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.

Review: "Elysium" May Have a Few Gears Missing, But it is Always Interesting

Matt Damon

Before I begin, I would like to state that yes, I know that director Neill Blomkamp's Elysium is very low in terms of chances at ANY Oscar nominations. Even if critic aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes has its score at 66%, that is not high enough to even be considered one of the average nominee's track record. What we have here is a blockbuster probably not in the truest sense of the word. While it costs a reported $90 million to make, it is as original of a property that something of that scale has been all summer long, which at very least is refreshing and makes Blomkamp at least a bold filmmaker, especially for a sci-fi film littered with profanity, gore, and a big budget. It may be the death of his blockbuster career, or just the start. Either way, it is an exciting proposition.