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Thirteen years is a long time for any voice to stay silent, let alone one as distinctive and intrinsic to the American independent scene as Whit Stillman’s. Yet well over a decade has gone by since The Last Days of Disco – the final part in Stillman’s self-described “Doomed-Bourgeouis-in-Love” trilogy and his last feature film outing. But this past spring, audiences were reintroduced to Stillman’s idiosyncratic wit with Damsels in Distress (out now on DVD and VOD), a whimsical, literate, and classically hilarious college-set comedy. Starring Greta Gerwig as Violet, the leader of a clique of women at the fictional Seven Oaks College dedicated to curbing on-campus suicide, the film is a potently absurd comedy of manners, featuring a stellar ensemble cast, a borderline-absurdest sense of humor, and at least one expertly-choreographed dance number.

Filmmaker: This film feels like more of a timeless farce than your previous works,...

Last week, Joss Whedon returned to our screens with the DVD and Blu-ray release of The Cabin in the Woods, with which Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) made his directorial debut to brilliant critical acclaim, with a script he co-wrote with Whedon.

This week, Whedon returns once more to our home entertainment systems with the release of The Avengers, the year’s biggest film to date, and the third-highest-grossing film of all time. It’s been one we’ve been looking forward to ever since its release, and now it has arrived for us to bask in its awesomeness once more.

My picks of the week:

Joss Whedon’s The Avengers & Jay Oliva’s Batman: The Dark Knight Returns – Part 1.

And Bond 50 – the complete 22-film James Bond collection on Blu-ray.

The Avengers Iframe Embed for Youtube

DVD, Blu-ray, and Blu-ray 3D

Joss Whedon’s The Avengers has been almost universally praised by...

With the issue of suicide never shied away from, Whit Stillman’s Damsels In Distress is set against a backdrop of pain and suffering that is masked by whimsy and social judgment to produce a film that never dwells for longer than it needs to.

With the opening credits reminiscent of a Woody Allen flick alongside the inclusion of chapters and footnotes to the closing credits, the director’s presence is often felt, especially in how suicide is never treated as taboo but as an everyday part of human life. Though the overriding light-hearted humour ensures we are constantly aware this is a comedy first and drama second, Damsels In Distress utilises its comedy and throwaway charm (the tap dancing goes hand in hand with Fred Astaire’s 1937 musical, A Damsel In Distress) as a coping device for the personal – albeit rather frustratingly hidden – dramas at its core.

The introduction...

It’s Monday, so we all know what that means! Yes, it’s time for another rundown of DVDs and Blu-ray’s hitting stores online and offline this week. It’s a jam-packed week, with plenty of movies waiting to take you money, so let us breakdown the new releases and highlight what you should – and shouldn’t – be buying from today, August 20th 2012.

Pick Of The Week

Puppet Master (DVD/Blu-ray)

Alex Whittaker and three other gifted psychics are investigating rumors that the secret of life has been discovered by master puppeteer Andre Toulon. But the psychics quickly discover Toulon’s secret of death in the form of five killer puppets – each one uniquely qualified for murder and mayhem. Tunneler has a nasty habit of boring holes in people with his drill bit head. Ms. Leech regurgitates killer leaches that suck her victims dry. Pinhead strangles his enemies with his powerful vice-like hands.

Director: Whit Stillman Writer: Whit Stillman Starring: Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton, Carrie MacLemore, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Ryan Metcalf, Adam Brody, Billy Magnussen, Jermaine Crawford, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Zach Woods, Domenico D'Ippolito, Nick Blaemire, Aubrey Plaza, Hugo Becker, Meredith Hagner It should say something to us that Seven Oaks College utilizes the Roman alphabet rather than the more commonly accepted Greek alphabet in the naming of their sorority and fraternity houses, as this references the Romans' propensity for crude decadence over the Greeks' philosophical pursuits. Propagated by doofi (the plural of doofus), the fraternities of Seven Oaks have de-evolved into a state of idiocracy; the situation is so grim that two male characters do not even know the names of the basic colors. (Did writer-director Whit Stillman's name of one of these dimwits Thor [Billy Magnussen] as a reference to the Norse god or the Avenger?) We can only assume that this fictional New...

