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Exclusive:The UK’s Blue Finch Films has boarded sales onWilliam Bagley’scomedy horrorHold The Fort.

The film is set to screen at the Fantasia International Film Festival, running from July 7 to August 3 in Montreal.

Hold The Fortis about acouple who think their life is finally coming together when they become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch.

The film was written by Bagley who also produced alongside Matt Dodd and Luke Williams who both worked with Bagley on 2021 film The Murder Podcast. Tim Reis and Julian Smith also serve as producers.

Chris Mayers,...

Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Exclusive:Bankside Films has boarded US writer-director Shane Atkinson’s Le Cowboy,with pre-production set to begin later this year.

Belgian actors Matthias Schoenaerts, who won a César award for his role in Rust And Bone, and François Damiens, will star in the thriller about a man released from prison, eager to leave his criminal past behind him and find his nine-year-old daughter in France.

However, he finds himself drawn into one last job, kidnapping a teenage girl, with whom he forms an unlikely bond.

The English and French-language film will shoot in France, with some days in Belgium.

Sébastien Aubert...

It’s a quiet afternoon in New York City, two days before Thanksgiving, and “September 5” star John Magaro and I are settled into a bright table at an East Village restaurant for drinks and professional chatter. A few feet away, a group of peppy young women are sitting down for their own mid-afternoon tipple, chatting about movies they’ve caught recently. “Have you seen ‘Wicked’?” one giddily asks her friends. They all have.

With a wry smile, Magaro leans an inch or so toward them, not close enough for the group to see or hear, but just enough to get a laugh out of me, and stage-whispers, “Have you seen ‘September 5’?”

Hire John Magaro for your film, and he’s going to work hard for it, every step of the way. That extends beyond winking recommendations, down to nuts-and-bolts prep and bringing his full self to each and every day.

The challenge is on: the industry sidebar of Poland’s American Film Festival, U.S. in Progress, is ready to top its “exceptionally successful” 2023 edition in November.

“U.S. in Progress alumni are taking festivals by storm,” says Aff’s artistic director Ula Śniegowska.

Presented as works-in-progress, India Donaldson’s “Good One” – awarded at the event last year – went on to premiere at Sundance and Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May. Tyler Taormina’s “Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point” was also shown at the French fest, described by Variety’s Jessica Kiang as “a sweet, nostalgic love letter to suburban holiday-season rituals.”

“We Strangers” by Anu Vaila and Cutter Hodierne’s “Cold Wallet” screened at SXSW, and “Familiar Touch” was shown in Venice. Monica Sorelle’s “Mountains” and Shane Atkinson’s “Laroy, Texas” were selected for Tribeca, Georden West’s “Playland” for IFFR, while “Falling Stars,” directed by Richard Karpala and Gabriel Bienczycki,...

Deauville American Film Festival has unveiled the 14 US features for its 50th anniversary edition running September 6-15 in the Normandy seaside town.

They include Alessandra Lacorazza Samudio’s 2024 Sundance prize-winner In The Summers, Cannes-premiering titles including Roberto Minervini’s The Damned and Tyler Taormina’s Christmas Eve At Miller’s Point, and Christy Hall’s taxi drama Daddio.

Eight of the films are debut features, among them David Fortune’s Color Book which world-premiered at Tribeca and Brandt Andersen’s The Strangers’ Case which made its debut at Berlin.

Benoit Magimel heads up this year’s Deauville jury alongside Ludivine Sagnier,...

Heather Graham’s chosen family is growing.

The actress-turned-filmmaker’s latest big-screen effort, Chosen Family, has been acquired by Brainstorm Media for North America with a theatrical release set for Oct. 11.

Written, directed by and starring Graham, the Verdi Prods. film also stars John Brotherton, Ella Grace Helton, Andrea Savage, Michael Gross, Julie Halston, Thomas Lennon and Julia Stiles. Chosen Family follows a yoga teacher named Ann (Graham) who is on a path to find inner peace amidst the chaos of her manic family and miserable dating life. The situation is complicated by an inability to say no and her relentless desire to fix everyone’s problems. She also struggles to save her sister Clio (Stiles) from addiction, leading to disastrous results.

Graham said she can’t wait for audiences to see her film, which she describes as a labor of love. “I’m so excited that Brainstorm is releasing...

France’s Deauville American Film Festival has announced a retrospective gathering 50 U.S. features that have challenged perceptions of the world to mark its 50th anniversary.

