Having Broken A Billion Dollars, "Joker" Becomes One of the Most Profitable R-Rated Movies of All Time

Scene from Joker (2019)

Considering that it took Avengers: Endgame less than a weekend to earn a billion dollars, it seems like every film with a comic book source has a guaranteed success margin. However, there was one film that has been running rampant in the culture that seemed less of a surefire deal. Director Todd Haynes' Joker entered the Fall season as the wildcard Oscar favorite, including the belief that it would start mass shootings and drive incel audiences to revolt. Well, that hasn't happened (that we know of), but what has happened in the process is one of the few pop culture phenomenons of the year, drawing criticism, parodies, and even visits to the stairs where it was filmed. With all of that in mind, Joker making a billion dollars doesn't seem that wild of an idea. However, it being the first R-Rated movie of its kind to do so is a distinctive achievement. 

Review: "Wonderstruck" is an Inspiring Exploration of Life and Acceptance

Scene from Wonderstruck

Outside of animated movies, it seems very difficult to make a great family movie. The live action format is generally populated with films reliant on cheap jokes and pandering plots. It becomes difficult to see them as being art, or something that encourages kids to see the world in more perplexing manners. Director Todd Haynes has set out with writer Brian Selznick to fix this with Wonderstruck, whose execution is just as hard to summarize as its plot. Even then, it creates the wonder of cinema and youth in a manner that is inspiring. With two intersecting plots, the story challenges basic perceptions of what a family movie can be, and in the process develops a tangible art film for kids. It's heartfelt and moving, as well as smart. There isn't anything like this silent film/70's kids adventure hybrid, and that alone makes it worth checking out.

The Official "Wonderstruck" Trailer is a Whirlwind of Visual Delight

In 2015, director Todd Haynes released his most critically acclaimed movie to date, Carol. Despite not showing up strong with Oscar wins, it rejuvenated his career and made many wonder what would be next up for the filmmaker. With Wonderstruck, Haynes has decided to move from an elegant period drama to something more ambitious. It's a story that is even more visually stimulating than what's come before. It's a film that has taken most of the film festivals by storm. While this is only the first official trailer, it looks like Haynes wasn't kidding. If this isn't great, it at least has an awe-inspiring approach that blends styles and creates something new and exciting. With David Bowie's "Space Oddity" to back things up, the trailer is a work of art, and hopefully another knockout for Haynes.

A Quick Rundown of Trailers for Potential Oscar Season Front Runners

Scene from Suburbicon

Once again, I apologize for being a little quieter than normal on this blog. While I have been doing regular coverage, I haven't quite given attention to the plethora of great and promising trailers that came out in the wake of the upcoming Oscar season. This is why I have decided to do a round-up of 14 trailers that, if nothing else, look to have some form of promise whether it be in acting, writing, or any technical field. It's likely that a few of these will be duds, but trying to guess who the surprise victors are always fun. The following trailers show promise and, if nothing else, show just how intriguing the next few months will be.

Birthday Take: Rooney Mara in "Carol" (2015)

Rooney Mara in Carol

Welcome to The Birthday Take, a column dedicated to celebrating Oscar nominees and winners' birthdays by paying tribute to the work that got them noticed. This isn't meant to be an exhaustive retrospective, but more of a highlight of one nominated work that makes them noteworthy. The column will run whenever there is a birthday and will hopefully give a dense exploration of the finest performances and techniques applied to film. So please join me as we blow out the candles and dig into the delicious substance.

Rooney Mara Expresses Her Regret Over Whitewashed "Pan" Role

Rooney Mara

Save for Chris Rock's highly anticipated opening monologue, it seems like the Oscars So White debate has finally mellowed out after initial cries from Jada Pinkett Smith boycotting the ceremony to other celebrities saying problematic things. Basically we're at the point where you're either defending the Oscars as not being the problem, or blaming it as the pinnacle of what's wrong with film in 2016. However, there's been one recent viewpoint that's been expressed that seems prescient. Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Carol, Rooney Mara had an interesting year last year for a different reason. She was attacked in playing a Native American in director Joe Wright's box office bomb Pan. When asked recently how she feels about the Oscars So White issue, she spoke the familiar cry of equality while also preaching a certain level of regret. 

Review: "Carol" is About as Perfect as Movies Get

Scene from Carol

Love. At its core, almost every fiction narrative film has been in some capacity about the subject of love. It could be the explicit love between two subjects. It could be for the love of power. Whatever it may be, love remains just as vital to cinema after a century despite the emotions being the same thing in a different wardrobe. So how exactly do you improve on love in ways that The Lady Eve or Titanic hasn't covered? While thousands of films have tried, none have come close to the sublime new film from director Todd Haynes called Carol. While there's not much of a gimmick (two women fall in love), it's an example of love at its core; expressed with visual beauty and narrative excellence the likes of which haven't been seen in American films for quite some time. Carol may not have the most exciting story, but it has the purest depiction of what love is all about.

The "Carol" Teaser is a Sultry and Beautiful Debut for the Potential Oscar Contender

Cate Blanchett

It seems like we have been collectively talking about director Todd Haynes' Carol for eons now. Since its premiere this past summer at Cannes, it has been sparking a lot of debate with many prospecting that it will, in fact, be receiving an Oscar nomination at very least for Cate Blanchett. With the tale of lesbian love with co-star Rooney Mara, the film has sparked interest as the director's return to film (he most recently did the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce). Well, after months of fretting and speculating, there's some good news. There's officially a first trailer that is sure to get you hooked in the ecstasy of its two leads.

Lesbian Drama "Carol" Receives New Release Date

Cate Blanchett

If you're already marking up your calendar for Oscars season, there's plenty of chance that director Todd Haynes' Carol has been on there since its stellar debut at the Cannes Film Festival. With its initial release date planned for December 18, it was looking to open among a heady group that included The Hateful Eight and even blockbusters like Star Wars: Episode 7 - The Force Awakens. Even if Carol is almost a surefire Oscar contender, it made a move recently that saved it from falling into obscurity. It has a release date that gives it more of a significant notice to the casual audiences.

Films to Watch Out For From This Year's Cannes Festival

As the case with every year, the Cannes Film Festival remains the peak of international cinema. More than Sundance or Toronto International Film Festival, the award embodies a prestige that few other awards can get. In a long and storied run, the festival has awarded some of the finest in world cinema including last year's winner Winters Sleep and the previous year's more successful Blue is the Warmest Color. With the festival now wrapped up, it feels like as good of a time as any to look back on the few films that may likely be worth checking out when they finally arrive stateside.