Looking back on this still-young century makes clear that 2007 was a major time for cinematic happenings — and, on the basis of this retrospective, one we’re not quite through with ten years on. One’s mind might quickly flash to a few big titles that will be represented, but it is the plurality of both festival and theatrical premieres that truly surprises: late works from old masters, debuts from filmmakers who’ve since become some of our most-respected artists, and mid-career turning points that didn’t necessarily announce themselves as such at the time. Join us as an assembled team, many of whom were coming of age that year, takes on their favorites.
Declaring 2007 to be the year mumblecore came of age would be equally as fair as labeling it the year mumblecore collapsed. The signs of ascendance and coalescence—group coverage in high-profile publications, series programmed at art houses,...
Declaring 2007 to be the year mumblecore came of age would be equally as fair as labeling it the year mumblecore collapsed. The signs of ascendance and coalescence—group coverage in high-profile publications, series programmed at art houses,...
- 8/22/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
There are a few actors whose prowess stems in equal measure from their training or innate talent, and from their physiognomy. In the past we had Humphrey Bogart and Anna Karina. Today, Denis Lavant is one of those actors. Adam Driver also comes to mind. Greta Gerwig, with her lanky figure and mesmerizing expression, belongs to a category all her own.There’s a particular quality that comes to life when she moves. The movement might be as slight as bend in the lips, or as large as a star-figured jump in the air. Both are, in equal measure, unmistakably hers. Throughout her career, Gerwig has worked with directors who’ve captured her physicality by letting the film run long enough to capture the uniqueness of her movement. It took Joe Swanberg the entirety of Lol (2006) and 20 minutes of Hannah takes the Stairs (2007) to ask Gerwig to dance in front of the camera. This can only be explained by the director’s inexperience at the time. Noah Baumbach never made the same mistake, filming her twisting, twirling, and swirling, or just slightly bobbing for 17 seconds, to the tune of Paul and Linda McCartney’s “Uncle Albert”. Even for her small role in No Strings Attached (2011), Ivan Reitman had the good sense to shoot two scenes where Greta’s dancing held center stage. In Greta Moves, I endeavored to find patterns in the movements throughout her filmography, interweaving them with an abundance of match cuts. To create a dance tapestry that heightened those connections, the piece of music was fundamental. The inspiration for that choice—as well as the structure of the video essay—came from Wim Wender’s Pina (2011). The work was built almost entirely around the second performance in the movie and the lovely melody of Jun Miyake, “The Here and After”.
- 6/22/2017
- MUBI
NY Times talks to David O. Russell about Joy... which still is not screening. The mystery of it all
Playbill Aladdin flew through the streets of NYC on his magic carpet recently. How's that for marketing?
Gold Standard Character actors get their own award "The Carneys"... we wouldn't need this if the Academy remembered why they invited the Supporting Acting categories. The first recipients: Bob Balaban, Michael Ealy, Bruce McGill, David Paymer and Cch Pounder
THR wishes Toni Collette a happy birthday with fun facts
/Film Jennifer Aniston hasn't made a good film in 10 years. Can What Alice Forgot change her course?
Guardian suggests that appointment franchise cinema will end with Hunger Games: Mockinjay Part 2. "If Only!" says all of us who year for movies to be movies rather than expensive television series
Variety talks to Karl Glusman about his first day on the set of Gaspar Noé's Love...
Playbill Aladdin flew through the streets of NYC on his magic carpet recently. How's that for marketing?
Gold Standard Character actors get their own award "The Carneys"... we wouldn't need this if the Academy remembered why they invited the Supporting Acting categories. The first recipients: Bob Balaban, Michael Ealy, Bruce McGill, David Paymer and Cch Pounder
THR wishes Toni Collette a happy birthday with fun facts
/Film Jennifer Aniston hasn't made a good film in 10 years. Can What Alice Forgot change her course?
Guardian suggests that appointment franchise cinema will end with Hunger Games: Mockinjay Part 2. "If Only!" says all of us who year for movies to be movies rather than expensive television series
Variety talks to Karl Glusman about his first day on the set of Gaspar Noé's Love...
- 11/1/2015
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Meet some of the best directors working today, who haven't gone down the blockbuster movie route...
Ever find it a bit lame when the same big name directors get kicked around for every high profile project? Christopher Nolan, Jj Abrams, maybe the Russo Brothers? With so much focus on blockbuster films these days, getting a major franchise job seems like the main acknowledgement of success for a filmmaker. And yes, both the financial and creative rewards can be great. But there are plenty of other directors out there, doing their own thing, from art house auteurs to Dtv action specialists.
Here are 25 examples.
Lee Hardcastle
Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve probably seen Lee Hardcastle’s ultraviolent claymations shared on social media. He first started getting noticed for his two-minute remake of The Thing, starring the famous stop motion penguin Pingu. Far from just a cheap one-joke mash-up,...
Ever find it a bit lame when the same big name directors get kicked around for every high profile project? Christopher Nolan, Jj Abrams, maybe the Russo Brothers? With so much focus on blockbuster films these days, getting a major franchise job seems like the main acknowledgement of success for a filmmaker. And yes, both the financial and creative rewards can be great. But there are plenty of other directors out there, doing their own thing, from art house auteurs to Dtv action specialists.
Here are 25 examples.
Lee Hardcastle
Even if you don’t know his name, you’ve probably seen Lee Hardcastle’s ultraviolent claymations shared on social media. He first started getting noticed for his two-minute remake of The Thing, starring the famous stop motion penguin Pingu. Far from just a cheap one-joke mash-up,...
- 9/30/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
[Editor's Note: This post is presented in partnership with Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand in support of Indie Film Month. Today's pick, "Digging for Fire," is available now On Demand. Need help finding a movie to watch? Let TWC find the best fit for your mood here.] Read More: Rosemarie DeWitt on How Joe Swanberg's 'Digging for Fire' Reflected Her Own Life Experience The unearthing of a rusty gun and dirty bone from a backyard bank seems like a surface setup to a murder mystery, but as the latest entry in Joe Swanberg's oeuvre, "Digging for Fire" has an ulterior motive. Swanberg has always explored relationship dynamics in his films, from long-distance challenges ("Lol," "Nights and Weekends") to ambiguous workplace romances ("Hannah Takes the Stairs," "Drinking Buddies"), but none of his films have been as symbolically meaningful or emotionally mature as this one. "Digging"...
- 9/16/2015
- by An Banh
- Indiewire
Read More: Podcast: Joe Swanberg and ‘Jurassic World’ Are Kindred Spirits. No, Really. The unearthing of a rusty gun and dirty bone from a backyard bank seems like a surface setup to a murder mystery, but as the latest entry in Joe Swanberg's oeuvre, "Digging for Fire" has an ulterior motive. Swanberg has always explored relationship dynamics in his films, from long-distance challenges ("Lol," "Nights and Weekends") to ambiguous workplace romances ("Hannah Takes the Stairs," "Drinking Buddies"), but none of his films have been as symbolically meaningful or emotionally mature as this one. "Digging" finds Swanberg taking a different narrative tack by pitting Jake Johnson against Rosemarie DeWitt in an adventure tale about marriage, parenthood, and complacency. Tim (Johnson) and Lee (DeWitt) are a married couple with a three-year-old son named Jude (Jude Swanberg), house-sitting for a colleague in the country for a weekend....
- 8/18/2015
- by An Banh
- Indiewire
Chicago – Greta Gerwig’s persona as a character actress has blossomed in the last three years, as she has taken on three women in their twenties at the crossroads of life, in that life decade of consequence. In addition to her title roles in “Lola Versus” and “Francis Ha,” her latest is “Mistress America,” which she also co-wrote.
