Road Trips I: Heavy Trip š¤
Plus, who's ahead to win Best Actor at the Oscars
āļø Happy Monday! Thanks for being here.
Iām just back from a trip, so letās go on another one and talk about road trip movies š this week. Also, I give you a rundown of the insanely competitive Best Actor race at the Oscars.
Before we get started, if you have a movie recommendation, a suggestion for a theme, or want to know what I think about a specific movie, let me know by replying!
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Todayās movie: Heavy Trip
STREAMING ON PRIME VIDEO
What itās about: Heavy Trip follows wannabe Finnish heavy metal band Impaled Rektum as they finally, after 12 years of practicing in the basement of a reindeer slaughterhouse (so metal) could be performing their first gig. The catch is that the gig is all the way at a heavy metal festival in Norway ā and may or may not exist.
Why you should watch it: Itās a blast watching Impaled Rektum find themselves through increasingly ridiculous ā and increasingly metal ā hijinks like exhuming a body, helping a mental patient escape, and even commandeering a group of Vikings. The quirky slapstick humor āĀ reminiscent of Taika Waititi ā works perfectly with the groupās metal aesthetics and the entire cast is completely tuned into the movieās off-beat wavelength. Not everyone will be able to find the rhythm that Heavy Trip is drumming, but once you do itās futile not to drum along.
Details: š¬ Juuso Laatio, Jukka Vidgren // ā³ 92 minutes // š 2018 // šŗ Trailer
Fun fact: The film was originally titled "Impaled Rektum,ā then "A band called Impaled Rektum,ā before getting its final title.
Also available on: Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube
State of the Oscar Race: Best Actor
I always tell people I was an Oscar nut before I fell in love with movies. So, once in a while, Iām going to give you an update on the Oscar race. If you like this section, let me know by replying to this email.
After a few lighter years in Best Actor, we finally have a competitive field. There are two clear frontrunners: Joaquin Phoenix for Joker and Adam Driver for Marriage Story. Both actors have been nominated in the past (Phoenix for Gladiator, Walk the Line and The Master; Driver for BlacKkKlansman) and are seen as āoverdueā for a win.
With more than $1 billion at the box office and counting, the success of Joker already gives Phoenix has a great shot. However, Oscar voters reacted decidedly mixed at a screening last month. Driver has the benefit of Marriage Story being universally beloved. Itās a toss-up. Though, watch out for Taron Egerton for his performance as Elton John in Rocketman. Heās campaigning like a politician.
The frontrunners:Ā Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), Adam Driver (Marraige Story), Robert De Niro (The Irishman)
Other contenders:Ā Taron Egerton (Rocketman), Leonardo DiCaprio (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory), Eddie Murphy (Dolemite is My Name)
Dark horses:Ā Adam Sandler (Uncut Gems), Daniel Kaluuya (Queen & Slim), Matthew Rhys (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood)
Thank you for reading! If you have any feedback, let me know by replying. Iād love to hear from you.
Have a great week!
Karl (@karl_delo)