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Purpose


This section of the FILMS FOR TWO website contains additional resource information, including:
 
Where to find independent films
Where to get specific information 
(i.e., reviews of DVD special features, 
reviews of film scores, Academy Award 
nominees & winners, MPAA ratings, etc)
Websites with unique points of view 

 

 

 
WHERE TO FIND INDEPENDENT FILMS:

(a) In the Theaters

Landmark Theatres, the nation's largest art-house chain, features first-run independent and foreign films and non-traditional studio fare in 52 theaters representing 169 screens in 12 states, including the following metropolitan areas: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, LA, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New Orleans, NYC, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle St. Louis, & Washington DC.

For more information, surf on over to www.landmarktheatres.com

 

Independent Film Report (http://www.ifilmreport.com/)

We are your "weekly kick-in-the-ass" to go out there and see an indie film. Our mission is simple: promote independent films by increasing awareness so people go to the theatres. This is made possible through the online distribution of our jazzy newsletter which posts all national and local releases of independent films as well as the Now Playing Report, where you can search by zipcode. The Independent Film Report is the best way for indie cinephiles and occasional indie-goers alike to be-in-the-know of non-commercial cinema.


The IFR is a non-profit newsletter sent out to about 200,000 people. It was started purely as a means of giving independent and documentary filmmakers a fighting chance in having their stories and voices heard. In a world bombarded with with big-budget, highly commercialized movies, indies are often lost in the marketing shadows. 

Visitors simply enter their zip code to find nearby theatres and showtimes. 

 

(b) On DVD &/or Video

Facets Video, a division of Facets Multi-Media, is one of the nation’s largest distributors of foreign, classic, cult, art, and hard-to-find videos. They search the world for artistically important film on video - bypassing many mainstream releases to focus on the rare and the unusual. As a result, Facets' 40,000 (and growing!) title inventory is an astounding video collection unlike any in the world, famous for its breadth and diversity.

Facets video rental store is located at 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. If you don’t live near by, you can take advantage of their unique rent-by-mail membership. Facets rental library consists of over 20,000 videos, specializing in foreign, classic, experimental and independent films on video.

For more information on the video rentals programs please contact the rentals department at rentals@facets.org.
For more information, surf on over to www.facets.org

 

(c) On Cable &/or Satellite Television

The Independent Film Channel (www.ifctv.com)

IFC is television by and for people who care passionately about independent film, bringing viewers the best of the indie film genre, as well as live events and film festivals, like the Independent Spirit Awards and Cannes, unedited and commercial-free, 24 hours a day. “There is an ever-growing appetite for films that challenge us with story, character, and style, and an incredible need for these films to be showcased beyond theatrical release. This channel presents that rare potential to expand the American lexicon and appreciation of an important and uniquely entertaining art form." 

The Independent Film Channel has two advisory boards to provide direction. The first, The Filmmakers Advisory Board, is made up of cinematic leaders in both the independent and studio film community including: Robert Altman, Joel and Ethan Coen, Martha Coolidge, Jodie Foster, Jim Jarmusch, Spike Lee, Tim Robbins, Ed Saxon, Martin Scorsese, & Steven Soderbergh.

The second, the University Advisory Board, provides outreach for finding emerging filmmakers. New York University's Tisch School of the Arts serves as the flagship school and the board includes Columbia University, the University of Southern California (USC), New York School of Visual Arts, San Francisco State University, University of Texas at Austin and Boston University.

If you want to get The Independent Film Channel in to your area, write your cable or satellite provider and ask for it! 

The Sundance Channel (www.sundancechannel.com)

The Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support and development of independent filmmakers, screenwriters, playwrights, composers and other film and theatre artists. The Sundance Film Festival, presented by the Sundance Institute since 1985, provides a showcase of the best independent films from around the world to an international audience of filmmakers, press, industry, and film enthusiasts. 

Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel brings television viewers daring and engaging feature films, shorts, documentaries, world cinema and animation, shown uncut and with no commercials. Through its original programs, Sundance Channel connects viewers with filmmakers, the creative process, and the world of independent film. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture between Robert Redford, Showtime Networks Inc., and Universal Studios. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of supporting independent artists and providing them with wider opportunities to present their work to audiences. Although the Sundance Channel shows many films that also appeared at the festival, being part of the festival is in no way a requirement for being selected to appear on the Sundance Channel. 

