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Webslinger

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Posts posted by Webslinger

  1. Anatomy of a Fall and American Fiction both totally make sense as screenplay winners. Many of the other heavy hitters tonight feel more like "whole package" movies with capital-D directing and craftwork doing their share of the lifting, while those two films felt more like feats of writing than anything else, Triet's directing nomination notwithstanding. Not to say these two films aren't cinematic (because they absolutely are), but I think it's easier to point to their strength as compelling written pieces.

  2. There's nothing like the Oscars thread to bring me out of my mostly work-induced posting hiatus! :)

     

    Like the last few years, I have seen basically all the movies (though it took a while to round out the Picture lineup with The Zone of Interest since it didn't play in my area) but have only taken cursory looks at precursors and predictions. Weirdly kinda makes the season more fun and less exhausting.

    • Like 1
  3. For what it's worth, I went and saw  Dune and Turning Red today, and my area had both of them on the $7 bargain price they usually charge for rep releases and Tuesdays.

     

    Even though both played to near-empty auditoriums (4 of us at Dune, 10 at Turning Red), the experience of seeing both reinforced why I'd love to see re-releases as a more common occurrence in down times at the box office. Both films were most definitely enhanced by the big screen experience.

    • Like 5
  4. I was today years old when I realized that the Mission: Impossible franchise had a total of zero Oscar nominations heading into this morning. I thought that surely one of them had to have squeaked in for a random sound nomination at some point.

     

    I still have to see American Fiction (would have gone this weekend, but the weather only fully cooperated for one day and I spent it on Poor Things) and The Zone of Interest, but otherwise, that's a pretty damn good Best Picture lineup. Of the eight I've seen, Maestro is the only one not in my personal top 10 for the year. I'm especially happy that Past Lives squeaked in and will hopefully now get to enjoy a higher profile.

  5. Can confirm that it is ungodly cold up in the northwest, lol. I have a lengthy list of movies I'm trying to go and see (Soul, Mean Girls, The Book of Clarence, Godzilla Minus One), but even just hopping in my car for a quick errand this morning was brutal. I agree with whomever said on the previous page that we could be looking at some really light drops next weekend, a la the last weekend in January 2016 after snowstorms did a number on holdovers the preceding weekend.

    • Like 3
  6. 20 minutes ago, cannastop said:

    I dunno, I did hear some people think that it would have been a big hit in a non pandemic 2020.

    Yeah, I think it would have done quite well between the combination of Pixar's brand recognition, the strong reviews, and the summer release date positioning. It probably wouldn't have reached Inside Out's level (and if Minions hit the same level of Gentleminions virality in this hypothetical 2020 that it did in '22, that could have put a dent in Soul's legs), but it would have been very successful.

    • Like 1
  7. Same here! A guy behind me literally gasped and then exclaimed "Holy shit!"

     

    I've seen two sports-related films in as many days, and this was a solid, moody contrast to the more paint-by-numbers, straight down the middle sentimentality of The Boys in the Boat. All the driving scenes hum with intensity, and Driver and Cruz both deliver impressively tuned performances. Maybe my favorite Mann since Collateral? At the very least, it's in the same rock solid B+ ballpark as Miami Vice and Public Enemies for me.

    • Like 2
  8. The final list, now that December 31 has come and gone. Theatrical repeat viewing numbers listed in parentheses.