Directed by Noah Baumbach, the film is essentially a buddy comedy, if the buddies are two women – one a Freshman in college and aspiring writer named Tracy (Lola Kirke), and the other (Gerwig) a overwrought urban survivalist named Brooke – living with uncertainty, guile and pomposity in New York City. Like the Greta Gerwig characters of Lola and Francis, Brooke is an achiever in a different way, as they all learn to understand what their purpose is, when challenged with life altering change that is not necessarily what they wanted.
Greta Gerwig and...
Directed by Noah Baumbach, the film is essentially a buddy comedy, if the buddies are two women – one a Freshman in college and aspiring writer named Tracy (Lola Kirke), and the other (Gerwig) a overwrought urban survivalist named Brooke – living with uncertainty, guile and pomposity in New York City. Like the Greta Gerwig characters of Lola and Francis, Brooke is an achiever in a different way, as they all learn to understand what their purpose is, when challenged with life altering change that is not necessarily what they wanted.
Greta Gerwig and...
- 8/17/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
-Renaud Jean Baptiste Jr.
NBA All-Star Weekend kicked off in high gear yesterday, as various celebs from the sports and entertainment world put their athleticism on display in the 2015 Sprint Celebrity game. Kevin Hart, Ansel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, and Common were just some of the names on hand trying to lead their respective team to victory.
The game was played at the world famous Madison Square Garden and was nothing short of entertaining. Nick Cannon squared off with Hart in an old-school dance battle prior to tip-off, Keke Palmer gave an impressive rendition of the National Anthem and there was even a Dave Chappelle sighting. Check out our thoughts on the night, along with some pics and social media highlights.
The Real Mvp
Wnba star Skylar Diggins, scored 13 points and lead her West squad to the promise land. But that wasn’t enough to land her Mvp, as Hart took...
NBA All-Star Weekend kicked off in high gear yesterday, as various celebs from the sports and entertainment world put their athleticism on display in the 2015 Sprint Celebrity game. Kevin Hart, Ansel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, and Common were just some of the names on hand trying to lead their respective team to victory.
The game was played at the world famous Madison Square Garden and was nothing short of entertaining. Nick Cannon squared off with Hart in an old-school dance battle prior to tip-off, Keke Palmer gave an impressive rendition of the National Anthem and there was even a Dave Chappelle sighting. Check out our thoughts on the night, along with some pics and social media highlights.
The Real Mvp
Wnba star Skylar Diggins, scored 13 points and lead her West squad to the promise land. But that wasn’t enough to land her Mvp, as Hart took...
- 2/14/2015
- by VH1
- VH1.com
-Renaud Jean Baptiste Jr.
NBA All-Star Weekend kicked off in high gear yesterday, as various celebs from the sports and entertainment world put their athleticism on display in the 2015 Sprint Celebrity game. Kevin Hart, Ansel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, and Common were just some of the names on hand trying to lead their respective team to victory.
The game was played at the world famous Madison Square Garden and was nothing short of entertaining. Nick Cannon squared off with Hart in an old-school dance battle prior to tip-off, Keke Palmer gave an impressive rendition of the National Anthem and there was even a Dave Chappelle sighting. Check out our thoughts on the night, along with some pics and social media highlights.
The Real Mvp
Wnba star Skylar Diggins, scored 13 points and lead her West squad to the promise land. But that wasn’t enough to land her Mvp, as Hart took...
NBA All-Star Weekend kicked off in high gear yesterday, as various celebs from the sports and entertainment world put their athleticism on display in the 2015 Sprint Celebrity game. Kevin Hart, Ansel Elgort, Anthony Anderson, and Common were just some of the names on hand trying to lead their respective team to victory.
The game was played at the world famous Madison Square Garden and was nothing short of entertaining. Nick Cannon squared off with Hart in an old-school dance battle prior to tip-off, Keke Palmer gave an impressive rendition of the National Anthem and there was even a Dave Chappelle sighting. Check out our thoughts on the night, along with some pics and social media highlights.
The Real Mvp
Wnba star Skylar Diggins, scored 13 points and lead her West squad to the promise land. But that wasn’t enough to land her Mvp, as Hart took...
- 2/14/2015
- by VH1
- TheFabLife - Movies
The unearthing of a rusty gun and dirty bone from a backyard bank seems like a surface setup to a murder mystery, but as the latest entry in Joe Swanberg's oeuvre, "Digging for Fire" has an ulterior motive. Swanberg has always explored relationship dynamics in his films, from long-distance challenges ("Lol," "Nights and Weekends") to ambiguous workplace romances ("Hannah Takes the Stairs," "Drinking Buddies"), but none of his films have been as symbolically meaningful or emotionally mature as this one. "Digging" finds Swanberg taking a different narrative tack by pitting Jake Johnson against Rosemarie DeWitt in an adventure tale about marriage, parenthood, and complacency. Tim (Johnson) and Lee (DeWitt) are a married couple with a three-year-old son named Jude (Jude Swanberg), house-sitting for a colleague in the country for a weekend. Tim is disillusioned about his relationship with Lee, which is only being kept alive...
- 1/30/2015
- by An Banh
- Indiewire
Joe Swanberg is 33. I don't know whether to be amazed by how high or low that number is. On one hand, that's ridiculously young for a filmmaker who broke out back in 2006 and 2007 with "Lol" and "Hannah Takes The Stairs" and has been absurdly prolific since then. On the other hand, though, the filmmaker who made his name -- and, depending on your generosity, made a genre -- chronicling the dramatically limited foibles of recent college graduates has reached the "thirtysomething" phase of his career. The erratic and misdirected youths at the center of Swanberg's earlier films have become the pesky nubiles who show up to make Swanberg's new leads feel either old or optimistically mature. It's a transition that has been in the works for a little while. Last year's Swanberg Sundance entry "Happy Christmas" featured the director and Melanie Lynskey as a grown-up, responsible couple whose house nearly...
- 1/27/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
You’ve probably seen his work before.
Director Joe Swanberg is best known for directing “Drinking Buddies” last year that starred Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick. He was one of the collaborators in the cult favorite horror compilation “V/H/S” with the segment called “The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger.”
And maybe you’ve seen him on the big screen like the recent horror thriller “You’re Next,” in which he played as one the family victims.
Swanberg made his directorial debut with the 2005’s indie film “Kissing on the Mouth,” a film about recent college graduates on sex. And then he followed up with “Lol,” that starred with Greta Gerwig. With Gerwig, they further collaborated with 2007’s “Hannah Takes the Stairs” and 2008’s “Night and Weekends.”
In 2010, Swanberg became extremely busy directing seven films with “Uncle Kent,” “Caitlin Plays Herself,” “The Zone,...
Director Joe Swanberg is best known for directing “Drinking Buddies” last year that starred Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson and Anna Kendrick. He was one of the collaborators in the cult favorite horror compilation “V/H/S” with the segment called “The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger.”
And maybe you’ve seen him on the big screen like the recent horror thriller “You’re Next,” in which he played as one the family victims.
Swanberg made his directorial debut with the 2005’s indie film “Kissing on the Mouth,” a film about recent college graduates on sex. And then he followed up with “Lol,” that starred with Greta Gerwig. With Gerwig, they further collaborated with 2007’s “Hannah Takes the Stairs” and 2008’s “Night and Weekends.”
In 2010, Swanberg became extremely busy directing seven films with “Uncle Kent,” “Caitlin Plays Herself,” “The Zone,...
- 1/23/2014
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
Another year has come to an end, which means it's time for the Dread Central staff to weigh in with their picks of the best and worst of 2013's horror offerings. We're giving you a full dozen lists this time, and per usual they come in a variety of formats, each reflecting the unique styles of our writers.
We've also compiled them to come up with the year's overall winners and losers. We averaged out the top and bottom five vote getters on everyone's lists, and here are the results:
Best: Maniac
Runners-up: The Conjuring, Evil Dead
Worst: Texas Chainsaw 3D
Runners-up: The Purge, The Last Exorcism Part II
Check out the Dread Central staff's Best of and Worst of lists for 2013 by following the links below!
[Andrew Kasch]
[Anthony Arrigo]
[Brad McHargue]
[Buz "Danger" Wallick]
[Debi "The Woman in Black" Moore]
[The Foywonder]
[Gareth "Pestilence" Jones]
[Jinx]
[MattFini]
[Scott "Doctor Gash" Hallam]
[Staci Layne Wilson]
[Uncle Creepy]
Andrew Kasch's Picks
Stoker: Chan-wook Park delivered some next-level filmmaking and his best film since Oldboy with his U.
We've also compiled them to come up with the year's overall winners and losers. We averaged out the top and bottom five vote getters on everyone's lists, and here are the results:
Best: Maniac
Runners-up: The Conjuring, Evil Dead
Worst: Texas Chainsaw 3D
Runners-up: The Purge, The Last Exorcism Part II
Check out the Dread Central staff's Best of and Worst of lists for 2013 by following the links below!
[Andrew Kasch]
[Anthony Arrigo]
[Brad McHargue]
[Buz "Danger" Wallick]
[Debi "The Woman in Black" Moore]
[The Foywonder]
[Gareth "Pestilence" Jones]
[Jinx]
[MattFini]
[Scott "Doctor Gash" Hallam]
[Staci Layne Wilson]
[Uncle Creepy]
Andrew Kasch's Picks
Stoker: Chan-wook Park delivered some next-level filmmaking and his best film since Oldboy with his U.
- 1/3/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Chicago – It takes a special sort of filmmaker to hit it big without compromising any artistic principles. This month marks a career high for Chicago’s own Diy trail-blazer, Joe Swanberg, whose microbudget gems have influenced everyone from Lynn Shelton (“Touchy Feely”) to Lena Dunham (“Girls”).
On Friday, August 23rd, two of Joe’s buzzed-about pictures will receive a limited theatrical release.
One is Ti West’s darkly satirical horror lark, “You’re Next,” which is currently being advertised at every creepy subway station in the Windy City (Swanberg plays an amusingly hatable character with a smug disregard for indie flicks). The other film is Swanberg’s 15th feature effort, “Drinking Buddies,” featuring an all-star cast, cinematography from a Cannes prize-winner (“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Dp Ben Richardson) and an actual budget. Yet Swanberg’s improvisational style and observant eye for naturalistic nuance remains entirely intact. Olivia Wilde is...
On Friday, August 23rd, two of Joe’s buzzed-about pictures will receive a limited theatrical release.
One is Ti West’s darkly satirical horror lark, “You’re Next,” which is currently being advertised at every creepy subway station in the Windy City (Swanberg plays an amusingly hatable character with a smug disregard for indie flicks). The other film is Swanberg’s 15th feature effort, “Drinking Buddies,” featuring an all-star cast, cinematography from a Cannes prize-winner (“Beasts of the Southern Wild” Dp Ben Richardson) and an actual budget. Yet Swanberg’s improvisational style and observant eye for naturalistic nuance remains entirely intact. Olivia Wilde is...
- 8/21/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Joe Swanberg has become a fixture on the indie film scene over the last eight years thanks to mumblecore hallmarks like "Lol," "Hannah Takes The Stairs" and "Alexander The Last." His latest feature, "Drinking Buddies," combines the script-free natural approach of those earlier movies with a Hollywood dream cast: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Ron Livingston and Anna Kendrick all star in the film, which tells the story of two co-workers at a brewery who might be more than just friends.
"The point I want to make clear is that this movie is called an improvised movie a lot, but our director was the captain of the ship," Johnson said after the "Drinking Buddies" premiere at SXSW in March. "It was a really nice thing. We would all talk things out, but it wasn't a situation where we'd show up on set and we'd say, 'My character's going to do this today!
"The point I want to make clear is that this movie is called an improvised movie a lot, but our director was the captain of the ship," Johnson said after the "Drinking Buddies" premiere at SXSW in March. "It was a really nice thing. We would all talk things out, but it wasn't a situation where we'd show up on set and we'd say, 'My character's going to do this today!
- 7/29/2013
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
Planning to see a movie over the long weekend but tired at the mere thought of sitting through bloated summer blockbusters like "The Lone Ranger," "World War Z," "White House Down," "Fast & Furious 6," "Star Trek Into Darkness" and "Man of Steel"? There's some good news: Summer 2013 is loaded with high quality art house features, many of which have floundered at the box office for no real good reason. Help change that this weekend with these 10 alternatives to the wide-release behemoths.
1. "Before Midnight"
Why you should see it: Because Richard Linklater's third "Before" film might be the best one yet; because it's the one summer movie thus far that could legitimately earn a Best Picture nomination next year.
2. "Frances Ha"
Why you should see it: Because Greta Gerwig is the Queen of the Summer.
3. "20 Feet From Stardom"
Why you should see it: Because this documentary -- about some of...
1. "Before Midnight"
Why you should see it: Because Richard Linklater's third "Before" film might be the best one yet; because it's the one summer movie thus far that could legitimately earn a Best Picture nomination next year.
2. "Frances Ha"
Why you should see it: Because Greta Gerwig is the Queen of the Summer.
3. "20 Feet From Stardom"
Why you should see it: Because this documentary -- about some of...
- 7/3/2013
- by Christopher Rosen
- Huffington Post
In an effort to say at least a few words on everything I see this year, here are three short takes on recent pictures we haven't discussed much. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you've seen 'em (or want to).
Frances Ha
Modern dancer Frances (Greta Gerwig), suddenly apartment hunting when her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) moves out, struggles to get her act together while her friends are increasingly settling into career and relationship grooves
Quickie Take: Less an explicit psychological mural than a suggestive sidewalk sketch but what artistry! Palpable energy and magical color. [In black and white]. A-
Frances Ha tickles me
Best in Show: Greta Gerwig but then she Is the show. The supporting cast is fine too including newcomer Mickey Sumner as best friend Sophie, Broadway star Charlotte D'Amboise as a dance guru, and Grace Gummer as an irritated former classmate.
Oscar? I'd love to emphatically promise...
Frances Ha
Modern dancer Frances (Greta Gerwig), suddenly apartment hunting when her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner) moves out, struggles to get her act together while her friends are increasingly settling into career and relationship grooves
Quickie Take: Less an explicit psychological mural than a suggestive sidewalk sketch but what artistry! Palpable energy and magical color. [In black and white]. A-
Frances Ha tickles me
Best in Show: Greta Gerwig but then she Is the show. The supporting cast is fine too including newcomer Mickey Sumner as best friend Sophie, Broadway star Charlotte D'Amboise as a dance guru, and Grace Gummer as an irritated former classmate.
Oscar? I'd love to emphatically promise...
- 6/20/2013
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Tim here, hoping that we're all okay with talking about Greta Gerwig a little bit more. The 29-year-old actress and her career has been discussed to the point of distraction throughout the internet ever since she erupted onto the indie scene in 2006 and 2007 in a pair of Joe Swanberg films, Lol and Hannah Takes the Stairs, but on the eve of her new collaboration with director Noah Baumbach, Frances Ha, it seemed the right moment to take stock of where her short but impressively-stocked career has taken her so far. It's also a great moment to look head-on at the question that has hung around the new film like a shroud: is Frances Ha going to be Gerwig’s “breakout” film, the one that finally makes her a movie star?
My feeling, without having seen the movie (where I live in Chicago, it's not opening for a while yet) is that it almost certainly won't.
My feeling, without having seen the movie (where I live in Chicago, it's not opening for a while yet) is that it almost certainly won't.
- 5/17/2013
- by Tim Brayton
- FilmExperience
“The finacialization of the capitalist economy implies a growing abstraction of work from its useful function, and of language from its bodily dimension. Desire is diverted from physical contact and invested in the abstract field of simulated seduction, in the infinite space of the image.”
—Franco “Bifo” Berardi in The Uprising, On Poetry and Finance
For those who came of age in the nondescript 2000s, an era characterised by securitarian paranoia and lack of future prospects, Joe Swanberg’s Lol (2006) might as well read as their very own (purposeless) existential manifesto. A generational pamphlet that, in tune with its times, neither affirms nor negates, let alone criticizes, its predicament, but simply registers the vacuum within which it occurs. It is the Western vacuum of the 21st century whose first decade was marked by a tangible curb in the forward surge of pop cultural history. Cinema, but also music and literature,...
—Franco “Bifo” Berardi in The Uprising, On Poetry and Finance
For those who came of age in the nondescript 2000s, an era characterised by securitarian paranoia and lack of future prospects, Joe Swanberg’s Lol (2006) might as well read as their very own (purposeless) existential manifesto. A generational pamphlet that, in tune with its times, neither affirms nor negates, let alone criticizes, its predicament, but simply registers the vacuum within which it occurs. It is the Western vacuum of the 21st century whose first decade was marked by a tangible curb in the forward surge of pop cultural history. Cinema, but also music and literature,...
- 1/21/2013
- by Celluloid Liberation Front
- MUBI
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be releasing Damsels in Distress on DVD in the United States on September 25th, 2012. Since we consider Damsels in Distress to be a film with a "timeless quality" we were more than happy to give our loyal readership a chance to win a free DVD copy when presented with the opportunity. It goes without saying that Damsels in Distress succeeds because of Greta Gerwig (though Analeigh Tipton and Adam Brody are excellent as well). I could discuss the talents of Gerwig ad nauseum, but I will spare you that lecture; instead I will hone in on the fact that she is the one (and only) actress who can simultaneously channel Alicia Silverstone and Katharine Hepburn, which is why she is perfectly cast as Violet in Damsels in Distress. Like the film, Gerwig has a timeless quality about her. She could be a George Cukor dame...
- 9/24/2012
- by Linc Leifeste
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Jay and Mark Duplass went from microbudget mumblecore like "The Puffy Chair" to more mainstream fare -albeit still quirky- like "Cyrus" and "Jeff Who Lives At Home."
Now with "Drinking Buddies" it's time for the grand marshal of the mumblecore parade, Joe Swanberg, will have his shot (or shots) at mass appeal, according to Deadline, by adding Olivia Wilde, Ron Livingston and Jake M. Johnson to a cast headlined by the thinking man's hottie crush, Anna Kendrick.
Swanberg practically founded the mumblecore movement with chatty improv-a-thons like "Lol" or "Hannah Takes the Stairs," and "Drinking Buddies" will also incorporate a ton of loose ad libbed dialogue as it recounts a fun and flirtatious friendship between Livingston and, presumably, Kendrick that goes off the rails.
Livingston is best known for "Swingers" and his slackerific lead role in cult classic "Office Space." Wilde is fresh off of two so-so blockbusters, "Tron Legacy" and "Cowboys and Aliens,...
Now with "Drinking Buddies" it's time for the grand marshal of the mumblecore parade, Joe Swanberg, will have his shot (or shots) at mass appeal, according to Deadline, by adding Olivia Wilde, Ron Livingston and Jake M. Johnson to a cast headlined by the thinking man's hottie crush, Anna Kendrick.
Swanberg practically founded the mumblecore movement with chatty improv-a-thons like "Lol" or "Hannah Takes the Stairs," and "Drinking Buddies" will also incorporate a ton of loose ad libbed dialogue as it recounts a fun and flirtatious friendship between Livingston and, presumably, Kendrick that goes off the rails.
Livingston is best known for "Swingers" and his slackerific lead role in cult classic "Office Space." Wilde is fresh off of two so-so blockbusters, "Tron Legacy" and "Cowboys and Aliens,...
- 7/11/2012
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
Chicago – The characters in a Lynn Shelton movie live relatively content lives until an unexpected event ruptures their sense of self. A self-absorbed writer awakens to the fact that he’s been a terrible friend in “My Effortless Brilliance.” Two heterosexual buddies test the boundaries of their relationship by attempting to film a porno together in “Humpday.”
In Shelton’s latest film, “You Sister’s Sister,” three close friends threaten to destroy their close bond when the truth proves to be difficult to accept. As in “Brilliance,” “Sister” takes place in a remote location. Jack (Mark Duplass) is still reeling from the death of his brother when he’s invited by his best friend, Iris (Emily Blunt), to stay at her family’s remote cabin. There he meets Iris’ half-sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), a lesbian who isn’t above experimenting beyond her sexual boundaries, especially after a few drinks.
Just...
In Shelton’s latest film, “You Sister’s Sister,” three close friends threaten to destroy their close bond when the truth proves to be difficult to accept. As in “Brilliance,” “Sister” takes place in a remote location. Jack (Mark Duplass) is still reeling from the death of his brother when he’s invited by his best friend, Iris (Emily Blunt), to stay at her family’s remote cabin. There he meets Iris’ half-sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), a lesbian who isn’t above experimenting beyond her sexual boundaries, especially after a few drinks.
Just...
- 6/11/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Remember when you were 10, and you thought by 22 you'd be married, with a big house (that has a white picket fence) and two perfect children? Maybe a dog and a cat to complete the family? But when you hit 30, you may start to realize that all those dreams won't necessarily come true. Welcome to the suck, sucker.
"Lola Versus" is the story of a girl who didn't get everything she wanted, at the time she wanted it -- and how she deals with that. Greta Gerwig is Lola, who's fixing to marry the man of her dreams, Luke (played by future RoboCop and current Detective Stephen Holder on AMC's "The Killing," Joel Kinnaman). Things are going well for Lola. She's about to finish school, the wedding planning is coming along nicely ... and then kerplunk, Luke calls off the engagement just three weeks before the wedding.
Also Check Out: 5 Questions With...
"Lola Versus" is the story of a girl who didn't get everything she wanted, at the time she wanted it -- and how she deals with that. Greta Gerwig is Lola, who's fixing to marry the man of her dreams, Luke (played by future RoboCop and current Detective Stephen Holder on AMC's "The Killing," Joel Kinnaman). Things are going well for Lola. She's about to finish school, the wedding planning is coming along nicely ... and then kerplunk, Luke calls off the engagement just three weeks before the wedding.
Also Check Out: 5 Questions With...
- 6/8/2012
- by Chase Whale
- NextMovie
Director: Whit Stillman Writer: Whit Stillman Starring: Greta Gerwig, Analeigh Tipton, Carrie MacLemore, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Ryan Metcalf, Adam Brody, Billy Magnussen, Jermaine Crawford, Caitlin Fitzgerald, Zach Woods, Domenico D'Ippolito, Nick Blaemire, Aubrey Plaza, Hugo Becker, Meredith Hagner It should say something to us that Seven Oaks College utilizes the Roman alphabet rather than the more commonly accepted Greek alphabet in the naming of their sorority and fraternity houses, as this references the Romans' propensity for crude decadence over the Greeks' philosophical pursuits. Propagated by doofi (the plural of doofus), the fraternities of Seven Oaks have de-evolved into a state of idiocracy; the situation is so grim that two male characters do not even know the names of the basic colors. (Did writer-director Whit Stillman's name of one of these dimwits Thor [Billy Magnussen] as a reference to the Norse god or the Avenger?) We can only assume that this fictional New...
