On Movies & Media

More 2007 Lists Worth Noting

My Netflix queue just went into cardiac arrest as I read about all kinds of new movies on the 2007-Best lists from Doug Cummings and Robert Koehler. What would I do without tour guides like them? Nate Bell separates wheat from chaff. Brandon Fibbs is impressed with many, but only

Wes Anderson

Specials: Coppola on Great "Young Directors." Nick Cave Raises Lazarus. Performances We Won't See.

Coppola's Favorite Young Directors Francis Ford Coppola on his favorite "young directors": Q: A: I know this is gonna sound funny, but the one young director I really admire is Woody Allen, because he writes 'em, and he makes 'em, and he goes on

On Movies & Media

Come Hell or High Water (Again), Terry Gilliam Will Make That La Mancha Movie

Paste reports the almost inevitable news (first noted at Empire) that Terry Gilliam is keeping the dream alive. He once was lost (in La Mancha), but he will be found. "[Producer] Jeremy Thomas is very close to getting all the pieces of paper signed from all the people who

On Movies & Media

Casting "The Hobbit": Who Would You Choose?

TheOneRing.net is buzzing again, now that a big-screen version of The Hobbit is a sure thing. The big question of the day: Who should be cast? They perpetuate the popular idea that Martin Freeman should play young Bilbo. Or Colin Firth. I like both ideas, but... ...definitely *not* Shia

On Movies & Media

Looking Closer's 25 Favorite Films of 2007 (With an Introduction About List-Making)

Once upon a time, I was naive enough, and arrogant enough, to post lists of "the year's best films." But now, I'm reluctant to even offer a list of recommendations. It would probably be better if I posted my Favorite Movies of 2007 in

On Movies & Media

Killer of Sheep (1977/2007)

Filmed in 1977 as a thesis project on a budget of about $10,000, Charles Burnett's award-winning Killer of Sheep won an award in Berlin in 1981, and was among the first 50 films entered in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. The National Society of

On Movies & Media

Seitz on Paul Thomas Anderson

Matt Zoller Seitz is still writing about There Will Be Blood. Here he is in The New York Times celebrating Paul Thomas Anderson.

On Movies & Media

Monster, Wretches, "Bad People" ... and Me.

Guillermo Del Toro, the new king of monster movies, is about to unleash Hellboy 2. But according to MTV.com, his mind is already busy with visions of what might be his his next big project. No, it's not The Hobbit, and no, it's not that

Overstreet's Books

Fantasy Book Critic on Auralia's Colors

Fantasy Book Critic has just published thoughts on Auralia's Colors, and he's offering a free copy! Thanks to Robert Thompson for the review! Every year, whether you're talking about movies, music or books, you have what are commonly known as "hidden treasures."

On Movies & Media

Morehead on "Stardust"

I always look forward to Jason Morehead's reviews. He writes when he's passionate about something, and it makes a difference. He's passionate about Neil Gaiman's novel Stardust, so I've been looking forward to his review of the film. It'

On Movies & Media

What Would You Rather Do? See a Great Foreign Film, or Jump In a Volcano?

Will any conservative Christians go see 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days? Jeffrey Wells doesn't think so. Here's a clip from his blog (Wednesday) on an internationally celebrated film that has yet to show up on the radar of most Christian media sites. Cristian Mungiu&

On Movies & Media

A "His Dark Materials" Caution... back in 2002

My brother-in-law Derrek just brought something to my attention I'd forgotten. Five years ago, I posted an alert that The Golden Compass was about to be made into a movie. Then I invited people to suggest how Christians should respond, considering the content of the books. Now that

Resolutions

2008 Resolutions

By the grace of God, in 2008 I will: * Finish the best sequel to Auralia's Colors that I'm capable of writing in the time available to me. * Be slow to anger, and quick to cultivate civil discussion here at the blog and beyond. * Grow in my

Overstreet's Books

"Best Sense of Wonder"

Thanks to Fantasy Debut for the mention of Auralia's Colors here! It's such a relief to read something like this after all of that hard work. Thanks, Tia!

Fantasy

Best Fantasy of 2007

Some of most prolific bloggers on the subject of Fantasy Literature have published their annual favorites lists. Check these out! * Graeme's Fantasy Book Review * OF Blog of the Fallen * Fantasy Book Critic

On Movies & Media

There Will Be Blood (2007)

This review was originally published in an abridged edition at Christianity Today. • In Roman Polanski’s Chinatown, detective Jake Gittes became suspicious of a devious California millionaire named Noah Cross, played by the great John Huston. Dazzled by Cross’s fortune, which he’d acquired through laying irrigation pipelines across

On Movies & Media

"There Will Be Blood" - My Last Review of 2007

Christianity Today Movies has just posted an abbreviated version of my review of the best movie I've seen since The New World: There Will Be Blood. If I were handing out the Oscars, I'd be giving this Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Original Score,

On Movies & Media

Rowling: I was judged in FAO Schwarz

Here's a new TIME Magazine interview with J.K. Rowling. Excerpt: Through it all, Rowling didn't really fight back. Talk too much about her faith, she feared, and it would become clear who would live and who would die and who might actually do both. After

On Movies & Media

Ask 100+ critics to name the best movie of 2007...

... and they say: There Will Be Blood. The runner-up is quite a surprise too. Here's the full list.

On Movies & Media

Into Great Silence (2005)

- Soren Kierkegaard I hesitate, given the early date and the project’s modesty, to call Into Great Silence one of the best films of the year. I prefer to think of it as the antidote to all of the others. - A. O. Scott Need a little peace and

On Movies & Media

Who should direct "The Hobbit"?

Why not Brad Bird? He's the best all-ages storyteller making movies today. He's responsible for The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille. He's interested in crossover work from animation to live-action. He turned scenes involving a rat and a kitchen into some of the

On Movies & Media

Michael O'Brien's "Father Elijah": A Malick Movie?

News that Brad Pitt is "in talks" to take Heath Ledger's place in Terrence Malick's Tree of Life spread quickly this morning. But the real news from Planet Malick was yet to arrive... Thanks to Steven D. Greydanus for alerting me to the most

On Movies & Media

HobbitWatch - Report #3: Will Del Toro Direct "The Hobbit"?

Entertainment Weekly asks Guillermo Del Toro if he's been asked to direct The Hobbit. Lord of the RingsThe Hobbit

On Movies & Media

HobbitWatch - Report #2: Doubts of Douthat, Suderman

Sharing some of my own concerns about Peter Jackson's Hobbit project, here are Ross Douthat and Peter Suderman.

On Movies & Media

HobbitWatch - Update #1: Jackson Finds "Hobbit" Direction "Impossible"

In case you missed the earlier announcement, here it is... MGM Chairman says Jackson finds it "impossible" to direct this project: MGM Chairman Harry Sloan, who was credited by all parties for bringing about the deal, said Jackson found it "impossible" to direct the film and