Monday Links (21/11)

Since I checked in last week I have seen three new releases at the cinema - one released last week (The Debt), one released this week (Burning Man) and one to be released next week (The Ides of March). I also continued my Godard-a-thon with three very different films - Bande A Part, Alphaville and Pierrot Le Fou. My essay on The Thin Red Line and Epic Cinema vs. Saving Private Ryan and Dramatic Cinema also received some positive feedback, which was great. Yesterday, and I'm not sure if you recognized this, I added a page to the top of my blog. My 2011 Oscar Predictions. Rather than predicting the films that 'might' make the cut, and trying to tease out what sorts of films the Academy like, I am going to be adding in and substituting films I believe are worthy of a nomination as I see them. This will likely result in a 'wishful thinking' list of nominees, but it will be interesting to see how good the 'contenders' turn out to be. If you'd like to leave a comment - you can utilize this post or drop me feedback on Twitter.

Also, after seeing the trailer for The Skin I Live In before Burning Man the other day, I have become obsessed with it. And Elena Anaya. It is probably my favourite trailer of the year, and I can't wait for the film. December 26th. Here it is:

On with the links (after the jump):

My mother used to talk about Papillon all the time. Steve @ 1001plus reviews the film this week.

Ryan @ A Life in Equinox reflects on the first time he was called a Film Buff.

Over @ Anomalous Material Castor reviews Immortals, which comes out here this week, and Nick reviews The Descendents, which is a long way off.

On the subject of The Skin I Live In, if you're interested in a take on the film, check out Alex's @ And So it Begins. 

Bonjour Tristess gave a mammoth score to Wim Wender's film, The Wings of Desire.

Ryan @ The Matinee enjoyed The Muppets immensely.

James @ Cinema Sights watched and reviewed Bridesmaids. He liked it more than I did and argues his points brilliantly as always. The speech sequence (and the plane sequence, and the...) is still the most irritating one of the year.

Scott @ Front Room Cinema shares his experiences from the opening night of Cine-City 2011 and Shame.

I also want to give a shout out to a couple of regular readers who run great sites: Pete @ I Love That Film and James @ The Cameraman's Revenge.