#FF Fall/Winter previews, Quentin Tarantino and more...

As you may or may not know, I recently joined the team at The Awards Circuit. We've got lots of great writers over there and recently we all came together for an extensive preview of movies for the fall/winter season. You can find the link for that below, as well as some other interesting reads from the past week:

The Awards Circuit published a list of Top 50 Films You Need to See for the Fall.

Nick also wrote a list of his most anticipated Fall/Winter movies.

Sara from French Toast Sunday examined the directing style of Quentin Tarantino for her latest Trope Talk.

Clayton wrote a personal essay about his recent move to Los Angeles.

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#FF French Toast Sunday, Do the Right Thing and more..

If you follow me on twitter you're probably aware that I recently spent a weekend with the awesome French Toast Sunday gang (see above) in Baltimore. I had a really great time hanging out with them and exploring the city (future #LAMBMeetup?). You should definitely follow them and listen to their podcast. On last week's episode, they had a fun discussion on Movies We Recommend But Wouldn’t Watch Twice. Check it out among all these other great links from the past week:

French Toast Sunday did a redux podcast of Movies We Recommend But Wouldn’t Watch Twice.

Kyle from Movie Mezzanine examined the use of the song "Fight the Power" in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing.

Alex gave us an update on his feature film Wait.

Jason wrote short take reviews for Ernest & Celestine, Omar, Outside the Law, The Lego Movie and Suddenly, Last Summer.

Shala made a playlist of 10 Songs that Remind Her of Indie Films.

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#FF Godzilla, Gordon Willis and more...

This week all the buzz was mostly about Godzilla, so I've included some of my favourite reviews for this post. Check them out below, as well as some other interesting reads from the past week:

Andrew and Sarah agreed that this is the perfect summer movie.

Johnson from An Online Universe wasn't so impressed, blaming the poorly executed script and the editing.

Nathan was conflicted about the end results, but admired Gareth Edwards' vision.

Nick appreciated the film's focus on the power of nature.

Paul reviewed Godzilla, Million Dollar Arm and Veronica Mars for his awesome TV gig at Twin Cities Live.

Alex honored the recently deceased cinematographer Gordon Willis with a lovely visual tribute.

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#FF Tribeca Film Festival, Mean Girls and more...

Film Festival guru Shala Thomas recently capped another year at the Tribeca Film Festival, with more access then ever before. She managed to get some really awesome shots of various celebs. Check them out in the link below, as well as the other great reads from the past week:

Shala made good use of her press credentials to get some fantastic pictures at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Stevee reflects on 10 Years of Mean Girls for the film's anniversary.

Jess from French Toast Sunday made a list of the Top 10 Performances in Darren Aronofsky Films in honour of their Darren Aprilofsky month.

Lauren from Man, I Love Films wrote an interesting piece about The Structures of Cinematic Racism.

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#FF Nymphomaniac, Director profiles and more...

Lars von Trier's "Nymphomaniac" duology is a hot topic right now within the blogosphere. While the reaction seems mostly positive, I was a bit more lukewarm. I'm not alone however, as other bloggers have stated their own issues with the films. Find out what Andy and James had to say below, in addition to some other interesting reads from the past week:

Andy found the film unpleasant, but was impressed with Stacy Martin's performance.

James was unsatisfied with Volume II, feeling that the first film was better.

Alex recently profiled one of the most talented, uncompromising filmmakers - Alejandro González Iñárritu.

John also wrote a director spotlight, focusing on Darren Aronofsky.

Shala is getting ready to attend the Tribeca Film Festival and compiled a list of 10 must-see films from the lineup.

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#FF Post-Oscars reflections, Motifs in Cinema and more...

The Oscars are over and as per usual, the blogosphere has chimed in with their personal reflections on the show. One of my favourite posts is from Alex (from And So It Begins...), who highlighted some of the drawbacks to the modern idea of the "awards season". Check out his article below, as well as other interesting reads from the past week:

Alex wrote a great piece about The Problem with Liking the Oscars Too Much.

Andrew assembled some fine articles for his Motifs in Cinema blogathon.

Jason had nice things to say about the Saudi film Wadjda, calling it a stunning, moving debut.

Rich refuses to be fooled by the hoopla of awards season, daring Hollywood to Make Nyong'o a star.

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#FF Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Finchuary and more...

I'm still at a loss for words regarding the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman. He truly was one of the greats in my opinion and I can't fathom that we won't be seeing him on screen again. In lieu of my own personal tribute, I've included some great in memoriam posts from fellow bloggers. Check those out along with the other interesting reads from the past week:

John wrote about his Top 10 Philip Seymour Hoffman Performances.

Mark assembled a fine assortment of Hoffman's memorable scenes with his tribute.

Nick remembers Hoffman's fantastic career with his In Memoriam post.

Josh made some interesting choices for the Lights Camera Reaction Recast-athon.

Sara is a new writer for French Toast Sunday and she wrote a cool article for the site's David Finchuary month.

Sverrir from The Cinematic Katzenjammer made an awesome list of the Best Hans Zimmer Tracks of 2013.

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#FF Best of 2013, Lone Survivor and more...

A new year has started and as expected it's the time when we usually reflect on the past year. In the blogosphere, that means one thing in particular - Best Films of the Year lists! It will be a few more weeks before I'm ready with my list, but many bloggers have already chimed in on which films made 2013 so special. Check out some of those lists from my blogging buddies below, as well as some other cool posts.

Alex featured some of my own personal favourites in his Top 10 Films of 2013.

John also offered up his Best Movies of 2013, deeming it an outstanding year.

Mark's Top 10 Movies for 2013 includes a few indie gems like The Place Beyond the Pines and The Way Way Back.

Shala listed her top picks of 2013 for various genres.

Stevee listed her Unofficial Top 15 Films of 2013.

Steven also named his list the "unofficial" Best Films of 2013.

Dan was a fan of Lone Survivor, giving at a positive review.

JD reviewed Lone Survivor and was impressed by the story.

Liam highlights a few underdogs we may be underestimating on the road to Oscar.

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#FF Making the Case for blogathon, reviews and more...

With the awards season fully upon us, Stevee hosted another "Making the Case for..." blogathon to champion some unsung performances, directors etc. She received some great entries and I've included some of them below. Check out those posts along with the other great reads from the past week:

Josh couldn't settle for only one pick, so he made a case for "everything".

Nikhat made the case for a phenomenal young actor Tye Sheridan.

Clayton reviewed A Letter to Momo, likening it to a mix of Ozu and Miyazaki.

Jesse from Movie Mezzanine looks back fondly on Woody Allen's Annie Hall for their "History of Film" series.

Nick wrote an amusing post about hypothetical Actor vs. Actor Showdowns.

Ryan reviewed Dirty Wars and highlighted some of its main issues.

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#FF Gifts for Movie Lovers, Single Setting Movies and more...

The shopping season is well underway, with Black Friday raging on and Cyber Monday still to come. In light of this, John (from John Likes Movies) came up with some cool gift ideas for movie lovers on his site. Go check em out along with the other interesting posts below:

John recommended some cool Gifts for Movie Lovers, in honour of the holiday season.

Josh listed 10 Underrated Performances from 2013 that he's thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Sam from Movie Mezzanine interviewed the esteemed Wesley Morris for his "Film Critic of the Week" feature.

The French Toast Sunday crew discussed their favourite Single Setting Movies on their latest podcast.

Tom finally watched The Passion of Joan of Arc and gave it a favourable review.

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#FF Breaking Emotions blogathon, Profile of a Killer and more...

Mettel Ray recently started another great blogathon titled "Breaking Emotions" and this week's theme was "Tears and Suprise". It inspired some great entries and I've included a trio of them below. Go check them out along with some other fascinating reads from the past week:

Mette's post included The Broken Circle Breakdown, Fight Club and Magnolia.

Shantanu also made some excellent choices, including Finding Neverland, Grave of the Fireflies and The Usual Suspects in his post.

Stevee's choices included The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Psycho and Atonement.

Alex updated us on his upcoming feature film Wait.

The French Toast Sunday gang did a hilarious podcast about Race Against Time Movies.

Jessica explains how "Let The Right One In" influenced a new wave of Scandinavian sci-fi and fantasy film.

Nostra interviewed Joey Pollari, star of "Profile of a Killer".

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#FF 12 Years A Slave, Kerry Washington and more...

"12 Years A Slave" continues its theater expansion this week and continues to recieve rave reviews from my fellow bloggers. Check out some of those great reviews below, as well as other interesting reads from the past week:

Clayton W. is impressed by the harsh authenticity of McQueen's vision.

Nick is fascinated by the screenplay's depth.

Ryan praised the film's direction and ensemble cast.

Clayton D. from the Awards Circuit makes a plea to AMPAS to expand their viewing horizons.

Jessica compares watching About Time to the delights of good old fashioned milk chocolate.

Shala reflects on the career of rising star Kerry Washington.

Stevee reflects on her own first hand perspective upon hearing the news that all remaining Blockbuster stores in the US will be closing down.

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#FF Captain Phillips, Le Week-End and more...

The major release of this week was the new Paul Greengrass film "Captain Phillips", starring Tom Hanks. As a fan of the film myself, I was glad to see the warm reception from my fellow bloggers. Check out some of those reviews below, as well as the other great reads from the past week.

Dan was a big fan of Captain Phillips, giving it an enthusiastic review.

John gave Captain Phillips a rave review.

Ryan also praised Captain Phillips in his review.

Amanda from Filmoria reviewed Le Week-End (in black and white version too!).

Simon from Flickering Myth sees similarities to the "Before" trilogy in his review of Le Week-End.

Alex compiled another fantastic list, naming his "Top 10 Movies that Make Him Cry".

David is back in the predicting game, so go check out his early picks for Best Picture!

Joey from The Awards Circuit posted his Ten Best Films of the 51st New York Film Festival.

Josh singled out 10 Acting Contenders We Might Be Overlooking for Oscar.

Shantanu shines the spotlight on a great Bollywood Film - Taare Zameen Par.

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#FF Defending the Oscars, James Franco and more...

