Eric Prime

I feel like at some point, the studio execs have to think to themselves that greenlighting movies with this kind of talent is a sick joke. Like when you see a body of work like this, you know the movie's gonna suck. So why even greenlight them or tap them onto the project? It makes no sense.

#48 Thor: Ragnarok 997 points, 20 lists "I'm made of rocks, as you can see, but don't let that intimidate you. You don't need to be afraid, unless you're made of scissors!" Box Office: 865M Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Metacritic: 74 Awards: 3 Critics Choice Award nominations, 1 NAACP Image Award and 1 nomination, 8 Empire Award nominations, 2 MTV Movie Award nominations Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The highest-grossing Thor movie and the ninth-biggest movie of 2017. Made Thor cool to the kids finally. Taika Waititi's highest-grossing film. Valkyrie became one of Marvel's first LGBT characters. Had the third-highest viewed trailer of all time. Earned a sequel in 2022. Gave Jeff Goldblum a paycheck. Commentary: Within the famed Avengers trio, Thor was never really the popular one. At least when it came to movies. I always had him as my favorite in that original lineup, and it was always frustrating how his movies never matched what a fun character Thor can be, as well as what a great performer and sexy beast Chris Hemsworth can be...well, okay, I guess the latter worked. Still, after two films most regarded as some of the MCU’s worst (oh just you wait), Feige and friends finally cracked the code with 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok, a massive reinvention of the character that people just ate up. Thanks to the wacky wit and stylings of Taika Waititi, Ragnarok served as a wacky, cosmic road trip full of quips, full of gags, and full of personality. What results is a hilarious feature with great action and even greater characters. Thor and Loki of course return as their usual charming selves, while Hulk got to join the fun, resulting in great moments between the god and the monster, as well as Mark Ruffalo giving us what we should have gotten back in Age of Ultron. Then you have Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, a recovering alcoholic mess of a warrior, Jeff Goldblum as the conniving, manipulative Grandmaster, and Cate Blanchett serving looks as one of the MCU’s coolest villains ever, it was a film that really gave Thor the exciting, action-packed, personality-filled adventure he needed. Just like Favreau and the Russos gave to Tony and Cap years prior. Alas, what followed after Thor: Ragnarok became very rocky. Many were not as enamored at the himboification of Thor, and the epic follow-up Love and Thunder was...imperfect, to say the least. This all has led to the shine of Ragnarok moving down a bit, but it’s still well-regarded as one of Marvel’s strongest and will still be one of the films that made Taika Waititi into the comedy superstar many love and others...tolerate.

#49 The Muppet Christmas Carol 991 points, 18 lists "Mother always taught me: "Never eat singing food."" Box Office: 27.2M Rotten Tomatoes: 77% Metacritic: 64 Awards: 1 Grammy Award nomination Roger Ebert's Review: "The movie, directed by Brian Henson, son of the late Muppet creator Jim Henson, follows the original fairly faithfully. Like the earlier three Muppet movies, it manages to incorporate the Muppets convincingly into the action; we may know they're puppets, but usually we're not much reminded of their limited fields of movement. Ever since Kermit rode a bicycle across the screen in "The Muppet Movie" in 1979, the Muppeteers have managed to bypass what you'd think would be the obvious limitations of the form. This time, they even seem to belong in Victorian London, created in atmospheric sets that combine realism and expressionism." Its Legacy: One of the most beloved and celebrated film adaptations of the Charles Dickens tale. The first Muppet movie made under Disney. Recieved a 30th anniversary director's cut, restoring one of the original songs. Considered one of the best Christmas Carol movies and Christmas movies in general. Introduced the Charles Dickens story to a whole new generation of youngsters. Considered one of the best Muppet movies. Gave us Fozziwig, the greatest pun in movie history. Gave Michael Caine a paycheck. Commentary: It’s weird to say a film starring talking socks is the definitive, greatest, most perfect adaptation of the famed Charles Dickens classic, but...yeah, it really is. I actually binged a bunch of Christmas Carol movies a few years ago. Some were good, some were bad, some I forgot even existed. But man...this really is a perfect package of charm, wit, and power. The perfect showcase of the powerful themes of the original text, with no sense of insecurity or embarrassment that Bob Cratchit is played by Kermit the Frog. There's of course that lively, self-aware Muppets charm that's hard to resist in even the lousiest Muppet productions. Best shown here with the wacky antics of Gonzo and Rizzo as the narrators. But the film is surprisingly serious and faithful to the original source material. Kid-friendly for certain, but still full of the gothic undertones and bitter sadness we know from the original story. When you add the incredible production values and puppetry and likable musical numbers, you have a true winner on your hands. Yet the best aspect of the film is Michael Caine as Scrooge. Any other actor would treat the role as a farce. It's just a Muppet movie, so why give it your all? Yet Caine gives the role his all and more. It's a perfect recreation of the depressed and sorrowful Ebenezer folks know, yet still there's an important sense of humanity and hidden warmth that can be seen even at his nastiest points. Scrooge is a hard character to pull off, but Caine knows how to pull off the subtleties and intricacies of such a character and delivers a dynamite, downright Oscar-worthy performance. This was the first Muppet movie after the death of Jim Henson, with his son Brian in charge of his father's creations. This tidbit really makes the film that much more special and this really was the perfect send-off to the man. God bless us every one.

#50 Avatar: The Way of Water 948 points, 17 lists "I see now. I can't save my family by running. This is our home. This is our fortress. This is where we make our stand." Box Office: 2.32B Rotten Tomatoes: 76% Metacritic: 67 Awards: 1 Academy Award and 3 nominations, 2 Annie Awards, 1 BAFTA Award and 1 nomination, 2 Golden Globe Award nominations Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The third-biggest movie in box office history. Showed that Daddy Cameron is the true king of the world. One of the most expensive movies ever made. The first film to do performance capture underwater. Made history in numerous VFX fields. The second Disney film and second Fox film to exceed three hours. Instantly solidified the Avatar franchise as one of Disney's most lucrative properties, with many more sequels on the way. Gave Edie Falco a paycheck. Commentary: It’s here we have one of Disney’s newest franchises and most recent hits. And yeah, Daddy Cameron has once again won the hearts of the public, with Avatar solidified as the biggest, coolest, hippest franchise around and has already been slotted in as a big deal within Disney fandom. Indeed, a fate worse than death. As one would expect, this is one of the most expensive movies ever made, and it really shows. The Na’vi have never looked better, and Daddy Cameron’s obsession with oceanography and waves results in some of the most stunning underwater imagery to ever exist. Of course it’s action-packed, and the climax is up there as some of Daddy Cameron’s best. If anything, an amalgamation of all the knowledge he has obtained as a filmmaker. But the best parts, the most powerful moments, come from the sequences where our Na’vi heroes just enjoy the beauty and wonder of Pandora. The beauty of the ocean, the beauty of its animals, the beauty of its people. A place full of magic and wonder and life. And that really is why Avatar and its movies have resonated so much with the public. This is a movie series that reminds us of the beauty of the world and how much we have lost it over the decades. The world of Pandora is unlike anything else, with astonishing landscapes and customs that feel like livable, breathable environments. The Na’vi’s understanding of life and nature is so distinct from how we treat our world, yet still oddly human at the same time. And you can see it in moments where these characters just enjoy themselves, swimming or flying through Pandora’s oceans. It’s the kind of things blockbusters usually omit. Moments where characters are allowed to breathe and enjoy the world. Outside of that, I don’t know what else I can really say about this movie. Partially because everybody here has seen it already and have their opinions, and also because we still have three more movies to go. Apparently five more movies to go? Because Daddy Cameron’s a sicko? So in some regards, I feel I can’t say anything until we get the final picture. But either way...yeah, this is already one of Disney’s best, most iconic movies ever. And it’s only just recently turned a year old.

#210 - From Dusk Till Dawn (168 points, 3 lists) #209 - Clerks (170 points, 6 lists) #208 - Bridget Jones' Diary (170 points, 3 lists) #207 - The Waterboy (171 points, 3 lists) #206 - Dead Man (173 points, 3 lists) #205 - The Parent Trap (1961) (174 points, 6 lists) #204 - Gone Baby Gone (174 points, 3 lists) #203 - The Sword in the Stone (175 points, 4 lists) #202 - Ready or Not (178 points, 5 lists) #201 - Good Morning, Vietnam (179 points, 5 lists)

History repeats itself.

