Linking Soon

Jackie Beat superstar drag icon reviews The Stepford Wives (1975).
Cinema Blend Katey's top 10 list. I forgot to link up at the time but I'm always curious what friends will choose. We're about to record a podcast. Wheeee.
CineEuropa reviews the Macedonian Oscar entry Mothers.

I read this book. Thought it could be really cinematic. But only if they
bucked the trend of super faithful adaptations. Books are not movies!

Release Dates

Just Jared Tom Hardy as The Warrior gets a release date, September 9th.
Lady Gaga "Born This Way" on May 23rd.
Coming Soon Water For Elephants has a new still (to your left) and opens on April 22nd.
PlayBill looks at the upcoming Broadway openings. (Honestly, it seems like half of the shows running closed today, January 2nd, 2011.)
IndieWire looks at which 2011 releases will reflect 2010 releases. Some are obvious: 2011's Black Swan is The Wolverine. Some not so much.

Also...

The new site is up (mostly) -- it seems to be flickering in and out but should be running smoothly within the next couple of days. Still working on importing the blog. But you can see the new Oscar predictions and what not. If you're lucky. If not, try again later.

Year in Review: Music Videos a.k.a. Short Movie Musicals

I couldn't be happier that the music video has regained its cultural capital in the age of YouTube. There's something about the form that is just magical. Or maybe it's just that it's been the most reliable fix for movie-musical lovers during the past 30 years. You can pretend these 3 to 5 minute show stoppers are but one scene in a larger movie musical, can't you? At least that's what I do with my favorite videos.

So herewith, several favorites in no particular order. If you're wondering what music videos have to do with The Film Experience remember that they're short films and that this year's most celebrated director David Fincher (The Social Network) started that mammoth career by making mammoth music videos for Madonna (among others).

Please to enjoy. And let me know your favorite(s) in the comments.

8 FAV MUSIC VIDEOS OF '10
Why only 8? I ran out of steam. You don't have time to watch 10 anyway.

Brandon Flowers "Crossfire"

In which Charlize Theron kicks much ninja ass. I love the self-effacing helplessness of your rock star hero who just can't stop getting into predicaments from which his hot girl (Charlize) must rescue him. Movie stars slumming in music videos is one of the best things in the world though this video does bring up my constant worry about Charlize: Why is she so awesome without making any movies worth caring about?

Janelle Monáe (feat. Big Boi) "Tightrope"

Those feet. The way they slide, spin, shuffle, dance. It's quite a feat.

Cosmo Jarvis "Gay Pirate".

I heart this so hard. That "Yo Ho" chorus is to die. Plus, it's lit and choreographed cleverly for one take (joy) and it's easily enjoyable both on the surface -- gay pirates!  -- and moreso if you want to dig deeper (think don't ask don't tell) which is the best kind of artistic trick.

But there's more: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gaga, and more one-take madness coming...

...

Lady Gaga (feat. Beyoncé) "Telephone"

I mostly love this one for the costumes, the Amazon aggression and the Kill Bill and Thelma & Louise shout outs. True story: I was playing charades the other night at a Christmas party and I had to act out this dance. HIGHLY EMBARRASSING.

Cazwell "Ice Cream Truck" [NSFW]

Because it's raunchy/hilarious (NSFW). Cazwell's songs sometimes have good laughs (I Saw Beyoncé at Burger King -lol) but this is the first video to match/surpass the fun embedded in the song.

Vampire Weekend "Giving Up the Gun"

Four things we love in different contexts entirely: tennis, Vampire Weekend, funny Jake Gyllenhaal, people battling with themselves through the magic of movie editing. These four things together = quadruple happiness.

Cee-Lo "F*** You"

A musical biopic (of sorts) that's actually entertaining. The only thing that would make this video better is if Cristal, Ronnette & Chiffon were playing the doo-wop chorus behind the counter.

Ok Go "This Too Shall Pass"
[Rube Goldberg Machine Version]

Ingenuity, humor, and one take which continually ups the ante. It's for anyone who has ever marvelled at How Things Work. The ending is so great. The one take thing is an addiction we too rarely get a fix of -- we love it within feature films even more; over there it's an endangered species known as "the long take."  I couldn't find much statistical data about ASL (average shot length) on the web -- most of it is really random studies of singular movies but everyone knows it's been decreasing steadily for years. It's definitely under 4 seconds now, maybe closer to 2 with action films, which are even more shard fragment-like coming in under that.

