Buddy Duress, the actor who appeared in two Safdie Brothers films including 2017’s Good Time starring Robert Pattinson, died last November of what his brother said this week was “cardiac arrest from a drug cocktail.” Duress was 38.
Duress’ death was announced on social media last week by director Jay Karales, whose upcoming film Mass State Lottery features Duress. The cause of death was announced yesterday to People by the actor’s brother Christopher Stathis (Duress was born Michael C. Stathis).
“This man was an absolute treasure,” Karales, known professionally as LowRes Wünderbred, wrote. “Without a doubt, Buddy Duress was one of the most entertaining people I’ve ever met and his stories were unrivaled. I remember seeing him in Good Time in 2017 and saying, ‘That is what the future of acting needs to be. That guy.’ He brought a certain authenticity and charisma to the screen that you just don’t see anymore.
Duress’ death was announced on social media last week by director Jay Karales, whose upcoming film Mass State Lottery features Duress. The cause of death was announced yesterday to People by the actor’s brother Christopher Stathis (Duress was born Michael C. Stathis).
“This man was an absolute treasure,” Karales, known professionally as LowRes Wünderbred, wrote. “Without a doubt, Buddy Duress was one of the most entertaining people I’ve ever met and his stories were unrivaled. I remember seeing him in Good Time in 2017 and saying, ‘That is what the future of acting needs to be. That guy.’ He brought a certain authenticity and charisma to the screen that you just don’t see anymore.
- 2/28/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Buddy Duress (né Michael C. Stathis), who starred alongside Robert Pattinson in the Safdie brothers’ 2017 crime thriller “Good Time,” has died. He was 38.
Duress’ brother Christopher Stathis revealed to People on Tuesday that the actor died in November 2023 of “cardiac arrest from a drug cocktail.”
Duress was born in Queens, New York, in May 1985. He made his acting debut in Josh and Benny Safdie’s 2014 film “Heaven Knows What,” which also stars Caleb Landry Jones and Arielle Holmes. In “Good Time,” Duress portrayed Ray, a drug dealer who becomes Connie Nikas’ (Pattinson) partner in crime as the two attempt to retrieve a Sprite bottle containing liquid LSD.
Along with “Heaven Knows What” and “Good Time,” Duress worked on such films as “Person to Person” (2017), “The Great Darkened Days” (2018), “Beware of Dog” (2020), “Pvt Chat” (2020), “Flinch” (2021) and “Funny Pages” (2022). Duress has two more unreleased projects: a short film titled “Skull” and Jay...
Duress’ brother Christopher Stathis revealed to People on Tuesday that the actor died in November 2023 of “cardiac arrest from a drug cocktail.”
Duress was born in Queens, New York, in May 1985. He made his acting debut in Josh and Benny Safdie’s 2014 film “Heaven Knows What,” which also stars Caleb Landry Jones and Arielle Holmes. In “Good Time,” Duress portrayed Ray, a drug dealer who becomes Connie Nikas’ (Pattinson) partner in crime as the two attempt to retrieve a Sprite bottle containing liquid LSD.
Along with “Heaven Knows What” and “Good Time,” Duress worked on such films as “Person to Person” (2017), “The Great Darkened Days” (2018), “Beware of Dog” (2020), “Pvt Chat” (2020), “Flinch” (2021) and “Funny Pages” (2022). Duress has two more unreleased projects: a short film titled “Skull” and Jay...
- 2/28/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety Film + TV
What a whiplash of a year for Adam Sandler. After delivering his laziest comedy to date with Netflix’s “Murder Mystery” over the summer (read IndieWire’s D review here), Sandler returns to the big screen this December with what is being hailed out of the fall festivals as one of his best performances ever. Go figure.
Sandler is at the center of “Uncut Gems,” the latest crime thriller from indie darlings Josh and Benny Safdie. The directing duo is known for getting unhinged and gripping performances out of their leading actors (see Arielle Holmes in “Heaven Knows What” and Robert Pattinson in “Good Time”), and it appears Sandler is no exception in “Uncut Gems.”
The official plot synopsis for the movie reads: “‘Uncut Gems’ is a crime thriller about Howard Ratner (Sandler), a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. When he...
Sandler is at the center of “Uncut Gems,” the latest crime thriller from indie darlings Josh and Benny Safdie. The directing duo is known for getting unhinged and gripping performances out of their leading actors (see Arielle Holmes in “Heaven Knows What” and Robert Pattinson in “Good Time”), and it appears Sandler is no exception in “Uncut Gems.”
The official plot synopsis for the movie reads: “‘Uncut Gems’ is a crime thriller about Howard Ratner (Sandler), a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. When he...
- 9/24/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Last summer, in IndieWire’s review of “The Meyerowitz Stories,” this critic wrote that “It remains hugely frustrating how great Adam Sandler can be when he’s not making Adam Sandler movies.” If it didn’t seem necessary to hash out the distinction between a movie with Adam Sandler, and an Adam Sandler Movie, that’s only because the difference between the two is ridiculously obvious.
The former category includes fiercely beloved masterpieces like “Punch-Drunk Love” and “Funny People.” The latter category includes minor crimes against humanity like “That’s My Boy” and “Grown Ups 2.” If you see him in something directed by James L. Brooks, someone who idolizes James L. Brooks, or even by someone who’s met James L. Brooks, then you’re probably watching a movie with Adam Sandler. If you see him in something that co-stars David Spade, features a scene where Shaquille O’Neal throws someone over a house,...
The former category includes fiercely beloved masterpieces like “Punch-Drunk Love” and “Funny People.” The latter category includes minor crimes against humanity like “That’s My Boy” and “Grown Ups 2.” If you see him in something directed by James L. Brooks, someone who idolizes James L. Brooks, or even by someone who’s met James L. Brooks, then you’re probably watching a movie with Adam Sandler. If you see him in something that co-stars David Spade, features a scene where Shaquille O’Neal throws someone over a house,...
- 4/4/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
The low-budget crime-thriller film-makers talk about being ‘petrified of stasis’ and casting the Twilight star in their latest release, despite not having seen his movies
In a Hollywood that seems more monetised, sanitised and purely profit-driven than ever – these days, we use the phrase “film industry” so much more than “film world” – it is good to be reminded of the people tearing up around the edges, propelled by their own outsized forces of personality and vision. Josh and Benny Safdie are chancers, hustlers and prodigious talents. You could say they have been film-makers since they were kids, when their dad used to shut them in a closet with a camcorder. They are also throwbacks to a more haphazard, chaotic and readily romanticised time when movies trailed the mythos of their own making; when what you saw on screen in the 70s, say, was tinted with behind-the-scenes legends of chutzpah.
The brothers,...
In a Hollywood that seems more monetised, sanitised and purely profit-driven than ever – these days, we use the phrase “film industry” so much more than “film world” – it is good to be reminded of the people tearing up around the edges, propelled by their own outsized forces of personality and vision. Josh and Benny Safdie are chancers, hustlers and prodigious talents. You could say they have been film-makers since they were kids, when their dad used to shut them in a closet with a camcorder. They are also throwbacks to a more haphazard, chaotic and readily romanticised time when movies trailed the mythos of their own making; when what you saw on screen in the 70s, say, was tinted with behind-the-scenes legends of chutzpah.
The brothers,...
- 11/16/2017
- by Hermione Hoby
- The Guardian - Film News
On tap right now we have an exclusive look at the new artwork for 2307: Winter’s Dream from director Joey Curtis working from a script he wrote with Paul Sidhu. Sidhu also stars alongside Branden Coles, Arielle Holmes, Kelcey Watson, Anne-Solenne… Continue Reading →
The post 2307: Winter’s Dream – Exclusive New Poster! appeared first on Dread Central.
The post 2307: Winter’s Dream – Exclusive New Poster! appeared first on Dread Central.
- 9/27/2017
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
On tap right now we have a look at the official trailer and artwork for 2307: Winter’s Dream from director Joey Curtis working from a script he wrote with Paul Sidhu. Sidhu also stars alongside Branden Coles, Arielle Holmes, Kelcey Watson,… Continue Reading →
The post 2307: Winter’s Dream Awakens to a Trailer and Artwork appeared first on Dread Central.
The post 2307: Winter’s Dream Awakens to a Trailer and Artwork appeared first on Dread Central.
- 9/25/2017
- by Steve Barton
- DreadCentral.com
"The ice humbles all, it reveals our limitations, our weaknesses, our human-ness." Vertical Entertainment has unveiled an official trailer for a sci-fi action film titled 2307: Winter's Dream, set (obviously enough) in the year 2307 during a new ice age. The plot in this is a bit weird - scientists bio-engineered Humanoids that possess great strength, speed, and tolerance to extreme cold. When one of these humanoids escapes and threatens to lead a rebellion, an elite team of soldiers is sent to hunt him down. This seems to be much more about the gritty action and nefarious characters than the futuristic time it takes place. 2307: Winter's Dream stars Paul Sidhu, Branden Coles, Arielle Holmes, Kelcey Watson, Anne-Solenne Hatte, Timothy Lee DePriest, and Stormi Henley. This looks like it might be okay, but I'm not excited. You? Here's the first official trailer (+ poster) for Joey Curtis' 2307: Winter's Dream , direct...
- 9/21/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The idea of a Hollywood star getting some indie street cred by taking a massive pay cut to support the work of an edgy, up-and-coming auteur is hardly a new concept, but describes at least half the films at Sundance. However, the films of Josh and Benny Safdie are more than their somewhat simplified reputation as gritty New York filmmakers, and the decision by Robert Pattinson to star in the pair’s new film isn’t your run-of-the-mill case of an actor looking for street cred.
