The film industry is fickle. When factors like mainstream appeal and tactical marketing determine a movie's success, it is almost impossible to ensure triumph even with a winning idea. Despite making brilliant films for their entire career, some great directors are never heard of. On the other hand, some directors make masterpieces for their first films and become permanently famous. It is an unpredictable industry, and any filmmaker practically gambles when they pour their heart and soul into a project.
Christopher Nolan, widely considered as one of the all-time greats, had to wait years until 2024 for his first Academy Award for Best Directing, and many great modern filmmakers still await their Best Director Oscar. It often takes time to find any recognition, and the lack of positive responses to earlier projects is particularly disheartening. However, as some famous filmmaking careers prove, directors often have to keep making good films that are slept on,...
Christopher Nolan, widely considered as one of the all-time greats, had to wait years until 2024 for his first Academy Award for Best Directing, and many great modern filmmakers still await their Best Director Oscar. It often takes time to find any recognition, and the lack of positive responses to earlier projects is particularly disheartening. However, as some famous filmmaking careers prove, directors often have to keep making good films that are slept on,...
- 1/17/2025
- by Atreyo Palit
- ScreenRant
Stephanie Hsu’s Ruby is given a unique predicament in “Laid,” when a number of her ex-partners start dropping dead.
Working together with her best friend and roommate, Aj, played by “Girls” star Zosia Mamet, Ruby confronts a slew of her ex-lovers, played by everyone from Finneas O’Connell, Josh Segarra and Alexandra Shipp to deliver the woeful news.
For the full breakdown of all the characters in “Laid” — and where you’ve seen them before — keep on reading.
Stephanie Hsu as Ruby in “Laid” (James Dittiger/Peacock)
Stephanie Hsu as Ruby
Stephanie Hsu stars as Ruby, who gets the shock of her lifetime when she realizes multiple people she’s slept with has died from various causes. She, with her best friend, Aj, begins investigating the strange occurrence.
Hsu broke out in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and has had roles in “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” “Shortcomings,” “Poker Face,...
Working together with her best friend and roommate, Aj, played by “Girls” star Zosia Mamet, Ruby confronts a slew of her ex-lovers, played by everyone from Finneas O’Connell, Josh Segarra and Alexandra Shipp to deliver the woeful news.
For the full breakdown of all the characters in “Laid” — and where you’ve seen them before — keep on reading.
Stephanie Hsu as Ruby in “Laid” (James Dittiger/Peacock)
Stephanie Hsu as Ruby
Stephanie Hsu stars as Ruby, who gets the shock of her lifetime when she realizes multiple people she’s slept with has died from various causes. She, with her best friend, Aj, begins investigating the strange occurrence.
Hsu broke out in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and has had roles in “Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens,” “Shortcomings,” “Poker Face,...
- 12/19/2024
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Jesse Garcia (Flamin’ Hot) and Jess Weixler (Teeth) have signed on to star in Tender, a crime thriller set to enter production in Los Angeles this week.
Written and directed by Adam Hoelzel (Beast of Burden), the film centers on a couple struggling with a failing marriage and mounting debts that stumbles upon a hidden fortune of gold within the walls of their home, leading them to concoct a risky plan to sell it and solve their financial troubles.
Others in the cast include Robert Longstreet (Sorry to Bother You), Shakira Barrera (Glow), Mark St. Cyr (The Menu), Sonja O’Hara (Mid-Century), Keli Price (Murder at Hollow Creek), Stephen Ellis, Robert Peters (Lincoln) and Alexander Cubis (Tyler Perry’s Ruthless).
Sofia Rovaletti (Mid-Century), O’Hara (Doomsday), Farrell Ingle (Subject 19), Keli Price (Bandit), Theo Bucksey (Morrow Road), Roy Hsu and Grayson Hay will produce alongside Corey Moosa (Margin Call...
Written and directed by Adam Hoelzel (Beast of Burden), the film centers on a couple struggling with a failing marriage and mounting debts that stumbles upon a hidden fortune of gold within the walls of their home, leading them to concoct a risky plan to sell it and solve their financial troubles.
Others in the cast include Robert Longstreet (Sorry to Bother You), Shakira Barrera (Glow), Mark St. Cyr (The Menu), Sonja O’Hara (Mid-Century), Keli Price (Murder at Hollow Creek), Stephen Ellis, Robert Peters (Lincoln) and Alexander Cubis (Tyler Perry’s Ruthless).
Sofia Rovaletti (Mid-Century), O’Hara (Doomsday), Farrell Ingle (Subject 19), Keli Price (Bandit), Theo Bucksey (Morrow Road), Roy Hsu and Grayson Hay will produce alongside Corey Moosa (Margin Call...
- 8/22/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the biggest challenges of the Sundance Film Festival is trying to fit it all in and be everywhere all at once in Park City. On Sunday morning at The Park, a group of festival insiders stayed in one place for about two hours to take in a keynote from Everything Everywhere All at Once’s Oscar-winning producer Jonathan Wang and witness two producers being singled out with awards and $10,000 grants.
It all went down as part of a producers award collaboration between the Sundance Institute and Amazon MGM Studios. The prizes — one for fiction, one for nonfiction — were awarded to producers Brad Becker-Parton of Stress Positions and Toni Kamau of The Battle for Laikipia, two films that premiered in this year’s lineup.
Becker-Parton’s other credits include Tina Satter’s Reality, starring Sydney Sweeney, and Mariama Diallo’s Master, starring Regina Hall, a Sundance selection released by...
It all went down as part of a producers award collaboration between the Sundance Institute and Amazon MGM Studios. The prizes — one for fiction, one for nonfiction — were awarded to producers Brad Becker-Parton of Stress Positions and Toni Kamau of The Battle for Laikipia, two films that premiered in this year’s lineup.
Becker-Parton’s other credits include Tina Satter’s Reality, starring Sydney Sweeney, and Mariama Diallo’s Master, starring Regina Hall, a Sundance selection released by...
- 1/22/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The film world is mourning the dissolution of one of indie cinema’s most fascinating auteurist pairs, Benny and Josh Safdie, colloquially known as the Safdie Brothers (“Uncut Gems”). It may be more of a break than a break up, but for the time being, the “Good Time” guys are going solo.
“It’s a natural progression of what we each want to explore,” Benny Safdie recently told Variety of the split from his brother, dispelling rumors that the breakup was anything but brotherly. “I will direct on my own, and I will explore things that I want to explore. I want that freedom right now in my life.”
He’s left the door open for a reunion; perhaps it will come on the Safdies’ (the duo) previously announced project with Adam Sandler and Megan Thee Stallion. It’s not dead, Benny said, just “on pause.”
Due to a DGA bylaw,...
“It’s a natural progression of what we each want to explore,” Benny Safdie recently told Variety of the split from his brother, dispelling rumors that the breakup was anything but brotherly. “I will direct on my own, and I will explore things that I want to explore. I want that freedom right now in my life.”
He’s left the door open for a reunion; perhaps it will come on the Safdies’ (the duo) previously announced project with Adam Sandler and Megan Thee Stallion. It’s not dead, Benny said, just “on pause.”
Due to a DGA bylaw,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Zorro and Expats are the big shows coming to Prime Video in January. The former is what Amazon are calling a “bold reinterpretation” of the classic hero El Zorro for 2024. Starring Miguel Bernardeau as Diego de la Vega and Renata Notni as Lolita Marquez, it’s definitely an intriguing-sounding action-adventure series, with a ten-episode first season based on the iconic character originally created by Johnston McCulley all the way back in 1919.
Meanwhile, upcoming drama series Expats is based on the bestselling 2016 novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, and follows “the vibrant lives of a close-knit expatriate community” in Hong Kong. Nicole Kidman has been known for picking the right kind of shows to lead in the past, so let’s hope this is another banger for the actress, who is also on board as an executive producer here.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month.
Meanwhile, upcoming drama series Expats is based on the bestselling 2016 novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, and follows “the vibrant lives of a close-knit expatriate community” in Hong Kong. Nicole Kidman has been known for picking the right kind of shows to lead in the past, so let’s hope this is another banger for the actress, who is also on board as an executive producer here.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month.
- 1/1/2024
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Dark Sky Films gave the The Third Saturday in October slasher double feature a VOD and digital release back in May, and while we haven’t heard word of a Blu-ray or DVD release yet, the movies have made their way onto the Tubi streaming service… and soon, they’ll also be available on VHS! Which seems very fitting for a pair of movies that are meant to be throwbacks to decades gone by. In addition to the limited run VHS release, both original scores composed by WU10 will be available to stream on all major platforms starting this Friday, October 20th. You can listen to a couple sample tracks in the embeds at the bottom of this article.
Pre-orders of the VHS release can be made through the official website. You can get a standalone The Third Saturday in October VHS, a standalone The Third Saturday in October Part V VHS,...
Pre-orders of the VHS release can be made through the official website. You can get a standalone The Third Saturday in October VHS, a standalone The Third Saturday in October Part V VHS,...
- 10/18/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The list of directors who put their trust in Robby Müller could constitute a nice history of post-war cinema. A retrospective of films on which he served as Dp reflects accordingly––so’s the case with Metrograph’s “Robby Müller: Remain in Light,” which starts on Friday, September 29, and for which we’re glad to debut the trailer.
Contained therein are bits and pieces of what Metrograph attendees can anticipate. The series will offer a chance to see (among others) 24 Hour Party People, Alice in the Cities, The American Friend, Barfly, Breaking the Waves, Dead Man, Down by Law, Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, Kings of the Road, Korczak, Living the Light – Robby Müller, Mystery Train, Repo Man, Saint Jack, To Live and Die in L.A., When Pigs Fly, The Wrong Move, and Paris, Texas. The opening night will be anchored by “a panel on Müller’s continued influence on filmmaking,...
Contained therein are bits and pieces of what Metrograph attendees can anticipate. The series will offer a chance to see (among others) 24 Hour Party People, Alice in the Cities, The American Friend, Barfly, Breaking the Waves, Dead Man, Down by Law, Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, Kings of the Road, Korczak, Living the Light – Robby Müller, Mystery Train, Repo Man, Saint Jack, To Live and Die in L.A., When Pigs Fly, The Wrong Move, and Paris, Texas. The opening night will be anchored by “a panel on Müller’s continued influence on filmmaking,...
- 9/21/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Dark Sky Films gave the The Third Saturday in October slasher double feature a VOD and digital release back in May, and while we haven’t heard word of a physical media release just yet, the movies have now made their way onto the Tubi streaming service!
The titles of these slashers are The Third Saturday in October: Part I and The Third Saturday in October: Part V… and if you think it’s confusing that we’re jumping right from one to five, here’s a little more information on exactly what these films are:
What if a lost horror franchise made during the peak of the slasher genre was unearthed today, but only two of the films could be restored? Filmmaker Jay Burleson imagined just that with The Third Saturday in October.
A double feature of terror, The Third Saturday in October: Part V sees unstoppable killer Jakkariah...
The titles of these slashers are The Third Saturday in October: Part I and The Third Saturday in October: Part V… and if you think it’s confusing that we’re jumping right from one to five, here’s a little more information on exactly what these films are:
What if a lost horror franchise made during the peak of the slasher genre was unearthed today, but only two of the films could be restored? Filmmaker Jay Burleson imagined just that with The Third Saturday in October.
A double feature of terror, The Third Saturday in October: Part V sees unstoppable killer Jakkariah...
- 9/7/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
There’s much to celebrate this September thanks to Plex! The free streaming service is adding 23 new titles to its library of over 50,000 this month, and even though the list may seem short, especially compared to some of the major streamers’ lists, Plex is flexing its movie muscles with major titles such as “L.A. Confidential,” “The King of Comedy,” and more.
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for the coming month and the full list below!
Watch Now $0+ / month plex.tv What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Plex in September 2023? “Pi” | Friday, Sept. 1
Before “Requiem for a Dream,” “The Whale,” and the rest of his filmography, Darren Aronofsky made his feature directorial debut with the black-and-white psychological thriller “Pi.” Starring Sean Gullette, the film follows Max Cohen, a paranoid mathematician with an obsession to find order in the world amongst the diametrically opposed concepts of human irrationality and mathematical rationality.
Check out The Streamable’s top picks for the coming month and the full list below!
Watch Now $0+ / month plex.tv What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Plex in September 2023? “Pi” | Friday, Sept. 1
Before “Requiem for a Dream,” “The Whale,” and the rest of his filmography, Darren Aronofsky made his feature directorial debut with the black-and-white psychological thriller “Pi.” Starring Sean Gullette, the film follows Max Cohen, a paranoid mathematician with an obsession to find order in the world amongst the diametrically opposed concepts of human irrationality and mathematical rationality.
- 8/29/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Stars: Antonio Woodruff, Poppy Cunningham, Kansas Bowling, Ian J. Cunningham, Tom Hagale, Taylor Smith, Bart Hyatt, Robert W. Hill | Written and Directed by Jay Burleson
The Third Saturday in October was actually conceived before the slasher boom of the 1980s but wasn’t filmed until after the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th. Its odd perspective on the genre soon made it a cult film. But, as the title card tells us, this isn’t that film. This is The Third Saturday in October Part V, the fourth sequel from 1994.
A narrator takes us through a recap of the previous instalments concerning Jakkariah “Jack” Harding a serial killer who survived the electric chair and has terrified the town of Hackleburg Alabama every fall since his attacks timed to coincide with the big game between Alabama-Mobile Seahawks and the Tennessee A&m Commonwealth. But, as the narrator informs us, “This...