Now it's your turn. Which music videos did you love this year?

Exit Music: This last one isn't an all time great music video, but it's my absofavorite song this year so I have to end with it.

Grammy Nominations and Film Star Nominees

Though I don't much care about the Grammys --even when I was a teenager when you're supposed to care a lot, I didn't as my favorites were rarely nominated -- I do always cast a curious eye over their choices in case a favorite of mine was accidentally nominated or in case I hear about a record that piques curiousity. The nomination I'm happiest about tonight is Best Dance Recording. That really really needs to go to Robyn's "Dancing On My Own."

I'm been itching to download some new music though so I would love to hear your surely more musically astute recommendations in the comments. My phone needs updating in the worst way.

After the jump the three major categories, film related stuff, and the music video nominees; they're short films, after all.

Album of the Year

• The Suburbs - Arcade Fire
• Recovery - Eminem
• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum
• The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga
• Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Record of the Year (Performer)

• Nothin' On You - B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
• Love The Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna
• F*** You - Cee Lo Green
• Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

Song of the Year (Songwriter)

• Beg Steal Or Borrow - Ray LaMontagne, songwriter (Ray LaMontagne And The Pariah Dogs)
• F*** You - Cee Lo Green, Philip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Cee Lo Green)
• The House That Built Me -Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
• Love The Way You Lie - Alexander Grant, Skylar Grey & Eminem, songwriters (Eminem, featuring Rihanna)
• Need You Now - Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)

I highlighted my favorites in red but I'm not deeply committed. Now that we've dispatched the top three categories let's talk movies.

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album

• Crazy Heart 
• Glee: The Music, Volume 1
• Tremé
• True Blood, Volume 2
• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Best Score Soundtrack Album

• Alice in Wonderland (Danny Elfman)
• Avatar (James Horner)
  
• Inception (Hans Zimmer)
• Sherlock Holmes (Hans Zimmer)
  
• Toy Story 3 (Randy Newman)

Um... have the Grammys ever nominated a score soundtrack from a non-gajillion grossing movie?

Best Song Written For...

• Down in New Orleans (The Princess and the Frog)
• I See You (Avatar)
  
• Kiss Like Your Kiss (True Blood)
• This City (Tremé)
  
• The Weary Kind (Crazy Heart)

Guess which film actors are nominated for Grammys this year?

"Best Spoken Word Album for Children" pits Julie Andrews (Julie Andrews Collections of Poems, Songs and Lullabies) against  Emma Thompson (Nanny McPhee Returns) and... Selma Blair? (Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl). No really it does.


"Best Spoken Word Album" has your usual assortment of comedians up against Michael J Fox (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future...) and Woody Allen (The Woody Allen Collection: Mere Anarchy, Side Effects, Without Feathers, Getting Even). You can get nominated for a box set? Wouldn't you have been eligible in previous years?

And finally...

Best Short Form Music Video

"Aint No Grave" (Johnny Cash)
"Love the Way You Lie" (Eminem & Rihanna)



"Stylo" (Gorillaz, Mos Def & Bobby Womack)

 

"F*** You" (Cee Lo Green)



and the obvious correct vote... Lady Gaga's magnificent gargantuan instant classic of the form "Bad Romance."




How are you feeling about the nominations and do you have any music to recommend for a barren iPod?

*

Off Screen Break. What's Going On?

Because sometimes, taking a wee break from the silver screen, helps you appreciate the movies more.

EW Lady Gaga is insane. Promises "Born This Way" is 'best album of the decade'. So no sophomore slump then, Gaga?
YouTube Madonna opening her Hard Candy gym in Mexico. I wish I could work out there. I obviously need some sort of dominatrix to push me if I'm ever going to get in shape. (sigh)
AV Club Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark first preview "no one broke their wrists or feet or died." Seriously, why do people keep hiring Julie Taymor and throwing money at her? How long will this Broadway musical have to stay open to even break even? 2018?
Band of Thebes best LGBT books of the year?
Vulture Hilary Swank developing a reality tv game show? Bizarre.

