Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

E and I began catching up on Animated Feature Oscar nominations this weekend, which I have to say, is my happy place. My first foray into the Wallace & Gromit universe was a delightful one. It’s funny because I was always sort of turned off by claymation as a kid, for childish reasons probably, but as an adult, it’s astoundingly impressive, and this form here is no exception. The plot in this movie, while formulaic, is perfectly done, and E and I laughed quite a lot. 3 movies in, I still give Wild Robot a slight edge overall to this, as it’s a bit more creative and original, and has a bit more heart, but I would heartily recommend this to anyone who loves animation or has kids. Super fun!

-Z

Z and I went in completely blind to this movie, and can I just say, what a delight this was! Incredibly fun story line and multiple laugh-out-loud moments from me. The world created here is so weirdly charming, and it has left me wanting to watch more from this franchise. I’ve got this tied with The Wild Robot for my top animated film of the year, and if I had to pick one over the other, this would win out.

-E

“Give him the diamond, lad. I can live without inventing, but I can't live without... me best pal!” - Wallace

Despite 8 movies and short films that Wallace and Gromit have been a part of, this is the first that I have taken the time to see. If it wasn’t for my Oscars watch list, it most likely would have been skipped. Overall, I am so glad I watched it and really think I will find time to watch more. A genuinely funny movie that gave me some Shrek humor vibes at times, which is why I think I enjoyed it so much. Overall it is a much watch and Feathers McGraw is an iconic super villain that should not be slept on. With a couple animated movies to watch, this is currently what I am rooting for to win the oscar!

-J

Z 8.5
E 8.75
J 8.5

ZEJ 8.58

The Apprentice

If I could just skip ahead four years to avoid any further Trump news, I would, so naturally I was dreading watching The Apprentice. But us cinema junkies take it on the chin for the love of the game, and The Apprentice is as horrifying as I imagined. But like watching a car wreck, Trump’s transformation… you just can’t look away. This movie is limited in enjoyment, but as a vehicle to showcase the talents of Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong, boy, does it shine. Sebastian Stan’s subtle but pinpoint descent into Trump’s neuroses is brilliant. And Jeremy Strong, who we all fell in love with in Succession, brings a completely different energy to The Apprentice, a masterful, affecting depiction of Roy Cohn. There’s a couple shots from this that we’ll stick with me for a long time, and that’s the height of cinema.

-Z

Now it’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Donald Trump, but for some reason I’ve been interested in seeing this since I first heard about it in the fall. While we didn’t make it to the theater, I’m glad it's Oscar noms gave us a reason to dive in at home. Sebastian Stan and Jerwmey Strong are fabulous here. While Trump’s transformation from apprentice-e to apprentice-r is expected, it happens here through a series of subtle shifts that kept me all in on a storyline that felt quite realistic.

-E

“Rule three: no matter what happens, you claim victory and never admit defeat.” -Roy

I don’t know how much Z will dive into his reluctance to watch this film, but I was in the same spot. I am exhausted from hearing about Trump, whether it be good or bad, so a full length film on him seemed like a lot. First off, Sebastian Stan is the man right now. He has been lights out in everything and is definitely in the must watch column for me. He was fantastic and I also think watching this film puts a light on our president in a different way for me. Does it change my feelings? No, but it definitely helps me understand some things. A movie that is all about high level acting and storytelling. Casual movie watchers may want to pass, but if you like a well put together movie then you should find some time!

-J

Z 8.0
E 8.5
J 8.75

ZEJ 8.42

Memoir of a Snail

Wow. Who would have guessed an oppressively depressing R-rated animated film would be nominated for an Oscar? Exciting times we live in. Memoir of a Snail is a beautiful film, both in animation and story, but the tragic nature of its characters may be a bit over the top, and while it makes the journey cathartic by the end of it, it’s not for the faint of heart, and for definitely loses some points with me in that regard. It’s just cool to have more and more animation made for adults, and ever more cool to have it be recognized like this. Definitely recommend if you enjoy animation, but you definitely need to be a good emotional headspace to take this on, so be forewarned.

-Z

Despite being animated, this was, unexpectedly, decidedly somber. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story line and animation, and I definitely think this was deserving of its Best Animated nom, but it's not one I’d watch again (and might even struggle to recommend to someone). The misfortunes and bad luck just keep piling up for the main character and I don’t think the ending fully saves it here as the film might think it does.

-E

Z 8.5
E 8.25
J n/a

ZEJ 8.38

Movie Fantasy League 2024 - Oscars Update

Oscar Nominations are out and that has shaken up the leaderboard for the ZEJ Reviews Movie Fantasy League!

