The Conquest

French writer and director Xavier Durringer made this political farce about for French president, Nicolas Sarkozy's rise to power. A cunning and vicious Sarkozy fights his way and odds to become the president while losing his wife in the process. While Durringer made a fictional film, many of the scenes and events were taken from the headlines which he then recreated which makes for an interesting film. Denis Podalydès stars with a solid performance along with Florence Pernel as Cécilia Sarkozy, Bernard Le Coq as Jacques Chirac. The supporting cast includes Samuel Labarthe and Hippolyte Girardot amongst others. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Little White Lies

French actor turned writer and director Guillaume Canet delivered his third feature with this comedy drama about a circle of friends. Right before their annual vacation, a group of friends see one of their own having a fatal accident but decide to continue with their plans where secrets and lies start to tear them apart. Canet changed gears effortlessly from thriller to an ensemble comedy written specifically for his friends and proves again his skills as a director with a stellar cast where the story seems credible and relationships natural. François Cluzet and Marion Cotillard lead the cast that includes Benoît Magimel, Gilles Lellouche, Jean Dujardin and Valérie Bonneton amongst others. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Goodbye First Love

French writer and director Mia Hansen-Løve delivered her third feature with this drama about the profound impact of first love. A teenager finds her first love with an older boy which leaves her profoundly changed when he abandons her to travels abroad. While first love has been explored heavily in French Cinema, Hansen-Løve shows a darker side which shows the dramatic impact at a tender age which leaves long-lasting deep scares. Lola Créton and Sebastian Urzendowsky star with solid performances along with Valérie Bonneton and Magne-Håvard Brekke. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Out of Sight

Director Steven Soderbergh delivered one of his best films with this romantic crime comedy. A career criminal and a US Marshall fall in love when their path crosses which complicates their lives as they want to stay true to their profession. Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard, Soderbergh and writer Scott Frank delivered a clever and hilarious film with a stellar cast. It marked the first and best collaboration between Soderbergh and George Clooney who went to work on five more films besides their producing efforts. Clooney and Jennifer Lopez star with terrific performances that's enhanced by their chemistry. The stellar supporting cast includes Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Catherine Keener and Viola Davis amongst others. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

GUILD AWARDS 10: 85th Academy Awards (Oscar)

Best Picture
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight

Best Actress
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts, The Impossible

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin, Argo
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams,The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director
Amour, Michael Haneke
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi, Ang Lee
Lincoln, Steven Spielberg
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

Best Original Screenplay
Amour, Michael Haneke
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Flight, John Gatins
Moonrise Kingdom, Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal

Best Adapted Screenplay
Argo, Chris Terrio
Beasts of the Southern Wild, Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi, David Magee
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

Best Animated Feature
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Amour, Austria
Kon-Tiki, Norway
No, Chile
A Royal Affair, Denmark
War Witch, Canada

Original Score
Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Life of Pi, Mychael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams
Skyfall, Thomas Newman

Best Original Song
Chasing Ice
Ted
Life of Pi
Skyfall
Les Misérables

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln

Best Achievement in Cinematography
Anna Karenina, Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained, Robert Richardson
Life of Pi, Claudio Miranda
Lincoln, Janusz Kaminski
Skyfall, Roger Deakins

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Anna Karenina, Jacqueline Durran
Les Misérables, Paco Delgado
Lincoln, Joanna Johnston
Mirror Mirror, Eiko Ishioka
Snow White and the Huntsman, Colleen Atwood

Best Documentary Feature
5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How to Survive a Plague
The Invisible War
Searching for Sugar Man

Best Documentary Short Subject
Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Best Achievement in Film Editing
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Achievement in Makeup
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables

Best Animated Short Film
Adam and Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head over Heels
Maggie Simpson in “The Longest Daycare”
Paperman

Best Live Action Short Film
Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
Henry

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Argo
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life of Pi
Marvel’s The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman

28th Independent Spirit Awards

Best Feature
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Bernie"
"Keep the Lights On"
"Moonrise Kingdom"
"Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Director
Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Ira Sachs, "Keep the Lights On"
Julia Loktev, "The Loneliest Planet"
Wes Anderson, "Moonrise Kingdom"
David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Actor
Jack Black, "Bernie"
Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"
John Hawkes, "The Sessions"
Thure Lindhardt, "Keep the Lights On"
Matthew McConaughey, "Killer Joe"
Wendell Pierce, "Four"

Best Actress
Linda Cardellini, "Return"
Emayatzy Corinealdi, "Middle of Nowhere"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"
Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, "Smashed"

Best Supporting Actor
Matthew McConaughey, "Magic Mike"
David Oyelowo, "Middle of Nowhere"
Michael Peña, "End of Watch"
Sam Rockwell, "Seven Psychopaths"
Bruce Willis, "Moonrise Kingdom"

Best Supporting Actress
Rosemarie DeWitt, "Your Sister's Sister"
Ann Dowd, "Compliance"
Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"
Brit Marling, "Sound of My Voice"
Lorraine Toussaint, "Middle of Nowhere"

Best Screenplay
Ira Sachs, "Keep the Lights On"
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"
Zoe Kazan, "Ruby Sparks"
Martin McDonagh, "Seven Psychopaths"
David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best First Feature
"Fill the Void"
"Gimme the Loot"
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower"
"Safety Not Guaranteed"
"Sound of My Voice"

Best First Screenplay
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, "Celeste and Jesse Forever"
Rama Burshtein, "Fill the Void"
Jonathan Lisecki, "Gayby"
Christopher Ford, "Robot and Frank"
Derek Connolly, "Safety Not Guaranteed"

Best Documentary
"The Central Park Five"
"How to Survive a Plague"
"The Invisible War"
"Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present"
"The Waiting Room"

Best Foreign Film
"Amour"
"Once Upon a Time in Anatolia"
"Rust and Bone"
"Sister"
"War Witch"

Best Cinematography
Ben Richardson, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Roman Vasyanov, "End of Watch"
Lol Crawley, "Here"
Robert Yeoman, "Moonrise Kingdom"
Yoni Brook, "Valley of Saints"
 
John Cassavetes Award
"Breakfast With Curtis"
"The Color Wheel"
"Middle of Nowhere"
"Mosquita y Mari"
"Starlet"

38th César Awards

Best Picture
Farewell, My Queen
Amour
Camille Redouble
In The House
Rust & Bone
Holy Motors
What’s In A Name

Best Director
Benoît Jacquot, Farewell, My Queen
Michael Haneke, Amour
Noémie Lvovsky, Camille Redouble
François Ozon, In The House
Jacques Audiard, Rust & Bone
Leos Carax, Holy Motors
Stéphane Brizé, Quelques Heures De Printemps

Best Actress
Catherine Frot, Les Sauveurs Du Palais
Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
Noémie Lvovsky, Camille Redouble
Corinne Masiero, Louise Wimmer
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Léa Seydoux, Farewell, My Queen
Hélène Vincent, Quelques Heures De Printemps

Best Actor
Jean-Pierre Bacri, Cherchez Hortense
Patrick Bruel, What’s In A Name
Denis Lavant, Holy Motors
Vincent Lindon, Quelques Heures De Printemps
Fabrice Luchini, In The House
Jérémie Rénier, Cloclo
Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour

Best Supporting Actress
Valérie Benguigui, What’s In A Name
Judith Chemla, Camille Redouble
Isabelle Huppert, Amour
Yolande Moreau, Camille Redouble
Edith Scob, Holy Motors

Best Supporting Actor
Samir Guesmi, Camille Redouble
Michel Vuillermoz, Camille Redouble
Benoit Magimel, Cloclo
Claude Rich, Cherchez Hortense
Guillaume de Tonquedec, What’s In A Name

Best Original Screenplay
Bruno Podalydès, Denis Podalydès, Adieu Berthe – L’Enterrement De Mémé
Michael Haneke, Amour
Noémie Lvovsky, Maud Ameline, Pierre-Olivier Mattei, Florence Seyvos, Camille Redouble
Leos Carax, Holy Motors
Florence Vignon, Stéphane Brizé, Quelques Heures De Printemps

