Category: media

“This year’s Bafta film nominations have been announced, and Gravity leads the field with 11 nominations. But what else is there to note about this year’s shortlist?”

“The people who make games now, they grew up with games their whole life — probably the first generation that did that. So it’s really natural to consider that you can have a game about anything.”

“Is it kosher for a movie producer to selectively quote from the Twitter feed of the NYT’s movie reviewer, in a print ad, even when the reviewer in question explicitly said he would not give permission?”

Was the heckler, as some have reported, former NYFCC chairman and proudly ornery contrarian Armond Whiie, himself African-American? Andrew O’Hehir reports.

“Julian Fellowes’ drama is a major hit in the US, winning numerous Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. Nielsen figures show ratings were 22% higher than the series three premiere.”

All kinds of “social ills” have been blamed on MTV – elongating the period we consider “youth” for example, as well as homogenising it – but a charge much less contestable is simply its influence on the way film and TV looks.

“Though most [silent film stars] made talking pictures, few made any to compare with their silent marvels; only those of Charlie Chaplin rival – and even surpass – his silent work.” Why did Chaplin succeed where his contemporaries faltered?

“Despite the high number of pirated films, however, Hollywood isn’t hurting. The latest numbers show that 2013′s box office is poised to be the best yet with $10.9 billion domestically, slightly edging out 2012′s $10.8 billion.”

“When the people who have paid for the film are also your audience, you lose the latitude to innovate and surprise. Two roles that used to be distinct – investor and consumer – are now one, and as such the way the filmmakers can work is altered and limited, if they are to avoid a fan backlash and get funded a second time.”