and in one moment of rare clairvoyance Bailey decided to reverse his order. Good news everyone, The Oscars are presenting every category on the air! Consider this a victory in a year without too many. 

The Academy to Not Broadcast Four Categories for First Time Ever

Scene from Cold War

The Academy Awards is officially less than two weeks away. However, it's still a year where every week brings some big news. Where most years would be content to just let audiences prognosticate who will win, it seems like The Academy has made it a challenge to slowly present controversial new rulings that fill the cinephiles more with dread than anticipation. So, what is in store this time around? Those predicting that categories would forgo being presented during the broadcast have finally been proven right to be skeptical as the Academy's increasingly incompetent president John Bailey has listed four categories that will appear in the broadcast, though not when you think they will. Yes, things are starting to evolve and change in ways more concrete, and none of it is particularly welcomed.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2011)

Scene from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

R.I.P. Anne V. Coates (1925-2018)

Anne V. Coates

On May 8, 2018, film editor Anne V. Coates died at the age of 92 in Los Angeles, California. She was frequently working welling into her later years and received acclaim as one of the few female editors out there. Her work was acclaimed and spanned more than 60 years, including work that would win her an Oscar for Lawrence of Arabia. Her work was versatile and diverse, reflecting how a simple cut could be turned into an art form. Even if her work goes unappreciated to the casual viewer, it's hard to imagine a world without the magic that she brought to a film, helping to shape it into its inevitable final form. Her work will continue to live on, no matter what genre you tend to enjoy.

R.I.P. Jerry Greenberg (1936-2017)

Jerry Greenberg

On December 22, 2017, editor Jerry Greenberg died at the age of 81 after suffering from a long illness. He is best known for his work in The French Connection, of which director William Friedkin calls him the saving grace of the film. His filmography is full of iconic work from Apocalypse Now to Kramer vs. Kramer and collaborations with filmmakers like Brian De Palma. He is considered to be one of the most influential film editors in history, having come to prominence during an important moment in film history. His work will continue to live on, especially as inspiration for those who want to know how to edit montages and action scenes. He is an incredible artist and one who will be greatly missed.

The Runner-Ups: The Editing of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010)

Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

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 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.