While We Wait for Carol...

The natives are growing restless.

Greetings friends. Chris here, the newest member of Team Experience. Like I'm assuming many of you, I live far away from the lucky 16 theatres currently housing Todd Haynes' return to the big screen. So I'm happy with even the slightest shift that brings Carol's glacial release to my local screens. Non-US readers have an even longer wait. We've all become the human embodiment of that inescapable Rooney Mara image.

It's worth noting amid all our impatience the cautionary tale told this year by the likes of Steve Jobs and The Diary of a Teenage Girl: going too wide too soon can result in a quick crash and burn in this increasingly crowded marketplace. So let's take a breather and feel grateful that Carol has a distributor like The Weinstein Co. focused on reaching a passionate audience, even if it means waiting longer than we want. After all, the film is still the film no matter when we see it.

Meanwhile, I've got 10 fun homework assignments to keep you occupied while you wait...

 1. Read Patricia Highsmith's novel (also published as The Price of Salt). The film is not a page-to-page adaptation, so some surprises will still be ahead - including more of our titular love interest!

2. Rewatch the Todd Haynes filmography! I'll do the leg work for you: Velvet Goldmine is availble on Netflix Instant, Poison and I'm Not There on Amazon Prime...

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Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Julianne Moore's Birthday

Kieran, here taking a brief respite from the holidays (read: Oscar season) to wish a very happy birthday to Julianne Moore. Between her tribute to Todd Haynes at the Gotham Awards and her very funny “Billy on the Street" segment it’s a good week to celebrate the Academy Award-winning actress. Just glancing at her filmography, she’s gifted the world of cinema with so much to be thankful for and she’s surely got a lot more left to give. It’s far too rare that the great actors of any generation also become Oscar winners. Before Still Alice many had assumed it was over for Moore in terms of ever copping the statue. Seeing her ascend the stage to collect her Academy Award earlier this year, it never felt so good to be so wrong.

So, on this, Julianne’s birthday...

Appropriate Ways To Celebrate

1. Relax with some yoga.

 2. Bake a cake. Watch the sifting flour. "Isn't it pretty? It's just like snow."

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50 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Viola Davis' Birthday

Margaret and Anne Marie here, with suggestions of how best to rejoice in 50 years of national treasure VIOLA DAVIS...

1. Set something on fire with only the power of your measured, penetrating gaze
2. Look sensational in a jewel-hued gown
3. Drink a tall glass of bubbly while wearing said gown
4. Enter a room with unparalleled grace
5. Have a professional task you feel is beneath you? Pick it up and blow it out of the water. Because you can.
6. Make your coworkers look great
7. Give sage & loving advice. Or take someone else's
8. Pull up a dick pic on your phone, and accusingly approach strangers with it
   
   
   
    
9. Consider making a donation to the Segue Institute for Learning or the Hunger Is campaign, which are two of Viola Davis' preferred charities
10. Visit Rhode Island
11. Do a few sets of tricep curls 
12. Write a thank you note to Shonda Rhimes.
13. Paper your neighborhood with Emmy For Your Consideration ads.
14. Walk up to the most respected person in your chosen field and gracefully, modestly, utterly outshine them.
15. Outshine some nobodies too, just for fun
    
    35 more ways to celebrate after the jump!
    
    

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50 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Keanu Reeves Birthday!

In honor of Keanu Reeves' half-century mark today, 50 appropriate ways to celebrate the day. Please report back with the number you plan to accomplish today. Party on dudes!

01 Become a "cool breeze over the mountains" like his name (consider it an acting exercize)
02 Consider Beirut, Lebanon where Keanu was born
03 Find it on the map if you're not familiar 
03 Take the red pill
04 Join us tonight for "Best Shot" - we'll be choosing our favorite image from The Matrix
04 Be excellent to each other
05 Party on, dudes!
06 Watch Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
07 Play a game of hockey

08 Drive a motorcycle
09 or, a a bus
10 Wait. Those are both probably illegal without a special license so why not just take a bus and pretend your driver is Sandra Bullock)

11 ...or go surfing
12 The point is physical activity. Do lots of it. Keanu is always on the move.
13 Read our Team Experience anniversary piece on Point Break (1991)
14 Look amazing in a wetsuit
15 Get wet frequently today; It's a good look for you
 
(35 more ways to celebrate after the jump) 

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65 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Meryl Streep's Birthday

In honor of Meryl's 65th birthday today... channel her essence and celebrate her joie de vivre. You know you want to. 

65 Smile. Like you're mischievously pleased with yourself.
64 Master the tricky combo of being warm and relatable but also superior to the mere mortals around you
63 Be a total boss at your profession
62 ... and win a prize for it.
61 (Run around like a joyful maniac when you do)

60 ... or make a plan to do so. 
59 Pick up a strange accent today
58 ...abruptly change it at lunch
57 ....and then again at dinner 
56 Sleep with someone who is good with their hands, like, I don't know a sculptor or something. I'm just spitballing here...

55 more ways to celebrate after the jump

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