November. It's a Wrap

2010 will soon be history. But it's not over until the fat lady sings. And by fat lady I mean critics and by sing I mean the mass publishing of top ten lists. Since I have screeners this year, I'll try to get started a bit earlier than usual and get my top ten list out to you in the final week of December. Until then, in case you missed anything... the best of November. Party Favor get your Oscar

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Off Screen Break. What's Going On?

Because sometimes, taking a wee break from the silver screen, helps you appreciate the movies more. EW Lady Gaga is insane. Promises "Born This Way" is 'best album of the decade'. So no sophomore slump then, Gaga?YouTube Madonna opening her Hard Candy gym in Mexico. I wish I could work out there. I obviously need some sort of dominatrix to push me if I'm ever going to get in shape. (sigh)AV Club

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Curio: Rachel the Replicant

Alexa from Pop Elegantiarum here with your weekly art break.Today is Ridley Scott's 73rd birthday, and 10 days ago Sean Young celebrated her 51st birthday (probably while rehearsing for Skating With the Stars). Their collaboration in Blade Runner put Metropolis, Edward Hopper and film noir into a blender to create a thing of beauty. Who can forget Rachel, the replicant heroine played with

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Spirit Awards: "Winter's Bone" and "The Kids Are All Right" Lead.

Historically the Spirit Awards tend to honor a few of the major Oscar players each year but a win at the Spirits can sometimesLe be the last hurrah, a consolation prize as some would say, if the work is too "edgy" for lack of a less exhaustively employed word. Last year's big winner was Precious (refresh your memory?) It took home Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and Adapted

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Oscar to Choose 3 to 5 of Ten Animated Short Finalists

"Let's Pollute"The Academy have revealed the finalist list for Oscar's Best Animated Short category. Depending on how voting goes we'll see anywhere from three to five nominees. But the lucky names will be drawn from this entertaining list.The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger (Bill Plympton Studio)Coyote Falls (Warner Bros)Day & Night (Pixar)The Gruffalo (Magic Light Pictures)Let's Pollute (

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Gotham Award Winners

If you'd like running commentary IndieWire provided. If you're short for time here are the winners.Best Documentary The OathBreakthrough Director Kevin Asch for Holy RollersBreakthrough Performance Ronald Bronstein from Daddy Longlegs Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You Littlerock (Mike Ott)Festival Genius Award Waiting For 'Superman'Best Ensemble Performance Winter's BoneBest Feature

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The Top Tens Cometh. Will "The Social Network" Reign?

If you read In Contention and Awards Daily as I'm assuming a good hefty percentage of Film Experience readers, being Oscar obsessed, do, then you already know that The Social Network has landed its first major top ten list and #1 placement. Presumable many more will follow. It's that type of movie, both highbrow and mainstream enough to capture a good cross section of critical hosannas."One Top

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Black Swan Raves

...not the review kind of "raves" so much as the dance-while-drugging kind.Come to think of it Black Swan is almost a perfect movie for remixes and mash-ups. While it's rather electric to watch (and hear as remix) I do worry if it's maybe a bit "thin" in some crucial ways for staying power. The narrative focus is as tight as Natalie Portman's neck, which means that in some ways it wouldn't lose

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Two Goodbyes: Leslie and Irvin.

Two sad farewells to octogenarians of cinematic note, director Irvin Kershner and actor Leslie Nielsen."Kersh" (by the camera) about to shoot Han, Leia and Lando.I will forever appreciate Irvin Kershner (1923-2010), who died today, for making the best of the Star Wars films The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Yes, long before George Lucas ruined his own classic franchise, he once entrusted the

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James & Annie, Good Sports & Oscar Hosts

Saturday Night Live, that dinosaur of pop culture, may be good for something we never really expected: producing Oscar hosts. Both James Franco and Anne Hathaway, just announced as February's Oscar hosts,  have hosted the ancient challenging live comedy program (Franco in 2009, Hathaway just recently) to fine results, so why not Hollywood's High Holy Night? I'm just glad that they didn't take the

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Which movie job...

...would you most like to be trudging off to this morning, instead of your actual job?What would a two-minute montage of your day job look like? Would it be this sparkly?*

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Take Three: Terence Stamp

Craig here with Take Three. Today: Terence StampTerence Stamp photographed by Terence Donovan, 1967Take One: A family of Stamp collectorsAnnounced only as "The Stranger", Stamp waltzed into the home and lives of Teorema’s (Theorem/1968) wealthy Italian family like a bolt from the blue: in turn he sexed them all up good and proper, irrespective of gender, or even order, then left them reeling

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Welcome to "Burlesque"

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Care for some turkey? Cher, XTina and gay filmmaker Steve Antin shall provide a succulent bird. If you’ve been looking forward to the new musical BURLESQUE, relax. I come not to disparage the movie, but to (mostly) praise it. Consider this a corrective protest. It will prove too easy a target for critics and haters, who often seem to despise girlie or flashy movies

