Weekend Watch - November 2024 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’ve come to the end of another month and will be recapping the best new films released in the US in the month of November. As always, they’ll be categorized (Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things) according to their likelihood of making it to this year’s twenty-five best films once it’s all said and done in March. November brought us the best offerings of the year so far, complete with strong animation entries, great blockbusters, some of the year’s biggest awards contenders, and even some decent indie films. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Blitz: One of the most anticipated films of the year was Steve McQueen and Apple’s World War II anthology film about Londoners living through the German air assault. Now that it’s out, we know that it doesn’t quite live up to the hype, overextending itself by telling too many stories for any single one to connect impactfully with the audience. It’s still technically solid, and McQueen is a great filmmaker, so it still bears mentioning.

Emilia Pérez: Another of the much-anticipated films with awards potential that dropped this month, Jacques Audiard’s musical about a Mexican crime lord whose decision to live as a trans woman opens the potential for a new life finally landed on Netflix this month to a slew of mixed reviews. Early festival success hasn’t translated fully to the wider audience, and while it’ll still probably make waves with its strong performances, the content doesn’t ever hit hard enough to be a real deal come awards season.

The Piano Lesson: Netflix’s forays into the awards world this year seem particularly cursed with Malcolm Washington’s adaptation of August Wilson’s play landing with the weakest reception for an adaptation of the acclaimed playwright’s works so far. The performances look to still be making this a film worth watching, but it’s not the heavy hitter that Ma Rainey’s and Fences were.

Heretic: The Hugh Grant-led horror film about a Mormon mission gone wrong seems to have struck the right notes for a horror film. Unfortunately for it, there’s already been a slew of higher brow horror films to fill the year’s conversation about good horror. Even a strong turn from Grant as the villain might not break it into the final conversation.

Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point: One of the month’s early holiday films, this big family Christmas film about a teen trying to find her place in town and her family has starkly divided critics and fans. Critics love the film for its twisting of holiday tropes while audiences seem less than convinced. Check it out for yourself to see which side you come down on.

Gladiator II: Ridley Scott’s best film since The Martian (2015) sadly lacks the heart of its predecessor. Strong action and a solid Denzel performance elevate the film, but they can’t fully distract from the fact that it’s a less emotionally driven rehash of the 2000 Best Picture winner.

Joy: A Netflix film that has flown considerably under the radar this month is their film about the first “test tube baby”. Thomasin McKenzie, James Norton, and Bill Nighy form the trio of leads that have made this film a middling success with those who have seen it. Though it probably won’t make the biggest of waves, it should still find an audience with those who’ve enjoyed Netflix’s slew of films based on true stories over the past ten years.

Queer: Luca Guadagnino’s second film of the year and second collaboration with writer Justin Kuritzkes (Challengers and the “Potion Seller” YouTube video) hasn’t had quite the same level of crowd-pleasing success as their first collab. Everyone seems to agree that Daniel Craig gives the best performance of his career, but the film itself is a bit too out there and odd for people to have fully embraced it.

Possible Things:

Juror #2: Yet another “final” film from nonagenarian filmmaker Clint Eastwood had its limited theatrical release this month. The legal thriller about a juror who discovers an unexpected connection in his own life to the trial on which he serves seems to be the best film the director has put out in some time. Minimal support from WB Discovery and a slew of other excellent films this year will probably keep it outside of the conversation at the end of the day, but it sounds like a solid film for fans of the director.

A Real Pain: Jesse Eisenberg’s most acclaimed writing/directing outing landed this month in the form of his collaboration with Kieran Culkin (Succession) in their film about cousins who attend a Holocaust tour of Poland after the death of their grandmother. Culkin’s performance seems to be the standout, but the film also has legitimate shots at getting into the conversation for screenplay, lead actor, and picture.

Small Things Like These: Cillian Murphy is back at his indie work after his Oscar win last year, and his film about a man uncovering the secrets of his local convent has those who have seen it raving. It’s not the highest profile release of the month, but it’s certainly one of the most interesting for those tired of the underperforming awards hopefuls of 2024.

