Happy Gilmore 2

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix. We watched Happy Gilmore two weeks ago.

Happy Gilmore 2 is a 2025 sports comedy film serving as a sequel to Happy Gilmore (1996). It stars Adam Sandler. It was written and produced by Sandler and Tim Herlihy, and directed by Kyle Newacheck. Sandler, Julie Bowen, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller reprise their roles from the original film, while Benny Safdie and Bad Bunny star in new roles.

The film follows Happy Gilmore (Sandler), now an older family man, as he returns to the golf course to earn money to pay for his daughter's ballet school. He must face a new generation of golfers and a modern, high-tech sport, all while trying to reignite the passion and talent he once had.

Filled with a mix of nostalgia-rich callbacks, cameos from both returning characters and celebrities and pro golfers, the film blends slapstick humor with heartfelt family themes. Sharon and I both enjoyed the sequel more than than the original. I particularly enjoyed all of the cameos of the pro golfers, including John Daly as a a hermit who lives in Happy's garage. The playoffs at the end reminded me just a little of TGL golf!

Happy Gilmore

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Happy Gilmore. I had never seen the movie.

Happy Gilmore is a 1996 sports comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan and produced by Robert Simonds. It stars Adam Sandler in the title role, with Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and Carl Weathers.

Happy Gilmore (Sandler), a hockey player with a bad temper but a powerful slapshot, dreams of making it to the big leagues. When his grandmother's home is about to be foreclosed on, he discovers his unique talent for driving a golf ball incredible distances. He joins the professional golf tour, much to the dismay of the sport's traditionalists and the top golfer, Shooter McGavin (McDonald). Happy's unorthodox style and comedic antics earn him a legion of fans, but he struggles to control his temper. In a final showdown with Shooter, Happy must prove he has what it takes to win the tournament and save his grandmother's house.

I was motivated to watch the movie by the publicity surrounding the release of Happy Gilmore 2. It is entertaining; Sharon and I laughed a few more times than I expected. We will watch the sequel in the near future.

Jurassic World Rebirth

Thursday evening, Sharon and I went to dinner with her brother Tom and nephew Eric at Matteo's Pizza and Bistro. Sharon had a lamb burger, while I had Al Fresco Sesame Seared Wild Ahi Tuna. My salad was not good...

After dinner, the four of us met Sharon's brother Tim and her nephew Kevin at the Cinemark Century Arden 14 and XD. The six of us saw Jurassic World Rebirth.

Jurassic World Rebirth is a science fiction action thriller film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by David Koepp. A standalone sequel to Jurassic World Dominion (2022), it is the fourth Jurassic World film and the seventh installment overall in the Jurassic Park franchise.

The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali (Green Book, Moonlight) , Jonathan Bailey (Wicked Part One), Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Ed Skrein.

In the movie, a pharmaceutical company recruits a team of experts to an abandoned, dinosaur-infested island to extract vital biomaterial for a new heart disease cure. Their mission becomes a struggle for survival when they encounter dangerous, often mutated, dinosaurs and must contend with a separate civilian family whose boating trip went awry. The group faces off against various prehistoric creatures, including a formidable "Distortus rex," as they attempt to escape the deadly island with the crucial samples.

I saw the first Jurassic Park movie during the summer of 1993. While we were at Lake Almanor, Devan dragged everyone to Susanville to see the movie. I don't think that I have seen any of the subsequent films. While Jurassic World Bebirth was entertaining, both Sharon and I thought it was mediocre. We enjoyed Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning more. Seeing this film doesn't motivate me to see any of the five previous films in the franchise that I missed.

Sisters

Saturday night after having dinner with the kids and grandkids, Sharon and I watched Sisters on Hulu. Sharon had seen the movie on a New York Times list recently and wanted to watch it. We had watched it nine years ago...

Sisters is a 2015 comedy film directed by Jason Moore and written by Paula Pell. The film stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler with a supporting cast that includes a number of current and past Saturday Night Live performers plus John Cena and James Brolin.

The film tells the story of two adult sisters, Maura (Poehler) and Kate (Fey) Ellis, who are polar opposites. When their parents decide to sell their childhood home, the sisters are forced to reunite and clean out their old room. In a last ditch effort to relive their glory days, they decide to throw one final, epic house party for their former classmates.

