British Film Institute Restores Cache Of Films Lost 50 Years

“For some 50 years, the reels of film lay forgotten in a London garage. Now a cache of more than 30 has been discovered, showing the first performances by young actors who would go on to become some of Britain’s greatest comedians, including Peter Sellers, Prunella Scales and Ronnie Corbett. The movies, all shot in the early 1950s when Britain was trying to turn its film industry into a mini-Hollywood, have now been given to the British Film Institute (BFI) to restore.”

Gay Activists (Some Of Them) Are Unhappy With The Whole Bruno Joke

“Ultimately the tension surrounding Brüno boils down to the worry that certain viewers won’t understand that the joke is on them and will leave the multiplex with their homophobia validated. ‘Some people in our community may like this movie, but many are not going to be O.K. with it’, said … [an official with] the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.”

An Ambitious Plan To Remake Paris

“A formidable list of architects — including Richard Rogers, Jean Nouvel, Djamel Klouche and Roland Castro — put forward proposals that address a range of urban problems: from housing the poor to fixing outdated transportation systems to renewing the immigrant suburbs. Some have suggested practical solutions — new train stations and parks — while others have been more provocative, like Castro, who proposed moving the presidential palace to the outskirts.”

America’s Movie Critics Get Second Life

“America’s film critics, an ornery lot, are not dead yet. In fact, their craft has shown flickering signs of new life lately — though not the kind that leaves ink-stained cinephiles entirely comfortable. The last few weeks have brought the debut of Moviereviewintelligence.com, a new Web site committed to monitoring, scoring and proliferating the work of critics at some 65 print and broadcast outlets.”