Review: "Avengers: Endgame" Gives the Long Goodbye in Beautiful, Messy Ways

Scene from Avengers: Endgame

If the marketing is to be believed, the impact of Avengers: Endgame is a once in a generation achievement. Over the course of 22 movies, Marvel has built a cinematic universe that has come to redefine modern pop culture and turned such esoteric properties as Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel into major icons. It's also the stick in the mud that isn't going anywhere, which can be tiresome for those not willing to put up with its three movies-a-year regiments. In fact, there's another film a few months away (Spider-Man: Far From Home) that zaps the film of certain suspense. With Disney+ also promising a half-dozen shows of various B-Level characters, what is there really to get out of Endgame that warrants it of the major acclaim and billion dollar-opening weekend?

In one sense, Endgame isn't the long goodbye that audiences are promised. Avengers: Infinity War wasn't a moment that killed off half of the cast. How could it? Black Panther was a cultural milestone in the entire superhero genre. To kill off such beloved characters (in a more cynical sense: cash cows) feel foolish. It will take years, maybe even decades (or a century) for these characters to lose their appeal. The weight of supervillain Thanos rings hollow in that way, as audiences are used to these characters surviving impossible feats. While it's true that this isn't a goodbye for 80% of characters that appear in Endgame, those that meet their end do so with the bravura that only a franchise that's existed for 11 years could achieve. Not since Harry Potter has something so weird and genre-specific culminated in something of a miracle. For the 20% that are now in the past, this film serves as a loving tribute not only to what The Avengers means as a franchise but the sacrifices that come with being a superhero.

Best Song: "Shallow" (2018)

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

Welcome to Best Song, a new weekly column released on Sunday dedicated to chronicling the Best Original Song category over the course of its many decades. The goal is to listen to and critique every song that has ever been nominated in the category as well as find the Best Best Song and the Best Loser. By the end, we'll have a comprehensive list of this music category and will hopefully have a better understanding not only of the evolution but what it takes to receive a nomination here. It may seem easy now but wait until the bad years.

A Rundown of Who's Performing on The Academy Awards this Sunday

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Things are getting exciting. With approximately 48 hours left until this year's Oscars ceremony, it's time lo look forward to the ceremony. Knowing that there isn't any host, what is there to look forward to? Well, there's good news (and some bad) in regards to this year's music performers. As of this moment, four of the five songs will be performed at the ceremony. While some would think this is a side effect of the infamous cuts that the show temporarily had, it's merely a side effect from scheduling. To find out who is still on the show, please feel free to read on and prepare for what is shaping up to be one of the oddest ceremonies in the modern era.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "American Sniper" (2014)

Scene from American Sniper

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

Born This Way: Bradley Cooper's "A Star is Born" (2018)

Every few decades, one remake emerges that defines the zeitgeist in some meaningful way. While there's only four versions of A Star is Born out there currently, they all have left a stamp on Hollywood and the music industries with scathing tales of fame, indulgence, and the power of creativity. Over the course of this week, Born This Way will be looking at the films, released between 1937 and 2018, and analyzing what makes each one special along with what they do right, what could be improved, and just a general celebration of all things glitz and glamour. You might want to take another look at this column, because it's something as timeless as film itself. Dive in and enjoy Hollywood's favorite franchise, which has earned 17 Oscar nominations, 2 wins, and an Honorary Award. There's few films like these, so catch them before they fade away.

Review: "A Star is Born" (2018) is a Powerhouse of Movie Magic

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

It's a moment that has been a bit ruined by the trailers, but what director Bradley Cooper captures during the "Shallow" sequence can only be described as movie magic. Country star Jackson Maine (Cooper) prods Ally (Lady Gaga) onto stage to sing her original song, previously introduced as this throwaway ditty in a parking lot late at night. As the guitars and drums build, the intensity kicks in and suddenly Ally is out there, nervously singing her own song. However, there's a moment of impulse that allows her to free herself, breaking out into a proud harmony that tears through her, breaking into the chorus so beautifully. Better than just about any other version, Cooper has captured the magic of A Star is Born not in words, but in a ferocity of energy. It's also a moment where Gaga has evolved into an actress to be reckoned with, as the next two hours take her on a whirlwind of triumph and heartbreak. But for one moment, it was all perfect. For whatever faults Cooper brings to his directorial debut, he makes up for it with sheer joy and power in one of the best takes of A Star is Born to hit the screen.

