July 28, 2023
This past month was an eventful one for the movie world with the release of three great pictures that contributed to a very successful performance at the box office. But first, I’m going to start with the tale of two (self-diagnosed) golf sickos who achieved an accomplishment on July 1st, proving that perseverance doesn’t necessarily equate to intelligence.
In April 2015, my friends and I played a forgettable round of golf for the first time in a few months, as the local courses were still closed during the snowy winter months. After all, what idiot wants to golf in Connecticut during the middle of winter? {Insert “person raising their hand” emoji here}. Little did my friend Doug and I know that we were about to start a ridiculous streak that would last for the next eight years. That’s right – on July 1st, we played a round of golf in Connecticut for the 100th consecutive month.
I don’t remember when “getting out for golf” turned into “the streak continues”, but at some point I added up the months since April 2015 (as the numbers guy in our group who always keeps score) and realized that we were at an impressive number. Over the years, I’d have a conversation with someone about golf and get asked, “Didn’t you have some crazy streak going?” When I replied with the current tally, the words were usually complimentary, but sometimes I could read a look in their eyes that said, “what a sicko.” Guilty as charged.
Over the years, there have been some close calls. We somehow avoided any serious injuries (no small feat for non-athletes at our age), dodged a global pandemic (thankfully, there was little disruption to golf courses) and were always able to find at least one course open during the winter. We never really worried about extending the streak until November of each year, for fear of a snowstorm, followed by sweating out the winter months. Well, not technically “sweating” in freezing temperatures on the golf course. We became experts in winter golf gear (ski hats, multiple layers, did you know they make winter golf gloves?) Doug even added an electric drill to his golf bag so we could get the tees into the frozen ground. Hey, you gotta have your priorities.
There were two really close calls I can remember. It was probably six years ago when I got the text to get out in February, but I couldn’t get out of work early. A day or two later, we got a massive snowstorm and I thought I was cooked. I’m not a religious guy, but there were some prayers for warmer temperatures and rain to melt the snow, and I barely got my February round in before the calendar changed to March.
The other close call was two years ago when none of the courses around us were open due to the snow on the ground. At this point, you might be asking, “Why not just go south?” Nope. For some reason, we decided that the round had to be played in Connecticut to count. Actually, I know the reason – sickos. Anyway, Doug discovered a course on the Connecticut shore that was open and we drove an hour to Groton to keep the streak going. As I wrote about that experience in my blog post from February 2021, we met someone on the first tee who had the same streak going. It’s good to know we aren’t the only dummies out there.
At some point a few years ago, our friend Ron missed a month or two. “You guys are idiots – it’s too cold” was probably the response to our text about getting out on a frigid December or January day, but he was probably part of at least 97 out of the 100 months. And he encouraged us to make it a special one for our 100th round. We decided to go back to Groton and play a full 18 on the course that helped keep the streak alive two years ago. We had a blast, even if I sliced my first tee shot over the netting that protects a house next to the fairway – there is no terror like waiting for the sound of your golf ball hitting a house, a car, or smashing a window – I somehow dodged all three. Here is a picture from that first tee and if you can figure out the physics of how a golf ball can travel that high and that far left, you’re much smarter than me.
That was probably the non-movie highlight of the month. And if you think we’re done just because we got to 100 months, you clearly have not studied the seriously ill golf sicko. They are a disturbed species, to be sure. OK, on to the movies.
This Month’s Highlights
Dammit Tom Cruise, You Did It Again – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
With all of the talk of the waning momentum of various franchises, including Fast and the Furious, Transformers, and the stumbling Marvel and DC Comics franchises, the Mission: Impossible series has actually been getting BETTER with each installment. As much as I love the first film, released in 1996 and directed by Brian De Palma, I think the last entry (2018’s Fallout) was the best. Each time around, Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie have upped the ante in terms of the stunts and action set pieces. The plots? Well, that’s not what we’re really here for, right? Speaking of which….
