Every time that I convince myself that a specific set amount of movies (2,100 back in early-October 2021) is perfect for my movie evaluation project, multiple factors come up at various times, such as there being no such thing as too many of a certain celebrity’s movies in the project, certain movies having that grow-on factor about them and certain movies exceeding my expectations of them. And of course, with those three factors being said, my ironclad commitment to keeping the project at 2,100 completely softened up three days ago, as I felt that it would be unfair for movies such as Benji and The Blackening to be on the outside looking in for the last 25 spots of the project. Especially when Benji has recently grown on me and The Blackening pleasantly surprised me. Plus, given that Joy Ride ’23 could ride the wave of the successful Asian movie momentum that was created by both Crazy Rich Asians and Go Back To China, I have decided to both expand the project to 2,200 and rename it Catch-22 Hundred.
Of course, the sudden uptick for Benji, the pleasant surprise of The Blackening and the potential success for Joy Ride ’23 are just some of the many factors that will make an already deep project even deeper, thus giving both Saved By The Bell movies and John Wick even more potential opponents to compete against March Madness style in getting fully guaranteed Catch-22 Hundred spots. So, given that, let’s see which other movies will or could benefit from this expansion via the chart below.
*Denotes movie that could be assessed already
| Movie | How It Will/Could Benefit |
| La Bamba | The overall charm, the performance of Esai Morales and the song “Donna” being seen in a whole new light all save this movie from being completely disqualified from the project, thus giving it an early advantage in any of the final five selection processes in determining the last 125 overall guaranteed spots of the project. It will/could benefit from that early advantage, and spots 2,101 through 2,200 not being bound by the rule of new/fairly new movies getting very tentative project spots handed to them. Especially with spots 2,101 through 2,107, as there will be no sports roster competition format for those seven spots. |
| The Frighteners | Compared to Little Women ’94 and Paulie, Trini Alvarado gets a substantial role and makes the most of it to the point that this movie is deserving of a project spot. It will need to go 3-0 against Knights Of The Zodiac, Five Nights At Freddie’s and The Marvels for spots 2,071 through 2,075. Otherwise, it will be in the same boat as La Bamba. |
| Network | Peter Finch’s performance as Howard Beale and the 1970s grit both power this movie, thus making it a tough movie to completely eliminate from the project. It will need to go 2-1 against Knights Of The Zodiac, Five Nights At Freddie’s and The Marvels for spots 2,071 through 2,075. Otherwise, it will be in the same boat as both La Bamba and The Frighteners. |
| A Night At The Roxbury | This movie can work well in tandem with either the aforementioned Network or The Golden Child. Plus, the presence of Eva Mendes, albeit briefly, saves this movie like how Minka Kelly saved (500) Days Of Summer and like how Julie Gonzalo saved Alex And The List. However, it’s six losses away from being completely eliminated as a contender for spots 2,048 through 2,070 and isn’t in contention for spots 2,071 through 2,075, thus putting it in the same boat as the three movies that are listed above it in this chart. |
| The Art Of Self-Defense | This movie is at least one that is the dark comedy version of John Wick. And given John Wick’s meteoric like rise in making the project, that bodes well for this movie. However, it’s three losses away from being completely eliminated as a contender for spots 2,048 through 2,070 and isn’t in contention for spots 2,071 through 2,075, thus putting it in the same as the four movies that are listed above it in this chart. |
| Mallrats | This movie could be neck-and-neck with Jersey Girl for best Kevin Smith-directed movie, with the latter being a Tier 4 movie. Especially with Claire Forlani as one of its cast members. However, it’s one loss away from being completely eliminated as a contender for spots 2,048 through 2,070 and isn’t in contention for spots 2,071 through 2,075, thus putting it in the same as the five movies that are listed above it in this chart. |
| Urban Legend* | There’s a rule about movies making the project and it’s that all installments of a franchise have to be assessed/re-assessed. That applies here, as this movie is the first of three Urban Legend installments. And if successful, then it gets in on the ground level of getting one of the last 125 project spots. |
| Urban Legends: Final Cut* | This movie is why Urban Legend will be assessed, as it boasts the presence of the aforementioned Eva Mendes. And just like its predecessor, it gets in on the ground level of getting one of the last 125 project spots with a successful assessment. |
| Urban Legends: Bloody Mary* | Based on its two predecessors getting assessed, this movie has to be assessed. And while it could give a nice close to the trilogy, there’s also the possibility of it being a weak threequel like Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania and Magic Mike’s Last Dance. |
| Kandahar | In terms of movies having a sequel or hinting at a sequel, this movie is more of a finished product than Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. Plus, it has the “grow on” factor going for it, thus improving its chances of making the project. The only thing working against it is that it’s seven losses away from being a Wild Card movie in the battle for the 2,048th overall guaranteed project spot, and that could put it in the boat that six of the above listed nine movies are in. |
| The Little Hours* | The rise of Aubrey Plaza’s stock finally puts this movie as one of the few at the immediate or almost immediate assessment forefront. And given that it has vibes similar to Your Highness, it could be a flier movie that’s well worth the assessment. |
| Blue Beetle | Given the surprising success of The Blackening, this movie could defy expectations as well, as it was expected to finish outside of the Top 25 on the Already Assessed & Re-Assessed Vs. Pending Rookie Scale page. |
| Knights Of The Zodiac | The presence of Madison Iseman and the fact that it could be neck-and-neck with Clash Of The Titans gives this movie five additional formats to make the project, in the event that it loses two of three against any combination that features Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, The Marvels and Five Nights At Freddie’s. |
So yeah, 13 movies, along with the three mentioned before the chart above, that all could have had a much harder time making the project had it not been for this expansion. And they’re not the only ones that will benefit from it because in addition, there will also be the two Elektra Luxx movies*, a movie (Much Ado About Nothing*) that has both John Wick (Keanu Reeves) and The Equalizer (Denzel Washington) as half-brothers, eight (Vivo, The Mother, Wedding Season, Always Be My Maybe, The Boy Who Harnessed Wind, Back To The Outback, Dog Gone Trouble, Animal Crackers) Netflix-released movies, an overlooked computer-animated movie in Ainbo: Spirit Of The Amazon and the theatrical tour list re-instatement of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One all possibly benefitting from it. That’s 29 movies and all of them could compete March Madness style in making the now Catch-22 Hundred Project.
Yes, I had to change wording in my movie review sets yet again. And yes, the evaluations of both Saved By The Bell movies will be further delayed. But the thought of movies like The Blackening and Benji having little to no margin for error in making the Project is completely unfair. Especially when there will be way too many good movies competing for what was 25 spots. But thanks to this expansion, that number will increase to 125 and with much more margin for error at that. Especially with John Wick: Chapter 5, Ballerina, the live-action version of Snow White, the live-action version of Moana, Toy Story 5, Elio, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two and A Simple Favor 2 all eventually coming through the pipeline of new movies.
Movie evaluation project brutality will no longer be a reality, as this newly named Catch-22 Hundred will provide ample spacing for those movies mentioned and many others that I’m sure will come to mind well after this entry is published.
Keep tuning in to find out the ongoing process of this expansion decision.