TIFF Review: "Widows"

by Chris Feil

If you thought that Steve McQueen’s Widows would be less of a body blow as his other films simply because the genius director is dipping into the mainstream, guess again. A quaint notion that is thankfully not the case - McQueen hasn't softened a bit, and thank goodness.

Watching the film is like laying on a bed of nails, danger at every turn as you dodge its narrative and formative land mines. McQueen’s previous films such as 12 Years a Slave and Shame depicted viscerally physical experiences, making for intense films that can be felt as deeply in the body as well as the soul. Though Widows is less concerned on physical tolls taken on its characters than those efforts, that doesn’t mean you don’t still feel Widows down to your bones.

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Sharp Objects: Episode 5 "Closer"

Previously: Episode 4 "Ripe"

by Chris Feil

This week’s Sharp Objects installment opened with its morphing opening credits turned into an ominous cooing, as if from the lullaby of a captor. And this week was similarly barbarous with its flailing comforts. “Closer”, its chapter title promises, describing both our discovery of the mystery and the shows encroaching brutal intimacy. This is the most contained episode yet, taking place over the course of a single day and mostly set on Eudora estate with all of the players brought together. It’s been a show built on a backbone of knowing glances, and “Closer” stacks several atop one another at once. Everyone has eyes on them, and no one feels fewer than Amy Adams’ Camille...

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Sharp Objects: Episode 4 "Ripe"

by Murtada

I was excited for this episode of Sharp Objects as it was billed as "Camille and Richard finally go on a date." They sort of did, in the Sharp Objects way by visiting Wind Gap murder scenes. But the episode also gave us a glimpse into Adora and Alan’s marriage and a memory involving Alan and Camille. I don’t think we’ve ever seen the latter two characters have any meaningful interactions before last night.

At the end of last week’s episode we saw Camille fleeing Wind Gap after her confrontation with Amma. However this time we start with her changing her mind and coming back. Images of dead girls fill the screen, we get it Jean Marc Vallèe, that's why she’s coming back. The constant cutting between now and the Camille's memories feels played out to me despite the story's dependence on memory. It was fresh and exciting when we first saw it 4 years ago in Wild (2014). Get some new tools, Vallèe!!

I’ve decided to let go of trying to look for clues to the mystery of the killer and just enjoy the performances and the eerie atmosphere that the series built.

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"Sharp Objects" Teases

by Nathaniel R

Mmmmmhow we love a good teaser. One that tells you almost nothing about the movie or tv series other than an overal mood so as to preserve / prolong the pre-release excitement. Here comes the eight hour miniseries Sharp Objects starring Amy Adams and Patty Clarkson, two of the best actresses in the business, the latter of whom hasn't had a high profile great part in way too long...

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Adams Heads to TV With 'Sharp Objects'

Manuel here with some actressexual news to get your week started. Jean-Marc Vallée, who’s been busy lately helping Reese Witherspoon nab her second Oscar nomination, filming the HBO TFE dream-cast miniseries Big Little Lies with his Wild star, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern, and letting loose with Jake Gyllenhaal (in the soon to be seen Demolition) is teaming up with Amy Adams for another HBO show: the adaptation to Gillian Flynn’s Sharp Objects. The project, which has been in talks for a while, finally landed at the cable network after a heated bidding war (we almost got a chance to binge it with Netflix narrowly missing this acquisition!)

Per Deadline’s description:

Sharp Objects centers on reporter Camille Preaker (Adams) who, fresh from a brief stay at a psychiatric hospital, must return to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Trying to put together a psychological puzzle from her past, Camille finds herself identifying with the young victims a bit too closely.

Amy, with a sharp object

I’m most intrigued because it sounds like a welcome departure for Adams. Not only does it mark her return to television (let us not forget she was Jim’s girlfriend on The Office), but she hasn’t really yet played within the psychological thriller genre. I have an inkling it might give us a chance to see the actress anew, a nice welcome change from her recent work. Also, we know Vallée is great with actors so I'm curious to see what he brings out in Adams.

The project, ordered to straight-to-series (we're getting 8 episodes), will be executive produced and co-written by Flynn and Marti Noxon, who’s been on a roll lately what with UnReal and Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce. Speaking of Noxon, she’s readying her directorial debut, To The Bone, a film based on her own experiences with anorexia. Lily Collins has signed on to play the leading role of Ellen, while Keanu Reeves will be playing Dr. William Beckham who’s intent on getting the young woman to get better. As someone who’s loved Noxon’s work for close to two decades—this is the woman, after all, who gave us Buffy’s “The Wish” and Mad Men’s “The Gypsy and the Hobo”—I’m excited to see what she does with this very personal story.