A24 A-to-Z: #54. "Good Time" (2017)

Scene from Good Time

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

Review: "Good Time" is a Powerful and Unnerving Journey Into Moral Chaos

Robert Pattinson

The opening scene of directors Benny and Josh Safdie is a quiet one. With a close-up of mentally challenged man Nick (Benny Safdie), he is being seen by a therapist who is trying to get him to open up. Nick is at first reluctant, but soon learns to shed a tear. As breakthrough is made, a force comes running through the door. It's his brother Connie (Robert Pattinson), who doesn't believe in therapy and believes that Nick is wasting his time. Connie believes that he knows what is right, and that scene transitions into the swirling chaos that is Good Time: a title made ironic in that no character actually has a happy ending. What it does however show is a brilliant character study of how one man's arrogance can find itself clashing with his love in damaging ways over the course of one night, ruining lives when he set out to make his better. It's a powerful film, and one that should officially erase any astigmatism that you have about Pattinson's work in the Twilight franchise. Those who see it won't forget it, as it intensely attacks the soul with contradictory themes and even more stimulating visuals. It may not be the flashiest film of 2017, but it can't help being one of the most intense.

Birthday Take: Barkhad Abdi in "Captain Phillips" (2013)

Barkhad Abdi

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.

A Closer Look at the Best Supporting Actor Nominees

Much like the Best Actor race, this year's Best Supporting Actor nominees feel like a broad mix of talents that each highlight a different portion of charismatic performances. From transsexual (Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club) to boat hijacker (Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips) to a crack smoking broker (Jonah Hill - The Wolf of Wall Street), this feels like a crazy selection just on paper. However, the lack of one performance standing out makes it an exciting year that keeps the category from feeling as closed off as some of the others. 

Review: "Captain Phillips" Survives Thanks to Hanks and Abdi's Amazing Performances

Tom Hanks

When it was first announced, director Paul Greengrass' latest Captain Phillips sounded like another broad action movie that would tinker with the true events and give us Hollywood's depiction of tragedy. However, once news began spurting from the New York Film Festival, the language changed to being about the incredible performances by Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi. Even then, the film's major hurdle was managing to turn the life of a boat captain who gets messed up with some Somali pirates into an intense, psychological journey. The result leans more towards success than failure most of the time.

Is "Captain Phillips" Going to Hijack Some Oscar Nominations?

Tom Hanks

Upon initial viewing of the trailer for director Paul Greengrass' Captain Phillips, the gut reaction that it was just another average thriller with very little offering. While Tom Hanks has been churning out promising work as of late (see last year's Cloud Atlas), I had my money set on Saving Mr. Banks as Hanks' return to the Oscar race. However, over the course of time and with several reviews pouring out, including The Daily Mail claiming that "Tom Hanks is at the top of his game." At very least, this has become the surprising must-see that may just prove to be one of the unexpected upsets that I just didn't see coming.