Thursday, November 19, 2015 at 8:00AM ...still a movie star.
photo by Steven Meisel via W Magazine
She just needs the movies to star in.
See also: Youth. Opening in select cities on December 4th
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 6:44PM 
Saoirse Ronan, who does such a beautiful job carrying Brooklyn, the film about falling in love with and in a new world, is only 21 years old. Should she be Oscar-nominated in two months time she'll be among the 10 youngest ever so honored in that category. She's the same age now as Marlee Matlin was when she competed for Children of a Lesser God; Matlin won and still holds the title of Youngest Best Actress Winner of all time.
Most 21 year-old Oscar nominees are newbies but not Saoirse. She was nominated at 13 for her role as the tattle-tale sister in Atonement. "I saw it with my own eyes!" But should Saoirse be nominated again, she won't break a record of first to two nominations. That record has belonged to Angela Lansbury for over 70 years when she accomplished it by the age of 20.
For fun and movie-history purposes let's look at the...
YOUNGEST BEST ACTRESS NOMINEES OF ALL TIME
The immediate reveal of note is that 70% of the top ten have emerged in just the past twenty years. How much younger can this list get?
01 Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) was 9 (though years younger than that when she filmed it)
02 Keisha Castle Hughes, Whale Rider (2003) was 13.
Several more young starlets after the jump...
Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 9:30AM If years were musicals we'd be about to hear the 11th hour showstopping numbers before the climax in December when Oscar Fever and List Mania truly begins. Consider that in two days two of the best films of this already great year emerge in theaters: Carol, Mustang and then the Thanksgiving blockbusters hit. But for now some highlights from the month's first half since we don't want you to miss anything! We're illustrating with Slave Girl Princess Leia because we reject any corporate attempts to erase popular culture touchstones because people are so easily offended. Slave Girl Leia turned her chains into weapons and defeated the patriarchy Jabba the Hut and should be celebrated not covered up.
Grey Gardens Manuel's HBO LGBT retrospective season reached this eccentric gem
Female Directors diversity in director's chair is the hot topic of the year
Charming Sir Ian at the Brit brunch party for Mr. Holmes
Oscar Gossip direct from Los Angeles
Pilou Asbaek goes to A War (then Game of Thrones)
Q&A we discuss favorite Oscar-winning quartets (what's urs?) and much more
AFI Fest reviews of The Big Short, Concussion, Lady in Van, James White, etc
Tennessee Williams Biopic? Yes please
Spectre Tim's review
Honorary Oscars
Spike Lee we looked at Bamboozled and Crooklyn
Debbie Reynolds we looked at Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Charlotte's Web
Best Dressed at the Governor's Awards
...and we'll have more to come on Gena Rowlands! But for now enjoy Spike & Gena's awesome speeches
Most Discussed
"What's your Sophie's Choice Oscar Moment?"
Awards & List Mania
BIFA Nominations, 16 Eligible Animated Features, IDA documentary nominations, Spirit Predictions, WGA Funniest Screenplays
Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 12:00PM 
?????The Spirit Award nominations are announced a week from today. Here's special guest and our podcast cohort Joe Reid to preview/predict the nominations.
The 2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards will announce their nominations next Tuesday, the earliest full slate of nominations (the Gothams can call me when they get supporting categories) and for many the clearest opening bell for awards season. After them, the critics awards start rolling in, then the Golden Globe nominations, and by then we're off to the races. I have always found the Spirits to be the most difficult to predict and the most fun. Partly because they happen so early in the season but also partly because the qualifications are always just a bit mysterious.
A reminder, per the Spirits' rules and regs: to qualify, a film must be an American film made for under $20 million, and have either been released in theaters in 2015 or played one of six major U.S. festivals (Sundance, Los Angeles, New Directors/New Films, New York, Telluride, Toronto). Of course, even with those rules, there are splittable hairs.
Monday, November 16, 2015 at 1:00PM 
Los Angeles is uncommonly windy at the moment. Dorothy Gale windy even. Nature Attacks!
But nevertheless I'm off to the airport to fly home to NYC after quite a fun busy week of Oscar buzz and AFI festivities. We'll catch up on anything we missed (surely a lot) in the next couple of days. In the meantime please to enjoy tweets that amused us most this week.
Beginning with this hilarity from Ryan Adams and moving on to Golden Globe categorization thoughts, Charlotte Rampling praise, Bradley Cooper schadenfreude and more after the jump...
1951. Therese breaks the news to Carol: Decision Before Dawn got a BP nomination but Strangers on a Train didn't. pic.twitter.com/TAaZuBiaSC
— Ryan Adams (@filmystic) November 13, 2015