TV: 'The Gilded Age' Premiere Gives Us Actresses Galore

By Christopher James

Which side do you choose in this actress battle royale - Baranski or Coon?

The Gilded Age has so much going for it. Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon are old money sisters engaging in war with their new-money neighbor, played by Carrie Coon. Created by Downton Abbey and Gosford Park scribe Julian Fellowes, HBO’s latest series promises opulence, conflicts around societal manners, corsets, and actresses galore.

No surprise, then, that there has been considerable interest from the rest of the Film Experience team on The Gilded Age, so we’ll be doing weekly coverage of each episode. Five episodes have been screened for critics, so for today quick overall thoughts, followed by a review of the pilot. Make sure to check back each Monday as we recap the latest episode of the nine-episode first season.

Does The Gilded Age live up to its pedigree?

Click to read more ...

Streaming: 'Station Eleven' is a wow. Give it a chance.

by Deborah Lipp

Station Eleven is a ten-episode mini-series that you may have avoided up until now, since it is largely about a pandemic. A lot of my friends tell me they can’t stand the idea. But bite the bullet and give it a try. In the world of Station Eleven (based on a novel written in 2014—long before COVID), a virulent flu wipes out 99% of humanity. It all happens in a week, so their pandemic is much less boring than ours...

Click to read more ...

TV Review: Does "How I Met Your Father" Live Up To The Original Series?

By Christopher James

Hilary Duff headlines Hulu's new show, "How I Met Your Father," a spin-off of the CBS hit.Do you have a favorite sweater? It’s something that always makes you feel good, keeps you warm, shrinks in the wash but you still try to wear it because you love it? We all have these comfort items that we love even past expiration dates. In terms of TV, this perfectly describes CBS’ How I Met Your Mother, a charming comedy that we all stuck with longer than we should’ve in anticipation for a reveal that soured much that came before it. Thus, Hulu’s new series How I Met Your Father has a lot to live up to. How can it re-engage a fan base burned by the finale while still replicating the fun breeziness of the original...

Click to read more ...

TV Review: Somebody Somewhere (HBO)

Comedian Bridget Everett takes us to her Kansas roots in HBO's "Somebody Somewhere."by Christopher James

Bridget Everett is a one of a kind performer. The comedian and cabaret star first gained notoriety on Inside Amy Schumer. Her routine is brazen not just because of the sexually forward conduct, but moreso because of the sheer force of her confidence. 

There’s a cognitive dissonance between Everett’s on-screen persona and her starring role as Sam in Somebody Somewhere. So many of the details about Sam’s life mirror that of Everett’s own life. She’s from a farming family in Kansas and possesses an incredible voice. The main difference - there’s something sullen, almost introverted, about Sam. This bravado that has marked Everett’s whole career is purposefully gone. It’s a bold move that sets the stage for a really special performance...

Click to read more ...

Links: Yellowjackets, Ariana DeBose, Black Panther 2, etc...

• Advocate SNL leaned queer this weekend, pairing Ariana DeBose and Kate McKinnon multiple times during the show. We enjoyed that Sappho skit!
• Vulture reviewing Ariana's episode
• TFE in case you missed it we looked into SNL's history of Oscar-hopeful Hosts
• Cinema Seen yours truly guest starred on Eric Marchen's Canadian movie review tv show
• /Film if you haven't heard, Netflix is raising subscription prices in October

More after jump including New York Times Oscar-like ballots, Yellowjackets mania,  Arnauld Desplechin's next picture, and Carole Lombard's final film...

Click to read more ...