     

    01/07 The Fabelmans (2)

    01/08 M3GAN

    01/21 The Whale

    01/22 Avatar: The Way of Water (3) (3D)

    01/28 A Man Called Otto

     

    02/04 Knock at the Cabin

    02/05 Living

    02/12 Titanic (2) (3D)

    02/17 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    02/18 Magic Mike's Last Dance

    02/25 Cocaine Bear

    02/26 Missing

     

    03/04 Creed III

    03/14 Bull Durham

    03/17 Shazam! Fury of the Gods

    03/18 Scream VI

    03/24 John Wick: Chapter 4

     

    04/02 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    04/08 Air

    04/11 Unforgiven

    04/16 Renfield

    04/23 Evil Dead Rise

    04/29 Beau Is Afraid

     

    05/05 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

    05/13 Sisu

     

    06/07 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

    06/08 The Little Mermaid

    06/09 Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

    06/10 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

    06/12 The Super Mario Bros Movie

    06/13 The Shawshank Redemption

    06/19 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2)

    06/20 Elemental

    06/22 Fast X

    06/23 Asteroid City

    06/24 The Flash

    06/26 No Hard Feelings

    06/27 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2)

    06/30 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

     

    07/07 Joy Ride

    07/15 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

    07/21 Barbie

    07/21 Oppenheimer

    07/26 The Blackening

    07/27 Past Lives

    07/29 Oppenheimer (2)

     

    08/05 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (3)

    08/06 Talk to Me

    08/09 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

    08/12 Barbie (2)

    08/19 Oppenheimer (3)

    08/26 Strays

    08/27 Jurassic Park (3) (3D)

     

    09/03 Haunted Mansion

    09/04 Blue Beetle

    09/16 The Dark Knight (8)

    09/23 A Haunting in Venice

    09/24 Barbie (3)

    09/30 Stop Making Sense

    09/30 Dumb Money

     

    10/07 The Creator

    10/22 Killers of the Flower Moon

    10/26 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (6)

    10/28 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

    10/29 The Nightmare Before Christmas

     

    11/04 Killers of the Flower Moon (2)

    11/10 Priscilla

    11/11 The Marvels

    11/14 The Hunt for Red October

    11/17 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

    11/18 The Holdovers

    11/19 Saving Private Ryan

    11/23 Wish

    11/24 Napoleon

    11/25 Saltburn

     

    12/10 The Boy and the Heron

    12/12 It's a Wonderful Life

    12/16 Maestro

    12/17 Die Hard

    12/18 Wonka

    12/21 Dream Scenario

    12/27 The Iron Claw

     

    There were a few others I fully intended to see last week that got knocked out courtesy of a really annoying head cold I came down with a few hours after getting out of The Iron Claw, but I guess I'll just use them to bump up my 2024 numbers.

    • Like 1
  9. There is much ado about Wish being released as part of Disney’s 100-year anniversary celebration of themselves, and unfortunately, it’s more of a cliché storm than a clever homage. The standard pieces of an animated Disney fairy tale musical are all there, but they are done in such simple, perfunctory fashion that they never really take flight. The animation looks nice and there are some decent musical numbers and humorous moments (even if some of their nods to other Disney properties are on the nose to point of feeling cringey), but the characters and storytelling lack the heart and vivaciousness of the studio’s much more successful films in the stellar run they carved out for themselves post-Princess and the Frog. The narrative goes through the motions as it ticks off boxes with little inspiration or sense of surprise or wonder. It’s a shame that the film doesn’t make the most of the talents of Ariana DeBose, who does appealing work as protagonist Asha, but has little character development and surprisingly few songs to work around. It also feels like Chris Pine – game as always – has to make do with material beneath his talents in the villain role. After the kind of roll Disney has been on in the last decade and a half, Wish is a letdown that feels like an overly simple, hollow echo of tropes the studio’s recent films have both subverted and played straight in significantly stronger fashion. While far from a disaster (I do imagine kids will enjoy it, and it has its moments and a cute sentient star), it is handily the weakest offering from the Disney animated canon in quite some time.

     

    C+

    • Like 2
  10. 1 hour ago, filmlover said:

    Best question: what are everyone's movie plans for this long holiday weekend?

     

    The Holdovers, Thanksgiving, Napoleon, and Wish (albeit with lowered expectations) for me Friday through Sunday.

