Every week, the CriticWire Survey asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday morning. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: What was the best film of summer 2016?
Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse), Rolling Stone
Gosh, where to start! It’s been a banner summer if, like me, you enjoy submerging yourself in vast unending ocean of incomprehensible bullshit at the movies. There was “Suicide Squad,” which is to plot structure what the Elephant Man is to facial bone structure. Loved me some “X-Men: Apocalypse,” an epic battle between an uncomfortable-looking ensemble of interesting-to-talented actors and a script intent on turning them all into cardboard cutouts. “The Shallows” was fun in the way that completing the maze on the back of a cereal box is fun,...
This week’s question: What was the best film of summer 2016?
Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse), Rolling Stone
Gosh, where to start! It’s been a banner summer if, like me, you enjoy submerging yourself in vast unending ocean of incomprehensible bullshit at the movies. There was “Suicide Squad,” which is to plot structure what the Elephant Man is to facial bone structure. Loved me some “X-Men: Apocalypse,” an epic battle between an uncomfortable-looking ensemble of interesting-to-talented actors and a script intent on turning them all into cardboard cutouts. “The Shallows” was fun in the way that completing the maze on the back of a cereal box is fun,...
- 8/22/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
To help sift through the increasing number of new releases (independent or otherwise), the Weekly Film Guide is here! Below you’ll find basic plot, personnel and cinema information for all of this week’s fresh offerings.
Starting this month, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list below, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.
See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for July 2016
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, July 8. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.
Wide
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Director: Jake Szymanski
Cast: Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Zac Efron
Synopsis: Two brothers place an online ad to find dates for a wedding and the ad goes viral.
The Secret Life of Pets
Director: Chris Renaud,...
Starting this month, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list below, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.
See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for July 2016
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, July 8. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.
Wide
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Director: Jake Szymanski
Cast: Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Zac Efron
Synopsis: Two brothers place an online ad to find dates for a wedding and the ad goes viral.
The Secret Life of Pets
Director: Chris Renaud,...
- 7/8/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The lives of the young, illiterate Mellon brothers, Henry (Tim Morton) and Francis (David Maloney), whose world barely extends beyond their small, unproductive farm in Small’s Corner, Kentucky, might seem historically insignificant compared to the monumental events transpiring in their own backyard in 1861. The magic — I use the word loosely because the film is cloaked in such an original isomorph of naturalism — of director Zachary Treitz’s Men Go to Battle lies in its equal treatment of the two strands. The filmmaker tailors the aesthetic to his purposes, noting with a hint of sarcasm to The L Magazine, […]...
- 7/8/2016
- by Howard Feinstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
James + Semaj is a column where James Franco talks to his reverse self, Semaj, about new films. Rather than a conventional review, it is place where James and Semaj can muse about ideas that the films provoke. James loves going to the movies and talking about them. But a one-sided take on a movie, in print, might be misconstrued as a review. As someone in the industry it could be detrimental to James’s career if he were to review his peers, because unlike the book industry—where writers review other writer’s books—the film industry is highly collaborative, and a bad review of a peer could create problems. So, assume that James (and Semaj) love all these films. What they’re interested in talking about is all the ways the films inspire them, and make them think. James is me, and Semaj is the other side of me.
- 7/7/2016
- by James Franco
- Indiewire
Editor’s Note: “Men Go To Battle” is not your normal micro-budget independent film. The story of two Kentucky brothers set against the backdrop of Civil War is a perfect example of how resourceful low budget filmmakers can be, as director Zachary Treitz and his small band of collaborators creates a vibrant and credible-looking period drama. The film is much more than an inventive recreation of period, it is also an exercise in taking a modern approach to story and filmmaking to cut through the layers of historical embellishment to make a direct and intimate film that is as relatable as any set in 2016.
In the first of a series of articles about the film, cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz talks about how he approached shooting “Men” and how he tackled the challenge of shooting in the low light, pre-electricity world of 1861.
Read More: How To Make a Period-Set Feature Film For...
In the first of a series of articles about the film, cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz talks about how he approached shooting “Men” and how he tackled the challenge of shooting in the low light, pre-electricity world of 1861.
Read More: How To Make a Period-Set Feature Film For...
