Why The 2019 Oscars Are A JOKE

The 2019 Academy Awards is right around the corner (this Sunday night to be exact), but should you be excited or worried? We at Ted Takes have a multitude of reasons for why this year's culmination of accomplishments in film and television is a joke and will surely fall flat on its face…

'Saturday Night Live' Calls Out Hypocrisy Over Kevin Hart Oscars Controversy

•   The infamous (sort of) firing of host Kevin Hart

Sure, technically Hart made the decision to walk away from the gig after he was asked to publicly apologize for some insensitive comments he made on Twitter YEARS ago. He made it very clear that he apologized on a number of occasions already and would not go down that road again, and I don't blame him one bit. In all honesty, he probably felt like hosting the show would put a target on his back because this day and age if you crack a joke it becomes something more than it is. I have an idea, leave the past in the past!! (aside from the rapists and murders finally getting brought to justice thanks to advancements in DNA technology, I am pro that for sure). Society is WAAAAAYYYYYY too sensitive these days, so toughen up people otherwise you can get used to a watered down version of entertainment that will surely put you to sleep after a few wine coolers.

Marvel’s Black Panther (2018) received 6 Oscar nominations for the 2019 Academy Awards

• Oscars OR A Political Forum?!

Many of the nominations are an absolute JOKE. Okay, so let me get this straight, Black Panther received a nomination for best picture, and is the first comic book movie to EVER receive the nomination. This of course includes Christopher Nolan's 2008 masterpiece The Dark Knight, starring none other than Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale. You have to be kidding me right?! Don't get me wrong, I genuinely enjoyed Black Panther and I actually saw the film in theaters three times, but a nominee for best picture? Nahh, that is just plain old fashioned insanity. I can think of probably 10 comic book movies more deserving of the nomination (neither would win), and that is ignoring my previous mention of The Dark Knight. This is not a category for sheer entertainment value - it is for films like Manchester by the Sea, or Moonlight, films that include Oscar-worthy performances, top-tier directorial talent, and the ability to really "reach" the viewers. Director Ryan Coogler, who I am admittedly a HUGE fan of, delivered on his promise of an entertaining film worthy of the Marvel name, but the acting is average at best, the soundtrack/score is fitting but far from groundbreaking (yet somehow it was also nominated for best original score AND Best Sound Mixing?!), and the overall impact on the viewer is fine but not exactly life-changing. Bottom line, Black Panther may have made over 1 billion dollars worldwide but it is NOT a masterpiece. If you say otherwise you are simply lying to yourself. Please, please, pleasseeeeeeee get the politics out of the Oscars and focus on what is supposed to matter - quality filmmaking.

We could go on and on but we'd prefer to spread out our need to offend people throughout the rest of 2019. Once Sunday night gets here, we may find ourselves watching re-runs of The Office instead of the 2019 Oscars purely out of principle (and of course the fact that the show is about as politically incorrect as you can get and we love it).

#oscars

Will you be watching?! Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

A Madea Family Funeral

Director Tyler Perry

Genre Comedy

Cast Tyler Perry, Courtney Burrell, Patrice Lovely, Cassi Davis

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 1st, 2019

“A joyous family reunion becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unsavory family secrets.”

From director Tyler Perry comes the next Madea adventure, A Madea Family Funeral tells the story of a joyous family reunion that becomes a hilarious nightmare as Madea and the crew travel to backwoods Georgia, where they find themselves unexpectedly planning a funeral that might unveil unsavory family secrets. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, A Madea Family Funeral:

• Tyler Perry plays a new character named Heathrow, Madea and Joe's brother. He was also a Vietnam war veteran.

• This film was initially said to receive an R rating. However, like "Boo 2! A Madea Halloween," it was edited for a PG-13 rating.

• Said to be the last of the Madea films.

Greta

Director Neil Jordan

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Chloë Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe, Isabelle Huppert, Zawe Ashton

Rating R

Release Date March 1st, 2019

“After a young woman befriends a lonely widow, she discovers that their meeting was a setup.”

