MCN Blogs
David Poland

By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

Friday Estimates – Felt Falls To GlamAsians

Friday Estimates 2018-08-25 at 10.51.34 AM 651

Be Sociable, Share!

464 Responses to “Friday Estimates – Felt Falls To GlamAsians”

  1. Geoff says:

    Great hold for Crazy Rich Asians….$150 million domestic is looking like a possibility I think. Or maybe the Ben Shapiro-lead backlash will kick in NEXT week.

  2. JS Partisan says:

    FOUR PERCENT! FOUR! FUCKING! PERCENT! PUT THAT IN YOUR PIPE AND SMOKE IT, POLAND!

  3. movieman says:

    That’s a terrible # for “Support the Girls,” esp. considering the reviews.
    I thought it must’ve been VOD (w/ “limited theatrcial”), but couldn’t find it on my cable’s On Demand menu.
    Sad.
    I love Bujalski and was really looking forward to seeing it.
    Big #s for “Searching,” though.
    I wonder if Sony will reconsider their meager 1,000-print expansion plans for next Friday and take it a little wider.
    P.S.= It looks like “Christopher Robin” will officially surpass the $76-million domestic cume of “Pete’s Dragon” tomorrow. Sweet (although I like both movies equally).

  4. JS Partisan says:

    Hey! Ant-Man and the Wasp scored a 21.5m opening day in China, so it should be on it’s way to beating the previous Ant-Man by like, fifteen bucks :D! A win is a win, but if it can make 600m. If that somehow happens, which may or may not be possible depending on it’s legs in China. If it makes 600, then that’s 4bn on the year for Marvel Studios. “Marvel Studios: The Studio Untalented Hack Studio Execs Think They Know How to Run Better, than the PEOPLE WHO RUN IT!”

  5. Christian says:

    Yes, Movieman, that S”upport the Girls” number is terrible. I wasn’t as ecstatic as some, but I liked the film and, always hoping for comedies – this one might be more of a dramedy – to get awards recognition, was thinking Hall might have an outside shot, if not with the Academy than with the Globes. Bad box office is poisonous to such chances,especially for lower-profile movies like this one.
    Oh, and following up on last week’s discussion, I saw “Alpha.” My advice to you and others is: don’t.

  6. movieman says:

    Thanks for the info, Christian.
    I’m still looking forward to the Bujalski movie. But at this point DVD seems like my only option.
    I still haven’t been able to drag my ass to “Alpha:” “Happytime Murders” kind of knocked the wind out of my sails.

    P.S.= Did anyone else see “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” on Netflix? I went in highly skeptical since most ‘flex teen comedies (e.g., “The Kissing Booth”) have left me cold, but wound up really enjoying it. Lana Condor and Noah Centineo make a puppy-dog adorable high school couple: it’s impossible not to root for them. And Centineo is wildly charismatic: vocally and physically he’s like a baby (well, teenage) Mark Ruffalo.

  7. Bitplaya says:

    Kind shame Happytime didn’t do better. It’s okay, a few laughs, it doesn’t go far enough and it’s not clever enough regarding the plotting.

    I think they could have gotten the gross up by several million with a bigger spend and promotion.

  8. Non-Revisionist says:

    Bitplaya, Happytime had terrible reviews and a bad CinemaScore. Spending more on advertising would have just been flushing money down the toilet. I thought it was an embarrassingly bad movie.

  9. Amblinman says:

    Speaking of McCarthy, just saw Life Of The Party. Woof. She really needs to stop working with her husband. Killing her career.

  10. Tom Reagan's Hat says:

    movieman… very much enjoyed ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.’ Between that and ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,’ NetFlix is on a good run with original films with unwieldy titles.

  11. Stella's Boy says:

    Ethan Hawke is right.

  12. Pete B says:

    ^ That he never should have cheated on Uma? Yeah, that was a dumbass move.

  13. Stella's Boy says:

    No that Coke is better than Pepsi. Obviously. Get with it Pete.

  14. amblinman says:

    Hawke isn’t right, but this is an argument that’s been around fooooooooreeeeeeeever.

    If you legitimately love movies, you understand not everything needs to be a 1:1. Some films and genres are just a breed apart and it’s not necessary to compare. Hawke is being what Hawke has always been: a pretentious douche (I like him as an actor, but I’d rather drive a steel spike through the base of my skull than have a drink with him at a bar).

  15. Stella's Boy says:

    Me thinks some people didn’t read the entire interview, just responses from angry fanboys. Much easier to just label Hawke a pretentious douche, which people have been doing for many years. He’d be a great drinking companion. The way that some folks get so fucking angry whenever someone doesn’t bow down to superhero movies is sad. He likes genre movies. He makes them. He didn’t say all superhero movies suck and are worthless. But hey rush to the defense of a movie that made a billion dollars!! Fight the good fight.

  16. amblinman says:

    I don’t know who you’re addressing, but I haven’t seen any comments here “rushing” to any movie’s defense. I’m not so angry, fucking or otherwise, over superhero movies. I was addressing precisely the comments he made regarding Logan and nothing else, so stfu with your own leaps. Or go have whatever argument it is you want to have with someone actually making it.

    Or maybe put the bag down that you’re hyperventilating into and go outside.

  17. Stella's Boy says:

    You’re not angry? Right. You’re proving my point. Maybe go read the interview. Imagine that, an informed opinion.

  18. Hcat says:

    I have never gotten the appeal of Ethan Hawke but I do have to give him props for taking the roles that he does (though to be honest I doubt he is turning down studio pictures left and right to remain pure). I think he can be both right and pretentious.

    I totally agree with him on Logan, decent picture but to put it in the awards conversation? And I would applaud Panther showing up in the nominations but thought that there was much more THERE there than with Logan. I agree its a shame that something smaller didn’t make the cut because people were impressed that Logan was deeper than other Wolverine movies, but acknowledge that the Academy certainly doesn’t follow my tastes and do not vote as a collective.

  19. amblinman says:

    “You’re not angry?”

    No, bro, I’m not mad.

    “You’re proving my point”

    No I’m not.

    You should have added another moron-ism to your post so you could rack up an internet-moron-argument-trifecta.

  20. Stella's Boy says:

    Says the person who hasn’t even read the interview in question. I love irony. Hey man whatever helps you cope with your anger. You should try, I don’t know, reading. It really helps. Bro.

  21. movieman says:

    I really liked “Guernsey,” too, TR Hat.
    It’s the kind of movie Miramax could have released in 1995–and that would’ve been in arthouses for six months (w/ maybe a shot at some serious Oscar attention).
    In 2018, it streams “first run” on Netflix.
    It’s a strange new world I’m living in, lol.
    So weird that most of the movies I’m looking forward to this fall–new films by Orson (!!) Welles, Alfonso Cuaron, Nicole Holofcener, Tamara Jenkins, David MacKenzie, etc.–are all Netflix productions.

  22. Stella's Boy says:

    The Holofcener looks so good. Can’t wait. New one from Green Room director looks good too. Would be nice if Netflix starts making good movies on a regular basis.

  23. JS Partisan says:

    I adore fucking Ethan Hawke. He’s one of my favorite actors, and always will be. He is wrong, the Academy is wrong, and here is why. Genre doesn’t restrain a story, from excelling. It never has, and it never will. The Academy accepted this with Star Wars, ET, and rewarded it with LOTR. Why did they forget this? Things changed.

    The world of cinema changed. The box office got bigger, tent poles became more important, and the smaller pictures got weeded out. The smaller, more personal movies, became TV shows, or went to streaming services. There wasn’t really a place… bzzt. This didn’t happen, because Crazy Rich Asians is a thing, that exist. There are still small movies, that excel, and have excelled during the last ten years. Movies that have pushed the needle, but people like Hawke and the Academy want us to believe that they are few and far between, and that’s bullshit.

    Hawke is wrong, because Logan is an exceptional movie. Black Panther, is an exceptional movie. Winter Soldier is an exceptional movie, Wonder Woman is an exceptional movie, and TDK is an exceptional movie. They aren’t threats to cinema. They are what defines cinema, and it’s not like they are shit either.

    If you agree with Hawke, then you have a limited idea of what those movies are, and SB does. His horror sensibilities, do not mesh with superheroes, and that’s fine. Doesn’t change the fact, that you can have exceptional horror films, have them nominated, and one win an Oscar… see a pattern here? The Academy, doesn’t think any genre is special, most of the time, except for human drama. Funny thing is, comic book movies, horror movies, and comedies feature more realistic moments of human-ness, than damn near any drama these goofs have rewarded in the last 14 years.

    Ethan Hawke is wrong, and he needs to call Julie Delphy. There’s work to be done.

  24. Stella's Boy says:

    Did you read it JS? He praises genre films. Talks about his love of Joe Dante and what he learned from him. It’s like no one else has even bothered to read the interview. They just know he said something about Logan.

  25. leahnz says:

    well this thread got me to read the interview, so booyah

    (hawke’s point is: it’s not what you do but how you do it; it’s not highbrow vs lowbrow but whether – whatever the genre – the material is executed with an artistic eye and verve, is it conceptually well designed and thematically meaningful/challenging/subversive/layered, trying for something beyond the safe and middling/mediocre with individuality and unique flavour, does it innovate. he’s not wrong)

  26. Stella's Boy says:

    Thank you leah. Well-said. That’s exactly right.

  27. leahnz says:

    my hawke paraphrasing mechanism is on-point

  28. Stella's Boy says:

    It is top-notch. 🙂

  29. amblinman says:

    “Says the person who hasn’t even read the interview in question. I love irony. Hey man whatever helps you cope with your anger. You should try, I don’t know, reading. It really helps. Bro.”

    What a schmuck.

  30. Stella's Boy says:

    “What a schmuck.”

    Says the tomfool.

  31. JS Partisan says:

    Yeah. I read the interview, and it’s snobby bullshit. Business interest is not about making LOGAN be viewed, as an exceptional movie. He’s wrong, the Academy is wrong, and anyone who agrees with him is wrong.

    What’s funny, is this is Ethan Hawke. He does shit fucking movie after shit fucking movie, and really hasn’t sniffed a great movie since Before Midnight. If you want to be a snob, then just state you are a snob. Doesn’t matter that popular thought is against you, and that ANY GENRE OF FILM CAN BE EXCEPTIONAL! This is why Disney have told the Oscars, to shove that popular Oscar in their asses. Black Panther better be a BP nom, better be leading in noms, and some of them non-technical. If not? Cue Seth’s music, “BURN IT DOWN!”

  32. Stella's Boy says:

    You always suggest popularity equals quality. That is wrong. Anyone who believes that is wrong.

    There are still so many movies yet to be released. It’s possible that there are 10 better movies than BP. Very possible. Some might argue that 10 better movies have already been released.

  33. Sideshow Bill says:

    I loved the interview. I’ve loved Ethan since EXPLORERS. He made THE PURGE and SINISTER, populist genre stuff. He never says he’s against it. I love SINISTER, and I think his performance in it is what makes that movie work so well. He always brings his A game.

    I can see both side of this. I love the superhero genre and believe they can be truly artful and important. But if I were to put down a list of my 25 most important films I don’t think there would be a superhero movie even close. Maybe not even in my top 50. BLACK PANTHER is a great movie, but it’ll never move me as much as BOOGIE NIGHTS or BLUE VELVET. And I say this with the complete admission that there would be tons of horror films in my top 50, which another marginalized genre.

    LOGAN was on my top 10 for the year. I think it’s fantastic. But I’ll watch LAST PICTURE SHOW or THERE WILL BE BLOOD 100 times before I watch LOGAN. I have to be in a particular mood.

    I’m not demeaning the genre. I love the hell out of it. But personally it’s a tier or 2 below what really shakes and affects me. I think that’s kind of what Hawke was getting at. It’s a PERSONAL thing.

  34. palmtree says:

    After reading this infernal interview that everyone is talking about, I think what Ethan Hawke is saying is that the phrase “great film” is really reserved for films that aren’t just good or fine, but that transcend their genre and their time. And I think what he’s saying about superhero films is that though they are good in their own way, they don’t quite hit the “great” mark. Again “great” not meaning merely “good” but meaning transcendent (or timeless classic).

    I’m of two minds about that, because I agree that “great” is thrown around a bit too much. But I do think that at its best the MCU does tackle great themes with great depth even if some of the filmmaking at times feels anonymous. Definitely getting Taika Waititi, James Gunn (hope he comes back), and Ryan Coogler went a long way to giving the MCU some personality. So they’re on the right track…let’s just hope they stick the landing.

  35. JS Partisan says:

    SB, and you think that’s wrong, is wrong. Some of the most popular movies, are the best movies. Sometimes, they are not, but a lot of time they are. Also, I don’t give a shit what you or the Academy feel could be ten better films, because guess what? THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU! It’s about the public, that made Black Panther a 700m critical and beloved darling of a film. If it’s dismissed, then once again cue Seth’s music. Again, your genre prejudice is garbage.

    Here’s the thing that makes what Bill posted above bullshit: THEY ARE ALL FUCKING MAKE BELIEVE! THEY AREN’T REAL! THEY ARE ALL LIGHT PROJECTED AT A SCREEN AT 24FPS! The only line of demarcation between one genre and another genre’s ability to be GREAT, IS IN YOUR FUCKING MINDS!

    Seriously. I don’t want to use caps there, but this has always been the most absolutely BULLSHIT part of this blog. Where I am supposed to SEGREGATE MOVIES, because of the genre they existence in. Sorry, but that’s hot fucking garbage, and I will never fucking do it. Anyone who does do it, is a fucking snob, and if you want to be a snob. I will just shit talk you, because being a snob is a shitty fucking way to go through fucking life.

    And don’t come with the same bullshit arguments some of you have been using for OVER A DECADE! If you are a snob, then turn into your hate. I am not a snob, I love all film, and that’s how it should be. It shouldn’t be about a comic book movie, “HAVING TO EARN GREATNESS.” If a movie is great, then it’s great. That’s it. The end. Finito.

  36. Stella's Boy says:

    That BP grossed $700 million is not proof that it’s great and must be nominated for Best Picture. I don’t see how anyone can take issue with the claim that popularity is not in and of itself proof of quality. If not thinking like you makes me a snob then I am more than happy to be one.

  37. Bulldog68 says:

    I must have missed something. Since when are superhero movies been viewed as high art to the point where now someone needs to be telling people that they shouldn’t be viewed as high art?

    To the best of my recollection, after TDK, the only superhero movies even whispered about for Oscar Best Picture have been Logan, WW and BP.

    And while I agree with the sentiments of Hawke I take umbrage to the notion that a particular genre of movie could never be elevated to that status. Additionally all this high art conversation is in my mind code for white privilege indulgence. It’s why Out of Africa won over The Color Purple. Or Do the Right Thing wasn’t even nominated for BP in a year Dances with Wolves won. Art is what I say it is. Boyhood was boring. And no Terrance Malick movie has ever roused any emotion in me, none. I cried more for Han Solo being frozen in carbonite, than for anything that happened in The English Patient. If that’s high art, keep it. I want something that makes me feel.

  38. JS Partisan says:

    BD, we do not always agree, but I would hug and kiss you for that post. I will state though, that I can love Michael Clayton and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and feel they both technically have the same ending.

    SB, if I wanted to have a log shoved up my ass, then the resulting thinking would end up being like yours. You once again want to make your little digs, but miss the point. Why? You do terrible research. Popular movies, are sometimes are best movies, and the Library of Congress saves them for that reason. Their popularity. One day. Black Panther will be in there, because of it’s greatness, and popularity.

    Seriously. I am not segregating films, because that’s just shitty.

  39. Stella's Boy says:

    I did not say a popular movie can’t be good or is never good. I said popularity does not automatically mean it’s good.

  40. Sideshow Bill says:

    And this is where you ALWAYS lose me, JS. You believe yourself to be final arbiter of what is and isn’t of value and therefore try and speak for each person on this blog. It’s not just craft and success and cultural influence. IT IS FUCKING EMOTION. IT IS A GUT FEELING. Everybody responds differently. When I walked out of, for example, THE WITCH, I was emotionally rattled and had a tingles and goosebumps. When I left BLACK PANTHER I was entertained and happy that I was entertained and was impressed that there were ideas in it. But it did not get me the way other films have done. Therefore how can you fucking tell me how I feel about a movie and what it means to ME? In the long run BLACK PANTHER is a blip. THE WITCH was an earthquake.

    You get so offended when people don’t agree with your viewpoints. You have an extremely fascist view of art. You refuse to accept disagreements. Also, you cherry pick your responses. OF COURSE there are plenty of popular entertainments in the Library if Congress. Wipe away your seething rage and re-read what I fucking wrote. I did not dismiss any genre at all of any film at all. What I said was that FOR ME superhero movies, while fun, are not as important. They are simply not as important to me. FIRST REFORMED is far more important to me than BP or AVENGERS. And I loved those movies. But they didn’t move me nearly as much as FIRST REFORMED or ANNIHILATION or HEREDITARY. Tell me I’m wrong about my feelings.

    You see, JS, different people value different things more than others. And that’s OK. I don’t think Hawke was making an authoritative statement. I think he was making a personal statement. An opinion.

    Why do you get so offended at differences in opinions?

    What happened to you?

  41. Sideshow Bill says:

    Actually, JS, it IS ABOUT “ME.” Oh, defender of the populace, please hear me. My opinions and emotions regarding art are nothing if not about me a solely me. Are you daft?

    You’re impossible. Impossible to engage with. Impossible to understand . Impossible to like.

    You make me want to burn my Marvel movies because being associated with the likes of you is embarrassing

  42. JS Partisan says:

    SB, I state the same thing fifteen times.

    Let’s deal with this now:

    “And this is where you ALWAYS lose me, JS. You believe yourself to be final arbiter of what is and isn’t of value and therefore try and speak for each person on this blog.”

    Am I speaking for anyone else? I do believe that I just wrote, “I am not segregating movies,” and this is push back to you all always think there is some sound logic in doing such. There isn’t, and I can state as much.

    “It’s not just craft and success and cultural influence. IT IS FUCKING EMOTION. IT IS A GUT FEELING. Everybody responds differently. When I walked out of, for example, THE WITCH, I was emotionally rattled and had a tingles and goosebumps. When I left BLACK PANTHER I was entertained and happy that I was entertained and was impressed that there were ideas in it. But it did not get me the way other films have done. Therefore how can you fucking tell me how I feel about a movie and what it means to ME? In the long run BLACK PANTHER is a blip. THE WITCH was an earthquake.”

    And again, I can state, that’s completely ridiculous to me. You, in your own head, are weighting one experience more than the other. Good for you. I am never going to SEGREGATE MOVIES!

    “You get so offended when people don’t agree with your viewpoints.”

    I love what I love, and will fight valiantly for it. Love what you fucking love, but don’t fucking state that I get offended, when I don’t care what you like. I don’t. If we both like something? YAY! If not? No sweat off my balls.

    “You have an extremely fascist view of art. You refuse to accept disagreements.”

    I like more different genre of films than any of you in here, and do not segregate them. They are all just movies. If anyone is a fascist. It’s SB, or even movieman. Who is hard fucking core about hating shit, and hardcore about what he loves. Also, what’s the disagreement? Hawke is full of shit, and it’s his specious logic the Academy are applying to films. It’s bullshit.

    “Also, you cherry pick your responses. OF COURSE there are plenty of popular entertainments in the Library if Congress. Wipe away your seething rage and re-read what I fucking wrote. I did not dismiss any genre at all of any film at all. What I said was that FOR ME superhero movies, while fun, are not as important. They are simply not as important to me. FIRST REFORMED is far more important to me than BP or AVENGERS. I loved those movies.”

    I read what you wrote, and for me, in my life… I would find it bullshit. Again, it’s all make believe, but some of you think one kind of make believe can be great, and the other cannot. That’s just weird to me. Also, I am not angry in any of this, so stop projecting on me, dude.

    “You see, JS, different people value different things more than others. And that’s OK. I don’t think Hawke was making an authoritative statement. I think he was making a personal statement. An opinion.

    Why do you get so offended at differences in opinions?

    What happened to you?”

    Bill, Hawke was trying to shit on something, that he doesn’t find important. You and SB, are also shitting on them, because they aren’t as important to you. Good for you, but I find your logic specious, and bullshit.

    Again, Bill, I’ve laid out my points succinctly, and without any haranguing. Try it sometimes.

    There’s also NOTHING MORE FUCKING HOT BLOG, then someone telling me I am angry, then being so angry they post what they did about burning movies. Don’t burn plastics. That’s not healthy.

  43. Hcat says:

    “This is why Disney have told the Oscars, to shove that popular Oscar in their asses.”

    Where in the hell did you get this idea? If any studio was behind the push for the category it would have been Disney who has been shut out of the race since they shut Miramax a decade ago.

    Look I don’t think anyone here is saying that a Superhero film CAN’T be oscar worthy, just that they HAVEN’T (and personally I think that changed with BP and will applaud if/when that is announced).

    Nobody is segregating movies. Saying that Fantastic Voyage didn’t deserve to be nominated doesn’t make me a snob against S-F movies, its just not 2001. Bridesmaids was a good popular movie, that I didn’t consider it an oscar quality film doesn’t make me a snob towards comedy, its just not the Apartment. This genre is still young and the cannon is still being written, the quality is getting better and taking more chances, it took decades before westerns got to Red River and Shane and started cementing themselves in the conversation of great films.

  44. JS Partisan says:

    HC, THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD USE SOCIAL MEDIA, FOR NEWS! Disney doesn’t want the Best Popular picture Oscar, and they are pushing BP for Best Picture. There are articles all over the internet from yesterday, that state this. They didn’t want another award, that would segregate their films, from BP contention. Why anyone would think this, is so damn strange. The whole point in all of this, is there are great movies that make hundreds of millions, to billions of dollars. Same Academy nominated fucking Avatar, but nothing for a decade. That’s just not rolling with the times.

    And your last paragraph is basically stating, “SOME FILMS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHERS!” Yeah. Sorry. That’s? What the fuck is that? There’s quality, in terms of the money spent on production. Sure. Fantastic Voyage is still a pretty trippy exceptional film. It doesn’t hold a place of prestige like 2001, but 2001 wasn’t even reviewed all that well when it came out. So, what is prestige? Just another way to keep some movies down, and push some movies up.

    Does anyone here categorize the movies they own… oh yeah. I remember that. I am the only here, who has an extensive DVD/BD/UHD collection. Nevermind.

  45. Sideshow Bill says:

    So you’re trying to tell me I am wrong about how I experience and process art, JS? Maybe I have yet to see a superhero film that does for me what BOOGIE NIGHTS does. Or for that matter, HALLOWEEN, JAWS, GREMLINS, SPINAL TAP, THE THING and many other movies I find for emotionally and artistically satisfying.

    That’s the core of it. We experience art wrong. You are the only one who does it “correctly.”

    Just as an aside I bet there are people out there to whom JOE DIRT is more important than MOONLIGHT. And I’m fine with that. I just want people happy.

    I hope you find peace JS

  46. Sideshow Bill says:

    And I just don’t get how you think I’m “shitting” on them. I have said over and I like them. I go out and see them. I buy them. I still read comics.

    The fact that I like other movies more just gets you enraged

  47. JS Partisan says:

    Am I writing as an “enraged,” man? No. You are the one who stated you want to burn your movies. You are the one reading shit wrong, but you’re the good guy.

    Again, who gives a shit about your experiences? Who gives a shit about my experiences? This isn’t about fucking experiences. You once again get mad over shit, that I don’t give a shit about. I will make it simple for you.

    GREMLINS IS MAKE BELIEVE, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON IS MAKES BELIEVE, AND AMADEUS IS FICTIONALIZED REALITY! It’s all MAKE BELIEVE! Telling, stating, or yelling at anyone that ONLY ONE TYPE OF MAKE BELIEVE IS EXCEPTIONAL is asshole level shit.

    You are totally shitting on them. Oh you go and see them, but they are just sorta light and fluffy entertainment. Such faint and damning praise. Good job, good guy.

    And the only films that go out of there way to make themselves more seem more important… are award films. They don’t do it to just do it. They do it for two reasons, and two reasons only: earning AWARDS to make MONEY. Did James Mangold make Logan expecting or assuming, that he would get a nom? The same goes with Jordan Peele and Get Out. Nope. This is why Hawke’s whole line of thought is specious bullshit.

  48. Sideshow Bill says:

    “Again, who gives a shit about your experiences? Who gives a shit about my experiences? This isn’t about fucking experiences.”

    I deeply and fundamentally disagree with this, and I’d venture to say it’s the most misguided thing you’ve ever posted. All films live or die with you based on your personal experience with them. As does all art. How can you not see that?

    I actually find that statement kinda offensive, and kinda disappointing. I thought you were at least smarter than that. You take a persons personal
    experience with a film out of the equation and you’re left with nothing.

    I’m done with this. It’s a flat circle. You’re a stubborn, dense man.

  49. Sideshow Bill says:

    I’m sorry I didn’t spurt jizz on the screen when Thanos snapped his fingers. It didn’t mean as much to me as Tessa Thompson’s fate in ANNIHILATION. I guess that means I’m “shitting” on AVENGERS. Christ you’re obtuse.

  50. JS Partisan says:

    ONE LAST FUCKING TIME! You just proved my point. You segregate movies, in your mind, because you put one kind of film on a pedestal, and the other you do not. If you like both movies, then why is one more important than the other? Sure. It’s your taste, but you seem to make a distinction between THIS KIND of movie, and THAT KIND of movie. I find that ridiculous.

    Like I stated above: I love Michael Clayton, and I love The Winter Solider. Both movies, have, very similar fucking endings, and I would never go, “Well, Michael Clayton is more important, so how could I dare compare it to the lowly Winter Solider.” You, literally, just did what I think is fucking bullshit. You stated one movie, one kind of movie, is more important than the other. THE ENTIRE POINT OF THIS DISCUSS IS… THEY ARE ALL MOVIES! Putting one good movie above another good movie, is just fucking weird. How is that confusing to you?

    This discussion is not a don’t care about what you like, or what movies you love. Good for you. Yay. It’s not about you, and your feelings, or mine. It’s about MOVIE A and MOVIE B, and for some reasons I see them as just MOVIES AB, and some of you see them as MOVIE A and MOVIE B.

    And I don’t care about where you jizz. No one does. You are dismissing people’s honest feelings though, when you state, “I could give a fuck about Thanos snapping his fingers.” You don’t, but it traumatized millions of people. If you don’t like something, then you don’t like something. You sure as shit shouldn’t think liking one kind of movie more than another, makes your fucking feelings more important. It doesn’t. It’s all opinion, I disagree with your opinion, and I am amazed that stating THEY ARE JUST MOVIES is lost on you.

