Beth Gibbons stopped by the BBC Maida Vale Studio to perform “Floating on a Moment,” a spellbinding cut from her recent solo album, Lives Outgrown.
The Portishead vocalist provided a stirring, heartfelt rendition of the Lives Outgrown single, made more entrancing by the studio’s dim lights and open set-up as well as her extensive backing band. In addition to “Floating on a Moment,” Gibbons performed Lives Outgrown tracks “Tell Me Who You Are Today,” “Burden Of Life,” “For Sale,” and “Lost Changes.”
Get Beth Gibbons Tickets Here
She also busted out “Mysteries,” a song from her 2002 collaboration with Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb. These additional song are only able to view in the UK, but you can watch Gibbons perform “Floating on a Moment” below.
Lives Outgrown is Beth Gibbons’ first solo album, and arrives ahead of her first solo tour in Europe and the UK. She’ll make...
The Portishead vocalist provided a stirring, heartfelt rendition of the Lives Outgrown single, made more entrancing by the studio’s dim lights and open set-up as well as her extensive backing band. In addition to “Floating on a Moment,” Gibbons performed Lives Outgrown tracks “Tell Me Who You Are Today,” “Burden Of Life,” “For Sale,” and “Lost Changes.”
Get Beth Gibbons Tickets Here
She also busted out “Mysteries,” a song from her 2002 collaboration with Talk Talk bassist Paul Webb. These additional song are only able to view in the UK, but you can watch Gibbons perform “Floating on a Moment” below.
Lives Outgrown is Beth Gibbons’ first solo album, and arrives ahead of her first solo tour in Europe and the UK. She’ll make...
- 5/22/2024
- by Paolo Ragusa
- Consequence - Music
Thirty years after the release of Portishead’s first album, lead singer Beth Gibbons has announced the impending arrival of her own solo debut LP, Lives Outgrown.
Ahead of the album’s May 17 release via Domino, Gibbons has shared the first single “Floating on a Moment,” which was accompanied by a video directed by multimedia artist Tony Oursler.
Lives Outgrown is the culmination of a decade’s worth of songwriting for Gibbons, with the singer ruminating on motherhood, anxiety, menopause, and mortality over the course of the album’s 10 tracks.
Ahead of the album’s May 17 release via Domino, Gibbons has shared the first single “Floating on a Moment,” which was accompanied by a video directed by multimedia artist Tony Oursler.
Lives Outgrown is the culmination of a decade’s worth of songwriting for Gibbons, with the singer ruminating on motherhood, anxiety, menopause, and mortality over the course of the album’s 10 tracks.
- 2/7/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Several surviving Talk Talk contributors will honor the band’s late frontman, Mark Hollis, this fall with a tribute concert in London. The musicians will perform material from throughout the band’s catalog at the event, set for November 26th at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
According to the venue’s website, as-yet-unannounced “special guests” will also take part in the show, dubbed “A Celebration of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis.” No band members are specified on the site, though NME reports that founding keyboardist Simon Brenner — who played on the band’s debut LP,...
According to the venue’s website, as-yet-unannounced “special guests” will also take part in the show, dubbed “A Celebration of Talk Talk and Mark Hollis.” No band members are specified on the site, though NME reports that founding keyboardist Simon Brenner — who played on the band’s debut LP,...
- 7/30/2019
- by Ryan Reed
- Rollingstone.com
Mark Hollis, a synth-pop hitmaker and pioneering art-rock innovator as the frontman of Talk Talk, has died at the age of 64.
Hollis’ manager, Keith Aspden, confirmed the musician’s death to Pitchfork. “I’m still trying to accept this, but sadly it’s true,” Aspden said in a statement. “Mark has died after a short illness from which he never recovered. Deeply felt sorrow for a remarkable person who remained true to himself throughout his life. I can’t tell you how much Mark influenced and changed my perceptions on art and music.
Hollis’ manager, Keith Aspden, confirmed the musician’s death to Pitchfork. “I’m still trying to accept this, but sadly it’s true,” Aspden said in a statement. “Mark has died after a short illness from which he never recovered. Deeply felt sorrow for a remarkable person who remained true to himself throughout his life. I can’t tell you how much Mark influenced and changed my perceptions on art and music.
- 2/26/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Even though you can probably still catch Selma in some theaters right now, Paramount Pictures is sending the Best Picture nominee back to even more theaters starting this weekend in honor of the 50th anniversary of the historic march depicted in the drama. And the good news is that if you go see Selma during the encore engagement (find out where it will be playing right here), when you buy one ticket, you'll get one free. This is a beautiful, powerful drama, and if I had seen it before the end of last year, it would have been in my Top 10 Films of 2014. Tell as many people as you can to go see Selma this weekend. If you need more convincing, watch the trailer for Ava DuVernay's Selma right here: Check out the powerful performance of Selma's Oscar-winning original song "Glory" right here. Selma is directed by Ava DuVernay...
- 3/18/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, Paramount Pictures will re-release its Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning film Selma nationwide for a special encore engagement.
Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film will play in theaters across the U.S. beginning Friday, March 20th.
Tickets are on sale today online and at theater box offices. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.SelmaMovie.com
Moviegoers who purchase a ticket to see Selma at a participating theater can receive an additional ticket free. This limited time offer is only available at participating theater box offices.
Selma won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
Selma,...
Directed by Ava DuVernay, the film will play in theaters across the U.S. beginning Friday, March 20th.
Tickets are on sale today online and at theater box offices. For a list of theaters and to purchase tickets, visit www.SelmaMovie.com
Moviegoers who purchase a ticket to see Selma at a participating theater can receive an additional ticket free. This limited time offer is only available at participating theater box offices.
Selma won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and Golden Globe Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.
Selma,...
- 3/18/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hailed as “extraordinary” (David Denby, The New Yorker), “deeply moving” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) and “a triumph” (A.O. Scott, New York Times), director Ava DuVernay’s powerful drama Selma debuts on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand May 5, 2015 from Paramount Home Media Distribution.
The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD April 21, 2015.
Embraced by critics and audiences alike, Selma was named one of the best films of the year by New York Times,New York Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and many more. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won the Oscar for Best Original Song for John Legend and Common’s compelling tribute “Glory.”
Director Ava DuVernay delivers the “definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post) with the incredible story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The film arrives two weeks early on Digital HD April 21, 2015.
Embraced by critics and audiences alike, Selma was named one of the best films of the year by New York Times,New York Post, New York Magazine, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Hollywood Reporter and many more. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and won the Oscar for Best Original Song for John Legend and Common’s compelling tribute “Glory.”
Director Ava DuVernay delivers the “definitive depiction of the 1960s American civil rights movement” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post) with the incredible story of how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- 3/10/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Screenwriters never have it easy, do they? They often complain they are seen as second class citizens to the director. Actors often get credit for improvising a line they wrote and, worse, producers will often play games with the media, insisting they came up with a key storyline or the entire project themselves. Things get even more complicated with the sometimes unfair arbitration rules that often find the wrong writer getting final credit for a project (often because of a contract he or she signed). Frankly, all of this adversity might be one reason why winning an Academy Award means so much to a working Hollywood screenwriter. This year's crop of Original Screenplay nominees are all worthy of taking home Oscar on their previous merits. Without a true "first-timer" in the group*, it goes without saying whoever wins this year might find the spoils that much sweeter. "Boyhood's" Richard Linklater...
- 2/16/2015
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
A magnificent film, vital and alive, with the most profound sense of immediacy I think I’ve ever felt in a historical story. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
There’s not a single word that comes out of the mouth of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma — yes, even given that the film had to paraphrase his speeches thanks to a copyright issue — that doesn’t still apply today, half a damn century later. This is the beauty, and the tragedy, of Ava DuVernay’s magnificent film. The images it horrifies us with — peaceful protesters whipped in the street by policemen — and inspires us with — peaceful protesters continuing to protest in the face of outrageous offense — are almost identical, in many significant ways, to images we’ve seen on television in recent months, from Ferguson,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
There’s not a single word that comes out of the mouth of Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma — yes, even given that the film had to paraphrase his speeches thanks to a copyright issue — that doesn’t still apply today, half a damn century later. This is the beauty, and the tragedy, of Ava DuVernay’s magnificent film. The images it horrifies us with — peaceful protesters whipped in the street by policemen — and inspires us with — peaceful protesters continuing to protest in the face of outrageous offense — are almost identical, in many significant ways, to images we’ve seen on television in recent months, from Ferguson,...
- 2/6/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
One of the most controversial semi-snubs at this year's Oscars was Ava DuVernay's stirring and intelligent Selma, which was omitted from every major category besides Best Picture.
Despite being frequently billed as a Martin Luther King biopic, Selma is in fact a complex and collective portrait of the civil rights movement within a community, focusing on King's 1965 campaign to secure equal voting rights via a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Digital Spy sat down with DuVernay last week to discuss Selma's eerie parallels to contemporary events, her sanguine attitude to awards season, and the predictable mud-slinging that has arisen around the film's portrayal of President Lyndon B Johnson.
I first saw Selma last November, as I think many people did, amidst the second wave of unrest in Ferguson. What do you hope people take away from the unsettling parallels between then and now?
Just that there are parallels,...
Despite being frequently billed as a Martin Luther King biopic, Selma is in fact a complex and collective portrait of the civil rights movement within a community, focusing on King's 1965 campaign to secure equal voting rights via a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Digital Spy sat down with DuVernay last week to discuss Selma's eerie parallels to contemporary events, her sanguine attitude to awards season, and the predictable mud-slinging that has arisen around the film's portrayal of President Lyndon B Johnson.
I first saw Selma last November, as I think many people did, amidst the second wave of unrest in Ferguson. What do you hope people take away from the unsettling parallels between then and now?
Just that there are parallels,...
- 2/4/2015
- Digital Spy
Director: Ava DuVernay; Screenwriter: Paul Webb; Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson, Oprah Winfrey; Running time: 128 mins; Certificate: 12A
Apart from being a fine and stately portrait of Dr Martin Luther King, Selma is an eloquent demonstration of how every epic journey begins with a single step. Leading the way, British actor David Oyelowo has all the charisma required to play that icon of the American Civil Rights Movement - and he also conveys a sharpened, brooding sense of humanity in the film's quieter moments.
Often, Oyelowo is framed from behind, or in profile like the image you might see on a banknote (if the powers-that-be ever saw fit…) and still, his personal anguish is evident.
That's just as much a testament to the precise direction of Ava DuVernay – an emerging talent – who narrows the focus to three months in 1965 when King was lobbying the government to...
Apart from being a fine and stately portrait of Dr Martin Luther King, Selma is an eloquent demonstration of how every epic journey begins with a single step. Leading the way, British actor David Oyelowo has all the charisma required to play that icon of the American Civil Rights Movement - and he also conveys a sharpened, brooding sense of humanity in the film's quieter moments.
Often, Oyelowo is framed from behind, or in profile like the image you might see on a banknote (if the powers-that-be ever saw fit…) and still, his personal anguish is evident.
That's just as much a testament to the precise direction of Ava DuVernay – an emerging talent – who narrows the focus to three months in 1965 when King was lobbying the government to...
- 2/2/2015
- Digital Spy
Chicago – The excellent film “Selma” focuses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But just as important as King were the marchers from supporting civil rights societies, such as the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (Sncc), and their leaders like James Forman, portrayed in the film by Trai Byers.
Byers is an up-and-coming actor, with “Selma” being his first major film after stints on the daytime drama “All My Children” and the revival of “90210.” But besides “Selma,” Byers has a high profile part as Andre Lyon, the son of lead character Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) on the huge new Fox Network hit, “Empire.” The freshman drama has already been picked up for a second season, and its maneuverings within the Shakespeare-in-the-music-industry vibe has connected with viewers.
Trai Byers as James Forman (left) Kneels with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo, right) in ‘Selma’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Trai Byers was in...
Byers is an up-and-coming actor, with “Selma” being his first major film after stints on the daytime drama “All My Children” and the revival of “90210.” But besides “Selma,” Byers has a high profile part as Andre Lyon, the son of lead character Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard) on the huge new Fox Network hit, “Empire.” The freshman drama has already been picked up for a second season, and its maneuverings within the Shakespeare-in-the-music-industry vibe has connected with viewers.
Trai Byers as James Forman (left) Kneels with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo, right) in ‘Selma’
Photo credit: Paramount Pictures
Trai Byers was in...
- 1/22/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
One week from today, the #allwhite SAG movie awards will take place at the Shrine. For the film categories that will appear on the Jan. 25 telecast, the actors union managed to nominate not a single black actor in any of its four film acting categories. SAG also didn’t nominate any black performers among the 42 additional actors named as part of its Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture (nominees are Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game and The Theory Of Everything).
