NYFCC

From The Reel Breakdown, Yahoo Movies

Behind the Scenes: The New York Film Critics Circle Awards

By Thelma Adams | The Reel Breakdown 

Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

I have been a member of the New York Film Critics Circle since I was pregnant with my first child, who accompanied me and the rest of the family to last night's awards dinner at Crimson on 21^st and Broadway in Manhattan. He's now a junior in high school and looks down on me from a height approaching six feet. That's just to say that I've seen a lot of these untelevised dinners, even hosted a couple, and what struck me last night at the intimate affair for something like 300 guests was two major distinct camps: that representing "Lincoln" and that representing "Zero Dark Thirty." An uneasy truce exists between the two -- the hip and controversial capturing history on the fly versus old-school Hollywood describing the well-documented past -- as the awards red-carpet season opened last night.


The NYFCC awarded "Lincoln" three prizes: Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis as the Great Emancipator, Best Supporting Actress for Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and Best Screenplay to Tony Kushner. All attended, along with director Steven Spielberg, who presented, and Lincoln scholar Doris Kearns Goodwin, who gives the project the intellectual seal of approval. There's no critiquing the lengthy, extraordinarily well acted, gorgeously shot, sweepingly scored biopic on the grounds of accuracy. And this is going to be a bone of contention as the two camps sit at nearby tables at every awards event from now until the Oscars on February 24.

Moving to the "Zero Dark Thirty" table, we find the recipients of three awards, including what were clearly the top honors: Best Picture and Best Director for Kathryn Bigelow, returning after her win for "The Hurt Locker." Greig Fraser also took a prize for Best Cinematography. Screenwriter/co-producer Mark Boal was also in attendance. In their corner, acting as a presenter, was the movie's star, Jessica Chastain, who lost out as best actress to Rachel Weisz, seated across the room with husband Daniel Craig. Team "Zero Dark Thirty" seemed a little more nervous than the "Lincoln"-ites, despite their top win. Why? The movie about the CIA's lengthy and ultimately successful hunt for Osama bin Laden has come under scrutiny for its authenticity by no less than the CIA. In my opinion, the movie stands as a work of art that examines the use of torture as part of a larger story -- but clearly the filmmakers and their studio, Sony Pictures, have concerns that this controversy could potentially taint their Best Picture chances.

In the 17 years I've been attending these dinners, it seems like their link to the Academy Awards has become closer, and not in an entirely positive way. This was the first year that NYFCC members were given VIP badges at the door; in the past, it was our dinner. Now, a little less so, as security guards patrol the Daniels -- Day-Lewis and Craig -- and tell critics who have given the awards that Mr. Day-Lewis is in the middle of talking, as if it were no longer a party where everyone can talk to everyone else. But this is just a change, not really a complaint, as who doesn't want to have dinner with A-list stars one night a year and then dine out on the stories for the remaining 364?

After NYFCC chair Joshua Rothkopf handed out the awards, and the immediate thanks shared around the tables, the beautiful Chastain bridged the gap between the "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Lincoln" camps. She threaded her way through the tight tables, intent on being introduced to Day-Lewis. The "Lincoln" portrayer held court beside the "Lincoln" table, talking over a railing with "Skyfall" star Craig. Chastain met Day-Lewis and exchanged charm pills. The takeaway from these introductions and meetings that will continue through Oscar season is that, for the talent, this is also the time to solidify industry relationships beyond their current circle and to line up future gigs. While winning an Oscar can raise the profile of a star, or director, or writer, playing the game along the way can ensure that the best projects land in your agent's inbox. It's that Game of Roles that your favorite actors are engaged in behind the scenes, and that is one reason that the stakes are so very high.

Short takes: Chris Rock gave an enthusiastic endorsement of "Central Park Five" in presenting Best Nonfiction Feature to that film. Later, the documentary filmmaker Michael Moore climbed on his soapbox during his presentation of the award for Best First Film to David France's "How to Survive a Plague," a history of AIDS activism, by attacking the Catholic Church. From the balcony, former NYFCC chair and noted contrarian Armond White, no stranger to controversy, gleefully tossed an F-bomb at Moore audible in my half of the room. When Weisz took the podium to accept her Best Actress award for "The Deep Blue Sea" from the actor David Strathairn, she noted that her mother was Catholic.

Matthew McConaughey took the stage to accept the Best Supporting Actor for "Magic Mike" and "Bernie." What should have been a moment of relative levity, given his roles as a stripper and a sleazy lawyer, was overshadowed by McConaughey's scary gaunt appearance. He lost 28 pounds to play an AIDS patient in "Dallas Buyers Club." Not since Christian Bale shed weight for "The Machinist" in 2004, has an otherwise handsome actor so thoroughly ruined his looks for a role. "Magic Mike" director Steven Soderbergh presented the honors to McConaughey but otherwise kept a low profile. It was, apparently, nearly indigestion-inducing for the prolific and talented director to break bread with so many critics who have laid into his films nearly as often as they have praised them.

Women & Cannes

Adams on Reel Women: The Cannes Sex Scandal

By Thelma Adams | The Reel Breakdown

 Danny Martindale 

Fact: Men directed all 22 films in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival. Fact: The only woman to win that coveted prize was Jane Campion for "The Piano" in 1993 -- and that was a joint victory. Cannes, we've got a problem -- and when I say "we," I mean women and men who love film.

Four weeks ago, I first raised this controversy in my column "Thelma Adams on Reel Women" at AMC Filmcritic.com, a site that has since folded. At that time, I wrote, "I love David Cronenberg, whose 'Cosmopolis' has been welcomed into the competition and who headed the Cannes jury in 1999. I was a champion of his cerebral period drama 'A Dangerous Method,' which had a terrific star turn by Keira Knightley. But, really, not a single film by a woman? I'm just gobsmacked."



Now that I've migrated my column to Yahoo! Movies, the world's most viewed movie site, I want to expand the debate for our larger audience. In Cannes, where the festival opened last Thursday and will run through Sunday, the quotes on the gender controversy have been surprisingly subdued from the country that decapitated Marie Antoinette as part of its revolution.

The head of the boys' club: The Boys Are All Right
Festival Artistic Director Thierry Fremaux explained: "I don't select films because the film is directed by a man, a woman, white, black, young, an old man. ... It wouldn't be very nice to select a film because the film is not good but it is directed by a woman." Fremaux lacks the self-awareness that his lock-hold on selecting the films may impact which movies get rewarded and which get tossed back. In every society, the gatekeepers determine the definition of quality.


