Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Irishman" (2019)

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

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.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #6-10

Scene from Parasite (2019)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

A24 A-to-Z: #83 - "The Souvenir" (2019)

Scene from The Souvenir (2019)

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. 

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #15-19

Scene from Boyhood (2014)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

Every Best Picture Nominee of the 2010's Ranked: #60-64

Scene from Hugo (2011)

As 2019 reached its end, another decade of cinema had passed. It's amazing to think about how things have evolved since 2010 when the biggest controversies were about recognizing genre movies. Things look different now, especially as genre films like The Shape of Water and Parasite are winning Best Picture and the voting body looks incredibly different with each passing year. With this period in the books, it feels like a good time to celebrate their accomplishments by ranking all 88 titles nominated for Best Picture from worst to best with the goal of seeing which films are more likely to stand the test of time. Join me every Saturday and Sunday as I count them down, five at a time. It's going to be a fun summer looking back on what was, especially as we prepare for the decade ahead and an even more interesting diversity that we haven't even begun to think of.

R.I.P. Max von Sydow (1929-2020)

Max von Sydow

On March 8, 2020, actor Max von Sydow passed away at the age of 90 in Provence, France. Over the course of 60 years, he was known as a pillar of international cinema, rising to fame in The Seventh Seal, which was the first of 11 collaborations with director Ingmar Bergman. Later on, he would make a splash in American films ranging from traditional dramas (Hannah and Her Sisters) to horror (The Exorcist) and even blockbusters (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). He was known for having over 100 film credits, delivering powerhouse performances in each. Along with work in TV, stage, and video games, his charisma lasted up until his passing which even then he was busy working on another project. His massive output will continue to live on as a testament to what one can achieve as an actor when doing everything to make a role better. 

How Peggy Reveals the Brilliance of "The Irishman" Script

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

The greatness of director Martin Scorsese's towering gangster epic The Irishman can be summarized with one performance: Peggy Sheeran. It may not seem like it given that she has considerably less screen time than most characters in Frank Sheeran's (Robert De Niro) life, but the way that writer Steven Zaillian uses her describes something key in the film's overall tragedy. Yes, one can use the crackling dialogue rich with acidic humor and bursts of violence that distract from Frank ever learning a lesson, but that isn't anything new for a Scorsese movie. No, there has to be something there that serves as the piece of Frank that got away, unable to ever be obtained even as he murders for the sake of building a reputation among the local mob. The performances are rich with personality, but one has to wonder what they mean in the long run. Why doesn't Frank's story end when the last of them have said goodbye? It's because their respect was easy to get. His family was a different matter.

Review: "Uncut Gems" Bets Big with Exciting Results

Scene from Uncut Gems

It's safe to say that Howard "Bling" Ratner (Adam Sandler) hasn't done anything with his life. It may not seem that way because he is one of the most respected jewelry salesmen in New York, managing to have a personal connection to NBA star Kevin Garnett. He is capable of making a profit with simple negotiation tactics and high-risk betting. One would assume that Howard is a very lucky man, but over the course of co-directors, Josh and Benny Safdie's neurotic masterpiece Uncut Gems, his life begins to unwind as one bad deal leads to a downward spiral of choices that puts him further in debt with mobsters that want him dead. Still, with no actual skill except negotiation, how does he stand any chance of making it out alive? It's the type of radical survival skills that makes Sandler's performance so electric, serving as one of his best. For a man who doesn't have much to show for himself that he personally earned, it's a story of desperation that shows the problem with the American dream when all you want is to get rich.

"The Irishman" Proves Netflix Isn't Kidding Around This Oscar Season with 26.4 Million Views in the First Week

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

By all accounts, Netflix has been crushing it this awards season. This past week saw the streaming service dominate the Golden Globe nominations with major nominations for Dolemite is My Name, The Two Popes, Marriage Story, and the Martin Scorsese-directed epic The Irishman. All of the films look like their on track to dominate awards season and possibly lead the Oscars. That's not only the critics talking. According to data released by chief Ted Sarandon, The Irishman is a big success because of the availability on Netflix. With a reported 26.4 million households seeing the film in the first week and a potential 48 million projected for the first month, it's a number that looks to prove why Scorsese and Netflix were smart to collaborate on this 3.5-hour film. It may have made the film a bigger hit than a conventional release strategy.