Best Adapted Screenplay
Lucas Belvaux, 38 Witnesses
Gilles Taurand, Benoît Jacquot, Farewell, My Queen
François Ozon, In The House
Jacques Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Rust & Bone
Matthieu Delaporte, Alexandre de la Patellière, What’s In A Name

Best Foreign Film
Argo
Bullhead
Laurence Anyways
Oslo, 31 August
The Angels’ Share
A Royal Affair
A Perdre La Raison
 
Best Animated Film
Edmond Etait Un Ane, Franck Dion
Ernest Et Célestine, Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier
Kirikou Et Les Hommes Et Les Femmes, Michele Ocelot
Oh Willy, Emma De Swaef, Marc Roels
Zarafa, Rémi Besançon, Jean-Christophe Lie


Best Documentary
Bovines Ou La Vraie Vie Des Vaches, Emmanuel Gras
Duch, Le Maître Des Forges De L’Enfer, Rithy Panh
Les Invisibles, Sébastien Lifshitz
Journal De France, Claudine Nougaret, Raymond Depardon
Les Nouveaux Chiens De Garde, Gilles Balbastre, Yannick Kergoat

Best Original Score
Bruno Coulais, Farewell, My Queen
Gaëtan Roussel, Joseph Dahan, Camille Redouble
Philippe Rombi, In The House
Alexandre Desplat, Rust & Bone
Rob, Emmanuel D’Orlando, Populaire

Best Cinematography
Romain Winding, Farewell, My Queen
Darius Khondji, Amour
Stéphane Fontaine, Rust & Bone
Caroline Champetier, Holy Motors
Guillaume Schiffman, Populaire

Best Editing
Luc Barnier, Farewell, My Queen
Monika Willi, Amour
Annette Dutertre, Michel Klochendler, Camille Redouble
Juliette Welfling, Rust & Bone
Nelly Quettier, Holy Motors

Best Costumes
Christian Gasc, Farewell, My Queen
Pascale Chavanne, Augustine
Madeline Fontaine, Camille Redouble
Mimi Lempicka, Cloclo
Charlotte David, Populaire

Best Art Direction
Katia Wyszkop, Farewell, My Queen
Jean-Vincent Puzos, Amour
Philippe Chiffre, Cloclo
Florian Sanson, Holy Motors
Sylvie Olivé, Populaire

Best Sound
Brigitte Tallandier, Fançis Wargnier, Farewell, My Queen
Guillaume Sciama, Nadine Muse, Jean-Pierre Laforce, Amour
Antoine Deflandre, Germaine Boulay, Eric Tisserand, Cloclo
Brigitte Tallandier, Pascal Villard, Jean-Paul Hurier, Rust & Bone
Erwan Kerzanet, Josefa Rodriguez, Emmanuel Croset, Holy Motors

Best First Film
Augustine, Alice Winocour
Comme Des Frères, Hugo Gélin
Louise Wimmer, Cyril Mennegun
Populaire, Régis Rosnard
Rengaine, Rachid Djaidani

Newcomer (Female)
Alice de Lencquesaing, Au Galop
Lola Dewaere, Mince Alors!
Julia Faure, Camille Redouble
India Hair, Camille Redouble
Izia Higelin, Mauvaise Fille

Newcomer (Male)
Félix Moati, Télé Gaucho
Kacey Mottet Klein, Sister
Pierre Niney, Comme Des Frères
Matthias Schoenaerts, Rust & Bone
Ernst Umhauer, In The House

Side Effects

Prolific director Steven Soderbergh apparently made his last theatrical feature with this thriller. A psychiatrist's life unravels when a new patient experiences unexpected side effects to a prescription drug. Soderbergh and writer Scott Z. Burns have crafted a smart film that blends two genres seamlessly that's effective and entertaining. Set in the world of pharmaceutical drugs where both doctors and patients are victims of big corporations. Soderbergh starts with a compelling drama before changing gears to a thriller that seems implausible but a guilty pleasure from an accomplished director with an attractive and talented cast. Jude Law and Rooney Mara star with fine performances along with a solid supporting cast that includes Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum, Vinessa Shaw and Ann Dowd. 1001 Films' coverage of current releases.

