Sunday
May212017
Ask Nathaniel
Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 5:00AM 
Happy summertime, y'all!Time for another Q&A round. You know what to do in the comments, but remember that questions that don't require complete essays or gigantic lists to answer are more likely to be answered! Some subjects (non-mandatory) to consider this week include Cannes or Twin Peaks or Summer or Gemini anything. (Oh and happy birth-month to all my fellow Geminis!)
Unrelated reminder: Tuesday marks the return of Hit Me With Your Best Shot so get to watching and choosing!
tagged Ask Nathaniel
Ask Nathaniel
Reader Comments (35)
What is your favorite Italian film?
Is there an unseen awards contender this year that you are hoping doesn't fail?
I've been thinking a lot about straight actors getting their starts or big breaks playing gay roles--Hugh Grant in Maurice, Guy Pierce in Priscilla, DDL in Beautiful Launderette, Charlie Hunnam in Queer as Folk, Eddie Redmayne in Savage Grace, etc. etc. Do you think this was/is a major "right of passage" for actors? Is it mostly a non-American phenomenon? Do you think this will slow down now that there's more awareness/active demand for gay actors to play these roles?
Which decade produced the best Horror movies.
Just rewatched True Lies. Jamie Lee Curtis was so slyly awesome and fun in that. How would you rank her (best) performances?
P.S. Is your Michelle Pfeiffer retrospective coming back? I enjoyed it immensely, and thought of it again after watching the Wizard of Lies.
Thoughts on the four musicals up for the Tony this year? (Natasha&Pierre, Evan Hansen, Come from Away, Groundhog Day)
What's your favorite musical from this century? Favorite new Broadway star?
Beyond the appeal of a franchise for a 67-year old American female, what's your take on the recently announced Mama Mia! sequel?
Nathaniel, what do you think about Mo'Nique's latest rant about Oprah, Tyler Perry, and Lee Daniels? Specifically, her assertion that people in the entertainment business need to speak out about perceived mistreatment from higher ups, even at the risk of damaging their career?
Which movie from the 20th century do you think have the best ensemble cast?
FYC: The Hours lol
If you can't answer it here, well at least please think of this topic to be included in an article or listing. Thanks!
What was your favorite decade of Actress winners, and will the Teens be in the running?
More questions inspired by "Mamma Mia 2" - what other movie musicals would you try to sequel-ize? What Abba songs are left that you'd want to hear in this new one? Should they have chosen a different musical artist so they didn't have to work with a partially depleted catalog?
What is the most significant gap in your film experience knowledge that you want to remedy at some time in the future? Any directors, genres, eras, etc that you think you should get to know on better terms?
While the Fan Bingbing mix up at Cannes was inexcusable (this is an international event- did no one brief him?) Sometimes we do confuse actors. If there a pair of actors (or directors) that you seem to keep mixing up, thinking one did the other's work?
I have a friend who's adamant Picture and Director should just be the same category and I feel like I'm having a hard time finding a way to say what separates them. How would you describe the difference, and what'd be a good example to use for getting it across?
Are you divided? You appreciate golden era Hollywood cinema which mainly resides in black and white. But contemporary color cinema is less vivid and saturated like you like when you're watching newly minted color imagery. How does that work? Being a lover of color yet nostalgic for the era drenched in black and white?
What film artist resembles you in aesthetic and thematic material?
What do you think is most important in labeling an actor as great? Is it the ability to successfully navigate different mediums? Is it producing credible works across multiple genres? Is it the ability to disappear into divergent roles? Or is it enough to offer just a few small but iconic roles/performances that really resonate?
From the first ceremony up to today, only 5 actors won an Oscar for Best Actor for their film's only nomination, whereas more than twice that many actresses (12) won Best Actress for their film's only nomination. Any theory to explain those numbers?
Is there some bias that gives actor-driven films better coattails than actress-driven films, or are there simply fewer actress-driven films, so the Academy is more likely to look at films without traction for other categories in Best Actress rather than in Best Actor?
For the record, the five actors and twelve actresses are Emil Jannings for The Way of All Flesh, José Ferrer, Cliff Robertson, Michael Douglas, Forest Whitaker; Mary Pickford, Marie Dressler, Helen Hayes, Kate Hepburn for Morning Glory, Bette Davis for Dangerous, Joanne Woodward, Sophia Loren, Jodie Foster for The Accused, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore.
Are there any at-one-time up-and-coming directors who never managed to break through or whose quality in projects dipped that you still have hope can bring it all together and make a great movie?
Gosford Park is that rare beast - a true ensemble where it seems that everyone I meet has a different MVP! What are your thoughts on the film and who gives your favourite performance?
I would have been happy with a 2001 Best Supporting Actress category entirely dominated by this film - my winner? Kristin Scott Thomas.
There are rumors that Nicole Scherzinger is to going to be Elphaba in the new Wicked film. What are your thoughts on that? and who would be your picks to play de lead roles?
Luise Rainer is probably the least known of double Best Actress Oscar winners. Have you ever watched her back to back winning performances? Any thoughts on them?
What to date was your favourite surprise Oscar win assuming that Moonlight's best picture win joins the rankings somewhere.
Who are the next 3 women that should win the AFI Life Acheivement Award?
What are your thoughts on the rumblings about how Wonder Woman is being marketed? Word is that Warner Bros. has been having difficulty with how to approach it because it stars (gasps!) a woman! Compared to other DC movies, reports are that there have been fewer trailers and tv spots overall. With Beauty and the Beast inching towards $500 million and big expectations for Wonder Woman, do you think Hollywood is actually ready to approach women as an actual segment of the audience who go to the movies just as often as teenage boys, or should I just copy and paste this for discussion again next year?
Which director rather up and coming or established could get Angela Bassett back into Oscar glory or to bring out the best performance of her career?
Which non-mainstream films at Cannes are you hoping will get deserved critical attention?
I second questions from kermit & Marie!
Also, the phrase 'strong roles for women' is often used by critics, talent & media in general, when describing what is really a complex character. Personally it drives me a little crazy because 'strong' seems like a lazy word. Female characters should be messy, complex, funny, weak, dominant, cruel, insecure ..and yes, strong. But strong seems to be the go to word that equates to the ideal. Maybe I'm being oversensitve - but I'm curious - do you see this trend in using the word strong, and what are your thoughts on that?
Do you think Diane Keaton deserve this year AFI award?
What do you think are the 10-20 most memorial line/quotes from a film made in the 21st century?
Who is the best Rooney: Mickey Rooney, or Rooney Mara?
In honor of Cannes & Actresses 2 of our favorites here: name 3 (or more) favorite Best Actress win at the Cannes Film Festival (Mine are Meryl (A cry in the dark), Isabelle (La pianiste) & Julianne (Map to the stars) ...
Favorite song from a movie that you didn't care for or barely remember?
OR
Which summer major release from the last five years do you most wish to have a best picture nomination?
Two-part question:
1) Why are there so many songs about rainbows?
and
2) What's on the other side?
Lino Brocka or Ishmael Bernal?
What other senior (male or female) besides Goldie Hawn is ready for a comeback?