Thompson on Hollywood

Thankful for Scorsese: What's Next; Ebert's Goodfellas & Badfellas; Fast Company on the 'Greatest Living Director'

Features

Martin Scorsese is not slowing down, burning out---or selling out, either. "Hugo," his first children's tale and first 3-D film, opens this weekend, and is earning stellar reviews. While it may prove too rich for many mainstream moviegoers, it's a testament to his ongoing exuberance as a director.

By Sophia Savage
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November 23, 2011 1:41 PM
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Will Hugo's Rave Reviews Yield Audiences and Oscar Nominations?

Reviews

It's no surprise that film critics are loving "Hugo," Martin Scorsese's valentine to the birth of cinema and reinvention of the art of 3-D (November 23). In fact, as I was rejiggering my Oscar chart I recognized that in a field of small-scale movies this year, the $150-million period adventure has a strong shot at quite a few technical nominations, going up against the likes of "The Adventures of Tintin," "The Tree of Life," "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part Two."

By Anne Thompson
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November 22, 2011 2:11 PM
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Oscar Talk: Spielberg's War Horse, My Week with Marilyn's Michelle Williams, Scorsese's Hugo

In this week's Oscar Talk Kris Tapley and I debate Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn, which I saw at the New York Film Festival and the Weinsteins have moved to Thanksgiving. "You see a lot working behind those eyes," says Tapley. We agree Williams will make the top five for best actress.

By Anne Thompson
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October 14, 2011 4:12 AM
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Harper's Bazaar Celebrates Iconic Scorsese Movie Scenes, New Casts: Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Gangs

Harper's Bazaar celebrates Martin Scorsese by recasting and photographing some of his most memorable scenes, and talking with his collaborators. Here's a taste.

By Sophia Savage
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October 13, 2011 12:30 PM
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NYFF Early Reviews for 3-D Hugo: Cinephiles Are Delighted by Scorsese's Love Letter to Film

The reason that Paramount screened Martin Scorsese’s work-in-progress 3-D Hugo as the New York Film Festival's Monday night’s mystery screening, without completed effects or a final score (by Howard Shore) is that it’s a cinephile’s dream. The NYFF audience couldn’t have been a more receptive crowd.

By Anne Thompson
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October 11, 2011 4:36 AM
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My Week in New York: Hugo, War Horse, Turin Horse, Parties, Marilyn, Book of Mormon

Monday night's mystery screening of Martin Scorsese's work-in-progress 3-D Hugo (featurette below) marks my last screening at this year's New York Film Festival. The reason that the movie was shown without completed effects or a final score (by Howard Shore) is that it's a cinephile's dream, and the NYFF audience couldn't have been a more receptive crowd. While the movie should work with families over the Thanksgiving holiday, and producer Graham King (nervously pacing in the rear of the theater as ushers passed out 3-D glasses) assured me that they wouldn't have shown the film if the movie wasn't going to finish on time, Paramount wanted to build buzz for the film via the festival and this was the only way to do it.

By Anne Thompson
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October 11, 2011 4:22 AM
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And the Nobel Prize for Film Goes To...

Seeing that the Nobel Prize for Literature was awarded last week, to Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer, Matt Brennan got to thinking: What if there were a Nobel Prize for Film? This week’s “Now and Then” column revels in some of the possibilities. Check out the trailers and post your own picks in the comments section below:

By Matt Brennan
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October 10, 2011 5:07 AM
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George Harrison: Living in the Material World Reviews: Still Hidden, Enigmatic, Quiet

Like many boomers, I am a Beatles fan. I can sing every song on Beatles Rock Band, and grew up loving each Beatle in his own way: Paul's narcissistic sweet tenor, John's growly, witty edge, Ringo's underappreciated backbeat and soulful George. He was the gifted musician, the lead guitarist: he made the songs work. And his songs, in my view, stand the test of time along with the best of the Lennon/McCartney songbook, from Harrison's only chart-topper, Something in the Way She Moves to While My Guitar Gently Weeps, featuring rare guest soloist Eric Clapton. While Harrison had fewer compositions, he put more time into them; they pop.

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2011 11:28 AM
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Coen Brothers Join TV Migration with Detective Comedy

Everybody's going to TV. Even Joel and Ethan Coen have sold an hour-long private detective comedy to Fox, HarveKarbo. With Cedar Rapids writer Phil Johnston on the script, the brothers' single-camera show will trace the life of P.I. Harve Karbo and his noir-like investigations into the seedy underbelly of Hollywood high society. The Coens, along with Johnston, Imagine co-founder Brian Grazer and president Francie Calfo, will executive produce, reports Deadline.

By Anne Thompson and Maggie Lange
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October 5, 2011 4:16 AM
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Oscar Powers Netflix's Top Ten Most-Rented List

Netflix's ten most-rented list of all time (list below) reminds us of the long-tail Power of Oscar. And it should remind Netflix, as it splits its DVD and streaming business and alienates many of its customers who are used to relying on its deep long-tail arcania, that their solid customer base is smart adults, not the great unwashed, something they seem to be in danger of forgetting as they focus on TV and mainstream acquisitions and let smaller movies go.