So that’s a total of 62 performances nominated, all of them white, with the closest thing to any level of diversity being Grand Budapest Hotel co-star and Cast nominee Tony Revolori, a Southern Californian of Guatemalan descent.
Yet did SAG, a union run by white actor Ken Howard, get anywhere near the level of flak and criticism and outrage the Academy of Motion...
So that’s a total of 62 performances nominated, all of them white, with the closest thing to any level of diversity being Grand Budapest Hotel co-star and Cast nominee Tony Revolori, a Southern Californian of Guatemalan descent.
Yet did SAG, a union run by white actor Ken Howard, get anywhere near the level of flak and criticism and outrage the Academy of Motion...
- 1/18/2015
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline
An additional 12 locations have joined the growing movement led by African-American business leaders to raise funds for students across the country to see the Academy Award-nominated film “Selma,” expanding the first-of-its-kind campaign to 25 locations nationwide.
Due to the generous contributions by so many of the country’s most prominent African-American business leaders, more than 275,000 middle and high school students across the U.S. will experience the critically acclaimed film for free at participating theaters while supplies last.
The new locations joining the movement are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Central Florida/Orlando, Connecticut, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Montgomery, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and St. Louis.
Rev. Starsky Wilson, President & CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, in St. Louis
“It is important that students are aware of this moment in history and make connections between the struggles of earlier generations and the challenges facing today’s youth,” said Rev. Starsky. “We are...
Due to the generous contributions by so many of the country’s most prominent African-American business leaders, more than 275,000 middle and high school students across the U.S. will experience the critically acclaimed film for free at participating theaters while supplies last.
The new locations joining the movement are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Central Florida/Orlando, Connecticut, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Montgomery, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and St. Louis.
Rev. Starsky Wilson, President & CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, in St. Louis
“It is important that students are aware of this moment in history and make connections between the struggles of earlier generations and the challenges facing today’s youth,” said Rev. Starsky. “We are...
- 1/16/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The directors branch of the Academy is notorious for not recognizing women. Alas, the slings and arrows aimed at "Selma" may have had a negative impact, but clearly there was enough passionate support for the film for it to be one of only eight Best Picture Oscar contenders, with only a Best Song nomination. That's rare. (Watch Common and John Legend's "Glory" win.) It's hard for many white men to accept a narrative that celebrates a black man standing up to a white president who has been lauded for his Civil Rights achievements. The Academy is dominated by white men, and many voters were not ready for this revisionist history about Martin Luther King Jr,. and Lyndon Baines Johnson. It's too bad that the film, which DuVernay overhauled, did not credit her on the original screenplay along with writer Paul Webb. The film was not a WGA signatory, and Webb had contractual solo credit.
- 1/15/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
This year's Oscar race has been a thorny one to predict. Despite the emergence early on of a few front-runners in each category -- overall, the race has been dominated by "Boyhood" and "Birdman," with "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "The "Theory of Everything," and "The Imitation Game" close behind -- it's those last few slots on the ballot in each category that are driving prognosticators nuts. Does "Selma" still have a strong shot in its eligible categories, or has the backlash soured Academy members? Is "Whiplash" big enough to make a dent outside the Supporting Actor category? Is "Nightcrawler" too creepy for the Academy?
We'll find out on Thursday, January 15, at 8:30 a.m. Et / 5:30 a.m. Pt, when the Academy announces this year's nominees. Meantime, here are Moviefone's best guesses as to who will earn a seat when the music stops on Thursday and who'll be left standing outside the circle.
We'll find out on Thursday, January 15, at 8:30 a.m. Et / 5:30 a.m. Pt, when the Academy announces this year's nominees. Meantime, here are Moviefone's best guesses as to who will earn a seat when the music stops on Thursday and who'll be left standing outside the circle.
- 1/13/2015
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Ever since standing inside a frozen moment at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis – looking across to where the bullet must have issued, taking the life of an icon of nonviolent resistance – the image of Dr. Martin Luther King has become something more intimate to me. Black and white schoolroom footage becomes flesh, the voices less distant, when you stare into the full horizon of the cultural landscape that fought against basic life rights for African Americans in the South and those who began to turn the tide. Ava DuVernay’s Selma takes us to that headspace, shows us the familiar under new lights, ruminates on American history without histrionics.
Kitchens, bedrooms, churches, and the slim streets of Selma are the backdrop of an American revolution, one that seemed far too faded and familiar before Selma took the tactical back room approach to the legend of King’s organized protests for Black voters rights in 1965 Alabama.
Kitchens, bedrooms, churches, and the slim streets of Selma are the backdrop of an American revolution, one that seemed far too faded and familiar before Selma took the tactical back room approach to the legend of King’s organized protests for Black voters rights in 1965 Alabama.
- 1/12/2015
- by Gregory Fichter
- CinemaNerdz
Abstew continues his weekly look at acting contenders as their films open...
David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma
Best Actor
Born: David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo was born 1 April, 1976 in Oxford, England
The Role: Filmmakers have been having a dream of bring a film about civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. to the big screen for years now. And this particular story, not a traditional cradle to tomb biopic of the man, but focusing on the Voting Rights marches in Selma, Alabama in 1965, has been in development since 2007 when British screenwriter Paul Webb completed his script. Various directors had been attached at one point and it was almost made in 2010 by Lee Daniels, who dropped the project due to lack of funding and to make The Butler instead. It finally comes to us from writer/director Ava DuVernay, who could make history by becoming the first African-American female...
David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma
Best Actor
Born: David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo was born 1 April, 1976 in Oxford, England
The Role: Filmmakers have been having a dream of bring a film about civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. to the big screen for years now. And this particular story, not a traditional cradle to tomb biopic of the man, but focusing on the Voting Rights marches in Selma, Alabama in 1965, has been in development since 2007 when British screenwriter Paul Webb completed his script. Various directors had been attached at one point and it was almost made in 2010 by Lee Daniels, who dropped the project due to lack of funding and to make The Butler instead. It finally comes to us from writer/director Ava DuVernay, who could make history by becoming the first African-American female...
- 1/10/2015
- by abstew
- FilmExperience
"What we do is negotiate, demonstrate, resist."