    It’s like, people have had transcendent experiences watching any kind of movie, but do their experiences only matter when they are the RIGHT KIND OF MOVIE? Sure seems that way, and that right there is bullshit.

  51. Sideshow Bill says:

    You truly are an idiot. A blathering, rabid idiot. I don’t segregate anything in my mind. I just don’t happen to love superhero movies as much as you and this drives you fucking crazy. I can’t decide if it’s pathetic or hilarious.

    I feel sorry for you. You’re obviously not very smart or perceptive.. you put words in my mouth. Youtmad that I don’t experience the same emotions as you. Do you realize how mad that is.

    You need help. You are a giant man-child throwing fits when he doesn’t get his way.

  52. palmtree says:

    Man, I love superhero movies, especially MCU. But are they great? For me greatness must come in every single element operating at its best. And unfortunately you have to admit the musical scores on some of these movies are just anonymous. At least until recently.

    I’m super glad the Alan Silvestri theme is now being used more, but before that, it was really easy to criticize the MCU for their lack of musical identity.

    Obviously it’s getting better now with really great scores for Black Panther and Avengers Infinity Wars and Thor Ragnarok. So don’t get me wrong, that was one reason those 3 films are modern classics in my view.

    So even though talking about film scores may sound nitpicky, I think the word “great” is just one of those nitpicky words that means “great in every way” and not just a fantastic movie that was fun and emotionally satisfying.

  53. JS Partisan says:

    Bill, stop being a whiny bitch. Blah. Blah. Blah. Did you burn your movies? You could have sold them! THINK OF THE MONIES! Seriously. It’s ridiculous to get this angry. It’s also ridiculous, that you people keep on thinking it’s about comic book movies, and that hating them is hurtful to me. Doesn’t hurt me one bit, but it makes the discussions really one note.

    Palm, the whole reason why a popular Oscar and Hawke’s logic is specious, is because both of them are stating only certain types of films give the proper type of emotional response. This is the same logic they have used to keep great comedies from being nominated, and the same goes with horror films. It’s a very waspy view of cinema, that has made the Academy Awards less meaningful than the Teen Choice Awards.

  54. Pete B. says:

    Seth Rollins…? PUH-lease.
    All the cool kids watch Lucha Underground now.

  55. Stella's Boy says:

    I saw two movies yesterday and have thoughts. Skyscraper was one of my most anticipated movies of the summer. Sure it looked derivative, but I like The Rock and figured it would make for a good matinee. Wow it’s terrible. It’s not even dumb fun. The building is cool and the visual effects pretty solid, but it’s so damn sappy and takes itself way, way too seriously. I paid $1.50 to see it at a second-run theater and feel like I overpaid.

    Then I watched First Reformed. Two-thirds of it is fantastic and as good as the hype suggests. Hawke is remarkable and it thoughtfully wrestles with some compelling issues. But it falls apart in the end. I didn’t buy the radical transformation or the final moments at all. It’s still a very good movie, but I wish it had stuck the landing.

  56. JS Partisan says:

    Pete, hasn’t been that popular in 3 years, and Ricochet is in NXT.

    SB: Yeah.

    Quick question: Elizabeth Olsen’s new show is on Facebook. Does anyone here want to watch a show on Facebook? It just seems so weird, that Facebook wants me to watch TV shows on it. I hate Facebook as it is. Why would I want to spend more time on it? Streaming is just so fucking weird.

  57. amblinman says:

    “Palm, the whole reason why a popular Oscar and Hawke’s logic is specious, is because both of them are stating only certain types of films give the proper type of emotional response. This is the same logic they have used to keep great comedies from being nominated, and the same goes with horror films. It’s a very waspy view of cinema, that has made the Academy Awards less meaningful than the Teen Choice Awards.”

    Amen, JS. Anyone who legit loves movies, gets this.

  58. Stella's Boy says:

    Blumhouse made a show for Facebook and it got some decent reviews but I just don’t want to watch a show on Facebook. They started airing MLB games this year and I tried watching one because that was the only way to see it. I lasted about an inning. It was awful. I don’t want to watch any TV on Facebook.

  59. palmtree says:

    JS, of course I agree we shouldn’t limit appreciation based on genre or pedigree. But the point is some genres have specific problems, such as trying to make a billion dollars and sell toys, that may lead to less optimal filmmaking decisions. Frankly, it just fills me with wonder that these films are even good at all.

  60. Hcat says:

    I want to ask you guys about Ragnorak, I heard all the praise and love, and when I saw it I get what people love, but I could not get past it not being the sum of its parts. First its two entirely different movies, one a traditional Thor battle for the crown/sins of the father that gets abandoned for a Guardians style romp. It sort of acknowledges that Thor movies are inherently dull after awhile and its a hell of a lot more interesting to simply make a dayglow version of Planet Hulk (which I believe was much darker and morose than what transcribed onscreen). They sorta tied them together for Thor’s character arc, but from a story telling perspective its a frickin mess.

    And that kind of goes into what we might be talking about here. It was by far the best Thor movie, and probably the most fun superhero movie there is. But does being better (even so much better) than the routine elevate it to great or as Palmtree states modern classic status?

  61. Stella's Boy says:

    I know this won’t surprise anyone, but fuck it. I didn’t like Ragnorak. After all the hype and vociferous praise, when I finally got around to watching it at home I expected a lot more than I got. Yeah it’s funny at times and it’s certainly not terrible, but in the end I didn’t find it to be anything special. It still felt like a pretty typical Marvel movie to me in many ways. Overblown, overstuffed, way too long. I got bored and didn’t care. I wasn’t invested in anything. I give it a C.

  62. palmtree says:

    My appreciation of Thor Ragnarok might hinge on how much I want to see an 80s synthwave-y send-up of Flash Gordon with some really funny bits and topped off with a discussion of colonialism. For me, that works like gangbusters.

  63. JS Partisan says:

    Palm, this may surprise you, but I am not sure making billions of dollars is Kevin Feige’s and Co. goal. Sure. It fucking helps, but they are going to make three Ant-Man movies, and they will probably make combined what Black Panther made once. Also, the toys are still in Ike’s domain, but they have more of a say then they used to have. But again, do you see what you did there? You automatically assume, they aren’t making the best decisions, because they have other metrics to hit, and they don’t. Point out to me their merchandising blitz when the movies come out? They put out stuff, but it’s not the most important thing. Never has been.

    SB, kids in China love those movies, but please feel free to shit on the enjoyment they get in their government controlled lives. Just shit all over it :D!

    HC, the first Thor is still the best Thor, but I just love Thor. Again, do not get it twisted, but you have to somehow just dig the shit out of Thor’s set of characters to enjoy their adventures. Thor, is the most, “YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOVE THIS SHIT,” character in the entire MSCU. I get the movie not working for folks, because Thor doesn’t work for everyone. Personally? It will suck to see Hemsworth go, but here’s hoping Mjolnir ends up in the hands of Jane Foster.

  64. Sideshow Bill says:

    I’ll state it in the simplest terms possible for you JS because you seem to have some sort of cognizant dissonance going on:

    I, Sideshow Bill, have yet to see a superhero movie I like more than a whole lot of other movies. Has nothing to do with genre. I like all genres. I –meaning me, Bill, a sole person with a singular POV, just like you —
    do not like WONDER WOMAN more than BABY DRIVER. You may disagree with me and point out why you like X more than Y, but it doesn’t make either of us more right.

    I HAVE NOT SEEN A SUPERHERO MOVIE I HOLD IN SUCH HIGH REGARD. Why is that hard to understand? Why does that make me “wrong”? It doesn’t, only in your warped brain.

    And never, ever mentioned the Oscars. I could a give a flying fuck about them. They completely snubbed THE WITCH, ZODIAC and many other films I love. But I don’t care because I still have the films.

    You’re trying to create a villain where there isn’t one. You’re complicating the debate like some cinema SJW. Or hell, you sound very Trumpian. “If you’re not 100% with Marvel movies than you’re 100% against them.”

    That’s not how reality works, kiddo. Try joining us in reality. It’s pretty cool.

  65. Stella's Boy says:

    My kids love them too JS. I have seen more of the MCU than I ever thought I would because of them. I guess it’s not surprising that kids want to watch superhero movies. I’ll just say that repeat viewings have only cemented my feelings about them.

  66. Hcat says:

    Palm, As a kid Flash Gordon was my favorite movie until Beastmaster took the title. And I loved Blanchett in it and how she attacked the role.

    JS, there are things I appreciate about the Thor movies over the other Marvels. They certainly have a larger cast, better villians, and more to work with in terms of epicness than say Iron or Ant Man. When you say you love the characters, was the Thor in Ragnorak anything like the Thor in comics? I haven’t read a comic in years so the portrayal might have changed but I never took him to be a cocky grinned wise cracking type that showed up in Ragnorak. The Thor from his first two appearances seems closer to what I would expect him to be but now it feels, at least to me, that half the leads are morphing into the same guy. That Star-lord, Ironman, Ant-man, and Thor are all cut from the same exact cloth. I have no problem with them advancing the character, but did you recognize the grinning “I know him from work” guy as what you know as Thor?

  67. YancySkancy says:

    Support the Girls is available on demand; I know because I watched it via iTunes a couple of nights ago and loved it. Guess it doesn’t help the box office though.

  68. palmtree says:

    “But again, do you see what you did there? You automatically assume, they aren’t making the best decisions, because they have other metrics to hit, and they don’t.”

    JS, dude, I wasn’t talking about the MCU, but big budget movies in general. I don’t know how many more ways I need to say I love the MCU movies.

    And no, I haven’t assumed anything. I’ve worked in the film industry, and I know this kind of (horrible) thinking is absolutely what goes on. It’s one of the sad realities. That Feige has been able to craft something this genuine in such a commercial environment is an astonishing achievement that I do hope one day is honored somehow.

  69. movieman says:

    Yancy- I noticed that “Girls” was just added to my cable’s On Demand menu yesterday.
    Definitely planning to watch it this weekend.
    It looks terrific, and I’m a big Bujalski fan.

  70. Jspartisan says:

    SB, I was just teasing about how hard you hit it with a bat . It cracked me up.

    Hc, they mix Thor up a lot these days, but Ragnorok is very much, a more modern comic version of the character.

    Bill, such a good guy.

    Palm, I get it, but the narrative with MARVEL STUDIOS had never been, “WE’VE GOTS TO MOVE MERCH,” like other franchises.

  71. JS Partisan says:

    Bill. re-reading your thing, because I read it on the phone before. You are seriously not having the same discussion that I am, because we just aren’t having the same argument. You think, this is some personal thing against you not liking Marvel Studios movies. While also thinking, that all I care about is you disliking the Marvel Studios movies.

    Again, my argument, is that Hawke is using the same logic that the Academy is using, and I find that logic to be faulty. Again, I do not care about your personal taste, because that’s you. You go with it. What I care about, is the Academy, and a member like Hawke, stating a comic book film cannot generate something genuine and honest like other types of films. It’s just specious logic, and it’s bullshit. It’s stating the most popular kinds of films, aren’t creating genuine emotion, and that’s once again ignoring that every film ever made… outside of some docs, is make believe.

    Seriously. Things got out of hand, because we literally were having two different conversations. You were having a personal one, and I was having one about the stupid fucking popular Oscar.

  72. Bulldog68 says:

    It’s very simple to me, by saying a particular type of movie, any type of movie, could never be viewed as a great movie solely because it belongs to a particular genre is wrong.

    You can piss on superhero movies all you want, Logan was a better movie than much of the Oscar bait that winds it’s way to the cineplex and art houses. By that standard, does Hawke think that Mad Max didn’t deserve it’s Oscar nom? Which also raises the argument of whether Mad Max would get a BP nom or Popular nom if it were released next year.

    It seems like this Art Clubhouse has room for only so many members. Black people had to fight for cameras that were originally calibrated to only shoot white people effectively, to be redone so that our tone can be captured effectively. Women are still clamouring to be let in to the Directors club, after they had to fight to stop being cast as only “the girl” in movies. Look at the Supporting Actor nominees from 1989 and tell me that aside from eventual winner Kevin Kline and maybe River Phoenix in Running on Empty, that any of those other performances surpassed Alan Rickman in Die Hard.

    If it’s not Action, it’s SciFi, or Fantasy, or Horror, or now Superhero, being told they not strong enough, or fast enough, or artsy enough. I just wish people would stop prejudging shit before it even drops.

    Panther came out in February. There’s still 10 months of movies to get through. I won’t say it belongs there yet. And I fucking hate seeing ads for a movie released in March that says “the best movie of the year”. Fucking Hate it.

    Any movie can be art. That’s my rant.

  73. leahnz says:

    “It’s very simple to me, by saying a particular type of movie, any type of movie, could never be viewed as a great movie solely because it belongs to a particular genre is wrong.”

    apologies in advance if i missed something trying to catch up on/parse everything going in this thread since i read it last, but who is saying this?
    (not hawke, who kind of says the opposite ultimately)

    OT, river’s sublime turn as ‘danny pope’ is truly one for the ages (esp considering he taught himself to play the piano for the role). his super stoked reaction on the oscar telecast for kevin K, who won the best sup actor oscar they were both nom’ed for, after working with him in ‘i love you to death’, is classic.
    also alan rickman don’t need no stinking oscar, hans gruber goes down in history as one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time and that’s what counts

  74. Bulldog68 says:

    Nobody “needs” an Oscar. But the mere fact that your words “hans gruber goes down in history as one of the greatest cinematic villains of all time ” is echoed by what most certainly be millions of film lovers, and this isn’t about popularity, it’s about performance, is at the crux of the argument. Is it any less artful than Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot, or one of his other movies that is a critics darling but I was totally disappointed by, There Will Be Blood? Sorry, watching that was laborious to me.

  75. leahnz says:

    so if i’m reading you right, you’re baffled and annoyed by the snobbery of critics/awards bodies in their failure to consider and reward outstanding performances in/and craft of movies in genres outside their relatively narrow and relentless focus on ‘prestige dramas’, done so with a seemingly sheep-like mentality?
    (if so, welcome to the party pal! haha)
    what is art – and what is ‘deserving’ – is so subjective

    (ETA if i remember bulldog you also rather disliked ‘the master’, so maybe PTA is just not your cup of tea)

  76. JS Partisan says:

    This century, there have been about 140 best picture nominees. Guess how many of those are about a different ethnicity than caucasian, or feature stories about different ethnicities? 15. That’s it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Picture#2010s

    Just look at this decade. There’s slightly more diversity, but it’s so damn fucking white. Rather the Academy, or Hawke, get it or not. Putting popular films aside from the regular best picture nominees, is just fucking segregation. It’s literally putting stories, that are usually about more than just the whites getting shit done, on their own island away from the, “IMPORTANT FAIRE.”

    Black Panther’s reaction, and people rightfully feeling it’s one of the best movies of the year. Led to the Academy, in a moment of fear, creating an award that keeps doing the same damn thing they’ve been doing for years: putting movies that they don’t find to be SERIOUS in another gilded cage like the animation award.

  77. palmtree says:

    It’s fascinating that when we think of Spielberg doing Oscar-bait, we think of Schindler’s List and The Color Purple.

    But his first three movies nominated for Best Picture were actually Jaws, Raiders, and ET, all genre movies that aren’t supposed to be taken seriously. They’d never be nominated today!

    That was before the relentless machinery of awards season really took over, so there’s truth to the sheep-like mentality of today’s Oscar season. But some of these old nominations are kinda trippy.

  78. Hcat says:

    Palmtree, why would they not be nominated today? Do you really think that is a movie came out and did today’s equivalent of what ET did and hade the same cultural impact it would not get a best picture nom? Or Raiders? Gladiator and Lord of the Rings and Argo can get wins, Gravity and Mad Max get nominations but you think if something hit like Jaws did it would be ignored?

    I would say that every nominated picture I saw this year was a better picture by any standard than Logan, but this again goes to just how silly it is to put all these in a horse race, or treat awards as endall/bealls. The Oscars are a PR exercise.

  79. JS Partisan says:

    Not one of those movies are as good as Logan. Not a single one, because Logan takes a universal truth: you get old, you will fail, and you will die, and puts it on this grand canvas of… Wolverine. Wolverine, is a better fictional character, than 90 percent of all fictional characters ever created. Seriously. This dismissing of some of the most popular characters in fiction is just so silly.

    HC, Fury Road is most insane nomination of this decade, but it’s George Miller. He’s really respected in that body, so there’s that nomination. Nevertheless, none of those films would be nominated today for best picture. Jesus Christ. Did you miss that they are making a MOST POPULAR PICTURE Oscar, because they are so afraid of the Academy’s inability to nominate popular films? Ethan Hawke is not alone with his attitudes, because you just displayed them. You are of that age, and your age doesn’t find value in what kids today do, and that’s why the Academy and the Oscars are pointless. They kept relying on the fossils, and ignoring the age and gender gaps happening in this world.

  80. palmtree says:

    HC, Actually, in support of your second statement, I would say Logan is much more similar to Mad Max Fury Road, LOTR, Argo, or Gladiator in the sense that they are genre movies with an eye on getting awards credibility. The Shape of Water is in that category too. Jaws probably comes closest to being actual awards bait because at its heart it’s a pretty serious Ibsen-esque drama.

    But I think a far better example you were looking for is Get Out, which doesn’t feel like it’s made for awards but is a kickass jump scare movie that also makes really incisive points about race and justice. So yeah, occasionally the Academy does get it right (probably with a lot of help from activists though too).

    But it’s hard for me to believe that Spielberg directed a James Bond, matinee serial movie to get awards attention. And ET was far less serious and more child-friendly than his other more serious and ambitious alien movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Raiders and ET don’t play to me like awards bait even if they are absolute masterpieces.

  81. Sideshow Bill says:

    JS, we’re cool. You’re passionate.

    I just think you keep missing where I say, over and over, that I love the superhero genre. But taken film by film, I don’t prefer any of them over many, many other films. None have punched me in the gut like other films have. Yet I admire and respect them as art and entertainment. I saw Deadpool 2 three days after my cheating girlfriend left me and it helped me recover. They have value.

    Maybe I’m not explaining things well enough because I’m coming at it from a personal standpoint, not a formal one. I can admire a supremely crafted movie like BLACK PANTHER and still prefer ANNIHILATION. There’s nothing wrong or offensive about that. And I’ll even throw you a bone here: I hope BP gets nominated and I think Jordan should get a supporting actor nod.

    You lose me when you seem to try and claim a detached, impartial fact about art. I resist that. I understand rhetoric and arguing from an authoritative viewpoint. I just don’t like it. Emotion is such a big part of all art for me. HALLOWEEN is my favorite film. I don’t care that it’s flawed, has some bad acting, logic gaps, continuity errors. I love it because it is in my heart for a so many reasons: craft, nostalgia, remembering how it terrified my mother lol. I forgive and even love it’s flaws.

    I will re-read your posts out of respect. Maybe I did miss your point but you missed mine too.

  82. Sideshow Bill says:

    I wish we could post pictures. I would post a pic of the superhero section of my Blu Rays. Marvel, DC… I even own X-Men:Apocalypse. And Justice League. Yes, I own the DC Snyderverse. Even Spider-Man 3. For which I take a ton of shit from friends.

    I would also post my unfinished Michael Myers tattoo, which will be kick ass when I get it finished next month

  83. Hcat says:

    That sounds cool, then you can get eight more Myers Tattoos, than have all but the original one removed and get another.

  84. Sideshow Bill says:

    HCAT….,that made me laugh heartily

  85. YancySkancy says:

    Did Arizona, starring Danny McBride and Rosemarie De Witt, make the chart? It opened at an AMC here, and we watched it on iTunes. It doesn’t quite work, but there are good things about it, chiefly De Witt’s performance and the photography of a near-deserted fictional Arizona suburb circa the housing bust of the late aughts.

  86. Sideshow Bill says:

    And JS I have to admit…sometimes I just like argue. I believe everything I said. I wasn’t trolling. But you can be fun to spar with. You know your stuff.

    I may have told the story before but after my wife died in November 2013 one of the first things we did for fun a few weeks later was going to see Thor 2, me and my youngest daughter who was 11. I know it’s not regarded as a porn movie but at the time we had a blast and it really helped toward healing and getting us going for the holidays. Ever since then the Marvel movies have been a thing for me and her to do every year we’ve seen every single one since the work to and we look forward to seeing more. They are a bonding thing for us. She’s 16 now in learning to drive and I don’t know how many more Marvel movies I’ll have it with her I know she’s excited about aqua man because she thinks what’s his face is hot. So those movies do mean something to me beyond just being movies they mean a lot to me in fact. And I do consider them art. I did not deny it. All films are art even bad ones I could make an argument that the Waterboy is Art. I’m not gonna try but I could. There have been other movies that are provided healing moments and things like that for me but the Marvel movies always hold a special spot for me. Between Thor the dark world and Deadpool 2 they’ve done a lot for me so there you go.

    Peace bro.

  87. JS Partisan says:

    Thanks, Bill.

    Also, for a dead ass blog, WE CAN GET THOSE POST COUNTS UP! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

    And Crazy Rich Asians is showing Dave everyday, that it is indeed a special kind of movie.

  88. palmtree says:

    Mojo projects a 3-day weekend for the THIRD weekend of Crazy Rich Asians…at $25 million. Holy mother, that’s a zero percent drop.

    DP, I await your thoughts when the estimates come in.

  89. Hcat says:

    Was David handicapping the potential success? I am missing why CRA is such a shot against him?

  90. palmtree says:

    Hc, it’s not a shot against him. It’s just weird that we haven’t had full weekend analyses from DP in CRA’s first two weekends (only Friday analyses).

    It’s especially weird since he’s always on about how nothing interesting is happening, and then when something interesting does happen, he’s silent.

    Of course, I’m sure he’s busy doing his own thing, so it’s not a knock necessarily. I’m just expressing my wish that he comments on these things. Asking never hurts.

  91. Bulldog says:

    Go back and read Dave’s Friday Estimates of Aug 18th Hcat. Now nothing he said was wrong, but it’s the silence afterward that has some firing a few shots at him. CRA seemingly heading north of $175m is a phenom, much like Get Out, and A Quiet Place, and The Help, which it is being compared to and surpassing.

    Many had it pegged for success, but it’s exceeding even those expectations.

  92. JS Partisan says:

    No. He poo-pooed it, like it was something hyped up, that didn’t really preform. It’s going to have, quite possibly, a ZERO PERCENT DROP THIS WEEKEND! Infinity War making 2bn in the Summer? That’s a story. Black Panther, making 700m? Hell of a story. I cannot think of a movie, in the history of this blog, that has ever had a ZERO PERCENT DROP OFF, IN IT’S THIRD WEEKEND! It’s one of the most amazing box office stories IN
    BOX OFFICE HISTORY, but Dave just thought, “It didn’t make 40 million opening weekend. No story here.” It’s another example in the long list, of Dave missing the point, and the bigger picture.

  93. Tom Reagan's Hat says:

    This was David on Twitter earlier this week: “Ocean’s 8 & Crazy Rich Asians are on a very close box office trajectory. CRA will pass $100m on Saturday & should do about $20m for the 4-day. It is a legit success & should not be expected to break records to prove it. The win matters. Exaggerating it doesn’t help.”

    He definitely has a blind spot for CRA… not sure why. It took Ocean’s 8 a full month to make as much as CRA will in less than two weeks. And Ocean’s 8 dropped by more than 50% in its second weekend while CRA is barely dropping at all in its third. Nobody is exaggerating the phenomenon of CRA.

  94. Sideshow Bill says:

    Earlier in the Summer he seemed to be in it’s corner. He kept bringing it up as a late Summer sleeper. At least that’s how I took it.

  95. palmtree says:

    Ocean’s 8? Oh man, that’s really off the mark. Ocean’s 8 is only at $140m. On the other hand, Mojo is comparing it to Bridesmaids and The Help and The Proposal, all over $160m and all of which CRA is currently either equaling or running ahead of. So…

    AND if exaggerating a success isn’t good, downplaying a success doesn’t automatically make you better either.

    I think DP is rooting for CRA as a diversity issue, but it seems like DP has a thing against people constructing a popular narrative of any sort. And I get the desire to be contrarian, but still, don’t be wrong either.

  96. uhhhhhh says:

    OCEAN’S 8 = a sequel to massively successful films starring a ton of mainstream movie stars

    CRAZY RICH ASIANS = not that

  97. palmtree says:

    ^^^THAT TOO!

  98. JS Partisan says:

    Yeah. Dave is just off the reservation with CRA, but he always has blind spots. He also, seems to be digging in his heels on this one, and it’s always weird when he acts this way.

  99. Hcat says:

    Gee, reading these responses I wonder why he is no hurry to weigh in.

  100. JS Partisan says:

    I go after him on twitter, and he goes right back at me. Do you not remember the Inception threads? This is how we go in this blog, and we all want to discuss this movie with him.

  101. palmtree says:

    Hc, honestly I’d think he’d be excited to chime in given how “crazy rich” things are right now, breaking precedents and possibly setting new ones in the industry. As a journalist, wouldn’t you live for moments like this?

  102. leahnz says:

    i hope ‘leave no trace’ makes some dosh at the cinema, what a gem (seen it twice now). after all my bellyaching for more granik these past years she comes through with the goods.
    wouldn’t it be nice if actual good directors could make the movies for a change and the mediocre, ‘competent’ hacks could sit it out and contemplate other careers

  103. JS Partisan says:

    Ant-Man and the Wasp is going to make six hundred million dollars. It may even make a hundred million more than the previous film, so that mean it has SOME AUDIENCE GROWTH! WOO!!!!

  104. palmtree says:

    DP on Twitter: “A 10% third weekend drop for Crazy Rich Asians is extraordinary, even with the holiday.”

  105. fatima m. says:

    Hello David Poland, if you do a new interview with Olivier Assayas for Non Fiction could you ask him about his third project with Kristen Stewart please? When is he planning to make it? And if he can say anything about the story, if it’s a drama, comedy or period? Last year he said in an interview that he was writting a new script for her so I am curious to hear what’s up with that.

  106. movieman says:

    The most baffling flop of the (Labor Day) weekend is “The Little Stranger” which actually had an even lower PSA than the second weekend of last weekend’s disaster, “A.X.L.” (The fact that “Stranger” was on fewer than a third the number of screens as “A.X.L.” makes its performance even more embarrassing.)
    Not sure what went wrong here.
    Great cast; a recently Oscar-nominated director; an exploitable (Gothic haunted house) genre that works more often than not; decent reviews; well-regarded source material; a normally savvy distributer…
    Did Focus over or undershoot? Should they have opened on a mere handful of screens in NY and L.A., or gone uncharacteristically (say, 1,800-2,000 screens) wide right out of the gate?
    I’m mystified.