Here’s where we’re at:

The rank on the left is globally and score on the right is current points.

Jord takes a command lead atop the rankings, as he picked 4 film with Oscar nominations, including two of the most nominated films, Emilia Perez and Wicked, as well as Best Picture nominee Anora, and animated nominee Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. All told, Jord racked up 30 Oscar nominations, most in the league.

Trailing him in total nominations with 22, Ellen pulls into second place, as she also had Wicked, had success with A Complete Unknown’s 8 nominations, the Wild Robot and September 5. We just did our reviews for A Complete Unknown, and it’s frustrating how it racked up any more nominations than Best Actor, as it’s such a bland movie, but of all our picks, it’s certainly the best value at a cost of just $1.88 per nomination.

You’ll also notice that Z is no longer in last place, though with Sing Sing being snubbed for Best Picture, I only amassed 9 total nominations, and didn’t soar to the heights I would have liked.

In fact, our previous leader Austin R, fended me off with his movies racking up 15 nominees - Wicked, Sing Sing and a surprising two nominations for the Apprentice.

Rounding out the bottom, Max picked up 8 nominees, and Austin T and Tony 5 a piece. The bottom trio all shared the joy of selecting the worst value movie $40 per nomination with Gladiator II; or even worse for Tony and Austin T, $30 for 0 nominations with Moana 2.

Of course, we still have the Guild Awards, the Bafta Awards, and then the Oscar winners themselves on March 2nd, so many points up for grabs, but you have to like your odds if you’re Jord right now.

Mr Richards (J) - 3555 pts

• Anora ($25) - 6 noms

• Emilia Perez ($25) - 13 noms

• Wicked ($20) - 10 noms

• The Room Next Door ($8)

• Here ($8)

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl ($5) - 1 nom

• Juror #2 ($5)

• Piece by Piece ($3)

ecrhodes (E) - 2981 pts

• Wicked ($20) - 10 noms

• Joker: Folie a Deux ($20)

• A Complete Unknown ($15) - 8 noms

• The Wild Robot ($15) - 3 noms

• September 5 ($10) - 1 noms

• Babygirl ($10)

• Will & Harper ($5)

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ($5)

Austo (Austin R) - 2883 pts

• Sing Sing ($25) - 3 noms

• Joker: Folie a Deux ($20)

• Wicked ($20) - 10 noms

• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ($10)

• Saturday Night ($8)

• Smile 2 ($5)

• The Apprentice ($5) - 2 noms

• Longlegs ($3)

runningwolf (Z) - 1963 pts

• Dune: Part Two ($35) - 5 noms

• Sing Sing ($25) - 3 noms

• Blitz ($20)

• A Real Pain ($10)

• Oh Canada ($3)

• Love Lies Bleeding ($3)

• No Other Land ($3) - 1 noms

• Kneecap ($1)

MaxC (Max) - 1861 pts

• Gladiator II ($40) - 1 noms

• The Wild Robot ($15) - 3 noms

• We Live in Time ($15)

• Challengers ($10)

• A Real Pain ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8) - 4 noms

• The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim ($5)

• Transformers One ($2)

TheFearedDoctor (Tony) - 1705 pts

• Gladiator II ($40) - 1 noms

• Moana 2 ($30)

• Nightbitch ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8) - 4 noms

• Deadpool & Wolverine ($5)

• Joy ($3)

• In the Summers ($2)

• Exhibiting Forgiveness ($2)

StShuffles (Austin T) - 1604 pts

• Gladiator II ($40) - 1 noms

• Moana 2 ($30)

• Nightbitch ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8) - 4 noms

• Saturday Night ($8)

• Speak No Evil ($2)

• Lisa Frankenstein ($1)

• Ultraman: Rising ($1)

The Brutalist

At 10 Oscar nominations, the Brutalist trails only Emilia Pérez in number of nominations, and unlike Emilia Pérez, it is completely deserving of all of them. An absolute tour de force of cinema. Adrien Brody is on my ever-growing must watch list and he completely delivers in a gut-wrenching marathon of screentime. I thought Felicity Jones was great as well, but Guy Pearce is as equally electric as Adrien Brody, and brings this perfect counterpart energy to each scene their paired in that’s just… chef’s kiss. At 3 hours and 35 minutes, it’s obviously a long watch, but I’m obsessed with the fact that Brady Corbet put a literal 15 minute intermission in the middle of this, with a timer and everything. As someone with a untimely small bladder, that is brilliant, and really gave the film a special feel to it. It’s a technical masterpiece, no doubt, but as I felt about Oppenheimer last year, my enjoyment of this keeps my rating down. It’s depiction of the immigrant experience, while accurate, is grating, and I personally need more joy or comedy in my masterpiece to get it any higher. At just 36 years old, I’m fascinated to see what Brady Corbet does next.

