Almost There: Jennifer Lopez in "Hustlers"

"Almost There" is a new series about actors who were obviously close to an Oscar nomination but somehow missed. Here's Cláudio Alves...

Regarding this year's Oscar nominations, no snub hurt quite as much as Jennifer Lopez's absence in the Best Supporting Actress line-up. The long-time actress turned pop diva earned herself a small mountain of critic's honor for her performance in Hustlers, including the LAFCA trophy, as well as crucial precursor nominations like the Critics Choice Award, the Golden Globes, and the SAG. Still, when it was all said and done, the Academy preferred five other actresses over Lopez. If we consider Dern, Pugh, and Robbie as near locks, then her spot was either taken by Scarlett Johansson or Kathy Bates. While neither work is meritless, they've got nothing on JLo's sterling achievement.

Still, we're not here to lambast the Oscar's chosen nominees, but to celebrate one hell of an awards-worthy performance. So, join us as we explore the wonders and sing the praises of Jennifer Lopez's Ramona…

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Team Experience Oscar Reaction #1: Odes to the Fallen!

We've polled Team Experience to answer the following two questions and we hope you'll chime in too.

 

1. Which omission most upset you? Sing your ode to the fallen!
   
   
2. Which nominee/nominees would absolutely kill a moody commissioned short film about you and your reactions / feelings on Oscar nomination day? Tell us all about it. 

Let's begin.

WHICH OMISSION MOST UPSET YOU?

CHRIS FEIL: Did the acting branch not get their Swimona swag?? Jennifer Lopez's omission will be a wound that is going to take some time to heal for all of us, a snub some had been predicting because of whispers of a misogynistic and reductive POV on Hustlers from voters. It's not just the omission of the performance that infuriates, but the probable reasons for it...

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Soundtracking: The Best Musical Moments of 2019

by Chris Feil

Another year of Soundtracking has brought plenty of reflection on music in the movies. From more milquetoast musical biopics to studio musicals to pop songs reinvented through their placement into cinematic narratives, songs on film in 2019 were as ripe for dissection as ever. Let's discuss the best musical scenes of 2019.

Honorable Mentions:

- Cats' thesis: "A cat is NOT a dog, OKAY?!"

- Ash is Purest White making "YMCA" cool again

- MidSommar's creepy folk songs and Frankie Valli irony

- "Thunder Road" catharsis in Blinded By The Light

- Knives Out punctuating its middle finger finale with The Rolling Stones

- Joni Mitchell's "Blue" distilling The Last Black Man in San Francisco's melancholy...

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Year in Review: Style Icons of the Big Screen

by Cláudio Alves

As an obsessive list-maker, to write a top ten for The Film Experience's Year in Review was more of a dream come true than a challenge. As we're in festive times, I decided to give myself a gift, by fusing one obsession with another. Cinema, costume design and list-making all consumed my Christmas Eve afternoon in a haze of sartorial glory. Looking back at the movies of 2019, from opulent period pieces to humble contemporary dramas, I went in search of the year's greatest style icons. Not those of real life, obviously, but the ones who graced the silver screen.

In decades to come, we may look at them as we now look at Darth Vader's sinister countenance or Holly Golightly's Givenchy clad figure. Who knows? More than predicting future icon-status, this is a list of personal favorites, though.

Without further ado, let's celebrate 2019's style icons, but first, some honorary mentions…

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Team Experience: Globe Reactions -- Surprises, Joys, and Omissions.

As ever we’ve polled members of Team Experience about the latest big awards announcements. We’ve had 24 hours to think about the Globe nominations so we asked a few questions. 

1. What was your favourite Golden Globe nomination?

 2. What was the biggest surprise for you?

 3. Which omission made you saddest and how will you mourn?

Team Experience answers are after the jump and yours should add yours too in the comments section. Ready? Let’s go…

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