It's Almost Time for Oscar Season Coverage to Begin!

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

Tomorrow marks the end of August and the summer movie season. For those who enjoy Oscar culture, it's the perfect time to begin warming up for another fun season full of big contenders. Who knows what lies ahead in September and onward, and what already has made a strong case for itself. Still, there's a lot to look forward to with The Oscar Buzz, as per usual. While it's been a bit too quiet around here (I apologize), I hope to begin picking up the slack as the season gets more interesting and the prognostication becomes more serious. But before things get too serious, what is there to look forward to? It's time to start the guessing game with a round of goodies coming as soon as this weekend. 

Again, I apologize for not being quite as prolific as I had been in the past with my Oscar coverage. It has been difficult as my private life has seen me require my attention elsewhere. Still, I hope to be more focused this season with a lot of the familiar things that make this website so much fun to run. For starters, I hope to have a predictions column up by next Monday, detailing what I think will appear in the big categories before they've been allowed to compete properly. I have missed doing it in the past, and I regret the chance to have a little fun before things get a bit more serious.

Similarly, this Saturday will mark the return of Failed Oscar Campaigns, which looks at films that competed for a Best Picture nomination (or in some cases, a win) and failed. It's a fun history lesson into what an Oscar campaign contains. Last year saw several columns dedicated to the Me Too movement, including ones on Wonder Woman, Manchester By the Sea, and even one on The Weinstein Company. What lies ahead? You'll have to wait and see. Still, I hope to have this biweekly series  produce another worthwhile season on films that may or may not deserve to be Oscar winners.

Along with that, I will issue my biggest apology in the form of an entry coming this Friday, August 31 dedicated to rounding up trailers for movies that I feel will be getting some Oscar attention this season. I regret not writing regular entries on these films as the trailers were released, but again it's been difficult to stay on top of things. Still, from A Star is Born to Roma, it's going to be a fun look at the movies that will compete for the top position. If time permits, I may also play the guessing game of what's already out there and worth consideration, for example: is BlacKkKlansman really worth all the hype? It all depends on how productive I am this weekend.

Finally, it's exciting to report that along with Failed Oscar Campaigns, Composing Greatness is returning on Sunday with a new series dedicated to Thomas Newman. With 14 nominations, it is peculiar why he has never won. I hope to get to the bottom of that with a deep dive into the scores he produced, including a look into my personal gripes with a few of his nominations. Also, keep an eye out for my monthly column Legitimate Theater, which looks at movie-based theatrical musicals. This month's column is a Back to School of sorts with a look at the recent Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice collaboration School of Rock. How does it compare to the likes of his masterpieces Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar and others? You'll have to wait and see.

Who knows what else will show up during this Oscar season. What I hope will be another productive season of commentary and history. If all works out, I will be producing just as many think pieces and a more regularly released Theory Thursday as the subjects become richer to pull influence from. Also, make sure to look out for a new miniseries on the four adaptations of A Star is Born, coming out closer to the film's actual release (as well as a potential review of the accompanying soundtrack). All will be discovered in time. For now, it's time to prognosticate and see what lies ahead. I'm looking forward to this season (and the hopeful decline of Best Popular Film), are you?