The female director on the jury: Could it be Stockholm syndrome?
As the sole female director on the nine-person competition jury, British filmmaker Andrea Arnold ("Fish Tank") got to field the "woman question." While she decried the "pity" of gender inequality, she told a Cannes press conference, "I would absolutely hate it if my film got selected because I was a woman. I would only want my film to be selected for the right reasons and not out of charity because I'm female." What she was doing, having achieved her spot in the inner circle (congrats!), was echoing Fremaux's sentiment about the evils of "positive discrimination."


The academic apologist: The glass is half-full
Columbia University professor and Cannes fixture Annette Insdorf took a wait-and-see approach: "For me, the question is less 'How many women filmmakers are selected?' than 'Do the films illuminate female experience?'" After mentioning such Cannes projects as Marion Cotillard ("Rust and Bone"), Kristen Stewart ("On the Road"), and Jessica Chastain ("Lawless"), Insdorf continued: "It may turn out that the 'female auteur' presence in Cannes this year is the prolific international actress." Having already seen Chastain in "Lawless," a strong, well-made testosterone-driven film that showcases Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf, I can say that Chastain plays a runaway dancehall girl with a heart of gold. She's great, but really, Annette, I'm not pinning any hopes on this role as a gender game changer.

Meanwhile, there has been an outcry from the French feminist group La Barbe (translation: The Beard), which published a satirical letter in the French newspaper Le Monde. The letter and attached petition accused the festival of sexism while joking, "Is it not enough for them [women] to aspire to be mistress of ceremonies someday during the festival's opening night?" Clearly not, as La Barbe members in bright beards continue to protest on the Cannes red carpet.

Melissa Silverstein of Women and Hollywood took a more straightforward approach in the e-petition she drafted (and which I signed). In part, it stated: "We call for Cannes, and other film festivals worldwide to commit to transparency and equality in the selection process of these films. We judge films as human beings, shaped by our own perspectives and experiences. It is vital, therefore, that there be equality and diversity at the point of selection." In pushing for transparency in the decision-making process, Silverstein's petition strikes at the heart of the issue: the gatekeepers.

The point is not to assign quotas for women in film -- to present films by women because they are by women. The underlying problem is: Why are women so drastically underrepresented among filmmakers, jurors, and entrants? Why do women with a record of success as filmmakers find it so hard to get projects produced, while men, even after significant failures, can still get the green light for their next projects? If there is nothing "special" about women filmmakers and writers, then there should be nothing "special" about either their presence OR their absence.
Unfortunately, it's their absence that is special.

Again, the answer is not quotas for women. It avoids addressing the real problem. The answer is that, given the absence of any normal distribution in their selection process, the programmers, the selection committees, the gatekeepers are biased, not for quality or talent -- since we all agree there's a pretty good chance that that's not gender-specific -- but on gender.

If we all agree that quality and talent are not gender-specific, and the results of the gatekeepers' selections is so gender-specific, then it must be the gatekeepers themselves who are at fault. They can't see past the sex. Lacking any therapeutic insight into their problem, they should be removed and replaced by those who can, in fact, make judgments on talent and quality -- and leave gender issues to those situations when gender selection matters. Like "birthin' babies," or finding a date.

The Only Best Actor Discussion You Need to Read

Yahoo! Best Actor Roundtable: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Jean Dujardin – oh, my!

By Thelma Adams | Coverage of The 84th Annual Academy Awards® 

Photo by Fox Searchlight/Columbia/WeinsteinIt's raining men! For our second Yahoo! roundtable, I welcome my colleagues Jonathan Crow and Matt Whitfield, as well as actress-director Jordan Bayne, "Movie Mom" Nell Minow, IndieWire bloggers Melissa Silverstein and Anne Thompson, critic Caryn James, Awards Daily's Sasha Stone, and Oscar obsessive Nathaniel Rogers.

