A House Of DEI [Lex]

The Netflix original film A House of Dynamite will likely contend for Academy Award nominations and victories. The movie is directed by Kathryn Bigelow, who won a Best Director Oscar in 2010 for The Hurt Locker.

Bigelow has directed several near-classics (or camp, depending to whom you are speaking) such as Zero Dark Thirty, Point Break and Blue Steel.

From The Hurt Locker forward, however, she has become the go to filmmaker for military dramas and thrillers, and thus we arrive at 2025’s A House of Dynamite.
A House of Dynamite is another entry into what can only be called the nuclear holocaust sub-genre of war pictures. From Dr. Strangelove to Fail Safe to War Games to By Dawn’s Early Light (and on TV The Day After), the countdown to nuclear war and –sometimes— its aftermath never seems to get old. How could it really? The end of the world is inherently terrifying and addictive to think about.

In Bigelow’s latest rendering, we follow the detection of a missile launch from somewhere in Asia as the rocket travels toward the United States. The movie takes a novel approach to the topic, dividing into three, nearly real-time parts from different perspectives.

The first point of view belongs to a team at a remote military post in Alaska which detects the launch, tracks it, and fires counter measures. The second is from the national security bunker beneath the White House, as assembled personnel coordinate diplomatic efforts between foreign governments, cabinet secretaries, and the President himself— while also reviewing response scenarios. The third is from the President of the United States, as he is informed of the danger and considers counter attack scenarios that could engender Armageddon.

A House of Dynamite is well-scripted and well-paced. Some will not like the structure and the switches in point of view, but it mainly works.

Yet here is the rub: in all her years of capturing warfare and military ops on film, I am not sure Bigelow was ready for an enemy as crafty and lethal (a movie killer) as DEI.

One can make any picture one likes, but nominations and awards by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences for Best Picture of the year now come with a catch. In order to be considered for the top Oscar, a movie must allot a certain percentage of roles and work to minorities and/or underprivileged classes.

Formally, it is called the ‘Representation and Inclusion Standards’. You can follow the link to see the full set of requirements. Don’t meet the standards and you can forget about a Best Picture nomination. The rules are as decipherable as instructions on how to put a desk from IKEA together. Or to be more literary, they are Byzantine.

There are probably bean counters somewhere who help studios figure out if they are complying.

What does it add up to? It makes many movies worse than they should be and possibly some great pictures average. In the case of A House of Dynamite, DEI detracted from the tension and fluidity the film worked hard to establish. How? Allow me to explain.

As mentioned, A House of Dynamite depicts a presumed nuclear missile launch from a foreign adversary (North Korea most likely). Whether it is the Norks or not what becomes certain is the missile will hit a target in the United States in twenty minutes. An alphabet soup of agencies and departments are scrambled to assess the situation and strategize a response as well as fallout.

Interspersed through each sequence, we follow the storyline of a top FEMA agent who is charged with readying a plan should the missile attack destroy a major American city (Chicago is the projected landfall). This FEMA agent is a black woman.
Her thread of the movie bears no weight on anything that happens. She is not in any kind of chain of command that would be necessary to shooting the missile down or planning a counter attack against the aggressor.

Some might think it is interesting to see how FEMA prepares, but in the context of this narrative, these glimpses contribute nothing dramatic. They are entirely extraneous, and had they been excised it would not have affected the story in the least.

The second instance of DEI is not just mundane, it is ridiculous. It occurs only in the second sequence, when government officials are attempting to ascertain the source of the missile launch.

The entire intelligence apparatus appears befuddled, so the deputy national security advisor calls the one person alone who can validate or invalidate the North Korea theory: some woman (presumably of Korean or Asian ancestry) who is attending a Gettysburg battlefield re-enactment.

I am sure experts can point out details A House of Dynamite gets wrong in terms of who is in charge of what and how certain rooms look or operate. But it takes no technical familiarity to see it is that the two-minute appearance of this character is anything more than a DEI concoction.

I doubt DEI requirements affect every movie’s story in the negative, and perhaps sometimes the quotas are met off screen (in the crew and staff), but in A House of Dynamite, it was obvious to me DEI hobbled the script in these two very distinct sequences.

If I am being charitable, I might say these are simply bad choices—unrelated to DEI— but I do not think a veteran storyteller such as Bigelow would be this clumsy if her hand was not being forced.

The dumbest aspect to all of this is the President—in A House of Dynamite—is a black man (played by Idris Elba), and the person in charge of the subterranean, White House ops team is a woman (Rebecca Ferguson). Plenty of supporting roles are filled by minorities and women. Were these not enough to meet the quotas?

In storytelling, it has long been advised to “kill your darlings.” That is, as a writer or director, you often fall in love with a piece of dialogue or a scene, and because you are emotionally attached to it you cannot see it should be cut. But if you work up the gumption to kill that darling, you end up with a better result.
Now, the Academy is telling filmmakers not only to preserve darlings but also insert certain darlings, no matter what the narrative consequences. What an abysmal way to guide creators.

Furthermore, why exactly do we need DEI guidance for movies (or anywhere)? It is 2025. Has the work of Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Oprah, Tyler Perry (ugh) and many others been stopped from appearing or succeeding?

As concerns, A House of Dynamite, once you exclude the two sequences I mentioned, the conservative argument against affirmative action had already won. The best people for the roles (Elba and Ferguson) got them and played them well. The movie did not need anything tacked on, unless it was to soothe the ideological egos of DEI loons.

In fact, let’s call DEI in the movies (or anywhere else) what it is: classic Marxism. In trying to right inequities and level the playing field, it destroys everything saving the technocratic class which adopted the rules and self-congratulates itself astride the ruins.

