Is the prestige season over?

If there is anything that moviegoers can expect from year to year, it's that blockbusters will be released during the summer and awards hopefuls will be released during the fall. Any film that wants a shot at an Oscar will lobby for a fall release because that is what is viewed as "the prestige season."

These are the films that either feature big-name actors and powerhouse directors or those smaller films that have spent the year generating buzz on the film festival circuit. Once you start seeing trailers that say "Academy Award winner what's-his-name" and "Academy Award nominee so-and-so" or list countless film festival awards, you know the prestige season is here.

But why does it have to be that way? Why should we be led to expect quality cinema three months out of the year and just so-so fare the other nine? Is it really true that quality films are only released in the fall, or do awards just ignore everything that isn't released during this critical season?

Last year, the brilliant comedy "Hot Fuzz," though critically lauded, was shut out of the comedy categories at the Golden Globes, and David Fincher's gritty thriller "Zodiac" was ignored by the Oscars in spite of the film landing on many critics' top 10 lists. Both films were released during the first quarter of the year. In 2005, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" only landed 2 Oscar nominations and one win. It was one of the most acclaimed films of 2004 and still sits at number 57 on IMDB's top 250 movies of all time, but the film was released in March.

There is usually one film that was released earlier in the year that manages to maintain enough buzz and take home some awards (see 2007's "Once," 2006's "Little Miss Sunshine), but even those are often low-budget indies. Summer blockbusters rarely see nominations outside technical categories, and they rarely deserve it. But this year, things are likely about to change because of a little Christopher Nolan vehicle called "The Dark Knight."

It has been drilled into our heads that summer blockbusters are supposed to be huge special effects shows with little substance (see "Transformers). But Nolan has managed to do the unthinkable: He has produced a film that is simultaneously a blockbuster smash and a cinematic masterpiece. A combination of strong actors, sharp directing, an intelligent script and darkly perfect cinematography makes "The Dark Knight" one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, and probably one of the most critically acclaimed blockbusters ever. It was released almost three months ago, and people are still marveling at its commercial and critical success.

Though last year's prestige season featured a slew of awards hopefuls that produced one of the better Oscar slates to come along in the past few years, this season doesn't look to be as strong, save for a handful of buzzworthy films like "Rachel Getting Married," "Changeling," "Revolutionary Road," "Doubt" and "The Soloist."

No matter what else pops up this season, it is hard to imagine a better performance coming along than Heath Ledger's in "The Dark Knight," and it's hard to imagine anything else matching up in the sophistication of its execution and the depth of its storytelling. Many critics also argue that, in addition to technical awards, the film should be nominated for at least Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, if not Best Picture, and Aaron Eckhart's and Gary Oldman's performances have also garnered a lot of praise.

Some credit should also be given to Andrew Stanton's outstanding "WALL-E," which very well might be the first animated movie since "Beauty and the Beast" with a shot at a Best Picture nod should the filmmakers choose to submit it in that category rather than Best Animated Picture. But a Best Animated Picture win is a lock, and nominations are also likely for Best Original Score, Best Cinematography and perhaps even Best Director.

Though there are still some films from the first three-quarters of the year that will surely not receive any awards buzz despite their critical and commercial success (like the biting satire "Tropic Thunder"), "The Dark Knight" might just lead the way to the end of the prestige season, creating an expectation for quality cinema year-round.

Hamlet 2

With a title like “Hamlet 2” and a theme song called “Rock Me Sexy Jesus,” this Sundance Film Festival favorite from the co-writer of “South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut” thrives off of its lunacy. This quirky comedy will not please everyone, but its off-beat story brings lots of laughs.

“Hamlet 2” follows Dana Marschz (Steve Coogan), a failed actor who has spiraled downward from bit parts on television to commercials for herpes medication to teaching high school drama in Tucson, Ariz. His staged versions of movies like “Erin Brockovich” have failed miserably, and his drama class only has two students.

His class finally increases in size when a school from the local Latino community is forced to shut down and merge with Dana’s school, but his failed productions cause the school board to cut the drama program. Though Dana’s offbeat nature is initially off-putting, his students ultimately find him endearing and encourage him to put on a spectacular show to convince the school board to keep the drama program alive.

Dana decides it is finally time to produce a musical he has been working on for years: a sequel to “Hamlet.” His play explores what would happen if Hamlet could go back in time and prevent the deaths of his family and friends. A time machine transports Hamlet throughout history where he meets an eclectic mix of characters, including Jesus Christ, on his quest to save Denmark.

When a disgruntled student gives the script to the principal, the play is banned because of its obscene content. But with the help of his drama students, like stuck-up Epiphany Sellars (Phoebe Strole), sharp-tongued Ivonne (Melonie Diaz) and fast-talking Vitamin J (Arnie Pantoja), Dana works to make sure “Hamlet 2” gets the chance to grace the stage.

“Hamlet 2” is not perfectly crafted. The film starts out a bit slow, but its actors keep the comedy flowing consistently. Coogan, who recently had a small role in the superior R-rated laugh-fest “Tropic Thunder,” finally gets the chance to shine in a lead role. Independent film queen Catherine Keener is great as Dana’s alcoholic wife, and Amy Poehler is a scene-stealer as the foul-mouthed civil liberties lawyer who takes an interest in the play.

The film also features some promising young talent, from Strole and her former “Spring Awakening” co-star Skylar Astin to Diaz and relative newcomer Joseph Julian Soria. The standout of the film, though, is Elisabeth Shue in a hilarious cameo as herself, Dana’s favorite actress.

A bit of the script falls flat, but overall the dialogue is sharp and witty and the musical numbers are comical and catchy. Though song titles like “Rock Me Sexy Jesus” may be initially offensive to some, the play’s obscenity fades away as the meaning behind the story becomes clear. The play’s production at the end of the film is absolutely the most entertaining part.

“Hamlet 2” isn't perfect, but in the cinematic downtime between summer blockbusters and Oscar gold, the film is an entertaining ride with an original brand of humor. B