The Oscar Project
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. 65 After spending some time starring in dramas like Marriage Story, The Last Duel, House of Gucci, and White Noise, Adam driver returns to science fiction with 65, the latest effort from the writers of A Quiet Place. Driver stars as Mills, the pilot of a spaceship that crash lands on an unidentified planet. He is able to find only one other survivor of the crash, Koa, played by Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War, The One and Only Ivan). They struggle to survive on the new planet, which turns out to be prehistoric Earth, populated by the original dinosaurs, not ones re-created from frozen DNA. Champions I only just heard about this film from director Bobby Farrelly, half of the famous Farrelly Brothers (Dumb and Dumber, There's Something About Mary). This film brings Woody Harrelson into the role of Marcus, a former minor-league basketball coach who finds himself in legal trouble, derailing his opportunity to coach in the NBA. As part of his community service, coach Marcus must take over a team of players with intellectual disabilities who aim to try out for a spot in the Special Olympics. Scream VI Hot on the heels of last year's Scream reboot, this film got greenlit and written in a hurry. Series regular Neve Campbell will not be included in this iteration, but Courtney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, and Melissa Barrera all return from previous films in the series. Also joining the cast this time around is Jenna Ortega, star of the hit Netflix series Wednesday. The Scream franchise takes a trip out of the quiet suburbs in this film, with Ghostface terrorizing folks in New York City now, hoping that this change in scenery will rejuvenate the series. Limited ReleasesThere have been a ton of big releases since Quantumania that will be demanding theaters, but that isn't stopping studios from releasing other smaller films. Check your local showtimes for these releases:
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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. Last week was a little lighter on big releases after Quantumania the previous week, but Cocaine Bear and Jesus Revolution still did pretty well at the box office. Creed III What is continuing as one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, Creed III joins the ranks as another film from the Rocky universe, but this spin off has taken on a life of its own. In this follow up to the 2018 film Creed II, Michael B. Jordan is back as Adonis Creed. He has risen to new heights and must face off against a childhood friend, Damian Anderson, played by Jonathan Majors. Majors is turning into a big draw recently and looks to have a bright future ahead of him. It will be interesting to see these two talented young actors go toe to toe on screen and in the ring. Demon Slayer: Kemetsu No Yaiba – To the Swordsmith Village I'm not the biggest fan of anime in general, but this series has plenty of buzz. There was a similar release last fall that did decently well in theaters, so it's fair to say that we will continue to see these releases periodically going forward as long as American audiences continue to buy tickets. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre If there's one thing you can count on with Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham, it's action and judging from the trailer for Operation Fortune, it won't be lacking in that area. Statham is joined by an all-star cast including Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Josh Hartnett, Bugsy Malone, and Hugh Grant in a film about a secret agent who hires a movie star to help him complete a secret mission. Limited ReleasesThere are plenty of limited releases, many of which will be in most areas this weekend:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. This will be the first big test of 2023 to see where the box office sits. We have a holiday weekend (President's Day on Monday) which last year saw Uncharted take the top spot with around $51 million over the four days. 2020 was an even higher $70 million over four days for Sonic the Hedgehog, just before everything went into lock down for the pandemic. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania All that said, the numbers for Quantumania will likely blow anything from Sonic and Uncharted completely out of the water. The film arrives after several months of no new Marvel content since the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in early November. While there are several new shows slated for the rest of the year, including a second season of Loki where we first met Kang the Conqueror, Quantumania is the only Marvel title for q while. It has been almost five years since the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp and so much has happened in the MCU since that film. We've seen the end of the Infinity Saga, the beginning of Marvel shows on Disney+, and a half dozen new movies that have introduced many new characters across the universe. After Thor: Love and Thunder took things back to the cosmic realm, it will be interesting to see how Quantumania takes things microscopic with the hidden quantum realm as well as how that relates to Kang's role as the next Thanos. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon This is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen and it opened my eyes to new possibilities in filmmaking when I first saw it. At the time, I didn't know who Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Zi Yi, or Ang Lee were, but all these names have seen varying degrees of fame increase since this film was released. While not a special anniversary re-release like Titanic was last week, this re-release is likely trying to gain a boost from the recent Oscar nomination of Michelle Yeoh for Best Actress. If there is one film of Yeoh's that deserves a re-release, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the one. Limited ReleasesThere are just a handful on the calendar this weekend as most films are avoiding the Ant-Man weekend like the plague. Here are the few brave films that are dropping in limited release this weekend.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. Happy Valentine's Day to all. I hope you have someone special in your life to celebrate with and perhaps go on a date to see a movie. There are plenty of new movies in theaters you can pick from as seen in my February 3rd and February 10th preview posts, but there are three films slated to hit theaters mid-week this week so I thought a special Valentine's edition of the weekly preview would be warranted. Marlowe We've seen plenty of Liam Neeson in ass kicking mode over the last 15 year or so since Taken first hit theaters, but this film takes him back to 1930s Hollywood. Neeson plays a private detective named Philip Marlowe who is tasked with finding the ex-lover of a woman. Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange co-star with Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje, Alan Cumming, Danny Huston, and Colm Meaney in supporting roles. It might not have the all out action of a film like Taken, but it looks like Marlowe isn't afraid to get his hands dirty while doing his "investigating." Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey I'm not going to lie, this movie looks creepy as hell, especially because of what it does to these beloved characters that have been a part of so many childhoods over the years. Blood and Honey flips the script on the Winnie-the-Pooh characters, probably best known for their adaptation by Disney over the years, and turns them into homicidal savages bent on revenge against Christopher Robin for abandoning them as he grew older. Supposedly shot for roughly $100,000 this could be the next breakout independent film to make a huge splash at the box office, something another horror film (The Blair Witch Project) did two decades ago. Fair warning, if you are at all triggered by things relating to school shootings and similar events, don't even watch the trailer for this movie (or my preview video below honestly). This film is only getting a limited release tomorrow, and I can't see it ever going mainstream, but there will definitely be a niche audience for it. The premise is a teen that falls in love with her teacher...and eating other people. It feels like the sort of film that could only be made in today's social media culture, but I'm not sure it should. Please proceed with caution if you have any interest in this film. Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. It's Super Bowl weekend, and if you're not into catching the big game, there are a few movie options for you to catch at the theater. Consecration This looks like a cute little horror thriller that is probably left over from the release slate from last year. With no real big stars in it, I don't anticipate it making a huge splash at the box office, especially since I've seen next to no marketing for it like Smile did last fall. Some folks like horror movies and will look at this as a possible Valentine's Day date night, but with Valentine's falling in the middle of the week next week, it may be lower than usual. Magic Mike's Last Dance I will be interested to see if this truly is the "last dance" once all is said and done. It's been eight years since Tatum has been on screen in Magic Mike XXL, and that film did substantially less business than the first in the series. However, both the other two films were released in late June and I've seen this newest release marketed as a date movie. Chances are the wives and girlfriends will be flocking to theaters to see as much of Tatum as they can, with the guys ogling over Salma Hayek's addition to the franchise. I expect this to be the biggest film of the weekend, only to be taken over by the obvious blockbuster Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania next week. Titanic 25th Anniversary It's hard to believe that Titanic is 25 years old this year, but it's true. What's even harder to believe is that director James Cameron has only released two additional feature films in those last 25 years, with Avatar: The Way of Water hitting theaters just this past December. Chances are you've seen this film many times, especially when it's on TV when certain stations need to fill a 4-hour block of time. There are always a few scenes they can't FULLY show on TV, but if you haven't had the chance to watch Titanic on the big screen in some time, I highly encourage you checking it out this weekend. Limited Releases
