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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

#NowWatching: THE LOST BUS I like Paul Greengrass' movies. Love the Matthew McConaughey & America Ferrera lead combo. And I love survival stories, even more if they're based on true events. Somehow, I've missed the reception to this film, so I'm going in with no expectations.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

For the longest time, I thought I was the one who was stricter than most when it comes to giving 5/5 to a film - I kinda still do - but after these past few years, I've come to realize some people are just waaaaay too easily impressed - either that or they just want engagement.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Okay, please let me know if this is a real IMAX screen because how doesn't Europe have one of these everywhere?!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Can we talk about #OneBattleAfterAnother's costume designer, Colleen Atwood, for a second? Absolutely *brilliant* idea to give Chase Infiniti's character a leather jacket & tulle skirt combination, exceptionally describing Willa's arc from innocent child to a fearless woman.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Any (paid) outlet out there interested in the following reviews from the upcoming #LFF? The Voice of Hind Rajab A Private Life Train Dreams Hamlet Dreams

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

If you give the best performance of the year, you should win the respective award. That's it, simple. Oh wait, but "I didn't looove the film as much as others, so I'm gonna vote for someone else" is a teeeeeeeerrible argument.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

The simple fact that an actor's chances to get nominated or even win an award depends heavily on the film's performance as a whole - critical reception, box-office, etc - should leave clear how biased the whole system is.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

#NowWatching: PLAY DIRTY Am I the only one surprised by the fact that this is only the fifth feature film Shane Black ever directed? Damn. Well, I'm a fan of his style, so I'm hoping for a good time!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Another year, another #EAFC PC release that's completely broken. I cannot understand how incompetent they must be at EA or how low they prioritize the PC version of their games.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Imagine giving a super high rating to a new film - yes, it's #OneBattleAfterAnother - and spending most of your time complaining about how other people loved it more. Is a 4 or 4.5 out of 5 not enough for you? Shouldn't you be ecstatic you watching such a great film?!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Just because YOU didn't find #OneBattleAfterAnother as great as almost everyone else, that doesn't warrant the "overhyped" or "overrated" terms. YOU alone don't define these words. YOU need time for OTHERS to join your childish anger towards people loving a film more than you.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

I feel like it's a good time to explain this to people: Overhyped: received excessive publicity, marketing or anticipation *before* its release, leading to unrealistic expectations. Overrated: generally considered better than what it actually is. Perceived vs actual quality.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Just caught up with BRING HER BACK. HOLY F****** S***!!!!!!!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

And suddenly, even though it's still opening weekend, no one cares anymore about what makes #OneBattleAfterAnother great or not. Everyone only cares about how many Oscar noms it gets. I hate awards season. No one actually talks about film.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Even with the upcoming heavy-hitting Oscar marketing campaign for #OneBattleAfterAnother, I still don't believe it's going to win Best Picture or even get close to doing so. Then again, I'm no awards expert. But let's see.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

New week, new #OnceUponAFranchise episode! Leave your thoughts, comments & questions below about THOR: THE DARK WORLD.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

The #OneBattleAfterAnother average rating on Rotten Tomatoes is, by far, the most impressive number out there.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Something tells me this is gonna be a veeeeeery long review... #OneBattleAfterAnother

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Also, #OneBattleAfterAnother could have been released in the US quite literally on any day for the past 10-15 years & it would still be "incredibly timely". Let's not have short memory spans, people.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

I rarely tweet anything right out of the theater, but I don't need time to process how absolutely phenomenal Chase Infiniti's feature film debut truly is. You want an insane reaction? Chase deserves an Oscar nom more than ANY other actor/artist in the film! #OneBattleAfterAnother

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

I'm no awards expert, but I don't see #OneBattleAfterAnother getting the overwhelming amount of nominations/wins some people think it will get. Not the frontrunner in my mind.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

#NowWatching: ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Going in with moderate expectations, precisely due to the enormous hype surrounding the "greatest film ever made". I just hope it's good. I don't even need it to be great. I just want to enjoy yet another IMAX experience. And I'm going in blind!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

