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Elizabeth Banks‘ Cocaine Bear opens on Friday, 2.24. It will press-screen on Wednesday (2.22). This in itself is telling.

Wry journo comment: “We all know it’s going to open big next weekend, but there’s no way it’s conventionally good. It could be awful in a very amusing way or just plain awful.”

Regional industry friendo: “I’ve heard it’s awful.  And incredibly gory.”

February 19, 2023 2:58 pmby Jeff Wells
In less than a month, the legendary William Shatner will celebrate his 92nd birthday. The man has been acting since the early '50s -- call it 70 years. And that's not all he's been doing for several decades.
February 19, 2023 2:51 pmby Jeff Wells

In the wake of Sunday evening’s BAFTA awards, during which All Quiet on the Western Front took seven top trophies (including Best Picture and Best Diretor) and the deeply despised Everything Everywhere All At Once was almost completely shut out (except for Best Editing)…in the wake of this gloriuous post-DGA Awards ectasy, Hollywood Elsewhere is clutching a swagger stick as it leads the uphill charge against EEAAO…Lordy, I swear we can win this!…the Charge of the Light Brigade!…half a league, half a league, half a league onward!

No slight against Elvis‘s Austin Butler, the Best Leading Actor winner, but i wish Banshees‘ Colin Farrell had won instead.

HE offers a hale and hearty “go eff yourself” to Brian Rowe for posting the following tweet:

February 19, 2023 1:46 pmby Jeff Wells

Professional industry friendo: "All Quiet on the Western Front has mostly swept the BAFTAs with seven (7) trophies include Best Picture and Best Director. But still Netflix has failed to organize an effective screening campaign for Academy members. Which offers a stark contrast comparied to their campaigns for Glass Onion and Bardo, not to mention the blood, sweat and tears they poured into The Irishman. Whassup there? Perhaps they lost my email address, which is possible, and that's the only reason I can work out. Because I've not received a single All Quiet screening invite."
February 19, 2023 1:23 pmby Jeff Wells



Episode 6 of “White Lotus” Drops The Ball

Episode 6 of “White Lotus” Drops The Ball

“Not happening…way too laid back…zero narrative urgency,” I was muttering from the get-go. Basically the sixth episode of White Lotus Thai SERIOUSLY disappoints. Puttering around, way too slow. Things inch along but it’s all “woozy guilty lying aftermath to the big party night” stuff. Glacial pace…waiting, waiting. I was told...
One Aspect of “I’m Still Here” Rankles

One Aspect of “I’m Still Here” Rankles

I finally saw Walter Salles' I'm Still Here two days ago in Ojai. It's obviously an absorbing, very well-crafted, fact-based poltical drama, and yes, Fernanda Torres carries the whole thing on her shoulders. Superb actress. Fully deserving of her Best Actress nomination.  But as good as it basically is...
Led Zep Doc Finally Peeks Out

Led Zep Doc Finally Peeks Out

After three-plus-years of delay and fiddling around, Bernard McMahon's Becoming Led Zeppelin, an obsequious 2021 doc about the early glory days of arguably the greatest metal-rock band of all time, is opening in IMAX today in roughly 200 theaters. Sony Pictures Classics is distributing. All I can say is, it...
Really Nice Ride

Really Nice Ride

To my great surprise and delight, Christy Hall's Daddio, which I was remiss in not seeing during last year's Telluride Film Festival, is a truly first-rate two-hander -- a pure-dialogue, character-revealing, heart-to-heart talkfest that knows what it's doing and ends sublimely. Yes, it all happens inside a Yellow Cab on...
Live-Blogging “Bad Boys: Ride or Die”

Live-Blogging “Bad Boys: Ride or Die”

7:45 pm: Okay, the initial light-hearted section (repartee, wedding, hospital, afterlife Joey Pants, healthy diet) was enjoyable, but Jesus, when and how did Martin Lawrence become Oliver Hardy? He’s funny in that bug-eyed, space-cadet way… 7:55 pm: And now it’s all cartel bad guys, ice-cold vibes, hard bullets, bad business,...

The Pull of Exceptional History

The Kamala surge is, I believe, mainly about two things — (a) people feeling lit up or joyful about being...
If I Was Costner, I’d Probably Throw In The Towel

If I Was Costner, I’d Probably Throw In The Towel

Unless Part Two of Kevin Costner's Horizon (Warner Bros., 8.16) somehow improves upon the sluggish initial installment and delivers something...
Delicious, Demonic Otto Gross

Delicious, Demonic Otto Gross

For me, A Dangerous Method (2011) is David Cronenberg's tastiest and wickedest film -- intense, sexually upfront and occasionally arousing...