2018 Nominee Watch – July 20th

Here we go again. I feel like I say this just about every week, but we have more sequels hitting theaters this weekend. Denzel Washington returns for The Equalizer 2 while Meryl Streep and company team up once again for another installment of Mamma Mia! And to top it all off, there is even a sequel to the 2014 horror film Unfriended. Are there no original ideas in Hollywood these days?

Sorry the rest of the post is a bit sparse. Life got in the way a little bit this week but I'll be back next week with a full preview post for the films coming next weekend!

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The Equalizer 2
Denzel Washington may seem on the surface like he's very much typecast in the role for this film. But if you look deeper, you will likely see a trend in the directors he chooses to work with. Antoine Fuqua, director of this and the first Equalizer film, also directed Washington in Training Day back in 2001, for which Washington won his Oscar for Best Actor. Fuqua and Washington also worked together on 2016's The Magnificent Seven.

It does seem that Washington is often seen toting a pistol and seeking some sort of revenge and we are sure to get plenty of that in this film as well. And while we've seen Washington nominated for Best Actor both of the last two years, (Fences and Roman J. Israel, Esq.) I don't see that trend continuing with this film.

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 was recently listening to a podcast where the host related something they heard about some big name actors. There is a tendency to "do one for the money and one for the soul." You can see this in some of the films I list out for limited release each week that have well known actors in them. They're not the big blockbusters, but are often more likely to get award buzz. Sometime the actors direct or finance these films themselves. ​These are the films that they are making for their soul, because they love to act.

Then we have the films where those same actors are clearly earning a big paycheck with the expectations from the studio that the film will bring in a big haul at the box office. After a year or so of films intended for his soul, The Equalizer 2 is Washington's return to making one for the money so he can go back to doing those more soul-fulfilling films.

If you're looking for a bang up action film this weekend, this is your best bet.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!
I will freely admit to never being a huge fan of movie musicals. My typical exceptions are animated movies, since they have a long tradition of being based on music, and 2012's Les Misérables. The latter is a favorite stage production and despite the insistence of having characters break into song in the middle of the film, the transition to song was less jarring than one typically sees in films.

Getting off my soapbox, I am expecting a good reception for this film. The cast of the original (from ten years ago!) returns with the addition of rising talent in Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver) and entertainment icon Cher (Moonstruck, Burlesque). It is an all-star cast that is sure to provide laughs, tears and everything in between.

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Now, when it comes to Oscar nominations, one might initially think this was a slam dunk for a nomination for Best Original Score or Best Original Song. After all, The Greatest Showman received a nomination for Best Song last year and La La Land was nominated twice in 2016 with one of them winning.

However, the key here is original. None of the songs from this film will be originals. They are all from previously released ABBA music and don't qualify as original score or songs.

In the grand scheme, I don't see any Oscar nominations for this film. Best Production Design is an outside possibility, but the potential stops there. It will be a fun romp back into the past and any fan of ABBA will certainly get their fix of the music.

Unfriended: Dark Web
Really? We're titling movies about that thing you do when your best friend doesn't invite you to her wedding after you held her hair back after all those frat parties in college. And apparently this is even a sequel!

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I'm not even going to give this film any attention since I know for a fact it will not receive and Oscar nominations. If you're looking for campy horror, here's your latest dose, otherwise, avoid this one.

Limited Releases

• Blindspotting – 

• Broken Star – 
• Damascus Cover –
• Duck Duck Goose – (Netflix)
• Far From the Tree – 
• Generation Wealth – (Amazon)
• Holy Hell – 
• Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms – 
• McQueen –
• Occupation – 
• Pin Cushion – 
• Relaxer – 
• Teefa in Trouble – 
• ​Zoe – 
• 93Queen – (July 25th)