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 - The Penguin Episode ONe

                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’s topic, as voted by the blog’s Instagram followers, is the debut episode of the television spin-off of 2022’s superhero hit The Batman – The Penguin. It describes itself as a series following Oz Cobb (the Penguin) as he tries to seize the power in Gotham City’s criminal underworld and picks up following the events of The Batman. The show stars Colin Farrell in the titular role, reprising his performance from Matt Reeves’s film, joined by Cristin Milioti as the daughter of the deceased mob boss Carmine Falcone, Sofia, Rhenzy Feliz as an inopportune henchman that Oswald picks up, Victor Aguilar, Mark Strong as Carmine Falcone in flashbacks, and Clancy Brown as the imprisoned mob boss Salvatore Marone. The show is also slated to feature performances from Theo Rossi, David H. Holmes, and Kenzie Gray. Its first episode aired this past Thursday with subsequent episodes releasing on Sundays starting next week. Let’s get into it.

Letter Grade: B+; a strong, if slow, opening provides plenty to be optimistic for as the rest of the season unfolds, but I’m not going to guarantee anything just yet.

Should you Watch This Show? If you loved Matt Reeves’s The Batman and want to get a taste of that version of Gotham again, this is a must-watch. If you’ve been craving a good crime drama on television that doesn’t revolve around cops and lawyers, this also definitely checks that box, and it might also be a great prestige miniseries that everyone should watch by the time everything’s said and done.

Why?

                The Penguin’s first episode takes us deeper into the criminal underbelly of Gotham City, focusing on the grounded world of organized crime where Oz Cobb and his associates operate. It picks up immediately after the events of the film, giving unfamiliar audiences (what few there may be) a quick montage of news reports explaining the pertinent details as Cobb stands by a window overlooking Gotham, plotting his rise to power. The show then takes off with a literal bang as he finds himself scrambling to cover up a murder with the help of a hapless street criminal (Feliz’s Vic) who had the unfortunate luck of being caught trying to steal the Penguin’s rims. The remainder of the episode spends its time introducing us to the various characters who will no doubt become important players over the course of the season as Cobb visits mob mansions, prostitute-populated streets, drug factories, prison, and even his mother’s home in the suburbs as he attempts to shore up support in the city while gauging the wisdom of staying versus fleeing the inevitable gang war. Across it all, Farrell’s Penguin remains the central figure, playing all sides with just as much weight and squirrelliness as he had in the film, and we start to see the shape that this (mini?)series will be taking. The question of whether Cobb ends up more as a Tony Soprano or a Vito Corleone feels like the real drama of the series, and it should be a fun ride along the way.

                If there’s any major complaints to level against this first episode, it lies in its relatively slow pacing after a quick opening. It teases us with threats of mob violence and surprising turns, but so far all of the surprising turns have had very little lasting impact, serving more as tantalizing teases that never pay off as intensely as they possibly could. Obviously, this is the first episode of an eight-episode season, so they can’t be dropping every body and complicating the plot too much early on, but there will definitely be some fans who’ve come to the show more for its comic book premise than its mob drama who won’t be thrilled with the limited action of this debut. There’s enough twists and turns that have the potential to pay out into some interesting complications down the road that I’m willing (and even excited) to give the show time to cook up to its inevitably messy conclusion. Is this show going to dethrone The Sopranos or The Wire as the best crime drama in the history of television? Doubtful. Is it going to be the high action, high easter egg comic book show that Gotham was? Also probably not, but if you want a show that blends the energy of those two types of shows fairly well so far, you’d be hard-pressed to find something better.

                Led by a consistent Colin Farrell performance and the welcome addition of Cristin Milioti as his more ruthless foil, The Penguin promises to be a fun blend of comic book action and mob drama that might by your next favorite miniseries if it can follow-up on the many promises of its first episode. The next episode comes next Sunday (the 29th), and it should give us a better idea of the direction that everything’s headed. Here’s hoping it can come close to living up to the excellence of the film that inspired it.

