Welcome to “Playback,” a Variety / iHeartRadio podcast bringing you exclusive conversations with the talents behind many of today’s hottest films.
Filmmaker Aaron Katz has been making movies for 10 years in the independent space. He lived in New York for most of that time, cranking out projects like “Quiet City” and “Cold Weather” before the award-winning “Land Ho!” opened even more doors. His latest film is “Gemini,” a stylish, Hollywood-set neo-noir that, for Katz, was partly a way of wrangling with a love-hate relationship with the City of Angels.
Listen to this week’s episode of “Playback” below. New episodes air every Thursday.
Click here for more episodes of “Playback.”
“One of the reasons to make this movie is to confront my conflicted feelings about it and sort of live in the tradition of movies and books that both celebrate and have a lot of trepidation about Hollywood,” he says.
Filmmaker Aaron Katz has been making movies for 10 years in the independent space. He lived in New York for most of that time, cranking out projects like “Quiet City” and “Cold Weather” before the award-winning “Land Ho!” opened even more doors. His latest film is “Gemini,” a stylish, Hollywood-set neo-noir that, for Katz, was partly a way of wrangling with a love-hate relationship with the City of Angels.
Listen to this week’s episode of “Playback” below. New episodes air every Thursday.
Click here for more episodes of “Playback.”
“One of the reasons to make this movie is to confront my conflicted feelings about it and sort of live in the tradition of movies and books that both celebrate and have a lot of trepidation about Hollywood,” he says.
- 4/19/2018
- by Kristopher Tapley
- Variety Film + TV
Aaron Katz’s Gemini opens with a vertiginous upside-down shot of palm trees against a saturated indigo sky—a postcard-perfect Los Angeles, inverted. The camera lingers for a few minutes and then tilts slowly back to earth, as if emerging from a psychedelic stupor. It’s an excellent introduction to Katz’s beguiling neo-noir. Although rife with wry nods to familiar tropes and meta-commentary on the making of mysteries, Gemini is not so much an ironic perversion of the genre as a woozy, Instagram-y evocation. It resurrects the ghosts of L.A. noirs past and filters them through a neon-slicked lens, constructing a sleek thriller around distinctly millennial themes of celebrity and identity. Katz is known primarily for being one of the originators of the mumblecore movement—a verbose, low-key brand of cinema whose predilection for non-events and naturalistic banter seems almost antithetical to the demands of genre filmmaking.
- 4/5/2018
- MUBI
His fifth feature, and the first following his co-directed (with Martha Stephens) breakthough comedy Land Ho!, Gemini returns writer/director Aaron Katz to the character-based neo-noir of his earlier Cold Weather but with the cloudy Portland grays of that film replaced here with a sunlit sensuality befitting the picture’s L.A. setting. Indeed, shooting in his new hometown for the first time, Katz looks for inspiration to the kind of ’80s thrillers — American Gigolo and Bad Influence in particular — that found their treacheries and ambiguities within the city’s sunlit highways, dark nightclubs and oversized mansions. And while city geography is […]...
- 3/31/2018
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
His fifth feature, and the first following his co-directed (with Martha Stephens) breakthough comedy Land Ho!, Gemini returns writer/director Aaron Katz to the character-based neo-noir of his earlier Cold Weather but with the cloudy Portland grays of that film replaced here with a sunlit sensuality befitting the picture’s L.A. setting. Indeed, shooting in his new hometown for the first time, Katz looks for inspiration to the kind of ’80s thrillers — American Gigolo and Bad Influence in particular — that found their treacheries and ambiguities within the city’s sunlit highways, dark nightclubs and oversized mansions. And while city geography is […]...
- 3/31/2018
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“Gemini” by venerable indie director Aaron Katz (“Land Ho!,” “Cold Weather”), is a mélange of noir references, striking L.A. visuals, and ambiguous characters. The film follows personal assistant Jill (Lola Kirke) after she is unwittingly caught up in the murder of her best friend/famous actress boss, Heather (Zoë Kravitz). An inscrutable detective (John Cho) throws Jill’s world into disarray, and she embarks on an unprecedented adventure to figure out what happened.
- 3/31/2018
- by Lena Wilson
- The Playlist
The idea that Los Angeles is a city of angels run by devils – that this is where people go to make their dreams come true and where dreams go to die – is, by this point, a completely overplayed cliché. (One based in truth, some might argue, but still.) But the notion that Hollywood, as both a place and a concept, remains a great place to stage a murder mystery? There's still fertile ground to be tilled on the corner of Fountain and Fairfax. Exhibit A: Gemini, a chilled exercise in...