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On Eligibility Requirements. Your Input Please

In the past only NYC theatrical releases have been eligible for this site's own Film Bitch Awards and I've also considered making "one week qualifiers" ineligible even if they open in NYC on account of "do they really belong to that year?"... but more and more I wonder if any of the old rules should apply -- how to even keep track of them if they do -- and whether I'm too strict? It can sometimes

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The 2010 Blue Dragons. (Plus: Korean Films on Netflix)

The news coming out of Korea these days is upsetting so... let's direct our focus on something beautiful from thereabouts: the movies. The 31st annual Blue Dragon Awards were held this weekend in Seoul. Here are the winners and a few comments. [photo and info sources]Picture: The Secret ReunionThis is an espionage thriller involving North and South Korean spies. It stars the seemingly ubiquitous

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Links

Low Resolution "22 Short Thoughts on Burlesque" #20 is an idea for a sequel that I would entirely fund myself were I a gazillionaire even if I knew I'd lo$e it all. That's how badly I want it to exist.Boing Boing Forged Disney Art on eBay. You really can't cheat with Ursula, the sea witch; people are way too obsessed with that bitch, you know?Cinema Blend Michelle Williams as Marilyn, again.Dear

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Distant Relatives: The Deer Hunter and The Hurt Locker

Robert here, with my new series Distant Relatives, where we look at two films, (one classic, one modern) related through a common theme and ask what their similarities and differences can tell us about the evolution of cinema.  Two Best Picture winners for today.Addictive Personalities There are about as many themes and concepts explored by war films as there are war films.  Still, they can be

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Unsung Heroes: The Sound Design of Punch-Drunk Love

Michael C here from Serious Film.The opening moments of Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love feature a prolonged stretch of silence broken by the crash of a truck doing flips down the street. In most movies this would be the cheapest trick in the book, giving the audience a jolt by hitting them with a loud noise out of nowhere. It doesn't feel that way here. The sound design in this scene,

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"Tangled" as 50th. A Disney List

At some point in the chronology of me dealing with Tangled, a complicated psychological rollercoaster for this lifelong Rapunzel lover, I had completely forgotten (or maybe never known?) that it was to be the 50th Disney animated feature.I think I wasn't counting the compilation films but Disney does. Here's a helpful reminder from Disney of that rich history (which I saw courtesy of All Things

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat up. Drive safe. Hug loved ones. And thanks for being so faithful to The Film Experience. We give thanks for your patronage. We'll be back when we're back at some point tomorrow and a bit over the weekend. Enjoy your holiday. Amen.See a movie. There's so much good stuff in movie theaters right now (links go to post collections): fun musicals like Burlesque & Tangled both of which I already

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FYC: Leonardo Island

One of the smartest FYC moves I've seen in terms of a screener making full use of its identity as an Oscar campaign is for Shutter Island. The disc didn't come with the typical eyebrow raising desperation of "please nominate us for every category that exists!", but narrowed its focus. The cover only suggests Picture, Director & Actor.In fact, one might say that the packaging squints so hard to

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7 Word Reviews: Black Swan, Rabbit Hole, The King's Speech

What I've been up to: Wrote up a piece for Tribeca Film on the avalanche of screeners and the insanity of the holiday season inbetween rush of screenings. Also was buried in avalanche of screeners and rushed 'tween screenings whilst fretting about the holiday. Symmetry! Posting will be light for the rest of the week (it can't be helped: holidays, off-blog duties, etcetera) but December will be

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Which movie weapon...

... would you want in a fight? And no, I won't tell you who your opponent is before the battle. Go.Just some examples. Don't feel like you have to wield them.*

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Ruffy the Werewolf Cuddler

.JA from MNPP here. Perhaps you heard the news of a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot that was announced yesterday? Strangely it sounded just like a couple million geeks exploding. E! got a written statement from the man who made Buffy in the first place and has nothing to do with this reboot, Joss Whedon, and he made with the funny:"Obviously I have strong, mixed emotions about something like this

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Two Men We Love

Both of whom need better movies but whatever. Ewan at least is doing okay for himself this year. The Ghost Writer is excellent and I Love You Phillip Morris opens soon. (Finally)Hugh Jackman Ewan McGregor

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Social Network Typography (and Screenplay Structuring)

Saw this at Rope of Silicon and just loved it. The mind boggles at the complex architecture / spacial relation skills? required to pull this off......of course it wouldn't be that special if it didn't have the platform of Aaron Sorkin's amazing dialogue and/or Zuckerberg's wit (from transcripts presumably), now would it?Best Screenplay. Having recently rewatched both The Kids Are All Right and

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Game of Thrones

Quick show of hands. How many of you have read the fantasy classic GAME OF THRONES by George R.R. Martin? HBO is making it into a series now which comes as such a relief. Long novels are so much better suited to series format than movies and yet they're rarely adapted that way. You can follow the production diary here. I'm only 650 pages into the first novel -- god this is long -- but it's a page

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7 Word Reviews: From Rapunzel to Woody

Until I find more time... 7 words must suffice.Tangled Disney's animated Rapunzel musical (Skip the 3D, save money.)7WR: Gorgeously rendered central image / conflict. Tonal slips.  B+[More to come on this one soon. Sorry for wait.]You Will Meet a Tall Dark StrangerWoody Allen's annual comedy. This one focuses on a failed writer (Josh Brolin) whose new work just doesn't measure up to the old (

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Oscar Prediction Revisions. Plus: Screener Land.

