Val Kilmer: 1959 - 2025

Actor Val Kilmer has passed away at 65.

 

Born Val Edward Kilmer in Los Angeles in 1959, Kilmer’s acting career got off to a hot start when he became the youngest person to be accepted into the Juilliard School’s Drama Division. He headed for the stage and in 1983 made his small-screen debut in an ABC After-School Special. His big break came in 1984 when he received top billing in the spy-spoof TOP SECRET! A year later he would appear in REAL GENIUS.

 

In 1986 he landed one of his most iconic roles, as the hotshot aviator Iceman in TOP GUN, opposite Tom Cruise. He would reprise in the role in the 2022 sequel, which would be his final film role. In 1988 he would play the self-proclaimed greatest swordsman who ever lived in the Ron Howard-directed, George Lucas-produced fantasy, WILLOW. In 1991 Oliver Stone would hand him another iconic role: the role of Jim Morrison in THE DOORS.

 

In 1993 he delivered what is probably the performance of the decade as Doc Holliday in TOMBSTONE. Two years later he would have a high-profile year, appearing as Bruce Wayne/Batman in BATMAN FOREVER, and in Michael Mann’s towering crime drama, HEAT.

 

Other notable roles would include TRUE ROMANCE (1993), THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU (1996), THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS (1996), THE SAINT (1997), THE PRINCE OF EGYPT (1998), RED PLANET (2000), THE MISSING (2003), ALEXANDER (2004), KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005), and Francis Ford Coppola’s TWIXT (2011).

 

In 2015 he was diagnosed with throat cancer which damaged his vocal chords. In 2021 the documentary film VAL, which followed his health struggles and career, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to critical acclaim.

 

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Val Kilmer was custom-made for Hollywood stardom. With perfect good-looks, talent, and a cool name that wasn’t made-up, there was nothing else he ever could have done. He acted against names such as DeNiro, Brando, Russell, and Cruise. He worked for directors with names such as Coppola, Stone, Howard, Schumacher, and Scott. He won fights with six-shooters and swords and brought Jim Morrison back from the grave. His rapid reloading technique in the famous gunfight in HEAT would be taught to Marines and Army Rangers. He would steal the show in MAVERICK by saying one line of dialogue. That is the stuff of legend.

 

For this Blogger, there was a period in the 1990’s where my friends and I were obsessed with TOMBSTONE, and Kilmer’s stunning performance was a big part of it. His Doc Holliday was the most quotable, and his quip “I’m your huckleberry” was quoted often then and now. In WILLOW, he was the owner of one of my all-time favorite lines: “Give me a sword, I’ll win this war for you”. But perhaps the best quote surrounding him came from his co-star Tom Cruise in their emotional goodbye in MAVERICK:

 

“Thank you, Ice. For everything”. 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode IV

The cinematic month of April tends to serve as a gateway to the beloved Summer Movie Season. This year April is a bit packed with some big IP, original fare, and re-releases. Here’s what’s coming to the big screen this month: 

 

 

 

THE FRIEND – Bill Murray and Naomi Watts star in this drama dealing with pet ownership and loss. Carla Gugino and Ann Dowd co-star. 

 

 

 

A MINECRAFT MOVIE – Jared Hess, director of the famed NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, directs this long-awaited adaptation of the massively popular video game, where four misfits are pulled into a fantasy world made of blocks. The cast includes Jack Black, Jason Momoa, and Danielle Brooks. 

 

 

 

THE AMATEUR – Oscar-winner Rami Malek (BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY), plays a CIA operative looking for revenge after the death of his wife. The cast includes Laurence Fishburne and Jon Bernthal. 

 

 

 

PRIDE & PREJUDICE – This 2005 adaptation of the famed novel, starring Keira Knightly, returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

 

SINNERS – Director Ryan Coogler (BLACK PANTHER), helms this supernatural horror film with Michael B. Jordan playing dual roles; twin brothers returning home to face a great evil. Hailee Steinfeld co-stars. 

 

 

 

THE ACCOUNTANT 2 – Ben Affleck reprises his role as the non-traditional hitman in this sequel to the 2016 hit, this time looking to solve a mystery. 

 

 

 

STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE OF THE SITH – The final episode in the STAR WARS Prequel series returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20^th anniversary. 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the first month of the 2025 Summer Movie Season. 

A Reel Opinion: The Top 10 Best Acting Debuts

Everyone has to start somewhere. Moses was found in a basket. Shakespeare had to learn his ABC’s. Tom Brady played with a Nerf football. There are humble beginnings for every great figure in history, literature, art, sports, and…the movies. Directors and writers get their start making short films, commercials, or TV episodes, and within those works are the actors: the faces of the movies. Every actor has a beginning. Some start small and are in the background, while others come out of the gate like hellfire; coming out of nowhere in their feature debut so strong that we would think they had been doing film for decades. And that brings us to Reel Speak’s Top 10 Best Cinematic Acting Debuts. 

 

Before proceeding, it seems prudent to note the difference between a debut and a breakthrough role. The breakthrough is when an actor already has a few films under their belt before finding that one role that elevates them. Peter O’Toole is often miscredited as LAWRENCE OF ARABIA being his debut, when he had three prior films to his credit (same with Robert DeNiro, who had done 12 films before THE GODFATHER PART II). This blog focuses on the debut, which is the very first credit for an actor. The best ones are the debuts that define the actor, create memorable characters, and set them on their career paths. 

 

 

Here are the best of the Firsts: 

 

 

 

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES (1985)

 

Someone from THE GOONIES had to be chosen, and it might as well be a two-fer. Brolin and Astin play brothers and un-official leaders of The Goonies in this rollicking, generation-defining hunt for rich stuff. Both Brolin and Astin would go on to stellar careers; Brolin doing everything from Oscar winners (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN), to supervillain work (AVENGERS). Astin of course would play a pivotal role in THE LORD OF THE RINGS…because Frodo would not have got very far without Sam. 

 

 

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT (2010)

In this Coen Brothers-directed remake of the John Wayne Western, Hailee Steinfeld was just 14 years old when she went up against acting heavyweights Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, and (ahem), Josh Brolin. Not only did Steinfeld hold her own, but she stole the show…helping this new version surpass the original in every way. 

 

 

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001)

 

Along the same lines as Steinfeld, Anne Hathaway was just 19 when she went toe-to-toe against Hollywood legend Julie Andrews in this coming-of-age comedy. Hathaway would launch into a stellar career; winning an Oscar for her stunning role in LES MISERABLES (2012), and surprising us all with her villainous turn in THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (also 2012). 

 

 

7. Lupita Nyong’o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE (2013)

 

In her first feature film, Lupita Nyong’o would win an Oscar for her gut-wrenching performance as a slave in this Best Picture winner. Her big monologue about body stench sums up slavery as well as can be done, helping 12 YEARS A SLAVE earn its reputation as a difficult, yet required watch. Nyong’o would go on to further accolades in her career, while also having fun in Marvel and STAR WARS movies.  

 

 

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)

 

Before she won an Oscar for BLACK SWAN (2010), and played the love of Anakin Skywalker, Natalie Portman played the protégé of a hitman in this iconic film that has grown in popularity over the years. THE PROFESSIONAL is known for a lot, including Jean Reno as a non-traditional hitman and Gary Oldman going batshit crazy…but it was Portman, who was 13 during filming, who came out the cleanest. 

 

 

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN (1978)

 

The HALLOWEEN franchise has (so far) produced 13 films with ever-changing lines of continuity, but none of the 12 films can match the splash made by Jamie Lee Curtis. The stalking shape of Michael Myers may get most of the attention, but it’s Curtis, who gave us fear and strength at the same time, who became the true icon of the series and one of the best Scream Queens. 

 

 

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE (1941)

 

Cinema was changed forever when 26-year-old Orson Welles wrote, directed, produced, and starred in this towering epic that set the standard for the modern Hollywood film. Often regarded as one of the best (and maybe the best) of all time, Welles’ mighty accomplishment has yet to be matched. 

 

 

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

 

This legal mystery thriller was capped by one of the best twist-endings of all time, and it all worked thanks to Ed Norton’s stunning debut. Norton would get an Oscar nomination and win a Globe…and then go on to a productive and impressive career of hits, including an Oscar win for AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998), a Wes Anderson regular, a Marvel film, and a movie that we do not talk about.  

