E. Oliver Whitney is a senior editor at ScreenCrush. When not talking Game of Thrones theories or waiting for the next Terrence Malick film, Oliver is probably having an SVU marathon. Oliver was formerly an entertainment editor at Huff Post and has written for Variety, New York magazine, Indiewire, Moviefone, and Backstage.
E. Oliver Whitney
The Queerness of Pee-wee Herman, From the Closet to Netflix’s ‘Big Holiday’
Pee-wee Herman has long existed in a queer space, though one only subliminally alluded to. Paul Reubens’ feminine boyish persona, oscillating between effeminate gay man and asexual man-child, has long played with ideas of gender expression that comment on an underlying queerness. From the drag queen genie Jambi in Playhouse to Pee-wee’s episodes of crossdressing, from his makeup and exaggerated feminine gestures to the fluctuating inflections of his comical voice, Pee-wee has been deconstructing gender and sexuality norms all along while disguising it as campy comedy. Yet Pee-wee never directly acknowledged the queerness of his imaginative universe and even struggled with embracing it, as an early episode of “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” shows. In the Season 2 episode “Pee-wee Catches a Cold,” the host reveals the daily secret word as “Out,” and then immediately falls ill, as if weakened by the idea of being out to the world. But after a 28 year absence from the big screen, Pee-Wee is finally coming out.
Leonardo DiCaprio Wins Best Actor Oscar For ‘The Revenant’
IT FINALLY HAPPENED. Leonardo DiCaprio has won his very first Academy Award. Whether you were rooting for or against ‘The Revenant’, whether you think he deserved the award for his grunting and groaning as Hugh Glass or just wanted him to win a damn Oscar already, it doesn’t matter. He’s officially in the Oscar club now.
‘White Girl’ Review: An Unflinching Look at Young White Privilege in Gentrified NYC
As soon as I left the theater, still shaken from Elizabeth Wood’s ‘White Girl,’ I Googled the title of the film see what else the filmmaker has done. My finger must have slipped on the Google Search recommendations, as the results for “white girl wasted” popped up. I looked down at the Urban Dictionary definition highlighted at the top, a description that only just begins to capture the perilous, infantile destruction frequently found among, and willingly created by, a demographic often found at New York City bars and clubs.
Kate Winslet Wins Best Supporting Actress For ‘Steve Jobs’ at 2016 Golden Globes
Kate Winslet won Best Supporting Actress for Steve Jobs at the 2016 Golden Globe awards.
‘In the Heart of the Sea’ Review: Ron Howard’s Latest Is an Under-whale-ming Epic
There’s a gigantic sea monster! There’s Chris Hemsworth’s muscular and skeletal frame! There’s harpoons and storms and dolphins and waves and adventure! There’s even a British man (played by Ben Whishaw) narrating the story as told by another very talented actor (Brendan Gleeson). By the sounds of it, In the Heart of the Sea must be a whale of a tale. But sadly, Ron Howard’s latest falls very short of its epic endeavors.
Never Get Out Of Bed, The First Trailer for Steven Spielberg’s ‘The BFG’ Is Here
It must be the witching hour because The BFG has arrived!
National Board of Review Surprises Everyone, Names ‘Mad Max’ Best Film
All hail Imperator Furiosa!
The National Board of Review revealed their winners on Tuesday afternoon, surprising the film world yet again with their picks. Like last year when the group award A Most Violent year with the top prize, a win no one saw coming, the organization made another unsuspecting choice for Best Film - Mad Max: Fury Road.
Ricky Gervais is Back to Host the 2016 Golden Globes, Whether You Like It or Not
The 2016 awards season is already filled with nostalgia. The Oscars announced the return of former host Chris Rock for the upcoming Academy Awards, and now previous Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais is returning to the stage.
Jennifer Lawrence Is a Total Boss In the New ‘Joy’ Trailer
Whatever you do, never speak on behalf of Jennifer Lawrence. Seriously, don’t do it. Girl’s got a shotgun. In the latest trailer for David O. Russell’s Joy, we get a longer look at the Lawrence-led family drama, and a really great line courtesy of Robert De Niro.
Disney Announces Release Dates of Four Live-Action Fairy Tales, Here’s What They Could Be
Disney announced a slate of 19 upcoming films with release dates through 2020. In addition to Marvel’s Ant-Man 2, three untitled Marvel movies and the release date for The Incredibles 2, Disney also revealed dates for four new live-action fairy tales. According to Variety, the untitled fairy tales will be released on December 22, 2017, November 2, 2018, March 29, 2019 and November 8, 2019. But what could these untitled movies be?