The Oscar charts are now fully updated for November. Peruse and report back! For any of you leaving for the holiday early Happy Thanksgiving!Can The Way Back get a makeup nomfor all those wounds, sunburns and life-threatening health issues?So here's a momentary giving of thanks: I'm truly grateful for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences no matter how often I grouse about their choices

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Who Cares About Link?

God bless V Magazine for their latest issue, "Who Cares About Age". Usually when the media decides to celebrate older women, we're only allowed one. Like the recent Streep Mania... or 2006 when Helen Mirren was all the rage. I've always had a thing for actresses of a certain age so I applaud them for multiplying the enthusiasm. I mean check out these legendary cover girls: Jane Fonda, Susan

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Take Three: Melissa George

Craig here with Take Three. Today: Melissa George Take One: This is the GirlShe was indeed the girl. But which girl? Camilla Rhodes? Just another nameless blond wannabe actress lip-syncing for her life? A slinky id to further lead Betty down Hollywood’s hellish rabbit hole - or take Diane for a five-dollar fool? She embodied what Betty/Diane always wanted; she represented what killed Betty/

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Golden Horse Awards: Ethan's Little Buddy, Nicholas Absent Shirt

The Golden Horse Awards were held last night. They're often thought of as the Chinese Oscars because the tradition goes back the furthest and honors a wide pool of Chinese language films from multiple countries (China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, etcetera). Though neither Monga, Taiwan's submission for Oscar's Foreign Language Film competition, nor Aftershock (China's submission), 

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Juliette Lewis Interview: From "Cape Fear" to "Conviction"

In her music video "Uh Huh" Juliette Lewis sashays around with a bouquet of colorful balloons, smiling radiantly. Her mood seems lighter than air. It's an incongruous musical moment in her rock grrrl career -- in the newest video "Terra Incognito" she's back to her old in-your-face provocations -- but the softer side was lovely to see.And why shouldn't Juliette's mood be lighter these days? After

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Links With Benefits

Journalistic Skepticism Oooh, it's a must read listen. Luke has collected the film scores this year. Which is your favorite and who do you think is winning the Oscar for Best Score? Cinema Blend smart post about confusingly similar 2011 romantic comedies Friends With Benefits and No Strings Attached. One twin thing that isn't mentioned: Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman, the female leads from the

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Yes, No, Maybe So: "Source Code"

With Love and Other Drugs about to open we feel absolutely bombarded with Gyllenhaaliciousness. Which is fine by us... Especially when it comes with Hathawayish sparkle.But such is the nature of healthy physiques careers that before you even have a chance to see Movie A, you're already asked to think about Movie B and sometimes even movie C (given that roughly 89.4% of film writing on the web

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Black Swan Spreads Its Wings

Good news for those of you who are not so patiently awaiting the feathery pirouettes of Natalie Portman. Black Swan is opening wider than originally anticipated. The December 3rd bow, which was originally intended for just NYC & LA, will now include Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, DC, Toronto and Dallas/Ft Worth. That probably means expansion to smaller markets will come sooner too.Meanwhile,

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Which movie star's face...

...are you most fascinated by at this very moment? Tell us in the comments.There can be more than one of course but at this very moment I'd have to go with Julie Christie. I was bored of my desktop image a week or two ago so I switched it to this (from Don't Look Now, 1973) and I can't stop staring at the screen. I fear Julie herself will have to snap her fingers to wake me from this hypnotic

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Oscar Updates: Picture, Directors, Actresses, Animated Features

I'm guessing that the Best Picture category has 7 very solid bets now: The Social Network, The King's Speech, 127 Hours, The Kids Are All Right, Toy Story 3, The Fighter and Inception)  But those last 3 spots could be quite volatile considering so many of the films in question haven't properly opened and could be boosted or shunned by next month's avalanche of top ten lists & precursor prizes. So

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Sally "I Beat Meryl" Hawkins

This video is part of the See Africa Differently campaign. It devolves pretty quickly into sly inside showbiz comedy courtesy of Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky).My apologies if you've seen already but it was new to me. I was in Iceland. (Shhhh. That's my new excuse for every error I make for the next two weeks).I'm quite excited for more of you to get a look at Made in Dagenham soon. It's quite

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Distant Relatives: Citizen Kane and There Will Be Blood

Robert here, with the inaugural post of my new feature: Distant Relatives, where we look at two films, (one classic, one modern) related through a common theme and ask what their similarities and differences can tell us about the evolution of cinema.What has become of the American entrepreneur?There are many reasons why we're drawn to tales of industrialists, inventors and entrepreneurs.  For

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"Can We Talk?" The Documentary SnubFest... I Mean Shortlist.

