"The Greatest Showman" is Another Musical Hit. Is Hollywood Watching?

by Nathaniel R

The Greatest Showman is the second consecutive original movie musical to become a big hit. A sign of more to come?

The Greatest Showman will be crossing the $100 million mark today at the box office. It's become a hit with  little fanfare  if you think about it.  Oh sure it had the mainstream attention you get on opening weekend when you have big stars in your movie but beyond that did the media really take notice? It wasn't in most of the awards conversations that turn the volume way up on others movie this time of year. The only awards traction it received was for Best Original Song which is hardly a bankable business -- except, perhaps, in the case of soundtrack sales.) 

But long story short: it's a hit and showing legs in US theaters in that its percentage drop each week is way below the industry norms. The same was true of Moulin Rouge! which arguably kick-started the reemergence of the then-dead genre at the beginning of the century. The musical genre has, it should be evident to everyone, a loyal fanbase. But is Hollywood paying attention...?

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Hooray! May the Comment Party Begin Again...

And there was much rejoicing. I can "hear" you all again. You can hear each other. We didn't expect to take a vow of collective silence but I had just watched Novitiate, that movie about the nuns, in which The LEOgend is very very upset when people talk during conversation blackout periods so perhaps I spiritually triggered it? Anyway... PLEASE SAY SOMETHING TO END THE SILENCE.

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Ding Dong! "Las Culturistas" Calling...

The TFE podcast will be back soon, but until then, here's a detour to another listen!

I had the pleasure of being this weekend's guest on "Las Culturistas". Matt Rogers (no relation) and Bowen Yang take you to the cultch each week. They've been making all sorts of lists of best comedy podcasts (Vulture, Esquire, TimeOut New York) and so I was getting my Lyft on to the studio, honey, as soon as they asked. Lists are life and to be consulted with when making life decisions like 'to guest or not to guest?')

I was terrified but they put me at ease immediately with Rule #1470 of Culture ("Kirsten Dunst makes it look easy"). And from there we talk about Oscar, actresses, Michelle Pfeiffer, who's going to win Best Picture, things that are pissing us off at the moment, and so on.

Women of "The Post"

By Spencer Coile 

There is a scene during a climactic moment in The Post where Katharine Graham (Meryl Streep), publisher for The Washington Post, wades into a crowd. News outlets and reporters swarm around her, probing her decision to run an article exposing the U.S. government for their involvement in the Pentagon Papers. Without uttering a word, she glides past the press, but the camera slows as Katharine finds herself surrounded by a small group of women in this crowd, all staring at her with admiration. 

The Post serves as a timely reminder for why we should never underestimate the impact one powerful woman can make. Though Katharine Graham is the central female focus of the film, Spielberg's latest work features multiple women: they are reporters, wives, mothers, daughters. Each character provides insight into this pivotal moment in American history. So how does The Post honor their legacy? 

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US Scripters Nominations (Gloriously) Add to the Adapted Screenplay Confusion

by Nathaniel R

Lost City of Z finally makes a precursor markOne of the funniest developments this awards season is how weirdly empty the Adapted Screenplay became in the wake of so many top contenders being "originals". The balance is way off. Even the 'true' stories, the ones adapted from history or people's lives this year were mostly originals (Some have argued in the past should be considered for the Adapted category since they're not originating the stories and characters... though we've never come to a definitive conclusion as to whether or not we agree).

Today the US Scripters chaired by USC professor and past president of the Writers Guild of America, West, Howard Rodman, and a selection committee chose the nominees from a field of 91 film and 28 television adaptations. Because of a three way tie in voting they have SEVEN film nominees this year. Which is hilarious since most people though the category "weak" in terms of Oscar candidates. In spreading their net so wide they've done little to clear up the confusion as to which five films will receive Oscar nominations. More after the jump...

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