It was a gala night at the Oscars, with my favorite 12 Years a Slave selected as “Best Picture.” I had hoped that Steve McQueen would have been chosen as Best Director because it would have become a milestone as the first African American director to be entered into this legendary circle. But giving this to Alfonso Cuaron is equally gratifying, he becoming the first Latino to be so honored. And what a wonderful film his Gravity is!
I still have a hard time dealing with all the hoopla of people gushing over who wore whom taking up air time before the ceremony and this morning, rather than discussing the nature and contents of the films themselves, but that’s pop media for you. If you haven’t seen my extensive review of 12 Years a Slave, I hope you will. (There’s even more in the Dec. 2013 issue.
Now I can get back to finishing the March issue, which will have 3 special features–an annotated list of 20 films to see in conjunction with the new SON OF GOD film; a comprehensive review and guide for what is probably my all time favorite film (depending on when I’m asked) Cool Hand Luke; and a review of a once hard to find Jesus Transformed film He Who Must Die, based on the novel by Nikos Kazantkakis (author of The Last Temptation of Christ and and the novel that was the basis of another of my all time favorites, Zorba the Greek.) The Greek Passion.
