It helps to have friends. Look no further than the first trailer for Zoë Kravitz’s Blink Twice, which boasts a stronger ensemble than your average directing debut: Channing Tatum, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Geena Davis, and a last-second appearance from Kyle MacLachlan. The cast is led by Naomi Ackie, and ahead of an August 23 release there’s a first, LCD Soundsystem-punctuated trailer that suggests she did well hiring Adam Newport-Berra.
Here’s the official synopsis: “When tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality.
Here’s the official synopsis: “When tech billionaire Slater King (Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It’s paradise. Wild nights blend into sun soaked days and everyone’s having a great time. No one wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality.
- 4/23/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
[This story contains spoilers from season two, episode four of The Bear, “Honeydew.”]
In season two of The Bear, Lionel Boyce’s Marcus goes on a journey.
It’s both external and internal, as bottle episode “Honeydew” sees Marcus reluctantly leave his ailing, nonverbal mother and travel beyond the borders of Chicago for the first time to stage in Copenhagen under a chef named Luca (Will Poulter). He’s there to create three dishes for The Bear’s dessert menu. But the experience — like those of his fellow staff at The Beef — delivers on more than just a meal.
Marcus’ intense experiences in and out of the kitchen “ignite” the rest of his season two journey, Boyce tells The Hollywood Reporter, and help him to understand arguably his biggest lesson so far: That “you make with heart, not with skill.” It’s an emotional episode, directed by Ramy Youssef, that underscores The Bear’s return not as the fast-paced, anxiety-inducing...
In season two of The Bear, Lionel Boyce’s Marcus goes on a journey.
It’s both external and internal, as bottle episode “Honeydew” sees Marcus reluctantly leave his ailing, nonverbal mother and travel beyond the borders of Chicago for the first time to stage in Copenhagen under a chef named Luca (Will Poulter). He’s there to create three dishes for The Bear’s dessert menu. But the experience — like those of his fellow staff at The Beef — delivers on more than just a meal.
Marcus’ intense experiences in and out of the kitchen “ignite” the rest of his season two journey, Boyce tells The Hollywood Reporter, and help him to understand arguably his biggest lesson so far: That “you make with heart, not with skill.” It’s an emotional episode, directed by Ramy Youssef, that underscores The Bear’s return not as the fast-paced, anxiety-inducing...
- 6/22/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Photo: ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco' A spectacle of an ever-evolving city, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ is a breathtaking film that captures the beauty of authenticity. Written by the director, Joe Talbot, and one of the main actors, Jimmie Fails, the story felt incredibly personal as it was written about an experience Fails has gone through. Coming out in 2019, the movie was released alongside popular A24 films such as ‘The Lighthouse’, ‘The Farewell’, ‘Uncut Gems’, and ‘Midsommar’. As 2019 was a great year for A24, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ was the unsung hero amongst the other releases that depicted absolutely beautiful filmmaking and storytelling. With the vital themes of separation, culture, and family, ‘The Last Black Man in San Francisco’ is a movie all should see. Related Video: Full Commentary on 'Top Gun: Maverick': Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller...
- 6/14/2022
- by Anica Muñoz
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Before we get to our weekly streaming picks, check out our annual feature: Where to Stream the Best Films of 2019.
Ad Astra (James Gray)
With Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and The Irishman, it’s been a strong year for big-budget, auteur-driven cinema, but my pick for the best of the bunch in that regard is James Gray’s Brad Pitt-led adventure Ad Astra. A space epic of immense scale that still contains a personal, beating heart, if you didn’t get a chance to experience this on the biggest screen possible, it’s now available to stream. For more, listen to our podcast discussion.
Before we get to our weekly streaming picks, check out our annual feature: Where to Stream the Best Films of 2019.
Ad Astra (James Gray)
With Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and The Irishman, it’s been a strong year for big-budget, auteur-driven cinema, but my pick for the best of the bunch in that regard is James Gray’s Brad Pitt-led adventure Ad Astra. A space epic of immense scale that still contains a personal, beating heart, if you didn’t get a chance to experience this on the biggest screen possible, it’s now available to stream. For more, listen to our podcast discussion.
- 12/6/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Camerimage, the festival in Toruń, Poland dedicated to the art of cinematography, handed out its prestigious Frog prizes this evening. The big winner was “Joker” cinematographer Lawrence Sher, who won the top prize, the Golden Frog, in addition to the Audience Prize. The Bronze Frog was awarded to “The Painted Bird” Dp Vladimír Smutný, while “The Two Popes” Dp César Charlone won the Silver Frog. A full list of winners at the end of this article.
