Film & TV

Oscars 2021: Everything You Need to Know About the Best Picture Nominees

April 23, 2021 by

Cinema’s biggest night is once again upon us — here’s everything you need to know about this year’s nominees. 
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SBIFF 2021: Sacha Baron Cohen Accepts Outstanding Performer Of The Year Award

April 18, 2021 by

Following his award-winning performances as Borat in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and Abbie Hoffman in “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Sacha Baron Cohen was honored with the award.
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Forget the Remake and the Reboot. Are We Entering the Age of the Cinematic Redo?

April 15, 2021 by

After a years-long social media campaign by devoted DC Universe fanboys to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, director Zack Snyder’s version of 2017’s “Justice League” has finally arrived.
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SBIFF 2021: Four Filmmakers Win The Outstanding Directors Of The Year Award

April 12, 2021 by

The award ceremony celebrated four filmmakers who “pushed the boundaries in their storytelling and created films that showcase the art of filmmaking at its best.”
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SBIFF 2021: Carey Mulligan Wins The Cinema Vanguard Award At The Santa Barbara International Film Festival

April 7, 2021 by

The tribute, which honors actors who have “the tenacity to forge new ground in their craft,” was in recognition of Mulligan’s electrifying performance in “Promising Young Woman."
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SBIFF 2021: On Opening Night, “Invisible Valley” Treads Familiar Ground in Unfamiliar Territory

April 4, 2021 by

The film follows the lives of those in the Coachella Valley over the course of four seasons, from the farmworkers toiling in the fields to the revelers at the music festival.
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In Review: Chloé Zhao’s Quiet, Contemplative “Nomadland” Has a Different Vision for the American Dream

February 26, 2021 by

To save us from this reality comes Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a tale of freedom, empathy and hope — and one that might just be one of this year’s best films. 
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In Review: Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” Confronts the Reality of the American Dream

February 22, 2021 by

Though the Golden Globes wrongly classifies it as a foreign language film, “Minari” is one of the truest contributions to the American storytelling tradition.
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The Six Best Films from Sundance Film Festival 2021

February 16, 2021 by

The (virtual) 2021 Sundance Film Festival showcased the immense talent and uncompromising vision of some of the best independent filmmakers working today.
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In Review: Carey Mulligan Delivers a Career Highlight in “Promising Young Woman”

January 23, 2021 by

As we look back on 2020, “Promising Young Woman” stands as an example of the thrilling work that can come out of even the darkest of times.
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In Review: Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” Offers Far Greater Frustration Than Spectacle

January 19, 2021 by

“Tenet'' is not a good film but a collection of interesting ideas let down by the muddled, disjointed nature of its writing.
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In Review: “Mank” Marks David Fincher’s Big Return in a Small Way

December 21, 2020 by

“Mank,” a film about filmmaking in the Golden Age of Hollywood, never quite manages to elevate itself above the trappings of the repetitive trope. 
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In Review: “The Queen’s Gambit” Should Be Everyone’s Next Binge

December 10, 2020 by

The series documents Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) from her life as an orphan in rural Kentucky to her journey in Moscow, where she becomes the greatest chess player in the world.
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Defeating Fear With Laughter: “The Great Dictator” in a Modern Context

October 25, 2020 by

Associate Professor Maggie Hennefeld, from the University of Minnesota, invited UCSB students for a Zoom discussion as part of the Carsey-Wolf Center’s ongoing series on subversive cinema.
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In Review: Is “Emily in Paris” Binge-Worthy or Cringe-Worthy?

October 19, 2020 by

Overall, “Emily in Paris” falls very short of becoming an iconic series and instead is more like a dollar store’s “Gossip Girl.” That being said, it was difficult to stop watching.
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