Midnight Special Coda

Here's Murtada with a spoilery deconstruction of one scene in Midnight Special. 

The coda after the ending of Jeff Nichols’ Midnight Special is between two characters that are not the family at the center of this sci fi story. The interaction between Joel Edgerton and Adam Driver made me realize why the movie left me emotionally cold. I cared more about these peripheral characters than the main characters, or the story. At least for a minute or two...

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Thoughts I Had While Looking at Television's Actress Elite...

Good morning, readers! Here's your wake-up call:

That's a whole lot of actress powerhouses on television in one small selfie: Sarah Paulson (The People vs. OJ Simpson), Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Constance Zimmer (UnREAL and House of Cards), Regina King (American Crime), Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), Kerry Washington (Scandal), and Jennifer Lopez (Shades of Blue). Before you jump to conclusions that Ryan Murphy is just expanding his empire, let's take a closer look:

1. What exactly caused this moment of divinity? Casual friday brunch? Do they all share a dentist?

2. We are not worthy of Regina King and we never will be.

3. Kerry Washington is there too?! Ray reunion! Wouldn't they make a great duo in something fun and female-empowering like Thelma and Louise?

4. Everyone is lovely here, but Sarah Paulson is serving.

5. It's easy to forget if you're like me and don't watch much television that even large stars are making the TV leap by the minute - but haven't we kind of been sleeping on the fact that Jennifer Lopez is the star of a network procedural?

6. This is the Emmy's Actress Roundtable we actually want, yes? Yes.

7. Maybe Jennifer Lopez should be planning the members of group magazine covers a la Vanity Fair. I'd totally buy this off that magazine rack!

8. Wait! There's room for one more next to Constance Zimmer! What TV actress would you squeeze into this selfie?

Berlin: "Midnight Special" with Michael Shannon & Kirsten Dunst

Amir Soltani is covering the Berlin International Film Festival for The Film Experience this year, our first time at Berlinale!. Tonight Jeff Nichol's follow up to Mud.

With Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud, Jeff Nichols has become one of the most intriguing, and divisive, American directors working today. His latest film, the unclassifiable Midnight Special, will no doubt continue the same trajectory. Starring his favourite actor Michael Shannon, along with Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst, this religious fable in the mold of science fiction is a crowd-pleaser that, despite a crucial directorial misstep, delivers a thoroughly riveting experience.

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Golden Globe Arrivals

07:00 The 73rd Annual Golden Globes are here. And we're seated and not yet drunk, far from the Beverly Hilton (NYC to be precise).  I'm getting a late start. I blame pizza cravings. As I sat down with half of a pizza in my mouth -- I don't play around! -- Svelte Kirsten Dunst in autoerotic black (damn girl) was talking about her recent diet to plump up a bit for Fargo "you know... bread and cheese". Dear reader it's like I was on TV and she was making fun of me from home, the cheese dribbling down my chin.

07:08 Earlier on the TV we also learned that Alicia Vikander went sky-diving (okay) that maybe don't surprise Jamie Lee Curtis with a question about her mother's Golden Globe win for Psycho  ("you know... my mom's been gone a long time... we're moving forward... I'm happy to be here representing my show") and Jennifer Lopez had difficult describing the color of her dress. 

it's kind of a mustardy, yellow, marigoldy... I don't know."

I think you do know JLo.

07:12 Distracted momentarily by Monty-- who has refused to do his cat pundtiry this year. Sorry people. He's old, so give him a break -- I missed the context of Amy Schumer saying she has "old lady fingers" Anyone? 

07:18 At some point Joann Froggat from Downton Abbey reveals that she stans Cate Blanchett hard. This did not seem worth typing at the time because who doesn't. But still... She does.

07:20 Channing & Jenna (Mrs Tatum) don't sound like they're lying at all when they express surprise that people keep talking about the Lipsynch Battle. Which either suggests they are in a very tiny celebrity bubble world or they're good at playing their 'who us?' chill married couple persona.

07: 30 Kate Hudson and The Rock talking about Halloween for some reason 

The flash of darkness across Kate Hudson's face when Ryan Seacrest said he'd never made it to her Halloween party is the best movie of 2016

— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) January 11, 2016

07:31 We need to talk about Rooney Mara's braid.

07:34 Jacob Tremblay is already such a pro. Cackling when he stifles a "Duh!" and politely answers questions about whether he's seen The Force Awakens.

Finish her! pic.twitter.com/bkFiJhudu6

— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) January 11, 2016

07:35 Amy Adams to Ryan Seacrest:

I'm so bad at winning awards!"

Tough problems.

07:42  Rami Malek reveals that he has been friends with Kirsten Dunst for a long time. Interesting.

07:45 Very cute exchange between Jennifer Lawrence and Katy Perry. Katy Perry saw Joy by herself in her sweatpants crying/inspired. 'I can make it in the world!' JLaw chuckles. 'I think you've already made it.'

07:46 I can listen to Saoirse Ronan talk about anything forever. I sometimes cant even register what she's going on about I'm so crushing on the vocals. Finally Saoirse says, without confidence, "I think I'm sitting at Amy Schumer and Jennifer Lawrence's table?" Doesn't this seem like something you'd commit to memory as soon as you heard?! 

08:00 ooh, show is starting. Byeeeee