Thompson on Hollywood

Watch: Lena Dunham Directs Short Film 'Best Friends' for Designer Rachel Antonoff

News

The second season of "Girls" may have just ended, but Lena Dunham has yet to take a breath. The ever-productive writer/director/actress just released a new short film promoting New York designer Rachel Antonoff's Fall 2013 line. She's the sister of Dunham's boyfriend Jack Antonoff, guitarist for the Grammy-winning band Fun. (The NYT's power sibling profile is here.)

By Ryan Lattanzio
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March 27, 2013 4:29 PM
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Peabody Awards 2013 Include 'Girls,' 'Doctor Who' and 'Game Change'

Awards

The 2013 Peabody Awards for excellence in entertainment, broadcast journalism and electronic media were announced today, with HBO's "Girls," "Game Change" and documentary "Marina Abramovich: The Artist Is Present," along with the BBC's "Doctor Who," all taking honors.

By Beth Hanna
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March 27, 2013 4:28 PM
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HBO's Accidental Feminism, From Lena Dunham's Hannah Horvath to Laura Dern's Amy Jellicoe

Features

With the recent finale of the second season of “Girls,” and the “Enlightened” season finale still resonating in my mind, I’ve been thinking more and more about the characters from both shows. The upcoming new season of “Veep” is only a few weeks away, too, and, even though it’s a more stylized comedy half-hour, it’s another example of what I’ve come to think of as HBO’s inadvertent nod to feminist sensibilities; these three shows have female protagonists who are far from lovable -- but we love them. What’s going on here?

By Julia Chasman
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March 21, 2013 11:37 AM
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'Girls' Recap 10: Saving the Worst for Last

Television

If last week’s episode dealt with body horror (ass splinters! lodged Q-tips!), this week’s episode deals with the horror of finishing things. Hannah struggles -- but not too hard -- with wrapping up her barely inchoate manuscript, while “Girls” struggles with capping off its second season in a coherent, consistent fashion. It fails.

By Beth Hanna
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March 18, 2013 12:30 AM
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'Girls' Creator Lena Dunham Poses for Playboy and Answers 20 Questions

News

On newsstands Friday, readers will find media habituée Lena Dunham posing and waxing dirty in Playboy's 20 questions, which usually features men. Dunham’s HBO series "Girls" is week after week the subject of controversy and speculation (yet also the topic of shrewd think-pieces such as this one in the L.A. Review of Books). Given that Dunham is challenging how our culture depicts male and female sexuality, Playboy is a great venue for continuing that dialogue.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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March 14, 2013 4:02 PM
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SXSW Panel Talk 'Girls,' Changing Rules for Women and Sex on TV

Festivals

It was a poor SXSW panel showing with only about 50 people in the room for one of the most provocative discussions in television: sex. In just one hour, Alyssa Rosenberg's "Changing Rules for Women and Sex on TV" panel packed everything in from body dysmorphia and Patrick Wilson to rape and fertility. Although each of these topics could use any number of hours (or days… year) to be properly mulled over, no blow job, lube or fantasy corner was left untouched.

By Valentina Valentini
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March 10, 2013 5:05 PM
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'Girls' Recap 8: OCD and AA in an Episode That's All Over the Place

Television

“It’s Back” works hard to juggle four different storylines. Two are successful, and two are cringe-inducingly out of left field.

By Beth Hanna
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March 4, 2013 12:33 AM
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'Girls' Recap 7: In 'Video Games,' Ben Mendelsohn Guest Stars as Jessa's Flaky Father

Television

In Season One’s “The Return,” we see Hannah and her parents in their natural Horvath habitat, Michigan. In Season Two’s “It’s About Time,” we’re offered a brief glimpse of Jersey girl incognito Marnie’s passive-aggressive relationship with her mother. In this week’s episode, “Video Games,” we’re introduced to Jessa’s father (Ben Mendelsohn) and gain some insight into his character, and the characteristics he’s transferred to his daughter.

By Beth Hanna
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February 24, 2013 9:30 PM
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'Girls' Recap 6: The 'Boys' Aren't in Kansas Anymore, Toto

Television

One of the things I’ve admired about this season of “Girls” is that it has no obligation to regularly check in with each of the four “leads” of the show. Instead, certain characters are more central in certain episodes, in an organic way, while supporting characters are given a surprising amount of interiority.

By Beth Hanna
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February 17, 2013 9:30 PM
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Weekend Recap: TWC Acquires Vampire Franchise, Hathaway Wants More Musicals, Diablo Cody Talks Stripping Double Standard

News

Check out our weekend Hollywood breaking news wrap on what you need to know: stories about Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Roman Coppola's love affair with Woody Allen, Diablo Cody on the gender double standard on stripping, Netflix's House of Cards, Anne Hathaway and Melissa McCarthy's future plans, Pyramid of Movie Kids, and more.