Linker Come Back to Me

My New Plaid Pants pic of the day, first image from the set of Steven Soderbergh's Liberace bio Behind the Candelabra with Michael Douglas and Matt Damon as lovers
Movie City News 29 Weeks To Go until Oscar! Wooo
Cinema Blend apparently they're going to reboot The Brady Bunch. 
i09 pretends that 10 upcoming remakes / reboots aren't going to suck. Hey, someone has to stay positive.

Hollywood Elsewhere Dark Right(Wing) Rises... People can't stop talking about the politics of Chris Nolan's Batman trilogy.
Hollywood.com interviewed me and other pundits on The Dark Knight Rises Oscar hopes
Awards Daily breaks down the Tony nominees who made it to Oscar nominations 
Pajiba would like you to think about all the brunettes in Chris Nolan films. It's always brunettes.
/Film manages to dig up a tiny bit of info about the Coen Bros Inside Llewyn Davis 
Awards Daily breaks down the Tony nominees who made it to Oscar nominations

Obits
is it just me or are people dropping like flies... I'm a bit freaked out :( 
Studio Briefing Mr Cyd Charisse, singer/actor Tony Martin (1913-2012), has died 
The Guardian pays final respects to Chris Marker (1921-2012), the experimental filmmaker of La Jetée fame (which inspired 12 Monkeys)
New York Times the ever fascinating Gore Vidal (1925-2012) 
Fresh Air remembers Lupe Ontiveros (1942-2012) of As Good As it Gets and Selena fame. I loved it when NBR handed her Best Supporting Actress for Chuck and Buck (2000). Remember that? That's my favorite Lupe turn.

Finally, in much happier news...
Have you heard that Nina Arianda (Midnight in Paris, Win Win) is signing projects left and right. Looks like that Tony Award for "Venus in Fur" really did it. Nina, who has previously really had bit roles in movies, has surely arrived.

She recently signed on to play the great Guilieta Masina in Fellini Black and White the story of two missing days in the life of Oscar magnet Federico Fellini right before the Oscars in 58. Are they making this movie just for us? Seriously! She's also set to play Janis Joplin in another upcoming bio with Martha Marcy May Marlene's Sean Durkin helming after approximately a million years of rumors of this actress and that actress and sometimes more than one at once, playing her in a biopic. Hollywood apparently just can't let  The Rose (1979) be the last word. Tina Fey and Jane Krakowski even sent up the development hell of Janis Joplin biopics in an arc of 30 Rock. Nina also joins a huge cast of recognizable actors in the fascinating sounding The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby which is reportedly a two-part film told from the husband (James McAvoy) and wife's (Jessica Chastain) perspectives.

This is all a long way of saying learn Nina's name and expect her on an Oscar shortlist in 5...4...3...2....1

July. It's a Wrap

Highlights from the month that was in case you missed anything...

Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne join the Cock Rocking Kings of Tampa!

Emma ♥ Andrew A Red Carpet Convo with Joanna
Best of the Year Thus Far Halfway Mark Summary, January through June
Burning Questions Michael wants to know what the Best Bonus Features are on a Bluray or DVD? 
The Dark Knight Rises... And Falls, Sputters, Limps and Soars 
Q&A Working Girls and Generational Comedy 
Top Ten "Jane"s A Bit of Name Dropping Silliness 
Finding Nemo 2 Pixar Jumps the Shark 
Moviegoing Diaries Beau takes a date to Magic Mike. Was this wise? 

Most Eyeballs: Before Magic Mike, there was "Ricky the Rocket"
Most Discussed: Cast This! Baby Jane Redux

Coming in August: Reader Appreciation Month, Gene Kelly Centennial Celebration, Hope Springs, ParaNorman, Marilyn Monroe, Michelle Yeoh, Robert Pattinson in Cosmopolis and Bel Ami, Total Recall, Bel Ami, and the last 4 episodes of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" for season 3: How to Marry a Millionaire, Sherlock Jr, Singin' in the Rain and Dog Day Afternoon. And whatever else we think of in the sweltering heat.

BE HERE!

Open Thread

What's on your cinematic mind? Do share & discuss in the comments. Maybe two of you are on the same page right this moment?

Curio: Freaks of Nature

Alexa here. Lately I came upon the fantastical drawings of Jesse Bowie.  Presumably after some noodling on her subconsious, Jesse draws humans that aren't, anthropomorphizing the famous. (Her sketches remind me a bit of the film posters of Iain Hector, who reverses Jesse's centaur treatment, instead putting animal heads on film characters.) Here is a selection of Jesse's filmic sketches; she has also done her bit on the likes of Aziz Ansari,  Joanna Newsom and Elvis. For those of you who have a vision, she also does custom work! (Nicole Kidman as a unicorn, anyone?) Check out her shop for more.  

Click for Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum and Danny Trejo...

Click to read more ...

Smash Season 2 Now Filming

If it were January instead of July we'd be tuning in to Season 2 of Smash right this second. Mondays at 10:00 PM on NBC, don'cha know. Only six months to go. Ugh!

Here is Katharine McPhee as "Karen" (who won the Marilyn Monroe role on Season 1) bowing down to Jack Davenport as "Derek" her director. As well she should since Davenport runs circles around her as an actor and convincingly sells us on his Karen-fixation which goes at least a little bit of the way towards understanding Karen's otherwise invisible charms as a leading lady.

I kid. I kid.

About the bowing down part (I meant everything else). I have no idea what McPhee is doing in this photo?Adjusting her marks maybe -- but doesn't she have people for that?

I am so excited for Season 2 of Smash and I have no idea why since there might be less Megan Hilty (the MVP) since she didn't get the Marilyn part. But a new show runner, new song writers (for a competing musical in the Season 2 plotline), and new cast members including Jennifer Judson in a multiple episode arc (a la Emmy nominated Uma Thurman last year), and rising stage star Jeremy Jordan of Broadway's Bonnie & Clyde and Newsies (and the Dolly/Latifah musical Joyful Noise) could mean a better show but it could also mean a lot of change for the sake of change and that's not always helpful either.  

Right about now or 5 minutes ago, you're like "Why is Nathaniel talking about Smash in July?". It's only because I'm suffering withdrawal and seeking solace in my Smash-patch (i.e. playlists. I recommend listening to Hilty tearing into "Let's Be Bad" at least once a week to stave off the cold sweats and palpitations).

Smash was the target of much internet and media ire last season (musicals always have big bullseyes on their chests just visible underneath the sequins) so I was happy to read recently in Variety that its fate wasn't as dire as armchair and professional TV pundits originally suggested which could bode well for a Season 3 unless Season 2 is disastrous. Apparently Smash commands a very high CPM for an in house drama and it's also popular in high income households which is a big deal to massive corporations like NBC. 

Are you hopeful or un about Smash S2? Will you join us on Tuesdays in the winter for weekly recaps like we did this year?