by J. Nagle
Whether through Jack Black’s musical talents or his line deliveries—namely one of a combative avian variety—anyone keeping up with the theatrical release space has surely heard of the celebratory crowds of A Minecraft Movie screenings by now. Buying tickets to a showing of the film felt like a gamble from the start, never knowing whether the crowd would be respectful or start slinging whole buckets and even bags of popcorn around the theater. There was a point in the film’s “CHICKEN JOCKEY” online stardom in which a few of those in attendance brought a LIVE chicken to prop up during the scene, sitting on another’s shoulders as to mimic the telltale Chicken Jockey formation.
Though, most are aware this trend and borderline guerilla marketing campaign has already gone too far in a few places. For those unlucky enough to book a screening with most of these instigating fans, any amount of popcorn, soda, and other theater concessions could fly right onto them by a rowdy crowd, as was reported by user @conniedefc0n via @HollywoodHandle on X.
A theater full of cheering cinemagoers is far from a new concept, but Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie has breathed life into the execution in a way that will be hard for any other release to compete with. As an idea, chanting the names of various Minecraft blocks, items, and features alongside Jack Black with others in the theater can inevitably lead to some level of hilarity. I went to go see the film twice, and while the crowd did expectantly quote many of the mentioned lines, everyone was very physically and audibly respectful overall. I firmly believe most of the Minecraft movie screenings have not been forced to cease playback at the hands of the above “CHICKEN JOCKEY” scene, with most of the film’s reputation in theaters coming from a small but loud number of bad apples. This was my most fun theater experience since another video game adaptation, Five Nights at Freddy’s, back in October of 2023. Many showed up in costume, cheering like it was a Marvel movie every time something from the series was named. Though, there were no food or drinks flying, and some unaffiliated ticketholders even chatted with each other following the film’s conclusion. This specific connection, disassociated from everything shown of the worst A Minecraft Movie screenings online, is something I feel is essential to theater experience of films just like it. That sense of community is what made some of these people as big of fans of these series as they turned out to be, something that should be embraced on its own.
Warner Bros. clearly understands it has a hit on its hands with A Minecraft Movie, with executives reported to be fast-tracking a sequel right now as the film crosses the $720 million mark in box office revenue. If you want to see the film still but have been a bit put off by the tens of videos of crowd uproar, don’t let that deter you from seeing it in the comfort of a theater now that the more physical buzz has died down.
A Minecraft Movie is now playing in theaters worldwide.
by J. Nagle
Today, it was announced that Wes Anderson’s new film The Phoenician Scheme would be releasing just under two months from now, in late May. We had previously reported the development of Anderson’s film preceding the release of Asteroid City in July of 2023, during which we covered the rumored casting of Michael Cera, Benicio del Toro, and Jeffrey Goldblum. With the trailer released today by Focus Features, the casting of both Cera and del Toro have been confirmed with both actors in leading roles. However, no casting has yet been announced for Goldblum, if any. Linked below is the trailer for The Phoenician Scheme starring Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, and Scarlet Johansson among many others in one of Wes’ classic ensemble casts.
Wes has stated the film had been written prior to the release of his previous film Asteroid City (2023), with filming later taking place between March and June of 2024. The film notably foregoes a widescreen aspect ratio, as its contents were shot using 35mm film.
The Phoenician Scheme releases in theaters on May 30th, 2025.
by J. Nagle
For as many grievances as can be aired with its UI, Apple TV+ has been fairly consistent in producing some hit programming that gets people talking. Historically, series like Silo and Ted Lasso have made waves online for their ambition and unique charm, as well as the recent line of Peanuts animated programming produced by the service. Going into 2025, what’s gotten people talking is Severance, a series that ironically was an early 2022 release. However, the second season premiered this past January to the same widespread acclaim that got people talking in the first place.
