THE ACADEMY MUSEUM OPENS

I am honestly surprised that there isn't already a museum in Los Angeles dedicated to cinema. I mean, when people think of California, one of the first thoughts that comes to mind for many is the movie industry. And although the use of the moving image for artistic and commercial purposes did not originate in America (that would be with the Lumière brothers in France), Hollywood would take the medium to another level, creating lavish productions, technical advancement and the movie-star system.

Now after several delays (including an unplanned pandemic), the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is now officially opening on September 30th. Located in the art-deco building that previously housed the May Company department store on Wilshire Blvd, the museum is a spectacular showcase to highlight the long history of movie-making and placing a spotlight on all of the industrial departments that are involved in making your favorite movies.

Some of the exhibitions will include a multiscreen experience with an introduction to the Stories of Cinema, one free to view, located in the Sidney Poitier Grand Lobby and the other will be a detailed, multi-floor exhibition that connects with diverse and international stories on the people who make motion pictures. An extensive retrospective dedicated to the work of filmmakers, Spike Lee and Hayao Miyazaki and his anime studio, Studio Ghibli. And there is the Oscars Expereince where you go inside of the Dolby Theater to hear your name called, walk up to accept your Academy Award and receive a video capturing the moment.

There will be several film programs to satisfy the tastes of all movie-lovers. Every Saturday, the museum will feature a matinee for families of all ages; "Imperfect Journey: Haile Gerima and his Comrades" is a program running from October 2nd through Novmeber 14th that will spotlight the work of independent filmmaker, Haile Gerima and his over fifty years of expressing the Pan-African experience and highlight films made by his friends; and through the month of October will be Oscar Frights, thirteen classic horror and suspense films that have either been nominated or won an Academy Award. Public Programs will feature discussions with people working in the industry including on October 16th, a talk with Oscar-winner, Laura Dern with her actor parents, Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. And the Education Program offers tours, demonstrations and interactive chats that focuses on the history, art and science of film. There are two state-of-the-art theaters to screen these films; the smaller, Tedd Mann theater with 288 seats and the David Geffen theater, which can hold an audience of 1000 and will also be used to host big premieres and other Hollywood events.

This is a thrilling addition to Los Angeles that will ideally celebrate Hollywood's glamourous past, enduring present and curious future. As a proud, card-carrying new member, I can't wait to get inside to experience this museum for the first time, with many more visits planned in the furure. To purchase tickets, view the complete list of programming or become a member, please click below:

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

MELVIN VAN PEEBLES (1932 - 2021)

Melvin Van Peebles, an African-American creative force who was a performer, playwright, novelist, musician and indie filmmaker who boldly challenged what kind of stories could be told in American cinema, has sadly passed away on September 22nd at the age of eighty-nine.

After Van Peebles made one movie "Watermelon Man", a satire about a bigoted white man who wakes up one day Black, with a Hollywood studio in 1970, he declined a three-picture contract with Columbia Pictures (never working with a major studio again) and set about creating "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song". Shot in nineteen days with a $150,000 budget, Van Peebles co-produced, scored (performed by Earth, Wind and Fire), edited, wrote, directed and starred in this story about a Black man falsely accused of a crime and trying to escape from the police by any means necessary. This revolutionary film was one of the first entries in to what would be called blaxploitation cinema, becoming a major hit (earning over $15 million at the box-office) and remaining a highly influential film. "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" was selected last year for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Born Melvin Peebles in Chicago (he added 'Van' to his name during his time living in the Netherlands), he enlisted in the Air Force shortly after graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University, serving for over three years. When he returned home, Van Peebles became interested in filmmaking, making several short films. He took his work to Los Angeles with the hope of them helping him get a directing job but no studios were interested.

Like many African-American artists did at this time in the 1960's in order to be able to create freely, Van Peebles traveled to Europe. He made short films, recorded an album, wrote plays and a novel, "La Permission" in French while living in Paris. This lead to him making his feature film debut in 1967 with "The Story of a Three-Day Pass", which was based on his book, telling the story of a black American soldier who is demoted due to his relationship with a French White woman. This critically-praised drama proved to be an excellent showcase for his accomplishments as a filmmaker, helping him land his brief, Hollywood gig.

