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Among HBO's vast, acclaimed body of work in the 21st century, one of the best is the Emmy-winning crime series Boardwalk Empire, which concluded just over 10 years ago. The iconic Steve Buscemi led its wildly talented ensemble cast that also included Gretchen Mol, whose morally complex character Gillian Darmody was one of the most memorable by the time the show bowed. MovieWeb recently spoke with Mol amidst the release of Millers in Marriage, her new ensemble drama film from writer-director Edward Burns. The talented actress reflected on her Boardwalk Empire experience and its impact on her career leading up to her latest project.

"It was just such a great time... Once you have that taste of great writing, it does just make you want to replicate it," Mol told us about her HBO series. "I think at that time, I knew how good it was, and I knew that it...

Thirty years ago, writer and director Edward Burns’ “The Brothers McMullen” was one of several films — alongside Cameron Crowe‘s “Singles,” Ben Stiller’s “Reality Bites,” and Nicole Holofcener‘s “Walking and Talking,” among many others — that spoke directly to the emotional issues and social anxieties of Generation X. After Burns, now in his fifties, became an empty nester and started to think about how that changed his identity and his marriage — and those of his friends in the same age group — he realized there was fertile ground for a new drama that would address this new stage of life for Generation X-ers the way that “McMullen” had represented the 1990s.

“There were a lot of conversations in my group of friends asking, ‘What does tomorrow look like now that you don’t define yourself as a parent and you’re not actively parenting anymore?,” Burns told IndieWire. “How do you define the marriage?...

Thirty years ago, Edward Burns won the coveted Grand Jury prize for his low-budget indie feature The Brothers McMullen at Sundance. The charming actor and filmmaker would go on to co-star in Steven Spielberg's masterpiece Saving Private Ryan, guest-star in shows like HBO's infamous Entourage (where the guys called him "Eddie"), and continue to shoot his own independent films throughout the years. His latest is Millers in Marriage, which, with its New York-set subject matter, might even bring you back to that acclaimed project that put Burns on the map three decades ago. If you haven't seen The Brothers McMullen, that's A-ok — and might even work in Burns' favor.

Some of your favored and long-lost performers, both on the big and small screen, populate the ensemble Burns puts together for his new drama film out this week. And while some of these big names use their trademark perks to boost the film,...

Edward Burns returns to the old ground with “Millers in Marriage,” a subtle exploration of love, compromise, and human progress that represents a personal return to the intimate storytelling that launched his career. Burns digs back into the nuances of family dynamics, this time via the eyes of three fifty-something siblings navigating the challenging terrain of long-term partnerships, nearly three decades after his breakout film “The Brothers McMullen.”

Set in New York City, the film follows the Miller siblings—Eve, Maggie, and Andy—as they navigate the subtle yet seismic upheavals that may disrupt even the most seemingly stable marriages. Each character symbolizes a distinct aspect of midlife relationship challenges: Eve, a former musician managing an alcoholic spouse; Maggie, a successful novelist navigating her husband’s creative stagnation; and Andy, an artist reconstructing his romantic life after a surprise divorce.

Burns applies his hallmark style of storytelling—personal, perceptive, and...

Edward Burns is an underrated and prolific auteur filmmaker born out of the early '90s indie school. Bursting onto the scene in 1995 with The Brothers McMullen, Burns took home the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance that year, as well as the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Since then, Burns has written, produced, and directed a grand total of fourteen feature films. His latest, Millers in Marriage, had its world premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.

In the films and television shows he’s made as a writer-director, Edward Burns has never not made things personal, but retaining the same level of creative control that he had on his breakthrough “The Brothers McMullen” has often required working on modest budgets and with younger casts and crews, naturally making the work itself move farther away from who he is now. In a marketplace starved of thoughtful adult dramas, that makes his return to center stage in “Millers in Marriage” a welcome one, as Burns mines territory he’s familiar with after turning 50.

“All I’m looking for is a stable relationship with a woman my own age,” Burns’ character Andy can be heard telling his new girlfriend Renee (Minnie Driver), putting her at ease when she worries he might want kids. They’re at a summer home that Renee got in a divorce, and by the standards of “Millers in Marriage,...

Republic Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Millers in Marriage, a new film written, directed by and starring Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen).

Details as to the release plan haven’t been disclosed. The starry ensemble also includes Julianna Margulies (The Morning Show), Gretchen Mol (Boardwalk Empire), Minnie Driver (The Serpent Queen), Morena Baccarin (Deadpool), Benjamin Bratt (Mother of the Bride), Campbell Scott (Dying Young), Brian d’Arcy James (Spotlight) and Patrick Wilson (Insidious franchise).

Millers in Marriage follows Eve Miller (Mol), the former lead singer-songwriter of an indie rock band, who finds herself drawn to a music journalist (Bratt) amid a toxic marriage. Meanwhile, Eve’s sister Maggie (Margulies), a bestselling author, is encountering challenges in her marriage of 30 years as her career surpasses her husband’s. At the same time, Renee (Driver), a recently divorced successful fashion executive, is navigating a budding relationship with Andy Miller (Burns), an artist...

For four decades, Sundance has maintained a reputation as one of the most important film festivals in America for independent filmmakers from around the globe. To commemorate its 40th anniversary in 2024 and the enormity (and reciprocity) of that cultural footprint, festival leadership set a series of restoration screenings to highlight many of the most memorable films programmed throughout its history.

