One week before Alynda Segarra’s father died, he mailed them a package. It was a box of all the music Segarra had sent him over the span of nearly 20 years, ever since they’d left their childhood home in the Bronx to travel the country. Everything they’d recorded, from burned CDs for street and jazz bands they’d played in, to records from Segarra’s own band of more than a decade, Hurray for the Riff Raff, was in there.
“He had absolutely every single thing I’d given him since,...
“He had absolutely every single thing I’d given him since,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Jeff Gage
- Rollingstone.com
It’s been 10 years since Mauritanian–Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako last directed a film, but his much-anticipated return is suffused with a lightness that belies the long wait. A soft-focus romantic drama that channels some of the same humanism that steeped its way into “Timbuktu,” “Black Tea” finds Sissako applying his empathetic gaze towards the service of a much gentler vision.
It starts with a prologue of sorts set on the Ivory Coast. Aya (Nina Mélo), an Ivorian woman in her thirties, is about to get married but has just discovered that her future husband has been unfaithful. In a memorable opening image, a black insect walks through the folds of her white dress — an ominous fly in the ointment — as she waits for the nuptials to begin, her face twisting with uncertainty. At the altar, she astonishes her family by refusing to say “I do,” choosing instead to walk...
It starts with a prologue of sorts set on the Ivory Coast. Aya (Nina Mélo), an Ivorian woman in her thirties, is about to get married but has just discovered that her future husband has been unfaithful. In a memorable opening image, a black insect walks through the folds of her white dress — an ominous fly in the ointment — as she waits for the nuptials to begin, her face twisting with uncertainty. At the altar, she astonishes her family by refusing to say “I do,” choosing instead to walk...
- 2/21/2024
- by Rachel Pronger
- Indiewire
"It's very special." "I love the scent." "So do I." Gaumont in France has revealed the first promo trailer for an indie relationship drama titled Black Tea, a brand new film made by acclaimed Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako. This film is premiering in the Main Competition at the upcoming 2024 Berlin Film Festival kicking off soon this month. Looks like one of the best in the line-up! Aya, a young Ivory Coast woman in her early thirties, says "no" on her wedding day, to everyone's astonishment. After emigrating to China, she finds work in a tea export shop with Cai, a 45-year-old Chinese man. Aya and Cai soon fall in love but can their affair survive the turmoil of their pasts and other people's prejudices? Eight years after the breathtaking Timbuktu (in competition at Cannes 2014 and an Academy Award nominee for Best International Film), Sissako returns with Black Tea – starring Nina Mélo,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
This article is presented by
Jeff Goldblum’s iconic assertion in 1993’s Jurassic Park is not just one of the most instantly quotable lines in cinema history; it also neatly sums up the four-billion-year history of life on Earth in four short words (five if you count the none-more-Goldblum “uh” in the middle). Of course, the reality is far from that simple.
Now, 30 years later, the makers of Netflix’s phenomenally successful nature doc Our Planet have joined forces with the technical wizards at Industrial Light & Magic for an ambitious fleshing-out of that gigayears-old story of evolution.
A series nearly five years in the making, Life on Our Planet blends groundbreaking visual effects with state-of-the-art nature photography to tell the epic tale of how life has, indeed, found a way.
Employing some Christopher Nolan-esque time-hopping and framing the action around five major mass extinction events, the series draws evolutionary...
Jeff Goldblum’s iconic assertion in 1993’s Jurassic Park is not just one of the most instantly quotable lines in cinema history; it also neatly sums up the four-billion-year history of life on Earth in four short words (five if you count the none-more-Goldblum “uh” in the middle). Of course, the reality is far from that simple.
Now, 30 years later, the makers of Netflix’s phenomenally successful nature doc Our Planet have joined forces with the technical wizards at Industrial Light & Magic for an ambitious fleshing-out of that gigayears-old story of evolution.
A series nearly five years in the making, Life on Our Planet blends groundbreaking visual effects with state-of-the-art nature photography to tell the epic tale of how life has, indeed, found a way.
Employing some Christopher Nolan-esque time-hopping and framing the action around five major mass extinction events, the series draws evolutionary...
- 10/25/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
ABC and CNN lead the nominations for the 43rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards, which were announced Thursday by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
NATAS also revealed that Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour,” and Sir David Attenborough will receive honorary awards at this year’s ceremonies. The news categories, where Woodruff will be honored, will be presented on Wednesday, Sep. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Edt and the ceremony for the documentary categories, where Attenborough will be honored, will be held Thursday, Sep. 29th at 7:30 p.m. Edt. Attenborough’s many docuseries include “Life on Earth,” “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth.”
Also Read:
Emmy Awards: Is the Television Academy Representing Audience Demand? | Charts
A number of the nominated news segments, reports and documentaries were dedicated to the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, including those by ABC, CBS, NBC, The New Yorker,...
NATAS also revealed that Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of “PBS NewsHour,” and Sir David Attenborough will receive honorary awards at this year’s ceremonies. The news categories, where Woodruff will be honored, will be presented on Wednesday, Sep. 28 at 7:30 p.m. Edt and the ceremony for the documentary categories, where Attenborough will be honored, will be held Thursday, Sep. 29th at 7:30 p.m. Edt. Attenborough’s many docuseries include “Life on Earth,” “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth.”
Also Read:
Emmy Awards: Is the Television Academy Representing Audience Demand? | Charts
A number of the nominated news segments, reports and documentaries were dedicated to the Jan. 6 2021 insurrection at the Capitol, including those by ABC, CBS, NBC, The New Yorker,...
- 7/28/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
ABC News and CNN are among the top-nominated news outlets in the 43rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards administered by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Walt Disney-backed ABC News secured 39 different nominated, while Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN garnered 37, according to a breakdown compiled by the independent accountancy firm of Lutz and Carr, Llp, for NATAS. PBS and Vice both secured 28 and Paramount Global’s CBS News generated 26, while Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO notched 23.
These particular awards honor programming content from more than 2500 submissions that originally premiered in calendar-year 2021, judged by a pool of over 800 peer professionals from across the television and streaming/digital media news and documentary sector.
”At a time when critical, monumental, and world-changing events are more immediately available and accessible than ever before, the work of the journalists and documentarians that bring us the truth of these stories is under tremendous assault.
Walt Disney-backed ABC News secured 39 different nominated, while Warner Bros. Discovery’s CNN garnered 37, according to a breakdown compiled by the independent accountancy firm of Lutz and Carr, Llp, for NATAS. PBS and Vice both secured 28 and Paramount Global’s CBS News generated 26, while Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO notched 23.
These particular awards honor programming content from more than 2500 submissions that originally premiered in calendar-year 2021, judged by a pool of over 800 peer professionals from across the television and streaming/digital media news and documentary sector.
”At a time when critical, monumental, and world-changing events are more immediately available and accessible than ever before, the work of the journalists and documentarians that bring us the truth of these stories is under tremendous assault.
- 7/28/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Welcome to yet another interesting edition of Top 10 Events This Day in Movie and Television History! This time around, we peek into all that went down on January 16 over the years. And as we discovered when we were diving into our archives, it was quite an interesting day too! The birth of the highly influential John Carpenter and Mason Gamble of Dennis the Menace fame, the first shoot for the first-ever James Bond film Dr. No, the last day of broadcasting for the popular shows Outer Limits and Bonanza, the first episode of Life on Earth presented by
January 16: Top 10 Events This Day in Movie and Television History...
January 16: Top 10 Events This Day in Movie and Television History...
- 1/28/2022
- by Stanley Anto
- TVovermind.com
LoveRenaissance, also known as Lvrn, only has 10 acts on its roster. The tight-knit, black-owned music company — run by first-generation immigrants from Ghana, Nigeria, Trinidad, and Jamaica — dedicates time to a small group of rising artists instead of going after superstars. “It’s just more fun that way,” says president Tunde Balogun. “We get to know each other, and nobody’s a know-it-all.”
In recent months, Lvrn has designed bespoke release campaigns for 6lack (who sent out hot sauce and launched an augmented-reality chicken shop) and Summer Walker (who rolled out her new EP,...
In recent months, Lvrn has designed bespoke release campaigns for 6lack (who sent out hot sauce and launched an augmented-reality chicken shop) and Summer Walker (who rolled out her new EP,...
- 10/29/2020
- by Samantha Hissong
- Rollingstone.com
Bristol, two hours west of London and known by toon enthusiasts as the home of Aardman Animations, also happens to be the world center of wildlife filmmaking and home to the top producers, directors and camera pros creating the influx of natural history shows that continue to grow ever more popular on TV screens around the world.
The city is the headquarters of the BBC Natural History Unit and also the base for large independent players in the nature film arena such as Silverback Films, Plimsoll Prods., True to Nature, Tigress Prods., Off the Fence, Keo Films and Icon Films. Top production and post-production houses in the area that cater to the genre include Films@59, Evolutions and Big Bang.
The best-known name in wildlife filmmaking associated with the city is David Attenborough, now 92, whose 1979 classic TV series “Life on Earth” began a wave of television that continues to crest with such shows as “Blue Planet.
The city is the headquarters of the BBC Natural History Unit and also the base for large independent players in the nature film arena such as Silverback Films, Plimsoll Prods., True to Nature, Tigress Prods., Off the Fence, Keo Films and Icon Films. Top production and post-production houses in the area that cater to the genre include Films@59, Evolutions and Big Bang.
The best-known name in wildlife filmmaking associated with the city is David Attenborough, now 92, whose 1979 classic TV series “Life on Earth” began a wave of television that continues to crest with such shows as “Blue Planet.
- 12/14/2018
- by Valentina I. Valentini
- Variety Film + TV
Casting for A-list stars is usually reserved for high-end premium dramas but it was also a challenge for Sir David Attenborough’s latest big-budget wildlife series Dynasties. In the case of the BBC series, they were searching for the right animals to showcase in the five-part series.
For the first episode, they found their own Marlon Brando, a chimpanzee called David. He is an alpha-male, the king of his patch with a slew of female admirers but also a raft of male challengers, including Luther, who wanted to take the top spot and attempted to do so in a rather violent way.
Dynasties, which is a co-production with BBC America, highlights five of the world’s most celebrated but endangered animals, as they do whatever it takes to survive and protect the next generation. The show follows a different animal each episode at the most critical period in their lives.
For the first episode, they found their own Marlon Brando, a chimpanzee called David. He is an alpha-male, the king of his patch with a slew of female admirers but also a raft of male challengers, including Luther, who wanted to take the top spot and attempted to do so in a rather violent way.
Dynasties, which is a co-production with BBC America, highlights five of the world’s most celebrated but endangered animals, as they do whatever it takes to survive and protect the next generation. The show follows a different animal each episode at the most critical period in their lives.
- 11/4/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Over his long and illustrious career naturalist broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has in many ways come to define what audiences expect from a nature documentary. His landmark series, from 1979’s Life on Earth to last year’s Blue Planet II, have combined state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge research to provide unprecedented and arguably unparalleled insights into the natural world. His work is so popular and prolific, in fact, that it is difficult to imagine what other direction the genre might take.
When Emma Davie and Peter Mettler’s Becoming Animal opens unceremoniously on a grainy elk urinating in the woods the contrast is as stark as it is disconcerting. Shot on a shaky handheld camera at considerable distance and presented in its raw and seemingly unedited form, the often incoherent footage couldn’t be further removed from the steady-cam, high-definition close-ups that wider audiences have become accustomed to. When “cultural ecologist...
When Emma Davie and Peter Mettler’s Becoming Animal opens unceremoniously on a grainy elk urinating in the woods the contrast is as stark as it is disconcerting. Shot on a shaky handheld camera at considerable distance and presented in its raw and seemingly unedited form, the often incoherent footage couldn’t be further removed from the steady-cam, high-definition close-ups that wider audiences have become accustomed to. When “cultural ecologist...
