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‘Ender’s Game’ a suitably entertaining, if very condensed, young-adult adaptation

Condensing a popular young adult book to its most basic and necessary parts is an unenviable task. No matter how passionate the filmmakers are to the original text, someone’s bound to be disappointed. No film adaptation can satisfy every fan; it doesn’t matter how hard you try. Take out one character or rewrite them to be minimal, and you’re doomed.

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Scorsese & Tarantino: Whose Streets Are Meaner?

I’ve got Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino on my mind these days.  It’s a product of the end-of-year hurrahs for Scorsese’s Hugo.  The film goes into the Academy Award ceremonies with 11 Oscar nominations – the most of any film this year – including a Best Director nod for Scorsese.  Win or lose, Marty’s on …

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Why Can’t An Oscar-Winner Look More Like A Hit?

 Throughout the first half of February, the Sound On Sight staff will take a look at the Academy Awards. Whether one of the major studios takes the top prize at the Academy Awards or not, they have no squawk this year. Several years ago, as you might recall, the Big Guys were getting fed up …

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Academy Mistakes: ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’ for Art Direction

Throughout the first half of February, the Sound On Sight staff will take a look at the Academy Awards. Rather than write about any of the Academy’s many Best Picture mistakes, or any decisions that I wasn’t alive for and was thus ignorant of the huge amount of extenuating context surrounding any such decision, I’ll …

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2011 Box Office: It’s Deja Vu All Over Again

Want a prediction for 2012 at the movies? It’s going to look a lot like 2011. An awful lot. It’s going to be a case of, If ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Well, actually, the creative machinery in Hollywood is broke, but, as the numbers show, not broken enough to warrant fixing. So. Next year, …

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Staff List: The 30 Best Films of 2011

With more movies in limited and general release than ever before, 2011 was a ridiculously crowded year for both casual and discerning moviegoers alike. One by-product of the glut is a refreshing lack of consensus; so many films have been championed in so many corners – while those same films get trashed in others – …

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National Board of Review names Scorsese’s ‘Hugo’ best film; and Scorsese, Best Director

We recently discussed Martin Scorsese’s Hugo to raving reviews on episode 296 of the Sound On Sight podcast. It looks like we are not alone in sharing our love for the film. Today the National Board of Review named Hugo the best film of 2011 and Martin Scorsese best director. Check out the NBR’s full …

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