May. It's a Wrap

Another shut-in month is coming to a close in this dread COVID-19 season. We're trying to keep you entertained without new movies in theaters. Here are a dozen key posts from the month that was in case u missed 'em.

• Down With Love - Costume designer Daniel Orlandi shares his memories of working on this one of a kind romantic comedy and 60s riff
• Nightmare Alley - The fine original demands rediscovery. The remake might be interesting
• How to Build a Girl -Beanie Feldstein's star vehicle reviewed
• Over & Overs: Anatomy of a Murder - this courtroom drama so rewatchable?
• The New Classics: Two Days One Night -sublimely truthful Marion Cotillard
• Hot Emmy Contest -Lead Actress in a TV Miniseries? Super competitive!
• Loretta vs Roz - Two friends vied for Best Actress 1947
• 5 Things I Learned from Bob Mackie - Costume Designer Daniel Orlandi shares career advice for young movie professionals
• Introducing Kathleen Turner -On one of the all time great film debuts

Most Discussed

• Smackdown 1947 - Gentleman's Agreement vs Crossfire. Celeste vs. Gloria
• Smackdown 1981 Maureen Stapleton (Reds) has unexpected competition!
• Did Hepburn deserve four Oscars? And if so for which films? 
• Who Will be Next to the Triple Crown - Eddie? Hugh? Laurie? Denzel?
• Ryan Murphy's Hollywood Unintentionally our three part / three author rundown divvied up neatly into Mixed / Con / Pro in that order.

COMING IN JUNE
New films Shirley and King of Staten Island, The 2002 Supporting Actress Smackdown (Chicago, The Hours) revisit, Paul Thomas Anderson's 50th Birthday, the quarter century anniversary of Todd Haynes's [safe], and maybe a little Ray Harryhausen for his centennial. Any other requests? 

Announcement: Weekly Trivia!

Hey, everyone. Michael Cusumano here with an exciting announcement. My company Whiskey Cat LLC recently launched a weekly Movie Trivia night on Zoom and The Film Experience has come aboard as a sponsor! It's 5 rounds with 50+ question with a variety of questions and games including audio and visual clues. Rest assured I am taking care to craft questions that The Film Experience audience will enjoy. Oscars and actresses will no doubt abound. Nathaniel will be writing one of the 5 rounds this week!

Here's an example of one ten minute round last week. Within that time limit, how many of these could you answer correctly (no googling allowed obviously)

How do you play? The event is held every Thursday at 7:30 PM EST on Zoom and runs about 2 hours. It’s $5 per person payable through Venmo or PayPal. Send a team name along with the payment and I will reply with the ZOOM information. You can include your information in a comment along with the PayPal or Venmo payment or contact me one of these ways: 

Email: WhiskeyCatProd@gmail.com
Twitter: @TriviaWhiskey
Facebook: Whiskey Cat presents: Zoom Movie Trivia  

Hope to see you there this Thursday!

"The Daniel Orlandi Experience" is coming!

by Nathaniel R

Daniel Orlandi's favourite set pic... amongst the costumes of "The Da Vinci Code"

It's been awhile since The Film Experience has been hijacked for a full day by a super-talented Hollywood player. We figured it was time for another one. In the past we've handed the reins over to visiting embodiments of awesomeness like the rapidly rising writer/director Leslye Headland, and brilliant actor/writer David Dastmalchian, as well as a handful of actresses we deeply love: Missi Pyle, Ann Dowd, Melanie Lynskey, and Cara Seymour.

Our latest overlord for a full day: Costume Designer Daniel Orlandi !  

Daniel with Ewan McGregor on the set of "Down with Love"Orlandi's design gigs include but are not limited to: Cinderella Man (2005), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Saving Mr Banks (2013), Jurassic World (2015), Logan (2017), and three Best Picture nominees Frost/Nixon (2008), The Blind Side (2009), and  Ford V Ferrari (2019).

We don't know exactly what he'll be choosing to share with us -- we like a surprise -- but we did demand a behind-scenes peek at our personal favourite, the ever fabulous Down With Love (2003). We know you love it, too, so it'll definitely be featured.

It's all happening Monday, May 18th!

April. It's a Wrap

While April was late to arrive, given that March lasted 4 years as we all adjusted to the new world over, it was over in a flash. In case you missed any herewith a baker's dozen to highlight this past month on The Film Experience. We're working hard behind the scenes to make May truly extra so please support us with clicks, shares, follows, and subscriptions.

Most Popular / Discussed
• April Foolish Predictions - Best Picture contenders?
• Frances vs Sophie revisiting the grandiose Best Actress Battle of 1982
• Pedro's Quarantine Almodóvar reminisces about meeeting Madonna
• Emmy Predictions in all the major categories
• Oscar Rule Changes streaming + sound + international film
• Sondheim's 90s Birthday - Meryl Streep, Raúl Esparza, Jake Gyllenhaal, Sutton Foster and other divas toasted the GOAT. Moving moments galore
• The Smackdown Returns 1981 is up next!
• 5 Reasons the Oscars Won't be Cancelled we're hopeful

More Highlights
• Doc Corner Tiger King - a disturbing mess 
• In defense of The Artist - not a typical or bland Oscar choice
• Shirley Knight (RIP) the fine character actress has passed away
• Dune (2020) our first few glimpses of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation
• Choose Your Quarantine House -the cinephile edition of the meme

Coming in May
We'll discuss the Netflix series Hollywood, have not one but TWO Supporting Actress Smackdowns (1981 and 1947), review the new films Liberté, How to Build a Girl, celebrate movie pets, and more. 

How you holding up out there?

We're worried about everyone's mental health. How are you doing during this astonishingly strange moment in our collective history? What new things have you discovered about your home while shut in? Which things do you miss most about the outside world? How are you preventing feeling too isolated? Share tips in the comments.

As for us we're finding virtual happy hours with friends on zoom, skype, or facetime are helping a lot. As is chasing whatever filmic obsessions occur and list-making (April Foolish Oscar Predictions coming very soon... even though we really don't know which films will arrive this year given the shutdown).