Now in its 27th year, Camerimage has become homecoming week for cinematographers from around the globe, with a vast number of the best DPs, past and present, in attendance. From an awards perspective — considering cinematographers nominate their colleagues — it’s hard to overestimate the value of DPs presenting their work and discussing their craft with their tight-knit community during the week-long celebration.
Sher — whose “Joker” screened early in the fest, and has been in...
Now in its 27th year, Camerimage has become homecoming week for cinematographers from around the globe, with a vast number of the best DPs, past and present, in attendance. From an awards perspective — considering cinematographers nominate their colleagues — it’s hard to overestimate the value of DPs presenting their work and discussing their craft with their tight-knit community during the week-long celebration.
Sher — whose “Joker” screened early in the fest, and has been in...
- 11/16/2019
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Camerimage, the Polish film festival dedicated to the art of cinematography, has become homecoming week for directors of photography from around the globe. And while Camerimage organizers say they have no interest in the American awards season, cinematographers nominate cinematographers for the Oscars — and the 13 films that compete for the Golden Frog for Best Cinematography have become a predictor of the Academy’s Best Cinematography nominees.
The Camerimage 2019 Main Competition includes: “Ford v Ferrari” (Dp Phedon Papamichael), “The Irishman” (Dp Rodrigo Prieto), “Joker” (Dp Lawrence Sher), “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (Dp Adam Newport-Berra), “Motherless Brooklyn” (Dp Dick Pope), “The Two Popes” (Dp César Charlone), “The Painted Bird” (Dp Vladimír Smutný), “An Officer and a Spy” (Dp Paweł Edelman), “Never Look Away” (Dp Caleb Deschanel), “Mr. Jones” (Dp Tomasz Naumiuk), “Shadow” (Dp Xiaoding Zhao), “Bolden” (Dp Neal Norton), and “Amundsen” (Dp Paal Ulvik Rokseth).
IndieWire has confirmed that...
The Camerimage 2019 Main Competition includes: “Ford v Ferrari” (Dp Phedon Papamichael), “The Irishman” (Dp Rodrigo Prieto), “Joker” (Dp Lawrence Sher), “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (Dp Adam Newport-Berra), “Motherless Brooklyn” (Dp Dick Pope), “The Two Popes” (Dp César Charlone), “The Painted Bird” (Dp Vladimír Smutný), “An Officer and a Spy” (Dp Paweł Edelman), “Never Look Away” (Dp Caleb Deschanel), “Mr. Jones” (Dp Tomasz Naumiuk), “Shadow” (Dp Xiaoding Zhao), “Bolden” (Dp Neal Norton), and “Amundsen” (Dp Paal Ulvik Rokseth).
IndieWire has confirmed that...
- 10/21/2019
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
After an incredible start to the summer season last month, June is a bit lighter for acclaimed and/or promising releases, but there’s still a handful of worthwhile options. While we can’t muster up much excitement for the fourth installment of an animated franchise and our writers were mixed on some recent festival favorites finally arriving, we have a pared-down list of ten recommendations to seek out.
10. The Edge of Democracy (Petra Costa; June 19)
The first film I saw at Sundance Film Festival this year was Petra Costa’s intimate look at Brazil’s fraught political landscape, and it made quite an impression. Giovanni Marchini Camia said in our review, “The Brazilian filmmaker Petra Costa belongs to the many who fear that Jair Bolsonaro’s election as President of Brazil represents the beginning of the end for the country’s democracy, three short decades after the fall of...
10. The Edge of Democracy (Petra Costa; June 19)
The first film I saw at Sundance Film Festival this year was Petra Costa’s intimate look at Brazil’s fraught political landscape, and it made quite an impression. Giovanni Marchini Camia said in our review, “The Brazilian filmmaker Petra Costa belongs to the many who fear that Jair Bolsonaro’s election as President of Brazil represents the beginning of the end for the country’s democracy, three short decades after the fall of...
- 6/3/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It was a busy year for A24 at Sundance. Along with selling two of their productions to HBO (Native Son and Share), they either premiered/acquired a number of films, including The Souvenir, The Farewell, The Hole in the Ground, and The Last Black Man in San Francisco. The lattermost film–directed by Joe Talbot, co-writing the script with star Jimmie Fails and Rob Richert– follows a man aiming to reclaim his grandfather’s home in a changing city. Ahead of a June release, A24 has now debuted the first trailer.