The selection ranges from D. W. Griffith’s 1916 silent epic Intolerance to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and also includes Ida Lupino’s groundbreaking 1950 rape drama Outrage as well as Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. (see full list below)

“Cinema has always made us dream, travel, desire, fantasize, laugh, cry. But how many films have been able to shake up our certainties, question our beliefs, question our prejudices and put our own views into perspective?,” said the festival.

“The Deauville American Film Festival wanted to highlight a selection of 50 films that have changed the way we look at the world,” it continued.

Launched in 1975, the festival unfolding in the swanky Normandy beach resort of Deauville, annually fetes Hollywood...

Don't mess with a hit man, you might find yourself in a pickle. The Grim Reaper comes in the form of a deranged contract killer in Laroy, Texas. When he gets angry that another man took his next hit, he can't let it go, because you've always got to see it through til the end. A fantastic comedy crime thriller released in April 2024, it's a crime itself that it hasn't been consumed by the masses in all its bloodiness and glory. Directed and written by Shane Atkinson, it's one of the best dark comedy thrillers to come out in recent years, dealing with a small town littered with vigilantes, beauty queens, and murder.

Exclusive: Matthew Del Negro (City on a Hill) is joining season 3 of Mayor of Kingstown.

Del Negro will play the role of Will Breen, a charming, seemingly good natured corrections officer at the Kingstown Women’s Prison. He will recur for five episodes.

The 10-episode third season of the Paramount+ drama series will premiere Sunday, June 2. In Season 3, a series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls. The pressure is on Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner) to end the war but things get complicated when a familiar face from his incarcerated past threatens to undermine the Mayor’s attempts to keep the peace among all factions.

Most recently, Del Negro co-starred as Detective Chris Caysen on Showtime’s City on a Hill opposite Kevin Bacon and Aldis Hodge.

A hitman finds himself in the middle of an odd murder mystery in Shane Atkinson’s Laroy, Texas. Set against the beautiful Texas backdrop, the cinematography instantly reminds me of Ethan and Joel Coen’s No Country for Old Men. Atkinson does pay a little homage to the 2007 classic in his movie, as he brings sheer entertainment to the screen.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In The Movie?

Harry is a hitman who looks like a kind old fellow, and I’m sure if he has grandchildren, they will most probably love him. In the opening scenes, Harry kills a guy, yet his mannerisms seems like he’s the one whose life is in danger. Cracking halfwit jokes nervously and giving people a lift before killing them is actually a great persona for a killer. We skip to Ray, who’s clearly losing in life running his hardware store with his brother.

Excellent performances by all the actors elevate this darkly funny and thrilling cat-and-mouse game. A phenomenal opening scene sets the stage for unexpected twists in this must-see neo-noir comedy. Dylan Baker stuns as a calculating killer in a story that goes from funny to gasp-inducing.

A meek hardware shop owner impersonates a hit man after learning his duplicitous wife has been having an affair. Laroy, Texas channels the Coen brothers' Blood Simple and Fargo in a hilarious black comedy thriller with disturbing and tragic twists. Hollywood veterans John Magaro, Steve Zahn, and a terrifying Dylan Baker are superb in a film that continually surprises. You're hooked from the start as a seemingly innocuous beginning goes in a truly unexpected direction. Laroy, Texas is a must-see and one of the year's best films to date.

The film also has one of the best opening scenes in recent memory which we won't...

Baker delivers a career-best performance, setting the tone with a thrilling opening scene in the black comedy Laroy, Texas. Magaro's friendship with Baker led to a perfect casting choice, with the film gaining Coen brothers comparisons for its brilliance. Working with Shane as director was a seamless process, with the trio of veteran actors bringing the character dynamics to life.

Dylan Baker delivers one of the best performances of his illustrious 40-year career as Harry, a seemingly unassuming but terrifying hit man in the brilliant black comedy, Laroy, Texas. John Magaro stars as Ray, a pushover hardware store owner who's accidentally mistaken for Harry. He decides to take Harry's contract after being told by Skip (Steve Zahn), a goofy private investigator, that his wife (Megan Stevenson) has been having an affair. Harry's not happy someone's stolen his job and decides to find the impersonator.

Baker was recruited for the film by Magaro.

Laroy, Texas is a twisted town in a circle of Hell with dark characters and multiple homicides. Ray, mistaken for a hitman, embarks on a chaotic journey with the impish P.I. Skip. The film's clever complexities lead to confusion, resembling Coen Brothers' work but lacks trust in dark themes.

