Weekend Watch - May 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’ve come to the end of another month and will be recapping the best films from the month of May – the ones that have some shot of making this blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time, categorized by likelihood (Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things). Every May since 2018 has felt like a regression for the month, with weaker and weaker blockbusters and not much else. Seriously, this May had a whole week where the “biggest” film dropping was Book Club: The Next Chapter, and we all remember how that was. Yes, May 2023 had one legitimately great blockbuster hit and some indie and documentary sleeper hits, but overall, the month feels like a letdown overall, critically speaking. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Victim/Suspect: Netflix’s documentary about sexual assault victims who are accused of filing false reports and prosecuted for it has hit at the right time in terms of poignancy and relevance. Unfortunately, the documentary seems to be a bit underwhelming in its technique, leaving something to be desired in tackling such an important subject. Its relevance keeps it noteworthy, but I think we can ask for better.

Showing Up: With an ever-widening release window from distributor A24, this Michelle Williams and Hong Chau-led film about a sculptor setting up a new exhibition from director Kelly Reichardt made some waves this past month. The 2022 Cannes hit has garnered praise for Williams’s performance and its simple pacing, but it’s been so under-the radar that its 47% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes is going to be difficult to overcome.

Monica: Another 2022 festival darling that finally got its wide release this month, Monica tackles the delicate issues of aging and dying parents. Trace Lysette, Patricia Clarkson, and Emily Browning all bring the right type of star-power to the film, and in a year with a limited number of female-led films compared to years past, they have the potential to break in to some awards races. For now, this film remains on the outside looking in with just vaguely positive reviews.

Wild Life: National Geographic documentaries tend to be hit or miss when it comes to widespread acclaim, but their recent partnership with Disney has merited a little bit more recognition for the company. This particular doc, about conservationists Kris and Doug Tompkins, has struck a chord with some reviewers, though not on the level of last year’s hit Fire of Love. Keep an eye on it, but don’t put it on any must-watch lists just yet.

The Starling Girl: The Sundance and SXSW hit about religious trauma and coming of age got its wide release this month, to mostly positive critical reception and mixed reviews from audiences (probably due to its religious subject matter and the endless backlash from a certain portion of the American public whenever anything releases that vaguely goes against their beliefs). Still, with such a niche topic, it’s hard to see it breaking through beyond this underground success.

Sanctuary: The Margaret Qualley dominatrix movie that has everyone (filmstagram and film Twitter) talking seems to be more of a cult classic than a true all-time great. Still, with the right press tour and a continuing control of the conversation (unlikely, given all the more memeworthy stuff coming in the next couple of months) could result in a climb to the upper echelon of films for this one.

The Little Mermaid: With the money that it’s made and the not overwhelmingly negative reviews, it’s safe to say that this live action remake from Disney will go down as one of their more successful endeavors in that field. I’d be surprised to see much else from it when awards roll around, and without that it has no real shot of achieving greatness, but you never know for sure (Cruella really did do some crazy things a few years back).

Possible Things:

BlackBerry: I don’t know why we’re getting so many movies about the invention of things this year (Flamin’ Hot comes out in June), but we are, and they seem to be doing well with audiences and critics. The Jay Baruchel and Glenn Howerton-starring film explores the creation of “the world’s first smartphone” and its inevitable demise and seems to have hit the right blend of history, drama, and comedy for some more love down the road.

Reality: Sydney Sweeney might really be her. The film about the interrogation of whistleblower Reality Winner released last Monday on Max to serious critical acclaim. Sweeney’s performance seems to be the most noteworthy piece of the film, so she’s really the one to look out for here.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: The emotional conclusion to the Guardians trilogy has been the most successful MCU film in a while, and its place as one of the highest-grossing and most beloved by audiences put it in a good place to get the hair/makeup, costume design, and visual effects nominations it needs to get the points it needs for Greatness.

You Hurt My Feelings: Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s latest team-up with director Nicole Holofcener has been hitting the right notes with critics and fans. The dramedy about an author who hears her husband giving a less-than-encouraging review of her latest book hits the right notes, and Louis-Dreyfus is again in her element working with Holofcener.

Sure Things:

Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie: The Apple TV+ documentary about the life and career of Michael J. Fox is the can’t-miss film from the month of May, achieving critical and popular acclaim from just about everyone who has watched it so far. Fox’s optimism in the face of everything and the encouragement his story brings to the world and those around him makes it a truly classic documentary.

Weekend Watch - September 2022 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 review and recommendation. This weekend, we have come to the end of another month, and it’s time to recap all the movies worth watching that released this month, categorized by their likelihood of making it onto the blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time. In terms of quality, September was a mild step up from the summer months, even if its box office returns were quite weak (the lowest September in almost 30 years, excluding 2020, was what I saw). There is one film worthy of the Sure Things categorization (though I might still be wrong), a few in the Possible Things, and a number in the Long Shots. Let’s take a look.

Long Shots:

God’s Country: Thandiwe Newton stars in this indie thriller that originally released at Sundance earlier this year before its limited theatrical release this past month. Critics seem to like this film slightly more than audiences, and it hasn’t drummed up a ton of buzz on any awards radars, but her acting chops and an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes keep this one on the edge.

