"Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" is Getting a Rerelease This Weekend... With 4 New Scenes!

Scene from Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

While this past summer may have not had a lot in the way of standout entertainment, it did have one shining star: a new Quentin Tarantino movie. Love it or hate it, the film sparked a conversation that was sorely missing. Not only was it praised for becoming one of the rare original adult stories of 2019 to gross over $100 million at the box office, an honor that wasn't really matched until September's Hustlers. Still, there was talk from the get-go of potential Oscar chances for everyone from Tarantino to actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt (who has also gained acclaim for Ad Astra), and Margot Robbie (who has also gained acclaim for Bombshell). So, how does a film wanting to stay in the race try and stay relevant? While the film hasn't entirely left theaters, this weekend finds a revival of sorts with a new extended cut that you can see nationwide. 

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.

Review: "Black Panther" Creates Exciting New Potential for Superheroes

Scene from Black Panther

While comic books movies have taken audiences to the far reaches of space, into the depths of the ocean, and into the most fantastical of fantasies, Black Panther has managed to find something groundbreaking within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe narrative. It isn't just that it's the first black superhero to headline his own movie, or that he does so without having to navigate a white world. Its very embodiment of Afro-Futurism is something that even a decade ago would've seemed risky for Hollywood. In 2018 however, it has shamelessly come forward and told a story that is exciting both in action and in story. Director Ryan Coogler isn't just obsessed with making a film look cool, but also gives it a cultural depth that would place it alongside touchstones like A Raisin in the Sun. For all of its great moments, the film feels different because it feels important; not just in the sense of world building, but in the future of superhero cinema. There hasn't been a movie like Black Panther before, and hopefully there will be a bunch coming very soon.

A Look at the Oscar Chances for "Deadpool"

Scene from Deadpool

It has happened again. Deadpool has gotten another award nomination, this time by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). It is an honor that comes as a big surprise to those who wish to write off the superhero satire that broke the fourth wall as well as box office prognostication; creating a belief that an R-Rated superhero movie could be commercially viable. It is far from the first nomination to happen. This upcoming Sunday will see it go up against awards heavyweights like La La Land and Florence Foster Jenkins for Best Comedy or Musical, as well as an acting nomination for lead star Ryan Reynolds. It's a bizarre trajectory, especially for a film released back in February of 2016. However, there is one question to ask ourselves: is Deadpool capable of being an Oscar contender? There's not enough to say it is official, but the Golden Globes and WGA nominations help to spread certain doubt.

A Look at the 20 Titles On the Best Special Effects Shortlist

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

In today's cinema, there's a lot of reliance on special effects to compliment the story. It's something that is both accepted and controversial to purists. The best examples of special effects are those that don't draw attention to themselves and end up making it look like practical effects. The Academy has released its 20 nominees on the shortlist vying for this year's Best Special Effects Oscar nominations. While there are a few familiar big budget blockbusters, there's also a few that are likely to make you a little confused. The following is the list of films on the list followed by any additional thoughts.

Review: "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is Bigger and Louder in the Best Ways Possible

In 2015, cinema has reached an oversaturation of comic book movies to the point that even the very best are suspect to consistent criticism. But the question is raised: what makes a great comic book movie? Is it the ability to mold itself into high art, or is it to stick to the stylized universes of which these stories take place on a page? It seems harder than ever to distinguish between the two, especially with director Joss Whedon's The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is his swan song from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a way, it is high art and style shoved into one film with uneven results that are at times too stuffed. However, Whedon once again puts out a challenge to everyone else by showing how to make a comic book movie that can have depth and still be extremely exhilarating.

Can Superhero Blockbusters Be Best Picture Nominees?

Scene from The Avengers: Age of Ultron

It is way too easy to lobby complaints at the Academy for being out of touch with popular audiences. In fact, the last major blockbuster film to warrant any major Oscar buzz was director James Cameron's Avatar in 2009. The technical spectacle captivated audiences, broke box office records and convinced the Academy to lavish it with nominations and wins. Yes, there have been other big budgeted films like the introspective Life of Pi or the debauchery-filled The Wolf of Wall Street that have been nominated, but let me ask you something: will we ever see a day when a real superhero blockbuster movie gets recognized with so much as a Best Picture nomination? 

Does "The Avengers" and "The Dark Knight Rises" Stand a Chance Against the Academy?

Left to right: Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises
and Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans in The Avengers

This past summer has not given us that many big budget Oscar contenders. At most, we have people speculating on whether director Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises will pull a Return of the King and sweep this year's ceremonies. Meanwhile, there is also some buzz that maybe if director Joss Whedon's The Avengers can stand to steal some thunder from the caped crusader. With the release of Whedon's blockbuster hit, it is time to consider the odds on if it stands a chance against The Dark Knight Rises. Either way, is it possible that blockbuster entertainment can compete against prestige art house films like The Master?