Laroy, Texas introduces a smirking hitman in a familiar but effectively tense opening that ends with the man burying the remains of his night's work. As Harry, played unnervingly by Dylan Baker, digs, he receives a call from another client, "Where's Laroy?" he asks indignantly. The cut to the title tells us, as does a montage of ranch shops, one with "Texas" painted on it, and the twanging guitar that picks up. As does Brad Leland grinning at his car dealership with the name Adam Ledoux when we all know it's Buddy Garrity. Where's Laroy, Harry? "Texas forever, creep."

6/10

Broke and depressed,...

Laroy, Texas stars John Magaro, Steve Zahn, and Dylan Baker in a hilarious dark comedy that's one of the best films of the year so far. Magaro plays Ray, a meek hardware store owner who's mistaken for a hit man after Skip (Zahn), a goofy private investigator, tells him that his wife (Megan Stevenson) is having an affair. The film is reminiscent of the Coen Brothers' Blood Simple and Fargo, with tragic themes that have unexpected twists.

Magaro spoke with us at length about producing the film with writer/director Shane Atkinson in his feature debut. "I've worked with a lot of first-time filmmakers," said Magaro, humorously adding, "It took a few years. It wasn't easy. It's hard to get people to invest in a first-time filmmaker. And it's not like I'm bringing in a ton of money. I do indie films. I've had the good fortune of doing some good stuff,...

Laroy, Texas is a new Western thriller featuring a phenomenal cast, out April 12. The film boasts excellent performances, especially from Magaro as the sad-sack loser, Zahn as the cowboy private eye, and Baker as the icy hitman. Director Shane Atkinson explains the casting process and praises the actors' ability to understand and embody their roles effortlessly.

We have a clip from the phenomenal new Western comedy thriller, Laroy, Texas, out April 12 from Brainstorm Media. Starring John Magaro, Steve Zahn, and Dylan Baker, Laroy, Texas marks the directorial debut of Shane Atkinson, the screenwriter behind the Diane Keaton comedy Poms, who brings this darkly comedic thriller to life from his original screenplay. You can watch the clip above and find out more information about the film below:

Broke and depressed, Ray (John Magaro) is mistaken for a dangerous hitman and given an envelope of cash. Along with his P.I. friend...

Feature debutant writer-director Shane Atkinson toys with a hapless cast of schemers and low-lifes in this neo-noir, featuring a scene-stealing Dylan Baker as a vexed hitman

Sadsack husbands, missing suitcases, devious strippers, destabilising conversations with hitmen doubling up as metaphysical emissaries: this hyperactively structured crime thriller lines up many of the usual noir suspects, but loves messing with them. Often scenes end with left-field segues, such as when a cocky Pi suddenly finds his car towed by a couple of insolent cops. It’s not so much that the inhabitants of the Texan outpost of the title are caught in the genre’s meaningless existential whirlpool; rather, they’re being actively toyed with by some mischievous prankster deity (Aka debut director Shane Atkinson).

Just before his vehicle is impounded, Skip the detective (Steve Zahn) gives tragic spouse Ray (John Magaro) the skinny: his wife Stacy-Lynn (Megan Stevenson) is keeping a...

A darkly comic crime odyssey set in middle-of-nowhere America, writer-director Shane Atkinson’s Laroy, Texas wears its Coen brothers influence on its sleeve. And while it never quite reaches the hilarious heights or existential depths of the Coens’ finest work, it does offer similarly enjoyable mixture of the macabre and the absurd.

Atkinson’s film begins with a regular schmuck named Ray (John Magaro) being summoned to a greasy diner and handed an envelope full of photos that show his wife, Stacy-Lynn (Megan Stevenson), cheating on him. It’s devastating information to receive, and it doesn’t help that Ray is hearing it from a guy like Skip (Steve Zahn)—a self-styled private eye who dresses in a bolo tie and cowboy hat, and swears that he’s as much of a detective as any of the other boys on the force, even if he has spelled the word incorrectly on his business cards.

Exclusive: Plan B Entertainment has started a new micro budget film finance initiative to produce and finance lower cost films which will be led by newly hired Caddy Vanasirikul. The veteran film producer and acquisition and production executive will manage Plan B’s forthcoming slate in this sector.

