A Look at How Cinema Has Made John F. Kennedy the "Absent President"

Scene from Forrest Gump

What do we mean when we talk about President John F. Kennedy in film? Had the answer applied to any other leader of the free world, the answer would be simple. These were men who lead the country through historical periods and should be honored with a noble retelling of their legacy. But over the past 25 years especially, has there been a president more undermined by cinema's potential than Kennedy? With the recent release of director Pablo Larrain's Jackie, it feels like an important time to analyze why one of the most revered presidents of the late 20th century is largely absent, even in his own filmography. It's not likely because he didn't mean anything, but that he has become symbolic of something greater than his career.

Super Delegates: President Andrew Shepherd in "The American President" (1995)

Michael Douglas in The American President

Welcome to Super Delegates, a bi-monthly column released on Tuesdays and are done in part to recognize politics on film, specifically in regards to Oscar-nominated works. With this being an election year in the United States, it feels like a good time to revisit film history's vast relationship with politicians of any era and determine what makes them interesting while potentially connecting them to the modern era. The series plans to run until the end of this 2016 election cycle, so stay tuned for every installment and feel free to share your thoughts on films worthy of discussion in the comments section.

Oscar Darling Daldry is Back with the First "Trash" Trailer

Rooney Mara

If there is one thing that Oscar aficionados know, it is that the Academy has a love affair with director Stephen Daldry. To the average film goer, he is just another name. To those that have paid attention to trends, he is one of a very small group of people who have had every single one of their films in the Best Picture race. Not since John Cazale has someone had such an impressive record. With his fifth film, Trash, things are looking to remain the same. Except this time, it looks to be a lot more hard hitting, intriguing, and aggressive than anything that he's done before. To say the least, Trash will likely keep Daldry's record strong.