Oliver Stone...honored with Director's Award! San Francisco International Film Festival!



Academy Award-Winner - Oliver Stone - is getting a nod from the long-running San Francisco International Film Festival.

Stone - who helmed blockbuster hits such as "Wall Street" and "JFK" - will be honored with a prestigious Festival Founder's Directing Award.

In honor of the occasion, the film society is slated to screen clips of Stone's work on April 27th in the bay area during the course of this year's Festival (which runs April 21st to May 5th).

Mr. Stone is expected to be appear in person on the night of the award celebrations (April 28th) for an on-stage interview which is expected to sell-out to capacity.

Former honorees have been highly-ranked in their craft, as well, and include notables such as Akira Kurosawa, Francis Ford Coppola, Spike Lee, Werner Hertzog, Milos Forman, Warren Beatty, and Clint Eastwood (to name a few).

Founded in 1957, the International Film Festival is the longest-running one of its kind in the Americas, and held each spring over a two-week period.

The highly-respected fest showcases upwards of 200 films each year and usually attracts an annual audience of 80,000 film-goers.

According to their Mission Statement, San Francisco's International Film Festival is deeply rooted in the best and finest traditions of the appreciation of film - both as an art form - and as a meaningful agent for social change.

SFIFF features ground-breaking narrative feature films, live action and animated shorts, television and theatrical documentaries, experimental work and a variety of new digital media.

In addition, there is usually a smart lineup of industry panels and seminars, awards events, onstage tributes, retrospectives and the highly acclaimed Schools at the Festival program (which brings about 4,200 students in grades 1-12 into the festivities).

The offerings are screened at eight venues in the Bay Area.

In spite of its remarkable reach and scope, the much-anticipated Fest manages to remain intimate in many respects, while maintaining widespread appeal across the board in the community-at-large.

In sum, the fest combines a range of marquee premieres, international competitions, hard-hitting documentaries, digital media work and star-studded gala events - that ultimately - educate, enlighten, and inspire.

See 'ya there!

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Charlie Sheen pot-boiler!

Michael Douglas..Entertainment Tonight stalks Catherine Zeta-Jones! Sleazy & shocking...

ET stalks emotionally-stricken subjects!

That was quite a shocking video tabloid reporters broadcast at the dinner hour on Entertainment Tonight a few days ago.

The popular entertainment show dedicated a segment of their normally-upbeat half-hour bill-of-fare (which primarily focuses on luminaries in the Film & TV industry) to enlighten viewers about the status of Michael Douglas’s current battle with throat cancer.

Although fans of the Oscar-winner appreciated the health update,  ET’s disturbing lack of sensitivity turned the news alert into a tawdry tabloid piece of sensational trash the hosts should be ashamed of.

For example, ET aired footage their house paparazzi took on the fly, after chasing down a confrontation between actress Catherine Zeta-Jones and sleazy free-lance photographers anxious to capture traumatic images of the normally well-composed actress breaking down in tears.

The inappropriate press "stalking" triggered the ugly incident.

Instead of shutting down their cameras, and showing some respect and compassion, ET’ cold-hearted crew moved in closer for the kill.

And what of Mr. Douglas?

The poor man continues to valiantly struggle with throat cancer, and should be left alone to heal, instead of being treated like a pitiful caged animal to exploited at whim.

The sleazy news report smacked of the tasteless story ET turned out on Patrick Swayze just prior to his death.

On that shocking occasion, Mary Hart trampled all over Swayze’s right to privacy, in spectacular insensitive fashion.

Why?

Because heart-wrenching vigils, high drama, and teary-eyed emotionally-distraught celebrities - breaking down in the street  - rev up the ratings!

Shame!

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Michael Douglas..."Money Never Sleeps" premieres! Actor upbeat & in good spirits!

In spite of the recent announcement that he has been battling cancer - and the respected actor has been attending frenzied red-carpet premieres to promote his new flick - "Money Never Sleeps" (the sequel to Wall Street) - Michael Douglas (starring) has been pretty low-key about the season ahead at press junkets this past few days.

"Tennis has never been better, college football just started and it's been a great weekend of college football," he joked to a National magazine, off the cuff.

No bluesy moments for the A-list star who has - not only been optimistic and upbeat about his chances for survival - but straightforward about the fact he is undergoing intensive radiation and chemotherapy. 

Although the treatment has left Douglas exhausted on some days - and he has a difficult time speaking, eating and swallowing - he has kept a stiff upper lip and refused to be a downer to his circle of supportive friends.

"I've got a Monday-night game coming up with the Jets, so sports looks really good. And to top it off, we have a picture that's rocking," he said.

"So, what's not to like?"

The film - which features Charlie Sheen in a cameo role - opens in wide release on Sept. 24th.

The much-anticipated follow-up pic also stars Shia LaBeouf and Carey Mulligan,.

Oliver Stone helmed the intense drama which picks up where "Wall Street" left off.

Douglas plays a trader who is released from prison trying to heal wounds with his estranged daughter.

A review will follow.

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Michael Douglas...King of California, not!

Michael Douglas (once a blazing star in the glittering firmament) appeared on Dave Letterman the other evening for a bit of chit-chat - and used the occasion to promote the DVD for his latest project - "King of California".

Gee, was the film that bad? Obviously, 'cause "King" almost went straight to a DVD, small-screen release.

"I wasn't happy with the distributors," Douglas complained to the toothy talk-show host, who was all ears.

Michael, is it possible that the comic-adventure was just a silly stinker, with little box office appeal?

Just asking!