The first film under this new initiative is Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke’s Olmo, which recently completed shooting in New Mexico under an interim agreement. Co-written with Vanesa Garnica and directed by Eimbcke, and produced with Erendira Nunez LariosEréndira Núñez Larios and Michel Franco’s Teorema, the bilingual story is about 14 year-old Olmo, who must take care of his bedridden father who has Multiple Sclerosis. But when Olmo’s goddess neighbor Nina Sandoval invites him to a party, his world is turned upside down.

Eimbcke’s feature directorial debut Temporada de patos (Duck Season) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won...

The American Film Festival (Aff) in Wrocław have unveiled the line-up for their upcoming 14th edition (November 7th to 12th) and we find Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario opening the fest (the film had its world preem in the Platform section at TIFF) and Michel Franco‘s Venice-winning Memory closes the festival. Along with Deauville as one of the premium stops showcasing American indie film outside of North America, this year’s competition section (Spectrum) will showcase films such as Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama, Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, Lucy Kerr’s Family Portrait, Shane Atkinson’s Laroy and Monica Sorelle’s Mountains.…...

Not long ago, an award-winning Polish composer who’d scored dozens of films approached Ula Śniegowska about U.S. in Progress, an industry event conceived as a bridge between the Polish and American markets that runs parallel to the American Film Festival in Wrocław, Poland.

“He approached me saying, ‘I’ve done enough in the Polish market. I need an introduction to the international market. Can you, as U.S. in Progress, help me?’” Śniegowska recalls. “It seems we are a perfect matchmaker for those types of companies to have their work exposed in the U.S.”

Celebrating its 13th edition, U.S. in Progress was launched as a showcase for emerging independent American filmmakers. Each year, the event presents a curated selection of American indie titles in the final stages of production to European sales agents, distributors and festival programmers. This year’s edition takes place Nov. 8 – 10.

Since its inception,...

This edition boasts the largest feature film selection programmed to-date at Emiff.

The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival has unveiled its full line-up for the 12th edition of the Spanish festival, with a total of 140 projects, including German auteur Wim Wenders’ Cannes world premiere Perfect Days and a special spotlight screening of David Fincher’s Venice title The Killer.

This year boasts the largest feature film selection programmed to date at Emiff. Additional categories for long-form projects include the debut feature film competition, the Made In Baleares (Mib) feature film competition, Spotlight Screenings and the Drive In Cinema strand. Six...

The Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival, running from October 18 to 24 in the Spanish island’s capital of Palma, has unveiled its full line-up.

The festival will open with Spanish director Isabel Coixet’s new feature Un Amor, which recently world premiered at San Sebastian.

Coixet will also be feted with the festival’s Evolution Vision Award at the opening night ceremony.

Other honorees will include German-Spanish actor Daniel Brühl, best known for his roles in Goodbye Lenin, Rush and The Alienist, and Danish writer and director Susanne Bier, whose recent credits include The Night Manager and The First Lady.

They will both receive Evolution Icon awards while there will also be screenings of Brühl’s most recent film The Movie Teller, as the closing film, and Rush and Bier’s 2010 feature In A Better World, which won the Best International Feature Film Oscar.

The 12th edition marks the festival’s...

Before we get all focused on next year’s Sundance, one of the last major pit-stops for emerging American indie filmmaker talent can be found at the American Film Fest in Wrocław – more specifically the U.S. in Progress section. Now in its thirteenth edition, they’ve been championing and supporting plenty of noteworthy micro-independent films in their final editing stages. If we look at some of last year’s picks we find Shane Atkinson’s Laroy (which recently took the top prize at Deauville, we have Monica Sorelle’s Mountains which preemd at Tribeca and got an extremely rare showing afterwards for TIFF, we have Lucy Kerr who was just at Locarno with Family Portrait.…...

The new initiative brings together five international filmmakers with feature films in development and three composers.

Cannes’ Critics Week has expanded its shorts-to-features Next Step programme with inaugural workshop Next Step Volume II that runs September 25-30 in the Corsican mountains.

The new initiative brings together five international filmmakers with feature films in development and three composers for what organisers call “the vital stage of script rewriting”.

The selected directors and composers will spend a week at the Northern Corsican creative hub founded by filmmaker Antoine Viviani to hone their scripts and integrate a score with the help of international experts and consultants.

Exclusive: Indie distributor Brainstorm Media has locked down North American rights to Laroy, a darkly comedic thriller starring John Magaro (First Cow), Steve Zahn (The White Lotus) and Dylan Baker (Happiness) that world premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Festival and nabbed three awards at the Deauville American Film Festival, including the Grand Prix, Audience Award, and Critics Award.

