It's time to answer a dozen reader questions pulled from the last two "Ask Nathaniel" suggestion-box posts. Please to note that in the podcast this weekend, we answered a few already that were Ex Machina related and last night we teased you with an appetizer about the emotions of Inside Out and actors who best embody them.
Jumping right in...
BVR: Do you think audiences will ever flock to dramas again the way they used to years ago?
I hope so, all things being cyclical. It happens once in a while still. The Blind Side (2009) and American Sniper (2014) were both supersized hits in the way movie star dramas of the past have been when they've hit big. Unfortunately they both felt like anomalies and only that successful because they managed to get people who don't go to the movies into the movie theater. The problem today is obviously at least four-fold: TVs got larger, the amount of content exploded, theatrical windows shrunk, and the theaters, rather than stepping up their game to compete, actually made themselves less hospitable with smaller screens and tons of commercials.
Movie theater chains seem to be trying again but once you've lost a regular moviegoer, it's hard to restore their habit. What is next in terms of technological advances? Will we ever get fully three dimensional hologram-like movies you can walk around inside? And if we do, won't dramas be the favorite, rather than special effects pictures, for the 'choose your own proximity adventure' in terms of closeups of the actors? I imagine they'll be performed very much like straight plays for multiple cameras and since you're the one doing the editing, theater training will be important and superb acting could rise again to "favorite visual effect" dominance.
Or did our recent sci-fi week warp my brain too much? This wasn't the answer you were looking for.
BROOKESBOY: Who will be the next winner of a second Best Actress prize?
More Questions and Answers -- a lot more -- after the jump
I'm going to say Jennifer Lawrence both because people are obsessed with her (obsessed enough that she was a true rival for an Oscar that would have otherwise been a slam dunk in Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave) and because she gets her pick of meaty female roles for characters aged 20 through 50 (sigh). Otherwise I have trouble picturing it happening again anytime soon for any of the women who've won in the past 14 years or so.
Think about it: Blanchett already has 2 and winning 3 is extremely rare, Streep already has 3, nobody will feel like they owe Winslet anything. Moore already won the 'lifetime achievement' style tribute. Theron doesn't really make "Oscar films"... though if she did perhaps she could pull it off. A lot of the winners from further back in the 90s don't really work in leading roles anymore. But then again sometimes the people who win two are just beyond your imagination as to 'really, that happened?'... so if it's not Jennifer Lawrence... maybe... Helen Hunt (1997 and...????)
I'D LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THEORIES IN THE COMMENTS.
TAYTAYHOLIDAY: Favorite performances by Gene Kelly?
Can I say "all"? No? Fine. Obviously Singin' in the Rain and Anchors Aweigh and Brigadoon. And I think For Me and My Gal is pretty fascinating to watch in terms of him learning how to do the movie star thing (his first movie role, and already a lead thanks to the days when Hollywood cherry-picked the best performers from the stage for big film careers). For the rare non-musical roles he really pushes himself in Marjorie Morningstar.
JAMES: What actor/actress are you incapable of separating from a certain role. ie. they will always be Character X to you
I don't really have this problem with movie actors though I suppose Mark Hamill never lost Luke Skywalker. It's more of a TV problem because the actor plays the role for so long. The person that fits this to a "T" is Sarah Michelle Gellar because Buffy was such a definitive enduring influential character and she was so perfect in it. When I see her in other things I'm like 'Buffy quit vampire hunting and decided to become an actress and now she's playing this role.'
STEVE: Who is your favorite recurring character on Mad Men?
