Writers Guild ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Hell or High Water, Written by Taylor Sheridan; CBS Films La La Land, Written by Damien Chazelle; Lionsgate Loving, Written by Jeff Nichols; Focus Features Manchester by the Sea, Written by Kenneth Lonergan; Amazon Studios/Roadside Attractions Moonlight, Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Story by Tarell McCraney; A24 ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Arrival, Screenplay by Eric… Continue Reading
General Discussion
Do We Need the Oscars?
Much has been said in recent days about how the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which present the Oscars, needs fixing. Without getting too deeply into the “OscarsSoWhite” issue I would like to put forth for consideration the question of whether the tightly controlled Oscars are even necessary or representative of the filmmakers.… Continue Reading
Foreign Language Oscar List Narrowed
The list of foreign language films in contention for next year’s Academy Awards has been further whittled down. Nine films have progressed to the next stage of voting in next year’s foreign language Oscar competition, selected from the 80 considered eligible. The list now includes The Brand New Testament (Belgium), Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia),… Continue Reading
From Chi Trib Film Critic Michael Phillips “For ‘Carol,’ director Todd Haynes dug deep.”
“I wish I could show you what director Todd Haynes showed me. It’ll never be published; it’d be a legal nightmare to secure the rights of its contents. “A few weeks ago, the director of “Safe,” “Far From Heaven,” “I’m Not There” and the widely acclaimed “Carol” came to Chicago for the film festival. Over… Continue Reading
Loved but not lost: David Lean’s Brief Encounter and Dr Zhivago
Brief Encounter was laughed at by audiences when first released, and Dr Zhivago was scorned by critics. Now, argues Michael Newton, we can appreciate them as two of the greatest love stories committed to film. Check out The Guardian column. Continue Reading
A Great Narrative Rule
“[T]he picture follows the rules of indie films rather than commercial Hollywood. Narrative unfolds at its own deliberate pace; emotions are muted instead of shouted.” Steven Zeitchek’s description of Equals could also be applied to one of the major differences between American and Foreign films. It is the element that helps keep audiences involved for… Continue Reading
Why Movies?
We can all agree that movies allow us to escape, but it’s often more than simple escapism. Movies can take us to places we’ve never been and inside the skins of people quite different from ourselves. They offer us a window into the wider world, broadening our perspectives and opening our eyes to new wonders… Continue Reading