The whole "greatest film of the century" reaction to #OneBattleAfterAnother is fine on its own. The *major* issue is that some of these extremely weighty opinions are out-of-theater tweets, when I'd argue such a statement should require, at the very least, some time to process.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

Finally watching ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER today. I did a quick search on the "greatest of the century" reactions and - surprise, surprise - the vast majority of them come from Americans who also call the film extremely timely... Yeah, I'm going with moderate expectations.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Wait... is Mahershala Ali still in for that BLADE movie after all? Or is this just Marvel going "well, the animation was done, so we just went with it" kind of thing? #MarvelZombies

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

No wonder I constantly miss new PTA films. Had an IMAX press screening this morning: canceled due to "technical issues". Come oooooooon 🤬

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 23/09/2025

#NowWatching: ALL OF YOU Completely unfamiliar with the narrative, but I do know it's William Bridges' solo feature directorial debut & he's written some of my favorite #BlackMirror episodes, so hoping for the best!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

I use AI daily in my work & personal life. I work in tech & chat prompts do help *tremendously* with organizing schedules for, say, upcoming film festivals. With careful use, it has indeed replaced Google in a lot of efficient ways. That said, AI in art? Fuck off.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

I'm thinking whether I should confess yet another cinephile blind spot or not...

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Also, quite interesting how many *major outlets* use the term "girlboss" to describe Whitney Wolfe. Surely, this isn't a not-that-subtle way to downplay the significance of a woman's success story & frame it as a simplistic or pandering narrative.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

#NowWatching SWIPED It has Lily James and Dan Stevens. That's enough for me.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

I will never understand why some countries translate names. Like, why the hell is Fernão de Magalhães called Ferdinand Magellan? It feels so stupid to me. It's like me saying Paulo Tomás André instead of Paul Thomas Anderson 🤣

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 20/09/2025

Don't ask me why, but somehow I found myself reading the Woody Allen sexual abuse case. I had the idea that he was convicted & that's why no one talks about him or watches his movies. But... it's the other way around? I'm confused as hell lol

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Not sure I'll be able to watch 30 (!) films when I struggle to get to 20 every festival, but then again, I'm more experienced now, so... This is what I'll attempt! Full reviews for most films, can't tell you which ones yet.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Going back in time. I loved playing #ShadowOfMordor & I never got around to playing the sequel, so... Time to go through the first game again & then step into #ShadowOfWar after.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

Me realizing I have to wait almost a full week for the release of #LFF's P&I schedule.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

I looooooooove doing film festival spreadsheets.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

MCU Phase One Pre-Podcast: 1. The Avengers 2. Iron Man 3. Captain America: The First Avenger 4. Iron Man 2 5. Thor 6. The Incredible Hulk MCU Phase One Post-Podcast: 1. The Avengers 2. Iron Man 3. Thor 4. Captain America: The First Avenger 5. The Incredible Hulk 6. Iron Man 2

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

"Film debuts with X% at Rotten Tomatoes" posts have a really big "300 viewers attended the screening, but I'm taking conclusions from a sample of 15 people" energy.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

I can't wait for the inevitable Er*** We*** tweet complaining about the positive reviews for #OneBattleAfterAnother.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Wait... WE GOT THIS COVERED is a MetaCritic approved publication? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 The more one discovers about this extremely elitist, almost exclusively American, shamelessly weighted system, the less it means.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Thinking of a spin-off idea for the #OnceUponAFranchise podcast... Once Upon a Filmmaker. Same concept, just directors instead of franchises. I wonder if there's a cool co-host out there to join me in this potentially cool, culturally impactful & even educational adventure 👀

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Keeping expectations moderate for #OneBattleAfterAnother. Early reactions must always be taken with a huge grain of salt, especially when they all contain exactly the same keywords. Hoping for the best next week.

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

After a short break, #OnceUponAFranchise will be back this week with IRON MAN 3. Leave your thoughts, questions & any other type of feedback below! You (very likely) will be featured on the show!

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Manuel São Bento 🔜 #LFF @manuelsbento.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

Oh, how I missed the "best film of the year/decade/century/ever" reactions to highly-anticipated movies...

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