-Z

So glad we saw this in theaters - it was quite the experience! I almost felt like I had watched an entire season of a TV show by the time we finally left the theater. Somehow it did not feel too long, which is quite a feat, and I hope more films utilize the built-in intermission idea. I’m expecting this one to take Best Picture.

-E

“I've found our conversation persuasive and intellectually stimulating.” - Harrison

I also found this movie pretty intellectually stimulating, but the first thing that must be said is WOW this is long. Luckily, the intermission was fantastic and I believe any movie over 2.5 hours should really think about adding one. Good for the audience, money to make from the theater, and most importantly bladders around the world. Despite it being so long, the movie really didn’t feel lit like it at all. It gave all the great vibes that Oppenheimer gave and it was really engaging. Along with that, it was filmed in a way that was obviously slow, but extremely deliberate. My big issue with this film and keeping it from high 9’s is that it just left a lot unanswered. It makes you fill in the blanks however you want, and I think that is a cop-out by a film. Maybe I am looking at it too harshly, but it bugs me. Overall, I don’t really see a world where this doesn’t win the best picture award and it is well deserved for a never ending list of reasons. Just like Nickel Boys, you have to be kind of be a sick cinephile like Z, E, and myself to spend 4 hours at the theater, but this is definitely more accessible to a general audience than a traditional ‘Oscar bait’ flick.

-J

Z 8.75
E 9.0
J 9.0

ZEJ 8.92

Nickel Boys

The ZEJ team’s first assignment after the Oscar nominations was Nickel Boys - based on the true story of the Dozier School for Boys, a reform school that operated in Florida for 111 years and following its closing in 2011, nearly 100 hidden burials have been found on the grounds of students, mostly black, that had been murdered there. In the movie, you see primarily the point of view of two students and their time there and much of the worst of the abuse that went on at the school is hidden from you. Which is to say, the film isn’t completely bleak, there’s beauty, joy, and life depicted in addition to the abuse, but that gnawing forebodingness never leaves you, and as such, it is certainly not a feel good movie, and not one I particularly would want to watch again. But as many people are ever more happy to whitewash the atrocities of our past, it’s an important story to experience. From a cinematography and directing standpoint, this was also one of the most creative movies of the year, though it grabbed neither of those Oscar nominations.

-Z

The first-person perspective here was really well done and made this feel unique. There was a great balance between the darker themes and everyday lightness. I also appreciated the subtleties here in the plot - nothing felt too preachy or overdone. Not my favorite of the Best Picture list, but I think it deserves to be there.

-E

“If everybody looks the other way, then everybody's in on it. If I look the other way, I'm as implicated as the rest.” -Elwood

I will say it once, and I will say it again. Going into a movie blind is the best way to do it. I did see one cryptic trailer awhile back and was intrigued by the fact that it was going to be filmed in first person, but that was about it. I had someone recently ask me if I had seen The Whale, and I had an interesting conversation about how good it was, but that I would never want to see it again. This definitely feels that way. If you don’t really enjoy cinema and appreciate the technicalities that can come with it, this film would be a tough watch. It is a sad story that is hard to watch, along with the historical background that comes with it really can cut you to the core. This is a film that definitely deserves the praise that it got from the academy, if not more. It pushes boundaries not only within its story, but more so with its direction. A movie shot almost entirely in first person is not something I have seen before. It also really puts a lot of trust into the audience to make connections which is also very refreshing since most films now-a-days are extremely in your face. A lot surely went over my head, but I feel like I was able to appreciate the important parts. Like I said, if you love cinema and its technicalities, give it a watch, if not you may struggle!

-J

Z 8.75
E 8.5
J 8.75

ZEJ 8.67

ZEJ 2024 (So Far) Movie Superlatives

The 2024 movie year is still ongoing, but with Oscar nominations now released, we thought it would be fun to share our 2024 (so far) movie superlatives! Enjoy.

