"Arrival" to Return to Theaters This Weekend With Bonus Footage

Scene from Arrival

Now that the Oscar nominations are out, it's time for everyone to catch up on the titles that they've missed. In most cases, this includes many of the films that are still in theaters or are in the interim of making it to home video. If you're one of those who wishes to catch up on director Denis Villeneuve's Arrival, which earned eight nominations including Best Picture, you're in luck. This weekend marks the typical rerelease of an Oscar front runner. The only difference this time is that those patient enough to make it through the end credits will get a little something extra special.

Review: "Arrival" is a Smart and Timely Film About More Than Aliens

Scene from Arrival

It is difficult to watch director Denis Villeneuve's latest Arrival and not think about the real world. This is in part because of the film's theatrical release being a few days after the 2016 American presidential election; itself a motive that feels intentional the further along the film goes. With the results leading to controversy and outrage, there's questions as to whether the world can truly come together and understand differences. This is a central piece to Arrival: a film that contradicts the alien invasion story by focusing on a more intellectual debate. Unlike this past summer's Independence Day: Resurgence, Arrival wants to better humanity. It is the perfect film for the moment as well as further proof that Villeneuve is one of modern cinema's most challenging, engaging mainstream voices. 

Can "Out of the Furnace" Sneak into the Oscar Conversation?

Christian Bale

Back in 2009, director Scott Cooper made it onto the scene with the highly acclaimed Crazy Heart. Earning Jeff Bridges his first Oscar (Best Actor), it told the story of a down-on-his-luck country singer who was in the autumn years. It connected with audiences and helped to make the compositions of T. Bone Burnett popular again. If there was any flaw to the debut, it was that it may have been light on the darker elements and even if Bridges was a powerhouse performer, the rest of the story wasn't as strong without him. With his follow-up, Cooper looks to be going darker with Out of the Furnace with a higher caliber cast and plenty of darker, dramatic themes. But is it enough to get him recognized by the Academy again?

Review: "The Butler" May Be Clumsy, But Its Heart Saves the Day

Forrest Whitaker

Ask any American person who has been through school, and they should be able to tell you a vague outline of racism in the nation's history. Almost everyone knows who Martin Luther King Jr. is and how segregation worked. It would be a challenge to make these subjects into interesting, original narratives that expresses a different side of it. While two of the more prominent examples are The Help and the wildly anachronistic mess of Django Unchained, they don't necessarily bring anything new to the story. In a way, that is what makes director Lee Daniels' latest The Butler one of the more interesting peeks into modern American history more than its counterparts.