David Daut
@davidmdaut.com
Movie fan. Animation enthusiast. One-time pretend cowboy. Features writer & producer for the SOC’s Camera Operator magazine and co-creator of Hollow Medium. (He/him)
davidmdaut.com
davidmdaut.com
There are two ways to read this: one is that the average voter is stupid and resistant to change so nothing can be done, the other is that the catastrophic unpopularity of ICE creates a toehold for potentially changing the narrative around immigration.
Absolute Cinema
January 23, 2026 at 8:24 PM
There are two ways to read this: one is that the average voter is stupid and resistant to change so nothing can be done, the other is that the catastrophic unpopularity of ICE creates a toehold for potentially changing the narrative around immigration.
I mean, just sticking to 24 frames has gotta save *some* money, right?
James Cameron says he must find a cheaper way to produce the Avatar movies in order to continue making them. https://bit.ly/4qnlOpl
January 23, 2026 at 3:34 PM
I mean, just sticking to 24 frames has gotta save *some* money, right?
Reposted by David Daut
The idea of what "an Oscar movie" is has changed more in the last 10 years than at any point in the Academy's history. The only comparable period is really in the late '60s/early '70s.
Saw a tweet earlier that casually threw Bugonia into the category of "Oscar Bait" which I think speaks to just how much the actual concept of Oscar Bait has more or less died.
January 23, 2026 at 3:33 AM
The idea of what "an Oscar movie" is has changed more in the last 10 years than at any point in the Academy's history. The only comparable period is really in the late '60s/early '70s.
Reposted by David Daut
I’ve added the script for Wake Up Dead Man to my site. This is the final shooting script, so it has stuff that was cut and moved around, which I always think is more interesting to see than a conformed cleaned up version. Enjoy! www.rian-johnson.com/screenplays
rcjohnso / scripts
Free screenplays for Brick, Brothers Bloom and Looper.
www.rian-johnson.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:23 AM
I’ve added the script for Wake Up Dead Man to my site. This is the final shooting script, so it has stuff that was cut and moved around, which I always think is more interesting to see than a conformed cleaned up version. Enjoy! www.rian-johnson.com/screenplays
What if LA actually elected a mayor who was exciting and motivated to do real work for the city instead of just “whoever’s not Rick Caruso.”
Today, we opened two new clinics to ensure young New Yorkers can access the care they deserve.
These clinics are about meeting young people where they are and standing with them as they grow — providing consistent, comprehensive, and high-quality care, no matter their background or income.
These clinics are about meeting young people where they are and standing with them as they grow — providing consistent, comprehensive, and high-quality care, no matter their background or income.
January 23, 2026 at 12:04 AM
What if LA actually elected a mayor who was exciting and motivated to do real work for the city instead of just “whoever’s not Rick Caruso.”
Reposted by David Daut
Contributor: As today's Oscar nominations show, Hollywood animation is in creative crisis
Contributor: As today's Oscar nominations show, Hollywood animation is in creative crisis
While five of 2025 highest grossers were animated, including "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Zootopia 2," creative timidity and remakes limit the potential of American animation.
www.latimes.com
January 22, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Contributor: As today's Oscar nominations show, Hollywood animation is in creative crisis
Reminder that the trades are really just mouthpieces for the major studios, and the studios were petrified that SINNERS being a success would mean other artists might follow Coogler’s lead and negotiate ownership of their own work.
Remember when variety downplayed Sinners' opening weekend box office, implying it might not make back its money? It has made $370 million since, and now has garnered more Oscar nominations than any movie, ever
January 22, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Reminder that the trades are really just mouthpieces for the major studios, and the studios were petrified that SINNERS being a success would mean other artists might follow Coogler’s lead and negotiate ownership of their own work.
I still need to catch ARCO, but as of now, I’m rooting for LITTLE AMÉLIE for animated feature, I’m expecting KPOP DEMON HUNTERS will take it, and I’m dreading a repeat of 2016 when ZOOTOPIA beat out both MOANA and KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS.
