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Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by Drew Pendleton
Film Festivals give audiences preview for Oscar Race

Film Festivals give audiences preview for Oscar Race

Drew Pendleton September 8, 2015

As September begins, the first rumblings of awards season begin to appear, and some of the year’s most intriguing films begin to enter the public eye through film festivals. With the Telluride Film Festival...

Rival superhero universes go toe to toe in casting battle

Rival superhero universes go toe to toe in casting battle

Drew Pendleton August 29, 2015

For any movie to truly work, many elements have to come together to create the atmosphere and pace that the movie requires. When the right director, the right writer, and the right cast come together,...

Nashville band Wisewater to make their Tuscaloosa debut

Nashville band Wisewater to make their Tuscaloosa debut

Drew Pendleton August 27, 2015

In January 2014, brought together by a mutual friend, Nashville musicians Kate Lee and Forrest O’Connor began making music together. Calling their collaboration Wisewater, Lee and O’Connor have since...

Toronto Film expansion intriguing

Toronto Film expansion intriguing

Drew Pendleton August 20, 2015

In late July, the Toronto Film Festival became the first major organization to release its film selection to the public. With films from directors like Tom Hooper (“The Danish Girl”), Michael Moore...

Toronto International Film Festival to feature wide variety of new films

Toronto International Film Festival to feature wide variety of new films

Drew Pendleton July 29, 2015

As the summer draws to a close, the film year enters into the early stages of prestige season, where many of the year’s awards contenders begin to ever so slowly trickle into theaters everywhere. In...

Original films prevail over sequels

Original films prevail over sequels

Drew Pendleton July 15, 2015

On a sunny Tuesday in June, my younger sister and I went to the movies together for the first time in quite a while. At the time, “Jurassic World” was in the beginning of what became its third straight...

Musical scores essential to films

Musical scores essential to films

Drew Pendleton June 24, 2015

On the night of June 22, 2015, the film industry lost a true legend when composer James Horner died in a plane crash outside of Santa Barbara, California. As the news broke, tributes came flowing in from...

Students self-choreograph for Dance Collection

Drew Pendleton April 21, 2015

Dance Collection, a one-night, one-performance event, showcases a range of dances and choreographers. The UATD show lets student choreographers bring their work into the limelight alongside the work...

Same-day on-demand releases offer convenience but hurt theaters

Same-day on-demand releases offer convenience but hurt theaters

Drew Pendleton April 13, 2015

In the past few years, a trend has begun to take hold in the movie marketplace: the same-day, video-on-demand release. In this scenario, a film is released on both digital on-demand platforms and in theaters...

Films should honor, not exploit

Films should honor, not exploit

Drew Pendleton April 6, 2015

The Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, the attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi in 2012 and the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 are among the most notable events...

April releases begin the journey to summer blockbusters

April releases begin the journey to summer blockbusters

Drew Pendleton April 1, 2015

With South by Southwest now another year older and the 2015 film year still in its infancy, the month of April is the start of the journey toward blockbuster season, which will kick off with “Avengers:...

Classic Hollywood films still measure up in 2015

Drew Pendleton March 3, 2015

With the summer juggernauts still months away, there are plenty of classic options to consider on streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and iTunes to fit any genre viewers may want to watch. These films...

American Shakespeare Center comes to campus

American Shakespeare Center comes to campus

Drew Pendleton February 25, 2015

William Shakespeare’s famous play “Hamlet” will come to life at The University of Alabama campus on Sunday as the American Shakespeare Center’s “Method in the Madness” tour will perform the...

Many Oscar categories are locked in; only a few are still up in the air

Many Oscar categories are locked in; only a few are still up in the air

Drew Pendleton February 16, 2015

It’s only a matter of days before the credits roll and the 2014 film year officially comes to a close. The Oscars hit the airwaves Sunday, Feb. 22, and this year’s race has seen ambitious filmmaking,...

Film fest returns to Tuscaloosa

Drew Pendleton February 12, 2015

In the spring of 2012, a group of University of Alabama students returned from a trip to the Sundance Film Festival with a mission. Inspired by Sundance’s atmosphere, wheels began to turn. Three months...

Sundance Festival provides preview of indie slate

Sundance Festival provides preview of indie slate

Drew Pendleton February 8, 2015

While 2015 has been poised as the year of the mega-blockbuster – “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant-Man,” “The Fantastic Four” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” to name a few – the...