- 6/21/2018
- by Steven Neish
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: In honor of David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story,” what is the best movie about the afterlife?
Kate Erbland (@katerbland), IndieWire
It will come as no surprise to anyone that, as a child, I watched a lot of television. A lot. I was mostly obsessed with HBO — our single movie channel, number 2 on the dial; yes, my childhood TV had a dial, don’t ask — with intermittent deviations into mostly inappropriate mini-series (thus explaining my rarely disclosed expertise on “The Thornbirds”), and was pretty much given free range to watch whatever the hell I wanted, whenever I wanted. This is why my favorite...
This week’s question: In honor of David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story,” what is the best movie about the afterlife?
Kate Erbland (@katerbland), IndieWire
It will come as no surprise to anyone that, as a child, I watched a lot of television. A lot. I was mostly obsessed with HBO — our single movie channel, number 2 on the dial; yes, my childhood TV had a dial, don’t ask — with intermittent deviations into mostly inappropriate mini-series (thus explaining my rarely disclosed expertise on “The Thornbirds”), and was pretty much given free range to watch whatever the hell I wanted, whenever I wanted. This is why my favorite...
- 7/10/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Ryan Lambie Apr 26, 2017
To mark Alien Day, we look back at 2012's Prometheus, and wonder what lies ahead for the franchise in Alien: Covenant...
Nb: The following contains spoilers for Prometheus and speculation about Alien: Covenant.
See related Why Alien: Isolation proves the Alien deserves another movie
Talk about melodramatic. Having stepped out of a Saturday afternoon IMAX screening of Prometheus in June 2012, your humble writer fell into a steep pit of gloom. A picture of a torn cinema ticket with the caption, “My broken heart” (or something to that effect) was posted on Twitter. A pub was visited; consolatory beers were imbibed.
A film that seemed to have so much promise going in - Ridley Scott’s form in the sci-fi genre, those fan-baiting trailers, complete with the hooting space owls from the old Alien promos - had largely evaporated by the time the end credits rolled. Prometheus...
To mark Alien Day, we look back at 2012's Prometheus, and wonder what lies ahead for the franchise in Alien: Covenant...
Nb: The following contains spoilers for Prometheus and speculation about Alien: Covenant.
See related Why Alien: Isolation proves the Alien deserves another movie
Talk about melodramatic. Having stepped out of a Saturday afternoon IMAX screening of Prometheus in June 2012, your humble writer fell into a steep pit of gloom. A picture of a torn cinema ticket with the caption, “My broken heart” (or something to that effect) was posted on Twitter. A pub was visited; consolatory beers were imbibed.
A film that seemed to have so much promise going in - Ridley Scott’s form in the sci-fi genre, those fan-baiting trailers, complete with the hooting space owls from the old Alien promos - had largely evaporated by the time the end credits rolled. Prometheus...
- 4/25/2017
- Den of Geek
Has Marvel’s hunt for a “Captain Marvel” director come to an end? According to Variety, yes, thanks to a report that “Half Nelson” and “Mississippi Grind” filmmakers Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have been tapped to direct the Brie Larson-starring superhero feature.
Read More: Why Brie Larson Is the Perfect Pick for Captain Marvel – Girl Talk
The outlet reports that “the studio had met with several contenders and sources say the studio not only wanted to make sure that the search was thorough but that the script was in the right shape before tapping who would direct it.” Marvel made it clear early on that it was a priority for the film to be directed by a woman. The film’s script, focused on Air-Force-pilot-turned-superhero Carol Danvers, is currently being written by Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman.
Variety adds, “The studio was looking for a unique point of...
Read More: Why Brie Larson Is the Perfect Pick for Captain Marvel – Girl Talk
The outlet reports that “the studio had met with several contenders and sources say the studio not only wanted to make sure that the search was thorough but that the script was in the right shape before tapping who would direct it.” Marvel made it clear early on that it was a priority for the film to be directed by a woman. The film’s script, focused on Air-Force-pilot-turned-superhero Carol Danvers, is currently being written by Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman.
Variety adds, “The studio was looking for a unique point of...
- 4/19/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Marvel Studios has released a new trailer for its upcoming superhero film “Thor: Ragnarok.” The sequel to 2013’s “Thor: The Dark World” is helmed by “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” director Taika Waititi.
Read More: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Photos: Chris Hemsworth Rocks a New Haircut With Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldbum and Tessa Thompson
The third installment of the Thor franchise finds the god Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fighting to save his people from the evil Hela (Cate Blanchett) and having to battle the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in a gladiator match.
The film stars Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jamie Alexander as Siff, and Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster. Tom Hiddleston returns in the role of Loki, Idris Elba reprises his role of Heimdall and Anthony Hopkins is Odin. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) will make his first appearance since last year’s blockbuster. The cast also includes Karl Urban (Skurge) and Sam Neill.
Read More: ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Photos: Chris Hemsworth Rocks a New Haircut With Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldbum and Tessa Thompson
The third installment of the Thor franchise finds the god Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fighting to save his people from the evil Hela (Cate Blanchett) and having to battle the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in a gladiator match.
The film stars Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Jamie Alexander as Siff, and Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster. Tom Hiddleston returns in the role of Loki, Idris Elba reprises his role of Heimdall and Anthony Hopkins is Odin. Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) will make his first appearance since last year’s blockbuster. The cast also includes Karl Urban (Skurge) and Sam Neill.
- 4/10/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Framestore, the company behind the staggering visual effects in “Doctor Strange,” released a video featuring the making of the visuals for the Marvel superhero film. “Framestore worked on over 365 shots on Marvel’s Doctor Strange, encapsulating a range of VFX and animation work including environments, the complex ‘Mandelbrotting’ of sets, incredibly high resolution digi-doubles of key characters, and the creation of the astral form, a key technique used throughout the film,” reads a statement on the company’s YouTube channel.
Read More: Funny or Die Recognizes ‘Manchester By the Sea’ and Its Mind-Blowing Visual Effects — Watch
Besides showing the layers of “Mandelbrotting,” the reel also shows the making of the digital doubles of key characters. “There’s the whole set bending and moulding, cloning and reconfiguring itself, but then there’s also the Mandelbrot pattern, which is the mathematical formula that creates these crazy patterns and the fractured world aspect to it,...
Read More: Funny or Die Recognizes ‘Manchester By the Sea’ and Its Mind-Blowing Visual Effects — Watch
Besides showing the layers of “Mandelbrotting,” the reel also shows the making of the digital doubles of key characters. “There’s the whole set bending and moulding, cloning and reconfiguring itself, but then there’s also the Mandelbrot pattern, which is the mathematical formula that creates these crazy patterns and the fractured world aspect to it,...
- 3/4/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Sundance may be over, but Garrett Bradley’s short film “Alone” still feels as relevant as ever. The film was awarded the Short Form Jury Award in nonfiction after being one of 68 shorts accepted into the festival earlier this year. By telling the story of Aloné Watts, whose boyfriend Desmond has been incarcerated in a private prison for a year, Bradley examines the question of what it would mean to marry someone behind bars.
As well as delving into the injustices of the prison system and examining a type of modern relationship that is rarely, if ever, represented on film, “Alone” accomplishes a lot in its 13-minute running time by taking a deeply personal dive into Watts’ life as a black single mother. With closely framed shots and intimate voiceover, Bradley makes it nearly impossible not to feel what Watts feels in scenes such as the one where she is...
As well as delving into the injustices of the prison system and examining a type of modern relationship that is rarely, if ever, represented on film, “Alone” accomplishes a lot in its 13-minute running time by taking a deeply personal dive into Watts’ life as a black single mother. With closely framed shots and intimate voiceover, Bradley makes it nearly impossible not to feel what Watts feels in scenes such as the one where she is...
- 2/15/2017
- by Allison Picurro
- Indiewire
No one is safe in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Chris von Hoffmann’s upcoming “Drifter.” Seriously, no one. In von Hoffmann’s first feature film, two brothers find themselves crossing paths with a family of psychotic cannibals when they get stuck in a desolate town at the end of the world. Relatable.
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: Bleecker Street Picks Up ‘Megan Leavey,’ Imagination Worldwide Buys ‘Paint It Black’ and More
In our exclusive clip, things are appropriately mysterious and terrifying as Vijah (Monique Rosario) is forced by the head cannibal in charge, Latos (Anthony Ficco), to tie Miles (Aria Emory) down to a couch and then watch, terrified, as his brother is thrown in the middle of what looks to be a large dirt circle made of garbage. They’re both bruised and bloodied, and von Hoffmann doesn’t make it easy on the audience by cutting away, but...
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: Bleecker Street Picks Up ‘Megan Leavey,’ Imagination Worldwide Buys ‘Paint It Black’ and More
In our exclusive clip, things are appropriately mysterious and terrifying as Vijah (Monique Rosario) is forced by the head cannibal in charge, Latos (Anthony Ficco), to tie Miles (Aria Emory) down to a couch and then watch, terrified, as his brother is thrown in the middle of what looks to be a large dirt circle made of garbage. They’re both bruised and bloodied, and von Hoffmann doesn’t make it easy on the audience by cutting away, but...
- 2/14/2017
- by Allison Picurro
- Indiewire
Veteran broadcaster reflected on more than 60 years in television and the value of the BBC.
Sir David Attenborough has spoken out about the value of the BBC as part of a wide-ranging conversation at Sheffield Doc/Fest, during which he reflected on his six decades in broadcasting.
The broadcaster and naturalist told a packed auditorium: “I think that the BBC has an incomparable opportunity, which gives it an incomparable responsibility.
“Of all the television organisations in the world, it is the BBC than can say we ought to cover as wide a spectrum of human interests as we can. We...
Sir David Attenborough has spoken out about the value of the BBC as part of a wide-ranging conversation at Sheffield Doc/Fest, during which he reflected on his six decades in broadcasting.
The broadcaster and naturalist told a packed auditorium: “I think that the BBC has an incomparable opportunity, which gives it an incomparable responsibility.
“Of all the television organisations in the world, it is the BBC than can say we ought to cover as wide a spectrum of human interests as we can. We...
- 6/14/2016
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
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From Brian Aldiss to Arthur C Clarke, 1950s Britain was rich in fantastic science-fiction novels. Here are 8 of the best...
It seems that every few years somebody announces science fiction is dead. In 2007 it was the turn of Ridley Scott, who then went on to make The Martian, so perhaps these claims should always be taken with a pinch of salt, particularly when we look back over the history of Sf writing over the years and find that it is a genre that is as much defined by current events than by any singular vision of the future.
For that reason, British science fiction in the 1950s was incredible stuff. Anxiety over the powers scientists had unleashed after the dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II obsessed many novelists, but so did a sense of despondency at poverty and suffering within a community...
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From Brian Aldiss to Arthur C Clarke, 1950s Britain was rich in fantastic science-fiction novels. Here are 8 of the best...
It seems that every few years somebody announces science fiction is dead. In 2007 it was the turn of Ridley Scott, who then went on to make The Martian, so perhaps these claims should always be taken with a pinch of salt, particularly when we look back over the history of Sf writing over the years and find that it is a genre that is as much defined by current events than by any singular vision of the future.
For that reason, British science fiction in the 1950s was incredible stuff. Anxiety over the powers scientists had unleashed after the dropping the atomic bomb at the end of World War II obsessed many novelists, but so did a sense of despondency at poverty and suffering within a community...
- 4/11/2016
- Den of Geek
Yes, that’s a six and a zero. It’s not a typo. While excessive might be the first adjective that comes to mind when looking at a year-end list with 60 films, it was the only way that I was able to highlight all the great works that I was able to watch this year. Even with such an extensive best-of countdown I was forced to leave at least another dozen great films. In 2014 I watched around 300 theatrically released films, and about 130 more between unreleased films from the festival circuit, the Oscar Foreign Language Submissions, and new films I watched as a screener for a couple festivals. Taking all these into consideration, a Top 60 list did not seem like an outrageous feat.
There were many other films that I did in fact watch but didn’t make the list, such as “Wild,” “Interstellar,” “The Imitation Game,” “Unbroken,” “The Theory of Everything,” “Big Hero 6,” “Big Eyes,” "A Most Violent Year" and “Into the Woods.” Although none of these ended up among my favorites, many of them served as vehicles for the cast to deliver outstanding performances or showcased great cinematography and VFX. I mention this to clarify that their omission was a conscious decision.
Evidently, there were several acclaimed films I did not manage to watch, which could have made a difference. These include films like "Love is Strange," “Maps to the Stars,” “Stray Dogs,” “Top Five,” and “Rosewater.”
The films on this list include films that had a regular release in 2014, films that some consider to be 2013 films but which got a full release in 2014, and films that had a one-week qualifying run in 2014 but which will officially open in 2015. Other amazing films that I saw at festivals, but which did not have a theatrical release of any form this year will be included in next year’s list. Examples of these include “The Tribe,” “Timbuktu,” “The Voices” “Gueros,” “Viktoria,” and “Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.”
Like with all lists, this is a very personal selection of films that connected with me on different levels. Some choices might be strange, others expected, but all of them speak to what I find interesting or great about cinema. I hope that with this list you can find titles you haven’t hear of or others you might have forgotten about. It has been such a terrific year for films. Here is hoping for 2015 to be even more inspiring.
Feel free to share with us what your favorite films of 2014 were in the comments section.
Honorary Mention for Favorite TV Series: "Over the Garden Wall"
In Patrick McHale’s enchanting Cartoon Network miniseries, “Over the Garden Wall,” brothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and adorable Greg (Collin Dean) travel through the Unknown, a magical forest filled with peculiar characters. Blending a classic fable look with witty humor and catchy songs for a fantastically refreshing 2D cartoon, the show is rapidly - and deservingly - becoming a fan favorite. Once you see little Greg performing the sweet tune Potatoes and Molasses, it will all make sense.
Top 60 Films Of 2014
60. "Happy Christmas"
Anna Kendrick is an irresponsible, yet charming, young woman in Joe Swanberg’s holiday-infused family dramedy. “Happy Christmas” is small in scope but big in subtle amusement. Baby Jude Swanberg steals every scene.
59."Mood Indigo"
Whimsical, ingenious, and uniquely confected, Michel Gondry’s adaption of Boris Vian’s novel stars Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris. His latest romantic fantasy is heartwarming visual candy.
Review "Mood Indigo"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tautou
58. "Lilting"
A cross-cultural connection in the aftermath of tragedy is at the center of Hong Khaou’s touching debut. Through great performances and ethereal cinematography the filmmaker reassures us love is the only language that matters.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Hong Khaou
57. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
With an intelligent and fun screenplay, this new entry in the Marvel universe showed us that - despite all the badassery he is capable of - all that Steve Rogers wants is his best friend back.
Review "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
56. "Oculus"
Mike Flanagan doesn’t resort to excessive gore or a monumental story to instill fear. Instead, he uses the effective mechanics of his story to turn a room with an old mirror, a camera, and a pair of youngsters into a terrifying space.
55. "Rich Hill"
Looking at a segment of the American population from a uniquely compassionate and insightful perspective, “Rich Hill” cherishes the humanity of its subject rather than patronizing them.
54. "The Notebook"
The brutality of war is observed through the eyes of a pair of twin brothers who decide to detach themselves from any emotional connection in order to survive. Unflinching and powerful, “The Notebook” is part dark fairytale and part historical drama.
Review "The Notebook"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with János Szász
53. "Blue Ruin"
This gritty and unpredictable thriller follows a man whose thirst for revenge becomes his death sentence. Macon Blair’s character goes from passively hiding in the shadows to becoming a ruthless rookie assassin. Tension is the name of the game here.
52. "The Book of Life"
The ancient Mexican celebration of Day of the Death comes to life in this vibrant and surprisingly authentic animated feature from Jorge Gutierrez and producer Guillermo del Toro. It’s a colorful and intricately designed vision of beloved tradition.
51. "The German Doctor" (Wakolda)
Lucia Puenzo’s captivating mystery focuses on infamous Nazi physician Josef Mengele, as he tries to test his disturbing practices on family while hiding in the Argentine countryside. Elegantly executed and definitely unsettling
Review "The German Doctor"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Lucia Puenzo
Sydney Levine's Case Study on "The German Doctor"
50. "Still Alice"
Lost, confused, but still fighting to preserve her individuality while facing the imminent effects of Alzheimer’s disease, Alice refuses to give up. Julianne Moor is absolutely stunning and heartbreaking.
49. "American Sniper"
Eastwood’s best film in a long time packs thrilling combat sequences as it looks at post-9/11 American patriotism via a simple man turned murder weapon. Bradley Cooper delivers the best performance of his career.
48. "The Lego Movie "
Pop culture has never been as hilarious and witty as in this uniquely animated story about individuality, the nature of heroism, and the power of a child’s imagination. With cameos galore and jokes aplenty, everything is indeed awesome.
47. "Manuscripts Don't Burn "
Mohammad Rasoulof’s fearless cinematic statement denouncing the Iranian regime is an incredible testament to the power of film as a cultural weapon against injustice. Not only is the film politically relevant, but also an all-around gripping thriller.
Review "Manuscripts Don't Burn"
46. "Guardians of the Galaxy "
This summer Marvel outdid itself with the truly enjoyable first installment of its newest franchise. Charismatic Chris Pratt as Star Lord, a more than memorable soundtrack, and an eclectic group of sidekicks made this the smartest summer hit.
45. "In Bloom"
Set in Tbilisi, Georgia, this unique coming-of-age tale is a riveting hidden gem that sports mesmerizing performances from its young cast. The filmmakers find evocative, everyday beauty in the hardships of life in a war-torn country.
Review "In Bloom"
44. "Goodbye to Language"
Godard’s use of 3D in this highly experimental work produces a physical reaction on the viewer that proves how alive the auteur’s vision still is. He is as cryptic, curious, innovative, unapologetic, and brilliant as he was over 50 years ago.
43. "Mistaken for Strangers"
Tom Berninger’s personal documentary is not a film about The National, but about a man trying to find his own path while reconnecting with his older brother – who happens to be a rock star. Fun, heartfelt, and honest.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tom and Matt Berninger
42. "Manakamana"
Simple on the surface but hauntingly poetic, this documentary focuses on a series of people as they travel up to a sacred shrine in Nepal. Their faces speak in silences, laughter, and visible sadness, which form a language far more stirring than ephemeral words.
41. "Whiplash"
J.K. Simmons is a nightmarish instructor in Damien Chazelle’s fascinating debut about a young drummer by obsessive passion. The final sequence is an astonishing showstopper that sports marvelous, flawless editing
40. "The Overnighters"
What starts as the story about a Good Samaritan helping those in need despite criticisms, turns into an examination of a conflicted man. Faith, lies, regret and the judgmental eyes of an entire community will become his agonizing cross to bear.
39. "Rocks in My Pockets"
Latvian artist Signe Baumane uses 2D animation to work through her insecurities, her relationships with her estrange family, and depression. Craft and substance merge to construct an absorbing personal statement that is unexpectedly relatable.
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Rocks in My Pockets"
38. "The Missing Picture"
To reconstruct his family’s past, and by extension that of his homeland under the Khmer Rouge, director Rithy Panh uses clay figurines and evocative narration in the absence of images from the time. One of the most original documentaries ever made.
Review "The Missing Picture"
37. "Snowpiercer"
Art house sensibilities imbedded into a powerful post-apocalyptic tale from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho gave us a superbly sophisticated actioner. Chris Evans delivers a different, but equally great heroic performance. However, Tilda Swinton takes the prize here.
36. "Life Itself"
Roger Ebert’s love for life and movies was endless. Despite major health issues near the end, his spirits and voice were never weakened. Steve James intimate documentary captures both the man and the critic in a lovely manner.
35. "Gone Girl"
Fincher’s latest focuses on a media circus fueled by a couple’s despicable lies and the public’s voyeuristic desire to find a villain and a victim. While Ben Affleck is good here, the film thrives on Rosamund Pike’s wickedly clever role.
34. "Two Days, One Night"
Only the Dardenne brothers can transform seemingly banal situations into compelling narratives that question the morality of their characters. In their latest masterful effort Marion Cotillard’s talent shines as she balances desperation, pride, and hope.
33. "Foxcatcher"
Driven by a trifecta of great performances, Bennett Miller’s drama shows a disturbed man in search of recognition and validation by any means necessary. Channing Tatum deserves more praise for his nuanced work here.
32. "Omar"
At once timeless and decisively current, Hany Abu-Asad’s Shakespearean crime drama deals with Israeli-Palestinian relations from a humanistic point of view. The political issues that serve as context become more urgent when seen through the characters’ struggles.
Review "Omar"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Hany Abu-Assad
31. "Mr. Turner"
The awe-inspiring cinematography and Timothy Spall’s grumpy, yet endearing portrayal of one of Britain’s most revered painters make of “Mr. Turner” another successful addition to Mike Leigh’s near-perfect track record.
30. "Nymphomaniac"
Blasphemous, explicit, and cerebral as most of Lars von Trier’s works, this two-part recollection of the anecdotes takes us into the tortured mind of a sex addict. There is no sugarcoating or redemption to be found here, only a skillful provocateur who loves to revel in the playful bleakness of it all.
Review "Nymphomaniac Vol. 1"
Review "Nymphomaniac Vol. 2"
29. "Gloria"
A middle-aged woman takes control of her life in this excellent Chilean dramedy. The title character, played by the lovely Paulina Garcia, wants to find love once again and to live without restrains. As she dances the night away we are certain that, despite the hardships, she will.
Review "Gloria"
Sydney Levine's interview with Sebastian Lelio and Paulina Garcia
28. "The Babadook"
A vicious boogieman terrorizes a mother and her son in this Australian horror masterpiece. Like with the best films in the genre, is what you don’t see that’s the most disturbing. Dir. Jennifer Kent uses creepy guttural sounds, shadows, and a malevolent children’s book to psychologically inflict fear.
27. "Ernest & Celestine"
Delightfully crafted to look like a collection of gorgeous moving watercolors, this French animated feature based on Gabrielle Vincent’s books is a visual treat and reminds us of the innocent fables from yesteryear.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Benjamin Renner
26. "Hide Your Smiling Faces"
Two brothers growing up in a small town are confronted with the notion of death and the complexities of the adult world in this remarkably done debut by Daniel Patrick Carbone. An absolute must-see that deserves a wider audience.
Review "Hide Your Smiling Faces"
25. "Stranger by the Lake"
In Alain Guiraudie’s beachside mystery, a murderous romance hides underneath warm weather and desire. This provocative, darkly comedic and splendidly acted slow-burner shows that danger is sometimes the most lethal aphrodisiac.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Alain Guiraudie
24. "Heli"
Amat Escalante’s brave and brutally honest depiction of Mexico’s violent present is unquestionably a difficult cinematic experience. However, the filmmaker is capable of finding resilient hope in the midst of overwhelming despair.
Review "Heli"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Amat Escalante
23. "CitizenFour"
Few embellishments are needed when you have such a shocking and important story told not from an outsider’s perspective, but from its source. Fiction falls short in comparison to the truths and secrets encompassed in Laura Poitras account of the Edward Snowden case.
22. "Force Majeure"
Gender roles are questioned with humorous but poignant observations on marriage and societal expectations in this Swedish hit from Ruben Östlund. Laugh-out-loud moments galore and an unforgettable “man cry” sequence are the result of a catastrophic controlled avalanche.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Ruben Östlund and Johannes Kuhnke
21. "The Guest"
Adam Wingard’s perversely comedic stunner about a devilishly deceiving visitor was by far one of the most outrageously fun films I saw this year. It’s a masterwork of madness. I can’t wait to see what Wingard, writer Simon Barrett, and star Dan Stevens do next.
20. "Obvious Child"
Jenny Slate’s Donna Stern is navigating adulthood through laughter. Her standup performances are unfiltered, moving, and often hilariously distasteful, but always sincere. Slate and director Gillian Robespierre are a match made in comedy heaven.
Review "Obvious Child"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Gillian Robespierre and Jenny Slate
19. "Inherent Vice"
There are numerous wacky characters and subplots in Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaption of Thomas Pynchon novel, but the real magic happens when Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin are together on screen. “Motto panukeiku!” is all I have to say.
18. "Starred Up"
Jack O’Connell’s award-deserving performance packs raw energy, ferocious anger, and tragic vulnerability. Violence and respect are the only useful currencies in this potent prison drama that’s as thrilling as it’s emotionally devastating.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with David Mackenzie
17. "Listen Up Philip"
Brimming with originality and uncompromising humor, Alex Ross Perry’s look at the writing craft is pure brilliance. Jason Schwartzman stars as an obnoxious, self-centered young author. He is as utterly amusing and revels in his character’s hilarious arrogance.
16. "Boyhood"
Thanks to Richard Linklater’s perseverance we were able to experience an incredible and incomparable cinematic journey. Filled with small, but affecting moments of sorrow and joy, a child’s life - and that of those around him - literally unfolds on screen somewhere between reality and fiction.
15. "Selma"
Avoiding all the dreaded biopic clichés, director Ava DuVernay created a powerful historical drama that couldn’t be more opportune. Among a star-studded cast, David Oyelowo delivers a knockout performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
14. "Under the Skin"
Life on earth as seen by a seductive alien is simultaneously frightening and revelatory in Jonathan Glazer’s dazzling sci-fi character study. Scarlett Johansson is superb as a creature intrigued by the virtues and shortcomings of human nature.
Review "Under the Skin"
13. "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Everything we love about Wes Anderson and much more is included in this stylized beauty of a film. Ralph Fiennes is an irreverent, classy, womanizer that gets into trouble with an array of quirky villains played by a topnotch cast. From its score to the production design, this is Anderson at his best.
12. "The Boxtrolls"
Laika’s craftsmanship reached a new level of delightful greatness with this darkly comedic period piece. Their brand of stop-motion animation is impeccable. Each character is meticulously created with a wonderful physicality that no other medium can provide.
Review "The Boxtrolls"
11. "Leviathan"
Andrey Zvyagintsev’s masterpiece dissects the complexity of Russian society through a family drama that is as intimate as it is monumental in the themes it explores. Religion, government, and betrayal are all monsters haunting a righteous man at the mercy or their powers.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Andrey Zvyagintsev
10. "Only Lovers Left Alive"
Between desolated Detroit and a moody Marrakesh, Jim Jarmusch's darkly comedic film delivers an incredibly original tale about familiar bloodsuckers. Permeated in groovy rock and roll music, vintage wardrobe, blissful production design, and an otherworldly atmosphere, “Only Lovers Left Alive” reclaims vampires as graceful, complex, and cultured beings, rather than the vehicle for teenage fantasies
Review "Only Lovers Left Alive"
9. "Nightcrawler"
Brutally unapologetic about the bloodthirsty practices of today’s media, Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut is a fantastic vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal to deliver a performance unlike anything he’s done before. Outrageously insightful, Gilroy’s writing is a perverse delight that is at once analytical and utterly entertaining.
8. "Birdman"
While definitely hilarious, Inarritu’s latest work offers sharp observations on the nature of art and artists. This is a giant leap into new territory for the acclaimed Mexican filmmaker. His undeniable talent directing actors is what elevates his work from just a brilliant idea to a work that thrives on touching human vulnerability. Added to this, Emanuel Lubeski’s work in the cinematography department is a visual treat.
7. "Wild Tales"
This insanely inventive collection of deranged stories questions violence and revenge from a comedic angle. Besides being a complete riot that packs in uproarious humor, Damian Szifron’s film demonstrates his ability to create a cohesive film out of diverse vignettes united by the dark side of human nature. From start to finish, “Wild Tales” is truly a savagely fun trip.
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Wild Tales"
6. "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya"
Studio Ghibli’s co-founder Isao Takahata demonstrates once more that his work is as spectacular as anything else the studio has created. His brand of handcrafted animation is of a uniquely exquisite kind that flows on the screen like streams of vibrant beauty. ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is perhaps his most striking work
5. "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night"
This black and white, Persian-language vampire film is a revelation. Style and story elegantly arranged to be poetic and ethereal throughout. Undoubtedly the most dazzling feature debut of the year. Ana Lily Amirpour has a unique vision forged out of her fascination with genre films, music, and other peculiar interests, all of which blend into a delightful cocktail of beauty, danger, and pure originality.
4. "Winter Sleep"
Nuri Bilge Ceylan defines what being an auteur means every times he is behind the camera. Palme d’Or or not, “Winter Sleep” is the only film over 3 hours that has kept me fully engaged for every second of it. Every line of dialogue is as thought provoking as the next without being pretentious. He finds the fibers of human behavior and stretches them to their limit in every single scene. Absolutely mesmerizing
Review "Winter Sleep"
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Winter Sleep" from Cannes
3. "Mommy"
The tenderly violent love between a mother and a son make for an intoxicating tour de force. Xavier Dolan plays with aspect ratios, music, evocative cinematography and raw, maddening emotions to produce one of the most heartbreaking and intense experiences I’ve ever had watching a film. I was in a complete state of exhilaration until the very last, perfect, frame.
2. "Ida"
There is not a single miscalculation in Pawel Pawlikowski’s immaculate post-Holocaust drama. Each frame is a stunning work of sheer perfection. Flawless cinematography, riveting performances by both leading actresses, and a story that is subtle on the surface but carries intense undertones about spirituality and the consequences of guilt, make of “Ida” a masterwork to be cherished for years to come
Review "Ida"
Sydney Levine's interview with Pawel Pawlikowski
1. "Song of the Sea"
I'm certain some people will think me crazy for choosing this film as my favorite of the year, but witnessing Tomm Moore’s gorgeous and ethereal craftsmanship was an unforgettable experience. What he was able to achieve here, both in technique and emotional poignancy, is absolutely outstanding. "Song of the Sea" is one of the most blissfully beautiful animated films ever made. It is a gem beaming with awe-inspiring, heartwarming magic. It will be a long time before animation reaches this level of mesmerizing artistry again.
Review "Song of the Sea"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tomm Moore...
There were many other films that I did in fact watch but didn’t make the list, such as “Wild,” “Interstellar,” “The Imitation Game,” “Unbroken,” “The Theory of Everything,” “Big Hero 6,” “Big Eyes,” "A Most Violent Year" and “Into the Woods.” Although none of these ended up among my favorites, many of them served as vehicles for the cast to deliver outstanding performances or showcased great cinematography and VFX. I mention this to clarify that their omission was a conscious decision.
Evidently, there were several acclaimed films I did not manage to watch, which could have made a difference. These include films like "Love is Strange," “Maps to the Stars,” “Stray Dogs,” “Top Five,” and “Rosewater.”
The films on this list include films that had a regular release in 2014, films that some consider to be 2013 films but which got a full release in 2014, and films that had a one-week qualifying run in 2014 but which will officially open in 2015. Other amazing films that I saw at festivals, but which did not have a theatrical release of any form this year will be included in next year’s list. Examples of these include “The Tribe,” “Timbuktu,” “The Voices” “Gueros,” “Viktoria,” and “Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter.”
Like with all lists, this is a very personal selection of films that connected with me on different levels. Some choices might be strange, others expected, but all of them speak to what I find interesting or great about cinema. I hope that with this list you can find titles you haven’t hear of or others you might have forgotten about. It has been such a terrific year for films. Here is hoping for 2015 to be even more inspiring.
Feel free to share with us what your favorite films of 2014 were in the comments section.
Honorary Mention for Favorite TV Series: "Over the Garden Wall"
In Patrick McHale’s enchanting Cartoon Network miniseries, “Over the Garden Wall,” brothers Wirt (Elijah Wood) and adorable Greg (Collin Dean) travel through the Unknown, a magical forest filled with peculiar characters. Blending a classic fable look with witty humor and catchy songs for a fantastically refreshing 2D cartoon, the show is rapidly - and deservingly - becoming a fan favorite. Once you see little Greg performing the sweet tune Potatoes and Molasses, it will all make sense.
Top 60 Films Of 2014
60. "Happy Christmas"
Anna Kendrick is an irresponsible, yet charming, young woman in Joe Swanberg’s holiday-infused family dramedy. “Happy Christmas” is small in scope but big in subtle amusement. Baby Jude Swanberg steals every scene.
59."Mood Indigo"
Whimsical, ingenious, and uniquely confected, Michel Gondry’s adaption of Boris Vian’s novel stars Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris. His latest romantic fantasy is heartwarming visual candy.
Review "Mood Indigo"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tautou
58. "Lilting"
A cross-cultural connection in the aftermath of tragedy is at the center of Hong Khaou’s touching debut. Through great performances and ethereal cinematography the filmmaker reassures us love is the only language that matters.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Hong Khaou
57. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
With an intelligent and fun screenplay, this new entry in the Marvel universe showed us that - despite all the badassery he is capable of - all that Steve Rogers wants is his best friend back.
Review "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"
56. "Oculus"
Mike Flanagan doesn’t resort to excessive gore or a monumental story to instill fear. Instead, he uses the effective mechanics of his story to turn a room with an old mirror, a camera, and a pair of youngsters into a terrifying space.
55. "Rich Hill"
Looking at a segment of the American population from a uniquely compassionate and insightful perspective, “Rich Hill” cherishes the humanity of its subject rather than patronizing them.
54. "The Notebook"
The brutality of war is observed through the eyes of a pair of twin brothers who decide to detach themselves from any emotional connection in order to survive. Unflinching and powerful, “The Notebook” is part dark fairytale and part historical drama.
Review "The Notebook"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with János Szász
53. "Blue Ruin"
This gritty and unpredictable thriller follows a man whose thirst for revenge becomes his death sentence. Macon Blair’s character goes from passively hiding in the shadows to becoming a ruthless rookie assassin. Tension is the name of the game here.
52. "The Book of Life"
The ancient Mexican celebration of Day of the Death comes to life in this vibrant and surprisingly authentic animated feature from Jorge Gutierrez and producer Guillermo del Toro. It’s a colorful and intricately designed vision of beloved tradition.
51. "The German Doctor" (Wakolda)
Lucia Puenzo’s captivating mystery focuses on infamous Nazi physician Josef Mengele, as he tries to test his disturbing practices on family while hiding in the Argentine countryside. Elegantly executed and definitely unsettling
Review "The German Doctor"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Lucia Puenzo
Sydney Levine's Case Study on "The German Doctor"
50. "Still Alice"
Lost, confused, but still fighting to preserve her individuality while facing the imminent effects of Alzheimer’s disease, Alice refuses to give up. Julianne Moor is absolutely stunning and heartbreaking.
49. "American Sniper"
Eastwood’s best film in a long time packs thrilling combat sequences as it looks at post-9/11 American patriotism via a simple man turned murder weapon. Bradley Cooper delivers the best performance of his career.
