Tag Archives: Richard Linklater

4 Shots From 4 Films: Another Special Texas Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

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 is San Jacinto Day, which means that it is once again time for….

4 Shots From 4 Texas Films

Slacker (1990, dir by Richard Linklater, DP: Lee Daniel)

Bottle Rocket (1996, dir by Wes Anderson, DP: Robert Yeoman)

Office Space (1999, dir by Mike Judge, DP: Tim Suhrstedt)

Primer (2004, dir by Shane Carruth)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special 1993 Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

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, we pay tribute to the year 1993 with….

4 Shots From 4 1993 Films

Dazed and Confused (1993, dir by Richard Linklater, DP: Lee Daniel)

Schindler’s List (1993, dir by Steven Spielberg, DP: Janusz Kamiński)

Trauma (1993, dir by Dario Argento, DP: Raffaele Mertes)

Indecent Proposal (1993, dir by Adrian Lyne, DP: Howard Atherton)

Scenes That I Love: Nicky Katt Meets Adam Goldberg in Dazed and Confused

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Rest in peace, the great character actor Nicky Katt.  The details are still sketchy but it’s being reported that he passed away at the age of 54.

Katt was a child actor who transitioned into adult roles.  He appeared in a lot of movies but I’ll always remember him as Clint, the absolutely terrifying bully in 1993’s Dazed and Confused.  Here he is, scaring the heck out of poor Adam Goldberg.

(For a while, there were plans for a Dazed and Confused sequel in which Clint reformed and became a respected businessman while Adam Goldberg’s Mike went insane as he continued to obsess on that fight back in 1976.)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Texas Edition

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

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, I celebrate my home state!

4 Shots From 4 Texas Films

Slacker (1991, dir by Richard Linklater, DP: Lee Daniel)

Dazed and Confused (1993, dir by Richard Linklater, DP: Lee Daniel)

Bottle Rocket (1996, dir by Wes Anderson, DP: Robert Yeoman)

Rushmore (1998, dir by Wes Anderson, DP: Robert Yeoman)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Play Ball!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

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!

Here are 4 shots from 4 films about my favorite sport!

4 Shots From 4 Baseball Films

Eight Men Out (1988, Dir. by John Sayles)

A League Of The Own (1992, Dir. by Penny Marshall)

42 (2013, Dir. by Brian Hegeland)

Everybody Wants Some!!! (2016, Dir. by Richard Linklater)

The Films of 2024: Hit Man (dir by Richard Linklater)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Like Woman of the Hour, Hit Man is a Netflix film that was critically acclaimed when it was released but which didn’t get much of an Oscar push during Awards Season.

The majority of the film’s acclaim was for Glen Powell, who plays Gary Johnson.  Gary is a psychology professor at the University of New Orleans.  When we first see him, he’s not exactly the most dynamic professor on campus.  In fact, he’s so mild-mannered that most of his students would probably be stunned to learn that he has a side job working for the New Orleans Police Department.  He helps them set up sting operations, advising a cop named Jasper (Austin Amelio) on how to pretend to be a hit man.  Jasper, being kind of a douchebag, doesn’t really appreciate the advice.  However, when Jasper gets suspended for beating a suspect, Gary is quickly recruited to take Jasper’s place as the department’s fake killer.

To his surprise, Gary turns out to be very good at pretending to be a professional killer.  Using his academic skills, he gets a read on the person who wants to hire him and then he shapes his persona to appeal to that person’s needs.  The best part of the film are the montages where we see Gary taking on identity after identity.  Soon, Gary is the NPD’s best undercover cop, even if he’s technically not even a part of the force.  He even becomes a better psychology professor as pretending to be someone else allows him to loosen up in his real life as well.  But then he meets a woman (Adria Arjona) who wants to have her abusive husband killed.  For the first time, Gary tries to talk someone out of committing a murder.

And through it all, Glen Powell gives an excellent and charismatic performance as not only Gary but also all the different killers that he pretends to be.  If nothing else, this film proves that Glen Powell is not just a likable actor.  He’s a legitimate film star, capable of creating a believable character and getting the audience to care about what happens to him.  Powell gets good support from both Arjona and Austin Amelio and the various actors who pop up as people who want to hire a hit man all make a strong impression as well.  But, make no mistake about it, Hit Man is a showcase for Glen Powell.  Just as he did with Matthew McConaughey in Dazed and Confused, Richard Linklater introduces audiences to a film star in Hit Man.

