Blood and Honey first feedback

Matt Mazur is a contributing editor of Popmatters and also works for Donna Daniels PR -- a firm that handles campaigns for independent films. He has apparently seen In the Land of Blood and Honey and thinks very highly of it. He also seems to have knowledge of the film's promotional strategy as his earlier comment that the film will eschew the festival circuit appears to be true. I had thought that Blood and Honey would show at the NYFF but it now looks like it will follow the same strategy as Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar and Jason Reitman's Young Adult and skip the festivals altogether.

Given Mazur's apparent insider access and knowledge, it is fair to deduce that he and his firm must be working with FilmDistrict / GK Films on Blood and Honey's promotional campaign. Donna Daniels seems to specialize in promoting Awards-caliber films including such recent critic favorites as Senna, a documentary on the life of the late Formula One champion Aryton Senna, Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive which is also being distributed by FilmDistrict, and Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.

So while three of his firm's clients are on his top ten list, they would likely end up on most critics' lists as well. For example, Jeff Wells has Drive at #1, Tree of Life #4, Bridesmaids #9, Midnight in Paris #12 and Meek's Cutoff #15 . As a long time film writer posting his own personal views, there is every reason to believe that Mazur is giving his honest appraisal independent of his firm's association with the films. And in this regard, it is significant that he placed Blood and Honey ahead of Midnight in Paris which his firm is currently promoting and is touted to be a potential multi-Awards nominee.

It is also worth noting that the films in Mazur's top ten list are his personal favorites and not a list of likely Best Picture nominees. Uncle Bonamee, Certified Copy and Bridesmaids will almost certainly not be contenders and Drive, Tree of Life and Melancholia may only be recognized for individual performances. Only Meek's Cutoff, Midnight in Paris, A Dangerous Method and Blood and Honey have a realistic chance of getting BP nominations.

His taste in films is obviously more artsy cineaste and more in tune with Cannes than the average Academy voter but his views accurately reflect popular critical opinion. So at the very least I would expect Blood and Honey to rate somewhere in the vicinity of Tree of Life (85% on RT) and Midnight in Paris (92%).

This is the first credible feedback we've come across from a bonafide movie writer and one with a sophisticated cinephile's taste at that. Note that he doesn't list HP 7.2 or Planet of the Apes among his favorites. He seems to confirm early predictions that the film and Angelina will be serious Awards contenders. The only damper is that if it doesn't show in NY, then it will probably take longer for us to get critical consensus and an early opportunity to see the film.

This is his Top Ten Films of 2011 to date as posted on the Awards Daily Forum:

Matt Mazur

So far...

01. The Tree of Life
02. Meek's Cutoff
03. Drive
04. A Dangerous Method
05. Melancholia
06. In the Land of Blood and Honey
07. Midnight in Paris
08. Certified Copy
09. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
10. Bridesmaids

His other comments and replies regarding Blood and Honey:

(Re that the subject matter is important) This is true - I think it is to be commended that Jolie, who can do whatever she wants, chose to tackle this as her entree into the directorial world. Socially responsible, feminist, bold subject matter.

The rape camps and rape as a tool of terror during the Bosnian War changed the WORLD law on the matter, making rape punishable as a war crime.

(Re Blood and Honey doing the festival circuit)
Just trust me, this film will very likely eschew the usual festival route.

(Re Poll: Predict the five Oscar nominees for Best Director of 2011)
I think you should consider adding Angelina Jolie to the next round for her directorial debut...

(Re four adjectives to describe the film) Real, poignant, dramatic and violent

Matt Mazur

@Matt_Mazur on Twitter

Brooklyn

Film Editor at PopMatters also working with Donna Daniels Public Relations. I write about movies pretty much every second of every day. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/108

Hey hey y'all - follow @DDPRLLC - this is the PR firm that I am working with now. We've got some amazing projects coming up...

We do all kinds o fun screenings, promos, & stuff like that, not 2 mention, Oscar season is around the corner & we'll have some contenders!

Pretty good year - for actresses/female artists making their own films as directors, that is!

@DarkEyeSocket I did but with the caveat that Angelina Jolie and Woody Allen were their co-nominees!

I'd just die if the eventual Oscar nominees for Best Director were: Woody Allen, Stephen Daldry, Angelina Jolie, Madonna & Terrence Malick.

At Sony, running my first press screening! Yikes!

Donna Daniels PR

@DDPRLLC view full profile →

New York, NY

Donna Daniels Public Relations is known for award-winning campaigns for independent films. http://ddprllc.wordpress.com/