June Thomas is completely right: The Winter Olympics Are the Best Olympics
The Mesmerizing Spectacle of North Korea’s “Army of Beauties” at the Winter Olympics
This is a fascinating look at the racial narratives around witchcraft: White Magic
I'm not sure I've ever seen a Bergman film, so this seems useful! A Beginner’s Guide to Ingmar Bergman
Top 10 books about the Scottish Highlands and Islands
Friday, February 9, 2018
Oscar Project 2018: Coco
Movie: Coco
Aw, I LOVED this one - it had completely breathtaking artwork, funny, clever writing, a good story with some fun twists, memorable characters, and a nice message. It's the story of a Mexican boy who loves music even though his family forbids it; on the Day of the Dead he accidentally travels to the afterlife and learns a lot about his family and himself and what matters as he has various adventures trying to get back home. Just a joy to watch.
Availability: It's back/still in theaters and ALSO releasing digitally on Tuesday.
Nominated In:
Animated Feature Film: Yes yes yes. It was a high-quality all-around delight.
Music (Original Song): Honestly, I loved the music theme here in general, but . . . this specific song didn't really do it for me.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Aw, I LOVED this one - it had completely breathtaking artwork, funny, clever writing, a good story with some fun twists, memorable characters, and a nice message. It's the story of a Mexican boy who loves music even though his family forbids it; on the Day of the Dead he accidentally travels to the afterlife and learns a lot about his family and himself and what matters as he has various adventures trying to get back home. Just a joy to watch.
Availability: It's back/still in theaters and ALSO releasing digitally on Tuesday.
Nominated In:
Animated Feature Film: Yes yes yes. It was a high-quality all-around delight.
Music (Original Song): Honestly, I loved the music theme here in general, but . . . this specific song didn't really do it for me.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Victoria & Abdul
Movie: Victoria & Abdul
I love Judi Dench, and Ali Fazal was great here too, and I love historical movies, but this was... not great. It tried to be the story of how Queen Victoria's worldview was opened in some ways by her relationship with a servant from India, but it barely even tried to grapple with the ways that this (didn't) affect her general colonialist outlook and ways of governing. So it was a touching enough personal story, but gave itself a lot of credit for being "multicultural" while remaining blithely unaware of its context.
Availability: You can rent or buy digitally or on DVD/Blu-Ray.
Nominated In:
Costume Design: Sure.
Makeup and Hairstyling: Enh? They were fine but did not strike me as great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
I love Judi Dench, and Ali Fazal was great here too, and I love historical movies, but this was... not great. It tried to be the story of how Queen Victoria's worldview was opened in some ways by her relationship with a servant from India, but it barely even tried to grapple with the ways that this (didn't) affect her general colonialist outlook and ways of governing. So it was a touching enough personal story, but gave itself a lot of credit for being "multicultural" while remaining blithely unaware of its context.
Availability: You can rent or buy digitally or on DVD/Blu-Ray.
Nominated In:
Costume Design: Sure.
Makeup and Hairstyling: Enh? They were fine but did not strike me as great.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Morning Coffee (2/9/18)
PHEW. We made it to Friday. Time for some happy links!
ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar Project posts: All the Money in the World and Lady Bird.
New emoji are coming. Knitting! Llama! Jigsaw puzzle!
Hee: Paper Tiger: UK police end up in standoff with stuffed toy
In other important news stories: Missouri woman finds neighbor's dog riding pony
HAHAHA: Here’s What Black Panthers Are Saying About Critics
Rarely Seen Photographs Reveal the Gilded Age Glory of the Frick When It Was a Private Home
Did you know there's a Connecticut cheese trail???
Kate Middleton Hit Prince William in the Face With a Massive Snowball
...okay, I want these royals-inspired lipsticks.
Ooh, look at Disneyland Paris in the snow.
I didn't know apothecary drawers were something I could buy on Amazon but now I want them desperately.
ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar Project posts: All the Money in the World and Lady Bird.
New emoji are coming. Knitting! Llama! Jigsaw puzzle!
Hee: Paper Tiger: UK police end up in standoff with stuffed toy
In other important news stories: Missouri woman finds neighbor's dog riding pony
HAHAHA: Here’s What Black Panthers Are Saying About Critics
Rarely Seen Photographs Reveal the Gilded Age Glory of the Frick When It Was a Private Home
Did you know there's a Connecticut cheese trail???
Kate Middleton Hit Prince William in the Face With a Massive Snowball
...okay, I want these royals-inspired lipsticks.
Ooh, look at Disneyland Paris in the snow.
I didn't know apothecary drawers were something I could buy on Amazon but now I want them desperately.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Afternoon Tea (2/8/18)
This is fascinating: How Muslim Women Use Fashion To Exert Political Influence
'I really want to find it before I die': why are we so fascinated by lost books?
