Nathaniel Gives Thanks

While it's not quite time for end of the year list-making shenanigans, it is EXACTLY the time to give thanks. As you all prepare to stuff your faces with family and friends (or friends who are family which are the very best kind of people) we know as Film Experiences readers that you'll also be thinking about the movies. In fact, you're probably catching up on movies this long holiday weekend. I'm hoping to revisit A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood myself and I'll probably squeeze in a screener or two. But this morning I thought I'd share a very random list of ten things I'm grateful for and I hope you'll spread more love in the comments.

This thanksgiving I am particularly grateful for... 

- movie theaters which can (and should) be visited weekly. The year would have been so much duller without the bonkers earnestness of Serenity in January, the visual spectacle of Alita Battle Angel in February, the creepy twinning of Us in March, Rocketman's jubilant musical bravado in May, Emma being so boss in Late Night in June, and so on. Will these movies make anyone's top ten lists? Who cares! There's more to the movies than awards season... 

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FYC: Keke Palmer as Oscar Host

by Murtada Elfadl

Hear me out. I’m on record on the podcast liking last year’s hostless ceremony and wanting that to continue. However that was before I saw Hustlers. Now is a different time.

The Academy recently announced that the 2020 ceremony will be produced by Stephanie Allain (Hustle & Flow, Beyond the Lights) and Lynette Howell Taylor (A Star is Born) and of course the media started speculating about whether or not they’ll bring back a host. They haven’t divulged any of their plans yet but the usual lists of who should host have started appearing everywhere. And it’s the usual suspects (Ellen, Kimmel, The Rock). Sorry to these suggestions, we can do better than that...

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Doc Corner: 'Circus of Books' and 'Gay Chorus Deep South'... Two Very Different Gay Documentaries

By Glenn Dunks

If you’d told me that I would definitely cry during either the documentary about a gay erotic book and pornography store or the documentary about a gay men’s chorus travelling through the deep south and bringing a message of acceptance to hard red states, then the safe money would have been on the latter. Although this is me we’re talking about, notorious non-cryer and dismisser of the Up opening sequence so it’s not entirely a surprise per se.

Ultimately, I think it says more about the movies than it does me (although, yes, it probably does say a lot about me, too).

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Soundtracking FYC: 5 Original Song Outsiders Worth Nominating

by Chris Feil

This year’s longlist of eligible Original Song contenders should be arriving right on schedule in a month’s time, so what better time to shed some light on a few under-the-radar favorites than the present! Conventional wisdom at this stage in the race is falling as it typically does: to big pop stars and returning songwriting champions...

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Interview: Chris Butler on creative freedom, animation's future, and "Missing Link"

by Nathaniel R

Chris Butler (Paranorman, Missing Link)

When I met the talented Chris Butler earlier this year for the release of his second film Missing Link (2019), I was buzzing while he was crashing. I was thrilled that he’d just proved his Oscar nominated horror-tinged comedy ParaNorman (2012) was no fluke with his sophomore effort, a hilarious adventure comedy which wore its Victorian literature and adventure film influences all over its fussy colorful sleeves. He was suffering from a cold and ready for a much needed vacation after wrapping his second feature and hitting the publicity grind immediately thereafter. 

As writer and director, he plays two very different roles on each film, one a solitary pleasure, but in the other surrounded by hundreds of people daily. He jokingly feared that he’d become misanthropic. “I need some space! ‘Chrisanthropic’ -- that’s what they call me!”

I flashed back to that interview recently given that year end awards and “best of” lists are upon us. If there’s any justice, Missing Link is being rediscovered right now on FYC screeners and Butler will be surrounded by hundreds of people again on red carpets. Here’s hoping that well-earned vacation was rejuvenating!

[The following interview has been condensed for clarity]

NATHANIEL: Audiences rarely think of animated films in terms of directors but studios… but your films originate with you. 

CHRIS: Our process is probably different from the biggest studios. You know, I originally went to Laika to work for six months and that was 13 years ago!  So yeah, clearly there was an opportunity there that was worth pursuing. What it was was absolute creative freedom...

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