Which films make your Top 10 list?
I can't even name 10 films I saw this year, much less enjoyed. I really liked "Little Miss Sunshine," which came in at No. 5 on The Bee's critics' list. Their top choice was "The Departed," which I also enjoyed but pales to Scorsese's "Raging Bull,", "Goodfellas" and "Gangs," not to mention the three other films for which he got Lucci'd at the Oscars.
Apparently, Eastwood's "Iwo Jima" is good -- it's getting some love as the top choice by critics from at least four publications (New York Times, L.A. Times, Entertainment Weekly and Time), with a No. 2 from The Bee.
How all this ultimately translates to Oscar nominations (and wins) should depend more on how many people have access to actually see these films -- as opposed to big-city critics' admittedly arbitrary lists, which I actually like to read.
I just wish they reflected an entire year at the movies rather than films that get released in December (or even the following year). The Bee's No. 4 choice, "Babel," for example," was released in Fresno but is no longer here -- presumably because it wasn't big at the box office, despite starring Brad Pitt. Will it be back? And how many Oscar nominations will it take?
I get the business side. Movies that aren't named "Night at the Museum" need buzz. Buzz is created by these lists. These lists turn into awards. Awards attract viewers. Viewers pay for popcorn, thus making distributors pony up for artsy-fartsy films.
The problem with this model is the viewer is the most-important factor but gets the least amount of power. We're the popcorn buyers. So why would Regal waste a screen on "Babel" when it can have four reserved for "The Pink Panther"?
After all, adults pay attention to their caloric intake.
Comments:
I hear so much about Film Commissions in Fresno, coming or going, however I never hear anything good being done to promote Independent Films. Our Current Documentary just won an award in New York City for "Best Historical Documentary" yet when we try to give away ticets through the Fresno Bee, we get ignored. Yet we live in Fresno where we do our Post Production, We are openly received in Los Angeles, but here we get the cold shoulder for any attempt to give away or advertise, promote or whatever...
Our Last Short we did in Fresno was covered by the TV news but the criticism directed at the Mayaor and Us, was that our budget was small, in comparrison to "Real" Production Companies. Our experience has taught us that we probably will not use Fresno because it is not "Friendly" to production companies, and basically ignores productions that win Awards, in favor of reporting of small budget horror flicks at Holloween or similar type ventures. All Indie Productions should be welcome in Fresno because we can spread good will while in bigger cities. We just retured from Los Angeles for promoting our story which will screen in Los Angeles, in March, with the New York Int't Film Video Festival, refer www.NYfilmvideo.com and people laugh when we admit we are from Fresno.
We were interviewed on Radio KLAS, "In the can with Kip" Show and will be guests again next week, but we will avoid mentioning that we are from Fresno for obvious reasons.
We are proud of our work, but apparently the Fresno Bee, could care less. Our last Doc, titled Welcome to our Hood, won a Telly and Communicator Award and is in Distribution with ITN. We tried to have the Bee announce we would give Free Tickets to the Screning but Mr Bentley could not be bothered. We paid for an ad to offer free tickets.
Why have a film commission if they/the Bee or who ever, is not going to provide incentives, such as equal treatment to all filmmakers and not just Big Hollywood Productions. For us, it is a waste of our time to try.
I am originally from Japan and we are welcomed whereever we go while there.
Thank you.
Kinuye Oshiro-Avery
Co-Director www.RAFilms.org and www.SilkDragonProductions.com
Posted by: Kinuye Oshiro-Avery at January 21, 2007 10:05 PM
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