When we watched it the first time, Sharon commented on how much she enjoyed the movie. She was not so enthusiastic this time. I don't recommend the movie.

Almost Famous

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Almost Famous. It is #47 on the New York Times list of the 100 best films of the 21st century.

Almost Famous is a 2000 comedy drama film written and directed by Cameron Crowe. The film is semi-autobiographical, as Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone.

It stars Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. We have seen a younger Frances McDormand in two movies in the last week; she was in Something's Gotta Give.

Almost Famous tells the story of William Miller (Fugit), a 15-year-old aspiring music journalist in the early 1970s. He lands a dream assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to tour with the up-and-coming rock band Stillwater. During his journey, William navigates the complexities of the rock and roll lifestyle, including the band's internal conflicts and his developing relationships, particularly with the groupie Penny Lane (Hudson). The film is a coming-of-age tale that explores themes of innocence lost, finding one's place, and the allure and disillusionment of the music industry.

At the 73rd Academy Awards, the movie won Best Original Screenplay (Cameron Crowe). Both Hudson and McDormand were nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film was nominated for Best Film Editing. At the Golden Globes, the film won Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Hudson won Best Supporting Actress. It also won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.

I have heard a lot about the film over the years, but had never seen it. Kate Hudson was 20 years old when the movie was filmed. Although she looks very young, Hudson had already done several movies. Both Sharon and I enjoyed Almost Famous. Sharon gave it an "8" out of "10". I recommend it.

Something's Gotta Give

The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 23, ‘Something’s Gotta Give’

Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. They discuss Nancy Meyers’s Something’s Gotta Give, the 2003 romantic comedy starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson, which featured some of the most realized and developed characters of the century. They highlight and celebrate Meyers’s auteurist vision, argue why it’s the last great studio romantic comedy, and remember one of Jack Nicholson’s final performances, which featured an incredible balance of his powerful charisma and uglier, stranger side.

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Something's Gotta Give. We are planning to listen to the podcast about the movie later this week.

Something's Gotta Give is a 2003 romantic comedy drama film written, produced, and directed by Nancy Meyers. It stars Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Keanu Reeves and Amanda Peet co-star, with Frances McDormand, Paul Michael Glaser, Jon Favreau, and KaDee Strickland playing key supporting roles.

For her performance, Keaton received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. At the 61st Golden Globe Awards, Keaton won Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, while Nicholson received a nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

In the movie, Harry Sanborn (Nickolson), a wealthy and aging music mogul with a penchant for younger women, suffers a heart attack at the beach house of his latest girlfriend's mother, Erica Barry. Erica (Keaton), a successful playwright, is initially annoyed by Harry's presence but slowly begins to fall for him as they spend time together. Their budding romance is complicated by the presence of Harry's young girlfriend (Peet) and Erica's charming doctor, Julian Mercer (Reeves). The film explores themes of aging, love, and self-discovery as both Harry and Erica confront their preconceived notions about relationships and happiness.

Looking for something light to watch, Sharon and I enjoyed the movie. Both Keaton and Nicholson's performances are very good. It was a little slow in a couple of spots. I give it a lukewarm thumbs up.

September 5

Wednesday night May 7 while Sharon was on her Oregon roadtrip with Tom, I watched September 5. The film is one of two movies nominated for a major 2025 Oscar that I haven't seen. It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 97th Academy Awards. Additionally, it received a Best Motion Picture – Drama nomination at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.

September 5 is a historical drama thriller film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Tim Fehlbaum. It stars: Peter Sarsgaard as Roone Arledge, the president of ABC Sports; John Magaro as Geoffrey Mason, the head of the control room in Munich; Ben Chaplin as Marvin Bader, the head of operations at ABC Sports; and Leonie Benesch as Marianne Gebhardt, a translator for the crew who speaks German.

The film chronicles the 1972 Munich Olympic hostage crisis from the perspective of the ABC Sports broadcasting team. Initially covering the Olympic Games, the crew finds themselves pivoting to report on the unfolding tragedy involving Israeli athletes held hostage by the Black September terrorist group. The film highlights the intense pressure and ethical dilemmas faced by the broadcasters as they navigate live coverage of the escalating crisis. As the situation deteriorates, the crew grapples with the responsibility of informing a global audience while dealing with the immediate and dangerous consequences of their reporting.