- 7/6/2016
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
"This war might last longer than me..." Film Movement has debuted a trailer for the indie drama Men Go to Battle, about the story of two brothers during the American Civil War. This is kind of the opposite of Free State of Jones, another Civil War movie due this year, with more of a mumblecore vibe and it even has a darkly comedic side - though that's hard to tell. The cast includes Timothy Morton, Charlotte Arnold, Steve Coulter, Samantha Jacober, Rachel Korine, David Maloney, Emily Cass McDonnell. The film follows two brothers trying to keep their crumbling estate together outside a Kentucky town. Have fun. Here's the first trailer (+ poster) for Zachary Treitz's Men Go to Battle, from YouTube (via Tfs): Official synopsis: Kentucky, 1861. Francis and Henry Mellon depend on each other to keep their unkempt estate afloat as winter encroaches. After Francis takes a casual fight too far,...
- 5/4/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Written by Zachary Treitz and Kate Lyn Sheil, and directed by Treitz, Men Go to Battle is an ambitious independent historical drama that tells the story of two quarreling brothers whose back-and-forth are interrupted by the Civil War. Here’s how the filmmakers synopsize the film, which stars Tim Morton, David Maloney and, from Spring Breakers, Rachel Korine: While most Americans predict that the Civil War will end by Christmas, Henry (Tim Morton) and Francis Mellon (David Maloney) are more concerned about braving another winter on their struggling rural Kentucky farm. The brothers have become suffocatingly close. Francis’ practical jokes become […]...
- 5/3/2016
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
If Matthew McConaughey‘s Civil War drama Free State of Jones (or even Civil War) aren’t your cup of tea this summer, we can recommend a more grounded experience from the era with Men Go to Battle. The directorial debut from Zachary Trietz follows two brothers who find themselves facing an approaching war. Premiering back at Tribeca Film Festival last year, it’ll now get a release this summer and the first trailer has landed.
We said in our review, “Mumblecore and the period drama have (somehow) come together, and the result is far better than people who are generally allergic to the subgenre may expect. On a minuscule budget, writer-director Zachary Treitz and his crew have laid out a fully realized recreation of the South during the American Civil War — and it’s more than convincing recreations of an era’s aesthetic. Where many historical films are concerned...
We said in our review, “Mumblecore and the period drama have (somehow) come together, and the result is far better than people who are generally allergic to the subgenre may expect. On a minuscule budget, writer-director Zachary Treitz and his crew have laid out a fully realized recreation of the South during the American Civil War — and it’s more than convincing recreations of an era’s aesthetic. Where many historical films are concerned...
- 5/3/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
There’s always a discovery to be found in every Tribeca Film Festival line-up and one of the indies that broke out last year was “Men Go To Battle.” The directorial debut of Zachary Treitz, “Men Go To Battle” is a micro-budgeted Civil War era film that stars Tim Morton, David Maloney, Rachel Korine, Steve Coulter and Kate Lyn Sheil (“House Of Cards,” the upcoming “The Girlfriend Experience”) who co-wrote the movie with its director. The indie centers on two brothers struggling to hold their crumbling estate together outside a small Kentucky town in the fall of 1861. Here’s the official synopsis: Most Americans predict that the Civil War will end by Christmas, but Henry (Tim Morton) and Francis Mellon (David Maloney) couldn't care less. Bracing for another winter on their struggling farm in rural Kentucky, the brothers have become suffocatingly close. Francis' practical jokes become more and more aggressive...
- 3/3/2016
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Mumblecore and the period drama have (somehow) come together, and the result is far better than people who are generally allergic to the subgenre may expect. On a miniscule budget, writer-director Zachary Treitz and his crew have laid out a fully realized recreation of the South during the American Civil War — and it’s more than convincing recreations of an era’s aesthetic. Where many historical films are concerned with the movers and shakers of well-known events, Men Go to Battle is all about the micro view. It tells a story that happens to be set against a volatile backdrop, but is more about what it was like to live day-to-day in such a time.
Here is where the mumblecore sensibility comes in. The actors all adopt that brand of low-key physicality and manner of speech, favoring naturalism above all else. The plot, too, is of the loosey-goosey, incident-based nature beloved by indie film.
Here is where the mumblecore sensibility comes in. The actors all adopt that brand of low-key physicality and manner of speech, favoring naturalism above all else. The plot, too, is of the loosey-goosey, incident-based nature beloved by indie film.
- 11/12/2015
- by Daniel Schindel
- The Film Stage
A pair of sections that we’ve been covering almost since its inception, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced their selections for the New Auteurs and American Independents line-ups and we’ve got a noteworthy, eyebrow-raising sampling of award-winning items from the Cannes played hellish immigration drama Mediterranea from Jonas Carpignano to Sundance (Josh Mond’s James White) to SXSW (Trey Edward Shults’ Krisha) winners. Since Park City days, our Nicholas Bell has reviewed a good chunk of these titles, but we’ll still likely have a couple of more reviews once the festival begins. Here are the selections and jury members.