The Third Saturday in October was actually conceived before the slasher boom of the 1980s but wasn’t filmed until after the success of Halloween and Friday the 13th. Its odd perspective on the genre soon made it a cult film. But, as the title card tells us, this isn’t that film. This is The Third Saturday in October Part V, the fourth sequel from 1994.
A narrator takes us through a recap of the previous instalments concerning Jakkariah “Jack” Harding a serial killer who survived the electric chair and has terrified the town of Hackleburg Alabama every fall since his attacks timed to coincide with the big game between Alabama-Mobile Seahawks and the Tennessee A&m Commonwealth. But, as the narrator informs us, “This...
- 5/5/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
I primarily associate distributor Dark Sky Films with Adam Green’s Hatchet / Victor Crowley slasher franchise – so it seems very appropriate that the company is now home to the old school style slasher franchise The Third Saturday in October! The two Third Saturday in October films have been making the festival rounds in recent months, and today Dark Sky Films has announced they will be giving them a VOD and digital release on May 5th!
The titles of these slashers are The Third Saturday in October: Part I and The Third Saturday in October: Part V… and if you think it’s confusing that we’re jumping right from one to five, here’s a little more information on exactly what these films are:
What if a lost horror franchise made during the peak of the slasher genre was unearthed today, but only two of the films could be restored?...
The titles of these slashers are The Third Saturday in October: Part I and The Third Saturday in October: Part V… and if you think it’s confusing that we’re jumping right from one to five, here’s a little more information on exactly what these films are:
What if a lost horror franchise made during the peak of the slasher genre was unearthed today, but only two of the films could be restored?...
- 4/14/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
After creating one of the most original and endearing oddball movies of the new millennia with Swiss Army Man, the Daniels—the directing pair made of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert–made the world wait for the next fresh work. Kwan and Scheinert hadn't been sitting on their hands, the pair directed a music video for Machester Orchestra, an episode of Awkwafina From Queens, and they contributed to Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia as well. Daniel Scheinert squeezed in a feature film of his own titled The Death of Dick Long and an episode of On Becoming a God in Central Florida between appearing as Daniels. Finally, audiences received a new full–length feature by the duo titled, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and as luck will have it is has skyrocketed the filmmakers into superstardom.
- 3/13/2023
- by Drake Lupton
- Collider.com
With its win for Best Film Editing on Sunday, “Everything Everywhere All At Once” became the first comedy to score this statuette in an astonishing 34 years — since 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit.”
Editor Paul Rogers’ deft handling of multiverses is likely what garnered his work more votes from the Academy than his competition: “Elvis,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Tár.” But despite a heartwarming plot thread about the power of family, “Eeaao” is still at its heart an outlandish, overt comedy, complete with hot dog fingers, magical bagels and a racoon-meets-Ratatouille subplot.
Also Read:
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’: How Costume Designer Shirley Kurata Outfitted the Multiverse
A mere glance at winners in this category proves the extraordinary rarity of this victory. Limiting the list to recent decades, it has been thoroughly dominated by war films, ensemble pieces, action epics and musical dramas.
Between the Oscar...
Editor Paul Rogers’ deft handling of multiverses is likely what garnered his work more votes from the Academy than his competition: “Elvis,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Tár.” But despite a heartwarming plot thread about the power of family, “Eeaao” is still at its heart an outlandish, overt comedy, complete with hot dog fingers, magical bagels and a racoon-meets-Ratatouille subplot.
Also Read:
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’: How Costume Designer Shirley Kurata Outfitted the Multiverse
A mere glance at winners in this category proves the extraordinary rarity of this victory. Limiting the list to recent decades, it has been thoroughly dominated by war films, ensemble pieces, action epics and musical dramas.
Between the Oscar...
- 3/13/2023
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
Duo known as ‘the Daniels’ win prize for their second feature, defeating Steven Spielberg
Everything Everywhere triumphs in major Oscars sweepThe full list of winners
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the duo known as “the Daniels”, have won the Oscar for best director for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
The superhero comedy starring Michelle Yeoh is Kwan and Scheinert’s second feature film together, after the 2016 surreal comedy Swiss Army Man featuring Daniel Radcliffe (as a corpse) and Paul Dano. Scheinert has also worked solo, directing the 2019 comedy The Death of Dick Long.
Everything Everywhere triumphs in major Oscars sweepThe full list of winners
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the duo known as “the Daniels”, have won the Oscar for best director for Everything Everywhere All at Once at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles.
The superhero comedy starring Michelle Yeoh is Kwan and Scheinert’s second feature film together, after the 2016 surreal comedy Swiss Army Man featuring Daniel Radcliffe (as a corpse) and Paul Dano. Scheinert has also worked solo, directing the 2019 comedy The Death of Dick Long.
- 3/13/2023
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Aka the Daniels) had been indie film darlings for years thanks to their work on movies like “Swiss Army Man” and “The Death of Dick Long.” But the massive success of “Everything Everywhere All at Once” launched them into the stratosphere. The A24 film enjoyed a lengthy theatrical run and became the highest grossing indie film in 2022 before picking up 11 Oscar nominations last month. In addition to joining the rarified air of award season contenders, the film’s success earned the Daniels an invitation to another elite film industry institution: the Criterion Closet.
In a new video released by Criterion, the two filmmakers stopped by the legendary closet to pick out a selection of their favorite Criterion Blu-rays. Their taste spanned a wide variety of genres, but the video provides a special look at the types of films that inspired their unique style.
Scheinert kicked...
In a new video released by Criterion, the two filmmakers stopped by the legendary closet to pick out a selection of their favorite Criterion Blu-rays. Their taste spanned a wide variety of genres, but the video provides a special look at the types of films that inspired their unique style.
Scheinert kicked...
- 2/6/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
After creating one of the most original and endearing oddball movies of the new millennia with Swiss Army Man, the Daniels—the directing pair made of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert–made the world wait for the next fresh work. Kwan and Scheinert haven’t been sitting on their hands, the pair directed a music video for Machester Orchestra, an episode of Awkwafina From Queens, and they contributed to Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia as well. Daniel Scheinert squeezed in a feature film of his own titled The Death of Dick Long and an episode of On Becoming a God in Central Florida between appearing as Daniels. Finally, audiences get another full–length feature by the duo titled, Everything Everywhere All at Once.
- 1/26/2023
- by Drake Lupton
- Collider.com
Get ready for Daniels to be behind everything, everywhere all at once.
The directing duo that helmed A24’s record-breaking multiverse film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” officially confirmed an exclusive five-year deal with Universal. Their producer, Jonathan Wang, is also part of the partnership.
Daniels, comprised of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, similarly followed in Jordan Peele’s footsteps after the “Nope” filmmaker inked a five-year deal with Universal in 2019 after working with the studio for his Oscar-winning directorial debut, “Get Out.”
IndieWire previously advocated for more first-look deals akin to Peele’s arrangement in editor Eric Kohn’s weekly column, which mentioned the Daniels’ existing first-look deal with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” distributor A24, though that deal only extended to TV projects. The structure of the new deal with Universal enables the filmmakers to develop projects with studio resources and would likely also allow them to produce...
The directing duo that helmed A24’s record-breaking multiverse film “Everything Everywhere All At Once” officially confirmed an exclusive five-year deal with Universal. Their producer, Jonathan Wang, is also part of the partnership.
Daniels, comprised of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, similarly followed in Jordan Peele’s footsteps after the “Nope” filmmaker inked a five-year deal with Universal in 2019 after working with the studio for his Oscar-winning directorial debut, “Get Out.”
IndieWire previously advocated for more first-look deals akin to Peele’s arrangement in editor Eric Kohn’s weekly column, which mentioned the Daniels’ existing first-look deal with “Everything Everywhere All at Once” distributor A24, though that deal only extended to TV projects. The structure of the new deal with Universal enables the filmmakers to develop projects with studio resources and would likely also allow them to produce...
- 8/2/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
When editor Paul Rogers was first pitched “Everything Everywhere All at Once” by Daniels, he had no idea that he would be treated to a wild performance by the directing duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. And yet, from their energetic and funny acting out of the entire multiverse sci-fi adventure in their garage office, Rogers immediately understood and appreciated the method to their madness. Cracking the editorial code subsequently became a lot easier.
“I got very emotional just watching it,” said Rogers, who previously edited Scheinert’s solo movie, “The Death of Dick Long.” “I think a big part of why that made such an impact on me, I could see and feel their passion for the story, and how excited and passionate they were, laughing and cracking each other up. Having that weight when they performed the emotional scenes really sold me on the fact that they were...
“I got very emotional just watching it,” said Rogers, who previously edited Scheinert’s solo movie, “The Death of Dick Long.” “I think a big part of why that made such an impact on me, I could see and feel their passion for the story, and how excited and passionate they were, laughing and cracking each other up. Having that weight when they performed the emotional scenes really sold me on the fact that they were...
- 4/18/2022
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Katherine Hughes (Echo 3) and Josh Plasse (iCarly) have signed on to star alongside Frank Grillo and Jaime King in the horror-thriller Man’s Son, which Remy Grillo is directing for XYZ Films.
The story surrounds a young couple (Hughes and Plasse) hoping to create an aesthetically pleasing audition tape for an up-and-coming Charles Manson film. But when they choose an eclectic desert Airbnb as the perfect backdrop, the dark events of the audition material slowly slip into their reality… Eventually, they find themselves intertwined in an occult, sinister plot led by King and Grillo’s characters.
Plasse and Brev Moss wrote the script, which is inspired by modern occult activity in the California Desrt. King’s Hooligan Dreamers Productions is producing in partnership with Dare Angel, Mi Nene and Margate House Films. Plasse, Shakira Barrera, Conor Allyn, Johnny James Fiore, Benjamin Anderson, Jake Allyn, Fabio Lo Fria, King and Emma Comley are producing,...
The story surrounds a young couple (Hughes and Plasse) hoping to create an aesthetically pleasing audition tape for an up-and-coming Charles Manson film. But when they choose an eclectic desert Airbnb as the perfect backdrop, the dark events of the audition material slowly slip into their reality… Eventually, they find themselves intertwined in an occult, sinister plot led by King and Grillo’s characters.
Plasse and Brev Moss wrote the script, which is inspired by modern occult activity in the California Desrt. King’s Hooligan Dreamers Productions is producing in partnership with Dare Angel, Mi Nene and Margate House Films. Plasse, Shakira Barrera, Conor Allyn, Johnny James Fiore, Benjamin Anderson, Jake Allyn, Fabio Lo Fria, King and Emma Comley are producing,...
- 4/6/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The filmmaking duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, otherwise known as Daniels, had been tinkering away at an ambitious screenplay for their new movie when the Marvel opportunity arrived.
“There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take,” Scheinert said in an interview alongside Kwan at the SXSW Film Festival. “We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,” Kwan interjected. “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”
That was “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the dazzling and unclassifiable saga that opened the festival on Friday. The directors’ first feature together since the similar blend of poignance and surreal humor that distinguished their 2016 debut “Swiss Army Man,” the sophomore feature stars Michelle Yeoh as a...
“There were meetings with Marvel about ‘Loki’ that we didn’t even take,” Scheinert said in an interview alongside Kwan at the SXSW Film Festival. “We were trying to make our own multiverse movie,” Kwan interjected. “No, the meeting was set, and we went, but by the time we went we said we probably weren’t going to do it,” he said. “We were trying to shoot our own movie at the same time.”
That was “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the dazzling and unclassifiable saga that opened the festival on Friday. The directors’ first feature together since the similar blend of poignance and surreal humor that distinguished their 2016 debut “Swiss Army Man,” the sophomore feature stars Michelle Yeoh as a...
- 3/13/2022
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the directing duo known collectively as “The Daniels,” haven’t directed a feature film together since 2016’s Swiss Army Man (review), with Kwan branching off to work on television shows like FX’s Legion and Scheinert directing a feature film on his own in 2019’s The Death of Dick Long (review). Six years […]
The post ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ SXSW Review – A Magical Triumph of Cinematic Storytelling appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
The post ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ SXSW Review – A Magical Triumph of Cinematic Storytelling appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.
- 3/12/2022
- by Trace Thurman
- bloody-disgusting.com
With most films seeking to get out of the shadow cast by a certain caped crusader, March is a bit of a lighter month than usual, but there remains a handful of recommendations. From offbeat festival favorites to the return of the erotic thriller to what’s sure to be one of the best sci-fi tales of the year, check out our picks below.
11. Jane by Charlotte (Charlotte Gainsbourg; March 18 in theaters)
After being in front of the camera for nearly four decades, Charlotte Gainsbourg gets personal with her directorial debut. Jane by Charlotte, which premiered at Cannes before playing NYFF and beyond, is a portrait of her mother, singer and actress Jane Birkin, as the pair reflect on their creative lives. As they discuss the pains and joys of their relationship, it promises an intimate look at the intricacies of a bond formed not only by blood, but also fiercely creative drives.
11. Jane by Charlotte (Charlotte Gainsbourg; March 18 in theaters)
After being in front of the camera for nearly four decades, Charlotte Gainsbourg gets personal with her directorial debut. Jane by Charlotte, which premiered at Cannes before playing NYFF and beyond, is a portrait of her mother, singer and actress Jane Birkin, as the pair reflect on their creative lives. As they discuss the pains and joys of their relationship, it promises an intimate look at the intricacies of a bond formed not only by blood, but also fiercely creative drives.
- 3/2/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A24 has released the first official trailer for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the new feature from experimental directing duo Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels. Set to open the SXSW Film Festival next March, the movie is the first feature from Daniels since 2016’s “Swiss Army Man,” the beloved experimental feature that starred Paul Dano opposite Daniel Radcliffe as a sentient corpse. As their first follow-up, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is expected to be just as explosive, inventive, and totally unpredictable.
