The straightforward documentary Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show isn’t great because of its execution (the structure is too formulaic and some of the main shows discussed just aren’t that good) but it’s really great because of its subjects. Showrunners (meaning the Executive Producers in charge of “running” a TV show; usually the […]
A cast of some of TV’s most wonderful people populates About Alex, the debut feature from Parenthood writer Jesse Zwick. A dramedy about college friends reunited by tragic, awkward circumstances, this ensemble dramedy dives into everything- listlessness, love (requited, unrequited, unspoken, overwrought), depression, anxiety, jealousy, pretension, ambition- only rarely losing its honesty and light touch. […]
The Imitation Game is well acted, well directed and interesting. It tells the fascinating story of Alan Turing, brilliant code breaker autistic, as he cracks the Nazis unbreakable code and ends (SPOILER ALERT) with his suicide. It’s also kind of boring. When I watched J.Edgar a few years and noticed how by the numbers and […]
It was the snub heard round the world. Angelina Jolie was not nominated for a single Golden Globe yesterday. Jolie was a contender for Producer/ Director on Unbroken, and in the Lead Actress in Comedy/Musical for Maleficent; she did not reap a single nomination. It will be hard for this film to rebound from this, […]
Somewhere in a high tower I imagine Harvey Weinstein is looking into a cauldron, and cackling. The Weinstein Company did exceptionally well today, their film The Imitation Game has 3, including Best Ensemble, Actor (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Supporting Actress (Keira Knightly). I make this joke because Harvey just has a way of making these types […]
Over the next couple months, you will probably hear the phrase “Well Boyhood dominated…” or “Boyhood sweeps ‘insert critics group or award show’.” Rightfully, so! Yesterday the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) anointed Boyhood with 3 wins, Best Film, Best Director-Richard Linklater, and Best Supporting Actress-Patricia Arquette. The only other film to win multiple […]
Birdman leads the Independent Spirit Award (ISA) Nominations with 6, Boyhood, Selma, and Nightcrawler follow closely with 5 nominations each. For those keeping score, Foxcatcher was not eligible in any of these categories, while Imitation Game was, and was snubbed. Harvey Weinstein has bigger fish to fry, but ISA winners over the last few years […]
You already know the biggest problem with the newest installment of the Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1. It’s right there in that ridiculously long title. They took the last movie of the Hunger Games saga, and split it in half. This means that the finished film is half the final story, half […]