The Runner-Ups: Channing Tatum in "Foxcatcher" (2014)

Channing Tatum in Foxcatcher

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

Nothing But the Best: "Spotlight" (2015)

Scene from Spotlight

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.

Theory Thursday: "Foxcatcher" is the Best Sports Film Since 2011

Scene from Foxcatcher

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. 

Mark Ruffalo Becomes First Oscar Nominee to Comment on "Oscars So White" Movement

Will Smith in Concussion

The news keeps coming out about the Oscars So White movement. In recent days, we've heard from George Clooney, Spike Lee, and even the potential step-down of Chris Rock as host. However, today is possibly one of the first that actually holds levity to this year's actual ceremony. Among the people who might add their names to the list of boycotters is Spotlight actor Mark Ruffalo, who is up for a Best Supporting Actor nomination. In a recent interview, he acknowledge his potential absence. Also, Will Smith speaks up after his wife Jada Pinkett Smith became one of the first voices to publicly decry the ceremony and refuse to go. To say the least, things are starting to heat up, and we're only a week out from this year's nominations. With a month to go, who knows how much worse things will get.

Review: "Spotlight" Explores How Great Journalism Used to Be With Compelling Results

Scene from Spotlight

What is the job of the journalist? In 2015, this is a loaded question largely thanks to the digital era. With the advent of Twitter and Buzzfeed, news has become more about the immediacy than the truth - choosing to react viscerally to the moment than to understand what happened. As a result, the value of the journalist feels different because of how easily they're washed out by uneducated competitors. In director Thomas McCarthy's Spotlight, the story looks shockingly different for the turn-of-the-millennium look at The Boston Globe's Spotlight team as they tackle a controversial problem with the Catholic Church. Beyond its taboo subject, the film is a love letter to the process and how, only back in 2001, the value of information was different (arguably more important) than it is today. Even if Spotlight can be seen as just another procedural drama, it's one that reflects a changing tide of relevancy to the newspaper industry and the public's admiration for investigative journalism as a means of change.

Review: "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is Bigger and Louder in the Best Ways Possible

In 2015, cinema has reached an oversaturation of comic book movies to the point that even the very best are suspect to consistent criticism. But the question is raised: what makes a great comic book movie? Is it the ability to mold itself into high art, or is it to stick to the stylized universes of which these stories take place on a page? It seems harder than ever to distinguish between the two, especially with director Joss Whedon's The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is his swan song from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a way, it is high art and style shoved into one film with uneven results that are at times too stuffed. However, Whedon once again puts out a challenge to everyone else by showing how to make a comic book movie that can have depth and still be extremely exhilarating.

Review: "Foxcatcher" is a Dark Look at the American Dream, Greed and Family

Left to right: Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo

There have been few topics that have had as conflicting of a cinematic representation as that of American patriotism. For all of the freedoms that are given, there's those that abuse the power in favor of something more dastardly and disturbing. In director Bennett Miller's Foxcatcher, he doesn't so much destroy the myth surrounding patriotism as he explores its impact on our relationships, whether that be family or teammates. The story of Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) is a tragic one and the preceding text stating its factual history only makes it more bleak. As a whole, it is the perfect embodiment of a troubled culture and what happens when there isn't much to live for.

Is the Success of "Foxcatcher" at Cannes Going to Help Its Oscar Chances?

Left to right: Channing Tatum and Steve Carell

It seems to be a running gag in Hollywood right now of highly anticipated films getting pushed back. Most recently, Andy and Lana Wachowski's Jupiter Ascending was moved back to 2015 within months of release. However, the real champion of the "Pushed Back Channing Tatum Films" list (and there has been a handful) appears to be Foxcatcher. After it was held back last year, my expectations were lowered significantly. While I enjoyed quoting the attached trailer (which has since been removed), there was little to grab me. However, after last month's Cannes Film Festival, things are looking up for the the latest film from director Bennett Miller. It actually may stand a chance as a serious Oscar contender.

The Release of "Foxcatcher" Gets Moved Back to 2014

Steve Carell

It has been quite a week for pushing back expectations on potential Oscar nominees. Earlier we wrote about how The Wolf of Wall Street, which remains the biggest blow. Not to be outdone, director Bennett Miller's latest film, Foxcatcher, has taken suit. In an ironic fashion, the news was delivered mere hours after the debut of the first trailer, which is a haunting look at one of my wildcard nominee selections.