Radio show to commemorate space heroes

Radio show to commemorate space heroes

Drew Pendleton January 29, 2015

NASA will come to the Tuscaloosa airwaves Friday when “Houndstooth and Hardhats” on WVUA-FM hosts a two-hour special to commemorate NASA’s memorial week.Hosted by Matthew Culver, a freshman majoring...

6 Biggest Oscar nomination snubs of 2015 season

Drew Pendleton January 20, 2015

While the Oscars are a much-anticipated event, for some fans, they have a damper cast on them. Every year, someone is left out of the lineup, and while this year’s is an interesting mix, some contenders...

Band aims to revive classic music with Zeppelin

Band aims to revive classic music with Zeppelin

Drew Pendleton January 20, 2015

Led Zeppelin’s 1971 album “Led Zeppelin IV” will come to life in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, as the Black Jacket Symphony prepares to take the stage at the Bama Theatre.Founded by Birmingham musician...

Photo exhibit showcases teenage prisoners

Photo exhibit showcases teenage prisoners

Drew Pendleton January 14, 2015

The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art begins the spring semester with the exhibit “Juvenile In Justice,” featuring a lecture from the artist, Richard Ross, Wednesday.The exhibit is six years in the making...

Biopics in the driver's seat for 'Best Picture' prize

Drew Pendleton January 13, 2015

This year’s race for the biggest Oscar of them all – “Best Picture” – will be a photo finish come March, and even Thursday morning. While several big fan favorites (such as “Gone Girl,”...

Seasonal independent film series returns to Bama Theatre

Seasonal independent film series returns to Bama Theatre

Drew Pendleton January 13, 2015

This winter, the Bama Theatre will bring a taste of the independent film scene to downtown Tuscaloosa, with the season’s edition of the Bama Art House film series running every Tuesday 
night through...

Comedic actors take on dramatic roles, may earn Oscar nominations

Drew Pendleton January 12, 2015

The Oscar nominations are coming soon. Thursday morning, we’ll find out who’s in the hunt for that legendary golden statue. While there are plenty of storylines this Oscar season, one of the most compelling...

Music department to put on holiday concert

Drew Pendleton December 3, 2014

Since 1969, The University of Alabama’s School of Music has performed a holiday concert called Hilaritas. The tradition will continue this year with two performances.  Featuring a performance ensemble...

With release of future projects, superhero movies primed to succeed or fail

Drew Pendleton November 23, 2014

A few weeks ago, Marvel and DC Comics made the cinematic universe explode with the announcements of their  schedules of superhero movie release dates. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe still has 11 films...

Jobs biopic looks promising despite casting issues

Jobs biopic looks promising despite casting issues

Drew Pendleton November 18, 2014

One of the hottest prospects being touted for 2015 is a new biopic of technology pioneer Steve Jobs. While the Apple founder’s life has already been tackled on the big screen in the 2013 film “Jobs”...

Students explore via UP events

Drew Pendleton November 18, 2014

While many students at The University of Alabama may spend their weekends in the city of Tuscaloosa, University Programs aims to give students the chance to change that. From a Chris Tucker comedy show...

UATD to perform 'Merrily We Roll Along'

UATD to perform 'Merrily We Roll Along'

Drew Pendleton November 9, 2014

Monday through Friday, the department of theatre and dance at the University will tackle “Merrily We Roll Along” by American musical icon Stephen Sondheim. Based on a 1934 play and adapted into a musical...

2014's indie festival darling 'Whiplash' packs a psychological punch

2014's indie festival darling 'Whiplash' packs a psychological punch

Drew Pendleton November 5, 2014

Every year, there’s one little independent movie that captures everyone’s attention. It bursts onto the scene at a festival, and rides the wave of critical and commercial support into glory. This year...

African Students Association to show movie

African Students Association to show movie

Drew Pendleton November 4, 2014

The African Students Association, which will hold its first major event of the year Nov. 13, works to represent the University’s population that is related to Africa. Formed in 2010 by a group of students...

Women’s Resource Center hosts dating violence panel

Drew Pendleton October 22, 2014

The Women’s Resource Center will host a bystander intervention panel on Thursday, aiming to inform members of the University of Alabama community about the signs of and tactics to prevent both dating...

Twenty years later, 'Pulp Fiction' holds up as a modern pop culture icon

Drew Pendleton October 20, 2014

October 14 marked the 20th anniversary of the film that launched the career of one of American cinema’s most prevalent auteurs: Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.” The first showcase of Tarantino’s...