And just as Marxism discourages work and gain, I wonder if DEI standards will discourage filmmakers from making movies that have traditionally earned nominations. Many top tier filmmakers will refuse to be hamstrung by arbitrary rules, and poetasters will be the only ones left making pictures eligible for Academy Awards.

If one believes the quality of Hollywood’s best films have been declining the past two decades, that slide will become a freefall—all made possible by a faulty and pernicious house of DEI.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 08:40 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good evening good people.

Posted by: Tonypete at December 20, 2025 08:52 PM (cYBz/)

2 Woohoo!

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 08:53 PM (mNhIh)

3
This FEMA agent is a black woman.

Of course.

And I'm already tired.

/yawns

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 08:55 PM (4gq9k)

4 "The dumbest aspect to all of this is the President—in A House of Dynamite—is a black man (played by Idris Elba)"

---

I've just come to accept that all movie Presidents going forward with be:

A. Black
B. Gay
C. Female
or 4. All the above

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 08:56 PM (mNhIh)

5
The Oscars "finally" added Best Stunt Man (they probably say "person" or "actor," though), but here's the Real Stupid Part: It doesn't go into effect until, like, 2028. Why?? Why not this year?

Anyway, the first "winner" of Best Stunt Man will, no doubt, be a black woman. Historic!

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 08:58 PM (4gq9k)

6 Why do I have the feeling that the Critical Drinker will not only tell us to go away now, but also to not come back for at least six months?

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 08:59 PM (q3u5l)

7 I'm glad they'll never remake 'Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man'. Can't imagine what DEI would do to that classic!!

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:00 PM (AdHga)

8
Didn't Joe Bob Briggs used to have a ratings system based on teets (boobage?)

I propose a new movie/show ratings system based on Levels of Fatigue.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:01 PM (4gq9k)

9 Biggest DEI movie by far is The Matrix.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:01 PM (KDPiq)

10 2nd biggest DEI movie was The Martian.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:02 PM (KDPiq)

11 8
Didn't Joe Bob Briggs used to have a ratings system based on teets (boobage?)

I propose a new movie/show ratings system based on Levels of Fatigue.

Posted by: Soothsayer

I think he did. Didn't he also add 'lesbofu' as a rating system?

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:03 PM (AdHga)

12
Speaking of Kathryn Bigelow, her ex-husband, the most arrogant egostistical director who ever lived, released his 3rd dumb "Avatar" movie. All spectacle, no substance, say the reviewers I/we trust.

Cameron said his Avatar movies are "saving" "the planet," and is fake-upset the President isn't scaremongering The People with the global warming Hoax.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:04 PM (4gq9k)

13 I don't know if this is related or not, but I watched the Netflix boxing card last night. Jake Paul v. Anthony Joshua was the main event.

Now, for those who haven't seen it, don't bother. That fight was shite. Paul of course, is an internet personality, and Joshua is the former heavyweight champ of the world.

To say that boxing has deteriorated from what it used to be, would make it similar to the rest of the entertainment world, including the rest of sportsball.

However, it doesn't mean there isn't good stuff still out there. And interestingly enough, two of the undercard fights last night were terrific, including the female fight!

Those ladies were tough as hell, and there was an American Olympian fighting only his second pro fight. He was going against an undefeated fella from Columbia, and I think the Columbian is a quality fighter. He was just completely dominated by the other guy, named Jahmal Harvey. The kid looks like a superstar in the making, but I don't know enough to say for sure if he will be.

The point is, entertainment can be had. You just have to dig below the big splashy headliners to find it.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:04 PM (mNhIh)

14
meathead reiner spent all his time "saving" "democracy" from Trump & Us.

James CaMoron is "saving" the "planet" from Us & Trump & the Weather. I wonder what Cameron's fate will be? Does he have any deranged children?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:06 PM (4gq9k)

15 12
Speaking of Kathryn Bigelow, her ex-husband, the most arrogant egostistical director who ever lived, released his 3rd dumb "Avatar" movie. All spectacle, no substance, say the reviewers I/we trust.

Cameron said his Avatar movies are "saving" "the planet," and is fake-upset the President isn't scaremongering The People with the global warming Hoax.
Posted by: Soothsayer

Being married to James Cameron would be difficult, with him constantly french kissing his image in the mirror.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:07 PM (AdHga)

16 Jake lasted 6 rounds so I thought that was a victory for him. Jake is really a cruiser weight and Joshua is relatively huge .

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:08 PM (KDPiq)

17 The only stupid quota that was actually beneficial was Canada's "Canadian content" rules, which gave us Dudley Do-Right and the Mckenzie Brothers.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at December 20, 2025 09:08 PM (xTIDn)

18 Cameron is a self hating human.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:08 PM (KDPiq)

19 The Avatar movies keep making $$$ and having no impact whatsoever on the culture. It is the oddest thing.

I have no interesting in Dances with Wolves with 100X the budget but I guess some people do?

Posted by: 18-1 at December 20, 2025 09:10 PM (sKqQm)

20 Being married to James Cameron would be difficult, with him constantly french kissing his image in the mirror.
Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:07 PM (AdHga)

Just imagine the cost of replacing doorways all the time, as he tries to fit his massive head through them.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:10 PM (mNhIh)

21 I guess we are nearing the end of global warming scaremongering.

Since a bunch of the people that run the left are heavily invested in AI they can't keep arguing against energy production and demanding more energy production.

Posted by: 18-1 at December 20, 2025 09:11 PM (sKqQm)

22 the most arrogant egostistical director who ever lived, released his 3rd dumb "Avatar" movie.