  107. palmtree says:

    MM, the trailers for Little Stranger didn’t make it seem very commercial, but more like scary Downton Abbey. And wasn’t Crimson Peak, another period costume horror flick, basically a flop too? That one had an even bigger director behind it (Del Toro). Not sure what they’d expect from this other than Oscar buzz.

  108. movieman says:

    I don’t know, Palm. I was pretty psyched and looked forward to seeing it last weekend.
    I would have definitely seen it before “Operation Finale” (just OK), “Kin” (ugh) or even “Searching” (which I really liked). Naturally “Stranger” didn’t open anywhere near me, lol.
    Hope it makes a fast trip to home video.

  109. JS Partisan says:

    Of course the Academy pressed pause on the popular Oscar today. It was too stupid an idea, and Disney wasn’t going to play along. What does all this mean? It means the nominating, or not nominating of Black Panther for Best Picture is a referendum on the future of the Academy Awards. If Black Excellence isn’t celebrated and rewarded, then the Academy Awards better get ready to stream exclusively on YouTubeTV, because that Award show will be over.

    They did this to themselves, and they get what they get. I will hold with my previous statement: they aren’t going to give Black Panther jack or shit, and that’s just going to lead to the Academy becoming more of a joke, and even less important.

  110. Glamourboy says:

    I wasn’t surprised that they found a semi-graceful way of bowing out of the Popular Film award–it was a universally hated idea. I still absolutely believe that Black Panther is going to get a Best Pic nomination. I watched the movie on Netflix yesterday and even on the small screen it was fantastic.

    I’m dying to talk to someone about Searching…a film that I really liked but had some weird day after feelings about. The movie tries to be David Lynch dark and Disney light…it has that odd tug to it.

  111. Hcat says:

    So Searching is the Straight Story?

    Still processing the Burt news, but Christ the obit in the Post is a total hit job. If I were Bruce Willis or Adam Sandler I would be worried,

    For better or for worse the guy was a titan like we will never see again in the iP driven industry. And it’s not because he didn’t make crap it was because he made crap work. There is no way Smokey, White Lightning and Hooper should work as movies but he carried them all effortlessly.

  112. palmtree says:

    Let’s all talk Searching. New Searching thread? Oh wait, we haven’t had a new thread since…2 weeks ago.

    Alright, so Searching…the spoiler free version: awesome first half, second half a little less awesome.

  113. Pete B. says:

    I actually liked KIN.

  114. GSpot 3000 says:

    Agree with Palm on Searching. That first half is so clever in its execution — The movie does an amazing job of wringing both warmth and dead from a computer screen…that last section…not so much…with the exception of that wonderful final, movie ending beat summing things up (keeping it vague for spoilers). It’s all so cinematic and yet ANTI-cinematic at the same time. Worth the watch.

  115. Glamourboy says:

    SEARCHING SPOILERS AHEAD:

    The movie has a great dark premise…a man finds that he doesn’t know anything about his daughter’s life…and it brings in great plot twists that suggest that she has taken on another identity, been stealing money from her father, might be having an affair with her Uncle….but then it boomerangs back from each of those possibilities–always keeping the daughter this sweet, innocent girl…its as if the filmmakers just can’t go to the dark world that they are skirting. I was impressed that they were going to end the film with the daughter being dead….but of course they couldn’t go there either. Did anyone else notice the big clue in the opening…the school that the daughter attends is ‘home of the catfish’….?

  116. palmtree says:

    Glamour, (ALSO SPOILERS)

    …Related to that was my issue was with them handing out dark explanations and then retracting them. One too many red herrings. And plus, the need for these plot devices began to strain the premise of being entirely viewed through screens. I still enjoyed the hell out of this movie, but the form did begin to call attention to itself.

    Also, there’s an Easter egg video with a bunch of cool little details you might have missed. There’s even a clue that this movie is in the Unfriended universe.

  117. Michael Bergeron says:

    what is the clue that Searching is in the Unfriended universe .. asking for a friend?

  118. jbritt says:

    Can we get some box office analysis for Nun, etc …

  119. Hcat says:

    Nun is looking like it will open higher than anything else in the franchise. Must be a fun month to be working at Warners.

  120. Glamourboy says:

    Has anyone seen Nun? BF wants to see it but I no of no one who has seen it or wants to…..RT score is looooow

  121. movieman says:

    G-Boy: I’ve run cold and lukewarm on the “Conjuring” franchise, but I was actually looking forward to “The Nun,” hoping for some good, old-fashioned
    nuns-ploitation. Alas, it fails to deliver on even that meager level.
    There are admittedly some striking visuals (you could make the case that it’s better directed than…well, pretty much everything else about it), but the whole thing is so pokily paced, thuddingly predictable and UNSCARY that it nearly lulled me to sleep.
    I also don’t understand the “R” rating.
    Seriously?
    It’s “PG-13” at best: no gore, no sex/nudity, no profanity. A total snooze.

  122. leahnz says:

    SPOILERS
    there’s nothing wrong with ‘searching’ being about an ordinary, sweet but lonely kid and her doting but reserved/uptight dad’s serious unprocessed grief issues (and turning it into some low-grade 8MM would just be a tired cliche and a cop-out, so good on em for keeping to a story about ultimately ordinary people caught up in a bizarre circumstance as the premise to examine the lack of connection between a grieving father/child, in contrast to a deeply disturbing, enabling parent/child relationship that culminates in violence and deception), it’s just a bit average in the writing and direction in patches but the performances compensate for it. it’s a story about moving through grief to a better place and her dying at the end would not have worked, it’s a happy/family movie

  123. Sideshow Bill says:

    The reviews for The Nun are keeping me home. I’ll watch it at home some night.

    The Predator, however, I’m seeing despite the reviews. I love monsters and it sounds like there’s enough mayhem to keep me entertained.

    The sex offender thing? Completely misguided decisions by Black but I don’t think he did it with dark intent. He SHOULD have disclosed it. Inexcusable. Fox made the right decision cutting him out and Shane needs to distance himself. I all for rehabilitation and stuff but sex offenders….yuck. That’s just a slipyslopr I hope I’m never on.

    One last thing: the thread seems to be the last stand for The Hot Blig. This is our Alamo. I’ll be proud to go down alongside you all.

  124. leahnz says:

    nearer my god to thee

    what is this sex offender thing? crikey maybe it’s better i don’t know, everything is so depressing

  125. palmtree says:

    SPOILER (I GUESS????)

    The Unfriended connection is that Laura Barns is a trending topic on a page in Searching. I don’t think that’s a real spoiler because if you haven’t seen that movie that name won’t mean anything to you. Also, both movies have the same producer Timur Bekmambetov.

  126. JS Partisan says:

    Leah, Black keeps hiring his sex offender friend, because he thinks his friend’s crime wasn’t that serious. The moment Munn found out, that she had a scene with this guy. She told FOX, and they cut the scene. Black, because he’s a white and powerful man in Hollywood, would still put his sex offender friend in movies, because of course he would. The Predator, is apparently shit, because of course it is. Predators deserved a sequel, but it’s what the fuck ever.

  127. leahnz says:

    yeah my little grey cell factions had a fight in my brain — ‘ignorance is bliss!’ vs ‘knowledge is power!’ — and i ended up looking it up, ick
    (black’s weak-ass “i believed my friend’s dumb self-serving version of events rather than asses the testimony/heinous crime/conviction based on reality” excuse is sounding aweeeefully familiar after hearing some version of it now for the kazzilionth time, christ on a cracker these fucking guys. good on munn for speaking up, i wish i could say it was shocking that her duderino castmates didn’t have her back, nor a backbone to speak of, but who are we kidding, sisters doin’ it for themselves)

  128. Pete B says:

    Well, the film is called “The Predator”. We just all thought it was about aliens.

    Kudos to Olivia.

  129. Glamourboy says:

    Surprise, surprise…The Nun is an unholy mess. Or even better…a one word review…Nunsense.

    One dimensional characters battle demonic, zombie nuns. It is one of those films where the main characters encounter something fucking weird..yet they never even discuss leaving. Their decisions are based more on the impending length of the film rather than holding any logic at all. But a few people in the theater applauded after the film finished….so I might be in the minority.

    The only good to come out of this situation….bf is banished to movie hell…after he chose this and The Happytime Murders, I get to choose the movies for the next few months.

  130. movieman says:

    You can’t say that I didn’t warn you, G-Boy, lol.
    There was a lot of aisle hopping to-and-fro during the screening I attended.
    No screaming teenage girls (followed by the nervous laughter of their friends) which is standard audience participation schtick for this type of B-horror; just stone cold silence.
    I’m guessing they were all asleep.

  131. Glamourboy says:

    The teenagers in the row in front of me texted the entire time….unfortunately I saw it before I saw your posting, Movieman….I often find my opinions on movies connecting with yours…so I would have listened.

  132. movieman says:

    Ugh, texting, G-Boy!
    That and the interminable “pre-show” are the bane of the 21st century theatrical experience.

  133. Hcat says:

    Holy shit just heard On the radio that Moonves got the boot. This is likely even bigger than Lasseter being shown the door. It’s remarkable and heartening that people at the highest rung can eventually be brought down. I hope all the other slime balls are sweating through the night waiting to be called out. And more importantly idiots are thinking twice on behaving like this in the first place.

  134. movieman says:

    Hcat- Hear, hear!
    But sadly, the biggest slime ball and idiot of them all–Trump–remains unbeaten and unbowed.

    Please tell me that the clock has already begun ticking down to his ultimate banishment.

  135. Hcat says:

    One can only hope, perhaps the length of the investigation is reflective of the sheer amount of crimes they are uncovering. If they can find moneylaundering going back decades they could hit his business with a RICO case and seize all the assets of this stooge and his toxic family. But of course that is probably too pie in the sky.

    Of course this was Bill’s poisoning of the well with the same slimy behavior that allowed this schmuck to walk in. And the reason Spitzer is not leading the legal charge against this is because of his own abhorrent behavior.

  136. JS Partisan says:

    Orange has gained about 50lbs, and looks absolutely terrible. He may still be around, but everything is breaking him. I’d go as far as to state, that he’s a shell of a man. He’s just running out the string, because once this country strikes back, and if it’s as devastating as projected. He’s really fucked.

    Moonves, is just a piece of shit, and he basically turned CBS into a shit show. Everything about CBS, is boring and wrong, and here’s hoping it’s next president is a woman, who’s in her 40s, and makes it a lot more interesting.

  137. Hcat says:

    Isn’t CBS the same as it’s always been? It’s aleays been a staid hacky network providing comfort food procedural for oldsters. It’s not like any of their shows in the past forty years has been the least bit innovative or daring. That’s been the key to their success and it is very unlikely anyone is going to monkey with that.

  138. Bulldog says:

    “It’s not like any of their shows in the past forty years has been the least bit innovative or daring”

    My only counter to that would be Murphy Brown, which hit some really good high notes, and the original CSI. Otherwise stuff like All in the Family, Jeffersons, Maude, basically all ended about 40 years ago so you’d be right.

  139. palmtree says:

    The best thing on CBS right now is James Corden.

  140. JS Partisan says:

    I just wanted to state: FUCK THE PREDATOR! Fuck those men for not backing up their co-star, and fuck Shane Black. Fuck you, Shane Black. I love fucking predators in general, but I can’t spend money on this misogynistic shit show of a movie. There’s no way.

    And the best thing on CBS IS STILL MURPHY BROWN! IT’S COMING BACK, BAY BAY! WOOOOOO!!!!!

  141. Hcat says:

    Murphy was probably the last show I watched on CBS, and there were real high points and Bergan was a talent but on some level it was still the same type of CBS workplace comedy relying on a grump insulting the stock supporting cast of ditzy blonde, stuffed shirt, nebbish etc…. and then tossing the same ire at congress.

  142. Pete B says:

    Anybody else psyched for the one night only (9/13) showing of Mandy at Regal Cinemas? I don’t have an Alamo Drafthouse near me, so I’m shocked I get to see it on a big screen.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRKVxT4-1wM

  143. Hcat says:

    Be careful that its the horror movie and you’re not accidently walking into a Fathom broadcast of a Manilow concert!

  144. Pete B says:

    ^ Yikes! That would be even scarier!

  145. movieman says:

    Does anyone know whether “Mandy” will be available as a VOD starting this weekend?
    I know the home video release is slated for late October.
    This one-night, one-performance-only thing-y is…odd.

  146. Hcat says:

    Well Doomsday couldn’t kill Cavill’s Superman but apparently Justice League did.

  147. palmtree says:

    Wow, updated Gurus chart…

  148. Sideshow Bill says:

    movieman, from all the sites I’ve read it’s coming to VOD on Friday and physical disc Ocotber 30. iTunes has it listed as “arriving” September 14th. I hope so because my ass is planning on watching it post haste.

  149. movieman says:

    Good to know, Bill. I’ll definitely be on the lookout this weekend!
    Also excited about the Netflix premiere of “The Land of Steady Habits” by my long-time fave rave Nicole Holofcener.

  150. Hcat says:

    Movieman, she is a remarkable talent that also keeps. getting. better.

    Each film has been a slight improvement on the previous, and I am not sure I will get used to the idea of prime talent working for Netflix, nestled between Voltron and foul mouthed cartoons and whatever Sandler threw together last quarter, I am certainly excited to see whatever work she does.

  151. Stella's Boy says:

    Mandy is playing at a theater in Milwaukee, which is wonderful. Can’t wait to see it.

    Also incredibly excited to see new movies from Nicole Holofcener and Tamara Jenkins only a few weeks apart. The Land of Steady Habits and Private Life look fantastic. Would prefer to see both in a theater but what can you do.

  152. Hcat says:

    Plus Roma is getting over the moon reviews, and they have had a couple well reviewed rom coms already this year, I have to admit they’ve stepped up their game.

    If I had to choose between being stuck in a room and watching these over Sony’s slate this year? Wouldn’t be a tough decision.

  153. movieman says:

    Netflix’s slate of original movies in the last quarter of 2018 (incl. Orson Welles and the Coen Bros.!) is more exciting than any studio’s.
    And Netflix has “Maniac,” too, which is supposed to be fantastic. Looks like it’ll be one of those rare Netflix series that I binge.

    P.S.= On a completely unrelated note, does anyone else find WB’s “Star is Born” opening weekend estimate of $25-million ridiculously lowball? And who else thinks a $60-million “Venom” opener is, uh, overly optimistic?

  154. Pete B. says:

    Well…I know my tastes aren’t the norm, but I’ll be at Venom on opening day. And I’d rather be dragged through broken glass than see A Star is Born. So there’s that.

    Who else is still trying to wrap their head around Mandy? Gotta love Kevin Smith during the Q&A: “Linus Roache gave a balls out performance.”

  155. Hcat says:

    With you on that Movie Man, I thought Venom looks wretched, and Star would be through the roof. The Star reviews weren’t as enthusiastic as I had thought they would be, but it will have legs. Maybe not Crazy Asian legs, but I would still be shocked if it didn’t crack 100 million.

    Saw Deadpool 2 last night. I thought the first one was just alright and didn’t really like the snarkiness, giddy violence and meta commentary. Somehow the second one leaned into it even more and it was a much better movie for it. There was plenty of laugh out loud moments for me, and while the violence and action provided no actual tension to the narrative, the John Wick guy was able to slingshot us through it all in such a Dead Alive way I was never bored or rolling my eyes.

  156. movieman says:

    Hcat: I’m thinking “SIB” will be Cooper’s second highest grossing film to date (after “American Sniper,” natch).
    Can’t see “Venom” even matching the first “Ant Man.”
    And I love Tom Hardy (wanky “American” accent and all): I’m genuinely looking forward to it.

    “Land of Steady Habits” is another Nicole Holofcener winner (I dropped everything this A.M. to watch it), although maybe not in my top-tier of Holofceners (favorites are “Please Give,” “Enough Said” and “Lovely and Amazing”). I’m thinking maybe it’s because it’s her first film w/ a male vs. female protagonist.

    Will definitely be watching “Mandy” On Demand this weekend!

  157. Stella's Boy says:

    Why is Venom PG-13? And the director is already talking about an unrated cut. I’ll wait for that version. I don’t think $60 million or more is unreasonable. But A Star is Born is going to open with way more than $25 million, and I say that as someone with no interest in it. That’s way low.

    I hated Deadpool with a passion. So overrated. But I’m with you Hcat. I watched Deadpool 2 earlier this week and I actually enjoyed it. I laughed a whole lot, the X-Force sequence is fun, Brolin is always a treat, and Zazie Beetz is amazing. It just went down easier for me. It’s too long and sometimes the smugness is irritating, and one-liner success rate is like 50%, but it’s pretty enjoyable overall.

    Happy to hear that Land of Steady Habits is a winner. Looking forward to it. And Mandy. And The Predator. Lots of good stuff.

  158. movieman says:

    I opted for “Predator” over “WBR” or “Simple Favor” last night because it started the earliest (and was the shortest). That’s how I choose movies these days, lol.
    Thought it was a blast, and I’ve found some of Black’s previous directed-by credits (specifically “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” and “The Nice Guys”) too pleased w/ themselves for comfort.
    Found it fast-paced, very funny and blessed w/ a super cast: Boyd Holbrook comes across like Ryan Gosling’s kid brother, and that’s precisely what the role needed. Plus Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown, Trevante (“Moonlight”) Rhodes, Thomas Jane and “Wonder” boy Jacob Tremblay. Nice bench strength!
    Hand’s down the best movie w/ “predator” in the title since the McTiernan original.
    Interestingly, my screening companion had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the theater, and wound up really enjoying it, too.
    P.S.= No interest in “SIB,” SB? Damn. That and “First Man” (along w/ “Suspiria” and “Halloween”) are the fall wide releases I’m most excited about. (“Suspiria” is going to be wide, right? Please let it be so!)

  159. Stella's Boy says:

    That is good news. Love the Predator movies. First one is a classic obviously and I love Predator 2 and Predators. Rewatched both this week and they are a hell of a lot of fun. Just pretending AVP movies don’t exist.

    Not much interest in A Star is Born. No interest in First Man either. Looks like mom porn, and I detest La La Land. Love Coach Taylor but trailer does nothing for me. I’m incredibly excited about a lot of fall movies but not the two whitest movies of the season.

  160. Glamourboy says:

    I had no interest in SIB either..the trailer is nails on the chalkboard for me and somehow it is playing before every fucking movie I see. But the reviews that I’ve read have been stellar…so I’ll probably use it as the payback card for the BF for letting him choose Nun and Happytime Murders. I’m more interested in the Predator story than the Predator movie….and I think I’d be the one kicking and screaming for Venom….so subtract $16 to that opening weekend estimate.

  161. Hcat says:

    ” but not the two whitest movies of the season.”

    Can’t argue with that appraisal, First Man is probably the dadiest movie that has been released since I became a dad slightly over a decade ago, and it doesn’t even have Costner in it!

    Earlier this summer I would have put Star at over 300 based on the buzz, but the reviews why strong don’t point to anything quite that seismic. With this tracking, even with outstanding legs I don’t see it topping the first two Hangover movies in the Cooper all time list. No matter what though Warners is going to continue to be in the Bradley Cooper business, one of the few people left that can be considered a outright movie star and sex symbol and has always made money for the studio. I don’t know who else they have had this type of success with recently.

  162. movieman says:

    Dave Chapelle has a pretty substantial supporting role in “SIB,” so it’s not the whitest fall movie, lol.
    I’m surprised to hear so many dissers. Gotta say that the trailer, albeit absurdly ubiquitous for months, is maybe the only “Not that again!” trailer that doesn’t make me want to run screaming for the hills (or at least the lobby).
    And a HUGE Chazelle fan here so “First Man” is def high on my “Can’t Wait to See It” list.
    Speaking of autumn releases of color (or not), does anyone else think the new Tyler Perry movie–his first for Paramount–actually looks, y’know, good? The trailer makes me laugh out loud every time. Doesn’t even feel like Perry (more like Malcolm D. Lee). Which is a major compliment.
    P.S.= I hadn’t even thought of the “Hangover” films as “Bradley Cooper Joints.” Mea culpa. Probably because I didn’t become a Brad fan until “SLP.” I still think “SIB” has a decent shot at beating them and coming in second only to “Sniper.”
    And “SIB” is currently sitting at 96% favorable on RT (w/ 68 reviews already posted). Seems to me that the critical reception has been pretty uniformly positive so far.

  163. Stella's Boy says:

    $25 million for The Predator doesn’t seem very good considering that’s what Predators opened with 8 years ago. That and it was so aggressively hyped and marketed. And R-rated fare has been doing well.

  164. leahnz says:

    i want to rip ‘the predator’ a new asshole (i didn’t pay to see it, just to put that out there) because it’s so dumb and dull and a bit shit on most every level (jesus movieman were you high af or on shrooms or something) but i can’t even muster up the enthusiasm

  165. movieman says:

    What can I say, Leah? I had a good time, and my expectations were rock-bottom going in, not having really liked any “Predator” since the ’87 original.

    Has anyone else seen “A Simple Favor”? Thought it was great fun: Kendrick does her “Kendrick Thing” and Lively totally owns the movie. Damn, she’s good.
    Yes, it’s “Hitchcockian,” but minus the uber-fetishism of classic Hitchcock (or even a really good DePalma Hitch pastiche). Which points out Feig’s limitations as an artist. He is a first-rate entertainer, though.
    I did get a little restless in the final half hour, but that may have had more to do w/ the fact that I needed to pee crazy bad than the actual movie, lol.

  166. Pete B says:

    Guess I was high on shrooms or maybe it was the residual effect of the seeing the psychedelic Mandy the night before, but I found The Predator to be a fun romp as well.

  167. JS Partisan says:

    There are still only three good Predator films: The original, it’s wonderful sequel, and Predators. That’s it. Nothing more, and The Predator will be thrown on the scrap heap of time, like those shit AVP movies.

    SB, I now know why we could never get along, because I FUCKING LOVE LA LA LAND IN EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE WAY :D! I am not that much of a fan of Whiplash, but First Man seems like another great human space movies. Those never get old to me.

    And I love Rocket the Raccoon and Lady Gaga. A Star Is Born, will hopefully not be an, “Awkward moments,” of a movie. Where you are sitting there going, “My god. This is fucking uncomfortable. Next scene! Next scene!”.

  168. Stella's Boy says:

    Why didn’t you like The Predator? First Man might be a great human space movie. It just looks incredibly boring to me. Trailer is pretty dull and screams wait for HBO. Then again maybe I’ll go see it just to piss off my loony father-in-law.

  169. JS Partisan says:

    SB, that’s spoilers, but the end of the movie is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous.

    Friday
    9/14
    (Estimates) Saturday
    9/15 Sunday
    9/16 Monday
    9/17
    1 THE PREDATOR (2018)
    Fox

    4,037 $10,450,000

    — / $2,589
    $10,450,000 / 1
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    2 A SIMPLE FAVOR
    Lionsgate

    3,102 $5,920,000

    — / $1,908
    $5,920,000 / 1
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    3 THE NUN
    Warner Bros. (New Line)

    3,876 $5,900,000

    +167.3% / $1,522
    $72,776,325 / 8
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    4 WHITE BOY RICK
    Studio 8

    2,504 $3,475,000

    — / $1,388
    $3,475,000 / 1
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    5 CRAZY RICH ASIANS
    Warner Bros.

    3,385 $2,530,000

    +139% / $747
    $143,381,904 / 31
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    6 PEPPERMINT
    STX Entertainment

    2,980 $1,716,000

    +102.2% / $576
    $19,891,804 / 8
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    7 THE MEG
    Warner Bros.

    2,851 $1,025,000

    +263.6% / $360
    $134,307,190 / 36
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    8 SEARCHING
    Sony / Screen Gems

    2,009 $1,010,000

    +145.8% / $503
    $17,431,103 / 22
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    9 UNBROKEN: PATH TO REDEMPTION
    Pure Flix

    1,620 $820,000

    — / $506
    $820,000 / 1
    N/A
    N/A
    N/A
    10 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT
    Paramount

    1,761 $610,000

    There’s some numbers. I will figure out a way to format it in the future.

  170. movieman says:

    Man-oh-man is “Mandy” f****ed up! (That’s an endorsement btw.)
    Thought it had the glacial pace of Tarkovsky mixed with the bad acid trip + ultra violence of “Irreversible”/”I Stand Alone” Gaspar Noe.
    At times, it’s even reminescent of the legendary “Gotta Light?” episode of “Twin Peaks: The Return.”
    The faux “Cheddar Goblin” TV commercial is alone worth the price of a VOD.
    No NYT review? WTF?!?

  171. Christian says:

    The extremely positive Film Twitter reaction to “Mandy” was genuinely unexpected. I’d have gone to see it if it were playing in D.C. Alas, it’s not playing here, and VoD is not my preferred way of seeing a movie, especially one where reviewers keep instructing me to see it on the biggest screen possible.

    So I’m sitting this weekend out. But I’m very stoked – am I the only one? – about “The Sisters Brothers,” which is screening next week and opening a week hence, I believe. Maybe I’ll be disappointed, but the book knocked me out. I’m hoping the movie does the same.

  172. movieman says:

    Oh, yeah. I’m very much looking forward to “The Sisters Brothers,” Christian:
    big Jacques Audiard fan here.
    But like most interesting, (non-mainstream) films these days, it’ll never play anywhere near me. (We never even got “Sorry to Bother You,” another Annapurna release which was on more screens than “Brothers” is likely to ever reach.)
    Sadly, it’s probably DVD for me.

  173. leahnz says:

    “but the end of the movie is ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous.”

    —- SPOILERS —-

    clearly they are hoping for more of this mayonnaise

    (JS with the box office results in what would appear the last ever hotblog thread is so meta 2018)

  174. GdB says:

    So I just read somewhere that Solo ended up costing $250mil to make with reshoots and I don’t think that includes the P&A.

    Again, I maintain if they made the exact same movie they did, but Solo was a tough 15yr old (played by a 18yr old) so you could believe the character could’ve aged into Ford. Along with imbuing the character a badass backstory of a 15yr old kid keepong up with or besting some ruthless criminals twice is age, would have made that film a hit.

    Even with the TLJ backlash.

    Then again, I did hear a lot of, “Why do I want to go see that movie when I know the dude was killed like a bitch (out of character) by his emo son?”

    Oh wait, that was me! Everyone else with the similar sentiment said, why do I want to see it when I know he dies?

    Besides that, I find it endlessly fascinating that so many of my generation that have made it in the game who were motivated by a love of Star Wars turn down the chance to replace KK and potentially be the next Feige. It’s gotta be something more than toxic fans. Some edict about the franchise from the higher ups or something. Idk, I just know I would have no problem taking that job and ignoring all the hate if I felt I was being intergral to the property.

    Basically, the way Rian Johnson has been. I really hate what he did with the franchise, but I know he believes in his heart he was acting with integrity.

    So hats off to him for that.

