Charlize. Tough Chick Chic

Is it even possible for Charlize Theron to not look spectacular? (Her hair was all buzzed off for the Mad Max reboot with Tom Hardy but she's made the most of it here).

Next up for Charlize:

• Mad Max: Fury Road (in 2014)
• A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014? 2015?)
• Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2015? Remake of the Park Chan-wook movie)

Three other rumored projects (a horror film Two Eyes Staring, a thriller generically titled Murder Mystery and the sequel Snow White and the Hunstman 2 though it would be really weird if Queen Ravenna was suddenly alive again) could also go before cameras. As per usual, Charlize makes us wait between movies. Such a cruel beauty, that one. 

"Cabaret" Old Chums!

Come taste the wine... Come hear the band... Come right this way start celebrating... ♫

Michael York, Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey & Marisa Berenson. Photo via Daily Mail

That's Michael York, Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey and Marisa Berenson last night at the Zeigfeld, Manhattan's best movie house for festive events like retro celebrations or new premieres. Cabaret's principle cast was gathered for the second time with TCM for this special screening since the Blu-Ray is coming on Tuesday. The restoration apparently cost Warner Bros somewhere between $1 and 2 million but it's worth it. Spend the money if you've got one of the greatest films of all time in your catalogue. The movie looks beautiful and thankfully they haven't scrubbed it so free of its natural grain that it doesn't look like itself anymore.

More about the event after the jump 

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Posterized: The Oscar Nominees (In Order of Release)

Since you all were happy about the return of "Posterized" last week, we should do it weekly as intended. So herewith, the current Oscar nominated field (links go to reviews or articles of note or Oscar charts). It's 38 movies wide.

HOW MANY HAVE YOU SEEN? And did you see them in anything like chronological order or release?

Mirror Mirror - March 30th, 1 nom (Costume Design)
The Pirates! Band of Misfits - April 27th, 1 nom (Animated Feature)
Marvel's The Avengers - May 4th, 1 nom (Visual Effects) 

Moonrise Kingdom - May 25th, 1 nom (Original Screenplay)
5 Broken Cameras - May 30th, 1 nom (Documentary Feature)
Snow White and... - June 1st, 2 noms (Visual Effects, Costume) 

lots more after the jump

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January. It's a Wrap

I always lose January in a rush of movie and work demands and previous year spillover. It's over already? Here were 10 highlights from the month that was:

Biggest Celebrity Crushes Of the Moment: Marius & Cosette Eddie & Amanda... weirdly Les Miz isn't really involved in this crushing.

Best of the Year Nathaniel's 22 Favorites of 2012
Jodie Foster is Single Thoughts on Jodie's brand of "coming out"
The Hours 10th Anniversary. Nick & Joe discuss the actressy film in depth
Blue Jasmine Tea Leaves Should we be excited for the new Woody Allen? 

César Nominations - Julien takes us through the French Oscars. This year half the big titles were also hits abroad: Rust & Bone, Amour and more.
100 Oldest Living Oscar Nominees - Emmanuelle Riva, Carol Channing, Doris Day and 97 more
Celebrity Globe Tweeting - from Cazwell through Zachary Levi to Adele
10 Big Surprises of Oscar Morning - from Silver Linings dominance to Affleck's Snub

Most Eyeballs: Eddie Redmayne Interview. The rising star talks skinny-dipping, name-calling, and live-singing. This was actually at the end of December but it kept on winning viewers, so I thought I'd include it.
Most Discussed: SAG Live-Blogging (in two parts)

COMING IN FEBRUARY
It's time to dive deep into the fire of the final awardage, both Nathaniel's own & Oscars (interviews and category spotlights coming). But because we're overly ambitious (even if we sometimes don't meet our ambitions) we'll try to throw in a few retro treats like...maybe...  Cabaret (1972), 8 ½ (1963) and The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988) or Bringing Up Baby (1938) which all have anniversaries!

Stay tuned...

Oscar Can You Link Me?

Big Screen 
The Advocate Barbra Streisand to sing at the Oscars for the first time in 36 years - she'll do "The Way We Were" over the in memoriam segment. There sure are going to be a lot of musical performances on Oscar night. 
Variety Jessica Chastain to star in new screen version of Miss Julie. Chastain being cast is something isn't exactly news (she's everywhere) but LIV ULLMAN is directing this oft-filmed Strindbergh tale.
Gawker Rich Juzwiack on the mainstream appropriation of "shade" and Paris is Burning (That documentary on NYC's ball culture is still one of the largest blights on Oscar's documentary branch. It was critically raved at the time and is still must-see viewing 20+ years later but Oscar ignored it)

The New York Times  on the still heated atmosphere of all Les Miz conversations. Stanley Fish wonders if it's the film's lack of irony that so enrages people?
Empire Will our dream of seeing Viola Davis & Denzel Washington reprise their Tony roles in Fences onscreen come true? It turns out Denzel is planning to direct a film version. If he doesn't bring Viola along, I'm going to freak.
CHUD The Muppets... Again is already shooting. Here's a synopsis and cast list
The Carpetbagger on Spielberg's ACE prize from the editors in Hollywood 
Guardian Charlize Theron will co-star in the Seth McFarlane comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West which is said to be an homage to Blazing Saddles.
The Playlist first pic of Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston (god, what a pairing) in Only Lovers Left Alive  

Hey Look.... Jodie Foster in Elysium

Coming Soon ...the movie's title refers to a pristine space station. She plays a government official out to protect the wealthiest citizens from their dirty Earth-bound counterparts who wish to emigrate. (The last time Jodie did sci-fi it turned out well, I think, don't you? Love Contact.) 

Small Screen 
A Blog Next Door says goodbye to 30 Rock with an encyclopedic memory of the show. What will we do on Thursdays now? I always want to go to there.
BuzzFeed 'How Smash became TV's biggest train wreck.' If you're a Smash obsessive this is a must-read... though it's more than a shade shady. The biggest shocker for me was hearing that Steven Spielberg wanted to replace Megan Hilty!!! Good God, are his eyes and ears working? She's the single best thing on the show by an embarrassing margin.