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Eric Atreides

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Everything posted by Eric Atreides

  1. #1 Wall-E 2,579 points, 36 lists "Dancing: A series of movements involving two partners, where speed and rhythm match harmoniously with music." Box Office: 631.6M Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Metacritic: 95 Awards: 1 Academy Award and 5 nominations, 7 Annie Award nominations, 1 BAFTA Award and 2 nominations, 2 Golden Globe Award nominations, 2 Grammy Awards and 1 nomination Roger Ebert's Review: "Pixar’s “WALL-E” succeeds at being three things at once: an enthralling animated film, a visual wonderment and a decent science-fiction story. After “Kung Fu Panda,” I thought I had just about exhausted my emergency supply of childlike credulity, but here is a film, like “Finding Nemo,” that you can enjoy even if you’ve grown up. That it works largely without spoken dialogue is all the more astonishing; it can easily cross language barriers, which is all the better, considering that it tells a planetary story." Its Legacy: Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. The ninth-biggest film of 2008. A story over a decade in the making. Made AMPAS expand their Best Picture category the following year. Made Hello, Dolly! relevant to a whole new generation. Considered one of the best environmentalist tales of all time. Wall-E was later turned into an actual robot in 2012. Joined the Criterion Collection in 2022. Joined the National Film Registry in 2021. Gave Jeff Garlin a paycheck. Commentary: This 2008 sensation, despite coming out only two years after An Inconvenient Truth, feels even more powerful in 2024. A film about evil megacorps destroying our world? Making us dumber, mindless sheep consumed by technology, to the point we don’t even walk or think anymore? I mean...this is a Disney movie that is anti-Disney. A film that tells us that AI tech is evil, controlling our lives, and turning us into slaves. Yet within all the biting satire and commentary, we also have amazing animation, gorgeous music, and a sweet, but powerful romance that the kiddies can understand and get behind. Wall-E and Eve, characters who barely speak a word, serve as dynamic, engaging, memorable characters solely through their body language and Charlie Chaplin-style humor. It creates something engrossing, powerful, and even an interesting lesson for young viewers that movies don’t need fast dialogue or catchphrases. Just some wacky robots learning love is all you need to make a good movie. It's a film that tells us that, above all else, love is the most powerful, most incredible thing in this world. Love creates connection. And connection gives us life. Gives us our foot on the ground, an understanding of self, and a reason of being. Makes us feel happiness, excitement, and joy. And if artificial beings can figure that out, surely we can too. It's a movie that is as much an indictment of modern times, including the company it was released under, as well as an optimistic beacon about love and connection and intimacy, and how powerful and necessary it is to make our world happier and brighter. While the state of the world has largely changed for the worse since its release, this movie will always endure as a beacon. A beacon that love is real and that we can make things better if we just make some true, human connection and enjoy what life gives us. And that’s something we can all get behind. And in a way, it's the perfect #1 for this countdown. Above all else, Wall-E is the most quintessential Disney movie there is. This is a company found upon dreams, on wishes, and on hope. A hope for us to find ourselves enchanted by love. A hope that good can and will triumph over evil. A hope that within our darkest of days, light can shine through. And that by facing through our struggles, whatever they may be, that they can result in us all living our own happily ever after. And it's through movies that are bold, daring, imaginative, heartfelt, and, perhaps most importantly, can be cherished whether you are young or old. For a whole century, Disney has given us incredible tales that have made us fall in love with cinema, fall in love with creativity, fall in love with kindness, and fall in love with the spirit of youth and fall in love with the wonders and importance of imagination. Wall-E's one of just one hundred of these incredible tales. More than one hundred in fact. And it's the best of them all.
