Deadpool, Hail Caesar, Anomalisa, The Witch Reviews

Deadpool
Dir. Tim Miller
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If Jim Carrey's character from The Mask was a sword-wielding, X-Rated superhero with parkour skills, you'd have something like Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds, who's seemed to belly-flop every chance he's been given with a comic book-based movie franchise (Blade: Trinity, X-Men Origins, Green Lantern), has finally found his muse with the 'Merc with a Mouth,' Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool. A fan favorite among comic book fans, Deadpool is a self-referential character that is aware he's in a movie, frequently breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the audience, making references to real-life figures like Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds himself. The film is unlike anything that Marvel has made thus far, combining a Ted-like raunchy humor with an ultra-violent aesthetic that would probably make 12-year-old me as giddy as a schoolgirl. Deadpool is a fantastic satire of its own genre that's fun from beginning to end.

Predicting the 88th Academy Awards (EVERY CATEGORY) [UPDATED]

This is one of the most controversial Oscar seasons I've ever remembered seeing. The lack of diversity in the nominees (not a single non-white actor in the 20 acting category slots) has a bunch of people riled up, not the least of whom are Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, who, let's face it, are probably bitter Will's work in Concussion didn't get any love. I totally see where this backlash is coming from, but for me personally, if you look at who was nominated as opposed to who wasn't, I think save for maybe 1 or 2 exceptions, all the nominees were completely deserving of the Academy's votes. In other words, I blame more the film industry as a whole for its lack of diversity than I do the Oscars - let's not arbitrarily vote for movies just because black people are in it. Far less people are talking about the bigger picture and are quick to point a finger at the Oscar voters for being a bunch of whitewashed racists, when this whole argument is stemming around the exclusion of the same 3-4 movies. If you want to fix this problem, lobby the film studios, go and actually see IN THE THEATER movies like Dope and Compton and Creed, and then we'll see more of a change.

The only major issue I have with the Oscars is the fact that there are only 8 movies nominated for Best Picture, when up to 10 are allowed - what's up with that? Those extra 2 films could have made way for a movie like Creed or Straight Outta Compton (or Beasts of No Nation which was entirely snubbed). So this weird cloud of exclusion has been cast over the Awards season this year, but that only makes me that much more excited to see how Chris Rock handles his hosting duties! And on that note, here are my predictions for which whiteys will take home the Oscar this year: