That is, all of the speeches by women from parties and associated gatherings, which are often far more relaxed, and certainly longer, than the speeches at the ceremony. For instance, Regina Hall: “She paid tribute to her agents and lawyers — ‘They fight for me like I’m a 30-year-old white man,’ Hall said — and recalled years of auditioning and struggling to book roles.” – The New York Times
Category: media
Ranking All 52 Movies Nominated For An Oscar
Why not? From the 52nd – which, whew, sounds terrible – to a Marvel movie that “felt like a cog” to the top “thrilling and hilarious and sad and dishy” film, here’s everything nominated for anything this year. – Slate
The Troubled Oscars – A Timeline
Have we ever seen a more chaotic lead up to an awards telecast? A host is announced, then revoked. Categories are added, then rescinded. Awards are to be televised, then not. Then televised again. It’s enough to make you think the Academy doesn’t know what it’s doing. At the least, it shows a collapse in confidence. – The New York Times
What Netflix Has Discovered About International Tastes In An Era Of Nationalism
Netflix’s strategy is fundamentally different. Instead of trying to sell American ideas to a foreign audience, it’s aiming to sell international ideas to a global audience. A list of Netflix’s most watched and most culturally significant recent productions looks like a Model United Nations. – The New York Times
Alaska Governor’s Budget Eliminates All Public Broadcasting Funds
“Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) … proposed no state support for public broadcasting in his budget released last week, and on Wednesday, Dunleavy introduced legislation to eliminate the Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission, which distributes state grants to TV and radio stations across Alaska.” – Anchorage Daily News
Michael Jackson Estate Sues HBO Over ‘Leaving Neverland’ Documentary
“On Thursday, Optimum Productions and the two co-executors of the Jackson estate sued HBO and parent company Time Warner claiming the documentary constitutes a breach of a non-disparagement clause in an old contract.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Social Platforms Want To Cut Down On Spreading Fake Conspiracy Theories. But There’s A Problem…
Part of the problem for platforms like YouTube and Facebook — which has also pledged to clean up misinformation that could lead to real-world harm — is that the definition of “harmful” misinformation is circular. There is no inherent reason that a video questioning the official 9/11 narrative is more dangerous than a video asserting the existence of U.F.O.s or Bigfoot. A conspiracy theory is harmful if it results in harm — at which point it’s often too late for platforms to act. – The New York Times
Film Critic Carrie Rickey Talks About Weinstein, #MeToo And Movies
“Naturally, as a woman and a mother, I am not for sexual predation of women in any industry. That kind of goes without saying. Before Nora Ephron died, she made a list of the things she wouldn’t miss. I think number one or two on that list of things I won’t miss are more panels about why there aren’t enough women in film. That’s kind of how I’m feeling now. We talk about it, and we talk about it, and nothing fucking changes. You can quote me on that.” – The Smart Set
Sofia Coppola Is An Auteur, And It’s Time We Give Her An Auteur’s Respect
J. Hoberman: “Coppola is a true auteur — a filmmaker with a distinct worldview and sensibility and a personal set of quasi-autobiographical interests. … [And] it should be noted that on the basis of six features she’s directed since 1999, she’s also the most celebrated American filmmaker under 50.” – The New York Times
Ai Weiwei’s Segment For Anthology Film About Berlin Suppressed Out Of Fears Of Chinese Gov’t Reaction
“A contribution by the Chinese artist, film-maker and activist Ai Weiwei to a film called Berlin, I Love You, was cut by the producers on concern it could block the movie from getting distribution in China and create difficulties for them with the Chinese authorities.” – The Art Newspaper