As this year’s AFI Fest comes to a close, the time has come to reflect on the final day of feature films and shorts. All of Thursday’s showings, down to the closing-night gala, are meant to be interest-pieces at heart. Read more...
Photo: The final day of AFI Fest featured the exquisite “Youth” (top left), the daring “The Big Short” (bottom left) and the riveting “James White” (right). (Fox Searchlight Pictures, Paramount Pictures and BorderLine Films)
Flip on a news channel and you’re likely to see characters with perfectly coiffed hair making fantastical claims directly to camera. But how far does this connection between political figures and entertainment go? Read more...
Photo: In “Lincoln,” Daniel Day-Lewis (center) plays President Abraham Lincoln. (DreamWorks Studios)
AFI Fest is just as much about movies as it is about people. The yearly celebration devotes a lot of time to highlighting people – not just those acting or working behind the scenes, but everyday individuals whose stories are reflected and justified in films. Read more...
Photo: Day seven of AFI Fest saw the snarkily funny “Anomalisa” (top), the subtle “45 Years” (bottom left) and the bloody “Macbeth” (bottom right). (Starburns Industries, The Bureau and See-Saw Films)
There’s no better place to keep a finger on the pulse of arts and entertainment happenings than Los Angeles. The A&E world is alive – it’s always buzzing, sometimes ready to implode with a hint of a surprise album or a celebrity’s controversial statement. Read more...
Photo: (Youtube/newhive.com/NBC/CBS)
“Son of Saul” may be the most courageous project of this year’s AFI Fest from a production perspective. László Nemes, a first-time director, tackles a story set during the Holocaust, with a maddeningly encroaching camera and a deeply dark script. Read more...
Photo: Day six at AFI Fest saw bleak films like “Son of Saul” (top left), “Land and Shade” (top right) and “The Club” (bottom) take center stage. (Sony Pictures Classics, Burning Blue and Music Box Films)
The climax in movies is a beautiful thing. If a film can funnel the intricacies of its plot into one moment of breathtaking resolution, it makes the viewer’s experience more rewarding. Read more...
Photo: Day five at AFI Fest saw the brilliant climaxes of “Carol” (top left) and “A War” (bottom left), while the ending “The 33” (right) falls flat. (Film4 Productions, AZ Celtic Films and Warner Bros. Pictures)
In the war zone that is the fall TV season, it’s important to pick out the gems hidden in the media mesh. Each week, A&E columnist Sebastian Torrelio will profile one new show and one returning show that share a connection, detailing how they may make those after-school hours more meaningful. Read more...
Photo: “Master of None” is a new Netflix original series created by and starring comedian Aziz Ansari, from “Parks and Recreation” fame. (Courtesy of Netflix)