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#51 Frozen 946 points, 20 lists "Oh, look at that. I've been impaled." Box Office: 1.28B Rotten Tomatoes: 90% Metacritic: 74 Awards: 2 Academy Awards, 5 Annie Awards and 5 nominations, 1 BAFTA Award, 1 Golden Globe Award and 1 nomination, 2 Grammy Awards and 1 nomination Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The former biggest-animated film of all time. Kickstarted one of Disney's biggest franchises ever. Elsa became a popular baby name in 2014. Earned a Broadway show in 2019. Became a major part of Once Upon A Time. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts and is all over the Disney Parks. Recieved a sequel, a short film, television special, and much more. Two more sequels are in development. The highest-selling Blu-Ray Disc ever. The second-biggest film in South Korea. The third-biggest film in Japan. "Let it Go" became the first Disney song to hit the Billboard Top 10 since "Colors of the Wind" in 1995. Gave Josh Gad a paycheck. Commentary: Oh boy. Here comes the big one. It’s been over a decade since this instant classic came out and it’s still easy to remember how much of a phenomenon this film truly was when it first came out. This movie played in theaters for months on end, with legs that hadn’t been seen since the 90s. The merchandise was impossible to find for ages, with kids begging to have Elsa and Olaf dolls that you just couldn't get. The songs were inescapable for the longest time. It was a phenomenon that was utterly insane. Something that hadn’t been seen for any animated movie since Lion King, and arguably has not been since. And yeah...it’s pretty easy to see why. Because while the film earned tons of backlash and still gets mocked...it’s fucking amazing. Like the Disney Renaissance films before it, Frozen not only harkened back to the incredible Disney classics of old, reminding us why we love those old movies, but also modernized the formula and characters to fit with current, modern-day sensibilities. This was a film where the true love wasn’t about some lovebirds, but a love between two sisters and their attempt to mend their relationship. This was a film where the handsome prince is conniving and nefarious. This is a film where our main princess becomes a queen, struggling to handle the power she has from a world that doesn’t treat her with the respect she should have. It’s a movie full of surprises that still reminds you of the movies you love. And everything else? It’s just pure Disney magic. It's so well-paced, the heroes are all charming and smartly-written, the big twist villain is well-handled, and the songs really do stack up along Disney's best. Not just in enhancing this already strong narrative, but also just incredible melodies and harmonies that are full of life and excitement. And it has led to Disney’s biggest franchise ever, with the dolls and merchandise still selling like hotcakes, and tons of sequels that will surely stack as some of Disney’s biggest moneymaker. It’s a rare movie where every time I watch it, it gets better and better and better. I gain so much more appreciation for the story, the characters, the writing, and so on with each viewing, and I can’t wait to love it even more the next time I watch it. And hopefully, over the next few years, it will apply to some of you here.

#52 Cinderella 934 points, 17 lists "And yet, through it all, Cinderella remained ever gentle and kind, for with each dawn she found new hope that someday her dreams of happiness would come true." Box Office: 182M Rotten Tomatoes: 98% Metacritic: 85 Awards: 3 Academy Award nominations, 1 Hugo Award nomination, Roger Ebert's Review: "This time around I was more aware of the power of the full-animation techniques, and I appreciated Disney's policy of using unfamiliar voices for the dubbing, instead of the studio's guess-that-voice derbys of recent years. But in other ways the movie still worked for me just as it had the first time. When those little mice bust a gut trying to drag that key up hundreds of stairs in order to free Cinderella, I don't care how many Kubrick pictures you've seen, it's still exciting." Its Legacy: The biggest box office hit for the studio since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and saved the studio. Won the Golden Bear at the first Berlin International Film Festival. Nominated for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. #9 on AFI's Top 10 Animated Films. Cinderella would become the face of the Disney Princess line. Earned two direct-to-video sequels. Appeared in Kingdom Hearts and Descendants. Earned a live-action remake in 2015. Became the famed castle of Walt Disney World. Joined the National Film Registry in 2018. Gave Ilene Woods a paycheck. Commentary: This is my favorite film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. I loved it as a kid, and I especially love it now as an adult. It takes the always beautiful, always timeless, always relevant story and creates something that is full of heart, full of charm, full of comedy, and full of beauty. And with its recent 4K restoration on Disney+, an utterly gorgeous transfer, it’s only gotten better. The art direction, courtesy of the legendary Mary Blair, is an astonishing one. Full of lush colors, incredible backgrounds that make the story larger than life, and incredible sequences around every corner, whether they be comedic, frightening, or romantic. And above all, it captures the essence of Cinderella perfectly. Both in its story and its character. The story is one we all know and have had shoved down our throats for decades, and this one is the best just on Cinderella herself. She would be criticized as a character for the longest time for being too passive, for waiting for a prince to rescue her, and it’s all a bunch of hooey. This is somebody who has a lot of strong personality. Somebody with wit. Somebody with patience. Somebody trapped in an awful situation and still finds herself smiling and trying to find the positives. It’s a very powerful character that always resonated with me. Somebody in one of the most abusive and traumatic situations, but is still so strong and determined and kind, refusing to let the evils in her life torment her. And yeah, it’s a very hopeful, beautiful story. It’s a film that tells kids that life is hard. It’s terrible. It’s full of abuse, of trauma, of people pushing you down. Yet within all this hopelessness, there’s still the importance of sticking to your values. To get up every day, face life’s hardships, and keep moving on. And if you stick with it, devote yourself to facing these hardships, confront that nastiness, all through kindness, patience, and hard work, you will find incredible rewards. I’ve had that lesson in my head for a while. And while I’m currently at a low point, I know there’s a happily ever after just waiting for me soon. Just gotta keep moving.