This time, Daniels have plugged women characters into their insane thrill ride — the movie stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, “an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes.” As unusually sweet a bromance as “Swiss Army Man” was, it will be refreshing to see what these unique filmmakers can explore through women. The movie also stars Jamie Lee Curtis...
This time, Daniels have plugged women characters into their insane thrill ride — the movie stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang, “an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes.” As unusually sweet a bromance as “Swiss Army Man” was, it will be refreshing to see what these unique filmmakers can explore through women. The movie also stars Jamie Lee Curtis...
- 12/14/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
After their one-of-a-kind, fart-propelled odyssey Swiss Army Man, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert briefly went their separate ways as the latter directed the equal parts disturbing and hilarious The Death of Dick Long. Daniels are now back with Everything Everywhere All At Once, a sci-fi action adventure that reunites them with A24, following an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes.
With a cast featuring Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., and Jamie Lee Curtis, the first trailer has now arrived head of a SXSW Opening Night premiere on March 11 and a theatrical release beginning March 25. As one can see in the trailer, the logline is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the rather ambitious story the Daniels are attempting to pull off here.
“We are thrilled to premiere Daniels’ latest work, which is fantastically inventive,...
With a cast featuring Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., and Jamie Lee Curtis, the first trailer has now arrived head of a SXSW Opening Night premiere on March 11 and a theatrical release beginning March 25. As one can see in the trailer, the logline is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the rather ambitious story the Daniels are attempting to pull off here.
“We are thrilled to premiere Daniels’ latest work, which is fantastically inventive,...
- 12/14/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The 2022 SXSW Film Festival has announced that “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” the new film from Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, will open the 29th edition of the Austin, Texas, event on March 11. The festival is billing its opening night selection as “a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes.” Michelle Yeoh stars in the lead role opposite an ensemble cast that includes Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., and Jamie Lee Curtis.
“We are thrilled to premiere Daniels’ latest work, which is fantastically inventive, entertaining, emotionally grounded, and crammed with the exceptional creativity that makes their projects so satisfying,” said Janet Pierson, Director of SXSW Film, in a statement. “Audiences are going to have their minds blown by this extraordinary feat of filmmaking.”
Kwan and Scheinert, known collectively as Daniels,...
“We are thrilled to premiere Daniels’ latest work, which is fantastically inventive, entertaining, emotionally grounded, and crammed with the exceptional creativity that makes their projects so satisfying,” said Janet Pierson, Director of SXSW Film, in a statement. “Audiences are going to have their minds blown by this extraordinary feat of filmmaking.”
Kwan and Scheinert, known collectively as Daniels,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
We were in the mindset that thought that a 2021 playdate was in the cards for Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert‘s Everything Everywhere All at Once, but the project probably needed a bit more time in post before the A24 folks brought the ambitious project into the world. Buyers at the recent virtual AFM got a first glance at the project and the distrib are looking to drop the film sometime in the Spring so this would definitely benefit from a Sundance or SXSW premiere showing. The Daniels have been to Park City with 2016’s Swiss Army Man, 2019’s The Death of Dick Long (solo directing gig for Scheinert) and were part of the Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia experiment.…...
- 11/23/2021
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Paramount+ has released a first-look trailer for their upcoming series “Guilty Party” from creator Rebecca Addelman (“Dead to Me”) and led by British actress Kate Beckinsale (“Underworld” franchise), who is taking a spin with comedy in the role of lead character Beth Burgess.
Read More: Paramount+ Announces New Series Adaptations Of ‘The Italian Job’ ‘Fatal’ Attraction,’ ‘The Parallax View’ & Takes ‘Halo’ From Showtime
Joining Beckinsale in the show’s cast will be Jules Latimer, Geoff Stults (“Little Fires Everywhere”), Laurie Davidson (“The Good Liar”), Andre Hyland (“The Death of Dick Long”), Tiya Sircar (“Good Sam”), and Alanna Ubach (“Euphoria”).
Continue reading ‘Guilty Party’ Trailer: Kate Beckinsale Plays A Disgraced Journalist Trying To Make Things Right For Paramount+ at The Playlist.
Read More: Paramount+ Announces New Series Adaptations Of ‘The Italian Job’ ‘Fatal’ Attraction,’ ‘The Parallax View’ & Takes ‘Halo’ From Showtime
Joining Beckinsale in the show’s cast will be Jules Latimer, Geoff Stults (“Little Fires Everywhere”), Laurie Davidson (“The Good Liar”), Andre Hyland (“The Death of Dick Long”), Tiya Sircar (“Good Sam”), and Alanna Ubach (“Euphoria”).
Continue reading ‘Guilty Party’ Trailer: Kate Beckinsale Plays A Disgraced Journalist Trying To Make Things Right For Paramount+ at The Playlist.
- 9/17/2021
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
A24, the Oscar-winning studio behind hits like Moonlight and Midsommar, recently explored a sale. The asking price to own the A24 name and its library of prestigious indie flicks? Around $3 billion. While that may seem high for a studio that hasn't even been around for a decade, A24 has made quite the name for itself in recent years. And, perhaps more importantly, the media landscape has changed a great deal, with the streaming wars heating up and every company vying for subscribers desperate for high-profile content.
According to a new report, within the last 18 months, A24 explored a possible sale. The price tag was said to be between $2.5 and $3 billion. While nothing ultimately came to pass, at least not yet, it is said that the company engaged with multiple possible suitors. Apple was named as one of those possible destinations. That would make sense, as Apple TV+ is in serious...
According to a new report, within the last 18 months, A24 explored a possible sale. The price tag was said to be between $2.5 and $3 billion. While nothing ultimately came to pass, at least not yet, it is said that the company engaged with multiple possible suitors. Apple was named as one of those possible destinations. That would make sense, as Apple TV+ is in serious...
- 7/14/2021
- by Ryan Scott
- MovieWeb
Stars: Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Julie Oliver-Touchstone, Lynn Andrews, Tom Nowicki, Michael Zagst, Xander Berkeley, Charles Jonathan Trott, Mindy Raymond | Written and Directed by Bryan Bertino
Bryan Bertino gained widespread acclaim with his debut feature The Strangers. However, neither of his following films, Mockingbird and The Monster found the same reception. The Dark and the Wicked sees him pulling out all the stops to try and rebuild his reputation. Not having been a huge fan of his previous films, I might not be the right person to ask. But if this film doesn’t put him back on the map I don’t know what will.
Louise and her brother Michael can’t remember when they last visited their parent’s farm. But they’re going back now. Their father (Michael Zagst) is dying and doesn’t have much time left. Their mother (Julie Oliver-Touchstone; Bounded by Evil) tells them not to.
Bryan Bertino gained widespread acclaim with his debut feature The Strangers. However, neither of his following films, Mockingbird and The Monster found the same reception. The Dark and the Wicked sees him pulling out all the stops to try and rebuild his reputation. Not having been a huge fan of his previous films, I might not be the right person to ask. But if this film doesn’t put him back on the map I don’t know what will.