“When you look at the way the independent film movement has evolved and changed over the years, from the maturation of an industry and the opportunities that artists have found, to the way that an audience has been built around the work, you see a festival that has evolved alongside it,” says John Nein, senior programmer and director of strategic initiatives.

This year’s festival takes place Jan. 18-28, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles available online nationwide from Jan. 25-28. The...

You Hurt My Feelings.At a Friday-night showing of Nicole Holofcener’s latest film You Hurt My Feelings (2023), I noticed several people who had come with their moms. Holofcener makes great films to watch with your mom, if her definition of a great film is something that will make her laugh but won't treat her like an idiot. Holofcener’s stories are smart, funny and heartwarming, a little bit sad in the right places, sophisticated but palatable. Invariably, a great actress plays the lead—Catherine Keener, for the most part, though Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars both in Enough Said (2013) and You Hurt My Feelings. In the film, Beth (Louis-Dreyfus), a writer, overhears Don (Tobias Menzies) telling her brother-in-law that he doesn't like her latest novel. It hurts her feelings. She dry retches on the sidewalk, sobs to her sister, and swears she will never look at her husband the same way again.

Sights and sounds of the battlefield are brought to life when News and Documentary Emmy® Award-winning “WWII in HD” and “Vietnam in HD” arrive on DVD on October 17 from Lionsgate. Viewers embark on an epic journey alongside courageous soldiers in “Brothers in Arms: WWII & Vietnam War in HD,” which features voiceovers from Academy Award® nominee Gary Sinise, Primetime Emmy® nominee Michael C. Hall, Primetime Emmy® nominee Rob Lowe, Justin Bartha, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Edward Burns and more. “Brothers in Arms: WWII & Vietnam War in HD” will be available on DVD for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Official Synopsis

See the epic battles of the 20th century through the eyes of the brave soldiers who fought two of

the most pivotal wars in world history with these two acclaimed docuseries from The History® Channel. Award-winning WWII in HD and Vietnam in HD provide stunning narratives of these seminal moments in time...

Veteran indie producer Ted Hope opened Locarno’s industry symposium Thursday afternoon with a provocative keynote during which he declared: “The indie film system is f*cked.”

The talk, titled “Indie Films: 50 Years of Building The Wrong Thing,” began with Hope’s pointed declaration before he reassured the audience of predominantly European industry insiders that now is the time to build a new, self-sufficient indie eco-system.

“There’s a huge chance that we’ve never had before to build something better,” Hope said, adding: “And I actually think it’s quite doable.”

Hope has made similar assessments in the past. In 1995, the producer, best known for helping to launch the careers of indie filmmakers such as Ang Lee, Nicole Holofcener, Todd Field, and Michel Gondry, published the seminal essay “Indie Film Is Dead.” Today, however, Hope said his past thesis wasn’t quite right. At the time, he said he...

Grace Burns, the daughter of supermodel Christy Turlington, made her runway debut at just 19 years old.

She walked the runway in Florence, Italy at the British Vogue x LuisaViaRoma show.

She modeled a white Victoria Beckham dress that almost reached her feet. The dress featured a ruched waist and short sleeves. The outfit was paired with black lace opera gloves and lace tights made of the same material as the gloves. She also adorned a black clutch, which is a Beckham signature, and classic black peep-toe heels.

After the show, Burns posted a series of photos and videos on Instagram. The first three were of her walking the runway and the rest were various photos of her getting ready.

She captioned the post, “Thank you thank you thank you @edward_enninful @britishvogue @luisaviaroma @piergiorgio for putting the biggest smile on my face!!!!! I feel so grateful to have had this...

With the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in full swing, and our own Chris Bumbray covering the event, we wanted to know what film is your favorite of Sundance’s top prize: The Grand Jury Prize- Dramatic. From the very first winner (Old Enough) in 1984 to the most recent winner (Nanny) in 2022, let us know your favorite. If you’ve been to Sundance, please share your experience(s) in the comments section.

Favorite Sundance Grand Jury Prize WinnerNanny (2022)Coda (2021)Minari (2020)Clemency (2019)The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)The Birth of a Nation (2016)Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)Whiplash (2014)Fruitvale Station (2013)Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)Like Crazy (2011)Winter's Bone (2010)Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (2009)Frozen River (2008)Padre Nuestro (2007)Quinceañera (2006)Forty Shades of Blue (2005)Primer (2004)American Splendor (2003)Personal Velocity: Three Portraits (2002)The Believer (2001)Girlfight (2000)You Can Count on Me (2000)Three...

Connie Britton is rarely at a loss for words. But when she learned she’d be receiving the fourth Variety Icon Award at the opening ceremony of Canneseries on Oct. 8, the four-time Emmy nominee wasn’t sure how to process it.

“I thought, ‘I’m not old enough to be an icon!’” Britton says of her initial reaction. But she soon realized, “an icon is someone who has a very distinct voice, or who can embody a look or a talent or whatever. It’s about unique individuality.”

And Britton has that locked up.

Over the past 25 years, Britton has dazzled in long-running TV roles including “Spin City,” “Friday Night Lights” and “Nashville.” She also made a splash in shorter stints, such as on “American Horror Story” and “The White Lotus.” Yet, she started off just as many other actors did in humble circumstances — doing “mystery theater [in] church basements.” Fortunately,...

Summertime nostalgia, romantic look backs at what might’ve been and reflecting on the halcyon days of youth. Written, directed, produced by and starring Edward Burns (“The Brothers McMullen,” “She’s The One,” Epix’s “Bridge and Tunnel”), the new drama, “Summer Days, Summer Nights,” is definitely sentimental for the past, the mistakes made, the loves found, and the friendships and seminal moments in our life shared.