Favorite Movie of 2024

• Z: Hundreds of Beavers

• E: Hundreds of Beavers

• J: Strange Darling

Best Movie of 2024

• Z: Hundreds of Beavers

• E: Dune: Part Two

• J: Anora

Best Comedy of 2024

• Z: Hundreds of Beavers

• E: Hundreds of Beavers

• J: Hundreds of Beavers

Best Horror of 2024

• Z: Late Night with the Devil

• E: Late Night with the Devil

• J: The Substance

Best Animated of 2024

• Z: The Wild Robot

• E: The Wild Robot

• J: Transformers One

Most Fun Movie of 2024

• Z: Deadpool & Wolverine

• E: Hundreds of Beavers

• J: Love Lies Bleeding

Actor or Actress You Want to Hang Out With 2024

• Z: Any of the trio from Kneecap, the Irish language rap group seem like a good hang

• E: Willem Dafoe

• J: Tyler Owens (Glenn Powell from Twisters)

Biggest Disappointment of 2024

• Z: Gladiator II

• E: Monkey Man

• J: MaXXXine

Movie More People Need to Watch of 2024

• Z: Hundreds of Beavers

• E: Hundreds of Beavers

• J: My Old Ass and Kneecaps

Guilty Pleasure of 2024

• Z: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

• E: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

• J: Argyle

Blockbuster of 2024

• Z: Dune: Part Two

• E: Dune: Part Two

• J: Twisters

Best Movie from Home 2024

• Z: Hundreds of Beavers

• E: Hundreds of Beavers

• J: How to Have Sex

Movie That the Other 2 Got Wrong of 2024

• Z: Megalopolis (Z = 1, E = 3, J=4) don’t know how E and J rated Megalopolis a 3 and 4, respectively. It’s worse than Madame Web, and that was one of the worst movies of all time. Anything above a 1/10 is criminal.

• E: Conclave (Z = 8.75, E = 9.5, J = 8.5)

• J: Kinds of Kindness (Z = 8.25, E = 8.75, J = 9.25)

Best Movie I Forgot Came That Came Out in 2024

• Z: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

• E: Civil War

• J: Alien: Romulus

Best Soundtrack/Score/Song of 2024

• Z: Challengers/Challengers/Challengers

• E: Challengers

• J: Babygirl

Biggest Oscar Snub

• Z: Challengers soundtrack… like WHAT?!

• E: Challengers, as a whole, how did it get zero nominations?

• J: Baby Girl

Favorite Oscar Nom

• Z: The Substance - Best Picture; pleasantly surprised that one of the most grotesque body horror films I’ve seen is somehow a Best Picture nominee.

• E: Conclave - Production Design. The world of Conclave was my favorite part of the movie - it really drew me in and everything about it (the set, the colors, the lighting, etc.) was perfectly beautiful and completely mesmerizing. Glad to see the Oscars recognize that, but I think this will be a tough category to win.

• J: The Substance

Most Excited for 2025

• Z: 28 Years Later

• E: Mission Impossible - the Final Reckoning

• J: Paddington in Peru

A Complete Unknown

I think Jord pretty much nailed it in his summation of A Complete Unknown being plain. Although, on the continuum of ugly to plain to beautiful, I think this movie certainly borders on being ugly. Outside of Timothee Chalamet’s admittedly great performance as Bob Dylan, this biopic is so ridiculously surface level, it’s maddening. Two and a half hours of Timothee Chalamet performing Bob Dylan songs is apparently good enough to win you a Best Picture nominee. People’s blinders for these music biopics is insane. Maestro, Elvis, Bohemian Rhapsody… all massively overrated by what I can only chalk up to nostalgia. If you love Bob Dylan, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. But if you’re at all critical of film, this will be disappointing.

-Z

Sorry, Academy, you've misjudged this one. As a lover of '60s music and culture, I was really excited about this release, but this left a lot to be desired. A telling of Bob Dylan's origin story, a peak behind the curtain into the conflict and controversies in his life, or an exploration of how he brought together folk and rock music throughout his career would have made for a much better story, but by instead dipping a toe into a tiny sliver of each of these, the end result feels incredibly surface level. I guess this matches with the title as I feel like Dylan continues to be an unknown entity here - was that the point?

