The One Reason Why Disney is Ruling Hollywood

Finding Dory

It's no secret that Walt Disney Studios is killing it at the box office. The studio grossed over $7 billion last year, including the mega hits Finding Dory ($486 million), Zootopia ($341 million), Captain America: Civil War ($408 million), The Jungle Book ($364 million), and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story ($507 million). Five of the top ten highest grossing movies of 2016 are from Disney, with #11 and #12 being Moana ($235 million) and Doctor Strange ($231 million). And that's just the domestic list.

Disney owns some of the biggest franchises: the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Pixar films, the Disney animated films, the Disney live action remake series, and the Star Wars franchise. That doesn't include the random one-offs that the studio might release. I should mention that the animated (both from Pixar and from in-house Disney) and live action remake films aren't traditional franchises in that they are a continued story. They do act like franchises in that the Disney name + concept gets people excited to see them, and the films rely on the previous one's success. By acquiring these properties, Disney spent a lot of money and have reaped the rewards. But how do they do it?

7 Movies to Watch Instead of the Inauguration

Looking to skip the swearing in of Donald Trump? Here are some more diverse, inspiring films that are helping to make the world a better place...unlike certain people in high places...

Hidden Figures
In an era when both Black people and women are under attack, a movie about 3 Black women rising above racism and sexism to change the world is just what the doctor ordered. Hidden Figures is an unabashedly crowd-pleasing movie but a confident, well-executed one. With three compelling performances from Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Moane, Hidden Figures is striking in its depiction at the small, meaningless microaggressions that chip away at the soul bit by bit.

74th Golden Globes Predictions

This Sunday is the first televised awards ceremony, and we're all really excited. The Golden Globes are awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and there is no overlap with the Academy (who votes on the Oscars). However, winning a Golden Globe can shift a movie's chances through perception and buzz. As I've said before, the HFPA is very star-crazy so that often influences their winners. So here we go!

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy
Annette Bening (20th Century Women), Lily, Colins (Rules Don't Apply), Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of 17), Emma Stone (La La Land), and Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Winner: Emma Stone. It's the kind of performance that the Globes would eat up. Luckily, Stone is also radiant and layered in the film.
Dark horse: Bening or Streep

The Hot Shots of 2016

Even though 2016 was a waking nightmare that will continue until at least 2020, there wre some people in the pop culture world who had a great year. So it's time for my annual Hot Shots list!

Amy Adams
Hey, it wouldn't be an MATM Hot Shots list if five time Oscar nominee Amy Adams didn't top the list. However, the actress formerly known as Princess Giselle just keeps doing great stuff every year! This year, she's in the Oscar conversation for her luminous work in the brainy, emotional sci-fi drama Arrival (fingers crossed for Oscar nomination #6, people!). But she also delivered a knockout performance in the noir/melodrama Nocturnal Animals. #getitgirl

Mahershala Ali
The actor is known for his work on House of Cards and The Hunger Games. This year, he played a memorable supporting character on Luke Cage. And he starred in one of the best films of the year Moonlight. His sensitive, commanding performance is one of the year's most affecting, and it probably will win him an Oscar. Mahershala Ali has been toying with the A-list but he is such a terrific actor with charisma and conviction in spades.