The Safdies’ distinctive guerilla-style approach to filmmaking on busy streets, often with amateur performers – who embody the underbelly of the city – is a cinematic world based on complete authenticity and the product of an immersive creative process that requires, as Benny described it, “being put through the ringer.”
Read More:Robert Pattinson Gives a Career-Best Performance in the Safdie Brothers’ ‘Good Time’ — Cannes 2017 Review...
The Safdies’ distinctive guerilla-style approach to filmmaking on busy streets, often with amateur performers – who embody the underbelly of the city – is a cinematic world based on complete authenticity and the product of an immersive creative process that requires, as Benny described it, “being put through the ringer.”
Read More:Robert Pattinson Gives a Career-Best Performance in the Safdie Brothers’ ‘Good Time’ — Cannes 2017 Review...
- 8/11/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Leaping straight from the American independent scene into the (ostensible) prestige of Cannes with Good Time, Josh and Benny Safdie deliver one of the best films in competition. Following up the superb junkie drama Heaven Knows What (2014), the New York directors rewrite a familiar crime drama with their distinctive voices, creating a story that's at once gripping, formally thrilling and cannily aware of its social context. It may be too soon to say whether the Safdies will become Cannes perennials; but at this moment, they provide the official selection with a welcome dose of adrenaline.Following an opening that sees Constantine “Connie” Nikas (Robert Pattinson) pull his mentally handicapped brother Nick (Benny Safdie) from a therapist interview (of sorts), Good Time wastes no time in getting going. After a bank robbery gone wrong, during which Nick gets taken by the cops, the camera sticks almost exclusively to Connie, tracing his...
- 5/28/2017
- MUBI
It’s probably safe to say that, up until now, no lucid person had compared a Safdie brothers film to the work of Michael Mann. Indeed, it may still be a stretch, though Good Time — the New York siblings’ latest eye-popping, pill-popping, attention-deficit character study — could feasibly be described as just that. It’s in parts a heist movie (iconic masks included) and a chase movie, but not an homage in any sense — more an evolution, like a 21st-century fast-food hybrid that mixes trash television and drug culture with Day-Glo-splattered night-time cinematography and throbbing synthesizers, thanks to a standout score from Oneohtrix Point Never.
We open on a very Mannian helicopter shot that leads to an unmistakably ’80s title card. Robert Pattinson gives the performance of his career thus far as Connie Nikas, a wired, erratically dangerous, and unpredictable pariah who looks like he could use a good night’s sleep.
We open on a very Mannian helicopter shot that leads to an unmistakably ’80s title card. Robert Pattinson gives the performance of his career thus far as Connie Nikas, a wired, erratically dangerous, and unpredictable pariah who looks like he could use a good night’s sleep.
- 5/27/2017
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
Before Josh and Benny Safdie’s movie Good Time premieres at Cannes, everyone’s favorite distributor A24 has released a trailer for the drama, which stars Robert Pattinson as a bank robber in crisis when his brother, played by Safdie, is arrested and sent to Rikers. The film. which is infused with neon and takes place over a single night, is set to feature new music from OneOhTrix Point Never and Iggy Pop.
The Safdies are best known for the lauded 2015 heroin drama Heaven Knows What, which featured real-life recovering addict Arielle Holmes in the lead role.The cast for this one is more well known: In addition to Pattinson, it features Jennifer Jason Leigh and Barkhad Abdi. Good Time is scheduled for release August 11.
The Safdies are best known for the lauded 2015 heroin drama Heaven Knows What, which featured real-life recovering addict Arielle Holmes in the lead role.The cast for this one is more well known: In addition to Pattinson, it features Jennifer Jason Leigh and Barkhad Abdi. Good Time is scheduled for release August 11.
- 5/16/2017
- by Esther Zuckerman
- avclub.com
A24 has acquired the North American rights to Robert Pattinson’s “Good Time,” TheWrap has learned. In the crime caper, Pattinson plays a bankrobber named Connie who is trying to evade the police as they close in on him. Sebastian Bear-McClard of Elara Pictures produced ‘Good Time,” while Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein wrote the script and Josh and Benny Safdie directed. Also Read: 'The Lost City of Z' First Trailer Shows Charlie Hunnam Under Attack in Amazon Jungle Bear-McClard, Bronstein and the Safdies previously collaborated on the film “Heaven Knows What,” a hybrid picture that blends documentary and narrative.
- 10/27/2016
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Chicago – The America we find ourselves in today would never have been imagined by our ancestors. Sure, we don’t have flying cars or robotic house servants but we do have different ways of life. “American Honey” shows the sweet and sour side of my generation’s new American Dream while keeping it infinitely relatable to everyone.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
There are those films that have a spirit that transcends any physical attributes like cinematography, pacing or even story. It encompasses all of these things, but is not just defined by them. It is the contagious charm and effervescence that embodies the soulful essence of youth. “American Honey” perfectly embodies the new experiences of our youth, like our first love, our first taste of true independence and also our first heartbreak. The beauty behind the film stems from how relatable every experience is despite its specific circumstances. If for some very unlikely...
Rating: 4.0/5.0
There are those films that have a spirit that transcends any physical attributes like cinematography, pacing or even story. It encompasses all of these things, but is not just defined by them. It is the contagious charm and effervescence that embodies the soulful essence of youth. “American Honey” perfectly embodies the new experiences of our youth, like our first love, our first taste of true independence and also our first heartbreak. The beauty behind the film stems from how relatable every experience is despite its specific circumstances. If for some very unlikely...
- 10/15/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The year is 2307 and Earth is three centuries removed from climate change transforming its surface to glacial ice. Humanity has evolved to living underground, improving technology to help sustain their tenuous ecosystem outside of the subzero temperatures. This includes insulation injections to combat cold for up to 48 hours, strength enhancements, and even artificial intelligence boosters. It also led to the manufacture of a synthetic Humanoid race as slave labor. Super-strong, immune to the elements, and unable to reproduce, they do all the things we can’t in this new world wrought from a hubris that’s allowed the year to mark a second anniversary: five years since Ash-393 (Branden Coles) broke free from his “chains” to lead a devastating Humanoid rebellion that’s yet to be neutralized.
It’s a pretty terrific concept for a sci- actioner with philosophical elements delving into the idea of history and our inexplicable ability...
It’s a pretty terrific concept for a sci- actioner with philosophical elements delving into the idea of history and our inexplicable ability...
- 10/10/2016
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Long movies tend to have an uphill battle with me. Every so often though, it just helps me a special film feel even more so. In the case of American Honey, it simply elevates a great work of art by letting it linger in your mind, though admittedly an almost three hour running time will be a challenge for some. Filmmaker Andrea Arnold is a very singular filmmaker, so anything she decides to do is worth taking note of. This flick though is something new entirely. Her take on America and the heartland is just magic. This is one of my favorite films of the year so far. It’s the best thing hitting theaters this week and an absolute must see. Nothing else in 2016 is anything like it. The movie is a bit hard to describe. Essentially, it’s a character study/road trip flick through the Midwest. Star...
- 9/30/2016
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
"What is it?" Two preview pages from Night Trap #4 give fans a look at the Trapper. Written by Cullen Bunn with artwork by J.B. Bastos, the fourth issue of the slasher comic book series is now on store shelves. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Tales of Poe DVD details and 2307: Winter's Dream La premiere info.
Check Out Preview Pages and Cover Art for Night Trap #4: "Night Trap #4
JUL161741
(W) Cullen Bunn (A) J.B. Bastos
"What happened to you, Kelly?" The answer to this might save their lives - or end them - as Kelly's traumatic past boils to the surface in a final showdown with the Trapper. Acclaimed horror writer Cullen Bunn's unexpected twist on the slasher genre concludes in this non-stop blood-streaked fight to the finish!
In Shops: Sep. 14th, 2016
Srp: $2.99"
---------
Tales of Poe on DVD Forevermore: Press Release: "New York, NY -...
Check Out Preview Pages and Cover Art for Night Trap #4: "Night Trap #4
JUL161741
(W) Cullen Bunn (A) J.B. Bastos
"What happened to you, Kelly?" The answer to this might save their lives - or end them - as Kelly's traumatic past boils to the surface in a final showdown with the Trapper. Acclaimed horror writer Cullen Bunn's unexpected twist on the slasher genre concludes in this non-stop blood-streaked fight to the finish!
In Shops: Sep. 14th, 2016
Srp: $2.99"
---------
Tales of Poe on DVD Forevermore: Press Release: "New York, NY -...
- 9/16/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
A24 has unveiled the second official trailer for Andrea Arnold's American Honey, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year to some rave reviews. The film stars newcomer Sasha Lane as a teenager who joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and falls for Shia Labeouf while trying to navigate a life of partying and passion and jealousy. Also starring McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes, Crystal Ice and Riley Keough. This trailer really plays up a few quotes from our friend Ryland Aldrich's glowing review of the film, calling it the kind of outstanding work that we only see once in a generation, capturing the fleeting feeling of freedom and the tireless pursuit of the American dream. They also toss in Bruce Springsteen's "Dream Baby Dream" to help set the mood for this. I'm a big fan of the film, and I hope people check it out. Here's...
- 8/17/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
There’s an overwhelming tendency in the American character to drop out of society and tune in to the rhythm of the road, exploring first hand the heart of the fickle so-called “American Dream.” Andrea Arnold’s latest film “American Honey” takes us into that Dream once again, but for a whole new generation. The film follows Star (Sasha Lane), a teenage girl living in a broken home with nothing to lose. One day, she encounters the charismatic Jake (Shia Labeouf), who convinces her to run away and join their band of traveling magazine salesman in order to fund their nomadic lifestyle. Though she initially falls in love with Jake and into the group’s hard partying, law breaking ways, she soon discovers the ugly side of their journey through the Midwest. The film also stars Arielle Holmes (“Heaven Knows What”), Riley Keough (“The Girlfriend Experience”), and more. Watch a...