-
He released a statement a few days ago scorching Trump for not believing in global warming. So Trump doesn't believe imaginary blue nine foot aliens from an imaginary alien moon and now we're all going to die!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:11 PM (L/fGl)

23 I watched a RiffTrax-featured movie: "Guns of El Chupacabra." However, calling this a 'movie' is an insult to movies; even RiffTrax-caliber movies. This....show...was created via 'zen filmmaking,' in which (per several YouTube review channels) no script is used, and the creators just wander around filming whatever comes to mind, and then piecing it together later. The result is literally no better than a couple of teenagers messing around with their smartphones over a long weekend. It was terrible, and even with mocking-commentary, it was hard to stay engaged with it.

Compared to that, "The Humanoid" (an Italian-made blatant Star Wars rip-off) was an absolute masterpiece!

Posted by: Castle Guy at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (Lhaco)

24 He released a statement a few days ago scorching Trump for not believing in global warming. So Trump doesn't believe imaginary blue nine foot aliens from an imaginary alien moon and now we're all going to die!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:11 PM (L/fGl)
---
No one ever questions Cameron on how much global warmening his dumb movie caused.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (ESVrU)

25 Jake lasted 6 rounds so I thought that was a victory for him. Jake is really a cruiser weight and Joshua is relatively huge .
Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:08 PM (KDPiq)

Jake ran around the ring most of the time, threw very few punches. Joshua looked like a tin man that needed his oil can through the first five rounds.

By the time he started throwing some punches in the sixth, and none of them were particularly sharp or overwhelmingly powereful, Paul folded like a cheap suitcase.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (mNhIh)

26 I’ve not seen any Avatar movies or Jurassic Park movies. The story line just don’t interest me.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (KDPiq)

27
Cameron is a self hating human.
Posted by: Opinion fact

Self-fellating, too.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (4gq9k)

28 Dyn-O-Mite!!

Posted by: J.J. at December 20, 2025 09:13 PM (Q+gd/)

29 When you said "DEI" and "President," for some reason I pictured Dennis Haysbert, not Idris Elba. I only watched the first season of "24," and that was just once, but I guess it stuck with me.

Posted by: pookysgirl, just chillin at December 20, 2025 09:14 PM (Wt5PA)

30
The Avatar movies keep making $$$ and having no impact whatsoever on the culture. It is the oddest thing.

Posted by: 18-1

A Youtuber, Chris Gore, asked a bunch of Avatar "fans' to name 1 charater. They couldn't

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:14 PM (4gq9k)

31 Hurt Locker is a crime against humanity.

There. I said it.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:15 PM (RoO7G)

32 He released a statement a few days ago scorching Trump for not believing in global warming. So Trump doesn't believe imaginary blue nine foot aliens from an imaginary alien moon and now we're all going to die!
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:11 PM (L/fGl)

Cameron better hope one of his kids doesn't slit his throat in the near future.

If he does, and Trump takes to social media to comment on it, that's when the real violence occurs.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:15 PM (mNhIh)

33 It absolutely takes me out of the moment because, once you know the beancounters established a check sheet, you start counting the beans too instead of focusing on the story.

The basic rule is, There must be a black face somewhere on screen at all times, otherwise the fabric of DEI space/time will start to unravel.

I'm also now cognizant of how many British actors are speaking Yankee because every damn movie is filmed in Canada or the UK.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:15 PM (kpS4V)

34 By the time he started throwing some punches in the sixth, and none of them were particularly sharp or overwhelmingly powereful, Paul folded like a cheap suitcase.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:12 PM (mNhIh)

He took some good punches . He’s no Jerry Quarry but he doesn’t have a glass jaw.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:16 PM (KDPiq)

35
btw, if anyone is interested in a movie to watch tonight about govt Spooks and Ops...

I recommend: Mile 22.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:16 PM (4gq9k)

36 When you said "DEI" and "President," for some reason I pictured Dennis Haysbert, not Idris Elba. I only watched the first season of "24," and that was just once, but I guess it stuck with me.
Posted by: pookysgirl, just chillin at December 20, 2025 09:14 PM (Wt5PA)

A new corollary to the famous Andy Warhol quote will be: Every black actor in Hollywood will play the President of the United States for at least 15 minutes.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:17 PM (mNhIh)

37 Now that the Oscars are relegated to YouTube, and their cultural impact has been in decline since at least the GWB administration, maybe moviemakers won't hew to the rules as much.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:17 PM (kpS4V)

38 On Netflix I watched Karate Kid: Legends.

They have some Chinese guy - somebody Chan? Playing the wise master teacher.

Took me out of the movie, really.

Actually pretty good. Predictable but fun and nostalgic and inoffensive.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:18 PM (RoO7G)

39 When you said "DEI" and "President," for some reason I pictured Dennis Haysbert, not Idris Elba. I only watched the first season of "24," and that was just once, but I guess it stuck with me.
Posted by: pookysgirl, just chillin at December 20, 2025 09:14 PM (Wt5PA)

DWayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (KDPiq)

40 'If one believes the quality of Hollywood’s best films have been declining the past two decades, that slide will become a freefall—all made possible by a faulty and pernicious house of DEI.'

I'm on strike from any new movies until DEI disappears. I won't see any movies henceforth no matter how persuasive the appeal. It could be a biography of me and I'm still skipping it.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (fd80v)

41 He took some good punches . He’s no Jerry Quarry but he doesn’t have a glass jaw.
Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:16 PM (KDPiq)

He took some punches, sure. I don't know if they were all that good.

Given how many times he fell down, and grabbed Joshua's legs, the takeaway from it, as far as I'm concerned, is that no one should consider him a legit boxer.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (mNhIh)

42
I should try out my new Rating System right now.

Mile 22 has Fatigue Rating of 2/10.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (4gq9k)

43 I'm also now cognizant of how many British actors are speaking Yankee because every damn movie is filmed in Canada or the UK.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:15 PM (kpS4V)

Who was the exception to the "Only UK actors" rule in the early Harry Potter films? I can't think of it right now.

Posted by: pookysgirl blames pregnancy brain at December 20, 2025 09:20 PM (Wt5PA)

44 It could be a biography of me and I'm still skipping it.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (fd80v)

Even if Denzel Washington plays you?

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:20 PM (KDPiq)

45
.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:20 PM (4gq9k)

46 DWayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho
Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (KDPiq)

Best. President. Ever.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:21 PM (RoO7G)

47
nice going, dummy

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:21 PM (4gq9k)

48 To the Barrel wit' ye!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:21 PM (kpS4V)

49
Anyone watch the newest Nick Cage b-movie?

Gunslingers, it's called.

I have to watch Willy's Wonderland, first, tho.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:21 PM (4gq9k)

50 Tried watching Avatar once. Fell asleep.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:22 PM (q3u5l)

51 Mr. Sayer to the white courtesy barrel please?

Mr. Sooth Sayer. To the barrel.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:22 PM (RoO7G)

52 It could be a biography of me and I'm still skipping it.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:19 PM (fd80v)

If they make a bio of me, I'm gonna have to insist on casting couching all the actresses who want to play teh wimminz in the story.

Even the one they have to play my mom.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:22 PM (mNhIh)

53 I admit it, I love Nic Cage movies, the NicCagier the better. Except the Beeeeeeeeez one.

The Colour Out of Space was freaky.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:23 PM (kpS4V)

54 I have a theory that Hollywood has just given up. Everything is going to be AI slop direct to streaming soon enough.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:24 PM (RoO7G)

55 Speaking of the end of the world, Alan Dershowitz has a new book out, Jewish Blood Is No Longer Cheap: A Call to Arms in Preventing Recurrence of Past Disasters. The title is pretty provocative but, I would argue, well justified by current events. The book is aimed primarily at Israel but it's not all hearts and flowers around here either.

https://is.gd/bxYdDi

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:24 PM (L/fGl)

56 Tried watching Avatar once. Fell asleep.
Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:22 PM (q3u5l)

I got to the part where the white people attacked the colored people's World Tree Center.

That was it for me.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:24 PM (mNhIh)

57 Movies are dumb. Music is where it's at.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (BI5O2)

58 The Hurt Locker was perhaps the most unrealistic POS war movie I've ever seen. The Warriors is more realistic of a story.

Posted by: Bert G at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (VARTN)

59 Even the one they have to play my mom.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:22 PM (mNhIh)

That's far out, man! I really dig it!

Posted by: Barry Williams at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (RoO7G)

60
The Colour Out of Space was freaky.
Posted by: All Hail Eris

Wacky shit. But you people said it was written that way by Lovecraft.

How about Dream Scenario?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (4gq9k)

61 "Warriors...can you dig it?!"

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (kpS4V)

62
NOTHING I watched in 2025 was worse than The Lobster, with Colin Farell.

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:26 PM (4gq9k)

63 admit it, I love Nic Cage movies, the NicCagier the better. Except the Beeeeeeeeez one.

The Colour Out of Space was freaky.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:23 PM (kpS4V)

Family Man is my favorite Christmas movie.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:26 PM (KDPiq)

64 https://is.gd/bxYdDi
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:24 PM (L/fGl)

Is there a picture of him in his underwear, on Epstein Island, getting a massage from an underaged girl?

That might be worth reading.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:26 PM (mNhIh)

65 "I admit it, I love Nic Cage movies, the NicCagier the better."

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.

Posted by: davidt at December 20, 2025 09:27 PM (Q+gd/)

66 Just got back from a great excursion. Horseback riding with my wife in the ocean. It was awesome enough when the horses were chest deep, but when they were over their heads and swimming was unreal.

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 20, 2025 09:27 PM (O6icp)

67 Movies are dumb. Music is where it's at.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (BI5O2)

I never would have expected you to be a Swifty, but now it all makes sense.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:28 PM (mNhIh)

68 Burt at 56 --

I'm not sure I made it that far. I can't remember a freakin' thing about what little of that movie I saw.

And Jeez -- Cameron. Disappointment upon disappointment, and that after Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss (YMMV).

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:28 PM (q3u5l)

69 58 The Hurt Locker was perhaps the most unrealistic POS war movie I've ever seen. The Warriors is more realistic of a story.
Posted by: Bert G at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (VARTN)

It does have excellent casting. Characters I really believed. A story I did not.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:28 PM (RoO7G)

70
Just got back from a great excursion. Horseback riding with my wife in the ocean. It was awesome enough when the horses were chest deep, but when they were over their heads and swimming was unreal.
Posted by: Lincolntf

And your wife was Christy Brinkley, and she drove a red Ferrari.

Because this was a dream, right?

Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:28 PM (4gq9k)

71 Thx Lex
In my humble opinion Bigelow's best movie was , I believe, her first , Near Dark. Good vampire flick. Bill Paxton, Lance Hendrickson etc.

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 20, 2025 09:29 PM (MoRvC)

72 50 Tried watching Avatar once. Fell asleep.
Posted by: Just Some Guy

I have never gotten through the first 10 minutes of that movie. The writing was so bad. Horrible. Then, I thought Titanic was overrated slop. Except for Kate Winslet's boobs. They were amazing.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:29 PM (AdHga)

73 I admit it, I love Nic Cage movies, the NicCagier the better. Except the Beeeeeeeeez one.

The Colour Out of Space was freaky.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:23 PM (kpS4V)

Two very different... and I mean VERY different recent Nick Cage flicks: Pig and Mandy. Both great films.

