A Look at How Cinema Has Made John F. Kennedy the "Absent President"

Scene from Forrest Gump

What do we mean when we talk about President John F. Kennedy in film? Had the answer applied to any other leader of the free world, the answer would be simple. These were men who lead the country through historical periods and should be honored with a noble retelling of their legacy. But over the past 25 years especially, has there been a president more undermined by cinema's potential than Kennedy? With the recent release of director Pablo Larrain's Jackie, it feels like an important time to analyze why one of the most revered presidents of the late 20th century is largely absent, even in his own filmography. It's not likely because he didn't mean anything, but that he has become symbolic of something greater than his career.

My Final Predictions on the 2014 Oscar Nominees

We are officially less than a week away from hearing the Oscar nominations for this year's ceremony. With Chris Hemsworth scheduled to announce them on Thursday, January 16 with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) Cheryl Boone Isaacs, it is as good of a time as any to predict who will make the final cut. As mentioned earlier this week, the race looks quite different than it did at the start, and that is quite exciting. The follow is my predictions for each category, save for Best Animated Short and Best Live Action Short. Check them out and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. 

A Look at the Short List for the Best Original Song Contenders

This week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the short list of songs eligible for the Best Original Song category. As always, there are some favorites and a lot of strange choices. While it doesn't actually give any insight into who will win, it does create an interesting predicament to what could get nominated. The field is open to everyone on the list so far and there are numerous surprises that could occur. Much like the nomination of Norah Jones for a song from Ted last year, the category is rarely lacking in intrigue. 

A Look at "Frozen" and the Best Original Song Category

I would like to apologize for my lack of consistency in the past few weeks. Hopefully with December proving to have a lot of goodies, I shall be more consistent.

This past Wednesday saw the release of the Disney film Frozen. Maybe it could be that this year hasn't been the best for animated films, but there is an inevitability of the film receiving a nomination. Along with highly positive reviews and lack of competition, it is looking to become part of the zeitgeist simply for being most people's only option to theatrical family entertainment. However, there is one interesting angle that gives the film even more potential. It is a musical with plenty of songs receiving a large amount of buzz, but can it sneak into the Best Original Song category?

Pre-Oscar Season Predictions on the Big Categories

Tom Hanks in Saving Mr. Banks

We are officially in the Oscar Buzz zone! It is the exciting time that gave birth to this particular blog and helped to chronicle just how much I enjoy the awards ceremony. The notable highlight of the season is that anything goes for the first few months. If you have a favorite, there's a good chance that they could make the cut. The speculation sees some of the most ridiculous forms of enthusiasm unfold. While there's some categories that are as yet undecided, many are already in the process of solidifying. This is my attempt to predict what will make the cut before the awards season begins.

Review: "The Butler" May Be Clumsy, But Its Heart Saves the Day

Forrest Whitaker

Ask any American person who has been through school, and they should be able to tell you a vague outline of racism in the nation's history. Almost everyone knows who Martin Luther King Jr. is and how segregation worked. It would be a challenge to make these subjects into interesting, original narratives that expresses a different side of it. While two of the more prominent examples are The Help and the wildly anachronistic mess of Django Unchained, they don't necessarily bring anything new to the story. In a way, that is what makes director Lee Daniels' latest The Butler one of the more interesting peeks into modern American history more than its counterparts.