- 3/31/2018
- Rollingstone.com
Cold weather and matte lips don't pair well together. The chilled winds and indoor heating during the winter months can easily dry out your lips, resulting in an uneven surface. While you most likely have a go-to lip balm, what about those days when you want to rock a statement lip? The weather shouldn't keep you from your favorite beauty trends. Enter Jenn Streicher, a Laura Mercier makeup artist whose client roster includes Mandy Moore (the queen of the pink statement lip), Emily Blunt and Alison Brie. The beauty professional appeared on this week's freeSTYLE, and revealed how to avoid dry lips, so you can wear the lipstick you love during the holidays. "We're going to be...
- 11/17/2017
- E! Online
Cold weather is here, so now’s the time to spread a little holiday cheer as a gift giver in “The Gift of Blue.” New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts is currently seeking a spirited young girl, aged 2–5, to hand out holiday gift baskets to police officers around the city. The actor must be comfortable with approaching, hugging, and taking pictures with the officers for the video. “The Gift of Blue” will shoot Nov. 14 in NYC and will pay $50 for the day. Haul out the holly and apply directly at Backstage here! Check out Backstage’s kids auditions! Save...
- 11/8/2017
- backstage.com
Director Aaron Katz (Cold Weather, Dance Party USA) is back with a film about the entrenched weirdness of his adopted city. Gemini stars Zoe Kravitz as Heather, a beautiful movie star hounded by paparazzi, and Jill (Lola Kirke), her personal assistant who takes care of Everything for her --- but at what cost? Heather is also stalked by fans, they show up at dinners and even at her home. She's also threated by her verbally abusive ex-boyfriend Devin (appropriate), who we only get to hear on the phone and by conjecture of other characters. Played by the intense Reeve Carney (Dorian Gray on Penny Dreadful), we only get to see this character in two scenes. Hi background is not spelled out for us, but he...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 9/25/2017
- Screen Anarchy
After his comedic-tinged drama Cold Weather and the hilarious, touching Iceland-set adventure Land Ho!, we’ve been waiting some time for writer-director Aaron Katz’s next feature. Gemini finally debuted at SXSW earlier this year and while we’ll have to wait until next spring for the theatrical release, Neon has now debuted the first trailer. Sporting impressive style and distinct atmosphere, the La set neo-noir follows a mystery that a personal assistant uncovers.
We said in our review from BAMcinemaFest this summer, “Gemini is a fantastic neo-noir set in the Thief-inspired Los Angeles of Drive, an upside-down city, as captured in the surrealistic opening credits by cinematographer Andrew Reed, where morals have all but vanished, leaving behind only a group of ghostly beings trapped in the limbo of their crushed dreams and dissatisfaction.”
Starring Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Nelson Franklin, Greta Lee, James Ransone, and John Cho, check out the trailer below.
We said in our review from BAMcinemaFest this summer, “Gemini is a fantastic neo-noir set in the Thief-inspired Los Angeles of Drive, an upside-down city, as captured in the surrealistic opening credits by cinematographer Andrew Reed, where morals have all but vanished, leaving behind only a group of ghostly beings trapped in the limbo of their crushed dreams and dissatisfaction.”
Starring Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Nelson Franklin, Greta Lee, James Ransone, and John Cho, check out the trailer below.
- 8/16/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Until now, writer/director Aaron Katz has mostly been known for his low budget indie fare like “Dance Party, USA,” “Cold Weather,” and “Land Ho!” However, the filmmaker takes a step toward larger recognition with “Gemini,” which lines up an excellent ensemble for a sizzling thriller.
Starring Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Nelson Franklin, Greta Lee, James Ransone, and John Cho, the story follows a Hollywood assistant who gets caught up in the aftermath of a brutal crime and is forced to go on the run.
Continue reading ‘Gemini’ Trailer: Lola Kirke Unravels A Mystery at The Playlist.
Starring Lola Kirke, Zoë Kravitz, Nelson Franklin, Greta Lee, James Ransone, and John Cho, the story follows a Hollywood assistant who gets caught up in the aftermath of a brutal crime and is forced to go on the run.
Continue reading ‘Gemini’ Trailer: Lola Kirke Unravels A Mystery at The Playlist.
- 8/16/2017
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
A satisfying mystery usually involves more engagement from various puzzle pieces than the way they fit together, and Aaron Katz’s playful L.A. neo-noir “Gemini” falls right into that tradition. It pits the elements of a scrappy whodunit against the backdrop of film industry satire, keeps us guessing the whole way through, and arrives at a solution that’s beside the point. Revisiting the genre innovations of his 2010 feature “Cold Weather,” Katz delivers another minimalist addition to the canon of shaggy dog detective stories stretching back to “The Long Goodbye,” filtered through his own indelible poetic gaze.