Unmitigatingly great films.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:29 PM (mNhIh)

74 Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.
Posted by: davidt at December 20, 2025 09:27 PM (Q+gd/)

I watched that a few weeks ago.
Werner Herzog!
Nick Cage!
Val Kilmer!
GatorCam!
IguanaCam!

It was glorious.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at December 20, 2025 09:29 PM (dl47i)

75 52
'Even the one they have to play my mom.'

I hear they have a slightly younger and more alive version of Ethel Kennedy lined up.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:30 PM (fd80v)

76 I just reread "The Colour Out of Space". it's one of Lovecraft's best, but it's moody and atmospheric and the horror ramps up slowly. With his stuff, whether it's non-Euclidean freakiness or colors on the edge of the human spectrum or footprints matching no known animal, the feeling is "This just shouldn't be!.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:31 PM (kpS4V)

77 @soothsayer, sometimes I feel that lucky, to be honest. I'm a bum compared to my wife.

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 20, 2025 09:31 PM (O6icp)

78 Burt at 56 --

I'm not sure I made it that far. I can't remember a freakin' thing about what little of that movie I saw.

And Jeez -- Cameron. Disappointment upon disappointment, and that after Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss (YMMV).
Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:28 PM (q3u5l)

It's basically all I remember about it. I think up to that point, there was some kid who was injured, so they decided to put him in a blue body, and I don't even remember how that worked.

I just know they started firing missiles at the big tree, and it went down dramatically, in a way that is impossible NOT to see as a recreation of the WTC on 9/11.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:31 PM (mNhIh)

79 I'm a big sci-fi fan. Saw the first Avatar and can't remember a thing about it. Never saw the second, don't intend to see the third

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (MoRvC)

80 "it's my lucky crack pipe. You don't have a lucky crack pipe?"

Posted by: davidt at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (Q+gd/)

81 Two very different... and I mean VERY different recent Nick Cage flicks: Pig and Mandy. Both great films.

Unmitigatingly great films.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:29 PM (mNhIh)
----

Yes! I loved them both.

"Fuck Seattle!"

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (kpS4V)

82 44
'It could be a biography of me and I'm still skipping it.

Even if Denzel Washington plays you?'

Tempting. But he'd probably play a better me than me.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (fd80v)

83 Think I fell asleep when I tried to watch Titanic too, so have no recollection of Ms Winslet's assets. I did kinda like catching the part near the end when the boat sinks and Leo sinks too. Figured I didn't need to wind it back to see what I missed.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (q3u5l)

84 In other Hollywood news, The Oscars are moving to YouTube when their contract with ABC is up in 28.

So an already overly long show with no guard rails will be completely unfettered.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (XV/Pl)

85 I hear they have a slightly younger and more alive version of Ethel Kennedy lined up.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:30 PM (fd80v)

Back when her husband was still alive, and AFTER she gave birth to 8 kids, she was a hottie.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:33 PM (mNhIh)

86 Judging by its opening, I don’t think A3 gets to 2 Billie.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 20, 2025 09:35 PM (XV/Pl)

87 A Youtuber, Chris Gore, asked a bunch of Avatar "fans' to name 1 charater. They couldn't
Posted by: Soothsayer at December 20, 2025 09:14 PM (4gq9k

Hefty Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Gargamel

How hard is it?

Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at December 20, 2025 09:35 PM (pIfcn)

88 "Titanic 2" would be an interesting premise...

Posted by: Lincolntf at December 20, 2025 09:35 PM (O6icp)

89 I liked both the Avatar movies and will see the third. I also bought and enjoyed the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora video game. I don't take them any more seriously than I take superhero movies or The Wizard of Oz.

Don't judge me!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:35 PM (L/fGl)

90 I said before, tried to watch the new Knives Out movie and could only stomach about 15 minutes. Chock full of good actors and I just hated it.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (kpS4V)

91 Back when her husband was still alive, and AFTER she gave birth to 8 kids, she was a hottie.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:33 PM (mNhIh)

There was an old lady that lived in a shoe she had so many kids
Her uterus fell out
OOOWWWW

Posted by: A D Clay at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (gbOdA)

92 Even if Denzel Washington plays you?'

Tempting. But he'd probably play a better me than me.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:32 PM (fd80v)

I'm a sucker for the Equalizer movies.

Denzel playing action is sorta like what they used to say about Elvis. In the earlier films, Elvis was dancing all around the set, but the older he got, the more he just stood there, while dancers twirled and bounced around him.

That's Denzel in his action scenes: Here, come run into my punch!

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (mNhIh)

93 Never seen any Avatar movies. Don't intend to. Just from the synopsis, they sound mind-bendingly dumb. And logically inconsistent. If space-faring Humanity is truly as evil and greedy as implied...then some orbital bombardment is in order! Or at least some high-altitude or over-the-horizon strafing....

Posted by: Castle Guy at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (Lhaco)

94 Evening, Horde...How goes it?

I don't mean to derail the Movie Thread, but the Sunday Morning Book Thread has some real treats for y'all tomorrow. You don't want to miss it!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (ESVrU)

95 We watched the film "The Talented Mr Ripley" yesterday, and today saw "Almost Famous," both of which had Philip Seymour Hoffman in the cast.

Pretty good entertainment, and not a spec of DEI in either.

Can Hollywood recover? I don't think so.

