Two days ago in the blog entry “The Finals Rights Of Reserved Entitlement” via the Miscellaneous page, I mentioned that 11 (possibly 12) new or fairly new movies will very likely fail their assessments, which could open up the door for about 11 (or 12) of the 19 already assessed/re-assessed movies that are stuck in the slow-moving process of being awarded overall guaranteed Catch-22 Hundred spots. So, with all of that being said, I will give a complete breakdown of the 19 movies, why they remain alive for the Project and the best way that each of them can be exempt from the slow-moving process. And of course as always, you can check out all of those details via the chart below:
| Movie | Why it remains alive | The best way to be exempt |
| The Blackening | This movie exceeded expectations to the point that it’s the best movie of this group. | Given that it’s clinging to still having a chance to be among spots 2,048 through 2,070, its best way is to be an option for spots 2,101 through 2,107, as that protocol doesn’t grant exclusive immunity to new or fairly new movies that have yet to be assessed. |
| Kandahar | This movie falls into the unique category of barely exceeding expectations and subsequently trending upwards. | It needs to go 9-0 against nine particular upcoming 2023 movies to ensure a Top 23 spot to be among the 2,048 through 2,070. However, it’s projected to go 1-8 against those movies, which will eliminate it from 2,048 through 2,070 contention. And given that spots 2,079 through 2,100 will have all rounded out by then, its best way is to be an option for spots 2,101 through 2,107. |
| Joy Ride | This movie has trended upwards, following its assessment. Plus, it has nothing but Catch-22 Hundred written all over it. | It’s pretty much in the same boat as Kandahar, except on slightly shakier ground. So given that, it can be an option for spots 2,101 through 2,107. |
| La Bamba | Esai Morales steals the movie with his performance, and the song “Donna” resonates in both conventional and unconventional ways. | Given that it has been eliminated from standings style contention three separate times, it’s in line to be among spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| Frost/Nixon | Frank Langella’s portrayal of Richard Nixon is totally deserving of Catch-22 Hundred lore. | It’s one of two movies that was spot-fill tournament ineligible, only to have that ineligibility revoked. So given that, it has the benefit of being an option for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| The Art Of Self-Defense | One dog avenging the death of another saves this movie. Plus, this movie is like John Wick to a very small extent. | It’s three losses away from being eliminated as movie that’s in contention for spots 2,048 through 2,070. So given that, it’s almost in the same boat as Frost/Nixon. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| Benji | This movie has managed to find a way to avoid permanent disqualification from the Project, as it’s just impossible to say no to the titular dog. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| North Hollywood | The presence of Miranda Cosgrove in a live-action role, her chemistry with Ryder McLaughlin and the prospect of this filling the “Dope” void in the Project all keep it afloat in making the Project. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| The Secret Of NIMH | This movie was almost permanently disqualified from the Project, on the basis of its pointless sequel. But given its nostalgic charm and the fact that it can work well with something that has either Tiffani-Amber Thiessen or Anna Camp, it avoids the chopping block. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| Sideways | This movie is another one of those fringe Project movies that benefits from the “grow-on” factor. Plus, it can work well in an evaluation line-up that either has The Menu or M3GAN. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| Tron Legacy | This movie’s predecessor will officially make the Project as the 2,076thmovie to get an overall guaranteed Catch-22 Hundred spot, so it only makes sense for this movie to warrant Project consideration. Plus, it’s the better of the two Olivia Wilde and Beau Garrett collaborations, as Turistas is already an overall guaranteed Catch-22 Hundred movie. | It needs to beat either Five Nights At Freddy’s Or The Marvels in the 2,071 through 2,075 battle or it will be an option for spots 2,101 through 2,122. |
| The Wolf And The Lion | A lion cub and a wolf cub growing up together as brothers is just way too good to disqualify from the Project. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| The Invisible Man | This movie is unique, in the sense that it keeps saving itself from going completely downhill. | It’s engaged in no standings style battles, therefore it’s completely available for spots 2,080 through 2,122. It just depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| Wayne’s World 2 | This movie’s predecessor is one of two movies that has spots 2,078 through 2,100. Plus, Tia Carrere returns as Cassandra Wong. | Given that its predecessor is among spots 2,078 through 2,100, this movie is next in line to join that group. |
| Jump Tomorrow | This movie is a mixture of The Wedding Singer, Girl From Rio and Coming To America. Plus, a spot-fill tournament match-up between Tunde Adebimpe and Lajon Witherspoon needs to happen. | Given recency bias, it will follow Wayne’s World 2 in joining the 2,078 through 2,100 group. |
| Hustlers | J.Lo’s initial dance scene sets the tone for the rest of this movie. | This movie falls in the weird place of either being third in line to join Wayne’s World and Chevalier on the Walrus 23 page, or having yet to be determined where it stands in the pecking order for spots 2,080 through 2,122. |
| Richard Jewell | This is the best Clint Eastwood movie where he’s only behind the camera as a director. | This is the other movie that was spot-fill tournament ineligible, only to also have that ineligibility revoked. So given that, it also has the benefit of being an option for spots 2,080 through 2,122. And just like Frost/Nixon, It depends on how high it is among the pecking order. |
| The Frighteners | Little Women ’94 and Paulie are better than this movie, but this movie gives Trini Alvarado a bigger role. | It needs to go 2-0 against Five Nights At Freddy’s and The Marvels, or 6-3 against the movies that The Blackening, Kandahar and Joy Ride all have to fend off. Both feats seem impossible though, so it will be among the movies that will be selected for spots 2,101 through 2,122. |
| A Night At The Roxbury | Five movies based on Saturday Night Live skits will be enshrined in the Catch-22 Hundred page rankings. This movie will be one of them, due to the brief yet memorable appearance of Eva Mendes. | This movie is most likely going to be disqualified from the battle for spots 2,048 through 2,070. And given that the battle for spots 2,078 through 2,100 will conclude before Migration gets hard copy confirmation, it’s going to get early consideration for a 2,101 through 2,107 spot. |
Okay, so if A] Those 12 failures do happen, B] Seven other movies (Oppenheimer, Strays, The Equalizer 3, A Haunting In Venice, Trolls Band Together, Wish, Migration) are among the ones that get spots 2,048 through 2,070 and C] Five Nights At Freddy’s and The Marvels both pass their assessments, then only seven of the movies that are in the chart above will have the longest wait times in getting overall guaranteed Catch-22 Hundred spots. And should “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” exceed expectations, then an eighth movie will join those seven, with one of those being a building block for the Hedgehog 15 page. And of course, with all of that being said, six other movies (Blue Beetle, Shot, The Frisco Kid, Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man, 50 To 1, Dreamland ’06) haven’t even been factored in yet, thus possibly providing additional movies for spots 2,108 through 2,122. And of course, hopefully the SAG-AFTRA Strike ends by/during the time that the selection process for spots 2,108 through 2,122 becomes/remains active, as some of the new/upcoming movies that could potentially be held hostage by the Strike could help round out that group of spots in a big way.
Get the ball rolling, Hollywood!