24 Hours at the Movies: Our Wild Adventure Inside AMC’s Oscars Best Picture Marathon

Film lovers often have their own Oscar traditions, but one of the wildest has to be AMC Theatres’ Best Picture Showcase. It’s a 24-hour movie marathon that shows all the Best Picture nominees. We couldn’t help but wonder—who would willingly watch nine movies back-to-back? To satisfy our curiosity, we decided to take the plunge and spend our weekend at AMC Empire 25 in Times Square, ready to test our endurance in Auditorium 7.

What to Expect

The marathon kicks off on Saturday at noon and wraps up on Sunday at around 1 p.m. Eight of the ten Best Picture nominees will screen in sequence, with “Emilia Pérez” being skipped since it’s only available on Netflix. There are short breaks of ten minutes between each film and a longer dinner break of 45 minutes. In total, the marathon runs for 24 hours and 50 minutes. Our goal? Stick to snacks from the AMC concession stand.

What We Brought

Ethan’s supplies: A neck pillow, blanket, toothbrush, laptop, chargers, Altoids, Flonase, and a change of clothes.
Rebecca’s supplies: Disinfectant wipes, Advil (which I hope won’t be needed), Xanax (really hoping I won’t need it), ear plugs, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, laptop, and chargers.

The Starting Lineup

As the first film “The Brutalist” began, we noticed nearly all 103 seats were filled. Who would stick it out through this challenge?

Arrival at 11:45 a.m.

Rebecca: I thought our most nerve-wracking experience was our flight home from TIFF when we nearly got struck by lightning. But here we are! I’m not feeling too optimistic. You, on the other hand, live for these crazy assignments. What’s your vibe?

Ethan: I’m a bit tired, but it’s not like we have to run a marathon or anything. My strategy is simple: don’t think too much about it. I wish I could send a cooler version of myself into the theater instead.

Rebecca: Just a heads-up, I apologize for how I’ll be by the end of this marathon.

The Brutalist (12:00 p.m.)

Ethan: Let’s address the trailers that added 20 unexpected minutes. Plus, no one from AMC even welcomed us to this odyssey. At least we paid $75 for our tickets!

Rebecca: Exactly! You’d think there would be some fanfare. Instead, it feels like nobody acknowledges the absolute insanity of spending all this time here.

Ethan: For real! It’s clearly a crowd of serious film lovers, but it would have been nice to see some excitement about what we’re doing.

Rebecca: On the upside, at least we’re kicking off with “The Brutalist,” which is the longest movie of the day at 3 hours and 34 minutes. I just hope it’s more about the journey than the destination!

Break #1 (3:55 p.m.)

Rebecca: I couldn’t stick to just AMC food. I snuck in a turkey avocado wrap to avoid feeling miserable. Honestly, these breaks are way too short! I barely made it downstairs to get a drink without causing a scene.

Ethan: I managed to grab a pizza flatbread and Diet Coke between films. But I overheard someone grumbling that the movie was too long. Really? You came to a nine-film marathon!

Nickel Boys (4:05 p.m.)

Rebecca: This is one of the only films I haven’t seen, and I was relieved it came before I completely lost my grip on reality. Halfway through, I couldn’t help but notice someone already dozing off.

Ethan: I took a bathroom break and saw someone pop a bucket of popcorn on a urinal. Strange times we live in…

Break #2 (6:25 p.m.)

Rebecca: I finally caved and got some chicken tenders, even after seeing the calorie count. They hit hard and fast, though. I almost felt regret right after!

Ethan: I thought they were pretty good, but maybe that’s just the fatigue kicking in.

A Complete Unknown (7:10 p.m.)

Ethan: This film felt like a breath of fresh air after what we’d just seen. I might have appreciated it more on the second watch.

Rebecca: Same. I was hyped on slushy sugar during this one, and it seemed like everyone around us needed a boost too. Our neighbors even showed up with candy and Starbucks!

Break #3 (9:30 p.m.)

Ethan: Right before the movie ended, we noticed some AMC employees at the entrance. They even had trivia for us!

Rebecca: You got one right, about the original title! That was a sweet prize you gave to that lady. It was nice of you!

Anora (9:40 p.m.)

Ethan: Surprisingly, I was excited to try cocktails at MacGuffins, but it turned out to be a letdown. We got regular wine instead and it was nothing special.

Rebecca: Totally. This was a great movie to sip wine through. Just what I needed!

Break #4 (12:00 a.m.)

Ethan: Around midnight, they told us the concession stand was closing for an hour. Luckily we had a guard outside for those needing air.

Rebecca: We tried exploring, but the confusing layout of the building didn’t help our cause!

The Substance (12:10 a.m.)

Rebecca: Can we just talk about how uncomfortable these seats are? I wish I had known we’d be stuck on these for so long.

Ethan: It was a struggle even before the first film was over. I began to feel the inevitable fatigue setting in.

Break #5 (2:30 a.m.)

Rebecca: We were back to trivia, but it felt tougher this time. It was nice to share some light moments in a tiring night.

Conclave (2:40 a.m.)

Rebecca: I thought staying awake during this film was a long shot, especially considering I dozed off during the first viewing.

Ethan: I woke up just in time for a loud surprise that jolted me awake. Never a dull moment in this marathon!

Break #6 (4:40 a.m.)

Rebecca: The trivia was back, but I was barely functional. It’s wild how energized this crowd still seems to be!

Dune: Part Two (4:50 a.m.)

Ethan: By this point, all I wanted was to go home. I forgot how loud the theater would get!

Break #7 (7:35 a.m.)

Rebecca: This indeed felt like a long flight, but without any snacks to make it bearable.

I’m Still Here (7:45 a.m.)

Rebecca: The title felt like a cruel joke. I tried to summon my energy and order bagels and coffee for some normalcy during this chaotic experience.

Break #8 (10:00 a.m.)

Ethan: Almost at the finish line! The energy in the theater is palpable, yet you can feel the exhaustion among the crowd.

Wicked (10:10 a.m.)

Rebecca: Ending with “Wicked” felt like a warm embrace after all this madness. It’s almost like coming full circle.

Final Takeaways (12:50 p.m.)

Ethan: After enduring this marathon, I’m left feeling proud but exhausted. Would I do this again? Not a chance!

Rebecca: I’m eager to get home, snuggle up, and finally watch “Emilia Pérez” in peace.