http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/ Matt Dentler's Blog en Copyright 2009 2009-11-21T23:19:26+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/rick_and_orson_welles/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/rick_and_orson_welles/ As Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles prepares its U.S. release (Thanksgiving weekend in select cities, and then nationwide soon after), there’s a growing number of interviews with Linklater about all kinds of topics (especially questions about his next projects). This weekend’s New York Times has a good article by Dennis Lim that circles the myth of the real Orson Welles, with Linklater plugging in the holes about his own approach for this new period drama. However, I’d say the best Linklater interview I’ve read so far, comes from Christian Raymond’s Q&A in the Austin Film Society’s own publication Persistence… 2009-11-21T23:19:26+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/anderson_is_fantastic_again/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/anderson_is_fantastic_again/ Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is great. Still only in limited release, Anderson’s sixth feature officially ends his frustrating creative downturn. His career came storming out of the gate, with the one-two-three punch of Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums. But then he stopped writing with Owen Wilson, and his next two features (The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited) were big disappointments. His films started to feel like a pale imitation of what he used to do so well, and that special energy has been captured again for Fantastic Mr. Fox. Adapted from Roald Dahl’s beloved book, Anderson’s… 2009-11-21T17:41:04+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cousins/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cousins/ Talented music video director Garth Jennings (who also made the film Son of Rambow) turns his camera on Vampire Weekend, for the band’s new video. It’s for their single “Cousins,” the first new track from the group’s upcoming sophomore LP. Catchy song, inventive video: Vampire Weekend |MTV Music 2009-11-19T19:09:38+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/tim_burton_moma/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/tim_burton_moma/ (Pretty tight early sketch of the Queen of Hearts, from the upcoming Alice in Wonderland.) On Wednesday night, I made my way over to MoMA for one of the sneak previews for their massive Tim Burton exhibit (which officially opens on November 22 and closes on April 26). A tribute to the iconic and popular and divisive film director/animator, this exhibit is probably one of the best ideas that a museum has ever had (and, yes, I understand museums have been around for a long time). What, at first, you assume might just be props and costumes from Burton’s dream-like… 2009-11-19T15:12:41+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/keith_scofield_returns_with_gainsbourg_beck_video/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/keith_scofield_returns_with_gainsbourg_beck_video/ Super-talented commercials and music video director Keith Scofield (he of the amazing “Toe Jam” clip) has returned with his latest project: a nonsense-laden, but beautiful, video for the new Charlotte Gainsbourg single “Heaven Can Wait.” Gainsbourg is joined in the video, and on the song, by Beck. Check it out: 2009-11-18T18:42:00+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/los_angeles_plays_new_york/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/los_angeles_plays_new_york/ Thom Andersen’s epic and fantastic 2003 documentary, Los Angeles Plays Itself, is screening in New York this weekend as part of a series at the 92Y Tribeca called “Not Coming to a Theater Near You.” This beloved doc - a portrait of how Los Angeles has been portrayed in cinematic history - will probably never come to any commercial release near anyone. The reason: clip licensing, since the entire film is a montage of various film segments. Which is too bad, because it’s a great viewing experience for fans of film, Los Angeles, or American history. Take this opportunity, on… 2009-11-17T21:17:07+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/long-form_online_video_viewing_doubles/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/long-form_online_video_viewing_doubles/ Thanks in large part to Hulu and Netflix Watch Instantly, broadband streaming of film and TV content has doubled since last year. According to a report by Parks Associates, “More than 20 million U.S. households with broadband access regularly watch movies online, while more than 25 million households watch TV shows.” This is about twice as much from the same time in 2008, a growth that has been bolstered thanks to more connectivity to the household television monitor via devices like Blu-ray disc players, Xbox, Playstation, and Roku boxes. More from a Video Business article on the findings: Hulu.com, the… 2009-11-17T16:55:52+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/crazy_heart/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/crazy_heart/ Growing up in Texas, and living in Austin for over 10 years, I knew a few characters like Jeff Bridges’ in the upcoming Crazy Heart. Could this be the film that finally earns Bridges his Oscar? As the trailer implies with calling him a “4 Time Academy Award Nominee,” he’s long overdue: And, yes, it looks and feels much like The Wrestler. But, so what? 2009-11-17T16:02:10+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/augmented_reality/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/augmented_reality/ Whomever or whatever is in charge of promoting “augmented reality,” has really stepped it up in recent months. There have been more news articles and features devoted to this burgeoning technology, as it reaches its mainstream crossover. All you need is a webcam or phone camera. There’s talk about augmented reality software on mobile phones (where it seems most appropriate), on holiday toys, and now on the news media itself. This month’s Esquire is devoting its annual “Best and Brightest” issue to the subject of augmented reality programs. Editor David Granger takes you through a quick tour on some of… 2009-11-16T18:23:15+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_kongens_have/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_kongens_have/ (In between meetings on Saturday afternoon, I took a quick stroll through Kongens Have, or “The King’s Garden.” It’s a nice park that was created in 1606.)   (A view in the park, of Rosenborg Castle, which appears to have some remodeling going on. The castle was built by King Christian IV, and completed in 1624.)   (Kongens Have has some unusual Scandinavian statues throughout the grounds.)   (See what I mean?) 2009-11-14T16:37:44+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_french_embassy/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_french_embassy/ (On a rainy Friday night, CPH:DOX held a reception at the Danish French Embassy.)   (The main staircase inside the Embassy building.) 2009-11-14T16:33:00+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_home/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/cph_home/ (The view from the main entrance of the Danish Film Institute, a place where we’ve been spending much of our days and nights, in screenings or meetings or panels. That’s the funny thing about festivals in exotic locales: you sometimes never see much of the city besides one or two buildings. It’s been hectic here in Copenhagen, but nonetheless productive.) 2009-11-13T17:04:22+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/collapse_continues_in_l.a._vod/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/collapse_continues_in_l.a._vod/ Chris Smith’s documentary Collapse continues its run at New York’s Angelika this weekend, as well as opens in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Sunset 5. Now is your chance, L.A. residents, to see the acclaimed new film. Meanwhile, the film will begin its VOD launch on Sunday, when it will be available on Verizon FIOS, Cox, Charter, and other cable systems (check your “Movies On Demand” listings). The film will come to Time Warner Cable and Comcast, beginning December 6. Other announced theatrical openings include December 4 in San Francisco, December 11 in Washington D.C. and Chicago, December 18 in… 2009-11-13T16:43:16+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/symbiopsychotaxiplasm/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/symbiopsychotaxiplasm/ It now feels oddly appropriate that, on my flight to Copenhagen, I finally watched the recent Criterion Collection version of William Greaves’ Symbiopsychotaxiplasm. The 1968 experimental documentary is often cited as an example of quintessential fiction/nonfiction hybrid, as it chronicles the construction of a relationship drama to be filmed in New York’s Central Park. All the while, the production of this pedestrian narrative is interrupted with the real-life interactions of the inexperienced crew, as well as the unpredictable elements of New York. There are classic moments of direct cinema, blended with adventurous use of split-screen framing and soundtrack. In other… 2009-11-12T00:37:24+00:00 http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/this_old_world/ http://blogs.indiewire.com/mattdentler/archives/this_old_world/ Michael Tully at Hammer To Nail has brought to our attention the first video from Ola Podrida’s latest album. Some of you may recall that I adore Ola Podrida’s debut LP, and I’m excited to hear the new collection of songs. David and Nathan Zellner directed this great clip,  for the song “This Old World,” which plays like a surreal companion piece to Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are. Check it out: This Old World - OLA PODRIDA from Zellner Bros. on Vimeo. 2009-11-12T00:26:53+00:00