The Sundance Channel is available via satellite television and cable television. To find out if your provider offers Sundance Channel, call (800) SUN-FILM = (800) 786-3456. If your preferred provider does offer Sundance Channel, you'll be transferred directly to your local cable or satellite representative who will take your order. If your preferred provider doesn't offer Sundance Channel, then tell your customer service representative you want it right away. 
 

 

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WHERE TO GET MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION

 

(a) DVD File (www.dvdfile.com)

As all movie-buffs know, the new DVD format allows distributors to add a myriad of “special features” to the basic film. Since FILMS FOR TWO is primarily concerned with the quality of the film itself, we do not include consideration of these “special features” in our reviews. For detailed analysis of the full DVD package (prior to either renting it or purchasing it), we recommend that you log onto DVD File.

Founded in 1998, DVDFILE.COM is a consumer-focused site dedicated to providing the DVD enthusiast daily news, reviews, release news, technical information and further online and offline resources. 

For an example of what DVD File does best, log onto DVD File & search for FUNNY GIRL. Once there, you will find a great interview with Grover Crisp (Vice President of Asset Management & Film Restoration for Sony Pictures Entertainment) in which Crisp describes the recent three-year restoration of this wonderful film. 

 

(b) Film Score Monthly (www.filmscoremonthly.com)

There’s not a lot out there to read if you're a film music fan, but there is Film Score Monthly. Founded in 1990, FSM is now America's leading magazine about motion picture and television music, focusing on the background music (the instrumental underscores which play such an important part of the film-going experience). 

Regular features include interviews with top composers like John Williams, Danny Elfman, John Barry, Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, Elliot Goldenthal, Elmer Bernstein, Randy Newman, and Thomas Newman; reviews of soundtrack CDs; and news on upcoming films and albums. 

As its name implies, FSM is published monthly. The website is a supplement, with an e-store from which you can order classic soundtracks and valuable reference books.

 

(c) The Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)

Founded in 1991, the 10 year old Internet Movie Database is unquestionably the best site on the internet for researching the basic facts of a film. With an online inventory of over 200,000 films to date, IMDb contains essential facts such as the names of all cast & crew members, the date & country of release, major awards for which the film was nominated (if any), MPAA ratings, etc, etc.

The IMDb encourages users to rate films themselves & allows users to look up the ratings of other users (compiled by age & sex). There are user comments attached to each entry, as well as discussion boards on which users can debate specific topics.

Finally, because it is an amazon.com company, the IMDb also allows its users to move easily from researching a film to ordering it on either video or DVD (if available).

We probably log onto IMDb ourselves at least a dozen times every week. What could possibly be a better recommendation than that?!?

 

(d) Rotten Tomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com)

Created by movie-buff Senh Duong in 1998, Rotten Tomatoes has grown to become a premier destination for both casual movie-goers and film buffs alike. With more than 87,000 titles and 200,000 review links in its ever-growing database, Rotten Tomatoes offers a fun and informative way to discover the critical reaction on movies from many of the nation's top print and online film critics, neatly summarized via their homegrown Tomatometer™. 

Because of limited resources, Rotten Tomatoes only accepts reviews that are submitted before a movie is released. Therefore, you will not find FILMS FOR TWO included in the Rotten Tomatoes database.
 

 

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Websites with unique points of view

 
3BlackChicks Review: 
Entertainment Reviews With FLAVA!

3BC Review...

 

Hungry Ghost Productions
is owned and operated by David Chute, a well-known LA-based film critic and journalist. Among his claims to fame, David was one of the first to recognize John Sayles, publishing his article “John Sayles: Designated Writer” in the May/June 1981 issue of Film Comment. Recently, David has become one of America’s chief proponents of Asian film. He wrote the cover story for Premiere “Year of the Dragon” the month CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON was released (December, 2000), and he served as Guest Editor for Film Comment’s special feature on Bollywood (May/June 2002). Full disclosure: David & Jan were college buddies in the ‘70s.

 


photos of current movies

 


"Where Movie Critics Get A Taste Of Their Own Medicine"

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