  2. #2 The Incredibles 2,543 points, 37 lists "WHERE. IS. MY. SUPER SUIT!" Box Office: 631.6M Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Metacritic: 90 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 2 nominations, 10 Annie Awards and 6 nominations, 1 BAFTA Award, 1 Golden Globe Award nomination, 1 Hugo Award Roger Ebert's Review: "Brad Bird's previous film was "The Iron Giant" (1999), about a misunderstood robot from outer space, and the little boy who becomes his friend. It had a charm and delicacy that was unique in the genre, and "The Incredibles," too, has special qualities, especially in the subtle ways it observes its gifted characters trying to dumb down and join the crowd. Kids in the audience will likely miss that level, but will like the exuberance of characters like Dash. Grown-ups are likely to be surprised by how smart the movie is, and how sneakily perceptive." Its Legacy: Considered one of, if not the greatest superhero movie of all time. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. One of the biggest box office and critical hits in Pixar history. Brought Michael Giacchino to the Pixar family. Broke numerous innovations in Pixar when it came to special effects and human character designs. The highest-selling DVD of 2005. The only Fantastic Four movie that matters (including the new one). The first fully aniamted movie to win the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. #48 on WGA's Top 101 Screenplays of the 21st Century. One of Pixar's biggest franchises. Gave Holly Hunter a paycheck. Commentary: The beginning of the 2000s superhero boom was pretty crazy looking back on it, with a lot of hits, misses, and crazy experiments before we became inundated with cinematic universes and comic book gobbledygook. But even the best films of that era don’t hold a candle to what Pixar and Brad Bird created back in 2004 with The Incredibles. Because of the limitless medium of animation, this boasts some of the craziest, most exciting showcase and sequences of action and superheroics. Every single setpiece is dynamic, memorable, epic, and creative, as the animators had no worries about whether or not these powers can look believable or realistic. And even with technology’s advancements and live-action superhero films can show super speed and elasticity, they never hit as hard as what The Incredibles was able to do. But even with the snazzy animation and fun characters, it is also a movie that tackles so many powerful themes and subjects about life, society, and deconstructing the concept of superheroes itself. Within all the explosions, retrofuturist designs, and James Bond villainy is a film that tackles infidelity, mid-life crisis, leaving behind the glory days, bitter fan entitlement, and trying to deal with a public who don’t want you around anymore. It’s harsh and mean, but also poppy and exciting in the best ways that only those Pixar animators can truly pull off. The Incredibles continues to endure as a one-of-a-kind movie, solidified Brad Bird as an animation god, and is still considered one of Pixar’s bests. A classic that many have come close to matching, including its hugely successful sequel, but can never match...though I guess there is one movie that is better than this.
  3. #3 The Lion King 2,477 points, 34 lists "I'm surrounded by idiots." Box Office: 968.4M Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 88 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 2 nominations, 3 Annie Awards and 3 nominations, 2 BAFTA Award nominations, 3 Golden Globe Awards and 1 nomination, 4 Grammy Awards and 5 nominations Roger Ebert's Review: "My generation grew up mourning the death of Bambi's mother. Now comes "The Lion King," with the death of Mufasa, the father of the lion cub who will someday be king. The Disney animators know that cute little cartoon characters are not sufficient to manufacture dreams. There have to be dark corners, frightening moments, and ancient archetypes like the crime of regicide. "The Lion King," which is a superbly drawn animated feature, is surprisingly solemn in its subject matter, and may even be too intense for very young children." Its Legacy: The second highest-grossing movie of all time on its release. Still one of the highest-grossing animated movies ever made. The peak of the Disney Renaissance. Arguably the first movie people think of when they hear the term "Disney movie." The highest-selling film ever on home video at 55 million copies sold worldwide. One of the largest Disney franchises ever, with several sequels, TV shows, a live-action remake, and upcoming prequel to said remake. Disney Animation's first wholly original film. Earned a 1997 Broadway show, a still ongoing production that would become the third-longest running show on Broadway and the highest-grossing Broadway production in history. Might have ripped off an old anime from the 60s. Turned millions of children into furries...I am one of them. Joined the National Film Registry in 2016. Gave Nathan Lane a paycheck. Commentary: Well...what the fuck do you want me to say? This movie’s the Beyonce of animation. It walks into the room, says “y’all know who I am”, and we all shower praise on them like no tomorrow. And like...yeah, I guess I’ll do the same here. Though frankly, I don’t know what other angle I can really give to a movie we’ve all seen and we all love everything about...well, I guess there’s one way I can do it. The funniest thing about Lion King, and this is a story that has been shared many times, was that there was weirdly little confidence going into it. This blend of Bambi, Shakespeare, and Africa with Elton John tunes seemed like an oddball experiment going in, and even Disney’s animation division had higher expectations over the next Disney film Pocahontas, which was designed as their big slam dunk. So the B-team were signed to this weird movie about lion murder that probably was gonna flop, while the all-star animators were on Pocahontas, the sure to be huge masterpiece loved by all. And in a way, it’s kind of understandable. It was a bit more mature than other Disney films, it wasn’t based on a fairytale or popular book. It was actually the first Disney animated film to not be an adaptation of another work. The songs weren’t being done by Alan Menken, they got some pop star to do the musical numbers, the story was kind of weird in certain spots. But perhaps because this team wanted to prove themselves, or because of just how good the original germ of an idea was, people turned up for this. Big time. In what quickly became not just Disney’s biggest hit, but I’d argue the first thing people think of when they hear the term “Disney movie.” It broke all the box office records, sold more toys and video games than you can count, became the biggest animated movie ever for nearly a decade, has too many crappy sequels and remakes to count, inspired the most successful theater stage show in history, and turned millions of millennials into furries...and that includes me, because holy fucking shit did they make those lions sexy. And like...well, you've seen the movie. You know why. It’s utterly gorgeous, it has incredible songs one after the other, every character is full of life and vibrance and personality, the story is engrossing regardless of your age, it gives incredible life lessons you typically don’t see even in today’s modern animated movies, and it has so many striking images and sequences that are jaw-dropping and mind-blowing. It’s one of those films that I wish I was alive to see when it first came out, be sucked up into the hype, experience the shock and awe millions of others in 1994 experienced back then. While they didn’t realize it at the time, this was the movie that Eisner and the Disney animators were building up to way back when at that 1984 regime change. A film that takes everything we love from Disney and evolves it to something that feels modern and fresh. And since then, very few have matched its success, popularity, and quality. The Lion King would live on as an evergreen franchise that is still intensely popular with the kids of today. And with an upcoming prequel movie courtesy of Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, as well as the Broadway show still packing in crowds, that does not look like it will change any time soon. Good for it.
