Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" (2016)

Scene from Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

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.

Theory Thursday: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" the Movie is Underrated

Scene from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

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 Runner-Ups: Bernadette Peters in "The Jerk" (1979)

Bernadette Peters in The Jerk

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 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.

The First Trailer for "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" Brings Ang Lee Back in Top Form

Scene from Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

It has been quite awhile since we last heard from director Ang Lee. In 2012, he brought the world the dazzling, Oscar-winning Life of Pi. It was a film that not only revolutionized CG characters, but managed to bring spiritual themes to blockbuster entertainment in accessible ways. Lee has always been an adventurous director by choosing to tackle any and all genres and taboo subjects that he deems worthy. With his latest Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk, he returns after four years with a trailer that promises a different take on war veterans. While labeled a comedy first and foremost, the general vibes of the first trailer are of the familiar, haunting trauma that one faces in time of war - and it looks exciting nonetheless.

There Will Supposedly Be Two Oscar Hosts Next Year

Left to right: James Franco and Anne Hathaway

This morning, The Oscars announced a somewhat big news story. Just as much as trying to determine who will win the categories, it seems to be fun to predict who will host as well. The past few years have been an eclectic bunch of hosts who have gotten it (Neil Patrick Harris), gave it a good try (Seth MacFarlane), and clearly were out to sabotage everyone (Ellen Degeneres). While the host is a thankless job that not too many people will remember in a few years, there are those few that have stood out. In trying to keep with this pattern, The Oscars are doing something that has and hasn't worked in the past decade: they are announcing that there will be not one, but TWO hosts at this year's upcoming ceremony.

A Few of My Favorite Non-Oscar-Nominated Films By Decade

For those who don't know, today is National Classic Movie Day. Started by Classic Film and TV Cafe, today was started as a grassroots movement to celebrate the classics "from the silents to the seventies." While I have no affiliation with the website or its production today to run several articles as part of its blogathon (more information at link), I have decided to take part in my own way by listing two of my favorite films from each decade. The one catch is that instead of picking the familiar favorites, I am choosing to pick those that haven't been nominated for Oscars, if just to give you a better understanding of who I am as a film fan. So please, check out their writing as well as mine and leave your own favorites in the comment section below.

A Look at the Recipients of This Year's Governors Awards

Left to right: Angelina Jolie, Angela Lansbury, and Steve Martin

This past Sunday, the Academy held their annual Governor's Awards to honor individuals who have done a great deal of work towards cinema. Over the many years, the list of recipients have ranged in overall quality and much like Steve Martin this year, some haven't even received a nomination in their career. While it is a shame that the honorary awards are not recognized at the Academy Awards ceremony like the other awards, it is nice to see them getting their moment to shine. Most of the highlights have been posted on the Oscars' Youtube page for your casual viewing. To honor the four recipients, I have compiled a look at each of the attendees history with the Academy Awards and share some personal thoughts as well.