Tribeca: The A.I. doc "Sophia" is more human than well you know

by Jason Adams

If you're into egregious public humiliations (and who isn't) then has Sophia has got a doozy for you. Jon Kasbe and Crystal Moselle's new documentary about the inventor David Hanson and his quest to perfect "the most realistic humanoid robot" has a scene so cringe that I nearly crawled right out of my own humanoid skin suit and called it a day. It's obviously a testament to the filmmakers skill that I found myself so emotionally invested in this verité science doc when it's basically just a portrait of how the sausage gets made. The "sausage" in question is a twitchy real-doll with feelings named Sophia... 

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Almost There: Emily Blunt in "The Devil Wears Prada"

by Cláudio Alves

After over 100 write-ups about performers that came close to Oscar glory but failed to secure a nomination, it's time to discuss Emily Blunt in the Almost There series. Perpetually snubbed, the English actress has been part of the awards conversation since the mid-00s, but the Academy refuses to pay her any attention to this day. Even when her projects are otherwise embraced, Blunt's name is never there on Oscar nomination morning. Though this is her first time in this series, it's certainly not her last. There were at least five other occasions when she was in serious contention for Hollywood's most coveted trophy– going as far as winning the SAG and nabbing nods for all the important precursors. Since there's no better place to start than the beginning, let's delve into Blunt's first brush with Oscar buzz.

Back in 2006, The Devil Wears Prada was a smash hit with audiences and critics alike. Playing a character with her first name, Emily Blunt proved herself a comedic scene-stealer. And just like that, a star was born…

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Weekend Watch: Lightyear is "soft" in theaters while Staircase still intrigues on HBO

by Nathaniel R

You didn't comment on the new format of listing both box office and tops in streaming from a few services but we're trying it again (Let us know what you think). There's a lot to discuss this week...

Weekend Box Office June 17th-19th 🔺 = new or expanding /  ★ = Recommended links if we've written about it
WIDE (OVER 800 SCREENS)	PLATFORM RELEASES
PIXAR'S LIGHTYEAR	BRIAN AND CHARLES

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Tribeca 2022: Peter Dinklage & Shirley MacLaine in 'American Dreamer'

By Abe Friedtanzer

A comedy starring four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage and the legendary Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine (who at age 88, still has three upcoming projects listed on IMDB)? Sounds like a recipe for success. Yet there’s something about American Dreamer that just doesn’t work. That's a shame given that these actors are so talented and putting them together should work very well. Paul Dektor’s directorial debut is still a perfectly decent way to spend 106 minutes, but it’s not as funny or satisfying as it could be…

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Stage Door: Wonderful Mare Winningham in 'Girl From the North Country'

Mini Intro: We've always wanted to launch a weekly theater column here so we're finally doing it. Though theater is not film (the focus of this site), it relates in many ways to the screen arts. So we'll end each column with screening recommendations!  In weeks where we don't get invited to shows, we'll get creative to keep it going. This will be a Monday night series from here on out. - Editor 

Mare Winningham in 'Girl From the North Country'. Photo © Matthew Murphy

by Nathaniel R

The Tony-nominated jukebox musical Girl From the North Country closes on Broadway tomorrow, Sunday June 19th with the 3:00 PM matinee. While it's too late to urge you to attend (unless you're right here in the five boroughs) there are still ways to enjoy the show in retrospect. The easiest of those is listening to the cast recording with its Tony-winning orchestrations. But the most crucial way to appreciate the show at the moment (happily it was filmed for posterity) is to join us in deep appreciation of its leading lady Mare Winningham...

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