It's inevitable that the Academy's documentary branch has to snub fine films every year. There are usually more than 5 terrific docs a year after all. But even when they narrow it to 15 for the finals, they're always dumping extraordinary movies.  We knew that the buzzy Catfish wouldn't be there but it's a pity that the funny/interesting/popular Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work couldn't place even in

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Unsung Heroes: Vladimir Tytla for Dumbo

Michael C here from Serious Film. It's going to be tough not to get carried away this week since the subject of this episode is one I feel very strongly about. If I had only been given the opportunity to write one episode of Unsung Heroes it probably would have been about this man.Even the most casual moviegoer can pinpoint a favorite animated moment, but I'd be surprised to find that one in a

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Julianne vs. Cate. Plus: What's Wrong With Hugo's Face?

Have you ever seen the movie Vanya on 42nd Street (1994)? It's really quite good. The movie plays something like a fly on the wall rehearsal documentary of a stage production of Anton Chekov's immortal "Uncle Vanya." It marked the first important clue that Julianne Moore was going to be a major screen goddess (unless you count Short Cuts as just that, which some do) and it also gave Brooke Smith

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Smoking Kills...

Delicious Carole Lombard [photo source]...with glamour. It's total glamourcide!Dangerous Lauren BacallDreamy Tony LeungSmokin' Daniel CraigToday is the annual Great American Smokeout... another encouragement to quit, if you're still breathing in those cancer sticks with abandon. I don't much relish or even condone the slow lobbying progress to end smoking in the movies --  those wispy tendrils

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Yes, No, Maybe So: "Green Lantern"

Another round of insta-judgments. Just add trailer. Suddenly we know if... yes) we're buying ticketsno) we're shunning the movie, or... maybe so) withholding the judgments until we have more info. Maybe so is usually the correct answer. Sometimes great trailers lead to disappointing movies. And sometimes virtually every piece of marketing for a movie will practically beg you not to see it when

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Continuing the Conversations...

Though I had a won-der-ful time on vacation, I do love the movie conversations. Some recent comments I wanted to respond to (for the patient and/or longwinded-like-me among you).Clint totally approves of the Jodie Foster casting of God of Carnage (I agree that it's interesting and I hope she pulls it off) but I'm sure he'll be relieved to hear that Matt Dillon is no longer with the film. Not

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Gleeful Gwyneth

Last night's Glee. Do we need to discuss? Stunt casting, so flagrantly used on television and stage to yield press & ratings dividends is a completley unreliable tool for producing quality entertainment. Last night was a happy example of the times when it works. "The Substitute" reminded us how joyful Comedic Gwyneth Paltrow can be.Somewhere after her Oscar for Shakespeare in Love, she started

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Takk Takk Link Link

Nathaniel + Layersin Frozen IcelandBelieve it or not -- but you should believe it! -- I made it a full week without the internet. Go Nathaniel! I didn't even use my iPhone but for texting to make sure the catsitting was going okay.I'm glad to be back online but a detox was in order. The last time I went a week without staring at computer screens was... well... um... I... errrrr.... unh let's see

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Oscar Bait Fading?

Michael C here from Serious Film enjoying one more post before I hand the reins back to Nathaniel. It's been a blast guest-blogging but if you're like me you want Nat back pronto. If for no other reason than I've nothing of interest to say about Burlesque, and I'm betting he's going to have some sharp commentary on the subject.It has been noted in just about every piece on this year's Oscar race

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RIP Baby Diego

Jose here with some sad news from the future.In exactly seventeen years from today, the youngest person on Earth will die in a gruesome murder, leaving humanity's fate in the hands of...It doesn't help that he has some issues to solve with Julianne Moore and thinks Baby Diego was a wanker...How do you feel about the possibility that in the future no new children will be born? Wasn't Children of

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Film Bitch Awards - Early FYC Ads

Michael C here.Now that the first Oscar ads of the season are upon us we dedicated Film Experience fans know what that means. Time to start getting excited about The Film Bitch Awards.I'm guessing I speak for a lot of you when I say I've found myself anticipating them as an essential part of the awards season because A) Nathaniel has taken the time to see the films in question unlike some voting

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Curio: Odes to Harry Dean Stanton

Alexa here with your weekly art appreciation.Craig's post about Harry Dean Stanton made me smile, something I usually do when I spot him on screen. There is something comforting about seeing that craggy face; like many character actors he has a changelessness about him. Maybe it's because he is usually just playing himself, something he has copped to many times in interviews. I soon wondered

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"I hope she'll be a fool..."