All We Imagine as Light: Payal Kapadia’s Indian romantic drama has long been considered one of the best international films this year, and it continues to hit the right notes with those who see it. Unfortunately, it’ll need to continue to rely on audience and critic love because politics have kept India from submitting it as their pick for Best International Feature, much like RRR before it.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig: While it initially looked to be running a distant second to Emilia Pérez for International Feature, the reviews of the film that got Mohammad Rasoulof exiled from his home nation of Iran remain incredibly strong, surging it to the front of the pack thanks to Germany’s decision to submit it for their nation. If you can find the film about a father struggling to hold his family together in Iran amidst external and internal unrest, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Sure Things:

Look Back: The anime film adaptation of the writer of Chainsaw Man’s more personal manga about two friends who syndicate a manga together in their adolescence before drifting apart in their post-school lives landed after a limited theatrical release this month on Amazon. It is fantastic, if a bit short, and everyone who has seen it tends to agree that it’s an all-timer, even if it gets zero love from any of the awards bodies.

Flow: The wordless Latvian animated film about a cat’s adventure after being displaced by a flood is currently one of the frontrunners to receive a nomination for Best Animated Feature this year. Between its unique and beautiful animation and fun concept that should impact the whole family, it’s easy to see why it stands here.

Wicked: Jon M. Chu’s film adaptation of the iconic musical’s first act arrived with incredible success this month, winning its first weekend at the box office, launching its stars into awards conversations, and thrilling audiences and critics alike. Expect to be hearing about this one for a while even beyond awards season, especially as fans begin to anticipate its second part next November.

Weekend Watch - October 2024 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’re taking a look back at the most acclaimed films released in the month of October. As always, we’ll be categorizing them by how likely they are to make this year’s list of the best films of the year – Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. This year, October gave us an early look at some of the top awards contenders ahead of November’s stacked slate, but there’s no reason to ignore the films of October, which contain Best Picture frontrunners, indie darlings, horror sleeper hits, and even a couple of solid documentaries. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Piece by Piece: The Pharrell Williams biography documentary in LEGO animation dropped at the beginning of the month to decent returns from audiences and critics. It comes across as more of a puff-piece than comprehensive bio, though, so it’ll have to rely on its unique animation choices to get into the awards conversations when the year ends.

Saturday Night: The dramatization of the hour and a half leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live is a solid, if imperfect film. Audiences and critics are decently high on it, but it’s not changing the game of cinema as much as its subject changed the state of late-night television. Screenplay love could warrant it some staying power among the ranks of all-time films.

We Live in Time: While the Andrew Garfield/Florence Pugh romantic drama hasn’t pleased critics with its fairly formulaic approach to the nonlinear romance, audiences still resonate heavily with the excellent performances and grounded realism. It’s definitely one worth seeing even if it doesn't get quite as brave as it thinks it does.

The Apprentice: The Donald Trump biopic about the early days of his career in real estate and his introduction to Roy Cohn has gotten lots of love for the performances by Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, but its lack of new insight into the deplorable character of the former president has held it back from reaching all-time heights.

The Last of the Sea Women: Apple’s documentary about South Korean female divers is one of the films that’s been mentioned as an outside contender for the year’s top documentary awards. Unfortunately, those who have seen it so far haven’t rated it quite as high as awards experts predicted, so it’ll stay here on the outside looking in until further notice.

Smile 2: The sequel to the horror hit of 2022 has seen even more success than its acclaimed predecessor. Audiences and critics both agree that it’s an improvement on the first film in almost every way. The only thing holding it back is its genre and nature as a sequel within that genre.

Woman of the Hour: Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut about a woman who accidentally chooses a serial killer on a dating game show (based on actual events by the way) has hit the right notes on Netflix. I’ve even seen reactions calling it one of the best films of the year so far. Unfortunately, audiences haven’t come down quite as collectively agreed on the film, so it’s on the outside.

Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara: Hulu’s documentary about the catfishing of fans of the indie rock group Tegan and Sara released on the streaming platform this month to solid critical responses. Audiences have been slightly less receptive to the critique of fandom that the film offers, and it’s not one of the highest films on most people’s list of great documentaries this year, but those interested in the story will probably find something to love.