- 5/4/2012
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Each Friday, the Zap2it staff features five essential things we found [cool] [interesting] [useful] [hilarious] [poignant] [stupid] in the past week. Do you have your own Friday 5? Share them in the comments section below.
#1: Texts from Hillary Clinton
Tumblr is one of the best things ever created when it comes to channeling raw creativity into a slick package in as little as five minutes. Short of a Nobel Peace Prize, we're not sure there's a way to give Clinton bigger props. Or funnier ones. [See more at textsfromhillaryclinton.tumblr.com]
#2: Lindsay Lohan ages in 60 seconds
This really only gets frightening -- and frighteningly familiar -- towards the end.
#3: Pop-up 'Mad Men'
We're not sure you saw this, so we wanted to pitch it one more time. And even though we made it, we still think it's one of the Lol-est things we saw in the past seven days. [More of the same here.]
#4: Emma Stone dances behind people
Thank you, Ellen DeGeneres.
#1: Texts from Hillary Clinton
Tumblr is one of the best things ever created when it comes to channeling raw creativity into a slick package in as little as five minutes. Short of a Nobel Peace Prize, we're not sure there's a way to give Clinton bigger props. Or funnier ones. [See more at textsfromhillaryclinton.tumblr.com]
#2: Lindsay Lohan ages in 60 seconds
This really only gets frightening -- and frighteningly familiar -- towards the end.
#3: Pop-up 'Mad Men'
We're not sure you saw this, so we wanted to pitch it one more time. And even though we made it, we still think it's one of the Lol-est things we saw in the past seven days. [More of the same here.]
#4: Emma Stone dances behind people
Thank you, Ellen DeGeneres.
- 4/6/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Indie darling Greta Gerwig is not, whatever her screen persona might suggest, an actress without ambition. Since her debut with a small role in Joe Swanberg's "Lol," she's been rising steadily through the ranks, working with many of the heavyweights of the so-called "mumblecore" movement like the Duplass Brothers and Ti West, moving into the mainstream with Noah Baumbach's "Greenberg," and even taking supporting roles in big studio comedies like "No Strings Attached" and "Arthur." And at the moment, she's on a run of working with a string of some of the most acclaimed filmmakers today: reuniting with Baumbach on HBO pilot "The Corrections," appearing in Woody Allen's "To Rome With Love," and leading the long-awaited return of Whit Stillman with "Damsels In Distress," which opens this Friday.
And all that time, she's kept her oar in behind the scenes as well: she co-wrote indies "Hannah Takes the Stairs" and "Northern Comfort,...
And all that time, she's kept her oar in behind the scenes as well: she co-wrote indies "Hannah Takes the Stairs" and "Northern Comfort,...
- 4/4/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
"Even Joe Swanberg has to stop to count the number of Joe Swanberg movies out there right now," writes Mark Olsen in the Los Angeles Times. Uncle Kent premiered at Sundance, Silver Bullets and Art History in Berlin. He's collaborating with Factory 25 on Joe Swanberg: Collected Films 2011, a box set of four films on DVD plus an unusual array of bonus material — records, photo books, posters. Autoerotic, made with Adam Wingard, is available on demand from IFC. And the AFI Fest, opening on Thursday, will be screening Silver Bullets and Art History and hosting the premiere of The Zone, which, as Olsen tells us, "traces the interrelationships of a trio of roommates once an outsider enters their dynamic, before revealing additional layers of psycho-emotional complexity…. If one were to make a diagram of contemporary American independent filmmaking, Swanberg would be somewhere near the center, if for no other reason...
- 10/31/2011
- MUBI
Chicago, Il - Cinema/Chicago announced that the 47Th Chicago International Film Festival will spotlight a diverse group of actors and filmmakers with Illinois and Chicago connections through two unique Festival programs: City & State and Chicago Connections.
From the Opening Night Presentation of The Last Rites of Joe May starring longtime Chicago thespian Dennis Farina to Xan Aranda.s look into the inner world of Chicago-bred musician Andrew Bird (Andrew Bird: Fever Year), and a short film program featuring promising new Illinois filmmakers (Shorts 1: City & State), this year.s City & State picks showcase the best features, documentaries and short films with roots in Chicago or Illinois. A Festival jury will select the best film in this category, which will be presented with the Chicago Award.
Chicago Connections, a ticketed series of screenings, discussions and Q&A.s, will honor notable native Chicagoans John C. Reilly, Haskell Wexler, Joe Swanberg,...
From the Opening Night Presentation of The Last Rites of Joe May starring longtime Chicago thespian Dennis Farina to Xan Aranda.s look into the inner world of Chicago-bred musician Andrew Bird (Andrew Bird: Fever Year), and a short film program featuring promising new Illinois filmmakers (Shorts 1: City & State), this year.s City & State picks showcase the best features, documentaries and short films with roots in Chicago or Illinois. A Festival jury will select the best film in this category, which will be presented with the Chicago Award.
Chicago Connections, a ticketed series of screenings, discussions and Q&A.s, will honor notable native Chicagoans John C. Reilly, Haskell Wexler, Joe Swanberg,...
- 9/29/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Joe Swanberg is collaborating with Factory 25 on Joe Swanberg: Collected Films 2011, which "represents an entirely new way to distribute indie cinema," as the Brooklyn-based independent film and music label puts it in yesterday's announcement.
Filmmaker's Scott Macaulay elaborates: "Swanberg is offering fans a four-film, one-year subscription to his work. For $99.95 subscribers will receive a box that will fill up each quarter with not only DVDs but also bonus material, including 45rpm records, photo books and posters. 'I'm in the nice position right now of having so many [completed] films I'm trying to get out into the world, so I'm taking the plunge and doing something interesting,' says Swanberg. The four films are Silver Bullets and Art History (both of which premiered in Berlin), The Zone, and Privacy Settings. In the latter new film, scheduled to be released Fall, 2012, Frank V Ross plays a peeping tom 'who stumbles into a...
Filmmaker's Scott Macaulay elaborates: "Swanberg is offering fans a four-film, one-year subscription to his work. For $99.95 subscribers will receive a box that will fill up each quarter with not only DVDs but also bonus material, including 45rpm records, photo books and posters. 'I'm in the nice position right now of having so many [completed] films I'm trying to get out into the world, so I'm taking the plunge and doing something interesting,' says Swanberg. The four films are Silver Bullets and Art History (both of which premiered in Berlin), The Zone, and Privacy Settings. In the latter new film, scheduled to be released Fall, 2012, Frank V Ross plays a peeping tom 'who stumbles into a...
- 9/23/2011
- MUBI
The indie filmmaking game (as in true-blue, studio-free indie filmmaking) has gotten to a point where even Francis Ford Coppola is following Kevin Smith into the great unknown of out-of-the-box distribution experimentation, but mumblecore vet Joe Swanberg (Lol, Hannah Takes the Stairs) has partnered with independent release label Factory 25 on yet another crazy idea: Selling four-film, one-year subscriptions to his fans for $99.95 a pop, like a film version of artisanal foodstuff and wine club models.
- 9/21/2011
- Movieline
Greta Gerwig has landed her first leading role in Fox Searchlight's Lola Versus. Orlando Bloom is close to a deal to star opposite Gerwig in the Daryl Wein romantic comedy. The film is being financed by Groundswell Productions with Fox Searchlight in talks to distribute. Lola Versus will also star Zoe Lister-Jones, who also co-wrote the script. Production is slated to begin this June in New York.