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma
Director Ava DuVernay and a combination of other talent create in Selma a deeply emotional, standout work about a short moment in history: the early months of 1965. The historical drama, attributed to screenwriter Paul Webb although DuVernay herself rewrote most of it, revolves around Martin Luther King, Jr. (British actor David Oyelowo, Lincoln, Middle of Nowhere) and other leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as they plan nonviolent protest in Selma, Alabama.
At this point in history, segregation had been outlawed, but county clerks continued to turn away black Southerners who attempted to register to vote through "literacy" tests and other deceptive means. In the movie, activist and preacher King pleads with President Lyndon Baines Johnson (British actor Tom Wilkinson, Belle, Michael Clayton) to enact voting rights legislation.
read more...
-- Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma
Director Ava DuVernay and a combination of other talent create in Selma a deeply emotional, standout work about a short moment in history: the early months of 1965. The historical drama, attributed to screenwriter Paul Webb although DuVernay herself rewrote most of it, revolves around Martin Luther King, Jr. (British actor David Oyelowo, Lincoln, Middle of Nowhere) and other leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference as they plan nonviolent protest in Selma, Alabama.
At this point in history, segregation had been outlawed, but county clerks continued to turn away black Southerners who attempted to register to vote through "literacy" tests and other deceptive means. In the movie, activist and preacher King pleads with President Lyndon Baines Johnson (British actor Tom Wilkinson, Belle, Michael Clayton) to enact voting rights legislation.
read more...
- 1/9/2015
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
Inspired by the overwhelming success in New York City, prominent members of the African-American business communities in major cities across America have teamed with Paramount Pictures to create funds for students to see the Golden Globe-nominated film Selma for free in participating theaters.
The cities joining the effort will be announced Monday, January 12th at 9:00 a.m. Et.
The New York City program provided free admission for 27,000 of the city’s 7th, 8th and 9th grade students to see Selma in participating local theaters. 27 African-American business leaders contributed to the fund and activated their network of contacts to put this program into motion, creating an impromptu and innovative public-private partnership for the greater good.
The students in these cities will provide a student ID or report card at any of the participating locations for free admittance. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. on January 12 and run through January 19 (Martin Luther King,...
The cities joining the effort will be announced Monday, January 12th at 9:00 a.m. Et.
The New York City program provided free admission for 27,000 of the city’s 7th, 8th and 9th grade students to see Selma in participating local theaters. 27 African-American business leaders contributed to the fund and activated their network of contacts to put this program into motion, creating an impromptu and innovative public-private partnership for the greater good.
The students in these cities will provide a student ID or report card at any of the participating locations for free admittance. The program will begin at 7:00 p.m. on January 12 and run through January 19 (Martin Luther King,...
- 1/9/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ellen DeGeneres invited the stars of “Selma” to her show on Friday, sitting down with Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo. She talked about the power of the film, which tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr.’s voting rights marches of 1965, and how it impacted her emotionally.
“I would have marched with you,” DeGeneres said, adding that not only did she cry thoughout the film, but she could tear up just thinking about it … and in fact seemed about to do just that while talking about it.
See video: ‘Selma’ Director Ava DuVernay ‘Baffled’ By Lbj Controversy...
“I would have marched with you,” DeGeneres said, adding that not only did she cry thoughout the film, but she could tear up just thinking about it … and in fact seemed about to do just that while talking about it.
See video: ‘Selma’ Director Ava DuVernay ‘Baffled’ By Lbj Controversy...
- 1/9/2015
- by Jason Hughes
- The Wrap
After "Birdman" led the Central Ohio Film Critics Association's list of nominees, it was "Selma" that proved the most popular effort of the bunch. The film won five awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Whiplash," meanwhile, each won a pair of honors. Check out the nominees here, the full list of winners below and a whole lot more at The Circuit. Best Film "Selma" Top 10 1. "Selma" 2. "Whiplash" 3. "Snowpiercer" 4. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" 5. "Nightcrawler" 6. "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" 7. "The Imitation Game" 8. "Boyhood" 9. "A Most Violent Year" 10. "Gone Girl" Best Director Ava DuVernay, "Selma" (Runner-up: Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel") Best Actor David Oyelowo, "Selma" (Runners-up: Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler" and Michael Keaton, "Birdman") Best Actress Essie Davis, "The Babadook" (Runner-up: Scarlett Johansson, "Under the Skin") Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash" (Runners-up: Josh Brolin, "Inherent Vice" and Mark Ruffalo,...
- 1/9/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Selma
Written by Paul Webb
Directed by Ava DuVernay
UK / USA, 2014
Selma is a shining example of how to create an informative biographical drama that still packs an emotional wallop. Rather than trying to portray the entire life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, director Ava DuVernay captures the essence of King by wisely focusing on three tumultuous months in his life. David Oyelowo delivers a mesmerizing performance as the civil rights icon, showing us a man whose passion is rivaled only by his intellect and political cunning. Selma takes an unflinching snapshot of American history that, sadly, feels more relevant today than ever before.
Nestled between the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a perilous 13 month period that would forever define America’s cultural identity. Racial segregation was legally dead, but Jim Crow was still alive and well in the American South.
Written by Paul Webb
Directed by Ava DuVernay
UK / USA, 2014
Selma is a shining example of how to create an informative biographical drama that still packs an emotional wallop. Rather than trying to portray the entire life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, director Ava DuVernay captures the essence of King by wisely focusing on three tumultuous months in his life. David Oyelowo delivers a mesmerizing performance as the civil rights icon, showing us a man whose passion is rivaled only by his intellect and political cunning. Selma takes an unflinching snapshot of American history that, sadly, feels more relevant today than ever before.
Nestled between the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a perilous 13 month period that would forever define America’s cultural identity. Racial segregation was legally dead, but Jim Crow was still alive and well in the American South.
- 1/8/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
Chicago – One of the most vital – and contemporarily relevant – historical films is about to be released. “Selma” is the story of the titanic struggle to establish voting rights in Alabama in 1965, led by the iconic civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Actor David Oyelowo portrays King, and was directed by Ava DuVernay.
The circumstances of this artistic collaboration is nearly as intriguing as the depiction in the film. David Oyelowo spent seven years preparing the path to his role as Dr. King, and was instrumental in getting Ava DuVernay – a television and independent film director – onto this major film project. The result is a showcase of humanity, exposing the raw events of a minority struggle against a power that wanted to continue to deny them their inalienable rights (according to the Declaration of Independence). The events of “Selma” led to major legislative reforms in equitable voting for African Americans,...