At first glance, Katz’s movies are slight character studies with little to offer beyond endearing situational humor and a complimentary atmosphere. His first two features, “Dance Party, USA” and “Quiet City,” were delicate mood pieces in which plot took a backseat to a handful of emotionally-charged exchanges. With “Cold Weather,” Katz...
At first glance, Katz’s movies are slight character studies with little to offer beyond endearing situational humor and a complimentary atmosphere. His first two features, “Dance Party, USA” and “Quiet City,” were delicate mood pieces in which plot took a backseat to a handful of emotionally-charged exchanges. With “Cold Weather,” Katz...
- 3/13/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Over the past decade, South By Southwest has become 10 days of hand-to-hand combat between media and technology. Nestled within that war zone is a film festival — this year, 125 features screen at the SXSW Film Festival, including 51 from first-timers. Most come to town without distribution, and they may never see a bigger audience than this one.
The film festival is a solid platform for discovering new filmmakers; if you want to explore the connective tissue of contemporary American cinema, few other places offer such a fertile arena. Unlike industry heavyhitter Sundance, it’s not a fast-paced marketplace — but the SXSW conference is still one of the biggest windows into the future of the movies because so much of it has nothing to do with the movies at all.
This year, SXSW Film’s marquee titles duke it out with the TV shows in the Episodics section. (Among its premieres are two...
The film festival is a solid platform for discovering new filmmakers; if you want to explore the connective tissue of contemporary American cinema, few other places offer such a fertile arena. Unlike industry heavyhitter Sundance, it’s not a fast-paced marketplace — but the SXSW conference is still one of the biggest windows into the future of the movies because so much of it has nothing to do with the movies at all.
This year, SXSW Film’s marquee titles duke it out with the TV shows in the Episodics section. (Among its premieres are two...
- 3/10/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
A few weeks ago, the premium Star Wars costume creator Anovos revealed their Jyn Erso outfit from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The costume is incredibly cool, and now there's a new accessory that you can buy from Anovos, and it's Jyn's combat poncho. You can find the details below:
Putting behind a checkered past by lending her skills to a greater cause, Jyn Erso is impetuous, defiant, and eager to bring the battle to the Empire. Used to operating alone, she finds higher purpose by taking on a desperate mission for the Rebel Alliance. Anovos is proud to offer the Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story Jyn Erso Cold Weather Survival Gear "Concho." Items are subject to change in availability and features. This is not a toy. Not suitable for children.This accessory includes details recreated from Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story screen-used production assets.
Putting behind a checkered past by lending her skills to a greater cause, Jyn Erso is impetuous, defiant, and eager to bring the battle to the Empire. Used to operating alone, she finds higher purpose by taking on a desperate mission for the Rebel Alliance. Anovos is proud to offer the Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story Jyn Erso Cold Weather Survival Gear "Concho." Items are subject to change in availability and features. This is not a toy. Not suitable for children.This accessory includes details recreated from Rogue One: A Star Wars™ Story screen-used production assets.
- 3/4/2017
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
With Sundance behind us, the next major American festival is waiting in the wings. The SXSW Film Festival lineup has landed, and there’s a lot to dig through.
Read More: SXSW 2017 Episodic Lineup to Include ‘Dear White People,’ ‘American Gods’
Unlike Sundance, which attracts a lot of industry attention around a handful of high-profile titles, SXSW is more about discovery. As usual, there are a lot of compelling possibilities in the program, from the newcomers in its competition sections through the more peculiar and surprising offerings in the Visions section. IndieWire got a few tips from SXSW Film director Janet Pierson and extracted these promising possibilities.
Small Stories, Big Steps
The festival’s narrative feature competition is often the place where filmmakers on their first or second feature get a sudden boost. It was there that Lena Dunham’s “Tiny Furniture” and Destin Cretton’s “Short Term 12” both took off.
Read More: SXSW 2017 Episodic Lineup to Include ‘Dear White People,’ ‘American Gods’
Unlike Sundance, which attracts a lot of industry attention around a handful of high-profile titles, SXSW is more about discovery. As usual, there are a lot of compelling possibilities in the program, from the newcomers in its competition sections through the more peculiar and surprising offerings in the Visions section. IndieWire got a few tips from SXSW Film director Janet Pierson and extracted these promising possibilities.