 

 

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD (1988)

Before he was Snape, he was terrorist Hans Gruber who took over an L.A. high-rise before famously getting tossed off the roof by a barefoot John McClaine (Bruce Willis). Rickman made the jump from Shakespeare theatre to cinema seamlessly, while creating one of the best villains the big screen has ever seen. No matter what season we choose to watch DIE HARD, Rickman’s ice-cold performance still chills. 

 

 

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS (1964)

Julie Andrews won an Oscar for her charming and delightful performance as the magical nanny, while creating one of the most iconic characters of all time. Everyone, including non-Disney fans, knows who Mary Poppins is. Andrews’ performance would earn her a role in THE SOUND OF MUSIC the following year, and it’s been practically perfect since. In a stack of impressive film debuts, all one has to do is see the famous silhouette of the umbrella and hat to know who flew in the best. 

 

 

REEL SPEAK’S TOP 10 ACTING DEBUTS

1. Julie Andrews in MARY POPPINS

2. Alan Rickman in DIE HARD

3. Ed Norton in PRIMAL FEAR

4. Orson Welles in CITIZEN KANE

5. Jamie Lee Curtis in HALLOWEEN

6. Natalie Portman in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL

7. Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE

8. Anne Hathaway in THE PRINCESS DIARIES

9. Hailee Steinfeld in TRUE GRIT

10. Josh Brolin and Sean Astin in THE GOONIES

 

A Reel 60: THE SOUND OF MUSIC

 “The hills are alive…”

 

This month marks the 60th anniversary of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. 

 

Directed by Robert Wise and often considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, THE SOUND OF MUSIC was based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria Von Trapp. The film was a fictional telling of her experiences as a governess to seven children, eventual marriage, and their escape from the Nazi regime. 

 

The journey to bring music to the hills started in 1956, when a German producer purchased the film rights. In the same year, THE TRAPP FAMILY was released as a comedy. A sequel, THE TRAPP FAMILY IN AMERICA, followed two years later. Paramount Pictures would later acquire the rights, looking to produce an English-language version with famed actress Audrey Hepburn in the lead. The studio would later drop the option, but the story would be adapted for the stage in 1959. A year later, 20th Century Fox would step in and acquire the film rights. 

 

By 1963 director Robert Wise, who had won several Oscars with WEST SIDE STORY (1961), was brought on to helm the film. Wise and writer Ernest Lehman went to Disney Studios to view footage from the yet-unreleased MARY POPPINS, and decided then and there to sign Julie Andrews to the lead role. Christopher Plummer would join the cast, beating out favorites Bing Crosby, Sean Connery, and Richard Burton. Filming would begin in 1964 at 20th Century Fox Studios, and would continue on-location in Salzburg, Austria. 

 

On release, critical reaction was mixed, but the film would be a box office smash, becoming the highest grossing film of all time in a year. The initial theatrical release would last four and a half years. At the 38th Academy Awards, THE SOUND OF MUSIC would win five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Wise. 

 

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One of the biggest crimes in cinema is to dismiss THE SOUND OF MUSIC as just a musical. As a film set in the early days of WWII and the Nazi takeover of Austria, it can fall into the war film genre…despite not a single shot being fired. The exploration of themes such as family, finding one’s identity, and a country in turmoil via hostile takeover are even more relevant today. 

 

After 60 years THE SOUND OF MUSIC is a towering film. Julie Andrews’ opening number The Sound of Music, set in those famous hills, has become one of the most iconic scenes of all time, and Do-Re-Mi is used today to teach music. It is a big part of cinema history, and American and worldwide culture. It is a film that everyone knows at least a little of, which makes it an all-time favorite. 

 

“These are a few of my favorite things…”

 

 

 

A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2025 - Episode III

Awards Season is over, and we have moved out of Movie Siberia. The month of March can usually serve as a warmup to the fun Summer months, and although this year the month is a little light, can still offer some shelter from the cold. Here is what’s coming to the big screen in March: 

 

 

MICKEY 17 – Director Bong Joon-Ho, who delivered the Oscar-winning PARASITE (2019), returns with this sci-fi black comedy about a clone worker (Robert Pattinson), working in dangerous off-planet conditions with his clones as a backup. The cast includes Naomi Ackie, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo. 

 

 

IN THE LOST LANDS – Up and down director Paul W.S. Anderson (RESIDENT EVIL), helms this epic fantasy about a witch and a hunter journeying to find an artifact for a queen. Dave Bautista and Mila Jovovich star. 