-E

“You can be beautiful or you can be ugly but you can't be plain?” - Bob

The iconic quote from the film which I loved. The irony of it is that we have just that in a movie. It is the definition of plain. A movie that pushes no boundaries. The goal seems to show how controversial Bob Dylan was and avoided any hard hitting issues. No talks of drugs, seemed to avoid a lot of conflict despite having multiple women in his life, and they allude to his internal struggle despite me never feeling it once. I am actually a little offended at how many awards this is going to be nominated for as there are so many films that push boundaries and give cinema its magic, but we will focus on this film. I did not know much about Bob Dylan nor do I now want to learn anymore. My brother said it best when he said he could have ‘watched’ this movie in about one article from a  Google search on his life. I want to learn something about him and I want to see what it was like in his shoes. Don’t get me wrong, it's not a bad movie in any world, but if I am sitting here wondering if The Fire Inside is better than this, I think we have some issues. Lastly, I think it is interesting that Timothee Chalamet is doing the inverse Austin Butler. Austin does Elvis, gets huge, and now he gives great performances in a wide variety of films where Timothee started that way and now seems to potentially be selling out with Wonka to now this. I am curious to see how his career continues. With that being said, I think he deserves a nomination, but beyond that all other nominations are a stretch. 

-J

Z 7.0
E 7.0
J 7.75

ZEJ 7.25

Juror #2

“We're only as sick as our secrets.” -Larry

This was one of my movie fantasy league movies, which created some extra excitement for it. I chose it due to Clint Eastwood directing (who just turned 94… INSANE). I unfortunately had the plot somewhat spoiled for me, but it took a different direction then I thought. Thankfully that happened, because I think I was worried it would be dull, but it created an interesting ride. A true “what would I do?” moment, and I like a movie that makes me think. A lot probably want what I thought it was going to be, but I love what I got. Is it perfect? No. Will it win awards? Most likely not. I do think it deserves a lot more than a soft release on HBO Max and I hope anyone who gets off on courtroom dramas finds time to watch it. Throw the summer of Glenn Powell out the window, is it Nicholas Hoults’ time to shine? Who knows!

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 8.75

~ZEJ 8.75

The Wild Robot

Jord was busy, but E and I caught this in theaters, and I’m so glad we did, as we had low expectations from the trailer, and the Wild Robot totally surpassed those and then some. The artistic direction of this film, the colors, and animation were absolutely beautiful. Some masterful work in the department from DreamWorks. We hadn’t read the book series, but the story is really powerful, and I was particularly impressed with the dialogue, as it was very tight and genuine. The voice acting from Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Kit Connor as the three primary characters was brilliant. There were a few issues, namely the pacing, and a few moments where the plot was a little eye-rolly and/or cheesy, but all-in-all that’s very easy to forgive for such a heart-warming and visually appealing film. Loved it. Blows Inside Out 2 away in terms of best animated movies this year so far, and will undoubtedly earn a nomination at the Oscars.

-Z

“When you grow up without something you... end up spending a lot of time thinking about it?” -Fink

FINALLY got around to this one. I missed it in theaters due to a scheduling conflict (that lasted 5+ months as it was in theaters this long) but I rented it and watched it from home. I heard over and over again about how great this was from all kinds of people of all walks of life, but the most important review came from Z and E. They gave it an 8.75, so I knew it was going to be good but it did taper expectations. I liked how we jumped right into the story, and was really excited about the fact it didn’t shy away from truths of the world, which is the circle of life. Frustratingly though, that ended up creating one of my two issues with the film. It completely abandons that at the end of the film and completely switches themes from that to focusing on love and where it comes from, or ultimately can come from anywhere (which I do believe is the stronger of themes). It also took us on a journey of about 3 strong storylines, which I think is interesting for a film over TV show. Overall though, I do think it hits hard in a lot of ways and is an elite animated film of 2024. Any movie lover needs to find time, but know I do not think we are seeing an all-timer, just a great film for the year.

-J

Z 8.75
E 8.75
J 8.5

ZEJ 8.67

Emilia Pérez

This movie was potentially in the 8-range for me until the final act, which more or less ruins the film, in my opinion. The acting is excellent, and the concept was really unique, but the ending was so bad it’s possible AI could have written something better. It might even be possible that Jord could have written a better ending, and as you know, he’s a TERRIBLE writer. Karla Sofia Gascon did an incredible job, and will likely be nominated for Best Actress, and for it will be deserved. For that reason, if you’re a cinema nerd like the ZEJ team, this is a must watch. Otherwise, pretty skippable.

-Z

Hi, it’s me, E. From what I had read about this movie before our attempted viewing nearly two months ago, I knew this movie would be a strange ride, and indeed it was. Botched endings really stick with me, and this really went off the rails in a bad way, unfortunately. On the plus side, it was incredibly creative and fun in a magical kind of way, which is noteworthy coming from a not-into-musicals viewer like myself. Did we need all of the mostly forgettable songs though?

