YM!

https://variety.com/2023/film/news/kung-fu-panda-4-trailer-142-million-views-1235841572/ Gyattdamn!

Lil Mabu and the Chocolate Factory was really cute. On paper, think softening Willy Wonka - the known sardonic prick takes a lot of bite out of the movie and I think that's a lot why my family barring me ranged from mixed to despised and I do think the sweetness of the movie is in some ways a weakness. Make no mistake, I knew going in this would be more akin to the Paddington movies. Think 200m should happen but not sure on 250m - think the hidden musical aspect is a big reason why the A- and a big reason why my family barring me mixed/disliked it. I highly enjoyed it though! The movie’s optimistic outlook though a bit too sweet manages to won me over, and it also helps that its quite funny and the musical numbers (one though is kind of suspect, reminding me of a similar one in Wish) are well done with the third act almost getting me in tears. Chalamet does well as Cinnamon Roll Wonka (though I think Holland might have a similar effect, think Chalamet highlights his sweetness), and Peterson Joseph is excellent and Key was by far the funniest but found myself thoroughly enjoying newcomer Lane as Noodle, who's wit and preservance is very admirable. If you can accept Wonka’s new and different recipe, Wonka’s sweet tale will delight you.

If Y10 is based on what's on the calendar now, The Valkryies vs The Galaxy Amulet II Ms. Black for President Freddy Zapper

Think IF can be a nice little hit. Looks cute.

Sounds like a cameo type deal

Why would California and Texas work together? Why would California even secede in the first place lol?

The trailer was a bit underwhelming for me unfortunately - think the unfinished leaked trailers were better composed. There's sort of cheap feeling but tbh apart from BG/Puss 2, it has been feeling like DWA Glendale has been making small cuts to the corner as it even seems like they're trying to be creative with some shots and sequences but some of the animation looks plasticky. Chameleon’s transformations are cool though.

They're likely not in it apart from a cameo. Jolie didn't make the main cast title roundup.

Agreed. Looking forward to how Zhen adds to the story and think they can create a great arc for her.

It'll be like Mario and Barbie where they bitch about twice and then use it to prop it up against Disney for the most minuscule amount of wokeness (idk maybe a gay couple holding hands in the background in a scene in IO2).

Think Awkwafina will be the new Dragon Warrior according to the summary: “ After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful sorceress, Chameleon (Oscar® winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places. The film features the voice talent of returning stars Academy Award® winner Dustin Hoffman as Kung Fu master, Shifu; James Hong (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Po’s adoptive father, Mr. Ping; Academy Award® nominee Bryan Cranston as Po’s birth father, Li, and Emmy Award nominee Ian McShane as Tai Lung, Shifu’s former student and arch-nemesis. Oscar® winner Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) joins the ensemble as a new character, Han, the leader of the Den of Thieves.”

Viola Davis is the main villain it seems.

Trailer tomorrow

Because it'll will only come back to bite them for further films. If anything the windows must be longer even if it's a gigabomb. That mindset can fuck over IO2 even its great.

https://medium.com/@Toon4Thought/disney-s-wish-for-a-brighter-future-b9daece3d273 “By the time the first workprint was screened around early 2022, “the film was at an impasse”, with head of story Fawn Veerasunthorn feeling it needed to focus more on the personal journey as opposed to just the wishing. This motivated Lee to put her on as co-director, enabling her to touch up the story closer to that direction. But even that had its own share of struggles, one listed example being the ending being toned down “to be less traumatic” following test screenings, without detailing what it originally consisted of. Reading all these stories, there’s a sense that — even though these visions all came from a genuine place — they never really got to settle into a single cohesive whole, and that the creative heads were maybe too pleased with the work being done early on to really step back and see how well it holds as a film on its own, detached from the centenary tribute. That, along with the head-scratching mix of traditional visual stylings and storytelling techniques with more contemporary music direction; minimizes the fairy tale charm it was going for. It’s hard to tell exactly how much was put in for brand promotion’s sake, but the creative talents that undoubtedly brought all the passion and energy they could were clearly held back one way or another, even when it does shine through sometimes.” So this did get Frozen II’d. Starting to think the brain trust concept only really works for Pixar because that's just how they operate from the get-go and it does seem the brain trust not only has more new members but seems much less pronounced than before. Every other brain trust this year has kind of backfired from Marvel to DC to many others, mainly because I think the GA is just tired of them (mostly, Illumination for sure has a brain trust too but they only truly aim to make money) and want more of what the storytellers have to say vs the trust.

I know it's been a long road but we are back in action for Y10. As we wait for Part 2 of the year, I want to something special while the January through June reviews come in. Like @Rorschach and @4815162342, I'll be going back to reread old film this year. I want people to send in a film for recommendations for me to read, which can be one of your own films or someone else’s films. I've got my own special reread list in the works with a re-review for one of the films coming around the sametime as January. January should be up sometime today or tomorrow.

Yes please

Film for me: Can You Imagine? - though in retrospect, I'd change a few things as I gained more experience in the CAYOM game, it and Gateways are probably the two films I am most proud of. Film from someone else: Notes From The Otherspace by @Ezen Baklattan: Its been no secret I've had a great fondness for this movie. It's probably hands down my favorite film in the game and I think a revisit of this would be a great thing. Film from someone else: By The Balls by @Blankments and EGK: Another favorite CAYOM movie I've had the pleasure of reading that like Notes would be a pleasure to revisit.

After reading the films, you are free to drop box office predictions. Just leaving this opening for when it’s time.

@tyson67roberts @Hiccup23 @4815162342 @cookie @SLAM! @MCKillswitch123 @Reddroast @Rorschach @Ethan Hunt @El Squibbonator Now that Y10 Part One has started, we need a firm deadline for the second half of Y10. Judging by momentum, we should easily have enough films within the timeframe, but now we need a final deadline for the second half. There’s a poll to vote on the best date for you all.

With all the spots filled for the first half of the year, we now officially start Y10. Good luck to everyone and get to reading. @tyson67roberts @El Squibbonator @Hiccup23 @cookie @SLAM! @MCKillswitch123 @Ethan Hunt @Rorschach @4815162342 @Reddroast

Puckshot Studio: Infinite Studios Release Date: 1/9/Y10 Genre: Sports/Dramedy Director: Charles Stone III Rating: PG-13 Budget: $18M Theater Count: 2,879 Format: 2D Runtime: 100 minutes Cast: Sharon Brown Jr as Houston Biggs Ryan Reaves as Jackson “IceMan” Trent Houston Biggs is an athletic and hardworking junior, living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but is struggling academically due to having to help out around the house after the passing of his father. Houston learns of an upcoming hockey tournament that can give him a prize of $1000, which would be enough to cover bills for the month and noticing his talents on the ice in teaching his siblings, decides to give hockey a try but struggles to keep balance but thanks to the tutelage of Jackson Trent, aka IceMan and former NHL player who quit after the death of his younger brother decides to help Houston. Houston deals with family life, balancing his academics and hockey as well as fitting in a new school, but thanks to his determination as well as help and his bond from Jackson, at the end, Houston learns the importance of balance and manages to win the tournament and the money. Jackson also decides to regularly help out Houston’s family, finding new purpose as a big brother mentee.

@SLAM! added theater count because I noticed it was missing.

Bumping this

@SLAM! Speed Demon isn’t on the calendar, though it’s finished and slated for March 6th.