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Universal Pictures could have had some huge weapons to play with at CinemaCon with Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” and David Leitch’s “The Fall Guy,” however its mini-major division, Focus Features, needed just a little little bit of the highlight. Chairman Peter Kujawski took the stage and made the argument that the info reveals that specialty enterprise has recovered greater than the media narrative thinks it has. That 2022 was really higher for the specialty divisions than 2019. More importantly, he had 4 movies to champion, Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” Ethan Coen’s “Drive-Away Dolls,” Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers,” and, after all, Nia Vardalos’ “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3.”
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Let’s get to crucial one first. Yes, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” will make your mother snicker, has fairly Greek sunsets and Andrea Martin as soon as once more steals the present. Clearly, a textbook instance of a Focus Features launch.
The movie that basically obtained the viewers’s consideration, nonetheless, was Coen’s “Drive-Away Dolls.” Co-written with Cohen’s spouse, Tricia Cooke, this comedy finds Jamie (Margaret Qualley) snatching her pal Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) for a lesbian highway journey from New York City to Tallahassee, Florida. Along the way in which they get within the crosshairs of some nefarious people together with one fellow performed by Colman Domingo and meet up with a pal performed by Beanie Feldstein who one way or the other makes their circumstances worse. While actually, its personal factor, the preview proven gave just a little little bit of “Raising Arizona” vibes. Oh, and it was additionally super-fun. Is it a film that may get a whole lot of awards consideration? It doesn’t appear to be it, but it surely additionally seems like essentially the most A24/Neon-esque movie that Focus has launched in years.
One of Focus’ main awards movies this Oscar season will doubtless be Payne’s “The Holdovers.” An authentic screenplay from David Hemingson (“Nebraska” is the one different movie Payne has directed however not written in his profession), this late coming-of-age story facilities on Angus (Dominc Sessa), a pupil caught at his personal boarding faculty over the vacations underneath the curmudgeonly eye of Mr. Hunham (Paul Giamatti), who additionally needs he was anyplace else. As the break turns into lonelier the 2 come to know one another and in addition kind a bond with the college’s head chook, Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who’s coping with her personal tragedy. Set within the early to mid-70s, the fabric appears considerably acquainted but in addition brims with a nostalgic high quality Payne hasn’t actually tried earlier than. And that’s not essentially a nasty factor. If you really liked “Wonder Boys” or “Dead Poets Society” (or not to mention seen these movies) we’re gonna guess this one’s for you.
The specialty division additionally screened what we consider is a brand new trailer for Anderson’s “Asteroid City” which was fairly much like the primary with, maybe, only a bit extra of Tilda Swinton’s character. That movie will display screen in competitors on the Cannes Film Festival in only a few weeks.
Notably, Focus didn’t take the time to push the extremely anticipated “Book Club: The Next Chapter” which arrives in theaters on May 12.
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