Patricia Arquette has won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance in "Boyhood." 

This is her first Oscar win and first nomination.

Arquette was the favorite to win beating out nominees Meryl Streep ("Into The Woods"), Laura Dern ("Wild"), Keira Knightley ("The Imitation Game"), and Emma Stone ("Birdman").

The 46-year-old actress has swept award season winning a Golden Globe and a BAFTA award for her role in the Oscar-nominated picture.

Arquette's performance is the product of 12 years of hard work.

"Boyhood," which was directed by Richard Linklater, follows the trajectory of one young boy as he grows up. Arquette stars as his mother, who suffers through multiple failed marriages while trying to raise her two children.

SEE ALSO: Patricia Arquette was paid surprisingly little for "Boyhood"

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If you read my last post about the correlation between a film’s budget and its performance in the box office, you were possibly intrigued about my mentions of the biggest box office successes and failures. I decided to focus on this topic a little more by using Box Office Mojo’s data to provide some top 25 lists. For maximum alliteration, I’ll call the successes "booms" and the failures "busts."

The booms

"Booms" are films that made the most money from ticket sales* after the cost of the production budget is subtracted. These are all films that you most likely went to see in the theaters at least once, if you were old enough.

Interestingly, most of the films in this list are from the 1980s and 1990s. It seems that even though film production companies are spending more on producing bigger films, their investments aren’t being matched by moviegoers at the theater. In fact, the only film from the past decade to make the top 25 is "The Hunger Games," which (unsurprisingly) has had a sequel every year since it was released.

Of course, the downside of looking at "the booms" by looking at net profit is that it favors the big-budget films with a massive marketing budget. What about the successful underdog films that were made in someone’s bedroom with a low-grade camera? To find the underdog success stories, I calculated the profit ratio (net profit / budget) and ranked the films again.

"Paranormal Activity" is by far the biggest underdog success story, having been shot on a $15,000 budget with a home video camera in a single house. "The Blair Witch Project" — shot in a very similar manner to "Paranormal Activity"— unsurprisingly shows up in 3rd place. "Tarnation" holds the record of the highest-profit film that was produced with less than $250. Incredibly, E.T. still shows up in the top 25 on this list despite its $10.5 million budget. Talk about a box office success!

The busts

“Busts” are films that had millions of dollars poured into them to hire high-profile actors, shoot stunning scenery, and produce the best CGI the film industry has to offer, but no one showed up in the theaters. You probably heard about these movies when they came out, then quickly forgot about them a few days later.

Given the growing production budgets of modern films, it’s no surprise that films from the past decade dominate this list. The biggest surprise in my mind is "Waterworld," which suffered from an extremely bloated budget. Thankfully, "Waterworld" did much better in the international theaters and eventually broke even, but it’s unlikely we’ll see another "Waterworld" anytime soon.

Another shocker on this list is "Tangled," which ranks in as the most expensive animated film ever made with estimated production budget of $260 million. Again, "Tangled" eventually turned a profit when it was released in international theaters, but it’s mind-boggling how expensive animated films can be!

As with "the booms," focusing only on net losses limits the busts list to films with gargantuan production budgets that didn’t live up to the producers’ expectations. But what about the films that failed so spectacularly in the box office that they probably marked the end of the producers’ career? To find the spectacular failures, I computed the loss ratio (net losses / budget) and ranked the films again.

Don’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of most of these films: They’re on this list for a reason. "Zyzzyx Road" — with a $1.3M budget — holds a special place on this list because of its incredibly large loss ratio and it only brought in $30 in box office ticket sales. This spectacular failure was engineered by the producer, however, because he wanted to focus on international distribution of the film.

Folks who consider "The Boondock Saints" a cult classic may be shocked to see it show up on this list. "The Boondock Saints" was terribly received when it was first released in 2000, and only later turned a profit when it developed a cult following long after its failure in the box office. That just goes to show that even though box office performance is typically used to gauge a film’s success, the box office isn’t the be-all and end-all of film fame.

* When computing film profits, I summed all of the domestic ticket sales then, following the standard rule of thumb, divided the profits by half to account for movie theaters keeping a share of the ticket sales, taxes, etc.

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NOW WATCH: 14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do

"Birdman" was the big winner at the 87th Academy Awards.

Not only did it win best picture, but the film also won for best director, best cinematography, and best screenplay.

What made the four-time Oscar winner the best movie of the year?

"Birdman" could have easily fallen victim to its own gimmicks and wild ambitions.

For starters, it's an incredibly self-aware film that stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up actor best known for portraying a superhero, which sounds a bit too on the nose on paper for the "Batman" star.

The film is shot in a way meant to appear as one continuous shot, and the score is essentially just one really long drum solo. Additionally, the film's full title is "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)," which reeks of pretension but actually makes perfect sense by the end credits. In the hands of a less assured director, "Birdman" would surely fail, but with Alejandro González Iñárritu at the helm, the movie is pure cinematic bliss. 

We first meet Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) as he levitates (yes, levitates) in his dressing room with only the gruff voice that exists within his head to keep him company. Thomson is a movie star who seems to have vanished from the public eye since the wildly popular "Birdman" series was released some years ago. In an attempt to win back his spotlight or just prove something to himself, he stages an elaborate Broadway production based on a Raymond Carver short story that he plans to produce, direct, and star in. 

