Check This Out: "A Star is Born" (2018) Releases First Song "The Shallows," and Solidifies Its Status as Oscar Front Runner

Scene from A Star is Born (2018)

With every single day, it seems like the day when Oscar season starts to get serious is getting closer, and there's a good chance that the kickoff date is October 5's release of Bradley Cooper's A Star is Born remake. It has been dominating the film festivals with a lot of love from critics and audiences who are already making this sound like the film to beat. Whether it's true for Cooper and co-star Lady GaGa in what's being described as dynamic performances, one thing seems a bit more obvious: the one category that's going to be hard to beat from the film is Best Original Song. Nowhere is this more evident than today when the film released a video for its first song, "The Shallow": a duet that you likely recognize from the trailers, but up until now haven't been able to hear in full. Well, here's the song in full. Just don't expect it to leave your brain for the next five months, so be warned. 

Legitimate Theater Bonus: #6. Pretty Woman (2018)

Pretty Woman

Welcome to Legitimate Theater: a column dedicated to movie-based stage musicals. The goal of this series is to explore those stories that originated in films and eventually worked their way onto Broadway and beyond. By the end of each entry, there will hopefully be a better understanding of this odd but rampant trend in modern entertainment. Are these stories really worth telling through song and dance? How can it even compare to the technical prowess of a camera and seamless editing? Join me on this quest as I explore the highs and lows of this trend on the third Wednesday of every month and hopefully answer what makes this Legitimate Theater.

A24 A-to-Z: #49. "The Lovers" (2017)

Scene from The Lovers

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.

Composing Greatness: #3. Thomas Newman - "Unstrung Heroes" (1995)

Scene from Unstrung Heroes

Welcome to Composing Greatness: a column dedicated to exploring the work of film composers. This will specifically focus on the films that earned them Oscar nominations while exploring what makes it so special. This will be broken down into a look at the overall style, interesting moments within the composition, and what made the score worth nominating in the first place. This will also include various subcategories where I will rank the themes of each film along with any time that the composer actually wins. This is a column meant to explore a side of film that doesn't get enough credit while hopefully introducing audiences to an enriched view of more prolific composers' work. This will only cover scores/songs that are compiled in an easily accessible format (so no extended scores will be considered). Join me every Sunday as I cover these talents that if you don't know by name, you recognize by sound.