Or you can just consider this an OPEN THREAD. Lots of movie awards news popping up, yes, but WHAT ELSE are you thinking about right now? I'm watching Pee Wee Herman on Broadway as you read this! I know you are but what am I?
*

Pandora's Link and JGL's Bad Romance

Due to the long holiday weekend which put me behind and a busy screening week, I've decided to postpone this week's HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT. The series will be back next Wednesday the 15th with Pandora's Box (1929) so you have another week to watch this awesome silent classic whether on DVD or Netflix Instant Watch. Thanks for understanding and please join in the celebration of the immortal Louise Brooks next Wednesday. On Wednesday the 22nd we'll do David Fincher's Se7en (1995) for its 15th anniversary. Honestly, it's the movie I was thinking of picking -- it'd been on my mind and I had an itch to scratch with it -- and then I looked up the release date and couldn't believe my eyes. Obvs, It was meant to be.

Links!
The Big Picture George Clooney's box office pull and the fate of The American.
/Film interviews Aron Ralston. James Franco plays him in 127 Hours.
Cinematical strange stories surfacing from 127 Hours screenings. Medics called in.
MTV Movies Mulan is getting a live action version with Zhang Ziyi returning to action heroine mode. Jan De Bont (Speed) will direct. This message has been brought to you by the year 2000.
Lazy Eye Theater an important message from Machete.
Movie|Line The Verge: Keir Gilchrist. I like this regular feature at Movie|Line.
Mind of a Suspicious Kind would like you to reconsider Megan Fox... as a silent film star.


CHUD Natalie Portman offered the Gravity lead. So much for our casting suggestions last week. I like Portman quite a lot but every actor has their weaknesses and so far she hasn't shown any skill at acting with green screens. Can Cuarón take her to where she needs to go?
Movie City News a cool press kit for Never Let Me Go. Uhhhh, I didn't get this. Boo.
Rooney Mara Network They're already filming The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? David Fincher is breaking speed records he is. Perhaps he's hurrying to complete filming before the awards season long haul for The Social Network.

And finally here's another Joseph Gordon-Levitt performance. He does love singing the girl songs. This time it's "Bad Romance"



This is my favorite part OF COURSE

For those still doubting the artistic integrity of Lady Gaga, this next verse has three Hitchcock references and the use of the word "shtick"

Heh.
*

Down in Fraggle Link

the classics
The Film Doctor '10 things I learned about Breakfast at Tiffany's...'
Birth of a Notion well, well. Batman's Boy Wonder just turned 65. Who knew?
Okinawa thinks Olivia de Havilland's Melanie is a badass in Gone With the Wind.


of the moment
popbytes True story of my Lady Gaga moment in the supermarket today. Plus news on Madonna's second feature W.E.
The Big Picture Inception backlash coming in 3...2...1...
AV Club strangest news of week: Rob Lowe may be buying Miramax to become 'the next Harvey Weinstein.'
Film Business Asia The Golden Horse Awards have added a "new director" prize for the next generation of Asian filmmakers.
Empire Captain America Chris Evans talks about his costume for Captain America

"I think everyone that’s going to see it is going to say, 'Okay, well done. Well done. I think they got the costume right. The casting they completely ruined, but the costume they nailed!'"

You gotta love self deprecating celebrities.

Movie Dearest I love reading about bizarre off cinema projects from cinema faces. Seems that god fearing Esmeralda from Edward Scissorhands (aka actress O-Lan Jones) is directing an complex possibly travelling opera.
I Need My Fix Lindsay Lohan sentenced to jail time. Incidentally in case you were worried. That porn biopic is going to wait for her release. That's loyalty!
Topless Robot True Story: Watching The Twilight Saga: Eclipse can kill you. Oh my god how depressing. Can you imagine if that's the last movie you were ever able to see?
Pop Hangover's Celebrity Headswap. These images are disturbing BUT for the first time ever a Twilight image made me want to see a Twilight movie. Kristen Stewart androgynized? Way sexier.
Collider Tree of Life gets an MPAA rating but distribution still looks shaky to me.

You Bent My Wookie has a lengthy interview up with the director of the upcoming Fraggle Rock movie. Seems the Weinsteins are giving him trouble. Quelle surprise. I have no special affection for Fraggle Rock (not that familiar) but I do love puppets and his heart seems to be in the right place

...time and again, I will run into people – and I’m talking about anyone from a fan boy sitting at a coffee shop to someone in the industry – everyone seems to long for an analog performance, a live performance, a real performance.

I loved Avatar, and I love what Andy Serkis does with motion capture as Gollum. There’s magic there, too. But I know that people have a hunger for tactile characters right now. I think the pendulum is swinging in a direction where people want to know they’re watching something real on camera, something that they can reach out and touch.

