Oscar Predictions 2024

                Welcome to a special edition of the Weekend Watch – the Oscars 2024 predictions. This past week (on Tuesday), Oscar nominations were released, ushering in the peak of film awards season. Oppenheimer led the nominees with thirteen nominations, becoming just the fourteenth film to reach that number or more, followed by eleven for Poor Things and ten for Killers of the Flower Moon. Barbie and Maestro were the other two films receiving more than five nominations. For the first time ever, three films directed by women have been nominated for Best Picture, seven LGBTQ+ characters are included in the acting nominees, and two LGBTQ+ actors are nominated for portraying said characters (all firsts). Lily Gladstone became the first Indigenous American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award, and nine other actors received their first nominations. Let’s get into my predictions!

Best Live Action Short:

                The nominees for this category are: The After, Invincible, Knight of Fortune, Red, White, and Blue, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. I caught three of these films this week, after nominations came out and have watched the trailers for the other two, so here’s my thoughts.

Should Win: Knight of Fortune. Of the three that I watched, this one blew me away the most. It plays in that very real area that combines grief with absurdity and really hits the right notes throughout. Unfortunately, it’s in a category with another film about processing grief, a film about abortion rights, a film about the juvenile detention system, and a film by Wes Anderson, so I’m not overly optimistic.

Will Win: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. It’s a Wes Anderson film that happens to come in under the forty-minute mark, and it’s the lightest of the five nominees, and it’s available to stream on Netflix. Across the board, this is the most accessible, but I won’t be particularly upset if it doesn't win.

Best Documentary Short:

                The nominees for this category are: The ABCs of Book Banning, The Barber of Little Rock, Island in Between, The Last Repair Shop, and Năi Nai and Wài Pó. Again, I was able to catch a couple of these this week after nominations dropped, and I’ve read about the rest, so here we go.

Should Win: The Barber of Little Rock. As someone originally from Little Rock, I’ll admit to a very strong bias here, but I will say that this film also speaks to relevant issues of systemic racism, wealth inequality, and the inherent problems with the modern system of capital, so it’s not just sentiment that has me put it here.

Will Win: The ABCs of Book Banning. This might be the most topical film in the mix, and MTV documentaries always does a good job. I do think that it’s probably also very deserving, so I won’t be that disappointed if it wins.

Best Animated Short:

                The nominees for this category are: Letter to a Pig, Ninety-Five Senses, Our Uniform, Pachyderme, and War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko. Like many, I was surprised to see Disney left out of this category yet again, but it seems that the animation branch of the Academy is just generally moving in that direction. Let’s talk about it.

Should Win: Ninety-Five Senses. I’m really just saying this because I think it’d be cool for the people who made Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre win an Oscar – and also Tim Blake Nelson is great.

Will Win: War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko. The Academy rarely misses on a chance to give a potentially less-than-deserving award to films about and/or inspired by musicians of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, so I expect it to go this way again.

Best International Film:

                The nominees for this category are: Io Capitano, Perfect Days, Society of the Snow, The Teachers’ Lounge, and The Zone of Interest. The Japan nomination for Perfect Days saved this from being an entirely European category, but even it was directed by European director Wim Wenders, so I don’t know how much of a step this really is for the Academy. Nothing overly surprising here besides France (rightfully) being left out because they submitted The Taste of Things instead of Anatomy of a Fall for political reasons – play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Should Win: Perfect Days. It’s too simple of a film to actually win, but Wenders is great at making films with meaning about the mundane, and I’d like to see him finally get some awards recognition for it. He won’t, but still.

Will Win: The Zone of Interest. Only one of these nominees is nominated in multiple other categories, including above-the-line categories like Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay. It’d be a crazy upset if this doesn’t win.

Best Documentary Feature:

                The nominees for this category are: Bobi Wine: The People’s President, The Eternal Memory, Four Daughters, To Kill a Tiger, and 20 Days in Mariupol. I don’t have a lot to say about this category besides pointing out the snub of Jon Batiste’s American Symphony here.

Should Win: Bobi Wine: The People’s President. If they were consistent, they’d give the award again to the film about an opposition party leader in a historically authoritarian nation.

Will Win: 20 Days in Mariupol. They’re going to be consistent in a different direction and keep giving awards to movies about violence in Eastern Europe because they’d rather talk about that than violence anywhere else in the world.

Best Animated Feature:

                The nominees for this category are: The Boy and the Heron, Elemental, Nimona, Robot Dreams, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Robot Dreams better be one of the best animated films ever made because nominating a film that isn’t even widely available over Ninja Turtles, Suzume, The First Slam Dunk, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels crazy to me. Everything else is an excellent choice, though.

Should Win: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Not only is this film one of the best animated films ever, but it’s also simply one of the best films ever. It accomplishes so much with animation that you just don’t see in the mainstream and does it in entertaining fashion. Is The Boy and the Heron also really good? Yes, but love for Miyazaki shouldn’t trump the all-time marvel that is Across the Spider-Verse.

Will Win: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. I won’t be surprised to see The Boy and the Heron here because the narrative seems to be sticking that it’s Miyazaki’s “last” movie (I’ll believe that when I see an obituary for the man and not a second earlier). Realistically, though, it still looks like the anime’s Globes win was a flash in the pan and the Spider-Verse trilogy is about to go two-for-two in this category.

Best Visual Effects:

                The nominees in this category are: The Creator, Godzilla Minus One, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, and Napoleon. This is one of the weirdest categories of the year, and the inexplicable Oppenheimer snub from the shortlist is only the tip of that weirdness iceberg. Here we go.

Should Win: Godzilla Minus One. In actuality, this should be Oppenheimer or Spider-Verse, but we’re stuck with these nominees, so I’m giving it to the most exciting of the nominees, and not the exceedingly overrated Mission: Impossible film or the pity nominations for the Rogue One guy and Ridley Scott.

Will Win: The Creator. A mid-budget (for the U.S.) film with these visuals probably is the most deserving in the category and probably will pull it off.

Best Sound:

                The nominees in this category are: The Creator, Maestro, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Oppenheimer, and The Zone of Interest. A few surprises here and there in this category, but the favorite is still here, and none of them feel overly undeserving (except maybe Dead Reckoning, which I’ll campaign against forever as one of the most disappointing films of the year).

Should Win: Maestro. The sound and cinematography in this film are really what make it worth watching above and beyond the acting performances, and I think it’d be cool to award that.

Will Win: Oppenheimer. I also think this should win, but I wanted to give Maestro its due. This film is big in every aspect of the word, and its sound only helps to contribute to that sense of scale. It’s excellent.

Best Song:

                The nominees in this category are: “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot, “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony, “Wahzhazhe” from Killers of the Flower Moon, and “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Should “Dance the Night” be here over either “What Was I Made For?”, “Wahzhazhe”, or “The Fire Inside”? Absolutely, but them’s the brakes.

Should Win: “I’m Just Ken”. Of the five nominees, this provides the most exciting addition to the film that it’s part of, and it has some relistenability as opposed to the Billie Eilish track, which should have been left out in favor of Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” anyway.

Will Win: “What Was I Made For?”. Billie Eilish is coming for her second Oscar this year and has been campaigning for it since her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. This song is mid, but it’ll win anyway. That’s all.

Best Score:

                The nominees in this category are: Laura Karpman for American Fiction, John Williams for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, Robbie Robertson for Killers of the Flower Moon, Ludwig Göransson for Oppenheimer, and Jerskin Fendrix for Poor Things. Seeing John Williams in here feels like seeing Diane Warren in for Original Song – they’ve gotta do it, but it leaves out much more deserving nominees every time, this time in the form of Daniel Pemberton for Across the Spider-Verse.

Should Win: Laura Karpman for American Fiction or Jerskin Fendrix for Poor Things. Both of these scores feel the most unique of the crew, but they’re not crazy big or over-the-top, so they won’t actually pull it off.

Will Win: Ludwig Göransson for Oppenheimer. It’s an excellent score too that is by no means undeserving, and it will probably become the most iconic of this year’s scores anyway, so I’m not that disappointed that it’s headed in this direction.

Best Production Design:

                The nominees in this category are: Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things. Nothing feels overly surprising here, but I will say that it feels weird to keep nominating Napoleon for being such an underachieving film in its other aspects when The Color Purple is right there on the outside looking in in most of these categories.

Should Win: Barbie. The creation of Barbieland, the construction of the Barbie Dream House, the layout of the Mattel office. Everything in the film feels intentionally crafted to be itself and also an homage to other great films of bygone eras. It’s a great technical achievement.

Will Win: Barbie. The only other legitimate contender here is Poor Things, but I don’t see it passing the iconic design of Barbie.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

                The nominees in this category are: Golda, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Poor Things, and Society of the Snow. Again, we see this category skewed heavily in favor of the makeup with hairstyling coming as a distant afterthought.

Should Win: Poor Things. They do some really fun and creative things here with both the makeup and the hair for all of the characters, so it’d be fun to see that rewarded.

Will Win: Maestro. The age makeup is really pretty excellent here, so I get why it’s going to win, but I also know that everyone’s going to make a big deal about the whole nose fiasco, so… It’s whatever.

Best Film Editing:

                The nominees in this category are: Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things. I don’t feel overly qualified to make judgements about film editing, but this feels like a pretty stacked category this year.

Should Win: The Holdovers. They made this film look like a 1970s school drama, and that’s all I really have to say in favor of it, but I feel like that’s all I have to say. It’s great.

Will Win: Oppenheimer. They do some fun things with the different eras here, and it feels like a film destined to win most of its below-the-line nominations, so I’m fine with it.

Best Costume Design:

                The nominees in this category are: Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things. Again, it’s weird to see Napoleon over The Color Purple or even Wonka, but otherwise, it’s a pretty vanilla category.

Should Win: Barbie. They recreated so many iconic Barbie sets that I can’t see how you could ignore the excellence in costume design here.

Will Win: Barbie. Last year, the film that recreated seemingly hundreds of iconic looks missed out on the win, but I don’t expect that to be the case this time around.

Best Cinematography:

                The nominees for this category are: El Conde, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, and Poor Things. Only one of these films doesn’t have a black and white sequence, so I feel like that’s going to become a pretty clear indicator for this category going forward.

Should Win: Poor Things. Robbie Ryan is a fantastic cinematographer, and his collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos have been nothing short of gorgeous. There are shots in this film that you just don’t see anywhere else, so he’s more than deserving of the win.

Will Win: Oppenheimer. This film also has excellent visuals, so it won’t at all be a snub or anything for it to win. It looks great and utilizes camerawork well, and I’ll be glad to see it win.

Best Original Screenplay:

                The nominees in this category are: Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Maestro, May December, and Past Lives. This is a stacked category with four incredibly deserving nominees and a biopic. I won’t be that upset about anything, but here are my official opinions.

Should Win: Past Lives. One of the singular most moving romantic dramas that has ever been made. It’s brilliant, and the writing hooks you from the jump. Celine Song deserves everything.

