 At this point, I’d say an audience member really knows what to expect when they sit down to watch a movie by Danny Boyle. The filmmaker is as stylish as they come, and his new film Trance is no exception, that’s for sure…the thing is, this particular flick features one of the weakest screenplays he’s ever had to work with. Now, Boyle didn’t write it, but formerly frequent contributor John Hodge did (along with Joe Ahearne, who handled writing and directing duties on the 2001 TV movie version of this project), and it’s fair to have expected better. Boyle is having lots of fun here making a thriller that also floats about in the noir genre, but not much of it rubs off on the viewer. Read more on Trance (**½)…
Nearly three years since his last picture director Danny Boyle intends to induce a Trance with his new psychological heist thriller. This one’s got some early buzz lauding solid performances from leads Rosario Dawson and James McAvoy, a compelling multi-layered narrative, and mind-bendingly stylized visuals. Robert Redford’s got a thriller of his own in the mix this week with The Company You Keep, along with a a 3D rerelease of Jurassic Park, and a horror picture promising evil and death in Evil Dead. With the exciting overload of thrills in this batch, make sure to hold on to your butts…
Read more on Weekend Openings: 4/5/2013…
Nearly twenty years after plunging through a filth-splattered loo, evading the law, and overcoming addiction, Danny Boyle’s surviving Scottish blokes from Trainspotting (1996) will make a return to the big screen. Giving a talk at SXSW, the director of the cult-inspiring black comedy revealed plans for a sequel, saying it’s “been a long time coming.”
Read more on Danny Boyle Talks Plans for ‘Trainspotting’ Sequel…
 Bond Week continues here at The Awards Circuit! As you all know, we’re going to be bringing you a whole host of James Bond related pieces between now and the release of ‘Skyfall’ this Friday. Historically, the gig of directing has taken a slightly lower profile. Directors such as Lewis Gilbert, John Glen, Guy Hamilton, Peter Hunt, Roger Spottiswoode, Lee Tamahori, and Terence Young are some prime examples. Of course, there have been slightly more well-known filmmakers like Michael Apted, Martin Campbell, and Marc Forster, plus the upcoming film which was made by Oscar winner Sam Mendes. This suggests a move away from caretaker directors and towards auteurs who might be able to add something to the franchise, so that’s where I’m picking up. I’ve got a list of filmmakers who I think would be fitting for upcoming Bond movies. Some have actually been talked about previously, though someone like Steven Spielberg, who once yearned for the job, is now wishful thinking, and likewise for Quentin Tarantino. I won’t be focusing much on people previously offered the job, such as Paul Haggis and Roger Michell, but I’ve got a dozen original names to throw out at you.
Read more on Bond Week: 12 Possible Future Directors…
Categories: Article Tags: Bond Week, Christopher Nolan, Dan Bradley, Danny Boyle, David Ayer, directors, Duncan Jones, James Bond, James Bond films, Joe Cornish, Joe Wright, kathryn bigelow, Marc Forster, Martin Campbell, paul haggis, Quentin Tarantino, Roger Michell, Sam Mendes, Steven Spielberg, Todd Field, Tom Ford, Tom Hooper, upcoming projects
 If you love the movies, you owe it to yourself to see ‘Side by Side’. This documentary on the past, present, and future of cinema filtered aptly through the lens of the celluloid vs. digital debate is engrossing, entertaining, and vital. Somehow, filmmaker Christopher Kenneally and producer/interviewer/narrator Keanu Reeves manage to not make this project too inside baseball for the layman or laywoman, but at the same time it gets into the details in such a way that even experts won’t be bored. Digital and photochemical filmmaking have their passionate defenders, and the documentary gives both of them equal time. Reeves actually spends most of the time playing devil’s advocate (an amusing coincidence, no?) with A-list directors and cinematographers (plus some editors, studio executives, and businessmen working on the cameras being debated about), leading the doc to actually be the rare breed that isn’t advocating for one side or the other. Shooting on film is romanticized to a degree, but its limitations are made clear. Shooting digitally is presented as the wave of the future here today, but also not without some huge issues that detract from it. This is the type of thing every film school student should see in a 101 class, but moreover every film lover should see. It’s informative, but it’s also a lot of fun. Anyone who’s had the film vs. digital argument will adore what’s going on here. I can’t see anybody who enjoys film not enjoying this documentary, and that’s a rare statement.
Read more on Side by Side (***½)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: Christopher Nolan, Danny Boyle, David Fincher, documentary, George Lucas, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Oscar hopeful, Robert Rodriguez, Side by Side, Steven Soderbergh, Wally Pfister
- And…we’re back! Coming off a huge week with The Dark Knight Rises, you’d expect us to slow down at The Awards Circuit. Hah, not a chance! We began the week with some wrap-up thoughts on Christopher Nolan’s final film in his heavily acclaimed — although polarizing to some — Batman Trilogy. First up was Robert Hamer’s mixed review of The Dark Knight Rises, and while his was the lone review on the site that wasn’t effusively praising Nolan’s latest to the nth degree, he raised some very worthy points of contention that had many of our readers nodding their heads in agreement. The debate continued on in our most recent episode of “Power Hour,” where Robert found himself once again the odd man out when it came to his overall impression of The Dark Knight Rises. You have to admire his spirit and unequivocal passion for defending what he believes in and backing up his arguments with sound reasoning. As the longest podcast episode ever recorded thus far, this is perhaps our most lively one yet, so please…do yourself a favor…give it a listen! Also contained in the episode was the announcement of your ACCA 2000 Winners. Let’s just say that Darren Aronofsky is heavily admired on this site…heavily.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 7/29)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 7/29)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Awards Circuit Power Hour, circuit 3, clayton davis, dancing with the stars, Daniel Ashtiany, Danny Boyle, Joey Magidson, joeys dvd pick of the week, John H. Foote, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Michael Ward, Robert Hamer, Ruby Sparks, stanley kubrick, Terence Johnson, TIFF, Toronto Film Festival
No wonder he’s grinning…
“Hilariously quirky,” claimed The New York Times. “A terrific night, a glorious ceremony, a rousing history lesson and far and away the best film that Danny Boyle never made,” said Guardian film critic Xan Brooks. Whilst The New Yorker simply led with “Danny Boyle Wins the Gold.”
Last night all eyes fell on London as the long-awaited 2012 Olympic Games kicked off in style with an impressive celebration of British history, diversity and humour. Oscar winning director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) had the thankless task of arranging the ceremony, and managed to create an event that played to many of his cinematic strengths, whilst also paying homage to a wealth of historical and cultural themes embedded within the British identity, including, of course, its film industry.
Read more on Boyle Pays Tribute to British Film in Olympics Opener…
Since his feature debut in 1994, Danny Boyle has built an impressive career with a mixture of low-budget cult classics, mid-budget studio misfires, and a certain Oscar winning smash hit. His great talent for presenting the most desperate of situations in a manner that leaves the audience feeling hopeful and uplifted, is a gift that many filmmakers strive for, yet few have managed to achieve.
His 1996 film ‘Trainspotting’ remains his finest work, and set up his fast paced and stylishly urban approach to filmmaking as the epitome of cool. Since then Boyle has rarely dropped the ball, only doing so when bending his style to the will of studios, but when left to his own devices, the results can be spectacular. Who can forget the night his 2008 indie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ took home eight Oscars, including Best Director? And to think, this great filmmaker almost hid his cinematic light under a bushel to become a man of the cloth!
Read more on Best of British: Danny Boyle…
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