Author Archives: Mark DuPré

About Mark DuPré

Retired (associate) pastor at a Christian church. Retired film professor at Rochester Institute of Technology. Husband for nearly 50 years to the lovely and talented Diane. Father to three children and father-in-law to three more amazing people. I continue some ministry duties even though retired from the pastoral staff position. Right now I'm co-writing a book, co-writing a serious musical drama, and am half-way through writing (on my own a month-long devotional.

2016 Oscar Nominations—Best Director

Posted on February 26, 2016 by Mark DuPré

This category may well be the hardest to predict—with the possible exception of Best Picture. It’s no longer a given that the two categories are joined at the hip. Ang Lee won Best Director for Brokeback Mountain a decade ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged 12 Years a Slave, A Letter to Three Wives, Adam McKay, Alejandro Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuaron, All About Eve, Ang Lee, Argo, Best Director, Brokeback Mountain, Crash, George Miller, Gravity, Joseph Mankiewicz, Lawrence of Arabia, Lenny Abrahamson, Life of Pi, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room, Spotlight, The Big Short, The Revenant, Tom McCarthy | Leave a comment

2016 Oscar Nominations: The “Minor” Sure-Thing Awards

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Mark DuPré

To those in the so-called “minor” awards—those outside the top six—the Oscar is anything but minor. But to most folks outside of the industry, the awards outside of the acting, directing and best picture awards are of somewhat less interest. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged Amy, Anomalisa, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Original Screenplay, Boy and the World, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Carol, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Mad Max: Fury Road, Room, Shaun the Sheep, Son of Saul, Spotlight, Straight Outta Compton, The Big Short, The Good Dinosaur, The Martian, When Marnie Was There | Leave a comment

2016 Oscar Nominations—Best Actress

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Mark DuPré

Here are the nominations: Cate Blanchett-Carol Brie Larson-Room Jennifer Lawrence-Joy Charlotte Rampling—45 Years Saoirse Ronen-Brooklyn This category is a bit of a yawn, though it may have set a record for the shortest names of the films they are … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged 2016 Oscar Nominations: Best Actress, 45 Years, Best Supporting Actress, Brie Larson, Brooklyn, Carol, Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Rampling, Jennifer Lawrence, Joy, Room, Saoirse Ronen | Leave a comment

2016 Oscar Nominations—Best Actor

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Mark DuPré

This year’s nominees are making for a lot of head-scratching in Hollywood. Best Picture and Best Director nominations are presenting a big challenge for predictors. The one “lock” this year, however, is the Best Actor category. Nominees are: Bryan Cranston, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged Alicia Vikander, Best Actor nominations, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Eddie Redmayne, Leo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Michael Fassbender, Spencer Tracy, Steve Jobs, The Danish Girl, The Informant!, The Martian, The Revenant, Tom Hanks, Trumbo | Leave a comment

2016 Oscar Nominations—Best Supporting Actress

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Mark DuPré

It’s certainly not the “best” performance that always wins—or even gets nominated. There are always other considerations that go into winning the award. For instance, a performance night be the crowning achievement of one’s acting career, and that might put … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged Alicia Vikander, Annie Hall, Best Supporting Actress, Carol, Diane Keaton, Ex Machina, Golden Globe, J.K. Simmons, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kate Winslet, Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Rooney Mara, Spotlight, Steve Jobs, Tarantino, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, The Reader, Whiplash | Leave a comment

2016 Oscar Nominees—Best Supporting Actor

Posted on February 20, 2016 by Mark DuPré

It’s that time of year again, when Hollywood looks at itself, and works hard to look objective. It’s also a great time for Hollywood physical therapists, as the Oscars ceremonies are a great time for patting oneself vigorously on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged Bridge of Spies, Christian Bale, Creed, Great Britain, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Mark Rylance, Oscar nominees, Spotlight, Sylvester Stallone, The Big Short, The Fighter, The Revenant, Tom Hardy, Tony Award | Leave a comment

The Big Short

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Mark DuPré

The Big Short is the film that addresses the marketing collapse of 2008. It’s suddenly the talk of the town, because it took the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Picture over The Revenant and Spotlight. Perhaps the latter … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Producers Guild of America, Ryan Gosling, Spotlight, Steve Carell, The Big Short, The Revenant | 1 Comment

Room

Posted on January 24, 2016 by Mark DuPré

Room may well be the most moving, intimate, emotional and gut-wrenching mainstream film this year. It’s tender, sweet, tense, wondrous, lyrical and biting—all at different times. Featuring a shattering performance by Brie Larson (pretty much a shoo-in for Best Actress) … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Brie Larson, Brooklyn, Haley Joel Osment, Jason Tremblay, Julianne Moore, Kramer vs. Kramer, Lenny Abrahamson, Meryl Streep, Room, Saoirse Ronan, Sean Bridgers, The Sixth Sense | Leave a comment

2016 Oscars–first thoughts

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Mark DuPré

OK, they nominations are out. And the celebrating, sniping and whining has begun. But the nominations are not exactly shocking, and are in fact fairly predictable. There are a few surprises, though, and while not shocking, are at least attention-getting. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film-Related Articles | Tagged 2016, 2016 Oscars--first thoughts, 45 Years, A Beautiful Mind, Academy Awards, Adam McKay, Ali, Alicia Vikander, Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Birdman, Boyhood, Bridge of Spies, Brie Larson, Brooklyn, Carol, Cate Blanchett, Charlotte Rampling, Creed, Denzel, George Miller, Halle Berry, Holocaust, Hungary, I Am Sam, Idris Elba, Inarritu, Inside Out, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Winslet, Lenny Abrahamson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mad Max: Fury Road, Michael B. Jordan, Monster's Ball, Oscars, Ridley Scott, Rocky, Room, Rooney Mara, Russell Crowe, Saoirse Ronan, Sean Penn, snub, Son of Saul, Spielberg, Spotlight, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton, Sylvester Stallone, The Big Short, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, The Martian, The Revenant, Tom Hardy, Tom McCarthy, Training Day, Visual Effects, Will Smith | Leave a comment

The Revenant

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Mark DuPré

Cold. Beautiful. Brutal. Fierce. Intense. Stunning. Violent. And that’s just Tom Hardy’s performance. But seriously, The Revenant (recent winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture/Drama) is a far-reaching work of art that is worth seeing while falling just short … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged All is Lost, Atonement, Birdman, Birdman or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance, Brooklyn, David Lean, Domhnall Gleeson, Dr. Zhivago, Emmanuel Lubezki, Ex Machina, Gladiator, Golden Globe, Gravity, John Wayne, Lawrence of Arabia, Leonardo DiCaprio, Montana, Old Boy, South Dakota, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Terrence Malick, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Maze Runner, The Passion of the Christ, The Revenant, The Searchers, The Tree of Life, To the Wonder, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter | Leave a comment

Author Archives: Mark DuPré

About Mark DuPré

The Big Short

Room

The Revenant

Search for Film

Recent Posts

Archives

Categories