That said, I have to admit that, outside of Powell’s performance, I was a little bit dissatisfied with the direction that Hit Man took its story.  There are eventually two actual murders in Hit Man.  One of the murders occurs offscreen and can at least be justified by what we know about the victim.  The other murder takes place onscreen and, even though the victim isn’t particularly likable, it still feels a bit drawn out and out-of-place in what had otherwise been a fairly breezy comedy.

Narrative flaws aside, Hit Man is worth seeing for Powell’s movie star performance.

 

Here Are The 2024 Austin Film Critics Association!

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Yesterday, the Austin Film Critics Association did their part to keep Austin weird by announcing their nominees for the best of 2024!  The winners will be announced January 6th!

Best Picture
Anora
The Brutalist
Dune: Part Two
Conclave
Love Lies Bleeding
Nosferatu
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Sing Sing
Wicked

Best Director
Sean Baker – Anora
Brady Corbet – The Brutalist
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Rose Glass – Love Lies Bleeding
Denis Villeneuve – Dune: Part Two

Best Actress
Pamela Anderson – The Last Showgirl
Marianne Jean-Baptiste – Hard Truths
Nicole Kidman – Babygirl
Mikey Madison – Anora
Demi Moore – The Substance

Best Actor
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
Daniel Craig – Queer
Colman Domingo – Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
Hugh Grant – Heretic

Best Supporting Actress
Danielle Deadwyler – The Piano Lesson
Ariana Grande – Wicked
Felicity Jones – The Brutalist
Katy O’Brian – Love Lies Bleeding
Margaret Qualley – The Substance

Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov – Anora
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Clarence Maclin – Sing Sing
Guy Pearce – The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong – The Apprentice

Best Ensemble
Anora
The Brutalist
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Sing Sing

Best Original Screenplay
Sean Baker – Anora
Brady Corbet & Mona Fastvold – The Brutalist
Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain
Coralie Fargeat – The Substance
Justin Kuritzkes – Challengers

Best Adapted Screenplay
Dana Fox & Winnie Holzman – Wicked
Greg Kwedar & Clint Bentley – Sing Sing
RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes – Nickel Boys
Peter Straughan – Conclave
Denis Villeneuve & Jon Spaihts – Dune: Part Two

Best Cinematography
Jarin Blaschke – Nosferatu
Lol Crawley – The Brutalist
Jomo Fray – Nickel Boys
Greig Frasier – Dune: Part Two
Benjamin Kracun – The Substance

Best Editing
Sean Baker – Anora
Coralie Fargeat, Jérôme Eltabet, & Valentin Féron – The Substance
Dávid Jancsó – The Brutalist
Joe Walker – Dune: Part Two
Hansjörg Weißbrich – September 5

Best Original Score
Daniel Blumberg – The Brutalist
Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot
Robin Carolan – Nosferatu
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Challengers
Hans Zimmer – Dune: Part Two

Best International Film
Emilia Perez
Flow
I’m Still Here
Kneecap
The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Best Documentary
Dahomey
No Other Land
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story
Will & Harper

Best Animated Film
Flow
Inside Out 2
Memoir of a Snail
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
The Wild Robot

Best Voice Acting/Animated/Digital Performance
Kevin Durand – Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Lupita Nyong’o – The Wild Robot
Amy Poehler – Inside Out 2
Sarah Snook – Memoir of a Snail
Robbie Williams/Jonno Davies – Better Man

Best Stunt Work
Dune: Part Two
The Fall Guy
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Kill
Monkey Man

Best First Film
Vera Drew – The People’s Joker
Zoe Kravitz – Blink Twice
Josh Margolin – Thelma
Arkasha Stevenson – The First Omen
Sean Wang – Didi

The AFCA also acknowledges standout works from directors who live in Austin. Our nominees for 2024:
The Bikeriders (Jeff Nichols)
Fugitive Dreams (Jason Neulander)
Hit Man (Richard Linklater)
Sasquatch Sunset (Nathan and David Zellner)
Sing Sing (Greg Kwedar)

Scenes That I Love: Nicky Katt vs Adam Goldberg in Dazed and Confused

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to one of my favorite character actors, Nicky Katt!

In 1993’s Dazed and Confused, Katt had a small but pivotal role as Clint.  Clint is the guy who loves his car, drinking beer, smoking weed, and beating up people.  Mike (played by Adam Goldberg) runs afoul of Nick at the end of the year party and later decides that he has no choice but to fight back.  Needless to say, Clint is the better fighter of the two but at least Mike got one good punch in!

(For a while, there was talk of a Dazed and Confused sequel, in which Clint would have turned his life around and become both a born again Christian, and a respected member of the community while Mike would still be obsessing about their brief fight in 1976,)

Lisa Marie’s Way Too Early Oscar Predictions For April

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Now that the 2023 Oscars are over with, it’s time to move on to the 2024 Oscars!

Needless to say, there’s probably nothing more pointless than trying to guess which films are going to be nominated a year from now.  I can’t even guarantee that all of the films listed below are even going to be released this year.  And, even if they are released this year, I can’t guarantee that they’ll actually be any good or that the Academy will show any interest in them.  Sundance was a bit low-key this year.  Dune Part II seems like a contender but will it be remembered 9 months from now?  Whereas last year started out with everyone waiting for Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon, this year feels far different as Hollywood, still recovering from last year’s strikes, tries to catch up.  As many will say over the months to come, no one knows anything.  As much as I hate quoting William Goldman (because, seriously, quoting Goldman on a film site is such a cliché at this point), Goldman was right.

In other words, there’s no real science to these predictions.  It’s too early in the year to do anything but guess.  And for now, these are my guesses.  A year from now, they’ll be good for either bragging rights or a laugh.  Hopefully, they’ll be good for both.

Best Picture

The Apprentice

The Bikeriders

Blitz

Didi

Dune, Part II

Emmanuelle

The Fire Inside

Here

Hit Man

SNL: 1975

Best Director

Ali Abassi for The Apprentice

Richard Linklater for Hit Man

Steve McQueen for Blitz

Rachel Morrison for The Fire Inside

Denis Villeneuve for Dune Part II

Best Actor

Austin Butler in The Bikeriders

Daniel Craig in Queer

Richard Gere in Oh, Canada

Andre Holland in The Actor

Glen Powell in Hit Man

Best Actress

Adria Arjona in Hit Man

Jodie Comer in The Bikeriders

Ryan Destiny in The Fire Inside

Cynthia Erivo in Wicked

Jessica Lange in Long Day’s Journey Into Night

Best Supporting Actor

Kieran Culkin in A Real Pain

Tom Hardy in The Bikeriders

Samuel L. Jackson in The Piano Lesson

Jeremy Strong in The Apprentice

Anthony Wong in Emmanuelle

Best Supporting Actress

Joan Chen in Didi

Danielle Deadwyler in The Piano Lesson

Saoirse Ronan in Blitz

Rachel Sennot in SNL: 1975

Naomi Watts in Emmanuelle

6 Directors Who I Hope Will Win An Oscar In The Next Ten Years

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

  1. Richard Linklater

How did Richard Linklater not win the Oscar for Boyhood?

Seriously, Boyhood’s loss to Birdman and Linklater’s loss to Alejandro González Iñárritu were two of the biggest mistakes that the Academy has made since the start of the new century.  Linklater spent twelve years filming a movie, with no idea of what the eventual story would be, and he somehow made one of the best and more cohesive films of the 2010s.  And somehow, that was not good enough for the Academy.

And while that may not bother the independent-minded Linklater, it does bother me.  Here’s hoping the Academy will make it up to Linklater soon.  His upcoming film, Hitman, has been critically acclaimed but it doesn’t necessarily sound like Oscar fare.  Well, no matter!  Linklater will hopefully get his Oscar soon.

Here are five other directors who I hope will be honored in the next ten years.

2. Jeff Nichols

Speaking of directors with possible contenders set to be released, Jeff Nichols could be a contender at the next ceremony for his work on The Bikeriders.  Originally, The Bikeriders was set to be released in 2023 but it was delayed by the SAG strike.  Ever since Take Shelter, Nichols has been a consistently interesting and intelligent director.  I can’t wait to see The Bikeriders!

3. Sofia Coppola

Sofia is a perennial on these lists and I’ll keep including her until she finally wins her Oscar.  No one captures the beauty of ennui with quite the skill and visual flair of Sofia Coppola.

4. Celine Song

Past Lives is a film that deserved a lot more love than it received from the Academy.  I can’t wait to see what Song does next!

5. Denis Villeneuve

Villeneuve, as of right now, seems like he’ll definitely be a contender next year for his work on the Dune sequel.  Even if he’s not remembered at next year’s ceremony, he still seems to be one of those directors who is destined to win sooner than later.

6. Paul Schrader

Seriously, can you imagine the speech he’d give?