Let's hit the roundtable for best actor. Nathaniel Rogers started us off at the end of the last roundtable with this quote: "It always hurts when actors are having their best year and they're passed over, which is what's happening with Brad Pitt. What does he have to do to win awards? Age another 15 years I suppose. They do love to make the golden gods wait until they're old and grizzled."
Anne Thompson: The real race that has developed between onetime front-runner George Clooney and Jean Dujardin, who won best actors at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, improves Brad Pitt's chances by creating a split. A close race brings up the possibility of a third actor actually gaining more votes, which is how Adrien Brody won for "The Pianist," a huge upset that year.
Sasha Stone: Dujardin has the thing in the bag.
Anne: Clooney still has support. And so does Pitt. It's not a sure thing at all.
Check out all the Oscar nominees >>
Caryn James: Don't buy the split-vote theory, and I've never thought "Moneyball" was an Oscar-winning role. Definitely Clooney vs. Dujardin and hard to predict. I'm hoping for a Dujardin backlash to save Clooney.
Sasha: Start with the performances. Dujardin stands out as carrying the whole film. Moreover, Pitt and Clooney are both hurt by essentially playing the same role -- as in single dads, charming, womanless, with a great crying scene at the end. Neither of them goes to the depths Dujardin does with his role. So on its face, Dujardin is the best of the three. If the actors were willing to go for an unknown French actor over a huge star like Clooney (I don't buy the split vote either) then, well, you know. That is beyond significant. But we'll see.
Thelma Adams: I'm really teetering on the brink of "I don't know" here. I'm not buying the split vote either, and I do believe that Pitt is out for "Moneyball." That's why he's so relaxed. Every step he takes is a plug for his brand, without any wanting of the prize.
Clooney, on the other hand, wants it. Breezy, but wants it. But I'm a little stuck: I was so convinced of Clooney before the SAG surprise, and I keep reaching back to other actors who totally wowed me: Dominic Cooper, Michael Fassbender (in his many colors -- "Jane Eyre," "A Dangerous Method," and "Shame"), and Woody Harrelson from "Rampart." This belated wondering can't be good. If I took it fresh, again, of the five I'd go for Clooney. And, eek, if I just went for performances, I'd vote Gary Oldman, who is such a complete chameleon.
Learn all you need to know about the Oscar >>
Anne: Folks in the movie biz love and admire Clooney enough -- and have for years -- to nominate him for pic and "Ides of March" screenplay; Dujardin is new. And "The Descendants" is a hit, while "The Artist" is fumbling at the box office.
Thelma: So, Anne, Clooney?
Sasha: Folks in the industry love Clooney? Huh. I did not know that. I always thought he wasn't the most popular guy in town, you know, someone who had to really fight for attention. You learn something new every day! But seriously, yes, of course they love Clooney. But Clooney's got two problems. One is Pitt, obviously, almost as beloved. Maybe isn't going to be homecoming king, but he's certainly got the quarterback cred. The more popular of a contender Pitt becomes, the harder it is for Clooney to have the edge. There is no incentive, particularly, to give him a second Oscar here. Dujardin, on the other hand, has much going for him. Winning the SAG was really the key indicator -- he didn't go up against Clooney at the Globes. The only place Clooney won against Dujardin was at the Critics Choice. So, you know. Clooney winning the SAG was the expected outcome, given his popularity in the industry and elsewhere. And now it isn't just actors voting, it's all of the other branches, too. Dujardin is hard to resist. Anyone who comes in contact with him falls in love with him. And you just know ol' Weinstein Co. is going to make sure that happens. It also feels good to watch a guy who cried at his SAG win. When Clooney wins, no one cares because he's already such a grand success story. But Dujardin winning has the added bonus of it being a feel-good ending to boot.
"The Artist" has made $20 million -- that's pretty good for a black-and-white, silent movie. "The Descendants" might win adapted screenplay. I'd love to see it overcome "The Artist" for picture -- either that or "Hugo." But after the SAGs, I feel it's Dujardin's to lose.
'Celebrate the Movies' poster gallery >>
Nell Minow: If I were in the academy, I'd vote for Brad Pitt. He is always underestimated as an actor because he makes it look effortless. Only the most gifted performers can do that. No one is better than Pitt at calibrating precisely how best to deploy his extraordinary star power. A lot of actors with screen chemistry use it as a crutch or a smokescreen, but he uses it only to the extent that it serves the role. He made two movies in 2011, and both were nominated for best picture. The precision and scope of those performances were dazzling.
Nathaniel: Full agreement with Nell here. In a way, Brad Pitt has developed Jeff Bridges' former problem. Now, few actors are in Jeff Bridges' league, but Bridges always had the problem of effortlessness, which is a problem in any acting category. So few winning performances come free of gimmicks; they want to see you sweat for it.
But that monologue in "Moneyball" about it being hard not to romanticize baseball? That makes it so hard not to romanticize Brad Pitt's entire filmography. It's such A-level work. That's a star fully in charge of his gift without visible grandstanding about it. It's so authentic a feeling and, for me, far superior to Clooney's more obvious awards-baiting at bedside.
I don't normally share the "how do you compare performances?" angst that sometimes inflicts discussions of the Oscars, but I'll admit it is a little hard to look at what Dujardin is doing in the same context. But god, he's great in "The Artist." If it wins best picture, he's half-responsible, if you ask me.
See video clips of the nominees >>
Thelma: And, Nat, we did ask you.
Jordan Bayne: Right. I always forget this is a high-school popularity contest and not actually based on the merit of the performance. So George Clooney probably has it in the bag for a film that I felt was flimsy with a premise I never bought. For me, Clooney dials in Clooney, and that is not acting. I never feel anything from him. Brad Pitt is excellent, but I don't feel this is his best performance. However, I agree with Nell that part of his greatness is that we never see technique. We always see a human being.
I do feel Jean Dujardin is a serious contender. The work he did required not only tremendous skill in storytelling but also in conveying emotion without falling into sentimentality. It is an incredible and unique performance. For me, the one performance that stands out, that I felt deeply in every frame, that pulled me in and made me weep was Demián Bichir. This was a masterful performance full of beautiful restraint, honest emotion, and deep conflict. In my opinion of these nominees, this actor is most deserving of the award.
Anne: Wow. Of all the Oscar best-picture nominees, "The Descendants" is the only one on my 10-best list; Clooney has earned rave reviews for a reason: It's his best performance to date. Both Clooney and Dujardin bring great emotion to their roles; Dujardin is new, a fresh surprise. Pitt makes what he does look too easy. Popularity does count -- and, by the way, charmers Brad Pitt and Jean Dujardin have been effectively winning hearts, too. This is a campaign, but in the end the academy voters go for the performance they think is the best of the year. SAG went for Dujardin, which means a great deal, and "The Artist" has been winning key races like the PGA and DGA. This suggests that many branches of the academy membership are heading that way. But the actors are one-fifth of the Academy. And in a close race, folks who voted for "The Descendants" and "Moneyball" as their favorite films could vote for Clooney and Pitt as well. Best actor is closer than people may think.
Thelma: To me, post SAGs, PGA, and DGA, it seems like an incredibly close race.
Jordan: Yes, I know. I am one of the rare ones who did not like "The Descendants" at all, but that's another convo.
Matt Whitfield: Michael Shannon? Anyone?
Jordan: Love, love, love Michael Shannon.
Matt: As much as I'd love to see Clooney and Dujardin split -- with Pitt emerging victorious -- I don't see it happening. In fact, I think Clooney and Pitt will split, and Dujardin will walk away with the statue. I'm just really bummed Pitt was never in contention for a best-supporting actor nod for his work in "The Tree of Life." I truly believe it was the performance of his career. Had he been a double nominee, I think he would have given Plummer a run for his money.
Anne: I agree with you that Pitt's better performance is in "Tree of Life." Fox Searchlight tried to go for supporting there, but it got no traction. It was "Moneyball," which is a terrific movie star role, but isn't as showy as "Tree of Life." Truly his best.
Nathaniel: Jordan, we only seem like rarities given the lockstep craziness of all the "American Masterpiece" talk. I actually think "The Descendants" is Payne's weakest film, and I am bewildered at the love. But yes: sidebar conversation, though it does apply here given Clooney's mysterious front-runner status despite being better in all of his recent Oscar roles.
See this timeline of the Oscars >>
Jonathan Crow: I agree with Nathaniel. "The Descendants" is better than "About Schmidt," but it's one of his weaker films. It did seem groomed however for Oscar attention. That scene where Clooney says goodbye to his wife just screams "For your consideration." Jean Dujardin is very charismatic and ingratiating, though his performance at times tips right into cloying. Brad Pitt was fine in "Moneyball," but I was underwhelmed by the movie. The pacing was terrible. Overall, I''m having a hard time getting excited about this category. In my bizarro version of best actor, I would have nominated Michael Shannon in "Take Shelter," Ryan Gosling from "Drive," Robert Wieckiewicz from "In Darkness," Michael Fassbender for "Shame," and Kevin Spacey from "Margin Call" with a wild card for Peyman Moadi from "A Separation." But since the academy in their wisdom decided to not give any of these much more deserving performances the nod, I say wearily a pox on your house. And in an Oscar pool, I'd give it to Clooney by a nose. Though, I am rooting for Gary Oldman to win.
Thelma: "Tinker Tailor Soldier" Oscar winner! And, until next week when we dish on the supporting categories, we'll twist the cap back on the chardonnay. And we can be thankful that we're not experiencing true Oscar nominee agita: the prospect of losing in front of millions of people worldwide.

