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January was a bit of a hard month to be enthusiastic as a film lover.

As usual, the month is a black hole where new releases are concerned. While it comes in a little handy where catching up with award nominees is concerned, it still feels like a long stretch of apathy from the studios towards their audience. I mean, part of me wonders what might happen if Marvel dropped a movie in January. Think they’d make slightly lesser box office because “people don’t go in the winter”?

Hard to stay stoked when there’s so little to stoke you.

Of course, that said, having the time to dig into titles like THE REVENANT, SON OF SAUL, MUSTANG, and 45 YEARS hasn’t been so bad. Guess I’m lucky I have such things available to me.

The other thing that has left me less than enthused is the way the air seems to have been completely let out of this year’s Oscar race. Oscar did it to themselves, of course, by growing further and further out-of-touch with the make-up of 21st century society. However, the whole thing feels like it’s been made worse by so many celebrities offering their two cents (both for and against), and the million-and-one thinkpieces that have spawned.

In a year where so much of the awards race is up in the air, the fun in the guessing now feels lessened. It’s like your favorite team getting to the championship game, but facing a team whose entire starting line-up has fallen to injury.

Perhaps February will bring some of my cinephile mojo back. A new Coen Brothers movie and a fresh podcast episode can’t hurt, right?

Likewise, perhaps it’s time I got out of hibernation and took a look around the blogosphere like I used to do. It’s been over two months since I did a links round-up, and my that is FAR too long.

So here’s to February…to a dose of renewed optimism and to the start of a new year at the cinemas in-earnest.

Thanks for sticking around.

 

For your listening and reading fulfillment, I give you…

 

First and foremost, we need to back up a bit. Just before the turn of the calendar, the Chicks With Accents posted their 50th episode. I haven’t been as vocal a listener as I used to be, but I remain an avid listener of all things podcast related, and am especially proud to call myself a fan of this one. I remain hopeful that one day Mette, Nik, and Sofia will record an episode where they are all seated around one table (Greece, ladies?), but for now will take comfort and happiness that through the years and the miles they have come together to turn on their mics fifty times already. Congrats, ladies.

I had wanted to do a proper series of posts on the #52FilmsByWomen Series, but unfortunately couldn’t settle on the right approach. Andrew Robinson is going the tried and true “watch and talk” route, so take a look at how he fared with the ladies in January.

This might be the second time since I began attending TIFF that my experience of  it may need to be scaled-back (more on that later). Rebecca took a moment this week to ask aloud why patrons even go to film festivals in the first place, and actually spelled out some pretty compelling reasons for those who have never been.

Speaking of festivals, up until very recently, I was hoping to get to TCM Fest this year. Alas, it is not to be – but if you are going, Kristen has done a handy job of circling some of the screenings that shouldn’t be missed.

Ever wonder what the difference in the two Steve Jobs’ bio-pics are? How JOBS stacks up to STEVE JOBS? Jenna and Allie have you covered.

Up in the Mezzanine, Monica is considering streaming in the wake of Sundance. With Netflix now a major player in the film distribution scene, what does that say for the future of how we consume some of these lower key releases? Ms Castillo offers some insight.

As Vance watched SPOTLIGHT, he realized the biggest difference between himself and one of the film’s characters…realized just how valuable a contributor to our society she is!

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As for The Tweet of The Week, I always did love a witty classic film reference…

 

 

Enjoy!