Keaton's performance is bold, unapologetic, and, best of all, just plain entertaining. The role is quite complex, as Thomson seems to fade in and out of reality. His "Birdman" character seems to have crossed over into his real life and manifests itself in stressful moments. It is an alter ego of sorts; Birdman's voice acts as a unique personality that exists within him. Is Thomson schizophrenic, or is Birdman simply a manifestation of the mind caused by Thomson's overwhelming audacity?

Besides Keaton, the supporting cast is arguably the film's next greatest asset. Emma Stone, Zach Galifianakis, and Naomi Watts all turn in terrific performances, but Edward Norton steals the show. Norton's take on an over-the-top method stage actor is a breath of fresh air and probably the best performance of his career. The playful exchanges between him and Keaton as they rehearse had me and the audience in stitches.

During the news conference after the screening, I asked Norton whether he had any particular inspiration for the character, to which he replied, "I basically just looked 4 feet to my left at Alejandro ... I'm wearing his scarf in the movie, I'm wearing his jacket, everything I say in the movie I've heard him say or I know he wants to say." 

This led Iñárritu to interject with his favorite on-set moment, which occurred during a scene in which Norton questions Keaton's direction choices: "I was explaining to Edward how the movement of the camera works and everything and he began to question me about it ... so suddenly he was basically directing me saying what the actor was saying and I was looking at the page saying, 'Oh my god this is a mirror in a mirror in a mirror.'"

Some of the film's best moments are when it leaves our world and veers off into the weird and wild unknown. The scenes in which Keaton battles the voices in his head are full of magical realism. At one point Iñárritu chooses to break the fourth wall and create a diegetic moment in which the film's drummer actually appears on screen. This interruption could have taken the viewer out of the film, but in context it works and adds to the meticulously orchestrated madness.

The camerawork throughout the film is breathtaking. Every sequence drips with chaos and energy, as the camera forces its way into the action. The smooth, sprawling transitions from one scene to the next are visually impressive and fit the tone set by the frenetic score. These elements combine to form a style that is unique and a technical marvel.

In addition to the chaotic structure, the sharp, funny, and occasionally revelatory dialogue keeps the film moving fast. We learn what we know about Thomson and those who inhabit his life through meaningful exchanges, which is how filmmaking is supposed to work but has become rare and worthy of praise in a market saturated with big-budget blockbusters and their sequels.

"Birdman" is very much about these topics without ever explicitly stating it; it is about as meta as it gets and functions as a send-up of the very idea of criticism. In the bottom right corner of the mirror in Thomson's dressing room, there is a note visible throughout the film that says, "A thing is a thing, not what is said of that thing," which would be the film's thesis, if it had one. At the news conference, Iñárritu further commented on this notion by saying the film "is what it is" and that no amount of criticism can change that. At times, the film plays like catharsis for the director, and while that is true to an extent, there is much more to it than that. 

In the case of "Birdman," this critic can't recommend it enough.

SEE ALSO: Steve Carell and Channing Tatum give their best performances yet in thought-provoking 'Foxcatcher'

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"Birdman" went home as one of the big winners of the 87th Academy Awards.

It won a total of four Oscars including best picture and best director. 

The film, about a washed-up actor Riggan Thomson (Keaton) gearing up for a Broadway debut, underwent a rigorous schedule.

Shot in just 30 days in the spring of 2013 at the St. James Theatre in New York City's theater district, director Alejandro González Iñárritu insisted the film be made to appear as one continuous shot.

The camera work comes from Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki who worked on “Gravity.” Try to spot a cut in the film and you'll maybe notice one. The film plays straight through pretty seamlessly.

During a panel for the movie at New York Comic Con in October, host Chris Hardwick described what it was like watching the film:

"There are these really long scenes where the camera will follow one character into a room and then something sort of weird and special effect-y happens and then someone else will come in and it will follow that character out. Meanwhile, there's stuff going on along the way to the next destination to a whole other area of the building and then there's something else completely in progress that is being orchestrated at the same time."

In order to achieve the look, the cast underwent shots that took anywhere from seven to 10 minutes to film, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Keaton described the difficulty of prepping for the film to the magazine for its October 17 issue.

"Everybody showed up every morning frightened," Keaton told EW. "The crew too. I think we were all thinking, I don't want to be the guy who lets everybody down."

To give you an idea of how stressful it could be on set, the cast, crew, and camera team had to be readily in sync.

Here's how EW describes what one mistake would cost them on set.

"Anything—a misremembered line, an extra step taken, a camera operator stumbling on a stair or veering off course or out of focus—could blow a take, rendering the first several minutes unusable even if they had been perfect."

"You had to be word-perfect, you had to be off script, and you literally had to count your paces down to the number of steps you needed to take before turning a corner," Keaton told EW. 

"Everyone would apologize perfunctorily if they messed up ... mostly because we were aware of how hard it was on the camera operators," Keaton added. "And the camera operators didn't want to screw up because of us."

Norton didn't want to speak much about the making of the film at NYCC, wanting the film to instead speak for itself.