Dan Mecca said in our Sundance review, “A beautiful score from Emile Mosseri and some memorable lensing from Adam Newport-Berra do quite a bit for a story that never really becomes a story. Jimmie and Mont’s friendship has plenty to invest in and the two actors do top-notch work. The subject matter is immediate and engaging. But the...
Dan Mecca said in our Sundance review, “A beautiful score from Emile Mosseri and some memorable lensing from Adam Newport-Berra do quite a bit for a story that never really becomes a story. Jimmie and Mont’s friendship has plenty to invest in and the two actors do top-notch work. The subject matter is immediate and engaging. But the...
- 3/21/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The impetus for The Last Black Man In San Francisco in 2019 makes a lot of sense. Cities like San Francisco have been changing, due to an influx of mostly young, mostly white people in (sometimes) newer forms of industry coming in and buying up land and buildings and neighborhoods. The result is displacement for a great deal who have lived in these places for their whole lives, in many cases their parents and grandparents before them. Director Joe Talbot, co-writing the script with star Jimmie Fails and Rob Richert, is a San Franciscan to the core and it shows. There’s a love for the city that’s only matched by a conflicted hate for all the change. Jimmie (Fails) has a line that says as much.
There is a house in the city that Jimmie’s grandfather built, a beautiful Victorian structure with a witch’s hat up top...
There is a house in the city that Jimmie’s grandfather built, a beautiful Victorian structure with a witch’s hat up top...
- 1/27/2019
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
Perhaps making the leap from former short filmmaker alumni (2017’s American Paradise) to debuting his directorial debut, Sundance are not the only ones to have kept close tabs on Joe Talbot. With major backers Plan B Entertainment and A24, Last Black Man in San Francisco was part of the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters Lab in 2016, and went into production in April of 2018 (with dp and Adam Newport-Berra) after a good three years in active development. Jimmie Fails is surrounded by Jonathan Majors, Danny Glover, Tichina Arnold, Rob Morgan, Mike Epps, Finn Wittrock and Thora Birch make up the cast.…...
- 11/21/2018
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
These days, Michel Gondry is into numbers. For his latest film project, the “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” filmmaker is using truncated running times to explore familiar concepts, especially his trademark affection for whimsical and surreal romances. Alongside his brother Olivier, the pair have now crafted six brand-new “micro-short” films built on the concept that the human attention span has now dropped to just 8.2 seconds, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still time to find love.
“8.2 seconds is the attention span of a new generation,” Michel Gondry said in an official statement. “This is the time to fall in love. This is the length of our movies. It’s a bold concept.” Of their filmmaking process, brother Olivier added, “I like to work touch by touch, making things better each time we add something new. This time, it would be Michel’s touch then my touch, then Michel’s,...
“8.2 seconds is the attention span of a new generation,” Michel Gondry said in an official statement. “This is the time to fall in love. This is the length of our movies. It’s a bold concept.” Of their filmmaking process, brother Olivier added, “I like to work touch by touch, making things better each time we add something new. This time, it would be Michel’s touch then my touch, then Michel’s,...
- 9/25/2018
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Are you a fan of Mark Strong? Does your heart hold a special place for spaceship maintenance and mechanical engineering in zero gravity? Well then, do I have a movie for you…
Approaching The Unknown evokes the essence of Europa Report, where space exploration becomes a metaphor for man’s deadly curiosity. Humanity has finally reached a point where colonizing Mars seems reasonable, and astronaut William D. Stanaforth’s (Mark Strong) agrees to take the first trip – alone. To make this dream possible, Stanaforth created a reactor that converts dirt into drinkable water, which is the first step in creating inhabitable conditions on Mars. With Stanaforth’s technology, the red planet can become a livable destination, but only if his reactor can get there in one piece.
A sole astronaut is forced to survive alone in space – stop me if you’ve heard this before.
While different, it’s impossible...
Approaching The Unknown evokes the essence of Europa Report, where space exploration becomes a metaphor for man’s deadly curiosity. Humanity has finally reached a point where colonizing Mars seems reasonable, and astronaut William D. Stanaforth’s (Mark Strong) agrees to take the first trip – alone. To make this dream possible, Stanaforth created a reactor that converts dirt into drinkable water, which is the first step in creating inhabitable conditions on Mars. With Stanaforth’s technology, the red planet can become a livable destination, but only if his reactor can get there in one piece.
A sole astronaut is forced to survive alone in space – stop me if you’ve heard this before.
While different, it’s impossible...
