Richard Roxburgh in Sanctum.By John ThomasonLike every good idea capitalism has leeched onto and subsequently tarnished, 3D technology has already jumped the shark in its light-speed ascent from cult novelty to the establishment standard of big-budget moviemaking.Dimensions have thus far been added to movies so atrocious I wouldn’t see them if they leaped off the … [Read more...]
Film feature: Look for ‘Hurt Locker,’ Bullock, Bridges to take Oscars
A scene from The Hurt Locker.By Hap ErsteinAnd then there were 10.No, not by a process of elimination, but by inflation. I’m talking about the new, probably not improved, look for the Academy Awards, with its revised voting dynamic for best picture. Not only are there 10 nominees for the top Oscar, but members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be ranking … [Read more...]
Film commentary: Academy goes populist route with Oscar hopefuls
Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington in Avatar.By Hap ErsteinThe first results of the Academy Awards’ grand experiment to cheapen -- uh, I mean widen -- the Best Picture nominations were announced this morning, and predictably, there were a couple of films that made the cut that would not have come close in past years.Let’s just call it the Blind Side Effect, named for the … [Read more...]