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3 items from 2013

14 May 2013 9:00 AM, PDT | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »

The American Film Institute will confer honoraray doctorate of fine arts degrees upon Kathryn Bigelow and Anne V. Coates and a doctorate of communications on Jon Avnet.

Avnet will be recognized for his contributions to AFI while Bigelow and Coates are being heralded for their “contributions of distinction” to the art of the moving image.

The degrees will be presented during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony on June 12 at the El Capitan Theater.

Previous AFI honorary degrees have been given to Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Mel Brooks, Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert, James Earl Jones, Nora Ephron, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, John Lasseter, Spike Lee, David Lynch, Helen Mirren, Haskell Wexler and John Williams.

Avnet is an AFI alumnus and serves as vice chair of the board of trustees. His credits as a director, writer and producer include “Black Swan,” “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Risky Business” and “The History Boys.”

Bigelow »

- Dave McNary

11 February 2013 9:21 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »

In a transparent attempt to piggyback on a major news event and use it as an excuse to talk about films, here are some of our favourite cinematic popes

Following news that Benedict XVI is to be the first pope to resign in 600 years, we introduce the only important matter for debate: what are the best on-screen portrayals of pontiffs? Here are a few of our favourites, including nominations from @guardianfilm Twitter followers @Lazslokovacs, @farah0912‏, @nigelfloyd, @pafster, ‏@DulachG, ‏@filipequintans and ‏@FPSFilm.

1. Robbie Coltrane in The Pope Must Die

The film might not have been a classic, but Robbie Coltrane is certainly one of the most memorable movie popes.

Reading on mobile? Watch the clip on YouTube

2. Rex Harrison in The Agony and the Ecstasy

Rex Harrison is a remarkably shouty Pope Julius II, butting heads over the painting of the Sistine chapel with an even shoutier Michelangelo in Charlton Heston. »

- Adam Boult

5 January 2013 10:53 PM, PST | SoundOnSight | See recent SoundOnSight news »

Jeremiah Johnson

Directed by Sydney Pollack

Written by Edward Anhalt and John Milius

1972,

The Western, at its creative and commercial peak – the late 1960s-early 1970s – proved itself an astoundingly pliable genre. It could be molded to deal with topical subject matter like racism (Skin Game, 1971), feminism (The Ballad of Josie, 1967), the excesses of capitalism (Oklahoma Crude, 1973). It could be bent into religious allegories (High Plains Drifter, 1973), or an equally allegorical address of the country’s most controversial war (Ulzana’s Raid, 1972). Westerns could be used to deconstruct America’s most self-congratulatory myths (Doc, 1971), and address historical slights and omissions (Little Big Man, 1970). They could provide heady social commentary (Hombre, 1967), or simple adventure and excitement (The Professionals, 1966). They could be funny (The Hallelujah Trail, 1965), unremittingly grim (Hour of the Gun, 1967), surreal (Greaser’s Palace, 1972), even be stretched into the shape of rock musical (Zachariah, 1971) or monster movie (Valley of Gwangi, 1969).

But »

- Bill Mesce

3 items from 2013