Nicole Kidman Tribute: Lion (2016)

by Cláudio Alves

The late 2000s saw Nicole Kidman's reputation suffer under the strain of bad reviews and a perceived rejection by mainstream audiences. Jokes about plastic surgery were a dime a dozen, and not even a couple of brilliant turns could dissuade the naysaying masses. But then came Rabbit Hole and a third Oscar nomination, a new chance at proving herself. As usual, she took the opportunity and ran with it, kickstarting one of the most productive phases of her career. From 2010 to 2016, the actress amassed an astounding sixteen screen credits and appeared in the award-winning West End production of Photograph 51. It was also then, as Kidman settled into her 40s and came nearer to the half-century mark, that she started playing more supporting roles. 

Make no mistake, Kidman is a Hollywood leading lady, a confirmed A-lister to this day. But that doesn't preclude her from trying her hand at smaller parts. Coupled with revitalized prestige, a return to Oscar glory in a new category felt near inevitable. And so it was, with the star receiving her first Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, for Lion…

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Paul Mescal is the Melancholic Heartthrob of Our Dreams...

by Cláudio Alves

...but not even he could make Foe worth watching.

Since Normal People hit the small screen in 2020, the Irish actor has enjoyed a rise to fame like few before. Still, his breakthrough performance as Connell Waldron could have been a one-hit wonder with its staggering vulnerability never to be repeated. Thankfully, that wasn't to be. Though his big-screen debut, The Lost Daughter, didn't ask much from the Maynooth-born hunk with perpetually sad eyes, the 2022 double feature of Aftersun and God's Creatures revealed surprising range. So much so that he secured his first Oscar nomination for the Charlotte Wells stunner, a rare honor for its kind of understated work.

Garth Davis' Foe is the first significant stumble in a mostly impeccable resume. Still, that need not be the end-all-be-all of Mescal's 2023…

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No More Mara "Magdalene" This Year

Chris here. We've been dying to see Rooney Mara in Garth Davis's Lion follow-up Mary Magdalene ever since those set photos emerged of her smoking in costume. But unfortunately the wait is about to be longer: the Weinstein Co. just pushed the film off this year's release calendar. We suspected this news might be coming when the film wasn't showing up in any festival lineups, but now the news in confirmed.

However, this doesn't mean that Mary Magdalene is headed towards the same fate as their delayed-into-oblivion titles Suite Francaise and Tulip Fever (which will finally open wide Sept. 1 - allegedly). Weinstein Co. has simply pushed the film back to March 30, which will be appropriately timed for Easter weekend. Perhaps opening on the holiday will be a smart cash grab given the relevancy with the subject.

But the Weinstein's aren't giving up that prime November release date after the same timing worked out so well for them last year with Lion. They have now moved up the Edison/Westinghouse electricity race film The Current War to Magdalene's former November 24 date. That film plays right into the Academy's biopic sweet spot and boasts a nomination-ready ensemble that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, and Tom Holland. The financial struggles of the Weinstein Co. would likely have not been able to support the awards hopes for both, so maybe this is the best scenario for both films. Even if it means we'll have to smoke another pack with Mara Magdalene while we wait.

Links: Rogue One, Hidden Figures, The OA

Gurus of Gold the latest Best Picture chart along with Globe predictions. I went out on a limb or two for fun because the Globes usually do at least one weird thing with winners.
Variety Guy Lodge on the foreign film finalist list 
Variety on the Peter Cushing visual fx in Rogue One and performers rights to their image after death (I suppose we should talk about this eventually but I am still really weirded out and uncomfortable about it)
Jezebel in case you missed the brouhaha about Tilda Swinton's conversation with Margaret Cho about whitewash casting in Doctor Strange 

Tracking Board Will Ferrell and Kristen Wiig to headline a new musical comedy Everything's Coming Up Profits: The Golden Age of Industrial Musicals
The Gothamist loves Netflix's mystery series The OA [SPOILERS] from the pair that brought us that eco-terrorist thriller The East (Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij), remember that one? I have only watched two episodes. Not sure that I get it. Feels padded and expository to me. I'll give it one more episode
Guardian talks to Sigourney Weaver, still going strong 37+ years into her big screen stardom
Coming Soon Ewan McGregor behind the scenes on T2 Trainspotting
Variety profiles great new director Garth Davis (Lion, Top of the Lake)
In Contention tries to figure out what the Makeup Oscar people might like in next week's bakeoff
Playbill First look at Philippa Soo in Broadway's adaptation of Amélie
Awards Daily Hidden Figures plays the White House. Headed for a Best Picture nod? 
/Film Josh Boone's initial plans for the movie franchise version of The New Mutants 

List-Mania
THR 25 best performances of the year - usual Oscar buzzing people plus a few interesting off-consensus choices like Kathryn Hahn in Bad Moms
Guardian 50 best comedies of all time - as chosen by comedians. 
Pajiba best lines of the year on TV 
Film School Rejects 50 most beautiful shots in Star Wars universe 

Say What! On the "Mary Magdelene" Set

Garth Davis's Lion arrives in theatres today, but he'll be reuniting with supporting player Rooney Mara in short order for next year's Mary Magdalene. That intriguing project is one of many coming next year from the actress, including a just announced secret film shot with her Aint Them Bodies Saints director David Lowery last summer and maybe Terrence Malick's Weightless. However, we've now seen some set photos of Davis's film with Mara and Joaquin Phoenix's Jesus getting all biblical:

What could Mara be saying to Phoenix? Caption This in the comments!