Newsletter Tuesday, September 12, 2017

[LaineyGossip.com - Calling all smuthounds!] Tuesday, September 12, 2017 [Intro for September 12, 2017]( [Issa Rae attends the 2017 Harper ICONS party at The Plaza Hotel on September 8, 2017 in New York City]( Dear Gossips, I wasn’t ready for the Game Of Thrones season 7 finale 3 weeks ago. I was definitely not ready for the Insecure season 2 finale this weekend. GoT S7 could have used another episode, if not two, because it felt like too much of a race. And Insecure could have definitely used another episode, not because it felt like it was a race but because there is still so much to unpack, even if the season finale was an extra 15 minutes. But that’s where they’ve left us, in doorways, just like Issa and Molly, as Insecure and in between as ever. Molly is in between jobs. She’s in between “should” and “could”. Issa is watching all the doors and their accompanying possibilities play out in her mind. One doorway was a fantasy and when that fantasy wasn’t an option, she ended up standing in another doorway, an old familiar doorway, because the finding a new doorway is a lot harder than going back to one you know. And with Issa, as we’ve seen now over 20 episodes, always steps back after she goes forward. Forward for Issa would be how she handled herself at work, with Frieda, putting aside resentment that Frieda was more ready for the promotion than she is. Forward too for Issa meant applying that same open attitude when she and Lawrence finally confronted their mistakes and the hurt they inflicted on each other and the love they still have for each other. Backwards though means that Issa, for all her talk about needing to work on herself, ended up at a doorway that will probably hold her back for a while longer. Which is also where we find Molly. Which is what makes them so interesting – and real. Insecure gives us what we need, not what we want. We might want Molly to move on from a potentially destructive relationship but we need her to stay there until it costs her. Because change can’t come without a cost. We want Issa and Lawrence to get back together but what we actually need is to see them get to a place where they can’t use anger to keep from addressing why it is that they broke apart – reasons that can’t be fixed by love alone and problems that can only be addressed when they’re on their own. And now we have to wait another f-cking year before we find out how they fix their sh-t, if they do at all. The good news for those of you who haven’t started watching Insecure yet though is that you now have two seasons to binge. I am jealous of you. Mad because you’ve waited this long to watch one of the best comedies on television but more jealous because you get to meet these people for the first time. As I yell WHY AREN’T YOU WATCHING INSECURE for the last time until next summer. One more note on Insecure before I stop nagging – on Show Your Work [a few weeks ago]( Duana talked about how even the technical elements in Hollywood are set up for discrimination. Jessica Williams has to carry her own makeup with her to photo shoots because many makeup artists don’t know how to work with black faces. Jennifer Hudson had to get lip injections because the lighting wasn’t working with her features. This is not a problem on Insecure. Here’s why: .[@HBO]('s Insecure has mastered the cinematographic art of properly lighting black faces [#HBOInsecure]( [pic.twitter.com/LdHH7oJDf5]( — Mic (@mic) [September 11, 2017]( Attached - Issa Rae at the 2017 Harper's Bazaar ICONS party on Friday and at the 29Rooms opening night on Thursday. Yours in gossip, Lainey [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 1:08 PM [Leah Remini’s anti-Sci Emmy]( [Leah Remini at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2017 at the Microsoft Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, California, September 9, 2017]( [Leah Remini](’s show, Scientology and the Aftermath, won the Emmy for Outstanding Information Series at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sunday. I’m not sure the Outstanding Information Series Emmy winner ordinarily generates a lot of headlines. The reason it’s generating headlines, of course, is because Leah Remini has a platform and also because she’s been using that platform to criticise the Church of Scientology which is associated with other more famous people. During her acceptance speech, Leah thanked her mother and joked that she had “officially forgiven (her mother) for getting us into a cult”. On a more serious note, she also spoke about the people whose stories were told on the show, and thanked them for the risk they took in sharing. Have you seen Scientology and the Aftermath? I’ve watched half of an episode and I was into it, but I think I got sidetracked by something and then forgot to go back. Anyone I know though who does watch it is obsessed. The stories are compelling –some might say they’re terrifying – but also, Leah Remini knows how to tell a story. Because it’s not like the information has been online for years. It’s just that she’s been able to curate it all and get it into a series that’s been digestible. Obviously the Academy thought so too. Or maybe they just recognised her name, probably the most recognisable name in that category, and put a checkmark in the box without actually watching the show. Either way, Leah’s lording it over the Church. And