With "A Rainy Day in New York" Being Shelved, is this the End of Woody Allen's Career?

Woody Allen

Whether or not you like him, there is one thing apparent: Woody Allen is one of the most prolific filmmakers of the past 50 years. With limited exceptions, he has stuck a movie-a-year release schedule since the 1970's and has earned four Oscars for his writing and a Best Picture win for the romantic comedy Annie Hall. With all of this said, he has once again fallen under fire for an old scandal regarding sexual allegations against his daughter Dylan Farrow. With the Me Too and Time's Up movements causing The Academy to kick out other members with notorious reputations Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski, one has to wonder if Allen's days are numbered. Considering that Amazon has shelved his next film, A Rainy Day in New York, and his previous film, Wonder Wheel, was a legitimate Failed Oscar Campaign contender, it does seem like maybe just maybe this is the end of his career.

A24 A-to-Z: #3. "Spring Breakers" (2013)

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: "Spring Breakers" has Poetic Beauty Partying All Over It

Left to right: Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens,
Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine

When director Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers opened in limited release, nobody expected it to break specialty box office records like the more acclaimed films The Master or Moonrise Kingdom. However, it was only the start of this film's surprise hit status. Starring three Disney starlets, a crazy performance by James Franco, and directed by the guy whose last film was called Trash Humpers, this doesn't seem like a film that deserved a place in this past weekend's Top 10 box office. However, despite polarizing the youthful demographics, the film has been a critical success. How can a film that is essentially extensive partying with nudity and drugs one of the best films of the year so far?

Can "Spring Breakers" Be Taken Seriously for Nominations?

James Franco

With the 2013 Oscar season firmly behind us, it is time to wade through the releases until we get an actual front runner. Until then, let us speculate on the films that could and will get nominated. As I noted back in December, one of the films gunning for a Best Actor contention was director Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers. Somehow the belief that James Franco's gangster persona was capable of competing with winner Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) seems absurd in hindsight. Also, since the film wasn't released in time for consideration, nothing happened. However, with the release coming on March 22, it is time to raise speculation again. Is Franco capable of winning back the Academy with girls and guns?

Can Franco Win Back the Academy with Bikinis and Guns?

Left to right: Ashley Benson, James Franco, and Vanessa Hudgens

It was announced today on Showbiz 411 that Annapurna Pictures is planning to move the release of director Harmony Korine's Spring Breakers from a 2013 release to the middle of December. This was mostly achieved when a few screenings revealed that James Franco's character was a favorite among viewers. This strategy is of course being done to try and capitalize on a Best Supporting Actor nomination. In a year when Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master and Alan Arkin in Argo stand a chance at being front runners, does Franco stand a chance, especially as a gold-toothed thug in a movie that is notorious for having Disney starlets Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez romping around in bikinis?