The Amazing Spider-Man

Director Marc Webb went for his sophomore effort to reboot the Spider-Man franchise. The origin story of Peter Parker who after a traumatic childhood becomes a Superhero to save the world. Webb paid attention to the other Superhero franchises, specially Sam Raimi and improved upon his version with a solid cast and much improved special effects. A perfectly cast Andrew Garfield stars along with Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans and Sally Field amongst others. Raimi's "Spider-Man 2" remains the best film of the series that Webb may or not be able to top. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Inspector Bellamy

Legendary French writer and director Claude Chabrol delivered his swan song with this character study that united him for the first time with another legend, Gérard Depardieu. A Parisian inspector finds himself entangled on a new case while on vacation with his wife. As usual with Chabrol, the crime is in the background for his characters whose interaction push them to reveal universal traits. Depardieu stars with another solid performance along with Marie Bunel, Clovis Cornillac and Jacques Gamblin. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

King of Devil's Island

Norwegian director Marius Holst delivered a brooding period drama set in the remote island of Bastøy at the turn of the last century. A new inmate at the home for juvenile delinquents becomes the leader who stands up to the tyrannical adults. While the story is not new or original, Holst and his cast and crew delivered a powerful and cohesive film that relies on characters and atmosphere to tell its story. Swedish acting legend Stellan Skarsgård stars with another terrific performance but newcomers Benjamin Helstad and Trond Nilssen hold their own against the seasoned performers. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Wrath of the Titans

South African director Jonathan Liebesman delivered an even worse sequel to the remake of a classic. Greek half-god Perseus refuses his father, Zeus' plea for help, only to try to save him when he's imprisoned in the underworld by his brother and uncle Hades. Despite four credited writers who failed to deliver a decent script, Liebesman and his cast & crew went ahead to work a mediocre film which is quite a shame given the richness of Greek mythology. Sam Worthington returns with another bland performance along with Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes who reprise their roles as Zeus and Hades. Bill Nighy, Édgar Ramírez and Rosamund Pike are the new additions to the cast. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

GUILD AWARDS 9: Writer's Guild (WGA)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 
Flight, Written by John Gatins 
Looper, Written by Rian Johnson 
The Master, Written by Paul Thomas Anderson 
Moonrise Kingdom, Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola 
Zero Dark Thirty, Written by Mark Boal


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Argo, Screenplay by Chris Terrio; Based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired Magazine article “The Great Escape” by Joshuah Bearman 
Life of Pi, Screenplay by David Magee; Based on the novel by Yann Martel
Lincoln, Screenplay by Tony Kushner; Based in part on the book Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Screenplay by Stephen Chbosky; Based on his book
Silver Linings Playbook, Screenplay by David O. Russell; Based on the novel by Matthew Quick

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
The Central Park Five, Written by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and Ken Burns
The Invisible War, Written by Kirby Dick; Cinedigm Entertainment Group
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Written by Alex Gibney
Searching for Sugar Man, Written by Malik Bendjelloul
We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists, Written by Brian Knappenberger
West of Memphis, Written by Amy Berg & Billy McMillin

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

For more info: Writer's Guild (WGA) 

GUILD AWARDS 8: Sound Guilds (CAS)

MOTION PICTURES - LIVE ACTION
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty 

MOTION PICTURES – ANIMATED
Brave
Frankenweenie
Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
Rise Of The Guardians
Wreck- It Ralph

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

GUILD AWARDS 7: Editor's Guild (ACE)

FEATURE FILM (DRAMA)
Argo, William Goldenberg, A.C.E.
Life of Pi, Tim Squyres, A.C.E.
Lincoln, Michael Kahn, A.C.E.
Skyfall, Stuart Baird, A.C.E.
Zero Dark Thirty, Dylan Tichenor, A.C.E. and William Goldenberg, A.C.E.