Your Monster: Melissa Barrera might have been dropped from the Scream franchise, but that hasn’t kept her from continuing to prove herself as one of the biggest scream queens of the last 10 years, this time with a romantic comedy twist on the horror genre. The film about an aspiring Broadway actress who falls in love with the monster in her closet was one of the sleeper hits at Sundance this year.

Possible Things:

A Different Man: Sebastian Stan had a big month this October with a second award-worthy performance in this comedy thriller about a man who decides to change his facial features. It’s a fairly underground film, but the right campaign in the back end of the year could put it on enough people’s radars to make it one of the best of all time.

The Outrun: The Saoirse Ronan led film about a Scottish woman who returns home to rediscover herself has been on most awards people’s radar since it opened at Sundance this year. Ronan’s performance has been the primary focus of its celebration, though, as the pacing and story feel fairly familiar to those familiar with the subgenre. It’s solid, but I’m not sure if it’s got enough to have real staying power.

Blink: National Geographic’s documentary about a family taking a worldwide trip before their children lose their vision due to a rare genetic disorder can be found in theaters now ahead of a release on Disney+. Its emotional and scientific crossover feels oddly similar to NatGeo’s last successful documentary, Fire of Love, so don’t be surprised to see this one sticking around.

Exhibiting Forgiveness: Another under the radar gem from this month is Titus Kaphar’s film about a black artist reconnecting with his estranged, ex-addict father. The cast, led by André Holland, Andra Day, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, and John Earl Jelks should give this film more legs than it currently has. I wouldn’t necessarily expect to hear about it at any awards this year because of how undersold it’s been, but I do expect that you’ll enjoy it if you go to see it.

Conclave: One of this month’s two best picture contenders is Edward Berger’s film adaptation of Robert Harris’s fictional book about the election of a new pope. It’s unique blend of religion and political thriller has made it a huge success with audiences and critics. Ralph Fiennes’s lead performance and the supporting turns from Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, and John Lithgow also look to potentially land well at the big awards this season.

Memoir of a Snail: A highly limited release for one of the frontrunners for Best Animated Feature rolled out in the U.S. this month. The stop motion animated film about a hoarder reminiscing on her life does seem to be a solid addition to this year’s animated slate for those who have been lucky enough to see it. You’ll have to see it if you can find it near you and let me know.

Sure Thing:

Anora: The current Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay frontrunner started its slow rollout this month. Sean Baker’s heart pounding romantic dramedy about a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch has already been acclaimed by many as the best film of the year, and as it continues to broaden its net of theaters, it doesn’t seem to be losing any steam.

Weekend Watch - September 2024 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’re looking back at the films released in the month of September, highlighting the best films and rating them by their likelihood of being considered among the best films of the year and possibly even all time. As always, they’re categorized into Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. September has often been viewed as the soft kick-off of awards season with many films fresh off of runs at TIFF and Venice dipping their toes into the water. While the past few Septembers have felt more like false starts than true soft launches, September 2024 has given us a really solid slate of films that belong firmly in the conversation, even if they’ll inevitably be on the outside looking in, in addition to a strong slate of crowd-pleasers as well. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: Already one of the highest grossing films of the year, Tim Burton’s legacy sequel has pleased audiences and critics without fully blowing them away. Strong production design might give this film the lift that its vaguely positive scores need to make it as a great.

Rebel Ridge: A refreshingly fresh take on the action/revenge genre from a streamer was this Aaron Pierre and Don Johnson led film from Netflix. While the story doesn’t necessarily stick the landing, it’s a solid action thriller that has outperformed expectations from both audiences and critics.

Transformers One: One of the worst ad campaigns I’ve seen in recent years for an animated film has delivered an underperforming box office for what is otherwise one of the best Transformers films since the first Michael Bay film. A great voice cast might not be enough to get this film into the all-time conversation as it faces off against a broad slate of great animated films, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

Speak No Evil: The mainstream remake of the recent international horror film has been a sensation in theaters, carried by another great performance from James McAvoy. It’s a horror film that doesn’t really seek to elevate anything about the genre, so don’t expect to hear its name among the awards films, but it still bears watching.

