Dear Mr. George Lucas, I would like to congratulate you. You have the done the impossible, thought the unthinkable, imagined the unimaginable. You have completed your hexology ““ six films by no means remotely ordinary or formulaic. I give you that. You have motivation, talent, intelligence and power. But poor old Yoda has worn his […]
Author Archives: Devon Dickau
Fans expected out in force for film
Though the dark side might win in the newest and final installment of the Star Wars series, that doesn’t mean that something good won’t come from its premiere. Not only is tonight’s Westwood premiere of “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith” expected to be larger and more chaotic than the typical star-studded, fan-crazed […]
Chinese film series goes beyond usual stereotype
When most of us think of Chinese film, a stunning image of flying martial artists and bold colors comes instantly to mind. And with the overpowering recent successes of Yimou Zhang’s “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers,” there is hardly any evidence to suggest otherwise. But contemporary Chinese cinema is more than just airborne swords […]
Real scary
Nothing is more terrifying than the truth. Or so reads the tag line for Hollywood’s newest horror flick, “The Amityville Horror,” which opens in theaters Friday. A remake of the 1979 movie of the same title, the film’s most prominent advertising campaign lies in its claim to truth. The Web site and trailer both prominently […]
“˜Jacket’ transcends typical film genres
It’s that time of year. As the award-winning biopics and heavy-hitting dramas slowly move from the big screen to DVD, a stampede of horror flicks and light-hearted comedies pervade the theaters. And while these genres of film traditionally accompany the growth of green leaves back on trees, some filmmakers have begun to despise the labels. […]
Sold On Sellars
From Los Angeles to Vienna to London and back, UCLA World Arts and Cultures Professor Peter Sellars has dedicated his life to spreading artistic vision. Only returning to Los Angeles to teach his Monday night four-hour course titled “Art as Social Action,” Sellars preaches that art is not just a medium for beauty or entertainment […]
Retrospective aims to raise late French filmmaker out of obscurity
To be original, to be creative, to hold an influential role in the time line of art history sometimes means not having your work appreciated at the time it is produced. For French filmmaker Maurice Pialat, this couldn’t be more true. Now, after his 2003 death at the age of 77, Pialat’s presence in film […]