POPCORN BOTTLE SERVICE
Reunion Newsletter [7.24.26]
When it’s decided the sky is falling, businesses try to find money wherever they possibly can. It’s part of the enshittification cycle, as has become common parlance. Popcorn buckets were announced this week to be a $100mm business. And you can buy your way into NYFF’s opening night party for $500. Kinda like night clubs. What if we put bikinis on the ushers at Walter Reade and had them bring popcorn buckets with sparklers to attendees during the movie? That fits with the Alamo brand now that they not only condone, but force phone usage during movies. How much could we charge? What about movie night at Marquee??? Lindsay Lohan double feature!
Hilariously, ChatGPT made this image, but when I prompted the same, but with a Dune Sandworm popcorn bucket, it was flagged as pornographic. This means the woman in the bikini in the movie theater isn’t the issue, but the AI registers the Sandworm popcorn bucket as, well, you know what.
I hope Alamo doesn’t ruin Cinerama dome.
All the festival lineups are disappointing. What’s going on? I thought this was the year we were righting the ship and making the exciting movies. Next year? Sincerely, what is going on? I don’t really have a theory. We’ve had I think enough space from the really stupid ideas that dominated for a long time. Maybe it’s a longer development cycle with financing being so fraught. At least we’ll have some Lee Chang-Dong.
We’re a week in, I think we can say it now. The die-hards have already seen it. I know people are waiting to watch on sold out IMAX 70mm screens. But just stop reading now if you don’t want my Odyssey thoughts. … … … It’s nothing. It’s the minimum possible delivery on the concept and infrastructure. It’s as if the idea of Nolan doing Odyssey was already previz’d in my brain, and I didn’t really need to actually see it. I already inherently felt the entire movie. There was not one shot nor line nor moment nor decision which I had not already felt I could have conjured the feeling already. The decision to make him guilt-ridden is not that deep. It’s just a choice. It’s not some brilliant angle he unearthed or spun. It’s fine. Yeah. Mature. Ok. It’s a choice. It’s not an essay. It’s his take on the guy. Whatever. Otherwise, it’s big, sure, but like yeah that’s what you get when you put this very very very skilled filmmaker with all the resources in the world doing this story. Sure. It has nothing you want to hang on a wall. Nothing even like Nope’s imagery. I was fine spending my morning watching it. I got a great seat for the 70mm IMAX. Nice bowl of popcorn. It was a delightful few hours at the picture show. Whatever. Nothing. Some kid got up and yelled ABSOLUTE CINEMA at the end. What a tool. He was probably wearing an A24 hat. Move on.
Annoyed about LeBron. Feels very Odyssey coded.
— Sean Glass @sdotglass
Location film hubs WhatsApp https://chat.whatsapp.com/FSaELLc5WDh6wVGoxGFv3H
Venice 2026: https://chat.whatsapp.com/JpfYJ9Mt18fFQnlwy3ETS6
Toronto TIFF 2026: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BQI0fIWTtHA5jfU1iO2kyl
Locarno 2026: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GV2W5xNJroiBlgjQTImr2s
Cannes 2026 #2 overflow group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GkQxce4PO5jEM4Mg0kpP07
Tribeca Film Fest / https://chat.whatsapp.com/FOJbaGSdDdf0opgy4Y9R3p?mode=gi_t
EVENTS
July 15-August 1: Glowing with Beth B in person [Roxy]
July 31: A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching [Rooftop Films]
August 11: Session 9 with Director Brad Anderson and co-writer/lead actor Stephen Gevedon [Roxy]
August 12: Reunion Live at Salmagundi—link coming soon!
We think every individual newsletter charging magazine subscription prices for one column is absurd, unfair, and unrealistic; end of world kinda stuff. So we make this free. But it’s a lot of work. If you have it, please donate. If you dig, share and all that stuff. Thx.
THE NEWS
The important stuff on the important stuff. TL;DR + links if you want more.
| INDUSTRY |
Jeff Zucker on the Biggest Studio You’re Overlooking: ‘We’ll Take Them By Surprise’ [The Ankler]
Sony Revives Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles as Box Office Sales Rebound [NYT]
Film Finances And Media Guarantors Merging In Major Shakeup Of Completion Bond Business [Deadline]
A24 Withdraws Backrooms Copyright Claim After Kane Parsons Intervenes [The Wrap]
Utopia Distribution Exec on Shifting Releases Towards Eventification to Cater to ‘Fandom’ and Younger Audiences: ‘Everything Is Being Destroyed to Be Rebuilt’ [Variety]
|ANNOUNCEMENTS|
Atari Makes Universal Movie Deal For 10 Iconic Game Properties; First Up Is Original Script By Matt Reilly & Carl Hampe, With Entertainment 360 Producing [Deadline]
‘Blade Runner 2099’ Sequel Series Sets Late Fall Prime Video Premiere; First Trailer Lifts Off At Comic-Con [Deadline] I was hoping we could collectively forget about this as it's been in development for so long maybe they would just agree to move on without it. Spare this timeline another one of these things.