Rez Ball: Netflix has yet another sleeper hit basketball film on its hands with the Lebron James-produced film about a reservation basketball team from New Mexico banding together to overcome the loss of their star player to compete for a state championship. Anyone looking for a decent feel-good sports film will be pleased with this one.

Will & Harper: The timely documentary following Will Ferrell’s road trip across the U.S. with his friend Harper Steele and engaging in conversations with each other and the public about trans people. It’s a timely and emotionally engaging film whose reviews have inevitably faced the adversity of conservative review-bombing that it’ll have to overcome with some wins in the coming season to make the score.

Possible Things:

His Three Daughters: Netflix’s first true awards-bait film of the year is Azazel Jacobs’s film about three daughters dealing with the imminent death of their father. All three actresses – Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olson – give phenomenal performances that could warrant awards love in a less stacked year, but it’s a really excellent film regardless of its official recognition.

My Old Ass: The Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella starring film about a girl whose mushroom trip gives her the opportunity to meet her 39-year-old self. It has been heralded as one of the best comedies of the year that also carries some solid emotional weight as well and is definitely one to watch.

How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies: This dramedy from Thailand about a young man scheming on his grandmother’s fortune should be the country’s submission for Best International Feature this year, as many are calling it one of the year’s best, carrying emotional weight and telling an original story. If you can find it showing near you, you should check it out.

The Substance: Coralie Fargeat’s body horror commentary on media’s perception of female body image starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid has been one of the most unpleasant pleasant surprises of the year. The comedy, social commentary, and visceral images have all hit the right notes along with the performances from the leading ladies and their terrifying supporting man. It might be the film to overcome the genre bias at awards shows as well. We’ll see.

Sure Thing:

The Wild Robot: Pixar once again has a run for its money for the best animated film of the year in DreamWorks Animation’s adaptation of the children’s book. The animation, story, and characters all hit the perfect notes of a great film, and it’s earned this blog’s fourth “Sure Thing” certification of the year. Go see it if you haven’t already.

Weekend Watch - June 2024 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’re looking back at the films released in the U.S. throughout the month of June, highlighting those most acclaimed by critics and audiences, putting them in a position to possibly make this blog’s list of the Greatest Films of All Time. You could also take these recaps as a way to find new films that you should check out that you may or may not have known about. As always, the films will be categorized based on their likelihood of making the blog’s list – Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things – and we actually do have the year’s second Sure Thing that came out this month. June gave us one of the more promising slates of summer blockbusters in a while, delivering solid box office performances, strong reviews from critics and fans, and even a few indie releases that are also worth checking out, instigating what could be a cinematic resurgence for the back half of the year. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Bad Boys: Ride or Die: The Bad Boys fourquel opened the month with a bang of a blockbuster, giving audiences what they’ve always loved about the previous films, and performing solidly at the box office for an R-rated film. Critics’ hesitancy to celebrate pure action comedy will undoubtedly continue to hold it back from actually making the all-time great list, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeing it.

I Used to Be Funny: After a limited festival run last year, the Rachel Sennott-led dramedy about a comedian suffering from PTSD is now widely available in the US, and it’s struck a solid chord with critics and even a generally favorable take from audiences. It will probably not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fans of the actress should have their craving for a new project sated.

Queendom: This SXSW documentary about a queer artist doing performance art in Moscow in defiance of Russia’s anti-LGBTQ laws is a full-on critical success, but a slew of what I can only assume to be Russian bots and homophobes review bombing it have left this film with dismal audience reviews (an increasing flaw in this blog’s system that I’m not really sure how to counteract). Awards love would go a long way in countering that narrative for this film, though.

Kinds of Kindness: Yorgos Lanthimos’s follow-up to his major critical success in last year's Poor Things does not carry quite the same weight with audiences or critics, proving much weirder and more divisive (I didn’t realize that was possible for Yorgos) now that it has a wide release. Fans of Yorgos and fans of Jesse Plemons have been enjoying certain aspects of it, but it’s not the universal hit that the director had last year.

