The New Classics - Before Sunset

Michael C here to honor a film with an emotional impact that hasn't diminished over countless repeat viewings...

Scene: The Car Ride
When people talk about the appeal of Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy they tend to focus on the enchanting dialogue or the romantic European locations, but I think one of the big reasons this series is so beloved is that it avoids all the contrivances usually deployed to keep couples apart in movies... 

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Emmy Nomination Announcement, Live

Ken Jeong and D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place) announcing the nominees for the television Academy's 71st annual prizes.

And here are the nominations in the top categories announced live via screenshots. We'll talk more about the Emmys once we wrap our head around these nominations...

BEST DRAMA SERIES

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Saturn Nominations 2019: Endgame

by Nathaniel R

Avengers Endgame dominated with 14 nominations

The Saturn Awards, which used to be held in June each year are moving to September which means the nominations have been delayed for some time now and the eligibility period for the 2019 nominations covers a 16 month period from March 1st, 2018 through to July 7th, 2019. Moving forward, the eligibility should revert to a July to June basis with the ceremony in September (September 13th this year). They're also soon announcing a streaming partner so it will become a televised ceremony starting this year.

We love the Saturn Awards in concept -- it's a worthy goal to honor genre films (fantasy, horror, action, thrillers, and sci-fi are the pet causes) because any genre is capable of greatness -- but they've never quite been able to get their act together and each year's nominations are always agonizing or inexplicable in some way or another...

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Big Little Lies MVPS: Episode 2.6 "The Bad Mother"

Previously: Episode 1 (Nathaniel) Episode 2 (Spencer) Episode 3 (Lynn) Episode 4 (Nathaniel) Episode 5 (Eric)

by Chris Feil

... So.

By now I’m sure you all have seen the reports about what has gone on behind the scenes of Big Little Lies: director Andrea Arnold was removed from the show in post-production, a planned usurping by original season one director Jean-Marc Vallée once he completed Sharp Objects. Despite the free reign she had been given, a major lack of communication resulted in the show being snatched from her creative hands.

What a fiasco that’s only resulted in a somewhat disjointed season - looks like the blame for what hasn’t been working goes to producers for putting the show through a meat grinder. But what has been working can be easily ascribed to Arnold’s approach: the attention to character detail, a complex thematic landscape marinating hard-to-reconcile truths, the weight of suppressed feelings brimming over. Aren’t those things Big Little Lie’s fans would use to define the show and their love for it, not just its structural or aesthetic attributes?

Despite the timing and our allegiance to Arnold, Big Little Lies turned in what had to be its most thrilling episode yet this season, one that builds a huge sense of momentum leading into next week’s finale. Let’s look at this episode...

Top Ten MVPs of Big Little Lies, Episode 2.6 "The Bad Mother"

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MidSommar is more fun to relive than to watch

Every time we begin to doubt A24's ability to remain the freshest and funnest and most reliably high quality distributor, they remind us to continue in the faith. Look, for example, at this brilliant insanity they've cooked up to promote MidSommar...

You may have seen that already but we're sharing it as an excuse to discuss the movie again.

Though it's no secret that your host here at The Film Experience is not a fan of the movie (hear the podcast discussion) Murtada was correct in his assertion that the film has inspired some great critical writing. Whether you love the movie like our own Chris Feil or dislike it, like me, it's quite easy to enjoy after the fact. It's already inspiring great fan art, silly memes, and fine critical writing. CONSIDER....

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