New Auteurs Selections (11 Titles)
From Afar – When a middle-aged man is assaulted and robbed by a young criminal, an unlikely relationship develops. Dir Lorenzo Vigas. Scr Lorenzo Vigas. Cast Alfredo Castro and Luis Silva. Venezuela/Mexico. U.S. Premiere
Disorder – Matthias Schoenaerts plays an ex-soldier who becomes locked...
New Auteurs Selections (11 Titles)
From Afar – When a middle-aged man is assaulted and robbed by a young criminal, an unlikely relationship develops. Dir Lorenzo Vigas. Scr Lorenzo Vigas. Cast Alfredo Castro and Luis Silva. Venezuela/Mexico. U.S. Premiere
Disorder – Matthias Schoenaerts plays an ex-soldier who becomes locked...
- 10/15/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Read More: How This Tribeca-Winning Director Made a Period Film That Feels Strikingly ModernZachary Treitz's Tribeca Film Festival sensation "Men Go To Battle" will get its North American release through Film Movement. The dark comedy stunned audiences and won Treitz the Best New Narrative Director award at Tff, thanks to its modern take on the period piece. Treitz achieved the seeming impossible by presenting a narrative set in the Civil War with modern sensibilities. By utilizing The Civil War as merely a space for the two strong performances by Tim Morton and David Maloney, Treitz allowed for a proximity to the historical subject matter that obviously resonated with his audience. The film tells the story of Henry and Francis Mellon, two brothers who own a farmstead in Small's Corner, Kentucky. The two of them lead a rather insular life, and pass the time with practical jokes and roughhousing, until Henry...
- 7/16/2015
- by Sarah Choi
- Indiewire
The distributor has acquired all North American rights to Zachary Treitz’s debut feature and Tribeca 2015 selection.
The 19th century, Kentucky-set Men Go To Battle is styled as a darkly comedic but historically accurate look at two brothers whose escalating pranks are interrupted by the Civil War.
Treitz co-wrote the screenplay with Kate Lyn Sheil. Steven Schardt produced the film, which earned Treitz the best new narrative director prize at the New York festival earlier this year.
Tim Morton, David Maloney and Rachel Korine star.
Film Movement president Michael Rosenberg brokered the dal with Matt Burke, Ben Braun and Josh Braun of Submarine...
The 19th century, Kentucky-set Men Go To Battle is styled as a darkly comedic but historically accurate look at two brothers whose escalating pranks are interrupted by the Civil War.
Treitz co-wrote the screenplay with Kate Lyn Sheil. Steven Schardt produced the film, which earned Treitz the best new narrative director prize at the New York festival earlier this year.
Tim Morton, David Maloney and Rachel Korine star.
Film Movement president Michael Rosenberg brokered the dal with Matt Burke, Ben Braun and Josh Braun of Submarine...
- 7/16/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Read More: Watch: New Trailer and Clip Arrive When 'Men Go To Battle' For the Civil War FilmThe problem with period pieces is that they're distancing. Even the finest, most humanizing historical films have an anthropological quality, as if the people onscreen were torn from a history book rather than a captured slice of life. This problem of estrangement is typically inherent to the fabric of the genre. That's not the case with Zachary Treitz's "Men Go to Battle." Treitz, who was awarded Best New Narrative Director at the Tribeca Film Festival this year, has created a period piece that feels contemporary. Set in 1861, "Men Go To Battle" is a portrait of quotidian life in an extraordinary moment in history. The Civil War proves merely a backdrop for brothers Henry (Tim Morton) and Francis (David Maloney), who own a modest farmstead in Small's Corner, Kentucky and lead...
- 4/28/2015
- by Emily Buder
- Indiewire
Read More: 5 Observations About the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Lineup War is coming, and so is a new look at the Civil War-era film "Men Go To Battle." A new trailer and clip for the Zachary Treitz directorial debut feature have arrived. Watch the trailer above. The clip is below. "Men Go To Battle" follows brothers Henry, played by Tim Morton, and Frances, played by David Maloney, who have spent just too much time with each other on their struggling Kentucky farm. When Frances humiliates Henry in front of the daughter of a prestigious family, Henry joins the Union army. Separated for the first time in a long time, the brothers must face the coming challenges of the war alone. "Men Go To Battle" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in the World Narrative Feature Competition. Read More: New Films Starring James Franco, Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning to Premiere at...
- 4/20/2015
- by Travis Clark
- Indiewire
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