Best Song Bonus: "A Star is Born" (2018)

Scene from A Star is Born

Welcome to a very special bonus Best Song column dedicated to the soundtrack for the 2018 film A Star is Born. Considering that this column was created to recognize all things relevant to the Best Original Song category, it only seems right that there would be a deep dive into one of the year's strongest contenders for the category not with just one song, but a whole handful of catchy, memorable tunes that will probably dominate radio and be lodged in your ears for years to come. With this bonus entry, the goal is to determine which of the many original songs from Bradley Cooper's directorial debut deserves a shot at the prize, and which ones actually stand a chance of winning. If all goes right, there will be a few of these awaiting prize consideration on Oscar night.

Check This Out: Watch the Previous "A Star is Born" Movies on FilmStruck

Scene from A Star is Born (1954)

As most people already know, yesterday marked the release of the fourth adaptation of Hollywood's favorite franchise A Star is Born, this time directed by Bradley Cooper and starring Lady Gaga. Early talk has been that it's great and that the song "Shallow" is set to dominate the Best Original Song category. While it's encouraged that you go out and see it just for the sheer energy on display, those who want to see the wide berth of history for this franchise need not go out and buy the DVD's. If that's too pricey of a measure, there is a simpler way, and it involves having a subscription to the great streaming service FilmStruck. Right now, you can go to their website and watch the 1937, 1954, and 1976 versions of the films that have in total earned 17 Oscar nominations (including 1 Best Picture), 2 wins, and an Honorary Award. It's a franchise that's likely to outlast us all, so get on board and see what all of the fuss is about.

How "The Place Beyond the Pines" Turned Bradley Cooper Into a Serious Actor

Bradley Cooper in The Place Beyond the Pines

*NOTE: Spoilers

It's something that can be taken for granted, especially given the buzz surrounding the 2018 adaptation of A Star is Born. Bradley Cooper wasn't always a prestigious actor, producing enough quality work to earn him four Oscar-nominations over three years and a status as a charismatic lead in comedies like Silver Linings Playbook as well as heavy dramas like American Sniper. However, there was a time only five years ago when considering him an Oscar stalwart was worthy of a few laughs. At the start of 2013, his highest credits were in frat boy comedies like The Hangover and Wedding Crashers. He had little to distinguish himself as someone worth paying attention to beyond a fluke Oscar nomination. However, anyone questioning his potential only needed to wait a few months for a film that should've changed the conversation with a powerful drama about fathers and sons that also saw fellow 2018 Oscar Best Actor competitor Ryan Gosling in a duel role. The Place Beyond the Pines was ambitious and nuanced in ways that Cooper hasn't really been allowed to play before or since, and he really should've gotten more chances before A Star is Born.

Check This Out: "A Star is Born" (2018) Releases First Song "The Shallows," and Solidifies Its Status as Oscar Front Runner

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

With every single day, it seems like the day when Oscar season starts to get serious is getting closer, and there's a good chance that the kickoff date is October 5's release of Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born remake. It has been dominating the film festivals with a lot of love from critics and audiences who are already making this sound like the film to beat. Whether it's true for Cooper and co-star Lady GaGa in what's being described as dynamic performances, one thing seems a bit more obvious: the one category that's going to be hard to beat from the film is Best Original Song. Nowhere is this more evident than today when the film released a video for its first song, "The Shallow": a duet that you likely recognize from the trailers, but up until now haven't been able to hear in full. Well, here's the song in full. Just don't expect it to leave your brain for the next five months, so be warned. 

The First Trailer for "A Star is Born" Proves That It's an Evergreen Concept

Scene from A Star is Born

To an extent, A Star is Born may be Hollywood's favorite franchise. So it hasn't necessarily spawned sequels, but every remake feels indicative of an era of celebrity whether it be the William A. Wellman original, the Judy Garland career best, or strange Barbara Streisand take. It has always been there as a source of inspiration and has now hit actor Bradley Cooper hard enough to make his own adaptation, co-starring Lady GaGa. There's been speculation of its greatness thanks to actors like Sean Penn touting its greatness, but today marks the first moment that the world gets to see any footage of it. The first trailer has dropped, and it's kind of what you'd expect from an emotional, personal journey into fame.

