November Highlights Pt.1
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 9:30AM If years were musicals we'd be about to hear the 11th hour showstopping numbers before the climax in December when Oscar Fever and List Mania truly begins. Consider that in two days two of the best films of this already great year emerge in theaters: Carol, Mustang and then the Thanksgiving blockbusters hit. But for now some highlights from the month's first half since we don't want you to miss anything! We're illustrating with Slave Girl Princess Leia because we reject any corporate attempts to erase popular culture touchstones because people are so easily offended. Slave Girl Leia turned her chains into weapons and defeated the patriarchy Jabba the Hut and should be celebrated not covered up.
Grey Gardens Manuel's HBO LGBT retrospective season reached this eccentric gem
Female Directors diversity in director's chair is the hot topic of the year
Charming Sir Ian at the Brit brunch party for Mr. Holmes
Oscar Gossip direct from Los Angeles
Pilou Asbaek goes to A War (then Game of Thrones)
Q&A we discuss favorite Oscar-winning quartets (what's urs?) and much more
AFI Fest reviews of The Big Short, Concussion, Lady in Van, James White, etc
Tennessee Williams Biopic? Yes please
Spectre Tim's review
Honorary Oscars
Spike Lee we looked at Bamboozled and Crooklyn
Debbie Reynolds we looked at Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Charlotte's Web
Best Dressed at the Governor's Awards
...and we'll have more to come on Gena Rowlands! But for now enjoy Spike & Gena's awesome speeches
Most Discussed
"What's your Sophie's Choice Oscar Moment?"
Awards & List Mania
BIFA Nominations, 16 Eligible Animated Features, IDA documentary nominations, Spirit Predictions, WGA Funniest Screenplays
Reader Comments (11)
When will the 1963 Supporting Actress smackdown take place?
I think he said in a different post that 1963 would have to be pushed to the next season of Smackdown. And that better be the case, because if I watched Tom Jones for nothing, so help me, I'll...
ok Gena Rowlands needs to be cast by Bette Davis in a movie!
if one day the academy decide to give me a honorary oscar, I like to listen a speech like The Lovely Laura Linney give to Gena Rowlands.
WHAT A SPEECH! *-*
ken & mike -- yeah. every year i forget how draining the oscar circuit is... there's just no time from October-February for big side projects. only mini goofs.
And this is where I realize I had been pronouncing Gena Rowlands' name the whole time.
Super looking forward to the THR actress roundtable this year. They have 8 women this time: Cate Blanchett, Brie Larson, JLaw, Jane Fonda, Kate Winslet, Charlotte Rampling, Carey Mulligan, and (very randomly) Helen Mirren.
If you like slave bikini Leia because you like the message of her killing her captor, great! Just say that! That's a totally valid argument that can be taken seriously on its own. But I think adding that you think the removal of the toy is stupid "because people are so easily offended" just isn't really necessary, especially when you are not a part of the group being represented/offended. I'm Personally, I don't care about it either way. It's iconic and the scene plays well. At the same time, Fisher regretted wearing the outfit and I don't think a lot of people are buying the toy to honor the feminist undertones of the scene! I'm not one for banning things, but I AM one for letting people be offended because um stuff is often shitty out there!
I'll add just to be THAT commentator that the pic of Leia that you posted doesn't even have her chains or Jabba so she's really just reclining in a sexy pose barely clothed. That shot is all about selling T&A to boys...just saying!!
I loved Gena Rowlands thank you speech, clearly a popular honouree.
I'm looking forward to watching the THR roundtable, maybe it will be less ponderous than usual with the greater number of panelists and the greater age range.
Btw. Has any one else spent a bit of time perusing Vulture's top 100 actors list for 2015.?
JLaw still number 1 - no surprise there.
catbaskets -- but i feel both of those things so why shouldn't i say both. In the end, no matter who something offends including people in my own minority, i think pretending that our collective history doesn't exist is never a good idea. I think it would be insane to pretend there weren't homophobic images emblazoned on pop culture or racist images or sexist images.
I don't think it does anyone any good to rewrite history. History is history. Pretending it isn't has led to all sorts of ignorance and/or repeating of mistakes in the past.
and besides... a lot of little gay boys (like myself) and little girls (there's always a surplus of slave girl Leia costumes worn by girls at conventions for example) loved that outfit. not just horny little boys. Anyway: there was already a dearth of Princess Leia toys (that people have always complained about because the gender disparity of toys is maddening) and now there will be even less.