A24 A-to-Z: #66. "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" (2018)

Scene from How to Talk to Girls at Parties

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 years to come.

A24 A-to-Z: #61. "The Vanishing of Sidney Hall" (2018)

Scene from The Vanishing of Sidney Hall

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 years to come.

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.

Review: "The Beguiled" Brilliantly Captures The Contradictive Nature of Men

Scene from The Beguiled

In theory, The Beguiled is a war movie. For starters, it takes place during the Civil War and features a Union soldier injuring himself on Confederate soil. What follows is a moment of hospitality wrapped up in a tense psychological war. Corporal John McBurney (Colin Farrell) is being cured by a secluded school for women, all of whom have varying reactions to his presence. While it's a simple story on its surface, it's a far more complex story underneath the surface. It isn't just the story of two sides hating each other, but also the struggles between men and women, as well as a deeper personal attraction. Director Sofia Coppola turns in one of her best directed movies by making every character into predators, waiting to pounce. The only question becomes who will attack first, and for what cause. It may be a Civil War movie, but the war at hand is anything but civil.

Here's a Look at the 774 New Members of The Academy

Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman

There's no denying that the one thing that probably made last year's Academy Awards very interesting was the diverse new membership. 2016 saw a record breaking 683 new members. This was in large part to combat diversity issues both in terms of race and in gender. If nothing else, it made for one of the less predictable Best Picture years in recent history where Moonlight upset La La Land for top prize. Still, those who thought that there was no way to top last year's impressive haul clearly didn't wait around for the following year's inductees. The record is once again broken and there are now 774 new people being invited to join The Academy, including Gal Gadot, Kristen Stewart, Elle Fanning, Dwayne Johnson, and even Betty White. It's an impressive list, and one that looks to say good things about the future of The Academy going forward.

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.

Sofia Coppola's "The Beguiled" Takes Gorgeous Vengeance in the First Trailer

Scene from The Beguiled

In a time of remake culture, it would have to take a pretty good filmmaker to turn old text into something new and inspired. Leave it to director Sofia Coppola to take The Beguiled and find a spin on the Clint Eastwood original. With the release of the first trailer, it presents a cryptic look into the world of the film. With a great female cast (and Colin Farrell), it looks to present a reversal on the damsel in distress story by pitting a man against some vengeful women. While there's little offered beyond a vengeful slur, it's still great to have Coppola back, and producing a film that looks really good.

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. 

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.

After 10 Years, "Babel" is Still a Compassionate Universal Tale

Scene from Babel

It was 10 years ago that cinema experienced the shot heard round the world. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Babel had the hefty mission of combining four stories that spanned the globe while showing how they all connected. With the stories ranging from a shooting accident to a babysitter travelling to Mexico with American children, the film managed to creatively convey the passion and understanding that the world should be more accepting of. It was a film that showed the capabilities of Inarritu at their fullest, and he hasn't been able to capture the magic as effectively since. 

In Defense of Laika's Hidden Gem "The Boxtrolls"

Scene from The Boxtrolls

This weekend marks the release of stop motion maestros Laika's latest film Kubo and the Two Strings. To say the least, the reviews have been positive - arguably the best for the studio since their big debut Coraline in 2009. When looking at reviews however, there seems to be one film that is left out of the average critic's summary of the studio: The Boxtrolls. While it is done in part for succinct summaries, it also is telling that their third feature maybe doesn't have quite the reputation of Coraline or ParaNorman. Even reviews at the time that would suggest that the 2014 release was their first misfire. However, there's something that should be noticed about The Boxtrolls. It may not be the prettiest film in Laika's collection, but it has a lot more innovation and heart than it gets credit for. It's the underrated gem worthy of a second glance.

Review: "The Neon Demon" Confrims Refn's Transition From Vulgar Auteur Into An Endurance Test

Scene from The Neon Demon

In 2011, director Nicolas Winding Refn saw himself in a lawsuit over his film Drive. It was claimed that it was misrepresented as a conventional action movie. To general audiences, it was a travesty of boredom. Five years and two movies later, it's hard to imagine what the audience appalled by atmospheric driving sequences would have to say about The Neon Demon: a film that's rich with provocative, sometimes disturbing, imagery that earned a healthy dose of boos at Cannes and for some reason is seen this past weekend in wide release. While a beautiful example of postmodern art, it's a film whose fans will be greatly isolated from the general consensus due to Refn's cryptic style that turns him from an auteur of masculine aggression simply into an endurance test. There's a lot to like about The Neon Demon. One just has to accept that it's buried underneath Refn's clear and distinct vision that is sometimes unpleasant or pretentious. 

The First "Neon Demon" Trailer is a Beautiful, Bloody Vision

Scene from The Neon Demon

Director Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the more interesting directors working today. While he has never sacrificed his style, the bright and popping imagery mixed with violence helped to make his 2011 film Drive a cult favorite. However, his follow-up Only God Forgives received a brutal lashing for being darker and more violent. Still, it reflected Refn's one gift as a filmmaker: he could turn the grotesque into art like nobody else. With his first film since then called The Neon Demon releasing its first trailer, it looks like it'll be more of the same deranged Refn charm. Thankfully, that's enough to get me in the door.

Review: "The Boxtrolls" is a Great Family Film with Innovative Style

The invaluable gift of animation is the ability to create limitless worlds and breathe life into weirdly shaped characters. It is escapism at its finest and with great stories in tow, the medium has the ability to provoke and create a lasting cultural impact. Laika Studios feels like a revolutionary force because in a world full of CGI landscapes, few are choosing to do anything interesting. The painstaking dedication to stop motion not only means that they will stand out, but that they have to pack a punch on each outing to compensate for long intervals between films. With their latest film, The Boxtrolls, they continue to expand on the potential of animation with one of their most fluid and ambitious films yet. While not entirely as pleasing as their previous output, it reflects a continuing need for animation to be as exciting as it once was.