- 8/17/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
"You're hired." A24 has launched the first outstanding trailer for the acclaimed new film from filmmaker Andrea Arnold, titled American Honey. This first played at the Cannes Film Festival (read my glowing review) where it received lots of positive reviews and won the Jury Prize. The film stars newcomer Sasha Lane as a teenager who joins a traveling magazine sales crew, and falls for Shia Labeouf while trying to navigate a life of partying and passion and jealousy. Also starring McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes, Crystal Ice and Riley Keough. This trailer reveals lots but it also perfectly captures the vibe of this film and why it's so brilliant, since it truly is a masterwork capturing the lives of this generation of youngsters. Here's the first official trailer for Andrea Arnold's American Honey, direct from A24's YouTube: For those wondering, the songs in the trailer are: "I Like Tuh...
- 6/21/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Following acclaimed efforts like "Red Road," "Fish Tank" and "Wuthering Heights," filmmaker Andrew Arnold used this year's Cannes Film Festival as the launching pad for her fourth effort and her first film in five years.
"American Honey" is a coming-of-age tale and her first U.S. film. Sasha Lane leads a group of teens who work selling magazines on the road for the shifty Jake (Shia Labeouf) while Riley Keough, Arielle Holmes and Will Patton also star. A24 will release the film later in the Fall.
"American Honey" is a coming-of-age tale and her first U.S. film. Sasha Lane leads a group of teens who work selling magazines on the road for the shifty Jake (Shia Labeouf) while Riley Keough, Arielle Holmes and Will Patton also star. A24 will release the film later in the Fall.
- 6/21/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
"Ash-393 is considered to be the most sophisticated humanoid ever created by man. He's the leader of the rogue humanoid rebellion." This is one of those weird little films we've never heard of, and yet it actually looks pretty cool. 2307: Winter's Dream is a futuristic sci-fi film set in 2307, of course, about a soldier sent on a mission to hunt down the leader of the humanoid rebellion. It was pointed out to me by the guys at Quiet Earth and pitched as a "Mad Max on ice", which is actually kind of accurate if you think of the very first Mad Max film. The cast includes Paul Sidhu, Branden Coles, Brad Potts, Anne-Solenne Hatte and Arielle Holmes. This looks like one of those sci-fi B-movies you'd get on VHS at the local video store. Here's the first teaser trailer for Joey Curtis' 2307: Winter's Dream, from Vimeo (via...
- 5/18/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
European directors have often faltered when crossing the Atlantic. Billy Wilder and Wim Wenders found things to say where Paolo Sorrentino could not. American Honey is certainly the former. Based on a 2007 article from the New York Times, it’s a backwater American road movie directed by an Englishwoman, Andrea Arnold, and shot by Irishman Robbie Ryan. We spot a few cowboys and gas stations and even the Grand Canyon, but it’s nothing to do with any of that. It’s about America (duh) but it’s also about friendship and money and learning to look out for yourself, and that primal connection young people make between music and identity. It’s visually astonishing and often devastating, too. This might be the freshest film about young people in America since Larry Clark’s Kids from 1995.
Arnold opens in shallow-focus Academy ratio, the concentrated square shaped format she and Ryan employed on Wuthering Heights.
Arnold opens in shallow-focus Academy ratio, the concentrated square shaped format she and Ryan employed on Wuthering Heights.
- 5/15/2016
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
Adapted from the memoirs of Arielle Holmes, this story of New York drug users is horribly real
There’s an acrid authenticity to this portrait of the lives of homeless junkies in New York that seeps, pore-deep, into the viewer. Based on the memoirs of Arielle Holmes, who plays a loosely fictionalised version of herself, the film employs the tools of documentary – long-lens shots, hand-held camera – to effectively evoke the grubby desperation of street subsistence.
The directors, Joshua and Ben Safdie, have largely cast from among the addict and street community in this story of the destructive love between Holmes’s character, Harley, and her boyfriend Ilya (Caleb Landry Jones, one of the few professional actors in the film). It’s a love which feels closer to addiction than any real emotional connection, and which leads Harley to attempt suicide early in the story. The film shares a milieu with Larry Clark’s Kids,...
There’s an acrid authenticity to this portrait of the lives of homeless junkies in New York that seeps, pore-deep, into the viewer. Based on the memoirs of Arielle Holmes, who plays a loosely fictionalised version of herself, the film employs the tools of documentary – long-lens shots, hand-held camera – to effectively evoke the grubby desperation of street subsistence.
The directors, Joshua and Ben Safdie, have largely cast from among the addict and street community in this story of the destructive love between Holmes’s character, Harley, and her boyfriend Ilya (Caleb Landry Jones, one of the few professional actors in the film). It’s a love which feels closer to addiction than any real emotional connection, and which leads Harley to attempt suicide early in the story. The film shares a milieu with Larry Clark’s Kids,...
- 5/1/2016
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Arielle Holmes’ performance in Safdie brothers’ remorseless portrait of life as a heroin addict leaves nothing out
The Safdie brothers’ divisive portrait of a New York heroin addict’s deadbeat existence hews closer to Larry Clark than Trainspotting. A cast of varyingly unwashed, toothless, abrasive semi- and non-professionals scratch harsh truths from lead Arielle Holmes’ memoir of her time on the margins. As they shuffle, zombie-like, from one grating encounter to the next, you feel the Safdies shaping deathly dull flophouse downtime to make even upright citizens feel the need for a hit of something. As with actual junkies, it can be a headache, a bore or a horror show, but the directors find arresting details to illuminate aspects of this experience. A quasi-epic attempt to thread a sewing needle suggests our heroine’s desperation to restore some part of a broken life, although here, as elsewhere, Holmes is so...
The Safdie brothers’ divisive portrait of a New York heroin addict’s deadbeat existence hews closer to Larry Clark than Trainspotting. A cast of varyingly unwashed, toothless, abrasive semi- and non-professionals scratch harsh truths from lead Arielle Holmes’ memoir of her time on the margins. As they shuffle, zombie-like, from one grating encounter to the next, you feel the Safdies shaping deathly dull flophouse downtime to make even upright citizens feel the need for a hit of something. As with actual junkies, it can be a headache, a bore or a horror show, but the directors find arresting details to illuminate aspects of this experience. A quasi-epic attempt to thread a sewing needle suggests our heroine’s desperation to restore some part of a broken life, although here, as elsewhere, Holmes is so...
- 4/28/2016
- by Mike McCahill
- The Guardian - Film News
★★★☆☆ We all know that some people take heroin but for most of us it is what "those people" do, a practice beyond the fringes of mainstream society we engage with at a distance - if at all - through the press and stylised media representations. With their latest feature, Heaven Knows What, Josh and Benny Safdie transcend this distance by recruiting real life heroin addict Arielle Holmes to play herself (as Harley) and tell her chaotic true story. Madly in love with the sadistic Ilya (Caleb Landry Jones) whose twisted notions of fidelity involve goading her to commit suicide, Harley roams the streets of New York in search of her next rush, never worrying too much about such inconveniences as a home or a job.
- 4/28/2016
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
McCaul Lombardi (who’ll be on the Croisette in the featured Andrea Arnold’s American Honey quartet comprised of Sasha Lane, Shia Labeouf and Arielle Holmes) will topline and Tashiana Washington (Gimme the Loot), recording Artist Breezay and veteran actor James Belushi (who’ll next be seen in Katie Says Goodbye) are part of the make-up of indie Baltimore based helmer Matt Porterfield‘s Soller’s Point.
Continue reading...
Continue reading...
- 4/15/2016
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
March can be a real bummer when it comes to keeping yourself entertained — good new movies are few and far between, sweeps week is still a few months away, and Hamilton tickets are only getting more expensive. Lucky for us, the new crop of streaming titles is an embarrassment of riches that should keep you binge-watching until spring. Not only is Netflix is delivering new seasons of two marquee shows, but Hulu is wading deeper into the world of original content with a new Aaron Paul prestige drama that's bound to be a "cult" favorite.
- 3/1/2016
- Rollingstone.com
American Honey
Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Andrea Arnold
Andrea Arnold breaks her five year hiatus with American Honey, her first film since 2011’s Wuthering Heights (which premiered at Venice). Notably, this BFI co-production is also her first project filmed outside of the UK. Twice the winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes (in 2006 for Red Road and her Fish Tank sharing the award in 2009 with Park Chan-wook), she’s also an Academy Award winner for her 2003 short film “Wasp.” After being honored as the filmmaker-in-residence at the New York Film Festival in late 2013, Arnold wrote this latest script about teens traveling around the Us selling magazines. Shia Labeouf and Arielle Holmes (of Heaven Knows What) stand out amongst a list of fresh faces.
Cast: Sasha Lane, Shia Labeouf, McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes
Production Co.: BFI, Film4, Maven Pictures,Parts and Labor Film’s Jay Van Hoy & Lars Knudsen (The Witch), Protagonist Pictures,...
Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Andrea Arnold
Andrea Arnold breaks her five year hiatus with American Honey, her first film since 2011’s Wuthering Heights (which premiered at Venice). Notably, this BFI co-production is also her first project filmed outside of the UK. Twice the winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes (in 2006 for Red Road and her Fish Tank sharing the award in 2009 with Park Chan-wook), she’s also an Academy Award winner for her 2003 short film “Wasp.” After being honored as the filmmaker-in-residence at the New York Film Festival in late 2013, Arnold wrote this latest script about teens traveling around the Us selling magazines. Shia Labeouf and Arielle Holmes (of Heaven Knows What) stand out amongst a list of fresh faces.