 

 

SEVEN VEILS – Amanda Seyfried plays a theatre director with repressed trauma in this drama. 

 

 

BLACK BAG – Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh (OCEAN’S ELEVEN, TRAFFIC), is back with a spy thriller. The cast includes Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, Naomie Harris, and Pierce Brosnan.

 

 

NOVOCAINE – In this action thriller, Jack Quaid plays a bank executive who has an inability to feel pain, and uses his gift to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. 

 

 

THE ALTO KNIGHTS – Acclaimed director Barry Levinson (GOOD MORNING VIETNAM, WAG THE DOG), directs this mob thriller with Robert DeNiro in a dual role of playing two mob bosses. 

 

 

SNOW WHITE – Walt Disney Pictures continues its live-action remake era with this re-do of its beloved classic. Rachel Zegler (WEST SIDE STORY), plays Snow White, and Gal Gadot (WONDER WOMAN), plays the Evil Queen. 

 

 

A WORKING MAN – Jason Statham once again plays a retired killer pulled out of retirement. It is directed by up and down director David Ayer (TRAINING DAY, SUICIDE SQUAD). 

 

 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of April. 

A Reel Opinion: The 97th Academy Awards - The Good, The Bad, and the Glorious

 

The year in film 2024 was put to rest last night with the 97^th Academy Awards. ANORA was the big winner with five wins, including Best Picture. Other multiple winners included THE BRUTALIST with three, while EMILIA PEREZ, WICKED, and DUNE: PART 2 tied with two. Here is how it all landed in The Good, The Bad, and The Glorious:

 

THE GOOD

-First time host Conan O’Brien was a blast with good energy and spot-on jokes. One would think he had been hosting the Oscars for years.

 

-The opening with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo reprising music from WICKED was spectacular.

 

-This year, in an effort to keep things moving, the Academy did not have performances of the Best Original Song nominees. The nominees still had plenty of attention, however…and music was still given its proper tribute.

 

-ANORA director Sean Baker become only the second person in history to go home with four Oscars for one film, winning for producing, directing, writing, and editing. He’s in an exclusive club with Walt Disney, who in 1954 won four for four different films.

 

-Baker’s acceptance speech included a plea for the survival of movie theatres. It was an echo of an earlier sketch done by Conan O’Brien.

 

-The James Bond tribute, which also served as a farewell for long-time retiring producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, was very well done…even though it felt like a wake for the series as we’ve known it.

 

THE BAD

 

-One too many winners in the below-the-line categories had no idea what to do on the stage and looked like idiots. A little preparation goes a long way.

 

-ANORA winning Best Picture. Sorry/not sorry…but this Blogger found ANORA to be a pointless, meandering pile of nonsense.

 

THE GLORIOUS

 

-Adrien Brody winning his second Oscar in over 20 years for his towering performance in THE BRUTALIST.

 

-FLOW winning Best Animated Feature. The dialogue-free film that was made in Latvia bested the favored THE WILD ROBOT and the highest grossing film of the year, INSIDE OUT 2. The win delivered the Baltic nation its first Oscar; an important feat for small independent films, international cinema, and proper attention to a nation living under the threat of war. The world needs more films like FLOW to be recognized…and the Academy got that right.

 

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The 98th Academy Awards will be in 2026.

Gene Hackman 1930 - 2025

 

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman has passed away at 95. 

Born Eugene Allen Hackman in California in 1940, Hackman had an interest in acting as a ten-year old. After time in the U.S. Marine Corps, he began a study of journalism and television production at the University of Illinois before heading back to California. 

 

Pursuing an acting career, he had several TV and Broadway roles before appearing in the epic film HAWAII in 1966. He had his breakthrough in BONNIE AND CLYDE in 1967, which earned him an Oscar nomination. He would receive his second nomination in 1970 for I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER, and then would finally win for Best Actor for his role as “Popeye” Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION in 1971. Over the next three years he would appear in ten films, including YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974), THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972), SCARECROW (1973), and Francis Ford Coppola’s THE CONVERSATION (1974). He would reprise his “Popeye” Doyle character in THE FRENCH CONNECTION II in 1975. In 1978 he would have one of his most iconic roles when he played Lex Luthor in SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. He would reprise the role two more times. 

He continued a solid run through the 1980's, including SUPERMAN II (1980), HOOSIERS (1986), and MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1988). 

