Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Concussion" (2016)

Will Smith in Concussion

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.

Mark Ruffalo Becomes First Oscar Nominee to Comment on "Oscars So White" Movement

Will Smith in Concussion

The news keeps coming out about the Oscars So White movement. In recent days, we've heard from George Clooney, Spike Lee, and even the potential step-down of Chris Rock as host. However, today is possibly one of the first that actually holds levity to this year's actual ceremony. Among the people who might add their names to the list of boycotters is Spotlight actor Mark Ruffalo, who is up for a Best Supporting Actor nomination. In a recent interview, he acknowledge his potential absence. Also, Will Smith speaks up after his wife Jada Pinkett Smith became one of the first voices to publicly decry the ceremony and refuse to go. To say the least, things are starting to heat up, and we're only a week out from this year's nominations. With a month to go, who knows how much worse things will get.

My Predictions for This Year's Top 6 Oscar Category Nominations

This is it, everyone Tomorrow is the day when we finally discover who all of this year's Oscar nominees are. What has made 2015 a very interesting season is that while we've had a front runner (Spotlight), we haven't had as clear of a road map for every other category. With that said, this could either become yet another conventional year, mirroring last year's "Oscars So White" backlash; or we can be seeing a random year where Mad Max: Fury Road and other blockbusters manage to compete for Oscar gold. The following is my predictions for the six big categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. It's a difficult year to predict, and I am likely to be wrong in some ways (as I usually am). However, join in the fun and share the picks that you feel are deserving of nominations, and return to The Oscar Buzz tomorrow morning for in depth reporting and commentary on every high and every low.

Check Out the Nominees for This Year's Golden Globe Awards

Rooney Mara in Carol

Today, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) released the nominees for this year's Golden Globe Awards. Honoring the best in film and TV, the award has often been considered a strong indicator as to what The Oscars will look like. While this isn't entirely true, the one advantage that the ceremony has is that it honors films in both comedy and drama departments, thus allowing less prestigious titles to pick up traction. This year shows no exception, especially with the presence of a few surprising picks, including Mad Max: Fury Road, Concussion, and Trumbo. The following is a look at the movie categories, followed by personal thoughts on each of the categories.