Other Ozzes, Great and Terrible (but Mostly Terrible)

Twenty minutes into the first full-length movie based on L. Frank Baum’s most beloved novel, a duck pukes into the face of Larry Semon, the star and director. Semon’s 1925 flop, titled The Wizard of Oz, opens and closes with a Geppetto-esque toymaker reading to his granddaughter from a well-loved…

MTV Movie Awards: Django Unchained vs. Ted

The nominations for the MTV Movie Awards, announced last night, are decided by executives and producers at MTV. Ostensibly, the choices are designed for maximum appeal to the channel’s viewers. This year, two movies are tied for the most nominations: Django Unchained and Ted. That makes one of MTV’s most…

See River Phoenix’s Last Film, Dark Blood, for Free Tomorrow Night

Twenty Feet from Stardom, the Miami International Film Festival’s opening-night film, was jaw-dropping. Venus and Serena, its closer, has superstar power. But if you’re hoping to see the MIFF entry that earned the most headlines this year, it’s Dark Blood, the final film starring the ’90s acting wunderkind who died…

Matrimonio: In Argentina, Aging Resignedly, If Not Gracefully

Hollywood filmmakers have made weddings the ultimate goal in romances for so long it almost feels cliché to note the cliché. But weddings only signal the start of something often far too complex and intimidating for most filmmakers to explore. Argentine director Carlos Jaureguialzo offers a fine take on the…