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Film is More Than a Visual Medium for “Blind Film Critic” Tommy Edison
Time for an experiment: Pop a movie in your DVD player. Make some popcorn, sit down and prepare to enjoy. But, as you push play, close your eyes. This is what the movie-going experience is like for Tommy Edison, better known to his fans on YouTube as the "Blind Film Critic."
A lifelong movie lover, Edison's criteria for what makes a great film are different from that of the average viewer. While sighted viewers might forgive a movie’s hackneyed plot, cliché-ridden script or uneven characterization if the special effects are spectacular, Edison says that, “If you take the [visual aspects of a film] away, sometimes it leaves a whole lot to be desired.” His appreciation of a film therefore hinges on the quality of its script, actors, character development, soundtrack and—above all—its story. So what are his five favorite movies?
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10 Tips for Becoming an Internet Sensation
In 2008 we began production on a Super 35mm short film called Ten for Grandpa. After blowing up a car in an underground parking garage for my 2006 short, Anniversary Present, it seemed only natural to raise the ambition level and build nine sets on a sound stage for my next seven-minute film. Four years later, after an amazing festival run (including a Sundance 2009 premiere, and screenings at more than 50 other international fests) it was finally time to release the film for free on the Internet. In the few short weeks since we launched online, Ten for Grandpa has racked up more than 33,500 plays on Vimeo (from 800,000 hits plus thousands more plays on other sites), and has been featured on Short of the Week, Film School Rejects, TheAwesomer.com, Oscilloscope Laboratories, directorslive.com, Flavorpill, theworldsbestever.com, johnaugust.com, directorsnotes.com, notcot.org and many others.
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Mixed Reviews: Shock Value
It began in the late 1960s, and would last for about a decade—a cosmic shift in the landscape of horror movies. The “Old Horror” movies, which had been around for more than 30 years, featured cobwebs and musty old crypts; the “New Horror” movies were considerably more realistic and graphic. The central threat in these films came not from a supernatural entity, but from something more human—the neighbors down the street or maybe even a person living inside the protagonist's home. By placing the horror in everyday settings, these films became much more frightening to audiences, and still have the power to shock today. Jason Zinoman’s new book, Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror ($25.95, 274 pages, The Penguin Press) discusses in expert detail this critical time in movie history.
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes Rises to Number One
The apes have taken over the box office. New release Rise of the Planet of the Apes brought in $54 million over the weekend, making it the number one film by a considerable margin. The Smurfs held steady at number two, while last weekend's number one, Cowboys & Aliens, slid to the number three spot. Rounding out the top five were body-swap comedy The Change-Up and Captain America: The First Avenger.
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On the Road Again… with Four of the World’s Best Road Trip Movies
Ah, the road trip. A small group of people are forced to cohabit a confined space as they journey through strange locales and encounter eccentric people, all in an effort to achieve some goal before time runs out. Is there any scenario better suited for the silver screen? Much-loved classics like Easy Rider, The Grapes of Wrath and The Wizard of Oz are among the hundreds of movies where the central plot revolves around a group of people who must get from point A to point B. Most real-life road trips are more soul-crushingly boring than their cinematic counterparts, but audiences are still drawn to the mystique of the movie road trip.
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How to Shoot a Film in 48 Hours
DIY moviemaker writes his own rules for Being Sold
It all started with a phone call... I called a few colleagues of mine with the crazy idea of shooting a feature film in two days expecting (and kind of hoping) that they would talk me out of it. They didn’t. Suddenly I had to figure out how we could actually pull it off...
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Mixed Reviews: Sell Your Own Damn Movie!
The marketplace is overflowing with informational books about how to get your latest indie feature distributed. Most of these, unfortunately, are by-the-numbers and dry as dust. So what makes Lloyd Kaufman’s new book, Sell Your Own Damn Movie! (Focal Press, 258 pages, $19.95), any different? Simple: While the book relays much practical information about how to get your movie distributed, it does so in a funny, entertaining way—so that while you learn about the various methods of distribution, you feel mentally engaged and may even find yourself laughing out loud.
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Cowboys & Aliens and Smurfs, Oh My!
