I guess the biggest news of the week is the announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Instead of ten Best Picture Nominees, the number of nominees will be between five and ten and the exact number, differing from year to year, will be announced on the same day when the nominees themselves are revealed. It has been determined that 5% of first place votes should be the minimum in order to receive a nomination. What are your thoughts on this surprise decision?
Check out the excellent work by my dear friends (after the jump):
Univarn @ A Life in Equinox remembers 5 Words Killed by the Entertainment Industry
Kevyn Knox reveals his 10 Best Movie Presidents for Anomalous Material
Blake @ Bitchin Film Reviews gives us his take on Tree of Life.
Thomas Caldwell @ Cinema Autopsy reviews Cars 2. I'm sad to say I'm less than excited for Pixar's newest release.
Stevee @ Cinematic Paradox reveals 5 Reasons Why She Loves Rebecca Hall.
Andy @ Fandango Groovers reviews Stakeland, one of the films I had to exclude at the SFF, but am looking forward to.
My buddy Sam @ Duke and the Movies reviews Heat. He wasn't as keen on it as I would have expected.
Ruth @ FlixChatter reviews Tarantino's script of Django Unchained, which she has had the privilege of reading. Some people sure are lucky.
Jack @ Jack L. Film Reviews gives a pretty thorough overview of David Lynch's Filmmography.
I'm getting pretty excited for Midnight in Paris after all of these glowing reviews. John @ John Likes Movies gives the film a 4.
A new episode of The Film Locker is uploaded. This week Hatter and Simon talk about the films of David Cronenberg.
The LAMMY Award Winners are now being announced over at the LAMB. Congratulations to all the winners so far. The Big Kahuna should be announced soon. Tomorrow?
Thanks for the link, Andy!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link Andy, and I'm really enjoying your coverage of the festival!
ReplyDeleteI think the new format for the Academy Awards is great, definitely the best thing to happen to them for quite a while! It's seems like an obvious thing to do really, as there isn't always 10 films that deserve a Best Picture nomination each year...
@ Stevee: You're welcome! :-)
ReplyDelete@ Jack L: Thanks Jack, its been a lot of fun!
I think that there are always 10 films that deserve recognition in the Best Picture category, but often there is a documentary or two, or a foreign film. Eliminating these categories it is sometimes hard to make up the numbers.
I was happy with the 10 from last year. 2009...well, hardly haha. I have seen a few films already this year that could feature come year's end. Both Martha Marcy May Marlene and Take Shelter could take the Indie film spots that Winter's Bone and The Kids Are All Right took last year. But, unless they get enough first-place votes, they won't make it! There is a suspense to the category that hasn't been present in some time...
Thanks for the link Andy!
ReplyDeleteNo worries Sam!
ReplyDeleteIt's safe to say I completely forgot the existance of Cars 2.
ReplyDeleteI love Pixar just as much as the next person, but their winning streak seems like it's going to come to a hault soon-enough (I pray not, though.)
I am one of the only people out there that actually liked Cars (I'd say Finding Nemo is the weakest Pixar, but that probably has to do with the fact I ended up loathing it when I left the cinema having seen it at about 8 years old.)
I am pretty excited for Brave, though. Considering that it will be the first female protagonist (apart from EVE and to an extent, Jessie) to present a Pixar film, I think it's gonna be a good one.
And your festival coverage was really great! I am super jealous of some of the films you have gotten to see!
Yeah, I'm not overjoyed by the thought of Cars 2. I am one to believe that Cars is Pixar's weakest. You don't like Nemo? It's incredible haha.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in Brave, but I don't know very much about it. Knowing Pixar, and an original idea, I'm sure it will be something special.
Thanks for following my festival coverage Cherokee and for your comments. I feel overwhelmed by how many great films I have seen in just a bit over a week. It really is surreal. I'm sure many of them will have cinema releases near you very soon.
I am in the minority with not digging Nemo, that's for sure. I mean I like it, just not as much as the other Pixars, (and when you look at it alongside Wall-E, Up, and the Toy Story trilogy, it's kind of laughable.)
ReplyDeleteAnd you're very welcome! Your coverage has been great! I have avoided reading your Senna review until i have seen the film, though, as it is one that is out in cinemas now, and I am without-a-doubt going to make my way to see it after work one day.