September 5 makes extensive use of archival footage from ABC's coverage of the 1972 Summer Olympics and the hostage crisis, including footage of Jim McKay narrating the events. I enjoyed the movie and recommend it.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Sunday morning, Sharon and I went to see Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning at the Country Club Cinema. This is the eighth installment of the series. Sharon and I saw Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning [#7] in March 2024. Sharon, Jack and I saw Mission: Impossible - Fallout [#6] in 2018, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation [#5] in Boston in 2015 during our east coast college tour and Mission Impossible III in 2012.

Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning is a 2025 American spy action film directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen. It was released May 23, 2025. It is a direct sequel to the previous installment that also wraps up continuous threads begun in the 1996 original.

It stars Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett reprise their roles from the previous films.

In the film, Hunt and his IMF team face off against "the Entity", a powerful rogue AI.

As a kid, I loved watching the old television series. The theme song for the series is part of the soundtrack for my life.

The stunt work at the end of the movie is pretty amazing. Tom Cruise was genuinely on the wing of a vintage biplane as it flew at speeds of up to 140 miles per hour and at altitudes of around 8,000 feet. There was no green screen for the bulk of the stunt. No body doubles were used for Cruise's actions. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the creation of a new "Best Stunt Design" category. Unfortunately, it will not debut until the 100th Academy Awards in 2028, honoring films released in 2027.

We enjoyed the movie. As I said after the Dead Reckoning, I have a kink about an artificial intelligence's ability to hack any and all systems. With almost 45 years of large system information technology experience, the casualness with which some extremely complicated technical things are accomplished grates on me. I appreciate the concern about artificial intelligence, but technology on this kind of scale is fragile... It will be interesting to see if this is actually the final installment in the Mission: Impossible film series.

Micheal Clayton

The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 25, ‘Michael Clayton’

Sean and Amanda kick off their year-long project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far with a discussion of Tony Gilroy’s ‘Michael Clayton,’ the 2007 legal thriller starring George Clooney and featuring one of the best scripts of the century. They talk about how tightly wound the movie is, some sliding doors in its production, and what it means for the list to start with such a beloved movie for both Sean and Amanda.

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Michael Clayton. On Saturday as we were driving to Cronan Ranch, we listened to the Big Picture podcast discussing the movie.

Michael Clayton is a 2007 legal thriller. It is the first feature film by writer and director Tony Gilroy. The movie stars George Clooney as lawyer Michael Clayton. Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack appear in supporting roles.

Michael Clayton, a "fixer" for a prestigious New York law firm, is tasked with cleaning up the mess when a senior litigator has a mental breakdown during a high-stakes corporate lawsuit. As Clayton delves deeper, he uncovers a massive cover-up by the firm's client, a powerful agrochemical company, forcing him to confront his own moral compromises. Facing danger and a potential life-altering decision, Clayton must choose between protecting the firm or exposing the truth, risking everything in the process.

Michael Clayton was nominated for seven Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor for George Clooney, Best Supporting Actor for Wilkinson, and Best Supporting Actress for Tilda Swinton. Swinton won Best Supporting Actress.

Sharon and I hadn't seen the movie. We both enjoyed it. I recommend it. I am looking forward to watching more movies as Sean and Amanda count down the best movies of the last twenty-five years.

Nickel Boys

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Nickel Boys. With the Oscar show on Sunday night, we are trying to finish filling out the dance card. The movie got two nominations at the 97th Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Nickel Boys is a historical drama film based on the 2019 novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. It was directed by RaMell Ross, who wrote the screenplay with Joslyn Barnes. The film is inspired by the Dozier School for Boys, a now-closed Florida reform school notorious for its abusive treatment of students. It stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Jimmie Fails, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

The film depicts the harrowing experiences of two Black teenagers, Elwood (Herisse) and Turner (Wilson), at a brutal reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Elwood's idealism clashes with Turner's cynicism as they navigate the academy's systemic abuse and racism. The film explores their fight for survival and the enduring impact of institutionalized violence.

