The Film Crusade

Will there be a future in film futures? Should there be? Time will tell. The chances are looking better each coming day, with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission OK’ing the initiative.

Writer/director/producer Derrick Borte of THE JONESES discusses his inspiration for the film and his experience working on set in his feature directorial debut. Borte also touches on the film’s unique use of product placement and some details of his next feature project, THE ZERO.

An LA-based company called “theOffice” which offers a comfortable working environment for screenwriters is on the verge of going out of business. Why should we not care? When you learn how much they’re charging writers for membership fees, it’ll leave you scratching your head.

In lieu of the successes of “Avatar” and “Alice in Wonderland,” execs are scrambling to retrofit their films for 3D to capitalize on high ticket prices. But is this trend built to last? Find out how Hollywood’s new approach will affect both moviegoers and filmmakers.

While many theater-goers cringe upon witnessing the blatant use of product placement in any given film, “The Joneses” is a landmark achievement in that it is the first film to make product placement a necessary component of the story-line.

John Hughes showed us all just how hard high school can be. But middle-school is often overlooked. Half of the school has embarked on puberty while the other half has no idea why their best friends have facial hair. ‘Wimpy Kid’ reminds us of the nightmare that is middle-school.

Here are what I consider to be the year’s 10 best. Each film on this list has a special place. I can guarantee that anyone who reads this will inevitably be offended by the inclusion, absence, or curious ranking of various films. But the purpose of this list is not about second-guessing or apologizing. It’s about defending.

Say what you want about Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones.” But it is one of the most original films of 2009. And is worthy of some praise and attention. Remarkable performances and solid direction make for an emotionally gripping experience.

Why do we avoid certain films and favor others? Here we make the distinction between some of the biggest Oscar contenders while also projecting the finalists for the Best Picture award.

After the National Board of Review awarded Jason Reitman’s “Up in the Air” the Best Picture award, the Oscar bells are ringing. Yet despite what many critics are considering to be the next big thing at the Oscars, “Up in the Air” is not Oscar-worthy. Not in any category. And not even close.