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The Conversation: Drew Morton and Landon Palmer Discuss ‘World of Tomorrow’

The Conversation is a feature at PopOptiq bringing together Drew Morton and Landon Palmer in a passionate debate about cinema new and old. For their fourteenth piece, they discuss Don Hertzfeldt’s Oscar-nominated animated short, World of Tomorrow (2015). Drew’s Take Don Hertzfeldt’s World of Tomorrow was my favorite film of 2015, followed closely by two other science fiction masterpieces: George …

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‘Suffragette’ Movie Review – impactfully chronicles a long, hard struggle

Suffragette Written by Abi Morgan Directed by Sarah Gavron UK, 2015 As the high-profile spearhead of UK film culture, the London Film Festival thrives on promoting the heritage films that its indigenous industry clings to so dearly: the historical and period dramas which keep the production designers, wardrobe wranglers and most of the Royal Shakespeare Company solvent throughout another procurement drive of Elizabethan ruffs, …

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‘Bethlehem’ a grimly crafted Israeli-Palestinian thriller

Bethlehem Written by Ali Wakad and Yuval Adler Directed by Yuval Adler Israel, 2013 The final shot of the new Israeli film Bethlehem, one of last year’s nominees for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar, depicts two characters lying or sitting on the ground in a deserted field, a car behind them; in the distance, there’s …

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One of 2012’s best, ‘Lincoln,’ marches onto Blu-ray

One of last year’s very best films, Lincoln, arrives on Blu-ray today. This excellent historical epic, which garnered its lead, Daniel Day-Lewis, another Best Actor Oscar, is also being sent on DVD to most school districts across the United States, so hopefully, it can become a standard for generations to come. Lincoln steps right where …

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‘A Cat in Paris’ never truly actualizes its self-imposed expectations

A Cat in Paris Directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol Written by Jacques-Rémy Girerd and Alain Gagnol France, 2010 As contentious as every Oscar inevitably is, one of the few areas of consistency is in the Best Animated Feature category (and perhaps the Best Documentary Feature). The 84th Academy Awards saw five worthy candidates, …

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Strangest & Most Controversial Moments In the History of the Academy Awards (Pt.1)

The saying goes: If Hollywood is really the movie capital of the world, then Oscar night is the world’s biggest wrap party, and like all parties, each event comes with unwelcome guests, embarrassing situations, strange fashions and controversial moments. In fact, controversy and the Oscars seem to go hand in hand and despite the fact …

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Sony Pictures has a runaway hit in Michael Jackson’s This Is It, Is Oscar Gold on the way?

In an unsurprising piece of news, director Kenny Ortega’s posthumous Michael Jackson documentary Michael Jackson’s This Is It had a sensational gross over the first five days of its release.  The film became “…the highest-grossing concert film worldwide” in the five days since its release.  The $101 million dollar worldwide gross pushed the film well …

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Awkward Kissing on Harry Potter set/A Rose by any other name./”Asteroids” movie: is this a joke?/My Sister’s Keeper includes a performance not to be forgotten

Awkward Kissing on Harry Potter set Emma Watson (“Harry Potter’s Hermione) recently commented that “…in a new interview on the BBC’s “Friday Night with Jonathan Ross,” the 19-year-old revealed kissing Rupert (Grint), who plays teen wizard Ron Weasley, was just about the most uncomfortable filming experience she’s had in her career so far.”  Emma commented: …

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