FEATURE FILM (COMEDY OR MUSICAL)
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Chris Gill
Les Misérables, Melanie Ann Oliver & Chris Dickens, A.C.E.
Moonrise Kingdom, Andrew Weisblum, A.C.E.
Silver Linings Playbook, Jay Cassidy, A.C.E. & Crispin Struthers
Ted, Jeff Freeman, A.C.E.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Brave, Nicolas C. Smith, A.C.E.
Frankenweenie, Chris Lebenzon, A.C.E. & Mark Solomon
Rise of the Guardians, Joyce Arrastia
Wreck-It Ralph, Tim Mertens

DOCUMENTARY FILM
Samsara, Ron Fricke & Mark Magidson
Searching for Sugar Man, Malik Bendjelloul
West of Memphis, Billy McMillin

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

63rd Berlinale International Film Festival

One of the top three festivals in the World (the others being Cannes and Venice) is more serious and political than the others. However due to its time slot, it doesn't get the big films that Cannes gets. Instead Berlin gets to pick from big Hollywood films that gets released late in the year for Award considerations. It's the only one of the three festivals open to the public.

OFFICIAL COMPETITION
 
Camille Claudel 1915, Bruno Dumont
France

Dolgaya schastlivaya zhizn (A Long and Happy Life), Boris Khlebnikov
Russian Federation

Elle s'en va (On my Way), Emmanuelle Bercot
France

Epizoda u životu berača željeza (An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker), Danis Tanovic  SILVER BEAR & BEST ACTOR
Bosnia and Herzegovina/France/Slovenia

Gloria, Sebastián Lelio BEST ACTRESS
Chile/Spain

Gold, Thomas Arslan
Germany

Layla Fourie, Pia Marais
Germany/South Africa/France/Netherlands

The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, Fredrik Bond
USA

Nugu-ui Ttal-do Anin Haewon (Nobody's Daughter Haewon), Hong Sangsoo
Republic of Korea

Paradies: Hoffnung (Paradise: Hope), Ulrich Seidl
Austria/France/Germany

Parde (Closed Curtain), Jafar Panahi and Kambozia Partovi BEST SCRIPT
Iran

Poziţia Copilului (Child's Pose), Călin Peter Netzer    GOLDEN BEAR
Romania

Prince Avalanche, David Gordon Green BEST DIRECTOR
USA

Promised Land, Gus Van Sant
USA

La Religieuse (The Nun), Guillaume Nicloux
France/Germany/Belgium

Side Effects, Steven Soderbergh
USA

Uroki Garmonii (Harmony Lessons), Emir Baigazin
Kazakhstan/Germany

Vic+Flo ont vu un ours (Vic+Flo Saw a Bear), Denis Côté Alfred Bauer Prize
Canada

W imię... (In the Name of), Małgośka Szumowska
Poland

OUT OF COMPETITION

Before Midnight, Richard Linklater
USA

The Croods, Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders
USA

Dark Blood, George Sluizer
The Netherlands

The Grandmaster, Wong Kar Wai
Hong Kong

Night Train to Lisbon, Bille August
Germany/Switzerland/Portugal


2012
2011
2010
2009
2008 

Hysteria

Director Tanya Wexler's third feature took her to Victorian England for this romantic comedy. A young and idealistic doctor treating women diagnosed with hysteria accidentally invents the first vibrator while falling in love with the strong headed sister of his fiancee. While the unique and original story had potential, Wexler failed to find the right balance between humor and drama in this rather tame film which opts for the usual cliches. Hugh Dancy and Maggie Gyllenhaal gave their best in the leads along with the supporting cast that includes Jonathan Pryce, Felicity Jones and Rupert Everett. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

World on a Wire

Legendary German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder made this stylish Sci-Fi film for the German TV. A computer programmer finds himself entangled with a sinister corporation that has created a virtual world that resembles the real one where people disappear without trace. Based on the novel by Daniel F. Galouye, Fassbinder has created a smart Sci-Fi film that was ahead of its time and makes more sense now after the invention of the internet and virtual reality than it did when it was released. The stylish retro look of the film is another asset for this visionary time capsule that stars Klaus Löwitsch leading an ensemble cast of Fassbinder regulars. While it may not be known as Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," Godard's "Alphaville," or Tarkovsky's "Solaris," it definitely belongs in that category of films by visionary directors. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