A24 A-to-Z: #75. "Mid90s" (2018)

Scene from Mid90s

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: "The Irishman" is the Great Gangster Movie to End All Gangster Movies

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

With The Irishman, director Martin Scorsese has made the gangster movie to end all gangster movies. He has made a career of exploring the criminals who have gotten rich off of shady deals and violent discourse, leaving behind nothing but misery for everyone else. After pushing limits with films like Mean Streets, Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street, he has taken on the elder statesman role in 2019 to discuss how a life of crime may seem rewarding at first but inevitably ends in a sadness that can't be escaped. As much as the 3.5-hour running time feels at times taxing, drawing out small moments that feel interminable, the result is to create an epic about a man learning to realize his own flaws only to realize that they come too late. It's a story about loyalty and aging in the ways that only Scorsese can get away with. While the results are less flashy than his aforementioned masterpieces, this is the final chapter in a cautionary tale that has defined his work from the beginning. With a cast of incredible actors at the top of their game, The Irishman may be overlong, but it's all in an attempt to cheat death. It's horrifying and immersive, leaving the audience with a powerful gut punch that is too bittersweet to forget.

Netflix Launches Website for Where You Can See "The Irishman"

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

For many Oscar fans last year, nothing was more debated than where you could actually see Roma. Given that Netflix maintains a fraught relationship with most major theater chains, it continues to loom large as a problem impacting their current plan to do slow rollouts for several of their Fall 2019 films. Among them is the hotly anticipated Martin Scorsese epic The Irishman, which has gained acclaim as one of the director's finest movies. But, where could you possibly see a film released by the Oscar-winning filmmaker? Up until now, the answer would be to do the familiar hard work of Googling or going to Fandango to find answers. Thanks to Netflix, there's an even easier option out there now.

"The Irishman" Trailer Sets Scorsese Up for Oscar Potential

Scene from The Irishman (2019)

There have been few obvious Oscar campaigns quite like director Martin Scorsese's The Irishman. It was so anticipated that a teaser played during the commercials for the actual ceremony. However, this is the first time that audiences will be privy to what lied in one of the most exciting pairings of the year. Not only is it the return of Scorsese with Robert de Niro, but it also features Goodfellas actor Joe Pesci and his first with Al Pacino. It's a dynamite group that could sell the film without a single piece of marketing. Thankfully, the trailer that premiered lived up to the expectations, taking audiences back to the world of Scorsese gangster films for the first time since The Departed in 2006. If nothing else, it looks to be one of the best excuses to subscribe to Netflix yet.

Theory Thursday: "Quiz Show" is Underrated

Scene from Quiz Show

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

A24 A-to-Z: #48. "Free Fire" (2017)

Scene from Free Fire

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.

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.

A24 A-to-Z: #15. "Revenge of the Green Dragons" (2014)

Scene from Revenge of the Green Dragons

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.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Silence" (2016)

Andrew Garfield

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.

Why "The King of Comedy" Made Us Reevaluate Jerry Lewis as an Actor

Scene from The King of Comedy

It's a premise that movies have done to death. The idea of making a comedian play a "serious role," or against type, has the potential to reach surreal levels that reflects the pain underneath their comedy. Actors like Jim Carrey and Robin Williams would get plenty of credit for it later on. However, there were few whose performances are on par with Jerry Lewis' role in director Martin Scorsese's 1982 satire The King of Comedy. Lewis may have been playing a comedian as the Johnny Carson-esque Jerry Langford, but he's the film's dramatic core, of which separates audiences from the deranged Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro), who tries to get on his show. Over the course of the film, Lewis gives a performance that doesn't only play against type, but shows a complicated side to the clownish actor that may say a lot about him, but mostly proves that he was capable of more than slapstick.

Three-Time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis to Retire From Acting

Daniel Day-Lewis in Gangs of New York

There are few actors quite like Daniel Day-Lewis. For starters, he often goes so long in between movie projects that it's easy to believe that each movie is his last. Before his latest film with director Paul Thomas Anderson (due this Fall), he starred in Lincoln, which won him his third Best Actor statue. That was five years ago. So, what is up next on his agenda? Unlike almost every other time, there is news of what that will be. Following the release of the Anderson film, he will be retiring from acting. The news is as shocking as it is predictable for an actor known for his reclusive personality and his fickle way of picking projects. Still, he leaves behind an impressive body of work that few could possibly match.