Weekend Watch - July and August 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 back after an extended hiatus with a look back at the best films released in July and August of this year. We’ll highlight the films that critics and audiences liked most in these months, categorizing them by their likelihood of making the year’s 25 best films – Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. The latter two-thirds of summer 2024 brought us a decent mix of films, some overhyped, some underappreciated, and others fully delivering on their promises, resulting in an acceptable if not overly noteworthy couple of months. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

MaXXXine: The highly anticipated conclusion to Ti West’s homage horror trilogy fell far short of the standard set by the first two in both the acting and horror department. It still stands a cut above many of the year’s horror offerings, but don’t expect it to suddenly break into the all-time greats conversation any time soon.

The Imaginary: Netflix’s new animated offering takes a look at the world of imaginary friends, a surprisingly popular theme this year, and the anime film seems to be passable but nowhere near the conversation for the film’s best animated films. If you enjoy the style or the concept, it’s probably worth checking out. Otherwise, it’s safe to say you can miss it.

Faye: Max’s documentary about Faye Dunaway is another in a long line of celebrity bio-docs that do great things for their subjects’ fans and little for the overall genre of documentary. If you love the illustrious star or would like to hear about her life from her own lips, it’s worth checking out, but don’t expect it to be called for any major awards at the end of the year.

Twisters: The “sequel” to the 90s disaster film delivered exactly as promised – a fun, hot, exhilarating look at storm chasers that mostly lives up to the legacy of the original and delivers some solid star power from Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. It’s not much beyond that, but it’s definitely worth watching even if it won’t perhaps stand the test of time like the original has.

Skywalkers: A Love Story: The Netflix documentary about stunt acrobats climbing Malaysia’s tallest skyscraper to rekindle their career and relationship feels like it could make some noise as the year progresses, but its problematic protagonists and odd promotion of NFTs have held it back from achieving as highly as it could have.

Deadpool & Wolverine: Marvel Studios’ only theatrical release this year has had major box office and fan success, delivering on its promise of bringing R-rated superhero action to the MCU. Its excess of fan-service and shortness on plot have definitely held it back from reaching the highs of the former MCU, but it’s still a solid outing that bodes well for the upcoming slate.

Cuckoo: The psychological horror film starring Hunter Schafer that was highly anticipated by the internet, particularly Ayo Edebiri, has delivered on its promise of a fun, twisty, if not always incredibly scary indie horror film. It takes some big swings that not every audience has loved equally, but it might be your cup of tea.

War Game: It’s a documentary about US officials simulating a response to a coup, which might hit a bit too close to home in this year’s political climate with January 6, 2021, still very much in the public’s mind, but it seems to be well-made and interesting. Its subject matter might be too divisive to be an immediate great, but it might find the right audience and last for a while.

Alien: Romulus: Director Fede Alvarez’s take on the iconic sci-fi/horror series has brought it back to its more grounded roots and found a strong audience with critics and fans alike. Though its lack of truly original ideas and controversial inclusion of a highly altered version of deceased actor Ian Holm have held it back from the heights of the originals.

My Penguin Friend: A feel-good, indie, based-on-a-true-story film about a fisherman who rescues a penguin from an oil spill will obviously fly well under the radar. Nevertheless, those who have seen it have been generally positive about it, and it’s always fun to get to see Jean Reno in a film even if it’s one that few people will watch.

Blink Twice: Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut has outperformed most expectations for it with praise for her directorial vision and the performances of leads Naomi Ackie and Channing Tatum. It’s nowhere near perfect, and some heavy comparisons to other films (Get Out and Saltburn especially) have held it back in the story department, but it’s still a fun intro for Kravitz to directing.

Between the Temples: The Bat Mitzvah indie comedy starring Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane has some serious Golden Globe potential, especially with its strong critical reception. It sounds like the humor might be a bit more niche, resulting in some mixed audience reviews, but it might be a film worth checking out if that sounds up your alley.

