The Oscar Buzz: July 2015

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Birthday Take: Peter Bogdanovich in "The Last Picture Show" (1971)

Scene from The Last Picture Show

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.

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible:: Rogue Nation

Here's the general truth: I do not care about Tom Cruise nowadays. It is very likely that I will never see Mission: Impossible:: Rogue Nation. His recent string of action movies are the kind that don't appeal to me, even causing a trip to see Oblivion to leave me wondering if the movie was just bad or I had undiagnosed A.D.D. that made staring at the ceiling all the more interesting. Yet there is something that a more recent audience must accept that isn't entirely represented by his recent output: Cruise was actually a pretty good actor when he had subject matter that challenged him. True, these films challenge him to scale skyscrapers and dangle from planes, but what I mean is that Cruise is actually secretly good.

Johnny Depp

Here is a fact that many likely will find odd: Johnny Depp has earned three Oscar nominations - all between 2004 and 2008. For modern audiences, it is probably hard to believe that the actor behind critically panned movies like Mortdecai and Transcendence used to be one of the most interesting and rebellious mainstream actors out there. He even got an acting nomination for The Pirates of the Caribbean as Captain Jack Sparrow. While I don't feel his passion is entirely gone, there is a need for us, as well as him, to reassess his current acting career. With director Scott Cooper's Black Mass, it looks like if nothing else, he is back to giving a role that shows the edgier and more interesting side of Depp. The only question is if it will be enough.

Cate Blanchett

If you're already marking up your calendar for Oscars season, there's plenty of chance that director Todd Haynes' Carol has been on there since its stellar debut at the Cannes Film Festival. With its initial release date planned for December 18, it was looking to open among a heady group that included The Hateful Eight and even blockbusters like Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens. Even if Carol is almost a surefire Oscar contender, it made a move recently that saved it from falling into obscurity. It has a release date that gives it more of a significant notice to the casual audiences.

Nothing But the Best: "On the Waterfront" (1954)

Scene from On the Waterfront

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Birthday Take: Stanley Kubrick in "A Clockwork Orange" (1971)

Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution, but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now, but wait until the bad years.

The "Queen of Earth" Trailer Asks the Question: Just How Creepy Can Elisabeth Moss Be?

Elisabeth Moss

Among the lesser known great films of last year was director Alex Ross Perry's Listen Up, Phillip, which featured Jason Schwartzman as an arrogant writer as his life fell apart. The film was a success thanks to its instinctive deconstruction of the writer's ego and how it actually makes it both a tragic comedy and a preventative decline. With a unique style, it is exciting to see him back this year with Queen of Earth, which co-stars Elisabeth Moss and Katherine Waterston in a film that looks very eerie and based on the first trailer, one of the most intense psychological dramas of the year.

"Schindler's List" Producer Donates Oscar to Holocaust Museum

Branko Lustig

In 1993, director Steven Spielberg released one of the most powerful films about World War II called Schindler's List. Following the events of the Holocaust from the perspective of the imprisoned Jews and a few key Nazis, it is a film that over 20 years later still manages to resonate. It is a powerful story of doing the right thing and being as helpful as you can. It expectantly won Best Picture along with a series of other awards. Yesterday, its legacy got its own public display when producer Branko Lustig decided to donate his award to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum.

Christian Bale

It has been awhile since we last have heard from director Terrence Malick. Following the success of his long awaited The Tree of Life in 2011, it seemed like he was set to enter a period of prolific output. Starting with the 2012 film To the Wonder, he had an impressive amount slated for rapid succession, including Knight of Cups - which also stars Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett. While there has been a pretty good trailer that shows the old school director enjoying the modern era, it has been several months since we have heard any news about the film. Today, there's an official release date for the film that you can put on your calendar and prepare to revisit the awe-inspiring majesty of one of cinema's most unique voices.

A Look at the Disastrous Behind the Scenes of "The Revenant"

One of last year's most renowned movies was director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman. It was a film that was technically impressive, choosing to mix editing together to create the vision of a singular take. It was a story that created a stream of consciousness flow to it and ended up winning him Best Director and Best Picture. With his ambitious next effort The Revenant, he plans to do more audacious things in the filmed medium that he promises will wow the audiences. While it has a Christmas Day release planned, it is proving to have its share of problems. The biggest one? It isn't anywhere close to finishing its shooting.

