🍿83: Maestro
🎂 SP turns 3! Plus: The best films of 2023 and the full cost of Arnie's most famous line!
“I'm having a birthday party, but you're not invited, but you can come if you want.”
~ What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, 1993
Happy birthday to us!
Salty Popcorn will be turning 3 tomorrow!
We didn’t have as many guest editors in 2023, but I’d still like to give a massive shout-out to
and for their help in getting SP delivered to your inboxes on time, as promised — and you for reading!In three years, Salty Popcorn has never missed an issue (though we have missed a few films) and a lot of time, effort and love goes into every issue. But, if it wasn’t for you, dear reader, we would never have got this far.
There are also twice as many of you as there were a year ago, so thank you to everyone who has liked, shared and commented on SP. The engagement makes a huge difference in attracting new subscribers.
Now, as per tradition, here’s an annual breakdown of the best films we reviewed this year, in the order each issue came out:
Did your favourite film of the year make it to the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Now for the headlines:
Warner Bros. and Paramount are in early-stage talks of a mega-merger. Read more.
Barack Obama announced his favourite films of 2023. (Is it a coincidence that he was an executive producer for his top three?) Read more.
In response to allegations that he bullied his way onto the set of Home Alone 2, Donald Trump has said his cameo helped make the film a success. Read more.
And finally, Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter has released his predictions for the 2024 Oscars. Read more.
Upcoming Releases
Love Lies Bleeding
UK: 19 April // USA: 8 March
Co-produced by A24 and Film4, this romantic thriller “is fuelled by ego, desire and the American Dream” according to IMDB.
Origin
UK: 9 February // USA: 19 January
Written and directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Origin follows author Isabel Wilkerson (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) who explores an unspoken system that shaped America, while coping with personal tragedy.
Fact of the week
Arnold Schwarzenegger was paid $15M for Terminator 2: Judgement Day, a film in which he only had to speak a total of 700 words. That works out to be about $21,429 per word.
That means one of cinema’s most famous lines — “Hasta la vista, baby” — cost $85,716.
Review: Maestro
Star rating:
4 (out of 5)
Where to watch:
USA: Netflix
UK: Netflix
Runtime:
2hr 9m
Director:
Bradley Cooper
Blurb:
Directed, co-written and starring Bradley Cooper, Maestro tells the story of legendary conductor Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) and the tumultuous relationship he shares with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan).
The review (NO spoilers):
With a spectacular classical score and dedicated performances from Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper, Maestro is a surprisingly emotive biopic. I must confess, I knew nothing of Leonard Bernstein (Cooper) prior to watching this film, but that in itself is a testament to how well it makes us care about the protagonists.
Maestro feels rushed in parts, but of course, covering 50 years of a person’s life in just two hours is an impossible task — which may be why Cooper (who co-wrote the film with Josh Singer) decided to focus more on Bernstein’s relationship with his long-suffering wife Felicia (Mulligan), rather than the man himself. While a greater focus on Bernstein’s other relationships wouldn’t have gone amiss, it might not have had the same emotional weight.
That’s not to say that the film starts off ‘slow’, as the first half is full of energy, but it takes a while to feel the connection with the characters, which is something this film’s success heavily relies on.
Of course, it would help to know more about Bernstein before watching the film, but it feels as though Cooper is assuming we already know key parts of his story. Perhaps Maestro is aimed at an audience with a keen interest in classical music (unlikely), or maybe he’s more famous in the US than the UK. Whatever the reason, once that connection is established, it’s easy to be swept up in the story.
The real star of this film is Mulligan, who I’m sure will be nominated for Best Actress — I’d say she might even win (if it wasn’t for Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon). Cooper on the other hand… well, you only have to watch a short interview with the real Leonard Bernstein to see just how well Cooper adopts his voice and mannerisms for the role.
I believe any film that can elicit a strong emotional response from its audience (yes, I cried) deserves at least four stars. So, despite it being a slow burn, Maestro still manages to hit a high note.
Scroll down to see what’s in the next issue.
If you liked Maestro…
Tár
2022 | UK: Sky Cinema / Prime Video (£3.99) // USA: Prime Video (free)
If you’re looking for another film with classical music at its heart, then there is another maestro to have recently graced the silver screen, in the form of Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchette).
I’ve not seen it, but it’s got a 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Maestro’s 80%. Plus, if you’re a Sky Cinema subscriber in the UK, you can watch Tár for free. The same goes for Prime Video subscribers in the US.
In the next issue:
Society of the Snow
UK: 4 January // USA: 4 January | Watch the Trailer
And I shall answer the call!
Thank you! It was an absolute pleasure 😁