02.12.13 |
∞
Columbia professor Tim Wu, writing for The New Yorker:
That doesn’t mean the cable industry has no prospects. But this year or next, cable companies will have to accept that they are no longer the gatekeepers for the best content. It means, eventually, that the industry will probably have to embrace the idea of simply carrying the content of others (which was its original business model), and essentially function as what used to be called an “Internet-service provider.”
Wu is a very smart guy, and his points about the potential impact of House of Cards are argued well. But I’m not as optimistic that the ‘best content’ will move as rapidly away from cable as he predicts.
02.06.13 |
∞
There’s a reason that this long interview with Vulture‘s Mary Kaye Schilling is getting so talk online. It’s because it’s great, candid, and moves in directions I never would have expected (e.g. Soderbergh loves reading US in airports).
01.31.13 |
∞
A nice ongoing feature over at Press Play with video essays and written analysis of this year’s Oscar nominees. I especially liked their breakdown of the supporting actress category; with all this attention focused on Anne Hathaway, it’s easy (and unjustified) to forget why the other four nominees are even there, especially Jackie Weaver.
01.25.13 |
∞
Film Crit Hulk:
>
BUT IN ALL THE PRESS THAT HE GOT TO DO FOR THE FILM, THERE WAS SOMEONE HE REFERENCED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND INSTANTLY HULK SAW THE ENTIRE THROUGHLINE.
HOOPER IS OBSESSED WITH KUBRICK.
AND THEN IT ALL MADE SENSE…
HOOPER DOESN’T KNOW FUCK ALL ABOUT WHAT KUBRICK WAS ACTUALLY DOING.
01.24.13 |
∞
SlashFilm‘s David Chen:
It is a fact that many people will leave this film thinking that torture, in some way, helped lead to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. That’s what political pundits are getting upset about — the fact that people think torture was effective at all. And if the pundits are correct in saying that the film sends people out of the theater with an understanding that torture was effective, then who is wrong? Filmgoers for not understanding what the film is trying to say? Or Bigelow for depicting torture irresponsibly? As usual, I think the answer lies somewhere in between.
I don’t fully agree with David’s stance here, but his writing and the evidence behind his arguments is excellent.
01.22.13 |
∞
Really solid, deep analysis of PT Anderson by Kevin B. Lee over at BFI. You can see a steady change in Anderson’s direction: early works (e.g. Hard Eight, Boogie Nights) tend to be far more kinetic and Scorcese-like, while later films (There Will Be Blood) use the Steadicam in a more restrained fashion.
01.21.13 |
∞
I’d argue Pumping Iron is ranked too high, but I can’t fight much with film critic Matt Singer; dude has his Schwarzenegger knowledge down cold.
01.20.13 |
∞
Cool breakdown at BoxOfficeQuant by stat major Edmund Helmer on what colors dominate modern film trailers.
01.18.13 |
∞
Legendary photographer Steve McCurry (probably best known for his National Geographic ‘Afghan Girl’ shot) was given the last roll of Kodachrome film ever produced. He took a trip around the world to shoot those last 36 frames.
If there’s any sign of technology’s rapid progress, it’s in the switch in photography (and now film) from analog to digital. But McCurry’s shots highlighted here – from New York to India – are powerful, and still illustrate the warmth of ‘real’ film that will be gone forever.
01.17.13 |
∞
Somehow this amazing dance film completely illuded me through all of 2012. But now it’s 2013 and there’s no excuse: if you dig Girl Talk, dance, or just great DSLR driven cinematography all over NYC, you should check out this film.