Omar Pérez to perform poetry reading downtown

Omar Pérez to perform poetry reading downtown

Drew Pendleton October 20, 2014

While the United States works to improve relations within Cuba, the University has built connections here, one of which will be on display Tuesday when Omar Pérez, a Cuban poet and musician, will...

Public reading to feature group of 5 local writers

Public reading to feature group of 5 local writers

Drew Pendleton October 15, 2014

A group of five Tuscaloosa writers will hold a public reading of their work to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Fiction Collective Two, a national organization that promotes, publishes and showcases authors...

Recent releases continues Hollywood’s prequel trend

Drew Pendleton October 13, 2014

By Drew Pendleton It’s become apparent Hollywood has successfully borne the genre of the 
“origin story” into massive popularity. Whether it’s a superhero movie like “Batman Begins”...

Program offers tutoring for Hispanic children

Drew Pendleton October 8, 2014

While most students in Spanish department spend their class time in an on-campus classroom, 15 students this fall semester have the opportunity to earn 
credits elsewhere. Founded in spring 2003 by Michael...

Class learns South's ecology

Class learns South's ecology

Drew Pendleton October 6, 2014

For 75 minutes every Monday and Wednesday, Ellen Spears, an assistant professor of American studies at The University of Alabama, instructs students on a new perspective on Southern history: its ecology.The...

Rec centers offer group workouts

Rec centers offer group workouts

Drew Pendleton September 29, 2014

Throughout the day, the Student Recreation Center bustles with activity. With a widespread clientele that includes students, professors, instructors and members of the Tuscaloosa community, the center...

October offers audiences first glimpses of award contenders

Drew Pendleton September 23, 2014

Fall is coming fast, and with it the late-season box office offerings come out to play. From tense thrillers to a war drama to a music film falling right in between, October has something to offer any...

Popular actors detour from typical roles to receive Oscar nominations

Popular actors detour from typical roles to receive Oscar nominations

Drew Pendleton September 14, 2014

It seems Matthew McConaughey 
started a trend. The actor was known mainly for his mainstream box office successes before he ventured into more dramatic territory with films like “Killer Joe,” “Magic...

Shakespeare adaptation series to hit Bama Theatre

Drew Pendleton September 6, 2014

The Hudson Strode Program in Renaissance Studies will bring a taste of 16th century England to Tuscaloosa with its film series showcasing adaptations of William Shakespeare’s various plays at the Bama...

Criterion Collection provides opportunity to broaden movie horizons

Drew Pendleton September 6, 2014

With the rise of the blockbuster and special affects bonanzas that have become prevalent in today’s movie marketplace, movies from Hollywood’s past have become harder to find outside of Turner Classic...

Fall movies have origins in popular books

Drew Pendleton September 1, 2014

A rule of thumb for many bookworms when it comes to adaptations is to always read the book before seeing the movie. This year, several highly anticipated movies premiering at festivals over the next...

“Boyhood” provides fresh spin on cliche coming-of-age film tropes

Drew Pendleton August 24, 2014

Growing up is hard to do, and it never fails to be one hell of a ride. Rarely has a movie been able to truly capture this spirit without dipping into clichés. However, one film currently in theaters,...

September brings intriguing releases as festival season begins

September brings intriguing releases as festival season begins

Drew Pendleton August 17, 2014

For movie fans, September can be a strange month. The blockbusters of summer start to vanish from theaters in preparation for their impending DVD/Blu-ray releases, but the prestigious flicks that the...

University Mall to celebrate art, culture of Japan

Drew Pendleton April 23, 2014

The Capstone International program at The University of Alabama will bring a Japanese holiday to Tuscaloosa with the Matsuri in the Mall celebration Saturday at University Mall. The event will celebrate...

Cannes Film Festival showcases offbeat films

Drew Pendleton April 22, 2014

Every May in the southern French city of Cannes, the stars align for one of the world’s largest, oldest, most storied film festivals. Since 1946, the Cannes Film Festival has played host to some of the...

With ‘Fargo,’ classic movies adapted for modern small screens, success

Drew Pendleton April 21, 2014

What do “Friday Night Lights,” “M*A*S*H” and “Psycho” have in common? When you look at them as movies — where they rank among classics for many – the similarities are minuscule. However,...

Rick Moody, Valerie Miner to speak at lecture

Drew Pendleton April 10, 2014

Students, professors and members of the Tuscaloosa community alike will have the opportunity to attend a live reading by two highly acclaimed authors at the Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion in downtown Tuscaloosa...

