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 […]