-E

“So. Does your client have a name?” -Wasserman

Over a week out, I still am not sure how I feel. I follow a popular podcast group and they HATE this film, so I didn’t know what I was in for. In no way did I hate it, but it is unique for sure. A musical about a trans drug dealer that is in spanish. Not hard to believe it wasn’t on my Bingo Card either. I think the musical aspect was great. Z mentioned he didn’t love the music, but I like how they used it for transitions for the film instead of ballads. Not a traditional musical like Wicked, but again nothing is traditional in this. The longer I think about it, the more I enjoy it. Now, I truly do not think it deserves all the awards it has gotten already and will get, but it is a great film and if you want something you've never seen before you should find some time!

-J

Z 7.25
E 7.5
J 8.0

ZEJ 7.58

Conclave

Drama in the Vatican doesn’t do it for Jord, so E and I soloed Conclave, a film which we learned about for the first time just a week or two prior, and I can safely say that Jord may have missed out on an Oscars contender. It may have the juice to take a Best Picture nomination, but the script and acting turned in by this film are phenomenal, as was the cinematography and directing for that matter. I’ve been a Ralph Fiennes truther since his portrayal of Voldemort, and the contrast he draws from a role like that to his here is really astounding. The storytelling is really on another level in this movie, and it makes the political machinations of the papal office extremely juicy and riveting. There’s a horde of top tier supporting characters that maximize the intrigue and thriller component to this movie, from Stanley Tucci to John Lithgow to Carlos Diehz, and of course, Isabella Rossellini. Notably, this is E’s third highest rating this year, and while it’s one of my favorites as well, I’m still a little higher on Love Lies Bleeding, Late Night with the Devil, Didi, and Challengers, which all received 9’s from me. Very curious to see Jord will land on this one.

-Z

Z 8.75
E 9.5
J 8.5

ZEJ 8.92

Babygirl

Fascinating that this year two Christmas Day releases - Nosferatu and Babygirl are both marketed as such and are both two of the most erotic movies of the years. In Babygirl, at least, it’s consensual. Neither I would sit down with your kids around the fire on Christmas morning though. If sex scenes make you uncomfortable, you’re definitely going to want to skip this movie, but for us cinema junkies, this is worth a watch not only on the acting dimension - Nicole Kidman is a leading contender for Best Actress from this movie - but the movie has some interesting commentary on consent and communication in relationships that I think is worth merit. The soundtrack, while not Trent Reznor’s The Challengers-level, is also BUMPING. Maybe #2 for the year.

-Z

Oof - this was a tough one for me to review. My initial reaction leaving the theater was that I did not fully enjoy it, but it was hard to explain why. This movie left me feeling pretty uncomfortable. To me, the numerous, exaggerated sex scenes were a bit gratuitous and unnecessarily long, leaving me feeling like the movie got quite repetitive by the end (we get it already), but as I predicted, upon further reflection, I really do appreciate the intense thriller energy and underlying story here. Not sure this one was meant for me, but I do acknowledge its merits.

-E

“ Hey, how’d you get that dog to calm down?” -Romy

“I gave it a cookie.” -Samuel

“Do you always have cookies on you?”  -Romy

“Why do you want one?” -Samuel

One of my favorite things to do is going into a movie with no expectations or knowledge. Judging a book by its cover, I will say I was not very excited to see this movie. Right when it started that did change. I caught where it was going and I was extremely engaged. It may be similar to a Poor Thing/Sanctuary thing where you are a bit weirded out to tell people you saw it and even weirder that you really enjoyed it, but I am who I am. I thought the acting was great and the story was pretty unique. I could feel it building and it was refreshing to not really know where it was going. It is easy to focus on what you are watching and talk about its shock value, but I think if you look deeper into it, it has some deep themes that can relate to non-ceo’s and ‘power balance’ lovers. I think if you can handle the visuals and intense scenes, this is definitely worth the watch and one of my top movies of the year. Will be interesting to see where it lands in terms of the Academy Nominations. Kidman is most likely the only true candidate, but I think it would be earned.

-J

Z 8.5
E 8.25
J 9.25

ZEJ 8.75

Movie Fantasy League 2024 - New Year Update

2024 is done and dusted, and we thought we’d give you an update on the current ZEJ Reviews movie fantasy league standings.

Here’s where we’re at:

The rank on the left is globally and score on the right is current points.

Our current leader Austin R (Jord’s brother) is buoyed by 4 box solid box office picks, Wicked (#6 of 2024), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (#19 of 2024), Joker: Folie à Deux (#22 of 2024) and Smile 2 (#30 of 2024).