Left to right: Julianne Moore and Ellen Page

With America currently living in an era where gay marriage is legal and LGBT culture has become more accepted, it is exciting to see what the landscape ahead looks like. There's a plethora of gay-themed movies coming out this Fall that all stand some chance of making a splash. Among them is director Peter Sollett's Freeheld, which follows a lesbian couple as they deal with a series of legal issues regarding penchants in time of crisis. Starring last year's Oscar winner Julianne Moore (Best Actress - Still Alice) and Oscar nominee Ellen Page (Best Actress - Juno), it is looking to enter the raise strong with a potentially uplifting and unique look into love and hope in the modern era.

Theodore Bikel in The Defiant Ones

On Tuesday, July 21, actor and activist Theodore Bikle died at the age of 91 from natural causes. While he may not be a household name, he has had a consistent career both as an actor and a folk singer, releasing albums such as "A Folksinger's Choice." Beyond acting, he was a man whose activism allowed him to play at various important rallies and made him a delegate at the 1968 Democratic Convention. His work on film was also full of memorable roles, including an Oscar nomination for The Defiant Ones. He was claimed to have been able to play diverse cultures. He leaves behind an impressive body of work that you likely will recognize him in, even if you don't know the name.

Daniel Craig

One of the many big movies of the Fall is likely to be the latest film in the James Bond series. Following the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated Skyfall, director Sam Mendes returns to deliver Spectre. As one can expect, there will likely be more of the familiar espionage and fast cars to keep fans of the British spy series entertained. Today marks the release of the first full trailer, which co-stars Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz and sees the hero going on his 24th adventure. In predictable fashion, it looks just about as good as the recent Bond movies get.

17 Pleasant Surprises on BBC's Greatest American Films

Left to right: Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

Today marks the release of the latest "Best Movies Ever" list. This time, it comes from BBC Culture and it focuses on the Best American Films (click link for commentary on Top 25). While it features a lot of familiar, obvious choices (Citizen Kane, The Godfather, and Vertigo tops yet another list), the list has its share of surprises both great and bad (omission of most recent films, animated films, and directors). Instead of arguing about every last thing that is wrong with this list (where's Paul Thomas Anderson and The Coen Brothers?), it does feature a lot of pleasant surprises. The following is a list of films that made the list that you wouldn't expect and definitely should check out ASAP.

Here's some trivia for everyone: On November 22, 1995, Toy Story opened in theaters for the first time. It was the first full length CGI film to feature a gripping story that not only kicked off a lucrative franchise, but started the legacy of Pixar. With Inside Out still in recent memory, the studio is breaking protocol and releasing two movies in one year. With their 16th feature The Good Dinosaur, Pixar is taking on the prehistoric. The interesting catch? It is going to be released three days after Toy Story's 20th anniversary. With the first full length trailer, it looks like they're looking forward by going backwards.

Scene from The Magnificent Seven (1960)

It will be a month ago tomorrow since the passing of legendary Oscar-winning composer James Horner. It also seems fitting then that this week also marks the release of one of his final scores for director Antoine Fuqua's Southpaw. While many are likely already discussing Jake Gyllenhaal's Oscar chances (Harvey Weinstein sure is), there's a new conversation that has arisen today regarding the future of Horner. While Southpaw may be one of his last completed scores, Horner has a few more tricks up his sleeve that may surprise you regarding Fuqua's next movie.

R.I.P. George Coe (1929-2015)

George Coe

On July 18, actor George Coe passed away in Santa Monica, CA after a long battle with an illness. While he may not seem like a household name, he is someone that has been everywhere, even in his later years. Among his many credits, he has appeared in films such as Kramer vs. Kramer and TV series such as Archer. His impressive resume spans many decades and he leaves behind a catalog of great work, having collaborated with some of the finest minds in drama and comedy. Even if you don't know his name, it is likely that you have seen his face in more than one place.

