By John H. Foote In the last eight years, the winner of Best Director did not go on to win Best Picture five times. Between 1970 and 2010, only seven times did the winning director not celebrate a Best Picture triumph. To say the times are a-changin’ is an understatement. In many ways this has…
By John H. Foote Christmas for film critics is how I like to describe the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) though in fact it is so much more. Along with the festivals in Venice and Telluride, happening as we speak, this is the official beginning of awards season in the film industry, as the studios…
By John H. Foote Since 1994 I have attended the annual film festival in Toronto called TIFF. It began in the late seventies as the brainchild of William Marshall as The Festival Of Festivals, grew to be renamed The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and under the zen-like leadership of Piers Handling has become, I…
By John H. Foote Once again, as in the previous three, this category will be packed with potential nominees and is likely the most diverse of the major categories. Veterans, newcomers alike will compete for one of the five spots for Best Actress. What is thrilling is the diversity among the contenders, not only are…
By Alan Hurst It has not been a good couple of years for Faye Dunaway. In 2017 she got caught in the maelstrom of confusion during the presentation of the Best Picture award at that year’s Oscars, ultimately awarding the Oscar to Moonlight – the true winner – after having already announced La La Land…
By Alan Hurst They may have had dreams of an acting career and they may have even tried that route first, but their first success was behind a microphone – either in front of a big band, on radio, in clubs, on television, arenas, or in a recording studio. Hollywood has always looked to the…
By John H. Foote At this writing, these are the contenders who appear headed for the Oscar race. Count on some dropping off the list after TIFF, count on others being added after New York. I expect the nominees to be a mix of previous nominees with a couple of newcomers. Robert De Niro in…
By John H. Foote The supporting ladies. Previous winners, nominees, long-overlooked artists and brand new performances worthy of a nomination. Click here for PART ONE Here you go. ANNETTE BENING IN THE REPORT Bening is another who might be considered due as she has been nominated for award-winning work, but no Oscar. This film is…
By John H. Foote What could be the final group of films for TIFF was announced this morning, some nice surprises among them. Two more Galas were added, another sixteen in the Special Presentation series, along with the Contemporary World Cinema, Masters and Wavelength programs. Here are today’s standouts. LUCY IN THE SKY with Natalie…
By John H. Foote His very name, like Spielberg or Scorsese, suggests cinema. However, the films of Quentin Tarantino unfold like a jolt of electricity applied to your brain. Like the shot of adrenaline given to Mia in Pulp Fiction (1994) so are his films a shot of instant energy to the audience. His characters,…