The film is the first from writer-director Shane Atkinson and is set for release in theaters and on digital in 2024.

Hailing from Next Productions, Laroy follows a down-and-out man who is mistaken for a hired killer, leading him to play a dangerous game with dire consequences. Magaro leads the ensemble as Ray, who, after discovering his wife is cheating on him, decides to kill himself. He buys a gun, drives to the seedy motel where she and her lover are entangled, and is about to do the deed — but before he can pull the trigger,...

Paris-based leading distribution company Arp Selection has bought a pair of U.S. indie gems from the fall festival circuit, Shane Atkinson’s feature debut “Laroy” and Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.”

“Laroy,” a neo-noir Western comedy with Coen brothers influences, just won three major prizes at the Deauville Film Festival, including the Grand Prize, Audience Award and Critics Prize; while “Priscilla” world premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won best actress for Cailee Spaeny.

Produced by Cannes-based company Adastra Films, the film stars John Magaro as Ray, who decides to kill himself after discovering his wife has been cheating on him. But just before he pulls a trigger, a stranger takes him for a low-rent hitman.

Michele Halberstadt, who presides over Arp Selection with Laurent Pétin, praised “Laroy” for its “wonderful script, pitch-perfect performances and heart.” She said she had a “coup de coeur” for the movie after discovering...

Shane Atkinson’s “Laroy,” a crime thriller laced with dark comedy, swept three major prizes at the 49th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival.

The movie, which marks Atkinson’s feature debut and showcases Coen brothers influences, won the Grand Prize, the Audience Award and the Critics Award. It stars John Magaro as Ray, who decides to kill himself after discovering his wife has been cheating on him. But just before he pulls a trigger, a stranger takes him for a low-rent hitman. The movie was produced by the Cannes-based company Adastra Films and was acquired by a French distributor, Arp Selection, during the Deauville Film Festival. It previously opened at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Jury Prize, meanwhile was shared by two films, Sean Price Williams’ “The Sweet East” and Iranian-born director Babak Jalali’s “Fremont.” “The Sweet East” marks the feature debut of Price, a well-established cinematographer whose credits include “Good Time.

Deauville American Film Festival will forge ahead with its honorary tributes to stars such as Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Peter Dinklage and Joseph Gordon-Levitt despite the fact that they won’t be in attendance due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The festival’s artistic director, Bruno Barde, told Variety ahead of the event’s press conference on Thursday that he empathized with actors and writers who are on strike to “protect themselves against the dangers of artificial intelligence.”

“AI has always existed in cinema and it’s now posing a threat to screenwriters, set designers, dubbers and, of course, to actors whom we’re using the image of. Cinema is an art that elevates humankind, and artificial intelligence does the exact opposite. It’s a danger,” Barde said.

And while he stands in solidarity with the strike, he has opted “to maintain all the tributes which will pay homage to careers...

Today, the Deauville American Film Festival in France reveals the 14 U.S. independent films selected for competition at the festival’s 49th edition, to take place September 1-10. This year, French actor, director and producer Guillaume Canet will preside over the main competition jury, which also includes filmmakers Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Alexandre Aja and Léa Mysius and actress Rebecca Marder. We’ve covered several titles in this year’s lineup on the Filmmaker site: Vadim Rizov positively reviewed Babak Jalali’s Fremont out of Sundance, Scott Macaulay recommended Joanna Arnow’s The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed and Shane Atkinson’s Laroy […]

The post Deauville American Film Festival Reveals 2023 U.S. Indie Competition Titles first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Today, the Deauville American Film Festival in France reveals the 14 U.S. independent films selected for competition at the festival’s 49th edition, to take place September 1-10. This year, French actor, director and producer Guillaume Canet will preside over the main competition jury, which also includes filmmakers Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Alexandre Aja and Léa Mysius and actress Rebecca Marder. We’ve covered several titles in this year’s lineup on the Filmmaker site: Vadim Rizov positively reviewed Babak Jalali’s Fremont out of Sundance, Scott Macaulay recommended Joanna Arnow’s The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed and Shane Atkinson’s Laroy […]

The post Deauville American Film Festival Reveals 2023 U.S. Indie Competition Titles first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Laroy introduces us to a dark, absurd world where nobody can be trusted, good guys always lose, and arbitrary events dictate our direction. So, reality, except funnier. After introducing us to a menacing hitman in one of the greatest opening scenes in recent memory, Laroy introduces us to its sadsack protagonist and his comically pathetic equal.