From director Neil Jordan, Greta is a drama thriller that tells the story of a young woman who befriends a lonely widow. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Greta:

• The distribution rights for the film were bought at the Toronto International Film Festival by Focus Features for $6 million.

The Widow

Genre Thriller

Cast Kate Beckinsale, Alex Kingston, Babs Olusanmokun, Charles Dance

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere March 1st, 2019 (Amazon Prime)

“A woman’s search to uncover the mysterious disappearance of her husband leads her to the Congo, where she’s forced to seek the truth about what happened to the man she loved.”

“Amazon Studios has released the first trailer for its upcoming eight-episode series The Widow, starring Kate Beckinsale as Georgia, a woman mourning her beloved husband after he is killed in a plane crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Things take a turn, however, when she discovers he might not be dead. From there, she puts her life as a recluse behind her, and ventures out to uncover the truth of what happened.”

— Collider

Transit

Director Christian Petzold

Genre Drama

Cast Franz Rogowski, Paula Beer, Godehard Giese, Lilien Batman

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 1st, 2019 (Limited)

“When a man flees France after the Nazi invasion, he assumes the identity of a dead author whose papers he possesses. Stuck in Marseilles, he meets a young woman desperate to find her missing husband - the very man he’s impersonating.”

From director Christian Petzold, Transit tells the story of a man who flees France after the Nazi invasion and assumes the identity of a dead author whose papers he possesses. Stuck in Marseilles, he meets a young woman desperate to find her missing husband - the very man he's impersonating. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Transit:

• According to Christia Petzold, Transit is the last chapter of his trilogy called "Love in Times of Oppressive Systems". The trilogy also includes Barbara (2012) and Phoenix (2014).

The Hole in the Ground

Director Lee Cronin

Genre Horror

Cast Seána Kerslake, James Quinn Markey, Simone Kirby, Steve Wall

Rating R

Release Date March 1st, 2019 (Limited)

“One night, Sarah’s young son disappears into the woods behind their rural home. When he returns, he looks the same, but his behavior grows increasingly disturbing. Sarah begins to believe that the boy who returned may not be her son at all.”

Directed and co-written Ireland native Lee Cronin, The Hole in the Ground is a disturbing horror film about a boy who disappears into the woods behind his rural home where he lives with his mother, and once he returns his behavior begins to become increasingly disturbing. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, The Hole in the Ground:

• The film made its debut at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival terrifying audiences.

• Lee Cronin’s feature film directorial debut.

Whiskey Cavalier

Genre Action | Adventure | Comedy

Cast Scott Foley, Lauren Cohan, Ana Ortiz, Tyler James Williams

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Wednesday, February 27th, 2019 10:00PM EST (ABC)

“An FBI agent and his new partner, a CIA operative, embark on missions to save the world, but have to put up with each other first.”

From executive producer Peter Atencio (Key & Peele, Keanu), Whiskey Cavalier is an action comedy that follows an FBI agent and his new partner, a CIA operative, as they embark on missions to save the world, but have to put up with each other first. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Whiskey Cavalier:

• Lauren Cohan and Tyler James Williams previously starred together in The Walking Dead.

• Scott Foley previously worked with Executive Producer Bill Lawrence on Scrubs.

Leaving Neverland

Director Dan Reed

Genre Documentary

Cast Michael Jackson, Wade Robson, Jimmy Safechuck

Rating Unrated

Release Date Sunday, March 3rd, 2019 8:00 PM EST (HBO)

“At the height of his stardom Michael Jackson began long-running relationships with two boys, aged 7 and 10, and their families. Now in their 30s, they tell their story and how they came to terms with it years later.”

“Despite legal threats from the Michael Jackson Estate, HBO is moving forward with plans to air Leaving Neverland. Directed by Dan Reed, the four-hour documentary details Michael Jackson’s long-running relationships with two underage boys, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, both of who accuse the pop singer of molesting them throughout the 1980s and 90s.