    RJ and TLJ (and JJ and TFA for that matter) are the inverse example for me of separating the art from the artist. Usually one loves the art and the artist is a horrible human being on some level so that’s what you say/do to reconcile your self.

    For me, I hate how JJ did Han in TFA and I hate how RJ did Luke in TLJ; but both, by all accounts (some from mutual friends) are really genuinely nice and rad dudes I (and most) would get along well with and be privileged to call a friend.

    So in their case, I gotta separate the art from the artist because I hate their art but I love them as people.

    Idk, for me, the second one is harder (especially if you were legit friends with that person)

    Forgive the rant, but I just assumed this all Byob now until we get an update or the lights go out.

  175. movieman says:

    I feel like one of the survivors of a nuclear (or zombie) holocaust.
    We few brave souls huddle together in an attempt to achieve a semblance of normality.

    Do you really think the MCN website will eventually just vanish overnight?
    How chilling. And sad.

  176. palmtree says:

    The Gurus got updated recently, so who knows? Maybe we just get an update once in a blue moon.

    I recently caught up with SOLO since I missed its theatrical run. It was fun and had all the fan service I wanted and enjoyed, and it should have done waaaay better (were it not for the backlash). Also though, it did feel a bit slight, like I was watching a placeholder for something.

  177. Sideshow Bill says:

    The blog that wouldn’t die. I love it.

    Still processing Mandy. I was expecting the second half to be more kinetic. As someone said above it was more Tarkovsky than George Miller.

    And tha is fine. In fact it’s fantastic. Just not what I was expecting. It needs further viewings. Which it will get.

    Cage was extraordinary. It was a genuinely great performance.

  178. movieman says:

    Had a great time at “White Boy Rick.”
    Don’t get the meh reviews and middling b.o.
    Amused at the p.c. police complaining that it doesn’t spend more time delineating the African-American characters.
    Duh.
    It’s called “WHITE BOY Rick.”
    Was especially impressed at the tight rein Yann Demange used re: McConaughey and J.J. Leigh (two actors known for their scenery-chewing antics).
    Both give admirably restrained and extremely effective performances.

    Since I’ve already gone out on a limb here in potentially rankling delicate sensibilities, I might as well confess to finding the complaints about “First Man” being too “white” amusing.
    Would those critics have preferred that Michael B. Jordan (who I love and who will make a fantastic Superman if they decide to go in that direction–which they should) had played Neil Armstrong instead of Ryan Gosling? Seriously.

    Who wants to bet that Universal changes their release plans for “Green Book” after its Audience Award at TIFF? Rather than throwing it to the wolves on November 21st–where it’s set to open opposite 4 other films–they should hold it for a platform release starting Xmas Day (then go “nationwide” in January).
    Hey, it worked for “Hidden Figures” two years ago…

  179. Pete B says:

    For those who enjoyed Mandy:
    Had to laugh that this got an official video (complete with lyrics)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hteniPFMfek

  180. Stella's Boy says:

    I’m not surprised White Boy Rick didn’t do well even if it’s good. Crowded box office weekend. It’s an interesting story and I want to see it, but TV spots aren’t great. I never did see a trailer in theaters.

    Re: First Man being white, I wasn’t serious. Plenty of movies I am psyched about are very white and obviously it’s a true story and Neil Armstrong is white. I was making a joke. Didn’t mean to offend anyone’s delicate sensibilities. I just think it looks boring and was cracking wise.

  181. amblinman says:

    The Predator was complete garbage. One or two funny gags but…WHAAAAAAAAT was the point here, folks? And why in the hell did they kill off the main human villain in the most unspectacular, after thought fashion?

    (I would have add a spoiler warning but a) no one reads this blog anymore and b) If I ruin the movie for you and you decide not to see it as a result, you’re welcome.)

  182. leahnz says:

    i really dig ‘mandy’ for taking a well-tread scenario/trope and making it the work of art and psychedelic cinema that it is, the sorrowful contrast of such love, care and comfort vs craven violence, cruelty and grief is both beautiful and truly sad and awful.

    thinking about it (as i have been for a couple days) if i’m being completely honest and personal in my assessment, i could have done with just an entire film of ‘part I’ — riseborough’s mandy wandering around being weird and sadly ethereal and awesome and doing cool art, she and the devoted Red doing their thing with such a gentle, comforting love in their little fantastical forest palace and yet with this undercurrent of menace yet to reveal itself providing a discomfiting edge (his nightmares and feeling they should leave there, her horrible story about the baby starlings, etc forshadowing the horrors to come); when the menace actually arrives i find the revenge portion less compelling. and maybe it’s just the horrors of our current reality that make me a bit resistant somehow to invest in the bloodbath portion, though i appreciate it aesthetically, it’s ultimately a little slight and cliche for me (i think ‘you were never really here’, in comparison, handles a similar well-worn trope rendered artistically a bit more effectively on the whole, though certainly less trippin’ balls)

  183. leahnz says:

    it just occurred to me that i may have spoiled the shit out of ‘mandy’ in my comment above, this is so unlike me i’m usually a pedant for marking spoilers, i really hope a bout of carelessness doesn’t ruin it for anyone

  184. Pete B. says:

    Kinda tying in with what Leah was saying – about the first part of Mandy being so good – I searched on Amazon for Seeker of the Serpent’s Eye. That’s the novel Mandy is reading. It apparently doesn’t exist. That sounded exactly like something DAW would have published back in the day. Good job Panos. There is a sucker born every minute.

  185. palmtree says:

    I hate spoilers, except for horror movies. If I know what I’m in for in a scarefest, then it actually makes me want to watch it. So no harm done here, leah.

  186. Hcat says:

    So the Emmys nominated some popular shows and awarded Game of Thrones. Yet….ratings still dropped even though they awarded a highly rated show. Maaaaaaybe ratings for live events continue to fall and nominating what’s popular with the audience as opposed to what’s well regarded in the industry doesn’t have an effect on ratings or ‘relevance?’

  187. movieman says:

    Re: the Emmys.
    “Atlanta,” which reinvents “television” on a weekly basis, was robbed.

  188. palmtree says:

    Game of Thrones had one of its weaker seasons, so I don’t think it was seen as being the favorite to win. When the final season comes out and GoT wins the award again, I’ll bet the ratings do actually go up because of the outpouring of love for the show as a whole.

  189. leahnz says:

    palmtree, ‘mandy’ really isn’t a horror movie per se so hopefully it’s still ok :/ yikes

    that trivia about ‘seeker of the serpent’s eye’ is interesting, i bet a lot of people try to find a copy after seeing the movie (kinda like the people who went looking for the fake nightclub ‘tech-noir’ in LA)

    closer-to-home trivia: i have that same ‘black sabbath’ t-shirt that riseborough wears in the flick with the gasmask head – i think it’s from ‘never say die’ – though mine is like a dark grey marl (and i stupidly cut out the neck in an asymmetrical triangle in the early eighties like a sheep, i think sting had done it on the ‘zenyatta mondatta’ tour and suddenly it was all the rage for 3 seconds and i fucked up my sabbath gear)

  190. Sideshow Bill says:

    Like movieman, I had a blast with THE PREDATOR. It’s nothing that’s gonna stick with me forever but it was an entertaining afternoon, and I appreciate Black going R with gore and kills.

    I had fun. $5 Tuesday helps, but I still liked it.

  191. Glamourboy says:

    I had a lot of fun with A Simple Favor..the people who made the trailer def helped to leave money on the table…the movie is far more fun, funny and twisty than the trailer indicated. Lively is fantastic….and Jean Smart chews the hell out of her one scene in the movie…

  192. JS Partisan says:

    HC, your whole point about the Emmys is garbage, but it’s not your point’s fault. The Emmys are just garbage. Why are they garbage? They did the EXACT SAME THING THE ACADEMY DID WITH THE OSCARS, and now? They are paying for it.

    What did they do? They took too long to recognize the great shows from 20 to 15 to 10 years ago. They dragged their feet, made safe choices, and TV fans started to tune out. The same thing happened with Grammys. If you keep ignoring the zeitgeist, then guess what? The zeitgeist can ignore you back.

    This is why these award shows are dying, because they were too stiff when they needed to be loose, and now that they are loose? No one cares. It’s cool that Mrs. Maisel won, but guess what? It’s not Gilmore Girls, and that show was ignored it’s ENTIRE RUN! That’s the point: the Emmys had their shot, and they blew it.

    Now. The Academy has their shot to be relevant, but we all know they are going to fuck it up. They are also done. There’s no turning back time, and this is where your point is absolutely inherently wrong, HC. You should want what’s popular, if it’s good, to be rewarded. The Academy, has gone out of their way to not do this, and that’s why it doesn’t matter what they do. They already lost people like me, and I sure as shit not going back.

    Again, the moment the Academy ignores Black Panther in the BP category (IRREGARDLESS OF HOW ANY OF US FEEL ABOUT THE MOVIE! THINK OF THE PEOPLE!), is the moment the Academy Awards officially dies. They can avoid this, but I doubt it. They will just reward Beautiful Boy with 9 noms, and think to themselves, “WE DID GOOD.”

  193. Stella's Boy says:

    Did someone say a popular AND really good show should not be nominated? I think Mrs. Maisel is a fantastic show. One of my favorites of the year. I don’t care if Millennials don’t think it’s cool. It’s a great show. What shows would you have nominated JS? It’s different now because the TV audience is so fragmented and people watch shows in so many different ways. It’s hard for a show to capture a really wide audience and become a significant part of the cultural landscape. The Walking Dead did it, but it’s not a good show. Game of Thrones, but I’d say that show is good not great at best.

    Mandy is quite an experience. Glad I saw it in a theater (an old Landmark Theatre is run by a nonprofit now and I guess it’s jam is “craft cinema”). Johann will sure be missed. Another great score. Cage is at his bonkers best. Riseborough is great. Really well-directed and visually stunning. I agree that the first half is a little stronger and leah describes its effectiveness very well, but the second half is still pretty damn amazing. An exhilarating flick. Now I want to see Beyond the Black Rainbow.

  194. JS Partisan says:

    SB, I love Mrs. Maisel, but it’s not Gilmore Girls. The Academy never awarded it, but I guess that’s the difference between Bezos awards budgeting, and the WB/CW awards budgeting. Again, it’s not about rewarding shows now. It’s about ignoring GG, Buffy, and a bunch of other shows that kicked off this Golden Era of TV.

    The sins of the past, are effecting the present. I just wish the Academies of these award shows would understand, that they really can’t fix things. It’s over for them with this current generation. They can always come back in the future, but will they have the capital to do so? Probably not.

  195. Hcat says:

    I would be beyond amazed if Panther was left out of the nominations. Yes there will be smaller films nominated and one of them will likely win. But that is what the Oscars were created for, to highlight the creative outside the popular.

    I like me some Maisel as well, that is a dead on perfect cast. Gilmore was great in pieces but it always spiraled out of control when it needed to reset the relationships to create drama. I looked forward to the show when I would watch it once a week but binging it really shows the cracks, same with friends. I haven’t finished the whole run of Maisel yet, it started suffering from plot sagging that is just a part of television, but I can certainly see going back an finishing it up.

  196. Hcat says:

    “It’s about ignoring GG, Buffy, and a bunch of other shows that kicked off this Golden Era of TV.”

    But those were not the shows that were popular at the time. You argue for populism, pick the biggest hit show you can possibly give an award to (hello Modern Family), and then say the problem was that they ignored plucky shows on a upstart network.

    I agree that whatever my problem with GG it would have been a better choice than late seasons of Raymond (ugh).

  197. Stella's Boy says:

    Oh sure plenty of great shows have been ignored by the Emmys. Why is it not about shows on now but shows that were ignored? Aren’t you suggesting that ratings would improve if the right shows were nominated (which isn’t currently happening)? Yeah didn’t GG and Buffy never have very good ratings?

  198. movieman says:

    Agree w/ Partisan about Emmy’s “GG” snub.
    Maybe the “Maisel” wins are their idea of a mea culpa.
    Too little too late if you ask me.

    Has anyone else seen “Damsel”? Wow. Glad I knew almost zilch going in because I had no idea where it was going. It’s nice being surprised by a movie in the internet/spoilers-are-everywhere age.
    If “Sisters Brothers” and the Coen Bros. movies are as good (or better?), it’ll be a great year for revisionist westerns.

  199. Pete B says:

    “THINK OF THE PEOPLE!”

    So film awards are now to be chosen for their societal effect and not on the movie itself?

    Really hope that was typed in jest.

  200. JS Partisan says:

    Hey, orange fan, I don’t care what your interpretation is. Yes, films should be chosen for their societal effect. Especially, when those movies are good. This should not be that hard to grasp, but you are a fan of an orange. Good job.

    SB, what I am stating is that they already wasted the capital, so it doesn’t matter. This did not start over night. There were moments, where these Academies had a choice, and they almost in totality made the wrong one… for the future of their telecast. They had people excited, then shat all over those people. This cannot be forgotten, because it’s why all of these shows do not matter anymore. They had a chance to do something amazing, and they just shat the bed.

    HC, GG and Buffy were critical darlings, and there are more shows from the end of the 20th/early 21st century the Emmy’s ignored. The same goes with all the quality films the Academy outright ignored, and didn’t even give a nomination.

    Again, this isn’t about winning, as much as recognition. The lack of wins for these shows didn’t help, but the lack of recognition was the beginning of the end. The moment BP doesn’t get a BP nom, is the moment the Academy better look forward to streaming the Oscars on YouTube come the next decade.

  201. Pete B. says:

    Didn’t know I rooted for Syracuse.

    You’ve written alot of crazy stuff JS, but that has to take top honors. So Academy voters need to vote for BP because society demands it? Way to do a disservice to the film. BP should or shouldn’t get nominated on its own merits, and nothing else. Otherwise it’s “I didn’t think BP was that great, but I had to think of the people.”

    So by your logic, Crazy Rich Asians should get an Oscar nod too?

  202. Hcat says:

    I would certainly think that Crazy Rich Asians is still in the running at this point.

    JS, we are talking past each other, what I am saying is when they came out GG and Buffy were more Three Billboards than they were Wonder Woman. Your think of the people argument is entirely against critical darlings and more about awarding shows with large fan bases, which the emmys followed, which is why 24 somehow gets an emmy while Buffy got squat. My point is that people complain about blockbusters not getting nominated for Oscars yet I never hear people complain that NCIS never gets an emmy nod or that John Grisham or Dan Brown has never won a Pulitzer.

  203. Stella's Boy says:

    I get the sentiment about awards JS. I don’t know too many people who take the Emmys or Oscars seriously and they get it wrong all the time. But you are taking it to an extreme. Aren’t you basically calling for a People’s Choice Award (and is that still around)? If it makes lots of money or gets good ratings and the people who see it love it, then a nomination is a must no matter what. So when say Fantastic Beasts Part 2 makes tons of $ and gets an A from Cinemascore, it must be nominated for BP no questions asked. Giving that must say to the public seems counterintuitive and, again, like the reason for the People’s Choice Award. Or like Hcat said why not NCIS for an Emmy? Ratings are huge and its audience loves it. The people have spoken.

  204. Hcat says:

    So not related to much other than we were talking about television and a new season is coming up and all. Both Modern Family and Big Bang are ending this year, and is there anything else on the horizon as the next big comedy? I know how people watch television has changed but there are still broadcast channels in every market that get a good chunk of revenue off playing an hour of syndicated sitcoms before and after primetime and there has always been a steady stream, good and bad, of sitcoms to replace the ageing ones. Not to mention the fact that USA and TBS seem to devote half their schedules each to those two sitcoms. Have the networks and studios fumbled the system or simply hope that audiences finally find New Girl and Brooklyn until something new finally catches with mainstream audiences. Or am I underguessing the syndication appeal of Blackish or Mom.

  205. JS Partisan says:

    Pete, you supported a fucking orange, and let me walk you by your hand one more time. If a movie is important to SOCIETY, and it’s GOOD, then yes it should be rewarded. Again, I am not stating give it all the Oscars, but movies that move the needle and do not suck should get noms. That’s not that crazy, orange fan.

    HC and SB. NCIS sucks. Buffy and GG, never sucked, or didn’t during their early seasons. This isn’t all about popularity, at least not with TV. It’s about not rewarding the important, the good, and the stuff that moves the needle. NCIS, doesn’t move the needle. It’s like that rant Dick Wolf had about Alias, and how everyone talked about it. While no one ever discussed his shows. Why didn’t they discuss his shows? Formulaic pablum isn’t exactly moving the needle. He, like you two, are missing that TV has had a lot of great series in this century, that were just out and out ignored. Even when their fans raised a stink, the critics gave them awards and accolades, but their exclusion helped take MILLIONS OF HARDCORE TV watchers out of caring about the Emmys.

    I also love, when you two bring up the People’s Choice Award. It’s funny, because you miss my premise all together, and that’s always been: THE MOVIES NOMINATED AREN’T ALWAYS THE BEST, but you two just go, “NO! THEY ARE!”

    Again, it’s not like this is difficult to grasp: these award shows just dropped the ball, by nominating films that didn’t connect with a wider audience, or not nominating TV shows seen by everyone but them, as being worth of recognition. Again, this doesn’t really matter, but there’s clear evidence as to what happened, and you just CAN’T IGNORE IT BECAUSE YOU DON’T LIKE ME :P!

    Hc, it’s The Good Place.

  206. movieman says:

    I wouldn’t bet on “Modern Family” closing shop after this season, Hcat.
    To which I say, “good!”
    “MF” has been one of the most consistent–in terms of quality–network series (sitcom or otherwise) this Millennium. And definitely one of the most enjoyable.
    (Ed O’Neill and Julie Bowen deserve MVP honors.)
    Believe it or not, I’ve never seen a single ep of “Big Bang.”
    I just can’t abide laugh tracks anymore. (Sorry, “Mom.”)

  207. Stella's Boy says:

    Again, since you seem to have missed or chose to ignore it, I have my issues with the Emmys and believe they failed to nominate many worthy shows. I didn’t miss anything. I also don’t think the best movies are always nominated. I already said as much. Are you even reading what we post? It seems like you aren’t so that you can continue to claim we just don’t understand what you’re saying. You speak in abstractions while claiming simplicity, and when I ask for examples to support your claims you don’t provide any. This year, what are some shows that connected with an audience and moved the needle but didn’t get nominated? You must have many examples because you keep saying it’s all so simple.

    Also someone claiming that a writer for Collider is the most important person in the industry besides immediate family is hilarious. Seeing Jeff Schneider lose his shit today has been amusing.

  208. Pete B says:

    JS, not sure what me being a Conservative has to do with the conversation, but since you seem obsessed with it, let me quote former president W who spoke on “the soft bigotry of low expectations”. That’s your whole argument regarding BP noms with voters should choose Black Panther …”IRREGARDLESS OF HOW ANY OF US FEEL ABOUT THE MOVIE!”

    Ask Ryan Coogler if he wants an Oscar due to his talent & craftsmanship or does he want an Oscar that’s a glorified participation trophy.

    I don’t need taken by the hand to know your viewpoint is SJW bullshit.

  209. Hcat says:

    Shit now this is getting confusing, just to be clear JS is spouting fanboy bullshit not SJW bullshit. I don’t want to put words in his mouth but he is not suggesting that BP get a nom simply because it has an African American cast and crew, but because it is a massively successful Marvel movie, you are mistaking crusades.

    Now that said I think BP will make the cut fully on its merits, and it should rightfully be celebrated as the greatest comic book movie in the last 38 years. The film itself is a testament on what can happen when Hollywood decides to spread the resources around a bit.

    I adore the Good Place, only show on television I watch regularly. But at this pace they will be ready for syndication in 2026.

  210. JS Partisan says:

    Oh look. A conservative. Good for you, but quoting dubya is the quickest way to make me dismiss you. Also, that’s not my argument, and never has been. I wonder why a conservative would feel this way? Hmmm.

    SB, it’s not about this year. It’s about close to 20 years ago, and these Academies ignoring the world of entertainment changing around them.

    HC, The Good Place is a really cool show, that’s actually using it’s episode count wisely. The dude is telling a story that’s a certain length of episodes, and it gives Bell enough time to do more Veronica Mars. Which is a very good thing.

    Also, you older gentlemen have to get over the MSCU hatred… SCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU. It has nothing to do with being a Marvel Studios movie, but a lot to do with being a genre redefining film. Special films, that are good, should be nominated. Are they? Not really.

  211. Stella's Boy says:

    So your contention is that had Gilmore Girls been nominated for an Emmy nearly two decades ago they would have more viewers and be more relevant today?

  212. palmtree says:

    Isn’t the problem the same problem that every critic has ever had? Trying to predict what will be influential and enduring is impossible. Most critics have been wrong at some point, and what makes you think a room full of artists, crew and executives would be somehow better . At every level, whatever is new and really cool has been rejected by the elites until the next generation embraces it but then rejects whatever is now new to them. So in hindsight it’s easy to see that GG and Buffy were the more important shows, but at the time, coming from an upstart network and having a style that wasn’t in vogue yet, I could see how it was passed up. It’s almost inevitable that they award Amy Sherman-Palladino late, but that’s just human folly, not specific to awards necessarily.

  213. palmtree says:

    Also, love the Good Place love. In these fractured times, at least there’s something we can agree on.

  214. movieman says:

    Despite its wonderful cast, I hated the first two-thirds of “Life Itself.”
    But when Antonio Banderas began his monologue about olive oil, I became transfixed.
    All it took was for the pace to slow down, the ADD editing to stop and for everyone to start speaking Spanish.
    Went from a “D PLUS” to an “A MINUS:” cumulative grade soft “B.”
    At its (late inning) best I was reminded of ’70s Claude Lelouch.
    At its worst it’s “This is Us” on steroids.
    That said, some of the reviews are crazy stupid vicious.
    I think it may actually pick up a (small but fervent) following someday on cable.

  215. Hcat says:

    Movieman, there was a James Caan movie a decade or so back that I felt like that about, something or other about his Father. Good cast, I think Cusack was in it before he was a redbox exclusive, but just a turge for the first three quarters and then became a quietly lovely piece of cinema. Not enough for me sit through the whole thing again, but on the short list of not good movies that were able to pull some tears from me. (Australia is on that list as well, mess of a movie but “Drive them Home, Driver” always hits me right in the belly)

  216. Stella's Boy says:

    I have been enjoying reading about Fogelman’s beef with white male critics not being able to enjoy emotional movies. And some of the reviews have been fun to read. It sounds truly awful. I’ve never seen This Is Us but from what I’ve read about that show on steroids sounds excruciating.

    Watched The Land of Steady Habits last night. Love Holofcener, but it’s not up there with her best work. The cast is exceptional, I laughed quite often, and it’s got some great moments. But it doesn’t add up to much. I just didn’t really care about this sad, wealthy white guy or his problems. I didn’t care about what happened to him. It’s not all that affecting or compelling.

  217. movieman says:

    The funny thing is that I loved the first few episodes of “This is Us.”
    But it quickly became excruciating as its modus operandi devolved into schtick.
    By the time season one ended, the only character I even remotely cared about was Mandy Moore’s.
    I’ve liked some of Fogelman’s previous screen work (LOVE “Crazy Stupid Love,” and enjoyed his Al Pacino-Does-Neil-Diamond movie “Danny Collins” more than I care to admit), and the third act (which, interestingly, is almost entirely subtitled) of “Life Itself” is pretty terrific. Too bad you have to wade through puddles of goo and cheap, unearned sentimentality to get there.
    Banderas and the Spanish actors are all really good. Nobody else (not even Annette Bening, Oscar Isaac or Olivia Wilde) has a chance, though. Their material is just too cheaply glib and/or synthetic-phony.
    That Caan movie sounds vaguely familiar, Hcat, but I can’t put my finger on the title either. (And I even went to IMDB.) Another film I’d liken “LI” to would be “Fathers and Daughters” w/ Russell Crowe and Amanda Seyfried. Lots of maudlin ickiness and regrettable writing/directing choices, but just when you’re ready to throw in the towel it surprises you.
    Agree that “Steady Habits” isn’t a “great” Holofcener movie, SB, but I definitely liked it more than you. I’d rank it with “Friends With Money” in her oeuvre. “Please Give,” “Enough Said” and “Lovely and Amazing” are my personal Holofcener favorites. But, yeah: I missed Catherine Keener.

  218. Hcat says:

    Land of Steady Habits is on my to-do list, but haven’t gotten around to Guersney yet so it will have to wait. Plus I found the Mechanic on Amazon and a 70s era Paramount or UA film that I haven’t seen yet always takes first slot on the list.

  219. Stella's Boy says:

    Partly it might be because I love Holofcener movies so much and have such high expectations for them. This one just feels really minor. She decided to write and direct it so she must have been invested in Anders, but I’m not sure that translates to the screen. I just didn’t take anything away from his mid-life crisis or the movie itself, so what’s left is appreciating the performances and laughing from time to time. Which is not nothing. And indeed Catherine Keener is missed.

  220. Hcat says:

    I miss Catherine Keener in every movie she is not in.

  221. JS says:

    No, SB. My point is, that all of these shows ignored so many films, TV shows, and albums, that they guaranteed engagement in these Award Shows would decline. It’s not just GG. It’s Radiohead. It’s Buffy. It’s a lot of shows that I watched, and can’t even remember now.

    Again, it’s a cumulative effect. It’s not just last year, or the year before, but it’s The Dark Knight. It’s so much stuff, that hardcore fans who you want to watch these shows… tuned out.

    Okay. Can we all take a moment to gasp at a Bond movie, that’s OPENING IN FEBRUARY! They are literally opening Bond in February, because of Fifty Shades and Black Panther. That’s absolutely astonishing to me.

  222. movieman says:

    Chloe Zhao has been tapped to direct a Marvel movie?!?!
    Wow.
    Bow.
    That’s the most exciting Marvel-related news since Ryan Coogler was signed to “Black Panther.”

    Does anybody remember that FOX series that lasted one season (1999-2000, I think) w/ Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg as siblings? Loved that show.
    Was completely overlooked by critics and Emmy voters in favor of ABC’s very good (but not as good) “Once and Again” which premiered the same season.

  223. Pete B says:

    Does anyone know the whole story behind The Predator’s extensive reshoots? I know the original ending was different. Caught it again this week, and the seams showed more the 2nd time. There’s dialogue that doesn’t match up and what happened to the pit bull?

    {Okay, being a proud owner of one, that probably bugged me more than the average viewer.}

  224. Glamourboy says:

    I love This Is Us–the storyteller–the manner of storytelling is always surprising. All of the characters are deeply flawed and yet, you go with it (or you don’t as in Movieman’s case)….

    Speaking of James Caan (well, someone was)..has anyone else seen one of my oddball favorites….Slither? It is a very slight, off beat film that I just adore. It also stars 70’s oddball actress, Sally Kellerman and the always terrific Peter Boyle.