We'll go with the visiting family during the holiday week to see the ping pong movie with Timothe Chalomette. We liked him in The King, and in A Complete Unknown. There's bound to be DEI in it, but I hope I can ignore it.

Posted by: M. Gaga at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (KiBMU)

96 88 "Titanic 2" would be an interesting premise...
Posted by: Lincolntf

A Clive Cussler book: Raise the Titanic.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (AdHga)

97 >>> Interspersed through each sequence, we follow the storyline of a top FEMA agent who is charged with readying a plan should the missile attack destroy a major American city (Chicago is the projected landfall). This FEMA agent is a black woman.

Unlike NC, she shouldn't have to concern herself with inadvertently helping MAGA folks, or looking for signs.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (/lPRQ)

98 Might see The Nutcracker at the theater tomorrow, if I'm up to putting on pants and being around people. It's at about 50% probability right now.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:38 PM (kpS4V)

99 Hi all,
Just seeing this went up now. I'll try to review the comments and respond to what I can.
-Lex

Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 09:39 PM (y4H1r)

100 I'll have to bail early on the book thread tomorrow due to enjoyable family stuff going on here in real life. You'll pass out treats early and not in the last hour, right? Right???!!!???

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:39 PM (q3u5l)

101 Posted by: M. Gaga at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (KiBMU)

The Talented Mr Rippley was a really good serial killer movie. I think Damon’s best acted movie.

Posted by: Opinion fact at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (KDPiq)

102 Back when her husband was still alive, and AFTER she gave birth to 8 kids, she was a hottie.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:33 PM (mNhIh)

lieutenant that take boat off ship rescues 2 steerage passengers.
In NY they become trouple that redecorate million dollar lofts.

Posted by: A D Clay at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (gbOdA)

103 off sox

Posted by: A D Clay at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (gbOdA)

104 I don't mean to derail the Movie Thread, but the Sunday Morning Book Thread has some real treats for y'all tomorrow. You don't want to miss it!
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 09:37 PM (ESVrU)
----

Star Trek? Tolkien? CAT VIDEOS?!?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (kpS4V)

105 I said before, tried to watch the new Knives Out movie and could only stomach about 15 minutes. Chock full of good actors and I just hated it.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (kpS4V)

I'm gonna try it at some point. I liked the first one, the second one came off as lazy (and yes, too DEI).

Ed Norton should be considered one of the modern era's greatest actors, but it was clear he was just phoning it in.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (mNhIh)

106 90 I said before, tried to watch the new Knives Out movie and could only stomach about 15 minutes. Chock full of good actors and I just hated it.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:36 PM (kpS4V)

Just this weekend I saw a trailer for upcoming "The Sheep Detectives" movie. It's about some literal sheep who try to solve the murder mystery of who killed their shepherd. My first instinct was to make some joke about the movie probably being a better mystery than Knives Out.....But I can't do that in good faith, because I've never seen any Knives Out movies. Nor do I want to.

Posted by: Castle Guy at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (Lhaco)

107 92
'That's Denzel in his action scenes: Here, come run into my punch!'

Fights aren't really like that? I watched Denzel fight and thought, "Damn. Even I could be a badass Equalizer."

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:41 PM (fd80v)

108 4 "The dumbest aspect to all of this is the President—in A House of Dynamite—is a black man (played by Idris Elba)"

---

I've just come to accept that all movie Presidents going forward with be:

A. Black
B. Gay
C. Female
or 4. All the above
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 08:56 PM (mNhIh)
Morgan Freeman was Always In Charge before Angry Black Woman hit the the movie industry.

Posted by: Eromero at December 20, 2025 09:41 PM (LHPAg)

109 Did not know Idris Elba was born in the US. Oh well.

Posted by: Texican ette at December 20, 2025 09:42 PM (SNf74)

110 We’ve laughed for years about the first Avatar movie truly was a complete rip off of Ferngully. Instead of cartoon characters and magic flying fairies trying to protect a Big Magic Tree deep in the Amazon, they’re trying to protect a Big Magic Tree in space.
Which in fact is even dumber than the original version.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 20, 2025 09:43 PM (0anTZ)

111 I liked the previous two Knives Out movies.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:43 PM (kpS4V)

112 And speaking of, Kate Hudson in Knives Out 2, she effectively played a dumb character by acting dumb, but good grief, she must have had in her contract a stipulation that she gets to show off her spectacular (for her age) body.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:43 PM (mNhIh)

113 Raise the Titanic by Cussler was made into a boring movie with Jason Robards, Richard Jordan and... Alec Guinness. Boring movie

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 20, 2025 09:43 PM (MoRvC)

114 Tried watching Avatar once. Fell asleep.
Posted by: Just Some Guy

I have never gotten through the first 10 minutes of that movie. The writing was so bad. Horrible. Then, I thought Titanic was overrated slop.

-
I read a review of Titanic shortly after it came out that I wish I could quote. The essence was that Cameron's typewriter should be taken away and he should never be allowed to be within 100 yards of another.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:44 PM (L/fGl)

115 112 And speaking of, Kate Hudson in Knives Out 2, she effectively played a dumb character by acting dumb, but good grief, she must have had in her contract a stipulation that she gets to show off her spectacular (for her age) body.
Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:43 PM (mNhIh)

You say that like its a bad thing.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:44 PM (RoO7G)

116 Since the comments are heading in different directions, I'll only note this: I watched A House of Dynamite and wrote this post maybe a month ago. Since then A House of Dynamite has fallen far in the Oscar nomination discussion and predictive markets. I think it will get very few nominations and probably zero wins. I don't know if DEI is responsible for this or not. I didn't see many movies that impressed at all. TRAIN DREAMS was probably the best. WARFARE was also good, as well as NOUVELLE VAGUE if you are a French new wave fan.

Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 09:44 PM (y4H1r)

117 Fights aren't really like that? I watched Denzel fight and thought, "Damn. Even I could be a badass Equalizer."
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 09:41 PM (fd80v)

The "Nobody" films are hella fun, in large part because of how much effort Odenkirk put into his fight scenes.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:45 PM (mNhIh)

118 Star Trek? Tolkien? CAT VIDEOS?!?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (kpS4V)

The holodeck does LOTR with cats. "Fur Frodo!"

Posted by: pookysgirl has been hanging around Pookette too much at December 20, 2025 09:45 PM (Wt5PA)

119 You say that like its a bad thing.
Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:44 PM (RoO7G)

Oh no. No no no no no.

In fact, I'm gonna figure out how to use one of those AI thingies, and command it to play the film, but skip everything other than the scenes where she's in a bikini.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:47 PM (mNhIh)

120 I wonder how it would’ve turned out if Nick Cage had actually been able to play Superman.

It almost happened.
Tim Burton was set to direct Superman Lives with Cage starring in the late 90s, but it never came to be.

Here’s Cage trying on Superman costumes for the role:

https://youtu.be/h7j7hMg5BcI

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 20, 2025 09:47 PM (6ydKt)

121 Maybe a clever director could make all the DEI roles superfluous and short. Them afterwards cut all that shit out with the Director's Cut.

Ploding high drama socialist conscious two hour movie -> 90 minutes of no fluff.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 20, 2025 09:47 PM (/lPRQ)

122 I didn't see many movies that impressed at all. TRAIN DREAMS was probably the best. WARFARE was also good, as well as NOUVELLE VAGUE if you are a French new wave fan.
Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 09:44 PM (y4H1r)

Last I heard, Del Taco's "Frahnkenshteen" was supposed to get a bunch of noms, including Best Pic.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:49 PM (mNhIh)

123 57 Movies are dumb. Music is where it's at.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (BI5O2)

You gotta let it breath, Man...

Posted by: Eddie Wilson at December 20, 2025 09:49 PM (mP0Kj)

124 And speaking of, Kate Hudson in Knives Out 2, she effectively played a dumb character by acting dumb, but good grief, she must have had in her contract a stipulation that she gets to show off her spectacular (for her age) body.
Posted by: BurtTC

And speaking of dumb, did Edward Norton nail that role or what? Those malapropisms were hilarious particularly because everyone was trying to suck up to him and pretended not to notice.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:50 PM (L/fGl)

125 The Avatar movies keep making $$$ and having no impact whatsoever on the culture. It is the oddest thing.

Posted by: 18-1

A Youtuber, Chris Gore, asked a bunch of Avatar "fans' to name 1 charater. They couldn't
Posted by: Soothsayer

They got stoned.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 20, 2025 09:51 PM (/lPRQ)

126 And speaking of dumb, did Edward Norton nail that role or what? Those malapropisms were hilarious particularly because everyone was trying to suck up to him and pretended not to notice.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Now With Pumpkin Spice! at December 20, 2025 09:50 PM (L/fGl)

I suppose, but I was so put off by how transparent it was he was supposed to be Elon Musk.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:51 PM (mNhIh)

127 Good movies are few and far between. This stuff of characters must be black, or trans, or gay, etc. has gotten annoying. People get tired of being preached at by Hollywood telling us we must accept all kinds of people with alternative lifestyles. Or different races. If the movie is supposed to be great we don't need any of that crap.

Posted by: Case at December 20, 2025 09:51 PM (G1OIb)

128 122...yes FRANKENSTEIN will get a bunch of nominations, but I didn't like it very much. Kind of a shrug for me.

Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (y4H1r)

129 123 57 Movies are dumb. Music is where it's at.
Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at December 20, 2025 09:25 PM (BI5O2)

You gotta let it breath, Man...
Posted by: Eddie Wilson at December 20, 2025 09:49 PM (mP0Kj)

I led you here....

Posted by: Guy Patterson at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (mP0Kj)

130 Star Trek? Tolkien? CAT VIDEOS?!?
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:40 PM (kpS4V)
--
*sigh*

Am I getting too predictable?

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (ESVrU)

131 I read somewhere that A3 is underperforming. Don't care really but if true it's a sign that movies are dying

Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (MoRvC)

132 A Youtuber, Chris Gore, asked a bunch of Avatar "fans' to name 1 charater. They couldn't
Posted by: Soothsayer

They got stoned.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 20, 2025 09:51 PM (/lPRQ)

I don't know if Chris Gore did it or not, I haven't seen it, but years ago Jacksfilms did a bit where he went out in public, offered money to anyone who could recall a single character's name.

Nobody could, and I think he claimed he didn't edit it to cut out anyone who did.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:53 PM (mNhIh)

133 The Netflix-produced limited series "Ripley" IMHO was better than the Matt Damon film of the same story mentioned upthread. Shot in black and white, at almost 8 hours length over as many episodes, it weaves the story with that of the painter Caravaggio, himself a murderer on the run, and has a better music score.

Posted by: M. Gaga at December 20, 2025 09:53 PM (KiBMU)

134 Today I revisited a nifty oldie with Bogart, Gloria Grahame, and Frank Lovejoy -- In a Lonely Place. An hour and 40 well spent. Thank God for old movies.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 09:54 PM (q3u5l)

135 128 122...yes FRANKENSTEIN will get a bunch of nominations, but I didn't like it very much. Kind of a shrug for me.
Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (y4H1r)

That's just it, I think I grade on a curve, in my head these days.

Given the rest of the crep they release, it's high above most everything else.

