___ You can read the in-depth cover story that I wrote about Gravity for the American Cinematographer online here. Emmanuel Lubezki’s work on this film is a paradigm of the expanded role of the cinematographer in films with high virtual content. We are entering an era that includes virtual cinematography in the DP’s job. The [...]
___ This is my breakdown of the complex workflow for the film GRAVITY by Alfonso Cuaron with cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, ASC, AMC. Gravity was a complex production that mixed virtual and real imaging elements in innovative ways. What follows is a rough outline of the key steps involved in the project’s workflow. CG lighting [...]
My in-depth cover story for American Cinematographer about this striking film is online. — Bruno Delbonnel collaborated with colorist Peter Doyle to create a unique, muted look with radiant skins and desaturated tones to convey the sadness that underlies this movie. +++ Bruno has received a Bronze Frog from Camerimage for his work on Llewyn, [...]
In alphabetical order, these are the 7 masterful movies that especially touched me in 2013: 12 YEARS A SLAVE by Steve McQueen ALL IS LOST by J C Chandor BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR by Abdellatif Kechiche GRAVITY by Alfonso Cuaron HER by Spike Jonze IDA by Pawel Pawlikowski INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS by the Coen [...]
Jack Lemmon’s cross-dressing character partying with the women in the band in the 1959 comic masterpiece Some Like it Hot by Billy Wilder. Marilyn is the only one in black, and is the only one with her mouth open — a characteristic pose for her.(click for bigger image) +++ LINKS trailer entire film on YouTube [...]
___ The Broken Circle Breakdown leads the 2013 European Film Awards in nominations. The Flemish film tells the jumbled story of a couple of bluegrass musicians whose marriage is challenged when their child is diagnosed with cancer. The Broken Circle Breakdown is directed by Felix van Groeningen, stars Veerle Baetens and Johan Heldenbergh, with cinematography [...]
The Coen brothers’ brilliant film Inside Llewyn Davis, shot by Bruno Delbonnel, can be defined by 3 record album covers: The story of a failed folk musician who tries to break through in Greenwhich village in the 1960s was loosely based on David van Ronk’s book, The Mayor of MacDougal Street: A Memoir. The film’s [...]
PINA (2011) by Wim Wenders is a true 3D masterpiece that combines the cinematic and dance art forms in a powerful, poetic and moving film homage to the late Pina Bausch, a brilliant, innovative choreographer. Wim Wenders was assisted on Pina by cinematographer Hélène Louvart, AFC, 3D supervisor François Garnier and director of stereography Alain [...]
After Silver Linings Playbook, David O Russell brings us a saga of con artists with a wonderful ensemble cast, and cinematography by Linus Sandgren. The trailer is beautifully, and playfully, cut to Led Zeppelin’s Good Times, Bad Times. Bravo to the editors, presumably Jay Cassidy & Kevin Tent. Watch on YouTube I want to see [...]
Despite the bad reviews, I had looked forward to seeing Paul Schrader’s The Canyons. I feel that Lindsay Lohan is under-rated, and that she is an easy target for the Hollywood press because of her off-screen drug problems. For example, Lohan’s much-derided performance as Liz Taylor in Liz & Dick was pretty good, and the [...]