Drag Race RuCap: "All RuPaul-A-Paruza Smackdown"

This year's reunion lip-sync smackdown has a trickier format than usual.

NICK TAYLOR: After several episodes of confusing judging and unsatisfyingly resolved lip-syncs, this RuPaulaPaRuZa felt like a return to form for Drag Race as a well-judged variety special. The ultimate top two and winner are maybe not surprising, but the talent on display is immense, and I haven’t had this much fun watching season 18 in a few weeks. As our friend Ale said, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword to see these talented queens strut their stuff and remember how the show’s done them dirty along the way. There’s a world where Jane vs Juicy is the lip-sync for the crown, and that sounds like a very tantalizing reality, but the queen’s performances and the show’s presentation of them are operating on such a high baseline. Were you entertained?

CLÁUDIO ALVES: I was thoroughly entertained, even if I’m still sorting through my feelings about the shape this year’s lip-sync tournament took. Format doubts aside, this was a smashing hour of queer television and while I like your idea of Juicy and Jane at the finale, I’m not sure Baby Dion should be among the two vying for the crown. She’d put on one hell of a show, but I also feel she’s better suited for a future All Stars title…

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Actressexual Honors - Best Leading Actresses of 2024

 By Nathaniel R

It took me a second viewing to appreciate what Margaret Qualley was up to in "The Substance". Great work!

Reckless sex workers, repressed CEOs, witches-in-training, and a triple helping of “Elizabeths” (!?!) factor into the incredible characterizations offered up by gifted actresses in leading roles this past film season. As we say goodbye to the year in cinema just behind us, a tribute to my personal dozen favourites (alpha order) from leading ladies. Though it’s a full dozen I still had to leave out highly enjoyable star turns from June Squibb in Thelma and Scarlett Johansson in Fly Me to the Moon, as well as Amy Adams' funny and underappreciated juggling of dowdy and feral as “Mother” in Nightbitch. The actual shortlist for my own Best Lead Actress honors is revealed at the end. 

top dozen - alpha order

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Demi Moore lost the Oscar but she’s still a winner

by Cláudio Alves

THE SUBSTANCE (2024) Coralie Fargeat | © MUBI

Bedecked in a silvery Armani Privé number and Chopard diamonds, Demi Moore arrived at the 97th Academy Awards like a winner. She left a winner, too, despite the lack of a little golden man complementing her crushed ice glamour. Saying such things may seem like a pity party or a way for fans to cope with their idol's losses, but it rings true here. Though she lost the Oscar, Demi Moore effectively changed the narrative of her career and forced both the industry and the public to reassess her worth as a performer, her history, her legacy. From "popcorn actress" to respected thespian, this is a reinvention of miraculous proportions and deeply deserved, too.

In many ways, these things are bigger than AMPAS' golden trophy, and may even have a bigger impact. After this season, nobody will look at The Substance star the same way ever again. At least, I won't…

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Oscar Night in Review: Highs, Lows, and "What Just Happened?" Head Scratching

by Nathaniel R

Conan O'Brien hosts the 97th Academy Awards. Photo © Myung J. Chun for the Los Angeles Times

It was one of the great livery-stableman's most masterly intuitions to have discovered that Americans want to get away from amusement even more quickly than they want to get to it.”
-Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

Another cinematic year has ended. Another eagerly awaited Oscar night's credits roll over clips of the key moment. Out there in the dark, at home and at Oscar parties, everyone immediately wishes to put it all behind them. I am also that livery-stableman, but shouting "Wait, wait! There are a few things we should talk about before we depart!" So please bear with us, dear reader, as we think aloud at you and with you (should you choose to join in the conversation) and wrap up this cinematic year and twisty awards rollercoaster. We'll try to 'get away from (this) amusement' within a week's time and move on to 2025 (and other years as we do for mini celebrations). That's the goal.

So let's talk Oscar night's highs and lows and wtf moments...

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Film Bitch Awards: Yellow Coats, Breathy Vocals, and Facial Reconstruction, Oh My!

by Nathaniel R

In an alternate reality somewhere I am a punctual cinephile, delivering his own personal awards with metronomic precision, one category per day for a month before the Oscar nominations or at least between the nominations and the big night. But we are in this reality and there are never enough hours in the day and always last minute screenings to shove in to try to see everything that people are talking about. While you'll have to wait to see my personal acting ballots until after the Oscar aftermath fades (as I'm still writing up star turns and need to have a clear head) but the rest of the 'traditional' i.e. Oscar parallel categories of my own awards are now up for your viewing / thinking / comparing-to-your-own-faves pleasure. I know it's Oscar day but I thought I'd throw this up if you're tired of talking predictions but are still hopped up with movie fever...

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