."... that's the best thing a girl can be in this world -a beautiful little fool." - Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby(pic by Baz Luhrmann) JA from MNPP here. Deadline reported a little earlier today that Carey Mulligan will presumably play Daisy Buchanan for Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby, you know, if he gets around to making a Gatsby. (Who knows with Baz?) But for now as the Magic Eight Ball says signs

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DVD Tuesday: Kids, Kitties, Benders and Bow Wow

Hey there. Kurt here from Your Movie Buddy. Today brings a fun batch of DVD releases. Or an eclectic one, anyway, especially catered to those whose brows are fairly high or exceedingly low. The first one has something to celebrate, seeing as it just made the Academy's shorlist of Animated Feature contenders. That's right: Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore has an outside shot at making it

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Who Toons

JA from MNPP here. While Nat's been away there's been a sad dearth of Oscar news reported on here at TFE and so when I saw this news earlier today I knew it might be a nice enough sized scrap to toss down until he's back and such things can be discussed proper-like. The Academy announced the fifteen candidates that are eligible for the Animated Feature prize this morning, and they are as follows:

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Monday Monologue: "We blew it, Caitlin"

Hello, all! Kurt Osenlund here from Your Movie Buddy, making my inaugural contribution to The Film Experience while Nathaniel explores the (very) wet and (sorta) wild country of Iceland (having paid a visit myself in March, I can safely say he is having one unique vacay).After scouring the countless monologues filed away in my memory, I settled on Peter Sarsgaard’s climactic outburst in Shattered

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Now Reaching Dangerous Levels Of Cuteness

.JA from MNPP here. How adorable are these pictures of Amy Adams on the set of the new Muppet Movie - for now being called The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever Made - with writer and Muppet-enthusiast (aren't we all?) Jason Segel, as well as the new Muppet called Walter that's making his debut in the film? (via)As if Muppets aren't adorable enough on their own, they go and add Amy Adams? That Cuteness

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Chicks of the Assimilated Animus

Jung talks of the anima and animus as the unconscious's ego--a dark figure of our dreams--for men it's an elusive princess, devouring witch, beautiful maiden asleep in a block of ice; for women a werewolf lover, a dark demon wolf with big eyes all the better to drink your essence with, like Twilight. The animus is best exemplified in the Beauty and the Beast myth. The unassimilated animus is a

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Take Three: Harry Dean Stanton

Craig here with this week's Take Three. Today: Harry Dean StantonTake One: One of the Lynch mobStanton has been on regular staff rotation for four David Lynch flicks. (Four-and-a-half, if you include TV oddity Hotel Room.) From 1990 to 2006 Stanton provided characteristic screen goodness for a quartet of Lynch's most enduring works. Chronologically he’s contributed to: Wild at Heart (1990),

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Whither Karen Silkwood?

Tim here again-"On November 13, 1974, Karen Silkwood, an employee of a nuclear facility, left to meet with a reporter from the New York Times. She never got there."And 34 years later, we still don't know exactly what happened to her, though anyone who has seen 1983's Silkwood probably has their suspicions. After all, the film brings the woman back to life in the form of Meryl Streep, at her most

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Whoops Now!

I haven't seen Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls, but my understanding is that, despite the sprawling cast of divine (and, in one case, Devine) actresses, they don't actually share many scenes together. That's a shame for actressexuals such as Nathaniel and myself, but whenever Janet Jackson and Whoopi Goldberg were in the same room together, do you think Ms Jackson-if-you're-Nasty herself

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First and Last: 5 Years Later

Glenn here again. Are we ready for more fun and games?Last line:No, I believe it's one of the Fettuccine's.

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On this day 55 years ago...

Robert here, with a special look at this very important date.On this day, 55 years ago...George McFly and Lorraine Baines kiss for the first time, sealing a lifetime of love that would produce three children.Also on this day, 55 years ago...The Hill Valley Clock Tower is hit by lightning and hasn't worked since.Yet still on this day 55 years ago...Having just witnessed his parents' first kiss, a

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The United States of Gosling

Craig here, with a brief birthday big-up.Ryan Gosling, dressed for birthday (and Oscar?) success Ryan is the big three-o today. It's a big birthday - I hope he's celebrating in style.With All Good Things and Blue Valentine both on the brink of release in the US (Dec 3rd and 31st respectively), it's never been a better time for Mr. Gosling. The year ahead, his 30th, could be his best. He's

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"Whatever you do..."

."... don't think about elephants.".

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First and Last: Crow

Glenn here. Apologies to the Americans who may be late getting to this, but hopefully the time difference over this side of the world will allow someone new to take correct guessing honours. Let's see how you do.First image:Last image:By the way, isn't that a great opening shot? Yowza!

