Review: "The Prom" Does Enough Right to Be a Good Time

Scene from The Prom (2020)

If there are any issues to be found with director Ryan Murphy's version of The Prom, they're mostly found in the show it was adapted from. At its core, it's one of the most good-intentioned musicals of the modern age, spinning the familiar coming of age story about proms into this one of queer acceptance. When the film is in this mode, there's rarely anything more euphoric, finding protagonist Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) expressing herself with this passionate outsider narrative. It's her against an Indiana school that finds her lesbianism offensive. The struggle makes for compelling drama, especially when dealing with her still closeted girlfriend Alyssa (Ariana DeBose). 

Those moments of tenderness are the heart of the film, which unfortunately are sidelined by something more egregious. The Prom is as much about acceptance as it is the power of theater as a form of self-expression, and that means a whole supporting cast of eccentric Broadway types. What they bring to the show is essential, but the approach creates a gross misunderstanding of what makes The Prom a delightful addition to the movie musical. It isn't about watching adults ham it up, sharing these stories of coming out and doing vivid dance numbers. This was, as its title suggests, should've been about the prom. Had the story been presented predominantly from Emma's perspective, it may even be a masterpiece. Instead, it's a decent if familiar story only elevated by a sugar-rush of a soundtrack that is sure to get stuck in your head. It's a good time, but it could've been better.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Into the Woods" (2014)

Scene from Into the Woods (2014)

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: "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. 

Review: "The Laundromat" is an Entertaining Mishmash of Ideas

Scene from The Laundromat (2019)

When Adam McKay released The Big Short four years ago, it was considered one of the most groundbreaking films of the year. How was it that the man behind such broad comedies as Step Brothers could produce a film this dense (let alone entertaining) about such a complicated story? It's a technique that has to lead him to explore other areas of economics and politics with the Dick Cheney film Vice, but most of all it felt like a taunt to other ambitious filmmakers to try and take on the headiest of subjects and make a film that not only informs but entertains. Considering that he went on to win an Oscar off of The Big Short, it was a proposition that was hard to deny and makes sense why Netflix decided to accept the latest project from Steven Soderbergh.

It would be an understatement to call Soderbergh an ambitious filmmaker. For 30 years now, he has tested his own capabilities in bringing a narrative to life. Why this is his second film with Netflix for 2019 following High Flying Bird: a feature-length film shot entirely on an iPhone. The Laundromat sets out to explore the Panama Papers and offshore banking scandals that are just as exciting as anything in The Big Short. While it's true that both of these are different films with different culprits, it feels more than usual like Soderbergh isn't blazing his own trail, but instead following a trend and not doing a great job of keeping up. Is the film entertaining? Sure. Will you learn something? Most likely. However, it's a bit of a pill at times and gets too lost in its own style.

Soderbergh Enters the Oscar Race with "The Laundromat" (2019) Trailer

Scene from The Laundromat (2019)

It's looking more and more like Roma was only the tee-off for what Netflix wanted to do in an Oscar campaign. With the recent announcement of 10 theatrical releases, the streaming service is clearly wanting to be taken seriously with films like The Irishman and Marriage Story lobbying for attention. The latest to join the conversation is director Steven Soderbergh's The Laundromat, which has among other things Oscar-winning talent in Gary Oldman (The Darkest Hour) and Meryl Streep (Sophie's Choice). It's been one of the few exciting films that have yet to make their mark on the season with a trailer, and now that there is one, it's time to start getting excited about Soderbergh and the Oscars again. Boy, how it's been a while.

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.

Review: "Mary Poppins Returns" is a Dazzling Good Time

Scene from Mary Poppins Returns

There is something daunting and rare about director Rob Marshall's Mary Poppins Returns. It's a sequel to Oscar-winning beloved family film that has become one of Disney's towering achievements (they even made a movie called Saving Mr. Banks to remind us of this). So, where could Marshall possibly go with 50 years of distance and generations hooked on some of movie musicals' most memorable music? The answer is simple. It goes for the whimsy, trying its best to capture the enthusiasm of the original while attempting to make a new story that compliments advanced technology to bring the landscape to life in ways not available in the mid-60's. While the music isn't quite on par or the performances as immediately iconic, Marshall has continued to prove himself one of the premiere musical directors of the 21st century with a quaint new holiday treat that may not match the original, but serves to entertain for a few hours as best it can.

Composing Greatness: #7. Thomas Newman - "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (2004)

Scene from A Series of Unfortunate Events

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: "The Post" Romanticizes the Value of Journalism to Its Full Potential

Scene from The Post

In 2017, the term "fake news" defined a crisis of journalistic integrity. Regardless of its actual merit, it lead to a rising concern of who could be trusted within the media. After all, these are the people telling millions of people the important events as they happen. With director Steven Spielberg's The Post, it's the heart of the conversation at The Washington Post prepares to publish the infamous Pentagon Papers. It's a film that asks the question as to who could be trusted to deliver the news, and the importance of reporting the stories honestly. It may be at times a conventional and polished look at the world of journalism, but its most triumphant moments are defined by hard work and the knowledge that truth prevailed. It's a message that seems as timely now as it did 45 years ago, making The Post into an even more prescient period piece.

