Review: "The Sisters Brothers" is One of the Smartest, Funnest Takes on the Western in Some Time

John C. Reilley in The Sisters Brothers

The world of director Jacques Audiard's English-language debut The Sisters Brothers is one that's immediately disorienting. In the opening scene, brother Eli Sister (John C. Reilley) proudly declares his intention to open fire. The only issue is that, somewhere in the middle of night, it's impossible to see anything. By the end, their robbery is foiled by foolish decisions that leaves a barn on fire and the proud declaration as the title card appears that Eli and Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix) have messed up another mission. This mismatched sibling story is a tale of screw-ups amid a reputation for being two of the deadliest shooters in the west (Oregon and Northern California to be precise), which is what sends them on a bounty hunter mission. However, the tale is far more than a farcical tale. The further that things go, the more it blends humor with drama in effective ways that establish Audiard's lofty new vision of what a western can be. It may not always be successful, but it's an astounding achievement nonetheless.

A24 A-to-Z: #6. "Enemy" (2014)

Left to right: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal

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.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Deadpool" (2016)

Scene from Deadpool

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.

Review: "Demolition" is a Great, Endearing Depiction of Grief

Scene from Demolition

Over the past three years, director Jean-Marc Vallee has pretty much made a career out of being presumable "Oscar bait." This is most prevalent in his problematic debut Dallas Buyers Club, which earned Matthew McConaughey a Best Actor award as well as a Best Picture nomination. While he hasn't quite hit that high since, his work definitely continues to veer off into far more interesting directions. His mixture of humanity and familiar yet earnest themes may not make for the most captivating dramas, but what he does so well is make dramas full of personality and life that compensate for their familiarity. While not his best, Demolition feels like the perfect embodiment of what he does so well, thanks in part to a great lead performance by the reliable Jake Gyllenhaal.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Southpaw" (2015)

Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw

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.

"Brokeback Mountain" is 10 Years Old, and Still As Important

Left to right: Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

Over the past 10 years, there have been few films as important as Brokeback Mountain. You can argue that director Ang Lee made better films, whether it's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or Life of Pi, but none of them have held the same impact that the film, labeled by the public at the time as "the gay cowboy movie," had on society. It wasn't just its subject matter, but how society spoke of the film in the years following. It was a film that transcended just being one of the most successful LGBT movies in history. Its history was a time capsule not only of how we viewed gay culture then, but how society has evolved in the short time since. Still, even as gay characters have started to become more representative in media, there's no denying the impact that Brokeback Mountain had in paving the trail for them. It may not have been the first mainstream film of its kind, but it definitely was the lightning rod that propelled the conversation forward.

Weinsten Refuses to Give Up on "Southpaw," Does Awards Push Rerelease

Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw

Oh, Jake Gyllenhaal. Much like Leonardo DiCaprio, he has become a prime target for "overdue-Oscar" consideration. Following last year's excellent Nightcrawler, he returned this summer with the boxing drama from director Antoine Fuqua called Southpaw. The results were less than stellar, as those thriving to get Gyllenhaal into the Oscar conversation were immediately dismissed when the film, despite decent box office, failed to keep the hype alive. Between his other 2015 films (Everest and Demolition), it doesn't look to be a great year for him. That is, unless Harvey Weinstein saved a big surprise for the campaign this upcoming weekend with its planned rerelease.

The First "Demolition" Trailer Shows Gyllenhaal Breaking New Ground and Houses

Jake Gyllenhaal

It must be odd to be Jake Gyllenhaal at the current moment. At least, if you're in his fan base and have the idea that he should have kept receiving Oscar nominations for his last few roles. There was last year's Nightcrawler, which many consider to have been snubbed at awards season. Then came this summer's boxing drama Southpaw: a film that was so hyped that it's almost embarrassing to mention its lack of traction. Up next is another turn, and one that may be more promising considering the talent involved. Today marks the release of the trailer for director Jean-Marc Vallee's Demolition, which shows the actor having a great time destroying houses and getting his life back together... or something like that.

A Look at New Trailers From Potential Oscar Nominees

Matt Damon in The Martian

Before I dive in, I want to personally apologize for this unexplained absence over the past week. This was caused largely due to personal and health problems that made writing and keeping up with Oscar-worthy news a little difficult. As of this moment, I should be in good enough of a condition to return to sharing my personal opinions and keeping you up to date on the latest happenings. First up, a look at the many trailers that premiered over the past week for films that we may be hearing about a lot over this Oscars season. Speaking as we're starting to enter the season when all of the trailers premiere (see: Suffragette and Bridge of Spies). While this round-up may not have nearly as many hits, we may be looking at a very interesting season ahead.

Review: "Accidental Love" is Russell's Worst Film Despite Being Occasionally Ambitious

Left to right: Jessica Biel and Jake Gyllenhaal

A lot can be said of director David O. Russell's recent resurgence with his past three films that have garnered him 25 Oscar nominations and even a few wins. He has come to embody one of the finest Oscar bait directors currently working with top notch performances from up and coming stars. However, there has been a notorious legacy around the film that immediately predates these three: Accidental Love. It was filmed in 2008, abandoned in 2010 and released unceremoniously this week on VOD. For a director who would come to define modern mainstream prestige, it is easy to see why he refuses to have any association with this offbeat and sometimes incoherent political satire/sex comedy. It is good, but not Russell good.

The First Trailer for "Accidental Love" Reminds Us How Much Better Russell Has Become in 7 Years

Left to right: Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel

After years of delays and long ago being disowned by the creator, director David O. Russell's Accidental Love (formerly Politics of Love and Nailed) is finally seeing the light of day. Last that we heard, a studio was working on a cut that wouldn't be approved by the filmmaker and that the film would be released earlier in the year as to not compete with Russell's recently made film called Joy. Today marks the first footage released from the trailer and things are beginning to make sense. At least in the realm of explaining his disowning of the project.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Left to right: Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal

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.