Adams, Cinemablographer and Women Diirectors

Women on Top: Directors Angelina Jolie, Madonna, and Vera Farmiga

Posted by Thelma Adams on Jan 23 2012

Thelma Adams

Thelma Adams is a New York Film Critics Circle member and the author of "Playdate," a novel.

full bio of Thelma Adams

Being a director means having power. And in the past year, three women already famous for being performers -- Angelina Jolie, Vera Farmiga, and Madonna -- claimed some of that power for themselves by stepping behind the camera, with varying degrees of success.

With In the Land of Blood and Honey, Higher Ground, and W.E., Jolie, Farmiga and Madonna made three very different movies, for very different audiences. The unifying factor? In all three movies, complex women owned the story arcs -- still a far-too-unusual occurrence in Hollywood.

In the Land of Blood and Honey: Golden Globe NominationJolie's In the Land of Blood and Honey, which earned a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign-language movie, dramatizes the high cost of war in the Balkans, unflinchingly depicting rape as a tool of oppression. A tortured Romeo and Juliet between a Muslim artist and a Christian soldier, the movie is ambitious, well-shot, and muscularly performed by lesser-known actors unimpeded by celebrity. It's no vanity project. Jolie does not appear onscreen. It makes the particularly strong point that war is not just fought on the battlefield, but in the bedroom. By doing that, it presents a strong female perspective -- without sacrificing the men in the frame. There's not a scrap of egotism in the work even if, like most debut directorial efforts, it could have been shaved a bit. The movie functions as a direct extension of Jolie's work as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador: It bears witness to the horror of a very specific conflict and makes a strong universal statement about the ways atrocities erode the humanity of both the victims and the perpetrators.

Higher Ground: Indie-Side Out
Farmiga's movie, based on Carolyn Briggs's memoir about a woman's journey through Christian fundamentalism, is in the tradition of American independents associated with the Sundance Film Festival, where it debuted last January. It tells the story of a young writer who gets pregnant, joins a patriarchal rural Christian community with her husband, and -- two decades and three children later -- has a crisis of faith. Higher Ground is in tune with a segment of America rarely seen onscreen, and certainly not depicted in such TV shows as Big Love or the flashier Sundance movie Martha Macy May Marlene. In this case, Farmiga has also crafted a role for herself at the movie's center that is intelligent, searching, maternal, and relatably flawed. Her character -- wife, mother, and Christian -- drives the action. And it turns out that behind the camera, Farmiga's work is as glowing, sensitive, and careful as her work onscreen.

W.E.: Reframing a Famous Love Story, a.k.a. Gone with the Windsors
Better known as a musical performer than an actress, Madonna has enormous ambitions for W.E., her second project as a director. (She lensed Filth and Wisdom in 2008.) Her primary subject is Wallis Simpson, although the movie also weaves in a fictional contemporary love story. One of the movie's main thrusts is to reframe the narrative of the Wallis Simpson-King Edward VIII "romance of the century." While the common wisdom tends to be that the royal abdicated the throne for this commoner, Madonna poses the question: What did this uncommon woman sacrifice to marry the king? The question has resonance given Madonna's personal journey from Michigan unknown to global superstar. Madonna, like Jolie and Farmiga, is driven by a desire to control the female narrative arcs as we see them in the movies, and she's not above revising the historical record to accomplish that.

Of the three, W.E. is the most stylistically ambitious, the most overreaching, and, unfortunately, the least successful -- despite how passionate Madonna was about sharing this story. She was also the most vulnerable when the movie premiered, because she had put so much of herself into it that she'd given critics an opportunity to "put her in her place." In other words, she'd stepped out of her Madonna box, and the wolves were waiting.

The difficulty for performers who have achieved a high level of success is that they face greater scrutiny when they're still getting their bearings as directors. Critics and audiences find it hard to be objective, particularly when it comes to sexual icons like Madonna and Jolie. I've written elsewhere how critiques of Jolie's persona -- the "don't hate me because I'm beautiful" syndrome -- has clouded critics' ability to see the movie objectively. Also, her film makes no concessions to the audience; this is a story that Jolie wants to tell, but like many foreign-language films about war atrocities, it's not a drama that holiday audiences flock to see. And while Farmiga got restrained respect for her movie -- and her performance -- her bold choice to intelligently address religious faith in the language of independent cinema failed to connect with a larger audience.

In some ways, these women, despite their previous successes, are pioneers. They have used their power in their industries to make the movies that they want to see. That's the model: If you build it, they will come. If women produce and direct the stories they want to see, the female audiences that flocked to The Help and Bridesmaids will eventually come, drawn by movies driven by true passion, rather than cynical focus-group marketing.

1/22/2012

Actor, Humanitarian, Director.

In the Land of Blood and Honey ★★★★

(USA, 127 min.)

Written and directed by Angelina Jolie

Starring: Zana Marjanovic, Goran Kostic, Rade Serbedzija.

Angelina Jolie can direct! The Oscar-winning actress makes a strong feature debut with In the Land of Blood and Honey. Jolie displays a keen sense of cinema in In the Land of Blood and Honey, and the film allows a fair, well-handled dramatization of Jolie’s political convictions.

In the Land of Blood and Honey portrays the atrocities of the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina of 1992-1995. It’s a conflict fueled by complex political roots, the origins of which stem back to longstanding intercultural conflicts. Jolie handles the politics of the situation fairly and objectively. Her characters voice their old grudges and preoccupations in clear natural arguments, thus granting viewers enough context to appreciate and understand the drama. Jolie succeeds in doings so without giving an essentialist portrait of the War. Nor does she fall victim to heavy-handed preaching or didacticism.

Jolie stages the politics via an ill-fated love story between a Bosniak Muslim and a Bosnian Serb. The former is Ajla (played by Zana Marjanovic); the latter is Danijel (Goran Kostic). Ajla and Danijel meet shortly before the War begins and they fall in love with no qualms of their differing heritages. Once the war begins, though, they are torn apart.