I thought Sinners fits that description too, as does Weapons.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:55 PM (mNhIh)

136 Posted by: Case at December 20, 2025 09:51 PM (G1OIb)

If it's a story about Gay Life, I won't watch it because I'm just not entertained by that lifestyle..

If they insert a Gay into a movie without any real reason except they need a Gay scene? I'll probably turn it off because it just irritates me.

Homophobia would mean I was SCARED of Gays... no, I just don't find their lifestyle entertaining enough to waste my time on watching it.

Posted by: Guy Patterson at December 20, 2025 09:55 PM (mP0Kj)

137 I liked the previous two Knives Out movies.
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025

***
I've only seen the first, and I thought it was very well done in the classic mystery mold. The clues were all fairly planted, and you understood how Craig's detective figured things out.

I have to see if the second one is at the library.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 20, 2025 09:55 PM (wzUl9)

138
Evening, all. We all know that Sydney Sweeney is in an upcoming movie, but Amanda Seyfried, who trashed Charlie Kirk and then doubled down on what a fascist he was, is also in it?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's Phone at December 20, 2025 09:56 PM (n7rxJ)

139 I read somewhere that A3 is underperforming. Don't care really but if true it's a sign that movies are dying
Posted by: Smell the Glove at December 20, 2025 09:52 PM (MoRvC)

Cameron was such a douche, for coming out and saying he didn't think streaming released movies should be considered for awards.

Fine. You go ahead and release your film in theaters. We'll stay home and wait.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 09:56 PM (mNhIh)

140 Looking at "2025 in Film" on Wiki.

My nominations for the Worsties:

Star Trek: Section 31
Mickey 17
The Long Walk

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:57 PM (kpS4V)

141 Gunless is a funny little Western. I recommend it.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 09:57 PM (RoO7G)

142 Combine all three and I'm THERE, Perf.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at December 20, 2025 09:58 PM (kpS4V)

143 I am entertaining a theory (Conspiracy?). When someone seeks a job in Hollywood, they are asked to write something unique and entertaining. If they actually manage to submit something unique and entertaining, they are immediately and permanently black-listed. The people in charge of Hollywood cannot manage a mildly entertaining greeting card and will never again allow someone with actual talent to show what a steaming heaping pile of doggy-DEI they actually are.

Posted by: JB1000 at December 20, 2025 09:59 PM (tLjC6)

144 If you want to watch quality gay scenery in a mainstream film, I would highly recommend "Honey Don't."

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 10:00 PM (mNhIh)

145 WEAPONS had a terrific first half and I was all in, but the second half was dumb beyond belief. I didn't get to SINNERS yet, but it sounds like it's drawing attention. My film critics group top ten are thus...

1. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
2. SINNERS
3. MARTY SUPREME
4. NO OTHER CHOICE
5. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
6. SENTIMENTAL VALUE
7. WEAPONS
8. HAMNET
9. THE SECRET AGENT
10. TRAIN DREAMS

My top ten were...

1. TRAIN DREAMS
2. WARFARE
3. NOUVELLE VAGUE
4. IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT
5. THE PLAGUE
6. DEAD MAN'S WIRE
7. SENTIMENTAL VALUE
8. NO OTHER CHOICE
9. BUGONIA
10. THE SECRET AGENT

Posted by: Lex at December 20, 2025 10:00 PM (y4H1r)

146 I doubt DEI requirements affect every movie’s story in the negative

Incorrect

Posted by: undocumented commenter at December 20, 2025 10:00 PM (ET8aG)

147 And outta here for the evening.

Lex, thanks for the thread.

See some of you tomorrow in the book thread, for about an hour and a half anyway.

Have a good one, gang.

Posted by: Just Some Guy at December 20, 2025 10:00 PM (q3u5l)

148 Well, Ice Station Zebra starts with queer-as-a-three-dollar-bill Rock Hudson pretending to hunt a mythic roebuck in arctic Scotland, which doesn't even have hunting amirite, and if any of you are still claiming there's no such thing as White Fragility, wiggle that stick around until it tickles.

To see the nuke-shot handled nicely with an ensemble cast, watch Kevin Pollak as the president in Deterrence (1999), a sort of Fail Safe in a Bus Stop, with a shocking surprise ending. But I'm afraid you might have to see A Minority in that one, too.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at December 20, 2025 10:01 PM (zdLoL)

149 My problem with trying to keep up is that I'm never going to a movie theater, ever again, and there are some streaming services I'm not going to subscribe to (I'm looking at you, Mouse F**kers).

So the best film I've seen this year, by far, is Strange Darling.

It came out in 2023, so it's not on anyone else's end of year lists, but it's at the top of mine.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 10:05 PM (mNhIh)

150 Hey yall nood

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at December 20, 2025 10:05 PM (RoO7G)

151 144
'If you want to watch quality gay scenery in a mainstream film,...'

Oh yeah. More than anything.
I assume you have an exhaustive list of that type of film.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 10:05 PM (fd80v)

152 Oh yeah. More than anything.
I assume you have an exhaustive list of that type of film.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 10:05 PM (fd80v)

My list is two:

1. Honey Don't
2. Black Swan

Very similar scenes.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 20, 2025 10:08 PM (mNhIh)

153 Did not know Idris Elba was born in the US. Oh well.
Posted by: Texican ette

Thought he was Norwegian...
Mother Swedish at least?

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 20, 2025 10:12 PM (/lPRQ)

154 152
'1. Honey Don't
2. Black Swan

Very similar scenes.'

Oh. THAT kind of gay scenery.
Carry on.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 20, 2025 10:16 PM (fd80v)

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