The weekend of Feb. 28 to March 2 was quite eventful, to say the least. Having freshly jumped off the stage from an incredibly joyous Apollo Night, I was immediately onto my next activity of choice, or self-inflicted punishment, however you choose to interpret it.
I spent March 1 and 2 partaking in the AMC Best Picture Showcase. Since 2007 (though it stopped in 2021 because of COVID-19), AMC has been offering movie junkies the chance to watch all of the films nominated for Best Picture at that year’s Oscars in either two weekends or one 24-hour marathon. I know what you’re thinking; what a horribly uncomfortable experience — so obviously I had to do it. 75 dollars well spent.
Since coming to LA, I’ve grown to love heading anywhere from Vidiots to Santa Monica to catch a film, old or new. It’s become a self-care practice. Lately, I’ve been trying to up my movie stamina, like an athlete preparing for a meet. Nine of the 10 films would be shown, all except “that one” because Netflix and AMC don’t get along. Thank God.
All I had going into the AMC Burbank 16 at 11:55 a.m. on March 1 was my power bank, a refillable popcorn bucket, some candy, a large slushy cup and some fuzzy socks. I could never have predicted just how different I’d be by the end.
Having experienced “The Brutalist” on a prior Christmas Eve viewing in Santa Monica, it was pleasant to rewatch. Funny enough, for a film with a frankly unnerving 3.5 hour runtime, the pacing and standout performances help it to move fast. A devastating story of the folly of the American dream — I really loved it.
“Nickel Boys” was my first new viewing of the night, an insanely innovative film that left me utterly incensed and heartbroken by the end. Mercifully, we were given an extended dinner break after, which I took to parse through my feelings about the film and also grab a huge slice of pizza.
“A Complete Unknown” definitely came as a balm to ease the pain of the previous feature, and I really enjoyed it. I will say Timothée “Aye Now Chop” Chalamet and Edward “played my favorite superhero one time 17 years ago” Norton did wonderful work — I’ll be looking forward to watching it again.
“Anora” was also a rewatch, being what I chose to occupy myself with on election night instead of having an existential crisis. It was just as fun to see again as Mikey Madison’s Ani is effortlessly entrancing from the moment she appears on screen, so very human and hopeful. Long live independent film!
My drowsiness really started to kick in at 12:10 a.m. March 2, but “The Substance” was just the thing to shake me awake. An all-out assault on the senses, this was a much awaited second watch. There’s nothing I can say that you haven’t already heard. It is uniquely disgusting, violent and poignant. Peak horror. Watching the audience’s reactions made it even sweeter, as one girl at the back of the theatre covered her eyes nearly the whole time, and a woman in front left the theater for a while during one of the bloodier scenes. One thing you can be assured of: I would never take The Substance. No amount of self-hatred will get me past my fear of needles.
The tiredness continued into “Conclave,” but some caffeinated chocolate courtesy of the Oxy Bookstore helped ward it off. Thankfully, the film was only two merciful hours long. Papal drama has rarely been so interesting. Or maybe it has, I can’t say I’m a big follower of papal drama. In any case, Ralph Fiennes did wonderful work as a different kind of crazy person than he was in “The Menu.” My favorite part was when *SPOILERS* the bomb went off and half of the exhausted theatre screamed for their lives.
This next one might be controversial. My feelings on “Dune: Part 2” were influenced by my sleepiness becoming much heavier, as well as the fact that I haven’t seen “Dune” since it came out. As a result, I was left feeling wholly disinterested. It was honestly the loudest film I’ve ever paid so little attention to. As I fought the Sandman, I was unable to keep up with who was talking or who each new bald person was. It genuinely felt like it went on longer than “The Brutalist.” I feel I owe this one a rewatch as a kindness.
At this point, sometime around 5 a.m., I felt like a slowly rotting corpse, having contorted myself over multiple chairs. To make matters worse, the seats didn’t even recline at all. It was getting rough. Thankfully, at this point, I only had two more films to go.
“I’m Still Here” was one I’d heard lots about, and the hype was definitely warranted. Without saying too much, the film is an absolute triumph, managing to go above and beyond at handling one topic that “the film that must not be named” (it rhymes with Shmemilia Shmerez) completely failed at. Torres’ performance is grounded, commanding and powerful. This one is well worth a watch.
The last film of the day was one I’d grown quite attached to, from both my two previous watches and Apollo Night. Thank goodness we ended with “Wicked,” because I don’t think I would’ve been able to get home without it. It woke me up and rejuvenated me. Everything about Cynthia Erivo’s performance will forever fill me with joy and her compatibility with Ariana Grande is unmatched. As I danced along in my seat and mouthed the words to each song, I felt joy come over me with the realization that I actually made it. It was over.
As I walked away from that AMC, I felt like the character from the final shot of “The Breakfast Club,” raising his fist triumphantly in the air. Now, mind you, I haven’t seen “The Breakfast Club,” nor do I have context for that moment, but it’s next on my list. I don’t think my eyes can take one more film right now.
Contact Shelby Kernisant at kernisant@oxy.edu
