Some were launched with mega-hype, only to wind up branded as financial disappointments. Others were indie-produced Cinderellas that got lost on their way to the ball. And one was a legendary film maudit that appears well on its way to becoming a footnote.
What do they all have in common? Their inclusion on this list of the Ten Most Underrated Movies of 2018.
“Blaze”
Despite a strong Sundance sendoff and scads of glowing reviews for his labor-of-love directorial effort, Ethan Hawke couldn’t get many ticketbuyers to share his deep regard for Blaze Foley (1949-89), a relatively obscure figure in the Outlaw Country movement who remains best known for a handful of songs recorded by other, more famous artists. Those who did join Hawke on his detour off the beaten track couldn’t help admiring his avoidance of traditional musical biopic clichés and conventions, and appreciate musician-turned-actor Benjamin Dickey’s raw...
What do they all have in common? Their inclusion on this list of the Ten Most Underrated Movies of 2018.
“Blaze”
Despite a strong Sundance sendoff and scads of glowing reviews for his labor-of-love directorial effort, Ethan Hawke couldn’t get many ticketbuyers to share his deep regard for Blaze Foley (1949-89), a relatively obscure figure in the Outlaw Country movement who remains best known for a handful of songs recorded by other, more famous artists. Those who did join Hawke on his detour off the beaten track couldn’t help admiring his avoidance of traditional musical biopic clichés and conventions, and appreciate musician-turned-actor Benjamin Dickey’s raw...
- 12/19/2018
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Blaze Foley (Benjamin Dickey) was a not-very well-known country-blues singer who ultimately became an inspiring figure for many of today’s country stars. Foley (born Michael David Fuller) died of a gunshot wound at 39, but his songs were eventually covered by some of the great musicians in the field. However, if you think “Blaze,” director Ethan Hawke‘s biopic of the man would be any sort of glamorized “Walk the Line“-style riff on the legend, then you’d sadly mistaken.
Continue reading ‘Blaze’: Ethan Hawke Delivers A Raucous, Unconventional Musical Biopic [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Blaze’: Ethan Hawke Delivers A Raucous, Unconventional Musical Biopic [Sundance Review] at The Playlist.
- 1/29/2018
- by Jordan Ruimy
- The Playlist
The Sundance Film Festival, an increasingly significant awards season player, closed out its 2018 edition Jan. 27 by handing out awards to some of its 123 films. All the while, the true prize for some of the films that premiered—major distribution—was still elusive. “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” was awarded the highest honor by the Park City, Utah festival in the U.S. dramatic competition: The Grand Jury Prize. Chloë Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, and Forrest Goodluck are among the stars of this beautiful teen drama directed by Desiree Akhavan about a girl sent to gay conversion therapy. The members of the jury responsible for the U.S. dramatic winners included actors Michael Stuhlbarg, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Octavia Spencer, as well as the newly Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Rachel Morrison and filmmaker Joe Swanberg. This team also singled out Benjamin Dickey in Ethan Hawke’s latest directorial effort, “Blaze,” to receive the U.
- 1/29/2018
- backstage.com
The Miseducation of Cameron PostU.S. – DRAMATICGrand Jury PrizeThe Miseducation of Cameron Post (Desiree Akhavan)Directing AwardThe Kindergarten Teacher (Sara Colangelo)Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting:Benjamin Dickey, BlazeSpecial Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature:Monsters and Men (Reinaldo Marcus Green)Special Jury Award for Excellence in Filmmaking:i Think We're Alone Now (Reed Morano)Waldo Salt Screenwriting AwardNancy (Christina Choe)Audience AwardBurden (Andrew Heckler)Next Next Audience AwardSearch (Aneesh Chaganty)Next Innovator AwardNight Comes On (Jordan Spiro) & We the Animals (Jeremiah Zagar)U.S. – DOCUMENTARYGrand Jury PrizeKailash (Derek Doneen)Directing AwardOn Her Shoulders (Alexandria Bombach)Special Jury Award for Social ImpactCrime + Punishment (Stephen Maing)Special Jury Award for Creative Vision:Hale County This Morning, This Evening (RaMell Ross)Special Jury Award for Breakthrough FilmmakingMinding the Gap (Bing Liu)Special Jury Award for StorytellingThree Identical Strangers (Tim Wardle)Audience AwardThe Sentence (Rudy Valdez)World Cinema – DRAMATICGrand Jury PrizeButterflies (Tolga Karaçelik)Directing...
- 1/29/2018
- MUBI
The first fiction feature film from actor Ethan Hawke since 2006’s The Hottest State, Blaze tells the story of the relatively unsung country musician Blaze Foley. The film’s star, Benjamin Dickey, won the Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting at the Sundance Film Festival last week. Hawke hired editor Jason Gourson (The Magicians, Glee) to cut his impressionistic biopic. Below, Gourson speaks with Filmmaker about collaborating with Hawke and growing up as the son of a film editor. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that […]...
