The First "Vox Lux" Trailer Has Natalie Portman Embracing Pop God Weirdness

Natalie Portman in Vox Lux

This Fall seems to be the perfect time for movies featuring complicated female performers. With A Star is Born dominating the box office and almost assuring Lady Gaga some Oscar glory, it's interesting to note that it's not the only film about singers coming out in the next few months. There is of course the indie film Her Smell, which takes on a more grotesque and disturbing take. Then there's director Brady Corbet's Vox Lux, which finds Oscar winner Natalie Portman returning to the race with a film that's been getting press for its intense portrayal of a celebrity going through a crisis. With the first trailer now upon us, the look into Portman's performance is here and it's a surreal, damaged image that is magnetic. Basically, it's the dark horse that this season could use.

Check This Out: A Look Back at When Chris Rock Angered Jude Law and Sean Penn

Chris Rock

Yesterday, there were rumored announcements that Chris Rock would be hosting this year's Oscars ceremony. The speculation didn't take long to lead to actual truth as today it was announced that he would in fact be hosting. While yesterday's piece explored why this is both a good and bad idea, I have decided to dedicate today's piece to commemorating the feud that he raised with actors Sean Penn and Jude Law. The following is a look at that night and the jokes that almost corrupted Rock's chances of hosting again.

Theory Thursday: "A.I.: Artificial Intelligence" is Spielberg's Worst Film

Left to right: Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law in A.I.: Artificial Intelligence

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. 

Review: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is Anderson's Most Beautiful and Audacious Film to Date

Left to right: Tony Revolori and Ralph Fiennes

Few films have been as much buzzed about in 2014 more than director Wes Andersons' The Grand Budapest Hotel. From its box office records to critical acclaim, the director's vision is one of the most distinct, whimsical, and original films with a distinct color pallet and a strange narrative structure. While all of it is excessive, this is all part of a grander vision that poses the question of how far cinema can go and then shattering those expectations. It is a film that triumphs because of how realized everything is. This is the closest to an epic that Anderson has ever made and with this departure, he has made one of his most enjoyably accessible films to date.

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" Trailer Debuts with Whimsical Excitement

I know that we still need to get through the 2013 Oscar season, but now would be as good of a time as any to speculate on potential front runners for next year's race. I'm not talking about films that were delayed, such as Foxcatcher or Grace of Monaco, but new releases that have yet to prove their muster. It may not open up until March 7, but the debut trailer for director Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel is looking to continue his hot streak of fun, ambitious cinema.

Will "Rise of the Guardians" Get the Gift of Best Animated Feature?

It has been quite a year for animated movies. Not only have we seen Pixar bounce back into prominence with Brave, but we have also seen two horror-based films (Paranorman and Frankenweenie) and a brilliant video game fueled Wreck-It Ralph (review coming next week). It may be one of the most diverse years in recent times. However, the race isn't quite over. Opening today is Dreamworks Animation's Rise of the Guardians, which can serve as The Avengers of holiday icons ranging from Santa Claus to Jack Frost and the Tooth Fairy. However, is the film capable of standing a chance against the already strong competition at the Oscars, or is it just another holiday film?

Is "Anna Karenina" Able to Separate Itself from Other Best Picture Period Pieces?

Keira Knightley 

Next Friday sees the release of director Joe Wright's fifth film Anna Karenina, an adaptation of the Russian novel by Leo Tolstory that follows the titular character (Keira Knightley) on her journey through love in the 19th century. With all of the attention surely going to be focused next week on director David O. Russell's Silver Linings Playbook, is it possible that Wright can pull an upset and bring period pieces back to the Oscars, and more notably the Best Picture category? Can he nab Knightley her second Best Actress nomination and possibly a win?