TIFF '23: Getting into the Christmas Spirit with ‘El Sabor de la Navidad’

By Abe Friedtanzer

It always feels a little strange to watch a Christmas movie long before the holiday season, but that just means getting into that wintry mindset ahead of time! El Sabor de la Navidad, a Spanish-language comedy from Mexico, is notable because it’s produced by Salma Hayek Pinault and stars Mariana Treviño, who is the best reason to watch last year’s A Man Called Otto. It’s a lighthearted portrait of an extended family and others connected to them trying to get through a holiday that brings far too many conflicting personalities together…

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Happy Fourth of July!

The Tree of Life (2011)

Almost titled this 'god bless America' because America needs a lot of blessings right now. Anyway. Have a wonderful holiday if you celebrate. We're throwing a last minute backyard potluck chez moi. We'll be back to regular posting tomorrow with some Limited Series Emmy punditry and a celebration of the work of cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema. Later in the week and into the weekend some "halfway mark" celebrations of the best of January through June. And then the first wave of Oscar predictions (much later than usual - apologies!) 

Did you see 'The Dial of Destiny' or pass?

By Nathaniel R

The box office prelude to a mid-week Fourth of July (today) rested on Indiana Jones's 5th outing but he didn't truly deliver in The Dial of Destiny, a sequel that few people outside of Hollywood's money-obsessed board rooms  were asking for. Hollywood is discovering that it can't live on franchises alone. Problem is that's become Hollywood's ONLY strategy and all they've been investing in for some time now. Unfortunately for those of us who love the cinematic experience audience  increasingly lukewarm or chilly response to the big franchises isn't really morphinng into interest pointed at other moviegoing options. Hollywood has been training people to only care about franchises for years and now that they've "won", we're all losing!

Weekend Box Office (estimates? actuals? it's always a little fuzzy around holidays) June 30th - July 2nd  🔺 = new or expanding /  ★ = Recommended
WIDE (Over 800 Screens)	LIMITED / PLATFORM
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY	EVERY BODY
1 🔺 INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY $60.3 *NEW* 4600 screens	1 🔺 EVERY BODY [doc] $150k *NEW* 255 screens

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Happy Valentines Day whether or not you're feeling it!

Happy Valentines Day, whether or not you're feeling the love! Sometimes it's hard to tell, right? The image above, from House of Flying Daggers (2004) is perfectly non-committal about romance which seems appropriate for this divisive holiday. 

One thing we're always in the mood for is screen kisses, though. Our choices for "Best Kiss" from 2022 aren't ready but in the meantime, do share your favourite recent screen kisses in the comments.  

Weekend Box Office: New Year, New Highs

By Ben Miller

In a refreshing change of pace, the long holiday weekend box office was full of good news!  Pretty much every film was up following that storm-stifling Christmas weekend.  Nothing new debuted in wide release, so Avatar: The Way of Water was able to actually increase from the week before.  James Cameron's movies typically have remarkable legs.  Its $67.4 million haul was good enough to place it as the third best third weekend of all-time, behind the film's predecessor and The Force Awakens.  Very good company to be in, box office-wise.  But it wasn't just Avatar.  Of the top 16 films at the box office, 13 increased from the week before!

Weekend Box Office (actuals) Dec 30th-January 2nd 🔺 = new or expanding /  ★ = Recommended
WIDE (OVER 800 SCREENS)	LIMITED / PLATFORM
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER	THE WHALE
1 ★ AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER $67.4 (cum. $425.5) 4202 screens	1  🔺 THE WHALE $1.3 (cum. $5.8) 623 screens

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