​If you have seen the trailer for the new Joker film starring Joaquin Phoenix, you know it's not your average comic book film with the good guy swooping in to save the world. It is an in-depth character study about a depressed, lonely man who has trouble relating to people, especially to the women in his life who he dearly wants to impress. 
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The Joker has always been one of DC Comics most favourite villains, having been played multiple times by some of Hollywood's most legendary actors.  Jack Nicholson played him in the 90s. Mark Hamill voiced him in the illustrated version. Health Ledger took him to a whole new level in the Christopher Nolan Batman series. How will Joaquin Phoenix's version stack up against all these past performances? Well, the film is all the buzz at this years' Toronto International Film Festival and there is talk that Phoenix will earn an Oscar nomination. 

In the past, the Joker had no origin story.  According to some versions, Joker is a failed clown who just had a bad run of things but he really has no history. Director Todd Phillips origin movie attempts to correct this but this has led to quite a diverse opinion and even controversy on social media.

With the Toronto Film Festival wrapping up, the film industry is looking at ramping up their Oscar campaigns in the industry's biggest night of the year.  As hardcore film buff knows, it takes a lot of hard work to win an Oscar. However, what you may not know is that it also takes an incredible amount of money -- and I mean a LOT of money -- to run one of these campaigns. In fact, sometimes, the price of winning is more than a film's budget.
 
How Much Does It Cost To Win A Oscar?
 Securing an Academy Award isn't cheap. The best picture, best director, best actor and actress, and best support actor and actress are the five most prestigious categories and can add a significant boost to their box office draw.  Studios usually spend anywhere between $3 million and $10 million to try to secure votes for Best Picture – and that’s just one category. That’s a lot of money for a statue.
 
Why Does It Cost So Much?
In the perfect world, an Oscar-nominated movie would win an Academy Award based solely on its artistic merit. But of course, human psychology comes into play and film studios aren't afraid to go out to promote their films and feed large egos. 
Some estimates for the total amount Hollywood studios spends on Oscar campaigns range between $100 million right up to $500 million in a single year.  That's a lot of money, you might say, so how is it spent?
 

​By now, I'm sure that you've seen the latest Star Wars trailer, Rise of Skywalker. It starts off by recapping the saga that started all the way back in 1977 (as if you needed a recap but it was cool and nostalgic anyways.)

While the JJ Abrams Star War films have satisfied an itch that needed scratching, it has not lived up to the insane hype. It's not an easy task but most fans were expecting a little more from the films. A more original plot, better character development and more action. However, having said all that, with the final installment insight, it's hard not to be excited after seeing the trailer. There is so much to discuss, so much that is unknown but the only real question fans should be asking is does the final film live up to expectations? Will it compensate for all that is missing in the first two fims?
The Star Wars 9 trailer is teasing the return of an old villain. How exactly Emperor Palpatine is back, considering he was presumably killed in Return of the Jedi, and whether he will face off against Rey, remains to be seen. A rumour is circling the internet that Palpatine transfers his soul to Darth Vader's helmet. While many fans might dismiss this rumour, there is some Star Wars lore that back ups the theory. 

 Alongside that, the fans are wondering how the franchise will send off Princess Leia. Plus, there's the small matter of new characters appearing alongside popular characters like Luke and C-3PO.
Thanks to Lucasfilm wrapping the movie in a cloud of mystery, there's plenty to speculate about, too. The most recent trailer adds more backstory to the previous teaser and more reveal about the actual storyline, which is to be expected. C3PO with sinister red eyes, epic space battles, yes, and double-edged lightsabers add to the excitement and intrigue. We also see Kylo Ren and Rey fighting the fight of light and dark on what appears to be a sinking Imperial battleship. That will be cool. For the rest, we'll have to wait until closer to that December 20th launch date.

While this won't be the last Star Wars film, it will probably be the last that has a majority of our favourite characters playing major roles. And because that is the case, it is an important milestone in the Star Wars films.By now, I'm sure that you've seen the latest Star Wars trailer, Rise of Skywalker. It starts off by recapping the saga that started all the way back in 1977 (as if you needed a recap but it was cool and nostalgic anyways.)

While the JJ Abrams Star War films have satisfied an itch that needed scratching, it has definitely not lived up to the insane hype. It's not an easy task but most fans were expecting a little more from the films. A more original plot, better character development and more action. However, having said all that, with the final installment insight, it's hard not to be excited after seeing the trailer. There is so much to discuss, so much that is unknown but the only real question fans should be asking is does the final film live up to expectations? Will it compensate for all that is missing in the first two films?

The Star Wars 9 trailer is teasing the return of an old villain. How exactly Emperor Palpatine is back, considering he was presumably killed in Return of the Jedi, and whether he will face off against Rey, remains to be seen.

 Alongside that, the fans are wondering how the franchise will send off Princess Leia. Plus, there's the small matter of new characters appearing alongside popular characters like Luke and C-3PO.
Thanks to Lucasfilm wrapping the movie in a cloud of mystery, there's plenty to speculate about, too. The most recent trailer adds more backstory to the previous teaser and more reveal about the actual storyline, which is to be expected. C3PO with sinister red eyes, epic space battles, yes, and double-edged lightsabers add to the excitement and intrigue. We also see Kylo Ren and Rey fighting the fight of light and dark on what appears to be a sinking Imperial battleship. That will be cool. For the rest, we'll have to wait until closer to that December 20th launch date.

While this won't be the last Star Wars film, it will probably be the last that has a majority of our favourite characters playing major roles. And because that is the case, it is an important milestone in the Star Wars films.