  4. Ain’t Japan known for treating crew like dirt with little pay? Feel like I remember reading that during the whole budget discourse
  5. Would get to 175M if it followed Dragon 3's run. And while the comparison isn't totally perfect, spring break and all, I think it can still get to 200M+ with its more favorable release calendar. Could even reach the first film (obviously unadjusted lol), which is still weird to think about.
  6. #4 Ratatouille 2,463 points, 34 lists "Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist *can* come from *anywhere*." Box Office: 623.7M Rotten Tomatoes: 96% Metacritic: 96 Awards: 1 Academy Award and 4 nominations, 9 Annie Awards and 4 nominations, 1 BAFTA Award, 1 Golden Globe Award, 2 Empire Award nominations Roger Ebert's Review: "A lot of animated movies have inspired sequels, notably "Shrek," but Brad Bird's "Ratatouille" is the first one that made me positively desire one. Remy, the earnest little rat who is its hero, is such a lovable, determined, gifted rodent that I want to know happens to him next, now that he has conquered the summit of French cuisine. I think running for office might not be beyond his reach, and there's certainly something de Gaullean about his snout. " Its Legacy: Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. One of the most successful animated movies in France. One of the final films of Peter O'Toole. Earned a popular ride at the Disney theme parks. Earned a fan musical created by TikTokers. Referenced in numerous movies and shows. A major plot point for the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once. Gave Ian Holm a paycheck. Commentary: Even by Pixar standards, Ratatouille is an odd duck of a feature. A talking rat who yearns to be a fancy French chef is a very silly premise once you think about it. But leave it to Brad Bird and company to make something so delightful and awe-inspiring. It’s a movie made for the loners, the outcasts, the ones who feel out of place in the world. Those who yearn to create incredible works but can’t do it, whether it be for socioeconomic reasons, family reasons, or because they feel they just can’t do it. This is the film that smartly shows the struggling artists out there that there is hope for you. That anyone can cook and you deserve to be up there, even if you are seen as “lesser” by society. And it’s all perfectly shown in an iconic ending that deconstructs what it means to be an artist, a critic, and a person in and of itself. A film that reminds many of us why we love the things we love and what we can do if we set our minds to it. It’s a message that clearly struck a chord with countless others, and we are only now seeing its imprint on today’s artists. An unofficial musical was made by TikTokers who just wanted to celebrate the movie they love. It’s been referenced and parodied in tons of movies and TV shows, all in adoration. So much so, last year’s Best Picture winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once, featured a Ratatouille parody as a major subplot. You can even notice parallels in the themes of both movies from this Pixar classic. And sure enough, it symbolizes a film that will always be popular, loved, and cherished for generations to come, inspiring artists the world over for decades. Maybe even centuries. And really, that’s what we want a movie to do, no?
  7. Moana 2 would probably make bank in the November 8 slot. Moves away from Wicked, gets all the IMAX and PLFs to itself for two weeks, gets a nice hold during Thanksgiving weekend. Of course, Disney is typically very stubborn and stupid and loves to stick to the release dates they never budge from, so we'll probably have another dreadful November where all the heavy hitters are crowded around Thanksgiving.
  8. https://deadline.com/2024/03/venom-3-title-early-fall-release-1235856827/
  9. Oh this is just him doing his old and tired "lololol the Oscars are out of touch because they award artsy movies" schtick. Not sure why he finds this anti-art, anti-intellectual, blatantly trollish bit still amusing, but it is what it is.
