Randomness... 1984

by Nathaniel R

Continuing our 80s Theme November Party with 1984 now. Is this party overstaying its welcome? Maybe but what can you do when you've invited everyone over, picked a theme, and told everyone to dress for the occasion! If you missed the beginning we started the retro top tens with 1980-1982 and 1983. Cláudio has been talking actressing in those same years and Juan Carlos chimed in with some Best International Feature memories.

Without further ado my personal favourites from 1984 (in alphabetical order) and of course I hope you'll share yours in the comments...

Click to read more ...

Streaming Roulette, June: Streets of Fire, Primary Colors, and The World to Come

Yes it's time for another round of streaming roulette where we point out titles that are new(ish) to streaming and just for fun, freeze frame them at totally random places in the scroll bar and whatever comes up we share. Let's go...

I think 'Oh, if I'm self aware about being a douchebag, it... it... it... will somehow make me less of a douchebag.' But it doesn't. Self awareness does not absolve anyone of anything. Am I balding?

Bo Burhnam Inside
A new comedy special from the writer/director of Eighth Grade and the co-star of Promising Young Woman. We've heard good things but haven't yet screened...

Click to read more ...

Showbiz History: Harvey Milk elected and Moonlight and La La Land both win... no take backs

6 random things that happened on this day, January 8th, in showbiz history

1941 William Randolph Hearts forbids any of his papers for running advertisements for Citizen Kane (not in theaters till later that year), after Hedda Hopper informs him of the film's content and treatment of Marion Davies. His anger about the film spreads to Hollywood, where he had many allies and where the arrogant young Welles had already pissed off many in power. Citizen Kane struggled at the box office and was supposedly booed at the Oscars (imagine... though it's hard to fact check that since the awards weren't televised then) but history has, of course, been kind to it. 

1942 Stephen Hawking born in Oxford, England...

Click to read more ...

Doc Corner: Is 'Crip Camp' an early Oscar frontrunner?

By Glenn Dunks

As if on cue to allow isolated audiences one hell of an emotional purge, James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham’s sublime Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution is here. Seemingly built to make audiences burst into tears out of honest to goodness heart-melting positivity and righteous activist anger in equal measure (a delicate balance to say the least), it is perhaps for the first time since this pandemic began that I contemplated my own small place in this big world outside of COVID-19.

It’s big-hearted and impassioned; an unsurprising winner of Sundance’s audience award and an obvious frontrunner for the Academy Award.

Click to read more ...

The Once and Future Link

• /Film Tom Hanks to play Elvis Presley's shady manager Colonel Tom Parker in Baz Luhrmann's upcoming Elvis biopic. Thankfully Baz is looking for a complete unknown for Elvis himself
• Towleroad this is awesome. Gay rights hero Harvey Milk is now on the tail fits of Norwegian Airlines. And to think he can't even get a national holiday in the US. We are so behind sometimes!
• Shadowplay some fun thoughts on John Boorman's Excalibur as "The Ridiculous"
• MNPP "do dump or marry" Matrix anniversary edition

More after the jump including the awesomeness of Eva Green, the fate of X-Men movies, an Alien high school production, and filmmaker interviews...

Click to read more ...