Category Archives: oscars 2012

Behind The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius

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We’ve written about the world’s movie-of-the-moment/ cinematic darling The Artist before, but it’s so damn charming we’re talking about it again, this time with the help of its acclaimed French director, Michel Hazanavicius. His name may be a mouthful but the way in which Hazanavicius describes and explains the artistry behind the artist is simple and inspiring: he says, “It’s a movie for movie lovers and reminds you why you first loved movies.”

Hazanavicius’ accent punctuates this interview as he describes the use of the famous Kuleshov effect in The Artist and subsequently the role of Uggie the dog as (ironically) one of George Valentin’s most likeable ‘traits’. I’m still pinching myself that a director today was game enough to go back to where film began, and to succeed so triumphantly; to create an undisputed masterpiece of cinema. Seeing the passionate, fiery eyes of Hazanavicius light up as he talks about The Artist—his most beloved creation—is humbling and even more inspirational than the film itself. Watch for some behind the scenes snippets (which are surprising; I often forget that Jean Dujardin isn’t actually a black and white human being), beginner’s film education and more of film’s most beloved pooch and regular talk show guest, Uggie.

Wes Anderson Makes Commercials

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Any God-Bill Murrary-fearing Wes Anderson fan will be anxiously counting down the days until Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson’s first feature since 2009, is released into our cinemas and our kitschy, ironic souls. We mark our diaries in perfect symmetry with a red pen, hovering above our desks exactly like this, just to get appropriately hyped. To briefly settle the anxious palpitations of our Wes-deprived hearts, Hyundai premiered two commercials (the first above; the second here) directed by the man himself, which premiered during the Oscars broadcast on Sunday night.

And boy, does it make us want to empty our bank accounts and buy a Hyundai. The overload of Wes-isms make us smile with nostalgia for the first time we watched The Royal Tenenbaums, the countless times we watched Rushmore on rainy weekends in high school, and even for yesterday, when we watched every Anderson slow-mo shot set to Ja Rule. Car ads are boring. That is an undisputed and given fact (except for this one). They’re all sleek exteriors and comfy interiors with exceedingly handsome drivers and fake smiles. Thank you, Wes, for the flying car in your commercial and passengers wearing helmets underwater (so very Zissou). Thank you for your signature lateral tracking between sets, symmetrical shots, your yellow coloring every scene, a dad who can’t get being a dad right, magnets falling off a fridge in an instant cascade and a cute kid happily sitting in a high cupboard.

And now those sixty seconds are over, we’re back to nervously waiting Moonrise Kingdom. You’re killing us, Wes.

Before The Artist: Portable’s Guide To Silent Film

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Yesterday, that spellbinding, immaculate, too good to be real film The Artist rightly swept up its fair share of awards at The Oscars. Hooray for real film stunning critics and audiences alike; hooray for French actors, a French director (Michel Hazanavicius), John Goodman, Missi Pyle, and for being entirely shot in L.A. It’s magnificent, and if I don’t stop waxing lyrical about it and Uggie the dog soon I’ll become a mess. Let’s get on with it.

The Artist was so successful because it was—at once—innovative and new, while also paying tribute to the backbone of cinema, where it all began: silent films. I hate to go all Midnight in Paris on you, but can you imagine living in the roaring twenties–that impeccable golden age—and going out to the cinema, watching a film accompanied by live music? Let’s take a look at some of the best silent films that treated the wealthy and glamorous all those years ago, and ignited those things we call movies.

Before The Artist: Portable’s Guide To Silent Film

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Yesterday, that spellbinding, immaculate, too good to be real film The Artist rightly swept up its fair share of awards at The Oscars. Hooray for real film stunning critics and audiences alike; hooray for French actors, a French director (Michel Hazanavicius), John Goodman, Missi Pyle, and for being entirely shot in L.A. It’s magnificent, and if I don’t stop waxing lyrical about it and Uggie the dog soon I’ll become a mess. Let’s get on with it.

The Artist was so successful because it was—at once—innovative and new, while also paying tribute to the backbone of cinema, where it all began: silent films. I hate to go all Midnight in Paris on you, but can you imagine living in the roaring twenties–that impeccable golden age—and going out to the cinema, watching a film accompanied by live music? Let’s take a look at some of the best silent films that treated the wealthy and glamorous all those years ago, and ignited those things we call movies.

GIF Guide to Female Oscar Snubs

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When Eric from Listverse posted his list of the Top 15 Female Oscar Snubs of the Past 15 Years earlier this week, our ideas about prediction pools and Bridesmaids-inspired drinking games went out the window and were replaced with outrage at the acceptance speeches that could have been.

In the same way as the 14th Academy Awards back in 1942 shocked viewers/Orsen Welles fans by naming How Green Was My Valley the best picture over Citizen Kane, we’re agog at Academy voters for overlooking some of the seminal performances from female actors over the last decade.

Portable’s resident GIF creator Emma Ableson, inspired by Eric’s list, has paired his thoughts with visuals from the films’ and ladies’ finest on-screen moments.