Damsels In Distress (12A)

(Whit Stillman, 2011, Us) Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton, Adam Brody, Ryan Metcalf, Megalyn Echikunwoke. 99 mins

Stillman casts a wry eye across the college campus, and settles on Gerwig's clique of preppy girls who confuse charity with condescension. The result is distinctively articulate, witty, gently surreal and hilariously sarcastic. But as well as parodying these misguided teens, Stillman clearly has great sympathy for them. It's good to have him back.

Avengers Assemble (12A)

(Joss Whedon, 2012, Us) Samuel L Jackson, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson. 142 mins

Considering the lack of leeway Whedon had with this superhero juggernaut, he pulls off a remarkable feat, keeping all the plates spinning with as much irony as he can get away with. It descends into a numbing effects orgy, but it's fast and fun along the way.

Albert Nobbs (15)

(Rodrigo García, 2011, UK/Ire) Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska. 113 mins

Close's committed performance anchors this...

It’s Friday, so you know what that means – lots more films released in cinemas across the country and this is week is all about The Avengers as Marvel Avengers Assemble takes over cinemas across the country; for those of you not superhero inclined there are a number of limited releases also out this week – check you local cinema for listings.

Nationwide Releases Marvel Avengers Assemble

Marvel Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures “Marvel’s The Avengers”–the super hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe,...

To celebrate the April 27th cinema release of Whit Stillman’s Damsels in Distress, we’ve got the stylish and retro score to give away on CD!

Damsels In Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Annaleigh Tipton) into their group, which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men – including slick Charlie (Adam Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen)—who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.

Damsels in Distress marks the return of one of American independent cinema’s most distinctive voices – writer / producer / director Whit Stillman...

To celebrate the April 27th cinema release of Whit Stillman’s Damsels in Distress, we’ve got a poster signed by the man himself to give away!

Damsels In Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Annaleigh Tipton) into their group, which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men – including slick Charlie (Adam Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen)—who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.

Damsels In Distress marks the return of one of American independent cinema’s most distinctive voices – writer / producer / director Whit Stillman...

Whit Stillman is a name that has not been seen on a cinema screen for sometime. His latest, the delightful Damsels in Distress, is his first film since The Last Days of Disco in 1998.

I have a lot of affection for Whit Stillman’s films and was overjoyed to discover, upon viewing Damsels in Distress at a surprise screening last year, that his return to filmmaking after 14 years away is up to the high standard I have come to expect. Also, rather excitingly, Damsels is something of a new direction for Stillman and one that I was more than happy to follow him in.

I therefore leapt at the chance to speak to Stillman when the opportunity arose and managed to speak to him about a number of topics, including Damsels, his previous work and future possibilities. You can read the first part of this interview below, which focuses on Damsels in Distress.

Chicago – The sly satires of Whit Stillman have cultivated a fan base that appears to consist largely of his fellow peers. Manhattan-based filmmakers such as Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach and Lena Dunham have cited his subdued comedies as an influence on their own similarly mannerist yet considerably more accessible work. For many moviegoers, Stillman’s brilliantly constructed, emotionally distant pictures are easy to admire but difficult to like.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

The young, upwardly mobile “urban haute bourgeoisie” that populate his films serve as the target for Stillman’s observational, deeply affectionate humor. These characters may have big vocabularies and even bigger egos, but they are ultimately no less vulnerable and naive than their fellow peers in the lower social classes. I’ll never forget the hilarious scene in Stillman’s best film, 1998’s “The Last Days of Disco,” where a group of twentysomethings utilize their long-winded skills of analyses to pick...

Chicago – It takes a special kind of talent to appear wholly natural on-camera. Delivering dialogue with dramatic inflection is easy. But the ability to say scripted words as if they are emanating from your soul is profoundly tricky, especially when the words are written by an instantly recognizable stylist the likes of Woody Allen or Whit Stillman.

In 2012, audiences will have the opportunity to watch 28-year-old actress Greta Gerwig effortlessly inhabit the realms of various iconic filmmakers, as well as craft her own personal cinematic landscape. Gerwig’s revelatory work in Joe Swanberg’s Chicago-set indies “Hannah Takes the Stairs” and “Nights and Weekends” led to her breakout role in Noah Baumbach’s acclaimed comedy, “Greenberg.” Since then, Gerwig has become one of the most in-demand actresses of her generation, appearing in a variety of mainstream and art house pictures. This year, the actress will be seen acting opposite Jesse Eisenberg,...

New clips from Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. Sony Pictures Classics' comedy helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman, arrived in theaters on April 9th, and we've got 2 fresh clips up, also available in high definition. Starring in Damsels in Distress are Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald. The story follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers..

