Review: "On the Rocks" Finds the Humor Amid a Midlife Crisis

Scene from On the Rocks (2020) 

One of the hardest things to be in life is cool. It's something that we all thrive to be, though the older we get, the further out of touch we're likely to be. The esteem to resonate in ways that you did as a teenager, following trends, and having all the energy in the world slowly starts to fade, and there's some sadness in this revelation. Like DEVO in 1981, director Sofia Coppola is through being cool. She doesn't have it in her anymore. With her latest personal exercise (her most vulnerable since Somewhere), she finds ways to explore that transition period when the world begins to feel more jaded, unable to connect in these significant ways. What it lacks in immediacy it more than makes up for in terms of fun comic chemistry between Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. Everything may meander, but it all builds to self-acceptance that we all face as we continue through time, finding ways to accept whatever lies beyond being cool. It may not be trendy, but it's inevitable.

Bill Murray Reminisces in Perplexing First Trailer for "On the Rocks"

Scene from On the Rocks (2020)

It was only a year ago that things were looking much different for AppleTV+. Many saw it as a third-tier streaming service, unable to compete with the big boys like Netflix and Amazon Prime. While they don't have much of a reputation yet, there is some silver lining that has cropped up during the pandemic. Starting with their Tom Hanks war movie Greyhound, they have been creating a more prestigious aura about them, including a recent word of mouth success in the documentary Boys State that may be one of the best titles of the year.

With On the Rocks, they are continuing to expand their appeal with a film from the Oscar-winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola, teaming up with Bill Murray for their first movie since Lost in Translation. In a year where streaming services are standing to dominate the Oscar fields, it's interesting to see this film as another potential upset, presenting yet another reason why this could be an unorthodox year. If nothing else, this looks to be the most upbeat and warm Coppola movie in years, shining through a trailer that promises to deliver a good time for all involved. 

Review: "The Beguiled" Brilliantly Captures The Contradictive Nature of Men

Scene from The Beguiled

In theory, The Beguiled is a war movie. For starters, it takes place during the Civil War and features a Union soldier injuring himself on Confederate soil. What follows is a moment of hospitality wrapped up in a tense psychological war. Corporal John McBurney (Colin Farrell) is being cured by a secluded school for women, all of whom have varying reactions to his presence. While it's a simple story on its surface, it's a far more complex story underneath the surface. It isn't just the story of two sides hating each other, but also the struggles between men and women, as well as a deeper personal attraction. Director Sofia Coppola turns in one of her best directed movies by making every character into predators, waiting to pounce. The only question becomes who will attack first, and for what cause. It may be a Civil War movie, but the war at hand is anything but civil.

A24 A-to-Z: #4. "The Bling Ring" (2013)

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.

Sofia Coppola's "The Beguiled" Takes Gorgeous Vengeance in the First Trailer

Scene from The Beguiled

In a time of remake culture, it would have to take a pretty good filmmaker to turn old text into something new and inspired. Leave it to director Sofia Coppola to take The Beguiled and find a spin on the Clint Eastwood original. With the release of the first trailer, it presents a cryptic look into the world of the film. With a great female cast (and Colin Farrell), it looks to present a reversal on the damsel in distress story by pitting a man against some vengeful women. While there's little offered beyond a vengeful slur, it's still great to have Coppola back, and producing a film that looks really good.

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. 

Ranking the Oscar-Nominated Coppolas

Left to right: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Francis Ford Coppola 

With The Oscars only two days away, it feels like a good time to look back on the rich tapestry that is Oscar history. While many will be thankful to have one Oscar win, there seems to be a new set of standards if your last name is Coppola. Along with spouses such as David Shire, Spike Jonze, and Patricia Arquette winning awards, the direct family seems to have a certain precedent for winning big ever since Francis Ford Coppola hit the scene with his screenplay win for Patton. While to rank every person related to the Coppolas would be an exhaustive mess, the following is an attempt to rank the direct family, of whom continues to churn out worthwhile talent (looking forward to Gia Coppola's inevitable nomination). While there's no bad family member, it will definitely look pretty bad if one of them doesn't have an Oscar come Thanksgiving.

Why "The Godfather Part III" is an Underrated Film After 25 Years

Left to right: Al Pacino and Sofia Coppola in The Godfather Part III

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

It's a line uttered by Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) finding out that he's been wrangled back into the mafia lifestyle. However, it very well may be the motto for director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo, who decided to make The Godfather Part III following what can easily be seen as the franchise's main motivation: Coppola's other failing films. Following the box office failure of One From the Heart, he return to the beloved gangster franchise for a film that even he felt was unnecessary. It seems like almost everyone else feels the same way, as it has become considered a train wreck of a movie; a disgrace to the franchise. In the case of its 25th anniversary, it's time to consider one thing: it's actually good. Maybe not as good as its Best Picture-winning counterparts, but it's still not worthy of its problematic reputation. 

Birthday Take: Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation" (2003)

Bill Murray in Lost in Translation

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

The Directors Project: #22 - Sofia Coppola

Scene from Cinema Paradiso

With the many lists and essays written on the subject of film, there has been one thing that The Oscar Buzz has tried to understand: Who is my favorite of the film world? For 10 weeks this summer, I will be exploring this with a countdown of the Top 50 names based on a numerical ranking of ratings from various sources, the following is a list of directors who rank above everyone else. With occasional upsets, this is intended as both a discussion opener as well as a better understanding of me as a film critic and fan. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have regarding the entry's selection.

Review: Like it or Not, "The Bling Ring" is an Honest Look at Our Sad Future

Left to right: Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, and Claire Julien

As I stated a few weeks back, I believe that The Bling Ring has a lot to live up to. It was voted as my pick for most likely to sweep the Oscars. Of course, that is coming from someone who has campaigned hard for Spring Breakers, but the film had a pretty high pedigree that I felt gave it an odd. Director Sofia Coppola remains one of the few female directors who has held a Best Director nomination. While maybe not intentional to the story, it stars numerous performers who are related to older, more established names. This is a film that stood a chance to be The Social Network of the year. A tedious account of the modern era in an enticing new way. Does the director of Lost in Translation deliver on the chances?