Natalie Wood in Rebel Without a Cause

Best Song: "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (1949)

Scene from Neptune's Daughter

Check This Out: Walt Disney Wins Four Oscars in One Night

Walt Disney

For billions of people spanning close to a century, there have been few names as recognizable worldwide as that of Walt Disney. The animation pioneer helped to launch one of the most successful family film studios and in the process earned a whopping 22 Oscar wins as well as four Honorary Oscars. He was also key in helping to create a land of enchantment, nicknamed "The Happiest Place on Earth" by creating the theme park Disneyland. Today, it marks its 60th anniversary since its opening day. This feels like as good a time as any to look back on the namesake's work by looking at the night in which Disney won four literal back-to-back Oscars.

Leonardo DiCaprio

It was only a few months ago that director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu walked away with the Best Picture for his latest film Birdman. With its jabs at superhero culture and the actor's ego, it was a film that left audiences divided as they either found it enjoyable or pretentious. It isn't taking the stylized director long to get back into the Oscar season. Today marks the release of the first trailer for his film The Revenant, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. From what I gather in this trailer, it isn't anything like Birdman, for better or worse, and that may be why it is one of the most exciting Oscar season trailers to come out so far.

Jennifer Lawrence

While everyone is looking forward to Joy this upcoming Fall, the first half of 2015 hasn't been kind to its central cast and director. Along with David O. Russell's notoriously abandoned Accidental Love, actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have their own shelved project that dates back before their breakout hit Silver Linings Playbook. One could only speculate as to why it was shelved for three years, not even receiving a pity release to bank off of its stars. Still, with Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier, why is the film almost unmarketable? For those expecting the worst, you won't get it. However, it definitely isn't a flawed masterpiece either. It is simply an often misguided love story that goes terribly wrong.

Can Streaming Services Compete for Best Picture Oscars?

Spike Lee

There is a common notion that Spike Lee and Oscars don't mix. After the notorious snubbing in 1989 of his highly acclaimed Do the Right Thing, he has expressed a bitter relationship with The Academy despite receiving two nominations (one for Best Original Screenplay for said film). However, he is in the news again with his upcoming film Chiraq, which he promises to be "something special." This doesn't just mean literally, as it is a star studded musical starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson (Best Supporting Actress - Dreamgirls), but that it is the first film exclusively financed by Amazon Prime. With a planned December release and many speculating an Oscar run, this is a good time to not only ask if Lee is back (not likely) to playing nice, but if streaming services can compete at the Oscars,

Top to bottom: Bill Hader and Amy Schumer

It is a pretty great week to be Amy Schumer. Along with having a movie coming out on Friday, she has been in the news for different reasons. She is appearing on the cover of GQ Magazine and is getting press for her satirical risque pictures with Star Wars iconography. This past morning has also seen her get an Emmy nomination for her work on the even more acclaimed sketch series Inside Amy Schumer. However, this is one question that must be raised every time a comedy of above-average quality is brought out: is it possible to see these films get a Best Picture nomination? With tomorrow's release of director Judd Apatow's Trainwreck, one can only continue to wonder what's keeping the prestigious crowd from laughing a little bit more often.

The First "Joy" Trailer Shows Lawrence Gunning for an Oscar Nomination

Jennifer Lawrence

It has already been a rough 2015 for the cast of Silver Linings Playbook. First there was director David O. Russell's long abandoned Accidental Love, which saw the light of day long after it shouldn't have. Then there was the shelved Jennifer Lawrence/Bradley Cooper romance Serena (review coming soon), which favored slightly better. However, it looks like the gang is getting back together for a hopefully better outing with their first collaboration since 2013's American Hustle called Joy. With the first trailer released, there's plenty to get excited about, especially since it looks like the charm is back and I'm sure that we're looking at another Oscar front runner.

Birthday Take: Scott Rudin in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" (2011)

Thomas Horn in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

In 2013, director Joshua Oppenheimer released a documentary that was rather revolutionary to the medium. The Act of Killing took on the subject of Indonesian genocide from the unlikeliest of angles. Using the central figures in the historical genocide, he had them reenact the events in a Hollywood-esque production that included genre motifs. The results were staggering, sometimes tragic and comic, and unveiled something impressive in the documentary structure. This Friday marks the release of the companion piece The Look of Silence, which promises to discuss the same events, but from the innocent public's perspective. Is it possible that the filmmaker has another masterpiece on his hands?