- 6/5/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Creative Control
Written by Micah Bloomberg and Benjamin Dickinson
Directed by Benjamin Dickinson
USA, 2015
Benjamin Dickinson’s Creative Control is right at home premiering at SXSW, a festival that touts the convergence of technology and film. Playing with perception and exploring the place of relationships and the ego within tomorrow’s technological landscape, the film will seem familiar to fans of UK television show Black Mirror. With the ever-pressing concerns of self-driving cars and artificial intelligence, the film may explore very familiar ideas philosophizing technology, but thanks to dark, bleak humor and sleek visuals, Creative Control is far from rote.
The film opens on David (Benjamin Dickinson) as he goes about his day in the overly sterilized offices of an ad agency. The task at hand: develop an approach to market the Augmenta company’s new virtual reality glasses. David finally gets the chance to assert control over his own campaign by enlisting the eclectic,...
Written by Micah Bloomberg and Benjamin Dickinson
Directed by Benjamin Dickinson
USA, 2015
Benjamin Dickinson’s Creative Control is right at home premiering at SXSW, a festival that touts the convergence of technology and film. Playing with perception and exploring the place of relationships and the ego within tomorrow’s technological landscape, the film will seem familiar to fans of UK television show Black Mirror. With the ever-pressing concerns of self-driving cars and artificial intelligence, the film may explore very familiar ideas philosophizing technology, but thanks to dark, bleak humor and sleek visuals, Creative Control is far from rote.
The film opens on David (Benjamin Dickinson) as he goes about his day in the overly sterilized offices of an ad agency. The task at hand: develop an approach to market the Augmenta company’s new virtual reality glasses. David finally gets the chance to assert control over his own campaign by enlisting the eclectic,...
- 3/20/2015
- by David Tran
- SoundOnSight
All the Wilderness is caught somewhere between a terrific short film and a tender, sensitive coming-of-age drama. Without credits, Michael Johnson’s film is 71 minutes long, which is too brief to fully explore the pain and pleasures experienced by young protagonist James Charm (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Meanwhile, given how the stakes are low and the themes repeat throughout, a 30-minute version of the same material could have been more focused and affecting. Alas, the film must cope with a slender running time.
Although his surname is Charm, James is anything but charming. Obsessed with the macabre, he draws sketches of dead birds and insects in his notebook, and also tells the school bully he expects him to die within the next year. (That altercation gives James a black eye.) Mom Abigail (Virginia Madsen) doesn’t know how to deal with her son’s morbidity, especially after the death of her husband.
Although his surname is Charm, James is anything but charming. Obsessed with the macabre, he draws sketches of dead birds and insects in his notebook, and also tells the school bully he expects him to die within the next year. (That altercation gives James a black eye.) Mom Abigail (Virginia Madsen) doesn’t know how to deal with her son’s morbidity, especially after the death of her husband.
- 2/20/2015
- by Jordan Adler
- We Got This Covered
Perhaps grief haunts so deeply because the understanding or closure one seeks is from the very person that is no longer there. That pain is even more grave when the loss is unexpected or unexplained. Certainly, James (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is left adrift in the wake of his father's death, retreating to his own, inner world of reading "Moby Dick," listening to classical music, and endlessly adding morbid entries to his notebook. When he's not doing that, he takes to the woods surrounding the Portland home where he lives with his mother Abigail (Virginia Madsen), perhaps hoping to be consumed by something bigger than the ache he wears on his face and in almost every action he takes. "All The Wilderness," the feature debut by writer/director Michael Johnson, is certainly big on mood, and admittedly does get plenty of mileage out of its very clear devotion to the films Terrence Malick.
- 2/18/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Showcasing yet another seminal year in the independent filmmaking universe, Dan Nuxoll and his programming team has assembled a top notch program for the 2014 Rooftop Films Summer Series featuring many of my favorite festival films of 2014 thus far. Rooftop Films kicks off its 18th annual summer series on Friday, May 16th at Industry City in Sunset Park with a slate of new short films from around the world. Then, on Saturday May 17th, they will feature a special sneak preview of the Sundance 2014 standout, Gillian Robespierre’s upcoming A24 release Obvious Child. The series continues through the summer, with screenings each week in a variety of exciting and picturesque outdoor locations. Rooftop Films’ full feature film slate includes docs about mushroom hunters (The Last Season), no-budget filmmakers (Giuseppe Makes A Movie), untouched corners of endangered rainforest (Forest Of The Dancing Spirits), and idiosyncratic jazz legends (The Case Of The Three-Sided Dream); bold,...
- 5/8/2014
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
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