Mad Men @ the Movies: Ali + Brigitte = Megan?

Julia Ormond returns to her Emmy-nominated role as Megan's motherLynn Lee, back again to discuss Mad Men at the Movies.  

The title of this week’s episode was “New Business,” which may or may not be meant ironically. The episode felt contrived to strike certain thematic chords at the expense of developing the characters believably.  Diana the waitress feels more like a construct than a person, designed to appeal to Don’s hang-ups (the lover to be saved, the mother who abandoned her child); even their awkward elevator encounter with Sylvia Rosen just reminded me of how bored I was with that affair.  Megan does a 180 from the regretful wife bidding Don a tearful goodbye to the bitter ex-wife who accuses him of stealing her youth.  And her bickering French Canadian family shows up for no discernible purpose other than to bring back Julia Ormond and leave Don with a literally empty home.

That said, it’s Megan who brings Mad Men as close to the movies as it can get in an episode without any specific movie mentions. Megan’s film career has stalled, to the point that she’s subsisting on handouts from Don while their lawyers fight about divorce terms. She’s apparently desperate enough to seek help from Harry Crane, of all people - Harry, the noob who's been lusting after her since her show-stopping performance of “Zou Bisou Bisou.”

After seeking permission (sort of) from Don, Harry meets Megan for lunch and loses no time buttering her up.  He can’t believe she hasn’t gotten bigger parts!  He compares her to movie stars, both foreign and domestic...

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Black History Month: Morgan Freeman Enters The Conversation

Our celebration of Black History Month is, naturally, also an Oscar History Celebration. Today Nathaniel looks at Morgan Freeman's original claim to fame.

When you think of Morgan Freeman what's the first thing that comes up? Given his revered stature in contemporary cinema the answer is undoubtedly pulled from the following character types: wise mentor, savvy professional, trusted friend, quiet confidante, brilliant academic, noble leader. Freeman brings such natural authority and wise but warm old men sass onscreen that playing God in the comedy Bruce Almighty wasn't even a stretch but a light bulb "of course it's Freeman!" moment. So it's a little startling to remember or discover that his first of five Oscar nominations -- he's the most celebrated black actor in Oscar history outside of Denzel Washington -- and indeed his breakthrough in cinema does not fit the Morgan Freeman mold in virtually any way. 

This ho said you wanted to meet me so here I am. 

No, Morgan Freeman's original claim to big screen fame was as a vicious pimp named "Fast Black" in a largely forgotten journalist-plays-with-fire drama called Street Smart (1987). [More...]

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Yes, No, Maybe So: "Hope Springs"

I'm such a ditz. Last week we learned that Meryl Streep really needed more potassium in her diet -- the marketing for her new comedy Hope Springs is obsessed with those bananas -- and perhaps because of my love-hate relationship with those yellow phallic symbols, I completely forgot to post this particular Yes No Maybe So edition after writing it up. 

Meryl's potassium deficiency.

Last week I also got a painful charley horse in my left calf and I ate bananas the rest of the week as penance. I think I have a super mild allergy because they always make my mouth feel weird.

PSA

YES

• Who doesn't love Meryl Streep in comedies?
• Am I crazy or does Steve Carell have one of the most soothing beautiful voices ever. I want him to talk at me and talk at me and tell me everything will be okay. I love how his big screen persona is so different than his small screen work.
• Last time David Frankel and Streep worked together they gave us Miranda Priestley so we kinda owe them.
• Meryl and the Signifying Banana.
• OMG. Hi, Elisabeth Shue and Mimi Rogers. Meet you in 1987!!!

Great 80s Ladies: Elisabeth Shue, Meryl Streep, Mimi Rogers

MAYBE SO

• The threesome joke that ends the trailer. I can't decide if it's hilarious in a dumb joke way or just groan-worthy. If all the jokes are cheeky ribbings this will be hard to swallow.

NO

• The trailer isn't particularly funny and seems a little "you go girl" Lifetime bland.
• Tommy Lee Jones? In this part?
• Meryl Streep? With that hair? Seriously why.

Remember when we all first heard about this project and it sounded like a nuanced marital drama and it was going to star Jeff Bridges and I was pissed that Michelle Pfeiffer didn't fight Meryl for the role? This is not at all what I was expecting!

the trailer in question...

• Are you a Yes No or Maybe So?
• Ever practiced on a banana?
• Is this way outside of your comfort zone?

Mimi Rogers Would Like To Remind You...

... that The Rapture isn't all its cracked up to be. It's kind of a letdown, actually.

* This obscure joke is brought to you by 1991, twenty years prior to the "end of the world". Yes, Yes, 1991 was a ridiculously strong Best Actress year but Mimi Rogers still rocked that part, people. She really did.