Halfway Mark Pt 2: Fav Films & Craft Achievements (Thus Far)

by Nathaniel R

The Best of 2023 Thus Far: Spider-Verse, Of An Age, Are You There God?, Past Lives, Joyland, and Asteroid City

Somehow it's mid July so it's time to survey the first half of the cinematic year. We worry for Hollywood given the writer's strike and the possibilities of a tepid fall/winter slate (the big titles people are most looking forward to are this very month -- Barbie and Oppenheimer). But regardless we take stock every year at this time, no matter what the future might hold. The following list honors only films released between January 1st and June 30th, 2023. It's our way of insuring we keep track of early favourites so that we don't fall victim to the dread recency bias that generally makes awards-giving bodies look forgetful and lazy.  The followlng lists are all in alpha order as its too soon for preferential ballots. Obviously we'd love to hear your own 'thus far' ballots in the comments. (We'll do the acting honors tomorrow).

Okay here we go...

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Emmys: Who Might Earn More Than One Acting Nomination This Year?

by Christopher James

Just this past year, Julia Garner won an Emmy for one of her two nominations that year.

When the Emmys fall for you, they fall hard. Many actors find that success in one role helps them pop up in other categories, namely guest acting. Some examples include Laurie Metcalf (Horace & Pete, Getting On), Bill Hader (Barry, Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Sterling K. Brown (This is Us, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Receiving multiple nominations can also be a positive sign towards a potential win, as was the case for Julia Garner last year when she won for Ozark and was also nominated for Inventing Anna. As Sally Field once said “you like me, you really like me.”

Many famous and emerging faces have submitted themselves in multiple categories. Some will definitely get the double-dip treatment, likely on their way to a big win. Which actors have the best shot at double-dipping this year when the nominations are announced...?

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First & Last 019

can you guess the movie from its first and last image?

the answer is after the jump...

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Halfway Mark Pt 1: Gay Films of the Moment and Near-Future

by Nathaniel R

JOYLAND

This pronouncement is two weeks late for Pride Month but 2023 is shaping up to be a good year for queer films. Not that people have noticed, exactly. The first new challenge for audiences in the brave new world of cinematic distribution is actually knowing that any particular movie exists. The second is knowing where to find it once you do (distribution is so messy in the 21st century!). Between the streaming wars, teensy theatrical runs, and the still rarely discussed / under reported wilderness of "VOD" many titles slip by unnoticed. The artists who made them and the lucky audiences who discover them can only hope they pick up steam through word of mouth or with the passage of time. The best LGBTQ title of the year is Pakistan's 2022 Oscar submission Joyland (reviewed by Cláudio) which is currently in the gap between a theatrical run and various ways to screen it at home and you already heard me rave about last November. When you get a chance to see it you absolutely must. Another unmissable is the Taylor Mac documentary on HBO (reviewed by Glenn).

After the jump some gems you can currently rent or stream that were released theatrically already and some to look forward to...

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Which Finale Season Will the Emmys Reward This Year?

by Christopher James

We are at an inflection point with the Emmys this year. Three previous winners are coming to an end this season, and a few series nominees who have waited patiently for their time at the top are in play. Still, many shows have won big time at the Emmys for their final seasons. The Sopranos and Breaking Bad coasted on acclaim for sticking their landing. Even shows like Friday Night Lights and The Americans finally won key awards for fantastic final seasons after never receiving Emmy acclaim before then. Having a strong ending isn’t even necessary sometimes. Game of Thrones was able to coast to a final win, despite a poorly reviewed ending.

With shows like Succession, Ted Lasso, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Barry and Better Call Saul all ending this Emmy season, which will take the crown?

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