Mija: Disney’s documentary about the children of undocumented immigrants working to make it in the American music industry has flown under the radar. So far, though, it has garnered positive responses from the few people who have seen it. It’s nature as a streaming documentary keeps it as a long shot, despite its decently high Rotten Tomatoes score, Metacritic score, and IMDB rating.

Riotsville, U.S.A.: This documentary about the militarization of America’s police force at the end of the 1960s finally received a limited theatrical release this month. Its divisive subject matter, critiquing the overt aggression of American police is bound to keep its fan reviews mixed, but its critic ratings are high, and it could garner some awards attention in the coming months.

A Jazzman’s Blues: Tyler Perry’s latest film, a period piece about an unsolved murder and the lives of black and white families in the early 1900s, has received surprisingly positive reviews, given his recent track record. The Netflix release probably won’t garner much more than this, but it’s still worth noting.

Blonde: Andrew Dominik’s fictional Marilyn Monroe biopic dropped this past week, and it has been divisive to say the least. Dominik’s vision seems to have come through strongly, but critics and audiences alike are divided on whether his vision is a good one. The one thing people can agree on is Ana de Armas’s strong performance, which keeps this film’s hopes alive but just barely.

Confess, Fletch: This soft reboot of the “Fletch” franchise, which was made famous by Chevy Chase, seems to be doing well enough with audiences and critics to warrant mentioning. Jon Hamm’s comedic chops are on full display, and it keeps this film a long shot.

Do Revenge: Netflix’s gen-z high school revenge comedy has been a surprise hit among certain audiences. Its teen-centric nature leaves it less than popular among “the olds”, but its success among younger viewers keeps it worth mentioning. Maya Hawke and Camila Mendes put on really fun performances in this one.

Don’t Worry Darling: The off-screen antics of this one are obviously the big draw for Olivia Wilde’s new film. Its just-okay script has kept the film from getting better reviews. Florence Pugh’s strong acting carries this film and keeps it worth mentioning here as a long shot.

Smile: This gruesome horror film about a doctor haunted by a smile released this week to comparatively positive reviews for a movie in that genre. I don’t see it going much farther than its 74% Tomatometer score and 82% audience rating, but it seems like a solid hit for fans of the genre.

Possible Things:

Barbarian: I already talked at length about this one in a previous Weekend Watch but suffice it to say that this wild horror film was such a pleasant surprise that it has worked its way into a possible Greatest Film of All Time. Solid performances, interesting horror, and surprises throughout have made this film the surprise hit of September.

Pearl: Not to be outdone, the prequel to Ti West’s X from earlier this year has been another solid outing in the horror genre from September. Mia Goth’s performance has critics and audiences buzzing, and the film even garnered a personal shoutout and high praise from the Martin Scorsese, one of the greatest directors to ever do it. Combined with high critic and audience scores across the board, it’s easy to see this one’s potential to make it on the list.

The Woman King: Apart from some review bombing on IMDB (a consistent problem for films featuring women, minorities, and members of the LGBT community in recent history that they need to fix ASAP), Viola Davis’s action film about the female warriors of the Dahomey has received consistent praise, covering its historical fiction well. The plethora of woman-led films releasing this year will most likely keep Davis out of any awards races, but her name recognition might launch this film even higher.

Argentina, 1985: This Spanish language film that released on Amazon Prime Video this past week has only been watched by a few viewers so far, but their responses have been overwhelmingly positive. The 95% (uncertified) Tomatometer score and 100% (with fewer than 50 ratings) audience score show that this is a film worth keeping an eye on moving forward, covering the prosecution of Argentina’s fascist regime in the 1980s (a topical hit).

Bros: The first romantic comedy from a major film studio to center around a gay couple has released, and so far, the reviews are positive. Billy Eichner is already generating buzz from the Golden Globes, and the film could even receive some nominations for its writing. This groundbreaking film is definitely one to keep an eye on going forward.

Sure Things:

Moonage Daydream: This cinematic experience of a documentary about David Bowie’s creative and musical journey has wowed audiences consistently since its original release at Cannes earlier this year and more recently in its theatrical and IMAX release this past month. The documentary is sanctioned by the Bowie estate and showcases some amazing visuals alongside a fascinating look at the iconic musical artist. Already, its scores are high enough to put it on this list, and the potential for more awards love going forward means that everything is looking up for this particular documentary.

Weekend Watch - June 2022 Recap

                Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we react and review a new piece of film or television and give you a recommendation on whether to watch it. This week, we’ve come to the end of the month of June and have a recap of all the critically acclaimed films that released this past month. Usually, we break them down into three categories – long shots, possible things, and sure things – based on their likelihood of making it onto this site’s list of Greatest Films of All Time. June, as best as I can tell, has nothing that was a sure thing, which remains pretty par for the course for the month (basically since Wonder Woman). With that being said, there are a few films that should be on your radar because they have potential with the right push to reach the heights of Greatness.