The First Trailer of "The Post" Shows Spielberg Digging Into a Seriously Promising Story

Scene from The Post

With less than two months to go, it's becoming harder to find new movies to add to the Oscar race. Of course, that is director Steven Spielberg's specialty. While he debuted a trailer for next summer's Ready Player One back at Comic Con, many have wondered what his prestige movie of 2017 would look like. The Post is lead by Oscar-winners Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, and at least promised to shake up one of the most unformed awards seasons in years. With the first trailer officially out, Spielberg is back in drama mode, and it looks like he's going to be taking audiences to the familiar serious ground of his last Hanks collaboration, Bridge of Spies, and there's plenty to like so far.

R.I.P. Jonathan Demme (1944-2017)

Jonathan Demme

On April 26, 2017, director Jonathan Demme passed away a the age of 73 in Manhattan, New York from complications involving esophageal cancer and heart disease. Over the course of a career spanning over 45 years, he created one of the most diverse bodies of work that ranged from studio comedies to prestige thrillers to iconic concert documentaries. He leaves behind such great movies as The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Stop Making Sense, and Rachel Getting Married. No matter how varied his career became, he still managed to influence with his unique style of close-ups and his ability to find tension in otherwise conventional scenes. His work was as influential as it was unpredictable, and that's just some of the reasons that he'll be missed greatly.

R.I.P. Hector Babenco (1946-2016)

Hector Babenco

On July 13, 2016, director Hector Babenco died at the age of 70 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. With a career spanning over 40 years, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that includes the Oscar-nominated films Kiss of the Spider-Woman and Ironweed. After getting his start in Latin American cinema, he would go on to work with actors like William Hurt, John Lithgow, Raul Julia, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Tom Berenger, Daryl Hannah, Aidan Quinn and Kathy Bates. While he doesn't have the most memorable resume, his films explored love and identity in strange and interesting places. With a career that continued until his death, he was passionate and capable of making great things.

When Will There Be More Female Best Director Oscar Nominees?

Kathryn Bigelow

It is likely by now that everyone in America has heard the news. After months of contention and voting, Hillary Clinton has become the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party. This is pretty big news, especially considering that she will be the first woman to do so, and whose odds of winning seem increasingly likely. It's been an overwhelming moment for women nationwide, who are now believing in the "You can be anything you want to be." narrative more than ever before. However, there's another field that seems to have not embraced female contribution: The Academy Awards. No, this isn't about the Best Actress categories, but more in the Best Director and even Best Picture category. While there have been a few bright spots, the average year sees some absence of a certain gender in these fields. The question isn't when there will be a female directed Best Picture winner. That already happened. What's the bigger question is when will this become the normative. 

Best Song: "Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)" (1990)

Scene from Dick Tracy

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution, but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now, but wait until the bad years.

Ranking the Oscar Winning Mothers (Since 2010)

Scene from Room

With today marking Mother's Day, it only feels right to pay some sort of tribute to the women who helped to raise and make all of us the people that we are. For many, it is a joyous celebration that is met with feasts an gifts. In the case of the Oscars, it is one of the most nominated professions in the organization's existence. To say the least, there aren't too many years where an actress portraying a mother hasn't at very least been nominated somewhere - thus making a thorough listing of every performance a tad difficult. That is why I am choosing to focus on the Oscar-winning mothers since 2010. While the limitations would suggest that there wouldn't be many, there's actually seven between the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress category. The following is a ranking of these mothers, who in some way embody the complex and rich tapestry of what their jobs entail.

R.I.P. Alice Arlen (1940-2016)

Alice Arlen

On March 29, 2016, screenwriter Alice Arlen died in New York, New York at the age of 75. She is best remembered for her work with director Nora Ephron, specifically on the Meryl Streep vehicle Silkwood, which earned Arlen an Oscar nomination. Her career spanned many decades and featured many films starring strong female protagonists. Her dramas were provocative and captured an empowering change in the societal climate. Over her career spanning 24 years, she wrote 6 screenplays that helped to shape and influence women in cinema going forward.

Nothing But the Best: "The Deer Hunter" (1978)

Scene from The Deer Hunter

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.

Nothing But the Best: "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979)

Scene from Kramer vs. Kramer

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.

Nothing But the Best: "Out of Africa" (1985)

Scene from Out of Africa

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.

Check This Out: Watch Clips From This Year's Governors Awards Ceremony

Spike Lee

This past Saturday marked the 7th annual Governors Awards, which was created to highlight those receiving Honorary Oscars for their work in film and media. As with every year, the selections reflected a diverse yet creative mix of artists, including Gena Rowlands, Debbie Reynolds, and Spike Lee. Along with being a typical ceremony, each winner was presented with a tribute from his or her peers - all of whom provided lively and comical anecdotes about their friends. Thanks to the folks over at Oscars' YouTube page,  you can watch all of the videos from that event, including an introduction from President Cheryl Boone Isaacs. The following is a highlight of the evening, including the speeches in full.