Another day, another director feuding with Harvey Weinstein over the editing of his movie. This time it’s Frenchman Olivier Dahan, who’s none too pleased with the postponement of his Nicole Kidman-starring biopic “Grace of Monaco” to next year, and is fighting Weinstein’s proposed changes. Speaking to a French newspaper, he says: “It’s right to struggle, but when you confront an American distributor like Weinstein, not to name names, there is not much you can do. Either you say ‘Go figure it out with your pile of shit’ or you brace yourself so the blackmail isn’t as violent … If I don’t sign, that’s where the out-and-out blackmail starts, but I could go that far. There are two versions of the film for now: mine and his … which I find catastrophic.” So, this bodes well. [Hollywood Reporter]
A.O. Scott on the prevalence of “intimately scaled ordeals” at the movies — specifically, “All is Lost,” “Gravity” and “Captain Phillips” — this season. [New York Times]
“Saving Mr. Banks” producer Alison Owen delivered the keynote speech at the London Film Festival, discussing the film and our enduring need for storytelling. [Screen Daily]
Nick Schager on how an Oscar for Robert Redford in “All is Lost” would be a validation of movie stardom. [Vulture]
Andrew Stewart asks if “The Fifth Estate” has diminished Benedict Cumberbatch’s stock as a leading man. [Variety]
Bilge Ebiri on the decline of “macho” cinema. [Business Week]
The great Alfre Woodard on why “12 Years a Slave” is an essential American story. [LA Times]
It’s become fashionable lately to say that TV is better than cinema, but David Cox builds a 10-point argument opposing that line of thinking. [The Guardian]
Love this Criticwire discussion topic: lousy films with great soundtracks. [IndieWire]