The Golden Globes: The Nominations Announced

Good morning once again. It feels like just yesterday we were getting up early to watch a major awards precursor announce their list of nominees. Well, that's because it was just yesterday. Yikes! First SAG, now the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Spread it out, guys! The movies, and us fools who love them, are still all going to be here tomorrow. Or next week! Next week would have been a fabulous time to announce your nominees! I'm still here in bed wrapped up like that Golden Globe award to your left. Anyway, we're all here now and we're going to get the titles to you as fast as presenters Zoe Saldana, Aziz Ansari and Olivia Wilde can read 'em and I can write 'em. My brain nor my typing fingers work particularly well before 10am (okay - noon!), but here's hoping for some surprises. 

While we wait, any last minute hunches? Will the HFPA mimic SAG's shockeroo of no Robert Redford? Will Dallas Buyers Club find its way into the best picture category? Will the comedy categories actually honour a non-prestige comedy? I'm pulling for This is the End if they do, but what about you? Gah! It's so exciting...

Before the nominations have even started and I have to heartily congratulate the HFPA on their "streming". Whatever that means. It's not like thousands are viewing the feed or anything.

Okay, here is the complete list of film nominations with commentary. (We'll get to TV eventually - they were certainly a more interesting lot than SAG; oh hi Orange is the New Black and Orphan Black! - for now let's keep it to film).

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Interview: Julia Louis-Dreyfus "Wiggles Around" Toward Acting Glory

Not all actors are adept at every platform. Movies, tv and stage can require require different charismas and subtle changes in scale. In the case of bonafide television superstars like Julia Louis-Dreyfus (16 Emmy acting nominations and 4 wins from 3 different hit series) who rarely work outside their chosen platform, there’s every reason to suspect that they’ll stay put... and should! But with Enough Said, Julia Louis-Dreyfus threw us a divine curveball. Though she's never had a lead film role she carries Enough Said with a beautifully modulated mix of comic and dramatic impulses as Eva, a lonely massage therapist who second-guesses her new romance with Albert (James Gandolfini). If she isn't Golden Globe Best Actress nominated on the 12th, I'm planning to riot. 

Despite the warm reviews and indie success, she was modest about this new achievement when we spoke on the phone last week and very gracious when her work was complimented. “It means a lot to me, especially since you saw it twice”. She’d sprained her ankle earlier that same day “I’m such an ass!” but was still in good spirits, with one leg elevated and her inimitable laugh strangely comforting in its familiarity, like someone had left my TV on in the background. The publicist introducing us sounded unusually ominous "You have 15 minutes." which proved a great ice breaker.

"I feel like we have to take an SAT or something," Julia says.

"In 15 minutes, put your pencils down." I counter.

"Right?!" And we're off...

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Celebrating International Transgender Day of Remembrance (With a List)

Today marks the annual commemoration event honoring those who've been killed in anti-trans crimes. You can find a list of events taking place from now through the weekend here if you're so inclined. Not all of the events are today some waiting for the weekend for better attendance numbers. Here in NYC the march starts in the Bronx and walks down to Harlem.

Since this is The Film Experience, and since identity politics are always shifting/evolving and since hate crimes don't care about the particulars of self-identification we thought we'd commemorate the day with a broad cloth. And with a list in chronological order..

27 Oscar and/or Globe Nominated Trans (or Cross Dressing*) Characters
*we realize these are different things
How many have you seen? Which are your favorite?

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Tuesday Top Ten: Melissa McCarthy Line Readings in The Heat

Amir here. For no other reason than to celebrate one of the year’s funniest films -- consider it a Golden Globe FYC -- here’s a top ten list of Melissa McCarthy’s line readings in The Heat.

Rewatching the film, you notice that the humor is much more dialogue based in the first half and situational in the second, but it’s consistently hilarious. If you haven’t seen it yet, you’re in for a ride. Without further ado:

10. I got it on eBay. It was supposed to be bigger and different. I’m gonna bad-feedback his ass up.

Yes, one of these items is what she’s talking about!

9. I am balls deep in boredom.
Undeniably the most quotable line in the film.

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True Oscar Stories: Ann Reinking

Today is Ann Reinking's 64th birthday so do some impossibly precise Fosse moves tonight whereever you are in her honor #andallthatjazz

When I tweeted that this morning the internet saw fit to remind me of her big Oscar moment performing Phil Collins' Against All Odds (1984) and though it was legendarily awful I personally have nothing but fond memories of Reinking from Annie (1982) and Micki & Maude (1984) and her foxy Roxie Hart (pre-movie version). Plus, of course, All That Jazz (1979) which would have been a better Oscar moment had they saw fit to nominate her for Best Supporting Actress that year.

I have only very vague memories of the 1984 Oscars (only my second ? time watching as a kid) and YouTube doesn't help since her Oscar night performance has never been online to my knowledge though I did discover some time-capsule LA Times items about that moment and this oddity from the Golden Globe nominated Movie Movie (1978) while searching for it.

Harry Hamlin's half aroused/half terrified Golden Globe nominated pretty mouth-face is so adorbs, don'cha think? I mean that's the only sane face to pull while watching Ann Reinking doing spread eagles and scissor kicks in a black tearaway gown and blonde afro.

-She sure can sing."
-With every bone in her body." 

I wish I could see her number from the Oscars and am suddenly filled with longing for the days of big awful Original Song production numbers on Hollywood's High Holy Night. Which are your "favorites" - scare quotes intentional?