A Very Special Nerdery Movie Night Post

AMC's Best Picture Showcase, Weekend 1

Taken at 10:40 PM, right before the last movie of the day!

For the ten years I lived in Pittsburgh, I (Joe) went to the AMC Best Picture Showcase 8 of them. It was always so fun: every Academy Award Best Picture Nominee back-to-back for two weekends in a row. Dave went with me our last year in the city. The event was always so fun: trivia contests, theaters filled with people who loved movies, and an atmosphere of excitement. My bestie Ally (mentioned several times in this blog through the years) also did the AMC Best Picture Showcase, but in DC. Dave and I moved to northwest Ohio (where there was no Best Picture Showcase), and soon after the pandemmy shut everything down.

It seemed that we'd never experience another.

Imagine my excitement when Ally texted last month to announce that an AMC in DC was doing the Best Picture Showcase again. Did we want to go? Absolutely (me) and just one weekend, not both (Dave). Yesterday we met up in Georgetown, picking up snacks at Trader Joe's for five back-to-back movies. Rather than do thorough write-ups for each, we decided to give one-sentence reviews for each, with special guest columnist Ally weighing in.

And it doesn't need to be said, but movie theater popcorn is always ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm Still Here • start time: 12:00 PM

Ally: 40 minutes too long, but still intriguing (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Dave: The lead actress was amazing as was the cinematography (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Joe: Torres was brilliant, but the final act dragged (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Conclave • start time: 2:45 PM

Ally: I stan my messy cardinals always (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dave: Gripping but ridiculous (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Joe: Holy fuck (emphasis on "holy), that was a twisty ride! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Nickel Boys • start time: 4:55 PM

Ally: An important book, an important movie, but first person cinematography is not for me (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dave: Grotesquely gorgeous and imaginatively shot, but only see it once. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Joe: Initially, I was not a fan of the oblique storytelling, but it grew on me rapidly - this is one hell of a film (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Dinner break! We went to Sweetgreen. It was yummy.

Anora • start time: 8:15 PM

Ally: Nothing about Anora is what it seems, for better or for worse (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Dave: Why in the hell was this nominated? (⭐️⭐️)

Joe: A gratuitous final act neuters all the madcap acts before it. (⭐️⭐️1/2)

The Substance • start time: 10:45 PM

Ally: Fuck the patriarchy (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Dave: 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Joe: Absolutely, positively nuts but also kinda brilliant (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

Dave won't be joining us next weekend for the next 4 films, so I won't do an update.

The Nerdery Movie Night will be on hiatus for a few weeks, as we seem to have engagements nearly every Friday for the foreseeable future. Don't worry, darlings. We shall return!