Nickel Boys was named one of the top 10 films of 2024 by the American Film Institute. In addition to the Oscar nominations, it received the award for Best Cinematography at the 40th Independent Spirit Awards and a Best Motion Picture – Drama nomination at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.

After watching twenty minutes of the movie, Sharon said "I don't like this movie." At the forty minute mark, she said "I don't understand why this was nominated for best picture." When it was over, Sharon said "that was awful."

The film is shot from an unusual first-person point-of-view. While I respect what the director was trying to accomplish, I found the movie disjointed and hard to follow. I didn't enjoy it. I don't recommend it. It is disappointing that Nickel Boys was nominated for Best Picture and Sing Sing wasn't. The movie isn't winning any Oscars.

The Holiday

Monday night, December 23, Sharon and I watched The Holiday on Amazon Prime. Sharon wanted to watch a holiday movie. She got the suggestion for this movie from Caroline Chamber's Christmas Movie Approval Matrix.

The Holiday is a 2006 romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Co-produced by Bruce A. Block, it was filmed in both California and in England.

It stars Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. Jude Law and Jack Black were cast as the film's leading men Graham and Miles, with Eli Wallach, Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns, and Rufus Sewell playing supporting roles.

Two heartbroken women, an American movie trailer editor and a British journalist, impulsively swap homes for the Christmas holidays in a desperate attempt to escape their romantic woes. While in each other's homes, they unexpectedly encounter charming locals, leading to unexpected and heartwarming romances.

My only comment about the movie is that Jack Black seems very miscast. He is not a leading man.

The Brutalist

Saturday afternoon, Tom, Sharon and I saw the The Brutalist at the Regal Delta Shores & IMAX. The movie fits into our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has The Brutalist as the favorite to win the Best Picture Oscar. It won three awards at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including: Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actor; Best Director; and, Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. It was named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the American Film Institute.

The Brutalist is a period drama film directed and produced by Brady Corbet. Corbert co-wrote the script with Mona Fastvold.

It stars Adrien Brody as László Tóth, a Hungarian-born Jewish architect. The character of László Tóth was inspired by several real-life architects and designers, including Paul Rudolph, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, László Moholy-Nagy, and Marcel Breuer. The cast also features Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn, Raffey Cassidy, Stacy Martin, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankolé, and Alessandro Nivola.

The Brutalist follows the Hungarian architect [Brody] who escapes the horrors of World War II and immigrates to the United States. He struggles to achieve the American Dream. The architect becomes entangled with a wealthy industrialist [Pearce]. This leads to a complex and morally ambiguous journey that explores themes of ambition, power, and the lasting impact of trauma.

Tom's thoughts about The Brutalist:

1. brutal;
2. cinematic;
3. why?;
4. thank God for the intermission;
5. could have spent time better reorganizing my sock drawer; and,
6. Brody likely Oscar winner and probably deserved but still 5 hours of your life you’ll wish another time you still had.

The movie runs about 3 hours and 45 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. I am frankly surprised that the studio would let a director not named Scorsese create a film this long. I am not sure how it is going to attract a large enough audience to make any money.

We saw the film in an IMAX theater. The cinematography is fantastic! Additionally, as Tom noted Brody performance is very good.

When the movie was over, Sharon turned to me and said "I am sorry, that was not good, I didn't like it." I enjoyed the movie more than Sharon or Tom did. In spite of the cinematography and Brody's performance, I don't recommend it unless you are trying to fill out your Oscar Best Picture dance card.

Maria

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Maria on Netflix. This is part of our annual journey to see all of the films that MIGHT be nominated for any Oscar. The movie received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.

Maria is a biographical psychological drama film directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight. It is the third film in Larraín's trilogy of important 20th-century women, following Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021). We saw both of those filims.

The film stars Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas. It also stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Stephen Ashfield, Valeria Golino, and Kodi Smit-McPhee [The Power of the Dog] in supporting roles.

Maria depicts the final days of legendary opera singer Maria Callas in 1970s Paris. She confronts a declining health, a tumultuous past, and the fading echoes of her once-powerful voice, while grappling with her identity and life's regrets.