"I'm sure film schools will be deconstructing how a lot of it was done for a long time to come because it is really remarkable," said Norton. "I think suffice to say it was a level of planning you rarely see on a film. I thought it was wonderful because you rarely get that kind of rehearsal period on a film and you rarely get to work that intimately with the entire camera crew. It was all great. It has its challenges but it's a lot more fun actually than on a day-t0-day basis."

"It's amazing what he [Lubezki] pulled off as a cinematographer in this film," Norton added. "I think it's every bit as amazing as what he did in 'Gravity,' and yet in a totally different type of story and context." 

Watch a preview for "Birdman" below:

SEE ALSO: "Birdman" is the best movie of the year

AND: It took Michael Keaton about 27 seconds to decide to be in "Birdman"

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Eddie Redmayne won his first Oscar Sunday night for best actor thanks to his role playing famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking in the biopic, "The Theory of Everything."

Redmayne looked genuinely shocked to have beaten out favorite Michael Keaton ("Birdman").

But Redmayne's win was well deserved.

The 32-year-old "Les Misérables" and "My Week With Marilyn" actor had to spend a significant amount of time intensely preparing to play the still-alive Hawking.

Redmayne spent four months studying Hawking’s life, which he explained to Variety was "a process that required so much research, it was like writing a doctoral dissertation."

Since the role called for Redmayne to portray the now 72-year-old Hawking at different ages of his life and stages of his motor neurone disease, the actor watched every single documentary and YouTube video he could find on the man.

"I tried to read literally everything I could get my hands on," Redmayne told Variety. "It became hilarious, because I would get 40 pages in, and I was like — 'Eddie, none of these words make any sense to you.'" So the actor began to work with a physics teacher at Imperial College London who was able to explain things more simply.

Redmayne also worked with a choreographer, Alexandra Reynolds, for four hours a day.

"We put what we knew into picking up a pen, drinking, walking, existing," Reynolds told Variety, adding that she would film the young actor on an iPad and they would then study the footage.

To better understand Hawking's paralyzing motor neuron disease, Redmayne visited a neurology clinic in London every two weeks, where he spoke with over 30 patients. 

Redmayne compiled his findings on a sheet of paper he carried with him everywhere during shooting. "It was like the Magna Carta," the film’s director, James Marsh, told Variety. "It became the most important document beyond the script."

Redmayne's physical transformation became more intense when he played Hawking during the later years of his life.

Marsh said that Redmayne was "really suffering, but he never complained" when he was forced to sit in a wheelchair for hours with his legs crossed and his head tipped over, in a position that made it harder for him to breathe. 

Large prosthetic ears were used to make Redmayne appear smaller and older.

Redmayne took every detail seriously, down to his fingernails.

"I learned when he [Hawking] was 21 he decided to grow his nails as an act of defiance," Redmayne told E! Online, adding that he kept his nails long throughout filming despite "only one shot in the film where you see the nails."

Ultimately, the intense mental and physical preparations paid off for Redmayne.

After Hawking first screened the movie, he was moved to tears, reports Variety.

"After the lights came up, a nurse wiped a tear from Hawking’s eye. He called the film 'broadly true,' and even celebrated with the film’s director James Marsh and screenwriter Anthony McCarten at a bar where he sipped champagne from a teaspoon. 'He emailed us,' Marsh says, "and said there were certain points when he thought he was watching himself."

"The Theory of Everything," which was made for $15 million, has raked in over $104 million at the worldwide box office since its November release.

Read Variety's full interview with Eddie Redmayne here >

SEE ALSO: Eddie Redmayne was absolutely shocked by his first Oscar win

MORE: Here's How Jake Gyllenhaal Lost 20 Pounds For His New Movie 'Nightcrawler'

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Today will be remembered for a long time to come: It's the last Wednesday, ever, where people in the UK can make use of Orange's (now EE) monumental deal to give customers on the network 2-4-1 cinema tickets. And let's not forget the buy one, get one free dinner at Pizza Express, too.

Every week, thousands (mainly students) would text "FILM" to 241 and descend on cinemas to make use of half-price tickets and the free doughballs Pizza Express provided with it's accompanying 2-4-1 promotion. Today, February 25, it's all going to happen for the last time.

Business Insider announced the deal was ending, after 10 golden years, back in December. The end of February was the noted culmination of the promotion, so we knew it was coming. But it's come around quickly. Naturally, many are now sad about the final Orange Wednesday and reliving some of their fondest memories on Twitter in a nostalgic haze.

One of the most popular memories is remembering that you had to be on the Orange network to make use of the offer. Of course, that was easily avoided — Wednesday afternoon would always be a flurry of texts from people on O2, Vodafone, and Three, all hoping one of their friends would send them the code.

People were incredibly emotional when EE announced the news. The company cited a "decline" in uptake as the major reason why. At the time, a spokesman told BI UK:

Orange Wednesday launched over a decade ago and at its peak was a massive success and an iconic promotion. After 10 great years our brand has changed and our customers’ viewing habits have also evolved so it’s time to move on. That’s why the final credits will roll for Orange Wednesdays at the end of February 2015. We’re working on new customer entertainment rewards and we’ll provide more detail soon.

