Anora

Anora, directed by Sean Baker (The Florida Project), is the first American film to win the Palme d'Or in over a decade. It is also on most lists of likely Best Picture award nominees and on all early top ten lists for the year.

I was initially excited to see what the famed director would do with a love story or perhaps discover how he'd merge his authentic storytelling with something more widely commercial. My reaction to the film in one word is — disappointment. My fault for reading headlines noting that this was a love story with screwball comedy thrown in. It has neither.

This "modern Cinderella story" revolves around the relationship between Brooklyn stripper Anora/Ani (Mikey Madison) and Vanya, the heir to a Russian fortune. I never felt any romantic connection or otherwise.

Baker has always excelled at portraying fully-developed characters on society’s margins, but here the story feels like a well-worn template. Anora’s journey—her relationship with the wealthy Vanya, her struggles and the eventual fallout—feels less like an exploration of the American Dream and more like a recycled version of narratives we've seen before. By making its titular character a stripper, everything is all too familiar. Swap Vanya's Russian parents with drug dealers and you've essentially got Hustlers or Zola.

I think what Baker is attempting to explore is the joy and despair of someone from the fringes who briefly tastes success only to lose it all. There’s an important theme about the fragility of dreaming big, but it doesn’t quite come through with the depth or nuance that Baker’s best work usually has. Unfortunately, I think he just made a raunchy and sad remake of Pretty Woman.

In a nutshell: Anora isn’t a bad film—it just doesn’t live up to the potential that its premise and director suggested and it's not a lot of fun so I can't recommend it.

Where to see it: In theaters now.

Would it be better with Olivia Colman: Wouldn't anything?

Award potential: I'm in the minority on this one, look for it in every major category. Mikey Madison's last scene is a heartbreaker.

The Ten Buck Review: Not worth ten bucks.

A Real Pain

Writer, director, and star Jesse Eisenberg teams up with (an outstanding) Kieran Culkin to craft a character-driven flick about mismatched cousins, neurotic David and charismatic Benji, as they trudge through Poland on a “Holocaust tour” to honor their grandmother’s memory.

What starts as a “cringe comedy” road trip film soon reveals itself to be a lighthearted exploration of grief, identity and connecting. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

Culkin shines as Benji, infusing him with enough warmth and complexity to make even the dark moments feel alive and relatable. Eisenberg’s script is super sharp, balancing banter with authentic laughs. 

The dynamic between the cousins is so real and dysfunctional that you’ll swear you’ve been on a trip with them in a past life.

A Real Pain isn’t going to excite many cinemagoers to leave their couch on a Friday night, but that’s precisely the point. It’s a throwback to the days of small-scale, character-driven films (Woody Allen, Rob Reiner) that Hollywood has mostly sidelined.

 Eisenberg has crafted a lovable little movie that’s witty, melancholic, and full of heart—perfect for those who appreciate a little laughter with their emotional introspection.

Simply put: At a perfect little 90 minutes, it’s an endearingly awkward journey worth taking.

Where to watch: In theaters starting November 11, 2024.

 

Would it be better with Olivia Colman? Absolutely.

 

Award Potential: Culkin is likely to get some awards attention, but Eisenberg is just as impressive in a subtler but arguably trickier role. I imagine showier films will be in discussion by January.

 

The Ten Buck Reiview: Worth Ten Bucks

Conclave

Fresh off All Quiet on the Western Front, director Edward Berger trades in trench warfare for a subtler kind of tension with Conclave. This time, he’s working from Robert Harris’s novel of the same name, adapted by screenwriter Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), who certainly knows his way around a tightly wound thriller.

Conclave imagines the tense and secretive process following the fictional death of the Pope. Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), as Cardinal-Dean, must oversee the papal conclave—a gathering of cardinals cloistered to elect a new pontiff. Fiennes is joined by an exceptional ensemble, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini, whose performances add layers of gravitas and intrigue.

The setting itself is practically a character too. Production designer Suzie Davies and cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine have created a Vatican so convincing you’ll forget it’s not the real thing. Rome may not have been built in a day, but it’s impressive this set came together in under ten weeks.

Though Conclave looks like elitist Oscar bait, and kinda is, it’s also a genuine popcorn thriller that offers a fascinating voyeuristic peek into a process most of us only imagine. Watching the cardinals’ power plays reveals as much about human ambition as it does about the church.

Conclave weaves timely social commentary on biases within religious institutions with the high-stakes drama of a dramatic succession. This dual richness is what we’ve been missing in cinema all year.

In a nutshell: Yes, it's a pope 'n popcorn movie. A riveting fictional peek behind the curtains of religious power. The story feels so genuine that, aside from its wild ending, casual viewers may mistake it for historical fact.