Van Peebles went on to create for the stage, writing the book and music for the musical production of "Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death". This innovative dark comedy, using musical monologues to explore African-American street life, first opened off-Broadway before moving to Broadway through the 1971-72 season. The show earned seven Tony Award nominations including Best Musical and a revival is planned to open for the 2022 season. Van Peebles had another Broadway musical, "Don't Play Us Cheap!" that he produced and directed in addition to the creation of the show in 1972. He made a film version of the play later in the year.

He is survived by sons, Mario (who followed his father as an actor and filmmaker) and Max, and his daughter Marguerite. Melvin Van Peebles was an incredibly remarkable talent who created his work on his terms, never allowing himself to ever be compromised. He blazed a trail for future African-American filmmakers while showing to the world the beauty and the power of Black people through his artistry.

2021 NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL

The 2021 New York Film Festival is set to begin today (and running through October 10th) and it is a welcome return to in-person attendance with a partnership with local arthouse theaters in an attempt to bring film selections to a new, wider audience. In addition to regular screenings at their home at the Alice Tully Hall, the NYFF is working with with Anthology Film Archives in the East Village, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Jacob Burns Film Center in Westchester and Harlem's Maysles Documentary Center to screen a selection of films during the festival.

The artist, Kara Walker has designed the poster for the 59th edition of the fest and it features her distinctive cut-paper Black figures silhouetted against a pale backdrop, making a statement with the image depicting a counterpoint to the legacy of cinema involving amateur filmmakers with their cell phones critically filming the world around them.

The Opening Night film will be "The Tragedy of Macbeth", the world premiere of the first solo feature directed by Joel Coen of the Coen brothers. This bold, filmed in black & white, adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play features the inspired pairing of Denzel Washington as the man who would be king and Frances McDormand (Coen's wife) as his devious Lady.



There are thirty-two films from across the globe featured in the Main Slate. Some highlights that have made some significant buzz during screenings at other fests include Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog"; Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's "Drive My Car"; Paul Verhoeven's "Benedetta"; Todd Haynes' "THe Velvet Underground"; Jonas Poher Rasmussen's "Flee"; Céline Sciamma's "Petite Maman"; Joanna Hogg's "The Souvenir Part II"; Joachim Trier's "The Worst Person in the World"; Julia Ducournau's "Titane" and Rebecca Hall's "Passing".









The Spotlight section will showcase the season’s most hotly anticipated films. This will feature some new works that have already made the rounds at other festivals that includes from Mike Mills ("C'mon C'mon"), Sean Baker ("Red Rocket"), Charlotte Gainsbourg ("Jane by Charlotte"), Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter"), Denis Villeneuve ("Dune") and Wes Anderson ("The French Dispatch").





And "Parallel Mothers", the latest melodrama from Pedro Almodóvar which already made a big splash at this year's Venice Film Fest with star Penelope Cruz winning Best Actress there, will be the Closing Night film.

Proof of vaccination will be required for all attendees to the fest's venues as well as face coverings during screenings. For a complete list of films and to purchase tickets and passes, please click below:

NYFF 2021

COMING SOON

Desperate to change his image from beyond the romantic and swashbuckler roles that made him famous, Tyrone Power convinced Twentieth Century Fox's studio chief, Darryl F. Zanuck to buy the rights to the novel, "Nightmare Alley" by William Lindsay Gresham. The film was released in 1947 with Power playing against type as Stan Carlisle, a deceptive carnival worker. And as Zanuck had feared, "Nightmare Alley" was a disappointment at the box-office due to audiences having difficulty accepting Power as a 'bad guy'. Yet this film, directed by Edmund Goulding, has later gone on to be appreciated as a true classic of film noir.

One fan of the film was Guillermo del Toro and the Oscar-winning director has made his version of this pitch-black drama with a dazzling all-star cast. An intriguing teaser trailer has just been released with Bradley Cooper taking on the role of Carlisle, leading us in to a dark world set in the 1940's involving a sleazy carnival filled with lowdown hustlers and scheming grifters. Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman and Toni Collette also star.

