We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Nathaniel in Santa dragDear Readers, you may have noticed that Team Experience is on a wee break for the holiday so the posting is a bit sparse but we'll be back with more appropriate Oscar season levels starting on Tuesday/Wednesday! Lots more interviews, reviews, and year in review madness coming your way in just a  couple of days. Hell, there will even be a little something up for the holiday tomorrow because we're terrible about staying offline even though we really should rest the eyes (SCREENS∞!!!). In the meantime if you're eager for something new to read catch up on our favorite Christmas movies, or the early stages of our year in review party, or the re-ranked Oscar charts, or any 2018 reviews you may have missed. There should be a new podcast up tonight, too!

We're so thankful for you for reading so loyally! If you're thankful for us, drop a little something in our virtual beggar's cup.

If you look at the sidebar ➡️ you'll see a subscribe option (the price of a cup of coffee a month!) or make a one time donation if you can't do monthly). XO, Nathaniel 

Top 30 Documentary Hits of 2018

Each day a different year in review topic. Here's Glenn Dunks...

Documentaries had one of their biggest years on record in 2018. In fact, the upper realms of non-fiction at the North American box office started to look like what the foreign-language charts once looked like. There was at least one major cross-over smash, several very impressive eight-figure grossers, a selection of not insignificant titles that did over one-million, and a long list of niche titles that did business anywhere from respectable to disappointing depending on expectations and release size. The year even started strong for docs with 2017 hits Bombshell the Hedy Lamarr Story and Faces/Places continuing to earn tidy sums buoyed by word of mouth and an Oscar nomination respectively.

My column Doc Corner will continue in 2019 so here’s hoping the new year offers just as bountiful a crop. It's been good to see documentaries reaching the mainstream, zeitgeist conversation.

TOP 30 DOCUMENTARIES FOR 2018
Domestic Box Office Grosses Only - Figures as of February 17th, 2019. 🔺 = the film is still in theaters

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62 days until the Oscars

On this countdown occasion, the role of Best Actress 1962 will be played by Miss Anne Bancroft "Dear Joan," Miss Joan Crawford.

If Gaga or Glenn go absent in 62 days who should they have thank them for the gold? 

2018: All Creatures Great and Small

Each day a different year in review list...

We're all animal lovers here at TFE, so we asked contributors and friends to talk about their favourite non-humans from the year's movies. 

To show love to all Film Experience readers, whether you be a cat or a dog person, we dedicate this list to two extraordinary creatures: That elusive cat in Burning, who may or may not be a figment of our imaginations but sure feels real since we can't shake him, and Bradley Cooper's own dog Charlie playing Jackson Maine's dog in A Star is Born. Like Lady Gaga, Charlie is essentially playing himself and like Lady Gaga he's doing it fabulously. Where's his Oscar buzz?

Not every memorable screen animal was covered in the following list -- our apologies especially to that tragically outmatched racoon in Incredibles 2 -- so do add to it in the comments. Here are our seven favourite beastly movie stars of 2018...

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10 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate "A Star is Born"'s $200 Million Triumph

We're skipping the box office charts this weekend since Christmas falls on a Tuesday. The last two weeks of the year are always heavy moviegoing times as families look for entertainment breaks in between their visits and feasts and shopping. New pictures Aquaman, Mary Poppins Returns, Bumblebee,  last week's champ Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse and costume pics The Favourite and Mary Queen of Scots (which both added hundreds of theaters) are all going to have big weeks. But the only news we care about right this very second is that, on this very day, 12 weeks into its run, A Star is Born crossed the $200 million mark on its leggy run into America's hearts.

❤️ 10 ways to celebrate A Star is Born's $200 million dollar milestone weekend

1. Stroke the outline of your boyfriend or girlfriend's nose
2. Sing along with your favorite song from the soundtrack again that isn't "Shallow"
3. Admit that A Star is Born has other great songs.
4. Watch Willam on "The Beatdown"
5. Decide who your favorite supporting character besides Sam Elliott is in the movie, even if they were shafted in the "Outstanding Cast" nomination.
6. Watch one of the other versions of A Star is Born because you probably haven't seen them all. 
7. Introduce each of your friends who enter the room with "Ladies and gentleman... Ally!" until someone makes you stop (someone surely will)
8. Wonder anew how Lady Gaga will ever top her world premiere in Venice look at the Oscars.
9. Go to a drag show.
10. Steal Sam Elliott's voice.