Dorothy Blyskal’s first job in the film industry was working as a production assistant on Clint Eastwood’s 2016 film “Sully.” Now, the UCLA Extension alumna is the screenwriter for Eastwood’s latest film, “The 15:17 to Paris,” which will be in wide release Friday. On Blyskal’s last job as a production secretary for reshoots of “Logan,” […]
Category Archives: Film & TV
Student film highlights realistic imperfections of romance
Relationships don’t always have happy, magical endings. Marnie Salvani, a graduate directing student, said she hopes to show the reality of relationships and break free from Hollywood’s glamorized portrayals of romance in her short film “Reunion,” a 10-minute film she shot over the weekend for a class project. Salvani said “Reunion” is a romantic comedy, […]
Reel Representation: Diversity can revitalize Hollywood’s routine of remakes, reboots
Another day, another remake. Sometimes it seems like Hollywood is relying on sequels and reboots to make up for its lack of original content. In recent years, the film and TV industries have produced remakes of everything from action films like “The Mummy” to sitcoms like “Will & Grace,” with more projects on the horizon. […]
Movie review: ‘A Fantastic Woman’
The family of a woman’s dead partner attempts to steal more than just her dog in “A Fantastic Woman.” Directed by Sebastián Lelio, “A Fantastic Woman” is a Chilean Spanish-language film that tells the story of a transgender woman named Marina (Daniela Vega) whose partner, Orlando (Francisco Reyes), dies of an aneurysm. Instead of being […]
Playing the Villain: Human villains make for the most monstrous ones
A movie is only as good as its villain, and a good villain is much more than a monster with maniacal laughter or a sinister-looking entity surrounded by henchmen. From the anarchist Joker to the cunning and brutal Annie Wilkes, countless successful films have earned their iconic status thanks to their antagonists. Each week, columnist […]
Second Take: Jessica Chastain is a model for positive change in Hollywood
Solidarity is only meaningful if it’s backed up with action. Over the past few months, countless celebrities have stood in solidarity to bring awareness to a variety of issues within Hollywood, ranging from sexual harassment and assault to lack of representation and equal pay. Most recently, celebrities walked the Golden Globe Awards’ red carpet wearing […]
Film students take on challenge to capture moviegoing magic in 30 seconds
Dangling a camera from a crane in the middle of a movie theater is part of a normal day for UCLA Coca-Cola advertisers Jessie Lee and Golden Zhao. Graduate film students Lee and Zhao were one of five student duos selected as finalists for the Coca-Cola and Regal Films student filmmakers contest. Students across the […]