Janet Planet: Annie Baker’s coming-of-age drama about a girl and her single mother in rural Massachusetts was made widely available in the U.S. this month, and critics seem to love it. Audiences have been more mixed, as is often the case with woman-led films (again, a flaw in the system), but it’s still generally positive, and if these types of stories are your thing, this’ll probably be right up your alley.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person: This French-Canadian dark comedy about exactly what its title implies became more widely available in the US this month, and looks to be one worth checking out, as both audiences and critics have been generally high on it. Expect this to end up more in the cult classic space than the all-time great space, but if it sounds like your brand, definitely check it out.

A Quiet Place: Day One: While it continues the downward trend of critical and audience responses that happened from the first to second film in its series, the positives in this film have garnered it a decent following with slightly above average reviews that keep it noteworthy. It’s certainly solid but doesn’t necessarily do anything new with its world or genre, so take it how you will.

Daddio: This hidden gem from last year’s TIFF is out now in theaters in the U.S., following Dakota Johnson as a woman taking a cab from JFK and conversing with her driver (Sean Penn) about their lives. It’s a fairly simple premise that probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it sounds like a film that’s been solidly executed if it is something that you’re looking for.

Possible Things:

Hit Man: Richard Linklater’s crime/romantic comedy starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona landed on Netflix and continues its run of solid critical reception even as the audience reviews have become more mixed (apparently, some people still think that killing cops is a bad thing and can’t suspend disbelief for a film). Powell’s star-power and Linklater’s prestige give this film an outside chance to get the awards love it deserves that’ll elevate it to an all-time status.

Robot Dreams: Last year’s surprise Best Animated Feature nominee actually can finally be watched by everyone not in the Academy in the U.S. now. Now that its watch numbers are increasing, it does look like it’ll maintain its stellar reviews, but I want to hold off on giving it the full Sure Thing treatment in case the wider audience doesn’t love it as much.

The Bikeriders: One of the more highly anticipated films of last year and now this year finally made its way to theaters (and soon now to streaming apparently) with Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer portraying a semi-true story of a Midwest motorcycle gang. It sounds like the hype oversold the film with most reviews being just slightly above average for the most part, but it’s still better than a lot of films from this year.

Fancy Dance: Apple TV+’s latest partnership with Lily Gladstone again follows a Native American woman fighting to keep her family together when things start unraveling, and again, critics seem to really like this one. The audience scores haven’t been as high with no Scorsese attached to the director’s chair, but her name recognition might give this film the lift it needs come awards season.

Copa 71: The documentary about one of the first women’s world cups that seeks to legitimize the tournament and establish its place in history is now widely available in the U.S. Its subject matter and nature as a sports documentary have made it popular and give it a shot at making the all-time greats list.

I Am: Celine Dion: The Amazon documentary about Celine Dion and her struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome has landed successfully with both audiences and critics. Dion’s worldwide fame and acclaim certainly also help this film, and a small push from the Oscars could land this film among the all-time greats.

Thelma: One of the biggest surprises of the month is the action comedy starring June Squibb about a nonagenarian seeking revenge on a phone scammer. Overwhelmingly positive reviews from both audiences and critics make this one a film that everyone should see, especially with Squibb’s long-overdue leading performance getting the celebration it deserves.

Sure Thing:

Inside Out 2: The year’s first billion-dollar film has also struck the right chords with critics and audiences like its predecessor, earning stellar reviews for its animation, voice cast, and relatable themes. It’s not quite the tear-jerker that the first Inside Out was, but plenty of audiences have celebrated the film’s emotional connection, making it worth seeing.

