Thompson on Hollywood

Why Scott Foundas Ditched Lincoln Center Programming to Go Back Where He Belongs UPDATED

News

Three years ago, when Scott Foundas left the Village Voice Media's LA Weekly to join the Film Society of Lincoln Center as associate programmer, I was disheartened. Why? Because he is one of the most gifted critics of his generation. I took Foundas leaving his clear avocation as a sign of the continuing decline of film criticism.

By Anne Thompson
|
October 31, 2012 1:44 PM
|
4 Comments

More:

First Look: NYFF Portraits of Scorsese, Kiarostami, Gerwig, Baumbach and More

Festivals

Check out these NYFF still portraits of Martin Scorsese, Abbas Kiarostami, Greta Gerwig and other artists who attended the fest by New York-based filmmaker Jamie Stuart.

By Beth Hanna
|
October 15, 2012 12:36 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

'Flight' Review; Zemeckis, Washington and Cheadle Talk at NYFF Press Conference (VIDEO)

Festivals

Denzel Washington waltzed in late to the press conference following the NYFF screening of the Robert Zemeckis-directed "Flight." The audience didn't mind of course, because he's Denzel: His appearance prompted wild applause which immediately drowned out the voice of screenwriter John Gatins.

By Sheerly Avni
|
October 14, 2012 3:59 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

Filmmaker's Nightmare: NYFF Screening of De Palma's 'Passion' Hits a Digital Snafu

News

With technological evolution comes hiccups. Though not widely reported, the September 29 NYFF premiere of Brian De Palma's "Passion" apparently hit a disappointing snafu when the DCP (digital cinema package) of the film refused to play.

By Beth Hanna
|
October 11, 2012 1:16 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

'Lincoln' Early Reviews: Praise for Daniel Day-Lewis & Tommy Lee Jones, Spielberg Exercises Restraint

Reviews

Early reviews are coming in for Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," NYFF's secret screening on October 8, modestly praising Daniel Day-Lewis' performance and a "scene stealing" turn by Tommy Lee Jones as Thadeus Stevens. Critics are less impressed with...

By Beth Hanna
|
October 9, 2012 12:12 PM
|
2 Comments

More:

Oliver Stone Talks 'Untold History of U.S.' at NYFF [VIDEO]

Festivals

From "Platoon" to "JFK" to "Nixon" and beyond, few filmmakers have done more to challenge the convenient bonafides of US history than Oliver Stone. Judging by the response to yesterday’s sneak peak at his upcoming Showtime series "The Untold History of the United States," the director has lost none of his audacity in his transition to premium cable.

By Sheerly Avni
|
October 7, 2012 4:22 PM
|
1 Comment

More:

David Chase and Cast Talk 'Not Fade Away': NYFF Review and Press Conference

Festivals

At the New York Film Festival screening of David Chase's marvelous first feature "Not Fade Away," I felt my spirits lift a little higher with each scene until, by the time the band finally performed an original song for the first time, I was soaring, the way you're supposed to do when you forget you're on the job because there's a real live movie on screen.

By Sheerly Avni
|
October 5, 2012 4:27 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

NYFF Secret Screening: It's Spielberg's 'Lincoln'

News

Using the old "work-in-progress" canard, in a move not likely to please LA's AFI FEST, which had booked Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" as its closing night gala, Disney/DreamWorks has added "Lincoln" as Monday night's secret screening in New York. This allows a film to gain media attention and buzz without officially being part of the line-up.

By Anne Thompson
|
October 5, 2012 12:20 PM
|
0 Comments

More:

NYFF Panel: Talking Landmark Jazz Doc 'The Savoy King'

Festivals

The second best thing about this week's NYFF screening of The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music that Changed America might have been the audience -- a fire-hazard crowd of friends, family and jazz enthusiasts ready to laugh, hoot, and more than once, sing along to the music. But the first best thing was 92-year-old Norma Miller, a delightful presence both on film and live on-stage, where she joined director Jeff Kaufman for a lively but all-too brief Q&A.

By Sheerly Avni
|
October 5, 2012 11:47 AM
|
2 Comments

More:

Review Roundup: 3-D 'Life of Pi' Dazzles Critics, NYFF Rothman Panel [VIDEO]

Reviews

Critics are eating up Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" following its NYFF debut on Friday. Raves praising the film's immersive, spectacular use of 3-D, its inspirational pantheistic message and strong performances from the three actors playing Pi are in the majority, with a few outliers wishing for heftier substance over CG smoke and mirrors. Review roundup below.