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. 80 for Brady I can't say I'm disappointed that Tom Brady isn't in the Super Bowl this year, and with his announcement earlier this week, I really hope it sticks this time and we never see him play in a Super Bowl again. Don't get me wrong, I respect his career and give him full props for what he's been able to achieve over the last two plus decades, but it's time to let other folks win some Super Bowls. That said, despite my annoyance with Brady as a football player (mainly because he never played for my team) I am interested in this movie. I might not seem like the target demographic for this, but it is truly trying to bridge two groups of movie fans, older women like the protagonists, and football fans. Granted there is already some crossover in that audience, but this might be just the movie to get the 65+ female crowd back to theaters in a big way, and with no football games this weekend (other than the flag football Pro Bowl) if you want your football fix, this might be just the way to get it until next week. I also will love to see how these actresses are still at it in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s! Knock at the Cabin For a long time, M. Night Shyamalan has been a bit hit or miss when it comes to directing. He broke onto the scene with his 1999 film The Sixth Sense and followed that up with another Bruce Willis film, Unbreakable. Overall, his films have been up and down over the years, with his most recent outing (Old) not doing very well at the box office or with critics. Unlike many of his films, this is based on an existing story, the book titled The Cabin at the End of the World, by Paul Tremblay. My biggest hope for this movie is that it's better than the book, which I read last fall in anticipation of this movie's release. Throughout the novel, I kept thinking that certain scenes would be better portrayed on screen and the novel just kept things far too drawn out for my liking. The ending was especially disappointing and I am curious to see what the end of the film is like. My other interest in this film is seeing Dave Bautista and Rupert Grint in villain roles. We've seen Bautista in some "non-hero" roles in the past, but I haven't seen Grint in anything since Harry Potter, so I hope he is able to make that shift. Limited ReleasesThere are a bunch of options for limited releases if you aren't interested in the films above.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy.
We have three new films hitting wide release this week, starting with The Devil Conspiracy. I haven't heard much of anything about this film, but from the synopsis I found online, it looks like a story about a shadowy organization trying to clone Jesus Christ so they can them sacrifice him to the devil. I'm not sure what to expect out of this one, but it sure sounds like it's out there.
The second wide release this weekend is House Party, a remake of the 1990 film of the same name. The film is produced by LeBron James and features two friends fired from their house cleaning job that decide to return to James's mansion and host the party of the year while he is out of town.
I feel like Gerard Butler hasn't made a movie in a few years, but looking at his filmography, he has had at least one film release every year since his debut in 1997. This film reminds me a bit of the Denzel Washington film Flight from 2012 mixed with a bit of US Marshals or The Fugitive. I'm sure it will keep you on the edge of your seat, but still feels a bit formulaic.
And last up is the wide expansion of the Tom Hanks film A Man Called Otto. I am planning on seeing this over the weekend and will post a review early next week, but I'm cautiously optimistic about the film. It is based on the novel A Man Called Ove by Frank Backman as well as the Swedish film also called A Man Called Ove from 2015. I have seen the original film and I worry that the Hanks version will be a little too whitewashed for sensitive American audiences, but I'm hoping that it stays somewhat true to the original. Limited Releases
There are quite a few more limited releases than last week and for some reason horror still seems to be ruling the roost. Check your local listings for these films.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and we receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something on our recommendation. Purchasing via an affiliate link doesn’t cost you any extra and the opinions expressed in this post are the author's own. For more details see our disclosure policy and privacy policy. I really have to apologize in advance for the terribly disturbing image connected with this article. Every time I look at the poster for M3GAN, I get a bit freaked out, almost more so than the poster for Annabelle did. I'm not sure if it's the relatively lifeless eyes or just the fact that the doll in this movie looks quite real, but can't fully cross the uncanny valley. Not to mention, I have to look at it every time I log into The Oscar Project Discord. I change the server icon every week to one of the new films coming out that weekend, but I might just change this one early so I don't have to keep looking at that creepy face! M3GAN is a story you've seen and heard before, so I'm not sure if there will be too much originality in the film, but the main comparison I can think of (after Annabelle) is Ex Machina. If you've seen that film, I'm sure you know what I mean. Now, I don't expect the acting to be as good in this film as that one, but this can only serve to fill the needs of anyone who's been looking for a new horror flick in the past month and a half. Don't forget to check out my full preview of movies coming to theaters this weekend in the video below. Limited ReleasesAvatar: The Way of Water is still dominating the box office even as it is entering its 4th weekend in release. I doubt that M3GAN will put a dent in the Avatar fever, but here are some other options that you might find in smaller theaters near you:
It's the weekend many people have been anticipating for over a decade. Audiences finally get to see what James Cameron has been working on the for the last 13 years since the release of the original Avatar. The first film from 2009 remains the highest grossing film at the worldwide box office, ahead of Avengers: Endgame by a little over $100 million. At the domestic box office, Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens have all surpassed Avatar. But worth noting is that James Cameron's two most successful films in terms of box office receipts, (Avatar and Titanic) are still among the top ten both domestically and worldwide, and remain the only two films in the top of those lists not made in the last ten years. Even with inflation and the rise of premium format screens that have also increased ticket prices, few films have been able to match the box office success of Cameron's biggest films. Now, does that mean that we'll see Avatar: The Way of Water vaulting into the top of the box office charts this weekend? Probably not. Looking back at 2009, the first Avatar had an opening weekend box office of just over $77 million, which puts it as the 113th best opening weekend, right between 2006's Tom Hanks film The Da Vinci Code, and the 2018 reboot of Halloween. Titanic only pulled in $28.6 million in its first weekend, making it the 637th best opening weekend since those numbers were tracked consistently. Obviously we know a bit more of what to expect this time around with The Way of Water. Cameron has waited so long to complete this film because the technology didn't exist to shoot underwater scenes like he wanted. It harkens back a bit to making The Abyss and some of the struggles he went through to shoot underwater scenes in that film. Let me know in the comments below if you're going to see Avatar: The Way of Water this weekend. I'm hoping to go myself after just watching the original the other night on Disney+. Limited ReleasesWith Avatar: The Way of Water dominating the box office this weekend, there is little room for anything else, but a few limited releases are dropping in case anyone is looking for something that's NOT Avatar.
I've been putting together weekly preview videos for about four months pretty consistently, and I decided it's time to bring back my weekly preview post here on the website. If you prefer to have your preview in video form, I've included it below as well. I hope you enjoy and I look forward to bringing you more movie content. I used to do these posts every week and I think I stopped in part because of Covid when there weren't any new releases out. I never picked it back up, but I enjoy doing them so I'm going to work on getting consistent with them again. If there is anything you would like to see added to these posts, please drop a note in the comments below and don't forget to leave a note letting me know which one of these movies you are most looking forward to this weekend. Wide ReleasesFather Stu: Reborn After the return of Top Gun: Maverick to theaters last week, Sony is trying to cash in on bringing a movie back to theaters for a limited run during the holidays. Now with a 'PG-13' rating instead of 'R', Mark Wahlberg's biopic returns to theaters to tell the story of Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-Catholic priest. Here's your chance to check it out in theaters once more or you can catch the full original version which is currently available on Netflix. The Whale This may be one of the most anticipated movies in a long time (next week's big release aside) because it marks the return of Brendan Fraser to the big screen. The Whale tells the story of a teacher who weighs over 600 pounds as he strives to reconcile with his estranged teenage daughter. The buzz around this film has been picking up in recent weeks and it is sure to get Fraser at least into the Oscar conversation, if not picking up a nomination for Best Actor. Spoiler Alert Based on the biography Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies (affiliate link), this film seems like a bit of a downer since it's all about a man dying of cancer. Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Fleabag) stars as Kit Cowan who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, Home) is his partner Michael Ausiello who must deal with the thought of losing his friend and partner of 14 years. Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire, Forrest Gump) plays Cowan's mother. Limited ReleasesThe limited release slate is relatively small this week, but includes the following films:
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AuthorI'm just a film buff who wants to watch great movies. Where else to find the best, than the list of those nominated by the Academy each year? Archives
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