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 - October 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 rating, review, and recommendation. This week, we’re looking back at the month of October and its many film releases. In these recaps, we highlight the films that have some chance at making it onto this blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time in three different categories – long shots, possible things, and sure things. This past month, we started easing back into the awards season, getting a few films that will go down as truly great alongside some streaming sleeper hits and the classic October offerings of new horror releases. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Wendell and Wild: Netflix’s stop-motion film from Henry Selick and Key and Peele had a lot of people excited going into October. Reviews since its release have been a bit underwhelming and its ratings are continuing to decline, but it’s worth keeping an eye on as a long shot if nothing else.

Terrifier 2: This horror sequel has kept fans of the first film happy and has elicited some legendary audience reactions already. Its nature as a horror film and a sequel will undoubtedly keep it out of any major conversation in the coming months of awards season, but this one merits mentioning simply for its shock factor and faithful follow-up to the original.

To Leslie: This indie drama about a former lottery starring Allison Janney and Andrea Risborough is based on a true story and has done well among critics in its limited release. It will most likely fly under most people’s radars and remain as a cult hit only, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Catherine Called Birdy: Amazon Prime Video’s genre-breaking period film from Lena Dunham starring Bella Ramsey of Game of Thrones and The Last of Us fame has done decently with critics and has audiences giving mixed responses (mostly due to its feminist message and Dunham’s questionably problematic nature). It’s worth checking out and remains a long shot for now.

Stars at Noon: Claire Denis’s latest work hasn’t wowed audiences or critics like some of her past works, but the romantic thriller starring Margaret Qualley and Joe Alwyn remains a long shot simply for its name recognition and star power.

The Good Nurse: Netflix’s chilling based-on-a-true-story film starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne is very much a vehicle for strong performances from both actors. Its mixed reviews will probably keep it from rising much beyond a bubble awards film, but on the off chance that it makes a solid push, we’ll mention it here.

Call Jane: Yet another film this year on the topic of abortion throws its hat into the ring. This one is set in the U.S. before Roe and stars Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver in a film based on the true story of an underground group of women who sought to provide safe abortions in the late 1960s. It hasn’t gotten the most solid reviews, but its topical nature keeps it in the conversation.

Possible Things:

Triangle of Sadness: The Palme d’Or winner from Cannes this year finally got its theatrical release in the U.S. this past month. So far, its reviews have been tracking with those it received at festivals, keeping fans happy with Reuben Östlund’s work and critics mixed on the over-the-top nature of the film’s absurdities. Past success at festivals indicates this one will be worth keeping an eye on as award season ramps up in the coming months.

All Quiet on the Western Front: Edward Berger’s remake of the classic film has already been announced World War I film’s overwhelmingly positive reviews seem to indicate that it will be a frontrunner in that category and even a fringe possibility for Best Picture votes – definitely worth checking out on Netflix if you haven’t already.

The Redeem Team: The Netflix documentary about the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic basketball team has found success with both fans and critics. It exists in a fairly safe space among documentaries, focusing on well-known celebrities and a popular sport and could get the awards buzz needed to elevate it to a more permanent place among those docs.

Emily: Frances O’Connor’s Emily Brontë biopic/romance has kept its small audiences happy since its release in the middle of this past month. Emma Mackey has received praise for her portrayal of the titular character, and it’s definitely a film worth finding if you can in the coming months.

Till: The film portrayal of the tragic story of Emmett Till and his mother’s quest to get justice for her son has quickly risen to prominence as a vehicle for a career-defining performance from Danielle Deadwyler. Its historical depictions and modern relevance keeps it very much in the conversation going into awards season and beyond.

Decision to Leave: Park Chan-wook’s mystery/romance that released in the U.S. this past month was at one point the frontrunner in the Best International Film race but has slowed in momentum somewhat. Nevertheless, the film continues to wow audiences, consistent with Park’s other works and the films of South Korea from the past few years. Even if it gets no awards love, this will still be worth catching if you can.

All That Breathes: This documentary about two brothers seeking to ensure the survival of the Black Kite amidst the environmental struggles of Delhi has quickly risen to prominence among critics and some fans as well. The film’s very relevant messages about pollution and environmentalism make it a prime option for awards going into the season. This’ll be worth checking out when it hits streaming for sure.

Sure Things:

Tár: Todd Field’s film about the prolific composer-conductor Lydia Tár has audiences and critics alike thrilled with its filmmaking and acting. Cate Blanchett’s leading performance has her sitting at the top of most people’s best actress lists this year, and the film’s high-quality editing and unique pacing leave it as an unquestionably great film that will no doubt be discussed for years to come.

The Banshees of Inisherin: Martin McDonagh is back at it with the dynamic duo of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in this dark comedy about two friends who have fallen out of friendship on a small Irish island. The film’s beautiful location shooting, excellent acting, and well-balanced script have all been praised by fans and critics alike. Most of McDonagh’s works shouldn’t be skipped, but this has the potential to be his greatest film to date, potentially securing first-time Oscar nominations for all four of its leading performers.