Continue reading ‘Summer Days, Summer Nights’ Trailer: Anthony Ramos Stars In Edward Burns’ Latest, Nostalgic Ensemble Drama About Youth [Exclusive] at The Playlist.

This article contains spoilers for Saving Private Ryan.

Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1998) is known for a number of things: the gut-wrenching, visceral terror of its battle scenes (especially the opening landing at Omaha Beach), the shocking way in which bodies are torn to pieces during the course of those battles, the attention to period detail, and a powerful performance by Tom Hanks that rates as one of his finest.

But one thing that the film may not be as widely recognized for is the lineup of young actors who played members of Capt. John Miller’s (Hanks) squad, or soldiers they met along the way as they searched throughout Normandy for the missing Pvt. James Francis Ryan. From Matt Damon to Vin Diesel, Spielberg recruited relatively new faces who were all, in one way or another, either launching their careers outright or just starting to make their mark on Hollywood.

Indie filmmaker Edward Burns' new Epix show, Bridge and Tunnel, recently premiered and it's another great example of the intimate relationship-focused style of storytelling he's been doing for 25 years. Bursting onto the indie scene with 1995's The Brothers McMullen, Burns is a pioneer similar to brave filmmakers like Kevin Smith and Robert Rodriguez, who took their dreams into their own hands and made their own film, telling the stories they wanted to tell, knowing there was no other alternative.

Related: 10 Inspirational Messages From Director Kevin Smith

Inspired by the likes of Woody Allen and John Cassavetes, Burns' films focus on character and relationships, and his goal as a filmmaker is to showcase an honest portrayal of everyday people and how they connect to one another. His movies are no-frills, no budget, but all character. As noted in his book, "Independent Ed," his work springs from an idea put forth by...

A new year has arrived but Amazon Prime is looking to the past.

That’s not a bad thing mind you, as for its list of new releases in January 2021, Amazon is bringing back some classic movies and TV shows for its host of subscribers. We’ll get to the Amazon originals in a moment but for now, feast your eyes on January’s impressive library additions for the streamer.

Jan. 1 marks the arrival of all eight seasons of Dexter…roughly four and a half of which are great! Dexter will be receiving its own Michael C. Hall-approved revival later this year and thanks to Amazon you can catch up with the first run again. Speaking of show’s with disappointing conclusions, all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother will come to Amazon on Jan. 19. Some movies of note arriving on Jan. 1 include Dr. Strangelove, The Truman Show,...

A new year means a new start. But in its list of new year releases for January 2021, Hulu is sending a message of…eh, we’ll get the year started in February. Not to be overly rude to the usually sturdy streaming service, but there’s not much going on for Hulu in 2021’s first month.

Perhaps the biggest release of note is something that already enjoyed a successful release for ITV in the U.K. The Sister is the lates thriller from Neil Cross (Luther) and it makes its U.S. debut on Hulu on Jan. 22. 2020 comedies Save Yourselves and Like a Boss both arrive on Jan. 1. Hulu original film The Ultimate Playlist of Noise premieres on Jan. 15 and TV series Everyone is Doing Great arrives on Jan. 13.

Thankfully Hulu’s library titles are a bit livelier this month. Jan. 1 sees the arrival of Blade Runner: The Final Cut,...

It’s 2021 in just a couple of weeks, so now’s the time for out with the old and in with the new. And in streaming terms, that means get ready for a load of fresh titles to celebrate the New Year in style.

We’ve already covered what’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu in January, so let’s take a look at everything that’s on the way on Amazon Prime Video next month, too. As you’d expect, New Year’s Day is the biggest drop of the month when it comes to fresh releases, but a few notable movies and TV shows are scattered throughout the remaining days as well.

In total, there are over 70 titles coming to Prime on the 1st, including countless classics of all shapes and sizes for subscribers to enjoy. In the mood for some genuine cinematic masterpieces? Then check out Stanley Kubrick’s Dr.

Hulu is kicking off the new year in style next month, with January set to deliver a ton of fresh titles to the Disney-owned streaming service. There’s a bunch of original content landing throughout the first few weeks of 2021, but probably the highlight is the incredible number of classic movies that are going up on the site on New Year’s Day. Whether you’re in the mood for iconic comedies, dramas, animated efforts or sci-fi flicks, there’s something for you on the way.

There are well over 100 films being added to Hulu’s library on January 1st, so let’s just pick out a few notable titles. The full Austin Powers trilogy is among them, and if you can’t get enough of Mike Myers, the first Shrek likewise becomes available. For dramas, there’s Robert Downey Jr. biopic Chaplin, Johnny Depp vehicle Donnie Brasco and Jim Carrey’s The Truman Show.

Following on from a July where they added a large number of horror titles to their catalogue, Hulu have now made available even more great outings from the genre. As with all the major streaming players, keeping subscribers happy with new content during this Covid-19 year has been crucial, especially given the new competitors that have sprung up in recent months, further splintering film rights. Hulu are usually pretty reliable in terms of diversity, though, and have added some particularly strong horror titles for August.

Among the highlights for new movies is the original 1988 Child’s Play, which introduced the murderous Chucky to the world in a film that arguably remains the high-point of the franchise. A reasonably realistic setting, a convincing child performance and some excellent effects work make Child’s Play a classic of the period and more than worth a rewatch. And with the Chucky series on the way,...

