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The Film Experience™ was created by Nathaniel R. All material herein is written by our team.

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Friday
Nov252016

Interview: Director Boo Junfeng on Why He Focused on Empathy in Singaporean Oscar Submission 'Apprentice' 

Jose here. Boo Junfeng’s harrowing drama Apprentice focuses on the fascination a young prison officer (Firdaus Rahman) develops with the Chief Executioner (Wan Hanafi Su) who becomes his mentor. Besides the unique professional bond they share, there’s also a secret about their past that lingers over their relationship. This is only Junfeng’s second feature film, and he displays the storytelling confidence of veterans. Despite the film dealing with capital punishment it’s not a film about this, but rather a complex character study which invites us to wonder why so many people make choices we wouldn’t do in a million years. The film which Nathaniel reviewed at TIFF, is Singapore’s official Oscar submission, so I spoke to Junfeng about creating the characters, casting the actors and why it’s important we watch films about dislikable characters.

Read the interview after the jump.

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Friday
Nov252016

Nathaniel Gives Thanks !

Since it's Thanksgiving weekend and your presumably still digesting all that pie, let's stay reflective about gratitude, cinematic and otherwise. You've already heard from positivity-spreading volunteers among our team (Manuel, Jose, Daniel, Murtada, and Chris) so now it's my turn. I shall try very hard to come up with a few new things for which to be thankful since they stole so many of my items! 

Here are 16 things I am deeply grateful for in defiance of how awful 2016 was trying to be to all of us...

- The way Meryl Streep's eyes dart around desperately for validation during her wobbly notes in Florence Foster Jenkins. Girl, I feel you. Same.

- Brave endings that really land through force of vision and artistry from The Fits to The Witch through The Lobster and La La Land

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Friday
Nov252016

Say What! On the "Mary Magdelene" Set

Garth Davis's Lion arrives in theatres today, but he'll be reuniting with supporting player Rooney Mara in short order for next year's Mary Magdalene. That intriguing project is one of many coming next year from the actress, including a just announced secret film shot with her Aint Them Bodies Saints director David Lowery last summer and maybe Terrence Malick's Weightless. However, we've now seen some set photos of Davis's film with Mara and Joaquin Phoenix's Jesus getting all biblical:

What could Mara be saying to Phoenix? Caption This in the comments!

Thursday
Nov242016

Jose Gives Thanks <3

Jose here. Confession: I keep a gratitude journal. Every morning I jot down a few things for which I’m grateful and more often than not, I find that they have little to do with “real life” and more to do with art, particularly film and theatre. “I’m grateful for the tear that came down the actress’ cheek after she sang the 11 o’clock number”, or “I’m grateful for Emma Stone’s eyes”...Experts say that keeping track of the good things that happen to you is key to happiness, and without being too esoteric, or GOOP, about it I can definitely say I’ve noticed the improvements in my own life. So hey, if you need a new project to get you through these dark days why not give it a try? In the meantime I thought I’d share a few of those entries with you.

I give thanks for…

...being alive in the era where queer films aren’t tragic, but hopeful! Kudos to Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party and Moonlight for sending me home elated, rather than sobbing.

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Thursday
Nov242016

Daniel Gives Thanks

Daniel here, and Happy Thanksgiving! I couldn’t be more thankful to be a member of such a lovely film-obsessed sphere as the one here at TFE. From the passionate readers and writers to our fearless leader Nathaniel, it’s a plain and simple thrill to be here with you all. In a year that I’ve found stuffed with cinematic delights, here are ten things I’m especially thankful for…

...the swirling morass of overlapping dialogue in Trey Edward Shults’ Krisha. Nothing says Thanksgiving like talking over your relatives in every room of the house and – in this turkey-trotting tale – conjuring a palpable sense of potential explosion in the process. And if that won’t make your head spin, the chaotic camerawork sure will!

…all eight hours of OJ: Made In America.

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