Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Joker" (2019)

Scene from Joker (2019)

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.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #30-34

Scene from Arrival (2016)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #70-74

Scene from Joker (2019)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

A Wrap-Up of the 2019-2020 Oscar Season

Janelle Monae

At long last, the Oscar season is over. And much quicker than usual this year. That is why it feels absolutely strange to be saying goodbye already. It feels like there should be another few weeks for people to catch up on Oscar nominees, hold a conversation about why Jojo Rabbit was the dark horse Best Picture winner some expected it to be. It's one of the joys/frustrations that are lost to this adapted schedule, but in some ways, it's for the best. Where some years feel interminable, lasting so long that one can't help but resent half of the nominees, this one feels like a blip. Maybe it's something that the lower-than-average viewer ratings would suggest. Still, it was an interesting year existing in "The New Academy," where a new generation is rising and the definition of a winner is changing slowly. Was it the best year? It wasn't the worst. It was somewhere in the middle, where there's a need for change, but is exciting for making bold wins that proved just how great cinema has been. 

How Joaquin Phoenix Encouraged Me To Start The Oscar Buzz

Joaquin Phoenix

Among the many winners at last night's Academy Awards was Best Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix (Joker). For months following the release of the divisive film, he's been the category front-runner and in the process has excelled at giving some of the most memorable speeches. For as much as Brad Pitt made his run seem polished and charismatic, Phoenix chose to make his feel from the heart, addressing whatever issues came to mind. Who could forget his speeches detailing Australian forest fires, or the more recent backlash at The Academy where he called out their lack of diverse nominations? There is so much to take from Phoenix that it kind of makes up for the fact that I wasn't that impressed with his Oscar-winning performance. To me, Joker was mediocre and lacked any real substance that it was vying for. However, his win had a lot more power than simply recognizing a movie or an actor. Phoenix's win sort of brought a certain narrative regarding The Oscar Buzz to a close.

Composing Greatness: #18. The Freshman Class of the 2010's - "Joker" (2019)

Scene from Joker

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Having Broken A Billion Dollars, "Joker" Becomes One of the Most Profitable R-Rated Movies of All Time

Scene from Joker (2019)

Considering that it took Avengers: Endgame less than a weekend to earn a billion dollars, it seems like every film with a comic book source has a guaranteed success margin. However, there was one film that has been running rampant in the culture that seemed less of a surefire deal. Director Todd Haynes' Joker entered the Fall season as the wildcard Oscar favorite, including the belief that it would start mass shootings and drive incel audiences to revolt. Well, that hasn't happened (that we know of), but what has happened in the process is one of the few pop culture phenomenons of the year, drawing criticism, parodies, and even visits to the stairs where it was filmed. With all of that in mind, Joker making a billion dollars doesn't seem that wild of an idea. However, it being the first R-Rated movie of its kind to do so is a distinctive achievement. 

Composing Greatness: #6.The Freshman Class of the 2010's - "Her" (2013)

Scene from Her (2013)

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.

Review: "Joker" Says a Lot About the World's Troubles, But Does Less With It

Scene from Joker

With last year's Black Panther earning a Best Picture nomination, the idea of the superhero film has become something more prestigious. Suddenly every Avengers movie has an aura around it, thinking that the genre is about to evolve into something new and rich, enhancing the potential of cinema by leaps and bounds. While director Todd Phillips' Joker is far from the first "dark" comic book movie, it's the first since The Dark Knight to chase acting awards for its star Joaquin Phoenix, an enigmatic actor if there ever was one. With a brutally earned R-Rating, the film shot onto the scene and escorted controversy into every theater. It's a film rich with complicated thoughts, where there's plenty to discuss even if you hate the film. It's a serious film after all. The best of cinema brings out big emotions.

Joker is a film that wants to capitalize the I in Importance, suggesting something that is apparent about the modern era. In a world where mass shootings happen weekly, there is a need to discuss controversial topics in a way that advances the discourse. It's what should make this film one of the most biting, exciting films of the decade. Instead, it feels like Phillips' first dramatic film is too insecure to dive deeper into the character. Everything is surface-level, coddling the audience through major scenes by stating Arthur Fleck's (Phoenix) internal grief so bluntly. There's plenty that it says, but what it does is far less effective, only surviving by the unnerving laugh that Phoenix brings to his character. Phillips knows his references, citing everything from Martin Scorsese to Charles Chaplin to Stephen Sondheim to Jerry Lewis. But what does all of this bring to the bigger picture? At most, it brings forth a conversation that isn't entirely eloquent in the film. It may be enough to make it one of the most staggering superhero movies ever to be released by a major studio, but that doesn't mean it's a success.

The New "Joker" Trailer is Ready for Its Close-Up

Scene from The Joker (2019)

On the heels of 2018's Black Panther, this Oscar season can't help but include another comic book movie in the conversation. While technically Avengers: Endgame is still being discussed, most prognosticators are awaiting the first screenings from Venice Film Festival of director Todd Phillips' The Joker, which is being pushed as a surprise contender. At this moment, it's an exciting alternative, if just because it finds Joaquin Phoenix finally joining the superhero genre after over a decade of provocative and memorable arthouse roles. What could he possibly bring to the role that is worthy of this much praise? As the final trailer would suggest, he is probably the only thing worth remembering in this marketing.

