Doc Corner: 'Jane' is Our Oscar Frontrunner

by Glenn Dunks

We are informed at the beginning of Jane that the footage we are about to see had been previously lost. While it is absolutely astonishing that such incredible footage could have somehow just vanished and nobody thought to look for it before now, let's be thankful. It means we get Jane, a compelling and often awe-inspiring documentary from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen.

Jane is gorgeously composed documentary. An exciting play of form that that swings among the vines thanks to the prowess of contemporary rhythms of structure and construction, yet hums to the classic, even nostalgia-inducing visions at its heart...

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"Ready Player" Whaaaaaat?

Chris here. Even with The Post coming to theatres this month, Spielberg's next next film is already trying to get a leg up on 2018. Yes, Ready Player One continues to botch its early promotional campaign after a much maligned first teaser and now a very eye-stretching poster. Remember a few months ago when Alicia Vikander's Lara Croft had that unfortunate neck? Well, it looks like Player's star Tye Sheridan got the same disorder in his legs.

By our rough estimate, the young actor's legs should be, oh, slightly longer than his entire abdomen. "A better reality awaits" - umm, by the looks of it... Tell us in the comments: what happened to Tye Sheridan's legs?

All the Big Sick in the World Whilst Crying Over Globe Snubs

by Nathaniel R (and friends)

Tomorrow we'll have some group commentary fun with the Globe nominations but tonight let's cry ourselves to sleep about the things we won't see celebrated on Globe night. There's still time to say a prayer to your Higher Movie Powers that they won't be as seriously stiffed with SAG or Oscar. So today I asked friends of The Film Experience and team members to tell us about the exclusion that most upset them. Since no one said Jake Gyllenhaal in Stronger (my choice) I'm giving him the lead photo treatment here because he is amazing in that movie -- so vulnerable and lived-in and present and messy. He's one of our best working actors, despite his completely inexcusable lack of awards show love over the years.

In addition to collective snub tears, I've also corralled theories as to what happened with All the Money in the World and what DIDN'T happen with The Big Sick after the jump. Do join the conversation, won't you...

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The calm before the box office storm?

by Nathaniel R

Weekend Box Office (Dec 8-10)
W I D E 800+ screens	L I M I T E D excluding prev. wide
1. Coco  $18.4 (cum. $135.6) REVIEW | FEELING SEEN	1.🔺 The Shape of Water $1.1 on 41 screens (cum. $1.3)  CAPSULE | PODCAST
2. Justice League $9.6 (cum. $212.1) REVIEW	2.🔺 Darkest Hour $741k on 53 screens (cum. $1.1) CAPSULE | SECOND VISIT
3. Wonder $8.4 (cum. $100.3)	3.🔺 Man Who Invented... $687k on 720 screens (cum. $4.3)
4.🔺 Disaster Artist $6.3 (cum. $7.9) REVIEW	4.🔺 Call Me By Your Name $291k on 9 screens (cum. $1.3) SCREENPLAY | SEX SCENES
5. Thor Ragnarok $6.2 (cum. $301.1) REVIEW, YOUR QUEEN	5.🔺 I Tonya $264k on 4 screens REVIEW NEW

With only 2 new movies (I Tonya and Just Getting Started) in a big movie-going month like December it was a dire weekend at the box office with the box office essentially looking the same as last week. Somebody will need to write a book some day on what happened to distribution in 2017...

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Beauty vs Beast: Guess Who's Coming

Jason from MNPP here wishing everybody a Happy Golden Globe Nomination Day - I hope everybody's favorite thing got a nomination (and since everybody's favorite thing is clearly Helen Mirren I know it's true). We're taking our "Beauty vs Beast" series to a film that did well but maybe not as well as expected (no director, no screenplay) - Jordan Peele's masterful horror comedy Get Out, which we just happened to re-watch last night in an effort to reaquaint ourselves with a movie that was fading from memory.

And I'm glad I did because some of the issues I'd had the first time (I'd found its metaphor a little scattered) came more into focus, and I was reminded of its many strengths - Peele juggles all sorts of genre and tonal trickery with ease, and I love every single performance in the film (yes even whatever Caleb Landry Jones is doing). So much so that choosing the right opponent today for Daniel Kaluuya's justly nominated work in the lead gave me pause - arguments could be made to face him against Catherine Keener or Betty Gabriel here. But ultimately I laugh harder at Allison Williams eating Fruit Loops and listening to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack than I do at any other joke, and so...

Whose team are you on?

Chris

Rose

build quizzes

PREVIOUSLY Rooster done got himself trampled against Mattie in our True Grit poll last week - Hailee Steinfeld took over 3/4s of your vote. Said cal roth:

"Steinfeld is B R I L L I A N T in this. "The soul already fled the body" or something like that. She reminded me a young Jodie Foster in the way she is fierce above all things, without even realizing she isn't that strong. That category fraud still stings."