Podcast: 'Nocturnal Elle's Halftime Walk'

We're back to weekly podcasts! This week Nick, Joe, and Nathaniel discuss the latest films from Tom Ford, Ang Lee, and Paul Verhoeven, only one of which we can recommend.

Index (42 minutes)
00:01-17:22 Ang Lee's awkward Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk starring Joe Alwyn and Garret Hedlund

17:23-29:45 Tom Ford's revolting Nocturnal Animals. We don't understand the initial acclaim at all

29:46-42:00 Paul Verhoeven and Isabelle Huppert's provocative collaboration Elle, France's Oscar submission (mild spoilers)

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments.

Nocturnal Elle's Halftime Walk

Box Office: Arrival Opens Well for Amy

What did you see this weekend? Doctor Strange (reviewed) continued to be the top draw at the box office tower but Arrival had a strong debut for a thinking person's non-action oriented sci-fi epic. (It's Amy Adams best headline opening since Enchanted !) But will mainstream audiences like it or will we see a big drop next weekend after word gets out that it's, well, a thinking person's movie? Will Oscar come calling or will they prefer the less genre-oriented fare this year? What's your best guess? Meanwhile in limited release...

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Podcast: Arrival, Loving, and Cape Fear

We're back to weekly podcasts! This week Nick, Joe, and Nathaniel discuss two new Best Picture hopefuls and one bold remake

Index (43 minutes)
00:01 Arrival - thinky empathetic sci-fi just when we're starved for understanding in the real world + Amy Adams!
19:35 Slight spoilery territory on Arrival and comparing it to other movies
27:05 Cape Fear's 25th anniversary. One of our favorite Scorsese's.
33:30 Loving a quiet civil rights drama
41:11 Almost Christmas and goodbyes

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you?  

Loving and Arrival...

Amy 'Arrives' This Friday

Just a few days until Arrival opens. It's one of the year's best movies and a mainstream sci-fi grandiosity that deserves success so do not miss it. I watched it with anxious wonder, something like the expression Amy aces at peak moments within the film.

Psycho Beach Party (2000)Up next for the 42 year old Oscar-Darling: the miniseries Sharp Objects (quick name an Oscar-bait actresses who isn't doing a miniseries in 2017 -- they're everywhere!) and two reprisal roles with Lois Lane again (sigh) in Justice League and Giselle again (yay) in Disenchanted.

Do you remember the first time you ever saw Amy Adams onscreen? For me it was either flirty bitchy "Marvel Ann" in Psycho Beach Party (2000) or "Cousin Beth" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. But I first really paid attention and noted her name in Catch Me If You Can (2002).

The definitely incomplete history of Janis Joplin biopics

by Josh Forward

There have been so many rumoured, green lit and delayed productions of a Janis Joplin biopic, it’s nearly impossible to keep track. But we're here to try! Janis was a 60’s superstar, with an iconic voice and an image that was reflective of the counter culture of the times. She also sadly joined the 27 club by a drug overdose. 

Her incredible life and talent has been promised on the big screen for decades and the latest announcement has Michelle Williams as Joplin under the direction of Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene). This will be based on Laura Joplin’s book "Love, Janis" made up of real letters from Joplin. This is not to be confused with the delayed version starring Amy Adams directed by Jean-Marc Vallee, halted by legal trouble which was tentatively called Get it While You Can.

But these two productions have actually been competing since the 1990’s. And before them there were other failed attempts. Let’s look back...

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