Required Reading: Indie Directors Who Need a Blockbuster and The Old Focus

By  · Published on May 5th, 2014

Focus Features

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“10 Filmmakers Who Deserve a Shot at a Summer Blockbuster” – Jacobs S. Hall at Movies.com offers up some amazing talents who would knock big budgets out of the park, but hopefully his list remains purely theoretical. We wouldn’t want any of these impressive indie directors strapped into innovation-killing hell of summer studio filmmaking. Marc Webb, please come back to us.

“New Focus. Not the Same as the Old Focus.” – Anne Thompson laments the devolution of a trailblazing indie studio who’s sunken comfortably into the mediocre under new management.

“How The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Documents Hollywood’s Declining Relationship with Talented Young Filmmakers” – As if spidey-sending Hall’s article, Eric Kohn at IndieWire recognizing the behemoth autopilot at work with crafting blockbusters, regardless of who is at the helm.

“The Problem with Self-Contained Movie Universes” – Nick Schager at Complex points out a paradox of size, explaining why being expansive can make a giant movie feel awfully small.

“A Few Thoughts on the New Godzilla, Written By My 8-Year-Old Self” – Annalee Newitz at io9 is a national treasure. I’ve never thought about (or laughed at) Godzilla’s neck and rock hard abs this much before.

“Star Wars, I Can Never Quit You” – Nordling at Aint It cool lets loose on a deep, abiding love for a movie that’s blossomed into a profound appreciation for a galaxy of characters and storylines. All of it is lacquered by optimism. It’s an inner circle opinion on the future of the franchise, it’s potential and its diversity. The only quibble I have is when he says they “tried” to create a holiday surrounding it. As yesterday indicated, they’ve done it. May the fifth be with you, everyone.

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Movie stuff at VanityFair, Thrillist, IndieWire, Film School Rejects, and The Broken Projector Podcast@brokenprojector | Writing short stories at Adventitious.