Though I would love desperately for this to be true, as I too miss tangible things and I love in camera effects and such, but I'm pessimistic that it actually is. CGI has conquered.

GAGA

snapped from my crappy camera phone. the concert was fuuuuun.

"i know that we are young and i know that you may link me..."

Stale Popcorn Glenn is a crazy person. Glenn is a crazy person that I love. He's decided to review the Scream trilogy. Every scene of it. Starting with Drew Barrymore's fateful phone call of course. You do know that Michelle Pfeiffer loves this performance don't you? Well she does. So does everyone, right?
Hollywood News Scott Feinberg believes the Academy should have two Best Picture voting rounds
/Film Daniel Radcliffe to star in remake of All Quiet on the Western Front. Uh, good luck measuring up, people. Why?
Coming Soon Matt Damon making a zookeeper movie. I always thought someone should make a cable series about a zoo. One of the many unexplored work places of the world.
Cinema Styles "I Hate All of You" a post for those caught daily in the movie buff blog loop

In Contention sings Mark Ruffalo's praises for The Kids Are All Right. I can't wait for all of you to see it. He's marvelous in the movie.
My New Plaid Pants JA reviews Jonah Hex with its Fox waist, Brolin scars, and three thousand Fassbender teeth.
Cinematical cries uncle about Hollywood's 1984 obsession and offers up a few more remake options. Micki & Maude anyone?
A Socialite's Life Cyndi Lauper is getting her own reality series.
Birth of a Notion look back at the opening sequence of Jaws.
Pixar Blog You can now buy the wonderful new short Day & Night at iTunes

Broadway.com informs that NY theater comic star Jackie Hoffman who you may have seen in the Broadway runs of Hairspray or Xanadu (she's currently playing "Grandma" in The Addams Family) is "OLD LADY GAGA"...lol

she'snotme. shedoesn'tlinkmyname. she'llneverlinkwhatihave. itwon'tbethesame.

Antagony & Ecstasy says these 10 are the best performances by an actress in history. Love the bookend choices so much.
i09 Megan Fox poses with her lesbian mannequin. This is easily my favorite Megan Fox performance
Cinema Blend Katey wants to see Christopher Nolan duke it out with James Cameron in a 3D debate. Me too
Movie|Line has updates on those Wizard of Oz projects


Mediaite Adventures in mispronounciations with Catherine Zeta-Jones. She's just a girl who c*** say no. She's in a terrible fix.
Low Resolution Joe Reid begins to count down his favorite Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes. Consider it a corrective to Logo's Spike crazy countdown. Read it because you love Buffy! [I'm guessing because all cool people do.]
My New Plaid Pants JA also makes a Best of Buffy list
PopEater talks to Carrie Fisher about Wishful Drinking. She always gives good interview
Socialite's Life Dakota Fanning has her priorities straight

And yes... I am aware that the first Sofia Coppola trailer "Somewhere" teaser debuted yesterday (while I was at dinner). I am unable to post about it right this second. Let's discuss several hours from now. It'll still be there.

Off Topic Just Cuz
Have you seen this mashup of Madonna / Gaga set to Madonna's underappreciated "She's Not Me" tune. It may be a slam on Gaga but it's still fun.



The way I kind of look at it is that I miss Madonna ALL THE TIME so if Madonna (my fav celeb ever) isn't going to make epic videos anymore -- and she hasn't been really trying in that realm, her very own kingdom (!), in awhile -- I need the Gaga.

P.S. I think there should be some sort of title moderation on YouTube. So many videos label themselves official this or that when they're something quite different. It can be absolutely maddening to search for a new movie trailer and have to wade through hundreds of bad fan videos or cheap gags first. The world OFFICIAL is more grossly overused on YouTube than "Exclusive" is on movie news sites or the naughty F word is in a Mamet play. That's how overused it is. For the love of search engines, please stop lying to the world.

don't wanna link, don't wanna touch...