Weekend Watch - May 2024 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’re looking back at the films released in the month of May and letting you know which ones have the best chance of making it on this blog’s list of the Greatest Films of All Time. As always, they’ll be categorized by likelihood, with Long Shots being films still worth checking out but that need a big boost from either extended theater time, awards, or both to have a shot at making it, Possible Things being the films that are already building steam toward the success that they need to cement themselves in the long term, and Sure Things being those instant classic films that have already secured their spot in cinematic history. So far in 2024, we’ve had only one Sure Thing, and May won’t be changing that. Some solid above-the-line films mark this as a mildly better May than last year, but it’s still nowhere near the hit-churning month that it was in the 2010s, with most films either flopping with critics, audiences, the box office, or all three more often than they don’t. Still, there’s a decent offering of films released this month that you may already have seen or that you might have missed. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Turtles All the Way Down: It’s a John Green adaptation, so of course it’s going to be alright. This one also features rising star Isabela Merced and explores themes of mental health, so don’t let its debut on Max keep you fully down on it. It’ll probably please the younger audiences more than the wide public, but it’s still one worth keeping on your radar.

The Contestant: This is one of the more fascinating documentaries I’ve heard of in recent history, chronicling a year-long experiment(?) where a Japanese gameshow contestant stayed in a single room with no clothes on, filling out magazine sweepstakes to receive his food and clothing. Hulu has it, and apparently, it’s not too bad if not that groundbreaking either.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Success at the box office seems to be a given for the Apes franchise at this point, even if this distant sequel looks to be hitting audiences and critics more closely to Rise than Dawn or War. The visual effects and stunts could be enough to overcome its slight critical deficit and get it fully there.

Babes: This indie comedy about motherhood and friendship starring Ilana Glazer and Michelle Buteau seems to have found its niche. Fans and critics are in agreement that it’s a solid film, both funny and poignant. It certainly looks to be a film more for the girls than the whole crowd, but don’t let that keep you away.

Jim Henson: Idea Man: Ron Howard’s documentary about the mind behind the Muppets landed on Disney+ after opening at Cannes, and it’s again proving that the audiences want more of the Muppets. Critics are more middling on the doc, but it’s got a shot with its fairly beloved topic to make a run.

The Blue Angels: Amazon’s documentary about the iconic stunt performers and their training regimen released this month and looks to be doing alright with its target audience. If this is something that interests you, it’s probably worth checking out, but don’t expect it to be on any lists at the end of the year.

The Beach Boys: Disney’s documentary about the classic boy band celebrates their impact on culture and music, so it’s been a hit with fans. The upbeat, all-good vibes of the doc have kept critics from being as high on it, but don’t let that keep you from giving it a shot.

Young Woman and the Sea: This film looks to be Disney’s answer to last year’s Nyad, starring Daisy Ridley as the first woman to swim the English Channel. Audiences are certainly higher on it than they were on Nyad, but critics are saying basically the same thing. Sports biopics tend to have some legs in awards season, though, and Ridley has certainly earned some sympathy in Hollywood in the past few years, so it’s still got a shot.

Possible Things:

The Fall Guy: As the film that’s working to reinvigorate the world’s and Hollywood’s appreciation of stunts and stunt men, its middling box office achievement and slightly above average reviews have this fun action rom/com sitting a little lower than it probably should be to have a legitimate chance, but Gosling and Blunt tend to have some mojo, so it’s not fully out of it.

I Saw the TV Glow: A24’s first little hit of the year comes in the form of the 90s TV nostalgia trip from Jane Schoenbrun, starring Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine. Critics are in awe of the film’s visuals and aura, even if audiences are a bit more divided on how much this film ends up being style over substance.

Evil Does Not Exist: Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s latest film released in the U.S. this month after having wide festival success last year. His exploration of gentrification and environmentalism sparked a lot of conversation among critics last year, and it’s possible that he’ll get the nod from Japan as its submission for the International Feature Oscar this year.

We Grown Now: A hit from last year's Chicago Film Festival and TIFF, this coming-of-age tale set in Chicago’s public housing in the 1990s opened across the U.S. this month. The film has been a hit with those who have seen it, so you might as well join them and find it where you can.

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: Though not as critically or financially successful (Fury Road was also technically a box office flop) as its predecessor, Furiosa still looks to be the best overall film from this month, as its technical prowess already has plenty of people buzzing about its awards potential at the end of the year.

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.