Our 'heroes' — a pushover with a cheating wife, and a wannabe private detective who has much more confidence than is warranted. John Magaro and Steve Zahn play these men to perfection, and Dylan Baker is a revelatory surprise as a ghostly killer.

These are the losers who get trampled on in the cruel universe of Laroy, but happenstance leads them into opportunities (and danger) far beyond what they're probably capable of. Writer and director Shane Atkinson takes the tropes of classic film noirs like The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity — the femme fatale,...

Shane Atkinson’s debut sets itself in the ever-so-small town of Laroy. Ray (John Magaro) is a man living the simple life, married to the local beauty-pageant queen and working at his family’s hardware store alongside his brother, Junior (Matthew Del Negro). He’s not unhappy, but not quite happy either. His existence depends on raising enough money for his wife Stacy-Lynn (Megan Stevenson) to open a salon. Her happiness results in his own happiness. Unfortunately, she’s not happy––at least not with Ray.

An unabashed quasi-homage to the Coen brothers, Laroy concerns a case of mistaken identity. Ray happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and so when he’s assumed to be a hitman he obliges. As the confusion and dead bodies begin stacking up, Ray and his friend-turned-private eye Skip (Steve Zahn) must solve the plethora of crimes that lay in their wake.

Comparisons to the work of the Coen brothers are made too often in film criticism, but sometimes a film comes along regarding which it is entirely appropriate, where a particular blend of quirkiness, pitch black comedy and heart is matched by compelling performances and easy visual flair. Laroy is such a film, and although director Shane Atkinson may not be a serious threat to the brothers’ status as yet, there is enough here to guarantee fans of that style a thoroughly good time.

It begins with two men in a car. One has broken down and hitched a lift with the other. They chat, and their conversation gradually turns to the subject of how risky it is to pick up a hitchhiker on a lonely road at night. Then again, could the risk be the other way round? Though all we do is watch them talk, it’s a gripping scene which.

Twenty-one years ago, Robert De Niro co-founded the Tribeca Film Festival with Jane Rosenthal. While its dates sandwich it between more prestigious festivals like Cannes and Venice, film fans can’t sleep on the festival, especially because of its world premieres. And Tribeca is also a major event that helps kick off the summer months in NYC. During the opening night celebration, Martin Scorsese and New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that De Niro “revitalized the city after 9/11” and that “the Tribeca festival is an indomitable institution and beacon of the city.”

Read More: Tribeca 2023 Festival: 20 Films To Watch

Shane Atkinson is among the 127 filmmakers bringing their art to the festival this year.

Continue reading ‘Laroy’ Clip: Shane Atkinson Brings An Eccentric Comedy To The 2023 Tribeca Film Festival [Exclusive] at The Playlist.

When Ray Jepsen (John Magaro) pulls into a strip club parking to blow his brains out, his plans for the rest of the week are the furthest thing from his mind. But that’s one of the many, many downsides of suicide that nobody talks about — you create scheduling nightmares for everyone else in your life. And it’s particularly inconvenient when a local sleazebag erroneously believes that he hired you to carry out a murder that must be done tomorrow.

But that’s just life in Laroy, Texas. Shane Atkinson’s feature directorial debut takes place in a fictional town where residents only have three interests: extramarital affairs, blackmailing each other about extramarital affairs, and child beauty pageants. When an obstacle hinders someone’s ability to enjoy those treasured pastimes, murder is the most popular solution.

While suicide is never the answer, it’s easy to understand why Ray is so bummed.

Chicago – There is an undeniable amount of skill and talent that goes into cheerleading. I happen to be rhythmically challenged so I am in awe of anyone, regardless of age, who can keep a beat while doing any sort of choreography. “Poms” promised to keep in step with a fresh premise, an all-star cast, and a new perspective on this tried-and-true genre but it tumbles along the way.

Rating: 1.0/5.0

There is a temerity in the film that is rarely broken by the few hilarious, outrageous moments throughout. These moments are what the film was starved for because they were the only parts of the film that actually subverted the genre. The rest took the predictable route of joints aches and back pain. Co-writers Shane Atkinson and Zara Hayes both make their feature film screenplay debut, which is a major detriment to a film that could have used not only a...

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are likely to live to reign another day at the box office.

“Avengers: Endgame” is on its way to its third weekend at No. 1 with an estimated $62 million.

The first real challenger to “Endgame’s” rule, Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “Detective Pikachu,” is heading for about $55 million from 4,202 locations after taking in $20 million on Friday.

Ryan Reynolds stars as the cheeky yellow Pokemon with Justice Smith co-starring as Tim, a young man with whom the world class detective teams up to figure out what happened to his partner, who is also Tim’s father. Reviews for the CGI-heavy pic have been mixed, with a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and A- CinemaScore.

Rob Letterman directed the film, which he co-wrote with Dan Hernandez, Benji Samit, and Derek Connelly. “Pikachu’s” audience is skewing slightly male, with 59%, and very slightly older, with 51% over the age of 25.

“Avengers: Endgame...

Ready?! Begin (I think that may be how they still start cheers)! Time to take a little detour from the Summer blockbuster super-highway, down that little rundown side street that leads to the “grindhouse”, just a few miles before the drive-in. A staple of those “low rent” movie outlets were those slightly naughty little flicks, usually featuring a bevy of young beauties often fresh from Hef’s grotto. Now, the settings and titles of these flicks usually sprung from a profession like nursing (The Student Nurses and Candy Strip Nurses), even TV “spokeswomen” (Game Show Models). Then there were the “cheer” flicks like Cheerleaders’ Beach Party and the 76 classic The Pom Pom Girls. And in that spirit comes this new film starring…hold on. These are more mature actresses, a couple of them are 70s screen icons (in their 70s). Let’s see if this still has lots of pep...

After actually watching “Poms,” it’s safe to say that the best thing about this movie is the beef it inspired between Anjelica Huston and star Jacki Weaver, because if there’s any way to stay relevant in Hollywood, it’s by throwing a little shade. And clearly — tragically — no one is writing enough good scripts to keep these talented women relevant. Lamenting the dearth of quality roles for older women in an incendiary Vulture interview, Huston gave as an example “an old-lady cheerleader movie,” calling such roles “apologetically humble and humiliating.” Firing back at the clear jab at her forthcoming project, Weaver responded that Huston could “go fuck herself.”

Unfortunately for Weaver, Huston was wise to sit this one out. Though her comments may have been mean-spirited (she has since apologized), Huston hit the nail on the head with “apologetically humble.” The characters in “Poms” are far from reality...

Cheerleading is a sport that commands attention. It whips the crowd into a controlled fervor, getting people off their feet and cheering with excitement. Unfortunately, director Zara Hayes’ “Poms” barely manages to do the same with its story about a group of retired women who reclaim their vitality and challenge societal norms by forming a cheerleading squad. Though it aims to be more than just a mashup of “Bring It On” and “Book Club,” the inherently uplifting and endearing facets of its heartfelt sentiments are overtaken by artificial packaging and stale execution.

As a pessimistic New York City transplant, Martha (Diane Keaton) faces her greatest challenge yet: living in the impossibly peppy retirement community of Sun Springs, Ga. The lavish, well-maintained property fosters cheery dispositions and relaxed lifestyles — things a cynical curmudgeon like Martha despises. But her former life in the city was unbearably lonely, so she seeks a drastically different atmosphere.

There’s no shortage of spirit among the cast of “Poms,” Zara Hayes’ new cheerleading and retirement-age comedy hybrid, but not even this much pep can cover up all of the film’s missteps. Although it’s hard to stay disappointed for long when Diane Keaton is just one exasperated sigh from making you laugh again.

Life got in the way of Martha’s (Keaton) youthful dream of becoming a cheerleader, but her fondness for the sport remains through her older years. After a grim diagnosis of cancer, Martha sells off the bulk of her belongings and sets off from New York City to a retirement community in Georgia. She’s greeted by Southern belles and by Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), an overly friendly neighbor with a fondness for pink flamingos and bright makeup. Among the many arbitrary rules of her new home, Martha must find a club to participate in,...

Here is a really fun trailer and poster (above) for a movie I hadn’t previously heard of called Poms. I mistakenly prejudged it for being another teen cheerleader movie that I wouldn’t care anything about, but then watched the trailer and realized it is a geriatric cheerleader movie, and I am in! The cast is amazing, and includes Diane Keaton, Pam Grier, Jacki Weaver, Rhea Perlman, Alisha Boe, and many more.

The movie is about a woman (Keaton), who moves into a retirement community, and begrudgingly makes new friends who help her along and pull her out of her shell to start a cheerleading team for the ladies in the community. The ladies recruit a teenager (Boe) to choreograph and lead them to compete. The movie is obviously about friendship and living your best life, with lots of humor and fun in seeing old ladies learn to cheer,...