With the end of the month ahead of us, we now have a full list of everything that’s coming to Netflix and the various other streaming services across August. The sites will continue to do their best to keep you from straying out into the sun for the rest of the summer, too, as each of them has got a whole heap of new movies and TV shows coming to their libraries that you’ll want to check out. Mostly classic films you’ll enjoy sticking on again, but also a few much-anticipated originals, too.

See below for the full line-up of titles coming to Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video, as well as our own picks for what should be on your radar.

August 1

Netflix

A Knight’s Tale

Acts of Violence

The Addams Family (1991)

An Education

Being John Malkovich

Death at a Funeral

Dennis the Menace...

Harry Clein, 82, co-founder of Hollywood PR agencies Clein + Feldman and Clein + White, died June 18 in Atlanta. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

I first met Clein in Manhattan in 1978 when I worked in the United Artists publicity bullpen at 729 Seventh Ave. He represented Alan J. Pakula on the western “Comes a Horseman,” starring James Caan and Jane Fonda. He admired my Annie Hall vests and fedoras; we bonded over his encyclopedic knowledge of film and Broadway musicals, and remained friends as he founded bicoastal press agency Clein + Feldman in 1981 with Bruce Feldman. Their first client, Pakula’s “Sophie’s Choice,” won Meryl Streep her second acting Oscar.

When I first moved to Los Angeles as the West Coast Editor of Film Comment, Clein + Feldman hired me to be the unit publicist on what would turn out to be Sam Peckinpah’s last movie, “The Osterman Weekend” (1983), starring Rutger Hauer, Dennis Hopper,...

Harry Clein, 82, co-founder of Hollywood PR agencies Clein + Feldman and Clein + White, died June 18 in Atlanta. He suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder.

I first met Clein in Manhattan in 1978 when I worked in the United Artists publicity bullpen at 729 Seventh Ave. He represented Alan J. Pakula on the western “Comes a Horseman,” starring James Caan and Jane Fonda. He admired my Annie Hall vests and fedoras; we bonded over his encyclopedic knowledge of film and Broadway musicals, and remained friends as he founded bicoastal press agency Clein + Feldman in 1981 with Bruce Feldman. Their first client, Pakula’s “Sophie’s Choice,” won Meryl Streep her second Best Actress Oscar.

When I first moved to Los Angeles as the West Coast Editor of Film Comment, Clein + Feldman hired me to be the unit publicist on what would turn out to be Sam Peckinpah’s last movie, “The Osterman Weekend” (1983), starring Rutger Hauer,...

Harry Clein, a veteran film publicist who wrote the original press notes for Star Wars and helped develop the innovative internet campaign for The Blair Witch Project, died June 18 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder in Atlanta. He was 82.

His death was announced by spokesperson Mark Pogachefsky.

Clein, along with Bruce Feldman, cofounded the Clein + Feldman agency in 1981. Their first client was director Alan J. Pakula and his film Sophie’s Choice.

With offices on both coasts and quickly developing a reputation as an innovative shop for independent distributors, producers and filmmakers, the agency became Clein + White in 1989, with the addition of Cara White as a partner and the departure of Feldman for a studio career. Clein + White closed in 2000, with Clein focusing on producing and marketing consultation. He also taught at the Los Angeles Film School.

Earlier in his career, Clein was a unit publicist on such films as All the President’s Men,...

Hulu is out with its list of everything new arriving in August and everything leaving at the end of the month.

Highlights include “Ordinary Love,” a 2019 movie about how a couple endures a breast cancer diagnosis, and “Peanut Butter Falcon,” Shia Labeouf’s 2019 movie about a young man with Down syndrome who runs away from a nursing home to attend the wrestling school of his idol, the Salt Water Redneck.

Hulu Originals to look out for next month include Season 3 of “Find Me in Paris” and the Hulu Original premiere of “The Binge.”

Leaving at the end of the month are 2007’s “3:10 to Yuma,” 1973’s “Charlotte’s Web,” 1988’s “Rain Man,” and “The X-Files.”

Also Read: 'The Crown' Season 5 Won't Premiere Until 2022

Aug. 1

Monchhichi: Complete Season 1B (Cartoon Network)

The Pier (El Embarcadero): Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (BetaFilm)

UniKitty: Complete Season 2B (Cartoon Network)

71 (2015)

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

A Good Woman...

We’re only just over halfway through July, but let’s hop ahead a couple of weeks into the future and take a look at what’s coming to Hulu in August. Next month will see the streaming service add an enormous list of movies and TV shows, with numerous classics amongst them, and everyone from horror to action to romance fans and even family audiences should be pleased with what’s coming.

The first day of the month, for example, brings the opening installments in two major horror franchises that kicked off in the late 80s – 1987’s Hellraiser and 1988’s Child’s Play. Sticking with the 80s, August 1st likewise sees 1986’s Top Gun added to the library, too. Not to mention 1981’s My Bloody Valentine.

For you romance lovers out there, meanwhile, Australia and Four Weddings and A Funeral drop the same day, and family audiences can enjoy Cats & Dogs,...

If you were concerned about there being a content drought in August due to the coronavirus pandemic shutting down Hollywood, you were…absolutely right in those concerns.

For its new releases in August 2020, Hulu is following Apple, Disney, and even Peacock’s lead in taking things nice and slowly. The vast majority of the notable offerings here are of the library variety. Hulu adds classic movies like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Rain Man, and Top Gun on August 1. Those go along with the very much still-holds-up Casino Royale on August 31.

Hulu also has room for some interesting recent indie movies like Ordinary Love (Aug. 3) and Peanut Butter Falcon (Aug. 6). But when it comes to Hulu original content there’s not much going on. The unheralded Find Me in Paris debuts its third season on August 21. That is followed by original comedy The Binge on August 28. And that’s about it!

