Birthday parties at the movies

Hi everyone, it’s Tim. Our host and founder might be gone for a little while, but the women and men of Team Film Experience will still be around to keep the lights on, even without Nathaniel’s guiding hand to keep things on track. For example, you can expect to see my four-part series, "Michelle Pfeiffer: Decent, But She’s Sure No Renée Zellweger", beginning next week.

Kidding! Happy Birthday, Nathaniel, here's Michelle being all smoldering.

Anyway, as Nathaniel mentioned, it’s also his birthday, and in his honor, I’d like to go on a little tour of some of the all-time best cinematic birthdays.

Click to read more ...

blowing out the candles, flying overseas

I woke up with a totally horrid summer cold ~ happy birthday to me! But I can't let that stop me. Due to a manic expediting of an expired passport, and an otherwise stressful week, I haven't prepared anything fancy to say goodbye with and haven't curated a selection of guest bloggers (whoops) as is my normal way since I'm always afraid you'll leave me if the blog is empty for a week... but flights wait for no blog! I'm off for a week overseas.

The blog isn't quite 'going dark' -- that's too dramatic and technically complicated -- but will return to full glory starting on Monday the 17th.

We'll call this a Summer Hiatus though there might be a surprise post or two  - no promises. Much Ado About Nothing, Violet & Daisy, Man of Steel, and The Bling Ring are all opening while I'm away damnit

But sometimes you just gotta unplug. We'll catch up when I get back and am creatively recharged for another great film year and Oscar race!

Happy Birthday Hannah (Plus: New Year's Resolutions)

Oops. Now I've ruined Kate Winslet's surprise for Hannah! It's a birthday cake.I've always felt bad for people whose birthdays fall around the holidays. They have to share the spotlight with something huge and impersonal (to them) and I hope that they pretend that the world around them is just celebrating their special day with a holiday-themed blowout party. So when I learned that Hannah M, a devoted member of the The Film Experience community was born on New Year's Eve I vowed to wish her a happy birthday this year. So...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!

And happy birthday to any of you reading who were born during holidays of any sort. I hereby vow as one of  my New Year's Resolution to bring back the 'Reader Spotlight' in 2013. That was fun when we were doing it.

As for other resolutions about life here on the blog, feel free to make suggestions in the comments though I'll be aiming for more interviews (albeit more spaced out), video blogging and festival coverage (maybe if I can find the money) and more commemorative hoopla for special films and actors. As always your comments, donations, subscriptions (see right hand sidebar), sharing and liking, and retweeting and whatnot are invaluable to keeping TFE going since this has always been a passion project indie site surrounded by behemoth corporate movie blogs. And more and more of them each year, too! It's not easy. Every year I think it'll be my last and then I here from one of you about what the site means to you or see the odd new subscription donation (one cup of coffee a month - cheap!) and I start typing again.

The point is. The site would have folded long ago without its passionate readership. So here's to next year (we survived 2012!)

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A MEMORABLE NEW YEARS EVE!

And here's to 2013 being a huge step up from 2012, which was a tough year for so many people around the world.

Be safe tonight. xoxoxo

-Nathaniel

Happy (Belated) 50th to Tony Leung Chiu Wai

I can't believe I forgot yesterday. He's only one of the world's best movie stars. He celebrated without me with a tiny balloon and modest cake.

How do you say "I love you Tony!" in Cantonese and/or Mandarin?

What's Your Number One Nicole?

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.JA from MNPP here, daring to tackle one of Nathaniel's sacred cows on her 45th birthday - the lovely and not at all cow-like yet entirely sacred, the very very talented Nicole Kidman. Earlier today I was reading through this fine list by the fine folks at The Playlist of what they deem her five greatest performances (all lists will be null and void once she pees on Zac Efron) and they're all choices that are pretty darn hard to argue with (my own personal favorite is easily To Die For)... and yet, yet! I still feel nagged at by the absence of Alice in Eyes Wide Shut...

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... and Grace in The Others...

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...and what the heck about Satine?!?!?

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But then this is Kidman, and the riches run very deep.

So what's your favorite Nicole Kidman performance?

Quick, just one!

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