    Wish today, then probably Saltburn tomorrow and Napoleon on Saturday. I might also give Thanksgiving a shot with how shockingly positive reviews have been, even if it likely won't live up to its Grindhouse fake trailer namesake.


  11. 01/07 The Fabelmans (2)

    01/08 M3GAN

    01/21 The Whale

    01/22 Avatar: The Way of Water (3)

    01/28 A Man Called Otto

     

    02/04 Knock at the Cabin

    02/05 Living

    02/12 Titanic (2)

    02/17 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    02/18 Magic Mike's Last Dance

    02/25 Cocaine Bear

    02/26 Missing

     

    03/04 Creed III

    03/14 Bull Durham

    03/17 Shazam! Fury of the Gods

    03/18 Scream VI

    03/24 John Wick: Chapter 4

     

    04/02 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    04/08 Air

    04/11 Unforgiven

    04/16 Renfield

    04/23 Evil Dead Rise

    04/29 Beau Is Afraid

     

    05/05 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

    05/13 Sisu

     

    06/07 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

    06/08 The Little Mermaid

    06/09 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.

    06/10 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

    06/12 The Super Mario Bros Movie

    06/13 The Shawshank Redemption

    06/19 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2)

    06/20 Elemental

    06/22 Fast X

    06/23 Asteroid City

    06/24 The Flash

    06/26 No Hard Feelings

    06/27 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2)

    06/30 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

     

    07/07 Joy Ride

    07/15 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

    07/21 Barbie

    07/21 Oppenheimer

    07/26 The Blackening

    07/27 Past Lives

    07/29 Oppenheimer (2)

     

    08/05 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2)

    08/06 Talk to Me

    08/09 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

    08/12 Barbie (2)

    08/19 Oppenheimer (3)

    08/26 Strays

    08/27 Jurassic Park (3)

     

    09/03 Haunted Mansion

    09/04 Blue Beetle

    09/16 The Dark Knight (8)

    09/23 A Haunting in Venice

    09/24 Barbie (3)

    09/30 Stop Making Sense

    09/30 Dumb Money

     

    10/07 The Creator

    10/22 Killers of the Flower Moon

    10/26 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (6)

    10/28 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

    10/29 The Nightmare Before Christmas

     

    11/04 Killers of the Flower Moon (2)

    11/10 Priscilla

    11/11 The Marvels

    11/14 The Hunt for Red October

    11/17 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

    11/18 The Holdovers

    11/19 Saving Private Ryan

  12. Updated with some new additions and previous films I had forgotten to add. I guess I've been a bit sloppy with record-keeping on the Letterboxd list I draw from.

     

    A

    Barbie

    The Holdovers

    Killers of the Flower Moon

    Oppenheimer

    Past Lives

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

     

    A-

    Air

    Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

    Asteroid City

    Bottoms

    John Wick: Chapter 4

    The Killer

    Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

    Nimona

    Priscilla

    Talk to Me

     

    B+

    The Blackening

    Creed III

    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    Evil Dead Rise

    Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

    Joy Ride

    M3GAN

    Scream VI

    Sisu

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

     

    B

    Beau Is Afraid

    Dumb Money

    Elemental

    The Flash

    A Haunting in Venice

    Knock at the Cabin

    The Little Mermaid

    Missing

    No Hard Feelings

    Renfield

    Strays

    Totally Killer

     

    B-

    Cocaine Bear

    The Creator

    Fast X

    Haunted Mansion

    The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

    Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

    Magic Mike's Last Dance

    The Marvels

     

    C+

    Blue Beetle

    The Super Mario Bros Movie

    Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

     

    C

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods

     

    C-

    Five Nights at Freddy's

  13. A

    Barbie

    Killers of the Flower Moon

    Oppenheimer

    Past Lives

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

     

    A-

    Air

    Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

    Asteroid City

    John Wick: Chapter 4

    The Killer

    Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

    Nimona

    Priscilla

    Talk to Me

     