Small Stories, Big Steps
The festival’s narrative feature competition is often the place where filmmakers on their first or second feature get a sudden boost. It was there that Lena Dunham’s “Tiny Furniture” and Destin Cretton’s “Short Term 12” both took off.
- 1/31/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The Voice narrowed things down on Monday’s live show, trimming two competitors from each coach’s team in the singing competition’s first ever live-voting show.
Fans voted live on Twitter and the Voice app for their favorites, picking two top scorers to move forward from the teams led by each of The Voice’s superstar coaches: Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus and Adam Levine. Each coach was also allowed to choose one competitor to save from the remaining three.
Watch: Gwen Stefani Returning to 'The Voice' for Season 12 -- and So Is Blake Shelton!
After a jam-packed hour of live performances and split-second voting, here’s who’s left standing in The Voice’s Top 12:
Team Alicia
America voted to save Christian Cuevas, who put a soulful spin on the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” and 16-year-old standout Wé McDonald, who belted “Home” from the musical The Wiz. After those two picks were in, Keys chose to...
Fans voted live on Twitter and the Voice app for their favorites, picking two top scorers to move forward from the teams led by each of The Voice’s superstar coaches: Blake Shelton, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus and Adam Levine. Each coach was also allowed to choose one competitor to save from the remaining three.
Watch: Gwen Stefani Returning to 'The Voice' for Season 12 -- and So Is Blake Shelton!
After a jam-packed hour of live performances and split-second voting, here’s who’s left standing in The Voice’s Top 12:
Team Alicia
America voted to save Christian Cuevas, who put a soulful spin on the Beatles’ “Yesterday,” and 16-year-old standout Wé McDonald, who belted “Home” from the musical The Wiz. After those two picks were in, Keys chose to...
- 11/8/2016
- Entertainment Tonight
When he’s not defending animals online, Ricky Gervais is keeping very busy with several film projects. While we all eagerly await the David Brent movie later this year, the first trailer for his Netflix original comedy Special Correspondents has arrived. It has some moment that made me smile, so I’m hoping there saving a lot for showtime.
The film is about a struggling New York based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career. With his job on the line, he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in Queens.
The film was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and stars Eric Bana (Deliver Us From Evil, Lone Survivor), Gervais (Muppets Most Wanted, Derek), Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, Up in the Air), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, Brave), Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects, Casino), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty,...
The film is about a struggling New York based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career. With his job on the line, he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in Queens.
The film was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and stars Eric Bana (Deliver Us From Evil, Lone Survivor), Gervais (Muppets Most Wanted, Derek), Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, Up in the Air), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, Brave), Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects, Casino), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty,...
- 3/23/2016
- by Graham McMorrow
- City of Films
Special Correspondents, the feature film starring Ricky Gervais and Eric Bana will premiere on April 29, 2016 exclusively to Netflix members worldwide.
Special Correspondents, a new Netflix original feature film was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and stars Eric Bana (Deliver Us From Evil, Lone Survivor) and Gervais (Muppets Most Wanted, Derek). The film is about a struggling New York based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career. With his job on the line, he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in Queens.
The film also stars Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, Up in the Air), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, Brave), Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects, Casino), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, How to Train Your Dragon), Raúl Castillo (Looking, Cold Weather), and Benjamin Bratt (Modern Family, 24: Live Another Day).
The film is a co-production between Bron Studios and Unanimous Entertainment.
Special Correspondents, a new Netflix original feature film was written and directed by Ricky Gervais and stars Eric Bana (Deliver Us From Evil, Lone Survivor) and Gervais (Muppets Most Wanted, Derek). The film is about a struggling New York based radio journalist whose arrogance and decadent lifestyle has hindered his career. With his job on the line, he fakes front line war reports from the comfort of his hideout above a Spanish restaurant in Queens.
The film also stars Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel, Up in the Air), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire, Brave), Kevin Pollak (The Usual Suspects, Casino), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty, How to Train Your Dragon), Raúl Castillo (Looking, Cold Weather), and Benjamin Bratt (Modern Family, 24: Live Another Day).
The film is a co-production between Bron Studios and Unanimous Entertainment.
- 1/6/2016
- by Kellvin Chavez
- LRMonline.com
It's hard to mount on occupation on an empty stomach. Despite claims that the armed militiamen who are occupying a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service building in Oregon are set up for a lengthy stay, Facebook posts from some of the men and their supporters are asking for supplies, including "snacks and energy drinks." While Ammon Bundy initially told The Oregonian that his group was ready to occupy the building "for years, absolutely," posts are circulating on social media that are asking for, among other things, cold weather supplies (including socks) and the aforementioned snacks and energy drinks on behalf of the group.
