4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Denis Villeneuve Edition


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to Canadian director, Denis Villeneuve!  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 Denis Villeneuve Films

Prisoners (2013, dir by Denis Villeneuve, DP: Roger Deakins)

Arrival (2016, dir by Denis Villeneuve, DP: Bradford Young)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017, dir by Denis Villeneuve, DP: Roger Deakins)

Dune Part Two (2024, dir by Denis Villeneuve, DP: Greg Fraser)

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films: October 2nd


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films

The Wicker Man (1973, dir by Robin Hardy, DP: Harry Waxman)

Ticket to Heaven (1981, dir by Ralph L. Thomas, DP: Richard Lieterman)

Split Image (1982. dir by Ted Kotcheff, DP: Robert C. Jessup)

Midsommar (2019, dir by Ari Aster, DP: Pawel Pogorzelski)

 

 

6 Trailers From October 2nd


Every Horrorthon, I like to bring out an old favorite of mine.  Lisa Marie’s Favorite Grindhouse and Exploitation Film Trailers used to be a regular feature here on the Shattered Lens.  Every week, I would share some of my favorite grindhouse and exploitation film trailers.  Unfortunately, it turned out that YouTube only had a limited amount of good trailers and I soon found myself having to reuse trailers to keep the series going.  As a result, this feature went from being a weekly thing to a holiday thing.

Well, it’s the holidays!

Here are six of my favorite horror trailers!  I will definitely be watching all six of these this October!

(Be warned, some of the trailers are not safe for work and feature quite a bit of blood and violence.)

  1. I Drink Your Blood (1971)

2. Messiah of Evil (1974)

3. Dawn of the Dead (1978)

4. Shock (1977)

5. Zombi 2 (1979)

6. Inferno (1980)

What do you think, Trailer Kitties?

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films: October 1st


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films

Suspiria (1977, dir by Dario Argento, DP: Luciano Tovoli)

The Shining (1980, dir by Stanley Kubrick, DP: John Alcott)

The Thing (1982, dir by John Carpenter, DP: Dean Cundey)

Day of the Dead (1985, dir by George Romero, DP: Michael Gornick)

 

Lisa Marie’s Oscar Predictions For September


We are just a few hours away from the start of our annual October Horrorthon but, before we do that, I do have one last bit of business to attend to.  Here are my Oscar predictions for the month of September!  If you want to see how my thinking has evolved, be sure to check out my predictions for March, April, May, June, July, and August!

As for my latest set of predictions, they’re largely shaped by the news coming out of the festivals.  Digger is no longer a contender for anything.  And, just as last month, I continue to suspect that Dune Part Three will not be the Oscar powerhouse that some are expecting.  The first two Dune films were both nominated but it just doesn’t feel like there’s a huge sentiment out there that’s saying, “We simply have to keep honoring each new installment!”

Here are my latest predictions!

Best Picture

  • The Debut
  • Elsinore
  • Fjord
  • I Play Rocky
  • La Bola Negra
  • Mr. Irrelevant
  • The Odyssey
  • Primetime
  • Project Hail Mary
  • Wild Horse Nine

Best Director

  • Javier Ambrossi & Javier Calvo — La Bola Negra
  • Jesse Eisenberg — The Debut
  • Phil Lord & Christopher Miller — Project Hail Mary
  • Martin McDonagh — Wild Horse Nine
  • Christopher Nolan — The Odyssey

Best Actor

  • Matt Damon — The Odyssey
  • Anthony Ippolito — I Play Rocky
  • John Malkovich — Wild Horse Nine
  • Robert Pattinson — Primetime
  • Andrew Scott — Elsinore

Best Actress

  • Sandra Hüller — Fatherland
  • Ruth Madeley — Being Heumann
  • Julianne Moore — The Debut
  • Inde Navarrette — Obsession
  • Renate Reinsve — Fjord

Best Supporting Actor

  • Colman Domingo — Michael
  • Paul Giamatti — The Debut
  • Guy Pearce — Ink
  • Sam Rockwell — Wild Horse Nine
  • Jeremy Strong — The Social Reckoning

Best Supporting Actress

  • Colleen Camp — Club Kid
  • Olivia Colman — Elsinore
  • Penélope Cruz — La Bola Negra
  • Anne Hathaway — The Odyssey
  • Samantha Morton — The Odyssey

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Michael Powell Edition


4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

Today, TSL celebrates the 121st anniversary of the birth of Michael Powell, the British visionary who changed the face of cinema, both on his own and through his collaboration with Emeric Pressburger.  It seems appropriate that we pay tribute to Powell on the day before October, as his 1960 film Peeping Tom is considered by many to be the first slasher film.  (It’s not but it’s influence on the genre cannot be overstated.)

In honor of Michael Powell, TSL is proud to present….

4 Shots From 4 Michael Powell Films

I Know Where I’m Going (1945, dir by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, DP: Erwin Hillier)

Black Narcissus (1947, dir by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, DP: Jack Cardiff)

The Red Shoes (1948, dir by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, DP: Jack Cardiff)

Peeping Tom (1960, dir by Michael Powell, DP: Otto Heller)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Nicolas Winding Refn Edition


4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 56th birthday to Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn!  Drive was one of the first films to really be celebrated on this site, receiving reviews from several contributors.  Personally, I preferred The Neon Demon.

In honor of of the man and his work, it’s time for….

4 Shots from 4 Nicolas Winding Refn Films

Bronson (2008, dir by Nicolas Winding Refn, DP: Larry Smith)

Drive (2011, dir by Nicolas Winding Refn, DP: Newton Thomas Sigel)

Only God Forgives (2013,dir by Nicolas Winding Refn, DP: Larry Smith)

The Neon Demon (2016, dir by Nicolas Winding Refn, DP: Natasha Braier)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Horrorthon Preview


4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

With October approaching, it will soon be time for our annual Horrorthon here at the Shattered Lens.  We’ve been working hard getting things ready!  Here are 4 shots from 4 of the many films that we will be reviewing this October.

4 Shots From 4 Horror Films

The Mist (2007, dir. by Frank Darabont)

Deadly Blessing (1981, dir by Wes Craven)

They Live (1988, dir by John Carpenter)

The Phantom of the Opera (1998, dir by Dario Argento)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Arthur Penn Edition


4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

104 years ago today, Arthur Penn was born in Philadelphia.  In the 50s, Penn was one of the new crop of directors who made a name for themselves directing for television.  Like most of his colleagues, he transitioned into film.  Unlike many of his colleagues, he remained a fiercely iconoclastic director, one who was willing to challenge the conventions of Hollywood.  While his early films often struggled at the box office, he was respected by actors and hailed as a visionary by the directors of the French New Wave.

In 1967, he and Warren Beatty changed the course of American cinema with Bonnie and Clyde.  Penn followed up that classic film with movies like Alice’s Restaurant, Little Big Man, Night Moves, and a handful of others.  When he died in 2010, Penn was hailed as one of the most influential (if sometimes underrated) directors of all time.

Today, in honor of the anniversary of his birth, the Shattered Lens offers up….

4 Shots From 4 Arthur Penn Films

The Chase (1966, dir by Arthur Penn, DP: Joseph LaShelle)

Bonnie and Clyde (1967, dir by Arthur Penn, DP: Burnett Guffey)

Alice’s Restaurant (1969, dir by Arthur Penn, DP: Michael Nebbia)

Little Big Man (1970, dir by Arthur Penn, DP: Harry Stradling Jr)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special 2005 Edition


4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, we pay tribute to the cinematic year of 2005.  It’s time for….

4 Shots From 4 2005 Films

Batman Begins (2005, dir by Christopher Nolan)

The New World (2005, dir by Terrence Malick)

Edmond (2005, dir by Stuart Gordon)

The Call of Cthulhu (2005, directed by Andrew Leman)