New clips from Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. Sony Pictures Classics' comedy helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman, arrived in theaters on April 9th, and we've got 2 fresh clips up, also available in high definition. Starring in Damsels in Distress are Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald. The story follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers..

New clips from Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. Sony Pictures Classics' comedy helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman, arrived in theaters on April 9th, and we've got 2 fresh clips up, also available in high definition. Starring in Damsels in Distress are Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald. The story follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers..

Here's Whit Stillman's schedule for the next few days: This evening, following a screening of Barcelona (1994), he and Chris Eigeman will be chatting at the Museum of the Moving Image. Tomorrow, he'll be at the Museum again to introduce his new film, Damsels in Distress, before heading over to BAMcinématek for a Q&A with Eigeman and Lena Dunham following a screening of The Last Days of Disco (1998). And then on Friday, following its premiere in Venice (see the roundup) and screening in Toronto (see Dan Sallitt's take), Damsels, Stillman's first feature in 14 years, finally opens in theaters.

Let's take this more or less chronologically, beginning with Colin Beckett, writing for Moving Image Source:

The three films that Whit Stillman made in the 1990s are neither the paradigmatic indie comedies they would appear in summary nor the traditionalist allegories his conservative fans have claimed. Though Stillman released these formally unambitious,...

Filmmaker Whit Stillman has made a mere 4 movies over the span of 23 years, his first three films grossing less than $15 million combined. His style of writing is abrasive for many, as is his sophiscated, sarcastic and self-deprecating sense of humor. That said, his third film, Last Days of Disco, offered a measure of hope and joy not present in his first two films, allowing for a slightly larger viewership during and after its theatrical run.

Thirteen years later, with Damsels in Distress, Stillman has grown softer still, as so many great filmmakers do (I’m looking at you Scorsese). Not that this is a bad thing. In fact, the versatile tones – both in drama and comedy – at play here mark a step forward in many ways for Stillman as both a writer and director.

The setting is Seven Oaks, a New England college that’s still suffering from a testerone-fused attitude towards college life.

Opening this weekend is writer-director Whit Stillman‘s (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco) first movie in thirteen years: Damsels in Distress. Filled with the unique characters and dialogue that populate all of his works, Stillman’s latest film is about a group of college coeds (Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Adam Brody, and Analeigh Tipton) whose friendship is threatened by a series of romances, “including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker), the mad frat-pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf), and Thor (Billy Magnussen) — who threaten their friendship and sanity.” For more on the film, here’s the trailer. At the recent Los Angeles press day, I got to speak with Stillman and Gerwig. We talked about the dialogue, favorite movies and actors, karaoke, and a lot more. Hit the jump to watch. Finally, if you missed my extended interview with Stillman which goes into a lot more...

This is a review show of the week’s movie releases from your favorite entertainment and celebrity website! Hello everyone, this is episode 35 of the “Movie Night” podcast! This week Rudie Obias is joined by Max Evry of MTV’s NextMovie.com/Comingsoon.net/BlackFilm.com, in a discussion of “Damsels In Distress” and the work of Whit Stillman. Rudie is also joined by Kristy Puchko of CinemaBlend.com/CriticalMob.com/TheFilmStage.com, in a review of James Cameron’s masterpiece, “Titanic” (now in 3D) and the new film in the “American Pie” series, “American Reunion.” “Damsels In Distress” features Greta Gerwig, Carrie MacLemore, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Analeigh Tipton, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Zach Woods, Aubrey Plaza and Adam Brody. It [ Read More ]...

Opening this weekend is writer-director Whit Stillman‘s (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco) first movie in thirteen years: Damsels in Distress. Filled with the unique characters and dialogue that populate all of his works, Stillman’s latest film is about a group of college coeds (Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Adam Brody, and Analeigh Tipton) whose friendship is threatened by a series of romances, “including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker), the mad frat-pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf), and Thor (Billy Magnussen) — who threaten their friendship and sanity.” For more on the film, here’s the trailer. At the recent Los Angeles press day, I got to speak with Megalyn Echikunwoke and Carrie MacLemore. We talked about trying to deliver Stillman’s unique dialogue, how familiar they were with his previous films when they got the roles, favorite movies and actors, karaoke, and more. Hit the jump to watch.