As we’re now at the halfway point of July, it’s time to begin looking ahead to what all the various streaming services will be bringing us in August. And while some of the big guns, like Netflix and Amazon Prime, have yet to announce their slate, Hulu has emerged first out of the gate today, dropping a massive line-up for next month.

Seen down below, there’s truly something for everyone here. As usual, the platform has every genre covered, pulling films and TV shows from all over to put together a meaty list of content for their subscribers to get stuck into next month. And you can see the entire line-up of what’s heading to Hulu down below.

Released August 1

Monchhichi: Complete Season 1B (Cartoon Network)

The Pier (El Embarcadero): Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (BetaFilm)

UniKitty: Complete Season 2B (Cartoon Network)

71 (2015)

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

A Good Woman...

In the final years of his life, Tom Petty spoke often about his plan to re-release his 1994 masterpiece Wildflowers as a double album and then play it straight through on a special tour. “I probably haven’t even told the band about this yet,” Petty said in 2016, “but they can read about it in Rolling Stone.” His focus on the LP is easy to understand; song-for-song, it is perhaps Petty’s single greatest achievement. “That was where I was really at the top of my game as far as craft...

You never see the color blue in “Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies,” an unassuming slice-of-life family drama in brittle black and white. But Edward Burns still dares you to imagine the soothing shade stretching over the nearly identical middle-class homes of a commuter town outside of New York, symmetrically assembled with unexceptional yards rubbing shoulders with one another. For a film that has more quiet distress than cheeriness in store, this resembles an ironically happy image once considered in color. But through a low-key rhythm that informs much of his fiercely independent work, including that of “The Brothers McMullen” (the actor-writer-director’s 1995 Sundance-winning breakout),

Attentively shot by William Rexer with elegant lighting and deep contrasts — a sweeping look in a modestly-scoped film that warrants a big screen — it all starts with alcohol inside a domesticated kitchen that could be out of a “Pleasantville”-ish 1950s. We watch as Tina mixes...

A strong wife and mother who relocates to a small town in Texas that is football obsessed. A country music singer who is trying to chase fame and success while working out her personal life. Connie Britton is known for playing two major roles in her acting career: Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights and Rayna James in Nashville.

Related: Ranking Kirsten Dunst's 10 Best Roles

But the actress has been appearing in movies and TV shows for decades, with her first role in the 1995 film The Brothers McMullen. Here are 10 roles that Connie Britton played that you forgot about.

Amazon Studios Head of Motion Picture Production Ted Hope will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival with its Raimondo Rezzonico price for producers who best epitomize the indie ethos.

Hope (pictured left) whose career spans over 35 years, has been selected to receive the prize given by prominent the Swiss fest dedicated to indie cinema in recognition of his ability to “bring new and unexpected voices into the spotlight.”

The prize is named after former Locarno fest president Raimondo Rezzonico.

Previous recipients of the Rezzonico award include Mike Medavoy, Jeremy Thomas, Christine Vachon, and David Linde.

After studying film at NYU Hope in 1990 founded production company Good Machine in New York, with James Schamus and produced the first Ang Lee films including “The Wedding Banquet” (1993) and “Eat Drink Man Woman” (1994), which both earned Oscar nominations.

Lee’s “The Ice Storm” (1997) followed and screened that year on Locarno 8,000-seat outdoor Piazza Grande.

2018 Tribeca Film Festival – Look Who’s Talking Now!

Last year’s Tribeca Film Festival Tribeca Talks series saw the unlikely on stage pairing of Robert Rodriguez and Barbra Streisand to discuss the latter’s career. Rodriguez revealed that in his household growing up Streisand was already revered as a singer and actress, but when she became a filmmaker it inspired a young Robert to take up a camera himself.

The 2018 line-up doesn’t have any pairings quite as surprising, but there are still some exciting names to see alongside each other such as Alec Baldwin and Spike Lee who’ll discuss their movie passions, while Tribeca Film Festival co-founder and all round legend Robert De Niro will interview Bradley Cooper about his career as actor, producer and director. Other names taking to the Tribeca Talks stage this year include Alexander Payne, Laura Poitras, Nancy Meyers, John Legend, Edward Burns, Jamie Foxx,...

[To get you into the spooky spirit, the Daily Dead team is spotlighting double features that we think would be fun to watch this Halloween season. Check here for more double feature recommendations and other Halloween 2017 coverage.]

In horror movies, things usually go so very wrong on October 31st when it comes to the Halloween-themed offerings of the genre. But what about the night before? October 30th, or “Devil’s Night”, can also bring about its own horrific consequences, which is the theme I went with when it came time to put together my double feature of Alex Proyas’ The Crow and Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses. Both are coincidentally feature film debuts for each director, they feature killer soundtracks, and this pair of films is also centered around a storyline where the characters will never be the same after their experiences on the night before Halloween.

Based on the comic by James O'Barr, The Crow finds aspiring rock star Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) rising from the grave a year after his death to take revenge on the four thugs (David Patrick Kelly, Angel David,...

Standing before the packed house at Manhattan’s Metrograph Theater, “Patti Cake$” director Geremy Jasper introduced his film. He was excited, in the way that first-time directors often are at their premieres, thanking his producers, his cast, his reps — but the most heartfelt thanks went to distributor Fox Searchlight. Not only did it make his Jersey girl-rapper tale one of the biggest buys of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, but it also represented a genuine dream come true. When the “Patti Cake$” team imagined their ideal distributor, he said, they agreed that nothing could be better than becoming a Fox Searchlight movie.

