Nancy Meyers, Tarantino, 'Ted Lasso' and The Oscars

My thoughts on this week's Hollywood happenings.

Meryl Streep and Steve Martin in “It’s Complicated.”

Hello friends! I’ve resurfaced from a month submerged in book stuff, including but not limited to: Compiling an epic, espresso-fueled 95-page bibliography for No Crying in Baseball. And wrangling lots of cool photos — I can’t wait to share them with you on September 5. I also look forward to running into Parker Posey at a cocktail party so she can call me “The Greatest Living Expert on The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.” (Thank YOUR in advance.)

This was a big week in pop culture, and for my first newsletter back after a short break, I wanted to give my take on some hot topics making news. First, I’ll start with Nancy Meyers, the famed writer and director behind the beloved films Father of the Bride, The Parent Trap, Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated, and my No. 1 pick, The Holiday. In her heyday during the 1990s and 2000s, Meyers made studios gobs of money. She knew how to make audiences feel good, and that was due to her impeccable casting, her clever, big-hearted scripts, and her meticulous attention to production design. Meryl Streep’s spotless kitchen in It’s Complicated (2009) is an upscale fantasia and every homeowner with a Meyers-level budget wanted it, which is why so many American kitchens now look like her movie sets, all warm whites and bright, copper kettles. Those beautiful details mattered. They made us swoon and we needed that kind of escape during the setbacks of The Great Recession. Anyway: To quote the prophet Jerry Maguire, we continue to live in a cynical world. A cynical. World. And dammit, I just want to watch something nice. Give me Williams Sonoma product placement! Santa Barbara’s finest Chardonnay! A limitless supply of high-end white turtlenecks and Ina Garten Oxford shirts! I very much know that I am not alone in my demands. That did not stop Netflix from dropping Meyers’ first picture in years — a semi-autobiographical rom-com to star Scarlett Johansson, Owen Wilson, Michael Fassbender and Penélope Cruz — over disagreements on what it should cost to make. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Meyers is said to have asked for a budget of at least $150 million, but the studio did not want to go over $130 million. It was a steep price tag for a genre that is usually in the mid-budget range and one that could have made it the most expensive romantic comedy of all time.”

Like a Nancy Meyers Kitchen™, a Nancy Meyers Movie does not come cheap. She wants A-listers like Johansson, and stars’ salaries can do a lot of damage to a studio’s wallet. At the same time, big names add lots of value to a high-profile project such as this, and so does Meyers. She’s got the track record to prove it. My take: Some benevolent high roller (possibly Warner Brothers?) should become Meyers’ Medici family and fund whatever it is she wants to make; however she wants to make it. Then, watch the numbers go up and the cash roll in. To paraphrase the prophet Kevin Costner, If you build it, they will come.

Elsewhere in the news cycle:

Quentin Tarantino: In another Hollywood Reporter exclusive, Tarantino is reported to be planning his final film, to be called The Movie Critic and “set in late 1970s Los Angeles with a female lead at its center,” wrote Borys Kit, adding, “It is possible the story focuses on Pauline Kael, one of the most influential movie critics of all time. Kael, who died in 2001, was not just a critic but also an essayist and novelist. She was known for her pugnacious fights with editors as well as filmmakers.” Back in the day, “Kael had a very brief tenure working as a consultant for Paramount, a position she accepted at the behest of actor Warren Beatty. The timing of that Paramount job seems to coincide with the setting of the script — and the filmmaker is known to have a deep respect for Kael, making the odds of her being the subject of the film more likely.” The scoop set off a frenzy of suggestions for who should play The New Yorker legend, and of course, Meryl Streep topped the list. Intriguing as that is, it will never happen. Kael and Streep despised one another — Kael routinely criticized Streep’s acting ability, prompting the wounded actress to speculate that Kael had misplaced resentment toward “rich Pasadena WASPs with long blond hair” onto her. Oddly personal but OK! I, for one, think Tarantino should cast either Kate Winslet or Cate Blanchett. And let’s be real: This is so not his last movie. This man’s bones are made of celluloid. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Ted Lasso: Season three premiered Tuesday and it was like seeing old friends again. The Apple TV+ show remains a delightful, often poignant workplace dramedy with a lot of heart and offbeat humor, and as usual, the jokes fly fast and furious. (Leann Bowen, one of six women in the Ted writers’ room, wrote the first episode.) “I look like Ned Flanders is doing cosplay as Ned Flanders,” AFC Richmond soccer (er, football) coach Ted (Jason Sudeikis) remarks during a press conference, poking fun at himself and winning fans in the process. His former mentee Nate (Nick Mohammed), now coaching rival West Ham United, had mocked Richmond as a failure, and Ted’s boss Rebecca (the wonderful Hannah Waddingham) wanted him to fight back. But Ted being Ted, a man whose heart is made of marshmallow, will not sink to Nate’s level. Go ahead, call me a softie (that I am), but every time I watch Ted Lasso, I re-learn some sort of life lesson about kindness, community, and resilience — in this way, it’s like PBS Kids for adults. (These days I am watching Sesame Street with my toddler and who knew that Cookie Monster can make a mean goat-cheese pasta?)

Tom Sandoval: Who is this person? Should I know him? I’m adding Tom Sandoval to my list of famous people I wish to know nothing about.

The Oscars: The 2023 telecast was throwback in the best way, giving full control back to the producers who know how to put on a good show that runs smoothly. The winners’ speeches were uplifting (Ke Huy Quan: “To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive”), the musical performances captivating (shout-out to Lady Gaga’s no-makeup, stripped-down, Springsteen homage) and the drama at minimum (no one could hear me cursing at the screen when The Whale won for Best Costume Design). While he’s no Billy Crystal, the best emcee of all time, Jimmy Kimmel was a solidly funny host, unleashing topical zingers like, "When I look around at this room I can't help but wonder, 'Is Ozempic right for me?'" And regarding James Cameron’s directing snub: “I mean, how does the Academy not nominate the guy who directed Avatar? What did they think he is, a woman?” Some viewers accused Kimmel of making a cheap, sexist joke, but they missed Kimmel’s point: To satirize the conservative members who nominated Women Talking for Best Picture but failed to recognize its talented leader, Sarah Polley, in the Best Director category. The joke reminded me of the time Crystal razzed the institution for snubbing The Prince of Tides director Barbra Streisand at the 1992 awards. He crooned: “Seven nominations on the shelf, did this film direct itself?” (Streisand laughed in appreciation.)

Speaking of Crystal, he turned 75 on Tuesday and marked the occasion by tweeting a photo that referenced When Harry Met Sally. He did not have to do that, but he did, and we are grateful. Thank you, Billy.

Billy Crystal/Harry Burns, 34 years apart. (Via Twitter)

And finally, my award for Best Dressed Oscar Guest goes to Allison Williams in a stunning pink Giambattista Valli Couture gown and opera coat. After a long hiatus from the public eye, it’s nice to see her back where she belongs. (Cue the lyrics to “Hello, Dolly.”)

And on that note, I’ll be back next week with another round of You’ve Got Mail: The Newsletter! New readers: To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Yours in bouquets of newly sharpened pencils, EC.