Will Win: The Holdovers. In order to keep its long-shot hopes alive for a Best Picture upset, it needs to beat out Anatomy of a Fall here, and I think it will, especially with Payne snubbed for the directing Oscar.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

                The nominees in this category are: American Fiction, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest. We can keep going around and around about Barbie being an original screenplay (it is even if its production design is otherwise inspired), or we could just laugh at the message being sent already that Killers is this year’s Irishman by keeping it out of this category entirely.

Should Win: Oppenheimer. He wrote this screenplay in first person. That’s egregious, but it’s also really impressive, so give it to Nolan.

Will Win: American Fiction. This is the only other film that should have a shot in this category, and I think it pulls out the win over Barbie and Oppenheimer. I also won’t be surprised if it misses, though. It’s a really tough call.

Best Supporting Actor:

                The nominees in this category are: Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction, Robert De Niro for Killers of the Flower Moon, Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer, Ryan Gosling for Barbie, and Mark Ruffalo for Poor Things. This is a stacked category with snubs also abounding – justice for Charles Melton, Dominic Sessa, and Willem Dafoe – but you just can’t fit everyone in with only five nominees, so, while I might’ve preferred Melton over Ruffalo, I don’t think anyone’s undeserving in this crew.

Should Win: Sterling K. Brown for American Fiction. With all the love that Jeffrey Wright has been getting for this film, I was so surprised to see Brown as the more dominant performance in the film, and I loved every second of it. He won me over in this one, and I hope he pulls the upset.

Will Win: Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer. If it’s anyone else, I’d be greatly shocked, and I won’t be at all disappointed to see Downey’s Strauss go down as one of the classic political villains in cinematic history.

Best Supporting Actress:

                The nominees in this category are: Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer, Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple, America Ferrara for Barbie, Jodie Foster for Nyad, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers. With the surprise of America Ferrara getting into that toss-up of a fifth spot, nothing is that crazy in this category.

Should Win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers. She gives the best performance out of these five, and if she doesn’t win, we riot.

Will Win: Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers. Ditto to what I said above.

Best Actor:

                The nominees in this category are: Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer, and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction. As much as people are decrying Bradley Cooper for “overacting” in Maestro, their favorite “snubbed” actor was doing much worse in Killers of the Flower Moon. I’m totally fine that Leo telling us ten different times about how much he loves money missed out on the nom here in favor of Domingo’s film-carrying performance in Rustin.

Should Win: Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers. Oh man, what a fun performance to pull off what will also end up being a “legacy” Oscar if it happens. He’s great in this film and more than deserving of a win.

Will Win: Cillian Murphy for Oppenheimer. I’m still not ready to fully commit to Giamatti winning over Cillian, so that’s why this is here. I also won’t be that upset with anyone winning in this category, so that definitely helps. I think Cillian does give one of the best performances of his career and definitely deserves the consideration he’s gotten so far.

Best Actress:

                The nominees in this category are: Annette Bening for Nyad, Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon, Sandra Hüller for Anatomy of a Fall, Carey Mulligan for Maestro, and Emma Stone for Poor Things. Talk about a stacked category with four amazing performances and a biopic! Was Margot Robbie probably better than Annette Bening? Sure, but that’s said and done and there’s nothing that whining about it online will do to change that.

Should Win: Emma Stone for Poor Things. Great as all the women in this category are in their respective films, Stone gives the singular most original performance possibly of anyone ever in the history of cinema. Every scene of the film, I was amazed at the new physical, expressive, and verbal tricks that she was able to put on display, and when she loses, I’m going to be quite disappointed.

Will Win: Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon. If this win was coming for Supporting Actress, I’d say that it would be the most deserving win in years in that category. As it stands, this is going to feel a bit questionable because of how limited her screentime is. For everyone saying, “Oh, but you can feel her absence and presence even when she’s not there,” I think actually what you’re getting at is the way that Scorsese made you feel the presence and absence of the Osage as a whole, and it feels weird giving a single performance credit for an entire people group, especially a minority – it feels too close to monolithing for my taste. She is great, but I’m just not fully comfortable with calling it the best leading performance of the year when Emma Stone is right there. Also, all that high school stuff and comparing Poor Things to Frankenhooker is just campaigning, so y’all are suckers idk.

Best Director:

                The nominees in this category are: Justine Triet for Anatomy of a Fall, Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon, Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer, Yorgos Lanthimos for Poor Things, and Jonathan Glazer for The Zone of Interest. I get the frustration over leaving Greta Gerwig and/or Celine Song out here. Unfortunately, the directing branch of the Academy is dominated by old white men who think that comedies have to be weird, dark, tragic, or made by Adam McKay to be considered well-directed, so here we are. It’s not even that any of these are necessarily undeserving directors either, though I would argue that throwing a red screen in the middle of a film with weird noises played over it doesn’t suddenly make it great, but I’m just a blogger, so what do I know?

Should Win: Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer. He has made one of the best films of his career, and it’s finally getting recognized for it. Good for him!

Will Win: Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer. He’s really one of the best directors in the modern age at getting his vision fully on the screen in a way that massive moviegoing audiences also love (Tenet notwithstanding), and he’ll finally get that win here.

Best Picture:

                The nominees for the top prize at the Oscars are: American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest. Any year where most people can say that they’ve seen multiple nominees on the list and liked them is a good year for Best Picture, and this is one of the best in a long time. No real misses even if I was less than whelmed by Zone and Poor Things, they’re still well-made films. Let’s take a look.

Should Win: Past Lives. It’s my favorite film of the year, but it has no real chance of winning after missing on basically every big category besides Original Screenplay. It’d be great to see it win, but that’s asking way too much.

Will Win: Oppenheimer. The film has dominated the discourse since its release, and none of the other films seem to have much of a shot at toppling this film from the top. It’s more than deserving of this top spot, though.

