Everybody's Linking for the Weekend

I'm guessing that most of you are out enjoying your Memorial Day festivities, but for those who are stuck in cars, scanning through their cellphones trying not to make small talk with your crazy uncle who keeps talking about Obamacare, you could probably use a link.

In Entertainment...

J.K. Rowling

Hitfix: We'll know in a few hours if they're right, but Hitfix gives a rundown of the wills and shoulds of the Cannes Film Festival awards.  I think they're right on the Palme: Leviathan has all of the advance buzz, and no other choice seems to be "quite right" (Foxcatcher is too mainstream, Mommy too early in Dolan's career, and do the Dardennes really need a third trophy?).

Indiewire: Since we're already in Cannes, Quentin Tarantino is mad about the use of digital projection at the festival.  I get it, but this seems to be an unfortunately losing battle for all involved-digital is the wave of the future, like it or not, and the use of 35 mm is, at its most optimistic, going to be what black-and-white is in modern cinema.

Film Experience: Tim Brayton does an hilarious takedown over all of the weird controversy surrounding Dorothy's Return: Legend of Oz.  Honestly, who actually thought this would be a good idea?  This film looks and acts and talks like a direct-to-video movie you find in a Wal-Mart bin.  How could it possibly have cost $70 million?!?

IBN Live: Alfonso Cuaron is reportedly in talks to take over Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  I've heard some complain about how this is disappointing, with Cuaron being such a visionary and all and not needing to hop onto a franchise, but it's just one movie in the franchise people, and Prisoner of Azkaban remains the absolute best of the Harry Potter films (and was directed by Cuaron), so I'm all for it.  Plus, Cuaron only makes films at a snail's pace-something this big will probably mean he'll be working sooner rather than later.

In Politics...

Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes with former President
Bill Clinton

Washington Post: I am running so hot-and-cold on the Alison Lundergan Grimes campaign right now.  I mean, I want her to win (obviously), but I am impartial enough to be able to acknowledge when one of my candidates is running a poor campaign, and she's made some serious missteps.  Forget the initial rollout issues (no one remembers those anymore), but her fumbling of the questions regarding the ACA (just say that you would have voted for it in a print interview-McConnell is going to say you would anyway) has made me question some of her skills.  That said, this "empty dress" trumpeting is a solid way to drum up support on the trail, and honestly is showing that she's ballsy enough to take on McConnell in a way that some past candidates weren't (she clearly really wants this win).  Considering the amount of female candidates out on the campaign trail for the Democrats right now, speaking toward gender may not be the worst campaign tool.

Also from the Post: Like most Democrats, I had a queasy feeling looking at the Tom Steyer spending announcements, thinking that the Citizens United decision has opened up money on both sides of the aisle that we really shouldn't be condoning, but am also thankful that until the law is overturned, we have someone who has the resources to combat the Koch Brothers.  However, I also was a bit puzzled and worried that Steyer is spending money on races the Democrats are likely to win.  The Post article points out that Steyer is trying to simulate a bit of what the Tea Party did in 2010, which is both good (climate legislation is vitally important to our planet) and terrifying (the Tea Party is in the process of destroying parts of the Republican Party, particularly in blue states).   That said, the worst part about Steyer's money is that it isn't going to Senate races to help the likes of Kay Hagan, Mark Pryor, Mary Landrieu, and Mark Begich.  Admittedly, these are four senators that don't share Steyer's views on the environment, but he must see their importance?  At this point, the Corbett race doesn't really need any help-why spend money there to elect someone who is going to win without you?  Even if he's not going to go to the "Wall Democrats" (the Koch Brothers wouldn't be so discerning, which is likely why they are so feared), couldn't you go with someone like Mary Burke, Ed FitzGerald, or Mark Schauer?  Races where we're slight underdogs right now, and with candidates that have a more palatable view on the environment?  Tom Wolf doesn't need any help becoming governor, but they do.

ABC News: A lot has been written about the wiseness of Julian Castro moving from San Antonio Mayor to HUD Secretary, and I feel like this is one of those decisions we will either hail as genius or stupidity (nowhere in-between) in a few years, but it's too soon to tell.  There are two real questions here.  One is how much press he gets in his Senate confirmation hearings.  Sylvia Matthews Burwell got through confirmation hearings with little more than a peep, and the Republican Party may not want to give Hispanic voters a reason to get out in November, which holding up Castro (potentially the first Hispanic president-he has that aura) could do.  The second is where does he go from here.  Castro is of course studying the Wendy Davis election closely to see what can be learned, but he got into politics a tad bit early if he wants to be governor of Texas (a Democrat probably won't have a shot at a governor's or Senate seat until 2022 in the Lone Star State).  His star is at its brightest now, and while HUD Secretary isn't a strong launching pad to be President, it's better than mayor.  The question will be how President Obama's approval ratings go in the next two years, as Hillary Clinton will not want to have two cabinet secretaries from his administration on the ballot if she needs to draw a solid amount of distance between the two.  He's definitely worth having on the VP list now, though.

Just One More...

People: I don't really know why I am sharing this, but I am a little obsessed with the Chmerkovskiy brothers, and thought this video was cute.  For those who don't know, the Chmerkovskiy brothers are two of the professionals on Dancing with the Stars, and no, I don't watch it either, but they're gorgeous and I just love Maks' facial expressions throughout this video, particularly when they ask who wears the biggest...hat.  Silliness, for sure, but I just discussed Cannes and HUD Secretaries-forgive me my shirtless Ukrainians.