The circumstances of this artistic collaboration is nearly as intriguing as the depiction in the film. David Oyelowo spent seven years preparing the path to his role as Dr. King, and was instrumental in getting Ava DuVernay – a television and independent film director – onto this major film project. The result is a showcase of humanity, exposing the raw events of a minority struggle against a power that wanted to continue to deny them their inalienable rights (according to the Declaration of Independence). The events of “Selma” led to major legislative reforms in equitable voting for African Americans,...
- 1/8/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
How could Ava DuVernay, a former Hollywood publicist and Sundance-winning director of a movie that cost just $200,000, be the one to break the long trail of futility in mounting a major movie that conveyed how much of a galvanizing presence Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was in the battle for civil rights in America? Coming aboard Selma after the previous star package cratered under Lee Daniels, DuVernay found herself with David Oyelowo’s determination to play Mlk, a Paul Webb script and little else. The director (who made uncredited contributions to the script) managed to navigate around formidable obstacles, not the least of which were copyrights on Mlk signature speeches held by his estate. After platforming the film for Oscars, Paramount opens it wide this Friday. This interview was done before several confidantes of President Lyndon Johnson complained he has dishonestly been depicted as, at most generous, a benign force...
- 1/4/2015
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline
In nominations announcements from those critics groups who bother with them, "Birdman" is far and away the leader, even if "Boyhood" remains the overall victor on the winning side. That played out again with the Central Ohio Film Critics Association, which handed Alejandro González Iñárritu's film 10 nominations Sunday morning. One wonders whether the film could lead with the Oscar nods, too, when they are announced in just 11 days. Check out the full list of winners below. Winners will be announced Jan. 8. And catch the rest at The Circuit. Best Film "Birdman" "Boyhood" "Gone Girl" "The Grand Budapest Hotel" "The Imitation Game" "A Most Violent Year" "Nightcrawler" "Selma" "Snowpiercer" "Whiplash" Best Director Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash" Ava DuVernay, "Selma" Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman" Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" Best Actor Ralph Fiennes, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler" Michael Keaton, "Birdman" David Oyelowo, "Selma" Eddie Redmayne,...
- 1/4/2015
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
'Selma' movie review: Politically salient in the early 21st century and 'beautiful in all the ways of cinema' (photo: David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. in 'Selma') The title of director Ava DuVernay's historical drama Selma tells us what the film is about, while implying what it isn't about. In other words, Selma is not about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- wonderfully played by British actor David Oyelowo -- even though the reverend is the film's gravitational center and its emotional weight accrues to him. Just like what took place in Selma, Alabama, back in 1965. In fact, Oyelowo's presence is as transfixing as that of the young Ben Kingsley in his transformative interpretation of Gandhi in Sir Richard Attenborough's 1982 titular classic about one of Dr. King's inspirational figures. Unlike Gandhi, however, Selma is a single canvas on which a few months in Dr.
- 1/3/2015
- by Tim Cogshell
- Alt Film Guide
Oscar season is here, which means a flurry of fact-based movies are in theaters. EW is fact-checking these films—everything from The Theory of Everything to Wild—to see just how true-to-life they turned out. Selma has won critical raves for its depiction of Martin Luther King Jr., and the crucial 50-mile civil-rights march from the small Alabama town to the state capitol in Montgomery in March 1965. But the stirring and tense historical drama, which opened in select theaters on Dec. 25 and expands on Jan. 9, has also drawn the ire of some historians and members of President Lyndon Johnson's...
- 1/3/2015
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW - Inside Movies
“Selma,” the Golden Globe-nominated film about Martin Luther King Jr., will screen for free in the Alabama city that gave the film its title.
“With deep gratitude to the people of Selma, Alabama, we are proud to share this powerful film depicting the historic events that took place there 50 years ago,” said Oprah Winfrey on behalf of the film’s producers. Winfrey costars in the movie as an African-American worker who joins the civil rights protests. “I hope generations will watch the film and share their stories of remembrance and history together.”
The film directed by Ava DuVernay depicts the...
“With deep gratitude to the people of Selma, Alabama, we are proud to share this powerful film depicting the historic events that took place there 50 years ago,” said Oprah Winfrey on behalf of the film’s producers. Winfrey costars in the movie as an African-American worker who joins the civil rights protests. “I hope generations will watch the film and share their stories of remembrance and history together.”
The film directed by Ava DuVernay depicts the...
- 1/1/2015
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
"Selma" is soaring up the ranks of our Best Picture contenders at the Oscars. It wasn't even in our top 10 before it unspooled at the AFI filmfest on Nov. 11. Now, it is tied for second with "Birdman" behind perennial leader "Boyhood." And four -- Matt Atchity (Rotten Tomatoes), Edward Douglas (ComingSoon), Thom Geier and Christopher Rosen (HuffPo) -- of our 27 Oscar Experts are predicting it to prevail. -Break- Updated: Experts' Oscars predictions in 24 categories The film focuses on those seminal events in Alabama in 1965 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led thousands in marches from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery to demand equal access to voting. Working from a script by rookie screenwriter Paul Webb, Ava DuVernay has crafted a film that has critics and audiences cheering. It has scored a perfect 100 at Rotten Tomatoes and a solid 91 at MetaCritic (that disparity is ...
- 1/1/2015
- Gold Derby
Chicago – With exquisite timing, the historical docudrama “Selma” will ring in 2015, and adds to the race-oppression-in-America debate that everything old is new again. Set in 1965, it is the courageous story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the ordinary citizens that fought for the right to vote.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
The events unfold calmly and forthrightly in the film, as Dr. King and his divided civil rights movement start another journey, to assure voting rights for the African American citizens of Alabama in the town of Selma, denied to them by a segregationist government and supporting citizens (including the police). It is an emotional and human film, highlighting the titanic struggle of Dr. King, the African American citizens of Alabama (who braved beatings and murder), and a United States government and judiciary bent not on necessarily doing the right thing, but the most politically expedient thing. As we come back to our current debate regarding Ferguson,...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
The events unfold calmly and forthrightly in the film, as Dr. King and his divided civil rights movement start another journey, to assure voting rights for the African American citizens of Alabama in the town of Selma, denied to them by a segregationist government and supporting citizens (including the police). It is an emotional and human film, highlighting the titanic struggle of Dr. King, the African American citizens of Alabama (who braved beatings and murder), and a United States government and judiciary bent not on necessarily doing the right thing, but the most politically expedient thing. As we come back to our current debate regarding Ferguson,...
