The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team. (This site is not for profit but for an expression of love for cinema & adjacent artforms.)
• Pajiba wonders what the hell is going on at Annapurna pictures (they've dropped that upcoming all-star Roger Ailes movie just two weeks before production) • Forbes good piece on why Warner Bros doesn't need the troubled DC superhero films any more • YouTube Jon Hamm and James Corden asking each other humiliating questions about people they dont want to work with, penis size, Batman, and more...
More after the jump including more icky Bryan Singer drama, The Flash's delay, TV spinoffs and franchise relaunches (sigh) and Broadway's Beetlejuice...
• THR a reporter on the next tense moments at Netflix as they try to make their original movies more culturally impactful to continue to lure filmmakers. Roma and The Irishman are going to be crucial to their plans • Awards Daily Melanie Lynskey talks about her work on Castle Rock • EW high powered producer Craig Zadan, who brought lots of musicals to the screen and also produced the Oscars, died unexpectedly at just 69. Hollywood is paying tribute. • Playbill cast announced for the Broadway aimed Beetlejuice musical. Includes Kerry Butler in the Geena Davis role!
• ScriptNotes a great discussion about the new silent-movie like loss of old movies (particularly from the 70s and 80s) in the streaming era. It springs from this article... • BlackList "In search of the last great video store" - the writer had a craving for Fresh Horses starring Molly Ringwald and couldn't find it. (We've been there MANY times) • Filmmaker Raúl Castillo talks about his career from his theater roots, through Looking, and on to We the Animals • Variety Aretha Franklin apparently didn't leave a will before she died • Coming SoonCrazy Rich Asians sequel is moving forward. That's great news for Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr who feature prominently in the book's sequel • My New Plaid Pants John Cho seven times • The AV Club Hulu wants to revive Veronica Mars • Vulture looks into the climactic mahjong showdown in Crazy Rich Asians
on this day in history as it relates to showbiz...
Lon Chaney as The Phantom of the Opera1776 Pioneering mathematician Sophie Germain born. She's mentioned in the movie Proof but where's her biopic? There are so many 'hidden figures' out there to tell stories about 1883 Silent film star and "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney is born. Becomes legendary doing monstrous film roles with early horror makeup: clowns, phantoms, hunchbacks, you name it...
We're days late arriving to the conversation about RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 but donut come for me (heh). There are only so many hours in the day. Watching the "Meet the Queens" teaser I predicted Bob, Kim Chi and Laila for the top three (in a betting pool) and then Laila landed in the bottom two the very first episode. Whoops! There goes a tenner.
Kim Chi, who describes herself as an anime character, did a Cowardly Lion homage (there are always movie references!). More after the jump if you're so inclined...
Arts Beat Kerry Washington to star in HBO film Confirmation about Anita Hill. Great casting Playbill Not that it was ever in doubt but Disney is officially at work on Frozen 2. Comics Alliance Robert Downey Jr presents a one arm kid Avengers fan with an Iron Man arm. Sweet Broadway World talks to the legendary Ben Vereen about new projects, Bob Fosse movies, and the return of the movie musical
D Listed Steve Carell as Fabio? Fabulous. Especially the low-fi hair blowing... which is particularly funny since we just saw the same "effect" in Paris is Burning Pajiba Courtney schools Lindsay Lohan on photoshop manipulation for her Instagram account Disney promises no more smoking in their films ever. That's fine but if they digitally erase the smoking in their archive like in 101 Dalmatians we will feel murderous /Film PETA wants new ending for Tim Burton's Dumbo remake and though we'd prefer the movie not be made at all, we'd like to co-sign this proposal Howard Stern Show I keep hearing this very lengthy Madonna interview is awesome but I haven't listened yet. I'm too busy mainlining "Rebel Heart" now that it's here in full (favs: Living For Love, Ghost Town, Rebel Heart, and I think I might love the totally filthy and juvenile Holy Water but I haven't decided yet) MNPP I never talk about John Barrowman since he doesn't make movies but I L-O-V-E him and here's Jason paying tribute in a crotch-grabbing way that I think Barrowman himself would enjoy
Unlike the rogue Babysitter who tired of the Club or Brenda when she finally stopped seeking Kelly's approval, Lydia Deetz was actually an original. And whether she was wearing a schoolgirl outfit stuffed with crinoline, a nondescript painter's smock, or a blood-red wedding dress to match her evil stepmother's, there was something aspirational about how few fucks she actually gave.
Empire Mania - Some Links, Several Thoughts Towleroad Some fan has made a video of Empire meant to ape the Dynasty opening. I appreciate the connection since I turned to the Boyfriend a few episodes of this show and said "I feel like this writer's room really studied Dynasty - best nighttime soap in forever." but this mashup is not really a great visual match. I grew up on Dynasty (my parents were horrified at how obsessed I was with it) and you have to have those vertical line splits and the sectional images for it to really read as Dynasty Reincarnated. Good Black News Ratings for the show are up for the record-breaking 9th straight week. It's now starting to rival TV's mega hit The Walking Dead (!!!) I'm so happy for Lee Daniels. But I hope he doesn't quit movies because we need him there with his crazy ass Paperboy/Precious/Butler provocations. Xfinity Jussie Smollett talks about "the closet" or rather his lack of one on Ellen. He's beyond adorable, really. And the third best reason to watch Empire after 1) Taraji of course 2) how worthy it is as a night time soap giant overall. (The Smolletts are so talented. Remember how great his sister Junee was on Friday Night Lights?) This is my favorite performance of Jussie's on Empire thus far. I may have listened to it four times as I was typing this.
"But what are the fourth and fifth best reasons to watch the show, Nathaniel?" you ask. SINCE YOU ASKED. 4) the music . 5) the guest stars are fabulous. Courtney Love and Naomi Campbell were superbly well cast and just killing it to cite two examples. Though we probably shouldn't mention new guest star Jennifer Hudson. That girl cannot act, sorry AMPAS. The past 9 years have proven otherwise. Great voice, though.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 1:01PM 