The film will premiere on HBO across two nights on March 3rd and 4th. In anticipation, the first trailer has been unveiled.”

Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Film Facts, Leaving Neverland:

• The estate of Michael Jackson issued a statement denouncing this film as "yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson."

Saint Judy

Director Sean Hanish

Genre Biography | Drama

Cast Michelle Monaghan, Leem Lubany, Common, Peter Krause

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 1st, 2019 (Limited)

“The true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood, and how she single-handedly changed the U.S. law of asylum to save women’s lives.”

From director Sean Hanish, Saint Judy is a drama that tells the true story of immigration attorney Judy Wood, and how she single-handedly changed the U.S. law of asylum to save women's lives. Check out the official trailer below!!

The Wedding Guest

Director Michael Winterbottom

Genre Thriller

Cast Dev Patel, Radhika Apte, Jim Sarbh, Harish Khanna

Rating R

Release Date March 1st,, 2019

“A story centered on a mysterious British Muslim man (Dev Patel) on his journey across Pakistan and India.”

Written and directed by Michael Winterbottom (The Killer Inside Me), The Wedding Guest is a thriller that tells the story of a mysterious British Muslim man on his journey across Pakistan and India. Check out the official trailer below!!

Woman at War

Director Benedikt Erlingsson

Genre Action | Drama | Thriller

Cast Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, Jóhann Sigurðarson, Juan Camillo Roman Estrada, Jörundur Ragnarsson

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 1st, 2019 (Limited)

“Halla, a woman in her forties, declares war on the local aluminum industry to prevent it from disfiguring her country. She risks all she has to protect the highlands of Iceland-but the situation could change with the unexpected arrival of a small orphan in her life.”

From director Benedikt Erlingsson, Woman at War is a drama about a woman who declares war on the local aluminum industry to prevent it from disfiguring her country. She risks all she has to protect the highlands of Iceland-but the situation could change with the unexpected arrival of a small orphan in her life. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Woman at War:

• Woman at War is Iceland's submission to the 91st Academy Awards (2019). It is the 2nd submission for director Benedikt Erlingsson.

Paddleton

Director Alex Lehmann

Genre Drama

Cast Ray Romano, Mark Duplass, Christine Woods, Jen Sung

Rating TV-MA

Release Date February 22nd, 2019 (Netflix)

“An unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpectedly emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer.”

Co-written and directed by Alex Lehmann, Paddleton is a drama that tells the story of an unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpectedly emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Check out the official trailer below!!

2019 Oscar Nominees

Check out the OFFICIAL list for the 2019 Oscar Nominations including Black Panther, the first ever superhero film to be nominated. Who do you think deserves the gold?! Let us know in the comments section.

Be sure to watch the 91st Annual Academy Awards show LIVE on Sunday, February 24th 7:00 PM EST on ABC.

Best Picture

A Star Is Born

Green Book

Roma

BlacKkKlansman

The Favourite

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

Vice

Best Directing

Alfonso Cuarón, Roma

Spike Lee, BlacKkKlansman

Pawel Pawlikowski, Cold War

Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite

Adam McKay, Vice

Best Animated Feature Film

Incredibles 2

Isle of Dogs

Mirai

Ralph Breaks the Internet 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Best Foreign Language Film

Capernaum

Cold War

Roma 

Shoplifters 

Never Look Away

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale, Vice

Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody

Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born

Viggo Mortensen, Green Book

Willem Dafoe, At Eternity's Gate

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close, The Wife

Olivia Colman, The Favourite

Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born

Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Mahershala Ali, Green Book

Adam Driver, BlacKkKlansman

Sam Rockwell, Vice

Richard E. Grant, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk

Amy Adams, Vice

Emma Stone, The Favourite

Rachel Weisz, The Favourite

Marina De Tavira, Roma

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Ballad of Buster Sruggs

A Star Is Born

If Beale Street Could Talk

BlacKkKlansman

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Best Original Screenplay

Green Book

First Reformed

The Favourite

Vice

Roma

Best Original Song

"Shallow" 

"All the Stars" 

"I'll Fight"

"The Place Where Lost Things Go"

"When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings"

Best Documentary Feature

Free Solo

Of Fathers and Sons

Minding the Gap

Hale County This Morning, This Evening

RBG

Best Documentary Short Subject

Black Sheep

Lifeboat

Period. End of Sentence.