Cast: Sasha Lane, Shia Labeouf, McCaul Lombardi, Arielle Holmes
Production Co.: BFI, Film4, Maven Pictures,Parts and Labor Film’s Jay Van Hoy & Lars Knudsen (The Witch), Protagonist Pictures,...
- 1/12/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
If the films of 2015 have a common denominator it’s the fearlessness with which filmmakers approached the medium and took it in new directions proving that innovation is still possible and that not everything, both in content and form, has been explored. From a comedy shot entirely on an iPhone starring transgender actresses, to a film in sign language designed to be screened without subtitles, to a stop-motion animated feature that emanates more humanity than most live-action efforts, to a new immersive vision of the Holocaust from an emerging auteur, or a Brazilian hand-drawn musical odyssey about the dangers of the modern world, all granted us experiences unlike anything we've previously seen.
It’s hard to tell how many films I watched this year but I’m sure they were many. From that vast pool of cinematic works the 30 films below are the ones that stood out the most and remained ingrained in my memory as rewarding, delightful, moving, and even harrowing accomplishments. There were also films that simply didn't connect as strongly with me as they did with other journalists and audiences, thus they don't appear here. This is after all, like all of them, a very personal and subjective list of the films I loved.
Even with such an extensive list there are still other great films that deserve to be mentioned such as "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," "Christmas, Again," "Mistress America," "Entertainment," "Felix and Meira," "Victoria," "Mustang," "The Wolfpack," "Xenia," Estonia's Oscar-nominated "Tangerines," "Buzzard," "The Salt of the Earth," "Guidance," "Cheatin'," "Black Souls,""The Mend," "Shaun The Sheep Movie," or "'71." One can only hope audiences will discover them and be compelled by their singular perspectives.
What were your favorite films of 2015?
Special Mention: "World of Tomorrow"
Don Hertzfeldt's thought-provoking and visionary Sundance-winning short "World of Tomorrow" is easily the best short film of the year, animated or otherwise. This 17-minute science fiction journey is a mind-bending study on the essence of humanity and how technology’s ferocious advances to know and control it all endanger our ability to notice what’s truly meaningful.
Read More: 'The 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows' is One of the Most Profound Cinematic Experiences of 2015
30. "It Follows"
The best horror film of the year proves that an intriguing premise embedded into an intelligently written screenplay can bring a refreshing point of view absent in most studio productions. Director David Robert Mitchell takes classic genre conventions and twists them into a terrifying tale with morally ambiguous undertones.
29. "The Gift"
Wearing multiple hats Joel Edgerton demonstrated his storytelling and acting talents in an unpredictable psychological thriller that’s as unassuming as it’s disconcerting. An old friend reappears in a married man’s life apparently seeking to rekindle their past bond, but soon enough his good intentions will unveil much more sinister motives that makes us question who the real villain is. A stunning and perversely brilliant film that thrives on its misguiding simplicity.
28. "Heaven Knows What"
An accomplishment both in technique and emotional power, “Heaven Knows What” is an eye-opening experience brimming with unflinching truth. From the streets to the screen, the unbelievable story of Arielle Holmes is a fascinating example of the rare occurrence when cinema and reality blend almost seamlessly.
Read More: 'Heaven Knows What' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Are Addicted to the Truth
27. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Spearheaded by producer Salma Hayek, director Roger Allers and 8 of the world's most talented independent animators took Gibran's timeless poems and assembled a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
26. "James White"
This emotionally devastating character study put Josh Mond in the director’s chair for the first time and allowed Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon to delve into career-defining roles as a mother and a son struggling to accept each other’s shortcomings in the face of impending tragedy. Mond’s debut is an unforgettable portrait of unconditional love
25. "The Big Short"
The financial crisis and the white-collar criminals behind it are examined in an outrageously humorous and dynamically constructed adaptation of Michael Lewis's book. Director Adam McKay crafted his own visual language to paint a picture of capitalism in America that’s as brutally honest as it’s infuriating. His entire cast, in particular Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell, play along in this satirical exposé.
24. "The Second Mother"
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
23. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter"
Losing grip on reality Kumiko, a solitary Japanese woman, leaves her monotonous and life and her adorable bunny Bunzo behind to search for the money Steve Buscemi’s character hides in the Cohen Brothers’ film “Fargo.” Knowing very little English and with no American contacts, she ventures in the Minnesotan wilderness. Armed with Rinko Kikuchi ’s outstanding performance, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner managed to create an endearing and poignant adventure at the intersection between fiction and reality.
22. "When Marnie Was There"
Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty. More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal- even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
21. "The Hateful Eight"
Sharp dialogue and the search for violent retribution are Tarantino staples, and in his latest Western the revered director channels these through a group of deceitful characters confined to a single location. Race relations are examined via the peculiar interactions of the murderous bunch - each with their ulterior motives and frightening reputation. With a magnificent score by Ennio Morricone, impeccable cinematography by Robert Richardson, and tonally perfect performances by the ensemble cast, in which Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell are the highlights, “The Hateful Eight” is a highly entertaining addition to Tarantino's selective filmography.
20. "What We Do in the Shadows"
This masterful mockumentary capitalizes on the general public’s obsession with reality shows and the allure of vampirism and its promise of eternal life. Four ancient bloodsuckers share a house in Wellington, New Zealand and decide to let a crew film their day-to-day routines as vampires living in the modern world. What ensues are a series of intelligently written occurrences that transform every known convention about these creatures of the night into hysterical gags.
19. "The Revenant"
To say Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest is breathtaking would be an understatement. Emmanuel Lubezkii’s work is absolutely astonishing. No other film this year captured this much beauty in every single frame. The Mexican-born Oscar-winning director has reached a new level of artistry here. Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the best performances of his career, plays Hugh Glass, a man who escapes death to take revenge on the man who killed his son.
18. "Inside Out"
Pixar ventured into the difficult task of decoding the complexity of the human psyche in one of their best features to date. Emotions take on humanoid form in the brain of a young girl adjusting to life in anew city. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must work together to shape her blossoming personality. “Inside Out” also gifted us Bing Bong, who will go down as one of the most memorable animated characters to ever grace the screen.
17. "Ex Machina"
Artificial intelligence crosses the boundaries of mere functionality to become self-aware and to replicate the behaviors of mortals in Alex Garland “Ex Machina.” The provocative screenplay evolves into a fascinating and often unsettling dissection of what it means to be a human being and the seemingly godlike power that comes from creating technology that resembles such qualities. Alicia Vikander is riveting as Ava - a mysterious female A.I.
16. "The Diary of a Teenager Girl"
Bel Powley is this year’s acting revelation and Marielle Heller the woman behind this charming, uncompromising, and original coming of age film, is one of most exciting new directors to emerge in recent memory. Burgeoning female sexuality is treated without moral judgment or shame, and it’s instead embraced in an empowering manner that overflows with truthfulness and charisma. Both Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård are outstanding in substantial supporting roles.
15. "Taxi"
Despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi continues to bravely expose the political and social problems of his home country with films shot in secrecy. “Taxi” takes the director through the streets of Tehran as he picks up an array of passengers with distinct concerns, beliefs, and opinions on the Islamic nation’s current situation: a young girl trying to make a “distributable” film, a guy who considers selling pirated films a cultural campaign, or a pair of elderly women whose fate depends on the survival of a couple fish. Though scripted, each encounter exudes honesty.
14. "The Duke of Burgundy"
Intoxicatingly atmospheric and full of evocative imagery, Peter Strickland’s follow up to his similarly unusual debut “Berberian Sound Studio” looks at the psychology of sexual desires with a seductive gaze. The line dividing power and submission is blurred and interchangeable between two lovers whose turbulent relationship is juxtaposed with the nature of butterflies. Eroticism derived from degradation and punishment is elegantly approached that suggest more than it explicitly shows.
13. "Phoenix"
The final sequence in this new collaboration between writer/director Christian Petzold and actress Nina Hoss is one of the best conclusions ever written. It’s subtle, yet strikingly revelatory. Departing from a Hitchcockian mistaken identity plot from the point of view of a concentration camp survivor, Petzold delves into Germany’s post war sentiments of guilt and the beginning of the long road to rebuild a superficially and morally shattered nation. “Phoenix” is also a love story coated in betrayal and the harsh realization that, when tested, even the strongest bond can be destroyed. Hoss gives an awards-deserving, restrained and perfectly nuanced performance.
Read More: Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' is a Deeply Moving Film About Survivors Rebuilding Their Lives
12. "Timbuktu"
Today, perhaps more than ever, a film like Abderrahmane Sissako’s spellbinding “Timbuktu” is imperative. Capturing some of the most beautiful African landscapes ever seen on film and delicately arranging his stories to create a tapestry of human experiences, Sissako’s latest doesn’t abide by any political or religious dogma. Instead, his vision preaches openness and denounces the terrifying absurdity of the world according to extremist.
Read More: Promoting Tolerance: Abderrahmane Sissako on 'Timbuktu' and a Different Kind of Islam
11. "The Voices"
Playing Jerry, the most charming serial killer you’ll ever meet, Ryan Reynolds gives the best performance of his career in Marjane Satrapi’s wonderfully insane horror comedy. Adding to his already outstanding work as the lovable, if unstable young man, Reynolds also voices both of his character's opinionated pets. Stay tuned after the film for one of the most ridiculous credit sequences ever.