It was neck and neck all the way to the finish line, and after the numbers came in... it was still too close to call. Two of last week's new releases, Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs, tied for first place at the box office, each film closing off the weekend with a gross of $36.2 million. Last week's number one movie, Captain America: The First Avenger, dropped to number three.
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Captain America is a Box Office Super Soldier
Just call these past few months the Summer of Marvel. Only months after the release of box office champions Thor and X-Men: First Class, Captain America: The First Avenger became the studio's latest number one movie, earning $65.8 million in its first weekend of release. Last week's top movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, was knocked down to second place, its weekend gross of $48 million bringing its total so far to $274.1 million.
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Hollywood’s Everyday Superheroes
In Captain America: The First Avenger, in theaters July 22nd, Steve Rogers is a WWII soldier who is transformed into the superhero Captain America by a top-secret government organization dedicated to defending American ideals against the Nazis. In most contemporary film, one must have either supernatural abilities (Superman, Green Lantern,Spider-man), super-secret government training (James Bond) or just superhuman levels of bad-assery (Batman, Jason Bourne) to be a hero. Hollywood seems to have forgotten that the everyman (or woman) who stands up for his or her rights and beliefs without having super-anything is just as capable of bringing down the baddies, saving lives and changing the world. As proof that we mere mortals are capable of extraordinary achievements, MM presents some cinematic average Joes and Janes who represent what it means to be a true American hero.
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Sci-Fi Movies for People Who Hate Sci-Fi Movies
In Another Earth, out on July 22nd, Rhoda Williams is an MIT business student who caused the car accident that killed the wife and son of a young composer. On the night of the accident, a duplicate of Earth—which is hypothesized by scientists to be inhabited by the same people as the original planet—is discovered. Rhoda, racked with guilt, tries to win a chance to travel to the other Earth so that she can correct her mistake. Another Earth is a low-budget, introspective indie drama that's helped to put its leading actress-co-writer-producer Brit Marling on the map after it was a breakout hit at Sundance, where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize and the Special Jury Prize for World Cinema.
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Dying to Make Dying to Do Letterman
For a stand-up comedian, being asked to perform on one of the major networks' late night talk shows is like striking a career jackpot. The performance guarantees a TV audience of millions who, if they like what they see, could give the comedian a powerful career boost. Every stand-up dreams of being invited to give such a performance. Steve Mazan was one such comic. Despite several years of making a name for himself in the comedy world, he had yet to fulfill his childhood dream of performing on the "Late Show with David Letterman." When Mazan was diagnosed with incurable liver cancer and told that he had as little as five years to live, he was determined that the diagnosis would encourage, not hinder, him in achieving his life goals.
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Harry Potter Casts a Spell on the Box Office
The story of Harry Potter may be over, but he certainly went out with a bang. The latest—and final—installment in the lucrative franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, made box office history this weekend, earning $168,550,000 and unseating the 2008 opening of The Dark Knight as the largest movie opening ever. If only Batman had magic powers!
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a Megahit
Transformers: Dark of the Moon grabbed the top spot at the box office for the second week in a row, with its weekend gross of $47 million bringing its total so far to $261 million. New releases Horrible Bosses and Zookeeper came in second and third, respectively. Fourth place went to Cars 2, which doesn't have as many explosions as Michael Bay's take on the talking car theme, though Transformers certainly suffers from the lack of Michael Caine as a British super-spy. Bad Teacher rounded out the top five.
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Horrible Bosses Go Hollywood
Nobody wants to have a horrible boss. But everybody loves to watch a horrible boss. Inside everyone lives a tiny little sadist. Anyone who has ever laughed at a person stepping on a rake and hitting himself in the face, or giggled at a woman trying (and failing) to walk through a sliding glass door has a little part in his or her soul that enjoys watching other people get hurt. Watching someone suffer through a horrible boss is a different lyric in the same song. With Horrible Bosses hitting theaters, MovieMaker takes a look back at the head honchos that make us cry with laughter.
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon Rolls Out at Number One
Independence Day is a time for fireworks, so it's fitting that the number one movie at the box office this July 4th weekend was courtesy of the explosion-happy Michael Bay. Transformers: Dark of the Moon earned $97.4 million over the weekend, bringing its total gross since its release last Friday to $162 million. Last week's number one, Cars 2 (weekend gross $25.1 million, total gross $116 million) was pushed down one spot, and last weekend's runner-up,Bad Teacher (weekend gross $14.1 million, total gross $59.5 million), came in at number three.
