Insights from the Cinematic World: Academy Award

Pawn Sacrifice

In a gripping true story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire, whose players have dominated the game for decades

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Lucy

Besson directs Scarlett Johansson and Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman in Lucy, an action-thriller that examines the possibility of what one human could truly do if she unlocked 100 percent of her brain capacity and accessed the furthest reaches of her mind.

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Red 2

Summit Entertainment presents a di Bonaventura Pictures production, Red 2 stars Bruce Willis, Academy Award® nominee John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker and Academy Award® winners Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

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Franco has been published several times in magazines and through his own books and is currently teaching college courses at UCLA, USC and CAL ARTS and acting classes at STUDIO 4.

James Franco

James Franco was born in Palo Alto, California. His mother, Betsy Lou (née Verne), is a writer and actress, and his father, Douglas Eugene “Doug” Franco (d. 2011), ran a Silicon Valley business. The two met as students at Stanford University. James Franco’s father was of Portuguese (Madeiran) and Swedish descent. Franco’s mother is Jewish, a descendant of immigrants from Russia.

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Oblivion

Tom Cruise stars in Oblivion, an original and groundbreaking cinematic event from the visionary director of TRON: Legacy and producers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. On a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, one man’s confrontation with the past will lead him on a journey of redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind.

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Admission

Tina Fey and Paul Rudd are paired for the first time on-screen in Admission, the new comedy/drama directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Weitz, about the surprising detours we encounter on the road to happiness. The film is based on the novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Screenplay by Karen Croner. Directed by Paul Weitz. A Focus Features Release.

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Hyde Park on Hudson

Academy Award nominees Bill Murray and Laura Linney star in a historical tale that uniquely explores the all-too-human side of one of history’s iconic leaders. Blending literate wit and drama, Hyde Park on Hudson is directed by Roger Michell from a screenplay by Richard Nelson.

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Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is involved in women’s rights organisations, and has marched in pro-choice rallies. Theron also is a supporter of animal rights and active member of PETA. She appeared in a PETA ad for its anti-fur campaign.

Charlize Theron (born 7 August 1975) is a South African actress who later became an American citizen. She started her acting career in the United States and rose to fame in the late 1990s following roles in The Devil’s Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), and The Cider House Rules (1999). Theron won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003), becoming the first African to win an Academy Award in a major acting category.

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Kathryn Bigelow was married to fellow director James Cameron from 1989 to 1991. She and Cameron were both nominated for Best Director at the 2010 82nd Academy Awards, which Bigelow won.

Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Ann Bigelow (born November 27, 1951) is an American film director. With The Hurt Locker, Bigelow became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing, the BAFTA Award for Best Direction, and the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Director.

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The Mighty Macs

If you examine the history of inspirational sports movies, you will conclude that the most successful films in this genre typically use sport as a metaphor. Miracle wasn’t just about hockey, it was about the Cold War and the impending fall of Communism. Remember the Titans wasn’t just about football, it was about race relations.

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