Opening this weekend is writer-director Whit Stillman's (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco) first movie in thirteen years: Damsels in Distress. Filled with the unique characters and dialogue that populate all of his works, Stillman's latest film is about a group of college coeds (Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Adam Brody, and Analeigh Tipton) whose friendship is threatened by a series of romances, “including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker), the mad frat-pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf), and Thor (Billy Magnussen) -- who threaten their friendship and sanity.” For more on the film, here's the trailer. At the recent Los Angeles press day, I got to speak with Analeigh Tipton and Hugo Becker. We talked about trying to deliver Stillman's unique dialogue, how familiar they were with his previous films when they got the roles, favorite movies and actors, karaoke, and you can also watch them...

One of my highlights of last year’s Toronto Film Festival was getting to sit down with writer-director Whit Stillman. As a huge fan of Stillman’s first three features (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco), I never thought I’d get the chance to talk with him. But with Stillman writing and directing his first film in 13 years, Damsels in Distress , he was at Tiff to talk about the project and I jumped at the chance to speak with him. We talked about what he’s been doing since The Last Days of Disco, the process of making Damsels in Distress, improv, future projects, and a lot more. You can watch that interview here. With Damsels now getting released this weekend, last week I sat down with the great director for a follow up interview. We talked about how he had to make a few edits to get a PG-13 release,...

Here's the first trailer to a new film written and directed by Whit Stillman called Damsels in Distress. The movie is a quirky kind of indie comedy that stars Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford, and Aubrey Plaza.

The movie looks like it could be entertaining, this is the first film Stillman has made in 14 years. The last movie he made was The Last Days of Disco back in 1998. Just to give you some perspective, this is the guy that inspired filmmakers such as Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach.

Here's the Synopsis:

Damsels In Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their...

Anyone who remembers the 1990 indie comedy/drama Metropolitan can recall the dry humor and charm that began writer-director Whit Stillman's storied, yet not very prolific, career. Metropolitan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, and his following two movies — 1994's Barcelona and 1998's The Last Days of Disco — seemed to herald that Stillman was going to continue to be one of the more intelligent independent filmmakers for years to come. However, Stillman's latest movie, Damsels in Distress, is his first in 14 years.

Making its debut last September at the Venice Film Festival to good reviews, Damsels in Distress continues right where Stillman left off in The Last Days of Disco, yet again targeting the "urban haute bourgeoisie" (to borrow a phrase from Metropolitan). The movie follows three young women at an East Coast university (Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke and Carrie MacLemore) who take a transfer student (Analeigh Tipton...

In NY and La on April 6, here’s the trailer for Sony Pictures Classics’ Damsels In Distress. In 2011, the film showed at the 55th BFI London Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival.

Source: Yahoo! Movies

From director Whit Stillman, Damsels In Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men — including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen) – who threaten the girls – friendship and sanity.

Stillman.s previous credits include Metropolitan, which earned...

Here’s the first trailer, courtesy of Yahoo! Movies, for Damsels in Distress which comes from Oscar-nominated writer-director Whit Stillman and follows a trio of beautiful girls as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of menincluding smooth Charlie (Adam Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen) who threaten the girls friendship and sanity.

Damsels in Distress is set for a Us release on 6th April and hits the UK a few weeks later on 27th April.

I believe there is an uncanny valley in portraying the young and erudite. I want to see witty movies about the Uhb, but only a select few---led by Woody Allen---can write the dialogue without it seeming so stilted. Whit Stillman is one of the masters. It's not that the banter isn't stiff, rather that is part of the point. And it helps when you have stars like Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, and Analeigh Tipton voicing the characters as Stillman does in his latest, Damsels in Distress. Gerwig, Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, and Carrie MacLemore star as a group of coeds whose friendship is threatened by a series of romances, "including smooth Charlie (Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker), the mad frat-pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf), and Thor (Billy Magnussen)." Damsels in Distress opens in limited release on April 6. Hit the jump to watch the trailer. Via Yahoo: I eat this stuff up.

Sony Pictures Classics has released the first trailer for Damsels in Distress, which will arrive in theaters April 6. Click on the video player below for your first look at this collegiate drama starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, and Analeigh Tipton.

Click to watch Damsels in Distress Trailer!

Damsels in Distress is a comedy that follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university - the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men - including slick Charlie (Adam Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen)-...