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Thirteen Movies To Celebrate on the Fourth
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Cars 2 Races to Box Office Victory
Pixar had its twelfth number one opening last weekend with Cars 2, the sequel to the studio's 2006 hit. Despite its $68 million opening weekend gross, Cars 2 hasn't gotten favorable reviews from most critics, which is a new experience for Pixar "Perfect Track Record" Animation Studios. Don't worry, guys, we all have our bad days, and Brave looks like it'll be great. Coming in second at the box office was Bad Teacher, which earned $31 million in its first weekend of release.
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Midnight in Paris Is Woody Allen's Biggest Hit in 25 Years
As of June 23rd, 2011, Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates and Marion Cotillard, has become the director’s highest-grossing film in 25 years. The critically-acclaimed film, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May and is still playing in wide release, has so far grossed $23.3 million, surpassing the box office gains of both Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and Match Point (2005), the auteur’s two biggest commercial successes from recent years.
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Social Media All-Stars
Four Case Studies in Social Media Success
The world of independent movies is changing. Thanks to advances in technology—especially inexpensive HD cameras and the increased availability of consumer-friendly digital editing systems—it’s easier to make movies today than it ever has been before. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, since more movies are being made, distributors are paying less for finished movies.
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Bad Teacher: Who Makes the Grade?
School’s out for the summer. And kids all over the country couldn’t be happier. Of course, their teachers are equally excited. Hitting theaters this weekend is the raunchy new comedy Bad Teacher, in which Cameron Diaz’s character wreaks all kinds of havoc—drinking, doing drugs, cursing at her students and participating in other kinds of debauchery. The cast also includes Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel, John Michael Higgins and Eric Stonestreet. The premise behind Bad Teacher got us thinking of some of Hollywood's best and worst teachers. Give our list a a look. Who knows, you might even learn something!
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Showcase Cinemas Searches for the Ultimate Film Fan
Are you the ultimate movie fan? Then National Amusements Showcase Cinemas wants to hear from you. Beginning on June 15th, Showcase is accepting three-minute videos from residents in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio and Rhode Island that explain why they deserve to be named the “Showcase Ultimate Film Fan.” Video submissions will be accepted via Facebook through July 15th (you must be 18 or older to enter). The Facebook community and a panel of judges from National Amusements will vote on the submitted videos and award the Ultimate Film Fan two year-long admission passes plus a $100 National Amusements gift card, while runners-up receive free movie tickets and swag bags.
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Box Office Number One Green Lantern Earns Less Green Than Expected
Two weekends ago saw Super 8 at the top of the box office, earning more than most people expected and proving wrong the skeptics who doubted that a movie that left its flashiest special effects--and basic plot information--out of its marketing campaign could possibly have a big opening weekend. Last weekend's heavily-hyped number one, Green Lantern (weekend gross $52.6 million), earned much less than anticipated, considering its budget (an estimated $150 million) and all-star cast (which includes Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively).
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Academy Changes Voting Guidelines
2012 Best Picture Category Can Include Anywhere From Five to Ten Nominees
Two years after their controversial decision to expand the Best Picture category at the Oscars to include ten nominees, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made an amendment to their voting guidelines. Several changes have been made, but the most notable is that a film must receive 5% of first place votes during the nomination process in order to be nominated for Best Picture. As a result, anywhere from five to ten films may be nominated in this category.
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Abrams and Spielberg Reach Number One with Super 8
What could possibly top the combined power of a controversial director, much-buzzed-about actors and an action sequence involving the Cuban Missile Crisis, all as part of a highly-anticipated prequel of a popular comic book franchise that was seriously in need of a reboot? Two words: Spielberg. Abrams. Though X-Men: First Class was on top last weekend, it was pushed to the number two spot by Super 8, directed by J.J. Abrams and co-produced by Steven Spielberg.
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Tribeca and Gucci Join Forces to Support Documentary Moviemakers
Contrary to what people may think, Gucci isn’t only concerned with handbags and sunglasses. For the past four years they've teamed with the Tribeca Film Institute (TFI) with the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund, which provides documentary moviemakers whose films highlight important social issues with financial support as well as the tools and advice needed to complete and market their films. The six winning films--announced last week by TFI and Gucci--will receive a total of $100,00 as well as a year-long mentorship from TFI.