Best Song: "Buttons and Bows" (1948)

Jane Russell in The Paleface

Will "The Hateful Eight" Finally Get Morricone an Oscar?

It seems like an odd yet perfect pairing. Over the course of his past few films, director Quentin Tarantino has made a habit of borrowing music. As he has grown as an artist, he has gone on to incorporate composers into his work. One of the most prominent is legendary composer Ennio Morricone, whose music can be heard in a few of the director's work since Kill Bill: Vol. 1. Today at the San Diego Comic Con, Tarantino announced a big shocker: Morricone would be producing the director's first fully original score for his upcoming film The Hateful Eight. It is a shocker for many reasons, but it is also likely to mark a hopeful evolution as the director matures as a filmmaker.

R.I.P. Omar Sharif (1932-2015)

Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia

Egyptian actor Omar Sharif passed away today at the age of 83 after battling with Alzheimer's Disease, which he only publicly announced in May of this year. Born in Alexandria, Egypt on April 10, 1932, the actor was born to parents who weren't necessarily wealthy, but he admitted that they made enough money. While his heritage is prominent, he was capable of playing roles of various ethnicity thanks to his fluency in French, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic. While he has an impressive and storied career, his career-defining work may be that of playing Sherif Ali in the Best Picture winner from director David Lean called Lawrence of Arabia. Much like his co-star Peter O'Toole, he brought charisma and energy to the epic and created some of the most iconic characters to travel the desert in film history. It was also only the beginning of a big career.

Top 10 Favorite Tom Hanks Performances

Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips

Today marks the birthday for the two-time Academy Award winning actor Tom Hanks. Over the course of his career, he has gone from playing comedic roles in films such as Turner & Hooch to a more respected actor with dramatic roles like Saving Private Ryan and Cast Away. In honor of this occasion, it feels as good of a time as any to share a personal list of my Top 10 favorite Hanks performances spanning over his film career. If for no other reason, it will help to show the range and give you a better understanding as to why I consider him one of the best and charismatic actors of his generation.

Nothing But the Best: "Forrest Gump" (1994)

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

Best Song: "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" (1947)

Scene from Song of the South

Check This Out: The Oscars Celebrate America's Bicentennial

On today, July 4, The United States of America celebrates Independence Day. It is a wondrous day when citizens nationwide celebrate the anniversary of this great land. With The Academy Award being one of the most prestigious awards in American (and world) film, how do they celebrate - especially since the average ceremony takes place between February and March? Well, in 1976, The Academy ended their 48th Academy Awards ceremony with a tribute to cap the bicentennial. Click the link to watch the video in which Elizabeth Taylor and a marching band leads the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in singing America's National Anthem.

Birthday Take: Tom Cruise in "Magnolia" (1999)

Tom Cruise in Magnolia

Birthday Take: Leslie Caron in "Lili" (1953)

Leslie Caron in Lili

Michael Fassbender

While the project has been long gestating with various snafus in casting, it looks like director Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs is finally going to see the light of day. After 2013 saw a forgettable take starring Ashton Kutcher as the Apple Products founder, the story is getting an update from a classier group of people. With a script by the quizzical Aaron Sorkin, the film is looking to be one of the front runners at next year's Oscar runs. While we have seen a teaser trailer before that provided little, if anything, of value, we now get our first full length trailer with Michael Fassbender in the lead role. The results are quite exceptional.

Michael B. Jordan

Two years ago, director Ryan Coogler released the rather impressive debut film Fruitvale Station. It's day in the life depiction of a man just trying to do right may have been simple, but packed a punch thanks to its dramatic third act. With racially charged films starting to crop up everywhere, it definitely has built its own little and deserved following. With his first film since then, he looks to update the Rocky franchise not by giving Sylvester Stallone another go in the ring, but to focus on the son of his original opponent in Creed. The first trailer shows that it may be better than the novelty premise will have you believe.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Friday, July 24, 2015

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Monday, July 20, 2015

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Friday, July 17, 2015

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Saturday, July 11, 2015

Friday, July 10, 2015

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Monday, July 6, 2015

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Friday, July 3, 2015

Wednesday, July 1, 2015