ICYMI - The Best of July

In July we were very busy offering you the MOST Cannes coverage we've ever done here -- thank you to Elisa and Cláudio for making it so special. We just kicked off the beginning of our analysis of Emmy categories (ongoing) and just wrapped posting the first Oscar charts of 2021 (all done - check 'em out). But if you weren't here every day you surely missed something. So in case you did...

10 Highlights
• Gay Best Friend: Christian in Clueless - Christopher's series arrives at a very unusual ahead-of-its-time example of this trope
• Independence Day - Cláudio had never seen it so he watched for the holiday
• It Happened One Night Nathaniel guest starred on "Little Gold Men" to talk about the classic comedy
• Toni Collette in Velvet Goldmine Nick takes on a singular prismatic performance
• The Honoraries: Danny Glover 3-part tribute to this fine actor/producer's career
• Emmy Nom Reactions Vodcast - Discussing the joys and sorrows of the day
• Au Revoir Cannes - Elisa reviewed the entire competition slate!
• 10 Best Palme d'Or Winners - Cláudio lists his all time favourites
• Yes No Maybe So Dune - Ben checks out the new trailer
• Halfway Mark "Bests" - Nathaniel's list of best performances of 2021 (thus far)

Most Discussed Articles
• Smackdown 1998 - Shakespeare in Love, Primary Colors, Gods and Monsters
• House of Gucci - the trailer leans toward camp and it sure got people talking
• The Emmy Nominations - Abe's quick take
• Scarlett sues Disney - They need to pay Black Widow up; A contract is a contract.

COMING IN AUGUST
New films like The Green Knight, Never Gonna Snow Again, Val, Respect, Finch, Reminiscence, and Coda. Tributes to Esther Williams for her Centennial and Luca Guadagnino for his 50th. Plus the first four films of Pedro Almodóvar's career and more Emmy episode submission analysis. We'll also be revisiting the cinema of 1986 (any requests?) for the next Supporting Actress Smackdown on August 26th. (You can vote between August 1st-24th). We'll obviously be covering Crimes of the Heart, The Color of Money, A Room With a View, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Children of a Lesser God but what other films would you just love to read about from that vintage?

Oscar Chart Updates: Picture, Director, Screenplay, and more...

Jane Campion's new film Power of the Dog has been named the Centerpiece for the New York Film Festival. Perhaps it's wishful thinking (we've loved Campion forever) but we're betting big on it for the Oscar race. The film is set in 1920s rural Montana and stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons as brothers who are at odds. The rift between them grows wider once the younger brother brings a new wife (Kirsten Dunst) home. The novel by Thomas Savage has been compared to works like East of Eden and Brokeback Mountain and if the film can live up to either of those classics' screen adaptations it will be something special.

We've been working hard on the first Oscar charts of the year.  The four acting categories and international film have yet to be posted, but the rest of the charts are now up...

• PICTURE - Will streamers like Netflix or Amazon prevail or will more traditional distributors like MGM/UA, Searchlight, Focus, A24, and SPC rise up? So many films sound exciting but we won't know which deliver on their promise until later in the year.  
• DIRECTOR - Jane Campion could become the first woman ever nominated twice in Best Director
• SCREENPLAYS  - Numerous brilliant writers have new films coming but however will they choose between Asghar Farhadi, Joel Coen, Tony Kushner, Pedro Almodóvar, Mike Mills, and Paul Thomas Anderson?
• VISUAL CATEGORIES - There's (presumably) eye candy aplenty in Dune, Last Night in Soho, House of Gucci, and Nightmare Alley
• SOUND CATEGORIES - Can it finally be Nicholas Britell's year or will he split his support with three movies (Carmen, Don't Look Up, Cruella)?
• ANIMATED FEATURE - Will Disney's musical Encanto be the frontrunner? Will Flee and Belle be the more adventurous citations?
• PREDICTION INDEX - the overview snapshot

Oscar Predictions: Who will compete for Costume Design and Cinematography?

by Nathaniel R

"Cyrano" with Peter Dinklage was a hit Off Broadway. Will this musical version transfer well to the screen?

By now you've gotten a sense from the predictions for most of the craft categories which films we think Oscar voters might be fond of come January when they're voting on nominations. Now let's talk more in depth about two of our favourite races to keep eagle eyes on each year: Costumes and Cinematography.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Of Oscar's four favourite living costume designers --  Sandy Powell (15 nominations and 3 wins), Colleen Atwood (12/4), Jenny Beavan (10/2), Milena Canonero (9/4), and Jenny Beavan (10/2) -- only Colleen Atwood is sitting out this cinematic year...

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Smackdown Season Schedule

Attention actressexuals and awards-nuts. The final (?) season of Supporting Actress Smackdown is deep in progress. Ep. 1 on 2020, Ep. 2 on 2000 and Ep. 3 on 1946 are behind us. Here's what's next and if the movies are currently on a streaming service we've indicated that otherwise they're all available to rent at the usual places like YouTube, iTunes, Amazon, and Apple TV. As per usual we'll be intermittently celebrating the following film years leading up to these events... 

Smackdown 1998 on Monday July 26th, 2021

• Kathy Bates, Primary Colors (Hulu)
• Brenda Blethyn, Little Voice
• Judi Dench, Shakespeare in Love (Fubo and Starz)
• Rachel Griffiths, Hilary and Jackie
• Lynn Redgrave, Gods and Monsters (HBOMax)

To get the maximum enjoyment out of the Smackdown consider rewatching the films along with us! Voting is open from now until Saturday July 24th. email in your votes with "1998 smackdown" in the subject line and a heart rating on each actress from 1 (poor) to 5 (perfection). You can include notes if you'd like as we might quote you.

Smackdown 1986 on Thursday August 26th, 2021

• Tess Harper, Crimes of the Heart (Amazon Prime)
• Piper Laurie, Children of a Lesser God (Amazon Prime)
• Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, The Color of Money 
• Maggie Smith, A Room With a View (HBOMax)
• Dianne Wiest, Hannah and Her Sisters (Fubo)

Voting opens August 1st!

Tentative Dates Thereafter
Sept 27th - Revisiting 1937
Oct 21st - Revisiting 2004
Nov 18th - Revisiting 1997
Dec 16th - Revisiting 1951 

Beauty Break: Gemini Babes for Nathaniel's Birthday

by Nathaniel R

KIDMAN4EVA

Today is my birthday. I want no gifts for myself other than subscriptions to keep TFE going (see sidebar -->). Well, that is incorrect. I always want and welcome the gift of great actresses and actor by watching them on the regular. So this morning, a Beauty Break of 20 of my favourite fellow-Geminis who happen to be stupendous working actors. There is a 100% chance I missed someone important but please enjoy these lovely photos...

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