Todd Phillips Considers "The Joker" (2019) Oscar Worthy, Though Skepticism Remains

Scene from The Joker (2019)

The past few weeks of the summer have produced a lot of reasons to look forward to Oscar season. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood marks a potential return for Tom Hanks, and this weekend's Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is a Quentin Tarantino movie (so we'll be talking about it for a while). However, there's one outlier that has made the rounds in recent days... and it is not what you'd expect. Even in a post-Black Panther world, it still seems ridiculous to think that any superhero movie could crack the Oscars again. It's why it seems odd that there is one to not forget this Fall, or at least The Hangover director Todd Phillips will have you believe. The Joker is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and there are talks that the Oscars are not too far behind. It seems like a risky gamble, but maybe what this season needs.

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.

Review: "You Were Never Really Here" Has a Few Screws Loose But is a Well-Oiled Machine

Joaquin Phoenix

Within a minute of starting, director Lynn Ramsay's You Were Never Really Here has already established its disorienting tone. There is a man suffocating as the editing cuts around the sparse plot. It's a violent film, but not one that relishes the kill. Instead, it chooses to be like the scene that follows. As the hit man named Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) walks down a dark alley, he is assaulted. For Ramsey, this is probably the most apt way of describing the movie. Not only is it tough to understand the story, but it's assaulting the senses, creating a deeper understanding of trauma better than any film of the past decade. It's a visceral, disjointed experience that makes more sense as it falls further into fantasy. It's more than a story of one hit man rescuing a little girl named Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov). It's about stopping the cycle of violence, no matter how futile that cause may be.

Theory Thursday: "The Village" is Underrated

Scene from The Village

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. 

Nothing But the Best: "Gladiator" (2000)

Left to right: Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Review: "Inherent Vice" is a Head Trip of Culture Clash with Wit and Expertise

Director Paul Thomas Anderson's latest opus Inherent Vice is almost too dedicated to the book. How so? The opening monologue by Sortilege (Joana Newsom) is word-for-word the first paragraph of Thomas Pynchon's book. Where in some cases simply reciting text may seem like a lazy offense, this time it reads as a testament to the creatively slurred together sentences of this 60's ode to film noir and drugs. This is the first Pynchon film adaptation and thankfully Anderson knows his stuff by keeping the words the same and using his dry, confusing tone to once again prove why he is one of the greats in modern cinema.

A Quick Rundown of Films on the Outskirts of the Oscar Race

Bill Murray

The following is a collection of tidbits regarding recently released and upcoming films that I have previously given attention to as having Oscar Buzz. While there are still chances for these films to bounce back and potentially have a fruitful career, it does seem like the tides have shifted for them and may likely lead to a quick drop out of the race. It isn't all bad news, though the optimism is likely not to last. The piece will focus on the films St. Vincent, Fury, Inherent Vice, Serena and The Judge. 

The First "Inherent Vice" Trailer Finally Arrives with a Smoking 70's Cool

Joaquin Phoenix

Ladies and gentlemen, it is a glorious day here at The Oscar Buzz. As a massive fan of The Master, the prospects of a new Paul Thomas Anderson film is always met with arms wide open. The news of his latest, Inherent Vice, has been slowly trickling out over the past few months with news of the Thomas Pynchon adaptation being a more comical take from the director who has given us some of the more somber, meditative films of the young century. He is an artist of the truest form and while he isn't prolific, he is always interesting when he shows up. Well, my friends, the day has finally come and the first trailer for Inherent Vice is upon us. It looks like all of the joyous retro goofiness that those set photos have been promising. Yes, it's a glorious day, indeed.

Review: "The Immigrant" is the Best Looking Film of 2014 So Far

Left to right: Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix

Before this review goes any further. Before a critique of the acting, story, pacing, or deeper themes, there is one thing that needs to be expressed: This is the greatest looking film of 2014.  Cinematographer Darius Khondji's work excels at turning the 1920's New York into something that feels fully authentic and rich with melancholic beauty. Along with a solid wardrobe from Patricia Norris, there is so much to admire about this film's design. Even the framing of shots excellently convey multiple concepts at once, leaving a poetic aura around the film and causing meditation and nostalgia to seep into this tale of an American Dream that goes a little awry. The film's look remains unsurpassed and deserves any and all acclaim that it is eligible for. With that said, The Immigrant has a lot of other admirable features to its credit, too.

Review: "Her" is a Complicated and Poignant Analysis of Love

Joaquin Phoenix

Originally publishes here

Director Spike Jonze has made a career out of pushing visual aesthetics into visceral new levels of pleasure. His mind-bending tales challenge social commentary in some of the most profound ways possible with simple tweaks to familiar formulas. In fact, it is hard to even consider him a science fiction director simply because his tales feel real. He is working on levels above the average filmmaker, and that is one of the many reasons that his latest Her feels like the most honest depiction of a computer-to-human relationship. By humanizing the circuits, he unlocks the mysteries of love and codependency while also exploring why technology may better our lives, but it will also isolate us in delusional bliss.