Check Out the Track List for "The Hateful Eight"

Samuel L. Jackson

There's a good chance that, like most people, you are getting very exciting by the upcoming film from director Quentin Tarantino called The Hateful Eight. His second venture into western-themed storytelling is schedule for a special Christmas release, then followed by a January 2016 wide release. While there's a good chance that you likely have seen the footage and have prepared yourself, it's been awhile since we've heard anything regarding the soundtrack, which is supposed to be penned by compose Ennio Morricone. Today marks the release of the soundtrack, which features Morricone, but a few other surprises from rock and pop artists that you've likely heard. Click to find out who's on the compilation.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Selma" (2014)

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.

"The Hateful Eight" Trailer Shows Tarantino Prodding the Western Genre Back to Life

Samuel L. Jackson

It has been awhile since we last heard about director Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. While the film's production legacy has been long and storied, including rumors that Tarantino would ditch the project entirely, it has slowly been unraveling details that are sure to entice longtime fans of the director. For starters, there's the promise of an Ennio Morricone score and a run in 70 mm to look forward to. While we have seen pictures, there hasn't been any major marketing for the film... until today. They have just released the full length trailer for The Hateful Eight, which gives us our first glimpse into his latest western with an all star cast. And... it looks to be just as fun as you'd expect Tarantino's work to be.

Review: "Selma" is the Civil Rights War Movie We Need Right Now

There is something that seems suspect about director Ava Duvernay's Selma. It isn't any potential historical inaccuracies. It isn't that the film seems shoddily made. It is more the relevance that it manages to have in the current moment. Compared to most other 2014 biopics such as The Theory of Everything or The Imitation Game, the events of Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and the protesters who marched feel like supplants for contemporary news such the Ferguson riots or Eric Garner. Thankfully, the film itself still manages to feel relevant and comes spiked with triumph in ways that don't make this just the story of King, but of a country at a cross section, wishing to better itself against prejudices ranging from law to race.

A Theory on Why "Selma" Could Win Best Picture

Scene from Selma

I know that I haven't necessarily been kind to director Ava Duvernay's Selma. After seeing an advanced screening awhile back, I was left with a middling reaction. In all honesty, the film was adequate, occasionally using violence to overtly dramatize situations. It also hurt that I wasn't necessarily invested in any supporting character despite the film's title (and impressive cast) suggesting that I should be. I came away feeling like Dear White People had a more invigorating take on race relations in America. I feel isolated now in having a humble opinion because everybody seems to love it. Even critics that I have considered to have defined tastes (David Ehrlich) have put it on the Best of 2014 lists. With all of this said, I want to put aside differences for one post and suggest something radical. It is only a theory right now, but I think that Selma can take Best Picture simply by good timing.

A Few Thoughts on "Selma" as the First Trailer is Released

Left to right: David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo

As the race burns on, there's a few names that randomly pop up as late entries. Among them is director Ava DuVernay's Selma, which chronicles the events surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.'s (David Oyelowo) march through Selma, GA back in the 60's. It is an important event and one that seems very opportune for a biopic. With the release of the first trailer for Selma, I figured that I would share some truths: I have already seen this film at an advanced preview. What I say should be taken as opinion, but reflective of how I feel that it will do in the race based on the compiled version, which admittedly was still going through edits at the time about a month ago.