Where to watch: In theaters now

Would it be better with Olivia Colman? Of course. But it is still a cinematic thrill to see Isabella Rossellini, daughter of Ingrid Bergman (The Bells of St. Mary's) as a nun.

Award potential: This should score nominations in all top categories, acting and lower-line ones, including production design, costume, sound, and editing.

Composer Volker Bertelmann, who won an Oscar for his score for All Quiet on the Western Front, should also be nominated for his distinctive work here.

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Halloween costumes inspired by this year's Oscar contenders

Get ready for a little orange carpet glam this Halloween. Grab your popcorn and a glue gun—it's time to create Halloween costumes that will have you accepting the award for best dressed. 

We're talking Oscar 2025 films so don't expect Longlegs, Joker: Folie à Deux or Deadpool Wolverine here. These are this year's Oscar-caliber films that will have your audience screaming with appreciation

DUNE 2

Is that sand in your pants? A top contender for next year's Best Costume Design, as well as Best Picture and all the below-the-line awards, Dune 2 should dune very well as a Halloween theme for men, women and kids. 

From Zendaya's Chani to Chalamet's Paul to Austin Butler or Sting's Feyd, there is plenty of inspiration so that you don't have to be a worm.

CHALLENGERS
You can't go wrong with Zendaya. An early awards contender that will probably fade to just Golden Globes when the prestige winter films arrive, director Luca Guadagnino's Challengers should still serve up some competitive ideas or at least expand your tennis skirt collection.

WICKED

Sight unseen, this potential Oscar contender should have friends should be green with envy when they see you as one of these timeless characters. Wickedly fun for adults and kids and duos alike.

GLADIATOR 2
Are we not entertained? Start working out now. Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2 is a potential Oscars Best Picture and across-the-board nominee in a year that may have three titles that include "two." 

Men,if you think about the Roman Empire a lot, think about this costume come Halloween. Women and children can play too.

INSIDE OUT 2

All the feels for the year's biggest film that could win Best Animated Feature and may show up for Best Picture. Fun for the whole family or gang from Joy to Anxiety or giving  a nod to Ennui, as if he'd care.

WILD ROBOT

Challenging Pixar, The Wild Robot is a critical favorite, for sure Oscar nominee and a simple last-minute idea.

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

This blockbuster is a shoe-in for Best Makeup and Special Effects and these costumes are top banana.

SUBSTANCE

Some say Demi Moore's horror film The Substance will be part of award-season discussion. I wouldn't bet on that, but I'd bet that this is there is one outfit in the film that will be remembered most.

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

It's unknown if James Mangold's (Walk the Line, Logan Cop Land) Bob Dylan movie will rise into Best Picture consideration, but Dune's Timothy Chalomet is a likely actor nominee either way. Bonus, the Mr. Tamborine Man look shouldn't cost you much more than a trip to the back of your closet.

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

Mad Max Fury Road won six Oscars at the 2015 ceremony, but Furiosa may fight for nominations — Best Special Effect and Costume are possibilities. You, however, can win the night with a fab furious look like the one Anya Taylor Joy sported.

SING SING

The film is currently in the Best Picture mix but may get overshadowed by January. However, Colman Domingo and Clarence Maclin should still be in discussion. Fellas, this is the most comfy costume on the list.

THELMA

With any luck, June Squib will be nominated for her role as Thelma. And what fun you'll have riding around on Halloween night if you choose her character from this 2024 gem.

ROUNDING OUT THE BEST PICTURE CONTENDERS

Angeline Jolie as Maria Callas

Zoe Saldana or Go Gomez, Selena Gomez, in Emilia Perez. 

Mid-WW2 female-led film Blitz.

Post-war European The Brutalist.

Ray Fiennes pope in Conclave.

Modern Cinderella story Anora

Happy Halloween parties, everyone!

Sing Sing

Despite its title, Sing Sing is not a musical, although it is a true story about a theater program — at a correctional facility. Inspired by an Esquire article, “The Sing Sing Follies.”  

Director Greg Kwedar’s tender film, co-written with Clint Bentley, is yet another prison drama. However, it is refreshingly different from all other lockup films you’ve seen, avoiding the usual tropes from beginning to finish.

 

For starters, it starts with a stirring performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream delivered by Colman Domingo (The Color Purple, Rustin, Selma, Lincoln, Fear the Walking Dead) as Divine G. His character’s role as Hamlet was not meant to be, as that role goes to a breakout performance by Clarence Maclin (Divine Ey), as himself. In fact, more than 85 percent of the cast participated in Sing Sing’s actual Rehabilitation Through the Arts ( R.T.A.) program. The film looks raw and real too. While the film wasn’t shot inside the actual prison, it captures the raw, gritty authenticity of life behind bars, with decommissioned prisons and a New York school standing in for the infamous facility.