House of Cards

Director David Fincher and actor Kevin Spacey reunited for this remake of the British series about a Machiavellian politician. A ruthless and cunning congressman and his wife stop at nothing to scheme their way to the top echelons of power in Washington D.C. Fincher and his cast & crew created an epic that's brilliantly written and executed that resonates with the current climate of politics. Kevin Spacey delivers another tour-de-force performance as Francis Underwood who's every bit a modern day Shakespearean character, while Robin Wright has never been better in her greatest role as the modern day "Lady Macbeth." The stellar supporting cast includes Kate Mara, Sakina Jaffrey, Sandrine Holt and Corey Stoll. This series created for Netflix proves that great directors can create great work beyond theatrical features or conventional TV. 1001 Films' coverage of current releases. 

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God

Writer and director Alex Gibney delivered another riveting film with this heartbreaking documentary about the Catholic Church's failure to address pedophilia amongst its priests. The film chronicles from the first known case of a priest at a school for the deaf in the US who molested innocent young boys that started a wildfire which reached all the way to the Vatican involving everybody including both recent Popes. While the story seems familiar, Gibney puts it in perspective and shows the systematic failure of the Catholic Church that went against its principles to protect criminals around the world. It shows how a religious institution like any other can become corrupt and criminal. An important film that gives a voice to the victims, some of them appear to tell their heartbreaking and shattering stories that will evoke strong emotions. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

FUR: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus

Director Steven Shainberg followed his breakthrough film "Secretary" with this strange but stunning film about the celebrated photographer Diane Arbus. In this imaginary portrait, the evolution of Diane Arbus is explored from a housewife to a photographer who concentrated on portraits of people on the margins of society. Skipping the traditional approach of a biographical film, Shainberg and writer Erin Cressida Wilson took inspiration from the book of Patricia Bosworth to make an audacious film about Diane Arbus that's in spirit close to her work as an artist which is a stunning in it own right. Nicole Kidman stars with another brave performance along with Robert Downey Jr. and Ty Burrell as the men of her life. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD. 

GUILD AWARDS 6: Cinematographers' Guild (ASC)

FEATURE FILM
ANNA KARENINA, Seamus McGarvey
LES MISÉRABLES, Danny Cohen
LIFE OF PI, Claudio Miranda
LINCOLN, Janusz Kaminski
SKYFALL, Roger Deakins

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

GUILD AWARDS 5: British Academy Awards (BAFTA)

BEST FILM
ARGO
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN
ZERO DARK THIRTY

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
ANNA KARENINA
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
LES MISÉRABLES
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
SKYFALL

LEADING ACTOR
BEN AFFLECK, Argo
BRADLEY COOPER, Silver Linings Playbook
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, Lincoln
HUGH JACKMAN,  Les Misérables
JOAQUIN PHOENIX, The Master

LEADING ACTRESS
EMMANUELLE RIVA, Amour
HELEN MIRREN, Hitchcock
JENNIFER LAWRENCE, Silver Linings Playbook
JESSICA CHASTAIN, Zero Dark Thirty
MARION COTILLARD, Rust and Bone

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ALAN ARKIN, Argo
CHRISTOPH WALTZ, Django Unchained
JAVIER BARDEM, Skyfall
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, The Master
TOMMY LEE JONES, Lincoln

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS, The Master
ANNE HATHAWAY, Les Misérables
HELEN HUNT, The Sessions
JUDI DENCH, Skyfall
SALLY FIELD, Lincoln

DIRECTOR
AMOUR, Michael Haneke
ARGO, Ben Affleck
DJANGO UNCHAINED, Quentin Tarantino
LIFE OF PI, Ang Lee
ZERO DARK THIRTY, Kathryn Bigelow

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMOUR, Michael Haneke
DJANGO UNCHAINED, Quentin Tarantino
THE MASTER, Paul Thomas Anderson
MOONRISE KINGDOM, Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
ZERO DARK THIRTY, Mark Boal

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARGO, Chris Terrio
BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin
LIFE OF PI, David Magee
LINCOLN, Tony Kushner
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, David O. Russell

