From the looks of it, Sam Mendes “1917” might knock off “The Irishman” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” as the best pic frontrunner. Last night was the premiere at the IMAX in Hollywood, which capped weeks of press and industry screenings that have garnered raves across the board. Steven Spielberg’s Amblin was one of the producers along with Universal.

Spielberg hosted a reception the previous night at the Landmark in Culver City. He promised the crowd before the screening that they were “about to have an experience that is quite extraordinary.” He went on to say that, “This is such a revolutionary and groundbreaking film. In 1997 I was making a film in London [Saving Private Ryan] and I saw an amazing musical that Sam directed called “Oliver.” A couple of years later I got this script called “American Beauty” and sent it to Sam. Sam made it as his first film, and won his first Oscar as Best Director and Best film for Dreamworks.”

“There are scripts I read, and then there are scripts that I get lost in, the experience of when I get so deeply in it. That’s how I felt reading Sam and Krysty Wilson-Cairns script. The screenplay put me right back into a period that I’m very personally interested in WW1. It’s a moral story, it’s a human story, it’s a story about survival and it’s a story about brotherhood and a story with many qualities to aspire too. This is a movie where the images and the words are together, they are interchangeable with each other. “

Spielberg praised the two young actors, George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, who were in attendance. Also there were cinematographer Roger Deakins. and actor Andrew Scott, who plays the hot priest on “Fleabag” but has a more somber role here.

The eminent director noted that, “Sam told me he was going to shoot the entire picture in one shot. I said, ‘Sam this is not ‘Birdman,’ this is outside. This covers miles, acres and is under a sky and is day and its night. Sam explained to me the concept of the one shot is not to show off or be inventive or him showing off as the cineaste he is, but that it’s literally to make all of you that third character in trying to get to A to Z on this amazing survival trip. It makes you feel you’re watching it in real time. It’s a way to deeply involve you and press all your empathy buttons. This is one of the most revolutionary pictures I’ve ever seen and one of the greatest examples of filmmaking I’ve ever experienced.”

Spielberg introduced Mendes, then Sam did the honors with some of the crew and cast. Mendes observed “one of the greatest privileges of this is that Steven Spielberg treats me like an equal. But the truth is, he treated me as an equal the first day he met me. One of his great gifts is that he makes any filmmaker feel a million dollars the second he walks in the room. He looks you in the eye and he says, ‘come along, I can make a movie, you can too.’ So, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to bring this project back to my friend.”

Christoper Nolan is the king of mind bending epics. “Tenet” starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson looks like it will follow the pattern of “Memento,” “Interstellar,” and “Inception,” among others. Can it really be 20 years since “Memento”? Where did the time go? Don’t ask Nolan. He bends it back and forth and around our heads!

The box office will be crazy tonight as “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” opens tonight in preview shows around the country.

Because we don’t like to give away actual spoilers, no one knows yet about major surprises in the final installment of the franchise. There are HUGE ones. And once the word spreads about a cameo, and a plot twist at the end of the movie, that should send the numbers over the top.

So far, audiences have no idea what’s actually in the movie. Half or more of critics and bloggers have panned the film because it doesn’t expand “Star Wars” or isn’t adventurous enough. But they don’t seem to realize, this is THE END, the last chapter, and this movie is about tying up loose ends and bringing 42 years to a conclusion.

Director JJ Abrams does all of those things. And when the audiences start seeing the film tonight, the box office is going to take off like crazy. I just hope the fans can keep themselves from writing about specifics on social media. The temptation to announce what happens is severe. But clamp it down, kids. Let’s not ruin it for others!

And no, Jar Jar Binks does not make a comeback! But “Marriage Story” now has an ironic moment in it, and I wonder if it’s intentional.

“Cats” may prove to be a bigger test of critics vs. movie audience starting tonight.

The Tom Hooper directed movie has scored a lowly 16 on Rotten Tomatoes as critics have gotten catty about the translation of the hit Broadway show to the big screen.  There are few positive reviews, and even those are stingy. For the most part, every movie reviewer and blogger has hated this movie, especially the CGI. The main complaint is no script or story, which means they didn’t really get the stage show in the first place. “Cats” never had a plot.

Entertainment Weekly, for example: Even after 110 tumbling, tail-swishing, deeply psychedelic minutes, it’s hard to know if you ever really knew anything – except that C is for Cats, C is for Crazy, and C is probably the grade this cinematic lunacy deserves.”

But there may be hope: social media indicates a HUGE interest in this movie despite the critics. I’ve noted more social media action on “Cats” than on the new “Star Wars.” It’s quite possible “Cats” will catch on with the show’s fans, who will come out to see it just to defy the movie critics.