Possible Things:

Longlegs: A serial killer/supernatural horror film from Osgood Perkins (son of Anthony Perkins of Psycho) starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage has been the breakout hit of the summer. Its convoluted third act has left some viewers less than thrilled, but its story and star power might get it into the conversation at the end of the year.

Didi: A 2000s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story about a Taiwanese American boy sounds like the ideal film for indie film fans, and it certainly sounds like its found that target audience. Many have it sitting on the cusp of Oscar nominations for screenplay and for the supporting performance of Joan Chen as Chris’s mom. It sounds like it might be one of the best films of the year if audiences keep loving it like they have.

Kneecap: The first official submission for Best International Feature to get a wide release in the U.S. has come from Ireland this year with Rich Peppiatt’s film about Irish-language rappers working to revive the use of the language in the wide sphere. Audiences and critics alike agree that it’s a real hit, and most expect it to be on the list of Oscar nominees at the end of the year.

Daughters: Netflix’s legitimate Oscar contender in the documentary category is Daughters, which looks at a father-daughter dance between incarcerated men and their daughters in Washington, D.C. It lives in a topical space and has been a hit with those who have watched it so far. If it’s a topic that interests you, I’d definitely recommend giving it a shot.

Strange Darling: The serial killer indie thriller from J.T. Mollner ends up being the biggest surprise of August, opening to near-unanimous critical acclaim and similar takes from fans. Some have taken issue with the potentially problematic interpretations of the film’s themes, especially seeing as it was written by a man, taking on issues of gender norms, but it sounds like a relatively unique film worth checking out if the genre is up your alley.

Sure Things:

Sing Sing: The current frontrunner for Best Picture finally expanded its theatrical run this past month and continues to hit the right mark with audiences. Anyone who doesn’t categorize this as one of the best films of the year (and possibly of all time) must have watched a different film than I did because it is phenomenal and certainly lives up to the hype.

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 - Bridgerton Season 3

                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’s topic, as voted by the blog’s Instagram followers, is the latest season of Netflix’s hit period romance series Bridgerton, which released the second half of its third season last week. The show, produced by television legend Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder), and created by her collaborator Chris Van Dusen, is based on the historical romance novels by Julia Quinn, which follow the romantic intrigues of the titular noble family and their compatriots in early 19th-century British high society. This season primarily adapts the novel Romancing Mister Bridgerton, which follows the romance between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), although it implements elements from some of the other novels as well. This season sees the return of most characters and actors from the first two seasons (absent still Regé-Jean Page’s Duke Simon Bassett and Phoebe Dynevor’s Daphne Bassett) while also introducing Hannah Dodd as the previously absent Francesca Bridgerton, Victor Alli as Lord John Stirling, Daniel Frances as Lord Marcus Anderson, and Hannah New as Lady Tilley Arnold. Now that the full third season is out, plenty of people have started sharing their thoughts on it, so let’s get into it.

Letter Grade: B+; where the first two seasons shone in their central romances, the third draws more on its supporting cast, which may or may not work as well for everyone.

Should you Watch This Show? If you’ve been a fan of the show from the start, this’ll continue to scratch that itch, and if you weren’t, it’s not going to do any changing of your mind.

Why?

                Bridgerton Season 3 continues in so much of what has made the show such a success – steamy romance, gripping drama, complex love stories, the Vitamin String Quartet, involved sets, beautiful costumes, and memorable characters who grow more complex with each iteration. It knows its identity and niche in the market and delivers yet again a hit for that broad subset of the streaming viewers. Unfortunately, it feels like a show whose writing is starting to get away from it, much as so many of the Shondaland shows do. Season 1 gave us a fascinatingly convoluted romance with critiques on society, gender roles, and even conceptions of marriage and nobility. Season 2 offered a subversive romance that also served as a redemption arc for a previously debauched romantic lead that somehow got us to sympathize with the fact that people actually can change. Season 3’s central romance tackles a much safer, more tried-and-true route of friends to lovers to enemies to lovers again, which tackles fewer social issues, though its subplots do feature some refreshing takes on how love looks different for different people, learning to forgive, and the self-sacrificial elements of family. It’s still a strong season of the show, but certain aspects of it feel less satisfying than in seasons past.