This is a very good performance by Jolie. GoldDerby currently has her with the fifth best odds for a Best Actress Oscar. I didn't know anything about Maria Callas. I was surprised to learn that she was involved with Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis. This film is better than Larrain's movies about Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

The Substance

New Year's Eve, Tom, Sharon and I watched The Substance. The movie received five nominations at the upcoming 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including: Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical; Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy; and, Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture. GoldDerby currently has The Substance with the tenth highest Best Picture Odds for the 2025 Oscars.

The Substance is described as a satirical body horror film. It was written, directed, co-edited, and co-produced by Coralie Fargeat. The movie stars Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley.

The Substance tells the story of Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), an aging celebrity, who is fired from her job due to her age by her producer (Quaid). She resorts to a mysterious black market drug that creates a younger, more vibrant version of herself (Qualley). However, this rejuvenation comes with horrifying and unpredictable consequences. As Elisabeth struggles to maintain control over her transformed self, her life spirals out of control.

I have to start by saying that I am not a fan of horror movies. The first half of the movie is intriguing. The last twenty minutes jumps the shark; the special effects team utilized around 21,000 litres of fake blood and a fire hose. I don't recommend the movie. I will be surprised if it wins a Golden Globe. I will be disappointed if it is nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

A Complete Unknown

Christmas Night, Jack, Drew, Carmen, Sharon and I saw A Complete Unknown at Cinemark Century Greenback Lane 16 and XD. Over the last sixteen years, we have had a tradition of seeing a movie on Christmas Day. Additionally, the movie fits into our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has A Complete Unknown with the eleventh highest Best Picture Odds.

A Complete Unknown is a biographical musical drama film directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jay Cocks. It is based on the 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald. The film's title is derived from the chorus of Dylan's 1965 single "Like a Rolling Stone".

Timothée Chalamet (who also produces) stars as Dylan. The supporting cast includes Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, and Scoot McNairy.

The biopic follows Bob Dylan's journey from an aspiring folk singer to a rock and roll icon. The film chronicles his rise to fame in the 1960s New York City music scene. It explores his relationships with key figures like Pete Seeger (Norton) and Joan Baez (Barbaro). The movie culminates with Dylan's controversial electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.

I liked the movie more than Sharon did. While Chalamet is one of Sharon's favorite actors, Bob Dylan is one of her least favorite musicians. Sharon noted that there is a lot of singing in the movie. Chalamet sings 40 Dylan songs in the film, while also playing guitars and harmonicas. All performances were recorded live while filming. I think that the movie will be nominated for Best Picture and Chalamet will be nominated for Best Actor.

I was surprised to realize that I don't have a Bob Dylan song in the Soundtrack for my Life. One of my roommates during my freshman year in college played a lot of Dylan. The song Hurricane came out in November of 1975; the roommate played it frequently. I might add a Bob Dylan song this year...

Saturday Night

Sharon and I watched Saturday Night as a rental on the AppleTV. This is loosely part of our annual journey to see all of the films that MIGHT be nominated for any Oscar. The movie received one Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Gabriel LaBelle's performance as the show's creator and producer, Lorne Michaels.

Saturday Night is a biographical comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman. It is about the night of the 1975 premiere of NBC's Saturday Night, later known as Saturday Night Live.

The film stars a large ensemble cast portraying the various Saturday Night cast and crew. In addition to Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, I particularly enjoyed Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd and Matt Wood as John Belushi.

Frankly, I wanted to watch the movie because I have always been a Saturday Night Live fan. One of my cherished memories is watching a SNL skit with Nooter.  It was Steve Martin and Bill Murray pointing and asking “What the hell is that…?”.  This skit ran in October of 1979, more than forty-five years ago.

I read a 750 page oral history of the first five years of the show in 2020. While I was reading the book, I watched the first episode. Running on the treadmill, I watched the entire first session during the pandemic. I am currently slowly working my way through the second season.

Saturday Night won't win any awards. It will not be nominated for any Oscars. Nevertheless, as a fan of the show, I enjoyed the movie.

Fly Me to the Moon

Saturday night, Sharon and I watched Fly Me to the Moon on Apple TV+. Sharon latched on to the idea of watching the movie because the trailer is being featured at the top of the Apple TV+ home screen.

Fly Me to the Moon is a romantic comedy drama film directed by Greg Berlanti and written by Rose Gilroy. It is based on a story by Keenan Flynn and Bill Kirstein.