Wicked is doing most of the heavy lifting there, as it has not only grossed 651 million, it got points for its high reviews and Golden Globe nominations, which is also why you see Jord and E following closely behind.

Austin T, Max and Tony all went for highest priced movie on the list, Gladiator II and while it didn’t do too bad at the box office (#11 of 2024), the reviews are poor and there’s not much award buzz, so it’s safe to say that that $40 was overspent.

Then there’s Z, and while it may look bad for me now, award season is right around the corner, Golden Globes tomorrow, and Oscars two months away, and I put all my eggs in those baskets. Sing Sing racked up the most points at the Gotham Awards (40 points) and only myself and Austin R picked those, and my documentary pick No Other Land has basically every award it’s up for, so maybe there’s hope for me yet.

Here’s a look again at all the movies we picked.

Austo (Austin R) - 1985 pts

• Sing Sing ($25)

• Joker: Folie a Deux ($20)

• Wicked ($20)

• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ($10)

• Saturday Night ($8)

• Smile 2 ($5)

• The Apprentice ($5)

• Longlegs ($3)

Mr Richards (J) - 1959 pts

• Anora ($25)

• Emilia Perez ($25)

• Wicked ($20)

• The Room Next Door ($8)

• Here ($8)

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl ($5)

• Juror #2 ($5)

• Piece by Piece ($3)

ecrhodes (E) - 1827 pts

• Wicked ($20)

• Joker: Folie a Deux ($20)

• A Complete Unknown ($15)

• The Wild Robot ($15)

• September 5 ($10)

• Babygirl ($10)

• Will & Harper ($5)

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ($5)

TheFearedDoctor (Tony) - 1377 pts

• Gladiator II ($40)

• Moana 2 ($30)

• Nightbitch ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8)

• Deadpool & Wolverine ($5)

• Joy ($3)

• In the Summers ($2)

• Exhibiting Forgiveness ($2)

MaxC (Max) - 1292 pts

• Gladiator II ($40)

• The Wild Robot ($15)

• We Live in Time ($15)

• Challengers ($10)

• A Real Pain ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8)

• The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim ($5)

• Transformers One ($2)

StShuffles (Austin T) - 1281 pts

• Gladiator II ($40)

• Moana 2 ($30)

• Nightbitch ($10)

• Nosferatu ($8)

• Saturday Night ($8)

• Speak No Evil ($2)

• Lisa Frankenstein ($1)

• Ultraman: Rising ($1)

runningwolf (Z) - 1252 pts

• Dune: Part Two ($35)

• Sing Sing ($25)

• Blitz ($20)

• A Real Pain ($10)

• Oh Canada ($3)

• Love Lies Bleeding ($3)

• No Other Land ($3)

• Kneecap ($1)

Fly Me to the Moon

“The last thing that we need around here is a black cat.” -Cole

No one may ask, but I am going to answer the question the best that I can. Why was this my first movie of 2025? My answer, no clue. I was scrolling Apple TV and the poster popped up. When it came out I was interested, and honestly I am not disappointed in my decision. A feel good movie that is predictable, but sometimes you need it. Unlike Carry On, this was exactly what I thought it would be in a good way. I like Scarlett and Channing and together I thought they had believable chemistry. Again, is it a great film? No, but if you want a good film to watch that brings no baggage, throw this on and finish happy with your decision like me.

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 7.5

~ZEJ 7.5

Carry-On

 “It's over, pal. It was over the minute I met you.” Traveler

I used to watch all the junk Netflix would put out, and then once I started watching multiple movies a week these are the types of films that dropped off first. The reason this one didn’t is the fact I had so many different people ask me, “Oh, you love movies. You have to see Carry On,” so I found some time. I don’t regret it, but man it is EXACTLY what you think it is going to be. That is great for a lot of people, but it’s not for me. If you suspend your disbelief, it does get a lot better, but a B cat-and-mouse chase is not my favorite. I will say, if you think you will like it, you will and if you don’t I bet you won’t. Not a lot of surprises, but I do love me some Bateman! Find some time if you want or let its time die in a few weeks and never hear about it again!