And the critics? A big chunk of the Rotten Tomatoes audience are bloggers with small followings. This is their time to shine. Who can be the most clever tearing apart “Cats”? My favorite quote is from Edward Douglas of The Beat: “Cats is the worst thing to happen to cats since dogs.”

Well, let’s see how it goes in previews tonight and in the real showings on Friday. “Cats” may claw its way to the top. But I still need to know what jellicle means, and where Grizabella goes in her chandelier topped hot air balloon. To Oz, perhaps?

If nothing else, check out “Cats” for Jennifer Hudson’s glorious performance of “Memory.” It’s spot on.

Hold on a second. “Richard Jewell” may not be as dead as we thought.

After a dismal opening weekend, Clint Eastwood’s excellent drama about the wrongly accused Atlanta security guard is gaining at the box office.

On Tuesday night, “Richard Jewell” made $825,000. It was up 54% from Monday night, one of the largest increases of any current film.

On Monday night, the movie made $536,102, which was one of the lowest percentage dips of all movies from the previous night. Monday night always sees a fall off from Sunday, but for “Richard Jewell” it was less severe than expected.

Audiences may be slow to finding “Richard Jewell,” and the enormous publicity from the weekend may have sent them to theaters to see what’s going on. On Rotten Tomatoes, Eastwood’s film as 96% rating from the audience and a 73 with critics.

Critics seemingly turned against the film when the Washington Post revealed that the Atlanta Journal Constitution was angry about the depiction of a female reporter.  Before that, the early reviews for “Richard Jewell” were excellent. Indeed, it’s a very good film with top notch performances from Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Olivia Wilde, and Jon Hamm.

Warner Bros. had positioned the film as Oscar worthy, and they were correct. But when the scandal about reporter Kathy Scruggs broke, the studio seemed to back away. Won’t it be ironic if movie audiences come to Eastwood’s rescue? And then maybe the Academy voters will come to its aid. Anyone who actually sees this movie gets its importance and its craftsmanship.

#SaveRichardJewell. See it tonight, or as soon as you can. Let me hear your thoughts.

I can’t tell you too much about “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” because I don’t want to spoil the many wonderful surprises, twists, and turns. But after seeing it on Tuesday night, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Any mistakes that have been made along the way have been dealt with in a way that that should make everyone happy. We’re not looking for edgy filmmaking here. This is about signing off in a satisfying style. Director JJ Abrams has accomplished this difficult mission.

Forty two years have passed since Luke, Leia, and Han joined forces to save the universe in what eventually was called “A New Hope.” I just call it “Star Wars.” The next two movies– “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi” are my “Star Wars” films. The next three were interesting but not great, sort of homework. I loved “Rogue One” and really liked the Han Solo movie despite its deficiencies.

The last two installments, “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi” I thought were nice ways to catch up with the original trilogy, even if I objected to certain “deaths.”

But like I say, JJ Abrams has righted the ship and brought it in for a soft landing. And one spoiler I can’t give away– let’s say I predicted it some time ago. You can guess what it is if you’ve followed this saga. It’s a lovely grace note.

Back to the story at hand: We’ve all wanted Rey to be Leia and Han’s kid, or Luke’s daughter. But Ben Solo aka Kylo Ren, already told us her parents were “nobodies.” If we wanted a little romantic frisson between Rey and Ren, then she couldn’t be his sister or cousin. Let’s be real.

So we do learn Rey’s background in the final installment, and I think it was a clever idea. Director JJ Abrams has worked hard to wrap up all the loose ends fans were interested in. This results in cameos and tears. Certain instabilities had to be addressed, too, like how much fake Carrie Fisher they could use realistically. Leia’s exit, not a spoiler, is used to great purpose. Everyone can be in agreement on that point.

Abrams and co. don’t force it, and they don’t rewrite history to make their ending. (Rian Johnson did a fine job on “The Last Jedi,” and that’s that.) Abrams has to stuff a lot into two hours and 22 minutes, so the screenplay is efficient while still retaining humor and light moments. There’s also more than enough action to satisfy the most fidgety fan boy.

The actors are all at the top of their game. Certainly Oscar Isaac came into this already with a big movie career, he leaves with the most recognizable resume. I adore Daisy Ridley, and hope hope hope she will have a career beyond “Star Wars.” Ditto John Boyega. And that guy, Adam whathisname? Driver? He’ll do okay for himself if he doesn’t have any more public hissy fits. He’s quite a talent.

A few thoughts: Anthony Daniels’ C3PO really shines in the finale. Of course, we miss Kenny Baker as R2D2, but Jimmy Vee has got him in hand. Joonas Suotamo has been a stellar stand-in for Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca. Kudos to Abrams for giving all of these characters plenty of space to say their goodbyes with grace and dignity.

Maybe on Monday, after box office records are broken, we can discuss some of the spoilers. By then, a lot of people will have seen this movie, some twice or three times. I know I will see it again because that first time you’re so anxious to catch all the Easter eggs and little details. Don’t let anyone tell you “Rise of Skywalker” isn’t a good movie. It’s a wonderful movie that does the impossible: it sums up our mutual magical mystery ride with laughs, drama, and tears. That’s all we could ask for.

The embargo on reviews for “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker” ends at 3:01 this morning.

Until then, Twitter and other social media are alive with either short comments from the few who’ve seen it last night and today. And those comments are accompanied by observations. The pitch is heavily toward “no one knows what they’re doing,” “hated The Force Awakens/The Last Jedi,” or anything else negative that could ruin the movie for mainstream fans.

There are also leaks of various kinds about the plot, and the fate of the “Star Wars” characters. Here’s a spoiler: Carrie Fisher, the actress, is sadly dead in real life. General Leia, formerly Princess Leia, has an expiration time on her character.

Listen, I’ve been with “Star Wars” since it opened on Memorial Day weekend in 1977. I saw it in Boston, in Government Center. The next two “real” Star Wars movie I saw in New York, at the Loews 44th St., now either Best Buy or Nokia or some other brand name live concert venue.

So that’s 42 years of my life. I could never have imagined that it would just go on and on and on. I didn’t care much for the middle trilogy. I have never watched adjunct “Star Wars” material like “Clone Wars” or any other spin offs.  I felt like I had the essence of the material.

In the last few days, reading Twitter and various social media, I see the level of personal investment in destroying the end of “Star Wars” at an all time high. The series has transcended fiction. Everyone has their own theories, scenarios, character arcs, etc. Almost no official spoiler or clip, or anything from the last two films, has gone unscathed. It’s so weird. What is with this? Do people not realize that filmmakers make these movies, that they are movies, that many outside forces influence the outcome of the films? Evidently not.

I watched “Rise of Skywalker” with a lot of sadness that this was the end, but also trust in JJ Abrams that he would tie up all the loose ends. He’s working with reality here, especially with Carrie Fisher gone and so much of the final episode resting on Leia. Still, I’ve enjoyed Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, and John Boyega et al in the new generation. It’s a nice twist to bring back Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian considering that the three original characters are moot now. It’s hard to say goodbye, but let’s not do it in anger. Let’s celebrate this movie franchise that has occupied a big part of the culture for 4 decades. And then, to quote another Disney franchise, let it go.

Review coming at 3:01am.

There’s a chance, if critics keep their claws retracted this Friday, that Jennifer Hudson could land an Oscar nomination for “Cats.”

At last night’s star studded premiere at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the audience cheered her twice during the movie as she performed the signature song, “Memory.”

And who approved of Jennifer’s performance? Why, Betty Buckley, who won the Tony Award in 1983 for singing the same song in the Broadway stage version. No one’s opinion of the movie or the song mattered more to me last night. At Tavern on the Green, Betty– who just finished a national tour in “Hello, Dolly!” — told me: “I loved it. I thought she was terrific.”

Hudson, who is only a third of the way through shooting the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect,” was the one star who mixed and mingled at Tavern on the Green, accepting enthusiastic kudos from everyone including “Hamilton” creator Lin Manuel Miranda and country singer Jennifer Nettles. At Alice Tully Hall, no less than superstar Chic band leader Nile Rodgers roared with approval over Hudson’s stellar performance. The marvelous Beanie Feldstein couldn’t stop beaming with delight.

The fact is that Hudson does more with the character of Grizabella than anyone could have imagined. Her rendering of “Memory” and the character is akin to what she did with her Oscar win for “Dreamgirls” and “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.” It’s a glorious moment in a crazy quilt of a movie that actually works. If you loved “Cats” on the stage you’ll love it here. The fur, as they say, flies!

And Jennifer really did get two massive ovations in the middle of the movie. She delivers a sublime “Memory” that builds and builds. Listen below.

“Cats” opens Friday, with a slew of great performances and the Andrew Lloyd Webber score that stands up so well– not just “Memory” but “Mr. Mephistopheles” and the rest of the songs pull the otherwise very thin storyline along. (I still don’t know what jellicle is. It doesn’t matter.) This “Cats” is a love letter to Dame Judi Dench, who proves to be the most compelling cat of all.

PS One or way another, the Academy should definitely have JHud sing “Memory” on the Oscars. It’s a no-brainer!

Photo of JHud and BBuckley courtesy of Wilson Morales, all rights reserved

Here are the shortlists for more categories. I’ve boldfaced my choices. Frankly, “Maiden” was my favorite doc all year. But all others are top notch. The foreign language films had a good year, too. We all know about “Parasite.” Almodovar’s “Pain and Glory” is an artist at the top of his game. Everyone has to see “Les Miserables.” I put it off too long. It’s a gem. As for scores, my favorite score wasn’t shortlisted: “The Song of Names” by Howard Shore. See that movie. Get that CD. Real genius.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Fifteen films will advance in the Documentary Feature category for the 92nd Academy Awards®.  One hundred fifty-nine films were submitted in the category.  Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Advocate”
“American Factory”
“The Apollo”
“Apollo 11”
“Aquarela”
“The Biggest Little Farm”
“The Cave”
“The Edge of Democracy”
“For Sama”
“The Great Hack”
“Honeyland”
“Knock Down the House”
“Maiden”
“Midnight Family”
“One Child Nation”

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Ten films will advance in the Documentary Short Subject category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  Ninety-six films qualified in the category.  Members of the Documentary Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“After Maria”
“Fire in Paradise”
“Ghosts of Sugar Land”
“In the Absence”
“Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)”
“Life Overtakes Me”
“The Nightcrawlers”
“St. Louis Superman”
“Stay Close”
“Walk Run Cha-Cha”

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Ten Ten films will advance to the next round of voting in the International Feature Film category (formerly known as Foreign Language Film) for the 92nd Academy Awards.  Ninety-one films were eligible in the category.

Academy members from all branches were invited to participate in the preliminary round.  They must have viewed the submitted films theatrically and met a minimum viewing requirement to be eligible to vote in the category.  Their seven choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s International Feature Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.

In the nominations round, Academy members from all branches are invited to opt-in to participate and must view all 10 shortlisted films in order to cast a ballot.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:

Czech Republic, “The Painted Bird”
Estonia, “Truth and Justice”
France, “Les Misérables”
Hungary, “Those Who Remained”
North Macedonia, “Honeyland”
Poland, “Corpus Christi”
Russia, “Beanpole”
Senegal, “Atlantics”
South Korea, “Parasite”
Spain, “Pain and Glory”

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Ten films will advance in the Makeup and Hairstyling category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  All members of the Academy’s Makeup Artists and Hairstylists Branch will be invited to view seven-minute excerpts from each of the 10 shortlisted films on Saturday, January 4, 2020.  Members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar® consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Bombshell”
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Downton Abbey”
“Joker”
“Judy”
“Little Women”
“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”
“1917”
“Once upon a Time…in Hollywood”
“Rocketman”

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Fifteen scores will advance in the Original Score category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  One hundred seventy scores were eligible in the category.  Members of the Music Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The scores, listed in alphabetical order by film title, are:

“Avengers: Endgame”
“Bombshell”
“The Farewell”
“Ford v Ferrari”
“Frozen II”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Joker”
“The King”
“Little Women”
“Marriage Story”
“Motherless Brooklyn”
“1917”
“Pain and Glory”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“Us”

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Animated Short Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  Ninety-two films qualified in the category.  Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Dcera (Daughter)”
“Hair Love”
“He Can’t Live without Cosmos”
“Hors Piste”
“Kitbull”
“Memorable”
“Mind My Mind”
“The Physics of Sorrow”
“Sister”
“Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days”

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Ten films will advance in the Live Action Short Film category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  One hundred ninety-one films qualified in the category.  Members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch vote to determine the shortlist and the nominees.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Brotherhood”
“The Christmas Gift”
“Little Hands”
“Miller & Son”
“Nefta Football Club”
“The Neighbors’ Window”
“Refugee”
“Saria”
“A Sister”
“Sometimes, I Think about Dying”

VISUAL EFFECTS

Ten films remain in the running in the Visual Effects category for the 92nd Academy Awards.  The Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee determined the shortlist.  All members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 10-minute excerpts from each of the shortlisted films online or attend satellite bake-off screenings in January 2020.  Following the screenings, members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

The films, listed in alphabetical order by title, are:

“Alita: Battle Angel”
“Avengers: Endgame”
“Captain Marvel”
“Cats”
“Gemini Man”
“The Irishman”
“The Lion King”
“1917”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”
“Terminator: Dark Fate”