Catch up with the last seven days in the world of film
The big story
John Carter shot for the stars and came down with a bump on its opening weekend. Disney's adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs's A Princess of Mars - about a Virginian civil war vet magically transported to the surface of the red planet - made only $31 million at the Us box office - a fraction of the estimated $300 million the House of Mouse spent on the project.
Was it the cult nature of the source material? Perhaps it was the hoo-hah over the title change? Did Pixar champ Andrew Stanton run out of rocket fuel when it came to his live action directorial debut? Or was the sight of Taylor Kitsch clambering over Barsoom in a tiny loincloth just too out there for us fickle Earth-bound folk? Whatever the reason, on John Carter's current...
The big story
John Carter shot for the stars and came down with a bump on its opening weekend. Disney's adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs's A Princess of Mars - about a Virginian civil war vet magically transported to the surface of the red planet - made only $31 million at the Us box office - a fraction of the estimated $300 million the House of Mouse spent on the project.
Was it the cult nature of the source material? Perhaps it was the hoo-hah over the title change? Did Pixar champ Andrew Stanton run out of rocket fuel when it came to his live action directorial debut? Or was the sight of Taylor Kitsch clambering over Barsoom in a tiny loincloth just too out there for us fickle Earth-bound folk? Whatever the reason, on John Carter's current...
- 3/15/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
The activist and film-maker would approve of holding the documentary film festival in 12 countries outside Syria, in protest
This week marks the first anniversary of the uprising in Syria, and would have seen the fifth year of Syria's leading documentary festival, Dox Box. All over the Arab world, film-makers have been documenting their uprisings and paying for it with their freedom and lives. So this year, the Dox Box organisers decided to make a statement against the Assad regime and not hold the festival in Syria; instead, they have planned a Dox Box Global Day to be held in 12 countries, from Sudan to the UK to Kosovo, as a gesture of continued support for these film-makers amid fears that media interest in the conflict is waning. In the UK, Dox Box Global Day will form the opening night of the Reel Syria 2012 festival in London and Edinburgh, itself a tribute...
This week marks the first anniversary of the uprising in Syria, and would have seen the fifth year of Syria's leading documentary festival, Dox Box. All over the Arab world, film-makers have been documenting their uprisings and paying for it with their freedom and lives. So this year, the Dox Box organisers decided to make a statement against the Assad regime and not hold the festival in Syria; instead, they have planned a Dox Box Global Day to be held in 12 countries, from Sudan to the UK to Kosovo, as a gesture of continued support for these film-makers amid fears that media interest in the conflict is waning. In the UK, Dox Box Global Day will form the opening night of the Reel Syria 2012 festival in London and Edinburgh, itself a tribute...
- 3/14/2012
- The Guardian - Film News
It’s the 50th anniversary of the Ann Arbor Film Festival and they’re preparing an all-out blowout on March 27 to April 1 to celebrate! The fest is crammed to the gills with the latest and greatest in experimental and avant-garde film, in addition to a celebration of classic work from Ann Arbors past.
Filmmaker Bruce Baillie was there at the first Aaff — and numerous times since. He’s back this year with a major retrospective of his entire career that spans three separate programs. Baillie, who’ll be in attendance of course, will present a brand-new restored version of his epic pseudo-Western Quick Billy, plus screenings of his classic short movies such as Castro Street, Yellow Horse, Quixote, To Parsifal and more.
There’s also a program dedicated to the films of the late Robert Nelson, including Bleu Shut and Special Warning, as well as sprinklings of underground classics throughout...
Filmmaker Bruce Baillie was there at the first Aaff — and numerous times since. He’s back this year with a major retrospective of his entire career that spans three separate programs. Baillie, who’ll be in attendance of course, will present a brand-new restored version of his epic pseudo-Western Quick Billy, plus screenings of his classic short movies such as Castro Street, Yellow Horse, Quixote, To Parsifal and more.
There’s also a program dedicated to the films of the late Robert Nelson, including Bleu Shut and Special Warning, as well as sprinklings of underground classics throughout...
- 3/7/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
With the Ann Arbor Film Festival holding its 50th anniversary in 2012 on March 24 to April 1, the fest has already lined up a fantastic set of special programs to celebrate.
