Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" (2018)

Scene from Won't You Be My Neighbor?

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.

Review: "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" Adds Excellent Depth to TV's Nicest Man

Scene from Won't You Be My Neighbor?

How do you make a documentary on Fred Rogers? It's actually a tough question when thinking about his credentials. He was once an ordained minister who turned to TV and became an icon with Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as the quintessential nice man. There's no real conflict to be driven from this narrative, as his actions were as genuine as his slow paced earnestness. Yet in director Morgan Neville's loving tribute to the unlikely star, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, there's a certain sense that being nice is arguably even more challenging than going for easy gut reactions that titillate in the moment but leave little to be desired hours or even days later. For Neville, Rogers is a fascinating figure not only for what he did on the show but for how he managed to live up to his integrity for over 50 years as an entertainer. He was one of the most welcoming faces on TV, and the documentary does a lot of justice to capturing why that was. It was a great exploration of the man, but for those expecting an in-depth look into his iconic show, prepare to be somewhat disappointed.