Wonder Women: Tracey Flick

This week is all about female heroes. Here’s Jorge with a cupcake early in the morning…

One of the (many) beautiful things about Alexander Payne’s Election is that, by immersing the audience into the different points of view the main characters, there’s never really anyone who’s unequivocally right or wrong. There are no heroes or villains; the truth lies somewhere in the murky puddle of ethics, ambition, and torn down posters. Everyone had their part on the catastrophic school election events. It’s just that some came out better off than others.

But Tracey Flick would not hesitate one second in calling herself a heroine.

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Wonder Women: Cheryl Strayed

Let's get Wild, everyone, and start cheering on "wonder women" in our lives! 

By Spencer Coile

As writers we are told to write about what we know. For many, this includes film, television, or anything pop culture related (hello, everyone). For Cheryl Strayed, what she knows best is her own life. Growing up in a home with her two siblings, mother, and abusive father might have been enough, but it was only after her mother's death in 1991 (as Strayed calls it, her "genesis story") and eventual spiral into drugs and promiscuous sex that she chose to trek from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, a journey of 1,100 miles. 

Fear not, for those wishing to experience this quest with Strayed! It is all detailed for us in her masterful 2012 memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and its 2014 film adaptation film starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern...

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Last Chance Streaming: "The Hustler" and "The Way of the Dragon"

I haven't quite dared to cut the Netflix cord yet, but I get closer every month since I find myself downloading movies more and more from iTunes or streaming on Amazon instead. Since Netflix is systematically erasing all traces of cinema pre 2000 (and even their 2000-2010 collection is tremendously lacking!) as they focus more and more on becoming a TV channel, you have until June 1st to watch the following 20th century films which are leaving the service.

We'll play our little streaming roulette game and screengrab whatever comes up as we bid adieu to the following. Which will you watch before it's hard to find them again?

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YNMS: "Home Again"

Chris here. Big Little Lies may have been the kicked off a seemingly endless lineup of projects to obsess over for both Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern (welcome, new fans of both - it's nice here), but what about those of us craving more Reese-surgence?

Fear not because Reese Witherspoon will be return to the big screen very shortly and she's back in the warm fuzzy mode this time for Home Again. Those warm fuzzies will come from the cashmere sweater universe of producer Nancy Meyers and her first-time writer/director daughter Hallie Meyers-Shyer. Witherspoon stars as a single mother who invites three young men to live with her before they all promptly fall in love with her. How could they not, right? Call it Big Little Guys.

Can you believe it's been since This Means War (eek, remember that one?) since we've had her in a romantic comedy? Take a look at the super fun trailer and we'll break down the Yes No Maybe So after the jump...

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Big Little Lies MVPs: Episode 6 "Burning Love"

 Previously: Episode 1 and 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, and Episode 5. 

by Spencer Coile

In the penultimate episode to HBO's actress juggernaut, Madeline comes to terms with her affair with Joseph and discovers Abigail's secret project: auctioning off her virginity to fight against sex trafficking. Celeste adopts an exit strategy from Perry... but also breaks his urethra. The memory of Jane's rape continues to haunt her, even after realizing that Saxon Baker was not the culprit, but when she finds out there's a petition going around school urging for Ziggy's suspension, she takes matters into her own hands and reconciles with Renata. Meanwhile, Avenue Q finally opens and musical theater fans rejoiced! 

With everything coming to a head in next week's finale, there are still so many questions left unanswered. Still, let's take a moment and reflect on the genius that was "Burning Love." 

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