Headstones in the graveyard of studio specialty divisions include Warner Independent, Picturehouse, Fine Line Features, Paramount Classics, Paramount Vantage, and beyond. However, Fox Searchlight has persevered, and succeeded, for more than 20 years: Savvy, innovative, and astute, it’s known for its skill in finding acquisitions that reached audiences beyond the arthouse.

Standing before the packed house at Manhattan’s Metrograph Theater, “Patti Cake$” director Geremy Jasper introduced his film. He was excited, in the way that first-time directors often are at their premieres, thanking his producers, his cast, his reps — but the most heartfelt thanks went to distributor Fox Searchlight. Not only did it make his Jersey girl-rapper tale one of the biggest buys of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, but it also represented a genuine dream come true. When the “Patti Cake$” team imagined their ideal distributor, he said, they agreed that nothing could be better than becoming a Fox Searchlight movie.

Headstones in the graveyard of studio specialty divisions include Warner Independent, Picturehouse, Fine Line Features, Paramount Classics, Paramount Vantage, and beyond. However, Fox Searchlight has persevered, and succeeded, for more than 20 years: Savvy, innovative, and astute, it’s known for its skill in finding acquisitions that reached audiences beyond the arthouse.

Bob Hawk is the Pierre Rissient of American Independent Films. Pierre was for French cinema what Bob is to American independent cinema. When he discovered a film and told Cannes about it, Cannes programmed it. Those who know Pierre and those who know Bob know that their influence cannot be quantified by the number of films they have fostered in one way or another. Bob’s influence extends in innumerable ways throughout the independent film world. Independent films are Bob Hawk's life, and now his life is an independent film.

After the thrill of watching the documentary “Film Hawk” by Jj Garvine and Tai Parquet whose first, ever-so-shocking film “Keeping the Peace” in 2009 was about the brutal and first such beheading in Iraq, I was whisked off to lunch with Bob and the filmmakers Jj Garvine and Tai Parquet. It seemed as if our lunch were a continuation of the film, so alive and vivid was the film and so full of references and ideas was our conversation.

We immediately began a non-stop talk of passionate love for movies. Bob showed me the tee shirt he wore just for our lunch, a Filmmaker Magazine tee from the early days when Indiewire’s offices were upstairs in the Filmmaker offices. In all the scenes of this film, his tee shirts are remarkable for titles he primarily has worked on or been somehow attached to. He must have hundreds of such mementos of his life.

So how did you make this film? I finally asked, because even if this is “the usual sort of question we get” according to Jj, it is really of interest to me.

Jj and Tai ‘s first film, “Keeping The Peace”, premiered and won the Audience Award at the 2009 Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and went on to be selected for the PBS Pov "United States of Documentaries” series. They are often indistinguishable themselves in their simultaneously answering questions or commenting on the talk. “We decided to make this movie on the day before his 74th birthday when we all went to the IFC Center in New York to see the Spalding Gray movie by Steven Soderbergh. We had a three hour dinner and learned so much about Bob. We then met Soderbergh. Going home we thought his life would make a great story. We knew him because he helped us with our film ‘Keeping the Peace’ but we had never talked about anything but the movie at that time. We said to him, ‘What if we made a short about your life?’ He said ‘What?’ And that was it.

“Film Hawk” itself is a broad swatch of a life well-lived with honesty and integrity. Surrounded by loving family and friends – although he and his brother as boys fought hard and often with each other as they grew up in very different ways. Bob veered toward art and his brother toward sports. Bob knew at an early age he was gay but his brother was strictly sports and girls. They were the sons of a minister, a minister who preached love. Their mother was a copy editor and proofreader – initially of insurance documents -- and Bob credits her with his own love for editing and proofreading. He proofread auction catalogs and the Sharper Image catalog at one point in his life.

Bob: “My mother, who lived to be 97, was a proofreader to the end. She edited and proofed the monthly newsletter of the home in which she lived in good health until she died. In fact, she proofread the April edition of the home’s newsletter, the very month she died.”

He did not like having to be the exemplary son of a minister and he had a stutter. At one point, hearing his father’s oratorical voice in the church, he realized there was a thin line between the church and theater and he choose theater as a young child and he credits his father for his love of dramaturgy and theater.

When he acted, his stutter disappeared and so he acted, though he much preferred working behind the scenes.

Our conversation switched between talk of film and talk of Bob the man. For he is incredibly full of love and life, a man whose boundaries include public and private love and film in one full embrace.

Bob grew up loud and proud, working as a techie Off Broadway in New York City. Even as a high school student he often went to New York City and explored both live theater and underground movies like Jean Genet’s “Un Chant d’Amour” and Kenneth Anger’s “Scorpio Rising”. Those were the predecessors to independent movies, he says.

Eventually he moved to stage managing in San Francisco where he met filmmaker Rob Epstein and contributed his thoughts to the seminal gay-themed documentary “Word Is Out”, made by a film collective that included Rob.

Tai: “Bob was an activist and that led him to film. In 1976 ,when the five hour rough cut of “Word is Out” was previewed for the public in a work-in-progress screening, Bob’s notes as a member of the audience were volumes of comments. In 1978 when Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk were shot and killed by another supervisor, he and Rob, with whom he had become friends, both knew a film had to be made, but it took five years of grassroots fundraising.

