September. It's a Wrap

We've done it. Somehow we're halfway through the NYFF and we've hit the final quarter of 2021 or as we like to call it "precursor season". From now until the tail end of the year everything that's happening in Hollywood is about trying to get Oscar traction for this or that. We won't know what has truly accomplished that until Tuesday February 8th, 2022 when the Oscar nominations are announced. But that's getting ahead of ourselves. For now a quick look back at September highlights in case you missed any of them.

12 highlights
• How do you arrange your DVD collection? Christopher asks. You answered
• Best of Venice Elisa and Nathaniel on the Lido for 10 days of CINEMA
• Weekend Cláudio revisits this new gay classic for its 10th birthday
• I'm Your Man Matt looks at Germany's Oscar submission
• Over and Overs: WALL•E Ben formed a bond with his son over this Pixar classic
• The White Lotus Eric has a few thoughts on this instant classic miniseries
• How Had I Never Seen... Lust Caution Nick finally sees Ang Lee's most risque film
• Shang-Chi Nathaniel writes the only review of the Marvel blockbuster which manages to name-check The Piano
• Emmys AND Tonys Weird to have these two awards shows back-to-back this year
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye Jesus takes Jessica higher!
• Billy Wilder Christopher samples the Criterion Channel's collection
• Best of NYFF Benedetta, Tragedy of Macbeth, Titane and more...

COMING IN OCTOBER
Let's not over promise (we know we tend to do that. sorry) as it's going to be B-U-S-Y but at the very least we have the Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1937 (in just a couple of days), the release of Dune, a few more NYFF reviews, and the Middleburg Film Festival where Nathaniel (c'est moi) will be doing an Oscar panel again with friends and colleagues Clayton Davis and Jazz Tangcay. Stay tuned!

ICYMI - Best of August

We're about to enter the prime Oscar-hopeful months of the year. Excited? But before we do, here's a quick look back at August at TFE. In case you missed any of this baker's dozen... 

Some Highlights
• Interview Nine Perfect Strangers Abe interviews Michael Shannon
• Emmy Categories -we've analyzed many of the top races
• Spencer tease - will Kristen Stewart be up for gold?
• Jennifer Hudson in Respect a big new role for a fine singer 
• The Green Knight -Matt has a big crush on Dev Patel
• Phil Tippet -Elisa meets the "mad god" of vfx (RoboCop, Star Wars)
• Jeanette Goldstein in Aliens Nick gives a strong genre turn its due
• Gay Best Friend: Chuck and Buck - with White Lotus all the rage, Christopher looks back at Mike White's breakout
• A Room With a View a long-read team retrospective
• How had I never seen...Blue Velvet Ben has never been a Lynch person

Most Discussed Articles
• Smackdown 1986 -discussing Best Picture nominees Hannah and Her Sisters, A Room With a View, and Children of a Lesser God, plus Scorsese's Color of Money and the bewidering Crimes of the Heart
• Vintage '86 what people were talking about in pop culture that year
• Almost There: Linda Fiorentino The Last Seduction

Coming in September
• (1st-11th) The Venice Film Festival with both Elisa & Nathaniel on the Lido
• (19th) Emmy Awards we have the biggest categories left to discuss
• (24th-30th) Best Actress regular Deborah Kerr's centennial
• (27th) Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1937 - Queue up Dead End, Stella Dallas, Stage Door, Night Must Fall, and In Old Chicago (lotsa good flicks this time!) for maximum enjoyment.
• AND LOTS OF NEW MOVIES including Shang Chi, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Cinderella, Cry Macho, Blue Bayou, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and Dear Evan Hansen. 

ICYMI - The Best of July

In July we were very busy offering you the MOST Cannes coverage we've ever done here -- thank you to Elisa and Cláudio for making it so special. We just kicked off the beginning of our analysis of Emmy categories (ongoing) and just wrapped posting the first Oscar charts of 2021 (all done - check 'em out). But if you weren't here every day you surely missed something. So in case you did...

10 Highlights
• Gay Best Friend: Christian in Clueless - Christopher's series arrives at a very unusual ahead-of-its-time example of this trope
• Independence Day - Cláudio had never seen it so he watched for the holiday
• It Happened One Night Nathaniel guest starred on "Little Gold Men" to talk about the classic comedy
• Toni Collette in Velvet Goldmine Nick takes on a singular prismatic performance
• The Honoraries: Danny Glover 3-part tribute to this fine actor/producer's career
• Emmy Nom Reactions Vodcast - Discussing the joys and sorrows of the day
• Au Revoir Cannes - Elisa reviewed the entire competition slate!
• 10 Best Palme d'Or Winners - Cláudio lists his all time favourites
• Yes No Maybe So Dune - Ben checks out the new trailer
• Halfway Mark "Bests" - Nathaniel's list of best performances of 2021 (thus far)

Most Discussed Articles
• Smackdown 1998 - Shakespeare in Love, Primary Colors, Gods and Monsters
• House of Gucci - the trailer leans toward camp and it sure got people talking
• The Emmy Nominations - Abe's quick take
• Scarlett sues Disney - They need to pay Black Widow up; A contract is a contract.

COMING IN AUGUST
New films like The Green Knight, Never Gonna Snow Again, Val, Respect, Finch, Reminiscence, and Coda. Tributes to Esther Williams for her Centennial and Luca Guadagnino for his 50th. Plus the first four films of Pedro Almodóvar's career and more Emmy episode submission analysis. We'll also be revisiting the cinema of 1986 (any requests?) for the next Supporting Actress Smackdown on August 26th. (You can vote between August 1st-24th). We'll obviously be covering Crimes of the Heart, The Color of Money, A Room With a View, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Children of a Lesser God but what other films would you just love to read about from that vintage?

Halfway Mark - Team Experience "Top Three" Random Joyfulness

Nathaniel here. Since I already shared my favourites of 2021 thus far in terms of films and performances, I asked the team about theirs halfway through the year. Since not everyone has had the opportunity to get fully back into the swing of moviegoing they were given free reign to share any kind of "top three" they wanted to. I felt such joy reading what made them the happiest, entertainment-wise, this year thus far. Maybe you will to. The various "top threes" after the jump...

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Halfway Mark 2021 - Fav Performances & Characters

by Nathaniel R

As we mentioned yesterday when we tackled our favourite movies of 2021 (THUS FAR) we like to jot down lists of favourites all year long so that when it comes time for the annual prizes we aren't just drawing from thing released in the last two months of the year the way Oscar voters tend to; cinema is a year-long love affair for us. So let's talk about the performances that have thrilled the most thus far into 2021...

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