  225. movieman says:

    I love “Slither,” Glamour!
    And don’t forget Louise Lasser who’s pricelessly funny.
    Howard Zieff did some goodies back then (“Slither,” “Hearts of the West,” “Private Benjamin”); and W.D. Richter was one of my favorite screenwriters from that era (incl. the sorely underrated “Nickelodeon”).

  226. Hcat says:

    Favorite Caan film of that era is Cinderella Liberty, tender and shaggy. I always think of Caan as the missing link between Kirk Douglas and DiCaprio. His personal problems seemed to drop him off the map after Theif, but what a swan song.

  227. movieman says:

    Funny you should mention “Cinderella Liberty,” Hcat.
    I watched it again a few months back on TCM and was shocked at how much better it was than I remembered at the time of its release.
    Or maybe it’s just that studio movies have just gotten so much worse–less adult; more juvenile/pandering–since then.
    Yes, Caan is fantastic: loved that he added vulnerability to his Sonny Corleone-era studliness. And he definitely rocked that ‘stache.

  228. Glamourboy says:

    Glad there is mutual love for Slither. I also love Hearts of the West…always wondered why Blythe Danner didn’t become super A list–she’s got the skills. Cinderella Liberty is awesome as well…and I equally admire Marsha Mason’s tough as nails performance Ah, the 70’s..as I head out to see The House With the Clock and The Walls in the Halls…or whatever…I realize how much I miss that era

  229. Hcat says:

    You mean how Sally Kellerman was able to find consistent work but how today has no idea what to do with Blanchett she is in a supporting role in an Eli Roth kids movie?

  230. movieman says:

    Looking forward to Blanchett in Linklater’s “Where’d You Go, Bernadette?” (loved the book).
    Was disappointed that it got pushed back to 2019.

    P.S.= Speaking of Marsha Mason: what’s up w/ actresses retroactively cutting their nude scenes from ’70s movies?
    Mason did it w/ both “Cinderella Liberty” and “Blume in Love,” and Streisand (yes, Babs herself!) excised her bare breasts from “The Owl and the Pussycat.”
    Weird.
    Re: Danner. I think she may have realized that her movie career would never match her B’way career after Goldie Hawn replaced her in the film version of “Butterflies Are Free.” And Danner’s biggest, juiciest screen role (ironically until this decade) in Sidney Lumet’s “Lovin’ Molly” (based upon a Larry McMurtry novel) was barely released by Sony in 1974. Btw, she’s terrific in the movie (and it’s available gratis on YouTube).

  231. Glamourboy says:

    Movieman–I don’t think actresses (or actors) have enough power to go in and have films re-edited for their own purposes. The last time I saw Cinderella Liberty (recently) it had Mason’s nude scenes in tact. And I believe that Streisand’s topless scene was cut either right before or right after the initial release of the movie …and years later it was printed by one of the skin magazines.

    The Owl and the Pussycat is an odd, odd film….it is mostly terrible…very stagey…Streisand is at her shrill worse…not to mention how homophobic her character is…..but somehow, by the end, the movie grew on me.

    I’ve never seen All Night Long, but I’m kind of fascinated with Sue Mengers and read a great deal about this movie in her bio…and apparently the film (directed by Mengers husband) was the last nail in the coffin for her and Mengers’ relationship

  232. Hcat says:

    I apologize in advance for being so fussy, but Sony didn’t make movies in 74.

  233. JS Partisan says:

    Dale Earnhardt never won a Monster Energy Cup Series Championship, but retroactively he did. Which means it’s now retroactively Sony, and not just Columbia. Hopefully. This makes sense.

    Also, it’s been a month since we had a new thread. A month. I commend each and every one of you, for continuing our goofy blog story going. Dave, may be on twitter defending Julie Chen, but we are still here discussing movie. That’s a really cool damn thing.

    No matter how we agree or disagree. I appreciate each and everyone of you, who still take to time, and come here to visit and post.

  234. movieman says:

    I meant the former Sony, Hcat: Columbia Pictures. Thought the names had become pretty much interchangeable. (And what JS said.)

    Re-watched “Owl” recently and agree w/ you, GB. “Shrill” and “stagey” for sure.
    I hadn’t seen it since Xmas 1970 and vividly remember Streisand’s one-off nudity. It was pretty shocking at the time as I recall. Certainly to my 12-year-old self who only knew Babs from “Funny Girl” and “Hello, Dolly!”
    The TCM print of “Liberty” I watched earlier this year had a weird digital “haze” camouflaging Mason’s breasts in her nude scenes. It was definitely surreal: I’d never seen anything on TCM that “WTF?!” since they aired a reconfigured version of Chaplin’s “Gold Rush” w/ an ersatz dialogue track.

  235. Stella's Boy says:

    I prefer the James Gunn Slither, but that’s just me. And whenever talk of Caan surfaces, sure I think about Thief (among others) but I also think about how magnificent he is in The Way of the Gun. Such a great performance.

    My 11-year-old loved The House with a Clock in its Walls, and I love being able to take him to see kid friendly horror in theaters. I thought it was OK. Occasionally amusing, a few inspired moments, wasn’t bored. But it’s worth it because of how much he fun he had. Also, the cast thanking people for seeing the movie in a theater, is that part of a new campaign?

  236. movieman says:

    “Thief” is prime Caan for sure: can’t forget Tuesday Weld’s fantastic work as well. I’m also a big fan of Caan’s work in the Reisz/Toback “Gambler.”
    Don’t remember “The Way of the Gun” particularly well although I vaguely remember liking it at the time.

    Vis-a-vis nothing, but I finally caught up w/ “Alpha” at a bargain house last weekend. Really liked it, and definitely appreciated the film’s economy: 90 minutes before end credits. Particularly gratifying in this era of bloat-is-more.
    Speaking of which, overlength is a reason I lost patience w/ “Assassination Nation.” Yeah, it’s provocative and “interesting,” but also messy and ultimately fatiguing. Maybe it’ll look better on cable in 9 months. Maybe not.

  237. Stella's Boy says:

    I’m with you on running time appreciation. 90-100 minutes is very welcome these days. It feels like so much is too long. I got pretty bored in the middle of Hereditary (which I just caught up with). Why 127 minutes? Maybe I’m just getting old.

  238. movieman says:

    Agree that “Hereditary” was excessively long, SB. It felt a good half hour too long to me. Which may be why I liked, but didn’t love it like most people.

    I may have enjoyed “House w/ a Clock” a little more than you. At its best, I was reminded of vintage Joe Dante (esp “Matinee” and the “Gremlins” movies).
    At its weakest? Any middling 1980’s Amblin production (take your pick).
    Thought Blanchett, Black and the kid were all fine.
    Who would have guessed that Eli Roth had a kidflick in him? Might be a fruitful new career direction for him.

  239. Sideshow Bill says:

    Anything that keeps Eli Roth from making what he thinks are horror films is a good thing.

    I have tons and tons of arguments over Hereditary. I think it’s perfect as it is. I have remarkable patience for slow movies, slow burn type shit. I love it. If it doesn’t pay off, that’s when I get mad.

    But there are people complaining that Hereditary was too slow and confusing and that the 3 hour cut would have made it better. Huh? I’m no mathologist but a slow burn 3 hour movie would be longer than a slow burn 2 hour movie. This myth of the 3 hour original cut is annoying and I wish Aster had never brought it up. But he has been clear about what was cut, that the material would have made audiences “stew” even longer. Alot of them didn’t enjoy stewing for 2 hours but they think added footage would have made the movie less confusing? Which is another thing entirely because every piece of information you need to understand what happened is IN the movie. Fuck, it’s in THE TITLE. Plus, there’s a clumsy voiceover at the end that tells you exactly what happened.

    It’s ok not to like it. I don’t like stuff, too. But horror fans are their own worst enemies. I’ve been one for 40 years and I’ve been part of that. They complain about sequels and remakes yet they pay to see them. They watch anything even if it’s garbage. They complain that The Witch or Hereditary “sucked ass” while heralding that piece of shit Terrifier.

    I don’t know what this has to do with anything but had to vent.

    Thank you.

    Long live The Final Hot Blog.

  240. movieman says:

    Bill- If they don’t like “Hereditary” and “The Witch,” let them eat cake…or see “Hell Fest.”
    Yikes.
    What is this?
    1980?

  241. Pete B says:

    ^ Hey! Tony Todd needs a new car (or something).

  242. Stella's Boy says:

    I love The Witch, but Hereditary didn’t do much for me. I have no issue with slow burn horror. I like it if it’s done well. For me Hereditary drags in the middle, and is too predictable. Just didn’t wow me after all that crazy hype. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic and unfair. I agree though that horror fans can be real nitwits. They display some unpleasant fanboy tendencies at times, among other things.

    I am looking forward to Hell Fest. An R-rated slasher movie getting a wide release? Sign me up. Looks like a lot of fun. Nothing wrong with a slasher throwback.

    I had a blast with The Predator. Sure it’s flawed. Not all the jokes work, not crazy about the ending, and the effort to make Olivia Munn as tough as the guys is strained (reminded me of Mireille Enos in Sabotage). But man it’s entertaining as hell. The action and gore deliver, the cast is great, there are a lot of laughs, and it moves pretty quickly. I was pleased with it, and the Predator series has four good movies now. Sad it’s doing so poorly, so we won’t get a sequel and the reboot will be PG-13. Bummer.

  243. movieman says:

    Pathetic that a total zero like “Slender Man” can actually hit $30-million at the domestic b.o.
    I’ve often complained about digital murk–how too many movies being shot digitally are so poorly lit you’d swear somebody forgot to pay their light bill–but “Slender” took that deplorable trend to new depths.
    A lousy movie and an eyesore to boot. Unless they do some tinkering prior to the home video release, anyone watching on DVD or Blu-Ray will be staring at a black screen for 90 minutes.
    And I can’t fathom how “The Nun” keeps hanging on w/ its meh WOM (if Cinema Score is to be believed). It’s trifling nonsense w/ zero scares.
    “Hell Fest” can only be an improvement.

  244. Stella's Boy says:

    I’m surprised Slender Man has made that much. It seemed like the studio wanted nothing to do with it and just dumped it to have it off their hands.

  245. Sideshow Bill says:

    Stella, you explained why Hereditary fell short for you. That’s all I ask. Horror fandom can be such a bro’s club. “It sucks ass” is as far as a lot of the criticism goes and it frustrates me.

    Plus, I’m 47. I grew up in the 70s and 80s. Tons and tons of classics. But also tons and tons of crap. Today is the same way. It’s no different. The reason the 80’s seem better is because you’re NOT remembering Fright Night 2 or Neon Maniacs.

    I might be down for Hell Fest, too. Could be fun. Everything doesn’t have to be filet mignon. Pizza and twinkies are fine, too. But I keep going back to filet.

  246. Stella's Boy says:

    I love Fright Night 2. Just watched it again recently. Good times. Yeah I don’t think I have unrealistic expectations re: Hell Fest. I’m just thrilled that there is an R-rated slasher getting a wide release. That doesn’t seem to happen often these days. Pizza and filet mignon are both wonderful. There is a hell of a lot of horror to look forward to in the next 5 or so weeks if the recent festivals are to be trusted.

  247. movieman says:

    There are few films I’m looking forward to before year’s end more than the new “Halloween” and “Suspiria.”
    The (1978) and (1977) originals provided me w/ two of the most enjoyable movie-movie experiences of my entire filmgoing life.

  248. Paul N says:

    Just thought I would let everyone know that I have been reading this for a long time and have always been in the reading not writing category.
    Have really appreciated all of the discussions and been drawn to movies and genres that I never would have looked at. The insider info was always interesting as well.
    Thanks to all of you commenters. You wasted a lot of my time over the years but in a very good way.
    Let me know where you are reading or posting now and I will drop in for a look.
    Thanks again everyone.

  249. leahnz says:

    while the MCN aggregation is sorely missed, i understand that creating and running the homepage is a serious and time-consuming job, so if nobody takes over the brand and the mission it grinds to a halt — but maintaining some semblance of the hotblog would seem to require only the nominal expense of hosting the page on a server, which seems like something someone might be keen to take over just on an amatuer basis for the fun and experience of it, the occasional post, why just let the blog die rather than get a second life in what would be an admittedly lesser form but still preserve some movie discussion with a weird community of commenters and seemingly loyal readers? i honestly don’t understand it, it’s too sad

  250. Stella's Boy says:

    That’s a great idea.

  251. Sideshow Bill says:

    Stella,I haven’t seen FRIGHT NIGHT 2 in a long, long time but I remember disliking it a lot. It’s worth revisiting?

    I still thing my point was solid. The 80’s had a boom of great, great horror but there was also tons of garbage.

  252. Hcat says:

    ‘I was pleased with it, and the Predator series has four good movies now.’

    Is this a prank to trick us into watching Predator 2 again, thinking we missed something way back in the day?

  253. Stella's Boy says:

    Oh I totally agree with your point and your musings about horror.

    I’ll lump these two together. Having revisited both Fright Night 2 and Predator 2 this year, I can say that both are very good sequels. They are a lot of fun and I love them both. They are gory, goofy, and a good time. Predator 2 also boasts a strong cast. Neither is nearly as good as its predecessor, of course, but I think they are both high-quality sequels with a lot to admire.

  254. G Spot 3000 says:

    Just want to give a shout out to THE SISTERS BROTHERS. If you love movies (and if you’re on this blog you obviously do) this one is not to be missed on the big screen.

  255. Sideshow Bill says:

    I’ll have to track down FN2, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to be easy. The rights seem to be all tied up, and Scream Factory can’t get their hands on it, at least as far as I know.

    I have such warm memories of the original. It makes me happy. It’s a joyful, tender movie that still provides thrills and scares. Jerry Dandridge is a great character. I believe him when he tells Charlie he’ll “give him a choice” and not kill him. I believe he cared about Evil Ed.

    Such a great, great movie.

  256. Stella's Boy says:

    Oh the original is a classic. I am with you 100% Bill. Just an excellent movie in every way. And it holds up really well. One of the best horror flicks of the ’80s, or really any decade. It’s in a league of its own. I pretty much feel the same way about Predator. The sequels are not playing in that league. But like Halloween II, which I also really like, they have their charms.

  257. GdB says:

    So, just heard through my sources that KK is not leaving Lucasfilm this month but after IX finishes.

    Seems to be a bit of a gamble on her cultural capital no? If she leaves now and the film works, she can say “I helped shape the story” if it doesn’t, she can say “I wasn’t there for those choices”.

    As it stands now, she’s taking on as much if not more blame than RJ for the state of the franchise. If IX sucks, her career will forever be tainted.

    But nobody else wants the job.

  258. movieman says:

    “SIB” is very, very good, but not “Great.”
    I wonder if Bradley had too much post-production time to tinker-tinker-tinker.
    Could the longer (and richer?) earlier cuts have been superior?
    It’s definitely the rawest, sexiest “SIB,” but I’d probably rank it #3 overall (w/ the ’37 and ’54 versions above it, and the nadir–Streisand’s embarrassing ’76 iteration–below it).
    Surprised he hasn’t gotten more attention so far, but Sam Elliott comes damn close to stealing the movie. Hope this is finally his (Best Supporting Actor) Oscar nomination.
    Also very good are Dave Chappelle (who doesn’t have enough screen time: he totally inhabits his role as Cooper’s childhood friend) and an almost unrecognizable Andrew Dice Clay as Gaga’s father. (I’d completely forgotten he was in the movie: it wasn’t until his first scene had ended that I realized it was Dice.)
    ****SPOILERS***
    I was totally captivated and didn’t check my watch until the scene at the Grammys where Brad embarrasses GaGa by storming the stage and pissing his pants. But when I realized there was still a half hour left, I thought: where else is there to go?
    Swapping suicide-by-drowning w/ sucide-by-hanging wasn’t an improvement, and while I’m sure it was intended as p.c., having Gaga say “I’m Ally Maine” rather than “I’m Mrs. Jackson Maine” at the concluding memorial service was a mistake.
    Also a boo-boo was Cooper inserting flashbacks to the couple’s “happier times” during her closing song. He should have just gone full throttle “Billy Wyler ‘Funny Girl'” there. It would have been a lot more impactful.
    ****END OF SPOILERS****
    Despite my qualms/reservations, I still think it’s going to be a giant hit and nominated for a gazillion Oscars.

  259. B Strauss says:

    leahnz – after so many years of listening to your incoherent blathering, i think everyone’s had more than enough. I look forward to the day this blog finally dies, so I can begin to forget you even exist. you stand out as the biggest idiot in the long history of this blog.

  260. Stella's Boy says:

    Go away B Strauss. You’re not welcome or wanted here. And you’re alone in thinking that. I’d say the idiot is someone who never posts here suddenly showing up to share that nonsense. Don’t post here again.

  261. Bulldog says:

    B Strauss, after so many years of not reading your coherent yet dickish blathering, I can safely say that you are alone on that island. Your statement “i think everyone’s had more than enough” echoes a certain Trumpian fuckishness that is completely a figment of your own egotistical mind. Leahnz certainly needs no one’s aid to defend her but even the people she has had the most disagreements with on this blog have certainly welcomed the sparring. To you good Sir/Madam I say, “FUCK OFF.”

  262. palmtree says:

    “listening”? Really. You know these are the written comments section of a blog, right? Because getting something factually wrong is a type of incoherence. So way to undermine yourself there.

  263. leahnz says:

    i’d like to think my more english/commonwealth stream-of-consciousness-style blathering is coherent at times, sometimes i put thought into it

    (do my blog comments broadcast directly into some people’s heads via an old metal filling in a tooth or some such? this freaks me out, livin’ rent free – do i sound like lucy lawless? i’ve been told i sound a bit like her, hopefully not the briscoes lady)

    at this point doesn’t sam elliot come close to stealing every movie he’s in? i’d still like a whole film of him as the stranger at the bar guy from ‘the big L’ wandering around LA philosophically inserting himself into situations.

  264. Bulldog says:

    Classic Leahnz 🙂 Wish I could buy you a beer.

  265. leahnz says:

    honestly i could use a beer today (or six), i’m strongly considering serious day drinking so i’ll have one on you, bulldog the caribbean/canadian, from what i can tell you’re a lovely person and i’m glad you post stuff on here, i value your unique POV (as i do most people’s on here, with a few exceptions obviously, haha they can get bent)

  266. Sideshow Bill says:

    I thought I was the biggest idiot on this blog?!

    *flips table*

  267. Bulldog says:

    I AM NOT A LOVELY PERSON NOW YOU TAKE THAT BACK OR I’M TELLING MOM.

    Geez the Canadian well mannered profiling is really thick like maple syrup with you Zealanders. I have never been so insulted in my life. “A lovely person.” INDEED.

  268. palmtree says:

    You’re all the biggest idiots, because you can’t even see plainly that I’m the biggest idiot.

  269. leahnz says:

    i am spartacus, idiot version

    (even hotblog jocularity is melancholic knowing the end may be just a matter of time)

    my ‘angry canadian’ tale:
    for years i worked with a lovely woman from vancouver and we became mates. one day she was having an increasingly heated discussion with someone on the phone who was being a dick after they didn’t live up to their part of a bargain and left us in the lurch, professionally; she had reached the end of her rope, probably the most upset i’d ever seen her, and she said into the phone, somehow exasperated and politely at the same time, “I’M NOT CANADIAN RIGHT NOW!” and it was one of the funniest things i’ve ever seen (plus my son, who was there helping out, witnessed this and thus the “i’m not canadian right now!” proclamation became an ongoing gag in our household to express one being VERY upset but still indignantly composed, for the time being)

  270. leahnz says:

    maybe you had to be there for the ‘i’m not canadian right now!’ thing, i haven’t done it proper justice

  271. JS Partisan says:

    1) I’ve already asked Dave to give me the Hot Blog. He’s worse than some of you, and is still offended by something I posted in 2005. Go figure? I’d still be fair with the blog, not block anyone, and maybe try to get better with wordpress. It’s just weird.

    2) B-Strauss? WHO THE FUCK IS YOU? YOU MAD? GET THE FUCK OUT THIS BLOG.

    3) Bill, sometimes longer can be shorter. It’s like the LOTR extended editions. The longer versions feel shorter and faster than the theatrical editions. It’s a weird thing, but it seems to be the case a lot of the time with movies.

  272. GdB says:

    Ugh, I finally saw Solo.

    Sorry JS, we are in disagreement about this one.

    My biggest problem with the film?

    He’s Han fucking Solo and throughout the whole movie *he does not earn ANYTHING that makes him Han Solo*. Everything from his blaster to his name is given to him instead of proactively earned by the protagonist which is storytelling 101. You could see the beats coming a mile away.

    And the movie was lit like shit in the first act; or the post on it was that or whatever.

    Alden was a’ight. I didn’t see him as Han, but I think his performance was really good considering what he had to work with.

    Again, it might’ve worked if Han was 15 in the story and not 28, a year or so away from ANH; And, if he earned all the things that made him who he is and not given to by others.

    I look at it as the most expensive SW fan film ever made.

    And I wager the real reason KK is still there for 3 more years is because nobody else wants the job.

  273. Sideshow Bill says:

    JS, I would gladly stew in a 3 three hour cut of Hereditary. A great film is never too long.

  274. Pete B says:

    “*he does not earn ANYTHING that makes him Han Solo*”

    Well, we know he definitely will shoot first.

  275. Christian says:

    “The Sisters Brothers” expanded decently, but it’s kind of surprising, even granted its still limited rollout, how no one – not a single one of my cinephile friends – is talking about the film. It’s not world-changing, but it’s entertaining. It’s also an interesting adaptation if you’re familiar with the source novel, which I highly recommend.

  276. Stella's Boy says:

    It could be a little shorter, but Hold the Dark is really good. Excellent performances and very tense. Beautifully shot. Grim and very bloody. The shootout is one of the best scenes I’ve seen this year. Wish I had been able to see it on a big screen.

    Excited that Shocktober begins tomorrow.

  277. movieman says:

    Agree re: “Dark,” SB. I’m betting Saulnier has a masterpiece in his future.

    I’m dying to see “Sisters Brothers,” Christian. But it hasn’t even been dated for Cleveland yet. When it does arrive, I’m guessing it’ll be on just a handful of screens for a very short time.
    Annapurna definitely needs help in their marketing department.
    After blowing the bank (and failing miserably) with their wide “Detroit” release last year, they’ve become increasingly gun-shy. Not even “Sorry to Bother You” opened anywhere near me.

  278. leahnz says:

    the fix is in

    i watched choe’s ‘nancy’ last night and holy shit riseborough, i’m haunted by her, what even is she – like her own species of special creature, her eyes and face, utterly captivating, she communicates multitudes with just a look and a pull of her skin, it’s like a psychic gift it’s almost freaky

  279. Sideshow Bill says:

    Agree on DARK. It was riveting and every performance is great. I’ve seen some people whining about it’s ambiguous ending, but it’s all there right in front of you. Vague, maybe, but I was with it all the way although the biggest reveal I did not comprehend until about an hour after the movie. I’ll watch it again.

    Also, for my money, Saulnier already has a masterpiece in his pocket: GREEN ROOM. God I fucking love that film.

  280. movieman says:

    Bill- For me, Saulnier just gets better w/ every new film.
    Accordingly, “Hold the Dark” is my favorite to date.
    Surprised that some of the reviews (e.g., Dargis in the NYT) have been so meh.

  281. Stella's Boy says:

    Yeah I’ve seen complaints that it’s too slow, lacks character development, doesn’t go anywhere, etc.. I don’t get it. What is good about it is so damn good I didn’t mind its flaws. They seem minor all things considered. Happy Shocktober everyone. Go Brewers!

  282. movieman says:

    Speaking of “Shocktober,” I’m looking forward to “Malevolent” which pops up Friday on Netflix. The trailer is promising, and I love Florence Pugh!

  283. palmtree says:

    In case anyone cares…apparently The Last Jedi backlash was amplified by Russian trolls.

    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-last-jedi-was-targeted-by-russian-trolls-study-says-1148475

  284. Christian says:

    Hey, anyone going to the Middleburg Film Festival in Virginia this year? I’ve gone the last four years and have met up with a friend. If any of you will be there, let me know so we can see some movies together. https://middleburgfilm.org/films-and-events

  285. leahnz says:

    i didn’t dislike ‘hold the dark’ but it’s quite tedious and even boring — and rather pointless as it turns out, as well as making very little sense
    (— SPOILERS — i’m fine with esoterica and ambiguity as long as it’s underpinned with a modicum of internal logic and narrative/plot elements that hang together enough to drive the story, at least enough to make you wonder what EXACTLY is going on, not just ambiguity for the sake of it; turns out i really couldn’t give less of a shit about the psycho blondes and whatever sick shit motivates the couple to do what they did and what they’re about to do – since we are never provided with anything more than a seconds-long glimpse into their previous life together that gives no clue as to their emotional motivations and strange proclivities – but i sincerely hope they were both eaten by the wolves at the end because they’re annoying af and should be dead)

    having said that i really liked jeffrey wright in it, whenever he’s on screen it holds together and when he’s not it’s a bit of a nicely photographed belaboured snooze

    ETA
    “In case anyone cares…apparently The Last Jedi backlash was amplified by Russian trolls.”

    well of course, because the sunken place

  286. leahnz says:

    also i was going to mention – and reading dargis’ review movieman referenced above just now she touches on this briefly and rightly so – if you’re making a major dudefest movie with very little screen time for women, maybe use your noggin and think a bit about tired clichés and using that limited screen time to such cliché effect, such as: the casual portrayal of a woman’s violent rape with the sole purpose of conveying some aspect of the male progag’s character that can easily be depicted in some other way, and the gratuitous objectification of lingering, full-frontal nudity for no purpose other than the obvious. disappointingly cliché film-making tropes

  287. movieman says:

    Does anyone else still receive Netflix DVDs in the mail?
    I’ve noticed some disturbing trends over the past year.
    For example, my DVDs used to always arrive on Tuesdays until this February when they began showing up a day later. (Despite allegedly being mailed on the
    same day–Mondays–as before. I’ve been a Netflix-er since 2004.) That means I have one less day to watch three movies before putting them in a mailbox at week’s end to insure they arrive at the processing plant Monday morning, thereby allowing me a shot at whatever new releases I’m interested in the following week.
    Also, they’ve really cut back on the # of foreign movies they purchase. Within the past month, “Jeanette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc” and “Godard, Mon Amour” were both unceremoniously yanked from my DVD queue and relegated to the “We Have No Idea When This is Coming Out; Sorry!” queue.
    And that was after being dated (by Netflix AND the video distributer) and my positioning them at the top of my queue.
    And–probably due to the batshit crazy amount of original programming (movies, TV shows, documentaries, etc.)– they no longer have an interest in adding newish non-Netflix productions to their streaming side. Previously maybe 1% of new DVD releases–particularly indies/foreign titles–might be available to stream simultaneously with their home video release. No longer.
    My paranoia tells me they’re trying to piss off as many of their remaining DVD customers as possible so that when the # of DVD subscribers dramatically decreases (which, I’m assuming, it has) they can justify to their stockholders why they’ve eliminated the DVD part of their operation and gone 100% streaming.
    Anyone else have Netflix stories like this to share?