Bob: “Rob and producer Richard Schmiechen initially went to Kqed, San Francisco’s public television station, but they turned it down, saying the story was too local. So they went to Wnet in New York, who provided funding for a one hour version. Then we realized that ‘The Times of Harvey Milk’ needed to be a feature, so we went again to Wnet and they gave us the additional money. This was the first film I worked on, as print media researcher and archivist.”

Jj: “Bob researched not only Harvey Milk but the whole era.”

Bob: “I had volumes -- over 600 news and magazine articles -- all organized by 20 main topics like Harvey Milk, George Moscone, Trial, Verdict, Riot, Gay Climate, Dan White and they were cross referenced, so when we had to speak about any subject, we had it ready.”

Says Tai , “Bob’s emphasis is always on storytelling. He even has a sense of arc in his copy editing.”

Tai thought he was a great writer, but Bob is not so sure.

Says Jj : “Bob is not good at original copy because he’s such an editor himself.”

Bob: “Yes, when I write, I feel my editor self looking over my shoulder.”

“The weakness of some narrative indies is that the filmmakers are so eager to shoot that they do not fully develop the script beforehand.”

So Bob is the articulate but silent spokesman for indies, always behind the scenes, editing and tightening scripts, reading copy and imperceptibly influencing a vast body of independent film today.

Tai: “He is like a drop of water in a small stream which he knows runs to the sea and which affects the very water of the ocean.

“Bob is not about connections. He’s about connection.”

There was so much research done for Film Hawk, you must have worked very hard.

Jj: We just listened to Bob and followed all the leads he gave us.

Tai: “Bob is not associated as strictly ‘gay’ or for gay films only. You can see that in his long term relationship to ‘Brothers McMullen’ in the film, but homosexuality is as intrinsic to him as is his whole childhood. He is secure in himself as a person”.

Bob Hawk’s keen insights and feedback became the precious wind that provided flight for many filmmakers. This fiery, eccentric fairy Godfather of indie film not only battled depression, but was the first to discover and champion the talents of Kevin Smith (“Clerks”, “Chasing Amy”), Edward Burns (“The Brothers McMullen”, “Purple Violets”), Ira Sachs (“Keep The Lights On”, “Love Is Strange”) and Scott McGehee and David Siegel (“The Deep End”, “What Maisie Knew”).

Here are what a few have to say about him:

"I didn't ever consider myself an artist, I was just a guy who wanted to make ‘Clerks’, until Bob Hawk started talking about it."

- Kevin Smith

"Bob was always there to encourage me. Bob is a friend and a mentor"

- Ed Burns

With his 30+ year Sundance presence - including work as consultant, programmer, moderator, juror, and impassioned viewer - usually seated front-row and often asking the first question (as in the case of the “Sex, Lies and Videotape” world premiere) Bob deserves kudos and honors and yet has never sought the spotlight for himself.

Not only is this a film about film, but about a man who is as intrinsic to indie films as is the drop of water in a stream that goes into the ocean, but this film should also stand up in educational venues – whether about filmmaking or about standing proud as a gay man in the world.

In many ways this film recalls the classic “Bill Cunningham” that Zeitgeist had such success with in that both films are quintessentially New York films about men whose calling is their life-long love; each is a living example of the importance of love for one’s self and for one’s life lived with passion. “Film Hawk” deserves to be seen at the IFC Center, in the center of New York.

Bob grew up in that time in the 50s when to be gay meant very little to society. Gay men married, had children and if they were lucky they did not find their dual role in life unsettling. He was just at the edge and realized he did not have to go the marriage route and have children, and so he went the art route and his children are numerous.

Bob will be speaking at the Berlinale Queer Academy during the 30th Anniversary of the Teddy Awards and a clip of the film will accompany him. He is also receiving a Maverick of the Year Award from Cinequest this month.

When Ed Burns was a kid, he remembers his relatives giving him pictures of his great grandfather, these grainy black-and-white shots that hinted at a wild, we-make-our-own-rules-here past. "He's standing on the roof of his place in Hell's Kitchen, with giant scissors in his hand," the writer-director says, sipping a Guinness in a Tribeca bar near his home. "And he's about to cut the ears of his champion fighting pitbull, this beast with a muzzle on. I asked my dad, what's the deal here exactly? Seems the old man was in the trucking business,...

There aren’t a lot of people who can pull off writer/director/actor in the first place, but among those who can pull it off, they need to find an exact fit. Edward Burns shot out of the gates with The Brothers McMullen 20 years ago, and he’s been trying to find the sweet spot again ever since, and without much luck.

His work mostly hasn’t been bad, but it hasn’t been great (though The Fitzgerald Family Christmas came close), and it has seemed a result of trying to make niches work when there wasn’t truly a lot of potential.

Though Burns only acted in Mob City, it apparently tuned him into a niche he could work with.

With Public Morals, Burns is back in the everything chair, and now he has exactly the right team with him, and though he kicks off slightly cheesy, once...

For the last decade or so, you probably know Edward Burns as one of two people: The first is that charming New Yorkah who pops up in romantic comedies like "The Holiday," "27 Dresses," "Friends With Kids" and even "Will & Grace." He's snagged a few roles as cops in a couple of studio flicks, as well, but he's a tried and true "Prince Charming"-type for anyone who loves a thick Queens accent. That person, though, is Edward Burns, Studio Actor. Far more interesting to the indie community and film fans at large is Edward Burns, Writer, Actor, Producer and Director. Since his debut film, "The Brothers McMullen," took home the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995, Burns hasn't stopped writing — and directing, and producing, and acting and more. He's been pumping out character-driven indie films for two decades now, and helping push VOD distribution into the mainstream along the way.