| FESTIVALS |
Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera on 2026 lineup, lack of female and studio films [Screen Daily]
NYFF Sets World Premiere Of Ava DuVernay Documentary 14th As Closing-Night Film [Deadline] Uh oh.
| MISC. |
Nicolas Winding Refn Reveals the Chaotic Making of Drive: “Most Everyone Hated It” [THR]
‘The Dink’ Review: Jake Johnson Discovers the Joys of Pickleball in a Sweet Apple TV Comedy [IndieWire] I can't believe this is a thing. Ugh.
I never got to touch one of those cameras when I was at Emerson. But good for the new kids.
John Waters: Going to Extremes —Sunday, July 26 in East Hampton [Tickets]
SUBSTACK RECOMMENDATIONS
Read Thomson if you haven't already. Can start with the new one, maybe its a good entry point.
WHAT TO WATCH
Something Borrowed, Something Blue [Paris]
Summer Saturdays with Dolby Atmos [MoMI]
See It Big: 70mm, opens July 31 [MoMI]
It Came From the Archive! Opens July 31 [Paris]
Scary Movies XIV, opens August 12 [FLC]
| NEW RELEASES |
Motor City [wide]
Her Private Hell [Angelika]
Rosebush Pruning [Angelika]
Brunello: The Gracious Visionary [Angelika]
Sheep in the Box with director Hirokazu Kore-eda in person [IFC]
Lost Chapters [IFC]
A Sad and Beautiful World [Quad]
Characters Disappearing [Roxy]
| ON FILM |
Mildred Pierce in 35mm [Paris]
Crimes and Misdemeanors in 35mm [Paris]
The Lunchbox in 35mm [Paris]
Elephant in 35mm [IFC]
Johnny Guitar in 35mm [Roxy]
Masked and Anonymous in 35mm [Roxy]
Party Girl in 35mm [Roxy]
Extreme Prejudice in 35mm [Metrograph]
The Hole, new 35mm print [Metrograph]
El Topo in 35mm [Metrograph]
Rambling Rose in 35mm [Metrograph]
The Limits of Control in 35mm [Metrograph]
Collateral in 35mm [Metrograph]
Basic Instinct in 35mm [Metrograph]
Hi, Mom! in 35mm [MoMI]
Carrie in 35mm [MoMI]
| REP CINEMA |
The Piano, new 4K restoration [FLC]
Mulholland Drive [Angelika]
Terms of Endearment [Paris]
In the Mood for Love [Paris]
Bride of Chucky [Paris]
Ordinary People [Paris]
Rebecca [Paris]
Leave Her to Heaven [Paris]
Michael Mann’s Manhunter: The Final Cut, 40th Anniversary 4K restoration [IFC]
Dread Beat An Blood, U.S. theatrical premiere, new 4K restoration [Film Forum]
Luchino Visconti’s White Nights, 4K restoration [Film Forum]
The Cycle, U.S. premiere of 4K restoration [Roxy]
The Triplets of Belleville [Metrograph]
Watership Down [MoMI]
Obsession [MoMI]
Mad Max Fury Road [MoMI]
Smithereens [MoMI]
| STREAMING |
April [MUBI]
Blue Heron [Criterion Channel]
Close Your Eyes [Film Movement+]
Disclosure Day [VOD]
Eephus [Prime Video]
Nirvanna the Band the Show and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie [Hulu]
Pressure [Peacock]
| COMING SOON |
| BONUS FEATURES |
Get your own pictures printed in 15-perf 70mm film strips.
The Brown Bunny van is on sale.
The Odyssey mania vs Knicks fever.
Wait, you mean, like…a soft fungible substance? And she melded it…with her hands??? And…and…it was connected to…motors and machines? And it was all filmed in extreme closeup with rapid cuts so we only saw one macro detail and one small movement at a time??? No way. No way. How? Sorcery! Impossible! How could they have done this?!!?!? Absolute cinema!!! I’m gonna cum.
Neill Blomkamp explores AI. What happened to this guy? But also, cool idea once you get through to the end.
NWR and Scarecrow video.
Ashley Clark and his new book featured in TNYT.
New movie theater bar incoming Bushwick.
Outdoor screenings in NYC.
I am simpatico regarding The Odyssey. It's like singing along to a Coldplay song before wondering, wait, how do I know a Coldplay song? Wait, WHY do I know a Coldplay song?