I love when a film comes along that is like nothing else that I’ve ever seen. When you can describe a movie as combination of two other things that never would go together? Love it. Those of you who pay attention on social media will know that The Art of Self-Defense is a flick I’ve been raving about for months now. Described as what it would be like if Charlie Kaufman wrote Fight Club or if Yorgos Lanthimos directed The Karate Kid. Those are apt comparisons, while also limiting the black comedy magic on hand. It opened in limited release this past weekend, playing to a decent box office. In fact, I even moderated a Q&a in Brooklyn at the Alamo Drafthouse with star Jesse Eisenberg. Now, with it opening wide, I wanted to pay it some further tribute. This is one of the five best things I’ve seen all year.
- 7/18/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, Phillip Andre Botello | Written and Directed by Riley Stearns
Directed and written by Riley Stearns, who wrote and directed Faults, a movie I was very fond of back in 2014, The Art of Self-Defense follows a highly strung and anxious book-keeper named Casey, played by the not-new-to-neurotic Jesse Eisenberg, who is attacked by a gang and decides to join a karate class in order to learn… well, the art of self defence. It’s here that he meets the Sensei, played by Alessandro Nivola (Face/Off), a charming teacher who helps give Casey some optimism. We also meet Anna in the karate studio, played by Imogen Poots (Green Room), a brown-belt with mettle. The film takes a trip down dark alleys, however, when Casey goes to the night class of Sensei and finds an underbelly of violence and extremes of masculine bravado.
Directed and written by Riley Stearns, who wrote and directed Faults, a movie I was very fond of back in 2014, The Art of Self-Defense follows a highly strung and anxious book-keeper named Casey, played by the not-new-to-neurotic Jesse Eisenberg, who is attacked by a gang and decides to join a karate class in order to learn… well, the art of self defence. It’s here that he meets the Sensei, played by Alessandro Nivola (Face/Off), a charming teacher who helps give Casey some optimism. We also meet Anna in the karate studio, played by Imogen Poots (Green Room), a brown-belt with mettle. The film takes a trip down dark alleys, however, when Casey goes to the night class of Sensei and finds an underbelly of violence and extremes of masculine bravado.
- 7/12/2019
- by Chris Cummings
- Nerdly
Joseph Baxter May 22, 2019
Jesse Eisenberg stars in The Art of Self Defense, playing a timid man who takes a dark path while toughening himself up with karate lessons.
The Art of Self Defense, an indie comedy film that screened at SXSW this past March, heads to a wide release, tapping into a thematic and topical corner that’s been successfully covered on the small screen with YouTube Premium’s Cobra Kai, showcasing a situation in which the martial art of karate leads bullied people down a destructive primrose path.
The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, who plays a run-of-the-mill milquetoast, who – after finally being sick of getting shoved around and remaining afraid – decides to sign up for a karate class, run by an eccentric sensei (Alessando Nivola), whose hardline philosophy resides squarely in the toxic masculinity discussion. Indeed, the initially-quixotic karate quest of Eisenberg's Casey appears destined for a dark turn.
Jesse Eisenberg stars in The Art of Self Defense, playing a timid man who takes a dark path while toughening himself up with karate lessons.
The Art of Self Defense, an indie comedy film that screened at SXSW this past March, heads to a wide release, tapping into a thematic and topical corner that’s been successfully covered on the small screen with YouTube Premium’s Cobra Kai, showcasing a situation in which the martial art of karate leads bullied people down a destructive primrose path.
The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, who plays a run-of-the-mill milquetoast, who – after finally being sick of getting shoved around and remaining afraid – decides to sign up for a karate class, run by an eccentric sensei (Alessando Nivola), whose hardline philosophy resides squarely in the toxic masculinity discussion. Indeed, the initially-quixotic karate quest of Eisenberg's Casey appears destined for a dark turn.
- 5/22/2019
- Den of Geek
"You're a blade, and I'm sharpening you." Bleecker Street Films has released the full-length official trailer for the indie dark comedy The Art of Self-Defense, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival this year to some great reviews. This film is the latest from director Riley Stearns (of the film Faults previously) and it's hitting limited theaters starting in July this year. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Casey, a fragile man who enlists in a local dojo after being attacked at random on the street. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity, and a woman fighting for her place in it. Sounds delightful. The small cast includes Alessandro Nivola as the Sensei, plus Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, and Phillip Andre Botello. One SXSW review says it's an "uproariously comical and hypnotically unnerving" film that gives "a hilarious middle finger to toxic masculinity." Really excited to seeing this one,...
- 5/22/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
We have a cool trailer here for you today for the dark comedy The Art of Self-Defense. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Casey, a man who decides to take karate after having enough of feeling helpless and scared all the time. I really related to this trailer, as I feel like a woman could have easily fit into the same role. I like seeing it from a man’s perspective. I think maybe men who are not as big and strong, who have possibly been through something traumatic aren’t as accounted for in society. Women don’t have the market cornered on being the only victims of toxic masculinity, and I think this movie looks really interesting as it explores that concept in a darkly comedic tone. Here’s a synopsis provided by Thefilmstage:
After he’s attacked on the street at night by a roving motorcycle gang, timid bookkeeper...
After he’s attacked on the street at night by a roving motorcycle gang, timid bookkeeper...
- 3/11/2019
- by Jessica Fisher
- GeekTyrant
"Why karate?" "I'm afraid... I'm afraid of the dark. I'm afraid of other men. They intimidate me." Bleecker Street Films has debuted the first teaser trailer for an indie dark comedy titled The Art of Self-Defense, which is premiering at the SXSW Film Festival starting this weekend. This film is the latest from director Riley Stearns (of the film Faults previously) and it's already set for a theatrical release in June this year, for those who aren't able to catch it at SXSW in Austin. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Casey, a fragile man who enlists in a local dojo after being attacked at random on the street. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity, violence and hypermasculinity, and a woman fighting for her place in it. The small cast includes Alessandro Nivola as the Sensei, plus Imogen Poots, Steve Terada, and Phillip Andre Botello. This is a great teaser,...
- 3/8/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Watch clips from Benson Lee's Battle of the Year, starring Josh Holloway, Laz Alonso, Josh Peck, Caity Lotz, Chris Brown, Terrence Jenkins, Weronika Rosati, Jesse Erwin Ivan 'Flipz' Velez and Steve Terada. Sony distributes the drama which opens on September 20th, 2013. The film's scripted by Chris Parker and Brin Hill and produced by Amy Lo as well as Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson. Battle of the Year is an international dance crew tournament that attracts all the best teams from around the world, but the Americans haven’t won in fifteen years. Los Angeles Hip Hop mogul Dante (Alonso) wants to put the country that started the Sport back on top. He enlists his hard-luck friend Blake (Holloway), who was a championship...
- 9/16/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Trailer for Battle of the Year, starring Josh Holloway, Josh Peck, Chris Brown, Terrence Jenkins and Laz Alonso, Caity Lotz, Weronika Rosati, Jesse Erwin Ivan 'Flipz' Velez and Steve Terada. In Battle of the Year directed by Benson Lee, an American b-boy crew competes at Frances' Battle of the Year International Championships. The film is produced by Amy Lo, Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn. The Brin Hill and Chris Parker-written film opens January 25th, 2013. Amy Lo, Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn produce. Check it out.
- 7/24/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Trailer for Battle of the Year, starring Josh Holloway, Josh Peck, Chris Brown, Terrence Jenkins and Laz Alonso, Caity Lotz, Weronika Rosati, Jesse Erwin Ivan 'Flipz' Velez and Steve Terada. In Battle of the Year directed by Benson Lee, an American b-boy crew competes at Frances' Battle of the Year International Championships. The film is produced by Amy Lo, Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn. The Brin Hill and Chris Parker-written film opens January 25th, 2013. Amy Lo, Tripp Vinson and Beau Flynn produce. Check it out.
- 7/24/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
The head of Nickelodeon Animation, Roland Poindexter, if that really is his name, welcomed Comic-Con with a somewhat awkward "Goooooooood afternoon!" The way-past-capacity crowd gave a reserved shout back, perhaps due to the (maybe) underestimated line outside. But once he mentioned the phrase "Avatar: The Last Airbender" the place went nuts
The eager fans were here to learn anything, anything about the forthcoming Avatar: The Legend of Korra series.
Before show creators Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko came to the stage, a woman dressed as Korra stepped out to thunderous applause. She is very much a woman of color, thank you very much M. Night Shyamalan.
All that bitterness evaporated once they said they were about to debut the trailer.
The Trailer
"Don't worry, we'll show it again at the end - we know there'll be a lot of screaming and stuff and you might miss something," Bryan added.
Here's...
The eager fans were here to learn anything, anything about the forthcoming Avatar: The Legend of Korra series.
Before show creators Michael Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko came to the stage, a woman dressed as Korra stepped out to thunderous applause. She is very much a woman of color, thank you very much M. Night Shyamalan.
All that bitterness evaporated once they said they were about to debut the trailer.
The Trailer
"Don't worry, we'll show it again at the end - we know there'll be a lot of screaming and stuff and you might miss something," Bryan added.
Here's...
- 7/24/2011
- UGO TV
By Ben Hockin
The fourth season of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" premieres this Sunday! Want to know who is going to win it all? It might help to take a look back at the winners from the first three seasons — JabbaWockeeZ (season 1), Super Cr3w (season 2), and Quest Crew (season 3) to see what they have in common.
It seems the most intriguing and most important of similarities is each crew (either as a whole or in part) has competed in another TV talent show, such as NBC's "America's Got Talent," "Star Search," and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance." JabbaWockeeZ made their television debut in 2007's inaugural season of "America's Got Talent," where they were eliminated during the first call-back round. However, the very next year they went on to win "Abdc." In 2003, members of Super Cr3w appeared on CBS's "Star Search" — Jon Cruz was a three-time...
The fourth season of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" premieres this Sunday! Want to know who is going to win it all? It might help to take a look back at the winners from the first three seasons — JabbaWockeeZ (season 1), Super Cr3w (season 2), and Quest Crew (season 3) to see what they have in common.
It seems the most intriguing and most important of similarities is each crew (either as a whole or in part) has competed in another TV talent show, such as NBC's "America's Got Talent," "Star Search," and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance." JabbaWockeeZ made their television debut in 2007's inaugural season of "America's Got Talent," where they were eliminated during the first call-back round. However, the very next year they went on to win "Abdc." In 2003, members of Super Cr3w appeared on CBS's "Star Search" — Jon Cruz was a three-time...
- 8/10/2009
- by MTV News
- MTV Newsroom
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