    B+

    The Blackening

    Creed III

    Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    Evil Dead Rise

    Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

    Joy Ride

    M3GAN

    Scream VI

    Sisu

    Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

     

    B

    Beau Is Afraid

    Dumb Money

    Elemental

    The Flash

    A Haunting in Venice

    Knock at the Cabin

    The Little Mermaid

    Missing

    No Hard Feelings

    Renfield

    Strays

    Totally Killer

     

    B-

    Cocaine Bear

    The Creator

    Fast X

    Haunted Mansion

    Magic Mike's Last Dance

     

    C+

    Blue Beetle

    The Super Mario Bros Movie

    Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

     

    C

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    Shazam! Fury of the Gods

     

    C-

    Five Nights at Freddy's

  14. First update in quite a while:

     

    01/07 The Fabelmans (2)

    01/08 M3GAN

    01/21 The Whale

    01/22 Avatar: The Way of Water (3)

    01/28 A Man Called Otto

     

    02/04 Knock at the Cabin

    02/05 Living

    02/12 Titanic (2)

    02/17 Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

    02/18 Magic Mike's Last Dance

    02/25 Cocaine Bear

    02/26 Missing

     

    03/04 Creed III

    03/14 Bull Durham

    03/17 Shazam! Fury of the Gods

    03/18 Scream VI

    03/24 John Wick: Chapter 4

     

    04/02 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

    04/08 Air

    04/11 Unforgiven

    04/16 Renfield

    04/23 Evil Dead Rise

    04/29 Beau Is Afraid

     

    05/05 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3

    05/13 Sisu

     

    06/07 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

    06/08 The Little Mermaid

    06/09 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.

    06/10 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

    06/12 The Super Mario Bros Movie

    06/13 The Shawshank Redemption

    06/19 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2)

    06/20 Elemental

    06/22 Fast X

    06/23 Asteroid City

    06/24 The Flash

    06/26 No Hard Feelings

    06/27 Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 (2)

    06/30 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

     

    07/07 Joy Ride

    07/15 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

    07/21 Barbie

    07/21 Oppenheimer

    07/26 The Blackening

    07/27 Past Lives

    07/29 Oppenheimer (2)

     

    08/05 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2)

    08/06 Talk to Me

    08/09 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

    08/12 Barbie (2)

    08/19 Oppenheimer (3)

    08/26 Strays

    08/27 Jurassic Park (3)

     

    09/03 Haunted Mansion

    09/04 Blue Beetle

    09/16 The Dark Knight (8)

    09/23 A Haunting in Venice

    09/24 Barbie (3)

    09/30 Stop Making Sense

    09/30 Dumb Money

     

    10/07 The Creator

    10/22 Killers of the Flower Moon

    10/26 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (6)

    10/28 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

    10/29 The Nightmare Before Christmas

     

    11/04 Killers of the Flower Moon (2)

    11/10 Priscilla

  15. That's an enormous drop for Five Nights at Freddy's, but I guess I can't say I'm surprised. It feels like the film played well with its target audience of fans, but connected with precious few outside that base.

     

    I basically got a whole collection of "WHAT?!?" reactions from my classes when I told them I caught Five Nights at Freddy's on Peacock and thought it was pretty boring. :lol: The love for the IP among teenagers is so genuine that I immediately had to backtrack and soften my critiques with "But I'm sure it was more fun in a packed theater."

    • Like 1
  16. I saw it this afternoon and thought it was outstanding. The storytelling is riveting, the cast is loaded with great performances (Gladstone and De Niro being the highlights for me), and it feels overwhelming in all the best ways. In many ways, it feels like another later Scorsese triumph about on par with The Irishman - except that this one is actually widely available in theaters as it should be.

     

    Personally, I didn’t have an issue with the run time. The narrative is so huge and sprawling that I felt like it earned that time, and I can’t imagine it being divided neatly into miniseries episodes and having the same impact.

    • Like 2
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