This Mutant Crayfish Clones Itself, and It’s Taking Over Europe
Prescribing Mindfulness Allows Doctors to Ignore Legitimate Female Pain
Huh: A Banana Grown At Subzero Temps Also Has An Edible Peel
'I really want to find it before I die': why are we so fascinated by lost books?
This Mutant Crayfish Clones Itself, and It’s Taking Over Europe
Prescribing Mindfulness Allows Doctors to Ignore Legitimate Female Pain
Huh: A Banana Grown At Subzero Temps Also Has An Edible Peel
Oscar Project 2018: All the Money in the World
Movie: All the Money in the World
This movie itself was overshadowed by the events around it - after sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey were made public, he was dropped from the (basically complete) movie and recast with Christopher Plummer, who then got the movie's one nomination here. Those reshoots were VERY quick considering how much of the movie he was in. (Oh, and then there was the resulting secondary story about Mark Wahlberg demanding lots of money for doing the reshoots, while Michelle Williams and everyone else did it for free.)
But my points is - ASIDE from all that, I really enjoyed this! You have to like movies about Rich People Being Terrible, which I do; if that IS your thing, this is a great blend of that and crime thriller. It was watchable and engaging and just a lot of fun. I'd have added a nomination for Michelle Williams for Actress in a Leading Role. Oh, and Production Design.
Availability: It's still in a FEW theaters.
Nominated In:
Actor in a Supporting Role: Sure. Plummer was great here, as you'd expect, and I think he did much better than Spacey possibly could have done anyway.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This movie itself was overshadowed by the events around it - after sexual assault allegations against Kevin Spacey were made public, he was dropped from the (basically complete) movie and recast with Christopher Plummer, who then got the movie's one nomination here. Those reshoots were VERY quick considering how much of the movie he was in. (Oh, and then there was the resulting secondary story about Mark Wahlberg demanding lots of money for doing the reshoots, while Michelle Williams and everyone else did it for free.)
But my points is - ASIDE from all that, I really enjoyed this! You have to like movies about Rich People Being Terrible, which I do; if that IS your thing, this is a great blend of that and crime thriller. It was watchable and engaging and just a lot of fun. I'd have added a nomination for Michelle Williams for Actress in a Leading Role. Oh, and Production Design.
Availability: It's still in a FEW theaters.
Nominated In:
Actor in a Supporting Role: Sure. Plummer was great here, as you'd expect, and I think he did much better than Spacey possibly could have done anyway.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Oscar Project 2018: Lady Bird
Movie: Lady Bird
This was such a quietly great movie, perfectly recreating a specific time and place and feeling of adolescence. I've seen it criticized as only interesting to young women (which... is that terrible? Lots of things are only interesting to one demographic!), but I went with my dad and he liked it too, so obviously those people are just being stupid. The thing I particularly liked here were the complex relationships (among family members, friends, romantic interests) - almost all of them were multidimensional. And the writing was simultaneously hilarious and resonant.
Availability: It's back in some theaters!
Nominated In:
Best Picture: Not my favorite, but this was very very good, and certainly belongs in the group.
Actress in a Leading Role: Sure. Saoirse Ronan was great here.
Actress in a Supporting Role: YES. Laurie Metcalf gave such an amazing, nuanced performance.
Directing: Yep, sure.
Writing (Original Screenplay): Definitely. The writing was so precise and evocative.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
This was such a quietly great movie, perfectly recreating a specific time and place and feeling of adolescence. I've seen it criticized as only interesting to young women (which... is that terrible? Lots of things are only interesting to one demographic!), but I went with my dad and he liked it too, so obviously those people are just being stupid. The thing I particularly liked here were the complex relationships (among family members, friends, romantic interests) - almost all of them were multidimensional. And the writing was simultaneously hilarious and resonant.
Availability: It's back in some theaters!
Nominated In:
Best Picture: Not my favorite, but this was very very good, and certainly belongs in the group.
Actress in a Leading Role: Sure. Saoirse Ronan was great here.
Actress in a Supporting Role: YES. Laurie Metcalf gave such an amazing, nuanced performance.
Directing: Yep, sure.
Writing (Original Screenplay): Definitely. The writing was so precise and evocative.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
Morning Coffee (2/8/18)
ICYMI, yesterday's Oscar Project posts: The Boss Baby and Darkest Hour
Interesting: Irish court refuses man's extradition because of Brexit
FEMA Contract Called for 30 Million Meals for Puerto Ricans. 50,000 Were Delivered.
