Thompson on Hollywood

BFI London Film Fest: Full Program Launches First Competition Plus Rolling Stones Doc "Crossfire Hurricane'

Festivals

The 56th BFI London Film Festival will screen a total of 225 fiction and documentary features, 111 live action and animated shorts, including 14 World Premieres, 15 International Premieres, and 34 European Premieres. Tim Burton's 3-D animated "Frankenweenie" will open the festival and Mike Newell's dramatic adaptation of "Great Expectations" with Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes will close the 11 day event, which runs from October 10 to the 21st.

By Maggie Lange
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September 5, 2012 1:43 PM
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Venice: Polley's 'Stories We Tell' Is Revealing & Affecting

Festivals

With Toronto beckoning, I've had to bid a reluctant farewell to Venice where, as much as I liked "BAD 25", "The Iceman", "Disconnect", "Enzo Avitabile Music Life" and "The Master", my pick of the festival was undoubtedly "Stories We Tell". Sarah Polley's third feature as a writer-director – and first non-fiction film – is revelatory in multiple ways, not least as a deeply exposing journey into the heart of the actress' family and own identity.

By Matt Mueller
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September 4, 2012 7:58 PM
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Telluride Wrap: Strong Lineup Led by 'Argo,' 'Gatekeepers,' 'Amour,' and 'Stories We Tell'

Festivals

Heading into Toronto and New York, what have we learned from Telluride and Venice? Quite a good deal. The Telluride awards season movies now in play include Sony Pictures Classics' Palme d'Or-winning "Amour," starring Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, which wowed audiences and journos alike and should wind up in the best picture as well as foreign film race

By Anne Thompson
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September 4, 2012 7:08 PM
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Telluride Brody Diary 3: Polley's Stunning 'Stories We Tell,' 'Joan of Arc,' 'Frances Ha' & More

Festivals

Almost too rich a Telluride day – it’s after 2 a.m., I’m back in my room, slightly tipsy from a couple of iced glasses of one of Alice Waters’ favorite wines, the Bandol Tempier rosé, mind vibrating like a temple gong from the five programs I managed to fit in today...

By Meredith Brody
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September 3, 2012 12:43 PM
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'Anna Karenina' Early Review: Visually Splendid, Audacious, Swoony Epic Romance Heads for Oscars

Reviews

The startling new adaptation of Tolstoy’s great novel "Anna Karenina," with Keira Knightley in the title role, is . as visually splendid as any studio epic, even if it plays with audience expectations of what lavish looks like. It’s a respectable adaptation of a huge story, encompassing a wealth of ideas; yet it also has the direct, heartfelt appeal of what Hollywood once called ‘a women’s picture.’

By David Gritten
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September 2, 2012 7:00 PM
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Venice: 'To The Wonder' Press Conference - Kurylenko Feels Telepathic Connection to Malick

Festivals

In the absence of Terrence Malick (naturally…), Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem and Rachel McAdams, it was left to Olga Kurylenko to fly the flag for "To The Wonder" at the film's Venice press conference, alongside producers Sarah Green and Nicolas Gonda and Italian co-star Romina Mondello.

By Matt Mueller
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September 2, 2012 6:32 PM
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Telluride Forges Bonds, Affleck's 'Argo' Hits, Burns and Loyola Marymount Launch Doc Grad Program

Festivals

Telluride is a place where people get to know each other. Without Telluride, I would not have dug into the Sight & Sound Top 50 with Alexander Payne (at the annual opening day Patron's Brunch), who agrees with me that "Citizen Kane" should be number one, not "Vertigo," and that Akira Kurosawa is the greatest filmmaker who ever lived.

By Anne Thompson
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September 2, 2012 5:00 PM
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Telluride Brody Diary 2: A Rocky Mountain Brunch, A Wedding and Affleck's 'Argo'

Festivals

In retrospect, my first full film festival day at Telluride, though utterly delightful, sounds more like I’m attending a food festival than a film one.

By Meredith Brody
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September 2, 2012 4:28 PM
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VENICE: 'The Master' Press Conference; Cruise & Anderson Still Friends

Festivals

Despite an enthusiastic reception as he entered the room, Paul Thomas Anderson held up his reputation as elusive prey at "The Master" press conference in Venice, and his two stars Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix were happy to fall in step behind him. In fact, Phoenix barely said a word, dragging on a cigarette, offering a couple of mumbling replies and even leaving the room for a spell. But there were still nuggets to be gleaned.

By Matt Mueller
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September 2, 2012 10:56 AM
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Telluride Fest Brody Diary One: What to See

Festivals

After gawking at the wonders of nature -- the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, the Valley of the Gods, and Monument Valley -- and no moving images, I was more than ready to immerse myself in celluloid once again. Once I arrived in town, I found myself wishing I’d thrown that Criterion boxed set of Sacha Guitry into my luggage. I’m not the Telluride regular I wish I was – the person that always seems to be next to me in the line-up that has been to every SHOW since 1974 – but I seem to remember that, even a few years ago, I never knew a thing until the little catalogues were passed out on Friday morning. This year I get the Press Release at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday morning in my email inbox, and within seconds, it seems, there are links all over Facebook. I’m overwhelmed by the riches of the line-up. As usual, there are too many films, too little time, even as you imagine seeing everything.