A24 A-to-Z: #61. "The Vanishing of Sidney Hall" (2018)

Scene from The Vanishing of Sidney Hall

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 years to come.

Review: "First Man" is an Intense Ride to the Moon

Ryan Gosling in First Man

There is a power that director Damien Chazelle brings to the opening scene of his Neil Armstrong biopic First Man. Before the audience has had a chance to become acquainted with the world, he is already thrusting them out of it. Armstrong, played by Ryan Gosling, is pushing the limits of plane travel, throwing himself almost out of Earth's orbit. It is a claustrophobic moment, and one that features a strong intensity as Armstrong is left to wonder how he will survive. Will he even make it back to Earth? While the audience should know the answer, it's all perfectly unclear in the moment, capturing an early stage of space travel that is primitive and dangerous. There are no barriers. In just this opening scene, Chazelle has redefined the NASA film as a story about safety risks, all while pushing in on Armstrong's face - forcing the perspective to be the same as his, floating inside a man-made machine. It's the technique that makes First Man at times a powerful example of Chazelle's transition to big studio director. However, it also symbolizes the distance that Chazelle has at times from his supporting cast, who never get as much effort placed into them as Armstrong. It's not a terrible thing, but it keeps the film from feeling spectacular.

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: "Manchester By the Sea" is the Best Film of 2016

Scene from Manchester By the Sea

The art of loneliness isn't something that's necessarily cinematic. For starters, inactive characters contradict the capabilities of a medium meant to embody visceral excitement. This may be true, but director Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester By the Sea has managed to find a way around this problem by finding a story that is vastly insular as well as engaging. By focusing on the struggles of two family members as a relative dies, the film manages to find the connective tissue in which everyone feels that struggle of loss. What makes the film even more of an achievement is that Lonergan's script manages to explore the darkness without giving way of the comical asides and vulnerable moments that are found in everyday moment. They aren't flaws of the movie, but instead a reflection of how everyone deals with grief. Thanks to excellent performances by Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges, the film explodes with life. It may seem unlikely, but it actually is the most human film of the year.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Carol" (2015)

Scene from Carol

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.

The First "Manchester by the Sea" Trailer Offers a Potential Oscar Favorite

Scene from Manchester by the Sea

We're only days away from the end of summer, and it's time to start getting serious about Oscar season. While September tends to be slower, one cannot leave out potential favorites like The Light Between Oceans. It also means that new trailers are starting to pop up with some frequency, and it seems like the one getting a lot of attention is director Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester By the Sea, starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams. With several early screenings suggesting great things for the film, it is likely going to be one to look out for when it's released. The first trailer makes special note of this - with all three of the main stars getting their own Oscar-filled blurb. Thankfully the trailer around it looks just as appealing.

Review: "Carol" is About as Perfect as Movies Get

Scene from Carol

Love. At its core, almost every fiction narrative film has been in some capacity about the subject of love. It could be the explicit love between two subjects. It could be for the love of power. Whatever it may be, love remains just as vital to cinema after a century despite the emotions being the same thing in a different wardrobe. So how exactly do you improve on love in ways that The Lady Eve or Titanic hasn't covered? While thousands of films have tried, none have come close to the sublime new film from director Todd Haynes called Carol. While there's not much of a gimmick (two women fall in love), it's an example of love at its core; expressed with visual beauty and narrative excellence the likes of which haven't been seen in American films for quite some time. Carol may not have the most exciting story, but it has the purest depiction of what love is all about.

Lesbian Drama "Carol" Receives New Release Date

Cate Blanchett

If you're already marking up your calendar for Oscars season, there's plenty of chance that director Todd Haynes' Carol has been on there since its stellar debut at the Cannes Film Festival. With its initial release date planned for December 18, it was looking to open among a heady group that included The Hateful Eight and even blockbusters like Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens. Even if Carol is almost a surefire Oscar contender, it made a move recently that saved it from falling into obscurity. It has a release date that gives it more of a significant notice to the casual audiences.

Review: "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a Flawed Classic About a Flawed Class System

Left to right: Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio

If there is one indisputable fact, it is that Martin Scorsese transcends time almost every time he directs a film. Now in his 70's, he continues to make challenging tales with cinematic grace and beauty. Movies such as The Aviator and Gangs of New York reflect a director now capable of making an epic out of personal American stories. It is arguable that he lost the fervor and sting that gave us Goodfellas or The King of Comedy, but one needs to not look any further than his latest: The Wolf of Wall Street. Even with controversy surrounding it, its sustenance is so thick with cocaine-stained suits that this capitalism epic is striking and reflects the Scorsese film that we'd never expect: a $100 million budgeted unbiased exploitation flick.

The Release of "The Wolf of Wall Street" is Delayed Due to Scheduling Conflicts

Leonardo DiCaprio

Like majority of people who have been following my Oscar Buzz posts in the past few months, I have been greatly anticipating the upcoming release of director Martin Scorsese's latest film The Wolf of Wall Street. The fun, vivacious trailer remains one of the greatest pieces of marketing this year, bar none. However, in case those waiting for the film weren't worried enough, news was recently announced that in fact, we'll have to wait a little longer for the film to come out. Not by a few weeks, but at least until next year.

Review: "The Spectacular Now" is One of the Most Endearing Looks at Growing Up

Left to right: Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to announce that with director James Ponsoldt's second feature The Spectacular Now, I am officially calling him one of the best upcoming directors of this decade. Along with Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines), Ponsoldt is a man who knows how to make characters vulnerable in exciting ways that don't detriment the story or rely on cheesy gimmicks. As familiar as coming of age stories are, the Smashed director's follow-up manages to find new ground through alcoholic teen Sutter (Miles Teller) and Amy's (Shailene Woodley) relationship which doesn't so much explore getting older, but the influences that the people in their lives play on their actions.

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.

"The Wolf of Wall Street" Trailer Promises the Greatest Wall Street Party Ever

Leonardo DiCaprio

Almost with an uproar and a dance to match, director Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street has hit the scene. This past week saw the launch of the trailer set to Kanye West's "Black Skinhead" and packing so much life and humor into a story that looks to be The Great Gatsby by way of Wall Street. Most of all, it set anticipation high. Is it possible that we just saw the first film to be taken seriously for an Oscar nomination this year?

Review: "Zero Dark Thirty" is the Great War on Terror Epic We Deserve

Upon initial release, director Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty looked like a clear front runner for Best Picture. After winning big with the  New York Film Critics Awards, the film has dispersed a little. After a not-so-stellar performance at the Golden Globes, it has fallen behind titles such as director Ben Affleck's Argo, a film which many cannot help but compare vaguely. Maybe it was the violent subject matter of torture and endless disputes brought forth by former CIA agents criticizing the realism. Then again, what stopped director Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained from losing steam for being a more hyper-violent (and frankly, a little shoddy) story? However, say what you will, but what Bigelow has produced is a masterpiece in the War on Terror genre of film making.

Can "Argo" Become a Timely Oscar Winner?

Update: I have posted a review for Argo here.

As I have stated previously, I believe that the Oscar Buzz season started with director Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master, which managed to make a strong case for several major category nominations. However, it has been a few mild weeks since waiting for another nominee to get a wide release instead of just being the movie that critics rave about. This Friday sees the release of the highly acclaimed Argo, Ben Affleck's third directorial effort. With a stellar ensemble and the tagline "Based on a Declassified True Story," is Argo capable of giving Anderson some healthy competition for Best Picture?