Previously, it has already been announced that underground film icon Bruce Baillie will be in attendance to screen three separate programs of his work that spans his fifty-plus year career. Baillie has had a long relationship with Aaff, initially screening his films at the fest’s inaugural edition in 1963.
Joining Baillie this year will be feminist filmmaking trailblazer, Barbara Hammer, who will host a retrospective of her own films on Wednesday, March 28 as part of Aaff’s Out Night. Aaff will also be honoring the late Robert Nelson, who just passed away in January, with a selection of his films curated by Mark Toscano, a close friend of Nelson’s and an archivist at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Previously, it has already been announced that underground film icon Bruce Baillie will be in attendance to screen three separate programs of his work that spans his fifty-plus year career. Baillie has had a long relationship with Aaff, initially screening his films at the fest’s inaugural edition in 1963.
Joining Baillie this year will be feminist filmmaking trailblazer, Barbara Hammer, who will host a retrospective of her own films on Wednesday, March 28 as part of Aaff’s Out Night. Aaff will also be honoring the late Robert Nelson, who just passed away in January, with a selection of his films curated by Mark Toscano, a close friend of Nelson’s and an archivist at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- 2/15/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Omar Amiralay, a Syria-based documentary maker and one of the most influential filmmakers in the Arab world, died February 6 at his home in Damascus of an apparent heart attack. He was 66. According to a report from ABC News in Australia, Amiralay was very supportive of the ongoing uprising in Egypt, having signed a declaration by independent Syrians a week ago. Moreover, he was critical of his own country, stating recently, "I live in a country steadfastly marching on its hooves to its own demise, after it was betrayed ...
- 2/11/2011
- by IDA Editorial Staff
- International Documentary Association
Syrian filmmaker and political activist Omar Amiralay has died. He was 66.
The documentary maker passed away on Saturday after suffering a heart attack at his home in Damascus.
As one of the most prominent Arab directors, his documentaries often focused on the social and economic life in his homeland and criticised Syria's political elite.
He became an influential figure in the Declaration of the 99, a petition signed by Syrian intellectuals in 2000 calling for the country's state of emergency enforcements to be lifted and for political freedom and independence to be allowed.
Just days before his death, he also signed a declaration supporting the anti-government protests in Egypt to remove president Hosni Mubarak from power.
The documentary maker passed away on Saturday after suffering a heart attack at his home in Damascus.
As one of the most prominent Arab directors, his documentaries often focused on the social and economic life in his homeland and criticised Syria's political elite.
He became an influential figure in the Declaration of the 99, a petition signed by Syrian intellectuals in 2000 calling for the country's state of emergency enforcements to be lifted and for political freedom and independence to be allowed.
Just days before his death, he also signed a declaration supporting the anti-government protests in Egypt to remove president Hosni Mubarak from power.
- 2/7/2011
- WENN
In our latest world cinema column, Nick continues his whistle stop tour of countries and their most notable films, this week taking in the Middle East…
Greetings, everyone! So, this week I'm returning to my Around the World in 80 films. I've visited Europe and Africa so far, so still have some way to go.
Choosing a film for each country is a difficult task, and one which is open for criticism. Do you go broad and choose a film which you believe represents the country as a whole? Or do you narrow the focus and choose a film which only represents a tiny minority? Both are open to accusations of subjectivity as opposed to objectivity, but, unfortunately, film criticism is probably the least objective medium in the world, especially when it's on the web.
All I can do is pick films which I think will a) interest people, and b...
Greetings, everyone! So, this week I'm returning to my Around the World in 80 films. I've visited Europe and Africa so far, so still have some way to go.
Choosing a film for each country is a difficult task, and one which is open for criticism. Do you go broad and choose a film which you believe represents the country as a whole? Or do you narrow the focus and choose a film which only represents a tiny minority? Both are open to accusations of subjectivity as opposed to objectivity, but, unfortunately, film criticism is probably the least objective medium in the world, especially when it's on the web.
All I can do is pick films which I think will a) interest people, and b...
- 11/3/2010
- Den of Geek
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