                In addition to the excellent production design, the performances remain strong with Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, and Golda Rosheuvel remaining the standouts. While the rest of the cast continues to fill their roles admirably, looking and sounding the parts that they are asked to play, these three women continue to grow their roles and inhabit their characters in ways that keep them iconic in every iteration. Rosheuvel’s portrayal of Queen Charlotte has become so iconic that it earned the character a spin-off prequel series, and she continues to be a dominating force who steals the screen not just with her wild hairdos but her gravitas and expressions in every one of her scenes. It’s a performance that easily becomes career-defining because of how memorable she has become. Jessie plays the second Bridgerton daughter, Eloise, who defies societal pressures as much as possible and had been Penelope’s best friend up until some drama at the end of the second season, and that break allows her to grow Eloise in new directions this season, showcasing her capability for repartee and satire on a new level than ever before without losing the sense of self and vulnerability that have made her such a lovable character. Coughlan also shines in her increased role this season; obviously, her comedic capabilities have never been in doubt if you’ve ever seen Derry Girls, but she brings a sensuality and authenticity to her romance this season that helps to sell the plot and keep the audience invested even when the writing is doing her story few favors. She is the moment, and she won’t soon let you forget it.

                Where the acting and production value remains at peak levels, the writing in this season has fallen off as the story begins to lose itself too often in the weeds, taking wind out of the central romance’s sails to puff it into a side romance for Francesca that seeks to set up what I assume will be one of Season 4’s two main plots (it’s a good romance, but it detracts from the main story unquestionably). It also spends a lot of time looking at the sudden entrance of the Mondriches into high society from their humble beginnings without actually offering much in the way of story for them besides feeling occasionally out of place. Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) is given an entire character arc this season, but it feels so aggressively two-toned that I wouldn’t be surprised if they rewrote her whole character between the two parts of the season (maybe if I had watched the two parts farther removed, I wouldn’t have noticed the inexplicable shift in her character from part one to part two). Even the drama of Whistledown and her secret identity, which is inextricably tied to the romance of this season, doesn’t really hold your attention like it did in the first two seasons because of the increasing number of people who already know the secret. Really, I was satisfied with the story but never blown away by anything groundbreaking or soul-shattering like I was with the first two seasons, but the open plots that remain for Season 4 to explore leave me hopeful that we’ll get back to that success quickly.

                This latest season of Bridgerton continues to shine in the ways we’ve come to expect, if not quite so brightly in its story department, and it’s held up still by its leading ladies and a phenomenal production team. With the full season now streaming on Netflix, I’d recommend any who’ve been holding out after enjoying the first two seasons to go watch this one as well. If you’re someone who hasn’t watched the show yet, Season 3 is not the place to start, but I highly recommend the first two seasons as well, and if you’re someone who gave the first season a try but found it wasn’t for you, I can’t say that this one will suddenly change your mind. Figure out which of those categories you belong in, and then go and do what you want.

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.

Weekend Watch - April 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 have come to the end of another month of movies and have a few to recap. As always this is a recap of the most universally acclaimed films of the month, categorized by their likelihood of making it onto this blog’s list of the Greatest Films of All Time. Those with the hardest road ahead of them will be classified as long shots, those with a strong chance will be classified as possible things, and those that are already instant classics will be classified as sure things (we don’t have any of those this month). April matches the Aprils of years past with a few possible contenders for end of the year awards that will most likely lose steam by the time we actually get there alongside a solid slate of creative B-movies that look like they’ll earn cult classic status for one reason or another. Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Monkey Man: Written, directed, edited, and acted by Dev Patel, the action thriller serves as one of the best “Long Shots” in a while. Offering action sequences inspired by other action greats and a story that is relatively topical, it won over audiences and critics, just not a high enough rate to turn it into an instant classic.

