Wes Anderson Tells a Winding Story in "The French Dispatch" Trailer

Scene from The French Dispatch

Over his past few films, it feels like director Wes Anderson has perfected the art of getting your hopes up for the next Oscar season. Who could forget how The Grand Budapest Hotel released its first trailer on the heels of the 2015 Academy Awards, or how Isle of Dogs made 2018 feel like it would be a better year for animation? Well, it looks like he's outdone himself by dropping a trailer within the week following this year's ceremony. Just as everyone is wrapping up their thoughts on Parasite's historic win, Anderson is here to remind you that cinema is an evolving art form and that soon there will be a new class to talk about. With The French Dispatch, he adds his name to the 2020 prognostication early, making one excited to see his latest crowded fare look like another masterpiece that's going to dominate the conversation.

A24 A-to-Z: #34. "The Lobster" (2016)

Scene from The Lobster

In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

The First Trailer for "It's Only the End of the World" Promises a Tense Dinner Conversation

Scene from It's Only the End of the World

If you're anyone who follows international cinema, then you'll have a passing recognition of French-Canadian director Xavier Dolan. At the age of 27, he has had an impressive career that puts him leagues ahead of several other young directors. Of his five films as director, the lowest on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes has Heartbeats at 73%. If nothing else, he has a promising career ahead of him and if whatever he does compares to last year's phenomenal Mommy, he doesn't have much to worry about. While his latest, It's Only the End of the World, looks to have a divisive reception already, its first trailer promises a tense family dinner and a great cast that features Lea Seydoux, Marion Cotillard, and Vincent Cassell. It may be a slight and simple trailer, but it definitely packs the punch that we've come to expect from Dolan.

Review: "The Lobster" is the Best Romantic Comedy in Years

Scene from The Lobster

There are few movie genres who are in as much of an existential crisis as the romantic comedy. With limited exceptions, the story rarely is capable of escaping the A to B "boy meets girl" logic that services as the groundwork for the best films going back to the screwball comedies of the 1930's. It could be that love is such an inherent thing that nothing has really changed, possibly in centuries. Then there are films like Greek director Giorgos Lanthimos' English language debut The Lobster, which vitalizes the romantic comedy not by providing a traditional love story, but one that creatively and perversely looks into the very idea of what love is. With a strong cast and the most attention-grabbing plot of 2016, The Lobster is both a phenomenal achievement in story telling as well as the best romantic comedy of the year - possibly even the decade.

The First Trailer for Cannes Favorite "The Lobster" is Strangely Funny

Continuing the release of trailers for movies that played at Cannes is the latest from director Giorgos Lanthimos called The Lobster. The Greek director has made a career out of making films that are challenging studies of identity, most prevalent in the films Dogtooth and Alps. With his English debut, he gets a lot of high profile actors to tell what is probably one of the strangest stories yet. If a man doesn't marry, he will turn into a lobster. To most of you, you likely checked out, baffled by that plot description. However, I do think that the first trailer at very least looks to be an entertaining romp.

The Full Length Trailer for "Spectre" is Bond Doing Bond in Bondly Ways

Daniel Craig

One of the many big movies of the Fall is likely to be the latest film in the James Bond series. Following the critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated Skyfall, director Sam Mendes returns to deliver Spectre. As one can expect, there will likely be more of the familiar espionage and fast cars to keep fans of the British spy series entertained. Today marks the release of the first full trailer, which co-stars Daniel Craig and Christoph Waltz and sees the hero going on his 24th adventure. In predictable fashion, it looks just about as good as the recent Bond movies get.

Update: "Blue is the Warmest Color" Won't Be Eligible for the Best Foreign Film Oscar

Adele Exarchopolous

It is strange when a film of high acclaim such as that of Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color manages to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes, yet has failed to clear one hurdle. Thanks to ordinarywiseguy on Tumblr for bringing it to my attention, I have become aware that while I speculated the film's actual Oscar chances (and technically, there are still some), it turns out that due to one small loophole, the film has become ineligible for the Best Foreign Film nomination. It all has to do with a release date.

Review: "Blue is the Warmest Color" is an Ambitious Yet Familiar Love Story

Left to right: Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux

It is a film that shook the world. After director Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and became embraced by Steven Spielberg, it has remained in discussion for its depiction of lesbian relationships. The three hour story that follows Emma (Lea Seydoux) and Adele (Adele Exarchopolous) is one that seems very much progressive and is one of the most talked about gay-themed films since Brokeback Mountain. Even if it doesn't stand to gross even half of that, its existence is complicated and one that reflects the discovery of love in almost too accurate of detail from its embarrassing beginnings to its somber end. The only issue is that it also features all of the bumps in between, which aren't always that flattering.

"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.

The "Blue is the Warmest Color" Trailer Shows the Palme d'Or Winner in All it's Beauty

Lea Seydoux

Earlier this year, director Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color won the Palme d'Or at Cannes. This honor alone made this French lesbian drama into one of the hottest, most anticipated movies of the year for cinephiles all over the world. Based off of "Blue Angel" by Julie Maroh, the three hour drama that follows two lovers has been getting a lot of praise as well as some backlash for its depiction of homosexual couples. With the film mostly receiving acclaim and the American release date only a month away, the film has the capability of becoming one of the most talked about foreign films of the fall.