Hello again and welcome to another edition The Trades, my annual look at the news, casting, rumors, and general happenings at the studio each season.
What a milestone it is for Last Resort Films to reach its 30th season. By the season's end, we will have seen the studio's 900th movie! I think that is certainly something worthy of celebration.
In the big picture, Season 30 has been light on blockbusters and high-budget films. As Jeff Stockton has pointed out, we are somehow fifteen films in without a single film with a budget of over $100 million. There have been some modest hits, at the very least, but nothing bringing in the big bucks. And that is where eyes turn to the second half of the season. There is certainly potential for the remaining fifteen films to completely change the narrative as the likes of He-Man, Tarzan, the X-Men, and the Justice League await.
While there have only been two films of this sort, Season 30 has been a strong season for animation thus far. The first came in the form of Acapella, a dialogue-less experiment from LRF animation maestro Jacob Jones. Not only is it exciting to see writers still taking swings like that, but it’s even better to see it able to turn a profit (even if small). While who’s to say if it’s the best original story this season, it is certainly one of the most original. More recently, we got a surprise animated film from Lon Charles, a writer who often deals in much more serious subject matter. The Big Top proved how valuable catering to younger audiences can be for LRF, staking its claim as the highest grossing film of Season 30 thus far.
This season has not been without its controversy. The filmmakers behind Slowly Dying likely had some idea that their film would be divisive, given how it readily touches on very current events. However, perhaps some distance from the subject matter would’ve benefitted the project as some viewers took issue with its uncritical eye on the antisemitism portrayed in the film. It’s not the kind of headlines the studio would want to generate, especially in Season 30, and hopefully can be a learning opportunity for those involved.
A small-but-notable headline is the return of John McTiernan to the directing chair after 21 years and a stint in federal prison. I didn’t know if we’d ever see the day where the legendary action filmmaker would make another movie, so it was nice to see LRF give him that opportunity with Deathstroke.
In terms of the Golden Reel Awards, a lot of categories seem yet to be determined. The season has had its share of well-reviewed films; Magic, Klitih: A Way of Life, Wonder Bean, and Kill Zone could all pop up in various spots at the GRAs, to name a few. But do any of them feel like a big GRA front-runner? Once again, that is yet to be determined. I can’t help but feel the strength of the Best Picture line-up will be reliant upon the fifteen films yet to come. As always, I look forward to checking in again at the end of the season to see how things shake out.
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