The First Omen: Horror films are always a tough sell, especially when they’re the sixth film in a franchise, but this one seems to have pleased audiences and critics in ways that so many horror films and sequels haven’t. It’s still not universally beloved, but the fact that it’s had anywhere close to positive reviews warrants a mention here.

Scoop: Netflix has been having success with dramas about the royal family, and though their dramatization of the BBC interview with Prince Andrew about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein might not reach the prestige and quality of The Crown, it’s still gained enough traction to be a slight improvement on some of their other biographical outings of late.

The Long Game: It’s a feel-good sports movie with Dennis Quaid about Mexican-American caddies making their own golf course in South Texas, of course it’ll do alright with critics and audiences. It won’t win awards, and it won’t change a whole lot in the grand scheme of cinema, but I bet your parents will watch this on-demand in a few months and ask you if you’ve seen it.

Sasquatch Sunset: The wordless adventure comedy about a family of sasquatches, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Riley Keogh seems to have a bit too much gross-out humor to have any kind of serious mainstream success, but it’s pleased enough audiences and critics that it’s status as a cult classic seems almost guaranteed at this point. It definitely won’t be the film that everyone loves, though, if its split audience ratings are any indication.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: Guy Ritchie’s latest foray into historical unsung heroes has seen a similar level of success to his film The Covenant from last year – audiences seem to really enjoy it, but critics don’t fully agree. It’s a solid action film, but as I said in my review, it lacks a bit of punch in the ending.

Abigail: The vampire/slasher/survival horror film about a group of criminals trapped in a house with a child vampire ballerina looks to have found its target audience despite giving the twist away in its trailers. Audiences have given this consistently positive reviews, and critics aren’t entirely down on it, so it’s got a shot at something close to cult status if it can stand the test of time.

Unsung Hero: I can’t tell if Christian cinema has finally figured out how to make better movies or all the Christian movies are getting reverse review bombed, but this film about the family that spawned the artists Rebecca St. James and For King & Country has been a hit with audiences so far. Critics still aren’t super high on it, but if you liked the Jeremy Camp film or the MercyMe film, you’ll probably like this one too.

Possible Things:

Civil War: Though Alex Garland’s latest is certainly no Ex Machina, it seems to be performing more consistently well with critics and audiences than Men or Annihilation, so we could be seeing a return to form from the acclaimed writer/director even as he’s announced his retirement from directing. The film about a group of journalists traveling across a war-torn America has received praise for the acting from lead Kirsten Dunst, for its sound design, and for its excellent use of tension throughout, making it a potential long-shot candidate for the awards it needs later on in the year to get fully over the hump.

Challengers: Luca Guadagnino continues to show with each film he puts out that he knows how to make people look hot in any situation and how to pull some phenomenal performances from them in the process. His tennis love triangle film looks to be his best mainstream success as well, and despite an early release date, it might have enough steam to make it through to some awards shows at the end of the year to bolster its already highly positive reviews.

Weekend Watch - March 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 reached the end of another month of films, and it’s time to look back at the month’s most acclaimed releases. As always, they’ll be categorized by likelihood of making the blog’s list of films – Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. March certainly wrapped the first quarter of 2024 up on a higher note than it started on, but the slate of films still doesn’t hold a candle to last year’s films and sorely missed the two films that were postponed from the last week of releases – Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 and Beyond the Spider-Verse. Regardless, there were still some solid films worth checking out, so let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Cabrini: A surprise biopic hit about a nun who worked to improve the lives of people living in poverty in New York City in the late 19th century has seen lots of success with audiences since its release. It’s from the screenwriter of last year’s Sound of Freedom, so take that how you will, but audiences seem to have enjoyed it so far.

Arthur the King: The fact that this film has anything near positive reviews comes as a huge surprise to me, personally, considering the double negative of Mark Wahlberg and a dog movie, but it’s overcome the odds to please audiences fairly consistently. Critics haven’t been quite as on board, but it still bears mentioning.

