As the 87th Academy Awards arrives on February 22, the Academy has come under fire after releasing its list of nominations yesterday. The topic of controversy: diversity. Also, new satellite images released by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International show devastating destruction suffered by two Nigerian towns at the hands of the militant group Boko Haram. Then, Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including "Blackhat," "Paddington," and "Little Accidents" and more. TGIFilmweek!
Getting to the bottom of Hollywood’s diversity problem
As the 87th Academy Awards arrives on February 22, the Academy has come under fire after releasing its list of nominations yesterday. The topic of controversy: diversity.
Diversity, or rather a lack thereof, is not a new issue for Hollywood - just two years ago, the same controversy came up as the LA Times found that Oscar voters were overwhelmingly male. But in the year after “12 Years A Slave” won the Academy Award for Best Film, this time around the nominations preclude any such victory. For example, all 20 nominations for lead and supporting actors are Caucasian; every director and screenwriter is male; and director Ava DuVernay of “Selma” did not get a mention (although the film is nominated for Best Film). While last year’s Oscars controversy was people voting for “12 Years A Slave” even if they hadn’t seen it, bringing up issues of one should vote for something just because it is “the right thing to do,” the pendulum seems to have swung back towards a dearth of diversity.
Academy President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, who has led the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science and is also its first African-American leader disagreed yesterday when asked if there was an issue with diversity, stating, “Not at all. Not at all...The good news is that the wealth of talent is there, and it’s being discussed.”
Do you think the Academy and its members have a problem with diversity? Is this a larger issue with Hollywood and the film industry? How can people of diverse backgrounds break new ground in film?
Guest:
, film critic for KPCC and Alt Film Guide
Warrington Hudlin, president of the black filmmaker foundation and the producer of the films "House Party," "Boomerang," and "Bebe Kids"
La Cienega Norms future in question as L.A. grapples with preserving history
Norms Restaurant on La Cienega Boulevard has been open 24/7 since 1957. It’s seen as an iconic example of Googie architecture and is Norms’ oldest location. But late last year, the restaurant’s ownership changed hands. The Roybark family had owned the chain for three generations, but sold it late last year. When news broke that the new owners had gotten a demolition permit for the La Cienega Norms, many preservationists and others in L.A. were concerned about what might happen to the restaurant. The new owners have said they don’t have any immediate plans to demolish the property, but that didn’t stop the L.A. Conservancy from petitioning to make Norms a historical monument.
Yesterday, the Cultural Commission voted to consider Norms’ as a historical monument, saving it from any demolition...for now. Ultimately, the L.A. City Council will have the final say on whether the La Cienega Norms is actually designated a historical monument.
The La Cienega Norms is just one example of an iconic yet aging landmark in Los Angeles. But what does it say for the bigger conversation about how L.A. grapples with preserving its history? In the debate between preservation and progress, where do you draw the line? How can L.A. keep its history and defining characteristics intact while still being open to progress? What are some other L.A. landmarks that fall into the same category as the La Cienega Norms?
Guests:
Chris Nichols, associate editor of L.A. Magazine and President of the Southern California Historical Restaurant Society
Mott Smith, Principal with Civic Enterprise Development, which develops urban infill projects in and around Southern California. He’s also served on L.A. Conservancy committees and developed a project that won an L.A. Conservancy prize (the Maltman Bungalows in Silver Lake).
Filmweek: 'Blackhat,' 'Paddington,' and 'Little Accidents' and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson, Andy Klein and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including "Blackhat," "Paddington," and "Little Accidents" and more. TGIFilmweek!
Guests:
Amy Nicholson, film critic for KPCC and chief film critic for LA Weekly
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and L.A. Times Community Paper Chain
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC, Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
Blockbuster trailers: How the Internet and social media have changed movie marketing
With nearly a year to go until its blockbuster release, Star Wars VII already is enjoying a massively successful marketing campaign with more than 87 million YouTube views of its teaser trailer released by Disney in November. In 2014, it was the second most viewed trailer of the entire year, according to The Hollywood Reporter, just after the “50 Shades of Grey” trailer, which had a much longer run online.
Millions of eyeballs have also seen trailers of two other fan-favorite franchises: Jurassic World starring Chris Pratt and Terminator Genisys with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those films are several months away, but the studios were pressured into early campaign launches both by the force of the Star Wars marketing beast and a leak of the Terminator trailer. The film blog HeyUGuys.com said the Star Wars trailer was a defining moment in 2014, adding: "Not only did the trailer views shoot up with terrifying speed but the delay between the inevitable parodies and breakdowns was far shorter than in previous years."
How has the Internet and social media changed movie marketing? How do you tease and sell a movie over the course of a year? What makes a great trailer? And how do they influence your inclination to see a movie?
Guests:
Matt Brubaker, President of Theatrical and Theatrical Home Entertainment for Trailer Park, one of the top trailer producers in the industry; Trailer Park has won a Golden Trailer Award every year since its inception in 15 years ago & countless Key Art Awards.
, Book editor of the Hollywood Reporter who also writes about trailers for THR; Contributor to recent book “75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen