Gemini, Cinephile, Actressexual. Also loves cats. All material herein is written and copyrighted by him, unless otherwise noted.twitter | facebook | pinterest | tumblr | letterboxd
❝I still remember how happy I was when I saw it the first time and I had to restrain myself to immediately watch it again, it was so perfect to me.❞ -Ivonne
❝Only a handful of sports movies I would watch on a constant loop because they are just so satisfying: Slap Shot, Bull Durham, and the original Bad News Bear❞ -CMG
❝Kevin Costner in underwear ironing... Such good memories. When did movies become so aseptic and cold?❞ -Iggy
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Film Studies for Free collects essays on Todd Haynes' 1995 masterpiece [safe] AdvocateMan of Steel as gay allegory? Scriptnotes discusses The Little Mermaid in depth. For a whole podcast Guardian lists the 5 best performances of Kevin Costner. And it's SO bizarre I don't even know where to start. No Bull Durham (which as Tim correctly stated this week is by far his best work) but Robin Hood: Prince of Thi.... no I can't even type the full title out. Blargh! Pajiba celebrates Men in Tights given that Supes is back in theaters
Cinema Blend Marvin Gaye Biopic starring Jesse L Martin doesn't have funds to finish production. Boo. I need another biopic about a famous singer with drug problems like I need another superhero flick but I like Jesse. /Film Sandra Bullock for Miss Hannigan in Annie? That could be fun but as always say it with me now... "can she sing?" In Contention a biopic of Ingrid Bergman? I can deal with that... especially since this possible new one has a tight focus on one moment in her life (the best kind of bio)
Off Cinema Salon on the battle over Detroit's art collection. News from my first home always seems to be bad :( Towleroad Cheyenne Jackson pleads "Don't Look at Me" in his new video. We disobey Vulture the ten best oral sex faces of the 2013 tv season
We're getting to know the Film Experience community with reader spotlights once or twice a week. This may take awhile! Today we're talking to Troy from Maryland.
What's your first movie memory?
My first movie memory is seeing Annie in the theater with my mother, aunt, and cousin. I recall being thoroughly drawn in as everyone's favorite redhead clings to Punjab for dear life toward the climax of the film. I also have a vivid recollection of viewing Pinocchio when it was re-released in the early 1980s. I guess that makes me one of your elder readers.
Aw, we have readers of all ages. It's just the younger readers seem way less shy. When did you start reading TFE?
Oscar race 2001 after a link from Sasha Stone's site. As someone who was not a fan of A Beautiful Mind, I was impressed by your incisive dissection of the movie's glaring flaws. My continued reading of your blog showed me someone whose love, passion, and knowledge of all facets of cinema quickly became contagious.
You have a goddaughter, right? How do you plan to educate her cinematically.
My oldest is nearly seventeen, so unfortunately, my time has passed with him. As for my two goddaughters, if they learn nothing else from me, they will at least be taught that the medium is too broad in scope for them to be myopic in their taste. They will also realize that Tyler Perry is an enemy whose total annihilation is essential for the progression of blacks in film. LOL. Okay, three favorite directors?
Aw, man! I was hoping to get the actresses. Ha. With the one-two-three punch of The Fountain, The Wrestler, and Black Swan Darren Aronofsky unquestionably earns a place on that list. Too much of Spike Lee's filmography is indellibly imprinted in my mind for him not to be included as well. I also wish that Jonathan Demme worked a great deal more, especially considering how adept he is across genres.
If Troy ran Hollywood, they'd all get more work!
If you ran Hollywood what would you greenlight?
Because of my background in musical theatre, the intial order of business would be the production of more musicals with the stipulation that Rob Marshall, Adam Shankman, and Bill Condon have absolutely nothing to do with them. In addition, I would grant Angela Bassett approval for any project of her choosing, provided it would give her a chance at another meaty starring role. Any talented auteur hoping to get his or her film made would have to find quality parts for Sharika Epps, Nicole Beharie, and/or Christina Hendricks. Finally, there would be a mandate for intelligent, adult thrillers and horrors that harken back to the time when studios didn't merely perceive them as an easy, relatively cheap way to make a quick buck.
Does "background in musical theatre" mean "actor" and if so, any dream roles?
I am indeed an actor-singer trying to finally break free from his day job. I've already taken on so many good roles -- Jimmy Early in "Dreamgirls," Mitch Mahoney in "Spelling Bee," Benny in "RENT," Belize in "Angels in America: Perestroika" -- that it's difficult to say what I would like to do next. I'd love to tackle something else non-musical, maybe an August Wilson piece, and I wish there were a role in "August: Osage County" for me.
Troy and Ron Giddings performing "I Don't Do That Anymore" this past November
!!! Your voice is so good. Okay, final question. You live in Maryland which begs the question: what's your favorite John Waters movie?
I have honestly never seen a single John Waters movie in its entirety. Though the man himself is quite the character, his aesthetic as a filmmaker has never truly appealed to me. And with that revelation I will probably be banished from Charm City forever!
Movie Line could The Canyons revive Lindsay Lohan's film career? The Onion "Area Woman's Baseless Hatred Of Anne Hathaway Reciprocated" LOL Awards Daily Oscar Post-Mortem. Great 2012 movies that received no Oscar nominations this season. Will you remember them, anyway?
Wet Dark and Wild what is Jake Gyllenhaal up to? Prisoners The Carpetbagger explains what's going on with Visual Effects in the wake of that Life of Pi speech so unceremoniously cut off by Jaws music on Oscar night Vulture a timeline of Oscar weekend parties with appearances from Quvenzhané, Chastain, John Hawkes, a reunion for The Help. I love this bit on Tommy Lee Jones... I mean who knew:
11:58 p.m. The most romantic moment of the night comes from Tommy Lee Jones, of all people. He's holding up an In-N-Out burger for his wife Dawn to graze on, while looking at her lovingly. She's literally eating out of the palm of his hand right now.
newsy Coming Soon the new Annie, starring Quvenzhané Wallis will hit movie theaters on Christmas day, 2014 Hollywood Carrie Fisher hospitalized after bipolar meltdown :( i09 Chris Cooper joining The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as Norman Osborne. Studios never learn their lessons and this one is getting as crowded as X3! My New Plaid Pants Annie Wilkes herself, Kathy Bates, is joining the new season of American Horror Story
NPR Bradley Cooper speaks. And charms. New York Times 'red carpet projects' 478 looks from Oscar's past. Truly random selection but it was fun seeing some of the stunners again LA Times another day, another prize for Argo. This time it's the USC Scripter prize for screenplay (which goes to the author of the original text and the screenwriter who adapted it). I'm glad there are a few "who will win?" dramas left for Oscar night but, as ever, Best Picture won't be one of them. Argo has become a steamroller.
Gawker Rich Juzwiak slams Rex Reed's unkind words for Melissa McCarthy but makes a righteous demand of Identity Thief's star: "Transcend, McCarthy, transcend." Atlantic Wire beautiful posters for Oscars Best Pictures via Gallery 1988 Salon The Rethuglicans are already spending big to "make fun of" actress Ashley Judd even though she's not yet (officially) given up showbiz for politic Guardian talks to Stephen Daldry about his Oscary career and his latest stage piece (directing Helen Mirren as the Queen again) Coming Soon in the many articles spreading the assumption that Quvenzhané Wallis will soon become little orphan Annie in the second big screen adaptation of that stage musical, none have ever confirmed that she can sing. If you can't belt "Tomorrow" the role can't be yours. Can she? Carpetbagger with Oscar, there's even competition to make the "In Memoriam" list. No, not by dying. I didn't mean it like that.
and here's the complete Oscar nominated short Adam and Dog by Minkyu Lee
Michael C here to see if the Annie Award nominations shed any light on this year’s rare neck and neck Oscar race for Best Animated film.
Frankenweenie captured critics and Annie noms. But not audiences. Will Oscar take to the (un)dead dog?
Animated Feature
"Brave" – Pixar Animation Studios
"Frankenweenie" – Walt Disney Studio
"Hotel Transylvania" – Sony Pictures Animation
"ParaNorman" – Focus Features
"Rise of the Guardians" – DreamWorks Animation
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits" – Aardman Animations
"The Rabbi’s Cat "– GKIDS
"Wreck-It Ralph" – Walt Disney Animation Studios
Without a slam-dunk frontrunner draining the suspense out of the category for once it's worth sifting through the tea leaves looking for omens. Unfortunately the Annie's nominated everything so it doesn't clarify much. At least they had the good taste to leave out The Lorax, Madagascar 3 and Ice Age 25, which I believe takes place in the early 1970’s.
Monday, June 17, 2013 at 7:30AM 