There has been speculation around a renewal of the promotion from Money Saving Expert, but as yet, none of the rumours have come to fruition. For film fans, it remains a desolate time.

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Eddie Redmayne was shocked and thrilled to take home the Oscar for best actor on Sunday — beating out "Birdman" favorite Michael Keaton— for his role portraying Stephen Hawking in "The Theory of Everything."

But playing the part of the famed cosmologist came with a lot of pressure.

Hawking himself, now 73, would be judging the performance of Redmayne, who turned 33 in January. 

Hawking trekked to London to see the film ahead of its November 7 release. Redmayne told Variety that before watching the movie, the cosmologist warned: "I'll let you know what I think — good or otherwise." Redmayne said he answered, "Stephen, if it's otherwise, you don't need to go into details."

When the film screening was complete, Hawking was overcome with emotion (via Variety):

After the lights came up, a nurse wiped a tear from Hawking's eye. He called the film 'broadly true,' and even celebrated with the film's director James Marsh and screenwriter Anthony McCarten at a bar where he sipped champagne from a teaspoon. 'He emailed us,' Marsh says, 'and said there were certain points when he thought he was watching himself.'

Hawking was so happy with the movie that he told filmmakers he would allow them to swap out the synthetic voice they had been forced to create and replace it with his trademarked computerized version. "We spent a lot of time and money trying to reproduce the voice, but we never got it," McCarten told Variety.

Redmayne was thrilled after he heard about Hawking's offer, believing it was a stamp of approval on a performance he still questioned.

"You're just hoping to get there," Redmayne said. "Yet there's this constant frustration — it's always underwhelming, because you never quite make it. But with his specific voice, it's an actor's dream. You're one step closer to the truth."

Hawking's "voice," as he explains on his website, is a computer-based communication system that has been provided by Intel since 1997. To learn more about how it works, click here.

After Redmayne won the Oscar on Sunday, Hawking posted his congratulations to Facebook:

Redmayne acknowledged Hawking and his family during his acceptance speech:

Thank you. I don't think I’m capable of articulating quite how I feel right now. I'm fully aware that I am a lucky, lucky man. This Oscar belongs to all of those people around the world battling ALS. It belongs to one exceptional family — Stephen, Jane and the Hawking children. I will be his custodian. I will be at his beck and call. I wait on him hand and foot.

"The Theory of Everything," which was made for $15 million, has raked in over $104 million at the worldwide box office since its November release.

Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: The intense, 4-month training Eddie Redmayne went through to play Stephen Hawking

MORE: Eddie Redmayne was absolutely shocked by his first Oscar win

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Parents, get ready to open your wallets for more "Frozen" merchandise.

Disney just released a new teaser for its follow-up to billion dollar hit “Frozen," and it features Queen Elsa wearing a new dress that every little girl is going to want after seeing it.

"Frozen Fever" will be an animated short that will play exclusively in front of Disney's next live-action film, "Cinderella," in theaters this March.

Since its release in November 2013, "Frozen" has grossed over $1.2 billion, becoming the highest-grossing animated movie at the box office. 

The movie has continued to be a big success for the Mouse House in both entertainment sales and consumer products. According to the New York Times, "Frozen" has brought in another billion dollars in retail revenue. "Frozen" was the number one toy brand last year, and sales helped lead Disneyearnings for the past two quarters. 

"Frozen" dresses sold especially well. 

As of November, more than three million "Frozen" dresses were sold in North America.

Disney consumer products has released multiple versions of dresses for lead characters Princess Ana and her sister Queen Elsa. The dresses range in price from $11.99 all the way to $99.95. Some versions of the dresses light up and play music from the hit animated movie.

You don't even have to wait until March to get the new dresses. Ana and Elsa's new gowns from the upcoming short film are available for purchase right now on the Disney Store's website. The two-for-one set costs $99.95.

If you're the parent of a "Frozen" fan, you may want to stock up on a dress now.

After the movie first came out, a shortage of the popular dresses led to them appearing on auction sites like eBay for hundreds, and even thousands, of dollars.

Watch the preview for "Frozen Fever" below:

SEE ALSO: Why "Frozen" was a huge box office success

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Marvel released a new poster for "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," and, at first glance, it seems like a pretty ordinary character poster. 

You see seven familiar faces including Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Captain America (Chris Evans).

Off to the far right are two new character, Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).

But there's another hero in the poster. Have you noticed him?

Look closely.

Flying among the many Ultrons in the sky is another character. 

Do you know who it is yet? 

Let's take a closer look.

Comic fanatics will know that's Vision!

Who's Vision?

Potential spoilers ahead!

Vision is a human android created by Ultron, the villain of "The Avengers: Age of Ultron."

He'll be played by Paul Bettany in the film. 

For those who have been following the Marvel movies closely since "Iron Man," you may be thinking, "Wait a minute, isn't Paul Bettany the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark's A.I. computer?" 

Yes.

That's all I'm going to say about that without giving away any more potential spoilers.

Can't wait to see Vision?

We got a sneak peak of the character at this year's Toy Fair.

Hasbro is releasing a bunch of new action figures of the character. 

Here are photos of a few we checked out.