Wes Anderson fans old and new can appreciate newest release

Drew Pendleton April 7, 2014

Wes Anderson’s films define quirky filmmaking. Ranging from a dysfunctional family in “The Royal Tenenbaums” to a documentarian out for revenge in “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou,” from the...

UA Persian students ring in new year

Drew Pendleton March 18, 2014

During the middle weeks of March, spring break is the talk of the town for students at The University of Alabama. For members of the University’s Persian population, there is an even bigger event to...

Success not guaranteed for summer superhero movies

Drew Pendleton March 17, 2014

It’s a given that every year when a superhero movie gets released, it ends up in the top 10 at the yearly box office. Longtime fans of the heroes flock to theaters to see their beloved characters on...

Academy Awards night lacked surprises, energy

Drew Pendleton March 10, 2014

Now that the rain clouds over Los Angeles have cleared, and the red carpet has been rolled up the 2013 movie season has officially come to an end. With the producers and stars of “12 Years a Slave”...

Oscars come down to close race between shoo-ins, dark horses

Drew Pendleton February 24, 2014

With one week left until the film industry’s top event — the Academy Awards — hands out its first award, some categories already have their winners set in stone and are just waiting to hand the Oscar...

Transition from actor to director results in higher-qualit fils

Drew Pendleton February 19, 2014

In every movie, there are two major parties – the actors who bring the film to life and the director who brings everything full circle. Recently, however, there has been a growing trend of actors pulling...

Hoffman leaves behind a legacy of iconic work

Drew Pendleton February 10, 2014

On Feb. 2, American cinema lost one of its finest contemporary actors when Philip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of a suspected heroin overdose in his apartment in New York City. A modern icon on the screen,...

UA students participate in Sundance Film Festival

Drew Pendleton February 4, 2014

For one week every January, filmmakers and filmgoers alike converge on the small town of Park City, Utah, nestled in the mountains east of Salt Lake City, for the Sundance Film Festival. For 10 students...

February forgoes romantic films

Drew Pendleton February 3, 2014

This February, in a month typically laden with romance movies up on the big screen, Hollywood is offering something different: action. With a large number of moviegoers looking for a break from the cold,...

Oscar nominations showcase competition in race for ultimate prize

Drew Pendleton January 23, 2014

For all movie fans, the chilly months of January, February and March are the time where the buzz from 2013 films winding down their theatrical runs begins to transfer to upcoming 2014 ones. This year,...

Dance faculty member branches into film

Drew Pendleton January 14, 2014

Whether in the dance studio or on a film set, John Virciglio said he has always considered himself an “outside-the-box thinker.” Besides his position as an adjunct dance faculty member at The University...

‘Catching Fire’ surpasses ‘The Hunger Games’ in every aspect

Drew Pendleton December 3, 2013

There’s a scene in the early minutes of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” the newly released adaptation of the sequel to Suzanne Collins’ novel and 2012 film “The Hunger Games,” in which the...

Devoted movie series fans make advance-screenings flourish

Drew Pendleton November 20, 2013

These days, it’s become a customary trend with the newest book-to-film adaptations to give some fans a first chance to see what’s new to theaters before a film’s opening day. Starting with midnight...

With Darren Aronofsky at helm, upcoming ‘Noah’ has potential

Drew Pendleton November 18, 2013

Last week, the first trailers for a new take on the biblical story of Noah hit the Internet. Complete with stunning visuals and a talented cast, the film – simply titled “Noah” – is set to hit...

November will bring ‘motley mix’ of film premieres

Drew Pendleton November 4, 2013

A motley mix of movies will hit the big screen this month, varying from much-awaited sequels to a front-running film for the Best Picture Oscar. “12 Years a Slave,” which received rave reviews from...

Screenwriters compete for Hollywood success

Drew Pendleton October 10, 2013

Aspiring television writers have an opportunity to be heard in Hollywood this October thanks to the script competition “Scriptapalooza TV.” Intended to help open doors for aspiring screenwriters,...

October brings fall film season

Drew Pendleton September 25, 2013

The weather isn’t the only thing that changes when summer segues into fall. While the weather may begin to cool down, the fall film season heats up, bringing a wave of new, intriguing films to wide audiences....

Give Ben Affleck a chance to be Batman

Drew Pendleton September 16, 2013

It’s official: The world has a new Batman. But many people aren’t happy about who it is. On Aug. 22, Warner Brothers announced that Ben Affleck, known most recently for directing the Best Picture...