media moment – PopCult Reviews

Media Moment (08/14/20)

Against all logic & reason, AMC Theaters are reopening 100 locations on August 20th. For that one day, tickets will be sold at 15 cents advertised as a “1920s price”. It’s clear the dirt cheap ticket price is an experiment to see who is willing to go out in the pandemic to watch a movie in a theater. Prices after will be $5 as the chain shows old films like Black Panther, Back to the Future, and The Empire Strikes Back. Disney is still adamant they will open The New Mutants in whatever theaters are open on August 28th.

Media Moment (07/17/20)

Luca Guadagnino completely wowed me with the 2018 remake of Suspiria, a better film than the original. Now, Universal has hired him to helm a Scarface reboot, and I am incredibly excited to see what he does. I loved in Suspira how Guadagnino took the essential elements of the 1970s original but gave us a completely different experience that was even more horrific and thoughtful. I fully expect he will provide us with a Scarface that offers a nod to the 1930s and 1980s versions but is entirely new. I’d love it if it was a period piece in the 1980s but emphasizing a different tone that De Palma’s.

Media Moment – 06/19/20

After nine years, Sean Durkin has directed his follow-up to the fantastic Martha Marcy May Marlene. This time Jude Law and Carrie Coon star as a married couple living beyond their means and stretching themselves to the breaking point. Here’s the trailer for The Nest.

Media Moment (05/22/20)

Netflix appears to have gone all-in on beloved children’s author Roald Dahl. Taika Waititi is set to write, direct, and produce two animated series. The first is based on Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, while the second is focused entirely on the Oompa Loompas. I am hoping that the second show isn’t done in the style of Minions, which I could see a short-sighted executive going for but not Waititi. My hope is that New Zealand filmmaker opts to make the workers in Wonka’s factory a version of his own Maori culture, reinforcing the indigenous aspects of the characters but bringing more depth to them. The other project in the works is a live-action adaptation of the Matilda stage musical, which has been running on Broadway since 2013. Ralph Fiennes has been cast as Trunchbull, the brutal headmistress of Matilda’s school. The show’s original London director Matthew Warchus and the playwright Dennis Kelly are both on board.

Media Moment (05/01/20)

NBCUniversal’s CEO Jeff Shell recently made comments about the success of Trolls: World Tour’s digital release due to coronavirus theater closures. The movie has apparently done well enough that the company is now looking at releasing more films to homes first during the quarantines but also continuing the strategy when theaters open back up. AMC and Regal didn’t take this news well and have said all movies released by NBCUniversal will not be carried in their theaters if this goes through. Shell has backtracked it a little with some confusing semantics, but I think home streaming options are going to become a must as this pandemic drags on into the summer and likely the fall.

Media Moment (04/09/20)

We are in Hell at the moment. Well, the verge of falling into the pit. Between corona and the bubbling up of a new Great Depression, times feel rough. Here are some tv shows you should binge during this time of isolation. They may not make you feel better, but they are damn good and quality television.

Dark (Netflix, two seasons, the third season coming this summer)
Dark is a German production about the small town of Winden. The city was plagued by child disappearances sporadically since the 1950s and another one has just occurred. The series follows teenager Jonas whose father has just committed suicide. Jonas is dealing with his personal grief as well as the unfolding mystery in his hometown. Dark will absolutely surprise you with where it goes, but it can scramble your brains with the twists and turns. Every episode is actually fast-paced and chock-full of character development and information. If you were a fan of the strange places Lost went to during its six-year run, then Dark will scratch that itch.
Check out my reviews of Season One and Season Two.

Media Moment (03/27/20)

We’re in for a very strange restructuring of the film calendar. Wonder Woman 1984 has been delayed from its May release to August, a month not typically seen as where studios put big tentpoles. Black Widow has been moved from late April to November (likely Thanksgiving) for its release. Production for The Batman has been indefinitely delayed, so that should come out in late 2021 or further at this point. Despite all of this, filming for Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is set to still begin in June. It appears that this current phase of the MCU is very dependent on certain movies & shows releasing at certain times in relation to each other. Strange is set for release in May of 2021.

Media Moment (03/20/20)

These are worrisome times. I don’t expect we are close to the end of this crisis, and without strong centralized action, it is only going to get worse. I’ve noticed that our “leaders” are passing the buck instead of taking charge. The president says it’s all on the governors, which is one way of saying, “I’m not taking responsibility for this.” Even down to my local state legislature and governor, they refuse to take action and just suggest what should happen. In the meantime, some Hollywood studios are putting up movies for distribution.

Media Moment (03/13/20)

Well, coronavirus has wreaked havoc with movies and television. In these times, they are some of the least important things (or at least they should be). Because the United States is so focused on capitalist consumption, it is notable that the entire Disney theme park/cruise division is shutting down for the rest of the month. Additionally, films like No Time To Die, Fast & Furious 9, New Mutants, and others have been bumped back on the calendar or indefinitely. You have to wonder when movie theaters will starting shutting down due to a decrease in audiences.

Media Moment (03/06/20)

So the former student who was staying with us is now with another parent, not the one who was causing the horrible neglect in her life. We were sad to see her go, but we had an absolutely fantastic week having her in our home. While she was here, we watched a couple of horror films: Hereditary and Us. She loved both of them, pointing out the psychological aspects of each that made them a cut above a jumpscare movie. We are still in touch, and I am sure there are many more movies in our future.