Does "Avatar" Resonate at All After 10 Years?

Scene from Avatar (2009)

It all seems like a myth nowadays. How could there be an original story in a major Hollywood production that grossed $2.78 Billion (with a 'B')? In 2009, earning over the 10-digit threshold was a rarity made by enough films that you could count on one hand. In some ways, that is what Avatar represented ultimately at the box office when it premiered on this date 10 years ago. It was a film that promised a new kind of spectacle, where motion-capture and 3D technology could be used to create a world of awe for audiences, creating the new essential for a theatrical experience. Yes, to wade through the majestic world is known as Pandora is to see the capabilities of computer technology to create fascinating landscapes where everything down to the moss growing on a tree feels thought out for hours and days. It was the spectacle that forced audiences to return in droves week after week.

And yet the world it promised would not amount to much. At some point following the film's release, director James Cameron declared that he would only be making Avatar movies for the rest of his career. It is 2019 and amid many deadlines not met the joke has become that these films will never get made. Is it to blame for why the film feels like such an anomaly nowadays? Kind of. The film was released in the wake of Marvel starting their cinematic universe and surging ticket prices made the road to a billion dollars easier (Disney has seven films this year that have achieved that goal this year so far). It could skid by so long on merchandise, popping up on the front page of Disney+ on release day as this weird reminder that the studio that made it (Fox) no longer exists. To complete the irony, Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing movie of all time just a few months prior. However, its status as the phenomenon that changed the world has been reduced to a fad, and one not entirely earned. As the joke goes, it's the most popular movie that nobody remembers, and that's a bit of a bummer. 

The First Trailer for Laika's "Missing Link" is a Delightfully Curious One

Scene from Missing Link

With exception to maybe Pixar, there have been few animation studios with as strong of a recent track record as Laika, who caters to stop-motion stories that skew a bit more horror and fantasy. It's the type of cinema that the oddball kid would definitely enjoy and their films (Coraline, ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings) all have earned a reputation for provocative stories that are wholly original as well as having some of the greatest animation in their given year. It makes sense then that their latest, 2019's Missing Link, takes on a lot of familiar elements as they tackle another odd subject: the "missing link" between man and species. It looks a lot more comical and silly than the other films, but it's no less of a marvelous visual delight that promises to be another joyful experience. 

Theory Thursday: "Guardians of the Galaxy" is Overrated

Scene from Guardians of the Galaxy

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. 

Failed Oscar Campaigns: "Avatar" (2009)

Scene from Avatar

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

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?