Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Deadpool" (2016)

Scene from Deadpool

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: "How to Train Your Dragon 2" is a Perfect Cinematic Thrill Ride that Challenges the Medium

It has been almost a year (22 months to be exact) since an animated film last left me with an exhilaration and excitement. It has been awhile since a film has made me feel the joys and potential of what animation could be. This isn't to discredit the good films since (Wreck-It Ralph, The Wind Rises), but since ParaNorman, animation has been rather dour. No film has really impressed me and taken me on a whimsical journey. That is, until director Dean DeBlois released How to Train Your Dragon 2: the second film in a proposed trilogy based on the books by Cressida Cowell. Within the first five minutes, he reminds you the limitless potential of CGI animation with intricate scenery, wondrous flight sequences, and the breathtaking score from returning composer John Powell. It is a perfect family film exploring legacy and the impact of loyalty.