What immediately grabbed me about Severance is its diving head-first into as many genres as it seems to tackle. At once, the show resembles a dark workplace comedy, a psychological drama-thriller, and a science fiction dystopia in its demeanor. As quirky and eccentric as its main characters and settings can be in nature right from the get-go, each moment the viewer spends with them plants subtle seeds for the more layered writing the show gets to as its seasons progress. Mark Scout’s (Adam Scott) prying nature eventually leads to his unraveling of what really goes on behind the scenes at Lumon, though similar attempts through the more direct nature of Irving Bailiff (John Turturro) later leads to his termination at the company. In his absence, however, the show focuses on his outie’s recurring confrontations with Burt Goodman (Christopher Walken), still employed at the company and giving cryptic hints as to how he got an in.
A lot of what surprised me about the show is its inherent comedic elements being balanced out and sometimes overpowered by such an emotionally loaded story. The show is primarily directed by Ben Stiller, an actor and filmmaker commonly known for his comedic work in both roles, whether you’re a fan of Night at the Museum or more of a Zoolander person. The lead, Mark Scout, is portrayed by Adam Scott, primarily known for his own comedic roles as well, in shows such as Parks and Recreation and The Good Place. However, taking on a series with a more serious lens, both Stiller and Scott find themselves in one of the most unique shows on television right now, and one of the highlights of both of their careers.
Severance was swiftly renewed for a third season following the premiere of its second season finale, teased by Stiller and swiftly confirmed by Tim Cook, head of Apple, on X later in the night. No one knows what to expect—especially following the haymaker that was the finale itself—but Stiller has promised fans that the third season of the series will not take nearly as long to launch. The season finale of Severance currently sits at an astonishing 9.6/10 on IMDb, joining the season one finale of Dexter and the series finale of The Good Place.
Season 2 of Severance is now streaming on Apple TV+.
by J. Nagle
Celebrated award-winning actor Gene Hackman was reported to have passed away on Wednesday, February 28th. His filmography is vast, having been best known for playing the titular lead role in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) as well as Harry Caul in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation (1974).
Before his tenure as an actor, Hackman enlisted in the Marines at an early age of which he served for approximately five years. Another five years following his discharge from the unit would bring him into the acting field, finding his earliest roles in series and films such as The United States Steel Hour and Mad Dog Coll respectively. Following an extremely successful run of Any Wednesday on Broadway in 1964, Hackman would find his biggest role yet in Robert Rossen’s Lilith later that year.
The 1970s brought some of Hackman’s most memorable roles yet. Classic performances such as the Blind Man in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, as well as starring alongside Al Pacino in Scarecrow (1973). which Hackman has cited as his personal favorite. However, his most important role this decade was his lead role of Popeye in William Friedkin’s The French Connection, which would catapult Hackman further into the spotlight. While not his first nomination at the award show, Gene Hackman’s work in the film would net him his first ever win at the 44th annual Academy Awards, taking home the title of Best Actor.
Hackman would go on to live an honorable career for many more years until his retirement from the scene in 2004. Following his retirement, he would go on to write several novels as well as narrate for a few television documentaries.
The report estimates Hackman to have passed away around February 18th, approximately a week following the passing of his wife to HPS. Hackman is survived by his three children, Christopher Allen, Leslie Anne, and Elizabeth Jean.