-J

Z n/a
E n/a
J 6.75

~ZEJ 6.75

It’s a Wonderful Life

E and I watched the first half of It’s a Wonderful Life a couple weeks ago with her family for our Christmas get together, and decided to finish the second half of it Christmas Day, and I speak for both of when I say it’s a PERFECT movie. 2026 will make this movie 80 years old, and its extraordinary how timeless it is, and particularly how timeless the comedy is. It’s effortlessly funny, and while much of that has to do with the brilliance of James Stewart, there’s a charm to the story and all of the characters that Frank Capra just so poignantly nailed in a way, that clearly, will live on forever. Love, love, LOVE this movie. Happy holidays to you reader, and remember: “no man is a failure who has friends”.

-Z

Z 10
E 10
J n/a

~ZEJ 10.0

A Christmas Story

Jord says this is the best Christmas movie, and yet, It’s a Wonderful Life exists, which was curiously missing from his Christmas Movie Bash. 🤔 The humor is mostly timeless, though as a clever satirization of 1940s America to a 1980s audience, it was never meant to be as timeless as it was. The scenes that didn’t age well, maybe you chalk up to it being “a different time”, but they have to be acknowledged. There’s a bit of randomness to this movie as well, and some bizarre pacing to it, but I guess as a narrative told through the eyes of a kid, there’s also a magic to it. As a fellow blonde haired, blue eyed kid, and one who avoided shooting his eye out with his own beloved BB gun, this a movie that will always be near and dear to my own heart.

-Z

Has been for years and will continue to be the best Christmas movie out there. Every year I get older, every year I find it funnier. 

-J

Z 9
E 9
J 9.75

~ZEJ 9.25

Nosferatu

“We are here encountering the undead plague carrier... the vampire... Nosferatu.” -Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz

When I landed on break this year, I was excited for some time off, some family time, and the Nosferatu release date. Robert Eggers is doing a lot in the movie scene that no one else is doing. From the first shot to the last, it is a beautiful movie. Cinematography wise, I have zero critiques and would not be surprised if it gets some nominations. To go through an entire movie not scared, but unnerved is a feat in itself. After the logistics though, I don’t know if this story is that interesting to me. I think the movie was about 20 minutes too long and I found myself bored at times, which is never great in a movie theater. I have not seen the original, but it sounds like Eggers stayed true to the original and that kept a lot of watchers happy, but for a non-traditionalist for Nosferatu it didn't hit great. A must watch for any movie lover and if you are a fan of Eggers, buckle up, because it doesn’t get much more perfect than this for him. Hopefully we see some love come award season and find some time to watch.

-J

Between The Lighthouse, the Northman, and the Witch, Robert Eggers is 2 for 3 for E and I, and for the 2 that hit, the Northman and the Witch, which are near-masterpiece level movies, we were highly anticipating Nosferatu. It fell somewhere in between the grating bleakness of The Lighthouse, and the captivating brilliance of the Northman and the Witch. As Jord said, the film is absolutely beautiful, and there are a few shots that will stick with me for a long time, if not forever. It’s biggest fault is that it was too long, and I think perhaps 20 minutes cut out of it may have taken it to the near-masterpiece level of Eggers’ previous work. If you’re a horror fan, this is must watch, and I think any cinema enjoyer will appreciate this, but for the casual movie goer may find this a bit much.

-Z

Z 8.5
E 7.75
J 8.0

ZEJ 8.08

A Real Pain

“It's the principle of the thing. We shouldn't have to pay for train tickets in Poland. This is our country.” - Benji

“No, it's not, it was our country. They kicked us out 'cause they thought we were cheap.” -David

This is a movie that I waited a long time to write a review! (Sorry Z and E) The longer I wait, the more I don't think about this movie. That may sound harsh, but I do remember leaving the theater thinking it left a lot on the table and as time went on, I stand by my thoughts. The acting was great and I was reminded how much I like Jesse Eisenberg and how I need to give Succession another chance, but I was sadly left wanting. I am not sure what genre they were going for and they were definitely experimenting with multiple deep themes. Sadly, to me all the things they tried fell flat. When the ending came, I was a bit confused and not sure what I was supposed to be feeling. Overall though, the movie was well acted and had some very funny moments and situations, but if you aren’t a dry indie film fan, this one may not be for you. 

-J

An extremely well acted, but otherwise boring buddy road trip genre film. For a topics is handled - the Holocaust, suicide, mental illness, etc., it felt very safe all things considered. Too safe. This is Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore directorial debut, and hopefully he keeps at it, as I think he has potential, to be sure, but hopefully can display a bit more personality in subsequent ventures. Kieran Culkin is a good in this as he is Succession, and can’t wait to see him in more projects. Very skippable, but good for a plane ride, maybe?

-Z

Z 7.5
E 7.25
J 7.5

ZEJ 7.42