Louise and her brother Michael can’t remember when they last visited their parent’s farm. But they’re going back now. Their father (Michael Zagst) is dying and doesn’t have much time left. Their mother (Julie Oliver-Touchstone; Bounded by Evil) tells them not to.
- 7/5/2021
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Martin Scorsese isn’t done filling out his Killers of the Flower Moon cast just yet. The mystery drama, which is based on a true story and the book by David Grann, stars Jesse Plemons, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Robert De Niro. Now, Tatanka Means (I Know This Much is True), Michael Abbott Jr (The Death of Dick Long), Pat Healy (Bad […]
The post Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Adds Even More Cast Members appeared first on /Film.
The post Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Adds Even More Cast Members appeared first on /Film.
- 4/14/2021
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
With Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon finally getting underway, the director continues to expand the cast of his David Grann adaptation. After quite a few additions in the last couple of weeks, four more actors have joined the ensemble.
Deadline reports that Scott Shepherd, Tatanka Means (Once Upon a River), Pat Healy (Cheap Thrills), and Michael Abbott Jr. (The Death of Dick Long) have all joined the film, which will depict the serial murders of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.
Tatanka Means (Once Upon a River)
Pat Healy (Cheap Thrills)
Michael Abbott Jr. (The Death of Dick Long)
As Deadline notes, “Means will play John Wren. Abbott will play Frank Smith and Healy will play John Burger, federal agents who works with Tom White (Plemons) on the investigation of the murders in the Osage Nation.
Deadline reports that Scott Shepherd, Tatanka Means (Once Upon a River), Pat Healy (Cheap Thrills), and Michael Abbott Jr. (The Death of Dick Long) have all joined the film, which will depict the serial murders of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.
Tatanka Means (Once Upon a River)
Pat Healy (Cheap Thrills)
Michael Abbott Jr. (The Death of Dick Long)
As Deadline notes, “Means will play John Wren. Abbott will play Frank Smith and Healy will play John Burger, federal agents who works with Tom White (Plemons) on the investigation of the murders in the Osage Nation.
- 4/14/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Tatanka Means (I Know This Much is True), Michael Abbott Jr (The Death of Dick Long), Pat Healy (Bad Education) and Scott Shepherd (Bridge of Spies) have been added to the cast of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, the Apple Studios film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro and based on David Grann’s bestseller.
The cast ramp-up continues on the Scorsese-directed film, with the quartet joining recent additions William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and indigenous actresses Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins and Jillian Dion. DiCaprio and De Niro star with Lily Gladstone and Jesse Plemons.
Set in 1920s Oklahoma, the long-in-the-works Killers of the Flower Moon depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.
Means will play John Wren. Abbott will...
The cast ramp-up continues on the Scorsese-directed film, with the quartet joining recent additions William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and indigenous actresses Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins and Jillian Dion. DiCaprio and De Niro star with Lily Gladstone and Jesse Plemons.
Set in 1920s Oklahoma, the long-in-the-works Killers of the Flower Moon depicts the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation, a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror.
Means will play John Wren. Abbott will...
- 4/13/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere), newcomer Jules Latimer, Tiya Sircar (Good Sam), Alanna Ubach (Euphoria), Laurie Davidson (The Good Liar) and Andre Hyland (The Death of Dick Long) are set as series regulars opposite Kate Beckinsale in Guilty Party, Paramount+’s half-hour dark comedy from Funny or Die.
Written by Rebecca Addelman (Dead to Me) and to be directed by Trent O’Donnell (No Activity), Guilty Party stars Beckinsale as Beth Baker, a discredited journalist desperate to salvage her career by latching on to the story of a young mother sentenced to life in prison for maiming and murdering her husband — crimes she claims she didn’t commit. In trying to uncover the truth, Beth finds herself in over her head as she contends with Colorado gun smugglers, clickbait culture, the doldrums of marriage and her own tarnished past.
Latimer will play Toni, a young woman who has been sentenced...
Written by Rebecca Addelman (Dead to Me) and to be directed by Trent O’Donnell (No Activity), Guilty Party stars Beckinsale as Beth Baker, a discredited journalist desperate to salvage her career by latching on to the story of a young mother sentenced to life in prison for maiming and murdering her husband — crimes she claims she didn’t commit. In trying to uncover the truth, Beth finds herself in over her head as she contends with Colorado gun smugglers, clickbait culture, the doldrums of marriage and her own tarnished past.
Latimer will play Toni, a young woman who has been sentenced...
- 3/1/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
For four minutes of curator Sam Abbas’ 58-minute collection of docushorts from several European and American cinematographers, the camera sits on wrinkled bed sheets. A piano plays, with a softness that encompasses the meditative nature of Erēmīta (Anthologies). With more background knowledge, Erēmīta should grow in one’s estimation. All proceeds will go to Amnesty International. Each filmmaker had final cut on their short, and without much of a prompt besides the idea to use a cell phone to film, the mini-movies tell pandemic stories in diverse ways, to varying results.
Combining work from cinematographers with wider filmographies like Ashley Connor and Alexis Zabé (The Florida Project) with director Abel Ferrara’s go-to cameraman Stefano Falivene and others like Antoine Héberlé and Soledad Rodríguez, Abbas organizes a reflective, pensive hour of cinema. The documentaries range from a closer look––with interviews––at those living on the Venice Boardwalk (Zabé’s...
Combining work from cinematographers with wider filmographies like Ashley Connor and Alexis Zabé (The Florida Project) with director Abel Ferrara’s go-to cameraman Stefano Falivene and others like Antoine Héberlé and Soledad Rodríguez, Abbas organizes a reflective, pensive hour of cinema. The documentaries range from a closer look––with interviews––at those living on the Venice Boardwalk (Zabé’s...
- 2/26/2021
- by Michael Frank
- The Film Stage
“There is no theme. Film whatever you want, however you want, with whomever you want.” This is the message that Egyptian filmmaker Sam Abbas sent to his favorite cinematographers as an invitation to contribute to the new film Erēmīta (Anthologies). Directors of photography from five countries––USA, France, Argentina, Italy, and the UK––answered the call and today we’re pleased to debut the exclusive trailer for the anthology project.
Featuring contributions from Abbas (Alia’s Birth, Marie, The Wedding), Alexis Zabe (The Florida Project, Silent Light, Post Tenebras Lux), Antoine Héberlé (A Son, My Favourite Fabric, GriGris), Ashley Connor (Madeline’s Madeline, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Death of Dick Long), Soledad Rodríguez (Pendular, Maternal, The Student), Stefano Falivene (Siberia, Pasolini, Mary), the zero-budget production will now get a release next month on VOD and Virtual Cinemas with all profits going entirely to a charity the team will choose.