  288. Hcat says:

    I have the exact same experience Movieman, longer mailing times, and a massive drop in catalog. I have been a subscriber since 02 and used to be able to watch a movie a night. But with the delays I had that cut back substantially. I recently cut back from having three blu rays at a time to one dvd because it simply wasn’t worth the money. It used to be such a great bargain, and since 75% of the movies I watch are pre 80s I didn’t have to worry about new releases. But the back catalog has massively thinned. I think I recently tried to put a copy of Giant in my queue and they didn’t have one. Honestly, if you were the promised land for movie fans how do you not have a copy of GIANT? I can maybe, maybe excuse not being able to grab the World of Henry Orient with a few days notice but they have gaping holes in their disc availability.

    Streaming is far far worse. Practically nothing, and I have to sort through rows and rows of straight to video and Netflix original shit to even see what paltry theatrical offerings they have. I thought the algorithm was supposed to put these front and center for me but it seems they would rather promote their own stuff than give me the promised experience.

    I used to be Netflix’s biggest cheerleader, and would probably be ruder than I needed to be when David would do his annual the end is nigh thing. But if it wasn’t for my family being addicted to Great British Baking Show and Liv and Maddie reruns I would dump it in a heartbeat. Prime doesn’t have an exhaustive early Hollywood catalog either, but I can at least get some UA and Par from the 70s and even as far back as 60.

    Its sort of depressing, it was so good for so long, but as soon as they started streaming they started cutting back on the physical discs. And once they spent a gazillion dollars to pull Disney away from Starz causing them to drop the Epix partnership they traded a strong rotating stable of movies for eight gargantuan titles a year that I had likely already rented before they popped up on screen.

    They are a great television station, but I didn’t fall in love with a television station.

  289. movieman says:

    Thanks for the feedback, Hcat.
    Glad to know that I wasn’t losing my mind: Netflix has indeed become a shadow of its former self.
    Every Netflix phone rep I’ve complained to has made me feel like an idiot for even suggesting they’re doing things differently these days. (I stopped calling to vent: clearly it wasn’t improving things on the DVD front anyway.)

  290. Hcat says:

    “In case anyone cares…apparently The Last Jedi backlash was amplified by Russian trolls.”

    For the amount of complaints that were generated by ‘bots I’m surprised there wasn’t more ire directed at how little screentime R2D2 and 3PO got.

  291. palmtree says:

    Hcat, LOL. They would do that if they were liberated bots, but as of now, they serve their masters in the Kremlin.

  292. JS Partisan says:

    Again, this is what really grinds my fucking gears. I am a real person, my brother is a real person, and we both fucking HATE THE LAST JEDI! We hate it, for rather valid reasons. Seeing as both of us have spent most of our lives as Star Wars. Hell. GdB is real, but this shit is being put out there to negate the real negative response to The Last Jedi.

    We will know for sure how people feel about it next year. Until then, I still have Frozen 2 kicking it’s ass up and down the aisles, because Star Wars is over for a lot of people, and I am one of them.

    Oh yeah. GdB, I don’t care about Han Solo being, “THE MAN,” so I enjoy anything where he just gets to do stuff. I have never held reverence for Han Solo, but SOLO is THE BEST FILM TO COME OUT OF DISNEY CONTROLLED LFL. Nothing touches it. Hell. I am selling my TFA blu-ray. It’s moving on time.

    Movie and HC, you two older homies have to understand one thing, and one thing only about the time in which we live: It’s not convenient. It’s just not.

    If you want to watch a deep catalog of movies, then you need Prime Video. If you want to watch a deep catalog of Disney movies, then you need Hulu and Netflix. If you want, and I am making this is in caps, because it cannot be driven home enough. If you want to SEE MOVIES YOU MAY LIKE IN YOUR QUEUE, THEN YOU NEED TO HIT THAT LIKE BUTTON! If you don’t hit the like button, then it’s not going to know what you want. You need to engage a lot more, to make these things work for you.

    Also, HBO is owned by people, that want it to be more Netflix. All of the Amazon content exists, because Netflix had the balls to state ORIGINAL CONTENT IS KING. It’s not always winners, but you are about to get six months of some of the strongest film content on earth. If that bums you out, then you aren’t doing it right.

    ETA: 60s and 70s movies, just do not exist anymore. I know that must suck for people who love those films, but those films are just sorta gone. It’s weird, because TCM should play more of them. We are closer to the 60s and 70s, then the 30s, 40s, and 50s. TCM just doesn’t play them enough. It’s all very weird, but if you want those films. You need to start building a DVD collection, and try to do it on the cheap. This year started, and I owned one DVD. Now? It’s close to 300, because I’ve gone to Goodwill, and have realized streaming isn’t going to have the movies that I love a lot of the time, so I might as well own them on a cheap format. I am even thinking of getting a VCR again, and looking for some films on tape that never went to DVD.

    Again, this shit is inconvenient, and may stay like it for a while.

  293. leahnz says:

    ugh i miss the local video store

  294. Stella's Boy says:

    Same here leah. I lived a few blocks from an independent video store for years and it was glorious. I see where it used to be all the time when I’m at work and it bums me out every time. It was a home away from home. They carried a lot of foreign and indie horror and it was so fun to just wander around.

    I really didn’t care for Sicario 2 and I’m surprised it received so much praise. It pales in comparison to the first one, and a lot of that definitely has to do with no Emily Blunt. I was bored for most of it. It’s not all that interesting of a story and nothing in it comes close to matching the best scenes from the first. Brolin and Del Toro much better and more compelling characters in the first. Didn’t leave me wanting a third that’s for sure.

  295. leahnz says:

    “I lived a few blocks from an independent video store for years and it was glorious. I see where it used to be all the time when I’m at work and it bums me out every time. It was a home away from home. They carried a lot of foreign and indie horror and it was so fun to just wander around.”

    ha, this exactly – are you me? the ‘new releases’ section was a must, of course – the old 3 for 10 dollar deal a staple (though this might be expensive for you guys, comparatively) but the real time-wasting delight was rifling through the shelves upon shelves of different categories of $1 weekly hires to find all manner of obscure delights. i even miss driving like a maniac down to the store at 8:59pm to return them all and avoid the late charges, but i suspect this is major rose-tinted nostalgia since in reality this aspect was a royal pain.

    (agree on sicario 2 fwiw, needs to smoke a blunt)

  296. Hcat says:

    Loved my local video store, lived near Tacoma Park MD at the time and had a 25 minute walk to Video American. I remember walking into a blockbuster video after two years of not going in and just being shocked at the difference. I had no idea Mario Van Peeples had been so prolific. It was only after I moved that I joined Netflix.

    JS, The Russian augmentation of Last Jedi critiques doesn’t in any way undermine your issues with the film. If anything it explains a lot of the disgusting toxic behavior that floated to the surface during its release from attacks on the co star to they misogynistic tone that was taken. It really painted Star Wars fans in an ugly light, but everything I have been reading about how people are twisting social media follows this script. Find a story of the day and try to twist it into a nationalistic or toxic identity issue. Not that Last Jedi didn’t fit into the larger Star Wars narrative but that it was an attack on men and white people.

    They should maybe look into that Rick and Morty fanbase next.

  297. movieman says:

    There were more independently owned/operated vid stores in my town in the VHS era.
    I remember being able to rent older titles that I’d always wanted to give another look (“The Last Movie,” “The Damned,” “The Devils,” “Zabriskie Point,” etc.), and was elated that they stocked contemporary indies/foreign titles like “Shoah” (“Shoah”!?!) and “Parting Glances.”
    All that changed when the conglomerates (Hollywood and Blockbuster) roared into town. After years of frustration trying to find the stuff I was looking for, I took the Netflix plunge. Like Hcat said in an earlier post, it was glorious at first.
    I remember filling in so many cracks (lots of relatively obscure Fassbinder titles, e.g. “Whitey” which was a particular revelation: gotta believe it was an influence on “Blazing Saddles;” Chaplin’s egregiously underrated “A Countess from Hong Kong;” Joseph Strick’s “Ulysses;” “I Am Curious (Yellow”); etc., etc.) in my movie education.
    But that era is apparently gone with the wind. When Netflix won’t even stock a new Bruno Dumont film (or replace “missing” older titles like Rivette’s “La Belle Noiseuse”), you know ‘flix ain’t what they used to be.
    It was glorious while it lasted.
    And TCM’s programming has become increasingly stodgy/dull in recent months. The same damn movies keep popping up again and again. (Their November and December schedules are particularly dreary.)

  298. Hcat says:

    Where can I see Forever Amber dammnit!

  299. Hcat says:

    Those Venom reviews confirm how useless this film has looked since its announcement. Hope the cast got big enough paychecks to avoid doing any more of this for the next few years, sadly it looks like it will open big enough to warrant a sequel.

  300. palmtree says:

    There are also a bunch of streaming services for cineastes like FilmStruck, Fandor, and MUBI. No single service will have everything as DP used to remind us, but why not explore the riches that are there and relatively affordable?

    Also, you can hate TLJ for legit reasons, but also acknowledge that Russian bots may have inflated the hate against it online. I like Bernie, but I also realize the Russian bots capitalized on that too. And I remember all those arguments about the Rotten Tomatoes score being relevant and damning when in fact it was in part the work of operatives. Doesn’t take away anyone’s individual opinion or critique, but it does change the conversation about what people on the whole and in the aggregate think.

  301. Hcat says:

    There is always the possibility that JS has always been a Russian provocateur……

    But that would only make sense if he had down discord from the very beginning

  302. Hcat says:

    Kidding of course, my emoji didn’t appear in the last post

  303. JS Partisan says:

    Again, I DIDN’T SOW SHIT :D! I talked some shit, but it’s on y’all for your responses [heavy laughter].

    Speaking of Netflix, Monty Python just appeared on the service today. If you give it up now. You are giving up the awesomeness of PYTHON, AND WHAT KIND OF PERSON DOES THIS?

    And Palm, we will know for certain with box office receipts. That’s about it.

  304. palmtree says:

    I think Solo was already an effective demonstration of the power of people abandoning Star Wars. But you have to wonder if they would have abandoned it so fully were they not egged on by Russian droids.

  305. Hcat says:

    Um, what is Hero Academia and how is it tearing shit up?

    I know there is a small but robust anime audience out there but is this title somehow special, the Dark Knight/Black Panther of the genre, or is this amount of box office now achievable for a standard Anime film?

  306. Pete B. says:

    I don’t understand the negative reviews Venom. I caught the first IMAX preview and had a blast. I only wish they’d gone full R.

  307. Stella's Boy says:

    Is it actually a good movie, or not good but bonkers enough to be entertaining? I’m hoping the latter. The bad reviews enhanced my interest.

  308. movieman says:

    My favorite part of “Venom” was the svelte running time.
    I’d read “111,” “112” and “113” minutes, and had anticipated maybe 105 pre end-credits. Unless the closing credits are 20 minutes long (I hightailed it to the men’s room to make my bladder gladder), it’s considerably shorter than that.
    I clocked it in at 92 min. pre-end titles.
    Hardy (I didn’t even mind his uncategorizable “American” accent for once), Ahmed, Slate and the dude from “Veep” are all good company, and I dug the SF location shooting (made me nostalgic). But it really is the same old/same old comic book origin story blather. And, seconding Pete B., I’m confounded by the decision to go “PG-13.” Being a rare non-Disney Marvel, you would have thought they’d gone full-throttle “Deadpool” “R.” After all, Venom’s whole schtick is biting people’s heads off. But nah. Too bad.

  309. Pete B. says:

    Stella, I found it good, but then my tastes aren’t the majority. It’s definitely bonkers once it gets rolling.

    Consider this a PSA: there’s no need to stay through the end of the credits unless you’re curious about Into the Spiderverse. The extra end scene has nothing to do with Venom. There is one mid-credits scene that does.

  310. JS Partisan says:

    My Hero Academia, is the anime equivalent of comic book awesomeness.It sets a tone, that DC should easily use in their films. They don’t have the inclination to make Superman, as awesome as All Might, and that bums me out. Maybe one day. Someone at DC will decide, that it’s time to GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!

    Decaying Orange fan, that sort of film doesn’t work for a lot of people in the 21st century. I am sure, that whenever I get around to seeing Venom, that it will be a fine film to watch. It’s just not a mass market film, with the kids today.

    Also, Venom and the symbiotes are goofy as hell, and they are never treated that way. I loved Maximum Carnage, but it’s not like that’s the height of great storytelling. What is a good story? AGENT VENOM! Sony, once again demonstrating, that THEY SHOULDN’T BE RUNNING JACK AND SHIT WITH COMIC CHARACTERS!

  311. Pete B. says:

    JS, not sure why you bring up politics in every reply to me, but since you did… the Orange can’t decay too much. He has 6 more years to go. 😉

  312. movieman says:

    Wow.
    “The Mule” trailer is the best I’ve seen in months.
    Looks like Classic Clint in the “Unforgiven”/”Million Dollar Baby”/”Mystic River”/”American Sniper” mode.
    Can’t believe WB isn’t jockeying this for awards attention.

  313. Stella's Boy says:

    I thought I read that The Mule was being released, at least in a limited fashion, in December for awards consideration? It is a good trailer and looks like total awards bait. One last hurrah for Clint. Cooper. True story. I remember reading the story, I think in The New York Times Magazine, and being completely fascinated. This one had slipped off my radar but that is no longer the case.

    I’d settle for bonkers. Not sure when I’ll get around to seeing Venom, but I’m definitely going to watch it sooner or later. October is always hectic, in a good way, trying to balance watching new horror with old horror favorites. Best month of the year. Go Brewers!

  314. Hcat says:

    “Sony, once again demonstrating, that THEY SHOULDN’T BE RUNNING JACK AND SHIT WITH COMIC CHARACTERS!”

    I know I have said this before but Columbia should only make three types of stories, Low Brow comedies, Tony literature adaptations, and movies based on the incredible true stories.

    Stella, once the Cubs fall I will be with you on the Brewers.

  315. movieman says:

    SB- A recent WB press release said “The Mule” was opening wide in December, and that it wasn’t considered one of their awards contenders.
    That trailer says (hell, screams) otherwise.
    We shall see, I suppose.
    Or maybe they just didn’t want to ruffle “A Star is Born”‘s feathers right before its October opening. (“If you don’t work out, we’ve got a veteran player waiting in the bullpen.”)

  316. Hcat says:

    loved the Mule trailer as well. Quick shots of Andy Garcia and Fishburne, and while I have gotten tired of slowed down pop songs in trailers the drawn out variations on paginini works like gangbusters and builds a hell of a lot of tension. I don’t see it in the Oscar race, but damn if I wont see it in the theater.

    Is there a hard and fast rule that Warners movies that open with a simple shield are inherently better than ones that use the when time goes by sweep? Because I feel that’s the case.

    It certainly makes me want to watch clint movies this weekend. I might actually be inspired enough to make it through J. Edgar this time.

  317. Stella's Boy says:

    That is bizarre. I agree that trailer does scream awards contender. They’d be crazy not to push it for noms. Eastwood would be a lock for Best Actor at the very least.

    Going to Game 2 against the Rockies today. Look for me on TV. Watching the Brewers beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field to win the division was priceless.

  318. movieman says:

    Except for “Gran Torino”–which was a monster hit–whenever Clint has thrown a “Where did this come from?” December release into the mix (“American Sniper,” “Letters From Iowa Jima,” “Million Dollar Baby”), they’ve all been Best Picture nominees. And “MDB” won.
    Just sayin’, WB.
    Attention must be paid; especially since this could very well turn out to be Clint’s last grand hurrah.

  319. palmtree says:

    Hcat, the Paganini Variations is an odd choice given that you’d expect the reason for putting it there is to build toward the fuller orchestration. But by keeping it sparse, it makes a romantic melody creepy.

  320. Hcat says:

    Palmtree,

    Agree, going to the full flourish would have gone completely against the tone of the trailer, by spacing out the notes your ear is waiting in anticipation for the next one and drawing you attention. Such a little thing I am surprised by how effective I find it, but sometimes the little things really set me up for the movie, like the quick wipes in the opening credits of Gone Girl, creating the slightest sense of unsettling atmosphere.

    The voiceover reminds me of Million Dollar Baby and I think he used Paganini in Bridges so the trailer plays like a greatest hits, but I do love the hits.

    I can’t believe back in 91 I thought Unforgiven was going to be his swan song. He is freakin’ immortal.

  321. Sideshow Bill says:

    Um….I’m a lifelong Cubs fan. 47 years. I called the Brewers “soft” mid-season. I was wrong. They had a great second half, an amazing September and they TOOK the division. I still hate them but I respect them, and I like Craig Counsell. As for the Cubs….I think they were gassed. One off day in September, and then think about the 3 extra months they’ve played the last 3 seasons. And they were banged up. Doesn’t excuse such a talented, expensive roster from not advancing but I console myself by looking at it this way. They’re aren’t going anywhere. get guys right. Get some rest. They’ll be back. But damn that division is a bloodbath. It’s loaded with good teams. Respect to Brewers but I expect Boston.

    I wish Dave posted more because I’m a Dolphins fan like he is and I’m puzzled by that squad.

    Anyway….on topic…I had decided I wasn’t seeing VENOM because of the bad reviews but now I kindof want to. I don’t know what to do because I need to save $$ to see HALLOWEEN 5-6 times.

  322. Bulldog says:

    Already seeing a few online articles popping up about the boffo Venom $10m overnight numbers and possible October record with overtaking Gravity’s $55m.

    Also looks like the audience likes the movie. 31% Critics but 88% Positive Rating. I’m sure that 88 will trend downward after the weekend, but still, quite a disparity. Predator was 34/44.

  323. Hcat says:

    Looks like I need to get started on a script for Man Mountain Marko, the spideyverse is about to take off.

  324. movieman says:

    Just watched “Private Life” on Netflix, and it’s as good as anything I’ve seen all year.
    Shocking (and inordinately depressing) that it’s Tamara Jenkins’ first film since 2007’s “The Savages.”

  325. Stella's Boy says:

    Good to know. The Savages is a masterpiece and I cannot wait to watch Private Life.

  326. Christian says:

    I’m surprised the first half of “Mandy” is widely considered superior to the second. I appreciated that the first half wasn’t straight-ahead genre stuff, but it also felt like it meandered somewhat. When the movie at last gets down to business in the second half, it really is turbo-charged – starting with that great scene between Cage and Bill Duke.

    If nothing else, this is another iconic Cage performance. But does anyone have a strong sense for Cosmatos’ style? “Mandy” throws a lot at viewers. Surely that’s largely by design, but it felt at times less “psychedlic” (a term used in this thread multiple times in reference to “Mandy”) than it did, well, undisciplined. I’ll have to watch it a second time to be sure, but that was my sense as the film unspooled.

    Still, lots of smiling faces among the exiting sold-out crowd tonight at AFI Silver.

  327. JS Partisan says:

    Bill, the Brewers are possibly going to go up against Manny, Bryce, Anthony, and Javy. This is their chance, and it’s going to the Dodgers. No wonder SB and me never got a long. Brewers fan. GO DODGERS! They haven’t won anything in 30 years, so it’s about time all of that talent gets them off the snide.

    Abhorrent human being, you think you getting six more years? Ha. You bought into an idiot, that undersold his dad’s properties. After he tried to rip off his father, and he failed. You believe in the abhorrent, and we coming for you.

    The Mule trailer looks great, and I hope it’s what Clint decides to go out on. He needs a high note sort of film, and The Mule definitely comes across as being something more from him. I fucking adore Clint Eastwood, and always will. I don’t care about him talking to empty chairs, because as a filmmaker. He’s one of my absolute favorites.

  328. Stella's Boy says:

    Hey I never said I think the Brewers will beat the Dodgers. I’m just enjoying playoff baseball. Never know when they’ll be back. But the Dodgers are a tall order. Could be a good series.

    After the game I watched the first episode of Hulu’s Into the Dark. Pretty good.

    Looks like a whole lot of people are going to the movies this weekend. Impressive numbers for Venom and A Star is Born.

  329. palmtree says:

    Thoughts on the Aquaman super long trailer? The CG still looked bad, but that chase was kinda cool. On the other hand, meh. Mary Poppins is gonna kill it.

  330. movieman says:

    I think “Aquaman” will do just fine, regardless of quality. Certainly better than “Mortal Engines” (“The Darkest Minds 2”), “Bumblebee” and the (really? because there haven’t been enough Spidey movies in recent years?) Spider-Man cartoon.
    Did anyone else notice that Fox has dated James Gray’s Brad Pitt starrer “Ad Astra” for early January? That seems positively wacko to me.
    Fox finally came to their senses and moved “Battle Angel” to February, so it would’ve been the perfect opportunity to open an adult-skewing Xmas release on that date (esp since there are precious few going wide over the holidays).
    I originally downplayed the b.o. potential of “Mary Poppins Returns” (after all, “Saving Mr. Banks” kind of stiffed a few Xmases ago). But if “The Greatest Showman” could do $150-million-plus domestically, I see no reason why “MPR” won’t be able to match or even exceed that.
    P.S.= Who else thinks the “Holmes and Watson” trailer looks silly/funny/good? Of course, not even Gene Wilder, Madleine Kahn and Marty Feldman could make a Holmes spoof work.
    P.P.S.= Does anyone know whether Annapurna is taking “Vice” wide Xmas Day? I’m getting mixed signals. Based on their recent history, I’m guessing, “Nah.” Def seems like the kind of film that would benefit from a platform release to let (hopefully positive) reviews and buzz build before a nat’l expansion.

  331. Hcat says:

    Surprised Fox was the one to blink, thought Bumblebee for sure.

    Putting Pitt in December would mean you would have to do an oscar push, and I’m sure the profit potential on a James Gray film is razor thin enough without the added marketing costs

  332. Jbritt says:

    I know I’m late but is this website shutting down?

  333. movieman says:

    Early January has always been the exclusive province of complete and utter crap (the junkiest B-horror) and the expansion of awards potential titles.
    Can anyone remember a prestige studio release (and on paper, any film directed by James Gray and starring Brad Pitt certainly sounds first-tier) that was dropped into the first month of the year?
    At that very least they could have slated it in February. That date worked OK for Paramount and “Annihilation” this year. And since “Ad Astra” is apparently a sci-fi movie (Gray doing sci-fi? Uh, OK), why not?
    Whatever happens, I’m guessing it will be moved from its current January 11th date.
    Just saying we could use another (wide release) grown up option during the holidays.

  334. Christian says:

    While we’re all still here, does anyone know how to access this thread without having to scroll through 335 messages (and counting) to get to the most recent posts? I’m pretty dumb at this stuff – there’s probably just a setting that puts most recent posts up top rather than at the bottom of the page – but the way I get here is by clicking on the Hot Blog page (from the MCN home page; yes, I know I could bookmake the Hot Blog page and go directly to it), scroll down to this thread, and click on “335 comments” (or whatever the latest number is) just below “John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection,” and then start scrolling to the bottom of the page for the most recent posts.
    Yes, I really do this! Help me out? Thanks.

  335. JS Partisan says:

    Christian, just click on the top name, on the left hand side. It will take you to the most recent comment or there abouts.

    SB, that’s for sure, but I wonder if this hurts or helps A Star Is Born’s Oscar chances? It’s also hilarious, that Venom STILL MEANS THIS FUCKING MUCH TO PEOPLE! He’s the goofiest of goofy characters, but here people go lining up to see him.

    J-Britt, we aren’t going anywhere, because this is just a word press blog. They give this shit out for free :D!

  336. Stella's Boy says:

    The power of good marketing right? Hardy is awesome but not a household name. Venom doesn’t seem like the most recognizable comic book character. But the trailers were good. Got people excited. And a good release date.

  337. Christian says:

    JS Partisan: Perfect! Thanks.

  338. movieman says:

    Decided to take a break from the real-life horror show of the Kavanaugh confirmation by watching a (fictional) horror movie: “Malevolent” on Netflix.
    Pretty solid: nice and tight at 88 minutes, too, unlike many ‘flix originals (films and series) that don’t seem to employ an editor. Easily the best scary movie I’ve seen since “Hereditary.”
    Florence Pugh remains one of my current fave-raves. Her flawless American accent should get her plenty of work in the U.S. if she so desires.
    Fingers crossed Pugh makes good choices and doesn’t get chewed up and spit out in assembly line franchise fodder.

  339. leahnz says:

    it’s Overdog’s court now, clearly the objective all along, the coup nigh on complete. the supreme white patriarch nods smugly, aunt lydia clinging to his hem with an obedient smile while the rubes they rely on as grist for the mill in ignorance and hate crow.
    and those for whom the bell tolls, their humanity merely a concept to those in corrupted power who wish to control and strip it away, feel heavy and hopeless at heart as the land beneath them all and the air they breathe is sacrificed for gold, autocracy looming like darkness over the land.
    once again – as the long arc of history has shown – those people of good character, conscience and decency will have to rise up and do what is right rather than what is easy to defend freedom (never free) and justice for all. those with the least to lose must once again fight alongside their sisters and brothers with the most to be lost if the descent into injustice and fascism harkening to an ugly past is to be reversed, and a new future that shines bright for all forged

  340. Pete B says:

    Chicken Little, don’t you ever tire of saying “the sky is falling”?

  341. brack says:

    I simply loved A Star Is Born. I saw this last Wednesday night, I can’t stop thinking about it. Amazing performances and music/songs. I’m not saying it will sweep the Oscars, though I wouldn’t be surprised if it did. Such a special movie. And sure, there’s some predictable plot turns, but it is something that is truly special and should be seen in a theater. I’m already itching to see it after I’m finished with my work weekend. The Dolby Cinema screening is a triumph for the format.

  342. Amblinman says:

    “Chicken Little, don’t you ever tire of saying “the sky is falling”?“

    A GOP operative hack who has sworn revenge against half the country is now a Supreme Court Justkce.

    Yes, the fucking sky is fucking falling.

  343. Bulldog68 says:

    4 Supreme Court Justices in 18 years appointed to the Supreme Court by Presidents who lost the popular vote. All under Republican Presidents. The sky isn’t just falling, it has landed and kicking your constitutional rights in the ass.

  344. Stella's Boy says:

    Horror weekend so far. I mentioned Hulu’s Into the Dark. The Body is good. Very funny. Watched Satan’s Slaves on Shudder. It’s really good. Scare tactics are tried and true but they work. Gave me the chills a few times. Worth checking out for fans of non-gory, slow-burn horror.