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
AMOUR
HEADHUNTERS
THE HUNT
RUST AND BONE
UNTOUCHABLE

DOCUMENTARY
THE IMPOSTER
MARLEY
McCULLIN
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
WEST OF MEMPHIS

ANIMATION
BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
PARANORMAN

CINEMATOGRAPHY
ANNA KARENINA, Seamus McGarvey
LES MISÉRABLES, Danny Cohen
LIFE OF PI, Claudio Miranda
LINCOLN, Janusz Kaminski
SKYFALL, Roger Deakins

PRODUCTION DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA, Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
LES MISÉRABLES, Eve Stewart, Anna Lynch-Robinson
LIFE OF PI, David Gropman, Anna Pinnock
LINCOLN, Rick Carter, Jim Erickson
SKYFALL, Dennis Gassner, Anna Pinnock

COSTUME DESIGN
ANNA KARENINA, Jacqueline Durran
GREAT EXPECTATIONS,  Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
LES MISÉRABLES, Paco Delgado
LINCOLN, Joanna Johnston
SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, Colleen Atwood

MAKE UP & HAIR
ANNA KARENINA
HITCHCOCK
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISÉRABLES
LINCOLN

SOUND
DJANGO UNCHAINED
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LES MISÉRABLES
LIFE OF PI
SKYFALL

EDITING
ARGO, William Goldenberg
DJANGO UNCHAINED, Fred Raskin
LIFE OF PI, Tim Squyres
SKYFALL, Stuart Baird
ZERO DARK THIRTY, Dylan Tichenor

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY
LIFE OF PI
MARVEL AVENGERS ASSEMBLE
PROMETHEUS

ORIGINAL MUSIC
ANNA KARENINA, Dario Marianelli
ARGO, Alexandre Desplat
LIFE OF PI, Mychael Danna
LINCOLN, John Williams
SKYFALL, Thomas Newman


2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

Compliance

Writer and director Craig Zobel delivered a riveting film with his second feature based on a disturbing true story. A prank caller at a fast food restaurant forces the manager to interrogate a teenage employee which has devastating consequences. What's disturbing about the film is that it actually happened more than 70 times in the US. Zobel created a terrific film that shows how average people fell for the hoax that leads them to abuse their power and rights trying to be compliant with the law. That the people lacked common sense or the restaurant lacked a code of conduct or a procedure is outrageous but understandable. Ann Dowd and Dreama Walker star with terrific performances in this disturbing but effective thriller. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Damsels in Distress

Writer and director Whit Stillman delivered his fourth feature in more than a decade with this talkative but charming comedy. A trio of female college students set out to change their college campus by saving fellow students from depression and suicide which gets them in troubled waters. Stillman stayed true to his old-fashioned style with his talkative characters trying to make sense of their social environment. He's a filmmaker who romanticises the past because it's gone and cinema is a perfect playground for his characters to come alive. Despite its pretentiousness, there's a charm to his films which makes unique and his films a welcome change to the norm. Greta Gerwig stars with a hilarious performance along with Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton and Aubrey Plaza amongst others. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Searching for Sugar Man

Swedish writer, director, producer and editor Malik Bendjelloul made his feature debut with this extraordinary documentary. The incredible true story of Rodriguez, a talented American folk singer who disappeared into obscurity and was discovered by several generations in South Africa. Bendjelloul made an astonishing film that's inspiring and moving about an extraordinary man who's also incredibly talented and humble. Beautifully conceived and structured that blends archival footage, interviews, animation and stock footage seamlessly along with great music by Rodriguez, the Sugar Man himself. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Being Flynn

Writer and director Paul Weitz returned to top form with this father and son drama after several missteps. A young man meets his estranged father in a homeless shelter who abandoned him and his mother causing them life long suffering. Based on the novel by Nick Flynn, Weitz assembled a stellar cast for this heart wrenching drama about a dysfunctional family that's torn apart. Robert De Niro and Paul Dano star as the father and son who never connected but share the same passion for writing, while the elder suffering from delusions of grandeur as a self-proclaimed poet, the younger is the real deal. De Niro delivers one of his best performances in years along the terrific supporting cast that includes Julianne Moore, Olivia Thirlby, Lili Taylor and Wes Studi. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

The Rape of Europa

Directors Richard Berge, Bonni Cohen and Nicole Newnham made this fascinating documentary about art and war. The story about the Nazis systematic approach to loot and plunder art works from the countries they invaded from France and Austria to Poland and Russia. Millions of art works disappeared, while some found, others still remain lost or in private collections. Some of the art works were found at museums and galleries who had no had idea that they were stolen or refused to return them to their rightful owners. The film brings an interesting point about war to light. The Nazis were not the only ones who looted cultural artifacts. The British museum is full of artwork from around the world that were taken during the rule of the empire. During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, a lot of art work disappeared from museums and sold to collectors around the world. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?

