Monica Vitti (1931-2022) What makes a great actor?

by Timothy Lyons

This year’s Best Actress discussion / post-BAFTA nomination shake-up has reached a new height of confused scrambling. Things have, for now, refocused on the single consistent presence throughout precursor season: Lady Gaga as the murderous Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci. When watching the film, it became clear to me how much Gaga’s distinctive visage bears striking resemblance to that of the great Italian star Monica Vitti. This came into sad focus today on my learning of the legend’s passing on Wednesday at the age of ninety from complications related to Alzheimer’s.

I will get quickly back to the subject at hand but to help in drawing out Vitti’s unique gifts, a little more on Gaga in Gucci as a comparison…

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Tweetweek

I would like to give this proposed movie all the Oscars now, plz and tx.

BEING THE RICARDOS but about the week leading up to the filming of the AMC ad

— Jorge Molina (@colormejorge) January 14, 2022

The Lost Daughter, possible casting for that Madonna biopic, Lady Gaga drunk on fake booze, Andrew Garfield in a pool, imporant news from Lee Grant, Oscar hosting funnies and more after the jump...

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Who is now in the lead for Best Actress?

by Nathaniel R and Team Experience!

The morning after and we're still reeling from the SAG nominations. But in particular what it's done to presumptions about the Best Actress category. I've updated the Oscar chart but after a brief flirtation with Nicole Kidman as #1, I suddenly felt the urge to give that spot to Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter. Is this insane? Not exactly though it is probably the common pundit psychosis of "overthinking it". My pundit brain began imagining that all the biopic ladies are getting in each other's way with their elaborate makeovers and mimicry (or lack thereof) and through the chaos emerges the true stealth battle of all along: superstar Lady Gaga vs revered thespian Olivia Colman.

Lady Gaga is also playing a real person, like the biopic ladies, but Patrizia Reggiani isn't a famous celebrity being recreated by another famous celebrity as is the usual draw of these things. So the traditional biopic advantage (aka default love for "what a transformation!") doesn't quite apply in Gaga's case. In the end given Olivia Colman mania and Gaga's film having more detractors, is it so outlandish to presume a quick second win could very well happen. So I polled the team, hoping that a crystal clear hive mind pundit choice would emerge. Whoops! Though there is a hesistant "consensus choice" opinions are truly all over the place.

Here's how the team responded to the big question of the moment...

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Lady Gaga's Best "House of Gucci" Looks

by Cláudio Alves

Despite the dynastic title, House of Gucci isn't a movie about fashion. Ridley Scott's no Bertrand Bonello when it comes to shooting beautiful designs, keeping his focus on the human intrigue happening around the clothes, reducing them to an attention-pulling ornament. But, of course, that doesn't mean the costumes aren't gorgeous or anything less than perfect. Reuniting with Scott, costume designer Janty Yates constructed an epic movie wardrobe made up of vintage Gucci, pieces from its lead actress's archival collection, countless custom fits, a cornucopia of deadly glamour. Amid the luxury, Lady Gaga stands out in the role of Patrizia Reggiani, shining like an Elizabeth Taylor diamond, dressed to kill. 

Because lists are fun and everyone loves a ranking, let's explore Lady Gaga's extensive wardrobe in House of Gucci by looking at her top 10 looks…

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Movie-Adjacent Grammy Nominations!

by Nathaniel R

"Sour" and "Montero" -definitely two of the most talked about albums of the year.

Each year when the Grammy nominations are announced we dive in to find notes of interest for cinephiles and/or general movie/tv enthusiasts. Jon Batiste, who took home the Oscar for Best Original Score for Pixar's Soul last spring, leads the Grammy nominations with 11 citations. But before we get to the movie stuff, we should acknowledge the three top categories: album, record, and song of the year...

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