Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases including the wide-release horror “The Bye Bye Man,” Jamie Foxx as an embattled Vegas cop in “Sleepless,” Belgium’s Oscar submission, “The Ardennes” and more. We'll also take a look at the backlash against “La La Land's” sweeping Golden Globe awards over “Moonlight,” and its implications of the times. TGI-FilmWeek!
FilmWeek: ‘Bye Bye Man,’ ‘Sleepless,’ ‘The Ardennes’ and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Amy Nicholson and Andy Klein review this weekend’s new movie releases including: the wide-release horror “The Bye Bye Man;” Jamie Foxx as an embattled Vegas cop in “Sleepless;” Belgium’s Oscar submission “The Ardennes;” and more.
TGI-FilmWeek! Don't forget to subscribe to the Filmweek Podcast to get Filmweek downloaded directly to your favorite device every week, so you never miss another episode!
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Amy's Hits
- " Monster Trucks "
Andy's Hits
- " The Ardennes "
Mixed Reviews
- Amy: " Sleepless ," " The Bye Bye Man ," " Bad Kids of Crestview Academy " & " 100 Streets "
- Andy: " 100 Streets "
This Week's Misses
- Amy: " The Snare "
- Andy: " Sleepless ," " The Bye Bye Man ," " Claire in Motion " & " The Snare "
Guests:
Andy Klein, Film Critic for KPCC
Amy Nicholson, Film Critic for KPCC and Chief Film Critic, MTV News ; she tweets
On fraught times and 'frothy' films: 'La La Land' versus 'Moonlight'
Last weekend, just as the Golden Globes were shining on "La La Land," a backlash began bubbling against the film and its casting for being “naive,” “ill-conceived” and generally out of step with our time.
While movie critics have been nearly unanimous in their praise of the modern-day musical, some are wringing their hands at the spectacle of Hollywood's awards season celebrating " another intoxicating vision of itself ."
To boot, some detractors are juxtaposing the musical's escapism against the realism and cultural currency of other awards-contenders such as "Moonlight," which emphasize less frequently told storylines about marginalized Americans, sexuality and identity.
Keeping in mind that both films were produced before the Sturm und Drang of the 2016 presidential election, how will history remember these and similar films? Do tumultuous times demand more escapist or thought-provoking film? How should filmmakers factor in society's mood, if at all? And what should award ceremonies highlight?
Guests:
Justin Chang, Film Critic for the Los Angeles Times; he tweets
Amy Nicholson, Film Critic for KPCC and Chief Film Critic, MTV News ; she tweets