Cinematic Slant

Cinematic Slant is where I write about movies, including the campaign recaps I’ve been doing since 2004 along with other news and opinions.

What Are 2018’s Most Anticipated Movies?: Last week at Adweek I published a piece about the top 10 movies of 2018. Here’s that list, which is based on marketing technology firm Amobee’s analysis of online conversations and engagement with those conversations. But oh, hey, there’s another list of the “most anticipated films of 2018” out there, this one from ticket-selling service Fandango.

Step Sisters – Marketing Recap: It would be easy to get this kind of story wrong and make it one that’s absolutely about fixing a damaged reputation and learning an important life lesson only through cultural appropriation. That the campaign makes it seem like not that is, I think, a testament to the talents of the people involved and their desire to avoid such a glaring danger zone.

Bullitt – Flashback Marketing: The news of Ford introducing a new movie-themed Mustang and including the fact that the release of the new model is timed for the 50th anniversary of the film is enough of an excuse to spend some time looking back at Bullitt’s marketing, especially with an eye on how big a role the car played in that campaign.

12 Strong – Marketing Recap: The main problem I have with the campaign is that it hits more or less the same beats as every other “based on a true drama” movie that’s come out in the last five years. What we have here is some diminished stature.

New To Home Video: Blade Runner 2049, Happy Death Day, The Snowman: A look at the movies hitting home video this week.

There’s a Reason Solo: A Star Wars Story is Still Coming Out In May: Why is this happening? Disney had a perfect excuse to push the release of Solo to the usual December slot when initial directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord were let go in the middle of principal photography and Ron Howard brought on to finish the film. And there’s a constant worry fans will tire of an overloaded release pattern.

The Big Sick – After the Campaign Review: The fact that it’s based on a true story and didn’t fall into most of the cliches that the romantic comedy genre is usually given to is part of why critics – and eventually audiences – latched onto it. That’s what was sold and that’s pretty much what it delivers.

Chris Thilk is a freelance writer and content strategist who lives in the Chicago suburbs.