lindseyandhaley: oscars

Monday, 3 March 2014

2014 Best Movie: "12 Years a Slave" (video)

Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Pfc. Sandoval, Irma Quintero, Wisdom Quarterly MODERN SLAVERY

(MCS Trailer)

Director Steve McQueen brings this powerful Academy Award winning film, determined the Best Picture of 2014. It is based on Solomon Northup's astonishing true story. In 1841, Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free citizen, is kidnapped and sold as a slave. He is stripped of his identity and sold into American slavery system forced to work for a ruthless plantation owner (Michael Fassbender).

There are many modern slaves in America and around the world today (freetheslaves.net)

Prof. Michelle Alexander

Now he must find the strength to survive in this unflinching story of hope that swept the Spirit Awards and earned a Golden Globe for Best Picture, Drama.

This gripping film features an all-star cast, including newcomer Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong'O, Angelina Jolie-loving Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paul Dano.

(THNKR) The new "slaves" of the prison-industrial complex and drug war

THINK

Yale and Ohio State Univ. legal scholar Michelle Alexander's breakthrough book about the rise of mass incarceration in America argues that "by targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color, the U.S. criminal justice system functions as a contemporary system of racial subordnation and control just like the old Jim Crow system.

Friday, 28 February 2014

Academy Awards come to Hollywood (preview)

Ashley Wells, Seven, CC Liu, Amber Larson, Dev, Wisdom Quarterly; AirTalk's Mantle, Loewenstein, and guest film critics prerecorded at the Egyptian Theatre (KPCC FM, SCPR.org)

Golden Oscar overlooking Hollywood lights, L.A., viewed from Griffith Observatory (below); golden Buddha towering over Nan, Thailand (above) in a haze (abilityriddle/flickr.com).

Oscar statue seen high atop space observatory in view of the stars, Hollywood, CA before 83rd Annual Academy Awards to be held Sunday, March 2, 2014 in rain-soaked LA (KAT/WQ).

Oscar ballots at the ready! Academy Awards preview

Oscar statue (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

KPCC film critics give the how and why on marking viewing-party ballots for awards-worthy films. For the 11th annual “FilmWeek on AirTalk” Academy Awards preview, Host Larry Mantle is joined by Wade Major of boxoffice.com, Tim Cogshell of Box Office Magazine, Alynda Wheat of People Magazine, Peter Rainer of the Christian Science Monitor, Henry Sheehan of dearhenrysheehan.com, Charles Solomon of amazon.com, regular KPCC Film Critic Lael Loewenstein, and Justin Chang of Variety.

AUDIO: LISTEN NOW

COMMENTARY

Give me an award for my art!

The most important category this year is "Best Documentary," and we have our fingers crossed for Jeremy Scahill and Richard Rowley's "Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield" (Democracy Now!). But it is a tough category this year with other great choices such as The Act of Killing (about Indonesia, its military regime, and the million Indonesians they killed to stay in power and enrich themselves), The Square (about Egypt's Arab Spring centered in Tahrir Square), and 20 Feet from Stardom (about the best part of most pop music, the amazing and unsung back-up singers).

Hollywood Oscar, Griffith Park (ocio.go)

And then there's "Magnetism" in space between Sandy Bollocks and Ceorgie Glooney, which will probably sweep the whole show along with Jared Leto's "San Antonio Sellers Club" ably supported by Matt Mc Something or other. And we have our fingers crossed that this is finally Johnny Depp's year for his fantastic work as the pirate in "Saving Capt. Phillips." *Wink* See all of the nominees in all of the categories so as to memorize all of the fine minutiae for your Sunday viewing party: oscar.go.com/nominees

OSCARS 2014: Complete LIST of nominees and WINNERS

"White Rabbit" Arabic version by Mayssa Karaa for "American Hustle"

Los Angeles skyline in window as viewed from Tinsel Town/Hollywood