    I also watched You Might Be the Killer, which has good performances from Fran Kranz and Alyson Hannigan and a fun premise, but it loses steam halfway through. OK but not great.

    Finally, I also checked out Malevolent. I agree movieman. Night and tight, well-made, a few effective scares. Pretty solid. So, overall, solid weekend of horror.

  345. movieman says:

    Decided to give “Free Solo” a try because of its (remarkable) b.o. performance.
    I still don’t get the appeal–maybe because I don’t get the appeal of rock/mountain climbing–but I’m glad I saw it.
    Shanni McCandless–Alex Honnold’s girlfriend–really makes the movie. She somehow manages to humanize Honnold, and even makes him quirkily appealing.
    Probably looks fantastic on a BIG screen.

    Surprised at how big “Venom” opened. Really didn’t see that coming. I was anticipating a $35-million opening at best.
    But I wouldn’t be surprised if the tortoise (“A Star is Born”) eventually outgrosses the hare (“Venom”). I can see Brad and GaGa playing first-run multiplexes at least until the onslaught of Turkey Day releases on November 22nd…and maybe even beyond that.

  346. JS Partisan says:

    Man, it’s not even half the country. It’s a 1/3 of the country. A freaking third.

  347. leahnz says:

    pete b, i was going to post a shitload of links to demonstrate how woefully misinformed you are but i’m too high right now and frankly, bone tired and watching movies to cheer myself up, and i doubt it would make a lick of difference anyway.
    only you can get your head out of your own ass. i kinda feel sorry for you, but at this juncture it seems you are too far gone, can’t see basic right from wrong and are just out for number one without a care for who is hurt while your fragile democracy is gutted and the ideals of your country go down the shitter for the benefit and enrichment of the few.
    the american experiment – one of lofty ideals, to form a ‘more perfect union’ – is borne of a shameful, brutal history that began with the humiliation and genocide of the indigenous people and built on the backs of enslaved people and the oppressed, for whom the fight for civil/human rights and equality has been long, fraught with pain and hardship, and ongoing.
    perhaps it’s a horrible inevitability that a certain number of those people who come from a history of never having had to fight for your basic rights, autonomy or recognition of your full humanity would so easily carry water for deranged sadists, bigots and crims who aren’t coming for you and your rights (not yet, anyway) so enjoy your stupid little tax cut or whatever, whoop it up, it’s all white

  348. Pete B says:

    Leah, we may agree on movies sometimes – but we will never agree politically. You seem to think I’m 2 steps removed from being a white supremacist (1 step?), and you often come off to me as the left wing equivalent of Alex Jones. Having stated that, and all snarkiness aside, I am genuinely interested in the links you referred to above. I’m always curious about different viewpoints, so please share the info. As I’ve mentioned before, I bounce back & forth between Fox News & MSNBC to see the polar opposites in coverage. This weekend being a prime example. [Helpful hint to CNN: if you want to get out of the cable news ratings cellar, maybe go for fact-based, middle-of-the-political-spectrum programming, instead of being MSNBC-lite.]

    Now getting back to movies like this blog was intended… $80 million for Venom? Guess we’ll be seeing a sequel.

  349. Hcat says:

    Is CNN not fact based? Did they pursue the story of that DC staffer who was killed in a mugging and insist it was a Clinton hit? MSNBC may lean left, but their reporting is factual and true. They do not put up bogeymen stories of Terrorist fist bumps and death panels and Soros or whatever boogeymen will keep their audience glued to the set so they can sell them catheters and gold.

    Didn’t Jones have someone on claiming we had a secret base on Mars run by pedophiles? I can’t think of ANYONE on the left who spews equivalent nonsense, certainly not Leah.

  350. amblinman says:

    “[Helpful hint to CNN: if you want to get out of the cable news ratings cellar, maybe go for fact-based, middle-of-the-political-spectrum programming, instead of being MSNBC-lite.]”

    This is one of the many problems with conservatives: they think “middle of the road” politics requires *not* calling Trump’s lies, lies.

    Middle of the road isn’t journalism. Pursuit of truth is.

  351. palmtree says:

    Come on, left wing Alex Jones? That’s a huge stretch in almost every way…you’re comparing a commenter on a movie blog who sometimes says liberal things to a crazy liar who claimed the parents of dead children were just acting and is now being sued by them for defamation.

    Venom is impressive, but I’m more impressed by A Star is Born, which is almost guaranteed to have legs.

  352. Hcat says:

    It will be interesting to see where Venom lands. Of the Sony films that opened higher (all Spidey and Skyfall) only Amazing 2 failed to cross 300 million.

  353. Stella's Boy says:

    I can’t even count the number of former members of the Trump administration and other conservatives and Trump supporters CNN has employed and since 2016. Just the list of those who have been fired is extremely long. And a former Daily Caller/current CNN reporter just got in trouble for hateful tweets. I can’t fathom considering that a left-wing network, though that is a favorite right-wing talking point. Really anything left of Wall Street Journal editorial page is considered liberal by most conservatives these days. And yeah the Alex Jones comparison is just incredibly ridiculous and off-base.

  354. movieman says:

    I’m pretty sure “Venom” won’t get to $300-million. But I never thought it would open to $80-million either, so….

    Has anyone seen Andrew Jarecki’s “The King”? It’s kind of a sociological (cinema) essay equating the (decadent) decline of Elvis Presley with the (equally decadent) decline of America and “The American Dream.” I found it wildly provocative, and vastly more interesting than, say, Michael Moore’s latest film. It’s maybe too ambitious for its own good and (perhaps) discursive to a fault, but definitely one of the best docs I’ve seen this year. Of all the talking heads, I was particularly impressed w/ (Canadian!) Mike Myers who had lots of really compelling thoughts/observations.

  355. Hcat says:

    Quick question about Elvis, wasn’t he always decadent? Its not like he found beer, pills, and fried food at 35, but just that he got older and his body showed the ravages of such a lifestyle. If Jarecki was using it as a metaphor for Elvis’s corresponding generation that might make sense, but a country is self renewing.

  356. Pete B says:

    Okay, okay… I guess I should have used “conspiracy theorist” instead of “Alex Jones”? Serves me right to comment after a 12 hour work shift. I didn’t mean Leah actually was Alex Jones.

  357. Hcat says:

    Still though, what conspiracy? Was America not founded by wiping out indigenous people? Was the country not built on the backs of slaves? Was there not Jim Crow laws, is there not a concentrated effort to limit peoples voting rights in an effort to consolidate conservative voting majorities? Is the president not monetizing the presidency?

    None of these things reach the level of conspiracy. They are all being done out in the open and nothing that Leah said was false.

  358. Stella's Boy says:

    What Hcat said. This is also the first time in history that a Supreme Court justice was confirmed by senators representing less than half the population of the United States while being disapproved of by a majority of the American people. That seems pretty significant.

  359. movieman says:

    Hcat- As Jarecki tells the Elvis story, “The King” began a downward trajectory while serving w/ the U.S. Army in Germany where he developed a taste for drugs.
    And the final nail in his coffin was administered–like so many in Elvis’ life–by Col. Parker when he chose to set up shop in Vegas over Elvis’ desire to go on tour after his 1968 TV comeback special.
    And we all know what happened to Elvis during “The Vegas Years.”
    But that’s just the tip of the iceberg: it’s far more layered and complex than that.

    Wow. “Science Fair” ties w/ “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” as the feel-great doc of the year. If it’s playing anywhere near you, go see it!

  360. Stella's Boy says:

    Science Fair is the opening night movie at the Milwaukee Film Festival, which starts on the 18th. I’m taking my 11-year-old to see it. Really looking forward to it.

  361. movieman says:

    Let me know what you and your daughter think, SB. It was a wonderful surprise for me.

  362. JS Partisan says:

    Yeah. When the next democratic president has a democratic senate, and they decide to inflate the court by 2 to 7 new justices, then name their own Chief Justice. That’s when we get even with this minority representing bastards, and it can’t stop there. This country, cannot have smaller population places have power over more people. There will come a day, where the smaller states are going to need to get knocked down a lot of pegs, and the larger population states will need to get their senators. All of this shit, is shit that needs to happen. Will it happen? That remains to be seen.

    And yeah, the Army fucked up Elvis, then Colonel Tom didn’t help. The world where Elvis is still alive, because his enablers decided to not enable him, has to be very interesting. Elvis, is really the story of what happens, when no one around you really gives a fuck about you.

  363. Hcat says:

    Ah, people enabling a stars worst impulses so as not to interfere with their meal ticket. Michael Jackson can be the sequel.

    There is certainly one prescient American attitude of Elvis’s that crossed into the mainstream. ‘These aren’t drugs, I got them from a doctor’

  364. Hcat says:

    Anyone know the tracking for First Man? Should hit a sweet spot with older males who didn’t check out either Venom or Star last week, though I am sure many of them will eventually check out Star in the coming weeks. But El Royale is surely toast. Fox has had a rough go of it this year, Widows and Hate have excellent reviews but both feel like upward climbs, Searchlight has a light slate for their fall and Rhapsody is giant question mark especially staring down how euphoric people feel about Star is Born.

    They maybe should have pulled Angel up to November and dropped Bohemian to Feb, though that would have mucked up both their marketing.

  365. Stella's Boy says:

    If my wife and my mother’s excitement is any indication, First Man should have an opening weekend of about $500 million. For real though Variety said $20 million but that was two weeks ago.

  366. palmtree says:

    I think Bohemian will do just fine. The trailers have been hitting the sweet spot, and it also seems like an obvious Oscar contender for actor.

  367. Hcat says:

    20? I guess that puts Star on top for next weekend? A Rich Crazy drop being likely?

  368. Bulldog says:

    It’s interesting that the RT Audience Score for Venom climbed 1% to 89% instead of dropping as more people saw it over the weekend. Even if the B/O drops by 70%, similar to XMen Wolverine, which had a lower Audience RT Scores at 54%, that still gets it to $24m. If it even holds 40% of its audience, it is possible it could repeat this weekend if no other movie tops $30m. Fun Fact, Venom has a higher audience RT score than Star. Does it mean anything? Who knows. All depends on what the hold will be for A Star is Born. Is First Man competing in the same arena with Star and it’s Oscar audience, or Venom, and its more male driven action audience?

  369. Hcat says:

    I think First Man and Star are going for the same audience and its coming down to a rating of the superhunks. Is drifting toward nihilism Cooper hotter than Apple Pie Gosling?

    Yay October, where movie stars still live! And are sometimes reborn…I had no idea that I missed Jamie Lee Curtis this much. She had a quiet intensity in her dramatic roles and an easy goofy humor in comedic. Since these never really swung for the fences in either she just sort of faded away but she was always a welcome presence and hopefully this makes her pursue more work. She needs to start stalking Nancy Meyers or whoever made Book Club earlier this year.

  370. movieman says:

    Not expecting a whole lot from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody:” the “Rocketman” trailer (which reminds me of early ’70s Ken Russell: hooray!) is def better than the “Rhapsody” trailer(s). The “PG-13” rating is mind-boggling. How whitewashed is Freddie Mercury in this “biopic” anyway?
    “First Man” will do fine. I’m anticipating “Bridge of Spies” business. Have a hunch it’s not going to make Oscar’s Best Picture cut, though.
    “The Hate U Give” had a soft-sh (limited) opening last weekend. I think it’s toast, especially since it’s going wide opposite “Halloween” which is going to completely, utterly dominate the marketplace.

  371. JS Partisan says:

    Bohemian Rhapsody is going to blow people’s fucking minds. Seriously. It’s not going to be about Freddie, as much as it’s about Queen. That’s the reason for the rating, and it’s going to be about the performance and the music. How they treat Freddie’s personal life could be a hot button thing, but this is QUEEN. It’s a movie that is SELLING QUEEN to a new generation. I have faith in it, and my kid wants to see it. She just loves Queen.

    If A Star is Born is third. It could be done. If it holds second, or somehow overcomes Venom. It’s a phenomenon. If not? They should pull it, and re-release it in December/early January. That’s depending on how they feel about it’s awards prospects.

  372. Stella's Boy says:

    I remember reading that Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out because the surviving members wanted the movie watered down and not R, and they also wanted it more about all of them and less about Freddie Mercury. At one time it was reported that the movie wouldn’t even mention how Mercury died. I saw a review that said it’s a Wikipedia entry with a great lead performance. Seems about right.

  373. movieman says:

    But El Royale is surely toast.

    Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing, Hcat, since Fox stupidly dropped The Isley Brothers’ “This Old Heart of Mine” from the original trailer.
    And learning that it was–egad!–141 minutes, making it longer than either “First Man” or “A Star is Born.”
    WWTT?!?

  374. Stella's Boy says:

    Yeah El Royale will tank. That’s a movie that should be a nice, tight 100 minutes. No way it’s not bloated at 141. But I don’t think it would do well at the box office either way. Looks like good home entertainment. Too many other options.

  375. Christian says:

    Speaking of Queen, I watched part of the 10 p.m. hour of the American Music Awards last night and saw Panic at the Disco perform its version of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I was expecting it to be at least as teeth-grindingly horrid as Weezer’s “remake” (note for note lazy copy) of Toto’s “Africa,” but somehow it didn’t annoy me as much as I thought it would. Maybe because the performers seemed energetic – like they actually cared – even if a remake of “Bohemian Rhapsody” is one of the all-time what’s-the-point? remakes in rock history. (Still, nothing tops the “Africa” remake in terms of being a rancid, thoughtless cash-grab.)

  376. Sideshow Bill says:

    #FeltFallsToGlamAsians4EVA

    yes on Jamie Lee. love seeing her on so many magazine covers. Halloween is what I will always associate her with but yes she is a great comic actress and needs somebody to give her a vehicle. She deserves it now. She deserved it 20 years ago, because she was great in the very forgettable H20.

    I have been slow on the horror movie uptake so far this month but it’s revving up. I’m going into Chicago tonight to see Robyn Hitchcock and will probably watch something on the train to and fro.

    Malevolent was OK. Nothing more.
    Unfriended: Dark Web was boring as hell
    Primal Rage was stupid and awesome at the same time.

    that’s all I got.

  377. Sideshow Bill says:

    The Pet Semetary trailer is promising. I love the original but it’s overrated and dated and suffers from a poor lead performance. The book still scares the hell out of me, and I hope we get more of the Wendigo and Gage fucking with people.

    Does not look like Judd’s wife is in the film though and that stinks.

  378. movieman says:

    ’90s nostalgists should have a field day w/ “El Royale,” SB. When they finally catch up with it on cable, that is.
    Looks like one (any) of the countless Tarantino pastiches that popped up in the wake of “Pulp Fiction” back in the day.

  379. Hcat says:

    Fucking Magnificent supporting performance in the original though, Gwenn made that movie, without him it might as well have been Sleepwalkers.

    I remember being young and reading critics groan every time a new King adaptation was released in the early 80s, but looking back they were remarkably solid. Even the schlockier fare like Children of the Corn and Cujo are fantastic tight little thrillers. Was it Maximum Overdrive that poisoned the well, or the lure of miniseries too much for him to keep selling projects to theatricals?

  380. Stella's Boy says:

    Yeah I believe it movieman. That’s how it looks. Good cast, but I can’t imagine paying $11 to see it.

    I love Pet Sematary and it will always have a special place in my heart. My grandma took me to see it when I was 10. I had seen horror movies before, but not in a theater. It was transformative. I was terrified and loved every minute of it. I’ve seen it a few times since then, and yeah it’s not perfect, but it still works. And Gwynne is fantastic. Lithgow is a great actor but the trailer doesn’t suggest a performance that will top Gwynne’s.

    I agree Hcat. I don’t think Graveyard Shift helped. Or The Mangler. I think those are more likely culprits than Maximum Overdrive.

    Saw Hell Fest yesterday. Paid $5 and got about $5 worth of entertainment. Great premise for a horror movie, and I love the ending, but it wastes its potential. A soft R makes no sense. Cut the f-words and it’s PG-13. Why even bother? Sets up so many cool kills and then bails on them. I love the setting, it moves quickly, and there are two memorable deaths. But it should have been much better.

  381. movieman says:

    Finally caught up w/ “The Meg” at a bargain house.
    Yikes.
    How the hell did this crap make $150-million domestic?
    Every story beat was thuddingly predictable; the CGI was mediocre at best; and the dialogue was stupefyingly awful. Further proof that Statham is only good as his material.
    While sitting there stewing in my misery, I flashed back to those schlocky, inexplicably popular “Airport” movies from the 1970’s whose appeal I couldn’t fathom even as a kid.

  382. Stella's Boy says:

    Updated First Man tracking is $18-$20 million says Hollywood Reporter today. Goosebumps 2 $14-$20 million (which is a pretty big range), and El Royale about $10 million.

  383. Hcat says:

    Holy Shit is Kayne and Trump just a Waiting for Godot stage play in the making. Just the two of them talking fucking gibberish for 90 minutes.

    “The Doctor said I was bipolar but I just needed more sleep. They looked at my brain and said I had a high IQ but I couldn’t count backwards so I am above average and not a genius.” “You should let the leader of the Gangster Disciples out of jail”

    Jim Brown showed great restraint in not going Moe and knocking their heads together like a couple of coconuts.

  384. movieman says:

    What Hcat said.

    Like Dotard being dissed by Obama at the DC Correspondent’s Dinner and never getting over it, Ye apparently never got over Obama’s “jackass” remark after he stole Taylor Swift’s thunder at the MTV awards.
    His entire “sucking-up-to-Trump” schtick is strictly an “FU” to Barack.
    Reality TV Potus-style continues unabated and unchecked.
    (MSM loves this shit: ratings/internet “views” have never been better!)
    Please, Dems. AT LEAST TAKE BACK THE HOUSE next month! Otherwise there’s a damn good chance we’ll be stuck w/ this orange menace/moron (and his many enablers/co-conspirators) until 2024.

  385. Bulldog68 says:

    Saw this hilarious new show o TV today. It’s called White Park. Its South Park set at the White House, and the fat, racist, obnoxious guy is President, and instead of the black guy dying in each episode, the souls of the nation’s black people die a little every time Kanye opens his mouth.

  386. Hcat says:

    And what is even more infuriating is that no one reported a word of what Jim Brown was there for. I’m sure he had coherent and pressing concerns regarding Education and Prison Reform (which the meeting was supposed to be about)and used his celebrity to bring these concerns to the chief executive of the nation, and instead everything went to the fucking multiverse.

  387. Sideshow Bill says:

    I still love the original Pet Semetary, too. I saw it when it cam out in ’89 and it blew me away. And Gwynne’s performance IS fantastic. Without him it wouldn’t be nearly as memorable.

    I think Lithgow will be fine, though. I think it’s a smart idea to not have him just try and imitate Gwynne and the accent. I was afraid they would. It would have come off as parody. I trust Lithgow to do right by the character. He’s fucking Emilio Lizardo, goddamnit! Have some respect, monkeyboys!

  388. Hcat says:

    I think what helped with Gwynne was that it came out of nowhere. Not only were we not expecting a good King adaption at that point, we were not expecting a warm human performance at the center, and certainly not one from a guy who was still primarily known as Herman Munster.

    Lithgow is a great choice, loved him recently in Love is Strange and while his Churchill was a little over the top (of course it was, how else do you play it, it would be like playing Liberace and being told to dial it down) I am glad he is getting so many chances to remind us just how good he is.

    I Like so much about the trailer, the truck jump scare, the tom tom, even the font of the titles that matches the cover of the paperback I borrowed from my friend.

    Don’t see it doing Halloween or Quiet Place business but would be surprised if it opened under 30.

  389. movieman says:

    All I had to see was “Amy Seimetz,” and I was all in for the “Pet Sematary” reboot.
    Jason Clarke is becoming a tad overexposed, however. He seems to be in every third movie released today.
    Lithgow will be fine. The role should be right in his character actor wheelhouse.

  390. leahnz says:

    —— SPOILERS ————

    the weirdest aspect of lambert’s stylishly gruesome OG ‘pet sematary’ adaptation — esp considering it’s king’s adaptation of his own novel, his screenplays of his own books bizarrely hit and miss — is the omission of the always-creepy wendigo (as mentioned by SBill above), the lore and curse of which is so crucial to the concept of the tainted Micmac burial ground and the danger of the deadfall and the haunted (hunted even, by the wendigo still) woods beyond the creed house.
    growing up in the generation drip-fed on king’s early books i remember being shocked at this omission when i went to see the film for the first time, so i hope this new adaptation doesn’t make the same mistake and uses the wendigo to appropriately chilling effect (the trailer is ok, i’m not holding my breath but always hopeful for something beyond the generic, which it kind of looks at the moment; the cast looks good though i think i’m with movieman re jason clarke, it would be nice to see some new blood).
    i think the aspect of this new one i’m most interested in seeing is the rachel/zelda subplot, which is probably the part of the book that fucked me up the most (i remember my son had a zelda nightmare after he read PS as a young teen) and though i have mixed feelings about the depiction of zelda in lambert’s version, i think purely in terms of horror cinema her ‘zelda’ is shockingly ghastly and effective.

  391. JS Partisan says:

    I watched the OG Pet Semetary all the damn time in the early 90s, and it really did alter the way I view the world. Why? I never got why everything coming back had to be evil, and that’s also why I love Frankenweenie.

    Nevertheless, is Jason Clarke ever going to be more, than just a go to solid dad actor? It’s sort of depressing, that there’s just not more for him. I understand he’s old, but he doesn’t look it.

  392. leahnz says:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3J0iwwsq-w&list=RDF3J0iwwsq-w&index=1

    the 80s, bless

    i like ‘0D30’ clarke, for instance, he’s a good actor but not sure he has the screen charisma and camera love to be the lead

  393. movieman says:

    Loved “First Man.” It felt like a rebuke to the Trump era since it celebrates an “America” that has been coarsened and degraded since the Orange Menace stole the 2016 election. And it also champions the kind of American male who seemingly doesn’t exist anymore. Armstrong and his Apollo brethren didn’t bark, bully or boast: they got shit done.
    Speak softly and ride a big rocket.
    I was surprised at how quiet (and subtle) it was, too. Which will probably hurt it at the box office, and insure my prediction that it doesn’t get a Best Picture nomination.
    It’s a really beautiful piece of filmmaking, though, and definitely feels of “a piece” w/ both “La La Land” and “Whiplash.” All three are movies about white (sorry) American men w/ a singular obsession that separates them from the pack. Whether music or…being an astronaut.

  394. Stella's Boy says:

    Looks like First Man is getting crushed by ASIB. That’s going to be some hold for the latter. Cooper wins battle of the white hunks. Looking forward to watching Apostle and Haunting of Hill House this weekend. Those appeal to me more than anything in theaters right now.

  395. movieman says:

    Yeah, I’m planning to watch “Apostle” today, too, SB. Only wish that someone other than Dan Stevens had played the lead.
    The next Netflix series I plan to check out is “Maniac:” finding the time is the problem.

    Liked, but didn’t love “The Kindergarten Teacher.” Gyllenhaal is fine, but I had the same problems w/ it that I did w/ the Israeli original.
    Thought “22 July” was extremely compelling and exceedingly well-done, despite an inevitable whiff of exploitation around the edges. I actually think it’s a better film than Greengrass’ “Captain Phillips,” and nearly in the same league as “United 93.” The 144-minute run time practically flies by.
    Both are worth checking out.

  396. Christian says:

    Looks like Len Klady lost his slot on the MCN home page. I was hoping he’d continue posting box-office stats, but I can understand why he no longer is, if that’s indeed the case.

  397. Christian says:

    Huh. There’s Len’s slot, just a bit lower than I thought it normally was. Not updated today, but maybe tomorrow? If only I’d bothered to scroll a bit! Sorry, everyone. Carry on.

  398. movieman says:

    Thought the first hour of “Apostle” seemed a tad slow for an adrenaline junkie like Gareth Evans–w/ apologies to George Miller, “Raid 2” is my favorite action movie of the decade so far–but the second half delivers in spades.
    It’s an utterly berserk, uber-violent ride and I dug it.
    Also marks the first time I’ve liked Dan Stevens since “Downton Abbey.”

  399. palmtree says:

    But at least we’re promised a new gurus chart. What is dead may never die.

  400. JS Partisan says:

    COMMENT 400! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

    Dan Stevens should be bigger than he is. Much like Jason Clarke, he should be doing more.

  401. GdB says:

    This is a bit late, but I just wanted to chime in about how fucking good My Hero Academia is. It doesn’t eclipse Naruto for me as my all time fav (Hard to do when Naruto took the top spot from Star Wars last year) But it comes close, and could take the top spot if it keeps being as good as it is.

    If you want to understand what Shonen anime is; and why the material has so much more EQ and is good for kids than anything Disney will ever do, check out the My Hero Academia movie, or watch the series on Hulu/Crunchy Roll. It lives up to the hype.

  402. JS Partisan says:

    Again: DC should model Superman on All Might. He’s the way, to make Superman work for people. Who are confused by a god-like being… being interesting. Seriously. All Might doing the United States of Smash… trended world wide. Why? They made a god-like being connect, and DC needs Superman to connect on that level. It’s funny, that Warners still doesn’t understand Superman is money.

  403. GdB says:

    Agreed. Especially since All Might is obviously a riff on Superman. Proper Superman I mean. And well executed in that you see the homage, but he’s completely his own character. They should just watch the anime since they can’t seem to get a clue from the Donner films.

  404. GdB says:

    What’s everyone’s take on T.he H.ate U. G.ive? (I think that title is pretty clever, tbh)

    I’m interested in that and The Old Man and the Gun (another great title) It seems like a good one to go out on like Redford says, but it’s still sad to see him go, all the same.

  405. Stella's Boy says:

    Agree with that Apostle assessment movieman. Once it gets going in the second half, it’s pretty bonkers and nasty. Some nice gore. Stevens is good, and he was outstanding in The Guest, which is fantastic. Enjoyed the first episode of Haunting of Hill House. Made me want to continue watching.

  406. YancySkancy says:

    To me, Dan Stevens is about as exciting as his name. I don’t see his appeal — maybe it’s one of those “the men don’t know, but the little girls understand” deals? I didn’t buy him as a badass in The Guest, and his stammering, Bob-Newhart-on-crack performance in Legion drove me up a wall (I bailed after four episodes). He made zero impression in A Walk Among the Tombstones, but did okay covered in makeup and CGI as the Beast. Never saw Downton Abbey. I’ll probably check out Apostle anyway.

  407. Stella's Boy says:

    As I am a little girl that’s exactly right. He’s hardly my favorite actor, but many of his performances have been pretty widely praised, not that I can’t relate to not liking someone most others do.