We’ve seen all this before: The coppers, sworn to uphold the law, who often abuse their power. The robbers at war with both the ball-busting flatfoots and the power-hungry factions within their own criminal organization. An unseasoned rookie who got his job through nepotism. Sass-talking streetwalkers, several of ’em with hearts of gold. Wives who love and stand by their men (most of the time). There’s something comforting in the way multihyphenate director-star-creator Edward Burns — who made indie-film waves with his 1995 Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner The Brothers McMullen — embraces all of the

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1. I rescued my dog Lucy after she tried to go home in someone’s car and was left in the Hollywood Hills. 2. I rescued my dog Josephine in Austin on my way to a Black Crowes concert. Her name comes from their song “Oh Josephine.” Photos: Hot Hunks Walking Dogs 3. I am allergic to eggplant. 4. I played Dolly in my high school production of Hello, Dolly when I was 16. 5. The first movie I did was The Brothers McMullen. It won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance in [...]...

Indie movie news broke with the announcement of the cast of upcoming film “Avalanche.” The film, which is not about a natural disaster, stars Maxine Bahns (“The Brothers McMullen,” “Cutaway,” “Charlie Valentine”), Aaron Farb (“Powers,” “Kill The Messenger”) and Screen Actors Guild nominee Stelio Savante (“Eisenstein in Guanajuato,” “A Million Colours,” “Ugly Betty”) and is directed by Todd L. Green. So, if the film isn’t about a real avalanche, then what is it about? As it turns out, the film is a thriller that involves the consequences of bad behavior coming to the surface. “In Avalanche, a librarian (Savante), his wife (Bahns), and her lover (Farb) find themselves trapped in [ Read More ]

The post Cast Announced for Indie Film Avalanche appeared first on Shockya.com.

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, you want Irish green not just in your garments or your beer, but in your movies, too. A quarter-century ago, it would have been nearly impossible to compile a decent list of Irish movies, but then the Emerald Isle enjoyed an explosion of talent in the 1990s, led by such filmmakers as Jim Sheridan and Neil Jordan and such actors as Stephen Rea and Brendan Gleeson.

Today, there's a rich catalog of Irish movies to choose from. To maintain focus, we've kept this list restricted to films made in Ireland or at least set there. (Movies about Irish folks abroad, like "In Bruges," or their descendants in America, from "Far and Away" to "The Brothers McMullen" to "The Departed," will have to wait for another St. Patrick's Day.) Certain tropes reappear often -- glib talkers, hard drinkers, green fields, stern priests, mythical creatures, fanatical Irish Republican Army fighters,...

I first met writer-director-actor Edward Burns back at the start of his career at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Yes, I was at the first screening of "The Brothers McMullen," which vaulted him into a career in the movie business. But that story arc did not unfold as anticipated. It's no surprise that Burns is capable of writing a good book. For better or worse, this New York charmer has always had his own distinct voice. The reason "Independent Ed: Inside a Career of Big Dreams, Little Movies and the Twelve Best Days of My Life" (Gotham Books) is a must-read for any would-be filmmaker --and for many who are in the slough of despond as things don't go their way--is that Burns is a tough cookie who would not take no for an answer. One minute he was ebullient, showered with praise and promise, the next he was in the dumps,...

Actor and director Edward Burns has over 25 films under his belt and credits with superstars like Jennifer Aniston and Tom Hanks, but, like many other success stories, he started out at the bottom of the Hollywood food chain.

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It was an early job as a production assistant at Entertainment Tonight and a chance encounter with Sundance Film Festival chairman Robert Redford, however, that set the young director on the road to Sundance and future success.

"Redford was doing the junket for Quiz Show," Burns told Et. "I, of course, was PAing that junket. I had my VHS copy of Brothers McMullen, a rough cut of the movie and you know I had a 30 second schpeel prepared. So the minute the interview ended, he would go to the elevator with his publicist and I was gonna cut him off and hand him my tape... Fortunately for me...

Until recently, my reason for paying for Amazon Prime was merely about being able to get diapers in two days without having to leave the house. The streaming service attached to that two-day-shipping deal was also good for my kid’s Dora the Explorer addiction, but that’s about it. Then Transparent came along and gave me something to watch “free” on Amazon Instant Video, too. As for movies, though, it’s never been of interest, especially since it hardly ever seems to have anything that Netflix doesn’t also have (by the way, they’ve noticed the concern enough to have a page for “Not on Netflix” offerings, including Under the Skin and Cheap Thrills), and anyway Netflix is a whole lot easier to watch on a mobile device or tablet. Amazon Studios is likely to develop more original series as good as Transparent or good enough, and given that they’ve already secured Woody Allen for...

Amazon Studios, known for television series such as multi-Golden Globe winner Transparent, Annie-nominated Tumble Leaf, and Mozart in the Jungle, today announced that it will begin to produce and acquire original movies for theatrical release and early window distribution on Amazon Prime Instant Video. Whereas it typically takes 39 to 52 weeks for theatrical movies to premiere on subscription video services, Amazon Original Movies will premiere on Prime Instant Video in the U.S. just 4 to 8 weeks after their theatrical debut. Amazon Original Movies will focus on unique stories, voices, and characters from top and up-and-coming creators. Here's what Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios, had to say in a statement.

"We look forward to expanding our production efforts into feature films. Our goal is to create close to twelve movies a year with production starting later this year. Not only will we bring Prime Instant Video customers exciting, unique, and...