Posterized: Mary, Queen of Scots

For today's Posterized a little something different - rather than a star or director, a character. Here are all of the films that have told the story or a story involving Mary, Queen of Scots. The latest iteration, Mary Queen of Scots (which we just reviewed) starring Saoirse Ronan opened in movie theaters today. Saoirse's other two movies this year (On Chesil Beach and The Seagull) didn't really register with moviegoers so we're hoping for the best with the third given the Brooklyn/Lady Bird goodwill she's accumulated. But on to the royal question at hand...

How many Mary of Scots movies have you seen? Posters for all eight movies featuring the would be queen are after the jump.

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Podcast: The Favourite, Creed 2, and Shoplifters

Nathaniel R and Murtada Elfadl welcome back Nick Davis to talk new films

Index (67 minutes)
00:01 Palme d'Or winner Shoplifters. Plus: Roma and Oscar talk.
20:22 Yorgos Lanthimos' The Favourite, directorial style, tragicomedies, and three stellar actresses: Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Stone. Plus: Sandy Powell's costumes
39:45 Reader Q: Which film will get the most Oscar nods this year?
43:06 Reader Q: What is going on with Mary Queen of Scots? 
48:05 Reader Q: Why did Widows underperform?
52:50 Nick on Creed 2 
58:32 Randomness to wrap-up: Museo, and Ruth E. Carter's costumes for Black Panther

Further Reading / References
• Nathaniel's review of The Favourite
• Murtada's interview with Hirokazu Koreeda on Shoplifters
• Oscar Predictions, Current
• ...and this royal Angela Bassett costume in Black Panther

You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you? 

The Favourite, Creed 2, Shoplifters

Blueprints: "A Simple Favor"

This week Jorge dives into martinis and missing persons, to examine the mythos of a perfect woman in the fall's most delightful surprise.

First impressions are important, and writers usually either build upon or subvert the first thing we see about a character: the clothes that they’re wearing, the setting that they appear in, the way they carry themselves, and the adjectives they use. All of these elements can tell us who a character is before they even say a word. 

A Simple Favor is all about image and perception. The image we present to the world, and the part of ourselves that we keep hidden. The way we are versus the way we are perceived. In particular, the film is about Emily’s image. Not only her physical looks (which are hugely important), but the aura and lore that she has created around her. The idea of Emily...

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You Are My Link

• E News First look at Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers in You Are My Friend
• Variety Hugh Jackman getting the celebratory treatment at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, which has become such an Oscar stop to promote contenders, especially in the lead acting categories
• Film Comment Nick Davis, brilliant as ever, looking at some artful highlights from TIFF including Claire Denis High Life, Julianne Moore as Gloria Bell, and Rithy Panh's Graves Without A Name, a follow up to his earlier Oscar nominated doc

after the jump White Boy Rick, A Simple Favor, Alita Battle Angel, Sixteen Candles, Michelle Williams in Venom and Lee Pace as thirst trap...

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Showbiz History: A Lavender Couple, Single White Female, and More...

10 random things that happened on this day in history as it relates to showbiz (Aug 14th)

1040 King Duncan is killed in battle by an army led by his cousin Macbeth, which will all later be rewritten by William Shakespeare as altogethier plottier and magically damning. Macbeth hasn't been transferred to cinema as much of some other Shakespearean tragedies which is TOTALLY fine because no one will ever top Kurosawa's Throne of Blood anyway.

1851 Outlaw Doc Holliday born in Georgia. The gambler / dentist / gunfighter / tuberculosis-victim has made for quite a scenery-chewing role for famous actors over the years, including Cesar Romero, Walter Huston, Kirk Douglas, Arhtur Kennedy, Adam West, Martin Landau, Jason Robards, Stacy Keach, Willie Nelson, Dennis Quaid, and Val Kilmer.

1928 Lina Wertmuller born in Rome. She'll become the first woman ever nominated for a directing Oscar when she's 48 years old for the masterpiece Seven Beauties. 

1939 Oscar's first Best Actress, Janet Gaynor marries a costume designer so famous, he didn't even need a last name: Adrian. Many people believe it was a "lavender marriage"...

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