♪ ... just smoke one cigarette and hush
don't call my name, don't call my name, Roberto ♫

Stuff No One Told Me Love this. Disney and Porn = eternal human frustration.
MNPP Everything you ever need to know about life... you can learn from Psycho (1960)
Antagony & Ecstasy looks back at the evolution of Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy in a summer blockbuster history series
Cinematical Paul Rudd, soon to be the Idiot Brother, gets four fine funny actresses as co-stars

Emma Frost illustration by Adam Hughes

Movie|Line the angsty drama of 'how will Sandra bullock follow that Oscar?' Methinks her team is thinking too hard. Nobody wants her doing prestige pics.
Socialite's Life Matthew Morrison (Glee) recording a solo CD. I'd be thrilled to buy this (his voice is amazing -- check out the CD of Light in the Piazza for proof) but for the fact that he's gettin JustinTimberlakey with it. Yawn.
What's Good/ What Blows the dismaying punishment of Charlie Sheen.
Cinematical Michael Fassbender has his choice of two supervillain roles. Which will he go with? Either way he ends up opposite a fine actor (James McAvoy in X-Men: First Class or Jamie Bell in Spider-Man)
Empire speaking of X-Men... seems that Rosamund Pike may be up for the part of Emma Frost, the White Queen. Now that is a casting decision I can really get behind. Love both the actress and the character.
I Need My Fix True Blood season premiere brings the stars out. Is there a more attractive cast on television?
The Big Picture looks at the critic vs. audience divide on Splice.
Boing Boing more on recent silent film discoveries. I always get so excited to hear about found films
In Contention could "Shine" be an Original Song hopeful at the Oscars? I'm still struggling to understand what everyone else sees in that highly praised Waiting for Superman documentary (I didn't like it) but I agree that it's probably going to be up for the doc Oscar.

More on Lady Gaga's "Alejandro"
my piece yesterday in case you missed it
Low Resolution "Instantly Dated Thoughts"
The Critical Condition "Theft and/or Borrowing"
The Critical Condition ...and an interesting follow up piece about the cultural awakenings that happen in our youth.
Flavor Pill "Guide to Madonna References"
Rolling Stone director Steven Klein talks about the video, avoids the Madonna question.
popbytes (I do a brief weekly column here now). The video got me thinking about freaky movie nuns.
Guardian rounds up the groups claiming offense.
The Atlantic Katy Perry vs. Lady Gaga "The Battle of the Bras"

Lady Gaga's Alejandro: The Fun & Folly of Appropriation

Madonna was once both adored and reviled as "The Great Appropriator" so I suppose it's only fair that Lady Gaga borrows from her. When I first heard "Alejandro" I kept thinking 'Oh, Ok. Gaga has to have her own "La Isla Bonita," too.' And then she went and collaborated with frequent Madonna iconographer Steven Klein for the music video.



So even though Klein is shamelessly borrowing from his own past work here, the wonderful thing about Gaga is that, like her spiritual pop empress predecessor, she's her own artist, too. This makes the appropriation palatable as well as fun... until crazed fans start giving her credit for everything. [But that's another funny subject matter entirely.] I mean even Madonna didn't invent the chameleon approach to pop stardom, though her fans, like Gagas, also tried to give her credit for it at the time.

Doesn't that "what on earth will they wear/look like next?" thing go directly back to Bowie? Or is it earlier than that. Paging pop historians???

Blond helmet bobs and flare pants forevah!

So mark my words. Someday soon -- let's say within the next 3 years -- Gaga is going to have her Madonna "Live to Tell" moment wherein she totally shocks the world, not with a new provocative look but by showing up with a demure, classic one. It'll get everyone talking as much as any diet coke can hair rollers ever did.

The Madonna / Steven Klein collaboration from 2003
One might call the stylings Gaga-esque but for the year in question

So, my point is this: Clumsy homage/ripoff like the kind that Christina Aguilera does in "Not Myself Tonight" when she plagiarizes both Madonna and Gaga *shudder* is not fun at all and should be looked down upon. But riffing on the work of others in a new context or with a fresh twist is totally fun and what many great artists do.

We see this in feature films all the time, too. Both of the best shots in Pedro Almodovar's Broken Embraces are arguably inspired by other work: There's that white sheet shrouded sex scene (Margritte) and that moving emotional climax with the hands caressing the static image (which I'm hearing is a Godard reference... but it totally works in the Almodóvarian context). A couple weeks ago we chatted briefly about the various A grade riffs on Ingmar Bergman's Persona (Lynch's Mulholland Dr and Altman's Three Women). And everyone knows that the wildly popular Quentin Tarantino is all about referencing other movies. But whether or not we recognize the references --I often don't with Tarantino since the genres he loves most are weak spots for me -- great artists reference past work only in the service of making their own fresh visions.

The only real issue with doing this is when the new artist acts as if it's completely and 100% their invention. Which is why it was a shame that Beyonce's otherwise awesome and awesomely ubiquitous "Single Ladies" video didn't have a "thank you Bob Fosse" attached to it, for example.

