Cate Blanchett gets a new sparring partner, Kristen Wiig

by Murtada

Cate Blanchett always manages to get sizzling chemistry with her female co-stars, whether the story they are in is sapphic or not. She had it with Judi Dench playing the architect of her destruction in Notes on a Scandal (2007). And with Sally Hawkins as her curtseying worse gened adoptive sister in Blue Jasmine (2013). Most famously, she had it with Rooney Mara as the girl flung out of space in Carol (2015). In the same movie she etched a believable and palpable friendship with Sarah Paulson. We assume she’ll do it again with Paulson next year in Ocean’s Eight (and with Sandra Bullock, Rihanna et al).Those set pictures don’t lie. And now we can add Kristen Wiig to the list.

They already make each other laugh

In the adaptation of Maria Semple’s bestselling novel Where’d You Go, Bernadette, to be directed by Richard Linklater, Cate and Kristen will be at odds with each other. Cate is Bernadette, a once world renowned architect turned recluse who is overwhelmed by her fellow private-school mothers in Seattle. Kristen is Audrey, one of those intense mothers who annoy Bernadette. Shades of Renata and Madeleine in Big Little Lies? If you've read the novel, you know that the Bernadette-Audrey relationship goes into some unexpected but very funny places. Can’t wait to see Blanchett and Wiig sparring.

There are two other great roles in the novel. Bee, Bernadette's 15 year old daughter who puts the pieces together of her mother’s elusive previous life. And Elgin, the husband and father, a genius computer scientist who leads a design team at a very famous tech company. Linklater was seen catching Cate’s final Broadway performance in The Present, just a few days ago. He brought along a friend, Ethan Hawke. Hmmmm. This could mean nothing but it could be a sign. No matter, let's play casting director. Who would you cast as Bee and Elgin?

Review: The Sense of an Ending

by Lynn Lee 

Elliptical and enigmatic, The Sense of an Ending has the quality of a mystery, but one that raises more questions than it answers.  That is, without a doubt, fully intentional.  It’s a film that’s designed to make you go “hmm,” not “aha,” and there’s something admirable about how studiously it avoids going for an obvious narrative or emotional knockout punch.  But by the same token, there’s something a little unsatisfying about it, too.

Based on the Booker Prize-winning novella by Julian Barnes, the film centers on an aging Londoner, Tony Webster (Jim Broadbent), who, upon being notified of an unexpected legacy, finds himself revisiting his memories of an incident from his youth and eventually coming to grips with the fact that he’s never fully acknowledged or even recognized the truth of what really happened...

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It's A Wrap on "A Wrinkle In Time"

Chris here. Over the weekend, Ava DuVernay wrapped filming on her big budget adaptation of family fantasy epic A Wrinkle In Time. While the happy news is that we're now that much more closer to the film, we now have a planet-sized crater on the joyful side of our social media platforms. If you've been paying attention, DuVernay has been treating us to a delightful behind-the-scenes treatment since filming began - and it's been such a bright spot over some gloomy days at the beginning of the year.

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The Sex Appeal of Garbo, Valentino and a 150-Year-Old Novelist

By either bizarre coincidence or brilliant intuition, Greta Garbo and Rudolph Valentino began their careers in nearly the same way. Both achieved overnight success with adaptations of one Spanish novelist, a writer who has almost entirely faded from popular consciousness since then. At the time, though, he was more famous than either actor.

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Gird Your Loins for a "Devil Wears Prada" Musical

Chris here, with exciting Broadway adaptation news. Yes, we've maybe begun to move past eyerolling whenever our favorite movies are cashgrabbed into a stage musical and are occassionally excited about some prospects. The Devil Wears Prada seems like a more natural fit for Broadway (and long rumored). It also just landed some quite credible talent: composer Elton John and scribe Paul Rudnick.

If you're worried about an instant classic like Prada being bastardized, look no further than how Elton John turned Billy Elliot into both a financial and creative success on the stage. Paul Rudnick has given us such gay classics as Jeffrey, Addams Family Values, and In & Out, so don't expect the hilarity to be diminished either. While there is not an arrival date yet, the announcement of their involvement is all we need to confirm that this adaptation is really happening and will be a gay old time.

Get ready for lots of speculation on who will step into Meryl Streep's Priestley shoes, though we imagine it is too early to speculate on casting (or how Tony-ready Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci's former roles will be). It is however fun to fantasize about how Elton will musicalize the pages of Runway magazine. I personally can't wait for numbers like "That's All", "The Cube of Cheese Diet", and "(My Esteemed Colleague) Jacqueline Follet".

What Prada moment are you most excited to see musicalized?