A Glittery Saturday, Tinged With Sadness

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We finally made it: The Oscars are tomorrow. This has been one of the more eventful awards seasons in recent years, filled with scandals and missteps and whisper campaigns. Nature is healing.

Some categories are a total lock, while others could go two (or three) different ways. Here’s a link to our Oscar Predictions Livestream with the always brilliant LA Times awards expert Glenn Whipp in case you missed it this week. Glenn thinks “Anora” is going to be the big winner of the night, but he also acknowledges that “Anora” is his favorite movie of the year, so maybe he’s just manifesting that into the universe.

We’ll talk about all of this and more during our LIVE Oscar Watch Party. Alonso and I will be at our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel beginning at 3:30pm Pacific time, and then the Academy Awards begin at 4pm. We’ll be hanging out for the entirety of the show, discussing the winners, the speeches, the dresses and the jokes from host Conan O’Brien. (It’s sort of amazing that Conan has never hosted before, right? He’s perfect for the gig.) Join us and tell us all about your movie-themed snacks. We’re already hungry.

Here’s a downloadable, printable Oscar ballot if you’d like to make your own picks and keep track at home.

Plus! We’re excited to be teaming up again with our friends at Super Streaming for a fun interactive experience on Oscar Night: movie trivia, predictions, discounted Table for Ones and more. We worked with them during last year’s livestream, in case you tuned in for that, and we’re offering even more ways to connect and engage this time. Click here to play along.

As for new movies, we kept things simple this week, in part because of Friday’s Economic Blackout. We didn’t shop, we didn’t post, and we tried to stay off social media platforms ourselves. (Can I just tell you what a challenge it was to avoid mindlessly grabbing my phone and scrolling through Instagram for Boston terrier reels? Definitely an enlightening exercise in self-control.) Here’s what we offered on our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel and podcast.

• REMEMBERING GENE HACKMAN. The word “icon” gets tossed around a lot, but Gene Hackman truly was that kind of towering figure in Hollywood for decades. The news of his death at his Santa Fe, N.M., home alongside his wife and one of his dogs was stunning, and it gets more mysterious the more we learn about it. But Hackman’s passing also gave us the opportunity to reflect on the 95-year-old actor’s incredible versatility. From “Bonnie and Clyde” and “The French Connection” to “Superman” and “Hoosiers” to “Unforgiven” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” he could do it all and he was always formidable. Whether he was playing a hero or a villain, a compelling leading man or a juicy character role, Hackman exuded an authenticity that was undeniable. We’ll honor him further with this month’s Off the Menu poll on our Patreon, so keep an eye out for that and pick the film of his that you’d like to see us review.

• GRAND THEFT HAMLET. Switching gears completely, we also caught up with “Grand Theft Hamlet,” and I’m so glad we did. The documentary takes place entirely within the ultra-violent Grand Theft Auto Online, where two out-of-work British actors staged a production of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” during the 2021 Covid lockdown. It’s a hilarious and inherently absurd concept, but the film is also surprisingly poignant as it explores the need for community and the sacrifices people make for their art. Yes, art: Some of the imagery here is quite striking, particularly the unexpected places where co-director and co-star Sam Crane performs the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy. Plus I loved seeing GTA’s version of LA. Streaming now on Mubi.

Speaking of our Patreon and legends who’ve left us, we honored the singular auteur David Lynch with our February Off the Menu review of “Mulholland Drive.” I hadn’t seen Lynch’s noir masterpiece since it came out in 2001, and noticed so many new things this time: parallels, places in Los Angeles, pieces of dialogue that repeat. Chris and I watched it with Nic, having just shown him “Eraserhead” a couple weeks earlier. While a couple of scenes were more than a little awkward for him to watch with his parents, we had a great talk afterward about what’s happening here — or at least, what we think is happening here. Naomi Watts is tremendous in this film, essentially playing four different versions of the same character, distinctly and convincingly. Lynch masterfully holds a sustained mood of dread, particularly with the help of Angelo Badalamenti’s synth score, and that Club Silencio scene remains a killer. What are your memories of “Mulholland Drive”? I’d love to know.

Over at Ebert this week, I had the pleasure of reviewing “My Dead Friend Zoe,” which is based on an idea that sounds like it wouldn’t work: It’s a buddy comedy about PTSD. Director and co-writer Kyle Hausmann-Stokes tells a personal story about trauma and healing, based on his own experiences in the U.S. Army. Sonequa Martin-Green gives a star-making performance as a veteran who returns from Afghanistan and has trouble functioning in the outside world. What’s keeping her from connecting with others is her best friend, Zoe (an irreverent Natalie Morales), who died but won’t leave her alone. Both actresses have tremendous chemistry with each other, and Hausmann-Stokes pulls off an impressively difficult tonal balance. Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris are reliably great in supporting roles. “My Dead Friend Zoe” is a persuasive piece of advocacy filmmaking, tucked inside a playful and profane comedy about female friendship. It’s in theaters now.

Carrie Coon is one of my favorite actresses working today. She’s legitimately great always, whether it’s in a meaty leading role or a showy supporting part. Have you seen her in “The Nest,” “His Three Daughters,” or “The Gilded Age” on Max? She’s consistently a powerhouse, but her work also feels so grounded. Coon is commanding but versatile in a way that reminds me of Gene Hackman, actually. So I was psyched to see her turn up on season 3 of “The White Lotus” as the slightly misfit member of a BFF girls’ trip, alongside Michelle Monaghan and Leslie Bibb. She discusses her life, career, craft and marriage to actor and playwright Tracy Letts on a recent episode of WTF With Marc Maron. He really listens and always asks such smart questions. This was a lively and entertaining conversation. Hope you enjoy. And check out our recaps of “The White Lotus” here on our Patreon.

Thank you so much for hanging out with me a bit during this busy weekend. How is it already March? Hope to see you Sunday night at our Oscar Watch Party. And if you’ve enjoyed my newsletter today, I hope you’ll share it with the movie lovers in your life. Have a great week, remember that it’s an honor just to be nominated, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday.