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Regarding Mo'Nique... What Nick Said
10 hours ago
I am sad to report that my frequent partner in movie gabbing, Nick, has opted out of future Oscar podcasts this year. He's soured on the season already because he only likes two of the twentyish movies in play. I've had my own Way Off Consensus years and it's true that they ain't much fun. They're very nearly its opposite. If you're feeling underwhelmed by this year's prestige crop, I suggest you read his brutal but razor sharp takedown of nearly every Oscar contender.
I do want to quote this bit on Mo'Nique because it's exactly what I've been feeling but was unable to vocalize....Mo'Nique's refusal to play the campaigning game, at least not in a straightforward way, which if/when she wins for Precious has the potential to set an inspiring precedent for letting quality of work, rather than vehemence of desire and scale of self-advertising, determine the eventual Oscar winner. …
- NATHANIEL R
Detroit, Chicago, Utah, Etcetera
10 hours ago
In past years I have sort of enjoyed the slow trickle of critics organization announcements, but this year they all gushed through journalism's infrastructure so quickly I lost track immediately in the deluge. I'm also slightly suspicious that nobody cares this year (or am I projecting?) since it's about the fifth year in a row with a large degree of consensus. Some years consensus makes a great deal of sense. Others, not so much. Since this happens every year now, I think it's a sure sign that all we ever needed was a few big groups. I'm still a bit perplexed why all of these little groups don't merge to become something more awesomely super-sized.
But in case you do care (and because I have a photoshop problem) here's a few more chosen because these are cities or states where I've actually lived or visited frequently.
Chicago Film Critics
Picture …
- NATHANIEL R
Curio: Alt Cross-Stich
14 hours ago
Alexa here from Pop Elegantiarum. Cross-stitch used to connote that awful, cloying gift you got from your grandma at Christmas. (My dad was forced to hang one from my grandma in his college apartment that read "Make new friends, keep the old, one is silver, the other is gold." Oy.) But the rise of feminist cross-stitch has revived the craft, and has led to a few interesting offshoots, including some film-related examples.
Here is my favorite, a John Waters-inspired piece from The Dirt Track. Perfect for those of you that are hating Christmas this year as as much as Divine did in Female Trouble.
And here is a ubiquitous Lebowski entry from spamberly. (I must admit I have this one in our bedroom.)
Finally, here is a not-so-alternative example for the holidays from you heart us. Is it just me, or is A Christmas Story now so overplayed that …
- Alexa
Pandora's Link
21 hours ago
Quiet Earth photos from Peter Weir's next movie The Way Back starring Ed Harris and Colin Farrell. Ah, I love Peter Weir. Can't wait.
Towleroad Speaking of Farrell, he was best man at his gay brother's wedding this summer. Loving families are so awesome. More celebrations in Ireland this weekend
movie marketing The Lovely Bones shifts gears for female fans
Sydney Morning Herald interviews Peter Jackson. There's quite a defensive tone and quotable snark to his response to critics who gripe that he didn't show the story's kick off murder. On this point I agree with the Lord of the Rings auteur, although I wouldn't have phrased it so damningly and I hope he doesn't think that's the extent of the criticism.
art of the title sequence on a few long steadicam openings. Boogie Nights is my all time favorite (in this field) but I thought it was longer than three minutes. …
- NATHANIEL R
Screen Queens: Best of the Gay Aughts
21 December 2009 6:00 PM, PST
MattCanada here with a bit of an overview and Best-Of Gay films for the last decade.
Gay cinema over the last ten years has been intrinsically tied to both the political gains made by gay activists and the intense battles surrounding everything from the worldwide fight for gay marriage to nationally specific issues like America's Dadt and Doma, and Britain's repeal of Section 28. The relationship between the political and the cinematic is always most pronounced in the medium's relationship to minority groups and their texts.
The Aughts have seen gay-rights become the most visible"social values" issue in America, and this has been reflected in a number of high profile American films dealing frankly, sexually, and politically with what it means to be gay in America. Milk, Far From Heaven, and Mysterious Skin employ gay filmmaking traditions, like those of Affirmation Documentaries (Richard Dyer's term), Sirkian melodrama, and New Queer Cinema, …
- CanadaMatt
Mélanie Manly Laurent
21 December 2009 3:14 PM, PST
Inglourious Basterds was always a conversation starter. But we didn't expect it to start this conversation. Mélanie Laurent is actually a man!
Actual screenshot (with web menu removed, highlight and "oops" added)
Best Supporting Actor, eh? We always thought it was an odd strategy to position Laurent right out of the Oscar race by vying for Lead Actress. But this is even crazier gambit. Oscar voters do have eyes, you know!
I'm joking. As far as I know Mélanie is still a woman but thanks to readers Rj and Jim T for pointing out this error on theWeinstein Co website. I'm sure someone will fix this pronto but for now let it stand as an amusingly literal and/or satiric demonstration of the absurd modern flexibility for Oscar categorizations. …
- NATHANIEL R
Halfway House: Mercury Poisoning
21 December 2009 9:00 AM, PST
halfway through the day, stop a movie halfway through. What do you see?
About 45 minutes into the soon-to-be Oscared documentary The Cove, we pause for a lecture on mercury poisoning. Basically it goes like this: dolphins swim in a toxic dump site, their bodies have too much mercury in them, it's not safe for us to eat them. Ewww times two. I don't like to think about toxic dumps or dolphin-eating.
I totally didn't need to know that dolphin meat was poisonous to be convinced that they shouldn't be eaten, thank you very much.
I have all sorts of issues, defendable and otherwise, with documentaries each year. It's difficult to explain but I'll try. With narrative filmmaking I feel like I'm mostly aware of what I'm watching and of how the movie is choosing to approach its subject and tell its story. With documentaries I often feel like I'm behind …
- NATHANIEL R
The Best Actress Five. Is Anyone Vulnerable?
20 December 2009 6:01 PM, PST
At first I was a bit weirded out that SAG nominations could no longer work as a bellwether of shifting awards-season winds since all of the precursors were mashed together into one week's time. But what winds could shift anyway? Though we won't see the results until February 2nd, Oscar ballots go out to AMPAS members next week. With no real time lag to speak of (we hear that most Academy members return their ballots quickly) I don't think we should expect surprises, particularly because there was so very much agreement between the precursors.
~ Streep | Mulligan | Sidibe | Bullock | Mirren ~
three real life characters and two fresh young actresses. typical!
That sort of kills the suspense in Best Actress (I've thought the "win" was settled for quite awhile -- Streeps third -- but I did expect more drama as to who the final five would be) but not every year can be exciting. …
- NATHANIEL R
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