The Link Experience

Towleroad Revisiting Drive on DVD. Ryan Gosling's scorpion jacket is at auction. One more day to bid! (I suspect this is a good investment as movie memorabilia goes.)
Carpetbagger Author Jeffrey Eugenides on his Oscar ballot. He loves The Tree of Life and all things Woody Allen. Has issues with Bridesmaids. 
In Contention breaking Oscar's biopic addiction. Halleloo. 
Movie|Line today is The Artist day in LA. Officially! Harvey Weinstein continues to be a god amongst mortals when it comes to Oscar campaigns.

 

My New Plaid Pants JA has gone totes l'amour fou for Jean Dujardin. Pervy animated gifsm, dancing in boxer shorts, gratuitous photo spreads. But can you blame him?
Empire another new role for Jennifer Lawrence in the adaptation of the novel Serena about an ruthless ambitious married couple running a timber empire in 1929. This role was once earmarked for Angelina Jolie so clearly Hollywood has faith in Jennifer Lawrence.
IndieWire for your consideration at next year's Oscars. The Sundance crop.
Towleroad Director Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) is out of the closet. I didn't realize he was in. 

The TV Experience?
Brief somewhat random thoughts on Glee vs. Smash and more small screen after the jump...

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Oscar Ballots Are in the Mail

Soon electronic voting will speed Oscar up. (How long before we see Oscar night moving to January?) Hopefully distributors will take pity on the public and AMPAS members and start opening movies before December to help that along (oh who are we kidding?!?). But until that instant voting happens, the post office will be involved. The final Oscar ballots hit the mail today, with those SAG wins fresh in voter's minds if they were watching. Dujardin, Davis, Plummer and Spencer could well repeat if they liked what they saw.

To mark the balloting occassion our annual Oscar Symposium is about to begin! Day One hits the site tonight. So join the party in the comments once the festivities kick off.

Complete the Sentences. "I Finally Saw..."

"I finally saw ______________________ and  _______________________ . Next I'm seeing ___________________ because ______________ ."

RuPocalypse Now

Did any of you watch the premiere of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4? I'm always wanting to write about it because, more than most performers, drag stars love to mash up pop cultural influences including movies. It's not only the typical Gay Films that get referenced but camp classics of all sexual persuasions (Waterworld classifies as a straight camp classic, right? I mean it's dreadfully serious about itself but it's terrible) and even regular classics, albeit usually the feminine ones. The theme of the first episode was the apocalypse and the first part of the contest was a photoshoot in which the queens were sprayed with "toxic waste" while Ru shouted out instructions. At one point Ru yelled "give me Karen Silkwood!" I can't picture The Great Lady Streep watching this sort of thing but I bet she would have chortled.

Despite all the cultural referencing its evident (sometimes) that many queens are merely parroting the past without actually knowing what they're referencing. So I tend to gravitate towards the smarter queens who are a little more savvy about drag as art and understand gay culture's magpie qualities

WillamIt's dangerous to choose favorites early on in competition shows but I love Willam (Willam Belli) because he seems smarter than the room and could actually back up the bravado and name dropping. He's got a long list of film and TV credits.

 I'm a successful drag queen. I'm not some bitch who has to show for a dollar."

"I've worked with Oscar Winner Diane Keaton," Willam bragged in the after show. Not just Diane Keaton, bitches. Oscar Winner being a title like Dame, see. 

My other instant favorite was Sharon Needles who won the apocalypse challenge by understanding what they were looking for: creative scary theater. The winning look and more movie notes after the jump.

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January. It's a Wrap

The first month of 2012 is a wrap. And you, yes YOU, have really helped the year off to a wonderful start. What can we do to convince you to stick around all summer when Oscar buzz is coolest? The Film Experience turns it out all year long so don't toss us in the spring. The robust discussions recently surrounding Albert Nobbs, Viola's "Dream Big Dream Fierce" and Vanity Fair's Hollywood cover have been a treat and can continue all year long.

Ten Highlights from January

Best of the Year - Nathaniel's top ten list from American stadiums to Iranian courtrooms 
Charlize Theron Interview - on Young Adult's biting character study and that Snow White trailer
Burning Questions - Michael's new series is a big hit. Keep on answering those discussables.
Corey Stoll on Hemingway & Allen - this rising actor was fun to talk to. 
Bret McKenzie Interview - He's already left Middle Earth but he's still playing with Muppets 
Sing Far From Heaven, Sing - Todd Haynes's masterpiece has been musicalized 
A Heartful of Uh-Oh - Taylor Swift for Les Misérables? ****
Pancake Breakfast With Nathaniel - this live chat was a fun experiment. Perhaps we'll do it again? 

My "Drive" scorpion jacket pancake. Although maybe it looks more like an Aliens face-hugger?Most Eyeballs & Comments, Special Event:
Golden Globe Live Blog
Most Eyeballs & Comments, Normal Post:
Oscar Snubs That Hurt

COMING IN FEBRUARY
Madonna's W.E., television's "Smash", The Secret of Arrietty, Animated, Documentary and Foreign Feature nominees, screen romance, the rest of the film bitch awards, and more Oscar madness including interviews with a few nominees! 

**** Thanks to Ryan in the comments for the heads up. Word is spreading that Samantha Barks and not Taylor Swift as originally announced will play Eponine. Casting can be a fluid thing. It's best to not believe anything until people start filming. Here is Barks singing "On My Own". She will look much more believable as Helena Bonham-Carter's daughter.