Marking his first film in nearly fifteen years, director Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco, Barcelona, Metropolitan) returns with Damsels in Distress. Having missed it at Toronto International Film Festival, I’m highly anticipating this one following the debut trailer tonight. I adore his relax tone and witty observations and it looks like his latest continues the trend. It is wonderful see female-centered “romantic comedies” (although this likely hardly fits in that genre) that don’t have the trappings of a Katherine Heigl or Sarah Jessica Parker disaster.

Greta Gerwig leads the film, but you’ll recognize Analeigh Tipton from Crazy, Stupid, Love. last summer as well as Aubrey Plaza. Check out the trailer (via Yahoo) below for the film also starring Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Ryan Metcalf, Billy Magnussen and Adam Brody.

Synopsis:

Damsels in Distress is a comedy about a trio of beautiful girls as...

Last year I was highly anticipating Whit Stillman's return to the big screen for the first time in, what was then, 13 years with Damsels in Distress. I ended up seeing it at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and the result ended up being a mixed bag. To cite my review, it is "easily recognizable as a Stillman feature with intelligent dialogue and characters with a gift for gab, but it takes on something of a fantastical edge I never quite became comfortable with." For those that are unfamiliar, please rush out and see Metropolitan and The Last Days of Disco to familiarize yourself with Stillman (you could also check out Barcelona, though that is my least favorite of his first three features). As for this film, it centers on a modern day trio of "damsels" in Violet (Greta Gerwig), Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Heather (Carrie MacLemore). Their...

Poster for Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton Sony Pictures Classics' comedy opens on April 6th in New York and Los Angeles, helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman. Cast also includes Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men—including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat...

Poster for Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton Sony Pictures Classics' comedy opens on April 6th in New York and Los Angeles, helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman. Cast also includes Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men—including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat...

Poster for Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton Sony Pictures Classics' comedy opens on April 6th in New York and Los Angeles, helmed, scripted and produced by Whit Stillman. Cast also includes Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good scent and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men—including slick Charlie (Brody), dreamboat...

Sneak Peek the new poster supporting writer/director Whit Stillman's, Sony Pictures Classics' comedy feature "Damsels In Distress", following three teenage girls who try to revolutionize life at an American university:

"...dynamic leader 'Violet Wister' (Greta Gerwig), principled 'Rose' (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy 'Heather' (Carrie MacLemore), welcome transfer student 'Lily' (Analeigh Tipton) into their group, by helping depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers.

"The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men – including smooth 'Charlie' (Adam Brody), dreamboat 'Xavier' (Hugo Becker) and the frat-pack of 'Frank' (Ryan Metcalf) and 'Thor' (Billy Magnussen), who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Damsels In Distress"...

With most poster round-ups we get a few stinkers mixed in, but today we have three films that are high up on my most-anticipated of 2012 list. First up is a film that I unfortunately missed at Toronto International Film Festival last fall. Damsels in Distress marks director Whit Stillman’s first film in almost 15 years. Starring Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Analeigh Tipton, Hugo Becker, Ryan Metcalf, Billy Magnussen and Adam Brody, one can see the poster below via Collider. The use of Comic Sans isn’t necessarily enticing, but I like the title design. The film will hit theaters on April 6th.

Damsels in Distress is a comedy about a trio of beautiful girls as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group,...

Today, we're proud to premiere the poster for Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. The film centers on a group of women in college whose friendship is strained when they become romantically entangled with a series of men. Damsels is Stillman's first film since 1998's The Last Days of Disco, and I'm bummed that a last-minute schedule change at the Toronto International Film Festival caused me to miss it. Thankfully, Steve said it was great and the film is set to hit theaters this spring where I'll be sure to catch it. Hit the jump to check out the poster and here's Steve's exclusive interview with Stillman on the film. The film stars Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Analeigh Tipton, Hugo Becker, Ryan Metcalf, Billy Magnussen, and Adam Brody. Damsels in Distress opens in limited release on April 6th. Here's the official synopsis for Damsels in Distress: Damsels in Distress...

Wow, we’ve been inundated with even more images from the studios for their forthcoming movies – this time round we’ve got a whole heap of pics from Adam Sandler’s Jack and Jill, and a new image from Damsels in Distress which stars the fantastic Greta Gerwig.

Damsels in Distress

Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of menincluding smooth Charlie (Adam Brody), dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad frat pack of Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen) who threaten the girls friendship and sanity.

