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Ordinary Madness: Johnson’s Character Study Enriched by Neo-Noir Aesthetic

Premiering earlier this year at the SXSW Film Festival, Alex R. Johnson’s directorial debut Two Step is one of those surprisingly adept, slow burn gems that sometimes have trouble finding an audience outside of the festival circuit. Though it features several recognizable character actors, a mere plot synopsis can’t quite do justice to Johnson’s ambiguous title, which takes the concept of a simple dance move and makes it a surprisingly violent situational character study. Though it may ultimately prove too slight for some, and Johnson may not be reinventing the genre, it features enough unexpected moves to prove a heightened command of narrative and tone. At times, it even feels like he’s downplaying the capabilities of his two lead protagonists, and yet, it all seems entirely plausible.

When his grandmother suddenly passes away, James...

People Are Strange: Brice’s Debut Retools Found Footage for Ordinary Madness

Available on demand at the same time as his Sundance darling sophomore feature The Overnight hits theaters, Patrick Brice’s directorial feature debut, Creep, belies a dark streak. Obviously interested in exploring the awkward social behaviors of humans, in situations at least superficially considered ordinary occurrences, this Duplass Bros. produced first outing seems ripped from the modern day headlines of many a Los Angeles film student’s nightmare.

Presumably, budgetary issues explains the rational for making this a found footage film, and it suffers from many of the same issues similarly plaguing strong narratives caught up in this frugal, exploited packaging. But Brice seems adept at making incredible use of limited resources, as well as a penchant for strong characterizations often absent from the familiar realms he’s thus far explored.

Aaron (Patrick Brice), a single loner, responds...

Semi-autobigraphical tale will follow other Bukowski adaptations including 1987’s Barfly, 1983’s Tales of Ordinary Madness and 2005’s Factotum

Charles Bukowski’s semi-autobiographical novel Women is to be adapted for the big screen by the production company behind The Hurt Locker, reports The Tracking Board.

Voltage Pictures, also known for indie hits such as William Friedkin’s Killer Joe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Don Jon, has obtained screen rights to the 1978 book. Women features Bukowski’s regular alter-ego Hank Chinaski, a booze-soaked La writer juggling the many women who admire him for his literary genius. The film will be based on a screenplay by Ethan Furman.

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Browse all the sections of the 57th London Film Festival (Oct 9-20) including the galas, competition titles and individual sections.

Alphabetical list of titles by section including feature premiere status

Wp = Wp

Ep = European Premiere

IP = International Premiere

UK = UK Premiere

Gala’s

Opening Night

Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass (Us) Ep

Closing Night

Saving Mr Banks, John Lee Hancock (Us/UK) Ep

Philomena, Stephen Frears (UK) UK12 Years A Slave, Steve Mcqueen (UK) EPGravity, Alfonso Cuaron (Us) UKInside Llewyn Davis, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (Us) UKLabor Day, Jason Reitman (Us) EPThe Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes (UK), EPThe Epic Of Everest, John Noel (UK) WPBlue Is The Warmest Colour, Abdellatif Kechiche (France) UKNight Moves, Kelly Reichardt (Us) UKStranger By The Lake, Alain Guiraudie (France) UKDon Jon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Us) UKMystery Road, Ivan Sen (Australia) UKOnly Lovers Left Alive, Jim Jarmusch (Us) UKNebraska, Alexander Payne (Us) UKWe Are The Best!, Lukas Moodysson (Sweden) EPFoosball 3D, Juan Jose Campanella (Argentina...

The 57th BFI London Film Festival line-up has officially been revealed, and it is led by a slew of incredibly promising films, many of which have already been buzzing on the festival circuit, and a number of which will be making their debuts here in London.

As previously announced, Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips will open the festival next month, and John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr. Banks will close it, book-ending the festival with Tom Hanks leading two highly prominent, Oscar-primed movies.

Stephen Frears’ Philomena was also previously announced as the Lff American Express Gala, with The Epic of Everest announced as the Lff Archive Gala.

And leading the line-up alongside them this year will be some of the most Oscar-buzzed movies of 2013, including Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave, Jason Reitman’s Labor Day, Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity (in 3D), Joel and Ethan Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis, Terry Gilliam’s The Zero Theorem,...