Split Decision: "The Holdovers"

No two people feel the exact same way about any film. Thus, Team Experience is pairing up to debate the merits of this year’s Oscar movies. Here's Abe Friedtanzer and Cláudio Alves on The Holdovers…

ABE: Cláudio, it is always my pleasure to talk about films with you even though I know our tastes rarely overlap. In fact, when I met you in-person at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, you noted that we were barely seeing any of the same films. I was only in Toronto for three and a half days and saw a whirlwind eighteen films in that time, the best of which was The Holdovers. My editor decided to hold my review for the theatrical release, which proved somewhat underwhelming, but fortunately there was plenty of awards acclaim for the film to keep my enthusiasm up about this gem.

I remember seeing Sideways twenty years ago and very much enjoying it as I was just starting to really get into film (and The Film Experience as a reader), and it's great to see Alexander Payne reunited with his star Paul Giamatti for a role that's perfect for him. He's one of the best parts of this film but there are so many, at least in my opinion. Cláudio, tell me about your experience of seeing the film and what did and didn't work for you...

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Review: "The Holdovers" Makes For a Successful Payne/Giamatti Reunion

By Christopher James

A student, teacher and cafeteria manager are stuck together for Christmas in Alexander Payne's new film, "The Holdovers."

Alexander Payne has added another lovable misanthrope to his Avengers collection of curmudgeons. The Holdovers packages a lot of familiar tropes, both from Payne’s filmography and broader genre conventions. Luckily that doesn’t stifle the film’s wit and charm. After having an ambitious flop with Downsizing, Payne has returned to form with his eighth feature.

Mixing Goodbye Mr. Chips with Rushmore, The Holdovers is, like its protagonist, gruff yet sweet. For those looking for a Holiday coming-of-age comedy with a spike of melancholy, it'll be the feel-good, feel-bad movie of the fall season...

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Almost There: Hong Chau in "Downsizing"

by Cláudio Alves

With The Whale in theaters and The Menu currently streaming on HBO Max, it's a good time to be a Hong Chau fan. For many of us, she's the best part of both productions, finding the humanity within the former's misery, acing the stylized line readings and deliberate oddness of the gastronomic-inclined latter. Thanks to those achievements, the Asian-American actress is back in the Oscar discussion, working through her second bid for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. The first time this happened was in 2017, when  Chau also proved herself the standout element of a movie with mixed reviews. Even those who hated Alexander Payne's Downsizing generally concede that her performance rises above the movie, shining brightly from within its failings.

Indeed, as Ngoc Lan Tran, Hong Chau is the best reason to watch the sci-fi satirical misadventure cum environmentalist existentialist crisis…

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Almost There: Reese Witherspoon in "Election"

by Cláudio Alves

A few weeks ago, we asked you to vote on what performances should be analyzed on the Almost There series. While Myrna Loy in Test Pilot won the poll of 1938 specific titles, John Cazale's supporting turn in Dog Day Afternoon was your pick from a selection of new to streaming titles. But your runner-up choices will also get their chance to shine. Cazale won, but Reese Witherspoon's iconic performance as Tracy Flick in Election was close behind…

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"And then some!"

Goddess, how fun was that 2002 Smackdown / Podcast? I couldn't even pick a favourite part but some moments of perfection: Joel Kim Booster's anecdote about Family Video, Jazz Tangcay's "peak" Streep obsession, Ben Yahr's nomination strategies, Emily VanDerWerff's tale of weepy double features, and Matt Rogers imitating Nicolas Cage's agent.

If you didn't get a chance to listen to it yet, it's right here at the bottom of the post (again) or at itunes.

64 minutes
00:01 Introductions
03:00 Alexander Payne's About Schmidt and comedy performances as Oscar nominees. Was Kathy Bates the best choice that year?
10:11 Meryl Streep in Adaptation and Nicolas Cage's outre career moves
20:45 Joel's job at Family Video
22:00 Adaptation's Being John Malkovich's moments + Cameron Diaz
25:00 A tribute to Toni Collette, The Hours discussion
35:00 Nomination strategies
36:30 Moulin Rouge! vs Chicago 
37:40 Catherine Zeta-Jones on f***ing fire as Velma Kelly and careers nosediving after Oscar
45:29 Queen Latifah: star or actress? Cameron Diaz and Michelle Pfeiffer had buzz but didn't get nominated
52:00 Chicago has aged really well.
54:00 Recasting the actresses. Our traditional Smackdown game.
59:00 Goodbyes and final 2002 shout-outs: Crossroads, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Signs, About a Boy and more...

Smackdown 2002