Read More: Too Insane To Ignore: Marjane Satrapi On Her Fascinating Sundance Horror-Comedy 'The Voices'
10. "Güeros"
Using one of the most cosmopolitan and complex cities in the world as his canvas, Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios delivered an audaciously original story that delves into many unique aspects of Mexican society wrapped up into a road trip adventure that helps two estrange brothers reconnect.
It’s a revitalizing work, and one of the best Mexican films of the last decade.
Read More: In 'Güeros' Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios Rediscovered Mexico City Via a Unique Road Trip
9. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Read More: How Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Used Determinación to Go From a Small Town to Nyu to Sundance
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Sundance champion is a tonally nuanced and visually inventive work that ingeniously beguiles you to fall in love with every instant of its strangely imaginative magic. This tragicomedy invokes tropes from a familiar realm and deconstructs or tailors them to the uniquely poignant circumstances of it's characters. It's nothing short of a cinephile's dream come true.
Read More: This is the Review That Tells You Why 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is a Cinephile's Dream Come True
8. "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"
Constructed of gorgeously understated vignettes, which guide us through the grandeur of life by methodically focusing on the smallest but most resonant instants of it, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" by Swedish writer/director Roy Andersson won the Golden Lion at last’s year’s Venice Film Festival. Delving into a wide range of quotidian dilemmas via darkly comedic exploits, this episodic tour de force is as insightful as it’s blissfully entertaining and distinctively stylized.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
7. "Tangerine"
Sean Baker's riotous and perfectly acted latest film shot on an iPhone “Tangerine” centers on Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), two transgender sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard who struggle to get by while dealing with heartbreak, revenge, and their dreams.
Baker captured an unseen side of Los Angeles through the eyes of two equally underrepresented characters who get a chance to showcase their comedic brilliance.
Read More: How Sean Baker Used Beautiful Accidents and New Talent to Deliver one of the Best Films of the Year
6. "The Look of Silence"
For “The Look of Silence,” the indispensable companion piece to "The Act of Killing," director Joshua Oppenheimer focused on the survivors, specifically on a brave family that persevered through the immeasurable pain that quietly permeates Indonesian society even half a century after the genocide. The subjects here are often quiet and contemplative, but their anguish transcends even when words fail to describe their tumultuous sentiments.
Read More: 12 Things Joshua Oppenheimer Wants You to Know About 'The Look of Silence'
5. "Anomalisa"
In "Anomalisa," a delicately melancholic observation on loneliness and the flawed human condition, acclaimed writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson use stop-motion animation to tell a story of small proportions and big ideas. These existential observations include our fears, failures, insecurities and our desperate need to be loved by someone who can look pass our conspicuous scars.
Read More: Human at the Seams: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Make Yearning Tangible in 'Anomalisa'
4. "The Tribe"
“The Tribe,” by Ukrainian debutant Miroslav Slaboshpitsky, is a film that communicates with its audience in a non-verbal manner. There are no subtitles or any other way to know exactly what the characters on screen are saying, but that’s never an issue for it to powerfully make its message heard. It’s the purest form of cinema because it can be shown anywhere in the world without modification, and the devastating result would be the same.
Read More: Interviewing Yana Novikova, Star of 'The Tribe,' Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
3. "Boy and the World"
Alê Abreu’s “Boy and the World” is unequivocally the best animated film of the year. Drawn with the finest ends of an artist's heartstrings and painted with the colorful essence of undefeatable hope, Abreu’s utterly lyrical, visually captivating, musically driven, and extraordinarily sophisticated treasure is the animated equivalent of a childhood dream that thrives on sweet innocence and the pure ability to see the world truthfully for its dazzling beauty and its man-made dangers. As it continues to spellbind the globe with its unconventional artistry and thought-provoking observations, an Oscar nomination would be a more than deserved crown jewel.
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
2. "Carol"
Exquisitely photographed and fueled by the two best performances of the year, Todd Haynes “Carol” depicts an ethereal and ravishing romance that’s sure to take your breath away. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women from opposite worlds that meet serendipitously and fall madly in love for each other in a time yet unwilling to accept them. Carol (Blanchett) is a wealthy mother and wife whose desires are used against her threatening to stripped her of what she loves the most. On the other hand Therese (Mara) is a working class girl discovering herself and who finds the strength to follow her true instincts in Carol. Heartbreak has rarely been portrayed with such a delicate touch, thoughtfulness, and sincerity. Beneath the glossy Christmas-tinted frames is a story as universal as it is particular in which a single pleading look disarms you. Few films will make you feel such tangible and pure yearning to connect with another soul as Haynes masterwork does.
1. "Son of Saul"
First-time director László Nemes decided to look at the terrifying apparatus behind the Holocaust from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of men whose experience was exponentially more harrowing than that of the average victim. Nemes focuses on a particular man, Saul (Géza Röhrig), a fictional character created from the limited information available on this special group and the filmmaker’s artistic sensibilities.“Son of Saul” is not only the best film of the year, but also the most ambitious debut in ages. Both conceptually and visually, the dynamic, yet organically contemplative vision of one man’s ordeal as he walks through the gates the hell is the work of a master auteur.
Read More: 12 Things Director László Nemes and Star Géza Röhrig Want You to Know About 'Son of Saul'...
It’s hard to tell how many films I watched this year but I’m sure they were many. From that vast pool of cinematic works the 30 films below are the ones that stood out the most and remained ingrained in my memory as rewarding, delightful, moving, and even harrowing accomplishments. There were also films that simply didn't connect as strongly with me as they did with other journalists and audiences, thus they don't appear here. This is after all, like all of them, a very personal and subjective list of the films I loved.
Even with such an extensive list there are still other great films that deserve to be mentioned such as "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," "Christmas, Again," "Mistress America," "Entertainment," "Felix and Meira," "Victoria," "Mustang," "The Wolfpack," "Xenia," Estonia's Oscar-nominated "Tangerines," "Buzzard," "The Salt of the Earth," "Guidance," "Cheatin'," "Black Souls,""The Mend," "Shaun The Sheep Movie," or "'71." One can only hope audiences will discover them and be compelled by their singular perspectives.
What were your favorite films of 2015?
Special Mention: "World of Tomorrow"
Don Hertzfeldt's thought-provoking and visionary Sundance-winning short "World of Tomorrow" is easily the best short film of the year, animated or otherwise. This 17-minute science fiction journey is a mind-bending study on the essence of humanity and how technology’s ferocious advances to know and control it all endanger our ability to notice what’s truly meaningful.
Read More: 'The 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows' is One of the Most Profound Cinematic Experiences of 2015
30. "It Follows"
The best horror film of the year proves that an intriguing premise embedded into an intelligently written screenplay can bring a refreshing point of view absent in most studio productions. Director David Robert Mitchell takes classic genre conventions and twists them into a terrifying tale with morally ambiguous undertones.
29. "The Gift"
Wearing multiple hats Joel Edgerton demonstrated his storytelling and acting talents in an unpredictable psychological thriller that’s as unassuming as it’s disconcerting. An old friend reappears in a married man’s life apparently seeking to rekindle their past bond, but soon enough his good intentions will unveil much more sinister motives that makes us question who the real villain is. A stunning and perversely brilliant film that thrives on its misguiding simplicity.
28. "Heaven Knows What"
An accomplishment both in technique and emotional power, “Heaven Knows What” is an eye-opening experience brimming with unflinching truth. From the streets to the screen, the unbelievable story of Arielle Holmes is a fascinating example of the rare occurrence when cinema and reality blend almost seamlessly.
Read More: 'Heaven Knows What' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Are Addicted to the Truth
27. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Spearheaded by producer Salma Hayek, director Roger Allers and 8 of the world's most talented independent animators took Gibran's timeless poems and assembled a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
26. "James White"
This emotionally devastating character study put Josh Mond in the director’s chair for the first time and allowed Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon to delve into career-defining roles as a mother and a son struggling to accept each other’s shortcomings in the face of impending tragedy. Mond’s debut is an unforgettable portrait of unconditional love
25. "The Big Short"
The financial crisis and the white-collar criminals behind it are examined in an outrageously humorous and dynamically constructed adaptation of Michael Lewis's book. Director Adam McKay crafted his own visual language to paint a picture of capitalism in America that’s as brutally honest as it’s infuriating. His entire cast, in particular Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell, play along in this satirical exposé.
24. "The Second Mother"
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
23. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter"
Losing grip on reality Kumiko, a solitary Japanese woman, leaves her monotonous and life and her adorable bunny Bunzo behind to search for the money Steve Buscemi’s character hides in the Cohen Brothers’ film “Fargo.” Knowing very little English and with no American contacts, she ventures in the Minnesotan wilderness. Armed with Rinko Kikuchi ’s outstanding performance, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner managed to create an endearing and poignant adventure at the intersection between fiction and reality.
22. "When Marnie Was There"
Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty. More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal- even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
21. "The Hateful Eight"
Sharp dialogue and the search for violent retribution are Tarantino staples, and in his latest Western the revered director channels these through a group of deceitful characters confined to a single location. Race relations are examined via the peculiar interactions of the murderous bunch - each with their ulterior motives and frightening reputation. With a magnificent score by Ennio Morricone, impeccable cinematography by Robert Richardson, and tonally perfect performances by the ensemble cast, in which Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell are the highlights, “The Hateful Eight” is a highly entertaining addition to Tarantino's selective filmography.
20. "What We Do in the Shadows"
This masterful mockumentary capitalizes on the general public’s obsession with reality shows and the allure of vampirism and its promise of eternal life. Four ancient bloodsuckers share a house in Wellington, New Zealand and decide to let a crew film their day-to-day routines as vampires living in the modern world. What ensues are a series of intelligently written occurrences that transform every known convention about these creatures of the night into hysterical gags.