Madonna & Gaga. They're both "tops"

So, I can't help but think about Madonna the entire way through"Alejandro" maybe because of the Catholic imagery. I see "Alejandro" like so: Madonna's men in cone bras helping hot blond divas masturbate (Like a Virgin, Blonde Ambition Tour), women topping men suggestively in dance choreography (Express Yourself, Blonde Ambition Tour) and catholic girls obsessing over funerals and death in snowy black and white ("Oh Father") plus a couple choreographed bits from "Human Nature" and "Express Yourself" all get tossed into the Gaga/Klein blender and come out the other end as an angry military puree. Here the woman isn't topping men with a flirtatious feminism but actually appears to be penetrating them rather more subversively like a man would. And instead of just obsessing at the coffin and weeping for her dead loved one, the girl is actually leading the funereal procession. And the cone bras become guns. Bang Bang.

I'm not sure I've ever fully registered the sheer amount of aggression in Gaga's art before. But after the mass murder of "Telephone", the crispy end-gag in "Bad Romance" and the poisoned Skarsgaard in "Paparazzi," and this, it's abundantly clear. Suddenly those silly rumors about Tarantino wanting to work with her that sprung up when she used Kill Bill imagery for "Telephone" make more popcultural sense. Gaga is out for blood!

Unfortunately this new video is too effortfully mounted and grave to be half as fun as her previous outings and it also feels more derivative. Will she ever top the exquisite aesthetic control, hilarious sight gags and awesome choreography of "Bad Romance"? That said, even though I'm unmoved by this new work, I really love Lady Gaga and remain thrilled that someone is taking the music video format so very seriously again and has the fanbase to back up that particular passion. It had been a long while since each music video premiere felt so "NEW SHORT FILM!" headline worthy.

Three final errant thoughts...


On a shallow film referencing note, can I just say that I absolutely hate beautiful men with perfect bodies. It's entirely unfair that anyone can stay "hot like Mexico" while sporting Moe's Three Stooges 'do. Entirely unfair.

How much do you love that lyric "you know that I love you, boy | hot like Mexico"? Well, I love it more than you do. Genius.

This final image is thrilling and for some reason it makes me desperate to shove Lady Gaga into a time machine and make her do a video with James Bidgood or Ken Russell in the 70s, Almodóvar in the 80s or maybe Pierre et Gilles or Marc Caro & Jean-Pierre Jeunet in the 90s.

Till the Links Roll By

Antagony & Ecstasy - churns up a summer appropriate top ten list: best performances in comic-based films. Impeccable choices really (especially the top tier) and fine write ups (especially the two on Superman).
MNPP wants this Fright Night remake (another vampire movie?) immediately thanks to the wonderful-on-paper cast
Erik Lundegaard - is making a thorough, interesting trek through past Robin Hood films. Something I wanted to do but never found time for. Argh.
Sunset Gun "How Little We Know" a fine piece on the cinema of Wong Kar Wai, Days of Being Wild specifically


/Film has a lengthy word for word interview with Justin Theroux. Sadly it's only about Iron Man 2. I hope he acts again. David Lynch where are you???
By Ken Levine "The Truth about Lady Gaga". This article makes me want to watch Man in the Moon again. Remember that one? The one that was supposed to net Jim Carrey an Oscar nomination?
Deviant Art has a pretty amazing Pulp Fiction graphic, displaying the film chronologically. Something the film never displays don'cha know
popbytes Cynthia Nixon covers The Advocate
Just Jared Winona Ryder and Channing Tatum to play lovers in Ron Howard's Cheaters. Hmmm, strangely I like the idea, well, except for the Ron Howard part
A Socialite's Life John Barrowman as Alladin? Fun pics but why no more Torchwood? *sniffle*
Boing Boing Here's an interesting one for you small screen enthusiasts. This is a list from a tv executive explaining 12 reasons why certain shows get picked up by networks.

my favorite goodbyes to Lena Horne
Guardian David Thomson refuses to talk about Lena for 671 words
The Sheila Variations wonderful personalized tribute to Lena here
Time Magazine Richard Corliss kicks off their tribute with a 'shoulda been' obituary
Variety Ted Johnson has the Obama family's statement
The Auteurs Daily collects the online tributes and obits

