Watch at Home: Tales from Captain Marvel's City, Mother

Nathaniel R giving you the heads up on what's available to you now to screen at home.

New on DVD/Blu-Ray
Captain Marvel - The year's second biggest hit, and less of a prequel of Avengers Endgame than we were expecting given Carol Danvers itty-bitty part in that ensemble behemoth, is now available in a physical copy if you're into those. Also out today: the hit indie The Mustang starring Belgium's golden perfection Matthias Schoenaerts, the sci-fi drama Captive State, and the romantic drama Five Feet Apart.

Notable iTunes 99¢ Deals
It's a weak week this time for those special deals with not much in the way of exciting pictures. But if you've never seen David Cronenberg's masterful Dead Ringers (1988) or the lesbian indie classic The Watermelon Woman (1996) now is as good a time as any.

New to Streaming

[LAUGHING] Oh this is surreal!

Tales of the City (2019) on Netflix
The Lovely Laura Linney is back in one of her signature roles as Mary Ann Singleton in this continuation of the classic Armistead Maupin series about life in gay ol' San Francisco...

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Soundtracking: The Best Musical Moments of 2018

by Chris Feil

We have had another banner year for cinematic variants of musicals - from the classic (A Star is Born, Mary Poppins Returns) to the modern (Hearts Beat Loud, Vox Lux) to the unfortunate (Bohemian Rhapsody). But there's more than just musicals that have made an impact! As ever, I've had my ear towards all sorts of needle drops and clever cues where movie music has been concerned this year. You know, the kind of stuff that makes Soundtracking tick.

We've already discussed what Oscar might hold for the Original Song category this year, but 2018 was largely defined for me by songs familiar and unexpected. Join me like Charlize Theron doing Carly Rae Jepsen karaoke in Tully and sing along to the year's best musical moments...

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Podcast: Critics Awards, Capernaum, Vox Lux

Nathaniel R, Murtada Elfadl, and Nick Davis to talk new films and awards madness

Index (68 minutes)
00:01 Top ten lists mania. And what makes a screener gay?
04:42 Vox Lux. What is going on there with Brady Corbet's messaging and Natalie Portman's ACTING?
16:01 Celebrity Cameos: Boots Riley, Julia Roberts, and pre-SAG silliness
22:16 LAFCA prizes and critical consensus especially around Roma
36:00 Ethan Hawke vs Bradley Cooper for Best Actor
41:22 Nadine Labaki's amazing Oscar submission Capernaum
49:20 Foreign Film Contenders. We don't like Girl
56:45 "Narratives" Glenn Close, Regina King, Amy Adams, Emily Blunt
63:30 Category Fraud Giggles and Carol Throwbacks
66:50 Ask us some questions, bitches!

Further Reading / References
• Boots Riley's Twitter account
• Foreign Film Race
• Nick's take on Girl
• LAFCA Awards
• ...oh and this is Christopher the cat, who was present for the recording

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

Critics Awards, Vox Lux, Capernaum, and More...

Review: Vox Lux

by Chris Feil

Vox Lux opens with visceral brief violence and closes with extended musical euphoria that it keeps out of our reach. The sophomore feature of Brady Corbet, the film is most defined by its refusal to allow us to access it even as it monolithically announces its themes. It feels at once like someone screaming into the abyss of an empty stadium with locked doors. But somehow it keeps us banging on its doors that never budge.

The film follows the birth and would-be rebirth of superstar Celeste, played separately in two acts by Raffey Cassidy and Natalie Portman...

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Say What? Natalie Portman in "Vox Lux"

Amuse us. Add a caption or dialogue to this first photo of Natalie Portman in Brady Corbet's Vox Lux. The movie is a 15 year long story of a young girl who survives a traumautic shooting and later becomes a pop sensation. Score by Scott Walker (Pola X!!!) and songs by Sia. Can't wait... though we might have to. No word on when it's coming out but it debuts in Venice next month.