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Chris here. Oscar wrapups and a lingering winter have us longing for the beach - and look we have one of our favorite nominees to take us there! Except maybe this isn't quite the kind of oceanside relaxation we had in mind: Saoirse Ronan is headlining On Chesil Beach, a drama about a young newlywed couple stuck in the crossfires of sexual expectation and trepidation.
The film is an adaptation of the highly praised Ian McEwan novel, a bit of a full circle moment for the actress, who first came onto everyone's radar with the adaptation of his novel Atonement...
Mike Leigh nabbed his second Best Director nomination and his third Original Screenplay nomination with his 2004 film Vera Drake (he has yet to win any Oscars despite seven nominations across those two categories).Imelda Staunton scored an Actress nod as well for this tale of the vibrant eponymous character who “helps girls out” as part of her many job and family responsibilities. Her actions carry a brutal cost, and the film still carries incredible power.
Fourteen years later, Vera Drake has aged beautifully, perhaps in part because Leigh has structured and staged it in a classical framework...
Rebel Wilson recently took to Instagram to reveal the title of her latest film, The Hustle. Originally named Nasty Women, this female-led remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will star Wilson and Anne Hathaway as two con-women who team up to scam a tech billionaire (Alex Sharp) out of all his money.
Originally slated for an August release, Wilson also declared that The Hustle will be out early on June 29, writing:
Get ready for this beaut... The CON is ON xx
This Chris Addison directed comedy has so much potential to be a summer hit, but we're still buzzing with questions: Will Hathaway and Wilson have chemistry? Will the material feel fresh? And perhaps most importantly, will this inspire another stage musical adaptation?
Screen • Forbes a theory as to how network TV could survive the exodus of both Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy • Film InkLady Bird was forced to make cuts and dub dialogue to get an M rating in Australia (essentially our PG13). That Playgirl magazine scene really upset the board that much? Ugh. I guess puritanism isn't only for Americans. • /Film The Duplass Brothers have signed a four film deal with Netflix. This makes so much innate sense to me because their work always felt very televisual. •/FilmBond 25 is taking an awfully long time to come together. Danny Boyle and the screenplay still aren't even done deals • Pajiba Disney's upcoming streaming service and the possibility of more Muppets • Decider Joe Reid reveals his obsession with To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar
Black Panther Mania • The Atlantic "The Tragedy of Erik Killmonger" • Shadow and Act Ryan Coogler and Michael B Jordan's next project together, their fourth, is Wrong Answer a true story about an education system scandal. • MCN David Poland persuasively argues which ways Black Panther will change things in Hollywood and which ways it won't • Coming Soon Lupita Nyong'o will costar in Born a Crime, based on the memoir about the childhood of The Daily Show's Trevor Noah. She'll play his mother
Off Cinema • Playbill watch highlights from a reunion concert of Thoroughly Modern Millie starring Sutton Foster and Gavin Creel -when is someone going to give Sutton a movie musical. She's great on camera (see Bunheads and Younger) and a bonafide Broadway star. • The New Yorker a thought-provoking piece on the official Obama portraits in case you missed it • W Mag Greta Gerwig directs Florence Welsh in a photoshoot • W Mag Jordan Peele directs Janelle Monae in a Hitchcock inspired photoshoot • W Mag Luca Guadagnino directs two models in a desert photoshoot • Playbill Santino Fontana (Crazy Ex Girlfriend!) taking over for Gavin Creel in Hello, Dolly! on Broadway. Apparently Gavin Creel is having back surgery? Ouch.
Exit Video Keala Settle and Pasek & Paul are all still out there campaigning for The Greatest Showman's Original Song. Pasek & Paul were just interviewed by Variety and Settle just performed "This Is Me" this time on Ellen. I love this song even though you hate it. Sorry not sorry.
That said, I still haven't decided if it's going to win Pasek & Paul a consecutive Oscar (they won last year for "City of Stars") or if Oscar voters will be more partial to honoring Mary J Blige (given the Mudbound fanbase and her double nomination) or if Coco will mean more to voters than just the mandatory check mark for Best Animated Feature.
Thoughts? Sing your Original Song prediction in the comments.
Did you see Jennifer Lawrence's jaw-dropping Versace at the London photocall for Red Sparrow? Apparently when the photo came out social media erupted, articles were written, etcetera (somehow I personally missed this but blink-and-you'll-miss-a-controversy). People were outraged on her behalf about the sexualization of women while the men stay dressed and all that (we've seen a million examples of this happening so it's easy for all the very dumb to spot now). Some of the people who called it out did have a good sense of humor about it -- suggesting that Jeremy Irons wear assless chaps? Hee!
(But, you know, he probably would if you asked him. He hasn't actually been shy about his own beauty onscreen. Look it up.)
Still instant outrage is usually problematic. The world's highest paid female movie star is pissed that people made a big deal of it, writing on her facebook account...
Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 9:45PM 
Chris here. Oscar wrapups and a lingering winter have us longing for the beach - and look we have one of our favorite nominees to take us there! Except maybe this isn't quite the kind of oceanside relaxation we had in mind: Saoirse Ronan is headlining On Chesil Beach, a drama about a young newlywed couple stuck in the crossfires of sexual expectation and trepidation.
;)