Ajla is rounded up with the other Muslim women and they are taken to a camp and raped by Serbian soldiers. Ajla survives, however, because Danijel happens to be the commanding officer at the camp. He watches over her and she takes shelter in his authority over his more brutish colleagues. In spite of all that is going on, their love reignites the best it can. They find themselves star-crossed lovers, although the \Romeo & Juliet-ishness of their affair is embroiled in far more volatile politics.

Rather than dumb down the hardship of the Bosnian War, the love story makes it accessible. Jolie, moreover, hardly panders to sweet, syrupy Hollywood convention. In the Land of Blood and Honey is hard-hitting and visceral, and Jolie offers an ending that troubles the tale of happily-ever-after, but rings true to the conflict she depicts.

Jolie is also quite sensitive to the origins of her story. Although this is an American production, the drama plays out in subtitled Bosnian and Serbian, rather than English. The result is a film both compelling and provocative. Jolie is especially good in handling the violence in her film, and she alternates between explicit carnage and offscreen restraint.

As far as first features go, In the Land of Blood and Honey exceeds most. The actor-cum-director solicits some fine work from her actors, especially Marjanovic. Jolie also stages some spectacular action scenes and offers a genuinely engaging and unpredictable tale. As Vera Farmiga did with 2011’s Higher Ground, Jolie makes a most welcome entrance into the small field of artists who perform just as well behind the camera as they do in front. 

In the Land of Blood and Honey is currently playing at the Cumberland 4 in Toronto.

Percentage of women directors in Hollywood declining

24 January, 2012 | By Sarah Cooper

 

Women account for just 5% of directors working in Hollywood, according to a new report conducted by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film.

Kathryn Bigelow may have become the first female director to win an Oscar in 2010, but it seems that women’s presence as directors in Hollywood is getting significantly worse, not better.
Women account for just 5% of directors working in Hollywood, representing a 2% decrease from 2010, according to a new report, which also reveals that the percentage of women directors in Hollywood has almost halved since 1998.
The Celluloid Ceiling report - which was carried out by Dr Martha Lauzen, executive director of The Center for the Study of Women in Television And Film in San Diego – anaylsed gender statistics of women working behind the scenes on the top 250 domestic grossing films in the US.
According to the report, women were most likely to work in the documentary, drama, and comedy genres. They were least likely to work in the horror, action, and animated genres.
In other roles, the report shows that women comprised 14% of writers, 18% of executive producers, 25% of producers, 20% of editors, and 4% of cinematographers.
Kate Kinninmont, chief executive of Women in Film & TV (UK) said it was “shocking to find that gender equality in Hollywood is now actually running backwards.”
“These statistics are appalling, but understanding how bad they are is the first step to making things better. WFTV invites academics working on gender issues in film and television in the UK to contact us. We can publicise their work widely within the industry,” added Kinninmont.
Dr Lauzen added: “Women’s under-representation is the result of many factors operating at multiple levels.  As filmmaking has become more of a business, the studios have become more interested in minimizing their risk.  If women are viewed as “riskier hires,” they are less likely to be considered for employment, and certainly not for big-budget, high-profile films.
However a previous report carried out by Dr Lauzen – entitled Women @The Box Office – concluded that movies made by women perform just as well at the box office as movies made by men.

Women Underrepresented In 2011's Blockbusters

Filed under: Film Flickers

In Hollywood's biggest features of 2011, women barely had a voice.
Only five percent of 2011 blockbusters were directed by women, down from seven percent in 2010.
The numbers are abysmal in other areas too.
Out of the top 250 grossing films, 18% had female executive producers, 25% had female producers of any kind, 20% had female editors, and 14% had female writers.
A lowly four percent had female cinematographers and 38% had zero to one female in any of the aforementioned roles!
We need more ladies behind the camera!

GG Show Reports

 In this handout photo provided by NBC, actress Angelina Jolie presents an award onstage during the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom on January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.

(January 14, 2012 - Photo by Handout/Getty Images North America)

 

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Talk Football At The Golden Globes

First Published: January 16, 2012 1:44 AM EST Credit: Getty Images

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Caption Angelina Jolie admitted she’s a bit of a bleeding heart when it comes to choosing her favorite football player.

“When I see somebody who, like, cries and waves to his mom or kids, then that suddenly becomes my favorite player,” Angelina told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush on the Golden Globes red carpet on Sunday. “I’m a girl, you know.”

Access had the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers game playing on the red carpet when Angelina and Brad hit Billy’s post, but the two were still feeling emotions over a Saturday night matchup.

“My [New Orleans] Saints lost yesterday, so I’m a little upset,” Brad said.

“It was a great game, though. They fought so well,” Angelina noted.

Brad admitted he was very moved by the game that saw the Saints lose to the San Francisco 49ers.

“The first half was one of the most painful. The second half was really strong,” he told Access.

It was parents’ night out as the Hollywood power couple attended the Globes, but they were still thinking of home and their six children.

“I think we usually say we’re gonna try to make it home early,” Angelina said when asked what they tell the babysitter. “And our kids just say, ‘Can we get in your bed?’ So, they’re invading our room right now. They know. They know to crawl in and take over.”

Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. 

'It's a golden night for us': Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt scoop award for best dressed couple

By Iona Kirby

Last updated at 4:56 AM on 16th January 2012


They may have lost out on Golden Globe awards, but Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie scooped the gong for the best dressed couple on the red carpet.


Angelina wowed in a floor-length cream satin gown with a side slit that cut up to her thigh.


The asymmetric dress by Atelier Versace had a red fold across the chest, which Angelina, 36, matched with a miniature clutch bag and some bright pillarbox lipstick.

Stealing the show: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were the best-dressed couple on the Golden Globes red carpet

The interesting cut of the dress showed off Angelina's tiny frame thanks to its structured top, ruching at the waist and flowing skirt.
She also tied her brunette locks in an elegant bun and slipped some cream peep toe high heels onto her feet to complete the stunning look.

Brad, 48, wore a classic tuxedo by Tom Ford, with satin lapels and a bow tie to the star-studded event.
'It's a golden night for us,' he told E! host Ryan Seacrest, referring to the pair's double nomination.

A perfect fit: Angelina's Atelier Versace dress boasted an interesting shape and colour combination

Brad was up for Best Actor in a Drama and Best Motion Picture Drama for Moneyball, which he produced and starred in.
However, he lost out to his close friend George Clooney, who was joined at the event by his girlfriend Stacy Keibler.

George had introduced Brad's film Moneyball at the ceremony, while Brad returned the favour and introduce The Descendants.

Already winners: The stylish couple are rumoured to be presenting an award, and are also both nominated for Globes

The actor is still walking with the aid of a cane following a knee injury, after he apparently slipped and fell while taking care of daughter Vivienne.
Meanwhile Angelina's directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category.
When asked about the film, she said: 'I was nervous about people in Bosnia seeing it who survived war and rape.'
'It's a very difficult subject matter, it's done in a foreign language, and with people nobody knows,'she explained.

Elegant: Angelina opted for a classic bun to complete her look

Golden couple: The pair both presented awards during the ceremony

'These are difficult times and people don't often want to watch difficult movies in difficult times, but it's important to revisit this history no matter, so we pushed forward and made it.'
Angelina's film did not win, however, with that honour going to Iranian film A Separation.
She did make an appearance on stage though, presenting the Best Director for Motion Picture honour to Martin Scorsese  for Hugo.

It takes two: George Clooney and Stacy Keibler are another power couple gracing the red carpet for the Golden Globes

The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards LIVE

Live coverage of the red carpet, ceremony and after-parties.

Variety Poll: Which pic should win for Best Foreign Language Film?

The Flowers of War (0%)

In the Land of Blood and Honey (60%)

The Kid with a Bike (20%)

A Separation (20%)

The Skin I Live In (0%)

by toddkush 10:31 AM

George Clooney and Angelina Jolie set the scene.

by Chris Krewson 8:41 AM

Is that Angelina Jolie in a vibrant color that is non-neutral? #apocalypseacomin #goldenglobes

by VarietyAwards via twitter 8:05 AM

January 16, 2012, 9:00 am

The Golden Globes Applause Meter

By MICHAEL CIEPLY

 
Mark J. Terrill/Associated PressHollywood insiders at the Beverly Hilton gave Martin Scorsese a warm reception on Sunday night.

It’s worth noting the crowd reaction inside the ballroom at the Golden Globes on Sunday. The Beverly Hilton Hotel auditorium was packed with a lot of Hollywood insiders who also get a vote at the Oscars. Who wins a Globe has nothing to do with who wins an Oscar. But the warmth of a winner’s reception in the room can tell a lot about Hollywood sentiment, and where the Oscar ballots are headed.
In the past, a huge Globes reception for Jeff Bridges, for instance, said he was on his way to the best actor Oscar for “Crazy Heart.” Nothing this year matched that level of warmth. But a big, eager ovation for Martin Scorsese when he was given a Globe as best director says that he and/or his film, “Hugo,” are in a very strong place when it comes the Oscars. When it comes to warm welcomes, Meryl Streep did pretty well, George Clooney somewhat less so. And the crowd loved Jane Fonda, but she’s not in the running for an Academy Award.

“Bridesmaids” and Brangelina Get Snubbed

By Thelma Adams

 The box office hit "Bridesmaids" had huge momentum with two nominations going into the only awards show that has a separate comedy category. This should have been girls' night out. But there was no love for the movie, which failed to win Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, or a best actress win for Kristen Wiig. Break-out star Melissa McCarthy was never in the running.

Also hurting was Brangelina, but at least the couple got to spend the long evening together. Pitt, who was up for a best actor award, lost out to pal George Clooney, and his "Moneyball" struck out too, going 0 for 4. His partner Angelina Jolie's directorial debut for "In the Land of Blood and Honey" also lost to the Iranian film "A Separation." The couple continued to smile like royalty to the bitter end of a night that seemed longer than it should have because wisecracking Gervais was more obnoxious than amusing -- and the audience could really see him sweat. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "Drive," "A Dangerous Method," "Young Adult," and "J. Edgar" also got no love from the Globes.

[ Related: Clooney's joke at buddy Pitt's expense ]

Both "The Artist" and "The Descendants" gained awards momentum. The former swept the Golden Globes with three wins, including one for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. The nearly silent comedy about Hollywood's golden age rode a tide of authentic French accents and tied the tongues of presenters struggling to pronounce "Hazanavicius" and "Dujardin." "The Descendants" followed with two major awards: Best Motion Picture - Drama and a best actor award for Clooney.

While Madonna was shut out for directing her labor of love "W.E," she did get recognized. "This is a surprise," she said, after she stepped on stage to accept an award for "W.E." Instead, the diva-turned-director won for Best Song for "Masterpiece." The win clearly aggravated rival Sir Elton John, seated in the audience, snubbed for "Hello Hello" from the animated "Gnomeo and Juliet."

[ Photos: Red carpet gallery of all the stars arriving ]

In other unexpected news, the HFPA went old school, and just plain old, in writing and directing. Woody Allen, 76, won for "Midnight in Paris" over frontrunners "The Descendants" and "The Artist." (Allen didn't even bother to show up to receive the award.) Similarly, for "Hugo," director Martin Scorsese, 69, beat out George Clooney, who directed "The Ides of March." Oh, the humanity!
The Clooney-Pitt bromance continues. Clooney praised Pitt: "I'm a fan." And in a night that often turned on Clooney's charm, he arrived on stage to introduce Pitt's "Moneyball" carrying his "Ocean's Eleven" co-star's cane. "I have to give it back to him, he can't make it to the bar otherwise."

In another example of frontrunner love, Meryl Streep accepted her best actress win for "The Iron Lady," but didn't leave the stage without giving a shout-out to her "The Help" rival: "I love you, Viola. You're my girl."

The final word from the Globes is that "The Artist" and "The Descendants" now lead the pack in the run up to the Oscars, with nominations being announced on January 24. "Bridesmaids," "War Horse," "Moneyball" and "The Ides of March" have all fallen behind.

Yahoo Best Dressed

POLL

Who was the best-dressed beauty on this year’s red carpet?

