November. It's a Wrap.

In Case You Missed Them... here are a dozen highlights from the month that was as we round the corner into the last leg of 2013 and sprint towards Oscar nominations.

My imaginary Actress Roundtable for THR. They need to mix it up a little for freshness. I've added Léa, Sandra and Margo.

Emma Thompson's Shoes... Nathaniel meets the actress over cocktails
Hollywood Actress Roundtable Oprah gushes over Lupita. Octavia and Amy listen. Julia and Emma steal the spotlight
Naomi Watts' Rough Year Paging Lacuna, Inc 
She's Finally Got It Angela Lansbury & Honorary Oscars
International Transgendered Day an Oscar Trivia List 
Critics Choice Young Actor/Actress Ballots who should be on them? 
Animated Features 2003 the 10th anniversary of a key Oscar shortlist
The Best Man Holiday opens big 

Frozen = Wicked is this the closest we're getting to the stage musical onscreen? 
Michelle Pfeiffer for American Horror Story? why she probably won't do it
Melissa McCarthy in The Heat her best line readings
Yes No Maybe So: Noah two of every what in Aronofsky's ark?
Julia Louis-Dreyfus the interview 

Coming in December
New releases American Hustle, August: Osage County and Wolf of Wall Street. Plus interviewpalooza with stars from Dallas Buyers Club, 12 Years a Slave. And, of course, YEAR IN REVIEW MADNESS

Male Acting 2013: Lopsided Embarrasment of Riches

It's that time of year when we have to start taking stock of the year and prepping all that delicious Year in Review nonsense that goes on forever (aka 2 months at least). I can't help myself with the listing from December through January (and sometimes beyond). We already surveyed impossible ballot decisions when it comes to the women. So now it's time for the men. I thought about delaying this another week since the great remaining unseens for me are male-centric. I'll see Out of the Furnace, American Hustle and Wolf of Wall Street all within the next 8 days and will try and catch up with Rush, too... if only because, generally speaking, I adore Mr Daniel Brühl.  

We'll start with the weakest of the four acting quadrants both historically speaking and this year, too. Even in this meager list of 12 men I'm considering (before those last four key films) two of them are arguable leads...

SUPPORTING ACTOR - my longlist ballot
in no particular order

Click to read more ...

Paging Lacuna, Inc. - Naomi Watts' 2013 is One She'd Rather Forget!

One of my favourite movie-going memories of 2013 was seeing the trailer for Adore play before a bemused sold out opening weekend audience at Blue Jasmine. Amongst the scattered laughs was one lady a row or two behind me who uttered to her companion, “What is Naomi Watts doing?” She, and the rest of us, are sadly still waiting for an answer. On the heels of that Oscar nomination for The Impossible, Watts has since appeared in two films that have literally been laughed off of cinema screens.

[Adore and Diana giggles after the jump...]

Click to read more ...

October. It's a Wrap

Two months left to go and we wrap 2013. I can't believe how close to the Oscar thick of it we are. Before we really dive in (I'm off to LA again real soon) a last look back at October. We spent a lot of time with horror films of course (tis the season) for those well received "Before Exorcist / After Exorcist" lists... but what else was hot this month? Here are 11 more of our favorite posts.

Greta Gerwig talked to us about Frances Ha's Gotham snubbing
12 Years of Horrors one of my favorite episodes ever of the Podcast
Tom Hanks as all ages training wheels for movie-star loving
Her premiered at NYFF and Jose shared a few thoughts 
The Fiennes Profile The Grand Budapest Hotel promos got us gawking at Ralph Fiennes again 

Cate Blanchett Glenn spent an evening with her
American Hustle who has what to prove? 
Crazy Possessed Ballerinas what do the movies have against toe shoes? 
Supporting Actress Smackdown '68 Ruth's witchy triumph 
Blue is the Warmest Color got many of you hot and bothered 

Most Comments:
"Remember when we didn't know who would star in Gravity?"

Coming in November
SO MUCH... Where to even begin? Thor: The Dark World, Julie Delpy Interview, The Vivien Leigh Centennial, The Book Thief, Supporting Actress Smackdown 2003 10th Anniversary, Interviews with the casts of Dallas Buyers Club and 12 Years a Slave, The AFI Festival, The Return of Judi Dench, two new musicals: Frozen and Black Nativity and lots more Oscar buzz.

Any Requests?

September. It's a Wrap

With September closing we're entering the final quarter, the last gasp of 2013! Before the leaves fall and Oscar madness hits (wait, it hasn't yet?), here's one last look back at a dozen Best of the Month posts in case you missed any of the awesomeness... which was mostly TIFF centered or 1980s retro.

Brie Larson Interview on Short Term 12, United States of Tara and Celebrity
Boogie Nights as Radio Show? What I learned/remembered about the classic film at TIFF
Nicole+Naomi JA hilariously imagines an evening in with the besties and best actresses 
Half Nelson's amazing classroom scenes - so many movies connect to these history lessons 
Agents of SHIELD the TV return of Joss Whedon... first impressions
Map to the Stars image doubles up on mysterious actressing 

Nicole Kidman is Indescructible  a collision with the paparazzi
'This Comment Thread Is Not Going to Be Ignored' I ♥ TFE readers. I really do.
Whither Pixar? Tim worries for the future of the once great production house 
Blonde Bombshells vs. Character Actors on the supporting actress race 
Meryl The Witch our first glimpse of Into the Woods 
FYC Ulysses ginger haters beware

Coming in October:
Dallas Buyers Club, ocean terror with Captain Phillips, a trip back to Gravity, 12 Years a Slave's Sarah Paulson & Alfre Woodard, a look back at the 1968 film year (any requests?) plus it's Supporting Actress contenders. And the greatest horror movies of all time via Team Experience!