End Game 

A Night at the Garden 

Best Cinematography

A Star Is Born

Cold War

The Favourite

Never Look Away

Roma

Best Costume Design

The Favourite

Mary Poppins Returns

Black Panther

Mary Queen of Scots

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Best Film Editing

BlacKkKlansman

The Favoruite

Green Book 

Vice

Bohemian Rhapsody

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Vice

Border

Mary Queen of Scots

Best Original Score

Black Panther

BlacKkKlansman

Isle of Dogs

Mary Poppins Returns

If Beale Street Could Talk

Best Production Design

Black Panther, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart

The Favourite, Fiona Crombie and Alice Felton

Mary Poppins Returns, John Myhre and Gordon Sim

First Man, Nathan Crowley and Kathy Lucas

Roma, Eugenio Caballero and Barbara Enriquez

Best Animated Short Film

Animal Behavior

Bao

Late Afternoon

One Small Step

Weekends

Best Live Action Short Film

Detainment 

Marguerite 

Fauve 

Mother 

Skin

Best Sound Editing

A Quiet Place

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

First Man

Roma

Best Sound Mixing

A Star Is Born

Black Panther

Bohemian Rhapsody

First Man

Roma

Best Visual Effects

Christopher Robin

First Man

Avengers: Infinity War

Ready Player One

Solo: A Star Wars Story

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Director Dean DeBlois

Genre Animation | Action | Adventure

Cast Jonah Hill, Kate Blanchett, Kit Harington, Kristen Wiig

Rating PG

Release Date February 22nd, 2019

“As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind.”

From director Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon 1 & 2), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is the next step into the magical world of dragons following Hiccup and Toothless on an epic adventure. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World:

• DreamWorks Animation's first trilogy in which each movie was distributed by a different film studio: Paramount distributed How to Train Your Dragon (2010), 20th Century Fox distributed How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014), and Universal will be distributing How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019).

• The 1st trailer of this film was released on June 7th 2018, the 48th birthday of director/writer Dean DeBlois.

Fighting with My Family

Director Stephen Merchant

Genre Biography | Comedy | Drama

Cast Florence Pugh, Dwayne Johnson, Lena Headey, Nick Frost

Rating PG-13

Release Date February 22nd, 2019

“A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.”

Written and directed by actor/writer Stephen Merchant, his feature-film directorial debut, Fighting with My Family is a comedy drama that tells the story of a former wrestler and his family as they make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment. Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Fighting with My Family:

• Based on the real-life true story of WWE superstar Paige and her family.

• Scenes for this movie were shot in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California after WWE Monday Night RAW on March 20, 2017. The scene included a re-creation of a match between Paige (Saraya-Jade Bevis) and A.J. Lee (A.J. Mendez).

The Enemy Within

Genre Drama

Cast Jennifer Carpenter, Morris Chestnut, James Carpinello, Cassandra Freeman

Rating Unrated

Series Premiere Monday February 25th, 2019 10:00 PM EST (NBC)

“FBI Agent Will Keaton enlists the most notorious traitor in American history to help catch a spy.”

“Erica Shepherd is a brilliant former CIA operative, now known as the most notorious traitor in American history, serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison. Against every fiber of his being, but with nowhere else to turn, FBI Agent Will Keaton enlists Shepherd to help track down a fiercely dangerous and elusive criminal she knows all too well. For Keaton, it’s not easy to trust the woman who cost him so much. While Shepherd and Keaton have different motivations for bringing the enemy to justice, they both know that to catch a spy - they must think like one.”

