A Look at "Atomic Blonde" and the Ongoing Need for a Best Stunt Performer Category

Scene from Atomic Blonde

Today marks Charlize Theron's 42nd birthday. Like all celebrities, it is fun to spend this day commemorating their great achievements in pop culture. After all, who could forget the scene stealing work in Mad Max: Fury Road, or the snarky brilliance of Young Adult? To say the least, Theron has been busy trying to start up an amazing comeback that'll likely define her as one of the most interesting, if not best, actresses of her generation. However, there is another topic that I would love to discuss regarding her recent work: Atomic Blonde. If you've seen it, you know how great her performance in the movie is. It also serves to raise the question: When will there be a Best Stunt Performer category at the Oscars?

10 Highlights from This Year's Academy Awards Ceremony

The four acting Oscar winners

With the ceremony behind us, it's time to remember everything that happened at this year's Academy Awards. For many, it marked one of the most exciting races in recent years. In fact, the year was not without some big surprises. For starters, the racially charged evening by host Chris Rock is likely to split many viewers. Even then, it's still great to know that this year wasn't the least bit dull. In the annual two part wrap-up, I will be recounting the highs and lows of the ceremony. In this article, I will be highlighting the positive, of which there's plenty to choose from.

Here is the Official List of Every 2016 Oscar Winner

The cast and crew of Spotlight winning Best Picture

There you have it, everyone. Another Academy Awards ceremony is in the books. With a competitive, unpredictable year, it was nice to know that the winners this were just as random as the moments leading up to it. But, who won all of the awards? Who won the most? Spotlight walked away with the Best Picture, but very little else, while Mad Max: Fury Road left with six. If you wish to know who won in every category, click the jump to see the results. Also, I will answer the proverbial question that comes with each post-ceremony recap: how did I do? To say the least, it wasn't my best year even if I'm not mad at who won.

My Official Oscar Predictions for 2015

Scene from Spotlight

This is it, everybody. Tomorrow is the big day when The Academy Awards reveal who is going to come away champion. It has been an exciting, unpredictable season that will hopefully produce some out of the box results. From some bizarre Oscar nominees (Mad Max: Fury Road specifically) to a tough three way battle for Best Picture, this is a year that will be hard to call, especially with the results changing every other week. While you have seen my extensive coverage of this year's season, the following is my personal picks for winners. I'm confident that unlike the past few years, I will not be doing nearly as well (I really don't want The Revenant to win big). So take my picks with a grain of salt, and feel free to place your bets in the comments section. Come back on Monday for full post-ceremony coverage.

Check This Out: FIDM's 24th Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design Exhibit

Scene from Cinderella

If you're anyone who likes film, you are aware of how essential a good outfit is. Every year, the Best Costume Design category features some of the biggest and brightest outfits ranging from period pieces to more contemporary fare. If you're at all interested in seeing the outfits from various films of this past year (as well as all of the Oscar-nominated ones) and you live in the Los Angeles area, then I've got some good news for you. They are currently being shown at The Museum of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). If that wasn't enough, it's currently free to the public at this very moment.

Miller Promises a Black and White Version of "Mad Max: Fury Road" Soon

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

It is likely that you've seen director George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road. Almost everyone seems to agree, it's great. Even The Academy have gotten their adrenaline on by giving the film a whopping 10 Oscar nominations. However, what if I were to tell you that the colorful version that ended up making it into theaters is not the way that it was intended to be released? Well, for those who enjoy watching every film in an altered fashion (I know I do), prepare for Furiosa and the gang to come back in glorious black and white - just as Miller had always intended it to be.

A Ranking of the Best Picture Nominees of 2016

Ladies and gentlemen, I have officially seen every single Best Picture nominee for 2015. You know what that means? It's time to rank them all. As is the case with every year, it's intriguing to see what exactly makes these films far more noteworthy than the hundreds of other titles competing for the top prize. In all honesty, this may be one of the better years in recent times, solely because while there's still racial diversity problems, this year featured an impressive mixture of genre diversity, which is something that has always felt like a problem. Where 2013 had only one part of the year and 2014 had only one sex, this year reflects a solid variety of what the year in film had to show. The following is my personal ranking with additional thoughts. If you wish to share your own ranking, please feel free to share in the comments.

A Look at Oscar 2016 Superlatives and Records

With The Oscars now officially on the books, it's easy to look at who is the biggest film of the year (The Revenant with 12 nominations) and what the biggest surprises are. However, what's harder to notice is the various records and superlatives that were achieved with the Class of 2015. The following is a rundown of the various achievements that could be found in this year's nominees, including potential records if certain films and artists win. So check out the line-up and enjoy witnessing Oscar history in the making. 

Guess What? Miller Will Be Making Those "Mad Max" Sequels After All

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

Today's a big day for director George Miller. For starters, his film Mad Max: Fury Road has the second most Oscar nominations. Considering how little it has in the way of prestigious fare like Spotlight or Brooklyn, it's a miracle and a surprise that his action film has managed to outdo them. Of course, this film has been doing surprisingly well against both critics and audiences, and even puts the future of Miller's crazy car franchise up for question. Will we be seeing more of Max and the gang in future films? Well, the answer looked to be a resounding no a few days ago. But today, in light of his second wave of success, the 70-year-old director clears things up. Turns out that he may be coming back after all.