"Nightmare Alley" is due in US theaters on December 17, 2021

WINNERS OF THE 2021 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Female filmmakers dominated this year's jury prizes of the 78th annual Venice Film Festival. Audrey Diwan’s timely drama, "L’Evénement (Happening)" took the top prize of the Golden Lion. The French film, set in the 1960's, involves a promising young woman about to enter college when she discovers she's pregnant, forcing her to decide on finding a way to terminate. Diwan became the first female director to take Venice’s top prize since Sofia Coppola won for "Somewhere" in 2010.

After not making a feature film in twelve years, Jane Campion won the Silver Lion Best Director Award for her upcoming Netflix film, "The Power of the Dog". Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst star in this neo-western involving a rancher who thrives on instilling fear in those around him and after his brother arrives with a new wife and her son, he has new victims to torment yet their presence changes him.

Maggie Gyllenhaal won the Best Screenplay Award for her debut feature as a writer/director with, "The Lost Daughter", based on Elena Ferrante’s dark examination on motherhood. Penélope Cruz received the Best Actress prize for her performance in Pedro Almodóvar’s latest melodrama "Parallel Mothers". And Paolo Sorrentino won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize for "The Hand of God", a coming-of-age story about an awkward Italian teen (played by Filippo Scotti, who won the award for Best Young Actor) struggling to find his place, but finds comfort from his amazing yet complicated family.

Here is the list of winners from the 2021 Venice Film Festival:

Golden Lion for Best Film: "L’Evénement (Happenings)"
Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize: "È stata la mano di Dio (The Hand of God)"
Silver Lion Best Director: Jane Campion, "The Power of the Dog"
Best Screenplay: Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Lost Daughter"
Volpi Cup for Best Actress: Penélope Cruz, "Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers)"
Volpi Cup for Best Actor: John Arcilla, "On the Job: The Missing 8"



Special Jury Prize: Michelangelo Frammartino, "Il Buco"
Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor: Filippo Scotti, "È stata la mano di Dio (The Hand of God)"
Luigi De Laurentis Award Best First Feature: Monica Stan and George Chiper-Lillemark, "Imaculat"

Orizzonti (Horizon) Awards:

Best Film: "Pilgrims"
Best Director: Eric Gravel, "Full Time"
Best Screenplay: Ivan Ostrochovský and Peter Kerekes, "107 Mothers"
Best Actress: Laure Calamy, "Full Time"
Best Actor: Piseth Chhun, "White Building"
Special Jury Prize: "El Gran Movimiento"
Best Short Film: "Los Huesos"

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO (1933 - 2021)

Jean-Paul Belmondo, considered to be one of France's greatest movie stars that is probably best known to American viewers for his breakthrough role as criminal, Michel Poiccard in Jean-Luc Godard, "Breathless", passed away on September 6th. The influential actor, who has been credited with helping put a bright spotlight on French and European cinema beginning in the 1960's, died at the age of eighty-eight.

Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, outside of Paris, Belmondo was the child of Algerian-born, Italian sculptor, Paul Belmondo and painter, Sarah Rainaud-Richard. The young Belmomdo was very interested in sports and was briefly an undefeated, amateur boxer as a teen. Not happy with how his face was beginning to look as a boxer, he soon shifted to acting, studying at the Conservatoire of Dramatic Arts. Belmondo began to perform on stage and appeared in short films and small, supporting roles in features. After co-starring with Lino Ventura in the 1960 gangster film, "Classe tous risques (Consider All Risks)", Belmondo would go on to make the film that would jumpstart his career.

With American star, Jean Seberg on board, Jean-Luc Godard decided to cast the relatively unknown Belmondo to co-star in his low-budget crime-drama, "À bout de souffle" (which translates to 'Out of Breath'). François Truffaut wrote a treatment of the story, based on a newspaper article, and Godard wrote the script as he went along during filming. With the use of real locations, a documentary-style of filming and jump-cuts (highly unconventional at the time), "Breathless" became one of the films that helped usher in the French New Wave (nouvelle vague) and is still considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever in cinema. The actor would work with Godard again for "Une femme est une femme (A Woman is a Woman)" in 1961 and "Pierrot le Fou" in 1965, both co-starring Anna Karina.