If you need to get even more excited, Robert Downey, Jr. just promised a big announcement will be coming next Thursday along with another "Avengers" poster of Iron Man.

"The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is in theaters May 1.

SEE ALSO: Watch the extended "Avengers: Age of Ultron" trailer

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"Star Trek" actor Leonard Nimoy died at the age of 83.

Nimoy, who popularized the role of Spock on the sci-fi series, gained a huge fan following over the years including some of Hollywood's biggest names like Mila Kunis.

A few celebrities attend "Star Trek" conventions, have autographed memorabilia from Leonard Nimoy, and even speak Klingon.

Mila Kunis has been a Trekkie since her teens.

Kunis told GQ in 2011 she has vintage "Star Trek" figures and a signed photo from Leonard Nimoy. 

She's even attended a Trek conference. 

"I went to the Star Trek Experience in Vegas maybe five years ago. I hung out with a bunch of fake characters inside Quark's bar. [Ed note: Quark was the name of the Ferengi bartender on DS9.] There were all these actors there pretending to be the different characters from the different shows. Yes, I loved it." 

Her favorite series? "The Next Generation."

Ben Stiller sprinkles a lot of "Star Trek" references into his movies.

Not only is Stiller's production company, "Red Hour Films," a reference to an episode from the original series, but he has also thrown "Star Trek" references into his films ranging from "Tropic Thunder" to "Zoolander."

He also revealed at the 82nd Academy Awards he owns two pairs of Spock's ears signed by Leonard Nimoy.

Olivia Wilde says she's a Trekkie.

Wilde told i09 she's been a fan since young.

"I grew up as a Trekkie, which is really funny,"said Wilde. "I think 'Star Trek,' they were always great female roles, but there's no reason the captain shouldn't be a woman."

Next summer, Warner Bros. is releasing anticipated antihero film "Suicide Squad."

The movie, based on the comic-book series of the same name, follows a group of antiheroes and villains who work for the government.

One of the most exciting parts of "Suicide Squad" is that the movie will reintroduce audiences to Batman nemesis the Joker.

Oscar winner Jared Leto will take on the role of the Clown Prince of Crime, which previously was played by Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero.

Leto will be the first person to play the character in a film since the late Heath Ledger in 2008's "The Dark Knight."

That role won Ledger a posthumous Oscar for best supporting actor.

Leto is known for his long flowing locks, a look the Joker isn't known for, except in Ledger's incarnation of the character.

On Monday, "Suicide Squad" director David Ayer teased Leto's transformation into the iconic DC Comics' villain on Twitter.

Leto ended up cutting off his hair and shaving his beard for the role.

What a difference!

That's not the only change the 43-year-old actor will undergo for the role.

Leto recently told Billboard he'll be putting on weight to play the character, which Ayer has described will be "majestic."

"I'm trying to gain a lot of weight," Leto told Billboard. "It means I have to eat every couple of hours — and I'm terrible at eating a lot."

Hopefully, we'll get a tease of Leto's first look as the Joker soon.

"Suicide Squad" is set for release August 5, 2016.

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NOW WATCH: The new 'Furious 7' trailer is packed full of cars, explosions, and ridiculous stunts

Two years after the colossal failure of the sci-fi thriller "After Earth," Will Smith returned to theaters this past weekend with the flashy con-artist love story "Focus," and though it was No. 1 at the box office, with an opening of $19.1 million, it was one of the lowest opening weekends ever for Smith.

Smith is certainly at a crossroads professionally.

Even before "After Earth," films like "Hancock" and "I, Robot" (before overseas sales raised their grosses) showed that if he didn't change things, the star who once owned July 4 weekend with "Independence Day"and "Men In Black" was setting himself up for a fall.

Though "Focus" proves Smith still has the charisma and eye for good scripts to be a viable draw, he isn't out of the woods just yet.

Here are five ways he can get out of this slump.

1. Do less sci-fi

Yes, Smith became a megastar fighting evil aliens in "Independence Day" and "Men in Black" and by performing incredible feats in front of green screens, but at 46 it is time for him to pull back. Nothing is worse than watching an old action hero, and though Smith keeps himself in great shape, "Focus" shows he can still grab our attention without leaving the stratosphere.

2. Find a big-name director to team with

Smith has worked with some big-name directors (Michael Bay, Barry Sonnenfeld, Tony Scott, Michael Mann), but what would completely floor everyone is if Smith teamed with a director as iconic as Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, or Oliver Stone. For Smith, the best thing might be to pause from developing projects and give himself over to an auteur who can get him out of his comfort zone and just act.

3. Comedy is your friend

If you scroll through Smith’s all-time top-grossing films, you will see that his highest-grossing comedy is 2005's "Hitch." Outside of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," it is Smith's best comedic work, but it is now 10 years old. One of the reasons Smith is a huge movie star is that regardless of the seriousness of the story, he can always throw in a joke and it will work. "Focus" gives us a bit of that Big Willie charm, but what he might need right now is to do a strong comedy.