Here's the List of This Year's Oscar Nominees

Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the biggest days in our average awards season. It is the day that The Academy Awards announce this year's nominees. With the familiar fervor, one can easily point out the lack of diversity and the various films that were snubbed. However, it is still a pretty solid year for the films, with surprise nomination leaders The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road racking up a lot of recognition with 12 and 10 nominations respectively. So, what made the cut in all of the categories? Click to read all of the nominees plus additional commentary on the highs and lows that are now part of Oscar history.

My Top 10 Picks for Oscar Nomination Long Shots

Chris Rock

Ladies and gentlemen, we are only a few days away from learning who will be on this year's Oscar nominations list. It's an exciting time, notably because the season has been very unpredictable this year. With major upsets shown in the past, Spotlight isn't as safe of a front runner as one would've initially expected. While I do intend to share my overall predictions for the major categories, I present you today with my long shots. The following is 10 nominations that I really want to happen, but will likely not for whatever reason. It's my own hypothetical hope for The Oscars, and more my desire to see the better film make the cut. Check them out, and leave your own long shots below. Then come back in a few days and see just how unlikely these options were.

"Mad Max" Director Won't Be Working on Any Sequels

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

For many, one of the highlights of 2015 was director George Miller's return to the world of Mad Max with the Golden Globe-nominated sequel Fury Road. Following the previous entry from 1985, it became the unlikely success story and fueled a new generation of fans to cheer on the godfather of car movies. With the series arguably at its peak since 1981's The Road Warrior, one could only expect Miller to produce more sequels, right? Well, there's some bad news that was announced recently. Whether or not Max lives on, Miller will not be there to direct them.

The 10 Best and Worst Moments of This Year's Golden Globes

Left to right: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Leonardo DiCaprio

Last night marked this year's Golden Globes, in which the big winners were The Revenant and The Martian. However, it is also likely the year when the ceremony itself became irrelevant to TV viewers without access to their own minibar. You see, with returning host Ricky Gervais, the show's three hour run felt like an eternity not because it was a slow year (though the winners weren't exceptional), but because nobody cared. Yes, The Golden Globes have long been The Razzies of prestigious movie awards, but usually their ceremonies are fun moments to have people let loose. The following is a look at the highs and lows of the show as it relates to Oscar culture. Prepare for a ride through the drollness.

Here's a Look at This Year's BAFTAS Nominations

Scene from The Revenant 

Today marked the announcement of this year's BAFTAS nominations. With The Oscars giving this year's line-up next week, Britain gets in on the game with their own prestigious awards show. While 2015 has proven to one of the most sporadic and unpredictable years on record (there's not a lot of front runners yet), there have been a few nominations lately that have given us some clue as to what to expect. With Carol leading the pack, this year's line-up has its own share of eyebrow raisers, including a few noticeable absences. The following is a rundown of every nomination as well as brief commentary on each category.

Should "The Force Awakens" Be Nominated for Best Picture?

Scene from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

It seemed inevitable, but director J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened to predictably big business. If there was a box office record, it was likely beaten by now. The reviews are overwhelming, some even calling it the best of the franchise in over 30 years. In fact, it's tied on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes with the original for highest rated. While many have likely seen it (a few times even) and have discussed it to death, there's one argument that does seem ripe for the taking: can the film get any Oscar traction? There have been hints of it, but nothing really seemed plausible until this past week when the hype matched the film. Now, it seems like anything is possible.

Theory Thursday: Coma the Doof Warrior is the Worst Character in "Mad Max: Fury Road"

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Why I Don't Believe That "Mad Max: Fury Road" Will Get a Best Picture Nomination

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

There's no denying the unpredictable impact that director George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road has had on the zeitgeist. It's become its own cultural phenomenon with people adopting the lingo and calling Charlize Theron's Furiosa one of the greatest female characters of the year. It's a film made by a mad man and one that is just as entertaining as the notion. However, there's one thing that I could never quite get on board with. For everyone calling this the Best Movie of 2015, I don't think that it transcends to The Academy. While they have added Tom Hardy to their members list, their latest push to make it a Best Picture contender feels a little... off. It's fun, but I have trouble embracing this campaign as anything but wishful thinking.

Why I Think "Mad Max: Fury Road" is a Western

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

There is little doubt that by now, you have seen director George Miller's Mad Maxy: Fury Road, possibly even a few times. You have been overwhelmed by the beauty of each choreographed moment of anarchy. You remain on the edge of your seat as characters lunge from cars into uncertain safety. It's a spectacle made by a mad man. It definitely earns its place among the best films of 2015 and remains a controversial black sheep for the Best Picture race. However, there is one thing that I would like to plead with you that may not be abundantly clear: this film is largely a western. If that sounds a little baffling to you, allow me to explain.

Review: "Mad Max: Fury Road" is a Bottled Version of Genuine Insanity

Back in 2008, a young director named Christopher Nolan released the highly successful The Dark Knight. It not only reinvented the superhero genre, but created the most iconic depiction of its main character. It posited that comic book movies could have more than silly action set pieces and basic plot structures. It was revolutionary in a way that has come to define modern film making. It has been years since a late entry franchise film has made a dent in the zeitgeist. Who is the latest to revolutionize the action packed visuals that may become cliche within the next 10 years due to overkill impersonators? If you were thinking of director George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road, you may be onto something. It does to car movies what The Dark Knight did to superheroes: amplify its potential.