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If you're a Christopher Nolan fan, you likely know that his first film wasn't actually "Memento," the innovative crime thriller that proved to be Nolan's directorial breakthrough (much to the director's surprise). The British filmmaker's first project is usually listed as 1998's "Following," which he self-financed and shot using guerrilla tactics in and around London. Despite being a bit rough around the edges, that 16mm neo-noir featured all the lineaments of future Nolan films, including a non-linear narrative which would become a defining feature of the director's oeuvre as it developed. As such, "Following" is a fitting first film for the director, providing fans with an insight into how his filmmaking style began and developed. Except, it wasn't really Nolan's first film.

To be sure, "Following" was Nolan's feature directorial debut, but he'd made several short films before that — one...

Christopher Nolan has become one of the biggest names in cinema in recent years due to his thought-provoking films, and his directing style can be traced back to his short films. Nolans career has been marked by box office hits that blend complexity with mainstream appeal, which often explore similar themes. Memento, Inception, and Dunkirk all explore themes of time, memory, and identity, wrapped in a complicated narrative structure.

However, this interest in non-linear stories about complex themes can be seen in Christopher Nolans earliest works Tarantella, Larceny, Doodlebug, and Quay the four lesser-known short films that the famous director produced from 1989 to 2015. Ranging from 3 to 8 minutes in length, each short film marks the next step in the directors early career as Nolan investigated the art of storytelling. It is evident that these short films obviously inspired Christopher Nolans other movies, due to their similarities, and it is fascinating to...

Charlotte Kirk (Duchess) is set to topline Myra, an indie drug thriller from veteran action director R. Ellis Frazier.

Others in the cast include Gary Daniels (The Expendables), Mike Ferguson (Showdown at the Grand), Roberto Sanchez (2 Fast 2 Furious), Mauricio Mendoza (Deadpool 2), and Corin Nemec (Place of Bones).

Currently in production in Tijuana, Myra follows an ex-gang member (Kirk) of the same name who escapes to Tijuana, Mexico with $2 million in bearer bond loot after a botched robbery in Los Angeles. When Tony (Daniels), Myra’s gang leader and long-time lover, realizes that he has been robbed, he goes hot on Myra’s trail. Myra has 36 hours to cash out the bonds, emancipate herself from the gang and start her new life. However, Tony isn’t her only adversary. Also trailing her are local gang leader (Sanchez) and a corrupt cop (Nemec), proving the time-honored point that blood...

When you see images of Charlotte Kirk looking like a tough action heroine, you usually expect those images to be from a Neil Marshall film, as the couple has recently collaborated on Duchess, The Lair, and The Reckoning – but yesterday, the folks at Coming Soon unveiled a trio of images that show Kirk as the tough heroine in the upcoming action thriller Myra, and this is not a Neil Marshall movie. Currently in production in Tijuana, Mexico, Myra is coming our way from director R. Ellis Frazier, whose previous credits include Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright, Dead Drop, Misfire, Rumble, 8 Days Carlo, Larceny, Legacy, Hustle Down, Repeater, As Good as Dead, and Day Labor. The images that show Kirk as the title character can now be seen in this article.

Scripted by Frazier and Benjamin Budd, Myra follows an ex-gang member who escapes to Tijuana, Mexico with...

In her eight-decade career in show business, comedic icon Carol Burnett has played a wealth of amazing characters, but which of her roles is the best? Making her onscreen debut in the 1950s, Burnett quickly became a household name because of her unparalleled comedic timing and her undeniable charisma that made her beloved with audiences. Multifaceted in her talents, Burnett isn't just a comedic force of nature, but her experience in theater helped her become a true triple threat. Throughout the years, Burnett conquered TV as well as movies, and she is often recognized as one of the biggest pioneers for women in comedy.

Through 11 seasons of her very own variety series, The Carol Burnett Show, Burnett was able to showcase her talents on a weekly basis and create memorable characters that live on to this day. Often recognized as one of the best sketch comedy series ever, The Carol...

Chicago – Diabolical twins, obsessed journalists and jail-breaking thugs are heading their way to the Music Box Theatre. The Film Noir Foundation’s third installment of “Noir City: Chicago” features no less than sixteen restored 35mm prints of must-see cinematic rarities. Ten of these noir classics have yet to land a DVD release, thus making this festival all the more essential for local cinephiles.

The week-long festival kicks off Friday, Aug. 12, and includes criminally overlooked performances from Hollywood legends such as Humphrey Bogart, Anne Bancroft, Barbara Stanwyck, Olivia de Havilland, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters and Burt Lancaster. Acclaimed noir historians Alan K. Rode (“Charles McGraw: Biography of a Film Noir Tough Guy”) and Foster Hirsch (“Detours and Lost Highways: A Map of Neo-Noir”) will be presenting the pictures while offering their wealth of historical and filmic insight.

Among this year’s most priceless treasures is “Deadline USA,” starring Bogart as...

Chicago – Along with sixteen restored 35mm prints of overlooked cinematic gems, the Music Box Theatre’s third installment of “Noir City: Chicago” brings two renowned film historians to the Windy City: Alan K. Rode and Foster Hirsch. Both men serve on the board of directors of the Film Noir Foundation, a non-profit corporation aiming to restore rare noir classics for future generations.

In addition to serving as the co-programmer and co-host of the annual Noir City Hollywood film festival, Rode is also the charter director and treasurer of the Film Noir Foundation as well as the producer, programmer and host of the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs, California. He garnered acclaim for his book, “Charles McGraw: Biography of a Film Noir Tough Guy,” which followed the titular prolific actor through the rise and fall of the studio system. His latest book, “Michael Curtiz: A Man for All Movies,...