The Oscars season has left movie fanatics buzzing about the Academy’s latest picks, with quite a few controversial wins, most notably “Green Book” for best picture. Whether or not they agree with the which movies took home the trophies, film junkies everywhere have plenty to look forward to in terms of movies releasing in 2019.
For the superhero fanatics, there’s always something new to be excited about; the next to arrive is “Captain Marvel,” which opened on March 8. Many Marvel fans have been anxiously awaiting this film in particular, as it’s been hinted that the new hero, played by Brie Larson, will be a key player in the “Avengers: Endgame” plotline as the Avengers try to defeat Thanos. Besides the implications it will have on the rest of the Marvel cinematic universe, “Captain Marvel” will also be the franchise’s first solo movie starring a female superhero.
Those who have film tastes that are a little darker than the world of superheroes and supervillains can look forward to the release of “Us,” coming to theatres towards the end of March. Written and directed by Jordan Peele, creator of “Get Out,” the thriller centers around a family being tormented by creatures who look and think exactly like them, according to a cryptic trailer. The film boasts stars like Lupita Nyong’o and Elizabeth Moss, and is expected to generate over $30 million on its opening weekend according to Variety Magazine’s website.
Any Disney fans hoping to catch some childhood nostalgia are going to be in for a good year, in terms of films. Remakes of “Dumbo,” “The Lion King,” and “Aladdin” are coming our way, as well as new installments in the “Toy Story” and “Frozen” franchises. While many fans are anxious about Disney touching films that many deem to be perfect as is, this certainly hasn’t stopped the company from pushing out an almost countless amount of live-action remakes and spin-offs from their classic stories in recent memory. There’s clearly money to be made by remaking these films, since they brag such star-studded casts. The up-and-coming “Lion King” remake alone holds Donald Glover, Beyoncé, Seth Rogen and James Earl Jones on its playbill, to name a few.
While many of these films lean towards the dramatic, “Long Shot” is set to release on May 3 and appears to follow a rom-com pattern moviegoers know and love. The film stars Seth Rogen as an unemployed journalist who reconnects with his childhood crush and babysitter (played by Charlize Theron) who is on her way to becoming the President of the United States. While director Jonathan Levine’s 2017 film “Snatched” left much to be desired by critics, his entire body of work–including “50/50,” “Warm Bodies,” and “The Wackness”–suggests that there’s hope for “Long Shot” to be a hit.
This year holds a jam-packed calendar of promising movies, besides what’s even been mentioned so far–“Rocketman,” a biopic on Elton John, is a standout for one. Now that this year’s Academy Awards are said and done, it’s time for film buffs everywhere to start looking toward what groundbreaking films will be up for nomination this time next year. Siena students can take advantage of the discounted movie tickets for sale at the welcome desk in the Sarazen Student Union.