Charlize Theron (7234)

  14%

Emma Stone (3222)

  6%

Angelina Jolie (13548)

  27%

Evan Rachel Wood (834)

  2%

Sofia Vergara (10047)

  20%

Jessica Alba (5627)

  11%

Reese Witherspoon (3572)

  7%

Kate Beckinsale (4342)

  9%

Madonna (1457)

  3%

Elle Macpherson (1118)

  2%

Clooney Pokes Fun at Pal Pitt’s Cane
By Lara Rosenbaum

Golden Globe sidelights: Big stars known by scream level

By: Ruben V. Nepales
Philippine Daily InquirerBEVERLY HILLS, California—Even Dustin Hoffman took out his camera and snapped a photo of Madonna on the red carpet of Sunday’s star-studded Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills. The singer-actress-director was clearly one of the talents almost everyone wanted to see.
As we worked on the red carpet, we knew when big stars just got off a limo by the scream level of the fans on the bleachers. Angelina Jolie, looking extra beautiful in a Versace gown, and Brad Pitt, with a cane, were among the actors who drew the loudest screams. Leonardo DiCaprio also merited the most ear-piercing screams from fans.
Angelina complimented former Miss Universe Margaret Gardiner in her gown by Filipino-American designer Oliver Tolentino, saying, “You look stunning.” Tolentino and Alan del Rosario, finalists in the first and second Oscars Designer Challenge, met for the first time on the red carpet. The two hot designers instantly bonded.
“Uggie is here!” Jean Dujardin, radiating charisma, repeated what we told him when he arrived that his lovable canine costar in “The Artist” was also around.
The French actor went on to win the best actor-comedy or musical honors and his film copped the best film-comedy or musical prize. Uggie, who deserves a best supporting nod, also went up on stage when “The Artist” won.
Among the standouts on the red carpet were actress du jour Jessica Chastain in a figure hugging gown and Evan Rachel Wood who was probably the most stunning. Lea Michele, who was gorgeous in a Marchesa gown, said that she was looking forward to seeing Del Rosario, whose Burlapp line is one of her favorites.
George Clooney and girlfriend Stacy Keibler were easily the friendliest couple.
Mark Wahlberg, who revealed to us last year that he reads a prayer book published in the Philippines, “365 days with the Lord: Liturgical Biblical Diary,” said he was hoping to get an extra copy of the 2012 edition.
Inside the ballroom, Tilda Swinton stood out in her blonde punk-ish haircut.
Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith did a brief slow dance during one of the show’s commercial breaks when the A-listers inside the International Ballroom stood and schmoozed. But Banderas chose to engage Griffith in a short romantic dance. Those who schmoozed included Charlize Theron who went to DiCaprio’s table and chatted him up. Swinton also hopped over to talk to Elton John.
During the commercial breaks, Ricky Gervais actually sipped from the beer and wine glasses he brought to the stage.
When David Duchovny lost in the best actor-TV comedy or musical series, he decided to loosen up. Off came his tux jacket and he loosened his bow tie.
Robert Downey Jr., ever light in spirit, did a soft shoe in the dark as scenes from nominated the film “The Artist,” which he introduced, were shown.
In Martin Scorsese’s acceptance speech as best director for “Hugo,” it was a nice touch of him to acknowledge the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which votes on and presents the Golden Globe Awards, for its contribution to film preservation, one of his passions.
As usual, because of our red carpet work, we arrived just in time for the show, when our entrée plates have been taken by the waiters and all that was left to eat was dessert. Jeremy Irons and his table mates, also late for dinner because of the red carpet interviews, wisely asked for a bread basket. He ate bread during the show.
The coolest encounter? Asking “A Game of Thrones” author George R. R. Martin for his ID and his ticket at the entrance. I was just doing my job, you know.

NICOLE Kidman with Keith Urban (behind her, partly hidden) on the red carpet. photo by ruben nepales

LOS ANGELES—Our instruction at the red carpet entrance in last Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards was to ask arriving guests for their IDs only if they didn’t look familiar. Well, an assistant helping us asked Rupert Murdoch for his ID. Before we could say, “Not necessary,” the media tycoon had whisked it out.
The VIPs were patient and cooperative as they fished for tickets and IDs in their pockets or expensive designer purses. No one showed attitude. Some just asked if they needed to keep their IDs out.
Among the men, a popular accessory was the money clip. Many of these accomplished guys had IDs, dollar bills and credit cards on clips!

Thrill ride
The women all preened and turned effortlessly before the photographers who kept screaming their names. But before they hit that area, stylists did last-minute checks and tweaks on their clients’ looks. Rooney Mara, best actress-drama nominee (“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”), stood still as her stylist did just that.
You know what came to mind as these gorgeously dressed folks whizzed by to go through the metal detectors and then to the mad scene where the red carpet photographers, reporters and platform hosts were? It looked like they were about to go on a thrill ride in an amusement park. Everybody, including Uggie, the scene-stealing dog in “The Artist,” walked on a single pathway, just like at Disneyland or Magic Mountain. Okay, the thrill and the nerves were probably more heightened, especially with the excitement added by the screams of the fans in the bleachers and for many of these bold-faced names, the prospect of winning one of those Golden Globes.
Who sits where
The seating plan inside the ballroom and the logistics to get to that glamorous evening had taken weeks to iron out. Work on who sits where started right after the nominations announcement last Dec. 15 through the holidays and post-holidays.

LEO DiCaprio is interviewed on the red carpet. photo by ruben nepales

Angelina Jolie’s devotion and gratitude to the actors in her directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” was so strong that she brought Goran Kostic, Zana Marjanovic, Rade Serbedzija and Vanessa Glodjo to the glittering event. The thespians, who turned in nuanced performances under their neophyte but talented filmmaker, were among the guests who packed the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom.
Natalie Portman, last year’s best actress-drama winner for “Black Swan,” did not sit at her prime table in the pit the whole time because she was taking care of her 7-month-old son in a room upstairs. When Natalie, a presenter, did sit down, she was with her fiancé, Benjamin Millepied, former New Yorker, now founder of the LA Dance Project.
First big night

Sunday night marked the first time that Jodie Foster brought her two sons, Charlie, 13, and Kit, 10, out into the limelight. The usually private actress had specifically asked to bring the kids. She made it a point to have the boys close to her when the camera zoomed in on her as one of the best actress-drama nominees for Roman Polanski’s “Carnage.” The three often smiled, with the boys seemingly enjoying their first big night in public.

BRAD Pitt approaches press area for a brief interview. photo by ruben nepales

One actress asked to come with a bodyguard. But in a ballroom full of even more prominent names, that request was a head-scratcher.
As usual, some of Hollywood’s denizens wanted to know who would be sitting with them, where so-and-so would be seated and how good their tables were in the pecking order.

Rocknroll

Kate Winslet came with her boyfriend, Ned Rocknroll—yes, the nephew of business mogul Richard Branson had legally changed his last name to Rocknroll! Coincidentally, there was a guest named Macarena. We were hoping to make the introduction, “Macarena, meet Rocknroll.”
Once more, we were impressed with how almost everyone, from Charlize Theron to Tilda Swinton, stood up to schmooze far away from their tables and yet, when the commercial breaks ended, they were all back in their seats. Like nothing happened.
Guests seated in the back of the ballroom actually saw just as many stars, since the famous ones made a trek to the open bar during the breaks or, for some nominees, when they lost in their categories. At many tables with nominees, they toasted, win or lose, with Moet & Chandon champagne (huge bottles on each table, replenished immediately when emptied) after their categories were done. That meant they could breathe more freely and relax a bit more. For the record, there were also bottles of white and red wine on each table.
At the Sony Pictures party in the hotel’s penthouse floor, Stardust—one of several bashes held simultaneously right after the show within the Beverly Hilton complex—several guests

ELTON John (right) and partner David Furnish (center) with NBC’s “Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams. Note onlookers in the gallery, top right. photo by ruben nepales

took turns posing with the Golden Globe won by Iran’s “A Separation.” The director, Asghar Farhadi, and lead actor, Peyman Moadi, cheerfully allowed the guests, including Fil-Am designer Alan del Rosario to hold the trophy, which was surprisingly heavy.
As we wrote Tuesday, Alan and Oliver Tolentino, finalists in the first and second Oscars Designer Challenge, respectively, met for the first time on the red carpet last Sunday. Alan designed the gown worn by someone close to this columnist’s heart.
Oliver’s gowns on red carpet reporter Stuart Brazell and former Miss Universe turned journalist Margaret Gardiner turned heads. And, if you may indulge this proud father, my daughters Nikki and Ella took my breath away when I first saw them in their Oliver Tolentino gowns that perfectly reflected their distinct personalities.
Even in her tight and revealing Marchesa gown, “Glee’s” Lea Michele somehow managed to get on one of the golf carts taking guests to the Fox party. The sight of the golf cart reminded me of tricycles back home in my province, Pangasinan. With my body, especially my feet, exhausted, I wished I were on a tricycle, heading back to Gabon in Calasiao, Pangasinan.

Thelma Adams on Reviews' Fairness

YahooMovies Yahoo! Movies

Is Angelina Jolie's directorial debut, 'In the Land of Blood and Honey,' getting unjustly criticized? cot.ag/ycpyex @thelmadams

thelmadams Thelma Adams

@

@KittiesnFriends I know re #Jolie -- all those folks that adored Martha Marcy May Marlene and then rejected Blood & Honey. Strange.

thelmadams Thelma Adams

#AngelinaJolie #GoldenGlobes Takes No Prisoners in War Drama ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’ @YahooMovies movies.yahoo.com/blogs/the-reel…

UNRefugeeAgency USA for UNHCR

Positive review for #unhcr goodwill amb.'s directorial debut | Angelina Jolie welcomed in directing 'Land' ow.ly/8kxqc v @azcentral

 

Angelina Jolie Takes No Prisoners in War Drama ‘In the Land of Blood and Honey’

By Thelma Adams | The Reel Breakdown





I'm not crying for Angelina Jolie. Still, one downside to celebrity is that the individual gets pigeon-holed. Every time Angelina strays from what the public and the media expect, she takes a risk. Steal Jen's man? OK. Get a new tattoo? All right. Adopt a kid? So Mia Farrow!
But write, direct, and produce a serious movie? Wait a minute. Has she gone too far?
Case in point: Angelina's directorial debut, the R-rated "In the Land of Blood and Honey." Here's a serious-as-death drama. It's in Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian, with English subtitles. It stars unknowns with unpronounceable names. Read: box-office poison.
On its opening weekend, "Blood and Honey" earned $18,854 playing in three theaters. Its first week found a gross of $55,000. That's not even Angelina's nanny budget. In contrast, even the roundly slammed "The Tourist" opened at $16 million and eventually turned a profit, with an international gross of $278 million.

See showtimes for 'In the Land of Blood and Honey' >>
And, despite a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign-language film, Angelina's movie has run aground on grudging reviews that often pay more attention to the woman behind the camera than the story on the screen. Take this critical response from my colleague Stephen Witty at the Newark Star-Ledger, who begins his review this way:

Asking recently about "In the Land of Blood and Honey," a friend was a little worried that it might be ... good. Angelina Jolie, she explained, was so beautiful, so rich, and so married to Brad Pitt -- well, if she turned out to be a great director too, it just might be too much for a normal woman to bear. Well, no worries. Angelina Jolie is still beautiful, rich, and married to Brad Pitt. But judging by "In the Land of Blood and Honey," there's still at least one thing even she could use a little improvement in.

In "Box Office Magazine," Nick Schager concludes: "this wannabe-serious film comes off as not just unenlightening, but borderline-interminable." Ouch!
There's no avoiding it: "In the Land of Blood and Honey" is tough going. The Balkan "Romeo and Juliet" revolves around a Bosnian Muslim artist (Zana Marjanovic) and a Serbian Christian soldier (Goran Kostic) who are on opposite sides of the region's ethnic divide. "I think it is still hard to understand what happened," Jolie told writer Chris Connelly in Marie Claire this month, "and how it could happen 40 minutes away from Italy in the '90s, at the time 'Schindler's List' came out."

The Academy seems to think women can't direct traffic, much less 'Traffic' >>
Rather than romanticizing the couple's relationship, Jolie shows how it is degraded and defiled by the bloody conflict. The war outside irreparably alters the power relationship in the bedroom (she's his captive). There's no shortage of sex in the movie, but it's often rape.
And, despite the title, the drama has more blood than honey. "Some of the very darkest sections of the film were conceived in Shiloh's art class," Jolie told Marie Claire. "I was in the back, waiting for the kids to finish."

Learn more about the latest movies here >>
This month's Marie Claire cover profile article reflects the complex imaging of Jolie: mother, lover, sex symbol, artist, and humanitarian. It slides between keyhole nuggets of the celebrity's private life, with the mention of Shiloh; a photo shoot of Jolie vamping in black pajamas behind a movie camera; and a respectful mention of the way her film is an extension of her U.N. mission to bear witness to atrocities around the world.

In Jolie's best performances, she draws on some thing rough and fearless and a little self-destructive within herself. Her directorial debut reflects that complex core -- and has a clear point of view, passion, and strong acting. It's an impressive debut from a thoughtful, compassionate, sexual artist. Give Jolie her props: The Golden Globe nomination isn't just an attempt to curry favor to get her to attend the awards dinner beside best-actor nominee Pitt; she definitely earned her free meal. And I, for one, am interested to see what she'll do next.

Click here for more Yahoo! Golden Globes highlights. Complete coverage of the red carpet and the show begins at 4 p.m. PT on January 15.

 

FITNESSjenna Jenna Autuori

In The Land of Blood & Honey, best movie of the year. Good job Angelina Jolie. #Oscarfrontrunner