Review: "The Trial of the Chicago 7" is a Defiantly Urgent Drama

Scene from The Trial of the Chicago 7

It has been some time since writer and director Aaron Sorkin has taken his audience inside a courtroom. While most of his films have pivotal scenes taking place in these judicial buildings, they have rarely been used for than a few minutes, allowing actors to chew through some meaty dialogue, As the Oscar-winning writer quickly proves, he's rarely better than when giving actors a chance to espouse their deepest desires, yelling to the masses in a hope that they will listen. It's the belief in The American Dream, that everyone deserves freedoms. A courtroom is the perfect setting for these ideas to be lobbed at each other, forming a tennis match of intensity that turns dialogue into its own action sequence. At his best, Sorkin grabs you and hypnotizes you into believing that whoever's talking is the most important person in the room.

He does that a lot with his latest The Trial of the Chicago 7, which finds a riot surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention turned into a hub for something grander. As people outside chant "The whole world's watching," there is this urgency for the legal system to recognize the change, the belief that The Vietnam War is unjust, and that the police are not as innocent as they claim. Whether intentionally or not, Sorkin feels like he's struck lightning this time around, finding several exceptional performances lobbying riveting language, mixing in small sways of humor, and action sequences that pull at the emotions. This is a story that feels urgent, reflecting the divide between the people and the government, and in 2020 it's rarely felt truer. It's another home run that never lets up, making the most complicated of legal jargon into something accessible. He hasn't been this much of a livewire since The Social Network, and he's finally come into his own as a director. Welcome back, Sorkin. We've missed you.

The First Trailer for "The Trial of the Chicago 7" Brings Sorkin to the Oscar Race

Scene from The Trial of the Chicago 7

If there is one thing that the year 2020 will be remembered for, it's that it was politically fraught. No matter what's going on right now, there's some division in America right now that is causing conversation, forcing citizens to ask what the merit of this country truly is. It makes sense then that Netflix's latest Oscar-contending film, The Trial of the Chicago 7, comes with urgency and exploration of these themes in vivid and entertaining fashion. The first trailer has been released and, along with a surprising mix of actors, it feels like an energetic molotov cocktail through the system, finding ways to discuss hard issues with such vigor and soul. It looks like a great way to shake up this fall, and one can hope that it delivers.

The First "Snowden" Trailer Has Lots of Action and Little Drama

Scene from Snowden

The last that we heard about director Oliver Stone's Snowden was that it got pulled from last Fall's release schedule in favor of an early 2016 one. Then, through some good signs, the film was moved yet again to Fall 2016. With many already anticipating the film's politically charged subject as being an Oscar contender, the first trailer hits with a certain anticipation. Can the director behind such provocative films as JFK and Born on the Fourth of July deliver a prescient tale of the downsides of NSA and American security? The answer isn't very clear still, but at least it looks like maybe it will be upbeat and fun. The first trailer looks to be very action oriented, so at very least this won't be the Snowden story that we're expecting, for better or worse.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)

Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises

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.

Oliver Stone's "Snowden" Release Date is Delayed

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

There's an off chance that you were probably excited about the upcoming release of director Oliver Stone's Snowden biopic. With the date scheduled for Christmas Day, the story would follow the life of the notorious Edward Snowden, as played by Joseph Gordon Levitt. With a strong cast, it looked to be one of the most promising films of the Fall season. Even with a lackluster teaser trailer, it could have been something particularly great as sticking with the director's best work. However, the wait will be a little longer now, as Stone has announced that there will be a delay to the film. Is this good or bad? Nothing is sure yet.

The First Trailer for "Snowden" Promises Disarray Without Any Substance

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

It seems like 2015 will be the year that Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a lot of Oscar-winning figures. Most specifically, people who were the main subjects of Best Documentary winners. With The Walk's first trailer in recent memory, it's time for the other, arguably bigger one. Following this year's Best Documentary winner Citizenfour, director Oliver Stone is back to his old political ways with a film chronicling the life of the notorious Edward Snowden. Is he a patriot? Well, we'll get Stone's impression pretty soon. For now, we have the first trailer that at least suggests some form of patriotism.

The First Trailer of "The Walk" Hopes That You Haven't Seen "Man on Wire." Otherwise, What's the Point?

Joseph Gordon Levitt

In 2008, director James Marsh released the documentary Man on Wire. It followed the journey of real life tightrope walker Philippe Petit as he infamously performed a routine between both of the World Trade Center buildings. It was an astounding achievement in film making as it turned an unnerving real life story into a cinematic heist film as well. It was a film that was so acclaimed that it remains one of the highest rated titles on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes and took home the Best Documentary award at that year's Oscars ceremony. With The Walk, director Robert Zemeckis is looking to reenact these events with Joseph Gordon Levitt in the central role. The better question is why this is even necessary.

Review: "Looper" shows a promising future

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

The following review for Looper was originally published on CinemaBeach last Friday. The website covers mostly independent movies, but also occasionally covers movies with an indie mindset (i.e. Rian Johnson's latest). I am a regular critic there and post on a weekly basis. Please feel free to check out the website, where you can see more of my reviews. Not covered in this review is my opinions on if this film can earn a Best Picture nomination. Short response: it is good, but I don't think it's going to get nominated in fields outside of technical.

"Lincoln" Officially Joins the Oscar Race with Trailer #2

Daniel Day Lewis

*UPDATE: A review has been posted here.

As I reported a few weeks back when the original teaser trailer for director Steven Spielberg's Lincoln premiered, I was convinced that this was going to be a hard sell. The trailer looked almost like a Civil War equivalence of the heart-string tugging War Horse, which has been a sign of Spielberg choosing sentimentality over narration. I expected this to be the case after that trailer made the rounds. However, upon the release of a new trailer, it may be time for reconsideration for every field possible.

Can "Looper" Bring Some Sci-Fi Presence to the Best Picture Category?

Left to right: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis

UPDATE: I have posted a review for Looper here.

Now that the Oscar Buzz is entering its third week, we finally see the release of the much anticipated time travel film Looper. The film has been hyped as being one of the greatest in the genre. However, there's nothing more appealing than Gordon-Levitt continuing a winning streak this year by holding his own against seasoned veteran Bruce Willis. Even if the film delivers when it opens nationwide tomorrow and turns Johnson into the household name he deserves, will this science fiction film stand a chance at getting any momentum when it comes time for an Oscar?

Does the First "Lincoln" Trailer Look Like More Than a One Act Show?

Daniel Day-Lewis

Update: A review has been posted here.

On Thursday during a special live chat with director Steven Spielberg and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, they released the first trailer for the new film Lincoln, which details the life of American president Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) as lived a life freeing slaves and bringing peace to a divided country. Many have been looking forward to it, believing that the team-up of blockbuster extraordinaire Spielberg and the mastermind acting of Day-Lewis would bring some inspired results. The results were a little... odd.