Eric Prime

#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?

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.

https://deadline.com/2024/03/venom-3-title-early-fall-release-1235856827/

https://deadline.com/2024/03/the-batman-2-release-date-2026-1235856229/ Now March 21, 2025

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.

#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.

#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.

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.

https://deadline.com/2024/03/oscar-ratings-viewership-2024-oppenheimer-1235854597/

Yes, there will be a weekdays thread once we get numbers.

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

GUYS BRADLEY COOPER IS ON ABBOTT ELEMETARY HOLY SHIT AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

They actually finished ahead of time this year. Abbott Elementary was supposed to start at 10:30 and it's currently 10:27. Good on the producers for not forcing too much filler on this year's ceremony and just giving what the people want. Having this show start an hour early was also nice. They should do that every year.

So...no Matt Damon joke? Huh.

Is Pacino drunk or senile? What's going on?

Jimmy, Trump jokes aren't funny anymore.

This bit's old. Get some new material.

THE BERG

So why did Wes Anderson not show up?