Yes No Maybe So: No Time to Die

by Deborah Lipp

The twenty-fifth official James Bond movie, No Time to Die, was originally scheduled for release in April, and was the first major movie to suffer delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is now scheduled for release on November 21st and a new trailer recently dropped.

How badly do we want to see it? Let’s break it down…

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Oldies but Linkies

• Indiewire Waiting for Chris Nolan's Tenet -  Hollywood hopes summer can be saved
• Rick's Real Reel remembering Doris Day and Cary Grant in That Touch of Mink
• Slate fun short piece on the absurd thrill (in a vacuum) of the Ben Affleck / Ana de Armas romance as witness by paparazzi

Today's roundup continues after the jump and is a mix of new and old (i.e. past couple of weeks) stuff since we haven't hit you with a link in a bit: Robert Pattinson profiled, a rift at the César awards, Dear Evan Hansen couplings, Drama League nominations, Peabody Awards, RIPs and more...

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Red Carpet Lineup: One Last Look at the Golden Globe Gowns

Though we gawked at beautiful men, giggled at Viking hats, and pursed our Devil-in-Prada lips at flowery dresses the big fashion blowout post is only happening now. Procrastination is sometimes healthy because we need escapism constantly of late given the increasing despair in the world. Oscar nomination balloting is now complete but until the world is no more award seasons will continue to roar.  Which lewks were your favourites? We'll divvy it up into categories starting with blue and red families...

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Ana de Armas and the perils of playing a good person

by Cláudio Alves

When looking at the 94 performances which have conquered the Best Actress Oscar, some jump out as weird anomalies. It's not so much a question of the actor's work as it's an issue of character type. Good people are rare. Not those who are idealized icons or martyred by nightmarish cruelty, but the few that are just regular decent folk. That's one of the reasons Emma Thompson's Margaret Schlegel from Howards End seems so out of place, for instance. She's an average person who seems intrinsically decent but whose goodness isn't simplistic sainthood. More importantly, she's all that but isn't boring to watch.

That's a rare feat and few actors can accomplish it. In screenplays, such roles tend to look simplistic and lacking in substance. Just think of how insufferable Cosette tends to be in Les Misérables or how unconvincing Jane can be in Pride & Prejudice adaptations. Tom Hanks is one of those rare performers who can take such a role and play it to perfection, bringing humanity to decency and making ordinary kindness interesting to watch. Emma Thompson is another. And, in a delightful surprise, so is Ana de Armas…

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We Like the Suits, Mr. Bond

by Murtada Elfadl

My favorite thing about Daniel Craig’s reign as James Bond that started with Casino Royale (2006) are his tight tight suits. They are just tight enough to allow movement yet showcase his trim buff body as the slinky spy from the British Isles. Behold

And let’s see him in action...

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