week in vulture

Ten Pop Culture Questions Vulture Answered This Week

Photo: Getty Images, MGM, Summit Entertainment

Every week, Vulture tackles the pressing issues of the day. The headscratchers that keep you up at night, that make you fear for or maybe envy future generations. This week we took on a host of James Bond puzzlers, from the sartorial to the logical; we examined how Claire Danes and Keira Knightley maximize their chin potential; and we gave our fondest congratulations to Liz Lemon.

1. What is the best Steven Spielberg movie?
Far easier to answer is what’s the worst, and Will Leitch and Tim Grierson answer both those questions in a 28-film ranking. Worst: Crystal Skull, obviously.

2. How do you back-light a robot child?
With love. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski walked us through eleven of his most striking shots, including images from A.I, Saving Private Ryan, and Schindler’s List.

3. Does James Bond like a high crotch or what?
For his suits, you guys. For his suits. If you want a Bond-level range of motion, you need a particular cut of tuxedo. (With high armholes and a high crotch, better suited to kicking.)

4. Does anyone affiliated with Twilight know what hair looks like?
Nope! Because if they did, how could any of these horrendous wigs passed muster?

5. Is that new Rihanna/Chris Brown song good?
Yeah.

6. Can Liz Lemon have it all?
If having it all means marrying James Marsden’s Criss, then yes. As long as Dennis the Beeper King gets to crash.

7. Is 40 the new 30?
Not for HBO, whose 40th birthday prompted Matt Zoller Seitz to salute the network’s ten best shows, specials, and movies.

8. In a fight between Keira Knightley and Claire Danes, who wins?
In a fist-fight, it’s anyone’s game, but in a chin-crying fight, who is the world’s greatest chin actor? Danes all the way.

9. Is there anyone left who won’t be on Smash?
Nope, with the addition of Liza Minelli, now every person will have been on the show.

10. Could Silva in Skyfall maybe have found a more logical villainous scheme?
Yep. Josh Wolk nit-picked the cockamamie ten-point plan at the center of the new Bond movie.

Ten Questions Vulture Answered This Week