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X-Men: First Class is in First Place at the Box Office
No surprises this week! X-Men: First Class grabbed first place at the box office last weekend with an opening weekend gross of $56 million, and in doing so pushed its fellow Marvel superhero movie, Thor, out of the top five. Woe is Thor. Last weekend's number one, The Hangover Part II, came in second (weekend gross $32.4 million, total gross $186.8 million). Also in the top five were Kung Fu Panda 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Bridesmaids.
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Carlo Ledesma Enters The Tunnel
The Tunnel, from Australian director Carlo Ledesma, is the story of five journalists who encounter more than they bargained for while investigating a network of abandoned tunnels underneath Sydney. The only thing more shocking than this Blair Witch-esque horror flick is its ticket price: Zero. Yes, free. The Tunnel is now available to download through BitTorrent clients as part of VODO.net’s Artist Spotlight program, which digitally promotes the work of its featured artists.
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Michael Tucker Shows How to Fold a Flag
Morgan Spurlock and Virgil Films present How to Fold a Flag, coming to theaters… nowhere? That’s right, How To Fold a Flag, the latest documentary in Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein’s Iraq War series, will be released digitally on Hulu, Amazon Instant Video and other online platforms.
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The Funny Business of Comedy Sequels
It’s damn hard to make a worthy comedy sequel. This is especially true if the original was both a financial and critical success. Expectations are sky high for the sequel to be an uproariously funny smash—but, alas, the result is usually a film in which the humor feels forced and strained, as the moviemakers try too hard to capture what viewers loved about the effortless original. Moreso than other genres, it seems especially difficult for comedies to recapture lightning in a bottle. This week, Todd Phillips’ The Hangover: Part II, the much-anticipated sequel to the surprise 2009 summer hit, will be released. Whether it can capture the kinetic energy of the original remains to be seen, but in the meantime join us as we take a look back at some of the best—and worst—comedy sequels of all time.
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Jack Sparrow, Captain of the Box Office
Jack Sparrow (Captain Jack Sparrow, sorry) topped the box office yet again, with the fourth movie in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, earning $90.1 million in its first weekend. Bridesmaids held onto the number two spot, with its weekend gross of $21 million bringing its total so far to $59.5 million. Last week's number one, Thor, fell to number three, while Fast Five and Rio rounded out the top five.
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Check Out the Next Step in Online Distribution with itzon
Indie moviemakers take note. With everyone's focus on where the next avenue for indie distribution will be, a brand new site called itzon snuck a step ahead. The site streams a lineup of independent film content which viewers can watch for free like they would a TV channel. That’s great for indie movie fans, but moviemakers themselves can use the site to gain exposure and compile data on who their audience is and what they want to see.
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Thor Hammers Out Second Week of Box Office Victory
Thor held on to the top spot at the box office last weekend, but it had some competition from Paul Feig, Judd Apatow and some bridesmaids. The superhero movie made $34.5 million over the weekend, bringing its total gross to $119.2 million, but the raunchy R-rated comedy's opening weekend take of $24.4 million was higher than most people expected considering. . . well, considering Bridesmaids is a raunchy R-rated comedy about bridesmaids.
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Thor Storms the Box Office
Fast Five was taken down by a Norse god after one short week of box office glory. New release Thor took the top spot at the box office this past weekend, earning $66 million. Fast Five fell to number two; its $32.5 million weekend gross brings its total gross to $139.8 million in just ten days. Other new releases to crack the top five were Jumping the Broom ($13.7 million) and Something Borrowed ($13.1 million). Last week's runner-up, Rio, came in at number five (weekend gross $8.2 million, total gross $114.9 million).
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Fast Five Races to the Top of the Box Office
Fast Five pulled a fast one on naysayers who thought the combination of Vin Diesel, the Rock, fast cars and one of the most successful franchises of the past decade wouldn't be enough to hit it big at the box office. The movie earned $83.6 million in its opening weekend, giving it the biggest opening weekend of 2011 so far. The previous record-holder, Rio, had an opening weekend gross of less than half of Fast Five's--maybe they should have had Dwayne Johnson voice a hawk or something.
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