I couldn’t possibly choose between Sinners and One Battle After Another, they’re both excellent and not really comparable. I do think Sean Penn has a good chance at best supporting actor.
I was disappointed that Russell Crowe wasn’t nominated for Nuremberg. I saw it at a theater that’s suffered through some hard times so I didn’t get the best technological experience, but it still seemed that Crowe delivered when the movie didn’t. The movie itself was over the top too often, failing to connect plot points satisfactorily (I thought) which might have been the reason it was ignored by the Academy. But Crowe played Goring beautifully, hiding the evil until he found goodness wasn’t working anymore. Apparently I’m in the minority.
Marty Supreme was the best film of the year, probably of the decade. I'm sort of shocked that Eddington got no nominations. And I feel like Sinners is going to take it from one battle after another for precisely the backlash flip that you describe in the article.
I loved Train Dreams, and have recommended it to many. After watching it, I found your review. It was very helpful to me, putting into words a description of the movie that I felt, but couldn't have described with such clarity. Thanks for that.
I ran out and caught The Secret Agent a few weeks ago and found it quite moving. It's rather understated but very effective. It stuck with me for a bit after I left the theater.
I'm really pulling for Sinners.
I ended up seeing Sinners 3 times in theaters last year. Each time the screening was sold out. The one on opening weekend was not a surprise. When I went with a friend to see it over Memorial Day Weekend, I was surprised that it was sold out despite being out for over a month. The third time was at Music Box for their 70mm film festival. That being sold out wasn't a surprise, but the reaction to our hometown legend being on screen was awesome. People broke out in applause.
I'm right with you in preferring Eddington to Bugonia as the year's best movie about people falling down online rabbit holes (and which also happen to have weirdly similar twists).
I am fully on the OBAA bandwagon and, while I really liked Sinners, can't think of any big categories where I think it deserves to beat OBAA.
I thought Sentimental Value was really well done (and way more heartwarming than I've come to expect from Scandinavian arthouse movies) but it didn't feel to me like that big of a swing, creatively. There were a lot of movies that were way more stylistically daring.
I had your same criticism of Frankenstein. F1: The Movie didn't feel like it did enough to elevate its genre cliches.
Still haven't seen Marty Supreme, Hamnet, Train Dreams, or the Secret Agent.
I second Sonny's motion to add some "Sonny's always right" merchandise. Might have to buy a Sarah's always right shirt and modify "arah's" with a sharpie.
Sonny, does it feel weird to watch so many progressive movies that other movie critics demand become popular? For a guy whose Hollywood Social media is full of Charlie Kirk fans, isn’t it weird to watch movies with great minority actors? Like does your twitter blow up if you give props to a gay or black actor? Charlie Kirk wouldn’t have liked those type of people getting praise.
Watched Sinners last weekend for a third time with friends. I LOVE this film-highly original screenplay (no it is not Get Out or Us and frankly that's a reductionist (racist) take).
I feel like a pariah when I say it, but I didn’t think the first Wicked movie was that good. It’s always hard to rate a movie that’s only half a movie, but I was very underwhelmed.
The pacing of dialogue in Wicked Part I was glacially slow—like watching the first Harry Potter movie or something—but I thought most of the big musical numbers were effective, even if the music itself was corny to me.
The only one of these that I have fully seen is one Battle After Another, which I found to be quirky and enjoyable and also scary, in some ways. It was an interesting mix with effective performances.. and, ya the whole Benicio/Leo part was great.
Watched the first 10 minutes of Frankenstein and it made me not want to watch the rest, so I didn't. I often like Del Toros work, but that one did not capture me.
Probably won't see any of the others.
Most of this stuff is, quite frankly, stuff I have zero interest in seeing. The only reasons I watched Battle is: 1)the wife wanted to see it; and 2) Leo was in it.
I am so pleased that I am not alone thinking The Chair Company is fantastic.
I couldn’t possibly choose between Sinners and One Battle After Another, they’re both excellent and not really comparable. I do think Sean Penn has a good chance at best supporting actor.
I was disappointed that Russell Crowe wasn’t nominated for Nuremberg. I saw it at a theater that’s suffered through some hard times so I didn’t get the best technological experience, but it still seemed that Crowe delivered when the movie didn’t. The movie itself was over the top too often, failing to connect plot points satisfactorily (I thought) which might have been the reason it was ignored by the Academy. But Crowe played Goring beautifully, hiding the evil until he found goodness wasn’t working anymore. Apparently I’m in the minority.
Marty Supreme was the best film of the year, probably of the decade. I'm sort of shocked that Eddington got no nominations. And I feel like Sinners is going to take it from one battle after another for precisely the backlash flip that you describe in the article.
Covid is too divisive, people still cannot process it.
Sonny,
I loved Train Dreams, and have recommended it to many. After watching it, I found your review. It was very helpful to me, putting into words a description of the movie that I felt, but couldn't have described with such clarity. Thanks for that.
oh that's great to hear, glad I could help!
F1 got nominated for Best Picture? What is the world coming to? And that’s from someone who actually saw it in the theater.
I ran out and caught The Secret Agent a few weeks ago and found it quite moving. It's rather understated but very effective. It stuck with me for a bit after I left the theater.
I'm really pulling for Sinners.
I ended up seeing Sinners 3 times in theaters last year. Each time the screening was sold out. The one on opening weekend was not a surprise. When I went with a friend to see it over Memorial Day Weekend, I was surprised that it was sold out despite being out for over a month. The third time was at Music Box for their 70mm film festival. That being sold out wasn't a surprise, but the reaction to our hometown legend being on screen was awesome. People broke out in applause.
I'm right with you in preferring Eddington to Bugonia as the year's best movie about people falling down online rabbit holes (and which also happen to have weirdly similar twists).
I am fully on the OBAA bandwagon and, while I really liked Sinners, can't think of any big categories where I think it deserves to beat OBAA.
I thought Sentimental Value was really well done (and way more heartwarming than I've come to expect from Scandinavian arthouse movies) but it didn't feel to me like that big of a swing, creatively. There were a lot of movies that were way more stylistically daring.
I had your same criticism of Frankenstein. F1: The Movie didn't feel like it did enough to elevate its genre cliches.
Still haven't seen Marty Supreme, Hamnet, Train Dreams, or the Secret Agent.
Just another day ending in Y where Sonny's newsletter absolutely slaps. Such an underrated part of the Bulwark
many people (1) are saying
I am late to it, but really enjoying your writing and show when I make the time for it.
I second Sonny's motion to add some "Sonny's always right" merchandise. Might have to buy a Sarah's always right shirt and modify "arah's" with a sharpie.
Sonny, does it feel weird to watch so many progressive movies that other movie critics demand become popular? For a guy whose Hollywood Social media is full of Charlie Kirk fans, isn’t it weird to watch movies with great minority actors? Like does your twitter blow up if you give props to a gay or black actor? Charlie Kirk wouldn’t have liked those type of people getting praise.
in order: no, no, no, thanks for reading
Watched Sinners last weekend for a third time with friends. I LOVE this film-highly original screenplay (no it is not Get Out or Us and frankly that's a reductionist (racist) take).
I feel like a pariah when I say it, but I didn’t think the first Wicked movie was that good. It’s always hard to rate a movie that’s only half a movie, but I was very underwhelmed.
I'll be honest: I didn't love it, but I could understand WHY people would love it. It was just really big and full of life.
The pacing of dialogue in Wicked Part I was glacially slow—like watching the first Harry Potter movie or something—but I thought most of the big musical numbers were effective, even if the music itself was corny to me.
The only one of these that I have fully seen is one Battle After Another, which I found to be quirky and enjoyable and also scary, in some ways. It was an interesting mix with effective performances.. and, ya the whole Benicio/Leo part was great.
Watched the first 10 minutes of Frankenstein and it made me not want to watch the rest, so I didn't. I often like Del Toros work, but that one did not capture me.
Probably won't see any of the others.
Most of this stuff is, quite frankly, stuff I have zero interest in seeing. The only reasons I watched Battle is: 1)the wife wanted to see it; and 2) Leo was in it.
"Chair Company" should win an Oscar and, no, I will not be taking questions as to why at this time
("Friendship" should have gotten a few noms though)