On Friday nights, IndieWire After Dark takes a feature-length beat to honor fringe cinema in the streaming age.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: If This Is What A.I. Sex Looks Like, Maybe We Have Nothing to Worry About?
Cinematic dystopias come in many forms. Ridley Scott looked to classic film noir and Asian urban architecture to craft his fallen neon hellscape in “Blade Runner.” Bong Joon-ho juxtaposed railroad opulence with an arctic wasteland in “Snowpiercer.” And for “Creative Control,” Benjamin Dickinson dared to imagine what would happen if characters from a Noah Baumbach movie could make their own interactive porn.
Dickinson’s 2015 sci-fi drama obviously isn’t a dystopian film in the conventional sense.
First, the spoiler-free pitch for one editor’s midnight movie pick — something weird and wonderful from any age of film that deserves our memorializing.
Then, the spoiler-filled aftermath as experienced by the unwitting editor attacked by this week’s recommendation.
The Pitch: If This Is What A.I. Sex Looks Like, Maybe We Have Nothing to Worry About?
Cinematic dystopias come in many forms. Ridley Scott looked to classic film noir and Asian urban architecture to craft his fallen neon hellscape in “Blade Runner.” Bong Joon-ho juxtaposed railroad opulence with an arctic wasteland in “Snowpiercer.” And for “Creative Control,” Benjamin Dickinson dared to imagine what would happen if characters from a Noah Baumbach movie could make their own interactive porn.
Dickinson’s 2015 sci-fi drama obviously isn’t a dystopian film in the conventional sense.
- 9/23/2023
- by Christian Zilko and Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
Back in 2017, executive producer Vera Miao's Two Sentence Horror Stories brought creepy online flash fiction to life on Verizon’s go90 channel, with the short film-styled series coming to CW Seed in 2018. Now, The CW is moving forward with a full-length, half-hour episodes version of the anthology series, with the latest edition of Two Sentence Horror Stories premiering on the network this August.
Featuring eight half-hour episodes, Two Sentence Horror Stories will premiere on The CW with back-to-back installments on Thursday, August 8th. As with the original iteration of Two Sentence Horror Stories, this new version of the show comes from Warner Bros.' Stage 13, with Miao once again returning to executive produce.
We have the press release with more details below, stay tuned to Daily Dead for future updates on Two Sentence Horror Stories, and in case you missed it, read Heather Wixson's previous interview with Miao.
Featuring eight half-hour episodes, Two Sentence Horror Stories will premiere on The CW with back-to-back installments on Thursday, August 8th. As with the original iteration of Two Sentence Horror Stories, this new version of the show comes from Warner Bros.' Stage 13, with Miao once again returning to executive produce.
We have the press release with more details below, stay tuned to Daily Dead for future updates on Two Sentence Horror Stories, and in case you missed it, read Heather Wixson's previous interview with Miao.
- 6/7/2019
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The CW added a 13th original series, “Two Sentence Horror Stories,” to its summer schedule Monday.
The anthology series premieres with back-to-back episodes on Aug. 8, joining 12 other shows in the network’s summer lineup. Episodes of “Two Sentence Horror Stories” will feature Nicole Kang (“Batwoman”), Jim Parrack (“Suicide Squad”) and Aleyse Shannon (“Charmed”).
Per the network, the series is inspired by the viral fan fiction of two sentence horror stories. The CW says, “These contemporary tales of horror and haunting tap into universal primal fears, filtered through the anxieties of the most connected and racially diverse generation. Despite dizzying advancements in technology, inequality, social progress, and environmental degradation… the things that haunt us are still the same.”
Also Read: 'Batwoman,' 'Katy Keene' and 'Nancy Drew': Watch Trailers for The CW's New Shows
From Stage 13 in association with Warner Bros., “Two Sentence Horror Stories” is executive produced...
The anthology series premieres with back-to-back episodes on Aug. 8, joining 12 other shows in the network’s summer lineup. Episodes of “Two Sentence Horror Stories” will feature Nicole Kang (“Batwoman”), Jim Parrack (“Suicide Squad”) and Aleyse Shannon (“Charmed”).
Per the network, the series is inspired by the viral fan fiction of two sentence horror stories. The CW says, “These contemporary tales of horror and haunting tap into universal primal fears, filtered through the anxieties of the most connected and racially diverse generation. Despite dizzying advancements in technology, inequality, social progress, and environmental degradation… the things that haunt us are still the same.”
Also Read: 'Batwoman,' 'Katy Keene' and 'Nancy Drew': Watch Trailers for The CW's New Shows
From Stage 13 in association with Warner Bros., “Two Sentence Horror Stories” is executive produced...
- 6/3/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Homecoming creators Eli Horowitz and Micah Bloomberg have signed an overall deal with Universal Cable Productions, the studio behind the upcoming Amazon series starring Julia Roberts.
Under the pact, Horowitz and Bloomberg will develop original scripted programming with Ucp for the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment portfolio, as well as for external networks and streaming services.
Homecoming, co-produced by Ucp and Amazon Studios, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, September 7, and its streaming premiere on Amazon Prime Video on November 2.
Horowitz and Bloomberg serve as co-showrunners, executive producers and writers of Homecoming, which is based on the duo’s critically-praised Gimlet Media podcast of the same name. The half-hour drama received a two-season straight-to-series order at Amazon last year.
Directed and executive produced by Sam Esmail, Homecoming is a psychological thriller that centers on Heidi Bergman (Roberts), a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center,...
Under the pact, Horowitz and Bloomberg will develop original scripted programming with Ucp for the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment portfolio, as well as for external networks and streaming services.
Homecoming, co-produced by Ucp and Amazon Studios, will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, September 7, and its streaming premiere on Amazon Prime Video on November 2.
Horowitz and Bloomberg serve as co-showrunners, executive producers and writers of Homecoming, which is based on the duo’s critically-praised Gimlet Media podcast of the same name. The half-hour drama received a two-season straight-to-series order at Amazon last year.
Directed and executive produced by Sam Esmail, Homecoming is a psychological thriller that centers on Heidi Bergman (Roberts), a caseworker at the Homecoming Transitional Support Center,...
- 9/5/2018
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Constant Beta, Creative Control and Abramorama have teamed for a wide release in North American for The First to Do It, a documentary feature about Earl Lloyd, the NBA’s first black player. With exec producers including a number of basketball stars, the film will hit theaters in February. The First to Do It brings together current NBA players including Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul as well as Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Dave Bing and Bob Lanier to…...
- 10/5/2017
- Deadline
Constant Beta Motion Picture Company, Creative Control and Abramorama will collaborate on the theatrical distribution of “The First to Do It,” a documentary about the life and times of Earl Lloyd, the first Black American to play in the NBA. The film brings together current basketball players including Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul, as well as Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Dave Bing and Bob Lanier. Dean Cole provides the voice of Lloyd. Abramorama is planning a wide theatrical release in February 2018. “The First to Do It” is produced by Arka Sengupta and executive produced by Michael Finley,...
- 10/5/2017
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Constant Beta Motion Picture Company, Creative Control and Abramorama are collaborating for the North American distribution of The First to Do It, a documentary about Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in the NBA. Abramorama plans a wide theatrical release for the film in February.
Directed by Coodie and Chike, First to Do It was produced by Arka Sengupta and in association with the National Basketball Players Association, and was executive produced by Michael Finley, Tony Parker, Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard, Pj Tucker, Harry I. Martin, Amit Sharma, Jason Cole, David T. Friendly, Jack Lechner, Michele Roberts and Chrysa Chin. Anthony, Leonard and Chris Paul,...
Directed by Coodie and Chike, First to Do It was produced by Arka Sengupta and in association with the National Basketball Players Association, and was executive produced by Michael Finley, Tony Parker, Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard, Pj Tucker, Harry I. Martin, Amit Sharma, Jason Cole, David T. Friendly, Jack Lechner, Michele Roberts and Chrysa Chin. Anthony, Leonard and Chris Paul,...
- 10/5/2017
- by Ashley Lee
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Presenting the Supporting Actresses of '85. It was all scandal all the time at this colorful party. There were three much gossiped about women (a mafia princess, a drunk promiscuous entertainer, and a delusional pregnant nun) and two stubborn women who were just Not having either the gossip or the abusive and cheating men around them. It was the about appreciating the color purple (Oprah & Margaret), seeing red (Amy & Meg), and embracing jet black comedy (Anjelica).
