What did you see this weekend?

While time has lost much of its meaning during the work-from-home lockdown, it's still a holiday weekend which theoretically will give more of us an opportunity to catch up on screenings. For the Martin Luther King Jr Day holiday weekend, Amazon Prime released One Night in Miami and, it's worth noting as perfect holiday viewing, that the Oscar hopeful documentary MLK/FBI is also available to rent online. Here's what was popular in movie theaters, such as they are right now...

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Showbiz History: Frances McDormand's Film Debut

7 random things that happened on this day, January 18th, in showbiz history

1942 Dates on this one tend to vary but some sources say the Mickey Rooney/ Judy Garland film Babes on Broadway arrived in movie theaters on this day. A year later it would be up for Best Original Song at the Oscars for "How About You?" but lose to "White Christmas" in the film Holiday Inn... 

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One Night in Miami: Telling a story through suits

by Cláudio Alves

Limitations aren't always the enemy of style or art. Tight parameters can be the fertile ground from which creativity grows and thrives. In the world of costume design, the dynamic between restraint and imagination is especially obvious when one needs to dress men in formal attire. Since the early 19th century, western men's fashion has solidified around a masculine uniform with little in the ways of variation – the suit. To find ways to make that fashion standard into a storytelling tool, one must excel at finding the little details that make all the difference. Recently, Regina King's One Night in Miami is a good example of this brand of costuming excellence…

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Showbiz History: Eartha Kitt, Smooth Talk, From Dusk Till Dawn

6 random things that happened on this day, January 17th, in showbiz history...

1976 "I Write the Songs" by Barry Manilow hits #1. Do you know any 'Fanilows'?

1986 The 3rd Sundance Film Festival kicks off. The Laura Dern led Smooth Talk wins the Grand Jury Prize in the dramatic competition prize, but two queer classics Desert Hearts and Parting Glances, also received jury recognition. Also on this day The Clan of the Cave Bear opened in movie theaters starring Daryl Hannah. I remember it vividly because the poster was cool (Oscar-nominated makeup!) and my mom was reading the best-seller it was based on but wouldn't go to see it because it was rated R...

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Regina King @ 50: Stealing the spotlight in "Ray"

by Cláudio Alves

Despite having leading roles in her resume and a just-released directorial effort, it feels appropriate that this weekend's birthday-girl Regina King's Oscar is for Best Supporting Actress. From the very start of her career, she's been a consummate scene-stealer, adding energy and blinding charisma to the margins of her productions. One remembers the actress' superb comedic debut in Boyz n the Hood, the unimprovable hilarity of Jerry Maguire, the two awards-winning turning points in her career, TV's American Crime and the big screen's If Beale Street Could Talk. Still, it's hard not to wish that her big break had come sooner since the quality has always been there. In other words, how in the hell did King get next to no awards buzz for her captivating performance in Best Picture-nominee Ray?...

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