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Unsung Heroes: The Direction of Duck Soup

Michael C. here from Serious Film. So far in this series we've most often covered the types of cinematic achievements that go unappreciated because they are so convincing that they render themselves invisible. Yet there is also the case of the artist who goes overlooked because they do their work in the shadow of personalities so big that they suck up all the attention. That is certainly the case

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RIP Dino De Laurentiis

.JA from MNPP here. When I think of the name Dino De Laurentiis my mind instantly flashes to a bunch of much beloved cheese-fests from the 70s and 80s - Barbarella, the two Conan movies, Flash Gordon. But the man did it all, from Nights of Cabiria to Army of Darkness.I don't know anything about his personal life but he's one of those legendary movie-men whose names become as big as the very big

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Cinematic Soldiers for Veteran's Day

Robert here. For many of us being a soldier is an experience we'll only get vicariously courtesy of the movies.  In honor of Veteran's Day, I thought I'd share some of my favorite portrayals of American soldiers.  They aren't always the most famous actors or the biggest roles, but they've made impressions.  If you've not seen any of the particular films listed and don't want to know who lives or

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First and Last: Tattoo Lady

Glenn here for more fun and games. Can you guess the movie from the first shot after the credits and the final line of dialogue?First shot:The last shot was of the film's lead actress so that was a no-no. Instead, we'll go with the final words spoken."...I'm a musician. Just a chick in a band. And you know what? It's f**king cool!"

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Birthday Wishes for the Dream King

Hi all, Tim here from Antagony & Ecstasy.Today, somewhere outside Minneapolis, fantasy writer Neil Gaiman celebrates his 50th birthday (or not; birthdays don't seem to fit the persona the author has created for himself. But I don't have to care). And while he's better known for his comic books and novels than for his work in movies, his short cinematic career is filled with enough highs that it

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The Eyre Above

.JA from MNPP here. If Nat were around he'd perhaps do one of his "Yes No Maybe So" posts for this, but I've got nothing but yes for this, the first trailer for Cary Fukunaga's adaptation of Jane Eyre, which isn't out until March. (via)..Fukunaga's Sin Nombre - and I know Nat agrees with me on this - is a wonderful film. Thrilling and moving and gorgeously shot. So no matter what he did next I'd

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Month of the Moustache

 The Sam ElliottErich Kuersten of Acidemic here, filling in for Nathan and telling you about "Movember" -- a worldwide charity event wherein men grow out their moustaches and people have parties and models sponsor them and profits go to fight prostate cancer. In other words, it's a men's health thing, cocaine and Cristal are optional. Women do walk-a-thons for breast cancer, men sit back and

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First and Last: Waiting Room

Glenn from Stale Popcorn here to provide some fun and games in Nathaniel's absence. We're going to start with an easy one. I think the longest ever F&L comment thread came from one I did so I hope I can come up with one as good while he's away!First image after the opening credits sequence:And the last image before the end credits sequence:Can you name the movie?

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Curio: Bridget Buys

Alexa here. Jose's post on birthday girl Bridget Jones brought back some memories for me. True story: as a 28-year-old singleton I went to see Bridget Jones's Diary, on opening night, all by myself no less. (Insert soundtrack here.) Upon seeing Renée, who had seemingly acquired my identical limp hair and puffiness for the role, I proceeded to sob through the opening credits. Although I'm a smug

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The Art of Good Acting, By Jessica Alba

.JA from MNPP here. Celebrated thespian Jessica Alba is getting some flack this week for sharing the following wisdom in an interview with Elle magazine:"Good actors never use the script unless it's amazing writing. All the good actors I've worked with, they all say whatever they want to say."I don't see what the problem is personally. If anyone knows about the craft of good acting it's Jessica

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Top Ten: Best in Show's Funniest Lines

Hey, folks. This is Michael C. here from Serious Film, thrilled to be helping fill in for Nathaniel this week while he takes his well-earned vacation.Now that I have free rein to spend a few days smudging my finger prints all over The Film Experience, item one on my to-do list is to make sure this year doesn't zip by without us commemorating a notable anniversary. 2010 year marks ten years since

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"Bridget Jones already a legend."

Jose here.Bridget Jones was born on a day like today. She's the chubby, British spinster we all love to watch but fear to become: neurotic, obsessive, insecure and very, very unlucky.Do you remember how she spent her birthday in 2001?Oh joy! I am broadcasting genius, celebrating by cooking birthday feast for close friends. I have a sneaking suspicion I'm also something of genius in the kitchen

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You Wrote Reese A Letter?

Okay, spill. What did it say? What was so important that you just had to write it down. Tell us in the comments*.*I had hoped to do big posts today but prep for my vacation is killing me. so I'm playing blog comment games instead.

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Love 'em and Leave 'em? A Brief Memory of Russell Crowe.

