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.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Southpaw" (2015)

Jake Gyllenhaal in Southpaw

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: "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.

Watch This: Check Out the First Eight Minutes of "Aloha"

Left to right Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone

Well, after initial buzz that director Cameron Crowe's latest Aloha could have been his return to the Oscars race, it looks like it may not be happening now. If the critics' reviews are to be believed - or at least serve as a quality barometer - this is not going to look too well. With discussion of a ridiculous third act plot device and incompatible chemistry between Oscar nominees Bradley Cooper (Best Actor - American Sniper) and Emma Stone (Best Actress - Birdman), this may prove to be a little more challenging. With critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes pinning the movie at a lowly 19%, it may be looking closer to the Razzies at this point. However, if you are on the fence about seeing it, Sony has giving you a little enticement. That is, you can watch the first eight minutes for free right now.

The "Aloha" Trailer Shows a Tropical Side to Crowe's Charm

Left to right:  Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone

While it seems sacrilegious to talk about next year's Oscars in the wake of the recent ceremony, it is hard to pass up a chance to talk about a new film from director Cameron Crowe. With an impressive career that has featured such noteworthy films as Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire, he is always a solid back pocket selection when talking about an Academy Award nomination. In the case of his latest film's first trailer, Aloha, it looks like he may be back provided that it can stick the landing.

Review: "To the Wonder" Lacks the Malick Charm

Left to right: Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko

One of the biggest disappointments that most film fans have had in 2013 is from one of the oddest film making decisions in years. The notoriously reclusive director Terrence Malick, whose 2012 output alone features three films, has broken his streak of productivity. Once known for waiting 20 years between projects, he attempts to make up for lost time, starting with the film To the Wonder, which stars Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko as a married couple going through a rough period. What is it about this particular story that saw Malick, coming off of his highly acclaimed The Tree of Life, turn in one of the more underwhelming films of the year?

Will Malick Get a Best Picture Nomination for "To the Wonder"?

Left to right: Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams

In 2011, one of the surprise hits of the year was director Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, which was an epic poem about beauty and life. When it received three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, it only made the film more prevalent in the culture. Since, he is on a role with three films set to release in 2013 alone. His first venture is To the Wonder, which stars Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, and Javier Bardem. Will this recent spurt of output help to put Malick back into the race, or is The Tree of Life one of those odd exceptions?