Check It Out: Watch Videos From The Academy's Governors Ball 2016

Jackie Chan

This past weekend, The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) held their annual Governors Ball to hand out Honorary Oscars to individuals in the arts who have done superb work. This year's group featured Jackie Chan, Frederick Wiseman, Anne V. Coates, and Lynn Stalmaster along with celebrities introducing them with monologues detailing each recipient's achievements. Thanks to the fine work over at The Academy's YouTube page, you can watch highlights from the ceremony right now, including each recipient's speech as well as the introduction by AMPAS President Cheryl Boone Isaacs.

The First Trailer for "Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk" Brings Ang Lee Back in Top Form

Scene from Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk

It has been quite awhile since we last heard from director Ang Lee. In 2012, he brought the world the dazzling, Oscar-winning Life of Pi. It was a film that not only revolutionized CG characters, but managed to bring spiritual themes to blockbuster entertainment in accessible ways. Lee has always been an adventurous director by choosing to tackle any and all genres and taboo subjects that he deems worthy. With his latest Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk, he returns after four years with a trailer that promises a different take on war veterans. While labeled a comedy first and foremost, the general vibes of the first trailer are of the familiar, haunting trauma that one faces in time of war - and it looks exciting nonetheless.

Review: "Silver Linings Playbook" Isn't Quite All There

Left to right: Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro

One of the great surprises of 2010 was watching director David O. Russell's boxer family drama The Fighter, which featured a captivating look into drug addiction and how sports can unite a family. In many ways, this feels like the overview of Russell's follow-up Silver Linings Playbook, which attempts to turn a story about mental illness into a sports-craving romantic comedy that somehow earned Oscar Buzz along the way. Is the film a worthy follow-up, and more-so, is it one deserving of a few Oscar nominations?

Will "Silver Linings Playbook" Build on its TIFF Win?

Left to right: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

It wasn't long ago that a movie came onto my radar that could possibly get Oscar Buzz big time. In fact, my previous knowledge to last week was that it was a small film by director David O. Russell that focused on mental disabilities. Sounds very much like the great Flirting with Disaster, but we won't hold that against him. After all, he did just come off of The Fighter, which was a Best Picture nominee and earned acting wins for Melissa Leo and Christian Bale. However, as much as I loved the tale of the Pride of Lowell, I had to question myself. What the hell is Silver Linings Playbook?