In 1992 he would win his second Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood’s UNFORGIVEN. Other notable roles would include THE FIRM (1993), WYATT EARP (1994), THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995), CRIMSON TIDE (1995), GET SHORTY (1995), THE BIRDCAGE (1996), and ENEMY OF THE STATE (1998). He would reunite with Clint Eastwood in 1997, playing a corrupt U.S. President in ABSOLUTE POWER. 

 

In the 2000’s he would appear in UNDER SUSPICION (2000), THE REPLACEMENTS (2000), BEHIND ENEMY LINES (2001), and HEARTBREAKERS (2001). He would play against type when he appeared in Wes Anderson’s comedy THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (2001), which would earn him a Golden Globe win. In 2003 he would appear in the legal thriller RUNAWAY JURY alongside long-time friend Dustin Hoffman, and in 2004 he would have his final role in WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT. 

 

Overall his career would earn two Oscars, two BAFTA’s, and four Golden Globes. He would write novels late in life. 

 

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This Blogger’s first introduction to Gene Hackman was his role in SUPERMAN in 1978. He played the perfect, thinking-man’s bad guy; executing his takeover plan from within as opposed to attacking from the outside. In addition to being the definitive Lex Luthor, he established himself as capable of playing intelligent and gruff…while earning the top spot as one of the greatest SCREAMERS in movie history. 

His filmography has some of the most iconic films of all time: HOOSIERS is a rousing sports classic, UNFORGIVEN one of the best Westerns of all time, and his uncredited cameo in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is one of the funniest ever. Perhaps it is fitting to close with his award-winning turn in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, when his character, looking at an elaborate gravestone, quipped: “hell of a damn grave. Wish it were mine.”

 

 

A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks

The 97^th Academy Awards are this weekend, honoring the best achievements in cinema for the year that was 2024. Unlike last year where there was one dominant film sweeping the precursors, this year there is no clear frontrunner, making for a challenging prediction process. Reel Speak’s strategy has been to follow the lead of the Guilds: The Writers (WGA), Directors (DGA), Producers (PGA), and the Screen Actors (SAG). It is also prudent to follow the Golden Globes, and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), which can indicate the vibe of the industry. And of course, the good old fashioned, tried-and-true Movie Gut. Here now are Reel Speak’s picks for the major categories: 

 

 

 

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

 

Zoe Saldana for the controversial EMILIA PEREZ is poised to complete a season sweep, having won this category at BAFTA, SAG, and the Golden Globes. EMILIA PEREZ, despite having the most nominations (13 total), has caused uproar one way or another all year, and that may push some voters away which could allow Ariana Grande for the ever-popular WICKED to sneak in. But that’s a lot of ifs, and it’s rare a sweep is not completed. 

 

Winner: Zoe Saldana for EMILIA PEREZ

 

 

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

 

Just like Zoe, this category also looks like a lock, with Kieran Culkin also about to sweep for his role in the Jesse Eisenberg-directed A REAL PAIN. Culkin has been an awards darling all year, and unlike Zoe, his film has no flies on it. 

 

Winner: Kieran Culkin for A REAL PAIN

 

 

 

BEST ACTRESS

 

The closest race in the acting categories, with Demi Moore for the body-horror THE SUBSTANCE, and Mikey Madison for ANORA. Moore won the Globe and the all-important SAG, but Madison won at BAFTA and her film has more nominations and overall momentum. Moore however has been one of the best stories of this Awards Season, and voters love a good story. 

 

Winner: Demi Moore for THE SUBSTANCE

 

 

BEST ACTOR

 

Adrien Brody seemed ready to sweep for his tremendous role in the towering epic THE BRUTALIST, but hit a speed-bump when he was upset by Timothee Chalamet at SAG. But Brody still seems to be the safe bet, having dominated the awards conversation all year. And voters won’t be able to resist giving him his second Oscar nearly 20 years after he won his first. 

 

Winner: Adrien Brody for THE BRUTALIST

 

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

 

The WGA gave their top award in this category to THE NICKEL BOYS, but with that film not getting much love by the Academy, we have to look elsewhere. CONCLAVE won here at BAFTA and at the Globes, and as a dialogue-driven film with not much action, leans heavily on its writing. 