4. Don't be scared of the supporting role

Yes, it sounds insane, but Smith can benefit from being in a great movie and not have top billing. In fact, he is doing just that with his decision to take on the role of Deadshot in the adaptation of next summer's "Suicide Squad." Playing in an ensemble will not only get Smith into the comic book game without having the pressure of launching a stand-alone character on his own, but it (and doing it better than being a spiritual golf caddie as he did in "The Legend of Bagger Vance") would build the excitement when he does show up on screen.

5. More dramas

This has always been Smith's Achilles' heel. Though he hit the mark with "Ali," movies like "Seven Pounds" and "The Pursuit of Happyness" got him gun shy in taking dramatic chances. But he has only gotten better since then. There are scenes in "Focus" that showcase his growth and show that he has a strength playing serious and conflicted. The best example is a Super Bowl sequence in which *spoiler* Smith's character plays all of us as we watch his grift on a wealthy business tycoon by playing up a supposed gambling addiction. *spoiler* This may be the time for Smith to go after that Oscar again.

SEE ALSO: Jared Leto is undergoing a big transformation to play the Joker

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"Whiplash," the story of a young jazz drummer with an aggressive instructor at a cut-throat music conservatory, took home three Oscars last month.

In addition to winning best achievement in sound mixing and achievement in film editing, J.K. Simmons walked away with best performance by an actor in a supporting role for his portrayal of a hot-headed jazz teacher.

But Simmons may have had an unfair advantage, it wasn't his first time playing the role.

"Whiplash" actually started as an 18-minute short film by Director Damien Chazelle, who also directed the full-length version. The short initially premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013, where it won the jury award for best short film. 

In the first film, Johnny Simmons (known for playing Young Neil in 2010's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World") originated the role that Miles Teller later earned critical praise for in the full-length feature. J.K. Simmons plays overzealous music teacher, Fletcher, in both films.

J.K. Simmons and Johnny Simmons in the original "Whiplash" short:

J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller in the full-length, Oscar-winning "Whiplash."

Watch the short in its entirety below, and see for yourself why people can't stop shouting "not my tempo!":

SEE ALSO: J.K. Simmons urged people to call their moms in his Oscars speech

MORE: 'Whiplash' Is So Good Audiences Are Giving It A Standing Ovation

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The recent landmark deal between Sony Pictures and Marvel that will see Spider-Man joining The Avengers on the big screen has officially opened a door that previously appeared permanently secured by lock and key. Now that a path has been cleared, can viewers expect other onscreen mashups, that were once thought impossible, to now appear before our very eyes? Hugh Jackman weighed in on the subject, and his answer may surprise you.

When asked in an interview with Yahoo! Movies what he thought the odds were of The Avengers mashing up with X-Men, Hugh Jackman had this to say: 

You know, I think as an optimist I would love it. ... You’re in a very complex world where big, big sums of money are being spent for different franchises and so getting them together is difficult. Two years ago I would have said you’d be a real optimist to think it would ever happen, but weirdly I just think it maybe could. I think there is a possibility that it will happen.

When asked specifically which Avenger he would like to see make an appearance in X-Men, the Wolverine actor went straight for Iron Man. He elaborated on the topic, making it clear that his excitement surrounding the potential mashup has a lot to do with Robert Downey Jr., calling him and his Iron Man persona "inseparable."

This isn't the first time Jackman talked about about the possibility of these two characters crossing paths. In an interview back in 2014, he said he'd love to "mix it up with Downey Jr. and Iron Man and kick his ass." More recently, in an interview just after the Marvel/Sony deal he showed the same enthusiasm at the prospect of Spider-Man joining The Avengers and again tossed in the idea of Wolverine and Iron Man sharing the screen.

So the big question is whether Fox would be willing to work out a deal with Marvel, similar to that of the latter's recent agreement with Sony. With the success of Bryan Singer's 2014 installment Days of Future Past, it's highly unlikely Fox would need to rush out and strike such a deal. They'll at least want to see the results of their upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse (slated for release in 2016) prior to calling that shot.

While the very idea of The Avengers meeting up with X-Men on the same screen is unbelievably exciting, there's something to be said for the latter's isolation in the comic universe. And although the possibility of seeing Iron Man duke it out with Wolverine is mind-blowing to say the least, it likely won't happen for several years, at which point Jackman (who jokes he may play Wolverine all the way until he dies) may have long since been replaced. 

SEE ALSO: Jared Leto is undergoing a big transformation to play the Joker

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First Netflix made its mark on original television programing with shows like "Orange Is The New Black" and "House of Cards," finding rabid fans and critical acclaim. Now the company is setting its sights on feature films.

On Monday, reports came that Netflix was nearing a deal to nab the highly anticipated next film from Cary Fukunaga ("True Detective"), "Beasts Of No Nation."

The film stars Idris Elba and was shot in Ghana last year for $6 million. 

The news reveals Netflix's willingness to go up against the big boys, as reports say it outbid the likes of Fox Searchlight and Focus to acquire the film, paying nearly $12 million. 

Based on the novel by Uzodinma Iweala, the story follows a child soldier who joins a militant group from an unnamed West African country that is led by a brutal warlord (Elba). The story and talent behind it have all the makings for an awards-season contender, but Netflix would have to release the film theatrically before putting it on its streaming platform for it to be eligible for an Oscar. Netflix has not divulged its release plans for the film.