Year End Watch - 2023

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where this week, we’re back with the special year-end edition, recapping my personal favorite films of 2023 and looking forward to the films coming out in 2024. This recap provides a brief explanation of my personal top-5 films of 2023 and a look at the thirteen films I am most looking forward to releasing in 2024 (one for each month and one that doesn’t yet have a set release date). I’ve also included some honorable mentions, disappointments, and my least favorites of 2023 without explanation. Let’s get into it.

2023 Honorable Mentions: Saltburn, Rye Lane, Creed III, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret., Barbie, Bottoms, John Wick Chapter 4, The Boy and the Heron, Nimona, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Notable 2023 Films I Haven’t Seen Yet: Fallen Leaves, American Fiction, Talk to Me, Dream Scenario, The Zone of Interest, Priscilla, The Color Purple, The Iron Claw, Blackberry, All of Us Strangers, and Asteroid City

Most Underwhelming Films of 2023 (I didn’t necessarily hate these films, but they didn’t hit for me like they did for a lot of people.): Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, Rustin, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Killer, and Poor Things

Watch This Film’s Least Favorite Films of 2023: Magic Mike’s Last Dance, The Book Club: The Next Chapter, Expend4bles, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant

Watch This Film’s Top 5 Films of 2023:

·         NUMBER 5: The Holdovers – directed by Alexander Payne, starring Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Dominic Sessa.

o   Why it’s in my top 5: From the aesthetic to the performances to the beautifully touching story of facing adversity of various kinds during the holiday season, this film consistently hit the right notes. It should be a guaranteed entry on everyone’s holiday must-watch lists going forward and probably their general must-watches as well. It’s funny, heartfelt, emotional, and genuine without ever feeling like it’s trying too hard. For me, the film perfectly blends the spirit of Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, and It's a Wonderful Life in a package that still feels all its own.

·         Number 4: May December – directed by Todd Haynes, starring Natalie Portman, Charles Melton, and Julianne Moore.

o   Why it’s in my top 5: From the moment that I saw this film, I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind, particularly the performances from Charles Melton and Julianne Moore. The film’s commentary on grooming and predatory relationships obviously feels incredibly apt for the modern discourse, but it delivers its message in such a way that it feels like a melodramatic tragic dramedy, as only someone like Todd Haynes could accomplish. Julianne Moore is chilling and borderline unhinged, giving some of the best line deliveries of the year in every single scene. Charles Melton gives the single most devastating male performance possibly of all time. His scene on the rooftop with his son is my favorite scene from any film this year, and I don’t know how any film that I haven’t seen yet could top it.

·         Number 3: Oppenheimer – directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey, Jr., and a ton of other cameos that I don’t have time to list.

o   Why it’s in my top 5: In a year full of films based on true stories and biopics, Oppenheimer stands out from the crowd because of how well-executed it is across the board. The visuals, the sound, the score, the acting, the storytelling, the message – everything – works together in harmony to present a compelling look at the life and times of Robert Oppenheimer. Somehow it manages to make a story that is dominated by legal hearings and Senate proceedings feel like an epic historic thriller, and when you combine that with a cast full of people giving career-best performances (Matt Damon excluded, but he did Air also this year, so…), you get one of Christopher Nolan’s best films and one of the best films of the year.

·         Number 2: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, starring Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, and Oscar Isaac.

o   Why it’s in my top 5: At the beginning of the year, I expressed some hesitation about being optimistic for the Spider-Verse sequel, and boy, am I glad that I was wrong! This film exemplifies everything great about sequels, providing depth to its supporting cast, pushing back on the hero’s assumptions from the first film, and playing with the audience’s expectations while setting up a potentially perfect trilogy if the final film delivers. On top of that, Across the Spider-Verse plays with animation in ways that I haven’t ever seen in mainstream American media, showcasing the full potential of the medium by playing with the music, the art styles, and the action in a way that makes the whole film a beautiful work of art.

·         Number 1: Past Lives – directed by Celine Song, starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro.

o   Why it’s in my top 5: I slept on this film when it released back in June and didn’t actually watch it until December, but it is the single best film of the year in my book. Writer/director Celine Song comes out swinging in her debut with a beautifully resonant film about love, regret, immigration, and what-ifs. It’s difficult to put into words everything that I love about this film, but suffice it to say that, from the opening scene, this film hits you with difficult choice after difficult choice and leaves you unsure whether everyone made the right choice but also satisfied that, even if they didn’t, it’s still going to be okay. It’s beautiful and gut-wrenching in all the right ways, and I have nothing negative to say about it.

Watch This Film’s Most Anticipated Films of 2024:

·         January – Mean Girls: January 2024 has the potential to be one of the stronger Januaries in recent history – still probably not fantastic, but here we are. Mean Girls (the musical) is the headliner of the month for me because I love the Broadway production and Reneé Rapp, so even if it’s not “Great”, I still think I’m going to have a good time watching it.

·         February – Drive Away Dolls: February has a few films that might end up being noteworthy or that might end up being huge flops, and this is one of them. Ethan Coen directing Margaret Qualley, Beanie Feldstein, Matt Damon, Colman Domingo, and Pedro Pascal has too much going for it on paper for me to fully write it off, though, so I’m sticking it at the top, above Madame Web, Bob Marley: One Love, Argylle, and Lisa Frankenstein.

·         March – Dune: Part Two: This March currently isn’t quite as packed as last year’s was, and the only other film I’m truly stoked for on the schedule is Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17. Seriously, though, if Denis Villeneuve’s Dune sequel isn’t great, I will be seriously disappointed because it’s the only guarantee I’m currently seeing on the 2024 slate.