By recurring I assume you mean the non-principles? My favorite of the tertiary principles is Ken Cosgrove. But true recurring non principles? The actor's bench on that show is SO deep but from people who we only saw for a season or two, or who only pop up randomly or only have teeny tiny scenes, who can beat James Wolk as Bob Benson ("Not great, Bob!") who was so adorable at ruffling Pete's peacock feathers and also had such interesting scenes with Joan. Speaking of ruffling feathers, Darren Pettie made a great recurring antagonist of sorts as Lucky Strikes man Lee Garner Jr. I enjoyed the rare conversations with Hollis the elevator operator, too, but mostly it's all about the (mad) women, secretaries and wives and neighbors and moms and mistresses.
some favorite faces from Mad Men's whole universe of players
My favorite Mom was late arrival Julia Ormond as Megan's French mother. Rachel Menken was my favorite of Don's many flings on the side. Among the secretaries I adored Dawn and Shirley and for whatever reason, Meredith (Stephanie Drake) suddenly felt indispensable this last bifurcated season despite only offering wee comic amusement in her first two seasons. Talia Balsam was sensational every time as Mona Sterling, Roger Sterling's first wife (and I didn't even realize she is John Slattery's actual wife) and the few times that Sal's wife Kitty showed up, the actress Sarah Drew nailed the confusions about her marriage. And when Betty remarried and moved, I was sad that we never saw her best friend neighbor housewife Francine (Anne Dudek) again.
SVG: If someone from Mad Men were to win an Oscar, who would it be and for what?
For future film career awards, Elisabeth Moss has the best shot since she's already proven tremendous range outside of the show. As for what she'd win it for, who knows. The challenge for her will be finding a character that can be as beloved as Peggy Olson while also being very different than her. I still think Christina Hendricks has earned a leading star vehicle but it doesn't seem to be happening.
JO: Why did you discontinue Seasons of Bette? Have you thought about doing another series about a classic actress?
It was a failure on my part in terms of over planning. Both Anne Marie and I have discussed various actresses that would be worthy of a series so you will see additional series, but probably in mini series form. The trick is finding someone that's fun to write about repeatedly.
SOME QUESTIONS I CAN'T FULLY ANSWER AND WHY...
NIKITA: Can you please recast Birdman in another decade?
I confess I don't really get this question. One thing that's inherently marvelous about Birdman is how its like DNA of a very specific moment, this moment, in the film industry and stage industry and real life generation gaps. A moment where the stage still has their gods but they're nobodies to Hollywood and they're only doing old material anyway. A moment when someone can be "famous" but completely irrelevant because either young people don't care or they have zero social media presence. A moment where there is sudden hostility about actors being trapped by comic book roles. I mean they didn't even really make superhero movies until 1978 (Introducing... Christopher Reeve) and they didn't start casting actual movie stars in that type or role until 1989 (with Michael Keaton as Batman) so 2014 seems like the very earliest they could have made this movie. I appreciate its contemporary lightning-in-a-bottle pizazz, smart casting, and intricate spontaneity... however carefully orchestrated the latter was. Plus, I don't think you can improve on Michael Keaton and Edward Norton who both should have won their Oscar categories, hands down.
DAVE S: Which new TV pick-up for the fall are you most excited about?
I plan to cover this in some form but not until all the networks have announced their schedules. The news comes in so piecemeal from the upfronts. One show that would have been on the list was the new one starring Megan Hilty as a retired-from-the-stage Tony winner somehow involved with the world of sports (?) but it was not picked up to series.
MAGICUB: What is your opinion about The Americans?
My opinion is that it's too early to have one since I'm not very far into the series yet but I loved the first five episodes.
EUROCHEESE: You told Nicole Kidman in your interview with her that she was the most important actress of the last decade. (I completely agree.) We've reached the halfway point for the 10s (Teens?). Who looks likely for this decade?
This will require a lot of thought and extensive articles but I do plan to do another thing like Actress of the Aughts soon for this current decade.
ST JEANS: Of the Palme d'Or winning films you've seen what are your 10 favorites.
We did a team top ten on this a year ago yesterday which is the closest I'll get to answering this question fully since I love most of those movies that were cited. Of the ones that didn't make that top ten cut I'm pretty sure I remember voting for Romania's 4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007) and Brazil's Black Orpheus (1959).
Your turn. There's a lot here to discuss and I love reading your answers to these same questions. I do read all the comments.