How Had I Never Seen . . . . "Lust, Caution"?

by Nick Taylor

Happy Venice Film Festival, y’all!! While Nathaniel and Elisa are off in Italy enjoying some of the season’s hottest potential offerings, I figured it’d be fun to play along at home and finally watch some noteworthy Venice prizewinners I somehow hadn’t seen yet, or have been prioritizing for years but never gotten around to viewing.

And among the most urgent films for this tour was 2007’s Golden Lion winner Lust, Caution, Ang Lee’s story of espionage in Japanese-occupied Hong Kong across several years of World War II, dramatizing on-the-ground political stakes with an eye towards contemporaneous cinematic flourishes and the defining grit and elegance of ‘40s noir. The 1979 novella by Ellen Chang was infamous for supposedly extrapolating story elements from the life of Chinese spy Zheng Pingru. Lee’s film reignited those controversies while drawing some of its own, facing confusion about its country of production and earning an NC-17 rating that put it in hot water with numerous censorship laws.

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Doc Corner: 'On Broadway'

By Glenn Dunks

They say the neon lights are bright,
on Broadway.
They say there’s always magic in the air…

Let's be thankful that On Broadway doesn’t open with those famous lyrics from the song of the same name. Bob Fosse already did that, using George Benson’s funk-inspired 1978 rendition to launch All That Jazz over images of a throng of auditioning theatre wannabes. It’s showtime, folks, and that song is a hell of an introduction, but it's been done.

The release of Oren Jacoby’s doc feels perfectly timed, having been completed and screened at the Hamptons International Film Festival back in 2019 but delayed for general release until now as the city is on the verge of re-opening to crowds...

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"The Other Two" Shines by Putting Molly Shannon in the Spotlight

Wouldn't you watch a Molly Shannon talk show?

By: Christopher James

Creators Chris Kelley and Sarah Schneider should “Pat… themselves on the back” for another great season of The Other Two. Season two roars back with a new vigor as it re-centers the show around the Dubek matriarch, Pat (Molly Shannon), and her newfound success as a talk show host.

Last season saw the Dubak family thrust into the spotlight once the youngest son, ChaseDreams (Case Walker) has a viral hit and becomes an overnight pop sensation. Now, Chase is off to NYU (but not Tisch, as the show hilariously notes) and Pat has become a talk show host that rivals Chase in terms of popularity.

As for the titular Other Two Dubek siblings, they are… doing all right. At the very least, they are in better positions than last year...

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The Best Costumes of 1986

by Cláudio Alves

At last, we must say goodbye to the 1986 cinematic year. The Supporting Actress Smackdown was a blast and, before moving on to 1937, there's one remaining matter to take care of – the Best Costume Design Oscar race. Just like Dianne Wiest won the first of her two Academy Awards at that ceremony, so did Jenny Beavan. The British designer dressed the likely runner-up for Supporting Actress, Maggie Smith in A Room with a View, delivering a dream of Edwardian fashions with the help of fellow costumier John Bright. Indeed, all of the nominees that year were period pieces, ranging from 1500s Venetian tragedies to a time-traveling misadventure through 1960's suburbia. The contenders were:

• Anna Anni & Maurizio Millenotti, Otello
• Jenny Beavan & John Bright, A Room with a View
• Anthony Powell, Pirates
• Theadora Van Runkle, Peggy Sue Got Married
• Enrico Sabbatini, The Mission

First, let's examine the winner, our favorite and much-dissected Merchant-Ivory classic. I promise this is the last time I write about A Room with a View…

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Breakfast with... Joe Gideon

September is "Better Breakfast Month" -we're celebrating because we ❤️ food and movies. 

Alka Seltzer, Dexedrine, eyedrops... a cigarette in the shower. You're ready to go!

It's showtime, folks.

This is not a healthy breakfast. Where does Bob Fosse /Joe Gideon get all that energy? Man cannot live on sex, drugs and jazz hands alone. But at least try the "it's showtime, folks" this morning in the mirror and see if that's like adding another cup of joe, fuel-wise. I will be doing the same on my first day in VENICE. ohmygod. More soon.