Long Shots:

Watcher: This indie horror thriller about a woman and her husband on vacation in Europe across the street from a potential serial killer has had success among critics. Its small following and mixed audience reviews will most likely keep it out of the top 1000 films, but apparently its twists on the tropes of Rear Window and the like have some people excited enough to make it worth mentioning.

Crimes of the Future: David Cronenberg’s latest outing was highly successful at its Cannes release, but its extended standing ovation does not seem to be extended to its actual ratings. The film features strong performances from its supporting women (Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart) but also offers a reportedly weak commentary and fairly straightforward story. For Cronenberg fans, this is probably a must-see but not so much for everyone else.

Fire Island: LGBT+ Pride and Prejudice set in the modern day at a massive gathering of the community on Fire Island. It’s a highly ambitious film and works well as a fully sold-out romantic comedy/retelling of Jane Austen, which is why critics have been so high on it. Unfortunately, “the gays” get some mixed reviews from “the straights” and will probably not make much of a splash once the awards start coming, but I really enjoyed this one.

The Phantom of the Open: A golf comedy about the worst round in British Open history starring Mark Rylance sounds like just the type of wholesome comedy that I need in my life right now. Unfortunately, its reviews from critics and fans are just barely above the average level and not quite at greatness, but still, it remains a long shot because of what Rylance’s name brings to the table.

Hustle: The best film Adam Sandler has put out since Uncut Gems blends NBA drama with heartfelt family issues in what feels like the most honestly Sandler film that he’s put out in some time. It has solid reviews but none that are quite enough to get it over the hump, and for the most part, movies about team sports only make it onto the list if they are documentaries, so don’t expect to see a Hustle review any time soon, unfortunately.

Lightyear: The latest Pixar film has somehow managed to hit a sweet spot in terms of bad reviews – delivering gay content to bring “that” section of review bombers to the table alongside one of the least risky Pixar films in a while, alienating the real cinema people at the same time. This film is honestly only on the long shots list because of the studio behind it, otherwise it would not be worth mentioning, sadly.

The Black Phone: Honestly, this could probably be up in the next section if it wasn’t a horror film. This movie has all the people talking about it in a positive way. People love Ethan Hawke’s performance, they like the originality, and they like the horror. Unfortunately, that still only translates to a 65 Metacritic Score and an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Horror’s limited track record in awards season keeps this sadly as a long shot to make the list.

Wildhood: This indie coming-of-age film about two brothers looking for their mother and reconnecting with their indigenous heritage checks a lot of boxes in terms of its viability come awards season. Sadly, its fan reviews are ridiculously lopsided in comparison with those of critics, and its indie nature will probably keep it out of contention.

Mad God: A stop-motion horror film that took 20 years to make has critics buzzing and audiences frustrated. This refreshingly different addition to the genre of animation has not fared so well among fan ratings as it has among the critics, and with so many other animated features being released this year, it’s hard to imagine this winning the awards that it will need to make it onto the list.

Possible Things:

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: This sex-positive film about a middle-aged widow who hires a sex worker to help her discover her sexuality, featuring Emma Thompson, has created quite a buzz in certain circles. It is a fairly simple film but heartfelt and incredibly well-acted, discussing themes that are rarely covered in any conversations, let alone film. Emma Thompson’s name attached also adds credibility come awards season, so we’ll see if it gets the push it needs to make it to the big time.

Official Competition: A Spanish comedy featuring Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas about making a film that will be one of the greatest ever. It is a satire about filmmaking, which tends to do well with awards voters. This should at least garner some looks in the Foreign Film categories and could potentially pull some acting nominations as well. With everything that it still needs to go right though, it will stay only as a possibility for now.

Cha Cha Real Smooth: Sundance success that gets bought by Apple TV+, where else have we seen this? Oh yeah, last year’s Best Picture winner CODA. This is not to say that Cha Cha Real Smooth brings everything to the table that CODA did, but the formula is certainly there – an indie film about a relevant issue (autism) that basically everyone cares about with some romance thrown in as well and a solid performance from an underappreciated actor (Dakota Johnson). I’m not saying that this is a sure thing, but it’s definitely a possibility.

The Janes: An incredibly timely HBO documentary about women who orchestrated safe abortions during the days before Roe v. Wade, this one has the makings of another Best Documentary Feature for the company. Due to its controversial subject matter, though, it will remain a possibility and not quite a sure thing just yet.

Elvis: Baz Luhrmann’s biopic of the King of Rock and Roll has released to stellar scores from audiences, above average ratings from critics, and just enough awards buzz to keep this one on the edge of being a possibility. Luhrmann has mixed success when it comes to awards, but young actors playing musicians tends to do well with awards voters, so Butler might bring home some nominations when the time comes.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: This wholesome film based on an early-2010s YouTube video would be a sure thing if it had a few more viewers. A24’s limited release model is keeping this one fairly low on the rating count, but those that it does have are consistently high. As more people see this one, I hope it continues to do well. I just don’t know that it will get any kind of awards love, and I’m not fully convinced that it’s something that will do well with wider audiences, so it’s going to stay a possibility for now.