Have you ever loved a performance so much that your subsequent disinterest in the same actor is actually hard to wrap your head around? That's me when it comes to Russell Crowe.I love everything about him in L.A. Confidential... but in particular the way he looks at Kim Basinger. God, the way he looks at her. It's just riveting. He easily made my Best Actor shortlist in 1997. For the record it

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F&L: "Are we the first?"

The post title is the first line of dialogue. But here's the first image...and the last line... "Bye"It's not a lot to go on I admit, but the movie is very famous. Can you guess it? The last image would give it away but if no one can guess, I'll add another clue.*

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When Movie Campaigns Attack

Don't be alarmed ... even if I was.It's one thing to receive creepy "gifts" in the mail. It's quite another when they're completely unrelated and yet they thematically compliment each other ...and they arrive on the same day. First, a bird with a bomb attached (courtesy of Four Lions which I keep hearing great things about. Movies, wait for me. I'm back to screenings in one week's time!).And then

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127 Comments

Since I'm leaving on vacation Tuesday (you'll be in the good hands of TFE's regular weekly columnists and a few other returning guests as well) I wanted to thank everyone again for helping make The Film Experience the lively place it is. I know the posting has been a bit slower than usual but it will all pay off next month: new website! easier navigation! blog more integrated with site charts!

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Take Three: Kim Basinger

Craig here with Take Three. Today: Kim BasingerBay•sing•erI think it’s time again to give Kim Basinger (remember, it's Bay-singer, not Bah-sinjahr, folks) some major credit. The lady's due. She’s gone from supporting eighties female through a love-hate (but Oscar-nabbing) nineties to her current career bloom as a character actress of some depth. Ms Basinger has always quietly impressed me.

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EFA Noms: Of Gods and Ghost Writers with Secrets in Their Eyes

The European Film Award nominations have been announced and what we have this year is an interesting mix of two separate years of Oscar's Foreign Film contest alongside one English language feature: Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer. Side note: I had thought that the film was simply called The Ghost in Europe (?) but perhaps I misremembered.The Ghost sizes up his competition at the European Film

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Jill Clayburgh (1944-2010)

Two time Oscar nominated actress Jill Clayburgh died yesterday after a long long struggle with leukemia. She was 66 years old.Clayburgh in Starting Over (1979) and  Running With Scissors (2006)Younger moviegoers may remember her as the rundown matriarch of that chaotic impossibly neurotic brood in Running With Scissors (2006) or the well heeled matriarch in television's Dirty Sexy Money. (2007-

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Quick...

...what's the last movie you watched and what did you think of it? (We have to live through you at the moment because we're too busy to see a movie *sniffle*. We hate when this happens.) *

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50 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Tilda Swinton.

The fabulous Tilda Swinton is now a half century old young timeless -- old, young... these concepts are too limited when it comes to the greats. But fact: On November 5th, 1960 Tilda Swinton first came into the world. So a tribute is most definitely in order.50 Appropriate Ways to Celebrate Swintonian GreatnessBe a genius.Dye your hair white blonde... or bright red.Be colorful.Imagine you have

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Yes, No, Maybe So: "Sucker Punch"

This goes out to anyone who caught the Sucker Punch trailer and anyone who cares about women as action heroes. Which, as you know, The Film Experience does. Unfortunately caring about something and enjoying it in practice are two different things. In practice there are so many things that can go wrong...The trailer begins with an abused girl fights back set-up (a blouse ripped off and a  button

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Cher Hits a Brick Wall

Over at Towleroad, I've done a brief review of 127 Hours.  I enjoyed a lot even if I don't think it's the masterpiece many are claiming. I also talk about the new dvd set Cher: The Film Collection. More on that collection later here at the blog. (I can't wait to watch these movies again.)This is an actual cel phone snapshot from Soho here in NYC. They painted the Burlesque poster on a brick wall.

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Unsung Heroes: The Cinematography of In Bruges

Hi, everybody. This is Michael C here from Serious Film and this week I'm excited to be writing about one of my very favorite films of the last decade, one that improves dramatically which each repeated viewing. So lets get to the overlooked element of this largely overlooked gem.One could argue that a lot of work was done for Eigil Bryld when director Martin McDonagh decided to shoot on location

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Open Thread (and brief announcement)

What's on your (cinematic) mind? We're always curious.P.S. I'm working on behind the scenes stuff today. You may have noticed the "contributors" field expanding the past few days. I am taking my first ever real vacation starting next Tuesday. Nathaniel (c'est moi) will be offline actually (gasp!) for a week. I've never even tried that before. I'm so scared. A week without the internet? Aahhhh.

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Live Blog: The Hollywood Reporter Actress Roundtable 2010

The actual hour-long Hollywood Reporter video of the six actresses who grace their cover: Annette Bening, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, Hilary Swank, Natalie Portman and Helena Bonham-Carter. Here's how it breaks down if you don't have a full hour to watch (video at bottom of post). Unfortunately you can't "scroll" so the time stamps are useless as I type away.0:01 Helena talks about first day-i-tis.

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Posterized: Rabbit Hole & The King's Speech. What Are They Telling Us?

If you've been wondering what happened to the Posterized series, it comes down to this: A month or so back, I had been reading the book The Art of Drew Struzan -- he's the artist who used to do all those painted posters for Spielberg films and the first Harry Potter and so on -- and while reading it is I was preparing a "posterized: ben affleck" article. Ben Affleck movies, as it turns out, have

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Look at This Party Favor I Made For You

If you'd like, you can embed it on your own blogs or sites or wherever by hitting "get widget". If you just click on the image directly from wherever you put it, it'll take you to the Film Experience's most recent Oscar-flavored articles. How about that? Public service and self promotion.if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('83852329-49ac-4063-a971-9e651d91b0e9');Get the Countdown Creator Pro

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Olivia Williams, The Ghost Actress

I was late to the party on The Ghost Writer but as with any good film, the party is still raging once you get there. It's already one of my favorites of 2010. But back in March I should have been out there championing it as a clever, well executed thriller (if that's the genre you'd like to define it as).  I think it was Pierce Brosnan who kept me away. Since when does he make good movies? And

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First and Last, "I'm Not a Bit Surprised"

the first image and the last line of dialogue from a motion picture."I'm not a bit surprised."Can you guess the movie?

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White Trash Cameo Hameos Forever!

Since America proved tonight at the polls (yay democracy!) that we are all just one tiny step away from being uneducated white trash who vote against our own interests and functioning society -- seriously if there's no government, who will pick up the garbage, who will protect us if someone breaks into our homes, who will make sure our children aren't as idiotic as we are? --  I thought this

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Six Actresses Walk Into a Room...

The Hollywood Reporter is proclaiming that "Awards Season Begins Now" but the cover is freaking me out. Did Nancy Meyers direct it? It's so beige. Do Amy Adams, Nicole Kidman, Hilary Swank and Natalie Portman all suddenly have the same hairstylist & colorist these days? They're interchangeable. And with women that special, that's a big no-no. Kidman's styling bugs me the most. It's so Blair on

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It's Election Day in the US. Which film director...

...did you vote for as Governor of Movies*? (Or Minister of Movies if you prefer)I hope you chose carefully. They'll be bossing your cinema around for the next four years! *Obviously, this is a write-in ballot situation only. I didn't see candidates listed anywhere in my voting guide.*

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TV @ The Movies: "Glee" and "The Walking Dead"

What is the ideal format for talking about tv? I'm beginning to think it's Twitter since even in the days of next day recaps and the 'watch it on your own time' DVR reality, people often watch it in great masses, round about the same time -- only staggered with everyone in their own slightly skewed time zones. I'm on NESST (Nathaniel's Eastern Stop & Start Time). TV has never been the all

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Curio: Election Edition

Alexa from Pop Elegantiarum here with your weekly arts and crafts. I hope all of you are voting today, if you haven't already. By the end of the day a significant number of us will be disappointed at the wackadoodles in office. Here are some bipartisan opinions you might want to sport instead of bitching about the results.Independence Day Bill Pullman or Deep Impact Morgan Freeman for president

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First and Last, England

The very first image and the last (pre closing credit sequence) image from a motion picture.Another clue. The first and last lines of dialoguefirst: "Come on boy."last: "And I knew it was bound to involve  _______  ."Can you guess the movie?*

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Annette Bening, Queen of Santa Barbara

My loyal subjects, Since I know each and every last one of you will want to stand and wave to our procession as we receive the "American Riviera Prize" for our invaluable contributions to the cinema, we wanted to give you ample warning. [We're told you don't have private jets (?) and will need to plan ahead?] The blessed event will happen on January 28th. It's a fitting prize since the American

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Take Three: David Warner

Craig here with Take Three.Today: David WarnerHeads, brains and faces, skewed or distorted, are the prominent concerns with today’s Take Three supporting actor David Warner: the lopping off, the removal of, and the obsessively creepy staring, respectively, are what it's all about. In The Omen, From Beyond the Grave and The Man with Two Brains Warner thrilled us in a delightful and devious manner.

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First and Last, 4.47

The first actual image in the movie. Something is about to move slowly across the screen from the upper right hand cornerThe first image after the credit sequence. Three people are in this room and there's a ton of noisy phone chatter.Can't give you the last image because it's an über famous movie star.Last lines of dialogue: "You'll make it."  "yeah."Can you guess the movie?*

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BIFA: The King's (Acceptance) Speech and Other Oscar Matters

You guys. I'm so not (quite) ready for this. It's only November 1st and in English language cinema we've already had at least three awards lineups outside of the film festivals: NY's Gotham Awards, Australia's AFI, and now BIFA... which translates to the British Independent Film Awards.BIFA considers Oscar-buzzing Lesley Manville as "Supporting"It will surprise virtually no one that the Oscar

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