The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. Woody Harrelson and Ray Romano appear in supporting roles. There is a cameo of Colin Jost as a senator.

Set against the backdrop of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, the movie follows a marketing executive, Kelly Jones (Johansson), and a NASA launch director, Cole Davis (Tatum). As the U.S. races to land on the moon, Kelly and Cole navigate a fake moon landing plot while falling for each other.

Not a great movie, but a nice mindless break from working our way through the potential Oscar Best Picture candidates...

Wicked Part One

Tuesday afternoon, Sharon and I watched Wicked Part One at the Century Club Cinema. We are continuing our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has Wicked Part One with the fifth highest Best Picture Odds.

The film was named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the American Film Institute. It earned four nominations at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Wicked is a musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu. It was written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox with songs by Stephen Schwartz. It is the first installment of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name based on the 1995 novel. The novel is based on the Oz books and the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. Wicked Part Two is scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.

It stars Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp and Ariana Grande as Galinda Upland. The supporting cast includes Jonathan Bailey [Bridgerton], Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh [Everything Everywhere All At Once] and Jeff Goldblum.

Wicked Part One reimagines the iconic story of The Wizard of Oz. It focuses on the origins of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The film follows Elphaba's journey from a misunderstood outcast to a powerful figure, exploring her complex relationship with Glinda, the Good Witch. As they navigate the challenges of a divided world, their friendship is tested and their destinies intertwined.

This movie has gotten more and more positive buzz over the last month. While Sharon enjoyed the movie more than I did, I would bet that it gets a Best Picture nomination. I expect that Erivo will get a Best Actress nomination, while Grande gets a Supporting Actress nomination. Wicked Part One is definitely worth seeing. Sharon was crestfallen that Part Two does come up until next November. I was surprised how many were in the theater for a Tuesday afternoon showing.

Jack, Sharon and I saw the play Wicked in San Francisco in 2009.

Blitz

Friday night, Sharon and I watched Blitz on AppleTV. We are continuing our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. The movie was an early favorite for a best picture nomination. Over the last couple of months, it has fallen out of favor. GoldDerby currently has Blitz with the fourteenth highest Best Picture Odds. Nevertheless, the movie has started to show up on some best picture lists again in the last month.

Blitz is a historical war drama film written, produced and directed by Steve McQueen. McQueen directed Twelve Years a Slave. It won the Best Picture Oscar in 2014 and he was nominated for Best Director.

The film stars Saoirse Ronan and Elliot Heffernan (in his film debut). They are supported by Harris Dickinson, Benjamin Clementine, Kathy Burke, Paul Weller, and Stephen Graham.

During World War II, a young boy named George (Heffernan) is evacuated from London during the Blitz. Defying orders, he embarks on a perilous journey back to his mother, Rita (Ronan). As Rita desperately searches for her lost son, George encounters a series of eccentric characters and faces the harsh realities of wartime London.

This is solid, enjoyable movie. It is not going to win Best Picture. I don't believe that it is going to get nominated for Best Picture. Additionally, I don't believe that Ronan will get a acting nomination.

Several years ago, I read The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. Based on that book, I think that the movie does an excellent job depicting the impact of the Blitz.

A Real Pain

Late Monday afternoon, Sharon and I saw A Real Pain at the Country Club Cinema. Like when we saw Dune Part Two, we were the only people in the theater. We are continuing our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. GoldDerby currently has A Real Pain with the eighth highest Best Picture Odds. Additionally, Kieran Culkin has the highest Best Supporting Actor odds for his role in the film.

A Real Pain is a comedy drama film, written, directed, and produced by Jesse Eisenberg. It stars Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.

Two mismatched cousins, David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin), embark on a trip to Poland to honor their late grandmother and explore their Jewish heritage. As they navigate the tour group and visit historical sites, their contrasting personalities and past tensions resurface, leading to humorous and poignant moments.

After seeing Anora and Emilia Perez in the last couple of weeks, A Real Pain was a nice change of pace to a more traditional movie. Eisenberg and Culkin's performances are good. I can see both of them getting acting nominations. Overall, the film is not as good as The Holdovers was last year. While I can see it getting nominated for Best Picture, it is not going to win.