Failed Oscar Campaigns: "mother!" (2017)

Scene from mother!

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.

Review: "mother!" Doesn't Like You, and You Won't Like Her Either (SPOILERS!)

Jennifer Lawrence

In press interviews, director Darren Aronofsky said of his latest movie mother! that it would be shocking that people wouldn't want to look at him again. It's a brilliant marketing move, and one that done correctly works as well as a viral video from OK Go. Who wouldn't want to see something different in cinema, especially if it comes from the provocateur who previously made drug trips exciting and horrifying, and turned a ballet movie into one of the greatest psychosexual thrillers of the decade? The unfortunate news is that this plan may have backfired, as the film will make people not want to look at Aronofsky ever again. It's a mean, masochistic movie whose themes are buried underneath lazy surrealism and one-note characters who don't have much to do. Mother! is a mess, and a profoundly gross one at that. 

Birthday Take: Natalie Portman in "Black Swan" (2010)

Natalie Portman in Black Swan

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.

Freaky Friday: "Black Swan" (2010)

Natalie Portman in Black Swan

The season is upon us, and it's time to get in the mood for Halloween. Every Friday in October, The Oscar Buzz will be highlighting the films that The Academy recognized that likely chilled you to your bone. While there have been several genres more prevalent than horror, there's been a fair share that have popped up and proven themselves among the more prestigious competition. What is it about these films that stand out? Are they just scary, or is there something more to their charm? Join in the journey of recognizing the award nominated scares that you may or may not have known about.

The Directors Project: #20 - Darren Aronofsky

Scene from Cinema Paradiso

With the many lists and essays written on the subject of film, there has been one thing that The Oscar Buzz has tried to understand: Who is my favorite of the film world? For 10 weeks this summer, I will be exploring this with a countdown of the Top 50 names based on a numerical ranking of ratings from various sources, the following is a list of directors who rank above everyone else. With occasional upsets, this is intended as both a discussion opener as well as a better understanding of me as a film critic and fan. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have regarding the entry's selection.

Review: "Noah" Mixes Grandiose with the Surreal and Philosophical in Amazing Ways

Russell Crowe

When director Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan became a financial success story, including an Oscar win for Best Actress (Natalie Portman), it seemed rather fascinating on where he would go next. Known for having a catalog of unpredictable, surreal takes on contemporary society, his latest Noah seems like somewhat of a detour. However, knowing that it is his passion project helps to make the $125 million budget make more sense. Whether seen as a biblical epic or a disaster film, this film manages to go straight for the widest possible audience. Luckily, Aronofsky's passion comes through in one of the most bombastic, unique, and best biblical epics in decades.