An Ode to Adam Sandler

By Spencer Coile 

To many, Adam Sandler was in no need of a career makeover. Even with Netflix films like The Ridiculous 6 and Sandy Wexler, many were drawn to his schtick and comedic talents -- even if those talents were misplaced in terrible films. Still, after decades of being the go-to "funny guy," it is refreshing to see Sandler step back and display his acting chops in more nuanced ways. We saw this in 2002 with Punch Drunk Love, and we are witnessing it again in 2017 with The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), the latest from Noah Baumbach. 

Watching Sandler explore the idiosyncrasies of a complicated character is so fleeting, that sometimes, it is vital for us to also take a step back and realize: Adam Sandler can be a great actor. And fortunately, The Meyerowitz Stories offers him the opportunity to demonstrate why he has been a staple to the field of comedy for decades, but also, to dive into a character that feels completely genuine and tailor-made for Sandler's caliber of acting. 

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i know all there is to know about the linking game... 🎵

Your host (c'est moi, Nathaniel) is weeks behind his movie game. So here's part 1 of a massive link roundup to try to catch up. Twenty-five mini stories in this one, let's go...

EW celebrates Idris Elba on their cover
The Vulture a profile of the screenwriter of The Post who was inspired to write it after reading Katherine Graham's memoir "Personal History" Meryl Streep will play Graham in the film (which is not based on that memoir but on one event in Graham's career.)
Awards Daily laments that big box office hits like Get Out and Wonder Woman are not considers shoo-in for Best Picture nominations
Variety Darren Aronofsky tapped as keynote speaker for next spring's SXSW festival
The Hollywood Reporter Disney is not moving forward with its Jack and the Beanstalk animated film named Gigantic
Playbill Glee's Lea Michele finally met Barbra Streisand
People Dan Amboyer who plays the twin of Hilary Duff's deceased fiance on Younger (long story) has come out as gay
Mirror Rob Collier believes his gay under-butler role on Downton Abbey has made it difficult for him to find other roles

More after the jump including  Weinstein harassment fallout, agressive Netflix recommendations, Jonathan Groff's penchant for singing on set, and more...

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Ryan Murphy Is "Cuckoo" for Netflix

Chris here. In what is surely one of the most side-eye worthy prequel adaptations to come along in an era full of them, Ryan Murphy is creating an original story for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest villain Nurse Ratched. The series will be Murphy's first for Netflix (surprising it's taken this long, right?) and run for 18 episodes over two seasons. The title? You guessed it: Ratched.

On the plus side, the series will be another collaboration between Murphy and main muse Sarah Paulson. If the project seems wholy unasked for or in ill-fitted hands, we can rest assured that Paulson can deliver nothing less than a worthy portrayal of a legendary character. Maybe Nurse Ratched won't turn out to have been so evil after all - at least before Murphy got his hands on her. And if long running series are as daunting for you as they sometimes are for me, the promise of only an 18 episode run is glorious indeed. The series begins filming next year with Murphy set to direct the pilot.

Can Murphy and Paulson do justice to Louise Fletcher's Oscar winning performance?

Reviewish: "Atypical" on Netflix

by Ben Miller

Keil Gilchrist headlines "Atypical" as Sam, a teenager on the spectrum.

Full disclosure: I am not objective.

Generally, a reviewer would attempt an unbiased look at how a piece of entertainment could appeal to the masses.  We all know this is not the case in reality.  Everyone comes in with their own experiences and assumptions, which we base our opinions on.  I want you all to know that I did not review Netflix’s new series Atypical without my own preconceived notions.

My son has autism.  I have been wavering on whether I wanted to give Atypical a chance.  It could go the This is Us route and over-sentimentalize everything, or it could go down the I Am Sam road and make everything offensively “special”.  There is a delicate balance with shows that deal with disabilities.  On top of that, I know a whole lot about autism that a casual viewer doesn’t...

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Cozy Up to "Our Souls At Night"

Chris here. Lost in the festival announecement hullabaloo was the announcement that the screen legend pairing of Jane Fonda and Robert Redford Our Souls At Night will be debuting out of competition at Venice. Shouldn't we be a little more excited that we're getting these megastars in a new love story?

The film arrives on Netflix on September 29, so maybe it's also just lost in the theatrical vs. streaming debate as well. But it seems the legends have something lovely in store: both star as neighbors who get another chance at love after losing their respective partners. The film comes from The Lunchbox's Ritesh Batra and (500) Days of Summer screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, so expect a certain degree of warm fuzzies to go with your stargazing. Netflix just dropped a charming little teaser with Fonda and Redford getting cozy on their road trip, so it begs the question: which screen performance of Fonda or Redford would you must want to snuggle up to?