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. 

A Roundup of Movie Trailers for Oscar Season Hopefuls

Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots

With the end of August upon us and the Venice Film Festival currently going on, it's time to get prepped for the 2018 Oscar season. That means that there'll be a lot of returning goodies (see this post for all of the details) and a lot of prognostication as the season heats up. But before the summer ends officially, it's as good of a time as any to look back at the trailers that premiered in the past few months and have already promised to make this Oscar season a fascinating and exciting one. The following is a rundown of the films that have already staked their claim in the race, making it difficult for the films that still need to make their presence known, such as Adam McKay's Dick Cheney biopic Backseat. But for now, these are the films that may be worth keeping an eye on, at least until the film festivals say otherwise.

A24 A-to-Z: #33. "The Adderall Diaries" (2016)

Scene from The Adderall Diaries

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.

The Runner-Ups: The Writing of "Pete's Dragon" (2016)

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every other Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

R.I.P. Mary Tyler Moore (1938-2017)

Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People

On January 25, 2017 actress Mary Tyler Moore died at the age of 80 in Greenwich, Connecticut from pneumonia. Over the course of her lengthy career, she has done a lot of work in shaping the view of women in movies and specifically TV with The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She was also nominated for an Oscar with her dramatic turn in Ordinary People. As the opening song of her sitcom suggested, she could turn the world on with her smile. She did plenty work on screen as well as behind the scenes, donating time to charities related to diabetes and animal rights. She leaves behind a body of work that continues to inspire women generations later as well as fans of comedies in general.

Robert Redford to Retire From Acting

Robert Redford in Pete's Dragon

Robert Redford is probably one of Hollywood's most beloved actors both in front of and behind the camera. His acting career spans more than 50 years and has spawned such iconic titles as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as well as Best Picture winners The Sting and Ordinary People. Still, the actor who also founded the independent film festival Sundance has come out with some sad news. He's not too far off from retirement. In fact, there's only two more films left until he says goodbye to his work in front of the camera. It's sad to hear, but his reasons for it do make plenty of sense.

Super Delegates: Richard M. Nixon in "All the President's Men" (1976)

Scene from All the President's Men

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.

Nothing But the Best: "The Sting" (1973)

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Nothing But the Best: "Out of Africa" (1985)

Scene from Out of Africa

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

Nothing But the Best: "Ordinary People" (1980)

Scene from Ordinary People

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

A Look Back at "Forrest Gump" and its Controversial Best Picture Win Over "Pulp Fiction"

Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

In honor of Forrest Gump's 20th anniversary, I have decided to run something special. I have decided to personally explore the Best Picture category of 1994 as well as my personal thoughts within the nominees. Despite becoming an iconic film with countless catchphrases, a restaurant chain, and a rock band, it seems like Robert Zemeckis' technologically groundbreaking film has received flack for pandering to baby boomers through an intellectually stunted character by rewriting American history. I won't go into politics, but it does challenge how I view the film, especially as it was an iconic piece of my childhood. Instead, I will choose to focus on the "controversy" that surrounds it. Did it deserve to beat Pulp Fiction?