Film & TV

Anyone who has followed the Oscars knows that factors outside artistic integrity play into the eventual winners. Must a film or performance be great to land a nomination? Generally, yes. But the art is only part of the equation. Studio support, marketing campaigns, the past work of a nominated artist, and even the reputation of key players have a role in determining winners. Therefore, we think it’s worthwhile to toss those factors aside and talk about who deserves to win this year’s Academy Awards.  

What differentiates The Zone of Interest from other lesser films centered around the Holocaust is its refusal to engage in the tropes. The atrocities of the Nazis are so inhumane that filmmakers humanize these characters. Whether it is Winslet in The Reader falling in love with a boy, all while “accidentally” committing genocide due to her inability to read, or Tom Cruise in Valkyrie playing a real- life German soldier who conspired to kill Hitler.

One of the most shocking events the documentary explores is that just a couple of years after the bomb test, there was a surge in infant deaths among the families in the nearby towns. In the decades that followed, there was a large amount of cancer cases that were too numerous to be a coincidence or a medical anomaly. It was clear that the radioactive fallout was wreaking havoc.

Directed by Alison Klayman, White Hot: The Rise and Fall of Abercrombie and Fitch is a prolific documentary released in April 2022. This fast-paced exploration dissects the cultural phenomenon of the iconic brand, examining the decisions that propelled it to the heights of popularity before its eventual downfall.

In Love Me, a buoy played by Kristen Stewart falls in love with a satellite portrayed by Steven Yeun. That’s not a metaphor; it's actually what happens. Confused? Don’t worry, that is the point. Love Me explores the metaphysical power capable of penetrating logistical reason: love.

McKendrick’s film is in communication with other adult coming-of-age films. Whether it is Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy, Sam Mendes’s American Beauty, or the films of Judd Apatow, they all share one trait in common with Scrambled: humor. Said humor may be seen as politically incorrect in the context of hindsight, yet it is not a sign of failure in the filmmaker’s writing -- rather it showcases a willingness and honesty in their exploration of self.

The beginning of the movie revolves around Guy Pierce’s character going on a rant about how different kinds of people aren’t meant to live together. The villain is so cartoonishly hateable that he ends up carrying the film. On the flip side, you have Alex Pettyfer who plays Fallon, the vampire who eventually decides he will do something about the evil bigot who is tormenting the town.

The Death Tour follows wrestlers as they partake to see if they have what it takes for glory. The documentary captures the human psyche of a wrestler’s profile, and why they choose to compete. For some, they are driven by the idea of fame and glory.