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Every year at the Academy Awards, there are a few types of films that are bound to be nominated: the blockbusters that dominated the box office, the arthouse hopefuls and the little indies that could.
There is a scene in “The Holdovers’’ in which boarding school teacher Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) asks Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa), a troubled student whom he is the guardian of over winter break, what the bottle of pills on his bed is for. Angus quickly brushes them off as being for his “low energy,” to which Paul bluntly responds, “You mean for depression?” Angus changes the subject and walks out of the room while Paul takes a few of the pills.
The slasher film “Thanksgiving” was released in theaters on Nov. 17, scoring big with fans and critics alike. The film has notched an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with mostly positive reviews for director Eli Roth’s latest horror installment while also grossing $36.8 million against a $15 million budget as of Monday, Dec. 4.
Nothing could prepare audiences for “Saltburn,” the psychological thriller and black comedy that was released on Nov. 17. The film follows a young university student who becomes obsessed with a wealthy student and his family, ultimately spending the summer with them at their Saltburn estate.
“The Hunger Games” franchise continued on Nov. 17 with the release of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” a prequel movie to the original trilogy. The new movie, directed by Francis Lawrence, tells the story of the 10th annual Hunger Games, highlighting Coriolanus Snow.
In 2022, Elvis Presley reentered cultural consciousness through the flamboyant eyes of Baz Luhrmann. Austin Butler’s portrayal – and the exuberant stylistic elements of the film – depicted the well-known and beloved Elvis. Sofia Coppola’s new film “Priscilla” demands her audience of something greater: nuance. She demands the King of Rock to be seen through the eyes of his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley. Represented in this movie is a far-more nuanced and loveable icon because he is understood through the woman who loves him. What’s more, Coppola is able to acutely delineate how it is that a woman can lose herself in love and crafts a sophisticated story that honors the lived experiences of women.
The recent release of the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie on Oct. 27 has reignited the franchise’s popularity, and fans of the games swarmed the theaters. The majority of the fans of the original game of the same name, which came out on Aug. 8, 2014, are now adults; however, the film’s financial success at the box office proves that older fans were still eager to rush to the theaters to see it.
With over $1 billion in unadjusted worldwide grosses and a massive, devoted following, “Saw” is one of the most successful horror franchises in existence. Starting off with a “Seven”-esque thriller and quickly morphing into a wildly elaborate and excessively gory soap opera, the soon-to-be-ten-film series has repulsed critics and general audiences alike but has ensnared the hearts and minds of horror fans around the world for nearly two decades.
Nearly 19 years after audiences were brutally introduced to the twisted world of “Saw,” the franchise’s staple character John Kramer (aka Jigsaw) is still one of the most iconic and beloved horror movie villains of all time. What makes his case so different from the rest, however, is how debatable his status as a villain is. Of course, kidnapping people and subjecting them to elaborate torture machines isn’t exactly the work of a traditional “hero,” but as his mythology unfolds during the first seven films, his achingly tragic and at times empathetic character is revealed to be more of an anti-hero than a clear-cut hero or villain.
On Friday, Sept. 8, fans of the wildly popular “The Conjuring” films had the opportunity to kick off the start of spooky season with the franchise’s latest addition: “The Nun II.” However, those looking to repeat the sinisterly religious experience of “The Nun” might find the newest film lacking the same qualities that made the first one so powerful.
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” released on July 21, was the poppy, pink and star-studded blockbuster comedy event of the summer. Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the film made over $150 million on opening weekend in the United States and was also the largest domestic opening for a female director, according to Deadline.
Only a few characters have had a profound cultural impact such as Bram Stoker’s Blood Sucking Count, Dracula. Throughout film history, many actors have dawned the iconic cape and fangs such as the legendary Bela Lugosi and the great Christopher Lee.
From the opening shot to the closing credits, Edward Berger’s adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel, “All Quiet on the Western Front,” is a spectacle unlike any other. Released earlier this year at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, the film is a beautifully, yet horrifically, captured portrayal of the life of a soldier in World War I.
It is hard to believe that it has been 30 years since Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) was left behind by his family, again, during another one of their Christmas trips. Instead of being home in Chicago, Kevin is left in New York after accidentally following someone he thought was his dad on to the wrong flight. The rest of the McCallister clan is spending Christmas in Miami, losing Kevin once again. As Kate says to the Miami police officer, “It’s becoming sort of McCallister family travel tradition.”
The first “Black Panther” movie, released back in 2018, undoubtedly left its mark on the superhero movie industry, claiming many firsts, such as being a big-budget superhero movie with a Black hero, director and a majority Black cast
Audiences agree that “My Policeman,” starring Emma Corrin, David Dawson and Harry Styles, is a heartbreaking masterpiece.
It’s 2012, and the very first “Avengers” franchise film just released in theaters. Marvel fans have finally received the film they’ve been wanting for decades. The critics’ reception of the film was excellent, and the general public knew that a sequel was the natural next step in the world of Marvel superhero films. However, it’s safe to say that no Marvel fan knew just how hugely oversaturated the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would become in the ensuing years.
Dragon Ball’s newest film, “Dragon Ball Super: Superhero” is a film set three years after the events of 2018’s “Broly” movie.
From the initial announcement of a prequel of the highly acclaimed 2022 slasher film “X,” fans have been at the edge of their seats waiting for “Pearl” to finally grace their screens.
Netflix’s new teen dramedy, “Do Revenge,” released Friday, Sept. 16, and quickly gained popularity over social media.