— NBC

Lorena

Genre Documentary

Cast Lorena Bobbitt, John Wayne Bobbitt, Paul Ebert, Kim Gandy

Rating TV-MA

Series Premiere February 15th, 2019 (Amazon Prime)

“From Executive Producer Jordan Peele, this four-part docuseries re-investigates the events of 1993, where Lorena Bobbitt sliced off her husband’s penis after years of abuse.”

“From Executive Producer Jordan Peele, this four-part docuseries investigates the events of 1993, where Lorena Bobbitt sliced off her husband’s penis after years of abuse. John and Lorena Bobbitt’s stories exploded into a 24-hour news cycle. She became a national joke, her suffering ignored by the male-dominated press. But as John spiraled downward, Lorena found strength in the scars of her ordeal.”

I was only 9 years old when this happened but somehow I have an extremely vivid memory of the events - more specifically I clearly remember Lorena’s “actions” becoming the punch line for the majority of the jokes my friend and I would tell at school. I guess that’s what happens when you go through the majority of grade school in Florida. Check out the official trailer for the brand-new Prime documentary series Lorena below!!

Run The Race

Director Chris Dowling

Genre Drama | Sport

Cast Tanner Stine, Kristoffer Polaha, Evan Hofer, Kelsey Reinhardt

Rating PG

Release Date February 22nd, 2019

“Against the backdrop of high school football and track, two brothers in a small Southern town face escalating problems with two different world views, straining - but ultimately strengthening - the bonds of brotherhood.”

From director Chris Dowling and executive producer Tim Tebow, Run The Race is a drama that tells the story of two brothers in a small Southern town who are facing escalating problems with two different world views, straining - but ultimately strengthening - the bonds of brotherhood. Check out the official trailer below!!

Happy Death Day 2U

Director Christopher Landon

Genre Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Cast Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Suraj Sharma

Rating PG-13

Release Date February 13th, 2019

“A young woman learns that dying over and over again was surprisingly easier than the dangers that lie ahead.”

Written and directed by Christopher Landon (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, Happy Death Day), Happy Death Day 2U is the sequel to the 2017 horror film about a college student who is forced to relive the day she is killed by a maniac over and over again. In the sequel she learns that what she went through before was nothing compared to what lies ahead. The “Groundhog Day” type theme worked well with the original film thanks to some creative writing and directing as well as a good balance between comedy and slasher style horror so I am looking forward to this! Check out the official trailer below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Happy Death Day 2U:

• This film may reveal how the time loop in the previous one got started in the first place as director Christopher Landon has stated that he plans to save the reason for a sequel.

• The trailer premiered in theaters before the showing of Halloween (2018).

Alita: Battle Angel

Director Robert Rodriguez

Genre Action | Adventure | Romance

Cast Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Skrein

Rating PG-13

Release Date February 14th, 2019

“An action-packed story of one young woman’s journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world.”

From multi-talented director Robert Rodriguez, the man who brought us Desperado (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Sin City (2005), and Machete (2010), to name a few, Alita: Battle Angel is a sci-fi action film centered around the action-packed story of one young woman's journey to discover the truth of who she is and her fight to change the world. This movie has managed to sneak under the radar for me and I finally saw the trailer in the IMAX before Ant-Man and the Wasp and I was thoroughly impressed. Simply put, this movie looks really damn cool- so I wasn't surprised to learn that Sin City director Robert Rodriguez is at the helm. Check out the official trailers below!!

Ted Takes Fun Facts, Alita: Battle Angel:

• James Cameron confirmed in an interview that this will be a combination of the first four books in Yukito Kishiro's series of manga books ("Motorball" from books 3 and 4, and the story from books 1 and 2). In another interview, Cameron also said that should this film be successful, he hopes to make another two "Battle Angel" films.

• The main character, even though it's a live action film, will be done with CG animation and will be shot in 3D using the stereo imaging system that James Cameron had been developing for his documentaries.