Patrick Z McGavin
- News
In Focus: Criterion puts classics on Blu-ray
The first time Joseph Cotton's war correspondent Holly Martins discovers his presumed dead friend, Harry Lime (Orson Welles), in postwar Vienna, the moment packs a powerful punch.
- News
Profile: Music Box Films
At the end of summer 2007, William Schopf, Ed Arentz and Brian Andreotti had a drink in the bar of a dazzling Chicago Loop skyscraper for a low-key launch of their new distribution concern.
- Reviews
Nothing But the Truth
Director: Rod Lurie. US. 2008. 107mins.A dramatic fictionalization thatconflates the political scandal of former covert intelligence officerValerie Plame and controversial journalist Judith Miller, Rod Lurie's Nothing But the Truthis a miscalculated piece damaged by poor direction, mediocre writingand performances that feel consistently misguided and off-key. Lurie (The Contender) is acontemporary ...
ReviewsNick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Dir. Peter Sollett. US. 2008. 89mins.The highly anticipated second feature of the New York-based independent Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas) valiantly attempts to both enliven and subvert the tendencies and predictability of the teenage romantic comedy - although the whole never quite registers as forcefully as individual pieces.The movie’s antecedents ...
ReviewsDean Spanley (2008)
Dir. Toa Fraser. New Zealand/UK. 2008. 99mins.New Zealand director Toa Fraser’s Dean Spanley overcomes an uncertain and sketchy opening section to register as a moving and visually wondrous evocation of magic and imagination. The movie’s tonal shifts are fairly abrupt and the first third is frustratingly undeveloped dramatically, but the ...
- Features
The lowdown - How does 3D work'
The 3D projection formats introduced in the 1950s were cumbersome, labour-intensive and required two cameras projecting onto the same screen, making synchronisation difficult. Today, there are three far more sophisticated 3D digital projection technologies in the theatrical market: RealD, Dolby Digital Cinema and Imax 3D.
- News
Journey to the Third Dimension
In 1953, studio chief Jack Warner implored Alfred Hitchcock to work in the new format of 3D for his film Dial M For Murder. Hollywood had just introduced the colour stereoscopic photographic technology to fend off the pervasive reach of television. But by the time of the release, the 3D ...
- Features
United States - A one-shot deal
On a sombre late March morning in Chicago before dawn breaks, it is day four of shooting on Helix, the first feature from the Beverly Hills-based production company Windward Entertainment.