 

Winner: CONCLAVE

 

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

 

This is a tight race between A REAL PAIN, THE BRUTALIST, and ANORA. The WGA went with ANORA, and BAFTA went with A REAL PAIN. The solid rule of thumb is to follow the Guilds, and ANORA has more overall nominations which indicates Academy love. 

 

Winner: ANORA

 

 

BEST DIRECTOR

 

Another tight race which comes down to Brady Corbet for THE BRUTALIST and Sean Baker for ANORA. Corbet bested Baker at the Globes and BAFTA, but Baker won the all-important Directors Guild. This Blogger believes THE BRUTALIST to be the better film, but since the DGA’s inception in 1948, there has only been eight occasions where they didn’t match the Oscar’s pick. That’s not happening this year either. 

 

Winner: Sean Baker for ANORA

 

 

BEST PICTURE

 

Anything can happen here. THE BRUTALIST won at the Globes, ANORA won the Producers Guild, and CONCLAVE won at BAFTA and pulled a surprise win at SAG, taking home their top award. CONCLAVE however is missing a nomination for Directing (not a dealbreaker, but still loses points), and ANORA’s PGA win means a lot; that guild has matched Best Picture 7 of the last 10 years. This Blogger wants THE BRUTALIST, but with ANORA poised to take Director and Screenplay, the ol’ Movie Gut says otherwise.

 

Winner: ANORA

 

 

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The 97^th Academy Awards will take place this Sunday, March 2^nd. 

 

 

 

A Reel Birthday

This week marks Reel Speak’s 15th anniversary. 

 

The year was 2010. There was no streaming, there was only the big screen. THE KING’S SPEECH was on its way to be named Best Picture, while the Box Office was won by TOY STORY 3. Christopher Nolan was spinning heads with INCEPTION, and Disney was swinging into our hearts with TANGLED. 

 

During this time, there was an idea; to share my love and passion for film. It was a passion that began in the summer of 1977, when this young padawan saw STAR WARS for the first time. It was love at first sight and it had to be shared, so Reel Speak was founded. The first review was posted on February 24th, 2010: Martin Scorsese’s SHUTTER ISLAND. Since then, over a thousand blogs have been posted: reviews, previews, opinions, Top 10 lists and Oscar picks. 

 

Every year, to celebrate Reel Speak’s birthday, this Blogger looks back on all the reasons why the movies mean so much to me. This was always a way to share, and to perhaps inspire others to look back and remember what they love about the movies too…and here in Year 15, it has reminded this Blogger that there is always magic to be found when the lights dim and the big screen lights up. 

 

Why do I love the movies? Let us count the ways: 

 

20. Because the trick is not minding that it hurts. 

19. Because if they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you. 

18. Because a Jaguar Shark ate my best friend. 

17. Because all you have to do is think of a wonderful thought.  

16. Because of John Williams.

15. Because I have been, and always shall be your friend. 

14. Because what we do in life echoes in eternity. 

13. Because Red October was hunted.

12. Because the only Virtue is Vengeance. A Vendetta. 

11. Because Crom laughs at your four winds! 

10. Because it’s a wonderful night for Oscar.

9. Because they made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.

8. Because “I love you”, and “I know”.

7. Because if someone asks me if I’m a god, I say yes.

6. Because I will drink your milkshake.

5. Because every man dies, not every man really lives. 

4. Because they needed a bigger boat.

3. Because there had to be snakes.

2. Because the Fellowship will not fail. 

1. Because the Force will be with you, always. 

 

A Reel 25: The Year in Film 2000

Twenty-five years ago at about this time, the cinematic year of 2000 was just getting warmed up. Looking back, it could be considered the final year before the modern era. Here’s how it unspooled: 

 

The worldwide box office winner for the year 2000 A.D. would be the John Woo-directed MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2. The action film would be the only movie in the top 10 that was a sequel. Also at the box office, CHICKEN RUN became the highest-grossing film done in stop-motion style, and HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey, had the highest debut for a Christmas-themed film. 

 

On the awards circuit, Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR was the big winner at the Oscars, taking home Best Picture and Best Actor (Russell Crowe). The historical epic had good competition from Ang Lee’s CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, Lasse Hollstrom’s CHOCOLAT, and two films from Steven Soderbergh: TRAFFIC and ERIN BROCKOVICH. 