it might make things even more interesting on Sunday when the main show Emmys are happening. Not sure if Leah is going. I wouldn’t be surprised to see her there though. She’s now a series regular on Kevin Can Wait. The season premiere is happening a week after the Emmys. I can’t imagine CBS wouldn’t want her there promoting the show. And if she is there, how far apart on the carpet will they keep Leah and [Elisabeth Moss](? You know what we haven’t yet talked about re: Elisabeth Moss and Scientology? This: Elisabeth Moss is a Scientologist. [Nicole Kidman]( was married to the most prominent Hollywood Scientologist and was, supposedly, [declared a Suppressive Person]( after they divorced. But Elisabeth and Nicole worked together on Top Of The Lake: China Girl. And clearly got on well, or pretended to get on well, even though Scientologists are supposed to avoid SPs. Did Elisabeth get special permission to work with an SP? Or has Nicole’s SP status been lifted after so many years of abstaining from talking about the Church? Leah wrote in her book that [she’s always admired Nicole](, especially when after she quit the Church: "During this confusing early period, I sometimes felt adrift," Remini recalled in her book. "But I had one figure I kept front and center in my mind to keep from going crazy: Nicole Kidman. That’s right, Tom Cruise’s ex was my guardian angel. Although I never met her or attempted to meet her, I thought about her a lot." Nicole will definitely be at the Emmys on Sunday. As will Elisabeth. And Leah too. I mean, I doubt any crazy sh-t will go down. But imagine?! [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 7:59 PM [TIFF Review: The Shape of Water]( [Sally Hawkins attends the premiere of 'The Shape Of Water' during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at The Elgin on September 11, 2017 in Toronto, Canada]( If you ask me to describe [Guillermo Del Toro](’s The Shape of Water, the short answer is: Amelie f*cks a fish monster. The long answer, though, is that The Shape of Water is a beautiful, tender, sweet, sincere, sorta funny, definitely weird, deeply romantic film about love and communication and loneliness and loss and finding and being found. It’s a fairy tale with a fish monster for a prince, and it’s wonderful and absolutely perfect from top to bottom. There is nothing that can be tweaked, nothing to be changed or improved upon. Eliza ([Sally Hawkins]() works as a cleaner at a top secret government facility in Baltimore in the early 1960s. Her only friends are her neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins), and a fellow cleaner, Zelda ([Octavia Spencer](). Her life is measured in routine until one day a mysterious “asset” (Doug Jones, Del Toro’s go-to monster suit actor) is delivered to the facility where she works, and she spies something moving in the water. Then, while cleaning the lab housing the asset after an incident that leaves a lot of blood and a couple fingers on the floor, Eliza meets him, a bipedal fish monster with luminous eyes. He’s unintelligible, but he picks up her sign language, and soon they’re communicating and sharing boiled eggs and Benny Goodman records, and they fall in love. But what’s a fairy tale without a monster? In Water, the monster is not of the fish variety, but government agent Strickland ([Michael Shannon](, at his most Michael Shannon). He’s got a blonde wife and two kids in the suburbs, he knows his Bible stories, and is working for the greater good during the Cold War, so, naturally, he’s a borderline psychopath. There is also Doctor Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg), who is basically the fairy godmother of the piece. No one loves monsters as much as Guillermo Del Toro, and his love seeps into every pore of Water. The love story is so sincere that Eliza having sex with the fish monster isn’t in the least bit funny—there is humor in Water, but romance is never its subject. Del Toro treats lovers tenderly, whether it’s Eliza and her fish-prince, or Giles and his thwarted affection for the young man working the pie counter. Love is valuable in Water, and it is treated as a precious, rare commodity. Not everyone gets what they want in life, some are saddled with weak spouses, others are denied the right to express love openly, so when love can be nurtured, it should be. It’s not all romanticism, though. Strickland is a terrifying opponent, and there is a thrilling cat-and-mouse plot that drives the film to its climax, unfolding with perfect pacing and a perfect management of tension. Del Toro is a meticulous filmmaker, but in his last few films, craft has exceeded story, creating an imbalance in the finished product. Not in Water, though, which is as carefully structured as it is exactingly rendered. Water is so weird and yet so controlled that not even a Busby Berkeley dream sequence feels out of place. So much of Water shouldn’t work, but the commitment to Del Toro’s vision is complete, and is flawlessly carried out. The Shape of Water has something for everyone. It’s a romantic thriller, with beautiful love scenes and a tangible depth of feeling both from and for the romantics in the story, and it’s a nail-biting thriller with some signature Del Toro gross-out stuff to keep the non-romantics entertained. But it’s also the point of Water, that no one is above romance. Though everyone deserves it, not everyone gets it, so if you are lucky enough to find someone who understands and accepts you, you must do everything in your power to keep it, up to and including filling your bathroom with water like a giant fish tank. It’s a beautiful love story in a beautiful film with a beautiful message, with some of the most haunting and gorgeous images you’ll see all year. The Shape of Water is perfect. Just perfect. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 7:24 PM [Smutty Social Media, September 12, 2017]( [Jennifer Garner out with her kids on September 10, 2017]( I love how the Fast & Furious franchise is nothing but drama for The Rock. Earlier this week, he posted a story about signing a deal and if you follow The Rock, you know this is a pretty regular thing. His brand is heavily tied to his work ethic. But Tyrese saw the post and got all in his feelings about a possible Fast & Furious Hobbs spin-off. The first post was a comment, the second was a response to all of the dragging he received. I think we can file this under, “Hit me back, your biggest fan, this is Stan.” [#tyrese just wants #therock to hear him 😂]( A post shared by @tea_served_cold_ on Sep 12, 2017 at 5:57am PDT [#Tyrese is still trying to get #DwayneJohnson to hear him out but it looks like Dwayne still has him on read 👀]( A post shared by The Shade Room (@theshaderoom) on Sep 12, 2017 at 5:36am PDT [Jennifer Garner]( has co-founded a cold-pressed organic baby food company. This makes sense on every level. Meanwhile, Ben [might be planning to move]( 3,000 miles from his young children. [For all the Mamas-- I am excited to announce my role as co-founder of @onceuponafarm! Wait until you get to know us, Cassandra (Earth Mama), Ari (Mr. President) and John (Brains with a Heart) and yours truly are going to work our tails off to bring your family fresh whole foods, from our farms to your table. I’m so nervous, I hope you love us as much as we love you. XXX]( A post shared by Jennifer Garner (@jennifer.garner) on Sep 12, 2017 at 8:59am PDT If your brother was dating a cast member of Game of Thrones, how hard would you try to grill her for spoilers? [These two asked for a pic. What great guys. #fanlove]( A post shared by J O E J O N A S (@joejonas) on Sep 10, 2017 at 7:44pm PDT [Kate Hudson]( is in trouble with some moms because she said the laziest thing she’s ever done [is have a C-section](. I don’t get why people are mad – she was talking about herself, not other women. Maybe she does legitimately feel that way about her situation? [❤️]( A post shared by Kate Hudson (@katehudson) on Sep 12, 2017 at 12:20am PDT [Sienna Miller]( posted a bunch of photos but has now deleted them and she’s down to just her original post. Why? [Hello World Wide Web. #givenin #peerpressure #luddite 🙃]( A post shared by Sienna Miller (@siennathing) on Jun 12, 2017 at 2:59pm PDT Actually the “shocking” part is that Adam Sandler still gets to make his sh-t movies. I look fresh bitch [pic.twitter.com/Sa3007jI4n]( — Cole M. Sprouse (@colesprouse) [September 10, 2017]( Yesterday I posted [Armie Hammer’s response]( to James Woods talking some nonsense about his movie (which I’m guessing he hasn’t and will not see). So then everyone decided to commiserate about how much they hate James Woods. Finally, some unity. Didn't you date a 19 year old when you were 60.......? — Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) [September 11, 2017]( James Woods tried to pick me and my friend up at a restaurant once. He wanted to take us to Vegas. "I'm 16" I said. "Even better" he said. — Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) [September 11, 2017]( Somebody told me the libs are yelping. Troll traffic is up. I don't pay any attention really. I like Armie Hammer as an actor though. A lot. — James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) [September 12, 2017]( Like Trump.. all the viagra, propecia, dementia & anti-psych meds have created a toxic bouillabaisse from which there's no escape for Jimmy? — Billy {NAME} (@Billy{NAME}) [September 11, 2017](NAME}/status/907383483919589376) Billy thinks you're a shithead...[#JimmyTheCreep]( — Billy {NAME} (@Billy{NAME}) [September 12, 2017](NAME}/status/907425024381829120) [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 6:43 PM [Idris in a white sweater]( [Idris Elba at The Daily Show with Trevor Noah in New York, September 11, 2017]( After promoting two films at TIFF this weekend and [introducing us to his “girlfriend” Sabrina](, [Idris Elba]( was in New York yesterday, photographed outside The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. The Mountain Between Us opens on October 6th. So he’s promoting it beyond the festivals now, trying to generate interest for a film that didn’t seem to generate much interest here in Toronto. Reviews, so far, have been medium. No one loves it. No one hates it. And I feel like both Idris and Kate Winslet have other projects with more potential. Kate’s in Woody Allen’s Wonder Wheel, due in December, award season, and that’s what most people are waiting on to see if there might be yet another nomination to her name. For Idris, he has two major releases in November – Thor: Ragnarok which will take over the box office and Molly’s Game which, following its world premiere at TIFF, has now entered the Oscar race as a possibility on the strength of Jessica Chastain’s performance and, also, her chemistry with Idris. (Sarah [reviewed Molly’s Game yesterday]() He too is now [on the long list]( for a possible Best Supporting Actor nomination. Long list. I wonder though what his presence on the campaign circuit will be though. The last time we talked about Idris and Oscar it was for Beasts Of No Nation and it ended up being one of the biggest snubs of that year. That Best Supporting category is probably where you have to campaign the least. Mark Rylance won a couple of years ago without participating at all in the process. I could see the same happening this year, maybe not with Idris but with Mark Rylance again or Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name) or Sam Rockwell. But, really, I just wanted to say that he looks great in this white sweater. SO good. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:39 PM [TIFF Review: Lady Bird]( [Timothée Chalamet and Greta Gerwig attends the 'Lady Bird' premiere during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 8, 2017 in Toronto, Canada]( Lady Bird is a movie that I was dying to see before it screened at Telluride. I'm all in on [Greta Gerwig]( - from Frances Ha to Mistress America to [Maggie's Plan](, if she's in something? I'm there. She wrote it? No question. Her directorial debut? As if I'll miss it. At LaineyGossip though, right now "we're" more interested in [Saoirse Ronan]( and [Timothee Chalamet](. So when news broke that it was a surprise hit at Telluride, and had Best Picture potential outside of our own or my own Greta echo chamber (I don't think Sarah is always a fan?), we had to find out when I could see it as soon as possible at TIFF. The problem with "working" at film festivals is sometimes life (or scheduling, or traffic, or...) works against you. It's a champagne problem, but it's still an issue. It always reminds me of a literal interpretation of one of my favourite songs from A Chorus Line: "What I Did For Love." Start lining up at 7:30am to see a movie that starts at 9am when you were up until 1 the night before because a movie you saw affected you and you couldn't "unwind"? Stay up until 3am schmoozing because YOLO? Do you. Find a way. As Tim Gunn would say, "Make it Work." For example, yesterday, I was planning to cover the Grey Goose talkback between the Disobedience stars (Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz) - a movie I am really, really fighting for and [wrote about yesterday](- but it was at the same time as our James Franco interview and I knew it just wasn't in the cards, even though it would have been an awesome opportunity. You just have to move on, try hard to stay professional, and do what you can (especially if you have zero chill, like me). So I missed the first 10 minutes or so of Lady Bird. It's a 2002/2003-era story and coming-of-age movie starring Saoirse as Christine or "Lady Bird," who has dyed hair and is in her final year of Catholic school. She's fiercely herself, but is also desperate to fit in because a cute boy may or may not like her (Timothee Chalamet, [Lainey's TIFF 2017 crush](). As somebody who has seen both Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird, he's even hotter in this movie as a delicious twist on a cliché high school bad boy who smokes handrolled cigarettes, hates everything, and believes cellphones are the government's way to trick us into giving away our GPS location. While Lady Bird has no problem talking back at an abortion assembly, she has trouble sticking to her guns and staying with her true friends (Beanie Feldstein, in a Catholic uniform? Ugh, I just love her) when the cool kids (literally) come knocking to a house they think is hers. She's confident, but self-conscious about her family, and the multiple shifts her mom (Laurie Metcalf) has to work to support her in-and-out-of-depression dad (a bearded Tracy Letts). She's great with words and biting insults about her own family members or her "former" friends and dropping pretty insightful truth bombs when she feels empowered in the moment, but her grades kinda suck and it's doubtful she'll ever be able to leave the "dreaded" Sacramento she hates. In her mind, it's not even close to being as "cool" as San Francisco!!! Does that make her an ungrateful daughter? And if her parents call her out, do they have remorse? And what about the boy she loves (Lucas Hedges) who is going through his own thing and can't be there for her how she wants? Will anybody ever understand her? I didn't care too much for Brooklyn. I mean, it's a beautiful movie, but it just felt a little too quiet for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved the performances (esp. from Canadians like Samantha Munro or Jessica Pare), but Lainey and I always (and continue to) fight over whether Brie or Saoirse ["deserved" to win that year](Queen-Brie)/40655). (Lainey: Brie, also known as BEIGE.) This time around, we could actually agree on something once she sees Lady Bird. I've seen two other leading female performances that blew me away more than Saoirse this year (Annette Bening in Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Jennifer Lawrence in mother!), but I would never balk if she became the frontrunner. This movie has so much heart, on all sides, and is so funny too... let's just say I've never loved The Tempest more than I did seeing a football coach trying to teach drama blocking. And it's my favourite Shakespeare play. This could be the new The Kids Are All Right or Juno if it's marketed correctly. And guess which studio is planning to go big with it? Focus Features (the same as The Kids Are All Right). They inked [a new deal yesterday](. Seriously, this ensemble is beyond belief and the writing is superb. Lady Bird has the perfect female anti-hero and she's going through her high school rites of passage like a checklist because she thinks that's what she's supposed to do to be an adult. As she learns the hard way, life doesn't always go your way. Also - a friend of mine and I always talk about movies from the recent past and what they get right or wrong. I.e. in Spotlight Rachel McAdams uses an old-school iPod. Cool. And wears slacks that would have probably been at the GAP at that time. In this movie, they use various milestones from 2002/2003 as an Easter egg for the viewers, to reward you for paying attention. Lady Bird's first cool party? You better believe the walk-in music is Justin Timberlake's Cry Me a River. As somebody who was in Grade Nine or Grade Ten at the time, that song was a jam. The Britney gossip made it even better. So of COURSE it would be playing at a cool party, and of course, the guy who is too cool for school, played by Timothee, would be by the pool pretending he doesn't love it. And you would have to choose to either talk to him and agree with him, or (figuratively) enjoy the song. One of the many reasons this movie is so, so great. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 5:06 PM [Ben & Lindsay apartment hunting?]( [Ben Affleck and Lindsay Shookus out together in New York, September 11, 2017]( Before we get to that, there’s a headline that made me laugh this morning. You remember those shots I posted yesterday of [Ben Affleck]( and Lindsay Shookus[at the US Open](? And how he had his arm around her and they were laughing and close and throwing up all kinds of PDA? Well there was one photo in the series where they appeared to be actually focused on the match (Rafael Nadal was playing and winning) and according to [Page Six](, it meant that they were having a sh-tty time. Which is what I would have assumed too if this was the only photo available and I hadn’t seen –and posted – more shots from the whole set. That’s why Photo Assumption is our favourite game of unreliable of assumptions. But it’s also examples like that that give celebrities fuel to bitch about being misrepresented. Not that I ever want to be defending Ben Affleck but there’s good gossip and there’s bad gossip. Who will be the shield that guards the realm of good gossip? Ha. Speaking of good gossip or maybe bad gossip, Ben was still in NY yesterday with Lindsay. She went to work and met up with him after and, supposedly, according to the paps, they went to go look at a few apartments. Is she looking for a place of her own, given that she’s also getting divorced? Or are they looking for a place together, like their own love nest? If option B is the answer, then it’s either bull-f-cking-sh-t yet again on the timeline they’ve attempted to suggest that they only started dating recently and that there was no overlap with their marriages or, after dating for just a summer, they’re so serious already that they’re ready to move in. If they’re serious enough to move in does that mean they’re serious enough to integrate with each other’s children? Also, how many times will Ben Affleck show up on Saturday Night Live this season? [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 4:11 PM [Gigi loses her shoe]( [Gigi Hadid walks the runway for Anna Sui fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows at Gallery 1, Skylight Clarkson Sq on September 11, 2017 in New York City ]( [Gigi Hadid]( walked the Anna Sui show at NYFW last night with one shoe. If this were an episode of America’s Next Top Model, Tyra Banks would give a speech about how Gigi exhibited bravery, courage, professionalism and a true model spirit by powering through her wardrobe malfunction. It would be a lesson to all the other models about resilience and overcoming life’s obstacles. It would be so extra, as Tyra is. It's a bit impressive how you can barely tell that Gigi is only wearing one obnoxiously high heel in this video: [Loving the one shoe 👠#gigihadid #annasui]( A post shared by Gigi hadid Updates(HQ)🔃 (@gi.hadidupdates) on Sep 11, 2017 at 5:50pm PDT … but I care less about Gigi’s lost shoe than I do about analyzing her supermodel walk. Gigi is a supermodel. That is no longer up for debate. Before Instagram followers, a supermodel’s walk was her most valuable currency. Tyra Banks was known for her walk. Naomi Campbell’s million-dollar walk is legendary. So, who owns the catwalk in 2017? Even though Gigi can still pull out a solid strut with one shoe, it’s not either of the Hadids. And it’s not a Jenner. That title now officially [belongs to Teyana Taylor](. Please, take a moment to appreciate the final walk of GCDS's presentation featuring the one, the only, the fiercest, the baddest, the Teyana Taylor: [When u heard McDonald's brought the chicken selects back and they're butter milk 😩😍 yea Issa 10pc w/ spicy buffalo sauce. Oh and a Oreo Mc Flurry. #GCDS]( A post shared by Jimmy Neutch (@teyanataylor) on Sep 8, 2017 at 4:09pm PDT Goddamn. All hail, the new queen of New York Fashion Week. The Hadids may have the hype but [Teyana Taylor]( just SHUT DOWN that runway. I’m obsessed. Don’t ask me how many times I watched that video. She’s not walking the same high-profile shows that Gigi, Bella or Kendall are walking but solely through the sheer confidence and swagger she’s oozing through her walks, Teyana is getting headlines. Vogue did an entire post on her “[jaw-dropping](” Philipp Plein walk that is so extra, you just need to watch it yourself. [When the haters tried to say I was too extra yesterday.....🤔 I turned around and CLOSED ANOTHER RUNWAY SHOW even more EXTRA!! & ima do it AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN cause these b!tches can't take!!! Mc Debra voice 💅🏾💪🏾😩😩😂😂😂😂💼💼💼💼💼 #philippplein #FashionWeek #NYFW #HarlemGirl thank you @philipppleininternational u da shit!!! and @future you killed the live music bro!!! 📹: @imanshumpert]( A post shared by Jimmy Neutch (@teyanataylor) on Sep 9, 2017 at 9:42pm PDT This may not be a fair fight because compare that with the Hadid sisters walking arm in arm to close the Anna Sui show. This is what sibling ❤️ looks like. [@YolandaHFoster]( did a killer job with [@GiGiHadid]( and [@bellahadid](!! [pic.twitter.com/94dtvVXmnD]( — Tyler McCall (@eiffeltyler) [September 11, 2017]( Cute. But if this were an episode of America’s Next Top Model, who would Tyra and Miss J crown as the winner of a catwalk challenge? [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:48 PM [TIFF Review: Downsizing]( [Matt Damon the 'Downsizing' press conference during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 10, 2017 in Toronto, Canada]( Alexander Payne follows up his pair of family dramas with Downsizing, a movie that doesn’t quite know what it is. I would like to ask Payne if the attraction of Downsizing was REALLY the material, or was it playing around with the various technology required to make it, from the digital effects required to composite “big” and “small” shots, to utilizing old-school tricks like miniatures to realize the world of the downsized people. I assume the draw was the technology, because Downsizing as a story is uneven and off-pace, and it isn’t as sharp and focused as Payne’s previous films, including Nebraska and The Descendants. Of course, Alexander Payne doesn’t really make bad movies, but Downsizing is a less-good Payne film. [Matt Damon]( stars as Paul, a nice enough fellow whose dreams of becoming a doctor are side-tracked when his mother falls ill. But he ends up with an okay life, including an okay wife, Audrey (Kristen Wiig), but a strained budget prevents them from buying the kind of American Dream McMansion Audrey desires. Parallel to Paul’s depressing post-recession reality there is a magnificent scientific breakthrough, as a pair of Norwegian doctors have discovered how to shrink people to five inches tall. This is posited as a solution to global warming—smaller people means less consumption and less waste—but as time skips ahead, problems become apparent. The first half of Downsizing seems like it’s going to be, if not outright social satire, then at least social commentary. Issues of potential abuse are raised, including oppressive regimes using downsizing to punish dissidents, and new fears over illegal immigration crop up. Like every technology before it, humanity finds a way to misuse and abuse downsizing, and for a while Downsizing sets up an elaborate allegory for the social strain we’re under now, especially regarding class division and resource competition. But then Paul downsizes and moves to “Leisure Land”, a planned community for the small that’s pitched exactly like a retirement village (which it essentially is). At this point, the film wanders into character drama as Paul finds himself through his new community, particularly through a relationship with Ngoc Lan Tran ([Hong Chau](, Inherent Vice), a Vietnamese dissident who was downsized as punishment and now works as a house cleaner in Leisure Land. There remains some element of commentary as Paul discovers the slums where the low-wage workers of Leisure Land live, but the film definitely shifts tones at this point. What makes the back half of Downsizing watchable is Chau, who is SPECTACULAR. Paul keeps trying to run away from his problems, first by downsizing and then by joining a Norwegian hippie small-camp who plan to retreat inside a mountain bunker to ride out the end of the world (methane being released from the melting ice caps has doomed humanity). But Ngoc Lan, who has had a way harder life than Paul, sees her contribution to humanity not in helping to build a post-apocalyptic society of the small, but in helping others right now, even if humanity is doomed. Paul’s dilemma becomes the choice represented to Ngoc Lan—to stay in a dying world and alleviate suffering, however insignificant that impact might seem, or retreat from messy humanity, chasing a perfect future? Once she enters the film, Downsizing suffers from wrong-protagonist syndrome, because Ngoc Lan is so much more interesting than Paul. He’s a middle-aged white dude whose life didn’t quite go the way he wanted; she’s a political dissident who is forcibly shrunken and shipped across an ocean as punishment, losing part of her leg as a result, yet she continues to face the problems before her, determined to help others. Which movie would you rather see, Paul’s or Ngoc Lan’s? Because in the movie we get, Ngoc Lan is just the device—the person of colour device - by which Paul learns his great life lesson. Ngoc Lan is far too good a character to waste teaching unbuttered white bread like Paul the meaning of life. Hong Chau is wonderful, and I hope this is a breakout moment for her, but I also hope she gets to move on to starring roles, where she can be more than the magical minority figure teaching white people life lessons and how all they need to do is open their eyes to really see the world. The biggest problem with Downsizing isn’t bad, it’s that it’s the wrong movie about the wrong character, and starring the wrong person. But it is also bad, for the record. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 3:12 PM [Jolie Monday]( [Loung Ung, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Pax Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Kimhak Mun, Knox Jolie-Pitt, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Sareum Srey Moch attend the 'First They Killed My Father' premiere during the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 11, 2017 in Toronto, Canada]( There have been some big names at TIFF this year. George Clooney. Nicole Kidman. Drake. As soon as [Angelina Jolie]( arrived in town though, she’s been the main event. And there have been several events. As [mentioned yesterday](, she was at The Breadwinner premiere on Sunday night followed by the In Conversation Event. Yesterday she made several media stops to promote First They Killed My Father. And she and Loung Ung attended Tina Brown’s Women In The World summit for a discussion about the film and their friendship. It was standing room only at the event. She was there for half an hour, with Tina Brown moderating, Angelina seated in the middle, and Loung on her other side. Loung exclusively refers to Angelina as “Angie”. And you can tell they know each other very well and that they’ve known each other for a long time. From before Angelina adopted Maddox. At one point Angelina, while joking about fiery temperaments, pointed to Loung and referred to her as, “this one”, as in, “this one over here has no problem expressing herself”. So there’s an affection, an intimacy between them that’s obvious and doesn’t feel forced. I bring this up because it does come up, the question of whether or not Angelina has friends, female friends, and who they are and what those relationships are like. We know she’s close with Marianne Pearl. She and Loung have been in each other’s lives for 16 years, at least. But we don’t see this on Instagram. They’ve not shown us their fireside singalongs during sleepovers (Kate Hudson). We haven’t been invited to judge their table settings on social media (Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon). There’s been no Independence Day waterslide with photo releases (you don’t need me to tell you who I’m referring to). But Marianne and Loung do get papped from time to time with Angelina. On a skiing trip with the kids. At Disneyland, also with the kids. So the signs have been there, that these women are not just tight with Angelina but also with her children. And these are women who aren’t exactly in the business of being friends to be famous and seen. Why is it then that people have such a hard time trusting it? Probably because Angelina Jolie is such a complicated public figure, a public figure who, at the same time, remains pretty mysterious. We’ve been staring at her for years. We know so much about her. We don’t actually know that much about her. That’s what she’s always been good at – being an enigma. For all of Taylor Swift’s recent efforts, I’m not sure anyone would describe her as enigmatic. Probably because she explains herself so much, either overtly or with a trail of clues that are meant to be found. Here’s Angelina at the First They Killed My Father premiere last night with all of the children. Unlike on Sunday night, when they arrived to an almost reverent reception, it was pretty much business as usual last night with the fans screaming and the media shouting and everyone jostling to get the best shot possible. Because it’s exciting. She brings the excitement on her own – but when you add the kids to her pure star power, it becomes an even more intense experience. Which is totally gross, I know, because they’re kids, and it’s weird, having to grapple with whether or not you’re supposed to be fangirling a person’s kids. At the same time, when they’re all they’re together, standing together, and they look excited to be there together, laughing with each other, laughing with their mother, completely and undeniably connected to their mother, in a way that can’t be forced or faked, you realise that this is their normal. At one point, Danielle Graham, while the kids were walking past her, asked them, “How proud of you of your mum?” It was Shiloh who turned her head and answered. “We love her,” she said while smiling. It was such a candid reaction. She just heard someone in the crowd asking her a question about her mother. And she reacted. This is a tactile family. One is always holding hands with another. Vivienne seems particularly attached to her mother. It was Vivienne who Angelina was rushing to get to from the carpet, after her interviews. She arrived earlier than we expected. About an hour early, spending time with fans and stopping for most of the media outlets (the line was LOOOOOONG) inside the theatre. At the end though, when Danielle asked her about the logistics of travelling in such a large group and whether or not there have been any “mom moments today”, Angelina told her that, “Yeah, right now, ‘cause my daughter’s asking for me”, we were thinking it was probably Vivienne who, as the baby, was the one she was rushing off to. Here’s the clip: On the work side, First They Killed My Father premieres on Netflix this Friday and, as previously mentioned, and judging from the push they made here at TIFF, they want the Academy’s attention for a Foreign Language Film nomination. Netflix is definitely a player at the Emmys but their Oscar recognition has been pretty modest, at best. Seems like they’re putting some significant investment behind Angelina. I wonder how the Hollywood community will respond. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 2:40 PM [TIFF Review: Battle of the Sexes]( [Steve Carell and Emma Stone attend the 'Battle of the Sexes' TIFF screening on September 10, 2017 in Toronto, Canada]( Let’s just get it out of the way—yes, Battle of the Sexes gives [Emma Stone]( the more Oscar-worthy part than La La Land. Billie Jean King is a better character, better written, and this is now a classic case of “won an Oscar for the wrong movie”. With that established, Battle of the Sexes is a solid biopic of Billie Jean King that resonates a little harder in the current political climate, with women’s rights under attack and feeling like we’re taking big steps backwards. It’s not an especially political movie, beyond asserting that women are people, too, and people should be able to freely love whomever they choose, but these are the times we live in, and so Battle picks up a little headwind it wouldn’t otherwise have. It’s not an extraordinary movie, but it is extraordinarily satisfying. Battle focuses just on 1973 and the events running up to the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match King played against Bobby Riggs. Keeping the story tight and focused is a good call—many biopics suffer for sprawl, but Battle plays sharp since it’s limited to this specific event. It begins with King’s US Open win, which makes her the highest-earning women’s tennis player in the world, but her efforts to get equal prize payouts for women fails, kiboshed by Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman), head of the United States Lawn Tennis Association. Battle is maybe a little unfair to Kramer, who has to stand in for all the men who don’t respect women and so becomes the movie’s big bad, but also, it’s in the historical record—he didn’t compensate women equally. So maybe not that unfair. Also not that unfair is the fact that Bobby Riggs’ story is less developed than King’s—it is her movie, not his. [Steve Carell]( is great as Riggs, but he definitely has less to do, and that’s okay. Because Billie Jean is front and center, and Stone is working at her highest level. She captures King’s drive and intensity, but also the quieter moments when King is torn between her husband, Larry (Austin Stowell), and her lover, Marilyn (Andrea Riseborough, doing the most with a smaller part). It’s Stone’s movie and King’s story, and everything else plays second fiddle. What Battle does well, for the most part, is tell a story without being too on the nose. It’s a broad movie, meant to appeal widely, but ideas are seeded well in the story, particularly a compare-and-contrast between Riggs and Kramer. Without belaboring the point, Battle illustrates how “just jokes” can be damaging, too. Riggs is out to put the “show in chauvinism”, but he doesn’t seem to really believe the chauvinism sh*t he’s shoveling, he just saw an opportunity to make some money and get some press and he’s making the most of it. But his “circus” has the potential to be every bit as hurtful as real bigotry, as represented by Kramer. Battle does get a bit too heavy-handed when it comes to King’s love life, though. Alan Cumming is on hand as fashion designer Ted Tinling, who designed the tennis outfits for the Women’s Tennis Association, and he gives King many meaningful looks and a sympathetic hug and tells her that someday they can be who they truly are without fear of reprisal. Combining King’s struggle for equal pay with her personal struggle with her sexuality and marriage is a nice piece of intersectionality that illustrates how it’s all related, and how even if King achieves equal pay, she still won’t have Equality, as long as she’s not free to be open about who she really is. But then Ted shows up to MAKE SURE that we get it, and not unlike [Molly’s Game]( shouting to the back about its point, some of the gracefulness of the story is lost. But that’s a relatively minor quibble. Battle of the Sexes is an entertaining and inspiring story about a dogged woman winning against men who don’t take her seriously enough, and it’s a timely story to be retold. Even though the winner has long since been declared—in tennis, anyway—the tennis matches are exciting to watch, and it seems the directors, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (the duo behind Little Miss Sunshine), selected the most thrilling exchanges to recreate for the movie. Battle of the Sexes is a fun movie, a total crowd pleaser, which is pointedly about how far we have and have not come since 1973, and the work still to be done. It’s also a reminder that we have won before, and we can win again. [Click here for the rest of the photos.]( Posted at 1:39 PM [Privacy Policy]( - [Unsubscribe](