  10. #5 Aladdin 2,454 points, 35 lists "No matter what anybody says, you'll always be a prince to me." Box Office: 504.1M Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Metacritic: 86 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 4 nominations, 2 Annie Awards, 2 BAFTA Award nominations, 3 Golden Globe Awards and 1 nomination Roger Ebert's Review: "The genie is the best thing in the movie, which is good fun but not on a par with "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty And The Beast" (1991), the two films with which Disney essentially gave rebirth to feature-length animation. The weakness of the film is in its leads, a street urchin named Aladdin and a sultan's daughter, Jasmine. As a romantic couple, they're pale and routine, especially compared to the chemistry between beast and the beauty. They look unformed, as if even the filmmakers didn't see them as real individuals." Its Legacy: The former highest-grossing animated movie of all time. The former highest-selling VHS of all time. One of the most controversial animated films of all time. Popularized celebrities in animated productions. Caused the infamous Williams-Disney feud. Saw two direct-to-video sequels. Saw a remake in 2019. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts. The only Disney film to win Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards. Gave Scott Weinger a paycheck. Commentary: Within the “Big 4” quartet of the Disney Renaissance, Aladdin is the most unique of the lot, often discarded as lesser than, or at least not as important as the other three. I also believe it’s the best movie of them all. One of the funniest Disney movies and comedies period, it’s an absolute riot from start to finish, with great gags from all parties. But even within all the laughs and madcap insanity is a very heartfelt story anchored by some of Disney’s best leading heroes and one of the best Disney romances ever. Aladdin, the smug but charming rogue with a heart of gold, captures an exciting, free spirit who just wants connection. Easy to identify, easy to root for, easy to love. Princess Jasmine, somebody sheltered from the world who just wants freedom and autonomy of her own. Folks who are trapped in their situation, just yearning for people to understand them, treat them as more than just their social status. They are the perfect couple. Two people who seem to be of different worlds, but just want that common goal. And that common goal is through each other. To say nothing of the incredible music by Alan Menken, Tim Rice, and the late Howard Ashman, in what would be his final work. Their ability to create so many hummable tunes, with great melodies and catchy lyrics, all of which will never leave your head, is commendable. And it’s all best shown in “A Whole New World”, which is notable for being the only Disney song ever to win Song of the Year at the Grammys. A well-deserved win. Even as a kid, this was a song I never got sick of. But of course, this isn’t really what we all remember this movie for. If there’s one solitary element that makes Aladdin an iconic classic, it’s the Genie. Animated by the incredible Eric Goldberg and voiced by the always wonderful Robin Williams, Genie is perhaps Disney’s greatest creation. An incredible figure of zany energy, off-the-wall chaos, and wack-a-doo spunk, it’s a perfect showcase of what make the medium of animation so wonderful. Williams’ performance is of course hilarious, with so many great bits of improv all throughout the piece, and Goldberg manages to create so many great bits of character acting through Genie’s wild movements and wacky expressions. While at the same time, both men deliver in the heart and emotion, creating a comedy character that is still three-dimensional and believable. Disney has tried for decades to hit that lightning in a bottle of Genie with other wacky celebrity-voiced sidekicks, but nobody has come close. This was a role that was built for Williams and nobody else (sorry Will Smith), and he steals the show single-handedly. And it’s through his work, alongside all the other talented actors and writers and animators, that we saw one of Disney’s most defining and iconic hits ever. Williams and the Genie are very important and special people to me, as I explained in my Dead Poets Society character. There was nobody in this world as zany, as creative, as energetic, and as sweet and kind as Robin Williams, and his impact he left on this world really did make things so much brighter to awkward, goofy, sensitive weirdos like yours truly. It's still hard to think that he's not with us anymore.