 

This unlikely duo elevates the film into something truly special. It’s so devoid of cynicism that when words like “beloved” are spoken, they resonate in a way that makes you feel like you know these characters intimately. No grand moral lectures here—just a life story told through the cluttered walls of Divine G’s cell, plastered with documents, photos, and sticky notes that tell us all we need to know.

 

Finding hope in even the bleakest of circumstances has been done many times over, from Cool Hand Luke (1967) to what is often noted as America’s favorite movie ever, The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Sing Sing is beautifully different from any prison film before it. There are no reductive scenes with a corrupt warden, a savior character, sexual violence, visitation scenes, shanks, riots, or prison breaks.

 

Sing Sing stands out as a rare summer gem—a film that will make you smile, cry, and genuinely feel something. Its unhurried pace and authentic portrayal of hope offer the perfect antidote to the saccharine overload of overly cynical, loud, and hollow blockbusters (cough, Deadpool & Wolverine).

 

In a nutshell: Sing Sing hits all the right notes. It's a great summer surprise.

 

Where to see it: In theaters now.

 

Would it be better with Olivia Colman? Of course it would, but this cast was part of the story literally.

Oscar potential: Colman (nominated last year for Rustin) and Clarence have a real shot for actor and supporting actor nominations, which would be an amazing story. Picture, Screenplay and Screenplay are also at play here. We just need

voters that can remember back to summer.

 

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Twisters

Oscar-nominated director Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) heads to Oklahoma for Twisters, a sequel to the 1996 blockbuster. Does he bring cinephile purpose to the IG? No. Is it this summer's rollercoaster ride at the movies? Yeehaw!

The Universal Studios franchise, which literally has a theme park ride, is in solid hands here. What Chung delivers is beautifully shot scenes of small-town Oklahoma, "His Girl Friday" energy to the leads and attention to intimate details —all paired with the unrelenting momentum of Oklahoma-sized tornados. 

A potentially miscast Daisy Edgar-Jones (SO good Normal People) leads this film as Katy, with a quiet performance that eventually pays off. She's paired with an unusually sparkless Anthony Ramos (In The Heights) as Javi, a fellow storm tracker in what initially seemed destined to be a bland disaster movie.

Enter the outsized charisma of Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You, Hit Man) as Tyler Owens, a reckless media influencer tornado wrangler, famed for his storm-chasing adventures. Powell may be McConaughey-lite, but the camera loves him, and this whole thing quickly becomes his movie.

I wasn't sure if his cocksure swagger would realistically work with Edgar-Jones' quiet confidence. Still, Chung knew how to pull these romantic leads into a believable chase that never succumbed to cheesiness, even at the big ending.

Ultimately, Twisters packs in one too many tornadoes, diluting the overall impact at the end but I was thrilled to ride along for the action film of the summer — and super glad that this year it's not some flashy franchise hero movie.

In a nutshell: Three things. Tornados thrill more than superheroes. Glen Powell is a star. You can take the whole family. 

Where to watch: In theaters. Go IMAX for this.

Would it be better with Olivia Colman: For sure.

Award potential: None,

The Ten Buck Review: Worth ten bucks.

Back to Black

Back to Black, the new rock biopic of Amy Winehouse, is as flawed as its subject and equally hard to keep your eyes off of.

The new film follows Winehouse's tumultuous journey from the European success of Frank in 2003 to her titular album in 2006. While it attempts to capture the essence of her life, it falls victim to the clichés of sweeping rock biopics, oversimplifying her complexities and talent.

However, there’s no way to separate Amy’s biography from her addiction. Despite its shortcomings, the film wisely hones in on the central theme: Amy's toxic love affair, which defined her tumultuous years and artistic output.

This is your typical biopic that sits on the shelf with Rocket Man, Bohemian Rhapsody, Ray and Walk the Line. For a deeper understanding of Amy Winehouse, the Academy Award-winning documentary Amy remains the definitive source.

Nevertheless, Amy Winehouse's magnetic presence, coupled with Marisa Abela's mesmerizing portrayal, renders this film undeniably watchable. She remains an icon for a reason; I was mesmerized.

In a nutshell: Is it a must-watch? No, no, no. Is it fascinating anyway? Yes, yes, yes.

Where to watch: Currently in theaters.

Would it be better with Olivia Colman: For sure. However Lesley Manville rocks as her paternal grandmother, Cynthia.

Award potential: Marisa Abela is strong in this role, but this is not award material.

The Ten Buck Review: I can't fully recommend that you spend your ten bucks here when you can stream 2015's Amy instead.