 

The cold winter months of 2000 got off to a hot start, with THE BOONDOCK SAINTS blasting into theatres and becoming a cult favorite. SCREAM 3 was rightfully dumped in February, and it was joined by the sci-fi thriller PITCH BLACK, the Bruce Willis-led THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, Disney’s AN EXTREMELY GOOFY MOVIE, and REINDEER GAMES…which would be the final film from director John Frankenheimer. 

 

The spring months would deliver the Brian De Palma-helmed MISSION TO MARS, Roman Polanski’s supernatural THE NINTH GATE, the first of the FINAL DESTINATION series, and the rom-com HIGH FIDELITY.

 

Later in the spring Sandra Bullock and future King Viggo Mortensen would appear in 28 DAYS, future Batman Christian Bale would thrill in AMERICAN PSYCHO, and an ensemble cast would travel the depths in the submarine thriller U-571. 

 

GLADIATOR would arrive in May, and it was joined later by the big stinker that was BATTLEFIELD EARTH. Disney’s DINOSAUR would also stomp in, and the rest of the early summer would include GONE IN 60 SECONDS, SHAFT, TITAN A.E., THE PATRIOT, and THE PERFECT STORM. 

 

In July, the superhero genre would re-ignite for good with Bryan Singer’s X-MEN. And the rest of the summer brought us the Bruce Willis-led Disney flick THE KID, the horror-comedy SCARY MOVIE, and the Harrison Ford-led WHAT LIES BENEATH. Also arriving would be COYOTE UGLY, HOLLOW MAN, SPACE COWBOYS, THE TAO OF STEVE, THE REPLACEMENTS, THE CELL, and BRING IT ON. 

 

In the early fall months, Cameron Crowe would deliver the acclaimed ALMOST FAMOUS, Denzel Washington would hit the gridiron in REMEMBER THE TITANS, Sylvester Stallone would appear in the big flop GET CARTER, Gary Oldman would thrill in THE CONTENDER, and the sweet little film PAY IT FORWARD would release. 

 

As the fall grew cooler, Darren Aronofsky would spin heads with REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, and CHARLIE’S ANGELS would turn up the heat. Robert Redford would direct THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE, Adam Sandler would bomb with LITTLE NICKY, and the second of two Mars-related films, THE RED PLANET, would also bomb. Also arriving would be the military drama MEN OF HONOR, the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led THE 6^TH DAY, along with QUILLS and M. Night Shyamalan’s best film, UNBREAKABLE. 

 

December would deliver the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS bomb, the hit SNATCH, the comedy DUDE, WHERE’S MY CAR?, and the Disney animated flick THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE. Ed Harris would earn an Oscar nomination for his lead role in POLLOCK, and Tom Hanks would be his competitor for his role in CAST AWAY. The year would close out with FINDING FORRESTER, DRACULA 2000, THE GIFT, O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?, THIRTEEN DAYS, and SHADOW OF THE VAMPIRE. 

 

The year 2000 would see the film debuts of Jamie Bell, Martin Freeman, Topher Grace, John Krasinski, Aaron Paul, Zoe Saldana, Bill Skarsgard, Kristen Stewart, Sam Worthington, Juno Temple, and Anton Yelchin. The year would also say farewell and adieu to Jim Varney, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Walter Matthau, Jason Robards, and Alec Guinness. 

 

*

 

In 2000, the industry was on the verge of a major change. Three years before, James Cameron’s TITANIC showed that a big-budget epic could earn back its money and be acclaimed. This would show with GLADIATOR…and in just one year’s time Peter Jackson’s THE LORD OF THE RINGS would begin and take things a step further. Sci-fi and fantasy franchises suddenly became coveted, and that would lead us to long-form storytelling with HARRY POTTER, and THE HUNGER GAMES. The success of X-MEN would get the capes and masks going for real, sparking SPIDER-MAN in 2002 and eventually the mighty and endless Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

 

Since then, Hollywood has gone heavy on the franchises. In 2000, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 was the only sequel in the top 10 worldwide box office. In 2024, all of the top 10 were sequels, remakes, or part of a franchise. Audiences have shown their appetite for the familiar, and studios have responded. And while it may the tail wagging the dog, the numbers do speak volumes. Despite this, the most acclaimed films are still the smaller ones. Of the ten Best Picture nominees for 2024, only two earned more than $100 million, with eight of them original. Hollywood is top heavy right now, and wherever it goes next can be traced back to what we were seeing in the year 2000.