The 2023 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards: "Past Lives" and "Asteroid City" Win Big!

by Cláudio Alves

Earlier this month, I shared the Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards nominations, and now it's time to talk winners. First, one should mention that the group, organized by Patrick Gratton, comprises over forty people, spanning from cinephiles to critics and historians, including some members of Team Experience. Second, between nods and victories, the voting process took around a month, with hundreds of films mentioned and much love for cinema. Now, the final results are in, with Celine Song's Past Lives confirming itself as the season's grand winner – the film is currently available on VOD for those interested in experiencing its bittersweet resolutions. 

Though they didn't take the top prize, Asteroid City and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse were also big champions in the final ballot...

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The 2023 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards: Nominations Announced!

by Cláudio Alves

With 17 different citations, Wes Anderson's ASTEROID CITY is the nomination leader.Since 2018, Patrick Gratton has been organizing the Gold Digger Awards, welcoming fellow critics and cinephiles to vote on the year's best achievements in film. Though no such voting was done in 2021 or 2022, the Gold Diggers are back with a new group of over forty folks who write about the cinematic arts, including some members of Team Experience, like Nick Taylor, Ben Miller and myself. Diversity of identity and thought is prized above all else, a plurality of opinions coming together in idiosyncratic fashion, widely different ballots all around, even if just the first half of 2023 was considered. Specifically, US release dates were judged, despite the voting body including numerous nationalities. Whether they opened in theaters or streaming, these films reach nearly 800 eligible titles – a fantastic bounty of cinema.

Without further ado, I leave you with the 2023 Gold Digger Mid-Year Awards nominations in 24 categories. Enjoy the ride...

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Halfway Mark Pt 2: Fav Films & Craft Achievements (Thus Far)

by Nathaniel R

The Best of 2023 Thus Far: Spider-Verse, Of An Age, Are You There God?, Past Lives, Joyland, and Asteroid City

Somehow it's mid July so it's time to survey the first half of the cinematic year. We worry for Hollywood given the writer's strike and the possibilities of a tepid fall/winter slate (the big titles people are most looking forward to are this very month -- Barbie and Oppenheimer). But regardless we take stock every year at this time, no matter what the future might hold. The following list honors only films released between January 1st and June 30th, 2023. It's our way of insuring we keep track of early favourites so that we don't fall victim to the dread recency bias that generally makes awards-giving bodies look forgetful and lazy.  The followlng lists are all in alpha order as its too soon for preferential ballots. Obviously we'd love to hear your own 'thus far' ballots in the comments. (We'll do the acting honors tomorrow).

Okay here we go...

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Box Office: "The Flash" wasn't worth the wait?

By Nathaniel R

We live in strange box office times. Hollywood (and the media) got high on the supply of Marvel's Avengers 2010s run and thought the grosses and interest for each and every superhero film / franchise would grow forever. That hasnt been the case and genre is coming back down to earth... not crashing exactly but bumpy landings. Warner Bros/DC's The Flash was held for a long time due to numerous issues. Despite all the issues the buzz was fairly good on its quality. But now that it's finally here the reception is a bit of a shrug despite its easy #1 finish. After years of downplaying the importance of Pixar in their portfolio, Disney had trouble bringing Elementals in at previous numbers.

In limited release things were much brighter... 

Weekend Box Office (actuals) June 16th-18th 🔺 = new or expanding /  ★ = Recommended
WIDE (Over 800 Screens)	LIMITED / PLATFORM
THE FLASH	ASTEROID CITY

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Cannes Lineup 2023: Official Competition & Un Certain Regard

by Nathaniel R

Mia Wasikowska stars in Competition Film "Club Zero"

The 76th annual Cannes Film Festival is just one month and three days away. The world's most famous film festival runs May 16th-27th this year. Here are the competition films. More to come of course but first the big ticket films that will hog the mainstream attention ...or "mainstream" by way of a tony art festival that is... from the competition slot. And the other films that could prove high profile from the other most talked-about section (usually) "Un Certain Regard"....

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