Shocking! ‘Anora’ Season Hits Us: What You Need to Know Now!

A good number of La Jolla inhabitants seem to cherish their quiet beach hamlet, and they want to maintain its peacefulness. They are essentially saying to sea lions: steer clear of La Jolla! Your adorable but stinky presence is unwelcome in our beachside community!

I’m Glenn Whipp, a Los Angeles Times columnist and the host of The Envelope’s Friday newsletter. I’m penning this before Game 4. Will I need to check in on Plaschke’s wellbeing once again?

The arrival of award season, also known as ‘Anora’ season

The film “Anora” has a familiar beginning that resonates with many fairy tales over the ages: A young woman who is overlooked in her daily existence but deserving of so much more, encounters a charming benefactor and is whisked away to a world of Happily Ever After.

“You’re like Cinderella,” a friend excitedly states early in the movie. “Yes, Cinderella,” our main character confirms.

In “Anora,” a free-spirited film written and directed by Sean Baker, who has demonstrated a keen understanding of the struggles of the underprivileged through movies like “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine,” our Cinderella is a stripper residing in Brooklyn. Her Prince Charming is a wealthy, well-connected son of a Russian oligarch who knows where to find the best ketamine in Las Vegas.

In this retelling, the glass slipper is replaced by a glass bong.

As you may guess, concluding this narrative with a guarantee of everlasting joy might be a bit tricky, and it’s within these complexities that the film’s lively, kind-hearted comedic adventure shines. If you are from a certain generation, you might even describe the movie as “madcap.” However, its true strength stems from the complete control Baker maintains over the narrative. “Anora,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes earlier this year, is considered Baker’s finest film to date.

I critiqued the film and Times contributor Tim Grierson spent some time with Baker at one of the filmmaker’s preferred local movie theaters, Gardena Cinema, a place I’m determined to visit before the year concludes. Baker spoke with Tim about his affection for independently owned, single-screen theaters like the Vista or the Gardena, and the filmmaking journey that culminated in “Anora,” which is currently showing in a few LA theaters before being released more broadly next month.

“I was turned down by McDonald’s and Burger King,” Baker recounted to Tim, chuckling in a pleasantly geeky manner, recalling his attempts to land summer jobs in New Jersey as a teenager. Eventually, he was employed at a struggling single-screen theater in Manville. “It was a family-owned business. It was a smaller theater [than Gardena Cinema], but not by much. Within a week, they were like, ‘Alright, we’re going to teach you how to operate the projector.’ Within three weeks, I was the manager. I was managing a theater at 17 years old while also operating the projector, which was crazy. It was such a diverse, quirky group of people — Jersey Shore-type guys.”

Jane Fonda receives another career tribute, this time at the SAG Awards

Throughout her career, Jane Fonda has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from the Cannes and Venice film festivals, the American Film Institute, the Producers Guild of America and, just three years ago, the Golden Globes.

In February, she’ll add another accolade to her collection, becoming the 60th recipient of SAG-AFTRA’s highest honor, the SAG Life Achievement Award, for her career accomplishments and humanitarian work.

Fonda, 87, will receive the award at the 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 23 in a ceremony that will stream live on Netflix.

The selection process for these honorees is a delicate balance, with award shows seeking individuals who are not only deserving but also possess significant recognition that will draw a larger audience. Fonda meets both criteria, though considering the number of times she has been honored, there may be other more innovative choices. Sigourney Weaver received her first lifetime achievement award this year at Venice. She has been a remarkable performer for decades and yet seems under-recognized. Keep her in consideration for next year, SAG-AFTRA.