In Contention's Guy Lodge was worrying a couple of days ago in Venice that the "unwritten rule of major festival programming that the closing film should be, if not shit, at least aggressively mediocre" might apply to Damsels in Distress, but "it gives me no small amount of pleasure to report that Stillman's latest is an unequivocal delight — a warmly off-kilter and wholly unique campus comedy that... has provided the purest shot of joy in the entire festival. That's not to say Stillman has gone cuddly in the lengthy hiatus that followed 1998's The Last Days of Disco: the director's many patient fans will find his skewed wit and dryly affectionate mockery of the East Coast upper classes pleasingly intact, even if the film surrounding these virtues is perhaps a shade broader and more heightened than his three previous features. Newcomers to his work might take a few scenes...

Carrie MacLemore, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke and Greta Gerwig in Damsels in Distress

Photo: Sony Pictures Classics Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress marks the writer/director's first film in 13 years following 1998's The Last Days of Disco. My anticipation here was high after seeing Stillman's Disco and Metropolitan for the first time back in 2009. In that sense, Damsels is easily recognizable as a Stillman feature with intelligent dialogue and characters with a gift for gab, but it takes on something of a fantastical edge I never quite became comfortable with. The story could have metaphorically been told in cardboard castles with the cast dressed in Renaissance garb and it would have played almost exactly the same, it's that kind of film.

It's not about princes and princesses, but the soft tones and wispy and whimsical line-delivery comes courtesy of modern day damsels Violet (Greta Gerwig), Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and...

Would you believe it has been 13 long years since Whit Stillman’s last film, the much overlooked and highly underrated Last Days of Disco. The director first broke into the scene with Metropolitan in 1990 which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay launching him to the forefront of the American independent filmmaking movement of the ’90s. Now his fourth film, Damsels In Distress, is expected to be released in 2011, and is screening at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival. This time around, mumblecore alum Greta Gerwig stars as Violet, the know-it-all leader of a group of alpha girls at an elite East Coast liberal arts college. The film is essentially about three young women at the university who become romatically entangled with three young men. There is a reason why Damsels In Distress was chosen as the closing night film at Venice, and to quote one of my colleagues, “Stillman is...

I arrived in Toronto two hours ago and finally made it to my hotel room from the airport as the next eight days will be dominated by the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival (Tiff). It will be my second time covering the event following last year's first visit and I cannot wait. However, this year is already looking like a completely different beast.

To begin with, several of the top films showing in this year's festival have already screened either at Telluride or Venice, films such as David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method, Alexander Payne's The Descendants, George Clooney's The Ides of March and others including Shame, Albert Nobbs and Butter. However, instead of being frustrated it certainly helps with coverage as this year's fest remains packed to the teeth with hot features, many of which play at the same time. So, when films don't necessarily perform as we'd...

I’m not very fond of watching clips from upcoming movies. The main problem, for me, lies in the lack of context that you’re subjected to, where nothing can be properly judged. Such is the case with Damsels in Distress, the new film from Whit Stillman; this is his first film since 1998, The Last Days of Disco. Starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, Analeigh Tipton, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Alia Shawkat, and Aubrey Plaza, it’s set to premiere at Venice and Tiff this year.

These three new clips have shown up at the Tiff YouTube page and RopeofSilicon, showing off much of the main cast, as well as some of the tonal choices Stillman has made. I wouldn’t consider them to be bad — I got a few laughs, and Gerwig looks (as always) excellent — but I’m not sure what to make of the tone, since I don...

Writer/director Whit Stillman is has returned to the director's chair for the first time in 13 years. His last film was the excellent The Last Days of Disco starring Kate Beckinsale and Chloe Sevigny and with Damsels in Distress he's surrounded himself with a whole new crop of up-and-coming female talent and I have the first three clips from the film which will have its world premiere screening next Saturday, September 10 at the Venice Film Festival and coincidentally I'll be seeing it one day later in Toronto.

Described as a comedy, the film, written by Stillman, centers on Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Heather (Carrie MacLemore) as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university. They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group, which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls...

See clips from Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton. Whit Stillman directs, writes and produces the Sony Pictures Classics comedy which is set to close the 2011 Venice Film Festival. Also in the cast of Damsels in Distress are Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald. The film marks Stillman's first film after 1998's The Last Days of Disco which at one point was also known as Violet Wister's Damsels in Distress. Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed...