  408. JS Partisan says:

    I am just throwing this out there. First Man should have opened in August, or pushed til January. It’s one of those release dates, that just should not happen these days. The same goes with Goosebumps 2. They should have held that shit til next year, because there’s just no room for it. Next week should be interesting, because Halloween should run rough shod over all of these movies, but A Star is Born is clearly a thing. How much it eats out of it Halloween’s opening weekend, should be a thing.

  409. Stella's Boy says:

    A week or two ago Halloween was tracking towards an opening north of $40 million. I bet it makes more than $50 millon.

  410. Bulldog68 says:

    Anyone else thought that In just two weeks of international play Venom would’ve already outgrossed Solo?

  411. movieman says:

    Yeah, I know that it’s a Tarantino pastiche that would have been right at home at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, but “El Royale” is a damn good time. At 141 minutes it’s a lot of movie, but I was never remotely bored and found it compelling from start to finish. And unlike a lot of similar Russian doll movies, it isn’t too clever for its own good. The narrative pieces actually fit together, insuring that you leave the theater feeling smarter than you went in.
    As good as Bridges, Hamm, Hemsworth and Johnson are, it’s the newbies (Erivo, Pullman and Spaeny) who leave the most indelible impression. If it hadn’t flatlined at the b.o., I could’ve imagined a scenario where Erivo might have gotten some Best Supporting Actress traction. She’s that good.
    I bet it finds a following on home video, et al. Certainly among Millennials who missed the whole Tarantino boomlet of the late 1990’s.
    P.S.= Agree re: “Halloween,” SB. I wouldn’t be surprised if it went even higher than $50-million. (Is $60-million–or better–that unrealistic a possibility?)

  412. Stella's Boy says:

    Not unrealistic at all. If The Nun can open with $54 million, Halloween can do $60 million. Or better. Wouldn’t surprise me at all.

  413. Hcat says:

    Do teens today know how seismic the original was? I mean they will surely get the older crowd that was permanently damaged by the original, but hopefully the blumhouse name brings in the non converted.

  414. JS Partisan says:

    SB, it should have a huge opening. How huge, is dependent on the word getting out, that this is a film people need to see. It seems like there’s just not been enough advanced hype about it, but maybe people just know it’s coming? Either way, 80 to a 100m should be where it lives, because 40 to 50 just seems low. If IT can get people excited. Michael Myers should get the same level of excitement, and that’s even including the bullshit Rob Zombie remakes.

  415. Stella's Boy says:

    See I feel like the hype is insane and has been for months. Then again I frequent a lot of horror sites and follow a lot of horror nerds on social media and have a few horror nerd friends, so it’s been all over the place for me, every day, for a long time. I think the word is out though. They aren’t skimping on the marketing.

  416. movieman says:

    Weirdly, Carpenter’s “Halloween” didn’t jump out as a game-changing “Instant Classic” in 1978.
    It opened in major markets in late October ’78, and was gone before Thanksgiving. Except for Tom Allen’s Village Voice rave, reviews were pretty meh. (I actually interned under Allen who–post-“Halloween”–became the critic aspiring horror auteurs avidly courted. I still remember seeing a work print of “Friday the 13th” w/ Allen at the old Magno Screening Room in early 1980. Neither of us thought it was anything special, lol.)
    It wasn’t until Carpenter’s movie opened in flyover states the following March that “Halloween” became “Halloween.”
    Funny story: hopes were so, uh, muted for the original that I actually saw a sneak preview of “Paradise Alley” w/ “Halloween” on its opening day at the late, great Rivoli in NYC’s Times Square on October 27, 1978.

  417. Stella's Boy says:

    Ebert also raved. He gave it 4 stars. I remember that vividly. Not because I was alive. From having one of his books as a teen.

  418. Hcat says:

    Pre internet those Ebert books were a Godsend.

    And true I wasn’t aware of Halloween until it would play on HBO and the sequels started coming out. By the time I saw it I had gone through quite a few slasher movies and thought it wouldn’t compare to say Nightmare on Elm Street, but wow, within the first few minutes I had to pause it for a break because I was that tense (and I think it was like 230 in the afternoon).

  419. movieman says:

    SB- I was mostly thinking of the New York reviews at the time since that’s where I was living. In the pre-internet days, it was pretty difficult to gain a national critical consensus. I’m pretty sure that I saw Ebert’s TV review at the time, but didn’t remember it.
    Here’s Wikipedia talking about the early critical reception:

    Upon its initial release, Halloween performed well with little advertising—relying mostly on word-of-mouth, but many critics seemed uninterested or dismissive of the film. Pauline Kael wrote a scathing review in The New Yorker suggesting that “Carpenter doesn’t seem to have had any life outside the movies: one can trace almost every idea on the screen to directors such as Hitchcock and Brian De Palma and to the Val Lewton productions” and claiming that “Maybe when a horror film is stripped of everything but dumb scariness—when it isn’t ashamed to revive the stalest device of the genre (the escaped lunatic)—it satisfies part of the audience in a more basic, childish way than sophisticated horror pictures do.”[85]

    The Los Angeles Times deemed the film a “well-made but empty and morbid thriller,”[87] while Bill von Maurer of The Miami Times felt it was “surprisingly good,” noting: “Taken on its own level, Halloween is a terrifying movie–if you are the right age and the right mood.”[88] Susan Stark of the Detroit Free Press branded Halloween a bourgeoning cult film at the time of its release, describing it as “moody in the extreme” and praising its direction and music.[25] Some critics were less praising of the film, however, such as Lou Cedrone of The Baltimore Evening Sun who referred to it as “tediously familiar” and whose only notable element is “Jamie Lee Curtis, whose performance as the intended fourth victim, is well above the rest of the film.”[89] Tom Allen of The Village Voice praised the film in his November 1978 review, noting it as sociologically irrelevant but ceding its Hitchcock-like technique as effective and “the most honest way to make a good schlock film”. Allen pointed out the stylistic similarities to Psycho and George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968).[75]

    The following month, Voice lead critic Andrew Sarris wrote a follow-up feature on cult films, citing Allen’s appraisal of Halloween and saying in the lead sentence that the film “bids fair to become the cult discovery of 1978. Audiences have been heard screaming at its horrifying climaxes”.[90] Roger Ebert gave the film similar praise in his 1979 review in the Chicago Sun-Times, referring to it as “a visceral experience–we aren’t seeing the movie, we’re having it happen to us. It’s frightening. Maybe you don’t like movies that are really scary: Then don’t see this one.”

  420. Stella's Boy says:

    Seriously. Loved reading those books as a teen. And Maltin’s, which aren’t as good but still enjoyable.

    Got my tickets for Thursday night screening. Can’t wait. Also looking forward to rewatching the original and part 2, which I really like. Recently rewatched part 4, which I like a lot, and part 5, which is not too good (though not entirely worthless).

    Oh sure I don’t think you’re wrong movieman. That happened a lot with Carpenter’s films. The Thing too if I remember correctly. And some others that weren’t well-received but are now considered, if not classics, pretty damn good. I just vividly remember Ebert’s 4-start review and reading it many times as a youngster.

  421. movieman says:

    Yeah, SB, “The Thing” was eviscerated in 1982 by practically everyone.
    Yet I recall putting it on my 10-best list that year.
    It took VHS rentals and cable airings for “The Thing” to finally achieve “classic” status. I think it could very well be my favorite Carpenter movie (w/ “Halloween” a very close second).

  422. Hcat says:

    Given their behavior this year is Disney going to keep Christopher Robin in theaters for another 6 weeks trying to get it past the century mark? Will it magically pass it the night that Nutcracker premieres?

  423. Hcat says:

    And with the Thing, I think a bit of that was critics taking exception with him touching a classic. Body Snatchers was updated a few years before without the same backlash, but I do think there was a generational thing with critics thinking some films are indeed untouchable and to remake a classic with that much splashing blood (another problem for critics at the time)was dragging mud across the carpet of cinematic history.

  424. Hcat says:

    To continue that thought there was a trend starting with King Kong where studios were remaking classics with updated special effects, not to mention curse words and adult themes, and I think critics felt that it was a cheapening of the originals legacy. I don’t remember the reviews of Cat People but I am sure more than a few people felt it was course and sleazy compared to the original, sacrificing mood for scares, subtext for skin. American Werewolf and Body Snatchers might have avoided this since the original source material was so low rent to begin with but updating Howard Hawks…

  425. movieman says:

    “Cat People” was nearly as poorly received (in 1982) as “The Thing,” Hcat.
    Schrader’s reboot was another ’82 genre movie I loved: it landed a spot on my 10-best that year, too…along w/ “The Road Warrior,” “Poltergeist,” “E.T.” and “The Thing” (not necessarily in that order).
    Looking back at that list, my only regret is leaving off “Tootsie” which I now adore w/ mad passion. Liked it very much at the time, but remember making the auteurist case for “Victor/Victoria” being the superior cross-dressing comedy of 1982 (which I no longer believe).
    Maybe I could tie “Cat People” and “The Thing”…?

  426. Hcat says:

    Tootsie is pure studio magic, Victoria’s cast is more charming but like all of Edwards comedies he feels the film has to lurch around like someone in swimming flippers with a bucket on their head. Not that I don’t love Victor/Victoria, but after Tootsie dropped I am sure it felt like a victory lap for once beloved performers than a current blockbuster.

    Funny looking over how FANTASTIC of a year 82 was, not just of genre films which has been often mentioned but Gahndi, Tootsie, Sophies Choice, and I hear wonderful things about Shoot the Moon (have to fill in that blank), I am sure the movie I looked forward to most at the time was Hanky Panky because I was humongous Wilder fan.

  427. Bulldog says:

    I guess the silver lining for First Man would be a run like Bridge of Spies. That opened to $15m and legged it out to $71m.

  428. Hcat says:

    That is just a punch to the gut for First Man. I don’t see a lot of high profile stuff coming from Focus, Queen of Scotts will probably get a lot of traction for best and supporting female, unless the favorite drinks their milkshake. This could mean Uni would be without a contender in 3 of the last 4 best picture races. That seems strange to me since I usually consider them one of the more together studios.

    Revised to admit I forgot about BlacKKKLansman, do people think that is still a contender or did the initial love fade after release?

  429. Christian says:

    Looks like “The Sisters Brothers” is fading away. Sad. Oh, and “Let the Corpses Tan,” which a friend has been raving about, grossed $410 per screen. I was going to make an effort to catch it at AFI Silver but if I can’t make it, I’ll try to catch it in a couple of weeks at the Virginia Film Festival.

  430. movieman says:

    Hcat- You forgot “Green Book.” I’m sure that Peter Farrelly was relieved “First Man” tanked. Now Universal can put all of their big, shiny awards eggs in his movie’s basket, lol.
    I’m sure that Uni will still give a (token?) push to “FM,” but their heart (and their biggest bucks) will be entirely w/ “GB.”
    Focus also has the RBG biopic w/ Felicity Jones. Topicality alone should help it score some awards attention, even if it’s a prosaic big-screen cable flick (which I’m kind of thinking it might be).
    “Scots” and “Klansman” will get lots of Focus awards attention, too.

    Yeah, 1982 was a damn good year. I also loved Coppola’s “One From the Heart,” Altman’s “Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean,” “Diner,” a sadly forgotten Hungarian coming-of-age movie called “Time Stands Still,” “The Verdict,” “Gregory’s Girl” (whatever happened to Bill Forsyth?), “An Officer and a Gentleman,” “Garp,” “Ridgemont High,” “48 Hrs,” “Blade Runner,” “Shoot the Moon” (Diane Keaton power!), “Diva” and movies from auteur gods like Fassbinder, Rohmer, Herzog, Bertolucci, etc.
    I remember thinking “Missing” was overrated at the time. I actually preferred (auteurism rears its rainbow-colored glasses again!) Robert Mulligan’s “Kiss Me Goodbye” that year!

  431. Christian says:

    And scrolling down (down, down, all the way down) the Box Office Mojo weekend grosses, I see “Hale County This Morning This Evening” grossed $1,154 per screen on 3 screens. There’s no way it was going to join the $10 million documentary club among recent releases, but it feels like it might – might – be a landmark film in some ways. There’s no through line – it’s episodic. But it’s the kind of tapestry I find invigorating. Which isn’t to say that I didn’t feel the film’s length or that I found the movie to be perfect. I just want more people to see it.

  432. movieman says:

    Got an online (AURGH!) screener of “Hale County” over the weekend, Christian.
    Thanks for giving me an impetus to bite the bullet and saddle up to my…laptop.

    Just how badly did African-American “Fifty Shades” knock-off “Kinky” have to do last weekend not to get its b.o. reported ANYWHERE?!?
    Wow.

  433. Hcat says:

    Was going to put the RPG film on the potential list but Mimi Leder does not produce anything close to confidence in me. I like Jones though.

    And I also have a soft spot for Kiss Me Goodbye. Though I would think Caan should never play erudite, it was a nice change of pace for him.

  434. movieman says:

    Glad to know someone else has affection for “Goodbye,” Hcat.
    Totally agree about Caan’s egregious miscasting, though. (I still laugh remembering that silly neck scarf he wore throughout the movie.)

    Mimi Leder did solid episodic (network) television work. In the ’90s.
    And “Deep Impact” and “The Peacemaker” were perfectly decent Saturday afternoon type programmers. Also in the ’90s.
    But this is 2018.
    Which is why I share your lack of confidence in “On the Basis of Sex” except as Harvey-esque awards bait fodder.
    I’ve definitely come around on Jones since “The Theory of Everything:” “Rogue One” was her breakthrough for me. But I can’t help wondering what Natalie Portman–who I believe was originally attached to the project–might have done as RBG.

  435. leahnz says:

    “Do teens today know how seismic the original was?”

    re carpenter’s OG ‘halloween’, critical reception is but a small part of what makes a movie ‘seismic’ in the culture. critics may not have been impressed on release of ‘halloween’ but as someone who was on the cusp of teen-hood when it was released and saw it several times at the local cinema, i distinctly remember the audience reaction and huge WOM it generated because it was so unique, nothing like it before apart from clark’s ‘black christmas’, released a few years prior, arguably the advent of the modern slasher genre but that very good movie didn’t have nearly the impact of carpenter’s (which also helped pioneer the steady-cam – technically panaglide in the case of ‘halloween’ – in modern film production).
    when i went to see ‘halloween’ for the first time at the local mall my friend’s step-dad took us to the 10:30 show (it was R rated so we couldn’t buy a ticket without an adult) and then he bailed cuz he wasn’t interested in the slightest and said he’d come pick us up after. we waited on the curb outside the theatre and he never showed up… we waited and waited and the crowd thinned out and everyone left, the parking lot emptied out and we’re sitting there in the dark shitting ourselves because we’re a couple of kids who just saw ‘halloween’ and now were waiting at the abandoned mall in the middle of the night, so we finally worked up the courage to walk down to the pay phone at the other end of mall and found out his van had broken down and my friend’s mum had to come get us, it was fucked up

    ETA weirdly, i didn’t see ‘black christmas’ until a year or so later, on the late-night movie on TV at that same friend’s house at a slumber party, it scared the shit out of us and none of us slept that night, so kudos to clark and his glass menagerie

  436. JS Partisan says:

    Halloween is movie equivalent, of waiting for a tornado warning to pass. That’s why it’s so effective, because you are just hoping the tornado to pass the characters in the movie, and it just keeps on ripping through them. That’s why it’s an effective damn movie, and why 4-Zombie 2 are fucking terrible. They take a tornado of a slasher, and just turn him into a fucking thunder storm. Here’s to Greene and McBride bringing the tornado back.

  437. Stella's Boy says:

    Halloween 4 and Halloween H20 are not fucking terrible (but yeah 5 isn’t good, 6 and 8 are pretty bad, and I really dislike the two Zombie made even though every October horror sites insist they aren’t that bad). They have their attributes and are fun, even if they pale in comparison to the original. Rewatching them a few times has made me appreciate them for what they are. Plus 4 has amazing opening credits. But yes I do hope the tornado returns. I’ll find out Thursday night at 9:45.

  438. YancySkancy says:

    “Mimi Leder did solid episodic (network) television work. In the ’90s.”

    She was one of the main directors on HBO’s The Leftovers this decade.

  439. movieman says:

    I’d forgotten that, Yancy.
    Thnx for the reminder.
    I was a big “Leftovers” fan: surprised that I could’ve forgotten that.
    Maybe Leder has a few new tricks up her sleeve after all.

  440. Hcat says:

    I agree that 4 was much better than it had any right to be. It was legitimately tense in a way that the Fridays never achieved. You actually felt for the charecters instead of rooting for them to be killed, and the final bit actually freaked me out a little. As for the others I stopped watching after 5, oof. I have always meant to check out H20 but whenever I am about to I have always been turned off by the WBness of it.

    Thanks to our conversations I have been whistling the Silver Shamrock jingle in my head for days.

  441. Stella's Boy says:

    I love The Leftovers. One of my favorite shows ever. I didn’t realize Leder directed ten episodes. That’s hugely impressive. She’s brilliant.

    I wouldn’t say H20 is good, but it’s entertaining. Less than 90 minutes and it moves quickly. Curtis is great. Supporting cast is solid (though yeah there is a WBness to it). Not seeing it isn’t some huge loss, but it’s decent.

  442. Hcat says:

    30 years down the line and we are getting another Halloween and another Rocky movie in the same year. Take THAT Andy Hardy!!!!

  443. Stella's Boy says:

    Updated Halloween tracking from today’s Variety: $57-$65 million opening weekend, with some industry analysts predicting it will hit $70 million. I definitely think it will go over $70 million.

  444. Hcat says:

    Anyone have any thoughts on Undertow, that would seem to be Green’s closest film to date that would show how he might handle the material. He will surely nail the small town vibe needed for the film but none of the films I have seen of his point to a talent for unrelenting tension. Though Snow Angels had a nice sense of existential dread throughout. I miss Thirlby.

  445. movieman says:

    Eek. Not a fan of “Undertow.”
    Along w/ “Your Highness,” it’s my least favorite DGG movie.

    I’ve been telling everyone for months that “Halloween” would have the biggest horror opening since “It.”
    Guess I wasn’t just whistling Dixie, lol.

  446. Christian says:

    I’m with Stella’s Boy: “The Leftovers” is brilliant. Leder has to get some of the credit.

  447. Hcat says:

    Ouch, terrifying to hear anything mentioned in the same sentence as Your Highness. That thing was like late era Police Academy level of unfunny.

  448. Stella's Boy says:

    I remember liking Undertow but I’ve only seen it once and it was back when it came out. I tried watching Stronger but after 30 minutes I really didn’t like it at all and I bailed. Made it through even less of Your Highness.

  449. Monco says:

    “Yeah, SB, “The Thing” was eviscerated in 1982 by practically everyone.
    Yet I recall putting it on my 10-best list that year.”

    I would contend that not just that year but it may be a top ten movie of all time such is the extent of its greatness. And I love Undertow. I never agreed with Ebert’s effusive praise for early David Gordon Green but Undertow was really good southern gothic.

  450. Hcat says:

    I might need to look at Mojo later but I can’t think of another Universal (and maybe all the studios) comedy I have seen in the last twenty years that was worse than Your Highness.

    OK I went back and looked, only the Cat in the Hat rivaled the putridness of Highness. And it is insanely depressing how recent twenty years ago feels.

  451. YancySkancy says:

    There will never be a comedy worse than Tomcats (distributed by Columbia, I believe). That said, I saw only part of Your Highness and none of Cat in the Hat, so I may not know what I’m talking about.

  452. leahnz says:

    is hooper’s 74 ‘texas chainsaw massacre’ also a progenitor of the modern slasher genre? i guess i don’t consider it in the same vein as the enigmatic psycho killer of ‘black xmas’ and ‘halloween’ but a mate who read this thread begs to differ

  453. Pete B says:

    Whoa, did someone just besmirch Tomcats? The film starring master thespians Jerry O’Connell, Jake Busey, and Shannon Elizabeth? That bastion of sophisticated comedy where Busey’s character describes the best sex he ever had was when the girl started vomiting? Oh no!

    On a totally different tangent, I caught Venom in 3D today, and it really wasn’t worth it, but the 3D trailer for Alita: Battle Angel looked amazing. Then again, it is produced by James Cameron who set the gold standard.

  454. Pete B. says:

    Jumping back to how big will Halloween open, it certainly won’t suffer from a lack of viewing opportunities. The local Regal Cinema has 17 shows scheduled for Friday. Not to be outdone, the AMC has 22 shows scheduled.

  455. Hcat says:

    Don’t want to scroll through 400 plus posts to see who gave a shout out to Hale County earlier this week, but wanted to mention that it was nominated for a Gotham. So that might move the needle a little bit within the limited Doc watching population.

  456. Glamourboy says:

    I’m wondering if the original Halloween has grown in reputation, more because it has become so iconic, rather than based on its own merits. I saw Halloween when it first opened and thought it was ‘just ok’…it pretty much fit the slasher mode that was going around. Has anyone watched it lately? Wondering how it has held up.

    Tried to get my teenage nephew to come with me tonight to see the remake–he had no interest. When pressed he said that the idea of monsters chasing senior citizens seemed ridiculous to him.

  457. leahnz says:

    “it pretty much fit the slasher mode that was going around”

    what ‘slasher mode’, there was no slasher mode when ‘halloween’ came out in 78. apart from ‘black christmas’ (and TCM if one is inclined to categorize it as such), which both came out four years prior in 74, what slasher movies were “going around”

    ETA meant to say i watch the OG H every halloween come hell or high water, and i’m sure lots of people watch it regularly (because it’s a tour de force of ingenious film-making, one reason being the camera work; for example what appears to be The Shape’s POV is actually revealed to be the camera very close to him – over his shoulder/nearby, such as in back seat of the car while he’s doing his drive-by – creating the subtle effect of the viewer basically being held micheal myer’s hostage/unwilling witness while he stalks haddonfield)

  458. Stella's Boy says:

    In the last few days I’ve noticed people saying Halloween ’78 doesn’t hold up or is overrated. I disagree wholeheartedly. I watch it regularly and it is an excellent film. Not perfect, of course, but as good today as it was in ’78 and a classic that deserves its status.

    I see Deadline is projecting a $90 million opening weekend for Halloween ’18 based on the Thursday night estimate.

  459. leahnz says:

    i have terrible insomnia and was thinking about the sound design of the OG – specifically The Shape’s breathing, so gross and disconcerting as we’re trapped there with him in his little bubble – so i might ask if other lovers of carpenter’s classic have any knowledge from the various ‘making ofs’/rare footage/written history about it because i’m drawing a blank or spacing on ever having seen commentary on the origin of the creepy mask breathing idea/sound (and i guess i always wondered the obvious, if perhaps darth vader’s mask breathing in SW released the previous year might have been an influence or the seed of a concept for The Shape)

  460. Hcat says:

    Not to diagnose you from half a world away but might your insomnia be partly do to the steady diet of horror movies?
    🙂

    “When pressed he said that the idea of monsters chasing senior citizens seemed ridiculous to him.”

    Please refer him to Bubba Ho-Tep. Not that it won’t seem ridiculous but still.

    And the idea that Halloween 78 has not held up is like saying Die Hard hasn’t held up. There have been imitators (many with the title in the name) but nothing diminishes the greatness of these originals. I can’t imagine if you are a fan of horror that you would not be a fan of Halloween

  461. Sideshow Bill says:

    The original HALLOWEEN is my all time favorite film. I watch it year after year after. I’m 47. It holds up for me. But it has flaws, logic gaps and errors. It’s not perfect. But that’s part of why I love it so much. I love those errors. I love that Loomis stands around the house all night when the car was parked just behind him (or not very far away). I love PJ Soles idiotic death throes. I love the final shots.

    It still scares me and entertains the fuck out of me. Just like JAWS, although JAWS is a technically better film. I think THE THING is Carpenter’s best film, and my second favorite of his. But HALLOWEEN remains #1.

    Part of that is because of how I heard about the movie: my parents went to see it in 1978. When they came home my dad had to drive the babysitter home (LOL) and my mom claimed she was so terrified that she sat on the couch and did not move until dad got home. She went to see H2 only so she could watch him die, otherwise she never watched any of the other sequels. She has since passed but she’d probably chuckle of the Michael Myers tattoo on my left arm.

    So when she told this 7 year old kid about it the next day the movie became legend before I even saw it. And thus truly began my horror genre obsession.

  462. Sideshow Bill says:

    leahnz, I don’t recall any story about the breathing. Any I know the making-of inside/out. I could just be forgetting something though. I do have in my head that it was Tommy Lee Wallace and they added it in overdubbing. But I don’t know if that’s correct.

    I know when I put on my MM mask, which is not often (I’m not that obsessed) my breathin sounds to me like that from the movie. The idea was probably to put you even further inside the mask.

  463. leahnz says:

    hcat haha, i wish horror movies were the culprit — i’m afraid i may have crossed some rubicon wherein i’m so jaded re horror that it’s a small miracle if i find something genuinely ‘keep me up at night’ scary and freaked out.
    i can still be shocked – such as a certain car bit in ‘hereditary’ that i did not see coming – and creeped out, for example recently the cabin sequence in the first part of ‘the ritual’ was unsettling, but proper peek-though-the-fingers scary is an elusive beast.
    also re ‘bubba ho tep’, i thought the exact same thing, what does that say

    i figured there’d be other weirdos here who watch ‘halloween’ on the regular, just the mention of it and i hear the piano key score in my head, it’s a seminal moment in film history.
    awesome ‘halloween’ story sideshow bill, i love that shit. i’m thinking if you, as a clearly hardcore OG halloween fan, also can’t think of any behind-the-scenes stuff re the mask breathing then it may just be an aspect of the production that wasn’t talked about, which is kind of neat, really.
    i agree it was almost certainly looped in post considering the $3 production budget; i think i have some kind of visceral aversion to that gross mouth-breathing noise that makes my skin crawl (i’m also relieved to hear you don’t wear your MM mask often…)

  464. Christian says:

    Hcat: ‘Twas I, and Movieman, who discussed “Hale County” earlier in this thread.

    Yes, the Gotham nominations were stellar this year.

    Any chance you’ve watched your screener yet, movieman?

    I’m off to Middleburg for three movies today, if all goes as planned. Saw “Border” last night and had no idea where it was going – a genre-shifting surprise that I won’t soon forget. Loved it! And “Shoplifters” earlier in the day was Kore-eda at his finest, a summation work in a sense, although I hope he has many more films left in him.

    Also caught “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” which surprised me less for McCarthy’s strong performance than for Richard E. Grant stealing the movie out from under her. (This isn’t a problem, just a big, happy surprise; he also was nominated for a Gotham, I realized only after I saw the film.)

    The less said about “Ruben Brandt, Collector” the better, although I seem to be in the minority in thinking it would’ve worked well as a 10-minute short. At 90 minutes, it was interminable.

The Hot Blog

Quote Unquotesee all »

It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon