In Antoine Fuqua's 2018 film "The Equalizer 2," Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) spent just as much time engaging in civic rebuilding activities as he did slashing criminal throats. He scrubbed graffiti off of the walls of his Boston tenement, read Proust, and handed a reading list -- including Ta-Nehisii Coates' "Between the World and Me" and W.E.B. DuBois' "The Souls of Black Folk" -- to a neighboring at-risk teen (Ashton Sanders from "Moonlight"). It was a film just as much about righteous indignation as it was about kicking ass and cathartic murder. It was an action film for the Trump era, depicting a strictly moral assassin attacking wealthy white frat bros (one gets his neck cut open by the sharpened edge of his own credit card).
Fuqua's and Washington's 2023 follow-up "The Equalizer 3," purportedly the final film in the series, takes a simpler tack. McCall's superheroism...
Fuqua's and Washington's 2023 follow-up "The Equalizer 3," purportedly the final film in the series, takes a simpler tack. McCall's superheroism...
- 8/29/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The much-documented and discussed real-life romantic relationship between Zach Braff and Florence Pugh may not have lasted, but the writer-director has provided the actress a sterling opportunity to showcase her talents with his latest directorial effort. Pugh delivers a superb starring performance that serves to accentuate her growing artistic stature and co-star Morgan Freeman turns in his best work in years after appearing in far too many sub-par vehicles. Their efforts lift A Good Person, which otherwise too often feels familiar in its themes and self-conscious in its melodramatic plot contrivances.
The story begins on the sort of absurdly happy note — accompanied by plaintive piano tinkling on the soundtrack — that instantly clues you in that it’s not going to last. We see the radiant Allison (Pugh) and her handsome fiancé Nathan (Chinaza Uche, Dickinson) joyfully celebrating at their engagement party, both of them clearly very much in love and...
The story begins on the sort of absurdly happy note — accompanied by plaintive piano tinkling on the soundtrack — that instantly clues you in that it’s not going to last. We see the radiant Allison (Pugh) and her handsome fiancé Nathan (Chinaza Uche, Dickinson) joyfully celebrating at their engagement party, both of them clearly very much in love and...
- 3/22/2023
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When it came time to render the harsh and unforgiving realism of L.A.’s criminal underworld of director Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day” in crisp 4k, the process risked diminishing the film’s hard edge.
“Don’t let it be too pretty,” the filmmaker told MPI colorist Sheri Eisenberg, who was assigned the task of bringing the film to a whole new level.
The 2001 Oscar-winning crime thriller — with cinematography by Mauro Fiore — is being released in high resolution 4K for the first time. The format’s Hdr utilizes a broader color spectrum giving audiences the clearest viewing experience with brighter, deeper, and more lifelike colors. But that presented its own set of problems with this particular title.
Read More: David Lynch on Restoring ‘Inland Empire’ and Laura Dern’s Oscar Snub
“What he wanted was something meaner, a little grittier,” she recalled. “‘Training Day’ is a rough day on the streets of Los Angeles.
“Don’t let it be too pretty,” the filmmaker told MPI colorist Sheri Eisenberg, who was assigned the task of bringing the film to a whole new level.
The 2001 Oscar-winning crime thriller — with cinematography by Mauro Fiore — is being released in high resolution 4K for the first time. The format’s Hdr utilizes a broader color spectrum giving audiences the clearest viewing experience with brighter, deeper, and more lifelike colors. But that presented its own set of problems with this particular title.
Read More: David Lynch on Restoring ‘Inland Empire’ and Laura Dern’s Oscar Snub
“What he wanted was something meaner, a little grittier,” she recalled. “‘Training Day’ is a rough day on the streets of Los Angeles.
- 3/4/2023
- by Simon Thompson
- Indiewire
The last time cinematographer Russell Carpenter partnered with director James Cameron, they both brought home Oscars for their work on “Titanic.” That was a famously arduous production, but on their latest collaboration, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” Carpenter quickly realized he would face another set of challenges: not only would he once again be shooting on and in the water, but he would have to learn a whole new language related to virtual lighting.
“That was totally new for me,” Carpenter told IndieWire. Before long, however, he realized that his basic job wasn’t that different from a conventional live-action film. “It’s the same as always in that you’re sculpting light. It’s a very different way of working, but the task is still the same.”
In addition to “Titanic,” Carpenter had shot “True Lies” for Cameron, but did not photograph the original “Avatar.” (Mauro Fiore won an...
“That was totally new for me,” Carpenter told IndieWire. Before long, however, he realized that his basic job wasn’t that different from a conventional live-action film. “It’s the same as always in that you’re sculpting light. It’s a very different way of working, but the task is still the same.”
In addition to “Titanic,” Carpenter had shot “True Lies” for Cameron, but did not photograph the original “Avatar.” (Mauro Fiore won an...
- 1/3/2023
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
The combined predictions of Gold Derby users point to a close Oscars battle for Best Cinematography: “The Fabelmans” vs. “Top Gun: Maverick” at the top of the odds with “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Babylon” close behind. Every one of their associated cinematographers is a past Oscar winner, so if we’re right we’re going to see someone repeat when the awards are handed out. But who will it be?
SEEClaudio Miranda (‘Top Gun: Maverick’ cinematographer) on the breathtaking in-camera flight sequences: ‘I didn’t want to be on a volume or on a blue screen’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
The Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets give the slight edge to “Maverick” Dp Claudio Miranda, who previously won Best Cinematography 10 years ago for “Life of Pi.” Eight of them are betting on the sky-high sequel to win compared to six who say “Fabelmans,” three who pick “Avatar,” and one who says “Babylon.
SEEClaudio Miranda (‘Top Gun: Maverick’ cinematographer) on the breathtaking in-camera flight sequences: ‘I didn’t want to be on a volume or on a blue screen’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
The Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets give the slight edge to “Maverick” Dp Claudio Miranda, who previously won Best Cinematography 10 years ago for “Life of Pi.” Eight of them are betting on the sky-high sequel to win compared to six who say “Fabelmans,” three who pick “Avatar,” and one who says “Babylon.
- 12/28/2022
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Only James Cameron could get away with having two scenes that reference “Free Willy” (1993) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979) in “Avatar 2” and get away with it.
“Avatar: The Way of Water,” the long-anticipated sequel to James Cameron’s best picture nominee from 2009, descends as the final major awards contender of the calendar year, angling to make a play in all technical categories and for best picture. With breathtaking visual effects and wizardry from his artisans, Cameron’s immersive film experience is a treat for audiences and industry voters.
Critics, journalists and other industry members were treated to the first round of screenings this week which began on Monday across the country. With 3D visuals and presented in high frame rate, it’s impossible not to become engulfed in the world, the same as its predecessor. But also, like its predecessor, if you remove the movie theater experience from the equation, voters...
“Avatar: The Way of Water,” the long-anticipated sequel to James Cameron’s best picture nominee from 2009, descends as the final major awards contender of the calendar year, angling to make a play in all technical categories and for best picture. With breathtaking visual effects and wizardry from his artisans, Cameron’s immersive film experience is a treat for audiences and industry voters.
Critics, journalists and other industry members were treated to the first round of screenings this week which began on Monday across the country. With 3D visuals and presented in high frame rate, it’s impossible not to become engulfed in the world, the same as its predecessor. But also, like its predecessor, if you remove the movie theater experience from the equation, voters...
- 12/7/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Gold Derby’s latest Oscar odds show 12 viable contenders battling for Best Cinematography. Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical “The Fabelmans,” shot by longtime collaborator Janusz Kamiński, leads a particularly strong slate that includes three blockbuster sequels, a war epic, and an ode to cinema shot by Roger Deakins.
Kamiński’s won twice before, and both victories coincided with Spielberg’s. The pair walked away winners in 1994 and 1999 for “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” respectively. Given Spielberg’s frontrunner status in Best Director, pundits are predicting lightning will strike a third time for these two. Kamiński pulled through with a nomination for “West Side Story” a year ago despite missing a predictive nod from the American Society of Cinematographers.
See Steven Spielberg in position to mine plenty of Oscars gold with ‘The Fabelmans’
Former winner Claudio Miranda also looks like a lock for his groundbreaking work on “Top Gun: Maverick.” The...
Kamiński’s won twice before, and both victories coincided with Spielberg’s. The pair walked away winners in 1994 and 1999 for “Schindler’s List” and “Saving Private Ryan,” respectively. Given Spielberg’s frontrunner status in Best Director, pundits are predicting lightning will strike a third time for these two. Kamiński pulled through with a nomination for “West Side Story” a year ago despite missing a predictive nod from the American Society of Cinematographers.
See Steven Spielberg in position to mine plenty of Oscars gold with ‘The Fabelmans’
Former winner Claudio Miranda also looks like a lock for his groundbreaking work on “Top Gun: Maverick.” The...
- 11/4/2022
- by Ronald Meyer
- Gold Derby
Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies from film awards editor Clayton Davis. Following history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar and Emmy predictions are updated regularly with the current year's list of contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. The eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and is subject to change.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Cinematography
Updated: Jan 30, 2022
Awards Prediction Commentary: The ASC Awards recognized Ari Wegner in the theatrical...
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit The Oscars Collective
Visit each category, per the individual awards show from The Oscars Hub
Revisit the prediction archive of the 2021 season The Archive
Link to television awards is atTHE Emmys Hub
2022 Oscars Predictions:
Best Cinematography
Updated: Jan 30, 2022
Awards Prediction Commentary: The ASC Awards recognized Ari Wegner in the theatrical...
- 1/30/2022
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Back in 2018, “Black Panther” cracked the best picture race and showed that the industry was ready to recognize the superhero movie. It also landed five other nominations and made Oscar history when Ruth E. Carter and Hannah Beachler won in their respective categories of costume design and production design.
This year, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which just swung back to the top of the box office is leading the conversation once again for all the reasons Owen Gleiberman mentioned here, showing why a superhero movie should be considered worthy of cracking the best picture race — especially as the number of nominees has expanded to 10 possible slots.
While “Spider-Man” didn’t land a SAG ensemble nomination, it has scored nominations with the Visual Effects Society and the Motion Picture of Sound Editors and the Cinema Audio Society. Additionally, it has all the elements of an emotional storyline grounded in reality with...
This year, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which just swung back to the top of the box office is leading the conversation once again for all the reasons Owen Gleiberman mentioned here, showing why a superhero movie should be considered worthy of cracking the best picture race — especially as the number of nominees has expanded to 10 possible slots.
While “Spider-Man” didn’t land a SAG ensemble nomination, it has scored nominations with the Visual Effects Society and the Motion Picture of Sound Editors and the Cinema Audio Society. Additionally, it has all the elements of an emotional storyline grounded in reality with...
- 1/25/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
It’s time to have a serious conversation about “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and what it can achieve at the Oscars this year.
Looking at the Oscars shortlists announced on Tuesday, the third chapter in the Tom Holland universe showed up in two categories — sound and visual effects — despite its late release.
Unlike most superhero pics, critical and audience opinion are aligned about the film. “No Way Home” also joined an elite club of only 91 movies to ever earn an A+ CinemaScore, and became the fourth live-action superhero movie to do so, after “The Avengers” (2012), “Black Panther” (2018) and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019).
I’ve never been a pundit who believes in “follow the money” to predict best picture nominees. But, especially in these last two years amid the pandemic, box office “failures” (whatever that means now) are even less of a hindrance for awards campaigns. Still, as exhibited by our favorite web-slinger,...
Looking at the Oscars shortlists announced on Tuesday, the third chapter in the Tom Holland universe showed up in two categories — sound and visual effects — despite its late release.
Unlike most superhero pics, critical and audience opinion are aligned about the film. “No Way Home” also joined an elite club of only 91 movies to ever earn an A+ CinemaScore, and became the fourth live-action superhero movie to do so, after “The Avengers” (2012), “Black Panther” (2018) and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019).
I’ve never been a pundit who believes in “follow the money” to predict best picture nominees. But, especially in these last two years amid the pandemic, box office “failures” (whatever that means now) are even less of a hindrance for awards campaigns. Still, as exhibited by our favorite web-slinger,...
- 12/23/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Two-time BAFTA nominee Peter Chelsom is making his second feature, the revenge thriller The Beauty of Sharks with Indiana Production in Italy. The news comes as Chelsom’s Italian thriller Security drops on Netflix today.
Written by Rob Green with rewrites by Chelsom and Tinker Linsday, the pic, set in 1958, follows Mrs. Joy Hamilton, a recently widowed American socialite on the brink of ending her life when she sees the chance to avenge a famous millionairess, whose son she raised as her own. Believing the son to be dead, Mrs. Hamilton recruits a handsome gigolo to be the imposter in a dangerous confidence trick. The Beauty of Sharks will shoot in Amalfi in January and casting is underway. Colin Vaines and Lee Brazier will produce.
Chelsom tells Deadline, “It’s very much a ‘modern period film’ – a story that addresses issues of privilege, prejudice and fluidity which, by virtue...
Written by Rob Green with rewrites by Chelsom and Tinker Linsday, the pic, set in 1958, follows Mrs. Joy Hamilton, a recently widowed American socialite on the brink of ending her life when she sees the chance to avenge a famous millionairess, whose son she raised as her own. Believing the son to be dead, Mrs. Hamilton recruits a handsome gigolo to be the imposter in a dangerous confidence trick. The Beauty of Sharks will shoot in Amalfi in January and casting is underway. Colin Vaines and Lee Brazier will produce.
Chelsom tells Deadline, “It’s very much a ‘modern period film’ – a story that addresses issues of privilege, prejudice and fluidity which, by virtue...
- 6/16/2021
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
If you’ve ever wished that video games could look more like real life — or that real life could look more like video games — Antoine Fuqua is here to fulfill your fantasies.
Many of the actors in the Paramount+ release “Infinite” might as well be avatars; you can picture the green screens as you’re watching the complicated set pieces, and there is no emotional investment required or even requested. But it delivers what it promises, in the form of expensive spectacle.
Chris Evans dropped out of this project in 2019 — he cited scheduling issues, which feels like a polite excuse — but the truth is that Mark Wahlberg is a far better fit. Evans might have brought too much integrity to a movie that asks for none, while Wahlberg contributes just the right amount of casual saunter.
Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley introduces and ends the movie with a voiceover narration that suggests a quick,...
Many of the actors in the Paramount+ release “Infinite” might as well be avatars; you can picture the green screens as you’re watching the complicated set pieces, and there is no emotional investment required or even requested. But it delivers what it promises, in the form of expensive spectacle.
Chris Evans dropped out of this project in 2019 — he cited scheduling issues, which feels like a polite excuse — but the truth is that Mark Wahlberg is a far better fit. Evans might have brought too much integrity to a movie that asks for none, while Wahlberg contributes just the right amount of casual saunter.
Wahlberg’s Evan McCauley introduces and ends the movie with a voiceover narration that suggests a quick,...
- 6/10/2021
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
Avengers director duo Joe and Anthony Russo have produced an action film which is quite an antithesis of the fantasy-loaded superhero razzmatazz that has come to be their calling card. Mosul is gritty war drama that remains tantalizingly close to the reality it is carved from. The film is deftly executed, and comes with an important socio-political message about war and its aftermath.
Debutante director Matthew Michael Carnahan, who has also penned the film, focuses on an aspect of war-torn Iraq that is normally not a point of interest for Hollywood. Inspired by a New Yorker article titled The Desperate Battle To Destroy Isis, the filmmaker trains his lens on an Iraqi Swat team's action against Isis, duly dramatized to capture some remarkable war violence in the film's 100-odd-minute runtime.
Around the mid to late 2010s, Mosul, one of Iraq's biggest cities, was overrun by Isis. The organisation, known as Daesh in Iraq,...
Debutante director Matthew Michael Carnahan, who has also penned the film, focuses on an aspect of war-torn Iraq that is normally not a point of interest for Hollywood. Inspired by a New Yorker article titled The Desperate Battle To Destroy Isis, the filmmaker trains his lens on an Iraqi Swat team's action against Isis, duly dramatized to capture some remarkable war violence in the film's 100-odd-minute runtime.
Around the mid to late 2010s, Mosul, one of Iraq's biggest cities, was overrun by Isis. The organisation, known as Daesh in Iraq,...
- 11/29/2020
- by Glamsham Editorial
- GlamSham
Netflix has acquired “Mosul,” an Iraq War drama funded and produced by Anthony and Joe Russo’s production company Agbo, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap. 101 Studios was originally going to acquire the war drama, but talks fell through. Netflix will release “Mosul” in November 2020.
Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote the Agbo film “21 Bridges” starring the late Chadwick Boseman, wrote and directed “Mosul.” It’s inspired by an article in The New Yorker by Luke Mogelson about the Nineveh Swat team, an elite police squad of soldiers composed of local Iraqis all fighting Isis. The drama first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, followed by Toronto.
Waleed Elgadi, Suhail Dabbach and Adam Bessa star in the film as a police squad moving block by block to reclaim their city from Isis, all while nursing their own personal traumas at the hands of the terrorist group.
Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote the Agbo film “21 Bridges” starring the late Chadwick Boseman, wrote and directed “Mosul.” It’s inspired by an article in The New Yorker by Luke Mogelson about the Nineveh Swat team, an elite police squad of soldiers composed of local Iraqis all fighting Isis. The drama first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, followed by Toronto.
Waleed Elgadi, Suhail Dabbach and Adam Bessa star in the film as a police squad moving block by block to reclaim their city from Isis, all while nursing their own personal traumas at the hands of the terrorist group.
- 10/9/2020
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Prior to the pandemic, British filmmaker Peter Chelsom shot an Italian-language movie titled “Security” based on the novel of the same name by U.S. author Stephen Amidon. The film, set in the posh Tuscan seaside town of Forte Dei Marmi, wrapped just before lockdown. It stars Italian A-lister Marco D’Amore as a cop looking into a web of sexual abuse cases. The entirely Italian cast also comprises Maya Sansa, Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Valeria Bilello, Silvio Muccino and Tommaso Ragno. The cinematographer, Mauro Fiore (“Avatar”), is Italian-born. Chelsom spoke exclusively to Variety about “Security,” which is co-produced by Indiana Production and Vision Distribution and being sold as a market premiere at the Cannes virtual Marché du Film by Vision Distribution’s new world sales arm.
This is the second novel by Amidon set in the U.S. and transposed to Italy, after “Human Capital,” which was directed by Paolo Virzì. Other similarities?...
This is the second novel by Amidon set in the U.S. and transposed to Italy, after “Human Capital,” which was directed by Paolo Virzì. Other similarities?...
- 6/22/2020
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
101 Studios has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to “Mosul,” an Iraq War drama funded and produced by Anthony and Joe Russo’s production company Agbo, an individual with knowledge of the deal told TheWrap.
Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote the Agbo film “21 Bridges” starring Chadwick Boseman opening this month, wrote and directed “Mosul.” It’s inspired by an article in The New Yorker by Luke Mogelson about the Nineveh Swat team, an elite police squad of soldiers composed of local Iraqis all fighting Isis. The drama first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, followed by Toronto, and 101 Studios will now release the film in 2020.
Waleed Elgadi, Suhail Dabbach and Adam Bessa star in the film as a police squad moving block by block to reclaim their city from Isis, all while nursing their own personal traumas at the hands of the terrorist group.
Also Read: '...
Matthew Michael Carnahan, who wrote the Agbo film “21 Bridges” starring Chadwick Boseman opening this month, wrote and directed “Mosul.” It’s inspired by an article in The New Yorker by Luke Mogelson about the Nineveh Swat team, an elite police squad of soldiers composed of local Iraqis all fighting Isis. The drama first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, followed by Toronto, and 101 Studios will now release the film in 2020.
Waleed Elgadi, Suhail Dabbach and Adam Bessa star in the film as a police squad moving block by block to reclaim their city from Isis, all while nursing their own personal traumas at the hands of the terrorist group.
Also Read: '...
- 11/13/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: 101 Studios has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Mosul, the Matthew Michael Carnahan-directed drama that is the among the first films generated by Agbo, the monied production company launched by Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo. Agbo financed the film, and produced with Condé Nast Entertainment.
Carnahan wrote the script based on a Luke Mogelson article in the New Yorker about an elite police unit made up almost entirely of native sons of Mosul and their desperate fight, block-by-block, to reclaim their city from Isis. All of the men bear physical and emotional scars from having lost loved ones to the terror group — one carries video of his older brother’s beheading by Isis — so they have no shortage of motivation for their thankless heroic job. Mosul was shot in secret this past spring on location in the Middle East by Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore (Avatar...
Carnahan wrote the script based on a Luke Mogelson article in the New Yorker about an elite police unit made up almost entirely of native sons of Mosul and their desperate fight, block-by-block, to reclaim their city from Isis. All of the men bear physical and emotional scars from having lost loved ones to the terror group — one carries video of his older brother’s beheading by Isis — so they have no shortage of motivation for their thankless heroic job. Mosul was shot in secret this past spring on location in the Middle East by Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore (Avatar...
- 11/13/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
In June 2014, the Iraqi city of Mosul fell to Isis (also known as Daesh or the Islamic State). A joint-forces campaign to reclaim it began two years later and ended with the re-establishment of Iraqi control of the devastated, decimated city in July 2017. Matthew Michael Carnahan (brother of Joe and screenwriter of “The Kingdom” and “Deepwater Horizon”) picks through the debris of that campaign of barely two years ago for his directorial debut, “Mosul,” a well-made but troublingly generic war-is-hell pulse-pounder that inevitably prompts the question: How recent is too recent when it comes to turning a theater of war into pure theater, pure Hollywood spectacle?
The past is supposed to be another country, but 2017 feels barely an exploding city block behind us. And most of us can probably still recall that part of the horror of the Mosul campaign, which was described in vivid detail in a 2017 New Yorker article by Luke Mogelson,...
The past is supposed to be another country, but 2017 feels barely an exploding city block behind us. And most of us can probably still recall that part of the horror of the Mosul campaign, which was described in vivid detail in a 2017 New Yorker article by Luke Mogelson,...
- 9/9/2019
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
‘Mosul’ Review: Anthony and Joe Russo Present an Intense but Impersonal Actioner About Fighting Isis
It’s often said that specificity is the key to making something feel universal. It’s much less often said that universality is the key to making something feel specific. Matthew Michael Carnahan’s intense, relentless, and undeniably visceral “Mosul” — which takes both of these approaches at the same time as if trying to flank the truth from each side — provides all the evidence you’d ever need as to why that might be the case.
A true enough story inspired by Luke Mogelson’s 2017 New Yorker article “The Desperate Battle to Destroy Isis,” “Mosul” is essentially about a renegade Iraqi police unit who disobey orders and push towards the heart of darkness in order to save what’s left of their beloved home city. It is, so far as this critic can tell, the most accurate dramatization of an anti-Isis street fight that has ever been committed to the screen.
A true enough story inspired by Luke Mogelson’s 2017 New Yorker article “The Desperate Battle to Destroy Isis,” “Mosul” is essentially about a renegade Iraqi police unit who disobey orders and push towards the heart of darkness in order to save what’s left of their beloved home city. It is, so far as this critic can tell, the most accurate dramatization of an anti-Isis street fight that has ever been committed to the screen.
- 9/5/2019
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jessica Chastain, Halston Sage | Written and Directed by Simon Kinberg
X-Men: Dark Phoenix holds two distinct records on its quiet and understated release. Firstly, it stands as the directorial debut for franchise writer and producer Simon Kinberg. Secondly, it signals the end of an era for the Fox & Marvel charter and the last entry in this franchise that has lasted a staggering nineteen years, only for 20th Century Fox to be acquired by Disney Studios earlier this year. So, if this signals the true end of a fruitful era of comic book creation for Fox, it should end on quite the compelling note, well, the result is not quite the same captivating ballpark, with quite underwhelming results.
While this film may perhaps infer it’s the beginning of the end with the trailers released,...
X-Men: Dark Phoenix holds two distinct records on its quiet and understated release. Firstly, it stands as the directorial debut for franchise writer and producer Simon Kinberg. Secondly, it signals the end of an era for the Fox & Marvel charter and the last entry in this franchise that has lasted a staggering nineteen years, only for 20th Century Fox to be acquired by Disney Studios earlier this year. So, if this signals the true end of a fruitful era of comic book creation for Fox, it should end on quite the compelling note, well, the result is not quite the same captivating ballpark, with quite underwhelming results.
While this film may perhaps infer it’s the beginning of the end with the trailers released,...
- 6/7/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
Decision to present senior Oscars during commercials derided in open letter.
More than 90 distinguished filmmakers including Oscar nominee Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Damien Chazelle, Rachel Morrison and Emmanuel Lubezki have blasted the Academy’s plan to present four Oscars including two from senior categories during commercial breaks at the upcoming show.
“Relegating these essential cinematic crafts to lesser status in this 91st Academy Awards ceremony is nothing less than an insult to those of us who have devoted our lives and passions to our chosen profession,” the directors, cinematographers and editors – many of whom have won the Academy Award or...
More than 90 distinguished filmmakers including Oscar nominee Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Damien Chazelle, Rachel Morrison and Emmanuel Lubezki have blasted the Academy’s plan to present four Oscars including two from senior categories during commercial breaks at the upcoming show.
“Relegating these essential cinematic crafts to lesser status in this 91st Academy Awards ceremony is nothing less than an insult to those of us who have devoted our lives and passions to our chosen profession,” the directors, cinematographers and editors – many of whom have won the Academy Award or...
- 2/14/2019
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan is making his directorial debut with “Mosul,” a film about a Swat team’s desperate fight to rid the Iraq city of Isis militants that shot in secret in Morocco last spring with a local cast.
“Mosul,” for which Carnahan wrote the screenplay, explores the true story of an elite police unit made up almost entirely of native sons of Mosul who fought to liberate the city from 6,000 Isis militants.
The film is based on a New Yorker story by Luke Mogelson, who embedded with the unit for two months and documented the team’s fight, block by block, to destroy Isis.
Produced by Agbo and Condé Nast Entertainment, the film was shot on location in Marrakech, Morocco this past spring. The film, shot by Academy Award-winning “Avatar” cinematographer Mauro Fiore, is now in postproduction in Los Angeles.
“Our writer/director Matthew Michael Carnahan was the perfect artist to depict this uniquely regional story which champions a culture that has never really been championed on screen before,” producers Joe and Anthony Russo said in a statement. “The heart of the movie depicts the innate desire to fight for country and home.”
The Russos said “Mosul” extends their commitment to producing auteur-driven films of social importance.
Anthony and Joe Russo serve as producers for the brothers’ Agbo production shingle, along with the company’s president of production Mike Larocca. Condé Nast Entertainment’s Jeremy Steckler will also produce, as well as Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff.
Also Read: 'Foxtrot' Film Review: Israel's Oscar Entry Doesn't Dance Around the Complexities of War
Executive producers for “Mosul” are Todd Makurath, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for Agbo, along with Mohamed Al-Daradji (“Son of Babylon”), Patrick Newall (Anon) and Wang Zhongjun, Wang Zhonglei and Felice Bee from Huayi Brothers Media.
“Mosul” features a cast drawn from the Middle East, North Africa and the Iraqi diaspora. Producers described it as the flip side of “American Sniper”: these being the soldiers for whom the only way home was by fighting to re-claim it.
Worldwide sales will be represented by Endeavor Content at Afm.
Read original story ‘World War Z’ Writer Makes Directing Debut on Fact-Based ‘Mosul,’ Shot in Secret in Morocco At TheWrap...
“Mosul,” for which Carnahan wrote the screenplay, explores the true story of an elite police unit made up almost entirely of native sons of Mosul who fought to liberate the city from 6,000 Isis militants.
The film is based on a New Yorker story by Luke Mogelson, who embedded with the unit for two months and documented the team’s fight, block by block, to destroy Isis.
Produced by Agbo and Condé Nast Entertainment, the film was shot on location in Marrakech, Morocco this past spring. The film, shot by Academy Award-winning “Avatar” cinematographer Mauro Fiore, is now in postproduction in Los Angeles.
“Our writer/director Matthew Michael Carnahan was the perfect artist to depict this uniquely regional story which champions a culture that has never really been championed on screen before,” producers Joe and Anthony Russo said in a statement. “The heart of the movie depicts the innate desire to fight for country and home.”
The Russos said “Mosul” extends their commitment to producing auteur-driven films of social importance.
Anthony and Joe Russo serve as producers for the brothers’ Agbo production shingle, along with the company’s president of production Mike Larocca. Condé Nast Entertainment’s Jeremy Steckler will also produce, as well as Spotify’s Dawn Ostroff.
Also Read: 'Foxtrot' Film Review: Israel's Oscar Entry Doesn't Dance Around the Complexities of War
Executive producers for “Mosul” are Todd Makurath, Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely for Agbo, along with Mohamed Al-Daradji (“Son of Babylon”), Patrick Newall (Anon) and Wang Zhongjun, Wang Zhonglei and Felice Bee from Huayi Brothers Media.
“Mosul” features a cast drawn from the Middle East, North Africa and the Iraqi diaspora. Producers described it as the flip side of “American Sniper”: these being the soldiers for whom the only way home was by fighting to re-claim it.
Worldwide sales will be represented by Endeavor Content at Afm.
Read original story ‘World War Z’ Writer Makes Directing Debut on Fact-Based ‘Mosul,’ Shot in Secret in Morocco At TheWrap...
- 10/30/2018
- by Trey Williams
- The Wrap
Joe and Anthony Russo’s (Avengers: Infinity War) upstart studio Agbo and Condé Nast Entertainment have teamed up to produce thriller Mosul, the true story of an elite police unit made up almost entirely of native sons of Mosul who fought to liberate the Iraqi city from six thousand Isis militants.
Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan (World War Z) makes his directorial debut on the feature, which is based on Luke Mogelson’s reporting in The New Yorker about his time embedded with a Swat unit as they fought to destroy Isis. Oscar-winner Mauro Fiore (Avatar) is DoP. The cast is largely made up of newcomers from the Middle East, North Africa and the Iraqi diaspora, including Suhail Dabbash and Ahmad Ghanem.
Shot in secret this past spring on location in Morocco, the film is now in post-production in La. Endeavor Content is repping world sales rights at the Afm.
Producers...
Screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan (World War Z) makes his directorial debut on the feature, which is based on Luke Mogelson’s reporting in The New Yorker about his time embedded with a Swat unit as they fought to destroy Isis. Oscar-winner Mauro Fiore (Avatar) is DoP. The cast is largely made up of newcomers from the Middle East, North Africa and the Iraqi diaspora, including Suhail Dabbash and Ahmad Ghanem.
Shot in secret this past spring on location in Morocco, the film is now in post-production in La. Endeavor Content is repping world sales rights at the Afm.
Producers...
- 10/30/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
This past weekend, the American Society of Cinematographers awarded Greig Fraser for his contribution to Lion as last year’s greatest accomplishment in the field. Of course, his achievement was just a small sampling of the fantastic work from directors of photography, but it did give us a stronger hint at what may be the winner on Oscar night. Ahead of the ceremony, we have a new video compilation that honors all the past winners in the category at the Academy Awards
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
Created by Burger Fiction, it spans the stunning silent landmark Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans all the way up to the end of Emmanuel Lubezki‘s three-peat win for The Revenant. Aside from the advancements in color and aspect ration, it’s a thrill to see some of cinema’s most iconic shots side-by-side. However, the best way to experience the evolution of the craft is by...
- 2/6/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Drag is a something of a legendary post-apocalyptic film. Directed by Mark Pavia way back in the pre-internet land of 1993, the 16 mm zombie short was championed by the master of horror himself, Stephen King, after Pavia sent him a copy in the mail.
When King saw it he was so impressed that he brought Pavia to write and direct an adaptation of The Night Flier, now something of vampire cult classic that premiered on HBO.
Shot in and around Pavia's home town of Lockport, Illinois, Drag was also an early effort by Academy Award winning Dp Mauro Fiore (Avatar)
Synopsi [Continued ...]...
When King saw it he was so impressed that he brought Pavia to write and direct an adaptation of The Night Flier, now something of vampire cult classic that premiered on HBO.
Shot in and around Pavia's home town of Lockport, Illinois, Drag was also an early effort by Academy Award winning Dp Mauro Fiore (Avatar)
Synopsi [Continued ...]...
- 11/16/2016
- QuietEarth.us
There’s the saying that they don’t make them like they used to. Often this is referred to classic styles of storytelling. The western is one of the oldest film genres, practically synonymous with names like John Ford, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. Over the past decade there have been filmmakers that have saddled the genre and kicked a modern twist into it. Films like Slow West, The The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, and Meek’S Cutoff have reflected more of the struggles – both internal and external – of life on the American frontier.
However, The Magnificent Seven (2016) falls more in line with traditional westerns than the modern; it harkens back to the “us vs. them” dynamic. There’s a classic approach to this remake of the 1960 film that shows Antoine Fuqua understands that sometimes you don’t need to mess around too much with a good thing.
However, The Magnificent Seven (2016) falls more in line with traditional westerns than the modern; it harkens back to the “us vs. them” dynamic. There’s a classic approach to this remake of the 1960 film that shows Antoine Fuqua understands that sometimes you don’t need to mess around too much with a good thing.
- 9/23/2016
- by Michael Haffner
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Outside of Quentin Tarantino, it seems like no one is really attempting to do Westerns anymore. This week, one does hit in the remake of The Magnificent Seven. This film, the latest take on the material, seeks to not just follow in those footsteps, but in Tarantino’s as well, echoing Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight in the process. Aside from remakes like 3:10 to Yuma, you have to look far and wide to find other Westerns these days, with the last memorable one perhaps being The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Come Friday though, Antoine Fuqua seeks to give you all another one to love. This remake, which is not only a remake of The Magnificent Seven film of the same name, but also Seven Samurai, is an action Western. Here, when a town is being terrorized by a land thief (Peter Sarsgaard), they...
- 9/22/2016
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
As Hollywood continues its obsession with remaking and rebooting classic films, the conversation will continue about the best and worst examples of this phenomenon. John Carpenter's The Thing and David Cronenberg's The Fly are consistently raised as examples of how to do it correctly, while more recent remakes like Total Recall and RoboCop are widely seen as wastes of time that give their predecessors a bad name. Antoine Fuqua's The Magnificent Seven falls into the latter camp. It's a soulless retread that not only fails to justify its existence, but fails to excite, inspire, charm, or otherwise elicit any emotion aside from contempt. This may be one of the most tedious action movies I've ever seen.
It's easy to understand how executives might think this could work. The Magnificent Seven is a well-liked movie (with a kickass theme song) that's already a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai,...
It's easy to understand how executives might think this could work. The Magnificent Seven is a well-liked movie (with a kickass theme song) that's already a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai,...
- 9/16/2016
- by Ben Pearson
- GeekTyrant
The remake of a remake.Don’t worry, I counted. There‘s seven.
Westerns always put an extra giddy-up in my canter. It’s easily the most enjoyable genre of film for me. I think it has something to do with manly men doing manly men things. You know, like twirling a six-shooter around the shooting finger and placing it perfectly in its holster without even looking. I can’t even put my phone in my pocket without dropping it at least four times a day, easy. The Magnificent Seven — based on the 1960 film of the same name which was based on Seven Samurai — just had its second trailer released, which is of the more official variety and less the teaser kind. Take a little break from reading and watch it in all its magnificence:
https://medium.com/media/d7edb162e1c85865907c3ecbebe5b3f5/href
Like Omg, right...
Westerns always put an extra giddy-up in my canter. It’s easily the most enjoyable genre of film for me. I think it has something to do with manly men doing manly men things. You know, like twirling a six-shooter around the shooting finger and placing it perfectly in its holster without even looking. I can’t even put my phone in my pocket without dropping it at least four times a day, easy. The Magnificent Seven — based on the 1960 film of the same name which was based on Seven Samurai — just had its second trailer released, which is of the more official variety and less the teaser kind. Take a little break from reading and watch it in all its magnificence:
https://medium.com/media/d7edb162e1c85865907c3ecbebe5b3f5/href
Like Omg, right...
- 7/19/2016
- by Colton Ledford
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Southpaw
Written by Kurt Sutter
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
U.S., 2015
All boxing films come down to three storylines, or all three wrapped in one—get beaten, get angry, get back to the top. Eighty years have passed since Wallace Beery made The Champ and Southpaw doesn’t try to rewrite the formula. It’s not a surprise, Barton Fink broke himself that way. Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the light heavyweight champion of the world, but it wasn’t always the high life. Billy was raised dumped from one foster home to the next because of his mother’s incarceration, but he eventually met his wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) in a Hell’s Kitchen orphanage and turned it all around.
Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t look like your typical boxer like say Robert DeNiro, Mark Wahlberg or Will Smith, but doubts about his ability to perform disappear immediately as the film opens.
Written by Kurt Sutter
Directed by Antoine Fuqua
U.S., 2015
All boxing films come down to three storylines, or all three wrapped in one—get beaten, get angry, get back to the top. Eighty years have passed since Wallace Beery made The Champ and Southpaw doesn’t try to rewrite the formula. It’s not a surprise, Barton Fink broke himself that way. Billy Hope (Jake Gyllenhaal) is the light heavyweight champion of the world, but it wasn’t always the high life. Billy was raised dumped from one foster home to the next because of his mother’s incarceration, but he eventually met his wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) in a Hell’s Kitchen orphanage and turned it all around.
Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t look like your typical boxer like say Robert DeNiro, Mark Wahlberg or Will Smith, but doubts about his ability to perform disappear immediately as the film opens.
- 7/23/2015
- by Colin Biggs
- SoundOnSight
Movies about boxers enjoyed a revival in the 1970s, marked by the popularity of Rocky, a well-made tale about an underdog getting a shot at the title, and the artistry of Raging Bull, which depicted the savagery of the sport and its participants both inside and outside the ring. Between those two high points, very few boxing movies have rung the bell, as far as quality or endurance are concerned. Southpaw, originally conceived as a star vehicle for pop star Marshall Mathers (aka Eminem) by writer Kurt Sutter, falls solidly into the middle, neither sufficiently rousing nor markedly distinctive to satisfy those who are not boxing fanatics. As directed by Antoine Fuqua, Southpaw is never less than a watchable enterprise. Mauro Fiore's cinematography is a...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/23/2015
- Screen Anarchy
My Left Fist: Fuqua’s Sports Drama a Familiar, Emotionally Charged Comeback
After another recent dalliance in action genre schlock, director Antoine Fuqua returns with the type of cinema he does best—gritty, explosively violent dramatics carried on the weight of strong central characters portrayed persuasively by notable performers. Though this condensed, streamlined character study eschews typical grandiose third act fireworks, and a refreshing lack of a rushed romantic entanglement, its protagonist’s challenges often feel easily overcome. This enhances the narrative’s predictability and familiarity, even though it’s emotionally potent and well-written. Television scribe Kurt Sutter of “The Shield” and “Sons of Anarchy” proves to be as equally adept in his stellar concoction of provocative central characters. However, a handful of supporting figurers played by notable actors are barely introduced, as if they’re promised tangents that would’ve been returned to in longer form narrative.
Boxer Billy...
After another recent dalliance in action genre schlock, director Antoine Fuqua returns with the type of cinema he does best—gritty, explosively violent dramatics carried on the weight of strong central characters portrayed persuasively by notable performers. Though this condensed, streamlined character study eschews typical grandiose third act fireworks, and a refreshing lack of a rushed romantic entanglement, its protagonist’s challenges often feel easily overcome. This enhances the narrative’s predictability and familiarity, even though it’s emotionally potent and well-written. Television scribe Kurt Sutter of “The Shield” and “Sons of Anarchy” proves to be as equally adept in his stellar concoction of provocative central characters. However, a handful of supporting figurers played by notable actors are barely introduced, as if they’re promised tangents that would’ve been returned to in longer form narrative.
Boxer Billy...
- 7/20/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Antoine Fuqua is one of the most sought-after filmmakers of his generation, effortlessly blending action and character-driven storytelling. Most recently, Fuqua released the box-office hit Olympus Has Fallen. Previously, he directed Brooklyn’s Finest, with Richard Gere and Don Cheadle; Shooter, with Mark Wahlberg. Fuqua’s critically acclaimed drama Training Day earned an Academy Award® for Denzel Washington for Best Actor, and a now Fuqua re-teams with Washington in The Equalizer.
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him to lead a quiet life in peace. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement...
In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him to lead a quiet life in peace. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by – he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement...
- 9/23/2014
- by Kellvin Chavez
- LRMonline.com
The Equalizer comes to the big screen with Denzel Washington in the lead. Here's Ryan's review of a bruising action thriller...
Readers of a certain vintage might remember The Equalizer, the 80s television series starring Edward Woodward, but it’s unlikely they’ll remember it being quite as action-packed and brutal as Antoine Fuqua’s full-blooded film adaptation.
Denzel Washington replaces Woodward as Robert McCall, a Diy store worker with a chequered past. Living alone in his modest Boston apartment, McCall barely sleeps and spends the greater proportion of his nights at a 24-hour diner, reading classic literature, arranging the condiments in neat rows and quietly brooding away the hours before dawn.
One of the diner’s few other patrons is Elena, a young prostitute played by Chloe Grace Moretz. When she’s viciously beaten up by her Russian pimp, Slavi (David Meunier), McCall leaps to her defence, using a...
Readers of a certain vintage might remember The Equalizer, the 80s television series starring Edward Woodward, but it’s unlikely they’ll remember it being quite as action-packed and brutal as Antoine Fuqua’s full-blooded film adaptation.
Denzel Washington replaces Woodward as Robert McCall, a Diy store worker with a chequered past. Living alone in his modest Boston apartment, McCall barely sleeps and spends the greater proportion of his nights at a 24-hour diner, reading classic literature, arranging the condiments in neat rows and quietly brooding away the hours before dawn.
One of the diner’s few other patrons is Elena, a young prostitute played by Chloe Grace Moretz. When she’s viciously beaten up by her Russian pimp, Slavi (David Meunier), McCall leaps to her defence, using a...
- 9/19/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
The basic premise of the '80s TV series "The Equalizer" was just generic enough to survive on CBS in that decade of bland, and in making the jump to the big-screen, it appears to have survived with all of that bland firmly intact. While I personally didn't care for much of anything about the film, I don't think it's ineptly made or awful so much as just forgettable. It's a teflon film. It slid right off my brain pan just as soon as it made it in through the rods and cones, and even trying to summon up specific scenes or gags a few days later, I can already feel it slipping away. Part of the problem is just plain familiarity with the tropes of the film. Denzel Washington plays Denzel Washington, essentially. This isn't a character the same way Creasy in "Man On Fire" was a character. It's...
- 9/8/2014
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
If you're interested in an anniversary conversation that really has some bearing on today's film industry, I highly recommend American Cinematographer's recent chat with "Collateral" Dp Dion Beebe. It's been nearly a decade (if you can believe it) since Beebe and Paul Cameron carved out a serious place for digital with that film, earning an American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) nomination in the process. It got me thinking about the history of the industry's acceptance of digital as reflected in the nominations handed out by both the Asc and Academy's cinematography branch over the last 10 years. Academy members were a bit slower on the uptake, as you might recall. Beebe and Cameron were snubbed by the branch despite the Asc nomination. Of course, that was still a dicey time for the technology. The first feature films shot digitally were Lars Von Trier's "The Idiots" and Thomas Vinterberg's "The Celebration,...
- 7/3/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
By Terence Johnson
Managing Editor
It’s common knowledge that while the Oscar often tout rewarding the best in film, that the notion of what’s best is entirely subjective, depending on the voter. So when trying to make informed Oscar decisions, one has to look past subjective thoughts and search for the trends. One of the major trends that has been appearing has been the success of films with heavy visual effects or 3D in the cinematography category. With Emmanuel Lubezki all but on stage to accept the Oscar in cinematography, it was worth taking a look at the category’s evolution.
There have always been epic films or movies that have had some visual effects that have competed in, and won cinematography Oscars. Yet after Titanic won 11 Oscars, including Cinematography, there seems to have been a wave of films that have relied on visual effects to tell their tale succeeding in this category.
Managing Editor
It’s common knowledge that while the Oscar often tout rewarding the best in film, that the notion of what’s best is entirely subjective, depending on the voter. So when trying to make informed Oscar decisions, one has to look past subjective thoughts and search for the trends. One of the major trends that has been appearing has been the success of films with heavy visual effects or 3D in the cinematography category. With Emmanuel Lubezki all but on stage to accept the Oscar in cinematography, it was worth taking a look at the category’s evolution.
There have always been epic films or movies that have had some visual effects that have competed in, and won cinematography Oscars. Yet after Titanic won 11 Oscars, including Cinematography, there seems to have been a wave of films that have relied on visual effects to tell their tale succeeding in this category.
- 2/27/2014
- by Terence Johnson
- Scott Feinberg
With VFX taking a much more prominent role in the virtual lighting of hybrid movies, the question of who's responsible for cinematography in evaluating Oscar contenders has prompted the Academy to consider a new visual imaging category. Obviously the discussion has intensified with "Gravity's" Emmanuel ("Chivo") Lubezki being the frontrunner this year. He would be the second cinematographer in a row to win the Oscar for predominantly virtual work and the third in Academy history. But unlike last year's winner, Claudio Miranda ("Life of Pi"), who merely set the tone while Rhythm & Hues handled the virtual lighting, or "Avatar's" Oscar-winning Mauro Fiore, who wasn't involved in the virtual lighting, Lubezki was instrumental in the cinematography of the blockbuster "Gravity." He worked closely with both director Alfonso Cuaron and Framestore's VFX supervisor Tim Webber in pre-lighting the previs, designing "The Light Box," and then meticulously lighting...
- 1/23/2014
- by Bill Desowitz
- Thompson on Hollywood
It's been a great year for cinematography, with such an emphasis on survival, turmoil and trying to find beauty or redemption within the suffering. "Gravity," "12 Years a Slave," "Captain Phillips," "Nebraska," "Inside Llewyn Davis," "The Grandmaster," and "Rush" are among the standouts. Whether they used digital or film, the results are organic to theme and design. Will Emmanuel ("Chivo") Lubezki finally get his Oscar for "Gravity"? Maybe so, if you look at the recent digital trend that saw Claudio Miranda ("Life of Pi"), Bob Richardson ("Hugo"), and Mauro Fiore ("Avatar") take the award for three out of the last four years. For Lubezki's first foray into virtual production, he achieved a breathtaking photo-realism that approximates the Nasa photos and IMAX films that he benchmarked, while delivering the long, continuous takes in CG that are a hallmark of director Alfonso Cuaron's visual style. But he needed the Light Box to help solve a very complicated.
- 11/26/2013
- by Bill Desowitz
- Thompson on Hollywood
Here is my complete 2014 Oscar Preview in one complete list, with all 40 Oscar Contenders and my thoughts on each over the course of a massive 13-page spread and over 8,500 words. Trust me, I don't blame you if you take your time, but I think it may serve as a helpful list to look back at throughout the year. And, if you missed Parts 1-4 in which I featured each of these films, ten per installment, and just because it's fun to see them all in one place, here's a list of all 40 films included in this preview: The Great Gatsby, 12 Years a Slave, A Most Wanted Man, The Place Beyond the Pines, August: Osage County, Before Midnight, Blue Jasmine, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Diana, Elysium, The Fifth Estate, Foxcatcher, Frozen, Fruitvale, Grace of Monaco, Gravity, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, Inside Llewyn Davis, Labor Day, Lowlife, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom,...
- 3/8/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
We have reached the final ten films in my 2014 Oscar Preview, which has been made up of 40 potential 2014 Oscar contenders and, as we all know, I'm sure to have missed more than a handful. However, I think today's batch has more than a few gems to keep an eye on, many of which made my list of most anticipated films of 2013. This list also includes the one movie of the entire 40 that has the best chance of being pushed to next year, but it would be foolish to leave it off until we know for sure. You probably know what film I'm talking about, but if you don't I'm sure the next paragraph will give it away. This final list of ten films begins with Prisoners from Incendies helmer Denis Villeneuve and starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal alongside Melissa Leo and Viola Davis, next is Brad Furman's Runner,...
- 3/7/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
If you’re a fan of Back to the Future II, then you know the value of having the answers ahead of time. So, in this weekend of ballot making, last minute movie watching, and finding the silver linings in some of Oscar’s least agreeable nominations, we here at TheScorecardReview like to share our priceless movie guru foresight as to who will be going home with gold on Sunday night. We do so with “Oscar Bowling,” a unique method for guessing the night’s winners, while also keeping it competitive as our editor Jeff Bayer likes it.
While my list is undoubtedly the most correct, you can still read the lists of Jeff and writer Shane T. Nier below:
Read Jeff Bayer’s “Oscar Bowling” List
Read Shane T. Nier’s “Oscar Bowling” List
Read Nick Allen’s “Oscar Bowling” List
With my list as a guide, below some...
While my list is undoubtedly the most correct, you can still read the lists of Jeff and writer Shane T. Nier below:
Read Jeff Bayer’s “Oscar Bowling” List
Read Shane T. Nier’s “Oscar Bowling” List
Read Nick Allen’s “Oscar Bowling” List
With my list as a guide, below some...
- 2/22/2013
- by Nick Allen
- The Scorecard Review
He’s photographed naked women for Roger Corman, made a movie called Mutant Vampire Zombies from the Hood!, helmed an Asylum mockbuster that spawned a major studio lawsuit, nearly made a mega blockbuster for a major studio, and, best of all, his name really is Thunder.
With The Asylum’s lawsuit-inspiring mockbuster American Warships premiering on Syfy this weekend (May 19th at 9/8 Central) and hitting DVD shelves next week (May 22nd), I chatted with its writer-director, Thunder Levin, about the trials and tribulations of making an Asylum mockbuster, graduating from the school of Corman, and navigating the pitfalls of the b-movie scene filmmaking.
Foy: Forgive me. I have to ask a question you’ve no doubt been asked many times before. Your first name is really Thunder? That’s not just a nickname?
Thunder: (sigh) Yeah, I’ve been asked that a few times before. Yes, Thunder is my real name.
With The Asylum’s lawsuit-inspiring mockbuster American Warships premiering on Syfy this weekend (May 19th at 9/8 Central) and hitting DVD shelves next week (May 22nd), I chatted with its writer-director, Thunder Levin, about the trials and tribulations of making an Asylum mockbuster, graduating from the school of Corman, and navigating the pitfalls of the b-movie scene filmmaking.
Foy: Forgive me. I have to ask a question you’ve no doubt been asked many times before. Your first name is really Thunder? That’s not just a nickname?
Thunder: (sigh) Yeah, I’ve been asked that a few times before. Yes, Thunder is my real name.
- 5/16/2012
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 I’ll let Jack Crow (James Woods) from John Carpenter’s Vampires lead us into this week’s retrospective: “Well first of all, they’re not romantic. It’s not like they’re a bunch of fuckin’ fags hoppin’ around in rented formal wear and seducing everybody in sight with cheesy Euro-trash accents, all right? Forget whatever you’ve seen in the movies: they don’t turn into bats, crosses don’t work. Garlic? You wanna try garlic? You could stand there with garlic around your neck and one of these buggers will bend you fucking over and take a walk up your strada-chocolata While he’s suckin’ the blood outta your neck, all right? And they don’t sleep in coffins lined in taffeta. You wanna kill one, you drive a wooden stake right through his fuckin’ heart. Sunlight turns ‘em into crispy critters.
- 7/22/2011
- by Jason Bene
- Killer Films
"Inside" stars Emmy Rossum, Intel, and, maybe, you. We go behind the scenes of the latest branded filmmaking adventure.
Emmy Rossum’s hair is up in a bun. She turns from furiously typing on her laptop to desperately eyeing the darkened door to her right. And ... cut!
At this downtown Los Angeles studio, it seems like business as usual. A young Hollywood actress (Rossum is one of the leads of Showtime’s Shameless and starred in The Day After Tomorrow) is being directed by D.J. Caruso (best known for Disturbia and the recent sci-fi thriller I Am Number Four), whose cinematographer, Mauro Fiore, is among the best in the world (he shot Avatar for James Cameron). But instead of the usual clutch of studio executives huddled around a bank of monitors, whispering about the latest take, the group of suits on this set is slightly different: They’re ad agency reps with their clients.
Emmy Rossum’s hair is up in a bun. She turns from furiously typing on her laptop to desperately eyeing the darkened door to her right. And ... cut!
At this downtown Los Angeles studio, it seems like business as usual. A young Hollywood actress (Rossum is one of the leads of Showtime’s Shameless and starred in The Day After Tomorrow) is being directed by D.J. Caruso (best known for Disturbia and the recent sci-fi thriller I Am Number Four), whose cinematographer, Mauro Fiore, is among the best in the world (he shot Avatar for James Cameron). But instead of the usual clutch of studio executives huddled around a bank of monitors, whispering about the latest take, the group of suits on this set is slightly different: They’re ad agency reps with their clients.
- 7/12/2011
- by Ari Karpel
- Fast Company
Intel Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., today announced a creative collaboration and campaign to deliver a new social film project titled Inside . As part of the film experience an online casting call has also been issued at TheInsideExperience.com . Starring Emmy Rossum ( Shameless , Phantom of the Opera ), Inside is a blockbuster-class experiment in social entertainment, brought to life by leading minds in Hollywood, technology and social media. The film aims to bring a new genre of interactive, social entertainment and is directed by D.J Caruso ( Disturbia , I Am Number Four , Eagle Eye ) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore ( Avatar , Training Day ). In the film, Rossum plays the role of Christina, a 20-something woman trapped in a...
- 7/12/2011
- shocktillyoudrop.com
Intel Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems Inc., today announced a creative collaboration and campaign to deliver a new social film project titled Inside . As part of the film experience an online casting call has also been issued at TheInsideExperience.com . Starring Emmy Rossum ( Shameless , Phantom of the Opera ), Inside is a blockbuster-class experiment in social entertainment, brought to life by leading minds in Hollywood, technology and social media. The film aims to bring a new genre of interactive, social entertainment and is directed by D.J Caruso ( Disturbia , I Am Number Four , Eagle Eye ) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore ( Avatar , Training Day ). In the film, Rossum plays the role of Christina, a 20-something woman trapped in a...
- 7/12/2011
- Comingsoon.net
Social networking has changed the way that the world operates. Everything from staying in touch with our loved ones to starting revolutions has become different and more convenient. Now it looks as if movie making is about to experience a new slant as well.
From the Press Release: Intel Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., have announced a creative collaboration and campaign to deliver a new social film project titled Inside. As part of the film experience an online casting call has also been issued at TheInsideExperience.com.
Starring Emmy Rossum (Shameless, Phantom of the Opera), Inside is a blockbuster-class experiment in social entertainment, brought to life by leading minds in Hollywood, technology and social media. The film aims to bring a new genre of interactive, social entertainment and is directed by D.J Caruso (Disturbia, I Am Number Four, Eagle Eye) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore (Avatar, Training Day).
In the film,...
From the Press Release: Intel Corporation and Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., have announced a creative collaboration and campaign to deliver a new social film project titled Inside. As part of the film experience an online casting call has also been issued at TheInsideExperience.com.
Starring Emmy Rossum (Shameless, Phantom of the Opera), Inside is a blockbuster-class experiment in social entertainment, brought to life by leading minds in Hollywood, technology and social media. The film aims to bring a new genre of interactive, social entertainment and is directed by D.J Caruso (Disturbia, I Am Number Four, Eagle Eye) and Oscar-winning cinematographer Mauro Fiore (Avatar, Training Day).
In the film,...
- 7/12/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Shane Black. "Iron Man 3." Since the first moment those two names were connected, the question has been, "Will he write the film?" And now, according to Ain't It Cool, we have an answer. Shane Black appeared this weekend at the Omaha Film Festival, along with some other guests like Tom Elkins, Mauro Fiore, and Ted Griffin, and one of the people who was in the audience wrote in to AICN to talk about what Black revealed regarding "Iron Man 3." Here's the paraphrased version of what they ran: Shane Black is about to meet with Robert Downey Jr. this week...
- 3/8/2011
- Hitfix
Photo: Warner Bros. Well now here is a shocker, not because his work wasn't commendable, but because I pretty much thought Roger Deakins (True Grit) had this one in the bag. The American Society of Cinematographers held the 25th annual American Society of Cinematographers Outstanding Achievement Awards tonight and Inception director of photography Wally Pfister took home top honors beating out the likes of Deakins, Matthew Libatique (Black Swan), Danny Cohen (The King's Speech) and Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network).
Pfister's nomination for Inception with the Asc was his third from the group after being nominated for both The Dark Knight and Batman Begins, but this was his first win. He is also nominated for an Oscar for his work on Inception and has been nominated three times prior, all for films with director Christopher Nolan including The Dark Knight, The Prestige and Batman Begins, but he didn't win the Oscar for any of them.
Pfister's nomination for Inception with the Asc was his third from the group after being nominated for both The Dark Knight and Batman Begins, but this was his first win. He is also nominated for an Oscar for his work on Inception and has been nominated three times prior, all for films with director Christopher Nolan including The Dark Knight, The Prestige and Batman Begins, but he didn't win the Oscar for any of them.
- 2/14/2011
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
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