Film
There was a moment when I turned around and thought, ‘I am definitely in a Coen brothers movie. This is crazy.’
Though disguised in holiday trappings, 1947’s “The Bishop’s Wife” is about human frailty, thwarted ambition, and the humble rewards that accompany doing the right thing.
Despite the influence and the respect Doc Pomus still has in the music community, his name is not as well known to the public as that of some of his contemporaries.
The big BSFC winner was “12 Years a Slave,” which beat “The Wolf of Wall Street” for Best Picture, Best Director (Steve McQueen), and Best Actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
“Le Joli Mai” is serious and sober, a bit of a downer, climaxing in a lengthy interview with a dullard union official about why he supports the French Communist Party.
It was intimidating to go into a situation with a director (Alexander Payne) that you love so much and an actor (Bruce Dern) who has done so much and worked with so many amazing people.
Jennifer Lawrence has blossomed into a charismatic screen presence in her gala return as Katniss, the beloved bow-and-arrow heroine of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.”
“It’s easier to make a movie now but it’s harder to get it distributed in a way that people will see it.”
The first half of “The Broken Circle Breakdown” is directed in the most conventional way. In the better second half, the leads dig deeply into their characters, sing bluegrass wonderfully.
Film Commentary: A Contrarian View of “12 Years a Slave”
Why haven’t more movies been made about American slavery? Hollywood studio racism is certainly a prime factor; but even for determined anti-racists, there’s also the aesthetic problem of creating a compelling film drama.
Read More about Film Commentary: A Contrarian View of “12 Years a Slave”