19. "The Revenant"
To say Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest is breathtaking would be an understatement. Emmanuel Lubezkii’s work is absolutely astonishing. No other film this year captured this much beauty in every single frame. The Mexican-born Oscar-winning director has reached a new level of artistry here. Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the best performances of his career, plays Hugh Glass, a man who escapes death to take revenge on the man who killed his son.
18. "Inside Out"
Pixar ventured into the difficult task of decoding the complexity of the human psyche in one of their best features to date. Emotions take on humanoid form in the brain of a young girl adjusting to life in anew city. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must work together to shape her blossoming personality. “Inside Out” also gifted us Bing Bong, who will go down as one of the most memorable animated characters to ever grace the screen.
17. "Ex Machina"
Artificial intelligence crosses the boundaries of mere functionality to become self-aware and to replicate the behaviors of mortals in Alex Garland “Ex Machina.” The provocative screenplay evolves into a fascinating and often unsettling dissection of what it means to be a human being and the seemingly godlike power that comes from creating technology that resembles such qualities. Alicia Vikander is riveting as Ava - a mysterious female A.I.
16. "The Diary of a Teenager Girl"
Bel Powley is this year’s acting revelation and Marielle Heller the woman behind this charming, uncompromising, and original coming of age film, is one of most exciting new directors to emerge in recent memory. Burgeoning female sexuality is treated without moral judgment or shame, and it’s instead embraced in an empowering manner that overflows with truthfulness and charisma. Both Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård are outstanding in substantial supporting roles.
15. "Taxi"
Despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi continues to bravely expose the political and social problems of his home country with films shot in secrecy. “Taxi” takes the director through the streets of Tehran as he picks up an array of passengers with distinct concerns, beliefs, and opinions on the Islamic nation’s current situation: a young girl trying to make a “distributable” film, a guy who considers selling pirated films a cultural campaign, or a pair of elderly women whose fate depends on the survival of a couple fish. Though scripted, each encounter exudes honesty.
14. "The Duke of Burgundy"
Intoxicatingly atmospheric and full of evocative imagery, Peter Strickland’s follow up to his similarly unusual debut “Berberian Sound Studio” looks at the psychology of sexual desires with a seductive gaze. The line dividing power and submission is blurred and interchangeable between two lovers whose turbulent relationship is juxtaposed with the nature of butterflies. Eroticism derived from degradation and punishment is elegantly approached that suggest more than it explicitly shows.
13. "Phoenix"
The final sequence in this new collaboration between writer/director Christian Petzold and actress Nina Hoss is one of the best conclusions ever written. It’s subtle, yet strikingly revelatory. Departing from a Hitchcockian mistaken identity plot from the point of view of a concentration camp survivor, Petzold delves into Germany’s post war sentiments of guilt and the beginning of the long road to rebuild a superficially and morally shattered nation. “Phoenix” is also a love story coated in betrayal and the harsh realization that, when tested, even the strongest bond can be destroyed. Hoss gives an awards-deserving, restrained and perfectly nuanced performance.
Read More: Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' is a Deeply Moving Film About Survivors Rebuilding Their Lives
12. "Timbuktu"
Today, perhaps more than ever, a film like Abderrahmane Sissako’s spellbinding “Timbuktu” is imperative. Capturing some of the most beautiful African landscapes ever seen on film and delicately arranging his stories to create a tapestry of human experiences, Sissako’s latest doesn’t abide by any political or religious dogma. Instead, his vision preaches openness and denounces the terrifying absurdity of the world according to extremist.
Read More: Promoting Tolerance: Abderrahmane Sissako on 'Timbuktu' and a Different Kind of Islam
11. "The Voices"
Playing Jerry, the most charming serial killer you’ll ever meet, Ryan Reynolds gives the best performance of his career in Marjane Satrapi’s wonderfully insane horror comedy. Adding to his already outstanding work as the lovable, if unstable young man, Reynolds also voices both of his character's opinionated pets. Stay tuned after the film for one of the most ridiculous credit sequences ever.
Read More: Too Insane To Ignore: Marjane Satrapi On Her Fascinating Sundance Horror-Comedy 'The Voices'
10. "Güeros"
Using one of the most cosmopolitan and complex cities in the world as his canvas, Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios delivered an audaciously original story that delves into many unique aspects of Mexican society wrapped up into a road trip adventure that helps two estrange brothers reconnect.
It’s a revitalizing work, and one of the best Mexican films of the last decade.
Read More: In 'Güeros' Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios Rediscovered Mexico City Via a Unique Road Trip
9. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Read More: How Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Used Determinación to Go From a Small Town to Nyu to Sundance
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Sundance champion is a tonally nuanced and visually inventive work that ingeniously beguiles you to fall in love with every instant of its strangely imaginative magic. This tragicomedy invokes tropes from a familiar realm and deconstructs or tailors them to the uniquely poignant circumstances of it's characters. It's nothing short of a cinephile's dream come true.
Read More: This is the Review That Tells You Why 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is a Cinephile's Dream Come True
8. "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"
Constructed of gorgeously understated vignettes, which guide us through the grandeur of life by methodically focusing on the smallest but most resonant instants of it, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" by Swedish writer/director Roy Andersson won the Golden Lion at last’s year’s Venice Film Festival. Delving into a wide range of quotidian dilemmas via darkly comedic exploits, this episodic tour de force is as insightful as it’s blissfully entertaining and distinctively stylized.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
7. "Tangerine"
Sean Baker's riotous and perfectly acted latest film shot on an iPhone “Tangerine” centers on Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), two transgender sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard who struggle to get by while dealing with heartbreak, revenge, and their dreams.
Baker captured an unseen side of Los Angeles through the eyes of two equally underrepresented characters who get a chance to showcase their comedic brilliance.
Read More: How Sean Baker Used Beautiful Accidents and New Talent to Deliver one of the Best Films of the Year
6. "The Look of Silence"
For “The Look of Silence,” the indispensable companion piece to "The Act of Killing," director Joshua Oppenheimer focused on the survivors, specifically on a brave family that persevered through the immeasurable pain that quietly permeates Indonesian society even half a century after the genocide. The subjects here are often quiet and contemplative, but their anguish transcends even when words fail to describe their tumultuous sentiments.
Read More: 12 Things Joshua Oppenheimer Wants You to Know About 'The Look of Silence'
5. "Anomalisa"
In "Anomalisa," a delicately melancholic observation on loneliness and the flawed human condition, acclaimed writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson use stop-motion animation to tell a story of small proportions and big ideas. These existential observations include our fears, failures, insecurities and our desperate need to be loved by someone who can look pass our conspicuous scars.
Read More: Human at the Seams: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Make Yearning Tangible in 'Anomalisa'
4. "The Tribe"
“The Tribe,” by Ukrainian debutant Miroslav Slaboshpitsky, is a film that communicates with its audience in a non-verbal manner. There are no subtitles or any other way to know exactly what the characters on screen are saying, but that’s never an issue for it to powerfully make its message heard. It’s the purest form of cinema because it can be shown anywhere in the world without modification, and the devastating result would be the same.
Read More: Interviewing Yana Novikova, Star of 'The Tribe,' Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
3. "Boy and the World"
Alê Abreu’s “Boy and the World” is unequivocally the best animated film of the year. Drawn with the finest ends of an artist's heartstrings and painted with the colorful essence of undefeatable hope, Abreu’s utterly lyrical, visually captivating, musically driven, and extraordinarily sophisticated treasure is the animated equivalent of a childhood dream that thrives on sweet innocence and the pure ability to see the world truthfully for its dazzling beauty and its man-made dangers. As it continues to spellbind the globe with its unconventional artistry and thought-provoking observations, an Oscar nomination would be a more than deserved crown jewel.
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
2. "Carol"
Exquisitely photographed and fueled by the two best performances of the year, Todd Haynes “Carol” depicts an ethereal and ravishing romance that’s sure to take your breath away. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women from opposite worlds that meet serendipitously and fall madly in love for each other in a time yet unwilling to accept them. Carol (Blanchett) is a wealthy mother and wife whose desires are used against her threatening to stripped her of what she loves the most. On the other hand Therese (Mara) is a working class girl discovering herself and who finds the strength to follow her true instincts in Carol. Heartbreak has rarely been portrayed with such a delicate touch, thoughtfulness, and sincerity. Beneath the glossy Christmas-tinted frames is a story as universal as it is particular in which a single pleading look disarms you. Few films will make you feel such tangible and pure yearning to connect with another soul as Haynes masterwork does.
1. "Son of Saul"
First-time director László Nemes decided to look at the terrifying apparatus behind the Holocaust from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of men whose experience was exponentially more harrowing than that of the average victim. Nemes focuses on a particular man, Saul (Géza Röhrig), a fictional character created from the limited information available on this special group and the filmmaker’s artistic sensibilities.“Son of Saul” is not only the best film of the year, but also the most ambitious debut in ages. Both conceptually and visually, the dynamic, yet organically contemplative vision of one man’s ordeal as he walks through the gates the hell is the work of a master auteur.
Read More: 12 Things Director László Nemes and Star Géza Röhrig Want You to Know About 'Son of Saul'...
- 12/31/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
After discussing the year’s breakthrough directors, it’s time to traverse to the other side of the camera. Whether it’s their very first performances or a talent who’s been seen in a variety of features yet, for whatever reason, hadn’t been allowed to command the screen, this year’s breakthrough actors are an eclectic group. Ranging from some of the highest-grossing features of the year to minuscule independent dramas, check out our rundown of a dozen breakthrough actors that left the biggest impression on us in 2015.
