Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" (2016)

Scene from Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

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.

A24 A-to-Z: #37. "Equals" (2016)

Scene from Equals

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.

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.

Theory Thursday: "Adventureland" is Underrated

Scene from Adventureland

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. 

The First Trailer for "Certain Women" Has a Promising All-Star Cast

Kristen Stewart in Certain Women

Among the best female directors currently working is Kelly Reichardt. If you haven't seen her incredible western Meek's Cutoff, please give it a chance. It paints a realistic portrait of the women's experience through the eyes of Michelle Williams and a small group of travelers. In the years since, she has only continued to explore the complicated nature of humanity that also just happens to feature gorgeous cinematography and elaborate, drawn out stories that are ominous. In her latest, Certain Women, she looks to be telling a more contemporary story with a lot of meditative perks tacked on. From the looks of the first trailer, it may end up being one of the year's sleeper hits.

Theory Thursday: In Defense of Young Adult Movie Adaptations

Scene from Ascendant

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. 

The First Trailer for "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" Brings Ang Lee Back in Top Form

Scene from Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

It has been quite awhile since we last heard from director Ang Lee. In 2012, he brought the world the dazzling, Oscar-winning Life of Pi. It was a film that not only revolutionized CG characters, but managed to bring spiritual themes to blockbuster entertainment in accessible ways. Lee has always been an adventurous director by choosing to tackle any and all genres and taboo subjects that he deems worthy. With his latest Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk, he returns after four years with a trailer that promises a different take on war veterans. While labeled a comedy first and foremost, the general vibes of the first trailer are of the familiar, haunting trauma that one faces in time of war - and it looks exciting nonetheless.

In Defense of Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart

It may seem ridiculous to say, but this is a big week for Kristen Stewart. General audiences are likely confused by these sentiments because honestly, what has she done? There's a popular stipulation that she cannot act due to her momentary time with the Twilight franchise. Yes, those films have become punching bags. However, today marks her 25th birthday and tomorrow is the limited release in America of her latest film The Clouds of Sils Maria. While it may be too late to win back those who consider her nothing but a lip biter, I want to suggest that she isn't the boring actress that you think she is. She is actually secretly interesting.

Check Out the First Trailer for "Still Alice"

Julianne Moore

I have already given my review for the amazing new film Still Alice. The film is a highly effective and powerful drama that will likely get Julianne Moore that Best Actress statue at the Oscars. While I don't plan to rehash my sentiments at length here, I want to simply share the news that there has finally been the release of a trailer for the film about a woman with early Alzheimer's disease. It is powerful and thankfully, the trailer does an excellent job depicting what you can expect to get, which is a very overwhelming amount of emotions.

Review: "Still Alice" is a Heartbreaking Masterpiece on the Fragility of the Mind

Left to right: Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore

There's nothing trickier to depict in cinema than neurological disorders. It is by nature not a very cinematic problem as mental problems are almost always invisible to those around the suffering victim. While extroverted diseases can be compelling, they're often brought into question on authenticity. With co-directors Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland's Still Alice,  they manage to do something profoundly simple: create a heart-wrenching drama about a young woman (Julianne Moore) suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. We know how the story ends, yet the ride along the way is a fascinating look into something so tragic that everyone around is deemed helpless at a point. In lesser words, it is a masterpiece of a neurological character study.

The First "Camp X-Ray" Trailer Premieres with Intrigue and Romance

Kristen Stewart

One of the biggest astigmatisms to face any actor is overcoming the recognition of your most popular role. For Daniel Radcliffe, he will likely forever be Harry Potter. For Kristen Stewart, she will always be considered the Twilight girl. It is a tough break in a lot of sense, as it rarely allows for a performer to break free from these premonitions and do something different. As someone who openly defends Stewart's acting, I can only be met with skepticism. To be vague, nobody turns in their best role in a franchise film. It just too taxing. For Stewart, you need to see Adventureland, The Runaways, or The Cake Eaters to know what people see in her. Thankfully, the upcoming film from director Peter Sattler called Camp X-Ray will hopefully help to tear away the notion that she is just some lip-biting teen and that there is some depth underneath.

Is "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" Capable of an Oscar Nomination?

Left to right: Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart

This Friday marks the end of an era for many people. What started as an independent film has grown into an international phenomenon that has broken box office records and has popularized vampires for a new generation. However, with director Bill Condon's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, can the series join the pantheon of series finales such as director Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 as Oscar nominated films that at very least have gotten recognition for the culmination of work over the past few years?