48. "The Lego Movie "
Pop culture has never been as hilarious and witty as in this uniquely animated story about individuality, the nature of heroism, and the power of a child’s imagination. With cameos galore and jokes aplenty, everything is indeed awesome.
47. "Manuscripts Don't Burn "
Mohammad Rasoulof’s fearless cinematic statement denouncing the Iranian regime is an incredible testament to the power of film as a cultural weapon against injustice. Not only is the film politically relevant, but also an all-around gripping thriller.
Review "Manuscripts Don't Burn"
46. "Guardians of the Galaxy "
This summer Marvel outdid itself with the truly enjoyable first installment of its newest franchise. Charismatic Chris Pratt as Star Lord, a more than memorable soundtrack, and an eclectic group of sidekicks made this the smartest summer hit.
45. "In Bloom"
Set in Tbilisi, Georgia, this unique coming-of-age tale is a riveting hidden gem that sports mesmerizing performances from its young cast. The filmmakers find evocative, everyday beauty in the hardships of life in a war-torn country.
Review "In Bloom"
44. "Goodbye to Language"
Godard’s use of 3D in this highly experimental work produces a physical reaction on the viewer that proves how alive the auteur’s vision still is. He is as cryptic, curious, innovative, unapologetic, and brilliant as he was over 50 years ago.
43. "Mistaken for Strangers"
Tom Berninger’s personal documentary is not a film about The National, but about a man trying to find his own path while reconnecting with his older brother – who happens to be a rock star. Fun, heartfelt, and honest.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tom and Matt Berninger
42. "Manakamana"
Simple on the surface but hauntingly poetic, this documentary focuses on a series of people as they travel up to a sacred shrine in Nepal. Their faces speak in silences, laughter, and visible sadness, which form a language far more stirring than ephemeral words.
41. "Whiplash"
J.K. Simmons is a nightmarish instructor in Damien Chazelle’s fascinating debut about a young drummer by obsessive passion. The final sequence is an astonishing showstopper that sports marvelous, flawless editing
40. "The Overnighters"
What starts as the story about a Good Samaritan helping those in need despite criticisms, turns into an examination of a conflicted man. Faith, lies, regret and the judgmental eyes of an entire community will become his agonizing cross to bear.
39. "Rocks in My Pockets"
Latvian artist Signe Baumane uses 2D animation to work through her insecurities, her relationships with her estrange family, and depression. Craft and substance merge to construct an absorbing personal statement that is unexpectedly relatable.
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Rocks in My Pockets"
38. "The Missing Picture"
To reconstruct his family’s past, and by extension that of his homeland under the Khmer Rouge, director Rithy Panh uses clay figurines and evocative narration in the absence of images from the time. One of the most original documentaries ever made.
Review "The Missing Picture"
37. "Snowpiercer"
Art house sensibilities imbedded into a powerful post-apocalyptic tale from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho gave us a superbly sophisticated actioner. Chris Evans delivers a different, but equally great heroic performance. However, Tilda Swinton takes the prize here.
36. "Life Itself"
Roger Ebert’s love for life and movies was endless. Despite major health issues near the end, his spirits and voice were never weakened. Steve James intimate documentary captures both the man and the critic in a lovely manner.
35. "Gone Girl"
Fincher’s latest focuses on a media circus fueled by a couple’s despicable lies and the public’s voyeuristic desire to find a villain and a victim. While Ben Affleck is good here, the film thrives on Rosamund Pike’s wickedly clever role.
34. "Two Days, One Night"
Only the Dardenne brothers can transform seemingly banal situations into compelling narratives that question the morality of their characters. In their latest masterful effort Marion Cotillard’s talent shines as she balances desperation, pride, and hope.
33. "Foxcatcher"
Driven by a trifecta of great performances, Bennett Miller’s drama shows a disturbed man in search of recognition and validation by any means necessary. Channing Tatum deserves more praise for his nuanced work here.
32. "Omar"
At once timeless and decisively current, Hany Abu-Asad’s Shakespearean crime drama deals with Israeli-Palestinian relations from a humanistic point of view. The political issues that serve as context become more urgent when seen through the characters’ struggles.
Review "Omar"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Hany Abu-Assad
31. "Mr. Turner"
The awe-inspiring cinematography and Timothy Spall’s grumpy, yet endearing portrayal of one of Britain’s most revered painters make of “Mr. Turner” another successful addition to Mike Leigh’s near-perfect track record.
30. "Nymphomaniac"
Blasphemous, explicit, and cerebral as most of Lars von Trier’s works, this two-part recollection of the anecdotes takes us into the tortured mind of a sex addict. There is no sugarcoating or redemption to be found here, only a skillful provocateur who loves to revel in the playful bleakness of it all.
Review "Nymphomaniac Vol. 1"
Review "Nymphomaniac Vol. 2"
29. "Gloria"
A middle-aged woman takes control of her life in this excellent Chilean dramedy. The title character, played by the lovely Paulina Garcia, wants to find love once again and to live without restrains. As she dances the night away we are certain that, despite the hardships, she will.
Review "Gloria"
Sydney Levine's interview with Sebastian Lelio and Paulina Garcia
28. "The Babadook"
A vicious boogieman terrorizes a mother and her son in this Australian horror masterpiece. Like with the best films in the genre, is what you don’t see that’s the most disturbing. Dir. Jennifer Kent uses creepy guttural sounds, shadows, and a malevolent children’s book to psychologically inflict fear.
27. "Ernest & Celestine"
Delightfully crafted to look like a collection of gorgeous moving watercolors, this French animated feature based on Gabrielle Vincent’s books is a visual treat and reminds us of the innocent fables from yesteryear.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Benjamin Renner
26. "Hide Your Smiling Faces"
Two brothers growing up in a small town are confronted with the notion of death and the complexities of the adult world in this remarkably done debut by Daniel Patrick Carbone. An absolute must-see that deserves a wider audience.
Review "Hide Your Smiling Faces"
25. "Stranger by the Lake"
In Alain Guiraudie’s beachside mystery, a murderous romance hides underneath warm weather and desire. This provocative, darkly comedic and splendidly acted slow-burner shows that danger is sometimes the most lethal aphrodisiac.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Alain Guiraudie
24. "Heli"
Amat Escalante’s brave and brutally honest depiction of Mexico’s violent present is unquestionably a difficult cinematic experience. However, the filmmaker is capable of finding resilient hope in the midst of overwhelming despair.
Review "Heli"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Amat Escalante
23. "CitizenFour"
Few embellishments are needed when you have such a shocking and important story told not from an outsider’s perspective, but from its source. Fiction falls short in comparison to the truths and secrets encompassed in Laura Poitras account of the Edward Snowden case.
22. "Force Majeure"
Gender roles are questioned with humorous but poignant observations on marriage and societal expectations in this Swedish hit from Ruben Östlund. Laugh-out-loud moments galore and an unforgettable “man cry” sequence are the result of a catastrophic controlled avalanche.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Ruben Östlund and Johannes Kuhnke
21. "The Guest"
Adam Wingard’s perversely comedic stunner about a devilishly deceiving visitor was by far one of the most outrageously fun films I saw this year. It’s a masterwork of madness. I can’t wait to see what Wingard, writer Simon Barrett, and star Dan Stevens do next.
20. "Obvious Child"
Jenny Slate’s Donna Stern is navigating adulthood through laughter. Her standup performances are unfiltered, moving, and often hilariously distasteful, but always sincere. Slate and director Gillian Robespierre are a match made in comedy heaven.
Review "Obvious Child"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Gillian Robespierre and Jenny Slate
19. "Inherent Vice"
There are numerous wacky characters and subplots in Paul Thomas Anderson’s adaption of Thomas Pynchon novel, but the real magic happens when Joaquin Phoenix and Josh Brolin are together on screen. “Motto panukeiku!” is all I have to say.
18. "Starred Up"
Jack O’Connell’s award-deserving performance packs raw energy, ferocious anger, and tragic vulnerability. Violence and respect are the only useful currencies in this potent prison drama that’s as thrilling as it’s emotionally devastating.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with David Mackenzie
17. "Listen Up Philip"
Brimming with originality and uncompromising humor, Alex Ross Perry’s look at the writing craft is pure brilliance. Jason Schwartzman stars as an obnoxious, self-centered young author. He is as utterly amusing and revels in his character’s hilarious arrogance.
16. "Boyhood"
Thanks to Richard Linklater’s perseverance we were able to experience an incredible and incomparable cinematic journey. Filled with small, but affecting moments of sorrow and joy, a child’s life - and that of those around him - literally unfolds on screen somewhere between reality and fiction.
15. "Selma"
Avoiding all the dreaded biopic clichés, director Ava DuVernay created a powerful historical drama that couldn’t be more opportune. Among a star-studded cast, David Oyelowo delivers a knockout performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
14. "Under the Skin"
Life on earth as seen by a seductive alien is simultaneously frightening and revelatory in Jonathan Glazer’s dazzling sci-fi character study. Scarlett Johansson is superb as a creature intrigued by the virtues and shortcomings of human nature.
Review "Under the Skin"
13. "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Everything we love about Wes Anderson and much more is included in this stylized beauty of a film. Ralph Fiennes is an irreverent, classy, womanizer that gets into trouble with an array of quirky villains played by a topnotch cast. From its score to the production design, this is Anderson at his best.
12. "The Boxtrolls"
Laika’s craftsmanship reached a new level of delightful greatness with this darkly comedic period piece. Their brand of stop-motion animation is impeccable. Each character is meticulously created with a wonderful physicality that no other medium can provide.
Review "The Boxtrolls"
11. "Leviathan"
Andrey Zvyagintsev’s masterpiece dissects the complexity of Russian society through a family drama that is as intimate as it is monumental in the themes it explores. Religion, government, and betrayal are all monsters haunting a righteous man at the mercy or their powers.
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Andrey Zvyagintsev
10. "Only Lovers Left Alive"
Between desolated Detroit and a moody Marrakesh, Jim Jarmusch's darkly comedic film delivers an incredibly original tale about familiar bloodsuckers. Permeated in groovy rock and roll music, vintage wardrobe, blissful production design, and an otherworldly atmosphere, “Only Lovers Left Alive” reclaims vampires as graceful, complex, and cultured beings, rather than the vehicle for teenage fantasies
Review "Only Lovers Left Alive"
9. "Nightcrawler"
Brutally unapologetic about the bloodthirsty practices of today’s media, Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut is a fantastic vehicle for Jake Gyllenhaal to deliver a performance unlike anything he’s done before. Outrageously insightful, Gilroy’s writing is a perverse delight that is at once analytical and utterly entertaining.
8. "Birdman"
While definitely hilarious, Inarritu’s latest work offers sharp observations on the nature of art and artists. This is a giant leap into new territory for the acclaimed Mexican filmmaker. His undeniable talent directing actors is what elevates his work from just a brilliant idea to a work that thrives on touching human vulnerability. Added to this, Emanuel Lubeski’s work in the cinematography department is a visual treat.
7. "Wild Tales"
This insanely inventive collection of deranged stories questions violence and revenge from a comedic angle. Besides being a complete riot that packs in uproarious humor, Damian Szifron’s film demonstrates his ability to create a cohesive film out of diverse vignettes united by the dark side of human nature. From start to finish, “Wild Tales” is truly a savagely fun trip.
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Wild Tales"
6. "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya"
Studio Ghibli’s co-founder Isao Takahata demonstrates once more that his work is as spectacular as anything else the studio has created. His brand of handcrafted animation is of a uniquely exquisite kind that flows on the screen like streams of vibrant beauty. ‘The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” is perhaps his most striking work
5. "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night"
This black and white, Persian-language vampire film is a revelation. Style and story elegantly arranged to be poetic and ethereal throughout. Undoubtedly the most dazzling feature debut of the year. Ana Lily Amirpour has a unique vision forged out of her fascination with genre films, music, and other peculiar interests, all of which blend into a delightful cocktail of beauty, danger, and pure originality.
4. "Winter Sleep"
Nuri Bilge Ceylan defines what being an auteur means every times he is behind the camera. Palme d’Or or not, “Winter Sleep” is the only film over 3 hours that has kept me fully engaged for every second of it. Every line of dialogue is as thought provoking as the next without being pretentious. He finds the fibers of human behavior and stretches them to their limit in every single scene. Absolutely mesmerizing
Review "Winter Sleep"
Sydney Levine's Feature Piece on "Winter Sleep" from Cannes
3. "Mommy"
The tenderly violent love between a mother and a son make for an intoxicating tour de force. Xavier Dolan plays with aspect ratios, music, evocative cinematography and raw, maddening emotions to produce one of the most heartbreaking and intense experiences I’ve ever had watching a film. I was in a complete state of exhilaration until the very last, perfect, frame.
2. "Ida"
There is not a single miscalculation in Pawel Pawlikowski’s immaculate post-Holocaust drama. Each frame is a stunning work of sheer perfection. Flawless cinematography, riveting performances by both leading actresses, and a story that is subtle on the surface but carries intense undertones about spirituality and the consequences of guilt, make of “Ida” a masterwork to be cherished for years to come
Review "Ida"
Sydney Levine's interview with Pawel Pawlikowski
1. "Song of the Sea"
I'm certain some people will think me crazy for choosing this film as my favorite of the year, but witnessing Tomm Moore’s gorgeous and ethereal craftsmanship was an unforgettable experience. What he was able to achieve here, both in technique and emotional poignancy, is absolutely outstanding. "Song of the Sea" is one of the most blissfully beautiful animated films ever made. It is a gem beaming with awe-inspiring, heartwarming magic. It will be a long time before animation reaches this level of mesmerizing artistry again.
Review "Song of the Sea"
Carlos Aguilar's interview with Tomm Moore...
- 1/1/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
The BBC has announced three new Sir David Attenborough series, including Waking Giants for BBC One.
Attenborough's Paradise Birds and Attenborough's Big Birds have also been commissioned to air on BBC Two.
Waking Giants will follow the recent discovery of dinosaur bones beneath the South American desert, while Paradise Birds will see Attenborough following the avians through the jungles of New Guinea and Indonesia.
"For me birds of paradise are the most romantic and glamorous birds in the world. And this is a film I have wanted to make for 40 years," Attenborough said.
Big Birds will follow Attenborough as he meets some of the world's strangest birds.
The broadcaster has also announced details of two new landmark series: Shark and Dynasty. The former will feature the BBC's Natural History Unit as they use the latest 4K and high-speed camera technology to observe the behaviour of sharks.
Dynasty - which...
Attenborough's Paradise Birds and Attenborough's Big Birds have also been commissioned to air on BBC Two.
Waking Giants will follow the recent discovery of dinosaur bones beneath the South American desert, while Paradise Birds will see Attenborough following the avians through the jungles of New Guinea and Indonesia.
"For me birds of paradise are the most romantic and glamorous birds in the world. And this is a film I have wanted to make for 40 years," Attenborough said.
Big Birds will follow Attenborough as he meets some of the world's strangest birds.
The broadcaster has also announced details of two new landmark series: Shark and Dynasty. The former will feature the BBC's Natural History Unit as they use the latest 4K and high-speed camera technology to observe the behaviour of sharks.
Dynasty - which...
- 10/16/2014
- Digital Spy
Keshet International has sold Prisoners Of War, the Israeli format upon which Showtime’s Homeland is based, to Televisa in Mexico. The deal will see a Spanish-language version of the show broadcast in Mexico (Televisa) and Colombia. while Univision also will hold rights for the U.S. Hispanic market to air the show on its sister channel, Unimas. A big order for 70 episodes based on Prisoners Of War (original title: Hatufim) Seasons 1 and 2 will be produced and adapted by Productions Rti Colombia. This adds to Keshet format sales of Prisoners Of War in such markets as South Korea, Russia, Turkey and the States. The finished show also has sold to more than 20 territories. Prisoners Of War was created, written and directed by Gideon Raff. The original show follows two soldiers as they attempt to re-adjust to their lives after returning home from 17 years of captivity. In addition to their personal struggles,...
- 10/2/2014
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline
Science has been under attack of late and I’m not sure why. Some want to tear down the discoveries and words of caution by scientists, as if to discredit them like an urban legend. No one wants to put money into space programs anymore, and there are those who continue to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to the environment, greenhouse effect, global warming and other scientific truths. It’s not always easy to understand science but to outright deny it is a movement that is befuddling as much as it is frustrating. So what better time than to revive Cosmos, the TV show hosted by the late scientist Carl Sagan, who succeeded in breaking down the walls of science, putting the discoveries in a digestible format that would help communicate the wonders of science to non-scientists.
Led by his widow Ann Druyan and Steve Soter,...
Led by his widow Ann Druyan and Steve Soter,...
- 6/14/2014
- by Ernie Estrella
- BuzzFocus.com
Universal Cable Productions has acquired the rights to the Hugo Award winning, best-selling science fiction novel Spin by Robert Charles Wilson with the goal of developing it into an event TV series. Read on for the details.
The deal marks one of the first project commitments under Dawn Olmstead, who recently joined Universal Cable Productions as Executive Vice President, Development, and underscores the caliber of genre content and compelling stories in development.
Additionally, the studio has signed Bits and Pieces Pictures' Rob Morrow (“Northern Exposure,” Quiz Show) and Olympus Pictures’ Leslie Urdang (Beginners, Rabbit Hole) to produce, rounding out its growing slate of powerhouse auspices.
"Spin is beloved in the sci-fi world for its dynamic characters and engaging storylines. We’re excited to bring this masterpiece to life with Rob Morrow and the team at Olympus Pictures," said Olmstead.
Spin follows three childhood friends who, while playing one night, witness...
The deal marks one of the first project commitments under Dawn Olmstead, who recently joined Universal Cable Productions as Executive Vice President, Development, and underscores the caliber of genre content and compelling stories in development.
Additionally, the studio has signed Bits and Pieces Pictures' Rob Morrow (“Northern Exposure,” Quiz Show) and Olympus Pictures’ Leslie Urdang (Beginners, Rabbit Hole) to produce, rounding out its growing slate of powerhouse auspices.
"Spin is beloved in the sci-fi world for its dynamic characters and engaging storylines. We’re excited to bring this masterpiece to life with Rob Morrow and the team at Olympus Pictures," said Olmstead.
Spin follows three childhood friends who, while playing one night, witness...
- 6/9/2014
- by Debi Moore
- DreadCentral.com
Aside from the sheer terror and unfathomable pain of having to wake up early enough to catch the school bus, I have relatively fond memories of high school and grade school. For the most part, the kids in the latest video from Tomorrow’s World look like they will have fond memories, too. Tomorrow’s World is the side project of Jean Benoit Dunckel and Lou Hayter, better known as members of legendary electronic group Air and New Young Pony Club, respectively. Their most recent video for 'Life on Earth' is a glimpse at a day in the life of school children from the boredom of math class up until the insane running of the bulls that is the final bell. All in all, a pretty low key and typical school experience. The tune is entrancing and melodic. It completes sonically what the video presents to you visually...
- 2/5/2014
- by Arshan Sadri
- Tubefilter.com
Rush is rated R in the U.S. but G in Quebec, tiger cub swim tests, An Astronaut’s Guide To Life On Earth
The Blacklist is the only new show of the fall I still have a Season Pass for, and I love Alan Alda, so I’m incredibly excited that he’s set to guest star on the show, as an enemy of Red who threatens to kill him.
In the United States, Rush was rated R for nudity, violence, language, and sexual situations. In Quebec, it’s rated G, for all audiences. They decided the nudity was incidental, mostly people getting out of bed, which children have probably seen. And the violence was mostly car crashes, which were no worse than government produced seat belt commercials. So who’s right?
Maxim Martsinkevich, the Russian man behind Occupy Pedophelia, which has been producing the kidnapping and torture of gay men videos,...
The Blacklist is the only new show of the fall I still have a Season Pass for, and I love Alan Alda, so I’m incredibly excited that he’s set to guest star on the show, as an enemy of Red who threatens to kill him.
In the United States, Rush was rated R for nudity, violence, language, and sexual situations. In Quebec, it’s rated G, for all audiences. They decided the nudity was incidental, mostly people getting out of bed, which children have probably seen. And the violence was mostly car crashes, which were no worse than government produced seat belt commercials. So who’s right?
Maxim Martsinkevich, the Russian man behind Occupy Pedophelia, which has been producing the kidnapping and torture of gay men videos,...
- 11/11/2013
- by Ed Kennedy
- The Backlot
Chris Hadfield is back on Earth, but he hasn't let his terrestrial status keep him out of the spotlight. The Canadian astronaut, who wowed YouTube during his recent stay on the International Space Station, has released a clever trailer for his upcoming book, An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth. Hadfield introduced himself to the Internet in early 2013. He became a YouTube celebrity of sorts when videos of him performing various actions in space--such as wringing out a dish towel, eating nuts, and crying--went viral to the tune of millions of views. It all culminated in an out-of-this-world cover of David Bowie's 'Space Oddity', which has held up as one of the most surreal, incredible, and wondrous YouTube videos of 2013. Hadfield is back on earth for good; he retired after his most recent journey home. Though he will never blast off again, Hadfield has kept active with a series...
- 10/30/2013
- by Sam Gutelle
- Tubefilter.com
British broadcasting icon Sir David Attenborough returns to our TV screens this week, fronting the sequel to his hit 2010 series First Life.
David Attenborough's Rise of Animals follows the evolution of vertebrates over the past 500 million years and like all of the naturalist's projects, it makes utterly compelling television.
Digital Spy was lucky enough to have a quick interview with Attenborough about the show, his life and why you'll never hear him talking to us about margarine.
On Monday mornings
"I used to have an office job at the BBC for eight years. Monday morning was Monday morning then. But you're right, Monday isn't particularly Monday morning any more. I'm very lucky in that sense."
On returning to China for his new show
"It's changed hugely. When I first went it was a very, very alien place. So I was intrigued to go back this time and in many ways it was depressingly Europeanised.
David Attenborough's Rise of Animals follows the evolution of vertebrates over the past 500 million years and like all of the naturalist's projects, it makes utterly compelling television.
Digital Spy was lucky enough to have a quick interview with Attenborough about the show, his life and why you'll never hear him talking to us about margarine.
On Monday mornings
"I used to have an office job at the BBC for eight years. Monday morning was Monday morning then. But you're right, Monday isn't particularly Monday morning any more. I'm very lucky in that sense."
On returning to China for his new show
"It's changed hugely. When I first went it was a very, very alien place. So I was intrigued to go back this time and in many ways it was depressingly Europeanised.
- 9/19/2013
- Digital Spy
The ‘Bachelor’ family continues to reel after Gia’s shocking suicide. On August 15, Gia’s season 14 Bachelor revealed how absolutely devastated he is by her tragic passing.
Jake Pavelka could hardly breathe when he heard the news that Gia Allemand had died after trying to hang herself. The season 14 Bachelor revealed his shock in a new, heart-wrenching interview, where he also explains why losing Gia is so unbelievably tragic.
Jake Pavelka Mourns Gia Allemand’s Death
“I am in complete shock and devastated to hear the news about Gia,” Jake told People. The 35-year-old, who is so often construed as one of The Bachelor’s biggest villains, also said on Twitter that he had to pull his car over after learning about Gia’s death because he just couldn’t stop crying.
Gia and Jake developed an extremely close relationship over the course of season 14 of The Bachelor, in which...
Jake Pavelka could hardly breathe when he heard the news that Gia Allemand had died after trying to hang herself. The season 14 Bachelor revealed his shock in a new, heart-wrenching interview, where he also explains why losing Gia is so unbelievably tragic.
Jake Pavelka Mourns Gia Allemand’s Death
“I am in complete shock and devastated to hear the news about Gia,” Jake told People. The 35-year-old, who is so often construed as one of The Bachelor’s biggest villains, also said on Twitter that he had to pull his car over after learning about Gia’s death because he just couldn’t stop crying.
Gia and Jake developed an extremely close relationship over the course of season 14 of The Bachelor, in which...
- 8/15/2013
- by Andrew Gruttadaro
- HollywoodLife
Just a few days after discovering Gia Allemand hanged, Ryan Anderson released a statement while mourning his girlfriend's death.
The basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans shared, "I’m deeply grateful for all the love and support we have received from family, friends and fans. Gia was the most beautiful person I knew inside and out and she always smiled and made everyone else around her smile. She had such an amazing impact on my life and anyone that knew her was blessed. All I have left is to cherish those memories we made together and help perpetuate the many values, faith and love that we shared.”
On Wednesday, the "Bachelor" star was removed from life support, two days after her alleged suicide attempt.
Upon hearing the news, the "Bachelor" himself, Sean Lowe, tweeted, "My prayers go out to @GiaAllemand's family during this time. Life on earth is but...
The basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans shared, "I’m deeply grateful for all the love and support we have received from family, friends and fans. Gia was the most beautiful person I knew inside and out and she always smiled and made everyone else around her smile. She had such an amazing impact on my life and anyone that knew her was blessed. All I have left is to cherish those memories we made together and help perpetuate the many values, faith and love that we shared.”
On Wednesday, the "Bachelor" star was removed from life support, two days after her alleged suicide attempt.
Upon hearing the news, the "Bachelor" himself, Sean Lowe, tweeted, "My prayers go out to @GiaAllemand's family during this time. Life on earth is but...
- 8/15/2013
- GossipCenter
We now have confirmation that the world won't have to wait four years between Wachowski films. The release date for the next film from the sibling duo, "Jupiter Ascending," is now scheduled to hit theaters on July 25, 2014.
Fans of Lana and Andy Wachowski's previous work should find plenty to like in the film, which sounds like it will be another sci-fi epic of the proportions we're used to the from the directing team.
"Jupiter Ascending" will star Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum as citizens in a distantly futuristic world. Life on Earth as we know it is a thing of the past, and the world has evolved far beyond the complexity of humans. As a type of sci-fi Snow White, Kunis will play a human targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe, and Tatum takes on the responsibility of protecting her.
We will definitely be keeping an...
Fans of Lana and Andy Wachowski's previous work should find plenty to like in the film, which sounds like it will be another sci-fi epic of the proportions we're used to the from the directing team.
"Jupiter Ascending" will star Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum as citizens in a distantly futuristic world. Life on Earth as we know it is a thing of the past, and the world has evolved far beyond the complexity of humans. As a type of sci-fi Snow White, Kunis will play a human targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe, and Tatum takes on the responsibility of protecting her.
We will definitely be keeping an...
- 3/15/2013
- by Kevin P. Sullivan
- MTV Movies Blog
Sir David Attenborough would like to make a show about babies. The 86-year-old presenter - who is known for his nature shows such as 'Life On Earth' - admits nothing ''fascinates'' him more than a human baby and he would love to create a documentary focused on them. He told The Sun newspaper: ''What is the creature that really grips your emotions, that you are continuously fascinated by? The answer is the human baby. A nine month old. ''Babies are fabulous. They change every day, grip your heart. I wouldn't mind doing a show about them.'' David's series 'Frozen Planet' won Best Documentary at...
- 1/28/2013
- Virgin Media - TV
Sir David Attenborough would like to make a show about babies. The 86-year-old presenter - who is known for his nature shows such as 'Life On Earth' - admits nothing ''fascinates'' him more than a human baby and he would love to create a documentary focused on them. He told The Sun newspaper: ''What is the creature that really grips your emotions, that you are continuously fascinated by? The answer is the human baby. A nine month old. ''Babies are fabulous. They change every day, grip your heart. I wouldn't mind doing a show about them.'' David's series 'Frozen Planet' won Best Documentary at...
- 1/28/2013
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
From LiveScience Staff:
Sir David Attenborough, the famed British naturalist and television presenter, has some harsh words for humanity.
"We are a plague on the Earth," Attenborough told the Radio Times, as reported by the Telegraph. "It's coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so."
Attenborough went on to say that both climate change and "sheer space" were looming problems for humanity.
"Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now," he said.
Sir David is not the only naturalist who has warned of population growth outstripping resources. Paul Ehrlich, the president of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University and author of "The Population Bomb" (Sierra Club-Ballantine, 1968) has long used language similar to Attenborough's. And in 2011, an analysis of species loss suggested that humans are beginning to cause a...
Sir David Attenborough, the famed British naturalist and television presenter, has some harsh words for humanity.
"We are a plague on the Earth," Attenborough told the Radio Times, as reported by the Telegraph. "It's coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so."
Attenborough went on to say that both climate change and "sheer space" were looming problems for humanity.
"Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now," he said.
Sir David is not the only naturalist who has warned of population growth outstripping resources. Paul Ehrlich, the president of the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University and author of "The Population Bomb" (Sierra Club-Ballantine, 1968) has long used language similar to Attenborough's. And in 2011, an analysis of species loss suggested that humans are beginning to cause a...
- 1/23/2013
- by Jessica Leader
- Huffington Post
The world is Sir David Attenborough's playground, which he has revealed on camera in all of its natural wonder with irrepressible enthusiasm for the last 60 years, forging a career that encompasses what he calls "the golden age of natural history filmmaking." His breakthrough TV programs include 1979's epic Life on Earth, which launched a series of "Life" specials, and such recent phenoms as Planet Earth and Frozen Planet (although Discovery Channel replaced his narration with American actors for U.S. broadcast).
PBS' Nature celebrates his astonishing milestones over the next three Wednesdays with a miniseries, Attenborough's Life Stories (check tvguide.com listings), which functions as a visual history of how this sort of nature programming has evolved with the help of technological breakthroughs.
Read More >...
PBS' Nature celebrates his astonishing milestones over the next three Wednesdays with a miniseries, Attenborough's Life Stories (check tvguide.com listings), which functions as a visual history of how this sort of nature programming has evolved with the help of technological breakthroughs.
Read More >...
- 1/23/2013
- by Matt Roush
- TVGuide - Breaking News
In order to kick of the weekend right, snicks will be bringing you a liveblog of all the gaybie drama on Days of Our Lives today.
This week, Dr. Oz gave a forum to reparative therapy, and on the show, it was presented as a genuine medical practice, and not debunked as junk science as the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and all other medical bodies have done. Further, producers reached out to Wayne Besen at Truth Wins Out about appearing, and Besen was agreeable, even offering to field expert medical testimonies, but the producers balked and dropped him. Dr. Oz later posted on his blog that he felt reparative therapy wasn't medically sound, but that didn't reach nearly the audience his broadcast did.
On a happier note, the Warwick Rowing Team has put out a trailer for their new 2013 naked calendar, which benefits anti-bullying charities. It's way too Nsfw to play here,...
This week, Dr. Oz gave a forum to reparative therapy, and on the show, it was presented as a genuine medical practice, and not debunked as junk science as the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and all other medical bodies have done. Further, producers reached out to Wayne Besen at Truth Wins Out about appearing, and Besen was agreeable, even offering to field expert medical testimonies, but the producers balked and dropped him. Dr. Oz later posted on his blog that he felt reparative therapy wasn't medically sound, but that didn't reach nearly the audience his broadcast did.
On a happier note, the Warwick Rowing Team has put out a trailer for their new 2013 naked calendar, which benefits anti-bullying charities. It's way too Nsfw to play here,...
- 11/30/2012
- by lostinmiami
- The Backlot
The Guardian's season of British cult classics continues with a moving family drama set in Liverpool and an offbeat tale of twin zoologists obsessed with death
Sick of Twilight? Can't bear the thought of Skyfall? In what can only be described as an inspired bit of counter-programming, the Guardian brings you the second in our series of British cult classics double bills, in conjuction with the BFI. The absolute acme of 1980s British auteurist cinema, Distant Voices, Still Lives and A Zed & Two Noughts couldn't be more different to the current breed of blockbuster: both intensely personal, inward-looking, and defiantly unconventional.
That's not to say these two films run on similar tracks; they themselves are practically polar opposites. Distant Voices was the 1988 feature debut of Terence Davies, the intensely neurotic Liverpudlian who would go on to make The House of Mirth and The Deep Blue Sea. Davies had already acquired...
Sick of Twilight? Can't bear the thought of Skyfall? In what can only be described as an inspired bit of counter-programming, the Guardian brings you the second in our series of British cult classics double bills, in conjuction with the BFI. The absolute acme of 1980s British auteurist cinema, Distant Voices, Still Lives and A Zed & Two Noughts couldn't be more different to the current breed of blockbuster: both intensely personal, inward-looking, and defiantly unconventional.
That's not to say these two films run on similar tracks; they themselves are practically polar opposites. Distant Voices was the 1988 feature debut of Terence Davies, the intensely neurotic Liverpudlian who would go on to make The House of Mirth and The Deep Blue Sea. Davies had already acquired...
- 11/16/2012
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Tinchy Stryder has been announced as a support act for Cheryl Cole's upcoming tour. Cheryl will embark on her first arena tour in October, taking in nine shows across eight cities. Stryder recently unveiled his new single 'Help Me', to be released on September 16. It will be included on his upcoming album End of Life on Earth. Wretch 32 has confirmed that he will be making some form of a guest appearance during the tour. will.i.am has also been rumoured to feature as a guest performer. Stryder admitted that he had a huge crush on Cheryl Cole (more)...
- 9/13/2012
- by By Tom Eames
- Digital Spy
Tinchy Stryder has unveiled his new music video online. The rapper will release 'Help Me' as his latest single on September 16. It has been lifted from his upcoming album End of Life on Earth. The accompanying music video sees Tinchy Stryder performing the track in a poverty-stricken neighbourhood. Other scenes focus on Christian iconography, statues and buildings, directly representing the chorus's (more)...
- 8/15/2012
- by By Lewis Corner
- Digital Spy
Introduction
You can read Part 1 of this series Here.
You can read Part 2 of this series Here.
In the first article of this “Answering the Titan” series we attempted to decipher the clues that are laid out in Prometheus in an effort to solve what many see as an ambiguous storyline, observing that the movie presents a series of hints alluding to plot answers, though few if any of these answers are definitive. In the second article we explored the mythological and literary motifs that form the philosophical backdrop for the Prometheus narrative, and concluded that Prometheus weaves its narrative tapestry from a disparate collection of ancient myths and legends.
In this article we will talk about the key themes underlying Prometheus which, at its heart, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of dabbling with that which is not fully understood; and a fable that creation, progression and knowledge...
You can read Part 1 of this series Here.
You can read Part 2 of this series Here.
In the first article of this “Answering the Titan” series we attempted to decipher the clues that are laid out in Prometheus in an effort to solve what many see as an ambiguous storyline, observing that the movie presents a series of hints alluding to plot answers, though few if any of these answers are definitive. In the second article we explored the mythological and literary motifs that form the philosophical backdrop for the Prometheus narrative, and concluded that Prometheus weaves its narrative tapestry from a disparate collection of ancient myths and legends.
In this article we will talk about the key themes underlying Prometheus which, at its heart, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of dabbling with that which is not fully understood; and a fable that creation, progression and knowledge...
- 7/17/2012
- by Benji Taylor
- Obsessed with Film
Sir David Attenborough has revealed that he is launching a series of shows in Australia. The 85-year-old natural history presenter, who is best known for television documentaries such as The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet, is scheduled to appear live on stage in Sydney and Melbourne later this year. According to Aap, the shows will be called Sir David Attenborough - A Life on Earth and during the performances, fans will hear a first-hand account of his life and career. The shows will kick off in Sydney's State Theatre on Friday, August 10 and on Saturday, August 11. It will then move to Regent Theatre in Melbourne (more)...
- 3/16/2012
- by By Rebecca Davies
- Digital Spy
• It’s No Longer Coming—It’s Here!
• Does The Return Of The Phoenix To Earth Signal The Rebirth Of The Mutant Species? That’s What The X-Men Believe!
• Unfortunately, The Avengers Are Convinced That Its Coming Will Mean The End Of All Life On Earth!
• The Stage Is Set For The Ultimate Marvel Showdown In This Oversized First Issue!
Click to see larger image.
Story by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: John Romita Jr.
Cover by: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April, 2012...
• Does The Return Of The Phoenix To Earth Signal The Rebirth Of The Mutant Species? That’s What The X-Men Believe!
• Unfortunately, The Avengers Are Convinced That Its Coming Will Mean The End Of All Life On Earth!
• The Stage Is Set For The Ultimate Marvel Showdown In This Oversized First Issue!
Click to see larger image.
Story by: Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: John Romita Jr.
Cover by: Jim Cheung
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April, 2012...
- 2/8/2012
- by GeekRest
- GeekRest
Click the above title to read more...
The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life On Earth Book Review
About the Book: This book contains the secrets of her nine plus lives. The how...to end all How To books!*This review is from our network site BookLegion.com
Our Take: Julie Newmar is an amazing actress. She is one of my personal favorites...you see I'm a Batman maniac. I mean that in the worst way! lol. Julie Newmar is, of course, most famous for her role as the sexy and classy Catwoman in the 1966 Batman television show. Ms. Newmar has had a very prolific career since and has become something of a cultural icon. You may have seen the film "Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar. This book is full of Julie's thoughts on life...everything from writing, health, wealth, parents and pursuing your dreams. She has very practical...
The Conscious Catwoman Explains Life On Earth Book Review
About the Book: This book contains the secrets of her nine plus lives. The how...to end all How To books!*This review is from our network site BookLegion.com
Our Take: Julie Newmar is an amazing actress. She is one of my personal favorites...you see I'm a Batman maniac. I mean that in the worst way! lol. Julie Newmar is, of course, most famous for her role as the sexy and classy Catwoman in the 1966 Batman television show. Ms. Newmar has had a very prolific career since and has become something of a cultural icon. You may have seen the film "Too Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar. This book is full of Julie's thoughts on life...everything from writing, health, wealth, parents and pursuing your dreams. She has very practical...
- 11/7/2011
- by THE LEGION fan network
- Legions of Gotham
They might seem unlikely stars for a 3D film, but for Cane Toads: The Conquest director Mark Lewis it was a natural choice. He tells Ed Gibbs about Australia's love-hate relationship with this unwanted intruder
They ran over them with cars, bashed them with cricket bats, took swings at them with golf clubs – and nothing made any difference. Their lethal toxic venom ensured that anything that ate them came off second best. Some people boiled them, others made pets of them, and at least one (musician Tim Finn) wrote a song about them. The cane toad, Australia's plague species, was immortalised in a 1987 documentary Cane Toads: An Unnatural History. Now, some 25 years on, the toads are back – bigger and badder than ever, in Cane Toads: The Conquest, Australia's first-ever 3D film.
At least part of the reason behind the unexpected success of Mark Lewis's original film – with a domestic...
They ran over them with cars, bashed them with cricket bats, took swings at them with golf clubs – and nothing made any difference. Their lethal toxic venom ensured that anything that ate them came off second best. Some people boiled them, others made pets of them, and at least one (musician Tim Finn) wrote a song about them. The cane toad, Australia's plague species, was immortalised in a 1987 documentary Cane Toads: An Unnatural History. Now, some 25 years on, the toads are back – bigger and badder than ever, in Cane Toads: The Conquest, Australia's first-ever 3D film.
At least part of the reason behind the unexpected success of Mark Lewis's original film – with a domestic...
- 9/20/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
It's no secret that Catwoman is sharpening her claws for a reappearance on the big screen, with Anne Hathaway bringing her version of the feline femme fatale to Chris Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.
But before we see that new personification, Julie Newmar - who was the first actress to play the comic book character in the 1960s Batman TV series - is stepping back into the spotlight.
Bluewater Productions is reuniting Newmar with her caped crusader co-star Adam West and bringing her back to the comics world on which the iconic show was based.
Spinning off from The Misadventures of Adam West comic book, which becomes a regular series in December, comes The Secret Lives of Julie Newmar, launching in February 2012.
Fans will see Newmar in a new light. The story starts with the actress enjoying a quiet morning in her garden, when she is hijacked into the...
But before we see that new personification, Julie Newmar - who was the first actress to play the comic book character in the 1960s Batman TV series - is stepping back into the spotlight.
Bluewater Productions is reuniting Newmar with her caped crusader co-star Adam West and bringing her back to the comics world on which the iconic show was based.
Spinning off from The Misadventures of Adam West comic book, which becomes a regular series in December, comes The Secret Lives of Julie Newmar, launching in February 2012.
Fans will see Newmar in a new light. The story starts with the actress enjoying a quiet morning in her garden, when she is hijacked into the...
- 9/9/2011
- by David Bentley
- The Geek Files
Charles Monnet is responsible for you being concerned about polar bears drowning in ice-less Arctic waters. But did his support for wildlife get him suspended from his government post?
Earlier this year, prominent members in the House of Representatives announced that we would soon see "investigations" of climate scientists. Now, the government has moved on to investigating the work of wildlife researchers, and the scientific community is aghast. This is the story of Charles Monnet. You don't know him, but you know his work. And now he is suspended from his job for mysterious reasons.
Charles Monnett is a wildlife researcher with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, (Boemre), the government agency charged with extracting energy from underwater coastal land. Monnet wrote the initial paper that has been the basis of the oft-repeated horror stories that polar bears are drowning because there isn't enough ice for them to rest on.
Earlier this year, prominent members in the House of Representatives announced that we would soon see "investigations" of climate scientists. Now, the government has moved on to investigating the work of wildlife researchers, and the scientific community is aghast. This is the story of Charles Monnet. You don't know him, but you know his work. And now he is suspended from his job for mysterious reasons.
Charles Monnett is a wildlife researcher with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement, (Boemre), the government agency charged with extracting energy from underwater coastal land. Monnet wrote the initial paper that has been the basis of the oft-repeated horror stories that polar bears are drowning because there isn't enough ice for them to rest on.
- 8/2/2011
- by Curt Stager
- Fast Company
A close chemical relative of the fuel in butane cigarette lighters may be what helps keep air travel viable in a post-petroleum world.
As affordable petroleum becomes scarcer, it's easy to imagine switching to electric cars or outfitting hydrogen-powered ships with supplementary sails. But it's harder to picture what we might run jumbo jets on in the future. Perhaps passengers will help to drive propellers as whip-wielding stewardesses urge them to pedal faster, or reach under their seats to hook fresh batteries to electric engines in mid-flight. This hardly seems likely, though. So what might really keep air travel viable in a post-petroleum world?
One of the main candidates is butanol, a close chemical relative of the fuel in butane cigarette lighters. It's more suitable for aviation than ethanol, which offers only modest energy outputs, isn't fully compatible with existing internal combustion engines, and corrodes the pipelines it travels through.
As affordable petroleum becomes scarcer, it's easy to imagine switching to electric cars or outfitting hydrogen-powered ships with supplementary sails. But it's harder to picture what we might run jumbo jets on in the future. Perhaps passengers will help to drive propellers as whip-wielding stewardesses urge them to pedal faster, or reach under their seats to hook fresh batteries to electric engines in mid-flight. This hardly seems likely, though. So what might really keep air travel viable in a post-petroleum world?
One of the main candidates is butanol, a close chemical relative of the fuel in butane cigarette lighters. It's more suitable for aviation than ethanol, which offers only modest energy outputs, isn't fully compatible with existing internal combustion engines, and corrodes the pipelines it travels through.
- 7/22/2011
- by Curt Stager
- Fast Company
The reality of climate change is serious enough that it doesn't need to be exaggerated in order to be taken seriously.
A recent article in Grist proposes that we aren't sufficiently afraid of climate change. The writer bases his claim on a paper in Nature Geoscience, which reports that global climate models do a lousy job of simulating abrupt climatic shifts, favoring slow-moving changes that they can more easily wrap their silicon-chip brains around. Because of this bias, the models have supposedly been misleading us into a false sense of complacency when we should instead be "way more terrified" of what may lie ahead. But speaking as a paleoclimatologist, this isn't really news, and I don't think we should freak out about it.
Paul Valdes, author of the aforementioned Nature Geoscience article, cites four examples from the deep past to illustrate what happens when a climate trend passes a "tipping...
A recent article in Grist proposes that we aren't sufficiently afraid of climate change. The writer bases his claim on a paper in Nature Geoscience, which reports that global climate models do a lousy job of simulating abrupt climatic shifts, favoring slow-moving changes that they can more easily wrap their silicon-chip brains around. Because of this bias, the models have supposedly been misleading us into a false sense of complacency when we should instead be "way more terrified" of what may lie ahead. But speaking as a paleoclimatologist, this isn't really news, and I don't think we should freak out about it.
Paul Valdes, author of the aforementioned Nature Geoscience article, cites four examples from the deep past to illustrate what happens when a climate trend passes a "tipping...
- 7/8/2011
- by Curt Stager
- Fast Company
Is hydrogen actually clean, or just clean compared to fossil fuels? Even though it mostly produces water, there are some nasty side effects no one is talking about.
Just when you think you can praise hydrogen as a squeaky-clean replacement for fossil fuels, someone has to spoil the scene by asking pesky questions about pollution.
Today, we think of coal, oil, and gas as "dirty" energy sources because they release heat-trapping carbon dioxide when you burn them, thereby contributing to global warming. Sometimes coal also contains sulfur, which makes nasty, lake-sterilizing sulfuric acid rain. One potential solution: Hydrogen, which makes nothing but benign water vapor when burned.
I've long been a fan of hydrogen, and have blogged in favor of it here. But nothing is perfect (except, perhaps, that classic guitar solo in "Blue Sky" from the Allman Brothers' Eat A Peach), and I'm now wondering about one possible blemish on hydrogen's otherwise shiny facade.
Just when you think you can praise hydrogen as a squeaky-clean replacement for fossil fuels, someone has to spoil the scene by asking pesky questions about pollution.
Today, we think of coal, oil, and gas as "dirty" energy sources because they release heat-trapping carbon dioxide when you burn them, thereby contributing to global warming. Sometimes coal also contains sulfur, which makes nasty, lake-sterilizing sulfuric acid rain. One potential solution: Hydrogen, which makes nothing but benign water vapor when burned.
I've long been a fan of hydrogen, and have blogged in favor of it here. But nothing is perfect (except, perhaps, that classic guitar solo in "Blue Sky" from the Allman Brothers' Eat A Peach), and I'm now wondering about one possible blemish on hydrogen's otherwise shiny facade.
- 6/30/2011
- by Curt Stager
- Fast Company
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