C O N S I D E R - Favorites of 2017, 2nd Qtr

THE YEAR'S FIRST HALF IS OVER! But rather than wait for this "halfway mark" for year in review listicles we started at the end of the 1st quarter so you'll have to combine those lists (movies / actresses / actors) with the highlights from your host's April through June screenings for a complete "halfway mark" take. Got it? Unlike many critics orgs and the Oscars, The Film Experience believes that moviegoing is a 12 month long activity and each month can hold worthy efforts.  Here are 4 or 5 highlights of what we've seen the past three months per Oscar category in alpha order. How will they measure up to what's still to come?

Key movies I regret missing this quarter: Beatriz at Dinner, Hero, Gifted, Manifesto, and Their Finest

PICTURE and/or DIRECTOR and/or SCREENPLAY
(i couldn't decide which to cut so this first grouped selection is 6 wide)

BABY DRIVER (Edgar Wright)
THE BIG SICK (Michael Showalter)
THE LOVERS (Azazel Jacobs)
LOST CITY OF Z (James Gray)
THE WEDDING PLAN (Rama Burshtein)
WONDER WOMAN (Patty Jenkins)

Lots more after the jump...

Click to read more ...

April Wraps

April was a little odd for your host here offscreen and onscreen... well, April was a bit of a dead month wasn't it? We're giving it a gentle shove out the door this morning though there's a full day of it left tomorrow. But we still found cinematic pleasure where we could, whether that was covering the Tribeca Film Festival or making those Foolish annual first Oscar predictions. 

A dozen highlights of April... 
Betty Buckley Interview - on Split and her new CD. She's not a nostalgist
Corporate Afterthoughts in Toni Erdmann - all those oddly "decorated" spaces
Fast and Furious Rankings - Ranking the similarly titled movies
A Star is Born - yet another version. Thoughts on the first image of Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga
Jonathan Demme's Favorite Actors - an appreciation and farewell 

Cannes Lineup / Jury - excited to experience the world's most glamorous fest in May? 
Grindhouse 10 Years Later - looking back on the double feature that looked back 
Three Fittings: Fantastic Beasts - on that surprise Oscar win for costume design 
Big Little Lies / Kidmania - 7 hours of awesome / Nic retakes her throne
Marsha Mason a look back at her career for her 75th birthday 

COMING IN MAY
Cannes glamour, New seasons of Twin Peaks and Sense 8, reviews of new releases like Alien Covenant, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Baywatch, new to DVD discussions of The Red Turtle, Get Out, and Oscar wining The Salesman, anniversary celebrations of Sister Act and Ladyhawke, and a week long Pedro Almodovar Party. Plus more episodes of all your favorite series including Three Fittings, The Furniture, Pfandom, and The Smackdown. Maybe even Hit Me With Your Best Shot (we're trying to decide).

C O N S I D E R - Favorite Actresses of 2017, 1st Qtr

With the year's first quarter over, here's a listicle of noteworthy performances we'll eventually compare to what's to come. We've already listed fav male performances and favtechnical achievements thus far - from screenings and releases as of March 31st. Herewith the 17 best female performances from the year's first quarter, divvied up into three categories. Did these women speak to you?

Disclaimer: I missed The Last Word, United Kingdom, and Wilson  which all have prominent female roles for talented actors. If you've seen them give their MVPs a shout-out in the comments. 

6 LEADING ACTRESSES

Paula Beer as "Anna" in Frantz

16 more talented women after the jump...

Click to read more ...

C O N S I D E R - Favorite Actors of 2017, 1st Qtr

With the year's first quarter over, we're listing our favorites in multiple categories. Why? Well, each month of the year tends to contain good work so why pretend otherwise when Oscar season rolls around and only 3 months worth of releases are considered? (We already listed best technical achievements)

Here are the 17 male performances (divvied up into 3 categories) that I was most taken with in the first quarter of 2017. For your consideration...

7 FAVORITE LEAD PERFORMANCES

Paul Hamy as "Fernando / António" in The Ornithologist
(would also top a "sexiest" list were we doing one) 

16 more talented men after the jump...

Click to read more ...

C O N S I D E R - Favorites of 2017, 1st Qtr

It's April already! We're too impatient to wait for the "halfway" mark for year in review listicles. So why not do it each quarter to encourage more moviegoing? Unlike many critics orgs and the Oscars, The Film Experience believes that moviegoing is a 12 month long activity and each month can hold worthy efforts.  Here are 3 (or 4 if we're torn) highlights of what we've seen thus far this year per Oscar category in alpha order. How will they measure up to what's still to come? (We'll hit favorite performances on Sunday or Monday)

Key films I missed in the first quarter that I might try and catch up with later: Cure for Wellness, The Great Wall, Staying Vertical, T2 Trainspotting, United Kingdom, and Wilson

PICTURE / DIRECTOR / SCREENPLAY

FRANTZ (François Ozon, written by Philippe Piazzo & François Ozon)
FUTURE PERFECT (Nele Wohlatz, written by Pío Longo & Nele Wohlatz)
GET OUT (Jordan Peele)
PERSONAL SHOPPER (Olivier Assayas)

The Future Perfect doesn't have distribution yet but you'd be crazy to miss the other three which were the most all-around well realized of 2017's releases thus far, from concept to execution on all levels. MUCH MORE AFTER THE JUMP...

Click to read more ...