2018 Nominee Watch – June 15th

This weekend brings a big sequel from Pixar, sure to grab some Oscar buzz along with a buddy comedy that promises plenty of laughs. Take your pick this weekend as we gear up for the next summer blockbuster that "finds a way" to theaters next week.

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The Incredibles 2
It has been over ten years since The Incredibles was released, but this weekend, it will be like we never left them. Most of the original cast is back for the sequel as is writer and director Brad Bird, who has served up other hits including Ratatouille, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and Tomorrowland.

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If the trailers are to be any indication, the sequel will provide many of the same elements that gave the original such wide appeal. The Parr family is still just a normal family. The kids still argue, they struggle to raise a baby entering the worst case of the terrible 2s I've ever seen, and in this film, mom has a new job that takes her away from the family. Oh, and they all have superpowers.

The pedigree for this film is strong, with the original winning the award for Best Animated Feature over Shrek 2 and Shark Tale back in 2005. It also won for Best Sound Editing (over Polar Express and fellow superhero film Spider-Man 2) and nabbed nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing.

I would expect to hear The Incredibles 2 announced for some of these same categories at the next Oscars ceremony. A Best Animated Feature nomination is all but assured and I could see nominations in the sound categories again as well. One area where the original fell short was with the soundtrack, but I see this having potential as well.

Tag
This movie looks hilarious. I'll just start with that.

Is it winning any awards? Probably not, but I still want to see it.

Not only do we get some great comedic actors, but we also get a chance to see someone like Jeremy Renner tackle a comedy role, while still flexing his action star muscles in the process.

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I think this film will be a welcome change for people not interested in animated films and a breath of fresh air from some of the recent wide release films. Again, I don't see any Oscars in Tag's future, but we may be surprised.

Limited Releases

• Affairs of State – Political action thriller.
• Billy Boy – Relationship/crime drama.
• Eating Animals – Documentary about the modern meat production industry and its treatment of animals.
• Gabriel and the Mountain – Story of a man trekking across Africa to climb mountains.
• Gotti – John Travolta plays John Gotti, head of the Gambino crime family.
• Intersection – Fast cars and drama.
• Set it Up – Relationship comedy about two assistants setting up their bosses. Available on Netflix.
• A Skin So Soft – A documentary look at what it takes to be a champion body-builder.
• Straight Into a Storm A New Rock Film About Deer Tick – Rockumentary about Rhode Island band Deer Tick.
• The Year of Spectacular Men – Romantic comedy about two sisters learning to deal with relationships. Lea Thompson (Back to the Future) makes her directorial debut.
• The Yellow Birds – War film about two friends and a promise made to one mother to protect her son in Iraq.