A24 A-to-Z: #20. "Ex Machina" (2015)

Scene from Ex Machina

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.

Birthday Take: Stanley Kubrick in "2001:: A Space Odyssey"

Scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey

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.

A Look at the New Academy Awards Regulations

Every year, there's a little bit that gets changed around at The Academy Awards. This year is no different as members congregated to hold a vote on various new laws that will instated for eligibility at next year's ceremony. While the debatable "big shocker" is that they didn't vote to lower the Best Picture category from its current 5-10 nominees to a solidified five (likely due to this being a strong year for genre films from Mad Max: Fury Road to Inside Out), there were small things that are going to help make the playing field more even. The big changes will be discussed immediately following the jump.

Review: "Life After Pi" is a Compelling Call for Action

One of the most tragic stories that came out of the 2013 Oscar ceremony was the revelation that FX company Rhythm & Hues filed for bankruptcy. The company that won a Best Visual Effects Oscar for Life of Pi took to the stage that night only to be played off. Close to a year later, the company released a short 30-minute documentary highlighting this epidemic and how it impacted the industry. As the documentary comes to a close, it serves more as a precaution for a rapidly changing industry ahead. As technology continues to be prevalent in the biggest films, it is an issue worth addressing, and one that will hopefully benefit from this story.

Check This Out!: "Rhythm & Hues: Life After Pi" Trailer Promises a Look at the Fallen VFX Company

It came as strange news to find out that the Best Visual Effects winner for Life of Pi also went bankrupt. VFX company Rhythm & Hues were responsible for bringing the gorgeous, C.G.I.-heavy film to life. With the new documentary Rhythm & Hues: Life After Pi, there is going to hopefully be exploration into what lead to this downfall and why C.G.I. companies are folding despite producing some of the highest grossing films in a given year. Check out the trailer (above) and make sure to look for it being released online on February 25, one day after the broadcasting last year's ceremony. 

To learn more, check out their website here.

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?