STXfilms has released the official trailer for Poms, its retirement-community comedy starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier and Rhea Perlman. The pic, directed by Zara Hayes and written by Shane Atkinson, opens nationwide May 10, just ahead of Mother’s Day weekend.

The plot centers on Martha (Keaton), who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents. Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charli Tahan, Alisha Boe and Bruce McGill also star.

The film will hit theaters almost exactly one year after Keaton scored with Book Club, the surprise earner Paramount romantic comedy that also honed in on the senior citizen set. There are shades of that DNA in Poms, as Martha and her friends confront aging on their own terms (and after some recommended stretching). “We’re all so worried about what everyone else is thinking, but of course the only thing that really matters...

The 80s generation had Cocoon. This generation will get Poms. And no, it's not about pomegranate juice. This comedy follows a group of ladies at a retirement home who decide it's time to chase the cheerleading dreams that escaped them in their youth. The trailer has debuted for STXfilms' uplifting comedy Poms, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, Pam Grier, and Rhea Perlman. Poms opens in theaters nationwide on May 10.

Poms follows Martha (played by Diane Keaton), a woman who moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents, Sheryl (Jacki Weaver), Olive (Pam Grier) and Alice (Rhea Perlman), proving that it's never too late to follow your dreams.

Celia Weston, Phyllis Somerville, Charli Tahan, Alisha Boe and Bruce McGill also star. Zara Hayes directed the script by Shane Atkinson. Producing are Kelly McCormick (Atomic Blonde); Alex Saks (Book Club); Mad as Birds Films' Andy Evans,...

Zara Hayes directed feature about a cheerleading squad at a retirement home.

Comedy Poms, starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver and Pam Grier in the story of a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community, will be released in the UK by Entertainment One.

The film made a splash at November’s American Film Market when Stx picked up Us rights for a reported $9m. Stx will release on May 10 over Mother’s Day weekend.

Entertainment One struck the deal with Sierra/Affinity, which handles international rights. The sales outfit is owned by Canada-based Entertainment One...

STXfilms will open their Afm acquisition Poms on May 10, Mother’s Day weekend. The Diane Keaton movie opens close to a year after her previous hit spring comedy Book Club which earned $90M Ww. When it comes to launching female-skewing fare, studios try to capitalize on Mother’s Day weekend as a launch pad. It’s where such pics as Melissa McCarthy’s mother-daughter comedy Life of the Party opened a year ago ($17.9M), and where Fox’s Amy Schumer-Goldie Hawn comedy Snatched opened in 2017 to $19.5M. Stx took U.S. rights to the eOne-produced Poms for $8M-$9M at Afm, as exclusively reported by Deadline. Keaton plays a woman who after moving into a retirement community, starts a cheerleading squad with fellow residents. Pam Grier and Jacki Weaver also star. Zara Hayes directed the script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson. Kelly McCormick,...

STXfilms will release its senior-citizen cheerleader comedy “Poms,” starring Diane Keaton, Jacki Weaver, and Pam Grier, on May 10 over Mother’s Day weekend in the U.S.

Stx bought domestic rights for the movie at the American Film Market in November. Zara Hayes directed from a script by Shane Atkinson, based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson about a group of women who form a cheerleading squad at their retirement community. Shooting took place last summer in Atlanta. Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman, and Celia Weston also star.

Entertainment One’s Sierra/Affinity is producing, financing, and handling international sales of the project. The producers are Kelly McCormick; Alex Saks; Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, Celyn Jones, and Sean Marley; and Rose Pictures’ Rose Ganguzza. Keaton; Sierra/Affinity’s Nick Meyer and Marc Schaberg; and Will Greenfield are executive producing.

Stx...

Hoping to attract moms, STXfilms will open Poms, Diane Keaton’s new comedy, on May 10 to take advantage of the Mother’s Day weekend.

In the film, directed by Zara Hayes from a script by Shane Atkinson based on a story by Hayes and Atkinson, Keaton plays a woman who moves into a retirement community where she starts a cheerleading squad with fellow residents (played by Pam Grear and Jacki Weaver).

The pic's cast also includes Alisha Boe, Phyllis Somerville, Charlie Tahan, Bruce McGill, Rhea Perlman and Celia Weston. Kelly McCormick, Alex Saks, Mad as Birds Films’ Andy Evans,...