Featuring contributions from Abbas (Alia’s Birth, Marie, The Wedding), Alexis Zabe (The Florida Project, Silent Light, Post Tenebras Lux), Antoine Héberlé (A Son, My Favourite Fabric, GriGris), Ashley Connor (Madeline’s Madeline, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Death of Dick Long), Soledad Rodríguez (Pendular, Maternal, The Student), Stefano Falivene (Siberia, Pasolini, Mary), the zero-budget production will now get a release next month on VOD and Virtual Cinemas with all profits going entirely to a charity the team will choose.
- 1/25/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
We’ll likely be thanking the tandem known as the Daniels for passing on Deadpool 2 as instead the put their super powers to work on this original screenplay that experienced a bad timing hiccup losing Awkwafina (due to other commitments). Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert are Sundance regulars with 2016 Swiss Army Man (read review), 2019’s The Death of Dick Long (solo outing for Scheinert – see our video interviews) and Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia last year, Everything Everywhere All at Once enlisted Michelle Yeoh, James Hong, Jonathan Ke Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu who replaced Awkwafina.…...
- 11/17/2020
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
A filmmaker really coming into his own, Jim Cummings didn’t waste much time post Thunder Road setting himself up with consecutive projects in The Wolf of Snow Hollow (read review) and The Beta Test – which he co-directed, co-wrote and co-stars with Pj McCabe. Another horror project via the Vanishing Angle production co., this went into production in November of 2019 and features Olivia Applegate and Virginia Newcomb (who you might recall from The Death of Dick Long). If selected this would be a fun “return” for Cummings – as he won the Grand Jury Prize for Thunder Road – the short.…...
- 11/16/2020
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
We have the first trailer for The Dark & The Wicked. This is the latest from director Bryan Bertino, which was recently picked up for distribution by Rlje Films and Shudder just ahead of its debut at this year's digital version of the Fantasia Film Festival. They made quick work of getting a trailer out in the world following the acquisition. And, based on the trailer, it's not hard to see why, as this looks to be a chilling, mysterious and horror-filled flick.
The trailer picks up with a woman on a seemingly isolated farm at night, peacefully humming a tune to herself. Peaceful though it may be, there is an ominous feel in the air. We quickly discover why, as things don't pan out well for her. In the aftermath of her death, a mystery begins to unravel. There is a great deal of unsettling imagery and unexplained happenings, with...
The trailer picks up with a woman on a seemingly isolated farm at night, peacefully humming a tune to herself. Peaceful though it may be, there is an ominous feel in the air. We quickly discover why, as things don't pan out well for her. In the aftermath of her death, a mystery begins to unravel. There is a great deal of unsettling imagery and unexplained happenings, with...
- 8/27/2020
- by Ryan Scott
- MovieWeb
As Martin Scorsese once said, “Music and cinema fit together naturally. Because there’s a kind of intrinsic musicality to the way moving images work when they’re put together. It’s been said that cinema and music are very close as art forms, and I think that’s true.” Indeed, the right piece of music–whether it’s an original score or a carefully selected song–can do wonders for a sequence, and today we’re looking at the 20 films that best expressed this notion this year.
From seasoned composers to accomplished musicians, as well as a smattering of soundtracks, each musical example perfectly transported us to the world of the film. Check out our rundown of the top 20, which includes streams to each soundtrack in full where available.
20. Climax (Various Artists)
19. August at Akiko’s (Alex Zhang Hungtai)
18. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Emile Mosseri)
17. An Elephant Sitting Still...
From seasoned composers to accomplished musicians, as well as a smattering of soundtracks, each musical example perfectly transported us to the world of the film. Check out our rundown of the top 20, which includes streams to each soundtrack in full where available.
20. Climax (Various Artists)
19. August at Akiko’s (Alex Zhang Hungtai)
18. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (Emile Mosseri)
17. An Elephant Sitting Still...
- 12/30/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
“Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover” is a proverb whose simple existence proves the fact impressionable souls will do so without fail. This monthly column (with a special year-end retrospective today) focuses on the film industry’s willingness to capitalize on this truth, releasing one-sheets to serve as not representations of what audiences are to expect, but as propaganda to fill seats. Oftentimes they fail miserably.
So many posters proved their greatness this year by being bold enough to make interesting choices where composition is concerned. I’m still talking about mid-tier studios (very few of the below twenty-five are advertising movies produced by Hollywood with a capital-h), but even those independent establishments leaning towards artistry above celebrity wasn’t always a guarantee. That they’re using reflections, extreme close-ups, overlapped objects, and uniquely cut windows turning negative space positive is a testament to a willingness of putting craft above commerce.
So many posters proved their greatness this year by being bold enough to make interesting choices where composition is concerned. I’m still talking about mid-tier studios (very few of the below twenty-five are advertising movies produced by Hollywood with a capital-h), but even those independent establishments leaning towards artistry above celebrity wasn’t always a guarantee. That they’re using reflections, extreme close-ups, overlapped objects, and uniquely cut windows turning negative space positive is a testament to a willingness of putting craft above commerce.
- 12/30/2019
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The Death of Dick Long, Give Me Liberty, Selah and the Spades and Alistair Banks Griffin’s The Wolf Hour (which is receiving its theatrical release this Friday) are just some of the items that we found in last year’s Next section. This year’s crop includes we find the highly anticipated Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia by several American indie darling filmmakers (and what will likely be Robert Redford’s last role), Danny Madden‘s directorial debut Beast Beast, Lawrence Michael Levine‘s third feature film Black Bear and Heidi Ewing‘s first foray into narrative territory in I Carry You With Me (see pic below).…...
- 12/4/2019
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
The Art of Self-Defense (Riley Stearns)
If Fight Club taught us one thing and one thing only it is to never underestimate the power of a bored single man with nothing to lose. And that is, in some ways, also the central thesis of Riley Stearns’ delightfully twisted The Art of Self-Defense, a pitch-black comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg as sad sack Casey, a lonely auditor who, in the film’s opening scene, is mocked at a distance in French by a couple. He, unfortunately, has become proficient in French, working his way through cassette tapes on his commute to work. He’s an easy and perhaps asexual target,...
The Art of Self-Defense (Riley Stearns)
If Fight Club taught us one thing and one thing only it is to never underestimate the power of a bored single man with nothing to lose. And that is, in some ways, also the central thesis of Riley Stearns’ delightfully twisted The Art of Self-Defense, a pitch-black comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg as sad sack Casey, a lonely auditor who, in the film’s opening scene, is mocked at a distance in French by a couple. He, unfortunately, has become proficient in French, working his way through cassette tapes on his commute to work. He’s an easy and perhaps asexual target,...
- 10/11/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
After a string of shorts and music videos, writer-director Daniel Scheinert—along with his frequent collaborator Daniel Kwan—broke into feature films with Swiss Army Man. Casting Daniel Radcliffe as a farting corpse alongside Paul Dano’s depressed loner, the film carved out a slew of fans who were intrigued, repulsed, and delighted in equal measure.
Now, Scheinert has branched off on his own for The Death of Dick Long, a darker venture than his last. It’s one steeped in sadness and anxiety, despite, or perhaps, in part, because of, its close relationship to comedy. The result is a film that has viewers follow characters who are both reprehensible and highly relatable in equal measure, with the narrative around them weaving between buddy comedy, bumbling police procedural, and severe familial breakdown.
With the film now in theaters, we sat down with Scheinert to talk about establishing character dynamics, working...
Now, Scheinert has branched off on his own for The Death of Dick Long, a darker venture than his last. It’s one steeped in sadness and anxiety, despite, or perhaps, in part, because of, its close relationship to comedy. The result is a film that has viewers follow characters who are both reprehensible and highly relatable in equal measure, with the narrative around them weaving between buddy comedy, bumbling police procedural, and severe familial breakdown.
With the film now in theaters, we sat down with Scheinert to talk about establishing character dynamics, working...
- 10/6/2019
- by Mike Mazzanti
- The Film Stage
First-time filmmaker Kevin McMullin drew on his own background to tell a Jersey Shore story in “Low Tide,” and the personal connection shows. His coming-of-age tale doesn’t break new ground, but it does set the stage for continued potential.
McMullin was heavily inspired by both the setting and stories of his childhood, and convincingly blends the mix of menace and adventure found in films like “The Goonies” and “Stand by Me.”
He’s set his own movie somewhere around the mid-1980s, near Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It’s summer, and we can see immediately the clash between the suspicious “townies” and the vacationing “Bennies.” Most resentful among the locals is Red, who is both a few years older and a whole lot angrier than the teens he leads in undercover acts of class warfare.
Also Read: 'Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn' Film Review: 2019's Second...
McMullin was heavily inspired by both the setting and stories of his childhood, and convincingly blends the mix of menace and adventure found in films like “The Goonies” and “Stand by Me.”
He’s set his own movie somewhere around the mid-1980s, near Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It’s summer, and we can see immediately the clash between the suspicious “townies” and the vacationing “Bennies.” Most resentful among the locals is Red, who is both a few years older and a whole lot angrier than the teens he leads in undercover acts of class warfare.
Also Read: 'Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn' Film Review: 2019's Second...
- 10/2/2019
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
I first saw The Death Of Dick Long at a press screening at Technicolor Postworks. It is the second feature film from one of Swiss Army Man’s co-directors, Daniel Scheinert, whose kooky debut portends the mercurial sensibilities of Dick Long, a cotton state comedy of errors with a hushed twist. The film’s gaffer, Daniel April, the sought after lightsmith of New York indie film, still hadn’t seen the film, so I invited him to attend A24’s special screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn, featuring free wine and popcorn, the common bribes. April had just gotten off the set […]...
- 10/1/2019
- by Aaron Hunt
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
I first saw The Death Of Dick Long at a press screening at Technicolor Postworks. It is the second feature film from one of Swiss Army Man’s co-directors, Daniel Scheinert, whose kooky debut portends the mercurial sensibilities of Dick Long, a cotton state comedy of errors with a hushed twist. The film’s gaffer, Daniel April, the sought after lightsmith of New York indie film, still hadn’t seen the film, so I invited him to attend A24’s special screening at the Alamo Drafthouse in Downtown Brooklyn, featuring free wine and popcorn, the common bribes. April had just gotten off the set […]...
- 10/1/2019
- by Aaron Hunt
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Easily one of the more surprising movies of Fantastic Fest was The Death of Dick Long, and that’s probably an understatement and a half. But considering the film’s director, Daniel Scheinert, is one-half of the filmmaking duo behind Swiss Army Man, maybe we should have expected something truly unpredictable, yet made with a huge amount of heart to it, which is exactly what Dick Long delivers (and so much more).
During our time in Austin, Daily Dead chatted with Scheinert about The Death of Dick Long, and why he loves telling such unusual stories with his films. The director also talked about not passing judgment on certain aspects of Dick Long’s narrative, instead exploring what it means to live in fear of people finding out your truth, and how powerful that can be, and the instant chemistry between the film’s co-stars Michael Abbott Jr. and Andre Hyland.
During our time in Austin, Daily Dead chatted with Scheinert about The Death of Dick Long, and why he loves telling such unusual stories with his films. The director also talked about not passing judgment on certain aspects of Dick Long’s narrative, instead exploring what it means to live in fear of people finding out your truth, and how powerful that can be, and the instant chemistry between the film’s co-stars Michael Abbott Jr. and Andre Hyland.
- 9/30/2019
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Stefanie Scott, Odessa Adlon, and Jess Weixler are set to star in Hell House indie along with Gene Jones and Michael Abbott Jr.. Andrew Gori wrote and will direct the film which is co-financed and produced by Camera Ready Pictures (The Giant)
The story centers around the complicated relationship between small town high school peers Dawn (Scott) and Makayla in the Deep South, on the eve of a religious-themed Halloween attraction or “hell house” grand opening, and the various townspeople who try to keep the two apart, with disastrous results.
Dennis Masel, Jamie Dolan, William Day Frank, and Tara Ansley are producing the project slated to go before cameras this Fall.
Scott is repped by Gersh, More/Medavoy Mgmt, and Sloane, Offer,...
The story centers around the complicated relationship between small town high school peers Dawn (Scott) and Makayla in the Deep South, on the eve of a religious-themed Halloween attraction or “hell house” grand opening, and the various townspeople who try to keep the two apart, with disastrous results.
Dennis Masel, Jamie Dolan, William Day Frank, and Tara Ansley are producing the project slated to go before cameras this Fall.
Scott is repped by Gersh, More/Medavoy Mgmt, and Sloane, Offer,...
- 9/30/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Clang, clang, clang went the box office! The Roadside Attractions’ musical biopic Judy starring Renee Zellweger had an over-the-rainbow debut this weekend to the tune of an estimated $3,091,417. Even more good news — the stellar opening landed Judy in the #7 spot in the top 10 movies for the weekend.
The Rupert Goold-directed film based on the life of the legendary Judy Garland premiered on 461 screens and had an estimated per-screen average of $6,705 in North America. Of those screens, 376 were in the Us, and they netted a higher estimate, with a per-screen average of $7,334. We are hearing the film brought in solid numbers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, DC, Atlanta, Phoenix, Miami and San Diego, making it a strong start for the film.
Roadside Attractions co-founder Howard Cohen told Deadline that you never know how films in the specialty box office space will perform, even if they have strong buzz.
The Rupert Goold-directed film based on the life of the legendary Judy Garland premiered on 461 screens and had an estimated per-screen average of $6,705 in North America. Of those screens, 376 were in the Us, and they netted a higher estimate, with a per-screen average of $7,334. We are hearing the film brought in solid numbers in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, DC, Atlanta, Phoenix, Miami and San Diego, making it a strong start for the film.
Roadside Attractions co-founder Howard Cohen told Deadline that you never know how films in the specialty box office space will perform, even if they have strong buzz.
- 9/29/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
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