Gay Best Friend: Nigel in "The Devil Wears Prada"

In this series by Christopher James we investigate the 'Gay Best Friend' trope in movies.

With the release of The Prom this Friday, people have been talking about the ethics of straight men taking on gay roles. As Nathaniel noted in his review, James Corden’s limp wrist and flouncy take on Barry is a tone deaf disaster. A large part of this comes from him, a straight man, constantly feeling like he must don exaggerated gay affectations rather than actually sketching out a three dimensional character. In 2020, we are in a place where we do have big name, openly gay actors more than qualified to tackle the gay roles that Hollywood writes.

While queer people should be prioritized when telling queer stories, there are many great gay performances by straight men. Perhaps one of the strongest examples is Stanley Tucci as Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada. While it’s clear from the jump that Nigel is gay, Tucci doesn’t “play” into the stereotype. Instead, his first point of reference for Nigel is a driven professional who is comfortably hyper-confident in his field...

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Oscar Trivia: Winning the Oscar for playing a famous actor? How common is it.

by Christopher James

The name on everybody’s lips is gonna be… "MANK!"

Just kidding, people don’t really seem to be talking about the titular (and often-referenced) character, played by Gary Oldman. Love or hate the movie, everyone seems to agree that Amanda Seyfried is best in show as Marion Davies. A Supporting Actress nomination for Seyfried feels secure. The real question is: Can Seyfried win the Oscar?

While the role is prominent, the one downside from an Oscar perspective is that it is not a typical “showy” performance...

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In 2020, what is a "theatrical film"?

by Juan Carlos

2020 is the year that altered the face of cinema as we know it. After cinemas closed all over the world, films were either delayed or released in modified platforms like virtual cinemas and VOD. Indoor gathering restrictions also led to a resurgence of drive-in theaters. Meanwhile, streaming became an even more vital way for films to reach audiences. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu all have Oscar contenders this season.

This shift in movie-watching was further validated by the Academy’s decision earlier this year to allow films released via streaming and VOD to be eligible for the Academy Awards, provided that they were previously intended for theatrical release and that they will be available in the Academy Screening Room. This amendment to the eligibility rules is major, especially given the Academy’s previous adherence to the traditional definition of what a “theatrical film” is. Pre-COVID eligibility rules state that...

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Showbiz History: Shirley, Silkwood, and the Spider-Verse

6 random things that happened on this day, December 14th, in showbiz history

1916 Shirley Jackson, the famed horror writer, was born on this day. Shirley, the artful biopic (of sorts) starring Elisabeth Moss, celebrated her earlier this year. You really should queue it up if you haven't yet seen it.

1945 National Velvet hit movie theaters 75 years ago on this very day, making a major star of 13 year-old Elizabeth Taylor. Unlike many a child star, her stardom would never dim but grow blindingly year by year...

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Boston Society embraces "The Father" and "Nomadland"

by Nathaniel R

The Boston Society of Film Critics, generally one of the best critics organizations (in that they have good taste and aren't afraid to go their own way) announced their prize winners today. They've given multiple prizes to four pictures: Nomadland, Minari, i'm thinking of ending things, and The Father. With the exception of prizes for American indie Never Rarely Sometimes Always, the Guatemalan film La Llorona, and Charlie Kaufman's I'm thinking of ending things, Boston almost exlusively went with films that have not yet opened to the public or that just barely "opened" so it's a "Best of December 2020 through February 2021" kind of list. 

The complete list of winners is after the jump...

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