I can’t really do justice to the main antagonist of the newest Mission. In fact, I think I need to see the film a few more times to really understand it (no complaints there). Once again, Ethan Hunt is back to accept his newest mission – this time he must thwart an artificial intelligence entity (yes, they call it an “entity” many times throughout the film, which gets a little silly) that could destroy the world. Now, there were a few times that I really struggled to understand the motivations of the various villains who are trying to secure access to the “entity” but I decided to just go with it and enjoy the action.
What has made these films so much fun is the creativity (and subtle humor) that Cruise and his team put into what we see on screen. Hunt is reunited with some of his colleagues from the previous installments, and is also paired up with a wonderful new co-star, Hayley Atwell. She plays a career thief joining in the search of the movie’s McGuffin, a two-piece key that can control the entity. We see adventures in the Saudi Arabian desert, the Abu Dhabi airport, the streets of Rome (site of a fabulous car chase), the Austrian alps (the motorcycle jump you’ve probably seen online), and a breathtaking train sequence that will leave you in suspense during the climax of the movie. It goes to show you how wonderful these films are constructed – we know Hunt is not going to die, but damn if we aren’t feeling stressed while wondering how he will escape the dangerous situations he faces. One more thing – the movie looks beautiful. Of course, there are numerous visual effects, but with so many real locations used for filming, it’s like a throwback to “real movies” and not the greenscreen shit we see too often in theaters these days.
Now, there is a little bad news about the new film. It underperformed at the box office relative to expectations and the picture’s budget, and in its second weekend was swallowed up by the Barbenheimer phenomenon (more on that in a minute). That’s ok – part two of Dead Reckoning isn’t in jeopardy. We’ll still get it in theaters, but its release date will likely be pushed out to 2025 (more on that in a minute too). All in all, a fun time at the theater and with the light release schedule in the next month or two, you should have plenty of time to see Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, now playing in theaters, before it moves to Paramount+ later this year.
The Year’s First Masterpiece – Oppenheimer
I say “first” because I am anticipating that I will be writing a rave review about Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming Killers of the Flower Moon in October, but for now, let’s discuss the movie that has taken over the #1 spot on my 2023 film list. Christopher Nolan’s period-piece biopic of the man who led the Manhattan Project and development of the atomic bomb that helped end World War II is a three-hour drama that somehow earned over $80 million in its opening weekend. The box-office result was no doubt impacted by the dual opening of Barbie and Oppenheimer, dubbed Barbenheimer on social (and traditional) media. Reviews have been off the charts from both critics and audiences, and Oppenheimer is now firmly in the driver’s seat as the Oscar frontrunner (for now.)
Long-time Nolan collaborator Cillian Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer and is brilliant portraying the genius physicist with many personal flaws. We see how he develops his interest in physics, and his exploration of different languages, cultures and political philosophies. The U.S. military looks past some of his questionable beliefs to put him in charge of developing an atomic weapon to end the war. He recruits a team of scientists who build a community for their research and testing in New Mexico. The sequences leading up to the testing of the bomb and the end of the war were riveting and the best part of the film for me. Even though we know what is going to happen (at a high-level), Nolan’s ability to bring the story to life with his many talents made the middle section of the movie very compelling, and mesmerizing on the big screen.
The last third of the film focuses on Oppenheimer’s life post-war, when he was discredited as an accused Communist sympathizer. I liked this section a lot, especially the performance of Robert Downey, Jr. as a politician who was involved in the Manhattan Project and Oppenheimer’s post-war career. But, I will be honest – it does drag a bit, as we bounce between Downey’s confirmation hearing, and an interview with Oppenheimer about his past activities. Overall, the film is very “talkie” and you can feel it during the final hour. I’ve read comparisons of the script to an Aaron Sorkin film and I can definitely see that. I suspect when I watch it again, I will have more appreciation for this section of the movie as it complements the earlier portions of the story to present a fuller picture of Oppenheimer’s life.
Despite that minor complaint, I still loved this film. Murphy is outstanding in a way that balances his character’s technical brilliance with his personal flaws as a womanizer with little respect for the people in his lives. He was particularly effective during the latter part of the movie where he tries to convince government officials of the need for cooperation and oversight of nuclear weapons by the U.S. and Soviet Union. As we all know, those concerns fell on deaf ears, creating decades of tension between the two superpowers. Oppenheimer’s sense of dread in the film can be felt even today as we still deal with the potential catastrophe from the existence of these weapons of mass destruction.
