Tuesday, June 2



Second Take: Just because the Academy thinks a picture is best doesn’t mean it is

The “Best” in Best Picture is a misnomer. By definition, the word “best” means of the utmost quality or value. The category therefore implies that the nominees and winners are representative of the year’s highest-quality films – those with the finest writing, acting, directing, cinematography and every technical aspect in between. Read more...

Photo: (Bridgette Baron/Daily Bruin)



Q&A: ‘The Irishman’ visual effects supervisor talks tech, transformation in film industry

Robert De Niro wasn’t going to wear markers on his face or a helmet with little cameras when Pablo Helman signed on as the visual effects supervisor for “The Irishman.” Abiding by those wishes was a new challenge for Helman, as the alumnus’ short list of films he’s worked on as the visual effects supervisor are fairly CGI-heavy. Read more...

Photo: Working alongside Martin Scorsese on his Oscar-nominated film “The Irishman,” visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman put technology to the test as new software revolutionized the use of CGI on the actors involved. (Courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic)


Q&A: Oscar-nominated sound mixer Tom Ozanich mixes audience into process for ‘Joker’

Arthur Fleck knew what was going on in his head, but only “Joker” sound mixer Tom Ozanich knew how it sounded. On Jan. 13, Ozanich garnered his second Oscar nomination for his work on director Todd Phillips’ “Joker,” a thriller detailing the backstory of the eponymous Gotham villain. Read more...

Photo: As the sound mixer for the Oscar-nominated film, “Joker,” Tom Ozanich utilized sound to transform the city of Gotham into its own character as he tracked Arthur Fleck’s descent into madness. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)


Daily Bruin columnists share their predictions for the Academy Awards

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is reverting back to its predictable ways for the 2020 Oscars. Although diversity took center stage at the 2019 Oscars, this year’s best picture category is once again crowded with white-male-led historical dramas like James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” and Sam Mendes’ World War I epic “1917.” They are joined by films from Oscars darlings – Quentin Tarantino’s retelling of the Charles Manson murders, “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” both scored 10 nominations each. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)