Gerwig plays "a woman who is dumped just weeks before her wedding by her college sweetheart (Bloom), prompting her to embark on a series of encounters in an attempt to discover her place in the world as a single woman before she turns 30."
Gerwig may be best known to many audiences from Arthur, but she got her start with indie fare such as Lol and Baghead before starring in Noah Baumbach's Greenberg as Ben Stiller's love interest. She ws recently seen...
Gerwig plays "a woman who is dumped just weeks before her wedding by her college sweetheart (Bloom), prompting her to embark on a series of encounters in an attempt to discover her place in the world as a single woman before she turns 30."
Gerwig may be best known to many audiences from Arthur, but she got her start with indie fare such as Lol and Baghead before starring in Noah Baumbach's Greenberg as Ben Stiller's love interest. She ws recently seen...
- 5/3/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
Greta Gerwig is a star. Period. I don't think that too often about many of today's young performers but Gerwig has been a scene stealer in literally every film she's been in. Starting out in the "mumblecore" indie film movement in movies like Baghead and Lol, her talents were so obvious that it wasn't long before she made the leap to more mainstream stuff, making her first big splash in Noah...
- 5/3/2011
- by Travis Hopson
- Punch Drunk Critics
Indie darling Greta Gerwig (Lol, Baghead) broke into the mainstream when she scored a role in Noah Baumbach‘s Greenberg as the titular character’s love interest. After appearing in this year’s dismally received Arthur, she’s finally becoming a studio leading lady in the upcoming romantic comedy, Lola Versus.
Written by Zoe Lister-Jones and director Daryl Wein (the team behind Breaking Upwards), Lola Versus is the story of a woman (Gerwig) who is dumped just weeks before her wedding. In classic silver screen fashion, this inspires her to embark on a series of encounters that she hopes will help her discover her place in the world as a single woman before she turns 30.
According to Variety, Orlando Bloom is in talks to play the dumper, Gerwig’s character’s college sweetheart. Production is scheduled to start in June in New York and distribution in the form on Fox Searchlight.
Written by Zoe Lister-Jones and director Daryl Wein (the team behind Breaking Upwards), Lola Versus is the story of a woman (Gerwig) who is dumped just weeks before her wedding. In classic silver screen fashion, this inspires her to embark on a series of encounters that she hopes will help her discover her place in the world as a single woman before she turns 30.
According to Variety, Orlando Bloom is in talks to play the dumper, Gerwig’s character’s college sweetheart. Production is scheduled to start in June in New York and distribution in the form on Fox Searchlight.
- 5/3/2011
- by James Battaglia
- The Film Stage
Chicago – Few filmmakers have proven to be as effortlessly prolific as Chicago-based writer/director/producer/actor Joe Swanberg. Since 2005, he’s released one directorial feature per year, with the exception of 2010. This year, he could potentially release seven pictures (three of them have already made the festival rounds). “Uncle Kent” played at Sundance, while “Silver Bullets” and “Art History” were screened at Berlinale.
“Kent,” which opens April 29 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, stars Kent Osborne (of “Hannah Takes the Stairs”) as a fortysomething animator who falls for the woman (Jennifer Prediger) he met on Chatroulette. It’s Swanberg’s latest exploration of relationships enhanced and hindered by technology, as well as one of the filmmaker’s most singular character portraits. Both “Bullets” and “History” are about the creative process of filmmaking, with Swanberg and his crew playing semi-fictionalized versions of themselves. Hollywood Chicago spoke with Swanberg about his various new projects,...
“Kent,” which opens April 29 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, stars Kent Osborne (of “Hannah Takes the Stairs”) as a fortysomething animator who falls for the woman (Jennifer Prediger) he met on Chatroulette. It’s Swanberg’s latest exploration of relationships enhanced and hindered by technology, as well as one of the filmmaker’s most singular character portraits. Both “Bullets” and “History” are about the creative process of filmmaking, with Swanberg and his crew playing semi-fictionalized versions of themselves. Hollywood Chicago spoke with Swanberg about his various new projects,...
- 4/25/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Internet is not an inherently cinematic medium. The most important development to occur in media in the modern era, it is nevertheless extremely difficult for it to be incorporated easily into a film. However, as 'digital native' audience members begin to come of age and look to see the world they grew up in represented in movies, films will be beginning to represent the world of computers, and the net, to a greater degree. Pictures like Catfish and The Social Network both addressed the social impact of Facebook, albeit from greatly varying angles. Antonio Campos' Afterschool, released in 2009, was a masterful exploration of the impact of YouTube on the lives of teens. In 2006, Joe Swanberg was a bit ahead of the game - he was already addressing the concerns raised by a rapidly digital-izing of our social lives, in his mumblecore second feature, Lol. That film - which may be remembered,...
- 1/31/2011
- TribecaFilm.com
Last week, I had the opportunity to spend about 30 minutes in New York with the actress Greta Gerwig, who has earned widespread acclaim — including a nomination for breakthrough actor of the year at last month’s Gotham Indepdenent Film Awards and a nomination for best female lead at next month’s Independent Spirit Awards — for her performance opposite Ben Stiller in Noah Baumbach’s dark dramedy “Greenberg” (Focus Features, 3/26, R, trailer). In the film, Gerwig plays Florence Marr, a wealthy family’s personal assistant who is charged with checking up on — and who ultimately becomes romantically entangled with — Roger Greenberg (Stiller), a relative of theirs who recently had a nervous breakdown and is now recalibrating at their house while they travel abroad. Earlier this year, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott wrote that the 27-year-old blonde, who was previously best known for her instrumental role in American cinema’s “mumblecore” movement,...
- 1/13/2011
- by Scott Feinberg
- Scott Feinberg
Five indie films screening at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, which is set to run Jan. 20-30, will air simultaneously on Video-on-Demand systems all over the country, courtesy of Sundance Selects, the theatrical and VOD distributor.
The films that will be playing on VOD are: Brendan Fletcher’s Mad Bastards, Michael Tully’s Septien, Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton’s These Amazing Shadows, Joe Swanberg’s Uncle Kent and Gregg Araki’s Kaboom. The first four films in that list are World Premieres while Kaboom is the film’s U.S. premiere.
Uncle Kent is Swanberg’s first film in Sundance, although this isn’t his first experience with a film of his playing on a movie screen and on TV simultaneously. Back in 2007, his film Hannah Takes the Stairs had a limited theatrical release while also playing on demand courtesy of IFC. Interestingly, both IFC and Sundance Selects are owned by the same media conglomerate,...
The films that will be playing on VOD are: Brendan Fletcher’s Mad Bastards, Michael Tully’s Septien, Paul Mariano and Kurt Norton’s These Amazing Shadows, Joe Swanberg’s Uncle Kent and Gregg Araki’s Kaboom. The first four films in that list are World Premieres while Kaboom is the film’s U.S. premiere.
Uncle Kent is Swanberg’s first film in Sundance, although this isn’t his first experience with a film of his playing on a movie screen and on TV simultaneously. Back in 2007, his film Hannah Takes the Stairs had a limited theatrical release while also playing on demand courtesy of IFC. Interestingly, both IFC and Sundance Selects are owned by the same media conglomerate,...
- 1/7/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Atmospheric. Haunting. Subversive. They're words that could be applied to virtually anything in the Adam Wingard canon and they are no less true here with his latest feature, A Horrible Way To Die. But what Wingard has now that has, perhaps, lacked from his earlier work is a story that's truly a story rather than an experiment. If micro budget sensation Pop Skull was Wingard with a mood then A Horrible Way To Die is Wingard with a point. Don't let the trademark atmospherics and languid delivery fool you, this is Wingard with a focus as tight and sharp as any blade wielded by Garrick Turrell (Aj Bowen) as he leaves his trail of corpses scattered across the country.
Sarah (Amy Seimetz) is trying to start a new life. New town. New job. New lifestyle, hopefully, thanks to the help of Alcoholics Anonymous. And she's making progress, or she seems to be,...
Sarah (Amy Seimetz) is trying to start a new life. New town. New job. New lifestyle, hopefully, thanks to the help of Alcoholics Anonymous. And she's making progress, or she seems to be,...
- 9/11/2010
- Screen Anarchy
When I first heard that Warner Bros. was considering an Arthur remake, I first thought some typically derisive thoughts. "Oh, that's dumb," I internally opined. "Dudley Moore so nailed that character it's not even funny." But then I corrected myself, because Dudley Moore was absolutely drop-dead funny in that flick. And even though I loved the film way back in 1980 ... I always had a problem with the leading lady. Liza Minnelli, multi-talented though she may be, never really struck me as, well, pretty. Sorry, Liza.
But fresh word from Deadline.com indicates that the leading lady in the remake will be not only adorable, but quite the cool actress as well. If "talks" go accordingly, then it will be Greta Gerwig starring alongside Russell Brand in a comedy about a drunken millionaire and the "plain" girl he falls in love with. Helen Mirren is also on board (in the John Houseman John Gielgud role?...
But fresh word from Deadline.com indicates that the leading lady in the remake will be not only adorable, but quite the cool actress as well. If "talks" go accordingly, then it will be Greta Gerwig starring alongside Russell Brand in a comedy about a drunken millionaire and the "plain" girl he falls in love with. Helen Mirren is also on board (in the John Houseman John Gielgud role?...
- 5/6/2010
- by Scott Weinberg
- Cinematical
For good reasons — like the fact that all of Joe Swanberg's features have played here — the annual South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas, has a reputation as the adopted home of mumblecore. The dreaded M-word is used more and more negatively these days, but any term that labels films as diverse as Frownland, Lol, and Mutual Appreciation is a coinage looking for a definition. It was bound to fizzle at some point.
The terminology may be disintegrating, but the filmmakers behind these movies are still collaborating and still growing. This year, Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation) is back with his third feature, Beeswax, and Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes the Stairs) is back with Alexander the Last. Swanberg's film features (among others) Justin Rice who starred in Bujalski's previous film, and the wardrobe is credited to Ry Russo-Young, whose latest film You Wont Miss Me played...
The terminology may be disintegrating, but the filmmakers behind these movies are still collaborating and still growing. This year, Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation) is back with his third feature, Beeswax, and Joe Swanberg (Hannah Takes the Stairs) is back with Alexander the Last. Swanberg's film features (among others) Justin Rice who starred in Bujalski's previous film, and the wardrobe is credited to Ry Russo-Young, whose latest film You Wont Miss Me played...
- 3/16/2009
- Pastemagazine.com
Toronto International Film Festival acquisitions this year were sparse which was no surprise given the recent closings of the well funded specialty arms of the studios. The noticeable slowdown in the business at these large festival cum market events (e.g., Toronto) has continued since Cannes although Locarno was happily surprised at the increased number of acquisitions which took place there albeit by international sales agents rather than by distributors. At least it attests to some enthusiasm in what seems to be a lackluster low energy year for the film business. Venice[/link] also created some sales in spite of its never quite becoming the market it might be. Pusan was disappointing leaving buyers and sellers looking toward the upcoming Tokyo International Film Festival and AFM as the place where deals will close. The European sales agents did better selling to the Asian distributors than the Asian sales agents. Bavaria sold 'Into the Great Silence' to Jin Jin of South Korea. Celsius sold 'Vivaldi' to Mirovision for South Korea, and new international sales agent M-Appeal's Maren Kroymann sold 'Trick' to Coral for South Korea.
This is a sample of the Rights Roundup Reports available from sales-filmfinders@imdb.com. For more information on acquisitions in the future you can purchase the Fall Festival and Market RightsRoundup and Rights Roundup Reports for AFM/ American Film Market, Berlin Film Festival and EFM/ European Film Market and Cannes Film Festival and Marche du Film after those events.
In Toronto, Fox Searchlight remained the strong buyer, picking up 'The Wrestler' for the highest sales figure of the market, but still less than $4,000,000 and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the other hit of the festival. Summit, an A list international sales agent who entered the domestic distribution business this year also acquired ‘Hurt Locker' for U.S.. Both 'The Wrestler' and 'Hurt Locker' were packaged, financed and represented by CAA and both were significant in that only U.S. rights were acquired (without Canada) at a good high price. IFC Films continued its acquisitions activities for IFC in Theaters, its day and date distribution platform making independent films available to a national audience in theaters and on demand simultaneously, buying ‘Flame & Citron’, ‘Fear Me Not’, ‘Everlasting Moments’ and ‘Che’. Sony Pictures Classics was also active acquiring distribution rights to ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of a Chorus Line’, ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’). The micro distributors such as Strand, Kino, Zeitgeist, Panorama, etc. continued business as usual, which generally means hanging back until there are no obvious offers for a film and then coming in with a modest proposal.
Here are the international sales agents whose sales (licensing of distribution rights on behalf of the producers) have been reported thus far:
Bavaria Film International licensed ‘Krabat’ to SPI for Poland and Romania and to Film Depot for Russia ahead of the first public screening. Strong interest is also reported from Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latin America, Japan and USA. ‘The Window’ (aka ‘La Ventana’) sold to Cinemien for Benelux, Imovison for Brazil. A deal with France is expected to close. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ went to Against Gravity for Poland. ‘Empty Nest’ has interest from U.S. as does ‘Restless’.
Celluloid Dreams has acquired all international sales rights to ‘Soul Power’ from Submarine Entertainment who was repping the film. There are offers in major territories soon to close. It also acquired ‘Youssou NDour: I Bring What I Love’ for world sales. Oscilloscope acquired it for U.S. ‘Birdwatchers’ sold to Artificial Eye for the U.K., Filmladen for Austria, Trigon for Switzerland, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Hopscotch for Australia and New Zealand. ‘Mark Of An Angel’ has sold to Metrodome for the UK, Odeon for Greece, Seville for Canada, Xenix for Switzerland. Diaphana is about to gross $5m with its French theatrical release and Lumiere released in Belgium. ‘Achilles and the Tortoise’ sold to Odeon for France and Maywin for Russia.
Cinema Management Group has closed several territories on ‘The People Speak’ which screened 20 minutes in Toronto FF Special Screening. ‘Zambezia’, ‘Killer Bean Forever’ and ‘The People Speak’ went to Vision Film for Poland and to Film Pop for Turkey.
Elle Driver licensed ’35 Rhums’ to New Wave Films for the U.K.
Fandango Portobello licensed ‘Mid August Lunch' (aka'Pranzo di ferragosto’) to Le Pacte for France, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Xenix for Switzerland, Filmladen for Austria.
Films Distribution licensed ‘Sea Wall’ to Axiom for the U.K.
Finecut licensed 'Daytime Drinking' to Japan's Eleven Arts who will release it in 30 North American cities. Fortissimo Films signed a six picture deal with Canadian distributor Maximum Films for ‘$9.99’, ‘Laila's Birthday’, ‘Country Wedding’, ‘Serbis’, ‘Native Dancer’, and ‘Tokyo Sonata’. ‘Disgrace’ also went to Maximum. ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of A Chorus Line’ went to Sony Pictures Classics for North America and Australia and New Zealand. ‘Serbis’ and 'Tokyo Sonata' went to Regent for North America.
