Tonight was ultra-fun, because my husband and I attended a screening of “Woodstock: Three Days of Peace & Music, The Director’s Cut” (available on DVD and Blu-ray).
This Oscar-winning film isn’t a movie you watch, it’s a movie you absorb and let wash over you, like the rains that fell on all those concertgoers 40 years ago. I swear, after four hours with this film, you’ll feel like you were actually AT Woodstock. The digital restoration helps a lot, too.
The audience was a lot of fun, from aging hipsters wearing tie-dyed shirts to youngsters who weren’t even born when … [Read More]

I imagine I’ll be seeing some of the Cannes films at the Traverse City Film Festival in August. Until then, I’m reveling in hearing about the films and people involved in Cannes’ 12-day run, which ended tonight. 
“The White Ribbon” scored the coveted Palme d’Or, the festival’s top honor.  Jury president Isabelle Huppert presented Michael Haneke with the prize at the closing-night ceremony held in the Palais des Festivals.
It’s the first time a jury president has presented the award since Clint Eastwood gave the award to Quentin Tarantino for "Pulp Fiction."
Grabbing the Grand Prix award was Jacques Audiard’s … [Read More]

The Fourth Annual Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival is happening from April 23 to April 30, 2009. Sounds like a great lineup, too. The opening night features the film "Jump," written and directed by Joshua Sinclair, and produced by Lilly Berger. Patrick Swayze, who plays a Jewish lawyer in the film, will be honored, as well.
Other films include "On the Road to Tel Aviv," "Praying in Her Own Voice," "The Lemon Tree," "Broken Promise," and "Toyland," among others. In all, 30 films will be screened at theaters in the Los Angeles area, including Pasadena, Beverly Hills, West Hills, … [Read More]

Lindsay Long has graciously volunteered to be a Film Gecko field reporter at SXSW 2009, currently the happenin’ place to be in Austin, Texas. That’s Lindsay pictured with "Twilight" director Catherine Hardwicke. More on that later!
Lindsay attended two panels on Saturday. Read on for her report:
Jeffrey Tambor: "Break the Rules"
The first panel was Jeffrey Tambor’s Acting Workshop. For the first part of the workshop, Jeffrey took two actors, Jess Weixler ("Alexander the Last") and Mark Reeb (John Bryant Productions), and directed them through a scene. The two actors had only memorized their lines and the context of the … [Read More]

Some stars just seem to be everywhere these days. They must rush from one event to the next, talking up whatever new project they’re promoting. Like Anne Hathaway and Ron Howard, for example.
Those were just two stars attending the 20th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Tuesday, January 6, 2009.
A few of those honored with awards:

Anne Hathaway - Desert Palm Achievement Award (Female)
Dakota Fanning - Rising Star Award (Female)
Ron Howard – Director’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Amy Adams (pictured) – Spotlight Award

More pics after the jump!