Kristin Scott Thomas is "Extraordinary" When I spoke with the acclaimed British actress in January, as we both recovered from Golden Globe parties, I discovered that she loves describing other actors that way. Yet the adjective fits her like a glove. "Versatile" would be another apt descriptor. She'...

Conventional wisdom unequivocally asserted that the only Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee to hold a candle to Waltz with Bashir was France’s The Class - but that even that movie was hardly as technically groundbreaking or thematically poignant as Israel’s nominee. Regardless, The...

Whew. So that took even longer than usual. Which is saying a lot. I've been giving out some kind of virtual awards for my favorite movies since I was a wee kid... only they weren't public back when I was only seeing 12-15 movies a year and I thought Karate Kid and Splash ruled! I like to think of my...

Nathaniel R: First things first, please welcome this year's Symposium guests (in alpha order just like Oscar do): Timothy Brayton, Antagonie & Ecstasy, Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine, Karina Longworth, Spout, Erik Lundegaard, Eriklundegaard.com and Kris Tapley, In Contention. They were chosen throu...

links go to trailers L I M I T E D Gomorra The Italian hit finally opens proper, without the intended Oscar nomination it expected to be promoting itself with. I thought it was good but I don't totally understand the fuss, I must confess. If you like hyperlink mosaics or mafia films you could certai...

Oscars , Globes and Year in Review The Feinberg Files on Oscar's foreign film shortlist and that Gomorra snub Wall Street Journal good article on Slumdog's Co-Director and why she isn't getting any awards attention while Danny Boyle is drowning in it. (Thanks to David, for pointing it out) Everythin...

Films Opening Today (links go to trailers) Slumdog Millionaire -Danny Boyle's energetic (or exhausting depending on your P.O.V.) time hopping story of an orphan on Who Wants to be a Millionaire is winning over audiences and will probably win over Oscar ballot holders, too. The finale provides the ma...

Nathaniel here. Back for a moment from my break because I couldn't NOT mention this. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, also known as "One of the Best Living Actors and World Great True Movie Stars" --or at least he would have those titles if the cinema were a meritocracy -- is marrying his longtime love/sometime...

Welcome to LA thinks Woody Allen ought to be getting Clint Eastwood sized plaudits for his career resurgence MNPP asks if Jan Hooks' "Tina, the Alamo Tour Guide" is the greatest cameo of all time. I didn't even think this was up for debate. The answer is cleary yes. For a thousand different reasons....

tuesday top ten: for the listmaker in me and the listlover in you Naturally the year will get better from here. "It will, won't it?" he asked in a panicky sweat. These are the ten best of 2008 from January to June (from what I've seen). The most serious omission on my part is In Bruges which won fin...