Into Link Groove

general cinema
Dark Eye Socket a triple bill recommendation: frightening fiendish females
Inquirer Entertainment Shirley Maclaine is still quotable. Also babysits Bening-Beatty kids!
Socialite Life Kellan Lutz to play Poseidon in War of the Gods. This story is all over the blog rounds but the best part of the story is the one that's not making any headlines: Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) is in the director's chair. Therefore, we must assume instant must-see rather than trashy dumb action flick


Old Hollywood Great 70s quote from Patti Smith on French legend Jeanne Moreau
My New Plaid Pants wait, what? Helen Mirren was besties with Brad Davis? Helen Mirren is quite possibly the most fascinating actress with whom I don't have a particularly deep bond. I should learn to love her more
SUNFiltered Isabella Rossellini's uniquely awesome Green Porno series gets a new name and batch of creature carnality
Towleroad Have you heard about this awful situation in a Canadian bar regarding Jake Gyllenhaal and asshole homophobic blogger? Yuck
Life Archives 17 great photos of Steve McQueen, King of Cool [thx]
Queerty a parody of RuPaul's Drag Race

politics and films
i09 has a great piece on healthcare reform through the prism of sci-fi's dystopia stories
Michael Moore have you read this astute Open Letter to Republicans. Funny, sad, and smart in equal measure.

off screen fun
Pop Justice Finland choir does Lady Gaga's 'bad romance'... how long til America tries a version of this reality concept? Post Glee I totally see it happening.
Critical Condition starts a (seemingly massive) Madonna countdown project
I Need My Fix Kristin Chenoweth is delightful whether on Twitter or Ambien or both simultaneously
AIGA/NY an evening of really bad book covers. Sounds interesting
Litely Salted "Oh, Lindsay" I've placed LaLohan in the "offscreen" section because she is obviously no longer movie-related. Which is sad.

What's Your Poison?

As you may have guessed from earlier posts, I've had "Telephone" by Lady Gaga stuck in my head for over a week and though I don't like the video short film as much as her last -- I think it's trying a tiny smidgeon too hard whereas "Bad Romance" is just so controlled and escalating in its impact -- I do find it amusing how much Gaga loves to poison people, for laughs (and provocation) in her music videos. What is it about poison exactly that is so cinematic?

Cary Grant in Suspicion

It's as if its malevolence is both scarier, sicker and sexier than regular kinds of violence. [If violence could ever be called sexy that is ... and given the ample evidence, most filmmakers find it a major turn on.] Perhaps the terror / eroticism of poison comes from it being something that happens internally, something that's connected to inescapable human needs (eating, drinking) and something that capitalizes on our fear of the unknown. You can see a fist or an arrow or a rampaging beast hurtling towards you, but you can never see poison coming.

Michelle Pfeiffer in White Oleander

What's your favorite poisonous scene in the movies? My mind lept immediately to Ingrid Magnussen's complete toxicity (literal and figurative) in the underrated White Oleander and to Elle Driver's educational lecture on the Black Mamba in Kill Bill, Vol. 2 and to that classic pair Romeo + Juliet who guzzle faux poison but are poisoned instead by their rash youth and noxious environment. Where did your mind go?

Kill Bill, Vol. Gaga

It's a nonsense extrapolated, gossip alert!


See, Bill is already dead. And Quentin Tarantino hasn't written Kill Bill, Vol. 3. And Gaga is not an actress. Anyway... I'm sounding off on that rumor / speculation in my latest column at Towleroad along with a bit on The Runaways. Although I think you know my opinion on that 70s rocker girl movie already: better than some of the music biopics that get Oscar nominations (though it won't get any itself) but not "great" exactly. So, anyway read it.

I want to start my own rumor too. Hmmm, let's see. How about this... Ari Graynor to star in Lady Gaga biopic! Pass it on. Tweet it. However you do.


Can't you see it? Or is it just because I'm in a whirling obsession with both simultaneously?

Here I'll help you.

Away We Link

<--- Away They Go

AP The Kate Winslet ~ Sam Mendes power duo is no more. Pardon my insensitivity (I assumed this would happen a year ago) but the errant gossip fantasy fodder thought just struck me while reading the news: I know that they're not exactly each other's type but do you think the world would explode if Kate & Leo ever gave it a go the next time they were both single?