- 1/1/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of advance-screening movie passes up for grabs to the Golden Globe-nominated film “Selma” on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. starring David Oyelowo!
“Selma,” which opens on Jan. 1, 2015 in Chicago (at AMC River East 21 and Kerasotes ShowPlace Icon) and everywhere on Jan. 9, 2015, also stars Giovanni Ribisi, Cuba Gooding Jr., Martin Sheen, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Alessandro Nivola, Dylan Baker and Tessa Thompson from director Ava DuVernay and writer Paul Webb. The film is rated “PG-13”.
To win your free “Selma” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning...
“Selma,” which opens on Jan. 1, 2015 in Chicago (at AMC River East 21 and Kerasotes ShowPlace Icon) and everywhere on Jan. 9, 2015, also stars Giovanni Ribisi, Cuba Gooding Jr., Martin Sheen, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth, Alessandro Nivola, Dylan Baker and Tessa Thompson from director Ava DuVernay and writer Paul Webb. The film is rated “PG-13”.
To win your free “Selma” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our social media widget below. That’s it! This screening is on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2015 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! Completing these social actions only increases your odds of winning...
- 12/31/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – Just like every year before it, there were no perfect films in 2014. I do not see this as a negative thing - reaching for greatness is far more electrifying than the plateau of achieving it, as presented in a hustler’s opus like ‘Whiplash,” which specifically eschews applause after a drum solo that just may have been perfection.
It’s all about genuine ambition - that’s the fuel that is going to keep cinematic storytelling arresting as it continues to jump, flip, retread, reboot, restore, subvert, invert, and stumble forward. The best films of 2014 are the ones that have this quality in front of or behind the camera, and sometimes both; the quality of pushing viewers along with them, of making polarizing choices that won’t land well for all, but yearn for something more.
This aspect was found in dollops throughout the film year. Separate highlights include...
It’s all about genuine ambition - that’s the fuel that is going to keep cinematic storytelling arresting as it continues to jump, flip, retread, reboot, restore, subvert, invert, and stumble forward. The best films of 2014 are the ones that have this quality in front of or behind the camera, and sometimes both; the quality of pushing viewers along with them, of making polarizing choices that won’t land well for all, but yearn for something more.
This aspect was found in dollops throughout the film year. Separate highlights include...
- 12/31/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Ava DuVernay faced a daunting task in bringing “Selma” to the big screen. The drama, about the 1965 Civil Rights marches in Alabama to demand voting rights for blacks, had already been through several directors by the time she came on board.
Adding to the challenges, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s estate would not grant the team behind the film permission to use his iconic speeches. Still, DuVernay managed to put together a critically acclaimed drama which debuted strongly at the box office this weekend after Paramount pictures rolled it out in limited release. And thanks to “Selma,” DuVernay recently...
Adding to the challenges, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s estate would not grant the team behind the film permission to use his iconic speeches. Still, DuVernay managed to put together a critically acclaimed drama which debuted strongly at the box office this weekend after Paramount pictures rolled it out in limited release. And thanks to “Selma,” DuVernay recently...
- 12/29/2014
- by Anita Bennett
- The Wrap
Michael C. here with your weekend review
Among the many achievements of Ava DuVernay’s tremendous Selma, the biggest may be that it rescues Martin Luther King from canonization as a two dimensional political saint. In the thirty years since Reagan declared a national holiday in his honor, the rough edges have been sanded off King’s legacy, its complexities all but deleted from the public consciousness. The remaining image is a positive but reductive one. To focus solely on King the martyr, standing at the podium, speaking about his dream of a world without prejudice is to gloss over all the messy grunt work that actually went into altering the course of history.
Now we have Selma, which not only restores King’s humanity, but his agency as a shrewd political strategist. The result is a film that doesn’t just bring the 1965 Selma marches blazing out of the...
Among the many achievements of Ava DuVernay’s tremendous Selma, the biggest may be that it rescues Martin Luther King from canonization as a two dimensional political saint. In the thirty years since Reagan declared a national holiday in his honor, the rough edges have been sanded off King’s legacy, its complexities all but deleted from the public consciousness. The remaining image is a positive but reductive one. To focus solely on King the martyr, standing at the podium, speaking about his dream of a world without prejudice is to gloss over all the messy grunt work that actually went into altering the course of history.
Now we have Selma, which not only restores King’s humanity, but his agency as a shrewd political strategist. The result is a film that doesn’t just bring the 1965 Selma marches blazing out of the...
- 12/28/2014
- by Michael C.
- FilmExperience
Selma gets it right in the very first scene: we meet Martin Luther King not on a speaker’s platform, in a church, or on a march. He is fumbling to get dressed in a fancy suit with an ascot and complaining about it to his patient wife, Coretta. (The reason for donning this uncharacteristic outfit: to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.) That is how screenwriter Paul Webb and director Ava DuVernay introduce us to the legendary figure at the center of their film, not as a plaster saint but as an ordinary man. The beauty and brilliance of Selma is how the filmmakers humanize every aspect of their story, refusing to make it a historical pageant. David Oyelowo’s performance is crucial in achieving...
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- 12/25/2014
- by Leonard Maltin
- Leonard Maltin's Movie Crazy
At the end of the day, trailers often make or break a film. A trailer can quickly turn “Why are they making a movie about a talking raccoon?” into box office gold. On the other side of the coin, a bad trailer could dampen our sky-high hopes for an upcoming franchise sequel. Terminator: Genisys, I’m looking at you.
Some trailers give away too much about the movie, and some too little. There are, however, a handful of trailers that are a perfect blend of plot, style, and tease – and 2014 had some great examples.
But what were the best?
Sorry, trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel, you were great, but you hit the Internet last October. Yes, it’s awesome to have a new Avengers trailer, but is it really the best of the year? Even with its unsettling use of “I’ve Got No Strings,” we’re going to say no.
Some trailers give away too much about the movie, and some too little. There are, however, a handful of trailers that are a perfect blend of plot, style, and tease – and 2014 had some great examples.
But what were the best?
Sorry, trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel, you were great, but you hit the Internet last October. Yes, it’s awesome to have a new Avengers trailer, but is it really the best of the year? Even with its unsettling use of “I’ve Got No Strings,” we’re going to say no.
- 12/23/2014
- by Sasha James
- Cineplex
Chicago – It’s that time of year to figure it out, as 2014 leaks away, and the film year follows suit. Whittling down a list to ten films, after hours of entertainment and provoking of thought, is a fool’s challenge at best. Then who better to do it than Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com.
Best to change it up to first person voice, since I’m writing the actual article. So, I, Patrick McDonald, will attempt to break down the film year into the 10 Best, and my colleagues on HollywoodChicago.com will follow suit in the next several days.
The most difficult slot of any list like this is the 10th position, for it leaves out so many brilliant possibilities for 11th place and onward. At that position are the international films “Bright Days Ahead,” “Force Majeure” and “The Raid 2”; the horror/comic genius of “Dead Snow 2: Red vs.
Best to change it up to first person voice, since I’m writing the actual article. So, I, Patrick McDonald, will attempt to break down the film year into the 10 Best, and my colleagues on HollywoodChicago.com will follow suit in the next several days.
The most difficult slot of any list like this is the 10th position, for it leaves out so many brilliant possibilities for 11th place and onward. At that position are the international films “Bright Days Ahead,” “Force Majeure” and “The Raid 2”; the horror/comic genius of “Dead Snow 2: Red vs.
- 12/22/2014
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Selma Paramount Pictures Reviewed for Shockya by Harvey Karten. Data-based on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: B+ Director: Ava DuVernay Screenwriter: Ava DuVernay, Paul Webb Cast: David Oyelowo, Tim Roth, Giovanni Ribisi, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lorraine Toussaint, Alessandro Nivola, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo, Oprah Winfrey Screened at: Tribeca, NYC, 12/3/14 Opens: December 25, 2014 If you think that the federal holiday in mid-January honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was easy to come by, you’ll think differently if you see Ava DuVernay’s “Selma.” When you consider how Dr. King was despised in the southern states from the grass roots on up through the governors, you’ll think that Lyndon Baines Johnson must [ Read More ]
The post Selma Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Selma Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/21/2014
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
x
Selma Review 1 of 5
Open Gallery
Transformers
Lorem ipsum 1 of 5
Few Americans have been remembered and venerated as greatly as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but Ava DuVernay’s excellent Selma isn’t interested in simply tipping its hat to the legend. Instead, Selma looks closer, to find the real man behind the icon and elegantly put his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement into perspective.
Though King (masterfully portrayed by David Oyelowo) was the face of the nonviolent protests throughout the ’50s and ’60s, he was not the only one to devote (and indeed eventually give) his life to the cause of racial equality, a distinction DuVernay’s film takes great care to make. There were others too, like John Lewis (Stephan James), the young chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (Sncc) who led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on Bloody Sunday; Annie Lee Cooper...
Selma Review 1 of 5
Open Gallery
Transformers
Lorem ipsum 1 of 5
Few Americans have been remembered and venerated as greatly as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but Ava DuVernay’s excellent Selma isn’t interested in simply tipping its hat to the legend. Instead, Selma looks closer, to find the real man behind the icon and elegantly put his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement into perspective.
Though King (masterfully portrayed by David Oyelowo) was the face of the nonviolent protests throughout the ’50s and ’60s, he was not the only one to devote (and indeed eventually give) his life to the cause of racial equality, a distinction DuVernay’s film takes great care to make. There were others too, like John Lewis (Stephan James), the young chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (Sncc) who led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on Bloody Sunday; Annie Lee Cooper...
- 12/17/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
The film Selma – or, more correctly, the film that would become Selma – has been in various states of creation and production for years. In 2008, screenwriter Paul Webb made Variety’s 10 Screenwriters to Watch list, where his own story (screenwriting wasn’t just a second act career for the then-sixty-year-old, it was actually a third) helped market his Martin Luther King, Jr.-centric script, which was believed to be set for a snappy and soon production. In 2009, Lee Daniels signed on to direct the film, ultimately leaving the project to direct The Butler. It wasn’t until nearly three years after Daniels exited the project that a new director was announced for the feature. Her name is Ava DuVernay, and she is our filmmaker of the year. DuVernay’s professional background is admirably mixed – she graduated from UCLA in 1995, with a double major in English and African American studies, eventually parlaying her studies into a internship with CBS News...
- 12/17/2014
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Four years ago, Ava DuVernay quit a lucrative publicity career to pursue film directing full time, and in this brief span she’s covered a lot of territory. Her second feature, 2012’s L.A.-set relationship drama Middle of Nowhere, earned her a best director prize at Sundance (a first for an African-American woman) and an Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award. Nowhere also opened the door to her third film, Paramount’s Selma, which follows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1965 voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The Christmas release has a who’s-who of talent, including producer-actor Oprah Winfrey and Britain-born David Oyelowo playing Mlk. DuVernay recently spoke about how her Nowhere star Oyelowo led her to the project and the challenge of delivering a truthful portrayal of a cultural icon.
Is it true that Oyelowo pitched you for the Selma job?
David got me the job.
Is it true that Oyelowo pitched you for the Selma job?
David got me the job.
- 12/4/2014
- by Christy Grosz
- Deadline
Turnin’ the Beat Around: DuVernay’s Poignant, Passionate Mlk Portrait Revitalizes Notions of Biopic
Eschewing what’s come to resemble a traditional route in downplaying both the significant violence and vile truth concerning historical depictions of racial injustices, Ava DuVernay throws all the euphemisms out the window for her excellent third feature, Selma. A depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mounting of the civil rights marches in 1965, DuVernay’s entry is the most significant cinematic depiction of the famed historical figure to date, though the film explores only one (significant) moment from his esteemed career. Those who may sniff at such material arriving just in time for awards superbaiting should be made aware that the film is anything but a carrot poised conveniently in front of the film industry’s chomping mandible, as it’s the kind of material that transcends such accolades whether they are bestowed upon it or not.
Eschewing what’s come to resemble a traditional route in downplaying both the significant violence and vile truth concerning historical depictions of racial injustices, Ava DuVernay throws all the euphemisms out the window for her excellent third feature, Selma. A depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mounting of the civil rights marches in 1965, DuVernay’s entry is the most significant cinematic depiction of the famed historical figure to date, though the film explores only one (significant) moment from his esteemed career. Those who may sniff at such material arriving just in time for awards superbaiting should be made aware that the film is anything but a carrot poised conveniently in front of the film industry’s chomping mandible, as it’s the kind of material that transcends such accolades whether they are bestowed upon it or not.
- 12/3/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Hat tip to In Contention's Kris Tapley, who every year does the legwork--via a stray WGA ballot--of figuring out the WGA ineligibles list. The usual suspects are often low budget films that could not for whatever reason afford to become a guild signatory, even retroactively, or had a writer who was not a WGA member. Animated films and many foreign productions are not eligible. American films left off the original screenplay category, which features 60 eligible contenders, reports Tapley, include Ava DuVernay and Paul Webb's non-signatory "Selma" and Justin Simien's micro-budget "Dear White People," which is a less likely Oscar contender. Foreign-financed films are often missing in action; this year they include "Mr. Turner" director-scribe Mike Leigh, who nonetheless gets nominated regularly in the Oscar screenplay category, John Michael McDonagh's "Calvary," and...
- 12/2/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Every year there is an interesting list of ineligible contenders for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards. Sometimes it's because the film's production company was not a guild signatory (though these things can often be amended retroactively, if there is a will to do so). Other times it's because the writer is not a WGA member. Whatever the case, it's their rules, and they're not that unreasonable, so no reason to get too bent out of shape about it. HitFix has obtained a copy of the official WGA ballot for this year's awards, so let's see what didn't make the cut this year… In the original screenplay category, which features 60 eligible contenders, the biggest Oscar player not on the list is Ava DuVernay and Paul Webb's "Selma." That would have been a nice bump during the guild phase for a film that could be on track for big things at the Academy Awards,...
- 12/2/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
Last night, I was in attendance for the first New York screening of Ava DuVernay’s film Selma. This on the heels of it having a World Premiere last week at AFI Fest, which shot it directly into the heart of the awards season. Always thought to be a potential Oscar contender, particularly for David Oyelowo’s lead performance as Martin Luther King Jr., the movie has instead had a rapturous reception so far that has pundits like myself amending Academy Award predictions left and right. Yes, Oyelowo is not just getting into Best Actor, but is almost assuredly winning it too. Furthermore, I now believe that Selma is one of the three most likely Best Picture winners as well. In case the title itself doesn’t let you in on what the film is about, this is a look at the civil rights marches that took place in Selma,...
- 11/18/2014
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Beverly Hills — Last week saw the world premiere of Ava DuVernay's "Selma" at AFI Fest after it had been advertised as a 30-minute footage presentation. But there was a lot more to the story behind the scenes. The plan had long been for Paramount to drop the full film as a surprise to the crowd that turned out for the presentation, assuming DuVernay could get the edit where she wanted it to be in the days leading up. Then, the festival dropped a shocker on both festival attendees and those involved with the "Selma" event: Clint Eastwood would take advantage of the Veteran's Day holiday to premiere his "American Sniper" as a secret screening right after Team "Selma" cleared the Egyptian Theatre. The pressure was on. In the end, though, it all worked out. "Selma" played like gangbusters with a deafening standing ovation and a lively post-screening Q&A moderated by actress Alfre Woodard,...
- 11/17/2014
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Hitfix
By Anjelica Oswald
Managing Editor
Originally planned to screen as a 30-minute preview at AFI Fest, Ava DuVernay’s Selma, centered on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, premiered in its entirety and stirred up more Oscar buzz ahead of its Christmas Day release.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Farber says the film is “intelligently written, vividly shot, tightly edited and sharply acted,” and that it “represents a rare example of craftsmanship working to produce a deeply moving piece of history.” Meanwhile, Paul Webb’s screenplay and David Oyelowo’s portrayal of Dr. King have been praised. The Wrap’s James Rocchi says, “Oyelowo’s performance would be impressive enough if it merely recreated the icon we now revere as perfectly as he does through a variety of methods… But Oyelowo, and Webb’s screenplay, also give us a rich, rewarding portrait of King as a man,...
Managing Editor
Originally planned to screen as a 30-minute preview at AFI Fest, Ava DuVernay’s Selma, centered on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, premiered in its entirety and stirred up more Oscar buzz ahead of its Christmas Day release.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Farber says the film is “intelligently written, vividly shot, tightly edited and sharply acted,” and that it “represents a rare example of craftsmanship working to produce a deeply moving piece of history.” Meanwhile, Paul Webb’s screenplay and David Oyelowo’s portrayal of Dr. King have been praised. The Wrap’s James Rocchi says, “Oyelowo’s performance would be impressive enough if it merely recreated the icon we now revere as perfectly as he does through a variety of methods… But Oyelowo, and Webb’s screenplay, also give us a rich, rewarding portrait of King as a man,...
- 11/14/2014
- by Anjelica Oswald
- Scott Feinberg
Paramount’s late-breaking strategy of premiering the entire film of Selma at Tuesday night’s AFI Fest, rather than just the previously advertised 3o-minute preview, paid off in a prolonged and enthusiastic standing ovation from the packed-to-the-rafters audience at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre. Though director Ava DuVernay said the movie wasn’t “quite” finished with some sound mix work still to be completed (there was also no end credit roll yet), the powerful drama about the Martin Luther King Jr.-led 1965 march on Selma in support of gaining voting rights for blacks turned out to be a stirring and emotional experience for the crowd, who exited after a lively Q&A singing the movie’s praises.
Awards bloggers immediately began ecstatic tweeting suggesting Oscar nominations could be in store, particularly for DuVernay who not only would be the rare female to break into Oscar’s elusive, exclusive directing club, but also the first black woman.
Awards bloggers immediately began ecstatic tweeting suggesting Oscar nominations could be in store, particularly for DuVernay who not only would be the rare female to break into Oscar’s elusive, exclusive directing club, but also the first black woman.
- 11/12/2014
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline
Often we put our heroes on pedestals. Yet, even the greatest men in history have made mistakes, suffered because of their personal vices and doubted themselves at the most critical junctures of their lives. Ava DuVernay's powerful new drama "Selma" tells the tale of the Selma to Montgomery marches that spearheaded the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but at its center is one historically prominent hero who finds himself at a crossroads, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. After leading the nonviolent movement that brought about the passage of the civil rights act in 1964, "Selma" finds Dr. King (David Oyelowo) and his organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Council (Sclc), focusing their efforts on removing the discriminatory practices that are effectively blocking African Americans from registering to vote across a majority of the South. Following a year of trying to register voters in Selma, Alabama with little success, the Sclc decides to...
- 11/12/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
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