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Entries in books (161)

Thursday
Jun082017

Fifty Shades Blander 

By Spencer Coile 

It is a sunny, carefree weekday afternoon. A spur of the moment decision leads me to rent the 2017 "blockbuster," Fifty Shades Darker, which prides itself on being the sequel to the risque and monotonous Fifty Shades of Grey. It's new to DVD, I had read half of the second book several summers ago, the first film was altogether harmless, what did I have to lose? 

Two hours, it would appear.

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Friday
Apr072017

Hugo Nominees 2017

Like many awards groups the Hugo Awards (which specialize in sci-fi literature) have been the subject of controversy over the years. That's not just in terms of nominees but the voting process itself. But as window dressing for those of us who like sci-fi but aren't immersed in that world firmly, so to speak, they still make for a handy list of reading suggestions! I'm going to try a couple of these since I needed some new books to read.

They have two screen movie/tv related categories, too, so Arrival has a chance to win something else (crosses fingers)

THE NOMINEES
[Note: If there's a bold link, the nominee is free to enjoy online. Regular links go to Amazon. We're an affiliate so if you purchase anything after clicking over (and some of these are quite inexpensive) The Film Experience gets an eensy-weensy little kickback.] 

Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)

  • Arrival, (21 Laps Entertainment/FilmNation Entertainment/Lava Bear Films)
  • Deadpool (Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/Marvel Entertainment/Kinberg Genre/The Donners’ Company/TSG Entertainment)
  • Ghostbusters (Columbia Pictures/LStar Capital/Village Roadshow Pictures/Pascal Pictures/Feigco Entertainment/Ghostcorps/The Montecito Picture Company)
  • Hidden Figures (Fox 2000 Pictures/Chernin Entertainment/Levantine Films/TSG Entertainment)
  • Rogue One (Lucasfilm/Allison Shearmur Productions/Black Hangar Studios/Stereo D/Walt Disney Pictures)
  • Stranger Things, Season One, (21 Laps Entertainment/Monkey Massacre)

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Friday
Mar242017

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?

Wednesday
Feb012017

Link Link Land

The Daily Beast Michael Musto talks to an anonymous Oscar voter about who they're voting for. They're very unhappy with Meryl Streep's 20th and La La Land's 14
/Film Barry Jenkins chooses movies from the Criterion Collection -wonderful. (And people forget how obsessed people were with La Haine when it came out)
Variety ABC picked up a pilot starring Toni Collette. Please let it be good. Miss her so much. Totally the best actress that directors aren't using which I will NEVER understand
Cinematic Corner Sati falls for The Handmaiden


Film School Rejects on Stranger Things SAG acceptance speech and season two
MNPP Jason lets Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) take him on a train of thought and it is a joy as is that movie or at least Gable and Franchot Tone in it
Village Voice Bilge Ebiri's 10 favorites from Sundance include Where is Kyra? and Mudbound
World of Reel Ben Affleck will no longer be directing The Batman movie 
Pajiba has news of an incredibly problematic sounding new Mel Gibson movie about police brutality.
Four Two Nine good piece on LGBT characters still being stuck in the "best friend" / "helper" mode despite many more gay characters in film and television  
Tracking Board HBO developing a movie about the behind-the-scenes on The Godfather (1972). I mean who gets to play Marlon Brando and Diane Keaton. Those seem like tall orders (lots of people can do a decent Al Pacino)

Off Cinema
Playbill Hamilton is doubling the amount of seats in its lottery starting... yesterday. Good luck!
Village Voice fascinating piece on the billionaire subgenre within romance novels
Los Angeles Times on how the travel ban is worrying Hollywood the business aspects of Hollywood and the talent pool
The Guardian Johnny Depp is suing and being countersued... and he's spending money as wildly and foolishly as Nicolas Cage once did (if you're wondering why they both make so many bad movies) 

Dune Again
As was previously rumored but is now true, Denis Villeneuve has signed on to direct Dune. He mentioned this as a possibility in our interview recently and sounded very excited about it, having been a fan of the novel his whole life. But still, TWO reboots of two beloved sci-fi properties back-to-back with Blade Runner 2049 up next? And right after your Oscar nomination after such deserved momentum from doing your own thing (Enemy-Prisoners-Sicario-Arrival)?! I guess this is cashing in while also fulfilling a dream but it worries this fan of Villeneuve doing his own thing.  

Though the David Lynch film from 1984 had its issues it also had some deeply memorable imagery so at the very least it will be interesting to see how his version measures up.

Thursday
Jan192017

The Repulsive Review: A Series of Unfortunate Events

By Jorge Molina

In keeping with the explicit warnings of the show's opening theme song, a warning of my own: I tried to approach this objectively but the emotional ties I have with the original book series are too strong to separate from my enjoyment of the show.  If you’re looking for an impartial take on the Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Event, look away! If you’re looking for a passionate dissection by a Millennial, please continue reading after the jump...

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