·         April – Challengers: Luca Guadagnino directing a script by the “Potion Seller” guy (if you know, you know) that stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor? How could I not be excited? After seeing the latest poster that they just dropped for it, I’m now convinced that I’m either going to hate this film forever or it will be making my top 5 of the year for 2024.

·         May – Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: I don’t love making a cash grab prequel to the best action film of the 2010s, but my May options are pretty slim, and I’m not sold at all on The Fall Guy, so here we find ourselves. Anya Taylor Joy and Chris Hemsworth are fantastic actors, and I feel like George Miller excels in that universe. Color me guardedly optimistic.

·         June – The Bikeriders: After getting shelved by Disney, I wasn’t sure when we would get to see Tom Hardy’s latest insane accent hit the big screen, but it looks like Focus Features will be bringing it to us this summer. All the names attached are underrated big hitters, and the initial trailers gave me enough to be excited about. Here’s hoping it lives up to its own hype. It’s also not a horror or a sequel/spin-off, which is always refreshing in June.

·         July – Twisters: July feels like the first month that’s really going to be hit hard by the strikes from this past year with three of its biggest blockbusters having been pushed to later dates. As such, Lee Isaac Chung’s sequel/reboot/retelling of the 1990s disaster film Twister takes the cake as my most anticipated of the month. Who knows? Maybe it’ll be really good.

·         August – Borderlands: I have unsurprising news. August is about to be another month of flops (probably). Eli Roth feels like the right director for a Borderlands film adaptation, but I also feel like this film has been in production purgatory for a while. Even though it looks to be the best film of the month at the moment, don’t be surprised when it underperforms and underwhelms just like the rest of the month’s offerings – especially Alien: Romulus and Kraven the Hunter.

·         September – Wolfs: Jon Watts doesn’t necessarily have a winning track record outside of the MCU, but a thriller about lone wolf fixers starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Amy Ryan doesn’t have to do a lot to sell me on its merits. (And, again, at least it’s not a sequel.)

·         October – Joker: Folie à Deux: I’ve tried to limit the number of sequels that I’m anticipating for next year, but October doesn’t really have much going on officially at the moment. If we’re being honest, most of 2024’s films are currently sequels, so a sequel to Joker, while not overly inspiring, still has potential to be a solid option come October.

·         November – Wicked: Is it going to be “Great”? Probably not. Will I have a good time watching it? If Jon M. Chu’s other films are any indication, probably so. It being a part one makes very little sense to me, but I’m still fairly positive that Cynthia Erivo singing “Defying Gravity” will bring down the house and make it all okay.

·         December – Nosferatu: Robert Eggers isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and I don’t even know that I’d call all of his films my cup of tea, but I still think that his adaptation of the horror classic should live up to expectations.

·         Unlisted – Megalopolis: Categorize this one under the I’ll Believe It When I See It, but supposedly Francis Ford Coppola’s new film will finally release this year. I hope it does, and I hope that it’s great and lives up to the massive budget and production schedule that it’s had. Assuming it makes it out, it should be one for the history books.

Weekend Watch - October 2023 Recap

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we take a look at a new piece of film or television media and give it a rating and review. This week, we are looking back at the films released in the month of October, recapping those of note that have a shot at making their way onto this blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time, categorized by likelihood into three groups – Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. October has been the first month where we’ve really felt the impact of the film delays brought about by the SAG and WGA strikes that are happening because production studios refuse to pay fair wages and provide proper benefits to their employees, bringing an abbreviated slate of films but a decent one that has at least a few films worth seeing ASAP and others worth keeping an eye on. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Totally Killer: Amazon’s time travel slasher kicked the month off with a bit of a bang in the real of horror, leaning into the self-aware tropes that has permeated the subgenre of late with decent success. It’s probably not going to win any awards, but it’s always nice to have another decently solid slasher to add to the yearly watch.

The Royal Hotel: The indie thriller about Americans backpacking through Australia, starring Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick, has all the makings of a cult classic. It’s done solidly with critics and has divided audiences. It’s flying far enough under the radar that I don’t expect to see it suddenly rising in any of its ratings or awards odds, but there’s always a chance.

Last Stop Larrimah: Max’s crime documentary about an Australian town of eleven residents has landed to some minor amount of buzz. It lives in an interesting niche that might do enough for it to gain some awards recognition later this year, which it will need to improve upon its currently just average audience reviews.

Fair Play: Netflix’s marital drama/thriller has been lurking on the edge of people’s list of anticipated films and long-shots for awards all year. Now that it’s here, the Phoebe Dynevor/Alden Ehrenreich vehicle looks to be a solid effort but probably not the streamer’s best bet of nabbing awards this year. The film’s exploration of gender roles and corporate America has left audiences somewhat divided so far.

When Evil Lurks: The Argentinian supernatural horror film released on AMC+ this past week and has been heralded as one of the best horror films of the year. Its critical and audience success should spell further hype as the year wraps up, but its nature as a horror film leaves it inevitably as a long shot to get any kind of boost.

Possible Things:

The Burial: Amazon’s based-on-a-true-story legal drama about corporate takeovers and funeral homes sparked a lot of buzz this month. Its star-studded cast that includes Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones should be enough to get people watching, and its story and themes have also managed to resonate solidly with audiences and critics. Keep an eye out for it to potentially spoil some campaigns in the coming months.

Anatomy of a Fall: The only reason I’m not putting this in sure things is France’s decision to not name it as their Best International Feature submission for the Academy Awards. Otherwise, this year’s Palme d’Or winner about a woman accused of murdering her husband has all the makings of being one of the best films of the year. It opened this past weekend near me, and I’m looking forward to seeing it soon.