See clips from Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton. Whit Stillman directs, writes and produces the Sony Pictures Classics comedy which is set to close the 2011 Venice Film Festival. Also in the cast of Damsels in Distress are Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Hugo Becker, Billy Magnussen, Ryan Metcalf, Jermaine Crawford and Caitlin Fitzgerald. The film marks Stillman's first film after 1998's The Last Days of Disco which at one point was also known as Violet Wister's Damsels in Distress. Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Tipton) into their group which seeks to help severely depressed...

After 13 long years, we are only a few months from the debut of Whit Stillman’s next film, a project entitled Damsels In Distress.

Premiering at this year’s Venice Film Festival (with a Tiff stint to follow), the film stars Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton and Adam Brody, and is a story which follows three college aged women who look to help their peers overcome their depression through music and other outlets.

Described by many as a screwball style picture, the film is easily one of 2011’s most anticipated projects, and has been a film that cinephiles have been anxiously awaiting for well over a decade now. The Last Days Of Disco was the auteur’s last effort, and thanks to The Playlist, we now have a brand new look at his follow up to that Criterion approved classic.

I’m a huge fan of the director, one who is polarizing here at CriterionCast,...

Something For Everyone As Love Stories, Psychological Chillers, Political Thrillers, Comedies And An Autobiography Join The Festival.S Galas And Special Presentations Lineup

Toronto . The Toronto International Film Festival® announces the addition of 8 Galas and 17 Special Presentations to the high-calibre selection of crowd-pleasers premiering in September. Today.s announcement includes 14 World Premieres and reveals that Festival-goers will be treated to a programming lineup featuring world premieres from directors including Nick Murphy, Gary McKendry, Joel Schumacher, Gianni Amelio, Agnieszka Holland, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, Pankaj Kapur, Anne Fontaine, Mathieu Kassovitz and Geoffrey Fletcher.

The films unveiled today feature onscreen appearances by Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, Gerard Butler, Ralph Fiennes, Imelda Staunton, Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Shahid Kapur, Isabelle Huppert, Saoirse Ronan, Alexis Bledel and James Gandolfini, among others.

This announcement brings the final number of Galas to 20, and the final number of Special...

As noted in the Visions lineup announcement, the Toronto International Film Festival (September 9 through 18) has released some of its most anticipated lineups today: Wavelengths, Contemporary World Cinema, Future Projections — and here, Galas and Special Presentations. We're taking them one at a time, first posting them program by program with descriptions provided by the festival — and then returning over the coming hours and days to add links and further notes.

Galas

Marc Forster's Machine Gun Preacher, an inspirational true story, about Sam Childers, a former drug-dealing criminal who undergoes an astonishing transformation and finds an unexpected calling as the saviour of hundreds of kidnapped and orphaned children. Gerard Butler (300) delivers a searing performance as Childers in Golden Globe®-nominated director Marc Forster's (Monster's Ball, Finding Neverland) moving story of violence and redemption. Machine Gun Preacher was previously announced as a Special Presentation.

David Hare's Page Eight. Tiff's Closing Night Film.

Damsels in Distress (starring Greta Gerwig and Adam Brody), Goon (starring Seann William Scott, Jay Baruchel, and Liev Schreiber), Page Eight (starring Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, and Ralph Fiennes), and Violet & Daisy (starring Saoirse Ronan, Alexis Bledel, and James Gandolfini) are all playing at this year's Toronto International Film Festival. We have images for these films. We think you'd like to see them. Hit the jump to check out the images. The 2011 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 8 – 18th. Damsels in Distress (dir. Whit Stillman; starring Greta Gerwig, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Carrie MacLemore, Analeigh Tipton, Adam Brody, Hugo Becker, Ryan Metcalf, and Billy Magnussen) --- Damsels in Distress is a comedy about a trio of beautiful girls as they set out to revolutionize life at a grungy American university – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome transfer student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group,...

Rebecca Hall in The Awakening I may sound like a spoiled brat when I say this, but the fact neither Carnage or Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy were part of this morning's Toronto Film Festival announcement sort of bums me out. However, there are other films that were added that do make my ears perk up, none more so than the addition of Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress as well as a couple of films I didn't expect and some I had never heard of.

To begin, the closing night film which I guess will serves as something of a Tinker, Tailor replacement, David Hare's (screenwriter of The Hours and The Reader) Page Eight starring Bill Nighy, Rachel Weisz, Michael Gambon, Ralph Fiennes and Judy Davis. The film tells the story of Johnny Worricker (Nighy), an MI5 agent who has learned to keep his observational skills perpetually operational. However,...