Dahlia Lithwick, great as always: The Courts Are Not a Noble and Purifying Refuge
America’s ISIS Jihadists Were Largely Duds
Donald Trump’s Very Soviet Fixation on Applause
This is great news: Teen Vogue Taps Samhita Mukhopadhyay as Executive Editor
Doctors given approval for UK's first 'three-person babies'
Ancient Grave With Skeletons Arranged in Bizarre Spiral Formation Discovered in Mexico
Marvel’s Black Panther will speak this real African language
Lifetime Has Found Their Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
Interesting: Irish court refuses man's extradition because of Brexit
FEMA Contract Called for 30 Million Meals for Puerto Ricans. 50,000 Were Delivered.
Dahlia Lithwick, great as always: The Courts Are Not a Noble and Purifying Refuge
America’s ISIS Jihadists Were Largely Duds
Donald Trump’s Very Soviet Fixation on Applause
This is great news: Teen Vogue Taps Samhita Mukhopadhyay as Executive Editor
Doctors given approval for UK's first 'three-person babies'
Ancient Grave With Skeletons Arranged in Bizarre Spiral Formation Discovered in Mexico
Marvel’s Black Panther will speak this real African language
Lifetime Has Found Their Prince Harry & Meghan Markle
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Afternoon Tea (2/7/18)
Frank Ocean Interviewed Timothee Chalamet and it is a DELIGHT.
The C.E.O. Who Called Trump a Racist (and Sold a Lot of Spice Mix)
The Slick Science of Making Olympic Snow and Ice
For the Love of Independence: Romance Authors Are Literature’s Unsung Heroines
Gowns, Wurst and Protesters: It’s Ball Season in Vienna
The C.E.O. Who Called Trump a Racist (and Sold a Lot of Spice Mix)
The Slick Science of Making Olympic Snow and Ice
For the Love of Independence: Romance Authors Are Literature’s Unsung Heroines
Gowns, Wurst and Protesters: It’s Ball Season in Vienna
Oscar Project 2018: Darkest Hour
Movie: Darkest Hour
There's been a bunch of backlash to this movie of the "Churchill was a racist imperialist so we shouldn't have movies about him!" type. This is nonsense and these people are wrong. We should, of course, look at historical figures in as nuanced a manner as possible; this movie does better than many depictions at this, but there's still some work to do. But just saying Churchill was awful and we shouldn't pay attention to his accomplishments doesn't help anyone. It's important to keep in mind that, just as good people can do bad things, people who are problematic can do very good, important things. You don't have to like Churchill but he DID beat Hitler and that's KIND OF IMPORTANT, come on.
Anyway! I liked this! Of course I did! It's probably thoroughly a "you'll like it if you like this kind of thing" movie and I do, in fact, like this kind of thing quite a lot.
Availability: Still hanging out in theaters!
Nominated In:
Best Picture: Not my first choice, but a solidly really good film about an extremely important moment in history. I wouldn't be mad if it won.
Actor in a Leading Role: Yes, Oldman did a really wonderful job here of transforming himself into Churchill without making it feel like a caricature.
Cinematography: Yep. The way it was filmed made me think both "this is gorgeous" and "this is so INTERESTING" several times.
Costume Design: Sure. I'm always a sucker for meticulous period pieces.
Makeup and Hairstyling: YES. I knew I was watching Gary Oldman, and yet I could not keep that fact fixed in my mind because the Churchill makeup (as well as his acting) was so good.
Production Design: Yep. It did a great job of creating this moment in time, from the war rooms to the palace to the streets and underground.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
There's been a bunch of backlash to this movie of the "Churchill was a racist imperialist so we shouldn't have movies about him!" type. This is nonsense and these people are wrong. We should, of course, look at historical figures in as nuanced a manner as possible; this movie does better than many depictions at this, but there's still some work to do. But just saying Churchill was awful and we shouldn't pay attention to his accomplishments doesn't help anyone. It's important to keep in mind that, just as good people can do bad things, people who are problematic can do very good, important things. You don't have to like Churchill but he DID beat Hitler and that's KIND OF IMPORTANT, come on.
Anyway! I liked this! Of course I did! It's probably thoroughly a "you'll like it if you like this kind of thing" movie and I do, in fact, like this kind of thing quite a lot.
Availability: Still hanging out in theaters!
Nominated In:
Best Picture: Not my first choice, but a solidly really good film about an extremely important moment in history. I wouldn't be mad if it won.
Actor in a Leading Role: Yes, Oldman did a really wonderful job here of transforming himself into Churchill without making it feel like a caricature.
Cinematography: Yep. The way it was filmed made me think both "this is gorgeous" and "this is so INTERESTING" several times.
Costume Design: Sure. I'm always a sucker for meticulous period pieces.
Makeup and Hairstyling: YES. I knew I was watching Gary Oldman, and yet I could not keep that fact fixed in my mind because the Churchill makeup (as well as his acting) was so good.
Production Design: Yep. It did a great job of creating this moment in time, from the war rooms to the palace to the streets and underground.
Catch up on all my Oscar Project posts.
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