Hanway Films licensed ‘Of Time and City’ to Strand Releasing for all U.S. rights. ‘Genova’ went to ThinkFilm for North America just before Toronto. Wanda acquired all rights for Spain.
Maximum licensed ‘Sugar‘ to Axiom for the U.K.
Momento licensed ‘Goodbye Solo’ to Imagine for Benelux, Axiom for the U.K. and Xenix for Switzerland. It also has offers from France, Portugal, Greece and Italy among others.
MK2 licensed ‘24 City’ to The Cinema Guild for U.S.
Pathe licensed ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ to Warner Bros. and Fox Searchlight for North America. ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’) went to Sony Pictures Classics for U.S., Australasia, and Scandinavia just before Toronto.
Rai Trade licensed ‘Il Papa di Giovanna’ to Paradis for France, ABC for Benelux, Palace of Australia and New Zealand, MFD for Switzerland.
Roissy has licensed 'Seraphine' to Metrodome for U.K. and Ireland and to Rialto for Australia and New Zealand.
Sahamonkol licensed 'Chocolate' to Magnet for North America.
The Match Factory licensed ‘Flame & Citron’ to IFC Films for U.S. ‘Teza’ went to Trigon for Switzerland and Ripley’s Film for Italy.
TrustNordisk licensed ‘Fear Me Not’ and ‘Everlasting Moments’ and 'Heaven's Heart' to IFC Films for North America. Visit Films licensed five titles including ‘Hannah Takes The Stairs’, ‘LOL’, and ‘Kissing on The Mouth’, ‘Dance Party USA’ and ‘Quiet City’ to Beyond Entertainment for Australia/ New Zealand.
Voltage licensed ‘The Hurt Locker’ to Summit for U.S.
Wild Bunch licensed ‘Che’ to IFC Films. ‘Ponyo’ went to Lucky Red for Italy.
This is a sample of the Rights Roundup Reports available from sales-filmfinders@imdb.com. For more information on acquisitions in the future you can purchase the Fall Festival and Market RightsRoundup and Rights Roundup Reports for AFM/ American Film Market, Berlin Film Festival and EFM/ European Film Market and Cannes Film Festival and Marche du Film after those events.
In Toronto, Fox Searchlight remained the strong buyer, picking up 'The Wrestler' for the highest sales figure of the market, but still less than $4,000,000 and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the other hit of the festival. Summit, an A list international sales agent who entered the domestic distribution business this year also acquired ‘Hurt Locker' for U.S.. Both 'The Wrestler' and 'Hurt Locker' were packaged, financed and represented by CAA and both were significant in that only U.S. rights were acquired (without Canada) at a good high price. IFC Films continued its acquisitions activities for IFC in Theaters, its day and date distribution platform making independent films available to a national audience in theaters and on demand simultaneously, buying ‘Flame & Citron’, ‘Fear Me Not’, ‘Everlasting Moments’ and ‘Che’. Sony Pictures Classics was also active acquiring distribution rights to ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of a Chorus Line’, ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’). The micro distributors such as Strand, Kino, Zeitgeist, Panorama, etc. continued business as usual, which generally means hanging back until there are no obvious offers for a film and then coming in with a modest proposal.
Here are the international sales agents whose sales (licensing of distribution rights on behalf of the producers) have been reported thus far:
Bavaria Film International licensed ‘Krabat’ to SPI for Poland and Romania and to Film Depot for Russia ahead of the first public screening. Strong interest is also reported from Spain, France, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Latin America, Japan and USA. ‘The Window’ (aka ‘La Ventana’) sold to Cinemien for Benelux, Imovison for Brazil. A deal with France is expected to close. ‘Cherry Blossoms’ went to Against Gravity for Poland. ‘Empty Nest’ has interest from U.S. as does ‘Restless’.
Celluloid Dreams has acquired all international sales rights to ‘Soul Power’ from Submarine Entertainment who was repping the film. There are offers in major territories soon to close. It also acquired ‘Youssou NDour: I Bring What I Love’ for world sales. Oscilloscope acquired it for U.S. ‘Birdwatchers’ sold to Artificial Eye for the U.K., Filmladen for Austria, Trigon for Switzerland, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Hopscotch for Australia and New Zealand. ‘Mark Of An Angel’ has sold to Metrodome for the UK, Odeon for Greece, Seville for Canada, Xenix for Switzerland. Diaphana is about to gross $5m with its French theatrical release and Lumiere released in Belgium. ‘Achilles and the Tortoise’ sold to Odeon for France and Maywin for Russia.
Cinema Management Group has closed several territories on ‘The People Speak’ which screened 20 minutes in Toronto FF Special Screening. ‘Zambezia’, ‘Killer Bean Forever’ and ‘The People Speak’ went to Vision Film for Poland and to Film Pop for Turkey.
Elle Driver licensed ’35 Rhums’ to New Wave Films for the U.K.
Fandango Portobello licensed ‘Mid August Lunch' (aka'Pranzo di ferragosto’) to Le Pacte for France, Pandora for Germany, Cinemien for Benelux, Xenix for Switzerland, Filmladen for Austria.
Films Distribution licensed ‘Sea Wall’ to Axiom for the U.K.
Finecut licensed 'Daytime Drinking' to Japan's Eleven Arts who will release it in 30 North American cities. Fortissimo Films signed a six picture deal with Canadian distributor Maximum Films for ‘$9.99’, ‘Laila's Birthday’, ‘Country Wedding’, ‘Serbis’, ‘Native Dancer’, and ‘Tokyo Sonata’. ‘Disgrace’ also went to Maximum. ‘Every Little Step: The Journey of A Chorus Line’ went to Sony Pictures Classics for North America and Australia and New Zealand. ‘Serbis’ and 'Tokyo Sonata' went to Regent for North America.
Hanway Films licensed ‘Of Time and City’ to Strand Releasing for all U.S. rights. ‘Genova’ went to ThinkFilm for North America just before Toronto. Wanda acquired all rights for Spain.
Maximum licensed ‘Sugar‘ to Axiom for the U.K.
Momento licensed ‘Goodbye Solo’ to Imagine for Benelux, Axiom for the U.K. and Xenix for Switzerland. It also has offers from France, Portugal, Greece and Italy among others.
MK2 licensed ‘24 City’ to The Cinema Guild for U.S.
Pathe licensed ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ to Warner Bros. and Fox Searchlight for North America. ‘Faubourg 36’ (aka ‘Paris 36’) went to Sony Pictures Classics for U.S., Australasia, and Scandinavia just before Toronto.
Rai Trade licensed ‘Il Papa di Giovanna’ to Paradis for France, ABC for Benelux, Palace of Australia and New Zealand, MFD for Switzerland.
Roissy has licensed 'Seraphine' to Metrodome for U.K. and Ireland and to Rialto for Australia and New Zealand.
Sahamonkol licensed 'Chocolate' to Magnet for North America.
The Match Factory licensed ‘Flame & Citron’ to IFC Films for U.S. ‘Teza’ went to Trigon for Switzerland and Ripley’s Film for Italy.
TrustNordisk licensed ‘Fear Me Not’ and ‘Everlasting Moments’ and 'Heaven's Heart' to IFC Films for North America. Visit Films licensed five titles including ‘Hannah Takes The Stairs’, ‘LOL’, and ‘Kissing on The Mouth’, ‘Dance Party USA’ and ‘Quiet City’ to Beyond Entertainment for Australia/ New Zealand.
Voltage licensed ‘The Hurt Locker’ to Summit for U.S.
Wild Bunch licensed ‘Che’ to IFC Films. ‘Ponyo’ went to Lucky Red for Italy.
- 9/16/2008
- Sydney's Buzz
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.