Tag Archives: Ryan Gosling

03.10.24
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It’s Go Time!

Happy Oscars!

Or as I’ve come to think of it – Election Day and Gay Super Bowl Sunday all rolled into one very  irresistibly watchable, and sometimes unwatchable, (Note: The balance depends on the year) feast and famine evening of pop culture gods and goddesses…as well as any other gender non-confirming deities.

I’m already weeping

The big question this year is —

If 81-year-old Joe Biden can smash stereotypes and shock everyone with a lively, funny, informative, and, at times, even inspiring State of the Union address, can the even older 96th annual Academy Awards do something similar for the movies?

Well, I say:

YES.    IT.    CAN!

Jamie Lee jump of joy!

Remember, seemingly out of nowhere it gave you –

#Barbenheimer

But we’ll see.

Yeah, you say you won’t be watching but….

Please….

Jimmy Kimmel returns as host and he seems to “get it.”

Just keep it movin, Jimmy!

Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Holdovers, Anatomy of A Fall and Poor Things will all pick up awards. (Note: You heard it here).

Not to mention both Billie Eilish AND Ryan Gosling will be singing live, the latter said to be backed by a chorus of 65 (count ‘em!) men nowhere near as good-looking as he is but at least still trying).

That’s a lot of Kens!

Both the Chair and Holly will be glued to the tube and report back in. 

Meaning stay turned for our post-Oscar podcast where will unpack it all.

Don’t forget this year the show starts an hour earlier than usual – 4pm PST and 7pm EST.

And if that sounds annoying, just know this means that much of the  press and behind the scenes people are already arriving in formal wear long before you read this — #TuxedosatDawn. #GownsintheSunorRain, #MeltingMakeup. #NonCameraReadyHair -and will remain long, long, LONG after the rumored-to be three and a half hour plus show is over.

I know, Boo F’n Hoo.

What Was I Made For? – Billie Eilish

02.04.24
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Real Life Notes

You know The Chair and Holly have been dealing with A LOT in the last few weeks when events in our REAL LIVES prevented us from weighing in on the Oscar nominations.

It’s been… a lot

But rest assured both Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie will be just fine, and have probably already recovered from not receiving nods in the directing and lead actress categories for this year’s unprecedented worldwide box-office champ ($1.44 billion and still counting) – Barbie.

In fact, they can add the nominations they did receive this year for best picture (Robbie as producer) and best adapted screenplay (Gerwig and Noah Baumbach as co-writers) to the ones they previously received from the Academy in the last few years for directing (Ladybird) and acting (I, Tonya and Bombshell).

winners no matter what

This, of course, is already old news because it fails to address the big, fat watchable mess of a limited series that debuted THIS week on FX from producer Ryan Murphy, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. 

If you thought it couldn’t get any gayer, campier or more salacious than the Academy Award nominations, well….of course you knew it could! 

The poster image alone is a gag

We’re not sure exactly what director Gus Van Sant and writer Jon Robin Baitz were thinking when they signed up for this – a new summer home?  A Tesla prior to X? But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter.  Truman Capote and the society dames he once upon a time betrayed are given an array of bitchy, though not quite witty or wise enough dialogue, and a cast of talented middle-aged actresses we don’t get to see co-starring in high profile projects often enough (Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloe Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, Molly Ringwald) seem to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Admittedly, it’s hard to look away even though midway through the first two episodes one sort of wonders, when will this pathetic, superficial debauchery all end?  Yet after the final credits of that week’s installment are done one also finds oneself pissed off that it’s going to take a whole week of waiting to discover what they (Capote, the Swans AND the cast and crew) will do next.

We’ll be watching

Such are Ryan Murphy and company’s perverse talents – making us miss something we don’t even much like. 

Speaking of which, Sunday, February 4th marks the arrival of what promises to be the very wet Grammy Awards in rainy L.A. on CBS.  So many artists so many baby boomers and Gen Xers do not listen to yet claim to know.  Well, this is the one night of the year we – okay I – can catch up!

Besides, Joni Mitchell will be there singing for the first time….ever.

As will we next week since, truly, there is only so much real life we can take.

SZA – “Kill Bill“