Snack Shack: From the director of 2020’s cult classic Dinner in America comes a summer coming-of-age film, set at a pool snack shack in the summer of 1991. Co-leads Conor Sherry and Gabriel LaBelle have been on quite a few rising star lists, and the film has gotten better than average reviews from both audiences and critics, so keep an eye out for it if you can find it.

One Life: This Holocaust film starring Anthony Hopkins definitely flew under the radar with the massive success of The Zone of Interest, but it tells yet another story that has yet to be seen and bears checking out. Between Hopkins’s leading role and the generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, it should be one worth watching.

The Beautiful Game: Netflix released a film about the “homeless world cup” this month, starring Micheal Ward and Bill Nighy, which piques my interest enough to check it out. Average audience and critic reviews have me thinking that it won’t do too much beyond this month, but it might surprise and become a sleeper like Nyad.

Possible Things:

Problemista: I feel like I’ve been seeing trailers for Julio Torres’s A24 film about an immigrant seeking a renewal on his work visa while working as an artist in NYC for almost a year now. The film that stars Torres and Tilda Swinton finally got a wide release in theaters this month to solid reviews from critics and audiences. With A24’s ever-widening slate of releases, I don’t know that it’ll be able to churn up the love necessary to pull the awards love it’ll need to stand the test of time, but I’m sure you’ll still find plenty to love about it.

Love Lies Bleeding: The lesbian crime thriller with Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian has mostly lived up to the hype by offering a strong crime film that tells a unique story that has pleased those who have gone to see it so far. It’s still an indie film, so making it “big” might or might not be in the cards, but it’s certainly worth checking out.

Frida: Animated documentaries have been becoming more and more the norm in the past couple of decades, and one from Amazon about the iconic artist Frida Kahlo feels like an inevitability now that it’s come out. Those who have seen it seem positive on it and its treatment of Kahlo and her work, so I can certainly recommend it if you’d like to check it out.

La Chimera: Quietly a festival darling across most of last year, this film failed to get any kind of wide release in the U.S. until just this weekend, but the Josh O’Connor-led film about archaeologists and the black market of historical artifacts still seems to be hitting the right notes with those who have seen it. If it’s showing in your area, give it some love because it certainly deserves its day in the sun.

Late Night with the Devil: I have mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, we’re getting a lot of love for David Dastmalchian as a leading man and a cool indie horror film, both of which are good things. On the other hand, the filmmakers used AI art in their production design, which steals both the work of actual online artists and jobs from potential production artists as well, which is a bad thing and something we can’t excuse at any level of filmmaking. Still, it has gotten solid reviews, so maybe it’s worth checking out for free at some point.

Sure Thing:

Dune: Part Two: As the best film of the year so far and one of the best sequels of all time, there’s no real question that this film will be sticking around ‘til the end of the year. Between the Stilgar memes, Denis interviews, and rave reviews from Steven Spielberg, it’s hard to deny what this film has already accomplished and most likely will continue to do. If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a guy on Twitter who’s watched it twenty times already to make up for that, but you probably should check it out.

Weekend Watch - December 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, or recommendation. This week, we are putting the final bow on 2023 in film by recapping the best releases of the month of December. These films are the ones with the highest likelihood of making this blog’s list of Greatest Films of All Time, categorized into Long Shots, Possible Things, and Sure Things. December really wrapped 2023 up with a bang, giving us some truly great films across many categories, living up to the hype for its blockbusters, indie films, and awards-bait alike. What a way to wrap up arguably the best year in film this decade! Let’s get into it.

Long Shots:

Maestro: Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic hit wide release on Netflix this month, and now that everyone’s seen it, the director’s style hasn’t quite hit everyone’s sensibilities the same way. It continues to receive recognition in the form of award nominations, but wins and high ratings are few and far between for the stuffed, frenetic, auteur-esque film.

Eileen: The Anne Hathaway, Thomasin McKenzie vehicle about the relationship between co-workers at a prison facility from NEON hasn’t quite had the universal acclaim that it would have needed to launch itself into the awards races. Critics seem fairly positive on the film, particularly the performances of the two actresses, but fans are deeply divided with most that I’ve seen complaining about the inconsistent pacing and middling writing of the film’s back half.