On Sunday night, Conan O’Brien hosted the 97th Annual Academy Awards—also known as the Oscars—bringing us one ceremony closer to the show’s centennial celebration. We can focus on the show’s future another day, though, as last night was all about celebrating the films that made our 2024 in cinema so memorable. In spite of whatever omissions or snubs may be rattled off online, much of last night’s show was dedicated to those who poured blood, sweat, and tears into their productions and performances. Film as a medium is a team effort, and many winners’ speeches made more apparent than ever that even if someone doesn’t win at the Oscars, their efforts were far from unnoticed. Here are the list of
Best Picture
- Anora (Sean Baker)
Best Director
- Sean Baker (Anora)
Best Actor
- Adrien Brody (as László Tóth in The Brutalist)
Best Actress
- Mikey Madison (as the titular role in Anora)
Best Supporting Actor
- Kieran Culkin (as Benjamin Kaplan in A Real Pain)
Best Supporting Actress
- Zoe Saldaña (as Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez)
Best Original Screenplay
- Sean Baker (Anora)
Best Adapted Screenplay
- Peter Straughan (Conclave, original story by Robert Harris)
Best Animated Feature
- Flow
Best International Feature Film
- I’m Still Here (Brazil)
Best Documentary Feature Film
- No Other Land
Best Documentary Short Film
- The Only Girl in the Orchestra
Best Live Action Short Film
- I’m Not a Robot
Best Animated Short Film
- In the Shadow of the Cypress
Best Original Score
- The Brutalist (Daniel Blumberg)
Best Original Song
- “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (Clément Ducol, Camille, Jacques Audiard)
Best Sound
- Dune: Part Two (Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill)
Best Production Design
- Wicked (Nathan Crowley & Lee Sandales)
Best Cinematography
- The Brutalist (Lauren “Lol” Crawley)
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- The Substance (Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, Marilyne Scarselli)
Best Costume Design
- Wicked (Paul Tazewell)
Best Film Editing
- Anora (Sean Baker)
Best Visual Effects
- Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer)
The 97th annual Academy Awards was filled with tons of surprises from head to toe. Sean Baker and Anora‘s overwhelming lead with five wins was absolutely electric, with Baker making history as the first director in the show’s history to win four awards for the same film. In addition, Baker is the first filmmaker since Walt Disney—71 years ago—to win this many Academy Awards in one ceremony. More history was made in Paul Tazewell’s win in the Costume Design category, making him the first African-American costume designer to win the award.
Whether the acceptance speeches were long as Adrien Brody’s, heartfelt as Mikey Madison’s, or inspiring as the team behind Flow‘s, we here at Don’t Tell thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony as always. The future of cinemagoing is bright as new waves of creators are discovered each and every month, with new experiences cooking at any given moment. We’ll be sure to cover as much as we can in our reviews section, so make sure to stick around in case any are nominated for the 98th Academy Awards next year!
Many members of our staff were pleased to hear our review of Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl was in production, and rightfully so. There’s nothing quite like claymation anywhere else in the industry, with titans like Aardman and LAIKA producing hits that resonate with cinemagoers old and new. The Wallace and Gromit series began with a series of short films in the late 1980s, but Vengeance Most Fowl marks the inventor and his dog’s second feature length endeavor since 2005’s The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. That film brought home the title of Best Animated Feature at the 2006 Academy Awards. We’re not making any statements regarding Vengeance Most Fowl and its potential to win the award again at the upcoming ceremony, but that doesn’t mean we’re not thinking it.
Following a brief scare concerning Aardman’s supply of clay for film production, the company clarified the supply would not affect the pipeline of Vengeance Most Fowl, which went on to premiere on BBC last Christmas and have a wider release on Netflix the following year on January 3rd. Wallace & Gromit as a series has long been a masterclass in visual gags and subtle comedy. Silent as characters like Feathers McGraw and Gromit may be, their expressions and gestures show Aardman’s mastery of their craft is still alive and well.
Wallace & Gromit as a franchise is one that fundamentally instills its viewers with the knowledge that the title characters will prevail in the end. This isn’t to say Vengeance Most Fowl is without its share of suspense and stakes. Wallace may be a caring inventor who wants to aid in the betterment of the neighborhood, hopefully with a breakout invention of his, but Feathers McGraw is just as evil—if not more—as he was in The Wrong Trousers, the 1993 short film preceding the duo’s newest entry.
Feathers’ army of hijacked Norbot units paints one of the bleakest pictures portrayed in the Wallace & Gromit series, though this is far from a bad thing. The gravity with which Gromit handles the situation at hand is gripping and tense. Again, though the viewer maintains a feeling he will prevail, it honestly amplifies the intensity of the situation wondering how the road to victory is assembled. The callbacks to past Wallace & Gromit entries don’t feel out of place, they feel warranted rather than something thrown in for fanservice or familiarity.
Vengeance Most Fowl is a great film for the family, fans of comedies, claymation, and Aardman’s work in general. The plot is simple yet well-executed, and much of the shots in the film are incredibly well-composed and well-lit, being some of the franchise’s most ambitious work to date when put into perspective. It’s well deserving of its nomination at this year’s Academy Awards, and we’re holding out hope it’ll put up a good fight.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is now streaming on Netflix worldwide.
Get Some Strange!