Writer and director Harry Moses made his feature debut with this fascinating documentary about the journey of authenticating an art work by Jackson Pollock. After a female truck driver bought an artwork for $5, she started a journey that it could be a lost Pollock work but despite the scientific evidence, the experts refused to authenticating as an original much to the dilemma of the owner who refuses to sell it despite several offers in the millions. Moses points several interesting aspects of art world where provenance and acceptance by experts can separate the value of an art work. It's a fascinating film for both insiders and outsiders of art. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Virginia

Writer Dustin Lance Black (Milk, J. Edgar) made his feature debut with this uneven drama. A mentally unstable woman's life spins out of control when her teenage son falls for the daughter of the the Sheriff with political ambitions. While the characters are compelling, the film lacks focus and coherency which seemed too much for the novice director to handle. Jennifer Connelly stars along with Ed Harris with solid performances. The ensemble cast includes Amy Madigan, Emma Roberts and Toby Jones. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

GUILD AWARDS 4: Art Directors Guild (ADG)

PERIOD FILM
ANNA KARENINA, SARAH GREENWOOD
ARGO, SHARON SEYMOUR
DJANGO UNCHAINED, J. MICHAEL RIVA
LES MISERABLES, EVE STEWART
LINCOLN, RICK CARTER
   
FANTASY FILM 
CLOUD ATLAS, ULI HANISCH & HUGH BATEUP
LIFE OF PI, DAVID GROPMAN
PROMETHEUS, ARTHUR MAX
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, NATHAN CROWLEY & KEVIN KAVANAUGH
THE HOBBIT: An Unexpected Journey, DAN HENNAH
     
CONTEMPORARY FILM  
FLIGHT, NELSON COATES
SKYFALL, DENNIS GASSNER
THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, ALAN MACDONALD
THE IMPOSSIBLE, EUGENIO CABALLERO
ZERO DARK THIRTY, JEREMY HINDLE

GUILD AWARDS 3: Director's Guild (DGA)

FEATURE FILM
BEN AFFLECK, Argo
KATHRYN BIGELOW, Zero Dark Thirty
TOM HOOPER, Les Misérables
ANG LEE, Life of Pi
STEVEN SPIELBERG, Lincoln

DOCUMENTARY FILM
MALIK BENDJELLOUL, Searching For Sugar Man
KIRBY DICK, The Invisible War 
DAVID FRANCE, How To Survive A Plague
LAUREN GREENFIELD, The Queen of Versailles
ALISON KLAYMAN, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry 

2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

For more info: http://www.dga.org/

Butter

British director Jim Field Smith's second feature is satire that has its moments but misfires mostly. Set in the world of butter carving, the wife of the leading champion doesn't take lightly when her husband wants to retire which forces her to enter the competition. There's a lot of tongue and cheek going on that allows the game cast to let loose but the problem is the main character who's not very sympathetic and becomes annoying too soon. Jennifer Garner stars with an over the top performance that derails the film. The film's main charm is the supporting characters, specially Yara Shahidi, Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry which the film needed more of. The supporting cast also includes Hugh Jackman, Olivia Wilde and Ty Burrell. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Writing and directing brothers, Jay and Mark Duplass delivered a charming film with this comedy. Two brothers, one married and successful and the other single and living home, see their lives changed during a fateful day that also changes the life of their mother in unexpected ways. The Duplass bros hit all the right notes from writing, directing to the casting of the film which could have easily misfired. Perfectly cast Jason Segel and Ed Helms deliver solid performances as the brothers while Susan Sarandon and Judy Greer appear in supporting roles. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD.