SBIFF TO BESTOW BEN AFFLECK WITH  MODERN MASTER AWARD   The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, presented by lynda.com, will honor director, producer and actor Ben Affleck with the Modern Master Award at the 28th edition of the Fest, which runs January 24 -February 3, 2013, it was announced today by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.  The Tribute will take place on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at the historic Arlington Theatre.   “Afflec...

"We Bought A Zoo," the drama comedy directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson will open Capri, Hollywood – The Smart International Film Festival on the evening of December 27th. The Festival's 16th edition runs from December 27th through January 2nd. The Twentieth Century Fox Film starring Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and Thomas Hayden Church is a heart-warming story about a father who moves his young family to the Southern California countryside to renovate a...

CONTAGION Starring: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet,  Marion Cotillard, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow,Elliot Gould,Jennifer Ehle Director:  Steven Soderbergh ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Could the virus in  Steven Soderbergh's new, star-studded film, Contagion be a metaphor for Original Sin? Ok, there's no slithering serpent as in the Garden of Eden but a bat (Eve?) eats of a rotten fr...

If  John Wayne is up there watching from the Great Beyond in the Sky over Berlin, he must be truly gritting his teeth to see a younger Good Ole Boy, name o' Jeff Bridges, reaping the kudos and leading the pack into Potsdamer Platz on opening night, while wearing the same black eye-patch Wayne did in the original version of this gritty All-American western. Of course, Big John did pick up an Oscar for his turn as Rooster Cogburn, the alcoholic, one-eyed, straight-shooting lawman, back in 1969...

  The 61st Berlin International Film Festival will open with True Grit by Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen at the Berlinale Palast on February 10, 2011. "Joel and Ethan Coen stand for first-rate American independent cinema. With their penchant for irony, and off-the-wall characters and stories they have repeatedly captivated audiences," comments Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick. "True Grit is a wonderful way to kick off the Berlinale 2011." &nb...

Oscar® winner Matt Damon ("Good Will Hunting," "Invictus") stars in "Hereafter," directed by Academy Award® winner Clint Eastwood ("Million Dollar Baby," "Unforgiven") from a screenplay by two time Oscar® nominee Peter Morgan ("Frost/Nixon," "The Queen"). "Hereafter" tells the story of three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. Matt Damon stars as George, a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (Cecile de Fr...

The main event on day five of the fest Monday, was a staged conversation with actor Ben Affleck, 37, held at the Grammy Museum a short walk away from the Regal Cineplex 14 main festival venue. This was introduced by long term Newsweek film critic David Ansen who is the artistic director of the festival this year. The moderator --i.e., leading question asker -- was a Mr. Sean Smith, who prudently allowed Mr. Affleck to do most of the talking. Clips from some of his films were shown including the ...

A friend wrote to me last night "what are you going to see tonight?". I answered him, I'm going to see Ben Affleck, of course!  My friend replied "Ask him what happened after Good Will Hunting". Well he answered that. "C´mon, how can he be called indie?" another friend asked. I´d asked the same question myself. Well Ben Affleck answered that too, with reflections on Good Will Hunting that launched his career, role after role in films by Kevin Smith (who fa...

by Marla Lewin These “top ten” films were chosen from the total 22 films that were bestowed with the Heartland Truly Moving Picture Award in 2009. The award was created by Heartland Truly Moving Pictures as a way to honor theatrically released films that meet Heartland’s mission of emphasizing the best of the human spirit.   Honored films, in order of the top selected, are   1.       The Blind Side ...

by Marla LewinHelen Mirren Photo taken by Stephan Rabold, Courtesy of Sony Pictures ClassicsThe 21st Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Academy Award winner Helen Mirren with the Career Achievement Award. Presented by Cartier, the Awards Gala will kick off the 2010 awards season on Tuesday, January 5 at the Palm Springs Convention Center and will be hosted by "Entertainment Tonight's" Mary Hart. The Festival runs January 5-18, 2010.Mirren will join pre...

Steven Soderbergh's dark, comic drama The Informant! opens the 22nd Helsinki International Film Festival ? Love & Anarchy. The L&A Gala Film selection is the original version of John Woo?s historical spectacle, Red Cliff I-II. This is the first time the original version of almost five hours will be screened in Europe. The Festival closes with the awaited new film by Jane Campion, Bright Star. Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! is a dark, comic drama on the chaotic, corrupt...

The 19th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will honor Jerry Weintraub with the Patron of the Arts Award presented by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation, at the Festival’s annual Awards Gala. The Awards Gala, which will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, will also honor Sean Penn, Marion Cotillard, Emile Hirsch and Nikki Blonksy and is hosted by “Entertainment Tonight’s” Mary Hart.The Screen Actors Guild Foundation will prese...

The 11th Annual Hollywood Film Festival's Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony, will take place on October 22, 2007, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.Oscar(r)-winner Ben Affleck will be honored with the "Hollywood Breakthrough Director of the Year Award," Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Connelly will receive the "Hollywood Supporting Actress of the Year Award," and producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan will receive the "Hollywood Producers of the Year Award."The "Hollywood Awards" wi...

Wednesday, March 21----- The San Francisco Film Society announced today that Robin Williams will be the recipient of the Peter J. Owens Award to be presented at the San Francisco International Film Festival (April 26–May 10, 2007), which is celebrating its landmark 50th anniversary this year, making it the oldest film festival event in the Americas. The Owens Award, named after local cultural benefactor and longtime Film Society board member Peter J. Owens, honors an actor whose work exemplif...

Some actors have nine lives, other sink like a stone. And then others are presumed to be "missing in action" after a series of flops at the box office. Some win fame early on, while others find it when they ripen in their later years. Some are blissfully ignored by the tabloids, and others are their bread and butter. Some are famous for what they do, and others are famous for who they are. All of the above (contradictions intact) describe the journey of Ben Affleck in the world of film. A journe...

Some actors have nine lives, other sink like a stone. And then others are presumed to be "missing in action" after a series of flops at the box office. Some win fame early on, while others find it when they ripen in their later years. Some are blissfully ignored by the tabloids, and others are their bread and butter. Some are famous for what they do, and others are famous for who they are. All of the above (contradictions intact) describe the journey of Ben Affleck in the world of film. A journe...

Wednesday, December 6----Some actors have nine lives, other sink like a stone. And then others are presumed to be "missing in action" after a series of flops at the box office. Some win fame early on, while others find it when they ripen in their later years. Some are blissfully ignored by the tabloids, and others are their bread and butter. Some are famous for what they do, and others are famous for who they are. All of the above (contradictions intact) describe the journey of Ben Affleck i...

As I open my INBOX in the press room today this is the first e-mail I see -- from film colleague and editor Tom, in Prague; "Ahoy, Alex: Sounds like you're having a helluva time over there! -- Vino pouring freely, sexy women lurking everywhere -- la dolce vita! Did you see the Scorsese flick? How was the press conference? Haven't been too impressed with him lately and Di Caprio can kiss my ass, but Marty did make a few great ones. Always waiting for the comeback. Tom"---------------------------...