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 Florence Pugh Got Us to Care About Amy March

Scene from Little Women (2019)

If one was to talk about Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" prior to the Greta Gerwig-directed adaptation, there would be one common refrain: Amy March is the worst March sister. This isn't up for debate. The internet is littered with articles claiming that the youngest sister was somehow a character not worthy of sympathy for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) burning Jo's manuscript and stealing Laurie away from Jo. It's all a bit vindictive when looked at through Alcott's prose, but what Gerwig has done is something that no other adaptation has been able to do. Not only is it grappling with the themes of women being in charge of their own narrative, but it's also in some ways course-correcting the public conversation around the characters by contemporizing them, adding an emotional depth to the relationships that secretly make it bolder than even the equally beloved 1994 adaptation.

As much attention is once again thrown onto Jo, audiences have become enraptured with Amy this time around, and it's easy to see why. There is something to seeing her played with vulnerability the way that Florence Pugh has, giving layers to a role that's easy to write-off as flat and villainous. After all, she is in some ways piggybacking off of Jo's achievements. She is the least sympathetic role because of this. What Pugh does is add depth to the character by making her decisions not come from a place of malice, but sometimes out of a desire to be a great artist and never getting the respect she deserves. After all, Jo wants it too but thinks "it sounds crass when she says it." Already it's finding ways to take that comment and explore how the public has agreed with that statement, even when they really shouldn't.

Review: "Little Women" Defies Expectations with Brilliant Warmth

Scene from Little Women (2019)

The opening of director Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women may sound familiar to those who know a thing or two about Louisa May Alcott. The writer famously had certain conflicts to resolve when publishing the second half of her best-selling novel about The March Sisters. There had to be certain fulfillments that all contemporary publishings had at the time. The most noteworthy was the choice that all female protagonists needed to be either married or dead, and Alcott wasn't having any of that. Still, it was 1868 and the only way to get her work published was to submit to these wills. As a result, later audiences may be confused by what the final chapters hold for spinster archetype Jo March. While the novel was a masterpiece, it was one representative of its time in these respects, showing that while it was about women finding their own agency, they still had to overcome the male-dominated world, where they decided what passed as socially acceptable.

It's why the choice to open the 2019 film as Jo is submitting to the Weekly Volcano (over halfway through the novel) feels like the right way to go. As Alcott's surrogate, it feels like a moment for Gerwig to finally address something that Alcott couldn't. Within her quietness as Mr. Dashwood (Tracy Letts) edits her story to fit his wants, there's a sense that this was how the real-life author dealt with criticism. No matter what she found interesting, there was a man to tear her down. That is the journey of The March Sisters, and every woman in the 19th century in a time where they couldn't own anything and thus needed to find a reason to live. It is why Little Women resonates as more than adaptation. It's one that openly engages with what the text is saying, and even questions it as it relates to Alcott's personal journey to publishing the book. It's metatextual without being cloying, it's empowering without feeling false, and it's incredible in its small achievements. While there may be more direct adaptations, none have addressed why the book continues to be important over 150 years later quite like Gerwig, who to make this film almost feels like the final act of revolt against Mr. Dashwood's critical eye. Everyone watching is laughing at him, even if the conflict still feels prescient in modern culture. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2019)

Scene from Star Wars: The Last Jedi

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: "Marriage Story" Creates One of the Most Empathetic Divorce Story Ever

Scene from Marriage Story

From under a hushed voice, Marriage Story opens with Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) shares lists of things that they like about each other. As a montage of their life starts to clue the viewer in, there's a sense of happiness in between both of them. It's a way of appreciating the joys that they brought to each other's life, as well as the odd eccentricities that they tolerate as a charming foible. This is director-writer Noah Baumbach's introduction to the world, and the montages create an innocence in such ideas as Charlie being too energy conscious. These details play out in a way that slowly begins to suggest to those familiar with the concept as a form of therapy. As the scene cuts to the current action, Charlie and Nicole are in marriage counseling, holding letters full of compliments that they'll share with each other.

That's where the issue starts. For all of the nice things that the audience has heard, neither has told each other. It's a world of implied joy hidden under something far more complicated. It's not just a case of romantic burnout. It's one where careers have pulled them to different coasts and suddenly the charming foibles they once forgave now are like nails on a chalkboard. It's understood why the couple wants to break-up, but what makes Baumbach's new film a masterpiece is that he's empathetic to both sides, never allowing the viewer to perform vindictive acts of taking sides. This isn't one where Charlie is a rage monster or Nicole too overbearing. It's merely a story of tragic reality. Sometimes life sends people in different directions, and in this case, divorce is most tragic not because of the people involved, but the circumstances they're placed into.

The Trailer for "Little Women" (2019) Sets Its Sights on Oscar Glory

Scene from Little Women (2019)

In 2017, Greta Gerwig made a significant breakthrough in her career from the world of indie cinema to Oscar darling with the teen comedy Lady Bird. It was a touching story that also became one of A4's highest grossing movies and set the bar for future Saoirse Ronan performances as well as making Gerwig the first female Best Director nominee since 2009's Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker). It raised a question as to how she would follow-up her critically acclaimed film. Well, it turned out to be the Oscar play that many would clamor for, as she's become the latest person to adapt Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" to the big screen with some of the best young actresses of the modern era. After much anticipation, the trailer is here, and there's plenty to love about the Christmas season already.

Theory Thursday: "Wild At Heart" is Overrated

Laura Dern

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 Founder" is Now Playing at One Theater in Hollywood

Scene from The Founder

It has been a long, long time since we last heard from director John Lee Hancock's The Founder. In that time, the story of Ray Croc (Michael Keaton) taking control of McDonald's was set for an August release, but was pushed back to December (and subsequently January 2017). In that time, a whole Oscar conversation has changed. The Birth of a Nation and Rules Don't Apply are all but out of the race. Jackie and La La Land look to be big contenders. Martin Scorsese randomly decided to release a movie this year. Even Big Mac creator Jim Delligatti died in that time. So, what's going on with The Founder? Well, the good news is that you can see it, right now. The issue is that it's not exactly at a theater near most people.

Check It Out: Watch Videos From The Academy's Governors Ball 2016

Jackie Chan

This past weekend, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) held their annual Governors Ball to hand out Honorary Oscars to individuals in the arts who have done superb work. This year's group featured Jackie Chan, Frederick Wiseman, Anne V. Coates, and Lynn Stalmaster along with celebrities introducing them with monologues detailing each recipient's achievements. Thanks to the fine work over at The Academy's YouTube page, you can watch highlights from the ceremony right now, including each recipient's speech as well as the introduction by AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

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.

McDonald's Film "The Founder" Moved From August to December Release

Scene from The Founder

Depending on who you ask, this summer's movie season has been a bit of a drag with very few films rising above an average rating. Considering that we're almost halfway through July and haven't had a stand-out on par with Mad Max: Fury Road, the sentiments may be hard to ignore. However, there are those few like myself who had faith in an August release from director John Lee Hancock called The Founder, which sees Michael Keaton playing Ray Kroc: the man who turned fast food chain McDonald's into America's most recognizable name. Many have pitted it in the Oscar race, especially with Keaton coming off of two back-to-back Best Picture winning films. However, those who are eagerly hoping that The Founder makes this summer a little better, prepare to be disappointed. You'll have to wait a little longer. The only upside is that if you're hoping for some Oscar buzz, its late December release should perk you right up.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Inland Empire" (2006)

Scene from Inland Empire

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.

Will "The Fault in Our Stars" Bring Cancer Back to the Best Picture Race?

Left to right: Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort

One of the biggest surprises of summer 2014 is the news that director Josh Boone's The Fault in Our Stars may end up being Shailene Woodley's better young adult adaptation instead of the presumed Divergent.  Reviews leading up to its release this Friday have almost been universally acclaimed with many calling it the best love story in years. With that said, is the Academy above nominating a film about sick young people? Oscar season may not fully kick off until the Fall, but its summer time and anything could be eligible. It's just a matter of changing up the trends.