Some UCLA students go on vacation over their summer break. Some take summer school, and others hit the beach. Mark Iverson, a second-year film and television student, made his third professional-quality film. Iverson is a filmmaker in all senses of the word: He wrote, directed, produced, and played a supporting role in his new film […]
Author Archives: Heather Laird
Getting a foot in the door
Flash back to the NBA in 2004: The Los Angeles Lakers have just won the Western Conference Finals. Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and the rest of the team have disappeared from the crowds and returned to the locker room to congratulate each other. And as millions of fans watch the behind-the-scenes excitement glued to their […]
Screen Scene: “Wild Hogs”
Director Walt Becker Touchstone Pictures 1 Paw Forget the mildly funny commercials that make you think to yourself, “Well, maybe I’ll see that if I have nothing better to do this weekend.” Don’t be fooled: the funniest parts of the film were all used in the previews. “Wild Hogs” is nothing but a pathetic attempt […]
Screen Scene: Primeval
“Primeval” Director Michael Katleman Buena Vista Have you ever held your breath for 94 minutes? Well, prepare to do exactly that with the unnecessarily graphic thriller “Primeval,” directed by TV veteran Michael Katleman (“Dark Angel,” “Tru Calling”). The film takes place in Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world, where the American and […]
Russia’s movie mother
Since the time of the Soviet Union, Russia has been a country of great secrecy and oppression. Even now, there is a scandal over the suspicious death of a prominent Russian journalist. However, out of Russia’s oppression also comes Marina Goldovskaya, a revolutionary documentary filmmaker, professor and head of the UCLA documentary film program. To […]
Screen Scene: "Running with Scissors"
"Running with Scissors" Director Ryan Murphy Sony Pictures Classics (Out of 5) An inspiring story about a boy with an unstable family life who grows up to be a successful writer, “Running with Scissors” is not a film for the faint of heart nor the faint of stomach. Director Ryan Murphy (TV’s “Nip/Tuck”) lets his […]