- 1/29/2018
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Some people never get to realize their full potential, or stick around long enough to do what they were so clearly put on this Earth to do. Maybe they die young, or maybe they just keep getting in their own way. Or maybe, if they’re anything like singer-songwriter Blaze Foley, they find a way to do both, burning out like stars that leave their light behind. But Foley never wanted to be a star, shining only for itself. He wanted to be a legend, and live forever. Thanks to Ethan Hawke’s slippery, whiskey-soaked biopic of the late musician — and newcomer Benjamin Dickey’s casually spellbinding lead performance — he’s closer than ever to getting his wish.
Described by its director as a “gonzo indie country-western opera,” “Blaze” is sleepier and more bittersweet than Hawke might have you believe, less of an opera than an acoustic requiem for a ramblin’ man.
Described by its director as a “gonzo indie country-western opera,” “Blaze” is sleepier and more bittersweet than Hawke might have you believe, less of an opera than an acoustic requiem for a ramblin’ man.
- 1/28/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Sundance announced its winners last night, with “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” and “Kailash” taking the top prizes. IndieWire has been in Park City for the entirety of the festival, with dozens of reviews and video interviews to show for it. Here’s what we’ve had to say about the prizewinners:
Read More:2018 Sundance Film Festival Awards Winners: ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ and ‘Kailash’ Win Grand Jury Prizes
U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize: “The Miseducation of Cameron Post”
U.S. Dramatic Directing Award: Sara Colangelo, “The Kindergarten Teacher”
U.S. Documentary Directing Award: Alexandria Bombach, “On Her Shoulders”
U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting: Benjamin Dickey, “Blaze”
U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Excellence in Filmmaking: “I Think We’re Alone Now”
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Storytelling: “Three Identical Strangers”
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking: “Minding...
Read More:2018 Sundance Film Festival Awards Winners: ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ and ‘Kailash’ Win Grand Jury Prizes
U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize: “The Miseducation of Cameron Post”
U.S. Dramatic Directing Award: Sara Colangelo, “The Kindergarten Teacher”
U.S. Documentary Directing Award: Alexandria Bombach, “On Her Shoulders”
U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting: Benjamin Dickey, “Blaze”
U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Excellence in Filmmaking: “I Think We’re Alone Now”
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Storytelling: “Three Identical Strangers”
U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Filmmaking: “Minding...
- 1/28/2018
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Updated with more details, full winners list: The Chloë Grace Moretz-starring The Miseducation of Cameron Post, The Kindergarten Teacher director Sara Colangelo, On Her Shoulders helmer Alexandria Bombach and Blaze star Benjamin Dickey were the big victors tonight at the Sundance Film Festival awards ceremony in Park City. Singer M.I.A., Rust Belt skateboarding and the anti-Donald Trump documentary Our New President also scored wins at Robert Redford-founded fest Saturday…...
- 1/28/2018
- Deadline
The 2018 Sundance Film Festival drew to a close this evening with the announcement of the annual fest’s award winners, care of a free-wheeling ceremony hosted by Jason Mantzoukas, who stars in Hannah Fidell’s Sundance comedy “The Long Dumb Road.”
The Grand Jury Prizes, considered Sundance’s biggest honor, went to Desiree Akhavan’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” (U.S. Dramatic), Derek Doneen’s “Kailash” (U.S. Documentary), Tolga Karaçelik’s “Butterflies” (World Cinema Dramatic), and Talal Derki’s “Of Fathers and Sons” (World Cinema Documentary).
Read More:The 2018 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview, and News Item Posted During the Festival
Each year, the festival’s juries give out directing prizes in each of the four competition categories. This year, each directing prize went to a female filmmaker, including Sara Colangelo, Alexandria Bombach, Sandi Tan, and Isold Uggadottir. The festival’s dedicated screenwriting prize, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award,...
The Grand Jury Prizes, considered Sundance’s biggest honor, went to Desiree Akhavan’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” (U.S. Dramatic), Derek Doneen’s “Kailash” (U.S. Documentary), Tolga Karaçelik’s “Butterflies” (World Cinema Dramatic), and Talal Derki’s “Of Fathers and Sons” (World Cinema Documentary).
Read More:The 2018 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview, and News Item Posted During the Festival
Each year, the festival’s juries give out directing prizes in each of the four competition categories. This year, each directing prize went to a female filmmaker, including Sara Colangelo, Alexandria Bombach, Sandi Tan, and Isold Uggadottir. The festival’s dedicated screenwriting prize, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award,...
- 1/28/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
The Guilty, Shirkers claim Park City honourees on Saturday night.
Sundance 2018 wrapped on Saturday (January 27) with juried awards for The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (pictured) in the U.S. Dramatic programme, Kailash in U.S. Documentary, Of Fathers And Sons in World Cinema Documentary, and Butterflies in World Cinema Dramatic.
In other highlights, Gustav Möller’s acclaimed Danish selection The Guilty won the World Cinema Audience award, while Sandi Tan collected the World Cinema Documentary directing award for Shirkers. Festival Favorite, A new award voted on by audiences, will be announced in the coming days.
The Sentence by Rudy Valdez was the audience favourite in the U.S. Documentary category, capping a fine day that saw HBO acquire Us rights from Cinetic Media.