Movie|Line Michel Gondry interviewed. Interesting nugget: this music video pioneer and filmmaker (Eternal Sunshine) no likely Lady Gaga
i09 in other Michel Gondry news, a time travel pic with Ellen Page
Cinematical Green Lantern casts its aliens choosing Temuera Morrison and filmmaker/actor Taiki Waititi (also known as Taiki Cohen). Incidentally I met Taiki at Sundance and his new film Boy is tons of fun. Art house audiences will love it should any American distributor ever bite.


Cinema Blend Conan casting updates: Saïd Taghmaoui (yay!) and Stephen Lang in, Mickey Rourke out.
CHUD David Fincher to make a Bobby Fischer biopic. Sigh... am losing faith in Fincher. He was such a potent auteur and after Benjamin Button a chess biopic? Well... I hope it's as good as Searching For Bobby Fischer but keep wanting him to make another Fight Club or Zodiac, something with real edge and bite.
Towleroad Josh Brolin remembers Milk
Crazy Days Peter Graves (RIP)

Compartmentalinked

creativity is not a waste of time
Laz Marquez amazing freshly imagined Hitchcock movie posters [heads up]
The Awl a conversation about Lady Gaga's "Telephone"
Gallery of the Absurd Lindsay is a "milkaholic"
Very Important Pixels how great are these simple movie director drawings? You can recognize them instantly!
Pop Eaters Mad Men dolls? Me want


classics
Self Styled Siren on Merle Oberon and her hidden mother
Old Hollywood 'subtle moments in American cinema' with Jayne Mansfield
If Charlie Parker... two bitches

oscar night
Towleroad more lingering (gay) questions from Oscar night
The Hot Blog has a few (harsh) words on the media's reaction to Farrah Fawcett's absence from Oscar's 'In Memoriam'. I personally think she should have been included since Michael Jackson was. I mean if we're opening it up to celebrities who weren't movie stars, shouldn't they be treated equally?

coming soon
The Big Picture Leonardo da Vinci, action hero. Oh dear
I Need My Fix Dakota & Kristen premiere The Runaways. In hideous clothing.
V Magazine The Art of Being Kirsten Dunst (Can we expect a comeback? *crosses fingers*)
LA Times more females behind the scenes in Hollywood? We can hope. It's still VERY much a boys club


the state of moviegoing
LAist I have shushed people in movie theaters. Fortunately I've never been stabbed with a meat thermometer for doing it
Erik Lundegaard statistics on moviegoing for the past 100 years. Crazy how the attendance is the same but the population has grown enormously. The 70s had the least amount of moviegoing. No wonder all those great directors got away with so much.

Linka Linka-Ma, GaGa Link La La

Popnography reveals the inspiration for Avatar. Hee!
/Film plays defense for the critical attacks on Avatar

Wordastic on the language of stressful holiday exchanges (with movie referencing)
Zach Young does a pretty great 2009 at the Movies montage but it's very very guy focused. Even when Nine enters in it's pretty much just DD-L
Culture Monster Annette Bening is really making a habit out of this Los Angeles stage star thing. Next up "Female of the Species" in February
Awards Daily "State of the Race" is Best Picture really anyone's game?
Cinematical For Your Consideration's post-nomination scene. I love it too. Catherine O'Hara is a genius. It's too bad about the rest of the movie though. Given the golden subject matter it should have been my favorite Christopher Guest movie but it's not even close.
In Contention Maggie Gyllenhaal switches to a "supporting" campaign for Crazy Heart. Wise move but I'm not rooting for her for once. I'll explain soon.
The Sheila Variations considers the creepy psychology of Sissy Spacek in Terence Malick's Badlands

Vogue Best Dressed of the Decade? Vote on the movie stars from each and every year. It's a trip through red carpet memory lane although they made some hideous choices, I must say
Boy Culture Matthew Goode for GQ

Everything I Know... on the worst stage musicals of the Aughts. Let's hope no one makes a movie of any of these.

Finally, Off Cinema, I'm absolutely loving this youtube original from the wonderful Amanda Palmer about the "pop music continuum". It's so generous of spirit and so dead right about the way people are always trying to tear female stars down. Boo! on the latter and Yay! on the former. Generosity of spirit forever. Here's "gaga, palmer, madonna"

And yeah, yeah, I do wish Madonna would try as hard with her music videos as she used to and as Lady Gaga now does (bless)... but generosity of spirit: think of all the mini movie musical masterpieces the big M has made over the past 25 years. If we can give Meryl props for letting loose and being silly we can also grant Madonna a few years of coasting through merely fun videos.

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