I had fully intended to write an article about some of the condescencion directed towards Oscar bloggers, but John (from John Likes Movies) beat me to it. His post articulates many of my concerns. As someone who enjoys the Oscars, I find it disheartening to read tweets like "Oscar credibility is important to lazy and/or pretend cinephiles". While I do agree that Oscar recognition isn't the only barometer of quality, I think this general attitude ignores the fact that (a) Oscar bloggers don't only appreciate "Oscar movies" and (b) The Oscars actually encourage high quality filmmaking, whether you agree with the winners or not. Read John's views on this topic below, along with some other great posts from the past week:

John wrote a great piece in defence of the Oscars and those who enjoy the awards season.

Jessica explains why she cares about how much movies make at the box office.

Nick shows his sense of humour, listing 10 New Career Moves For James Franco.

Ruth reviewed Arbitrage, my favourite film of 2012.

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#FF Top 10 Lists, reviews and more...

It's been a while since I've done a "Follow Friday" post, but this week delivered lots of great reading. This includes great Top 10 lists from Dan and Stevee, among other interesting articles. Check em out below:

Dan Fogarty named his Top Ten Bruce Willis Movies.

Stevee makes a brief return to blogging to reflect on last year's visionary directors.

Dan Heaton reviewed one of my favourite Billy Wilder films - Stalag 17.

John wonders whether The Fifth Estate could be a sleeper hit at the Oscars.

Nick from French Toast Sunday shares his Six Shawshank Redemption Films, i.e. the films he can watch anytime.

Nick from The Cinematic Katzenjammer gives us 11 Reasons Everyone Needs To See Pacific Rim.

Sam reviewed the highly acclaimed Before Midnight.

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#FF Man of Steel, A Single Man and more...

Much of the talk in the blogosphere this past week surrounded the latest blockbuster Man of Steel, generating quite varied responses. It feels like it has been reviewed to death at this point, but here are 2 more below in the links. Check em out along with other great reads from this week.

John shares his thoughts on Man of Steel, giving it a positive review.

Will and Rob reviewed Man of Steel for French Toast Sunday.

Andrew wrapped up his coverage of the Sydney Film Festival, listing his own personal awards for the films he watched.

Maria highlights the rich visual aesthetic of Tom Ford's A Single Man.

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#FF Gatsby, Superman and more...

With its sensational box office, "The Great Gatsby" has put The Great American Novel back in the limelight and I couldn't be happier. Despite the divided critical reaction has lead to many persons encountering the novel for the first time. As a huge fan of the book, it warms my heart to see so many persons reading it and more importantly, appreciating its literary excellence. Jessica is one such person and she kindly shared her experience with both forms of the story on her blog. Go check out her reaction among other great posts from the past week:

Jessica reviewed The Great Gatsby, highlighting the tough decision of whether to read the book first.

Ruth shared her fascinating personal connection to Superman, in anticipation of the upcoming "Man of Steel".

Courtney wonders "Can There Be True Consequences in Summer Blockbusters?"

Jason at Your Face! reviewed one of my childhood favourites - Space Jam.

Lauren from Man, I Love Films wrote an interesting essay titled "The Obsolete Critic".

Tyson reviews the film that inspired the name of his blog - Casino.

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#FF Spice Girls, Planet of the Apes and more...

This week featured lots of interesting posts, including And Seen's nostalgia trip to the 90s with the movie Spice World. I particularly loved that they pointed out its admirable feminist qualities. Go check out their funny vlog among other great reads from this week:

Julie and Traci reviewed the ultimate 90s guilty pleasure Spice World.

Dan reviews Planet of the Apes as one the "Movies That Everyone Should See".

The French Toast Sunday gang discussed Movies That Make You Think for their latest podcast.

Mette, Nikhat and Sofia recently started their own podcast!

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#FF Reviews and more...

This past week I've noticed quite a few reviews of some of my all-time Top 50 films. Check em out below among all the great posts this week:

Dan wrote about Dog Day Afternoon as one of his "Movies That Everyone Should See".

Julie and Traci kicked off their series of 90s movie reviews with a fun vlog for Jurassic Park.

Tyson reviewed The Dark Knight and gave it a perfect score.

Candice wonders "Does Race Matter in Nonfiction Films with Universal Themes?"

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#FF Sleeping in the cinema, reviews and more...

Jessica brought up a great question this week in response to a situation where a critic rated a film 5-stars even though he was caught sleeping during the screening. Let's be honest, we've all dozed off in the theater (especially when the seats are comfy and the room temperature is just right) but how do we feel about assessing a film if we do take a brief nap? Check out that post below among other good reads from the past week:

Jessica posed the question "Should film critics disclose their naps?"

Alex lists his Top 10 Supporting Performances by A-List Stars.

A Potpurri of Vestiges recently invited guest writer Sanjeev Kumar to do an informative post on The Evolution Of Indian Cinema Over The Last 100 Years.

James assesses the pros and cons of Seth McFarlane returning to host the Oscars.

Sarah reviews Martha Marcy May Marlene, calling it "an amazing cinematic jolt to the nervous system".

Tom reviews the utterly depressing Grave of the Fireflies.

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