Introduction to the New Year and Awards Season
As we welcome the new year, it’s essential to acknowledge the significance of this time in the entertainment industry. The turning of the calendar marks the end of Phase I of awards season, and with the Golden Globes and a big weekend of parties on the horizon, it’s an exciting time for film enthusiasts. In this issue, we’re proud to share our last edition until after the Oscar nominations, and I’m thrilled to be back in February to unveil our three issues in Phase II.
Digital Cover Story: ‘Bugonia’
Fans of Yorgos Lanthimos’ misanthropic comedies will appreciate our cover story on “Bugonia,” starring Emma Stone as a healthcare CEO and Jesse Plemons as the conspiracy theorist who believes she’s an alien invader. Lanthimos’ distinct creative process involves “silly games” to help actors get into character, making the dialogue feel more natural and free from intellectual baggage. As the filmmaker explained, “It makes it light… You don’t take yourself too seriously. You don’t take the material seriously. You’re gargling and doing lines, whatever. It’s a way of the actors getting the dialogue in them in an unconscious way, not fixed with a kind of intellectual baggage, so it’s freer and it has more possibilities. And they feel comfortable with each other.”
(JSquared Photography / For The Times)
Small Roles, Big Performances
Our Envelope copy chief, Blake Hennon, was thrilled to see Lisa Rosen’s recurring spotlight on the brilliant-but-unheralded turns that we love in movies. These performances can make an indelible impression on a film, often thanks to those who fall outside the usual pundit predictions. This year’s participants include real-life siblings Jacobi and Noah Jupe (“Hamnet”), Paul Thomas Anderson stalwart April Grace (“One Battle After Another”), and one-scene wonder Hadley Robinson (“The History of Sound”).
(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; photos by Dania Maxwell / For The Times; Warner Bros. Pictures; Tatum Mangus)
The Shot of the Season
Thanks to contributor Daron James, the back page of every Envelope features an unforgettable frame from a film or TV series, accompanied by an explanation from the artists behind it. As we end Phase I, I’m glad to say we’re featuring my favorite shot of the season. The final shot of “N
Image Source: www.latimes.com
