Review: The Beach Bum

by Murtada Elfadl

If your favorite Matthew Mcconaughey mood is of the naked bongo drumming variety, then Harmony Korine has made just the movie for you. In The Beach Bum Mcconaughey is Moondog, a rebellious rogue living outside society in Florida doing exactly what he wants, whenever he wants it, and all the while high as a kite. He’s nice, benevolent, kind, mostly peaceful, accepting of all and of their foibles. He believes in true love and practices it (straight of course but not adverse to a bit of cross dressing). Even when he finds out his wife (Isla Fisher) is also sleeping with other people, it takes him literally only a minute to go from surprise to complete acceptance.

The plot -if we can call it that - is to follow Moondog along his travels in Key West and Miami...

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The Once and Future Link

• /Film Tom Hanks to play Elvis Presley's shady manager Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming Elvis biopic. Thankfully Baz is looking for a complete unknown for Elvis himself
• Towleroad this is awesome. Gay rights hero Harvey Milk is now on the tail fits of Norwegian Airlines. And to think he can't even get a national holiday in the US. We are so behind sometimes!
• Shadowplay some fun thoughts on John Boorman's Excalibur as "The Ridiculous"
• MNPP "do dump or marry" Matrix anniversary edition

More after the jump including the awesomeness of Eva Green, the fate of X-Men movies, an Alien high school production, and filmmaker interviews...

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RIP Agnès Varda

by Anne Marie Kelly

Acclaimed godmother of the French New Wave and belated Honrary Oscar award-winner Agnès Varda passed away this Friday of breast cancer at 90 years old. The film community is in mourning for a singular and pioneering visionary, who treated film as art and famously declared that she refused to watch movies before embarking on her own career. In spite, or perhaps because, of this fact, Varda would go on to create incredible works across multiple genres and decades, creating unforgettable films that were personal, political, comedic, deeply poignant expressions of a spirit that never ceased being fascinated by the world around her.

We at Team Experience have long been fans of Varda, including her early work, famous films, late-career documentaries, and her unbelievable offscreen appearances as well. Her brusque presence and iconic style was a fixture at film festivals, where she had time for fans but never for praise. She will be missed.

What are your favorite Varda moments? What are you watching in her honor?

I've been obsessing over this shot in "Us"

by Nathaniel R

Not sure if there's an audience out there for a return of our Hit Me With Your Best Shot series but Jordan Peele's horror smash Us would certainly be a worthy candidate for the treatment. Lately I've been obsessing over this particular image (above) in which Red (Lupita Nyong'o) has handcuffed Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o) to her own coffee table. It's not just the slow upsetting crack of the glass, or Lupita's stunning dual performance...

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How has March been for you?

It's true that there are three days left in March but we're recapping early because we're willing the month to end. The point is that March is always a bit slow at TFE given the post Oscar-crashing and then the malaise that hits. But we do what we can. Expect much more in April now that we're getting back on the dance floor. Here are a dozen highlights from the month that is almost up that we hope you didn't miss.

• Us Reviewed - Jordan Peele does it again
• Jennifer Jones Centennial - because Love is a Many Splendored Thing
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - what a tease
• Shrill with Aidy Bryant - already one of 2019's best TV shows
• Four Weddings and a Funeral - still nearly perfect on its 25th anniversary
• Tea with the Dames - Judi + Maggie + Joan + Eileen =  a soothing streaming distraction
• Posterized: Julianne Moore - because the ginger goddess is on fire again
• Soundtracking: Gloria Bell - spin with joyful Julianne
• Doc Corner: Leaving Neverland - sure got people talking
• Nathaniel's 2018 Top Ten List - the Film Bitch Awards wrap-up
• Christian Petzold talks Transit - his haunting German melodrama
• Stage Door: Kiss Me Kate - Kelli O'Hara delights again 

COMING IN APRIL
Weekly rotating coverage of Fosse/Verdon, the 2019 Tony Award races (The Prom, Aint too Proud etc), the MCU wraps up its loooooong world-conquering game plan with Avengers: Endgame, Laika debuts what we hope is another animated winner with Missing Link, for the Howard Keel Centennial we'll dive into big 1950s musicals like Annie Get Your Gun and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and for The Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1972 will take you back to The Poseidon Adventure, Butterflies are Free, and other gems for a bit of context. And other as yet undecided fun. Any requests?

Come play with us every day, won'cha?