More ephemera distilled from the infinite vastness of the Internet…
VATICAN DENOUNCES “COMPASS”: The Vatican newspaper l’Osservatore Romanao dismisses the film as “Godless and hopeless.” Unfortunately, Hollywood Today writer Stacey Silberman conflates the Vatican criticism with calls by an American group for a boycott, despite the fact that the l’Osservatore Romanao editorial does not advise Catholics against seeing the film, merely remarking that those who do see it will find it “devoid of any particular emotion apart from a great chill.”
RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY’S BIGGEST ALLY also deals with THE GOLDEN COMPASS: Philip Slater wonders why critical reaction to the film was so negative. Despite the title of his post, he concludes not that critics are closet religious bigots but that they are men who fear identifying with a young female protagonist for two hours. Slater makes no attempt to reconcile his theory with the almost universal critical adoration for THE WIZARD OF OZ.
NARNIA 2 TRAILER: Yahoo movies has the trailer for THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN.
DRIVEN BY THE FORCE OF WILL: In this Times Online profile of Will Smith, the actor reveals his strategy for choosing blockbuster projects like INDEPENDENCE DAY and I AM LEGEND.
LEEDS FILM FEST: The Spanish horror hit THE ORPHANAGE takes home the Melies d’Argent (“Silver Melies”) award for best science-fiction/fantasy film. (For you youngsters out there, the award is named after George Melis, the silent movie magician who pioneered the art of cinematic special effects.)
HORROR FOR THE HOLIDAYS: IF Magazine offers another list of holiday horror films. Unlike the last such list we mentioned, this one includes BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). GREMLINS and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS also earn a mention.
CHRISTMAS VS. THE ALIENS: The Flux Capacitor offers up a tribute to what they call “the greatest seasonal sci-fi movie ever made” – SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS.
CLASSIC DR. WHO: Illusion TV will plans to air classic episodes of the old BBC series, beginning with TOMB OF THE CYBERMEN.