The supporting cast around Murphy is also excellent, particularly Downey, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh, but this movie works because of Nolan. He has once again showcased why he is one of the best directors working today, and all of his talents across the film medium are on display – the casting, story, production design, special effects, score and sound fit together perfectly. The team he assembled to create this piece of art delivered on all fronts. Oppenheimer is a masterpiece and the best movie I’ve seen this year. But was it the most fun I’ve had in a theater? Hold that thought. Oppenheimer is now playing in theaters.
All Hail the Queen – Barbie
The movie story of the month (and frankly, the entire year) was the incredible box-office success of Barbie, which delivered a record-setting $162 million in its opening weekend and continues to rack up millions every day since. The largely organic Barbenheimer movement created a groundswell of promotion that resulted in the biggest box-office weekend since the pandemic. And it was real. I saw Oppenheimer on opening night and there were sold out screenings of both films throughout my theater and a lot of pink outfits in the lobby. It was exciting to be in the theater for a real “buzzworthy” event.
I did have to wait a few days to see Barbie. I wasn’t one of those people seeing a double feature of both movies on the same day. First, Oppenheimer is a heavy film and I knew I would need a breather after seeing it. Second, we have a three-month old puppy at home, so planning a trip to the theater is a little more complicated these days. When we did see Barbie earlier this week, the theater was once again mobbed. You love to see it.
Now, with all of the hype, is Barbie good? You better believe it. This movie is an absolute delight. I was skeptical when I first read about the premise and watched the teaser trailer, but as I mentioned last month when previewing the movie, I was cautiously optimistic because Margot Robbie (as Barbie) and Ryan Gosling (as Ken) looked like they were in on the joke and having a lot of fun. Also, I felt in good hands with Greta Gerwig behind the camera (her previous two films, Lady Bird and Little Women, were excellent) and co-writing the script with her long-time partner Noah Baumbach. I often write about how you sometimes need luck for a movie to work. You also need insanely talented people working together – and with these all-stars involved, it works wonderfully. In the wrong hands, Barbie could have been a forgettable disaster.
So what is this film even about? Well, in Barbie Land, there are many versions of Barbie and Ken. Robbie plays our main hero (she is the “Stereotypical Barbie” doll) and each day she hangs out with her friends (different Barbies) and all of the Kens. They have parties, dance, go to the beach, and generally enjoy their lives. But one day, Barbie starts to have some negative thoughts and isn’t feeling so great. She discovers that there is also a “Real World” where the owners of the Barbie dolls exist. Her “owner” is having problems in her life and they are impacting our hero. So Barbie sets out on an adventure to the Real World (with Gosling’s Ken joining) to see if she can fix things. And let’s just say that when the worlds collide, things get very funny.
Gerwig did a brilliant job of not only casting Robbie and Gosling (and convincing them to go in on the bit – it takes a lot of trust for an actor to commit to a project that could make them look foolish), she created a story that is silly, campy, and fun, but also emotional with meaningful messages. She uses the Barbie / Ken dynamic of Barbie World compared to the gender dynamics of the Real World to demonstrate the challenges that women continue to face since Barbie gained popularity in the 1960s. While I wouldn’t consider the themes of the film subtle, they are also not burdensome to the point that they overshadow the fun. It’s ok to have a comedy that also is trying to tell you something important about the world today.
It’s no surprise that Robbie and Gosling are the highlights of the film, but it’s also worth mentioning a strong supporting cast surrounding them. The collection of Barbies and Kens are very good, as is America Ferrera as a Real World mom, and Will Ferrell as the dim-witted CEO of Mattel. Speaking of which, the toy company comes across as your stereotypical evil corporation run entirely by men in the film. I have to give them credit for letting Gerwig deliver the story she wanted to tell – other corporations might have shut down the implied criticism in the script. Of course, the millions Mattel will make from this movie (and associated products, sequels, and other toy-related movies in the works) will help ease the pain.
One last point. Robbie and Gosling will get most of the attention (and rightfully so), but I am so excited for what Gerwig delivered for this film. The script is outstanding, with so many clever funny jokes, the production design of Barbie World was impeccable, and the music choices were fantastic. There aren’t a lot of young directors to get excited about right now. For me, it’s been Damien Chazelle and Jordan Peele the last few years. I can now firmly state that Greta Gerwig is on that very short list. What a great accomplishment. Barbie is now playing in theaters. Go see it and have a blast.
Coming Attractions
August is traditionally a slower movie month as it’s a popular vacation time for families, so studios aren’t as focused on getting them into the theaters. But there are a few notable releases to mention. I really liked the romantic comedy Shortcomings when it premiered during the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. It will debut in theaters on August 4th, but could be tough to find, so it might be a good home rental in a month or two. The big hit of August will likely be Strays, the hard R comedy about a group of dogs setting out to take revenge on a mean dog owner, opening in theaters August 18th. Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx headline the cast of actors voicing the dogs. Last but not least, one of my favorite films of the year, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, makes its streaming debut on Hulu on August 24th.
The real coming attraction for August (and the foreseeable future) is the continued labor strife in Hollywood. As you probably saw, a few weeks ago the actors’ union went on strike, joining the writers’ union who have been on the picket lines for almost three months. Both groups are in a big dispute with the movie and television studios on the terms of their next contract. While this may seem like millionaires fighting with billionaires, only one side of that equation is right.
We usually read about the astronomical salaries made by big Hollywood stars (actors and showrunners), but we don’t know much about the people struggling to make a living while working their way up the industry ladder. They make up the vast majority of the unions and their careers are highly impacted by the terms of these agreements. Provisions under negotiation include minimum salaries, residual payments for successful projects (and transparency of the data to demonstrate what is successful), health care benefits, and opportunities to advance the union members’ careers. There are fundamental issues at stake in these disputes, mostly around money, but also about how artificial intelligence will be used for writing and acting performances in the near future.
From what I’ve read, the demands of both unions appear pretty reasonable, but the studios are reluctant to concede too much given the financial pressures they are facing. Netflix is the only major studio doing well financially right now. Everyone else is either not too focused on this piece of their business (like Apple and Amazon), or trying to reign in the free-wheeling spending spree of the last five years to build streaming platforms, while dealing with a linear television industry that is cratering.
Comcast, owner of Universal Studios, NBC and Peacock; Paramount, owner of CBS and Paramount+; Disney, owner of ABC, ESPN and Disney+; and Warner Bros. Discovery, owner of HBO and the newly rebranded Max, are all in dire straits. Each of these companies took a huge gamble on building streaming models to chase Netflix. While subscribers have shown up, it is costing a fortune to run them (and make content) and Wall Street is asking when these companies are going to actually turn this model into a PROFITABLE business. To sum it up, it was a helluva party, but the hangover is going to hurt like hell.
What to expect? Well, if you watch network television, the fall season is already shot (except for reality television) and the spring season is already in jeopardy. Streaming services have some shows in stock to roll out over the next few months, but production on most shows has shut down and their release dates will be delayed. Expect more reality television for the foreseeable future.
On the movie front, most of the big fall releases have already completed production, so you would think there will be no disruption. But a new wrinkle emerged this last week with the clarification that actors cannot promote their movies during the strike. Challengers, an upcoming sports dramedy film, was just moved from September to April of next year. Why? Well, the star of that movie is Zendaya, and her promotion would make a huge difference in fans going to see Challengers in theaters. There was also news that Warner Bros. Discovery is contemplating moving the release of Dune Part II from November to next year (my reaction – “Dammit!”) It’s starting to feel like the same disruption we saw with Covid in 2020. And of course, with productions shut down, next year’s summer slate (including the next Mission: Impossible film) could be impacted the longer this goes on. If Hollywood is known for anything, it’s drama, and with a dual actors and writers strike for the first time in 60 years, they are keeping us in suspense wondering what will come next. Stay tuned….
That’s all for this month’s report. I’ll be back next month with more highlights from the movie world, including a deep dive on the films of Christopher Nolan. Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe below.