Wonka: All Paul King does is make wholesome hits, and this is yet another. Its box office success has already surpassed both Paddington films even if its critical success hasn’t (most likely a result of comparison to the existing IP). Its technical prowess and continued run in theaters might just be enough to elevate it to greatness, but don’t necessarily hold your breath. It’s still a really good film, though.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget: This is one of those films that begs the question of “Why?”, and I don’t necessarily have an answer. Netflix has this one on its slate of possible Best Animated Picture nominees that inevitably lose to either Spider-Verse or The Boy and the Heron, and its middling reviews with both critics and fans don’t have me optimistic about its chances. It’s still here because of that outside shot, though.

Ferrari: Michael Mann had a run of three films in the 1990s that made it as both “dad hits” and “critical successes”, and everyone’s been waiting for his next hit since then. By the look of things, Ferrari is no Heat or even Last of the Mohicans, but its high-octane race sequences and the performance of Penelope Cruz might be enough to elevate him back to greatness here.

Possible Things:

May December: Todd Haynes is back with another unsung hit in the Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton film loosely based on the predatory relationship between Mary Kay Schmitz Letourneau and Vili Fualaau. Its topical nature, excellent performances, and unique Todd Haynes style all make it prime for all-time greatness, but not everyone agrees fully with me on that, so it sits needing some awards love to get there.

American Fiction: The winner of TIFF’s Audience Award has been rolling out its release for a few weeks now, and the more people see it, the more its potential as a Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay spoiler becomes more cemented. Cord Jefferson has turned satire into something that is easily consumable with the help of Jeffrey Wright and the rest of his stellar cast. Assuming it keeps getting the love it has so far, this is one of the more solid Possible Things from December.

The Iron Claw: A24 goofed dropping this one as late in the year as they did. If this film came out three months earlier, it’s sitting as a sure thing, in contention in multiple categories above and below the line. As it stands, it’s still one of the highest rated films of the year by fans and has solid reviews from critics as well. Some surprise love from BAFTAs or Oscars would certainly cement this one in place, but I currently expect it to be just below the cusp when new films get entered in.

The Color Purple: Blitz Bazawule’s remake of the classic musical has hit the notes that it needs to be in contention for a spot among the greats. Unfortunately, some of the creative choices seem to have held the film back from being universally acclaimed, and it looks like it might even be slipping out of Best Picture contention. Even so, the acting and technical love that the film is receiving might still be enough to put it over.

Sure Things:

Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé: 2023 was the year of the concert film, and Beyoncé brought it all home with her documentary about the Renaissance tour. Fans, critics, and box offices have loved the superstar’s film, and it brings the year home in style.

Godzilla Minus One: Japan’s latest Godzilla film continues to show how much better the country’s filmmakers are at making kaiju films with some actual substance. Its box office success and success with critics are just the icing on the cake for this film, which might now have a shot at an Oscar nomination for its visual effects as well.

The Boy and the Heron: Miyazaki’s “final” (it sounds like he’s making another one, but you won’t hear that in the news again until after awards season) film opened in the U.S. in December and has scratched the itch for so many of his fans. Its win at the Golden Globes might be a portent of even more love to come, and it really is nice to have the filmmaker back in the saddle.

Poor Things: While its controversial subject matter has brought out some very strong opinions from quite a few on Filmstagram and Film Twitter, overall, the film has been a hit with audiences and critics. From Emma Stone’s leading performance to the creative costume and production design to the direction of Yorgos Lanthimos, this film remains the most unique offering from the year’s Best Picture contenders.

All of Us Strangers: While it’s not out in every theater, the British drama about memory, love, and grief continues to hit highs with everyone who sees it. Andrew Scott gives what is reportedly one of the best performances of the year, and the film looks to contend for Best Picture at the BAFTAs and maybe even pull some upsets at the Oscars if it’s lucky.