New poster for 'Killing Them Softly'

Telluride Film Festival lineup!

You know your festival sucks when the headline is 'Hyde Park on Hudson'. Just my opinion. Full lineup here.

Final trailer for 'The Master'

This is the last one. Trust me on that. Now, when will September 14th roll around?

'To the Wonder', the Best Picture AND Director winner?

I bet you're tired of seeing this picture. So am I.

So I read a nifty little article on AwardsCircuit. It stated that if To the Wonder was as good as expected, it should win Best Director and Picture. Here's why:

-Ang Lee can't really win Best Director again for Life of Pi. He already won for Brokeback Mountain in 2005, and is Asian. Yeah, it sounds racist, but its true. Also, the accessability for Pi is still a question.

-Kathryn Bigelow can't really win for Zero Dark Thirty because she recently won for The Hurt Locker. Also, she's a woman. Sounds sexist, but its true.

-Spielberg can't really win for Lincoln because he already won for List and Private Ryan, two WWII masterpieces. The only way Spielberg can pull it off is with something equal to the previously listed.

-Benh Zeitlen for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Not much a chance, since the film is so polarizing.

New Poster for 'The Master'

New poster for The Master. As you might tell, I'm excited for this film. VERY EXCITED.

Masterpieces Classics: 8½ (1963)

Here's a fact that all film fans should know: Federico Fellini was one of the greatest directors of all time, no doubt about it. His ideas were original, and his films... Felliniesque.

His most Felliniesque and autobiographical film is 8½, starring his man-muse Marcello Mastroianni. 8½ and Fellini's previous work, La Dolce Vita are spiritual sequels in their own respects. Both star Mastroianni as men in the film industry, pursuing different women throughout.

First Poster for 'Lincoln'

Looking majestic. Like the focus on Abe.

'She wrote me a letter'

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Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012): A tale of 'Chicken Licken'

Beasts of the Southern Wild, is this year's film with a fanbase, last year's being The Tree of Life. Beasts of the Southern Wild is definitely inventive with its shoestring budget, but is it still a good film? Maybe.

Beasts is the film that has been getting the most 4 star ratings this year, beating the likes of Moonrise Kingdom. Expecting a masterpiece was me, and I was the one disappointed.

The film opens with energetic narration by Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngster that plays Hushpuppy. She talks about holidays in her hometown, the Bathtub. The narration and Wallis' performance for the first 5 minutes appalled me. I was uninterested in what she was saying or doing. The festivities did not engage me, but more so dull me.

First look of Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln in 'Lincoln'.

New poster for 'The Master'

Zero Dark Thirty trailer.

Zero Dark Thirty enters the race, pushing out The Great Gatsby. Besides, Gatsby's release date has been moved to Summer 2013.

Masterpieces Classics: La Dolce Vita (1960)

When I think of Fellini's La Dolce Vita, I think of the Trevi Fountain sequence. It may be the highlight of the film, but is it the film? No. It is a small part, and that's all.

La Dolce Vita, or in English, The Sweet Life, is actually quite bitter. The film, known for its divided sequences, is episodic. Unlike life, it has the boring parts cut, instead, remain memories. All of them, bitter, but they are memories, none the less, and they are the important ones that truly define Marcello.

Moonrise Kingdom (2012): Once upon a time in the Wes.

Once upon a time, Martin Scorsese, was asked who would succeed him. His answer? The little known Wes Anderson, hot off the heels of Bottle Rocket. After viewing Tenenbaums, Mr. Fox, Darjeeling, and finally Moonrise Kingdom, I'm proud to say that his latest might be his greatest.

Moonrise Kingdom is the 2nd film in 2 years about kids who go to church and face the troubles of growing up, 1st being The Tree of Life. All kidding aside, this is a funny, maybe moving coming-of-age story. This should be required viewing for all teens, like me.

Masterpieces Classics: Modern Times (1936)

Note: This is for a film essay project for www.collectivemovielove.blogspot.com


Modern Times: A film for the 99%.
By Sean Wu.

In an episode of the popular American TV show, The Office, secretary Pam Beasley dresses up like the Little Tramp for Halloween. She makes a reference saying she can’t take off the iconic bowler cap, for she would look like Hitler. Watching that clip, I was curious if American audiences would understand her dress-up. I think they would.

The Little Tramp is debatably the greatest characters to grace the screen, surpassing the likes of Indiana Jones, and Hannibal Lecter. What defines this character, in my opinion, is not the hat, moustache, or the cane. It’s the smile, which is always shown. In all of the films that feature The Little Tramp, I do not recall a tear shed.

Venice Film Festival lineup!

The Master ain't 'Joaquin' away Venice.

Arguably late to the party, again.

Venice has a lineup more stellar than in recent memory. Previous reports stated that Italy wanted to, must I say it, 'reel' in De Palma's Passion, Malick's To the Wonder, and Thomas Anderson's The Master. They have all three, and then some.

Full lineup here.

Toronto Film Festival Lineup announced!

I'm late to the party with this announcement, but old news is still big news.

The Toronto Film Festival has announced it's lineup, and it ain't shoddy. Opening the festivities is Looper. More fun is shipped in by Argo, To the Wonder, and The Master.

Full lineup here.

Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' takes the Kane in the new 'Sight and Sound' Poll.

Carlotta Valdes

It's official. Vertigo  is the greatest film of all time. I have no problem with that, since I also consider it the greatest of all time. (Expect a 'Masterpieces Classics' review). Citizen Kane, the 5-time champion has fallen.

The true winner, actually, would be Ozu's Tokyo Story. Rising to #3, dethroning the slightly overrated The Rules of the Game, TS's true victory was in the director's poll, where it took the top spot. Vertigo was at #7.

Top 50 films are here.