How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Current State of Cinema
Movie lovers have given up hope that movies will deliver, on a consistent basis, the added experience that one can get only in the cinema. But not me. For the first time in years I am excited about movies. In fact, now may be one of the most exciting times ever to be a movie lover. Have I gone mad?
The 25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in Movies
A nice collection of famous scenes that for various reasons were unscripted. From “Here’s looking at you Kid” to “Leave the gun, take the cannoli” these moments are a nice reminder that sometimes the filmmaking gods reward living in the moment.
In whose hands does the fate of Teztan Biny rightfully belong?
Already once rejected after exhaustive hearings for a federal environmental review Panel, Taseko Mines proposes to mine our minerals at Teztan Biny/Fish Lake and then to impoverish our children by removing them without consent or comparable compensation. The Crown now has privileged the company with a new chance to impress yet another Panel with yet another round of hearings on this failed project. With the greatest respect, I would bring some issues to the Panel’s attention.
PKOLS or Mount Douglas? By another name, some things are sweeter.
On May 22, the Saanich and Songhees indigenous people, whose territories host much of Greater Victoria, will ask their guests to honour the area’s most notable landmark by calling it with the same name as they do, PKOLS (p’cauls.) Settlers now call it Mount Douglas. Restoring the indigenous presence here would be a strong symbol of cultural unification or sharing.
Roger Deakins on His Approach to Choosing Lenses
Roger Deakins is as close to “cinematographer royalty” as one can get Hollywood. The Coen Brothers favourite has lensed such movies as, “Barton Fink,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “Fargo,” as well as “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Skyfall.” Below is an interview Deakins did with “Cinematographer Style.” Highlights include his explanation of how different lenses affect the audience and his personal approach to choosing lenses.
Danny Boyle on the State of Cinema
Danny Boyle recently took a few moments to discuss the current state of cinema. His comments address the lack of “sophisticated, complex and pleasurable movies” being made for adult audiences today. Like Steven Soderbergh last month, Boyle is reflecting a growing sense of dissatisfaction within the ranks of the movie-making and movie-watching community.
Soderbergh on the State of Cinema
Steven Soderbergh delivered an impressive speech on “The State of Cinema” at this year’s San Francisco Film Festival. Soderbergh begins by separating films into two classes: cinema and movies. Unfortunately, as Soderbergh points out, “cinema” is an endangered species. The drive of his speech is devoted to asking the question: why?
April 29: The True Start of European Colonialism in British Columbia
Before April 1862, the indigenous population of what became British Columbia had no reason to think that its relationship with settlers would be any different from its mutually beneficial experience trading with the HBC. Then, suddenly, everything changed.
The Best Opening Scenes in Cinema
Great opening movie scenes usually satisfy several audience needs or demands. They are entertaining. They are emotionally engaging. And they establish an honest “contract with the audience.” That is, they lay ground rules for the experience the filmmaker is promising to deliver, in terms of tone, style and content. This contract does not mislead, over-reach or promise something the movie will not deliver.
5 Ways to Make Better Movies than Robert Bresson
Apart from students of technique or cultural context, Robert Bresson’s movies tend not to connect with larger audiences. Nor do they seem timeless. Some need to be seen more than once for a proper understanding and appreciation. Modern audiences are likely to find his films boring or little engaging. In our quest to understand how to make great movies, we ask: why? Below are five Bresson traits that make audience enjoyment difficult: