A24 A-to-Z: #24. "The End of the Tour" (2015)

Scene from The End of the Tour

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.

A24 A-to-Z: #5. "The Spectacular Now" (2013)

Scene from The Spectacular Now

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: "The Circle" Finds the Horror in Wanting to Feel Connected

Tom Hanks

The idea of technology disconnecting society is a theme common among modern sci-fi films. It has become more apparent as society has become reliant on phone updates and the belief that any moment of life could go viral. For The Circle, it is baked into the mentality while reflecting the constraints that the proposed convenience has on everyone. The movie asks the tough questions not by exploring how technology is evil, but by how desperation for convenience can undermine humanity. It's an interesting move, and one that turns the conventional thriller into a more interesting parable for the digital era.

The Runner-Ups: Mary Elizabeth Winstead in "Smashed" (2012)

Scene from Smashed

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

Review: "The End of the Tour" is an Entertaining Form of Writer's Therapy

Left to right: Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel

In the realm of movies and TV, there are few stories as immediately compelling to writers as that of the frustrated writer. It's become a trope to make stories that are essentially about the process and overcoming personal and mental anguish just to find your self worth. That is why they should be more grating than their lovingly crafted payoffs suggest. However, films like Adaptation., American Splendor, and Stranger Than Fiction choose to disagree. In the case of director James Ponsoldt's biggest film to date The End of the Tour, it's not so much about understanding the craft, but understanding the feeling of self-worth. It's a subject that doesn't get breached much elsewhere, but is given a great comical and somber effect in a film that succeeds in making the mundane into something far more fascinating than the 5 W's would ever allow.

The First Trailer for "The End of the Tour" Promises to Go Deep

Left to right: Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel

Among the current directors that are out there making movies, I find director James Ponsoldt to be one of the more interesting. Starting with his excellent debut Smashed, he created complicated characters without much of a budget or spectacle and elevated the form to something far more interesting with a story about a recovering alcoholic. His follow-up was the even better The Spectacular Now, which may have been the young adult equivalent of Smashed, but found him coming into his own form with a heartfelt love story. With his latest, he ditches alcoholism, at least directly, and chooses to focus on the life of writer David Foster Wallace with Jesse Eisenberg and Jason Segel in tow. How does the first trailer stack up?

It's the One Year Anniversary of The Oscar Buzz!

Left to right: Luke Kirby and Michelle Williams in Take This Waltz

Ladies and gentlemen... we have done the unthinkable. The Oscar Buzz has managed to turn a year old! It is hard to imagine that what started off as a spring board to talk about The Master quickly evolved into a discussion forum for all things Academy Awards. The comments have been great and I proud of the cohorts I made, notably my Films with Friends cohort Mike (of Mike's Reviews). Hopefully this blog will continue to grow and cover more content with this Oscar season just starting to take off. But how do you celebrate a birthday?

Is "The Spectacular Now" Too Simple for the Oscars?

Left to right: Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley

Last year, director James Ponsoldt's debut Smashed came out of nowhere only to announce the presence of new talent. It helped to raise potential Oscar nominations for Mary Elizabeth Winstead while painting a picture of alcoholism in a poignant, yet honest light. It is no wonder then that his follow-up The Spectacular Now skyrocketed to the top of my must-see list of 2013. With it opening in limited release August 2, it is as good of a time as any to take a look at the trailer and wonder if the coming of age story is capable of competing with the heavyweights.

Can Winstead Use "Smashed" for an Acting Nomination?

Left to right: Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul

One of the toughest categories that I have had to gauge this year involves the female acting fields. While we're starting to see a handful solidify, it has been shakier than the male counterpoint, which almost seemed to be concrete since Joaquin Phoenix impressed us with The Master. With the fields starting to tighten, there is a long shot that Mary Elizabeth Winstead can earn her first nomination for James Ponsoldt's Smashed, a tale of overcoming alcoholism. Is the film capable of competing with the big names, or is the no name production holding it back?