Anne Thompson

At her daily Thompson on Hollywood blog, Anne Thompson does more than just break news; she provides an insider’s clear-eyed analysis of a business that defines American culture at home and abroad.Born and raised in New York, Thompson has been a contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, The Observer, and Wired. She has served as film columnist at Variety, and deputy editor of Variety.com, where she launched Thompson on Hollywood in March 2007. Thompson was the Deputy Film Editor at The Hollywood Reporter, the West Coast Editor of Premiere, a Senior Writer at Entertainment Weekly, and West Coast Editor for Film Comment. She wrote the film industry column Risky Business for L.A. Weekly and the Los Angeles Times syndicate.A graduate of the Department of Cinema Studies at New York University, she hosts the fall semester of “Sneak Previews” for UCLA Extension, and teaches film criticism at USC.

Articles by Anne Thompson

Top Ten 2012 - Anne Thompson

1. Life of Pi
2. Beasts of the Southern Wild
3. Zero Dark Thirty
4. Silver Linings Playbook
5. Lincoln
6. End of Watch
7. Argo
8. Anna Karenina
9. The Sessions
10. Moonrise Kingdom

General Archives, Women on Film

AWFJ Women On Film - Oscar-Winner “In a Better World” Slashed by Harsh Reviews - Anne Thompson comments

Since when is winning an Oscar a bad thing? In his disparaging NYT review ofIn a Better World, A.O. Scott uses its recent foreign Oscar win as a warning sign. Read more>>

Commentaries, Reviews and Criticism, Women on Film

AWFJ Women On Film - “Cheri” - Anne Thompson reviews

It’s devilishly hard to get everything to go right on a movie. Many little things can turn a promising project into something that never quite gels. Read the rest of this entry »

Reviews and Criticism, Women on Film

“Fear of Flying: Confessions of a Free Women” - Anne Thompson comments

I watched the six episodes two at a time, three nights running. (I had admired Fox’s 80s doc Beirut: The Last Home Movie.) I was fascinated. Fox took five years of her own life and turned it into the narrative through-line for a survey of women and their life choices in different cultures. Read more>>

Commentaries, Women on Film

“10,000 B.C.” - Anne Thompson reviews

Well, I’ve seen Roland Emmerich’s latest pixel-fest 10,000 B.C., and it’s no Quest for Fire. Would that it had been silent! Read more>>

Reviews and Criticism, Women on Film

Sundance 2008: Fem-helmed Doc Sells - Anne Thompson reports

Finally, the long-in-the-works “American Teen” deal went down late Tuesday night, marking the fourth movie to sell at Sundance in the last two days. Paramount Vantage acquired all world rights (excluding the U.K.) for $1 million to Nanette Burstein’s Indiana high school cinema verite doc. After the A & E Indie Films documentary screened Friday night, Fox Searchlight made a bid which later expired; Sony Pictures Classics also pursued a deal but pulled out Tuesday afternoon, leaving the pic to Vantage, which is promising a significant P & A commitment. Sellers were Cinetic and CAA.

General Archives

Sundance 2008: Women Score “Polanski: Wanted and Desired” - Anne Thompson reports

Sheila Nevins’ HBO documentary unit has acquired North American rights to Marina Zenovich’s Polanski: Wanted and Desired, the hot buzz title of the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Read more>>

General Archives, News and Previews, Women on Film

“Juno,” commentary by Anne Thompson

My class ate up Juno like it was strawberry ice cream. Read more

Commentaries, Women on Film

“Gone Baby Gone,” commentary by Anne Thompson

Gone Baby Gone is a tough piece of gritty entertainment. What Miramax will be able to wring out of the boxoffice is anyone’s guess. Read more

Commentaries, News and Previews, Reviews and Criticism, Women on Film

“Lars and the Real Girl,” comments by Anne Thompson

Lars and the Real Girl is one of those movies that walks a tightrope between laughs and genuine emotion. Read more

Commentaries, Women on Film