  11. #6 Beauty and the Beast 2,275 points, 35 lists ""To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice, and a beast his soul. We will be forever grateful." Box Office: 424M Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 95 Awards: 2 Academy Awards and 4 nominations, 2 Annie Awards, 2 BAFTA Award nominations, 3 Golden Globe Awards and 1 nomination Roger Ebert's Review: "The film is as good as any Disney animated feature ever made - as magical as “Pinocchio,” “Snow White,” “The Little Mermaid.” And it's a reminder that animation is the ideal medium for fantasy, because all of its fears and dreams can be made literal. No Gothic castle in the history of horror films, for example, has ever approached the awesome, frightening towers of the castle where the Beast lives. And no real wolves could have fangs as sharp or eyes as glowing as the wolves that prowl in the castle woods. Its Legacy: The first animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture. Considered one of the greatest animated movies and romance movies ever made. Once the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Re-released several times over the decades. One of the most successful VHS tapes of all time. Made Celine Dion a breakout star. One of the final works of Howard Ashman. Turned into Disney's first Broadway show in 1994. Given two direct-to-video sequels. Remade in 2017. Gave Jerry Orbach a paycheck. Commentary: A labor of love decades in the making, Beauty and the Beast, simply put, is legendary cinema. In many ways, a perfect concoction of ideas, creatives, and story concepts that truly feels like lightning in a bottle. Even when you compare it to the other features in the Disney Renaissance. By the time the film was set for release, Disney executives realized they had something good on their hands. A film that wasn’t just fodder for children or a venture to sell toys...well, okay it was that. But it was also a film that could appeal to even the stuffiest, high-minded folks who don’t care for such Disney cartoons. It premiered at the New York Film Festival to raves, despite being an unfinished rough cut. It blew away the HFPA, making it the first Golden Globe Best Picture winner for an animated film, and, most famous of all, this was the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture. A feat that, since then, only two other movies have achieved. And man...it is easy to see why, just down to how expertly written and crafted each character is. Belle, our main protagonist. A charming, kind, beautiful woman who feels out of place in the world. A bookish woman who cares little about men and just wants to enjoy more than what is in her silly, closed-off town. The Beast, a brutish, angry young man who is bitter and spoiled, but deep down just wants companionship and comfort. Two polar opposites in so many ways, yet through patience, compassion, and understanding, they find love. It’s a film that feels epic, yet intimate all at once. A parable about the importance of kindness, looking for beauty within, the dangers of toxic masculinity, and how sensitivity and empathy gives us bountiful rewards. All of this is shown not just in its perfectly paced story, with every beat landing one after the other, but its phenomenal music, gorgeous animation, and sublime characterization. Much of this is thanks to so many people. Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale, Glen Keane. Yet Howard Ashman, in many ways, is what solidifies the whole piece as the incredible work of art that it was. Both this and Little Mermaid are incredible instances of his understanding on animation, on music, on songwriting, and on life. He crafted music and works of art that emphasize great humor, incredible wit, great progression, and, most important of all, tunes and stories about kindness. About love. About daring to go against the world, against prejudices, against stereotypes, against society. He showed this in Mermaid, in Beauty and the Beast, in Aladdin, in Little Shop of Horrors, and even in his own life. He's made me feel more in tune with my own self in ways I didn't even realize until decades later, and his music speaks to me in ways very few other artists do. He's been a part of some of my favorite musicals ever, and I wish he was still with us. I wish he had a body of work on the level of Stephen Sondheim. I wish he was around to give his input on other Disney hits. I wish him and Alan Menken could dominate Broadway the way Lin-Manuel Miranda or Stephen Schwartz have. I just wish I could, in some way, show him how much his work impacted my life, and so many others. And I wish I didn't get so emotional talking about one of my favorite people ever. Beauty and the Beast of course lived on through tons of media hype, tie-in products, and merchandise, but it’s a Disney film that truly feels like it was crafted out of pure love. With no regards on making it commercial or appealing to the lowest common denominator. A film that just wants to create a love story that matches with the best of the best of the best. And it very much has.
  12. The biggest problem is that the Oscars are still stuck only being available on broadcast TV. There's tons of people who don't have cable or a way to watch live TV, and they would probably be more than willing to watch the Oscars on a YouTube or even Disney+ livestream. The Super Bowl has been free to stream for nearly a decade, which led to even the most recent game hitting a ratings high. But the Oscars is inaccessible for many due to some stupid ironclad contracts.
  13. https://deadline.com/2024/03/oscar-ratings-viewership-2024-oppenheimer-1235854597/
  14. Quorum Updates Love Lies Bleeding T-4: 18.08% The First Omen T-25: 32.4% Despicable Me 4 T-114: 54.95% Longlegs T-123: 15.26% Borderlands T-151: 29.2% Terrifer 3 T-228: 25.03% Arthur the King T-4: 41.78% Awareness Final Awareness: 85% chance of 10M, 47% chance of 20M Low Awareness: 87% chance of 10M, 25% chance of 20M Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire T-11: 60.44% Awareness Final Awareness: 100% chance of 20M, 91% chance of 30M, 86% chance of 40M, 77% chance of 50M, 64% chance of 60M, 50% chance of 70M, 36% chance of 80M, 36% chance of 100M Animation/Family Awareness: 100% chance of 30M, 87% chance of 60M, 50% chance of 70M, 37% chance of 80M, 25% chance of 100M The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare T-39: 16.12% Awareness T-30 Awareness: 14% chance of 10M Low Awareness: 11% chance of 10M
  15. GUYS BRADLEY COOPER IS ON ABBOTT ELEMETARY HOLY SHIT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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