"Beasts Of No Nation" is only the latest movie acquisition from Netflix. Here is a breakdown of other first-run films you will be seeing from the streaming site in the coming years:

A 'Crouching Tiger' sequel

News broke in September that Netflix inked a deal to release a sequel to Ang Lee's Oscar-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Titled "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend," the film will be released day-and-date in theaters and on Netflix on August 28. Details have not come out about the sequel, but we are planning for lots of swords and people floating on branches.

Adam Sandler movies

Shortly after the "Crouching Tiger" news, Netflix announced it signed Adam Sandler to a four-picture deal exclusively for streaming. Sandler will both produce and star in the films, which are likely to be similar in budget to his past films (ranging from $40 million to $80 million).

Nothing is out on what zany storylines we will get from Sandler, but with this quote from the comedian the day the deal was announced we can bet it will be filled with his classic juvenile humor: "I immediately said yes for one reason and one reason only. Netflix rhymes with Wet Chicks. Let the streaming begin!!!"

Duplass Deal

Netflix came out of this year's Sundance Film Festival making a deal with two of the fest's most successful alumni, Mark and Jay Duplass. Like Sandler the brothers got a four-picture deal, but their titles will stream and get limited theatrical windows. Given the Duplass' HBO series "Togetherness" or any of their intimate low-budget movies ("Jeff, Who Lives At Home,""Cyrus"), we're pretty confident their four films will cost as much as one of Sandler's. 

New Pee-wee movie

After years of rumors of a new Pee-wee Herman movie, last October Paul Reubens began making the rounds confirming that a new movie was in the works and that Judd Apatow was producing it. Then in December came word that Netflix would be the home for the film. No word yet on when it will show up on the site, but if you need your Pee-wee fix, Netflix has everything from "Pee-wee's Playhouse" to his previous movies. So throw on your red bowtie and start the binge.

SEE ALSO: Netflix just announced a bunch of new premiere dates

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Monday, Netflix announced it was purchasing the rights to "Beasts of No Nation" from director Cary Fukunaga ("True Detective"). 

The streaming site is expected to make a big Oscar campaign for the film. In order to do that, Netflix will need to release the film in theaters in addition to streaming; however, it looks like theaters won't make it easy. 

Four of the largest movie exhibitors in the U.S. have fired back stating they will not show the film. 

AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and Carmine have decided to boycott the film since it will not adhere to the typical 90-day delay between theatrical debut and Blu-ray/streaming release.

Netflix mentioned in their announcement of the purchase that it plans to do an Oscar qualifying run of the film in select theaters later this year, but it will be interesting to see if it will end up being only arthouses that will show it.

One that has stood up and will definitely play the film is Alamo Drafthouse.

The Austin, Texas-based independent chain that also has theater houses in California and New York has never gone with the multiplexes in these kinds of situations. Last year, Drafthouse was one of the first chains to immediately screen "The Interview" after the film's initial pull from large chains Christmas Day following threats to attack theaters showing the film.

And forward-thinking distributors like Radius-TWC (the multi-platform distribution arm of The Weinstein Company) are also aware it's time for the major theater chains to get with the times. "No theater should play any film that doesn't work for their bottom line. By the same token though, if a film has earning potential it should be considered regardless of release strategy," Tom Quinn, co-president and founder of Radius told Business Insider earlier today. 

SEE ALSO: 5 deals that prove Netflix wants to be taken seriously in the movie business

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Marvel just released a new trailer for “The Avengers: Age of Ultron.” 

The third full trailer for the “Avengers” sequel was set to debut on ABC Thursday evening during the premiere of new series “American Crime.” 

Wednesday, Marvel announced they would release the trailer early if enough fans tweeted the hashtag #AvengersAssemble. 

“The Avengers: Age of Ultron” will be in theaters May 1. Advanced tickets for the film are currently on sale on Fandango.

SEE ALSO: The new "Avengers" trailer teases a brand new superhero

SEE ALSO: Look closely and you can see a new superhero in this "Avengers: Age of Ultron" poster

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Marvel debuted a new trailer for "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" Wednesday afternoon, and a big reveal came at the end.

Audiences finally saw the first glimpses of a new superhero.

Who is that?

That's Vision, a human android. In the comics, he's created by Ultron (James Spader), the villain of the new film. 

In "Avengers: Age of Ultron," Vision will be played by Paul Bettany.

Longtime franchise fans may notice that Bettany has played a pretty significant behind-the-scenes role in previous Marvel movies including the "Iron Man" series. 

He has voiced Tony Stark's A.I. system J.A.R.V.I.S., an acronym which stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System. 

J.A.R.V.I.S. has been described as a home computing system who can essentially be thought of as the ultimate virtual butler. (Bruce Wayne has an Alfred and Tony Stark has a J.A.R.V.I.S.)  

Once Stark builds the Iron Man suit J.A.R.V.I.S. is downloaded into the armor for communication purposes.  

No spoilers here about how J.A.R.V.I.S. goes from being a virtual A.I. to a living, breathing physical character, but I'll let you guys connect the dots.

If you can't wait to see Vision until the film release in May, we got a sneak peek at the Vision action figures that will be on sale from Hasbro at this year's Toy Fair in February.

Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that Marvel teased the character at the end of February in a new poster for the film.

SEE ALSO: Watch the new trailer for "Avengers: Age of Ultron"

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Dwayne Johnson recently went back to his wrestling roots when he made an appearance at the WWE Royal Rumble. 

He has come a long way since those early days.

In fact, most people today recognize Johnson for his big blockbuster movies, not his wrestling alter ego. Thanks to franchises like "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and "Fast and the Furious," Johnson has been able to seamlessly make a massive career transition.

He has been very successful, too. His movies combined have made over $1 billion, which is not an easy feat for anyone, former wrestling superstar or not.

Frank Pallotta contributed to an earlier version of this slideshow.

Before he was "The Rock," Dwayne Johnson was born May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California.

Source: Biography

Wrestling is in Johnson's blood. His father, Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson, was a member of the first African-American tag-team champions and his grandfather, Peter Maivia, was one of the first Samoan wrestlers.

Source: YouTube

Johnson didn't go straight to wrestling. His first sport was football. After starring in high school he played in college for the Miami Hurricanes. Over his tenure at the school, Johnson started just once but appeared in 39 games and had 77 tackles, and he was a part of the 1991 national championship team.

Source: ESPN

Marvel released a third full-length trailer for "The Avengers: Age of Ultron" Wednesday, and it may be better than the first two.

We get a good long look at the film's new villain, Ultron (James Spader), an awesome shot of the Avengers team assembling in an action sequence, and a tease at a new superhero who will join the mix.

Like the previous two trailers, this one also contains the harrowing slowed-down overture of "I've Got No Strings" from Disney's "Pinocchio."

It looks great.

If you haven't seen the trailer, check it out here.

"The Avengers: Age of Ultron" is still over a month away from its May 1 release date, but its sure one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The first film, released in 2012, made over $1.5 billion in theaters. Now that you're caught up, let's dive in and overanalyze the final trailer. 

We open up to a gorgeous scenic overlook, and are introduced to a giant castle teased in previous trailers.

If we're to believe this is the same space, new villain Ultron's hanging out here with some new friends.

That's Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his sister the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).

What's the deal with the towel covering Ultron's face? Why is he being so mysterious? Is he trying to keep his identity secret ... because the robot hands are a total giveaway. 

(A reader points out this is a nod to Ultron's first disguise the Crimson Cowl.)

For those unfamiliar with Ultron, he starts off as part of a peacekeeping project Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) designs. As Ultron explains in his monologue, he was designed to save the world. He was supposed to be a sign of hope.

Ultron's not into that.

He wants more from life.

Cue the destruction. 

"There's only one path to peace, their extinction." It's not clear whether Ultron's referring to the Avengers or the entire human race, here. Probably both.

Hello "Avengers" tower!

Tony Stark's feeling really awful about this whole Ultron mess. If it wasn't enough that Ultron went rogue, it looks like he has taken control of Stark's entire fleet of Iron Man soldiers from the peacekeeping program.

As a result, Stark's putting the blame on himself. (Are we laying the groundwork for "Captain America: Civil War"? You bet.)

"I tried to create a suit of armor around the world, but I created something terrible."

Cut to scenes of the Ultron / Iron Man figures and Captain America looking on helplessly as these two cars dive off a bridge.

For those who were hoping for a Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) romance, it looks like that isn't happening. Black Widow looks awfully close to the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). 

Gillette product placement!

I can't be the only one who thought of Wolverine at this scene. Yes, those look like some sort of retractable claws. 

Awesome action shot of the Avengers assembling.

Um, is this Tony Stark with Loki's scepter?

Flashback to "The Avengers":

Motorcycles dropping from aircrafts? "Furious 7" already did that, but it still looks cool.

Samuel L. Jackson is back as Nick Fury!

Here's a great shot of Ultron shooting lasers from his fingertips.

It looks like he's teaming up with Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch.

A voiceover from the character promises, "We can tear them apart from the inside."

This is followed by images of the Hulk fighting Iron Man in the anticipated Hulkbuster armor, the Scarlet Witch using powers of manipulation on Black Widow, and Quicksilver facing off with Captain America.

There will also be a scene where Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man meet face-to-face with Ultron, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch.

It looks like Captain America is just getting thrown around this entire movie.

They'll have a few fight sequences together. 

Here's a closer look at that final shot.

The Scarlet Witch shows off some of her powers.

Geeze. Captain America is getting tossed around in this film. 

Thor: "Is that the best you can do?"

No, Thor. Ultron has a giant army of bots.

Captain America throws some serious shade at Thor.

The Avengers are going to need all the help they can get.

Look closely at the above photo, and it appears the Scarlet Witch may be helping out the Avengers team at this point in the film.

You can see her elsewhere in the background of this fight sequence.

What are those? It looks like these may be an extension of Black Widow's gauntlet bracelets which deliver high voltage shocks.

You won't like the Hulk when he's angry.

The best reveal is at the end of the trailer though as we get our first look at new hero Vision (Paul Bettany), who will be introduced in the sequel.

SEE ALSO: More on Vision, the new superhero in "Age of Ultron"

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