This began Belmondo's long career in front of the camera, having appeared in around seventy-five feature films and worked with some of the great filmmakers from Europe; Claude Chabrol ("À double tour, Leda (Web of Passion)"), Louis Malle ("Le Voleur (The Thief of Paris)"), François Truffaut ("La Sirène du Mississippi (Mississippi Mermaid)" with Catherine Deneuve), Marcel Ophüls ("Peau de banane (Banana Peel)" with Jeanne Moreau), Vittorio De Sica ("La Ciociara (Two Women)" with Sophia Loren), Jacques Deray ("Par un beau matin d'été (Crime on a Summer Morning)") and Jean-Pierre Melville ("Léon Morin, prêtre (Léon Morin, Priest)"; "Le Doulos (The Finger Man)"; "Il giorno più corto (The Shortest Day)").

What was notable about Belmondo is that he never attempted to go Hollywood with an English-language film as the actor stated he had no interest in struggling to learn the language. He won the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté (Itinerary of a Spoiled Child)" in 1989 and received several honorary awards for his extraordinary career which includes the Palme d'Or at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, Golden Lion at the 2016 Venice Film Festival and an Honorary César in 2017.

BEST NEW MOVIES: FALL 2021

The fall movie season is about to begin yet there is still so much uncertainty on what that will really mean. With COVID still ravaging through society and some theaters are requiring proof of vaccination in order to enter, movie studios are understandably skittish about audience turn-out which will largely determine the fate of their upcoming theatrical releases, quite a few that have been waiting over a year to reach cineplexes. One casualty is the Tom Cruise sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick" which had already been delayed since last year and was supposed to be released in November but recently has been pushed to spring of 2022.

I have normally compiled my own list of upcoming movies I am looking forward in seeing but it is still too challenging to get a clear idea of what will actually be released. So once again, I will share Vulture's list of highlights of the new movies we will (might) be seeing throughout the rest of the year. They have a list of thirty-two movies that the editors are excited to see, arranged by month and what format the films will be seen (theatrical, streaming or a hybrid). There is also a complete list of films set to be released through December including a large number of movies with dates still to be determined.

Please click below to read:

Best New Movies: Fall 2021

2021 VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

The 2021 Venice Film Festival is set to begin and will be an in-person event. And that means COVID controls will be in place with social distancing inside the theaters and vaccination status verification or a recent negative test will be required for entry in to screenings. The 78th annual international film fest will begin today and will be held until September 11th. This will be the first opportunity to see some of the upcoming films that will be released later this fall and winter.

The latest from Pedro Almodóvar, "Madres Paralelas (Parallel Mothers)" will open the festival and make it's world premiere. Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit star as two single pregnant women who each have different views on their impending accidental pregnancies and while they wait to give birth, the conversation they share will impact the rest of their lives. "Madres Paralelas" is due to be released in the US on December 24th.



The South Korean director, Bong Joon-ho was selected as this year's Jury President and his fellow jurors, Italian director/writer, Saverio Costanzo; Belgian actress, Virginie Efira; British actress and singer, Cynthia Erivo; Canadian actress, Sarah Gadon; Romanian-German director, Alexander Nanau and Chinese director/writer (and recent Oscar-winner), Chloé Zhao will decide on which films will receive prizes. Some of the films in the main international competition will include new works by Paolo Sorrentino ("È stata la mano di Dio (The Hand of God)"), Ana Lily Amirpour ("Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon"), Paul Schrader ("The Card Counter"), Jane Campion ("The Power of the Dog"), Pablo Larraín ("Spencer"), Mario Martone ("Qui rido io") and the directorial debut by actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal ("The Lost Daughter").







Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated sci-fi adventure, "Dune", that features an impressive all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem, will be screened out of competition and makes it's world premiere at Venice. The film is set to be released in theaters and HBO Max on October 22nd.



Roberto Benigni, the Oscar-winning, Italian actor/filmmaker and actress, Jamie Lee Curtis will each receive an honorary Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Curtis will also be on hand for the world premiere of her latest film, "Halloween Kills" from David Gordon Green. And Ridley Scott will receive this year's Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker award. The eighty-three year old British director of such cinematic classics as "Alien", "Gladiator" and "Blade Runner" will also screen his new work, "The Last Duel", a medieval action-thriller that stars, Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck and the very busy, Adam Driver.