The Pigeon Tunnel: Errol Morris’s latest documentary, this one about legendary novelist John le Carré found a home on Apple TV+ this month. The author’s final interview has the makings of being an all-time classic in the hands of the skilled documentarian, definitely one to keep an eye on.

Sure Things:

Killers of the Flower Moon: Martin Scorsese’s latest true crime epic has already struck majorly successful chords with audiences and critics alike, sitting solidly in the top-3 favorites to win this year’s best picture awards at most of the big shows. The highly necessary story helps put the film in a place of potential staying power as one that will be remembered for years to come.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour: Following hot on the heels of the remastered re-release of arguably the greatest concert film ever (Stop Making Sense), Taylor Swift released her concert film, which adapts her performance from the Los Angeles stop of her multi-million-dollar-grossing Eras Tour to massive box office returns and incredibly positive responses from audiences and critics. The high energy of the film and Taylor’s excellent capabilities as an entertainer make this one to catch on a very large screen if you can.

Weekend Watch - APril 2023 Recap

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week, we take a look at a new piece of film or television media and give it a rating, review, and recommendation. This week, we have come to the end of another month of film releases and will be looking back at the films with a potential for greatness that released in April, categorizing them as either long shots, possible things, or sure things. April 2023 has been a fascinating month for film, featuring a little bit of everything – animated family blockbusters, action thrillers, horror hits, romantic comedies, indie darlings – all of which have some representations here. April has nearly doubled the number of films to keep an eye on for the year, even if none of them are solidly sure things yet. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Chevalier: The biopic of French composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, has opened to some fairly mixed reviews, with lots of love for the performances of Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucy Boynton, and Samara Weaving, but not much to say for the story execution. Don’t be surprised if this film gets recognition for its production design later this year, but I would be surprised to see much more love from the awards shows, which it needs to be able to make its way onto the List.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie: The film that “broke critics” continues to press on toward being the first billion-dollar film of 2023, potentially the highest-grossing film of the year despite its mediocre critical reception. It helps that audiences really love this film, as well, appreciating the adaptation of the simple video games and nostalgia that the film incorporates. It’s not unthinkable that it’ll make noise come awards season for animated feature as well (and maybe for Jack Black’s original song “Peaches” too).

Beau Is Afraid: I don’t know what else is left to say about Ari Aster’s psychological horror comedy thriller that hasn’t already been said. It’s well-made but incredibly divisive among audiences and critics, meaning that to make it onto the List it’ll need some love for Phoenix or LuPone or Aster or (best) all three come awards season.

Evil Dead Rise: The return to Sam Raimi’s iconic Evil Dead series by writer/director Lee Cronin has pleased audiences and critics to a high degree – earning some truly rave reviews for the horror soft reboot. Now, its scores won’t be quite enough to get it there on their own, and the genre’s difficulty in earning respect from awards shows keeps it at a long shot, but this would be a refreshing return to greatness for horror if they decide to opt for this one.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once and Always: Look, this film technically fits the requirements for a feature film as laid down by the Academy, and that’s why I’m mentioning it. The nostalgia-infused return of the classic Power Ranger team hits the notes that fans want and has done enough for critics to keeps its Metacritic score green and its Tomatometer in the 80s range. I don’t expect anything else from this, but it’s fun that it has gotten the love that it has.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant: Guy Ritchie has been really hit and miss with his past few offerings, struggling to reach anything near the cult success of Lock Stock and Snatch or the economic success of Sherlock Holmes. This Afghanistan War film with Jake Gyllenhaal seems to be doing some of that for him, though, with decent critic returns and overwhelmingly positive audience reviews. Gyllenhaal’s star power might even be enough to bring the film to true greatness come the end of the year.

Somewhere in Queens: Ray Romano’s directorial debut in this indie dramedy sounds like a true feel-good R-rated film, in the vein of Jon Favreau’s Chef and the like, capturing Romano’s heart for his script through his direction and performance as well. Critics have been fairly positive in their reception, as have audiences, making the rookie director’s debut a solid first outing with some outside chances at writing awards.

Sisu: The history-bending Finnish answer to John Wick looks to be capitalizing well on the world’s desire for visceral action films where the protagonist can handle just about any kind of injury imaginable. Critics and audiences so far have been pleased with this new take on the genre. John Wick: Chapter 4 seems to be the film from this genre most likely to break onto an awards scene, but the foreign nature of Sisu keeps it as an outside contender.

Possible Things:

Air: Ben Affleck’s first film directing his friend Matt Damon has already started generating awards-buzz. The feel-good Sonny Vaccaro biopic about Nike’s courtship of Michael Jordan seems to have the right combination of solid script work, good acting, and a unique angle on a somewhat familiar story to put it poised to make some awards noise if they play their cards right. I’d personally love to see this film keep its momentum going throughout the year and put itself into a spot among the greats.

How to Blow Up a Pipeline: The TIFF darling finally got a wider release through NEON this month, and it has continued to receive love from the audiences who have seen it. The film’s topical content about climate activism acting against “big oil” also helps its chances to elevate its status from festival darling to truly great film.

Suzume: Makoto Shinkai’s latest release follows in the footsteps of its predecessors Weathering with You and Your Name., achieving success at the box office, with audiences, and with critics in such a way that he might even give Miyazaki’s upcoming How Do You Live? a run for its money in terms of best Japanese animated films this year. With plenty of buzz around the filmmaker’s latest film, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to keep hearing about the multidimensional adventure film well beyond this year.

Polite Society: The sister-focused action comedy that had Sundance buzzing this year has now released in theaters and is continuing its run of pleased critics and audiences. The film’s unique niche in the action-comedy genre and its representation of South Asian culture in a more mainstream film could help its chances to leave its mark of greatness on film history.

Judy Blume Forever: In addition to the horror successes that we saw this month, we have also entered into some sort of Judy Blume fever. The Amazon documentary about the author and her impact on culture and celebrities has released with stellar reviews. Its proximity to the success of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. could spell the potential for continued love for both films as more audiences go to see them.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.: The adaptation of Judy Blume’s classic novel from The Edge of Seventeen filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig has opened to mass critical acclaim and solid audience reviews. With the attached names of Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates boosting the performance of Ant-Man alum Abby Ryder Fortson, it’s easily imaginable that this film will still be making waves come awards season.

Weekend Watch - March 2023 Recap

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we take a look at a new piece of film or television media and give it a rating, review, and recommendation. This week, we have come to the end of another month of film and will be recapping the best films of March 2023, categorizing them by their chances at making the blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time. March is a fun month, heralding the return of spring blockbusters and indie hits who just might become awards darlings if they play their cards right (see last year’s Everything Everywhere All at Once for reference), and this March stayed true to character, delivering some excellent indie flicks and some originality in its blockbusters that has given us the first “sure thing” of the year. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Scream VI: The franchise’s best reviewed film of the millennium (since Scream 2) still probably doesn’t have the chops to get the slasher parody films onto the list of Greatest Films of All Time, even if they deserve more recognition than they currently have. It’s a horror sequel, which definitely goes against it in terms of reviews and awards potential, but it’s undeniably a solid entry and one to keep an eye on as the year progresses.

Chang Can Dunk: Look, I didn’t expect anything from this Disney+ film about an Asian high schooler who decides to learn to dunk to defeat his bullies, but its reviews are so much more positive than I think anyone expected (a 77 Metacritic and 95% Tomatometer), making it a surprise under-the-radar hit. Don’t expect to hear much more from this one, but still, its success bears mentioning.

A Good Person: Florence Pugh stays picking projects that don’t quite live up to their on-screen potential. Zach Braff’s latest directorial endeavor is no different, keeping audiences decently happy without really hitting any of the right notes for critics. If anything, I’d expect this film to be mentioned as a contribution to some awards campaign for a different film for Florence Pugh this year.

Kill Boksoon: The premise of Netflix’s Korean action-thriller alone is enough to get it mentioned – a single mother who also happens to be a hired killer struggles to find a work-life balance. I love the concept, but it seems that the film executes it in fairly unremarkable fashion. Its reviews make it sound like an enjoyable watch that’s not overly ambitious or groundbreaking. Still, an opening at Berlinale might have given this film the right clout it needs to mount a larger campaign later this year.

Possible Things:

Creed III: At this point, it feels almost like the film’s shot at any greater love beyond its initial push is now dead in the water after Jonathan Majors’s arrest. If Majors ends up not being charged and things work out, we might hear more about this film again toward the year’s end. For me, this was the best film of the month, but it’s not quite sitting at the level of reviews to get it onto the list on its own.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: Arguably the biggest surprise hit of the year so far, the D&D movie has been pleasing audiences of avid gameplayers and simple fans of action movies pretty much across the board. With its all-star cast, this does make sense, but it could easily have been just a Fast and Furious film in a fantasy setting. Instead, it currently sits with a Metacritic score of 71 and 91% Tomatometer. If this film can pull some love from the technical side of awards later on this year, it might make its way onto the list.

A Thousand and One: It’s so hard to tell which indie releases are going to make the right moves to get themselves more universally recognized later on in the year, but right now, the reviews of Teyana Taylor’s performance and the whole film about a mother trying to keep her son out of the foster system seem to indicate that this film is one to keep an eye on.

Rye Lane: It’s rare to have a streaming romantic comedy get the recognition that this Sundance darling currently has, and that’s so refreshing. Genre films don’t usually get a lot of love from the awards entities, but I wouldn’t be overly surprised to see some writing nominations for this one and maybe even some outside love, particularly from the BAFTAs, for the actors in this film.

Sure Thing:

John Wick: Chapter 4: For the fourth film in a franchise to be its most universally acclaimed and highest grossing is fairly unthinkable in this day and age, but that’s currently where we are sitting with the final(?) John Wick film. Its technical excellence and sheer entertainment value make it likely to gain even more acclaim as the year progresses, but even if things sit as they currently are, the action sequel will earn itself a spot on the blog’s list when the next round of revisions come out next year.

2022 Year-End Watch

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where this week, we have a special year-end edition, recapping my personal favorite films of 2022 and looking forward to the films coming out in 2023. In the future, the last week of the year for the blog will be like this one. There won’t be any new reviews in the days surrounding Christmas and New Year’s while I take a break to spend time with family and prep for the next year. The Year-End Watch will be the annual post recapping the prior year and looking forward to the next, released either on the final weekend of the old year or the first of the new. This recap will provide a brief explanation of my personal top-5 films of 2022 and a look at the thirteen films I am most looking forward to releasing in 2023 (one for each month and one that doesn’t yet have a set release date). Let’s get into it.

Watch This Film’s Top 5 Films of 2022 (Subjective)

• NUMBER 5: Hustle – directed by Jeremiah Zagar, starring Adam Sandler, Queen Latifah, and Juancho Hernangomez.

  • Why it’s in my top 5: This film is more of a personal love than a true “Great Film”. Adam Sandler gives a quality performance, and the story gives a nuanced (if a bit inaccurate) picture of the lives of aspiring professional athletes that touches on some excellent emotional chords, but its true greatness lies in the fact that it feels like a film that everyone involved had a great time making. Feel-good NBA movie starring Adam Sandler and actual NBA players – that’s a film that is right up my hidden gems alley.

• Number 4: RRR – directed by S.S. Rajamouli, starring N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan Teja, and Alia Bhatt.