January 22, 2026 at 7:52 PM
I still need to catch ARCO, but as of now, I’m rooting for LITTLE AMÉLIE for animated feature, I’m expecting KPOP DEMON HUNTERS will take it, and I’m dreading a repeat of 2016 when ZOOTOPIA beat out both MOANA and KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS.
I've been pretty in the bag for everything Lucasfilm Animation has done, and even the stuff I've been skeptical of (BAD BATCH) has won me over, but a whole show about Maul is going to be an enormously hard sell for me (Maul stinks).
January 22, 2026 at 5:43 PM
I've been pretty in the bag for everything Lucasfilm Animation has done, and even the stuff I've been skeptical of (BAD BATCH) has won me over, but a whole show about Maul is going to be an enormously hard sell for me (Maul stinks).
Beyond giving audiences a list of movies worth seeing, the nominations are determined by the individual Academy branches (sound, animation, VFX, etc.), and are arguably more reflective of the quality of the work than winners (voted on by the entire membership, and more swayed by the campaign game).
My take on the Oscars is that the nominations matter but the winners do not.
January 22, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Beyond giving audiences a list of movies worth seeing, the nominations are determined by the individual Academy branches (sound, animation, VFX, etc.), and are arguably more reflective of the quality of the work than winners (voted on by the entire membership, and more swayed by the campaign game).
Bummed that Cartoon Saloon’s “Éiru” didn’t pick up an animated short nomination, but I haven’t seen the rest of what’s nominated, so I can’t be too mad at this point.
(Though in the shorts categories, I feel like there’s always one “how did this get nominated?” pick)
(Though in the shorts categories, I feel like there’s always one “how did this get nominated?” pick)
January 22, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Bummed that Cartoon Saloon’s “Éiru” didn’t pick up an animated short nomination, but I haven’t seen the rest of what’s nominated, so I can’t be too mad at this point.
(Though in the shorts categories, I feel like there’s always one “how did this get nominated?” pick)
(Though in the shorts categories, I feel like there’s always one “how did this get nominated?” pick)
Ugh, FINE! I guess I’ll see the new Jurassic World.
January 22, 2026 at 2:41 PM
Ugh, FINE! I guess I’ll see the new Jurassic World.
Reposted by David Daut
Stupid and wrong. This is not how communal spaces work. "Skill issue." "Just focus on the movie." No. The audience reaction - good, bad, whatever - is part of theatrical experience. By this logic, no one should enjoy a good crowd either.
January 21, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Stupid and wrong. This is not how communal spaces work. "Skill issue." "Just focus on the movie." No. The audience reaction - good, bad, whatever - is part of theatrical experience. By this logic, no one should enjoy a good crowd either.
Finally cleared out my 2025 watch list, so here’s my Top 10 movies for last year.
(Honorable mentions: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Black Phone 2, Bring Her Back, Marty Supreme, and The Testament of Ann Lee)
(Honorable mentions: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Black Phone 2, Bring Her Back, Marty Supreme, and The Testament of Ann Lee)
January 20, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Finally cleared out my 2025 watch list, so here’s my Top 10 movies for last year.