The Nominees
from left to right: Avery, Huston, Madigan, Tilly, and Winfrey
Oscar celebrated newcomers in 1985 with a shortlist composed entirely of first timers. All five actresses were relatively inexperienced (as Oscar lists go) having made less than ten films each so no overdue conversations were to be had. One of them (Oprah Winfrey) was even making her film debut though the eventual winner (Anjelica Huston) was already Hollywood royalty, being the daughter of...
The Nominees
from left to right: Avery, Huston, Madigan, Tilly, and Winfrey
Oscar celebrated newcomers in 1985 with a shortlist composed entirely of first timers. All five actresses were relatively inexperienced (as Oscar lists go) having made less than ten films each so no overdue conversations were to be had. One of them (Oprah Winfrey) was even making her film debut though the eventual winner (Anjelica Huston) was already Hollywood royalty, being the daughter of...
- 10/2/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
When Steven Soderbergh is asked about the state of filmmaking, he often points to the American films of the ’60s and ’70s as a counterpoint to the broken state of today’s industry. “The bottom line is that at a certain period in time, from 1966 to 1976, the most successful movies were also the best movies, and that’s just not true anymore,” the director said in a 2014 interview.
Read More:Steven Soderbergh Movies Ranked from Worst to Best
Soderbergh may complain a lot, but he’s never been passive about it. Throughout his career, he has constantly experimented with different ways to make and distribute his films by thinking outside the box and pioneering new technology. With “Logan Lucky,” Soderbergh’s finally fulfilling his plans to launch a self-distribution company capable of releasing a studio-size film, but it’s not the first ambitious effort in a career defined by risky maneuvers.
Read More:Steven Soderbergh Movies Ranked from Worst to Best
Soderbergh may complain a lot, but he’s never been passive about it. Throughout his career, he has constantly experimented with different ways to make and distribute his films by thinking outside the box and pioneering new technology. With “Logan Lucky,” Soderbergh’s finally fulfilling his plans to launch a self-distribution company capable of releasing a studio-size film, but it’s not the first ambitious effort in a career defined by risky maneuvers.
- 8/16/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
After nearly two years of side-stepping the question of whether he’d return as James Bond, Daniel Craig finally confirmed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” that he would don the tuxedo one last time for Bond 25. The news came after reports from The New York Times that Craig’s return was a “done deal,” but the actor hadn’t publicly confirmed his involvement until now.
So the news is out, and it’s business as usual for a franchise that has relied on the same face to define its iconic character for a decade. However, the headline has come out just days before the release of “Logan Lucky,” in which Craig delivers an exciting performance unlike anything we’ve seen him do before. That raises an essential question: We know Craig can play Bond in his sleep, but is that the best use of his skill?
Read...
So the news is out, and it’s business as usual for a franchise that has relied on the same face to define its iconic character for a decade. However, the headline has come out just days before the release of “Logan Lucky,” in which Craig delivers an exciting performance unlike anything we’ve seen him do before. That raises an essential question: We know Craig can play Bond in his sleep, but is that the best use of his skill?
Read...
- 8/16/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
With Steven Soderbergh’s 28th feature, “Logan Lucky,” coming out this week, IndieWire has ranked every one of his films from worst-to-best. Now here’s where subscribers to HBO Go, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and FilmStruck can stream some of those titles for free.
Related storiesSteven Soderbergh Movies Ranked from Worst to BestWhy Steven Soderbergh's 'Solaris' Sets the Standard for Movie RemakesSteven Soderbergh Has A Game-Changing Plan to Give Directors the Creative Control They Deserve...
Related storiesSteven Soderbergh Movies Ranked from Worst to BestWhy Steven Soderbergh's 'Solaris' Sets the Standard for Movie RemakesSteven Soderbergh Has A Game-Changing Plan to Give Directors the Creative Control They Deserve...
- 8/14/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
“I could tell you what’s happening, but I don’t know if that’d really tell you what’s happening.”
Steven Soderbergh could have done anything he wanted after the hugely successful trifecta of “Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic,” and “Ocean’s Eleven.” What he did was remake Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Solaris,” perhaps the headiest science-fiction film ever made — and one that didn’t necessarily seem suited to his sensibilities. The film has its defenders 15 years later — Barry Jenkins expressed his love for it just last week — but is rarely mentioned in discussions of the versatile filmmaker’s best.
Read More:‘Logan Lucky’ Review: Steven Soderbergh Returns From Retirement with a Silly Heist Movie That Has Real Soul
Maybe that’s because it’s something of an outlier in his already varied filmography. Soderbergh has dabbled in genre pictures as often as any other filmmaker not specifically thought of as a genre director,...
Steven Soderbergh could have done anything he wanted after the hugely successful trifecta of “Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic,” and “Ocean’s Eleven.” What he did was remake Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Solaris,” perhaps the headiest science-fiction film ever made — and one that didn’t necessarily seem suited to his sensibilities. The film has its defenders 15 years later — Barry Jenkins expressed his love for it just last week — but is rarely mentioned in discussions of the versatile filmmaker’s best.
Read More:‘Logan Lucky’ Review: Steven Soderbergh Returns From Retirement with a Silly Heist Movie That Has Real Soul
Maybe that’s because it’s something of an outlier in his already varied filmography. Soderbergh has dabbled in genre pictures as often as any other filmmaker not specifically thought of as a genre director,...
- 8/10/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Ricky Gervais appeared on “The Late Show” on Thursday to promote his “Humanity” world tour, his first stand-up tour in seven years, since 2010’s “Science.” The English comedian and Stephen Colbert began their conversation with a debate about religion. “Sounds a bit farfetched to me,” said Gervais when the host tried to explain the concept of the Trinity.
Read More: Ricky Gervais Doesn’t Mind Bad Reviews — As Long As He Gets Creative Control
The conversation then turned to a topic Colbert is very passionate about, J. R. R. Tolkien’s books. “I’m a huge Tolkien fan, which I know you’re not, you’re not a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. And, why aren’t you because you could be a hobbit… You have the look,” Colbert told Gervais.
“This is a conspiracy,” the comedian answered with a laugh. “I have hobbits feet, honestly… I have huge testicles that every hobbit has.
Read More: Ricky Gervais Doesn’t Mind Bad Reviews — As Long As He Gets Creative Control
The conversation then turned to a topic Colbert is very passionate about, J. R. R. Tolkien’s books. “I’m a huge Tolkien fan, which I know you’re not, you’re not a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien. And, why aren’t you because you could be a hobbit… You have the look,” Colbert told Gervais.
“This is a conspiracy,” the comedian answered with a laugh. “I have hobbits feet, honestly… I have huge testicles that every hobbit has.
- 5/19/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
In the battle for what will be the premier streaming home for current independent film, Amazon Prime is showing signs that it could top Netflix, FilmStruck, and Mubi. Between funding auteur-driven Amazon originals like Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson,” Park Chan-wook’s “The Handmaiden,” Kenneth Lonergan’s “Manchester By the Sea,” and their exclusive deal with A24 (“American Honey,” “Lobster,” “Swiss Army Man,” and “Moonlight” which arrives 5/21), Prime has a good percentage of the best titles.
What often gets lost in Amazon’s suboptimal browsing interface is the number of recent lower-profile indies on the service that feature some of the most exciting filmmaking of the last year. Here are seven recent gems you shouldn’t miss.
“The Love Witch”
You have never seen anything like this film. Sure, it looks like a late-era technicolor film — shot on 35mm, with deliciously saturated production and costume design — but this isn’t nostalgic kitsch.
What often gets lost in Amazon’s suboptimal browsing interface is the number of recent lower-profile indies on the service that feature some of the most exciting filmmaking of the last year. Here are seven recent gems you shouldn’t miss.
“The Love Witch”
You have never seen anything like this film. Sure, it looks like a late-era technicolor film — shot on 35mm, with deliciously saturated production and costume design — but this isn’t nostalgic kitsch.
- 5/1/2017
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
As the definition of an independent film has shifted with the ever-expanding budget divide in American filmmaking — particularly Hollywood cutting back on its mid-range projects — when it comes time for awards season, it’s often only the highest profile of “indie films” that get recognized. While we do our best to recognize the films that often get unfortunately, a new awards has launched that honors the best of truly independent American cinema, featuring films all under a $1 million budget.
Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...
Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...
- 2/20/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The only thing better than one diva paying tribute to another diva is a third season of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” Tina Fey’s Netflix comedy about one young woman’s “fascinating transition” from kidnapped basement cult to life in New York City. The third season of the popular series will air on Friday, May 19th, Netflix announced today.
In a new teaser, the show with the catchiest theme song of all time announced its return with a version of another popular song: Beyonce’s “Hold Up.” Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess) can be seen walking the streets in full yellow ruffle dress realness, swinging a baseball bat à la Queen Bey in the video for “Hold Up,” off of her groundbreaking video album, “Lemonade.”
Read More: John Oliver Will Air Educational Ads During Morning News Shows Aimed At Donald Trump
Burgess, the show’s breakout star, began his career on Broadway...
In a new teaser, the show with the catchiest theme song of all time announced its return with a version of another popular song: Beyonce’s “Hold Up.” Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess) can be seen walking the streets in full yellow ruffle dress realness, swinging a baseball bat à la Queen Bey in the video for “Hold Up,” off of her groundbreaking video album, “Lemonade.”
Read More: John Oliver Will Air Educational Ads During Morning News Shows Aimed At Donald Trump
Burgess, the show’s breakout star, began his career on Broadway...
- 2/13/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
This week, Netflix made of slew of announcements regarding their new and returning shows. Among the original series that are on its 2017 slate is a miniseries based on the Konami video game “Castlevania.”
The streaming service didn’t reveal any specific details, but according to Polygon and Imbd, Warren Ellis, known for writing “Iron Man 3” and “Red,” wrote the first season.
Producing the series is “Dredd” producer Adi Shankar, who wrote on Facebook, “I’m producing a super violent ‘Castlevania’ miniseries with my homies Fred Seibert and Kevin Klonde. It’s going to be dark, satirical, and after a decade of propaganda it will flip the vampire sub-genre on its head.”
Additionally, animator Michael Hirsh, whose studio Wow Unlimited Media is producing the series with Netflix, told the Globe and Mail that “Castlevania” is targeted towards a younger audience and his studio hopes to create “platforms that focus on youth.
The streaming service didn’t reveal any specific details, but according to Polygon and Imbd, Warren Ellis, known for writing “Iron Man 3” and “Red,” wrote the first season.
Producing the series is “Dredd” producer Adi Shankar, who wrote on Facebook, “I’m producing a super violent ‘Castlevania’ miniseries with my homies Fred Seibert and Kevin Klonde. It’s going to be dark, satirical, and after a decade of propaganda it will flip the vampire sub-genre on its head.”
Additionally, animator Michael Hirsh, whose studio Wow Unlimited Media is producing the series with Netflix, told the Globe and Mail that “Castlevania” is targeted towards a younger audience and his studio hopes to create “platforms that focus on youth.
- 2/10/2017
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
“Stranger Things” was, hands down, one of 2016’s best series. And fans are counting the days until Halloween, when season 2 will be available to stream on Netflix. We are looking forward to all the adventures and everything that takes places in Hawkins and its alternate upside-down dimension.
The second season of the Netflix original science-fiction/horror series is set in 1984, a year after the first installment. It’s Halloween in Hawkins, Indiana, and Will (Noah Schnapp) has rejoined his friends after being rescued from the Upside Down — but his new life is far from normal.
Read More: The Gang Is Back for Another Adventure in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 Super Bowl Teaser Trailer
“He seems to be seeing images from the Upside Down — the question is whether they’re real or not,” co-creator Matt Duffer told EW. “So it seems like he’s having some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder.”
This season,...
The second season of the Netflix original science-fiction/horror series is set in 1984, a year after the first installment. It’s Halloween in Hawkins, Indiana, and Will (Noah Schnapp) has rejoined his friends after being rescued from the Upside Down — but his new life is far from normal.
Read More: The Gang Is Back for Another Adventure in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 Super Bowl Teaser Trailer
“He seems to be seeing images from the Upside Down — the question is whether they’re real or not,” co-creator Matt Duffer told EW. “So it seems like he’s having some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder.”
This season,...
- 2/10/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
“La Soledad” captures the current social and economic situation in Venezuela. The film follows the story of Jose, a young father who has lived with his family in an abandoned mansion. He discovers that the house will soon be demolished and the land will be sold. Check out the exclusive trailer below.
Read More: An Unlikely Hero Is Tasked With Preventing Iran From Going Nuclear in ‘Patriot’ – Trailer
In a desperate attempt to save his family from becoming homeless, Jose begins to search for a treasure that is rumored to be buried in the house. In his search, Jose realizes that the mansion might be hunted with spirits.
“La Soledad” is the debut feature film for The Venezuelan filmmaker Jorge Thielen Armand, who accomplished a fictive narrative with documentary components. It was screened at the 2016 Venice Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the Miami Film Festival,...
Read More: An Unlikely Hero Is Tasked With Preventing Iran From Going Nuclear in ‘Patriot’ – Trailer
In a desperate attempt to save his family from becoming homeless, Jose begins to search for a treasure that is rumored to be buried in the house. In his search, Jose realizes that the mansion might be hunted with spirits.
“La Soledad” is the debut feature film for The Venezuelan filmmaker Jorge Thielen Armand, who accomplished a fictive narrative with documentary components. It was screened at the 2016 Venice Film Festival and will have its North American premiere at the Miami Film Festival,...
- 2/9/2017
- by Yoselin Acevedo
- Indiewire
Every December it bears repeating: Anyone who thinks this was a bad year for movies simply hasn’t seen enough. In an age of binge-viewing, a preponderance of must-see premium cable shows and, hell, even smartphone apps that command far more attention most feature-length achievements, the true range of quality cinema is often obscured by the noise of an ever-cluttered media landscape. To really assess the state of modern movies, one look beyond the obvious. Sure, it was a weak year for movies that stand out mainly due to star power and sizable marketing budgets, but those options represent only a small fraction of the marketplace.
The film festival circuit provides an ideal alternative to conventional channels for discovering movies worth talking about all year long — and, if they’re lucky enough to land distribution, they quality for year-end celebration on lists like this one. This year, every single finalist...
The film festival circuit provides an ideal alternative to conventional channels for discovering movies worth talking about all year long — and, if they’re lucky enough to land distribution, they quality for year-end celebration on lists like this one. This year, every single finalist...
- 12/5/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The precursors are coming in hot and heavy folks. Yesterday, the National Board of Review chimed in with their picks. Also, the Satellite nominations came out, so I’ll share them with you as well. First up, as you’ll see below, Nbr basically crowned Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester by the Sea in as many places as they could. This more or less continues to solidify it as a Best Picture nominee when the Oscars come around. As expected, Casey Affleck took Best Actor for the film as well, with Lonergan getting Best Original Screenplay, while Lucas Hedges was Breakthrough Male. Barry Jenkins got a Best Director prize for Moonlight, which also saw Naomie Harris win Best Supporting Actress. Also of note was Amy Adams getting Best Actress for Arrival, Jeff Bridges winning Best Supporting Actor for Hell or High Water, as well as Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese scoring...
- 11/30/2016
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The National Board of Review has named Manchester By The Sea 2016’s Best Film of the Year, it was announced today, along with the organization’s other year-end honors.
Below is a full list of the 2016 award recipients announced by the National Board of Review:
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Amy Adams, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese, Silence
Best Animated Feature: Kubo and the Two Strings
Breakthrough Performance (Male): Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Breakthrough Performance (Female): Royalty Hightower, The Fits
Best Directorial Debut: Trey Edward Shults, Krisha
Best Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
Best Documentary: O.J.: Made in America
Best Ensemble: Hidden...
Below is a full list of the 2016 award recipients announced by the National Board of Review:
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Amy Adams, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese, Silence
Best Animated Feature: Kubo and the Two Strings
Breakthrough Performance (Male): Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
Breakthrough Performance (Female): Royalty Hightower, The Fits
Best Directorial Debut: Trey Edward Shults, Krisha
Best Foreign Language Film: The Salesman
Best Documentary: O.J.: Made in America
Best Ensemble: Hidden...
- 11/30/2016
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Barry Jenkins wins best director for Moonlight; Casey Affleck, Amy Adams scoop top acting awards.
The National Board Of Review (Nbr) on Tuesday declared Amazon Studios’ Manchester By The Sea its best film of 2016 as it honoured the drama with four awards.
Even though Nbr best film winners seldom go on to claim the best picture Oscar – one must go back to 2009 and Slumdog Millionaire for the last time that happened – the accolade confirms this drama and Monday’s Gothams victor Moonlight as the early awards season heavyweights, a view that the oncoming rush of critics groups awards could very well endorse.
It is notable too that there was a complete shut-out of La La Land and Fences, while Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese took adapted screenplay honours for Paramount’s little-seen Silence.
Besides the top accolade Manchester By The Sea also earned best actor for Casey Affleck, original screenplay for Kenneth Lonergan, and breakthrough...
The National Board Of Review (Nbr) on Tuesday declared Amazon Studios’ Manchester By The Sea its best film of 2016 as it honoured the drama with four awards.
Even though Nbr best film winners seldom go on to claim the best picture Oscar – one must go back to 2009 and Slumdog Millionaire for the last time that happened – the accolade confirms this drama and Monday’s Gothams victor Moonlight as the early awards season heavyweights, a view that the oncoming rush of critics groups awards could very well endorse.
It is notable too that there was a complete shut-out of La La Land and Fences, while Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese took adapted screenplay honours for Paramount’s little-seen Silence.
Besides the top accolade Manchester By The Sea also earned best actor for Casey Affleck, original screenplay for Kenneth Lonergan, and breakthrough...
- 11/29/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The National Board of Review has named Kenneth Lonergan’s heartbreaking drama “Manchester By the Sea” the best film of 2016, while also awarding the filmmaker the Best Original Screenplay award for his script. Star Casey Affleck also pulled in the Best Actor win, while Amy Adams was awarded Best Actress for her turn in “Arrival.”
Best Director was awarded to Barry Jenkins for his indie favorite “Moonlight,” while his star Naomie Harris was given the Best Supporting Actress win. Another indie standout, “Hell or High Water,” earned a Best Supporting Actor win for Jeff Bridges. “Manchester” standout Lucas Hedges picked up the Breakthrough Performance (Male) accolade, while “The Fits” star Royalty Hightower picked up the Female version of the award.
Read More: National Board of Review Wins For ‘Manchester’ Can Mean Oscar Momentum, But It’s Not a Lock — Analysis
Other big awards were handed out to “Kubo and the Two Strings...
Best Director was awarded to Barry Jenkins for his indie favorite “Moonlight,” while his star Naomie Harris was given the Best Supporting Actress win. Another indie standout, “Hell or High Water,” earned a Best Supporting Actor win for Jeff Bridges. “Manchester” standout Lucas Hedges picked up the Breakthrough Performance (Male) accolade, while “The Fits” star Royalty Hightower picked up the Female version of the award.
Read More: National Board of Review Wins For ‘Manchester’ Can Mean Oscar Momentum, But It’s Not a Lock — Analysis
Other big awards were handed out to “Kubo and the Two Strings...
- 11/29/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
On the heels of Cahiers du cinéma’s top 10 films of the year, the National Board of Review has now revealed their picks for the best of the year, topped by Kenneth Lonergan‘s Manchester by the Sea.
For those unfamiliar with the organization, “for 107 years, the National Board of Review has dedicated its efforts to the support of domestic and foreign cinema as both art and entertainment. This year, over 250 films (studio, independent, foreign-language, animated, and documentary) were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students.”
Check out their winners below.
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress:Amy Adams, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese,...
For those unfamiliar with the organization, “for 107 years, the National Board of Review has dedicated its efforts to the support of domestic and foreign cinema as both art and entertainment. This year, over 250 films (studio, independent, foreign-language, animated, and documentary) were viewed by this select group of film enthusiasts, filmmakers, professionals, academics, and students.”
Check out their winners below.
Best Film: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Best Actor: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress:Amy Adams, Arrival
Best Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Best Original Screenplay: Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese,...
- 11/29/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
You won’t have to go to the movies to experience Catherine Keener and Oscar Isaac’s next project. The two are headlining the psychological thriller podcast “Homecoming” along with David Schwimmer, Gimlet Media announced today. Also on the way are the true-crime series “Crimetown” and “Undone,” a narrative nonfiction podcast.
Read More: ‘The Promise’ First Look: Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac Vie For The Same Woman In War Drama
“Homecoming” tells of an experimental facility where a caseworker (Keener) and her supervisor (Schwimmer) oversee a soldier hoping to return to civilian life (Isaac). Gimlet describes it as being told through “an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.”
Read More: ‘Unless’ Exclusive Trailer: Catherine Keener Stars As A Writer Whose Daughter Decides To Live On The Streets
Eli Horowitz (“The Silent History,” “The Pickle Index”) and Micah Bloomberg (“Creative Control”) wrote the script for the new series,...
Read More: ‘The Promise’ First Look: Christian Bale and Oscar Isaac Vie For The Same Woman In War Drama
“Homecoming” tells of an experimental facility where a caseworker (Keener) and her supervisor (Schwimmer) oversee a soldier hoping to return to civilian life (Isaac). Gimlet describes it as being told through “an enigmatic collage of telephone calls, therapy sessions, and overheard conversations.”
Read More: ‘Unless’ Exclusive Trailer: Catherine Keener Stars As A Writer Whose Daughter Decides To Live On The Streets
Eli Horowitz (“The Silent History,” “The Pickle Index”) and Micah Bloomberg (“Creative Control”) wrote the script for the new series,...
- 11/1/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Copenhagen’s festival, in new autumn dates, will show a record 226 features kicking off with Doctor Strange.
Copenhagen’s Cph Pix festival, now in its new autumn dates, has revealed a record 226 feature films in its lineup.
The 14-day festival (Oct 27 - Nov 9), which now also includes kids and family festival Buster, will show 46 features for young people in its daytime programmes and 180 films for teenagers and adults in the evenings.
As previously reported, the eighth edition of festival will open with a gala premiere of Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Mads Mikkelsen will attend).
There will be four main awards at Pix: the New Talent Grand Pix for a debut feature (with $11,200 (€10,000)); the Politiken Audience Award that comes with Danish distribution support, and the Nordisk Film Fond prizes for best children’s feature and best children’s short.
Terence Davies [pictured] will be given a full retrospective as well as showing his latest film A Quiet Passion and participating...
Copenhagen’s Cph Pix festival, now in its new autumn dates, has revealed a record 226 feature films in its lineup.
The 14-day festival (Oct 27 - Nov 9), which now also includes kids and family festival Buster, will show 46 features for young people in its daytime programmes and 180 films for teenagers and adults in the evenings.
As previously reported, the eighth edition of festival will open with a gala premiere of Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Mads Mikkelsen will attend).
There will be four main awards at Pix: the New Talent Grand Pix for a debut feature (with $11,200 (€10,000)); the Politiken Audience Award that comes with Danish distribution support, and the Nordisk Film Fond prizes for best children’s feature and best children’s short.
Terence Davies [pictured] will be given a full retrospective as well as showing his latest film A Quiet Passion and participating...
- 10/3/2016
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Subverting the Unexpected
At the end of the 20th century, Bobcat Goldthwait’s legacy read like a cheap joke: He was a screaming comedian from the eighties best known as Zed in the “Police Academy” franchise who once tried at his hand at directing a movie (“Shakes the Clown”). Those achievements barely skimmed the surface of Goldthwait’s ability, as the ensuing years made clear, when Goldthwait completely transformed his career into one of the most provocative American filmmakers working today. With the microbudget “Sleeping Dogs Lie” (aka “Stay”), Goldthwait showed his potential to funnel taboo subject matters into oddly touching, relatable human dramas, a proclivity he kicked up to a whole new level with the subversive black comedy “World’s Greatest Dad,” which features Robin Williams in one of his all-time great roles.
Goldthwait has kept innovating, with each new movie offering a fresh perspective on the naive assumptions...
At the end of the 20th century, Bobcat Goldthwait’s legacy read like a cheap joke: He was a screaming comedian from the eighties best known as Zed in the “Police Academy” franchise who once tried at his hand at directing a movie (“Shakes the Clown”). Those achievements barely skimmed the surface of Goldthwait’s ability, as the ensuing years made clear, when Goldthwait completely transformed his career into one of the most provocative American filmmakers working today. With the microbudget “Sleeping Dogs Lie” (aka “Stay”), Goldthwait showed his potential to funnel taboo subject matters into oddly touching, relatable human dramas, a proclivity he kicked up to a whole new level with the subversive black comedy “World’s Greatest Dad,” which features Robin Williams in one of his all-time great roles.
Goldthwait has kept innovating, with each new movie offering a fresh perspective on the naive assumptions...
- 7/4/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Festival guests will include director Jim Sheridan and actress Ruth Negga.
Netflix-acquired war-drama The Siege of Jadotville - which tells the true story of a battalion under attack in the Congo in the 1960s - leads a strong line-up of Irish cinema at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh (July 5 - 10).
The film stars Jamie Dornan as Commandant Pat Quinlan, who led an Irish battalion of United Nations soldiers during a tense stand-off against local troops and foreign mercenaries in the Congo in 1961.
The Parallel Film-produced title, a directorial debut by Richie Smyth based on the novel by Irish journalist Declan Power, will have a special screening at the Fleadh.
It is one of several Irish films that will bow at the Fleadh, which runs from July 5th-10th. The festival will also focus on world cinema and Finnish cinema. Guests include director Jim Sheridan, actress Ruth Negga and screenwriter Kirsten Smith.
Property Of The State, a drama...
Netflix-acquired war-drama The Siege of Jadotville - which tells the true story of a battalion under attack in the Congo in the 1960s - leads a strong line-up of Irish cinema at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh (July 5 - 10).
The film stars Jamie Dornan as Commandant Pat Quinlan, who led an Irish battalion of United Nations soldiers during a tense stand-off against local troops and foreign mercenaries in the Congo in 1961.
The Parallel Film-produced title, a directorial debut by Richie Smyth based on the novel by Irish journalist Declan Power, will have a special screening at the Fleadh.
It is one of several Irish films that will bow at the Fleadh, which runs from July 5th-10th. The festival will also focus on world cinema and Finnish cinema. Guests include director Jim Sheridan, actress Ruth Negga and screenwriter Kirsten Smith.
Property Of The State, a drama...
- 6/21/2016
- ScreenDaily
French film industry to explore Vr at first edition of public festival running June 17-18 at Paris’s Forum des Image.
Claire Denis, Stéphane Brizé, Tony Gatlif and Rithy Panh will be among filmmakers exploring virtual reality at the first edition of the Paris Virtual Film Festival.
They are set to participate in a Vr Lab aimed at cinema professionals taking place within the public festival running June 17-18 at the Forum Des Images.
Michel Reilhac, the former Arte Cinema chief-turned-transmedia and Vr pioneer, initiated and is co-curating the entire festival.
He says the idea for the lab was born...
Claire Denis, Stéphane Brizé, Tony Gatlif and Rithy Panh will be among filmmakers exploring virtual reality at the first edition of the Paris Virtual Film Festival.
They are set to participate in a Vr Lab aimed at cinema professionals taking place within the public festival running June 17-18 at the Forum Des Images.
Michel Reilhac, the former Arte Cinema chief-turned-transmedia and Vr pioneer, initiated and is co-curating the entire festival.
He says the idea for the lab was born...
- 6/14/2016
- ScreenDaily
Amazon executives discussed sales companies, emerging filmmakers, women directors and disruption.
With five films in Official Selection and multiple splashy pre-buys Amazon has been the talk of the festival and market in Cannes this year.
In a wide ranging session yesterday key executives from the company outlined strategy and vision for the retail giant’s rapidly expanding film business.
Jason Ropell, Amazon’s head of worldwide film, told a packed industry session at the UK pavilion that Amazon sees the theatrical experience as vital to its strategy:
“Dispruption can be overplayed,” said Ropell. “We’re not particularly disruptive to the theatrical eco-system. We really believe in the theatrical experience and the romance of the experience. It is an essential component of film. Our customers believe that too. Romance and commercial viability don’t need to be mutually exclusive.”
Speaking about evolving distribution models, Ted Hope, Amazon Original Movies’ head of production, described sales companies...
With five films in Official Selection and multiple splashy pre-buys Amazon has been the talk of the festival and market in Cannes this year.
In a wide ranging session yesterday key executives from the company outlined strategy and vision for the retail giant’s rapidly expanding film business.
Jason Ropell, Amazon’s head of worldwide film, told a packed industry session at the UK pavilion that Amazon sees the theatrical experience as vital to its strategy:
“Dispruption can be overplayed,” said Ropell. “We’re not particularly disruptive to the theatrical eco-system. We really believe in the theatrical experience and the romance of the experience. It is an essential component of film. Our customers believe that too. Romance and commercial viability don’t need to be mutually exclusive.”
Speaking about evolving distribution models, Ted Hope, Amazon Original Movies’ head of production, described sales companies...
- 5/18/2016
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Works-in-progress event devoted to Us indies to take place in Paris June 8-10.
Us directors Mike Ott and Adam Keleman will present their upcoming films at the fifth edition of Us in Progress in Paris this June.
Running June 8-10, the programme is a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film in New York.
Rough cuts of a selection of Us independent features are screened with the aim of finding them sales agents, festival homes and producers.
Benjamin Dickinson’s sci-fi comedy Creative Control, which took the top prize at the event in 2014, went on to to be sold, for example, by Philippe Bober’s Paris-based Coproduction Office.
Ott will present his hybrid work California Dreams revolving around auditions in which people perform scenes from their favourite films.
The director won the Polish round of Us in Progress in 2013 for his last film Lake Los Angeles.
[link...
Us directors Mike Ott and Adam Keleman will present their upcoming films at the fifth edition of Us in Progress in Paris this June.
Running June 8-10, the programme is a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs-Elysées Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film in New York.
Rough cuts of a selection of Us independent features are screened with the aim of finding them sales agents, festival homes and producers.
Benjamin Dickinson’s sci-fi comedy Creative Control, which took the top prize at the event in 2014, went on to to be sold, for example, by Philippe Bober’s Paris-based Coproduction Office.
Ott will present his hybrid work California Dreams revolving around auditions in which people perform scenes from their favourite films.
The director won the Polish round of Us in Progress in 2013 for his last film Lake Los Angeles.
[link...
- 5/15/2016
- ScreenDaily
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
99 Homes (Ramin Bahrani)
Ramin Bahrani made a name for himself with three independent films over the last decade, focusing on humanity’s daily struggles, reinvented foreign lives in America, and a fundamental sense of decency. With 2012’s At Any Price and this year’s 99 Homes, Bahrani has twice returned to the festival that launched his career, presenting the evolution of those themes. Not coincidentally, the worst...
99 Homes (Ramin Bahrani)
Ramin Bahrani made a name for himself with three independent films over the last decade, focusing on humanity’s daily struggles, reinvented foreign lives in America, and a fundamental sense of decency. With 2012’s At Any Price and this year’s 99 Homes, Bahrani has twice returned to the festival that launched his career, presenting the evolution of those themes. Not coincidentally, the worst...
- 5/13/2016
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Deadpool, Michael Moore, and a few indies worth adding to your collection.Pick of the Week
Wildlike
What is it? Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) is a teen in crisis. Her father has died, and her mother’s addictions have forced her into rehab, so with no other resources she’s sent to stay with an uncle in Alaska for the summer. He shows her kindness, showers her with gifts, and sneaks into her bed at night to do unspeakable things. It may not be the first time, and she knows it won’t be the last, so when the opportunity arises she runs away. Her luck changes when she crosses paths with a hiker named Rene (Bruce Greenwood) in Denali. He wants nothing to do with her at first, but when the two of them end up on the same deserted trail in the park he quietly allows her to join his party of one. What...
Wildlike
What is it? Mackenzie (Ella Purnell) is a teen in crisis. Her father has died, and her mother’s addictions have forced her into rehab, so with no other resources she’s sent to stay with an uncle in Alaska for the summer. He shows her kindness, showers her with gifts, and sneaks into her bed at night to do unspeakable things. It may not be the first time, and she knows it won’t be the last, so when the opportunity arises she runs away. Her luck changes when she crosses paths with a hiker named Rene (Bruce Greenwood) in Denali. He wants nothing to do with her at first, but when the two of them end up on the same deserted trail in the park he quietly allows her to join his party of one. What...
- 5/10/2016
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Every week we dive into the cream of the crop when it comes to home releases, including Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as recommended deals of the week. Check out our rundown below and return every Tuesday for the best (or most interesting) films one can take home. Note that if you’re looking to support the site, every purchase you make through the links below helps us and is greatly appreciated.
In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray)
When a gifted but washed-up screenwriter with a hair-trigger temper—Humphrey Bogart, in a revelatory, vulnerable performance—becomes the prime suspect in a brutal Tinseltown murder, the only person who can supply an alibi for him is a seductive neighbor (Gloria Grahame) with her own troubled past. The emotionally charged In a Lonely Place, freely adapted from a Dorothy B. Hughes thriller, is a brilliant, turbulent mix of suspenseful noir and devastating melodrama,...
In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray)
When a gifted but washed-up screenwriter with a hair-trigger temper—Humphrey Bogart, in a revelatory, vulnerable performance—becomes the prime suspect in a brutal Tinseltown murder, the only person who can supply an alibi for him is a seductive neighbor (Gloria Grahame) with her own troubled past. The emotionally charged In a Lonely Place, freely adapted from a Dorothy B. Hughes thriller, is a brilliant, turbulent mix of suspenseful noir and devastating melodrama,...
- 5/10/2016
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Summer's hottest days are still a month or two away, but streaming services are stockpiling material to keep us entertained indoors when it's scorching and sticky outside. May sees an influx of excellent Nineties movies, from the face-melting thrillers (literally) to political satires that seem more pertinent than ever. There'll be plenty of TV series to plow through, too, including the return of Netflix's addictive drama Bloodline and the long-awaited HBO Go debut of the channel's cult favorite Mr. Show. Here are our picks for the 10 best things to stream this month.
- 5/2/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Chicago – There is a tremendous excitement when a fresh director voice is realized, and writer/director/actor Benjamin Dickinson is one such discovery. His feature film debut is ‘Creative Control’ – which like previous futuristic films ‘Ex Machina’ and ‘Her’– explores sex and relationships through our technological evolution.
The film is set in the near future, in Brooklyn, and involves an advertising agency on the cusp of landing their biggest account, a company whose application creates Augmented Reality (Ar). David (Benjamin Dickinson is lead actor as well) is the account facilitator, and begins to use the technology for strange purposes, as in building a hyper-realized version of his best friend’s girlfriend, Sophie (Alexia Rasmussen). This begins a rift with his own live-in girlfriend, Juliette (Nora Zehetner), and a change in relationship with his best friend Wim (Dan Gill), not to mention a downward spiral regarding the important client.
Director Benjamin Dickinson...
The film is set in the near future, in Brooklyn, and involves an advertising agency on the cusp of landing their biggest account, a company whose application creates Augmented Reality (Ar). David (Benjamin Dickinson is lead actor as well) is the account facilitator, and begins to use the technology for strange purposes, as in building a hyper-realized version of his best friend’s girlfriend, Sophie (Alexia Rasmussen). This begins a rift with his own live-in girlfriend, Juliette (Nora Zehetner), and a change in relationship with his best friend Wim (Dan Gill), not to mention a downward spiral regarding the important client.
Director Benjamin Dickinson...
- 3/22/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In today's crowded film landscape about a dozen new releases hit theaters each weekend, most of which are limited or specialty films that don’t have the budget for large publicity campaigns but which are often the best and most compelling offers.
These films, lucky enough to get theatrical distribution, often only get one-week runs in one or two theaters per city, and even those who managed to get picked up by a larger specialty distributor have to fight to rise above the studio fare. Hoping to highlight some of these films for audiences to discover them, One Week Only is a new weekly podcast exclusively dedicated to international, independent and under-the-radar films that deserve a closer look.
Hosted by filmmaker Conor Holt and I, Carlos Aguilar, One Week Only hopes to be an alternative space for audiences to find out and get excited about cinema beyond the multiplex.
A new episode is released every Friday afternoon. You can follow One Week Only on Facebook and on Twitter.
One Week Only is now available for Free on iTunes!
About the Hosts:
Carlos Aguilar
Originally from Mexico City, Carlos Aguilar is a film journalist and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Aguilar has written for several publications including Sydney'sBuzz, Indiewire, MovieMaker Magazine, Variety Latino, Creative Screenwriting, among others. In 2014 he was chosen as one of 6 young film critics to take part in the first Roger Ebert Fellowship organized by Indiewire and Sundance Institute. Aguilar is currently working on a short film titled "Probable Cause" and continues to cover international, independent, and animated films across diverse platforms.
Conor Holt
Conor Holt is a Minnesotan filmmaker based in Los Angeles, with a particular fondness for science fiction and animation, whose short film "A Better Life," a sci-fi drama, screened at Fantasia Fest, Sci-Fi London, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. His latest short film "Alternative" recently premiered at the 2016 Fargo Film Festival. Holt is currently working on an upcoming comedy web series titled "Hipster Jesus," a new short film project, and a feature-length screenplay.
Here is a list of episodes thus far and the films discussed in each of them.
Episode 4: "Krisha"
Films also featured in this episode: "Fireworks Wednesday," "The Clan," "My Golden Days," "The Bronze," "The Brainwashing of My Dad," and "We Like It Like That."
Episode 3: "Creative Control"
Films also featured in this episode: "Cemetery of Splendor," "The Automatic Hate," and "Boom Bust Boom"
Episode 2: "The Boy and the Beast"
Films also featured in this episode: "Knight of Cups" and "The Wave"
Episode 1: "Only Yesterday"
Films also featured in this episode: "They Look Like People," "Embrace of the Serpent," "Boy and the World"...
These films, lucky enough to get theatrical distribution, often only get one-week runs in one or two theaters per city, and even those who managed to get picked up by a larger specialty distributor have to fight to rise above the studio fare. Hoping to highlight some of these films for audiences to discover them, One Week Only is a new weekly podcast exclusively dedicated to international, independent and under-the-radar films that deserve a closer look.
Hosted by filmmaker Conor Holt and I, Carlos Aguilar, One Week Only hopes to be an alternative space for audiences to find out and get excited about cinema beyond the multiplex.
A new episode is released every Friday afternoon. You can follow One Week Only on Facebook and on Twitter.
One Week Only is now available for Free on iTunes!
About the Hosts:
Carlos Aguilar
Originally from Mexico City, Carlos Aguilar is a film journalist and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Aguilar has written for several publications including Sydney'sBuzz, Indiewire, MovieMaker Magazine, Variety Latino, Creative Screenwriting, among others. In 2014 he was chosen as one of 6 young film critics to take part in the first Roger Ebert Fellowship organized by Indiewire and Sundance Institute. Aguilar is currently working on a short film titled "Probable Cause" and continues to cover international, independent, and animated films across diverse platforms.
Conor Holt
Conor Holt is a Minnesotan filmmaker based in Los Angeles, with a particular fondness for science fiction and animation, whose short film "A Better Life," a sci-fi drama, screened at Fantasia Fest, Sci-Fi London, and the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. His latest short film "Alternative" recently premiered at the 2016 Fargo Film Festival. Holt is currently working on an upcoming comedy web series titled "Hipster Jesus," a new short film project, and a feature-length screenplay.
Here is a list of episodes thus far and the films discussed in each of them.
Episode 4: "Krisha"
Films also featured in this episode: "Fireworks Wednesday," "The Clan," "My Golden Days," "The Bronze," "The Brainwashing of My Dad," and "We Like It Like That."
Episode 3: "Creative Control"
Films also featured in this episode: "Cemetery of Splendor," "The Automatic Hate," and "Boom Bust Boom"
Episode 2: "The Boy and the Beast"
Films also featured in this episode: "Knight of Cups" and "The Wave"
Episode 1: "Only Yesterday"
Films also featured in this episode: "They Look Like People," "Embrace of the Serpent," "Boy and the World"...
- 3/21/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
It’s time to push the fast forward button at the multiplex (I would say we’ll go “back to the future”, but this flick doesn’t look back). Film makers love to dabble in “what lies ahead” in everything from Just Imagine (a 1930 musical comedy about the far-off 1980) to last year’s hit The Martian. Now, there’s no space travel going on (aside from trips inside your own head) in this new film. It’s on terra firma, with no personal jet packs or flying cars. We’re in a future not very removed from our present, much as in last year’s Oscar-winning Ex MacHina from Alex Garland, though it feels like a close relation to another recent Oscar winner, Her from Spike Jonze. The gadgets and doo-dads are just a few “.0’s” away from being ordered online. The film ponders whether the use (and abuse) of...
- 3/18/2016
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This week’s episode of our podcast We Are Movie Geeks The Show is up! Hear Wamg’s Michelle McCue, Jim Batts and Tom Stockman discuss the weekend box office. We’ll review Other Side Of The Door, Eye In The Sky, Brothers Grimsby, Creative Control, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Miracles From Heaven, The Bronze and Hello My Name Is Doris. We’ll preview 10 the newest film in the Divergent series and talk about how excited we are about the new Captain America Civil War trailer.
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/WAMG3-14-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Brothers Grimsby, 10 Cloverfield Lane and More! appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
Here’s this week’s show. Have a listen:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/uploads/WAMG3-14-54.mp3
The post This Week’s Wamg Podcast – Brothers Grimsby, 10 Cloverfield Lane and More! appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
- 3/14/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Opening in theaters today from Amazon Studios and Magnolia Pictures is Creative Control, Benjamin Dickinson’s wickedly intelligent social satire set in a near-future advertising world enamored with the latest thing: augmented reality. The New York-based writer/director’s second feature, following 2012’s lo-fi apocalyptic drama, First Winter, Creative Control is an impressive leap forward. Realized on a modest budget, the film won a special jury award at last year’s SXSW for “visual excellence,” and, indeed, Dickinson and his collaborators incisively riff on the very plausible possibilities of augmented reality rigs like Google Glass and Magic Leap to imagine a world where avatars, […]...
- 3/11/2016
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Billed as taking place “five minutes” in the future, writer-director Benjamin Dickinson’s dry comedy "Creative Control" isn’t the first to use a science fiction setting to satirize current culture. More serious works like “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” “The Handmaid's Tale,” and much of Philip K. Dick’s bibliography have commented on their creators’ current experience through the lens of an imagined world. “Creative Control” takes a similar approach, though the distance between the present and future is far smaller than many of its predecessors, and it relies far more on the comedy inherent in its near-future situations. Read More: Watch The Trailer For Acclaimed Sci-Fi-Ish Tech Industry Satire 'Creative Control' With its focus on augmented reality and its immersive capabilities, Dickinson’s film is fully aware of its audience. It premiered at tech-centric SXSW in 2015 and offered content exclusives to Mashable and The Verge, rather than the more traditional entertainment.
- 3/10/2016
- by Kimber Myers
- The Playlist
Smart, funny and wonderfully filmed, this movie about the jaded marketeer of virtual reality glasses is the movie Steve Jobs should have been
One of the more nerve-wracking scenes in film this year consists of a man sitting alone at a desk. Through his augmented reality glasses (more on that in a bit) he’s volleying three Im conversations, watching the latest cut of a past-deadline television commercial and “uh-huh”-ing his way though a video conference with an artiste in need of mollycoddling.
With just a few fingertip flicks and nods of the chin David (Benjamin Dickinson, also the director and co-writer) struggles vainly against modernity’s quicksand. With sleek (mostly) black and white cinematography, an unpredictable editing style, unexpected musical choices (Handel, Vivaldi and Bach) and dialogue that is droll af, the Creative Control is the bleeding-edge tech drama we hoped Steve Jobs would be. It’s always the start-ups that surprise us.
One of the more nerve-wracking scenes in film this year consists of a man sitting alone at a desk. Through his augmented reality glasses (more on that in a bit) he’s volleying three Im conversations, watching the latest cut of a past-deadline television commercial and “uh-huh”-ing his way though a video conference with an artiste in need of mollycoddling.
With just a few fingertip flicks and nods of the chin David (Benjamin Dickinson, also the director and co-writer) struggles vainly against modernity’s quicksand. With sleek (mostly) black and white cinematography, an unpredictable editing style, unexpected musical choices (Handel, Vivaldi and Bach) and dialogue that is droll af, the Creative Control is the bleeding-edge tech drama we hoped Steve Jobs would be. It’s always the start-ups that surprise us.
- 3/10/2016
- by Jordan Hoffman
- The Guardian - Film News
Creative Control is a cinematic treatise on the negative implications of an over-reliance on technology. The assumption is that increased connectivity would quench boredom, but instead it exacerbates matters. As the line between fantasy and reality blurs, technology evolves into a much more sinister villain. The messages of Creative Control are as black and white as its cinematography: we need to prepare ourselves for the dehumanizing effects of technological advances and escaping reality does not solve any of our worldly concerns.
- 3/7/2016
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Creative Control Magnolia Pictures Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for Shockya d-based on Rotten Tomatoes Grade: B Director: Benjamin Dickinson Written by: Benjamin Dickinson, Micah Bloomberg Cast: Benjamin Dickinson, Nora Zehetner, Dan Gill, Alexia Rasmussen, Reggie Watts Screened at: Review, NYC, 1/28/16 Opens: March 11, 2016 Restaurants ideally are not simply places to fuel up but to savor good food and enjoy the company of your dining companions. Whenever I’m in such an establishment I look around and find that the young people, the millennials as they’re called, could be sitting in pairs or at individual tables in which four or more seats are occupied. More often than not, I’m astounded [ Read More ]
The post Creative Control Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Creative Control Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 3/7/2016
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
With the 2015 awards season finally wrapped up, we can now genuinely look towards the year ahead. This month brings a handful of long-awaited festival hold-overs from last year, as well as a few promising studio titles. It should also be noted that essential restorations of Late Spring (3/4), River of Grass (3/11), A Brighter Summer Day (3/11), and Fireworks Wednesday (3/16) will be coming to select cities (and some beyond). If you’re in New York City, we’ll also be getting the grand opening of a new arthouse cinema — the Lower East Side’s Metrograph, which is dedicated to a mix of repertory and new releases.
Matinees to See: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (3/2), The Wave (3/4), Boy and the Beast (3/4), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (3/4), Creative Control (3/11), Eye in the Sky (3/11), Hello, My Name is Doris (3/11), Lolo (3/11), Marguerite (3/11), Remember (3/11), Hyena Road (3/11), The Little Prince (3/18), Too Late (3/18), The Program (3/18), and Born to be Blue (3/25).
10. Take Me to the River...
Matinees to See: Songs My Brothers Taught Me (3/2), The Wave (3/4), Boy and the Beast (3/4), Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (3/4), Creative Control (3/11), Eye in the Sky (3/11), Hello, My Name is Doris (3/11), Lolo (3/11), Marguerite (3/11), Remember (3/11), Hyena Road (3/11), The Little Prince (3/18), Too Late (3/18), The Program (3/18), and Born to be Blue (3/25).
10. Take Me to the River...
- 3/2/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Us in Progress Paris, a three-day works in progress event targeted at American independent filmmakers and European buyers, will take place in the scope of Champs-Elysées Film Festival on June 07-14 2016 in Paris.
The event is looking for 5 U.S. independent films at post-production stage (rough & fine cuts). The call for entries is open till April 8th 2016.
The application requirements for the films are the following:
* Narrative feature projects in post-production are eligible.
* Production Company needs to be Us based.
* Films looking for completion money, services and sales agent or European distribution should apply.
* Films in post-production when applying, with at least 30 min of the film edited and to reach feature format by June 1st 2016. If selected, the feature length version of the rough/fine cut will be presented on June 08-10. No excerpts or trailers will be accepted.
* Films with no Us or international premiere nor European sales representation prior to June 10th 2016 are eligible.
Us in Progress is a joint initiative between New Horizons Association (American Film Festival), Sophie Dulac’s Champs-Elysées Film Festival and Black Rabbit Film. It presents independent Us films in final production stages to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. Us in Progress involves two yearly get-togethers at two different festivals (Paris in June and Wroclaw in October). The next event will take form of two days of exclusive screenings of the 5 selected films (behind closed doors, for registered guests only) and one-to-one meetings on June 10th 2016.
As a bonus to contracts resulting from the presentations and meetings, a jury made of professionals (Europa Distribution, Producer’s Network, Ciné +, Commune Image, Eaux Vives Productions, Firefly, Titra-Tvs, Kickstarter, Centre Phi) will award one of the selected works in progress. The awarded movie will get post-production and promotion services in kind.
The last Paris and Wroclaw editions attracted more than 40 buyers and producers. Alumni of the workshop were selected in Sundance 2013 ("I Used to Be Darker," "Milkshake," "A Teacher"), Berlinale 2013 ("Hide Your Smiling Faces," "I Used to Be Darker"), SXSW 2013 ("A Teacher"), Tribeca 2013 ("Hide Your Smiling Faces," "Bluebird"), Karlovy Vary 2013 ("Bluebird"), Toronto International Film Festival 2013 ("1982"), Sundance 2014 ("Ping Pong Summer"), SXSW 2015 ("Creative Control"), Rotterdam 2016 ("Actor Martinez"), Berlinale 2016 ("Nakom").
The fifth edition of Champs-Elysées Film Festival is to take place in Paris on June 07th to 14th 2016.
Apply now: Entry Form...
The event is looking for 5 U.S. independent films at post-production stage (rough & fine cuts). The call for entries is open till April 8th 2016.
The application requirements for the films are the following:
* Narrative feature projects in post-production are eligible.
* Production Company needs to be Us based.
* Films looking for completion money, services and sales agent or European distribution should apply.
* Films in post-production when applying, with at least 30 min of the film edited and to reach feature format by June 1st 2016. If selected, the feature length version of the rough/fine cut will be presented on June 08-10. No excerpts or trailers will be accepted.
* Films with no Us or international premiere nor European sales representation prior to June 10th 2016 are eligible.
Us in Progress is a joint initiative between New Horizons Association (American Film Festival), Sophie Dulac’s Champs-Elysées Film Festival and Black Rabbit Film. It presents independent Us films in final production stages to European buyers, post-production houses and festivals in order to help them achieve completion and to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. Us in Progress involves two yearly get-togethers at two different festivals (Paris in June and Wroclaw in October). The next event will take form of two days of exclusive screenings of the 5 selected films (behind closed doors, for registered guests only) and one-to-one meetings on June 10th 2016.
As a bonus to contracts resulting from the presentations and meetings, a jury made of professionals (Europa Distribution, Producer’s Network, Ciné +, Commune Image, Eaux Vives Productions, Firefly, Titra-Tvs, Kickstarter, Centre Phi) will award one of the selected works in progress. The awarded movie will get post-production and promotion services in kind.
The last Paris and Wroclaw editions attracted more than 40 buyers and producers. Alumni of the workshop were selected in Sundance 2013 ("I Used to Be Darker," "Milkshake," "A Teacher"), Berlinale 2013 ("Hide Your Smiling Faces," "I Used to Be Darker"), SXSW 2013 ("A Teacher"), Tribeca 2013 ("Hide Your Smiling Faces," "Bluebird"), Karlovy Vary 2013 ("Bluebird"), Toronto International Film Festival 2013 ("1982"), Sundance 2014 ("Ping Pong Summer"), SXSW 2015 ("Creative Control"), Rotterdam 2016 ("Actor Martinez"), Berlinale 2016 ("Nakom").
The fifth edition of Champs-Elysées Film Festival is to take place in Paris on June 07th to 14th 2016.
Apply now: Entry Form...
- 2/22/2016
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Cherry Falls, starring the late Brittany Murphy, is getting the Blu-ray treatment courtesy of Scream Factory on March 29th! Also: a trailer for Darling, The Eyes of My Mother acquisition news, Nitehawk Cinema's programming schedule for March, Baskin release details, and Everlasting at the Nevermore Film Festival.
Cherry Falls: Press Release: "Lose your innocence…or lose your life. On March 29th, 2016, Scream Factory presents teen thriller Cherry Falls in its Blu-ray debut packed with new extras including audio commentary with Geoffrey Wright and interviews with writer/co-executive producer Ken Selden and producer Marshall Persinger.
A serial killer is stalking the peaceful town of Cherry Falls. At first, it seems that he is just targeting teenagers, but after the third killing, it becomes clear that all the victims have been virgins. When the town's students hear about this, they realize that there is only one way to protect themselves and...
Cherry Falls: Press Release: "Lose your innocence…or lose your life. On March 29th, 2016, Scream Factory presents teen thriller Cherry Falls in its Blu-ray debut packed with new extras including audio commentary with Geoffrey Wright and interviews with writer/co-executive producer Ken Selden and producer Marshall Persinger.
A serial killer is stalking the peaceful town of Cherry Falls. At first, it seems that he is just targeting teenagers, but after the third killing, it becomes clear that all the victims have been virgins. When the town's students hear about this, they realize that there is only one way to protect themselves and...
- 2/13/2016
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Euro sales outfit inks additional deals after Amazon Studios took Us rights.
Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office has announced a raft of sales on Benjamin Dickinson’s SXSW award winner Creative Control.
Ahead of its market premiere this week at the Efm, Coproduction Office has confirmed sales in Canada (Mongrel), Benelux (De Filmfreak), Poland (Against Gravity) and Turkey (Kurmaca Film).
Amazon Studios acquired the Us rights and Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film in theatres before it plays on Amazon. Theatrical release date is set for March 11 to be followed by DVD and VOD windows.
Coproduction Office’s slate for Berlin also includes intriguing new projects by Swedish auteurs Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure), Roy Andersson (A Pigeon Sat On A Branch) and Thomas Clay (The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael), all in pre-production.
Creative Control is set in New York, five minutes in the future. David (writer/director Benjamin Dickinson) is an overworked, tech-addled advertising...
Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office has announced a raft of sales on Benjamin Dickinson’s SXSW award winner Creative Control.
Ahead of its market premiere this week at the Efm, Coproduction Office has confirmed sales in Canada (Mongrel), Benelux (De Filmfreak), Poland (Against Gravity) and Turkey (Kurmaca Film).
Amazon Studios acquired the Us rights and Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film in theatres before it plays on Amazon. Theatrical release date is set for March 11 to be followed by DVD and VOD windows.
Coproduction Office’s slate for Berlin also includes intriguing new projects by Swedish auteurs Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure), Roy Andersson (A Pigeon Sat On A Branch) and Thomas Clay (The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael), all in pre-production.
Creative Control is set in New York, five minutes in the future. David (writer/director Benjamin Dickinson) is an overworked, tech-addled advertising...
- 2/11/2016
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Amazon Studio has taken the title’s Us right ahead of its Efm market premiere.
Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office has announced a raft of sales on Benjamin Dickinson’s SXSW award winner Creative Control.
Ahead of its market premiere this week at the Efm, Coproduction Office has confirmed sales in Canada (Mongrel), Benelux (De Filmfreak), Poland (Against Gravity) and Turkey (Kurmaca Film).
Amazon Studios acquired the Us rights and Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film in theatres before it plays on Amazon. Theatrical release date is set for March 11 to be followed by DVD and VOD windows.
Coproduction Office’s slate for Berlin also includes intriguing new projects by Swedish auteurs Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure), Roy Andersson (A Pigeon Sat On A Branch) and Thomas Clay (The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael), all in pre-production.
Creative Control is set in New York, five minutes in the future. David (writer/director Benjamin Dickinson) is an overworked...
Philippe Bober’s Coproduction Office has announced a raft of sales on Benjamin Dickinson’s SXSW award winner Creative Control.
Ahead of its market premiere this week at the Efm, Coproduction Office has confirmed sales in Canada (Mongrel), Benelux (De Filmfreak), Poland (Against Gravity) and Turkey (Kurmaca Film).
Amazon Studios acquired the Us rights and Magnolia Pictures will distribute the film in theatres before it plays on Amazon. Theatrical release date is set for March 11 to be followed by DVD and VOD windows.
Coproduction Office’s slate for Berlin also includes intriguing new projects by Swedish auteurs Ruben Östlund (Force Majeure), Roy Andersson (A Pigeon Sat On A Branch) and Thomas Clay (The Great Ecstasy Of Robert Carmichael), all in pre-production.
Creative Control is set in New York, five minutes in the future. David (writer/director Benjamin Dickinson) is an overworked...
- 2/11/2016
- by geoffrey@macnab.demon.co.uk (Geoffrey Macnab)
- ScreenDaily
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