  • Why it’s in my top 5: This film represents a lot of what makes global film so great. It is unabashed in its drama and action, embracing its use of CGI to produce some of the most insanely thrilling action sequences ever brought to screen. The story of friendship, passion, romance, and revolution also feels so rich compared to some of the other action films (even good ones) in recent history. To cap it all off, the film’s musical numbers – “Naatu Naatu”, “Komuram Bheemudo”, and “Etthara Jenda” specifically – put a final finishing touch on the film that push it over the top for me.

• Number 3: The Batman – directed by Matt Reeves, starring Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, and Jeffrey Wright.

  • Why it’s in my top 5: This film executes a film about Batman better than maybe any other adaptation, in my opinion. It embraces the hero’s detective background, critiques his darker tendencies, and gives both Bruce Wayne and Batman decently satisfying story arcs. Combine that with great visuals, an excellent score, and an ensemble of performers delivering great performances and you get an all-time classic comic book film that hopefully helps launch a new era of stories from Batman and his associated properties.

• Number 2: The Fabelmans – directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, and Paul Dano.

  • Why it’s in my top 5: As a fan of many of Spielberg’s films, this one feels like the culmination of the director’s storied career (not just because of its semi-autobiographical nature). His love of filmmaking is on full display in a way that not only explains his passion but also transmits it to the audience. This is one of those films that continues to stick with me – his explorations of family dynamics, filmmaking, hobbies vs. passion, and artistic expression continue to keep me engaged now nearly a month and a half after the film released.

• Number 1: Everything Everywhere All at Once – directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, starring Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Stephanie Hsu.

  • Why it’s in my top 5: EEAAO remains this year’s singularly most pleasant surprise. It manages to give you romance, action, sci-fi, family drama, and most other things in between in a package that (for me) never feels too overwhelming and that lands consistently from start to finish. If you are familiar with Letterboxd, of the fifty-one films that I have seen that released in 2022, this is the only film that has a five-star rating. I can think of nothing bad to say about it. Its creativity and freshness have helped renew my hope in modern filmmaking.

Watch This Film’s Most Anticipated Films of 2023:

• January – Plane: Look, January is usually a weak month for film, and 2023 doesn’t look like it’s gonna prove any different. Gerard Butler and Mike Colter in a bad action movie might be enough fun to help me ignore the other mediocre films releasing (unless M3GAN turns out to be a sleeper hit).

• February – Magic Mike’s Last Dance: Are we getting a Marvel movie in February? Yes, and excited as I am to see Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, I’m currently more excited to see Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek dance together. It’s probably not an overly groundbreaking film, but I could’ve said 80 for Brady or Cocaine Bear instead, and I didn’t, so there’s that.

• March – Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves: In a month full of potential blockbusters that have me excited, the D&D film sticks out as the only one that isn’t technically a sequel. Its cast and the marketing that I’ve seen so far have me optimistic that even if it isn’t the greatest film ever made, I’m still going to have a great time.

• April – The Super Mario Bros. Movie: As great as the Sonic the Hedgehog films have been, I feel like the Mario movie has a chance to elevate video game adaptations to critical greatness as well. Much of its marketing is giving me LEGO Movie vibes, and that’s one of my favorite films of all time, so I feel like this one should be a solid entry next year.

• May – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: This film has all the makings of a classic superhero send-off film (think Logan but with jokes), and that has me incredibly excited for it. The Guardians films continue to be highlights of the MCU, and I don’t expect this one to be any different – color me excited.

• June – Asteroid City: Should I have put the Spider-Verse sequel here? Maybe, but that first weekend of June has a track record of producing stinkers, particularly when they’re sequels, so I’m instead going with Wes Anderson’s latest flick – a film about a nerdy kid convention that stars Anderson’s usual cast of characters and a few new faces as well. I am very optimistic about this one.

• July – Barbie – Honestly, I could put all four films currently slated for release in July at this place and not really be lying. What makes Barbie stand out for me right now is its amazing teaser that dropped last month, spoofing the 2001 trailer. I can’t wait to see what Greta Gerwig cooks up in this one.

• August – Haunted Mansion – August doesn’t have a whole lot going for it right now, and the remake of Eddie Murphy’s flop based on the iconic Disney ride doesn’t have me overly optimistic, but I’m waiting until I see a little bit more from DC before I give any credence to Blue Beetle, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter is giving me more cult classic vibes than truly great film. I don’t know. The month is a toss-up.

• September – Next Goal Wins – Since I found out about this film’s existence, I have been stoked. Michael Fassbender directed by Taika Waititi in a film about New Zealand’s soccer team that lost a match 31-0. This has all the makings of another hit from Waititi, and I hope it brings Fassbender back to top form as well.

• October – Kraven the Hunter – Sony’s track record in comic book films outside of the MCU hasn’t been the most inspiring, but I’m optimistic that Aaron Taylor-Johnson has what it takes to make the character and the film enjoyable. I’m not a big horror guy, so that’s why Saw X isn’t here.

• November – Dune: Part Two: The first installment of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel was one of my favorite films of 2021, and, considering everything that’s coming in the story for this second half, I can’t help but be out of my mind excited for the sequel.

• December – Wonka – That’s right, Timmy gets two spots on the most anticipated films list. He keeps picking good properties, and I don’t expect Wonka to be any different. I have no idea what to expect from the story, but the set photos and promotional details have me optimistic on it.

• Unlisted – Killers of the Flower Moon: A lot of people thought this film would be dropping this year and were disappointed that we didn’t get the Scorsese-Spielberg Best Director matchup we all wanted, but it got pushed to 2023, and I’m excited to see what the prolific director turns out with this one.