(Honorable mentions: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Black Phone 2, Bring Her Back, Marty Supreme, and The Testament of Ann Lee)
(Honorable mentions: Avatar: Fire and Ash, Black Phone 2, Bring Her Back, Marty Supreme, and The Testament of Ann Lee)
Reposted by David Daut
One problem Democrats face is that the job of chief electoral strategist (Schumer) is increasingly incompatible with being party leader (also Schumer). Both roles matter, but if you can't use your platform as leader to say what's right because you're too into the game, you don't belong in the job. >
January 20, 2026 at 5:55 PM
One problem Democrats face is that the job of chief electoral strategist (Schumer) is increasingly incompatible with being party leader (also Schumer). Both roles matter, but if you can't use your platform as leader to say what's right because you're too into the game, you don't belong in the job. >
Reposted by David Daut
a modern day “tragedy”
January 20, 2026 at 6:07 AM
a modern day “tragedy”
Reposted by David Daut
donald trump experienced a level of what was, for him, humiliation equivalent to death when obama lightly mocked him back in 2011 and we all are going to pay for it
January 19, 2026 at 3:38 PM
donald trump experienced a level of what was, for him, humiliation equivalent to death when obama lightly mocked him back in 2011 and we all are going to pay for it
Gavin Newsom continues to suck the moon out of the sky.
January 16, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Gavin Newsom continues to suck the moon out of the sky.
Re-litigating SOLO, because fuck it. Star Wars is back in the news.
I think the most generous read of SOLO is that it’s trying to do an inverted hero arc (an idealist becomes a cynic), but instead the third act spends all its time setting up sequels, and *oops!*
I think the most generous read of SOLO is that it’s trying to do an inverted hero arc (an idealist becomes a cynic), but instead the third act spends all its time setting up sequels, and *oops!*
Underrated reason why Solo mildly flopped: no one in 40 years ever wondered about Han Solo's origin. Star Wars IS his hero origin story.
January 16, 2026 at 12:43 AM
Re-litigating SOLO, because fuck it. Star Wars is back in the news.
I think the most generous read of SOLO is that it’s trying to do an inverted hero arc (an idealist becomes a cynic), but instead the third act spends all its time setting up sequels, and *oops!*
I think the most generous read of SOLO is that it’s trying to do an inverted hero arc (an idealist becomes a cynic), but instead the third act spends all its time setting up sequels, and *oops!*
Reading between the lines: at least part of the reason it’s been so hard to get a Star Wars movie off the ground in the last six years is because Kennedy has been cultivating storytellers who are willing to take risks while Disney seems to only want something safe and by-the-numbers.
Kennedy also effectively calls Iger and Bergman cowards who are too chickenshit to greenlight any Star Wars projects that are not safe, cookie cutter choices (referring to HUNT FOR BEN SOLO as well as projects from Mangold, Waititi, an Glover).
January 16, 2026 at 12:24 AM
Reading between the lines: at least part of the reason it’s been so hard to get a Star Wars movie off the ground in the last six years is because Kennedy has been cultivating storytellers who are willing to take risks while Disney seems to only want something safe and by-the-numbers.
As is my solemn duty to report, here is the latest news on Rian Johnson’s long-dormant STAR WARS trilogy from Kathleen Kennedy via Deadline. deadline.com/2026/01/kath...
January 16, 2026 at 12:05 AM
As is my solemn duty to report, here is the latest news on Rian Johnson’s long-dormant STAR WARS trilogy from Kathleen Kennedy via Deadline. deadline.com/2026/01/kath...
Especially given that she was caught between a rock and a hard place of Disney demanding a new Star Wars movie every year starting yesterday and filmmakers who were unwilling to commit to doing more than one film at a time. I don’t know that anyone could have navigated that any better than she did.
Kathleen Kennedy was the best thing to happen to Star Wars. You can fight me but you'll lose.
After 10 years of “Kathleen Kennedy is out!” claims across the internet, Lucasfilm officially made it official today that Kennedy is stepping down with Dave Filoni and Lynwen Brennan moving up as co-Presidents >>>> www.starwars.com/news/lucasfi...
January 15, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Especially given that she was caught between a rock and a hard place of Disney demanding a new Star Wars movie every year starting yesterday and filmmakers who were unwilling to commit to doing more than one film at a time. I don’t know that anyone could have navigated that any better than she did.
Reposted by David Daut
I can't stress this enough, I will never vote for this asshat.
January 15, 2026 at 2:34 PM
I can't stress this enough, I will never vote for this asshat.