Theory Thursday: "Guardians of the Galaxy" is Overrated

Scene from Guardians of the Galaxy

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

The Runner-Ups: Derek Cianfrance in "The Place Beyond the Pines" (2013)

Scene from The Place Beyond the Pines

Every Oscar season, there are a handful of actors who get tagged with the "snubbed" moniker. While it is always unfortunate to see our favorites not honored with at very least a nomination, there's another trend that goes largely unnoticed: those who never even got that far. The Runner-Ups is a column meant to honor the greats in cinema who put in phenomenal work without getting the credit that they deserved from The Academy. Join me every Saturday as I honor those who never received any love. This list will hopefully come to cover both the acting community, and the many crew members who put the production together.

Review: "Joy" Gives Lawrence One of Her Career Bests

Jennifer Lawrence

There's something intriguing about director David O. Russell's work since The Fighter. Where his earlier career is mired in violent outbreaks and abrasive cinema, he has suddenly become one of the most wholesome/tolerable auteurs of populous cinema. It isn't that he plays it safe, but has found a formula and a cast that are willing to bring his stories of the underdog to life in the same ways that James Stewart did with Frank Capra (though more crass). While his work continues to remain wildly inconsistent, his latest Joy is the perfect encapsulation of what his career means in 2015. It isn't just his take on feminism and economics. It's a film that wants to look at the process of selling an implausible vision - such as Jennifer Lawrence selling retractable mops. With this film, he perfects his formula and makes one of his career bests with a story that's strong and a funny bone to match. 

Update: "I See the Light" and "Burnt" Get New Release Dates

Tom Hiddleston in I Saw the Light

It's a pretty good time to be Tom Hiddleston. For starters, he has had an impressive run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as series favorite villain Loki. He also recently worked with director Guillermo Del Toro for the Gothic romance film Crimson Peak from this past weekend. However, those wanting to bet on him getting an Oscar nomination to cap off 2015 will have to wait, possibly even give up hopes entirely. Director Marc Abraham's Hank Williams biopic has been delayed to 2016. This isn't the only film to get moved around, with the Bradley Cooper chef film Burnt also receiving a not as severe change of plans. If anything, these may serve as a slight change to their Oscar buzz going forward.

Review: "Serena" Won't Even Satisfy Cooper and Lawrence Die Hards

Jennifer Lawrence

While everyone is looking forward to Joy this upcoming Fall, the first half of 2015 hasn't been kind to its central cast and director. Along with David O. Russell's notoriously abandoned Accidental Love, actors Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence have their own shelved project that dates back before their breakout hit Silver Linings Playbook. One could only speculate as to why it was shelved for three years, not even receiving a pity release to bank off of its stars. Still, with Oscar-winning director Susanne Bier, why is the film almost unmarketable? For those expecting the worst, you won't get it. However, it definitely isn't a flawed masterpiece either. It is simply an often misguided love story that goes terribly wrong.

The First "Joy" Trailer Shows Lawrence Gunning for an Oscar Nomination

Jennifer Lawrence

It has already been a rough 2015 for the cast of Silver Linings Playbook. First there was director David O. Russell's long abandoned Accidental Love, which saw the light of day long after it shouldn't have. Then there was the shelved Jennifer Lawrence/Bradley Cooper romance Serena (review coming soon), which favored slightly better. However, it looks like the gang is getting back together for a hopefully better outing with their first collaboration since 2013's American Hustle called Joy. With the first trailer released, there's plenty to get excited about, especially since it looks like the charm is back and I'm sure that we're looking at another Oscar front runner.

Watch This: Check Out the First Eight Minutes of "Aloha"

Left to right Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone

Well, after initial buzz that director Cameron Crowe's latest Aloha could have been his return to the Oscars race, it looks like it may not be happening now. If the critics' reviews are to be believed - or at least serve as a quality barometer - this is not going to look too well. With discussion of a ridiculous third act plot device and incompatible chemistry between Oscar nominees Bradley Cooper (Best Actor - American Sniper) and Emma Stone (Best Actress - Birdman), this may prove to be a little more challenging. With critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes pinning the movie at a lowly 19%, it may be looking closer to the Razzies at this point. However, if you are on the fence about seeing it, Sony has giving you a little enticement. That is, you can watch the first eight minutes for free right now.

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012)

Left to right: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

The "Aloha" Trailer Shows a Tropical Side to Crowe's Charm

Left to right:  Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone

While it seems sacrilegious to talk about next year's Oscars in the wake of the recent ceremony, it is hard to pass up a chance to talk about a new film from director Cameron Crowe. With an impressive career that has featured such noteworthy films as Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire, he is always a solid back pocket selection when talking about an Academy Award nomination. In the case of his latest film's first trailer, Aloha, it looks like he may be back provided that it can stick the landing.