Derek Boeckelmann

June 8, 2012

‘Damages’ Deserves Attention

By Derek Boeckelmann

Another May gone, another TV season over. Wow, that went by fast. After taking a moment to mourn the shows that didn’t survive another season, let’s look onwards to summer! Thankfully, the past few years have seen a ...

May 31, 2012

Reel Loud Festival Proves Cinema is Alive and Well

By Derek Boeckelmann

Last Friday evening, the UCSB Film & Media Studies Dept. proved that “cinema’s eminent demise” has been greatly exaggerated by hosting its annual Reel Loud Film Festival. Celebrating its 21st year, the festival...

May 10, 2012

Film Industry Workshop Will Bring Together Students and Professionals

By Derek Boeckelmann

The application process is now open for UCSB’s annual Talent Trade workshop. The student-run conference brings casting directors, talent agents and managers to the UCSB campus to lead a series of workshops and lectures...

April 19, 2012

‘Cabin In the Woods’ Subverts Horror Genre Well

By Derek Boeckelmann

Shot in 2009 and then stuck in distribution purgatory for several years, the highly-anticipated horror film “The Cabin in the Woods” was finally released last week. The directorial debut of “Cloverfield” scribe D...

April 5, 2012

Horror Virtuoso Adam Green Debuts ‘Holliston’ Series

By Derek Boeckelmann

Earlier this week, horror wunderkind Adam Green screened the first and fourth episodes of his new TV series “Holliston” at the University of Southern California, ahead of its official premiere on April 3. In 2006, Ad...

January 12, 2012

‘Melancholia’: Delightfully Depressing and Unsettling

By Derek Boeckelmann

So apparently it’s the end of the world in a year or something. To prepare us for the inevitable, I appoint 2011’s “Melancholia” as mandatory viewing. When it premiered at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, the film ...

January 12, 2012

‘The Innkeepers’ Raises Horror Film Expectations

By Derek Boeckelmann

For horror fans like me, 2011 saw the decline of remakes, torture porn and slasher films. While the financial pull of these subgenres nosedived, there was an unexpected revival of the paranormal subgenre, with films like...

November 10, 2011

Unusual ‘Cloud Nine’ Impresses Audiences; Tackles Gender Roles

By Derek Boeckelmann

This month, the UCSB Department of Theater and Dance unveiled its stage production of “Cloud Nine,” an unconventional play about untraditional desire, directed by Anne Torsiglieri. Written in 1979 by British playwrig...

October 27, 2011

Paranormal Activity 3: Damn Good Film

By Derek Boeckelmann

With Halloween around the corner, horror films are in high demand. Sadly, choices are rather limited this season and “Paranormal Activity 3” might be the only film with a wide release this month that manages to captu...

October 20, 2011

‘The Walking Dead’: Frighteningly Good

By Derek Boeckelmann

Over the weekend, AMC’s wildly successful series “The Walking Dead” began its sophomore run, and, thankfully, showed no signs of the behind-the-scenes drama that has plagued the series over its summer hiatus. Perso...

May 5, 2011

Capitol Steps Come to Lobero Theatre

By Derek Boeckelmann

  Attempting to put the “mock” in democracy, the Capitol Steps theater troupe performed at Santa Barbara’s Lobero Theatre Thursday, April 28. Elaina Newport, a founder and long-running member of the group, sai...

April 28, 2011

Muralists on Mason: Artists Work to Create Outdoor Gallery Downtown

By Derek Boeckelmann

On the corner of State Street and West Mason Street in downtown Santa Barbara exists a peculiar sight. Upon first glance, there might not be much to notice about the area apart from the vacant storefront that greets moto...

April 25, 2011

Scream 4 Ups The Ante

By Derek Boeckelmann

Eleven years since the conclusion of the trilogy, producers introduce the “Scream” franchise to a new generation. Having finally come to terms with her dark past, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) returns to her hometo...

March 3, 2011

Film Festival Comes to Campbell

By Derek Boeckelmann

The Film Studio, a student organization aiming to encourage UCSB film production, hosted the second annual Santa Barbara Digital Film Festival on Saturday at Campbell Hall.

February 17, 2011

The Making of “The Eagle”

By Derek Boeckelmann

With “The Eagle” currently in theaters, the cast and crew seem grateful they might finally see the fruits of their physically and emotionally demanding shoot.

February 10, 2011

Supporting Actors Rewarded for Outstanding Performances at Virtuoso Ceremony

By Derek Boeckelmann

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival hosted their annual Virtuosos Event Friday, awarding several supporting actors for outstanding performances.