On this episode, our review of Academy Award Best Picture nominee "Her" from “Where the Wild Things Are” director Spike Jonze, as well as the startling documentary "The Act of Killing," itself a nominee in the Best Doc category.But first, it's news from around the filmosphere, with our thoughts on the now-finalized list of Academy Awards nominations, and a bizarre scenario involving a pair of Google Glasses, a movie theater and some federal agents. Robert Kahne fills in for regular host Chris Ritter, who is out of town on a film project for the next few weeks, but joins the conversation via phone from Brainerd, Minn., aka the town from the Coen brothers film “Fargo." Hello brave listener and welcome to WFPL’s Sound on Film. Subscribe to Sound on Film using this link. Find us on Facebook here. Find us on Twitter here. Questions? Feedback? Story or guest interview ideas? Contact us at film@wfpl.org. Special thanks to house band Discount Guns. Ohio Man Wearing Google Glasses Yanked from Theater, Accused of Pirating (03:40) The man in question had his Google glasses equipped with his eye prescription and had been using them as his primary glasses for two months, wearing them everywhere, including to a screening at the movie theater where the incident happened. But he was nonetheless about halfway through a screening of “ Shadow Recruit," the new Tom Clancy movie starring Chris Pine, when he found himself with a badge being flashed in his face, promptly removed from the theater and taken into the custody of several homeland security agents, who accused him of illegally filming the movie. The man immediately protested his innocence, and pointed out that the Google Glasses had a USB port by which the agents could find out that there was nothing on his device but pictures of his wife and dog. But he was subjected to three hours of questioning before that happened. Upon finding nothing but the aforementioned wife and dog pics, the man was subsequently released and given two complimentary tickets to the “Shadow Recruit," so he could see it again. Apparently the MPAA had heard word of some bootleg recordings being made at that particular theater. Academy Awards Nominations Reactions/Predictions (08:35) After months of speculation we finally have the official list of Academy Awards nominees. And as with years past there's a lot to like, but a bit to bemoan as well. Thoughts and predictions on the nominees for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted screenplay. Full list of nominations here. Review: “Her” (34:34) Written and directed by Spike Jonze, who previously brought us the likes of “Where the Wild Things Are," “Adaptation," and “Being John Malkovich," “Her” stars Joaquin Phoenix as a lonely writer of handwritten letters by proxy, who falls into an increasingly intimate relationship with a sentient operating system voiced by Scarlett Johansson. Also featuring Amy Adams and Rooney Mara, “Her” is one of the nine nominees for the Oscar for Best Picture. Via NPR’s All Things Considered, an interview with Spike Jonze on “opening his heart” for his latest film. Review: “The Act of Killing” (51:45) Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer and produced by famed filmmaker Werner Herzog, “The Act of Killing” follows Indonesian gangsters Anwar Congo, Herman Koto and others who in 1965 were promoted from small-time movie theater hustlers to the army that would systematically kill more than 1 million accused communists, ethnic Chinese and intellectuals throughout the country of Indonesia. Oppenheimer captures his subjects as they attempt to reenact many of their most heinous crimes and openly boast about their accomplishments, all while desperately clinging to decades-old government propaganda and complaining of the inability to sleep at night. The undertaking was so potentially incendiary in Indonesia that much of the crew chose to be listed as anonymous in the credits. Via VICE, producers Werner Herzog and Errol Morris talk about “The Act of Killing” Like what you hear? Let’s do something awesome together. Help bring Sound on Film to the masses by posting a rating or review on iTunes. Next time on Sound on Film: Reviews of Best Picture nominee “ Inside Llewyn Davis” and the acclaimed documentary “ Blackfish," plus a Sundance Film Festival roundup and more.