Christopher Abbott (James White)
In the five months found within James White, our title character is at the most difficult chapter of his life thus far. Grieving the loss of his father and attempting to assist his ailing mother, the drama authentically depicts the brutality of the process. Commanding every scene of the film — and in most sequences, nearly all...
Christopher Abbott (James White)
In the five months found within James White, our title character is at the most difficult chapter of his life thus far. Grieving the loss of his father and attempting to assist his ailing mother, the drama authentically depicts the brutality of the process. Commanding every scene of the film — and in most sequences, nearly all...
- 12/21/2015
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight" was the big winner at the 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards. The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the child molestation in the Catholic church took home the Best Feature and Screenplay trophies. I love this film! It's ripe for melodrama but McCarthy wisely avoided that!
Another film I love that won big at the Gotham Awards is Sean Baker's "Tangerine." It took home the Audience award with Mya Taylor winning the Breakthrough Actor trophy.
Here's the complete list of nominees and winners of the 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards:
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight" -- Winner
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence" -- Winner
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea" -- Winner
Marielle Heller...
Another film I love that won big at the Gotham Awards is Sean Baker's "Tangerine." It took home the Audience award with Mya Taylor winning the Breakthrough Actor trophy.
Here's the complete list of nominees and winners of the 25th Gotham Independent Film Awards:
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight" -- Winner
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence" -- Winner
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea" -- Winner
Marielle Heller...
- 12/1/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
The first of the year’s award ceremonies — a full month before 2015 even ends — Gotham Independent Film Awards were held last night. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Tom McCarthy‘s journalism drama Spotlight picked up top honors of Best Feature (as well as Screenplay, and the pre-determined Ensemble award).
While Carol unfortunately came up empty-handed, The Diary of a Teenage Girl‘s Bel Powley surprised with Best Actress and Paul Dano took home Best Actor for Love & Mercy. Also featuring Tangerine‘s Mya Taylor as Best Breakthrough Actor, check out the full list of winners below in red.
Best Feature
Carol
Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Tessa Ross, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)
Heaven Knows What
Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear-McClard,...
While Carol unfortunately came up empty-handed, The Diary of a Teenage Girl‘s Bel Powley surprised with Best Actress and Paul Dano took home Best Actor for Love & Mercy. Also featuring Tangerine‘s Mya Taylor as Best Breakthrough Actor, check out the full list of winners below in red.
Best Feature
Carol
Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Tessa Ross, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey, producers (Sony Pictures Classics)
Heaven Knows What
Josh and Benny Safdie, directors; Oscar Boyson, Sebastian Bear-McClard,...
- 12/1/2015
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Audience Award – Tangerine! Best Screenplay “Carol,” Phyllis Nagy “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” Marielle Heller “Love & Mercy,” Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner “Spotlight,” Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer – Winner “While We’re Young,...
- 12/1/2015
- by Sasha Stone
- AwardsDaily.com
Here are the nominees! I'm hoping "Carol" will get lots of love!
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight"
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence"
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea"
Marielle Heller for "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
John Magary for "The Mend"
Josh Mond for "James White"
Best Screenplay
"Carol," Phyllis Nagy
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Marielle Heller
"Love & Mercy," Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner
"Spotlight," Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
"While We.re Young," Noah Baumbach
Best Actor
Christopher Abbott in "James White"
Kevin Corrigan in "Results"
Paul Dano in "Love & Mercy"
Peter Sarsgaard in "Experimenter"
Michael Shannon in "99 Homes"
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in "Carol"
Blythe Danner in "I.ll See You in My Dreams...
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight"
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence"
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea"
Marielle Heller for "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
John Magary for "The Mend"
Josh Mond for "James White"
Best Screenplay
"Carol," Phyllis Nagy
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Marielle Heller
"Love & Mercy," Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner
"Spotlight," Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
"While We.re Young," Noah Baumbach
Best Actor
Christopher Abbott in "James White"
Kevin Corrigan in "Results"
Paul Dano in "Love & Mercy"
Peter Sarsgaard in "Experimenter"
Michael Shannon in "99 Homes"
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in "Carol"
Blythe Danner in "I.ll See You in My Dreams...
- 12/1/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Winners will be announced on November 30th. Here's the complete list of nominees for the 25th Ifp Gotham Independent Film Awards:
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight"
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence"
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea"
Marielle Heller for "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
John Magary for "The Mend"
Josh Mond for "James White"
Best Screenplay
"Carol," Phyllis Nagy
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Marielle Heller
"Love & Mercy," Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner
"Spotlight," Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
"While We.re Young," Noah Baumbach
Best Actor
Christopher Abbott in "James White"
Kevin Corrigan in "Results"
Paul Dano in "Love & Mercy"
Peter Sarsgaard in "Experimenter"
Michael Shannon in "99 Homes"
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in "Carol"
Blythe Danner...
Best Feature
"Carol"
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
"Heaven Knows What"
"Spotlight"
"Tangerine"
Best Documentary
"Approaching the Elephant"
"Cartel Land"
"Heart of a Dog"
"Listen to Me Marlon"
"The Look of Silence"
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director
Desiree Akhavan for "Appropriate Behavior"
Jonas Carpigano for "Mediterranea"
Marielle Heller for "The Diary of a Teenage Girl"
John Magary for "The Mend"
Josh Mond for "James White"
Best Screenplay
"Carol," Phyllis Nagy
"The Diary of a Teenage Girl," Marielle Heller
"Love & Mercy," Oren Moverman and Michael Alan Lerner
"Spotlight," Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
"While We.re Young," Noah Baumbach
Best Actor
Christopher Abbott in "James White"
Kevin Corrigan in "Results"
Paul Dano in "Love & Mercy"
Peter Sarsgaard in "Experimenter"
Michael Shannon in "99 Homes"
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett in "Carol"
Blythe Danner...
- 11/17/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Nabbing Best Actress, Screenplay, Breakthrough Director and Feature noms, Marielle Heller’s Diary of a Teenage Girl leads all Gotham Award nominations with four, while Carol is technically tied with a foursome of mentions as well. With a pre-win (Directors Tribute) accompanied by a trio of noms in the Best Feature, Screenplay and Actress categories, Todd Haynes’ drama will likely find xeroxed nom mentions for both the Indie Spirits and Oscars.
While Rick Alverson’s Entertainment and Sebastien Silva’s Nasty Baby are noticeably absent in what some consider a backhanded compliment of a ceremony, the noms for this year’s Gothams do have some wholeheartedly merited double nom mentions for the Safdie Bros.’ Heaven Knows What, Sean Baker’s Tangerine, Bill Pohlad’s Love & Mercy and Josh Mond’s James White. The ceremony takes place on November 30th. Here are the complete noms for the 25th anniversary Gotham Independent...
While Rick Alverson’s Entertainment and Sebastien Silva’s Nasty Baby are noticeably absent in what some consider a backhanded compliment of a ceremony, the noms for this year’s Gothams do have some wholeheartedly merited double nom mentions for the Safdie Bros.’ Heaven Knows What, Sean Baker’s Tangerine, Bill Pohlad’s Love & Mercy and Josh Mond’s James White. The ceremony takes place on November 30th. Here are the complete noms for the 25th anniversary Gotham Independent...
- 10/22/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Love affair dramedy “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” is leading the indie film charge for this year’s Gotham Awards nominations with four nods. Out of the seven competitive categories, “Diary” was included in best actress for Bel Powley, best picture, best screenplay, and breakthrough director for Marielle Heller. The film follows a young woman in the ’70s who begins an affair with her mother’s boyfriend. Sean Baker’s “Tangerine” follows with three nods including ones for breakthrough actors Kitana “Kiki” Rodriguez and Mya Taylor, and best picture. “Gabriel” star Rory Culkin, Lola Kirke (“Mistress America”), and Arielle Holmes (“Heaven Knows What”) were also tapped for the breakthrough actor category. Awards season heavyweights “Carol,” starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, and journalistic drama “Spotlight,” starring Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James, and John Slattery, were also represented at the awards...
- 10/22/2015
- backstage.com
Ifp unveiled on Thursday the nominations for the 25th annual Ifp Gotham Independent Film Awards.
Winners will be announced on November 30 at Cipriani Wall Street. A special Gotham Jury Award has gone to the ensemble cast of Spotlight.
“We congratulate this year’s nominated independent storytellers, who represent a richly diverse range of cinematic achievements that are bold, risk-taking, and beautifully crafted, ” said Joana Vicente, executive director of Ifp and the Made In NY Media Center.
The 2015 Ifp Gotham Independent Film Award nominations are:
Best Feature
Carol
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl (pictured)
Heaven Knows What
Spotlight
Tangerine
Best Documentary
Approaching the Elephant
Cartel Land
Heart Of A Dog
Listen To Me Marlon
The Look Of Silence
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Desiree Akhavan for Appropriate Behavior
Jonas Carpigano for Mediterranea
Marielle Heller for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl
John Magary for The Mend
Josh Mond for James White
Best Screenplay
Carol, Phyllis Nagy
[link...
Winners will be announced on November 30 at Cipriani Wall Street. A special Gotham Jury Award has gone to the ensemble cast of Spotlight.
“We congratulate this year’s nominated independent storytellers, who represent a richly diverse range of cinematic achievements that are bold, risk-taking, and beautifully crafted, ” said Joana Vicente, executive director of Ifp and the Made In NY Media Center.