“The scope and scale of this year’s festival – films, events, conversations – were invigorating,” Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam said. “I can’t wait to see how our incredible community will leverage these ten days...
Sundance 2018 wrapped on Saturday (January 27) with juried awards for The Miseducation Of Cameron Post (pictured) in the U.S. Dramatic programme, Kailash in U.S. Documentary, Of Fathers And Sons in World Cinema Documentary, and Butterflies in World Cinema Dramatic.
In other highlights, Gustav Möller’s acclaimed Danish selection The Guilty won the World Cinema Audience award, while Sandi Tan collected the World Cinema Documentary directing award for Shirkers. Festival Favorite, A new award voted on by audiences, will be announced in the coming days.
The Sentence by Rudy Valdez was the audience favourite in the U.S. Documentary category, capping a fine day that saw HBO acquire Us rights from Cinetic Media.
“The scope and scale of this year’s festival – films, events, conversations – were invigorating,” Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam said. “I can’t wait to see how our incredible community will leverage these ten days...
- 1/27/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Ethan Hawke didn’t want his latest film to feel like something made on a whim. Making “Blaze,” a biopic of the late country singer Blaze Foley, Hawke realized that directing a movie is only worthwhile if it feels like it’s something you need to do.
“It means so much to me. A ‘labor of love’ sounds like something you do as a hobby to me,” Hawke said, speaking at the IndieWire Sundance Studio presented by Dropbox. Of making films (of which this is his fourth) he added, “It’s what I want to be alive for.”
Read More:The 2018 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview, and News Item Posted During the Festival
As an artist, Foley (played in the film by Benjamin Dickey) has gained a growing amount of respect and fame since his untimely passing in 1989. “Blaze” looks to tell the full story of the “Clay Pigeons” singer...
“It means so much to me. A ‘labor of love’ sounds like something you do as a hobby to me,” Hawke said, speaking at the IndieWire Sundance Studio presented by Dropbox. Of making films (of which this is his fourth) he added, “It’s what I want to be alive for.”
Read More:The 2018 IndieWire Sundance Bible: Every Review, Interview, and News Item Posted During the Festival
As an artist, Foley (played in the film by Benjamin Dickey) has gained a growing amount of respect and fame since his untimely passing in 1989. “Blaze” looks to tell the full story of the “Clay Pigeons” singer...
- 1/22/2018
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
When Amazon Studios won “The Big Sick” with a $12 million bid, it was no surprise: it came to the festival very aware of the film and what it could offer, and were ready to pay. Netflix plopped down $12.5 million on “Mudbound” just to lay claim to the festival’s biggest buy; no one else was in the running.
This year brings a different set of expectations. Top dog Fox Searchlight lost its $9.5 million investment in “Patti Cake$,” which barely scaled $1 million worldwide. Weinstein Co. and Broad Green are gone, and Amazon is under management duress, having lost leader Roy Price to a sex scandal. It will look for the right buys with an Oscar predigree — but may not be willing to take huge risks.
Of course, others are here to fill the gaps. These include Annapurna’s new distribution company, which has an exclusive output streaming deal with Hulu, as...
This year brings a different set of expectations. Top dog Fox Searchlight lost its $9.5 million investment in “Patti Cake$,” which barely scaled $1 million worldwide. Weinstein Co. and Broad Green are gone, and Amazon is under management duress, having lost leader Roy Price to a sex scandal. It will look for the right buys with an Oscar predigree — but may not be willing to take huge risks.
Of course, others are here to fill the gaps. These include Annapurna’s new distribution company, which has an exclusive output streaming deal with Hulu, as...
- 1/17/2018
- by Anne Thompson and Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
Ten months after the Sundance Film Festival debut of Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” — which terrified and delighted festgoers at a secret screening last January, en route to a $250- million worldwide box office and growing award season haul — festival director John Cooper and head programmer Trevor Groth talked to IndieWire about their process for finding films for Sundance’s 39th installment (January 18-28) with similar breakout potential, even if the 2018 Sundance slate is less sprawling than its predecessor (104 films vs. 113, culled from 29 countries).
Read More:Sundance 2018 Competition Lineup Boasts New Films from Paul Dano, Reed Morano, Idris Elba, Ethan Hawke, and More
Here’s our breakdown of this year’s thematic trends and hot buys.
African-American stories
“We saw a real increase in [stories told from] the unique perspective and experience of African-American males in American society right now,” said Cooper, citing four of the 16 films in 2018’s U.S. Dramatic Competition alone: “Monster,...
Read More:Sundance 2018 Competition Lineup Boasts New Films from Paul Dano, Reed Morano, Idris Elba, Ethan Hawke, and More
Here’s our breakdown of this year’s thematic trends and hot buys.
African-American stories
“We saw a real increase in [stories told from] the unique perspective and experience of African-American males in American society right now,” said Cooper, citing four of the 16 films in 2018’s U.S. Dramatic Competition alone: “Monster,...
- 11/29/2017
- by Anne Thompson and Jenna Marotta
- Thompson on Hollywood
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