#53 Turning Red 909 points, 22 lists "I like boys! I like loud music! I like gyrating! I'M 13, DEAL WITH IT!" Box Office: 20.7M Rotten Tomatoes: 95% Metacritic: 83 Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 7 Annie Award nominations, 1 BAFTA Award nomination, 1 Golden Globe Award nomination, 1 Grammy Award nomination, 1 MTV Movie Award nomination Roger Ebert's Review: N/A Its Legacy: The final film of the Pixar Plus Trilogy. The second-most watched film on streaming in 2022. A new film directed by Domee Shi is in the works. Showcased the beauty and majesty of Toronto and Chinese-Canadian culture. Has the fastest development of any Pixar movie. Features tons of awesome bops from Billie Eilish and Finneas. Gave Sandra Oh a paycheck. Commentary: It’s weird to think that a movie can be set in 2002 and arguably be a period piece. And it’s even weirder that filmmakers now are making movies about their childhoods growing up in the early 2000s. But if we get movies as good as this from our new generation of filmmakers, I don’t mind at all. It’s certainly one of the funniest Pixar movies ever made. The anime-influenced character designs and the exaggerated anxieties main character Mei faces allow for a lot of wacky expressions and hilarious visuals that bring plenty of laughs and great comic setpieces. And to say nothing of the 4*Town tracks. The greatest late 90s boy band we never got, this serves as some of Billie Eilish’s finest works and will become a staple of Disney song playlists everywhere. Still, within all the silly scenarios, goofy comedy, and hilarious looks into adolescence, the movie also boasts one of the strongest morals in Pixar history. It’s a film that tells kids that it’s okay to be a weirdo. It’s okay to embrace yourself as your own individual. It’s okay to be an odd duck, to have weird interests, to not be the mold that your parents want you to be. And most importantly, your parents went through these same issues when they were your age. So you gotta make some tough decisions. Do you continue the cycle and fit into a mold? Hide and diminish the things that make you eccentric and individual? Or be the silly, cringey form of yourself that makes you special? Turning Red would of course be a huge sensation on streaming and has gone on to have the strongest views of the Pixar Plus Trilogy nearly two years later. It’s for sure going to be an important movie for a lot of today’s kids, and that’s a truly wonderful thing. Though they probably should have brought up 9/11 in the movie.

#220 - Pom Poko (150 points, 2 lists) #219 - Scream 2 (151 points, 3 lists) #218 - Kundun (153 points, 3 lists) #217 - Eternals (155 points, 5 lists) #216 - The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (155 points, 2 lists) #215 - Darby O'Gill and the Little People (156 points, 5 lists) #214 - Shakespeare in Love (157 points, 5 lists) #213 - The Color of Money (160 points, 4 lists) #212 - Holes (164 points, 6 lists) #211 - Dogma (167 points, 3 lists)

Quorum Updates Bob Marley: One Love T-2: 57.32% Madame Web T-2: 49.8% Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes T-88: 53.09% A Quiet Place: Day One T-137: 32.59% Twisters T-158: 37.11% Deadpool & Wolverine T-165: 53.58% Wicked - Part 1 T-289: 41.9% Drive-Away Dolls T-11: 15.59% Awareness Final Awareness: 0% chance of 10M Low Awareness: 0% chance of 10M Ordinary Angels T-11: 27.18% Awareness Final Awareness: 15% chance of 10M Low Awareness: 13% chance of 10M Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire T-39: 47.21% Awareness T-30 Awareness: 100% chance of 10M, 95% chance of 20M, 86% chance of 30M, 59% chance of 40M, 36% chance of 50M, 32% chance of 60M, 18% chance of 90M, 14% chance of 100M Tentpole Awareness: 100% chance of 40M, 60% chance of 50M, 40% chance of 60M

https://deadline.com/2024/02/box-office-bob-marley-one-love-madame-web-preview-1235823356/

They didn’t? They played Defying Gravity in the promo. Like that’s the main song everybody associates with Wicked and Broadway in general.

Literally everything that came out 10+ years ago has people nostalgic for it. Waterworld has nostalgia at this rate.

Good 4D chess move by Feige. Make a bunch of bad movies just so Deadpool can make jokes in his movie, and then the fans have your back again.

No cow? Guess the movie's a bomb now.

@Porthos Glad you chose the WB version. So we're supporting both studios!

Well...we have Keala Settle.