The 2015 Ifp Gotham Independent Film Award nominations are:
Best Feature
Carol
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl (pictured)
Heaven Knows What
Spotlight
Tangerine
Best Documentary
Approaching the Elephant
Cartel Land
Heart Of A Dog
Listen To Me Marlon
The Look Of Silence
Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award
Desiree Akhavan for Appropriate Behavior
Jonas Carpigano for Mediterranea
Marielle Heller for The Diary Of A Teenage Girl
John Magary for The Mend
Josh Mond for James White
Best Screenplay
Carol, Phyllis Nagy
[link...
- 10/22/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Kicking off the onslaught of awards this year, as always, is the Gotham Independent Film Awards, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Usually a strong slate highlighting some of the year’s most overlooked films, 2015 is no different as The Diary of a Teenage Girl leads the pack with four nominations. Close behind is Carol and Tangerine with three each overall.
Other players in the category of Best Feature include Spotlight and Heaven Knows What, while some of my other favorite films of the year, including Listen to Me Marlon, The Mend, James White, Results, and Mistress America, were recognized. With a ceremony set for November 30, check out the full list below thanks to Variety.
Best Feature
Carol
Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Tessa Ross, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey,...
Other players in the category of Best Feature include Spotlight and Heaven Knows What, while some of my other favorite films of the year, including Listen to Me Marlon, The Mend, James White, Results, and Mistress America, were recognized. With a ceremony set for November 30, check out the full list below thanks to Variety.
Best Feature
Carol
Todd Haynes, director; Elizabeth Karlsen, Tessa Ross, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley, producers (The Weinstein Company)
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Marielle Heller, director; Anne Carey, Bert Hamelinck, Madeline Samit, Miranda Bailey,...
- 10/22/2015
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The story of how the directorial brothers Benny and Joshua Safdie found their muse and star, Arielle Holmes, for their latest feature seems like a shadowy tale from a gritty Craigslist missed connection. After Joshua and their producer Sebastian Bear-McClard spotted her on a subway platform while working undercover for research on an abandoned genre film, they approached her. A subsequent series of no call, no shows seemed like a dead end, but then Holmes reached out, admitting that she’d been homeless, out of touch and had recently attempted to take her own life and was just recently released from the hospital. Since then, her life has been transformed since Heaven Knows What became a festival hit, winning the C.I.C.A.E. Award in Venice and the Tokyo Grand Prix and Best Director prizes at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Riding a wave of critical acclaim despite its white knuckled edge,...
- 9/15/2015
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Robert Pattinson has been cast in “Good Time,” a new caper film from indie filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie, an individual with knowledge of the casting told TheWrap Thursday. Pattinson will play a bankrobber named Connie who is trying to evade the police as they close in on him. Sebastian Bear-McClard of Elara Pictures is producing, while Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein wrote the script. Bear-McClard, Bronstein, and the Safdies previously collaborated on the film “Heaven Knows What,” a hybrid picture that blends documentary and narrative, in which Arielle Holmes, a kid the filmmaker brothers met on the subway, plays a fictionalized version of herself.
- 7/9/2015
- by Joe Otterson
- The Wrap
With the first half of 2015 officially coming to a close, it’s time for our mid-year list of best theatrical releases. As seems to be the trend, a bulk of these titles were selections premiering in the late fall circuit of 2014, a move sometimes granting offbeat art-house selections a bit more breathing room (though not always). Here’s a glance at what represents the best of the year thus far, including two directorial debuts, one posthumous work, and one studio feature:
10. The Salt of the Earth – Dir. Wim Wenders & Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
Premiering at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, German auteur Wim Wenders explores the prolific career of Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, here with the help of his son, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado serving as co-director. Known for capturing catastrophic events in striking fashion, the documentary finds the artist in search of something positive after decades documenting human nature at its worst.
10. The Salt of the Earth – Dir. Wim Wenders & Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
Premiering at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, German auteur Wim Wenders explores the prolific career of Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado, here with the help of his son, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado serving as co-director. Known for capturing catastrophic events in striking fashion, the documentary finds the artist in search of something positive after decades documenting human nature at its worst.
- 7/6/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
How did a homeless drug addict in New York land the lead role in Heaven Knows What, a highly praised new drama?
Two years ago, Arielle Holmes was working as a dominatrix named Siouxsie at a club called Pandora’s Box. After she finished her shift she’d sleep in a doorway or park bench, then, when morning dawned, supplement her income by panhandling on New York’s Upper West Side..
One day, she was stopped by a man as she went into the subway. He was researching a movie, he said, and asked her if she might want to be in it. “I figured: what do I have to lose? I looked him up. He made movies. So I thought, you know, maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t.”
Continue reading...
Two years ago, Arielle Holmes was working as a dominatrix named Siouxsie at a club called Pandora’s Box. After she finished her shift she’d sleep in a doorway or park bench, then, when morning dawned, supplement her income by panhandling on New York’s Upper West Side..
One day, she was stopped by a man as she went into the subway. He was researching a movie, he said, and asked her if she might want to be in it. “I figured: what do I have to lose? I looked him up. He made movies. So I thought, you know, maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t.”
Continue reading...
- 7/2/2015
- by Stephen Applebaum
- The Guardian - Film News
We've gathered in one entry links to interviews with Alejandro Jodorowsky, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Claude Carrière, Claire Denis, Gaspar Noé, Roy Andersson, Catherine Breillat, Isaach de Bankolé, Hu Jie, Jason Segel, Samantha Fuller, Joshua Safdie and Ben Safdie and their Heaven Knows What star, Arielle Holmes, Bill Plympton, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Caveh Zahedi, Desiree Akhavan, Judd Apatow, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Bob Byington, André Gregory and Wallace Shawn and the team behind Results, Andrew Bujalski, Guy Pearce and Kevin Corrigan. » - David Hudson...
- 6/3/2015
- Fandor: Keyframe
We've gathered in one entry links to interviews with Alejandro Jodorowsky, Peter Bogdanovich, Jean-Claude Carrière, Claire Denis, Gaspar Noé, Roy Andersson, Catherine Breillat, Isaach de Bankolé, Hu Jie, Jason Segel, Samantha Fuller, Joshua Safdie and Ben Safdie and their Heaven Knows What star, Arielle Holmes, Bill Plympton, Lynn Hershman Leeson, Caveh Zahedi, Desiree Akhavan, Judd Apatow, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Bob Byington, André Gregory and Wallace Shawn and the team behind Results, Andrew Bujalski, Guy Pearce and Kevin Corrigan. » - David Hudson...
- 6/3/2015
- Keyframe
The story behind Arielle Holmes is a pretty inspiring one. A heroin addict living on the streets of New York City, she was approached by filmmaking siblings Josh and Benny Safdie to play a role in a movie they were working on. But as they talked to Holmes and learned about her life, they encouraged the young woman to write down her experiences, and soon those became the basis of "Heaven Knows What." And it became an award winner, with honors going to the Safdies and Holmes, who also starred in the movie. And when we spoke with her last fall, she had already signed an agency deal, and a few projects to consider. And now, she's got her next gig lined up. Read More: Watch: Electric New Trailer For Josh And Ben Safdie's Award Winning 'Heaven Knows What' Deadline reports that Holmes will star in "Fish Tank...
- 6/2/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
He was rumored, then in talks and now it's official - Eddie Redmayne has signed on to star in the lead role of Newt Scamander in the upcoming "Harry Potter" film series prequel/spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Scamander is the foremost magi zoologist of the wizarding world who scours the globe for magical creatures to catalog in what will become the Hogwarts textbook of the title. David Yates helms the project which is scheduled for a November 2016 release. [Source: THR]
The Do Over
Paula Patton ("Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol") is closing a deal to join Adam Sandler and David Spade in the Steve Brill directed comedy "The Do Over", the second film in Happy Madison's deal with Netflix. Filming begins in July in Georgia.
Chris Pappas and Kevin Barnett penned the comedy about two down-on-their-luck guys...
He was rumored, then in talks and now it's official - Eddie Redmayne has signed on to star in the lead role of Newt Scamander in the upcoming "Harry Potter" film series prequel/spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Scamander is the foremost magi zoologist of the wizarding world who scours the globe for magical creatures to catalog in what will become the Hogwarts textbook of the title. David Yates helms the project which is scheduled for a November 2016 release. [Source: THR]
The Do Over
Paula Patton ("Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol") is closing a deal to join Adam Sandler and David Spade in the Steve Brill directed comedy "The Do Over", the second film in Happy Madison's deal with Netflix. Filming begins in July in Georgia.
Chris Pappas and Kevin Barnett penned the comedy about two down-on-their-luck guys...
- 6/2/2015
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Exclusive: Arielle Holmes, who starred in this weekend’s specialty bow Heaven Knows What based on her memoirs of being homeless and a junkie living in Needle Park, has already found her next movie. We’re hearing she has joined Shia Labeouf in the cast of American Honey, the coming-of-age pic that was written and will be directed by Brit helmer Andrea Arnold. The pic was announced ahead of the Cannes Film Festival. Film4 is developing and co-financing the movie…...
- 6/2/2015
- Deadline
Wuthering Heights director Andrea Arnold is already at work on her next film – American Honey – with cameras cranking in Oklahoma. So it’s a good thing that she’s found someone besides Shia Labeouf to star in it, hiring Arielle Holmes.The film, written by Arnold, follows a runaway teenager who starts selling magazine subscriptions to make money and falls in with a crowd that encourages love, hard-partying and law-breaking. It’s sort of an Almost Famous for the magazine subs crowd, with Arnold making several trips across to the States while researching the script, immersing herself in a real-life magazine sales team. Labeouf’s role remains shrouded in mystery, and Deadline’s story on the film mentions that Holmes isn’t the star, so we’re assuming Arnold has once again found a total newcomer for the main role, but she has yet to release any details. Holmes could...
- 6/2/2015
- EmpireOnline
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.