- 1/4/2016
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Reno 911: Boyle’s Indie Neo-Noir an Enjoyable Pulpy Exercise
For his fifth feature, indie filmmaker Dave Boyle pays homage to film noir tropes with his twisty, engaging Man From Reno. Along the lines of the light, comically inclined indie sleuthing of Aaron Katz’s Portland set Cold Weather (2010), Boyle gives noir a fresh face in the culturally ambiguous city of San Francisco. Though not all of its tangential elements feel quite successful, Boyle’s screenplay, co-written with his regular collaborators Michael Lerman and Joel Clark, features an unpredictably dark third act that more resolutely recalls the films it’s inspired by than most of its modern counterparts.
Recently escaping from a book tour back home in Japan, famed pulpy mystery author Aki (Ayako Fujitano) finds herself alone in San Francisco while her disappearance causes a dramatic furor. She runs into a sexy stranger who calls himself Akira (Kazuki Kitamura...
For his fifth feature, indie filmmaker Dave Boyle pays homage to film noir tropes with his twisty, engaging Man From Reno. Along the lines of the light, comically inclined indie sleuthing of Aaron Katz’s Portland set Cold Weather (2010), Boyle gives noir a fresh face in the culturally ambiguous city of San Francisco. Though not all of its tangential elements feel quite successful, Boyle’s screenplay, co-written with his regular collaborators Michael Lerman and Joel Clark, features an unpredictably dark third act that more resolutely recalls the films it’s inspired by than most of its modern counterparts.
Recently escaping from a book tour back home in Japan, famed pulpy mystery author Aki (Ayako Fujitano) finds herself alone in San Francisco while her disappearance causes a dramatic furor. She runs into a sexy stranger who calls himself Akira (Kazuki Kitamura...
- 3/25/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Good Neighbors: Levine’s Indie Murder Mystery a Passing Homage to Classic Comedy
Actor/writer/director Lawrence Michael Levine reunites with director/actress wife Sophia Takal for his third feature, the harmlessly charming Brooklyn set murder mystery Wild Canaries, which tends to favor a bygone tradition of slapstick, noir tinged comedy. Several have compared Levine and Takal’s spousal chemistry to the likes of Myrna Loy of William Powell in their famed Thin Man series of classic films—but such an association is a tad hyperbolic. They make a charming duo, certainly, but the ragtag charm melts away in the face of the narrative’s eventual flaccid inability to remain energetically inventive, seemingly tired of its own formula by the final frames. Witty writing and effortless performances magically keep familiarity at bay, but at the end of the day, the film’s more provocative characterizations fade into a safe peripheral zone,...
Actor/writer/director Lawrence Michael Levine reunites with director/actress wife Sophia Takal for his third feature, the harmlessly charming Brooklyn set murder mystery Wild Canaries, which tends to favor a bygone tradition of slapstick, noir tinged comedy. Several have compared Levine and Takal’s spousal chemistry to the likes of Myrna Loy of William Powell in their famed Thin Man series of classic films—but such an association is a tad hyperbolic. They make a charming duo, certainly, but the ragtag charm melts away in the face of the narrative’s eventual flaccid inability to remain energetically inventive, seemingly tired of its own formula by the final frames. Witty writing and effortless performances magically keep familiarity at bay, but at the end of the day, the film’s more provocative characterizations fade into a safe peripheral zone,...
- 2/26/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Jon Stewart thought all of the media coverage of New York’s “blizzard” was laughable since New England is the region that actually got slammed by record snowfall, but singled out CNN for being the “worst.”
“As always when there is innovation in the field of innovation, we look to CNN for its worst iteration,” Stewart said on Tuesday’s “Daily Show” before showing a clip network anchor Don Lemmon cruising the icy streets of Manhattan in his “Blizzardmobile.”
See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like
“Blizzardmobile? Settle down Batman. It’s a Ford Explorer.
“As always when there is innovation in the field of innovation, we look to CNN for its worst iteration,” Stewart said on Tuesday’s “Daily Show” before showing a clip network anchor Don Lemmon cruising the icy streets of Manhattan in his “Blizzardmobile.”
See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like
“Blizzardmobile? Settle down Batman. It’s a Ford Explorer.
- 1/28/2015
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
Filmmakers Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, who have teamed up for Land Ho!, have individually premiered all of their previous features at SXSW Film Festival. They're each known for films where characters are deep in exploration -- about themselves but also perhaps, a mystery (Cold Weather, Passenger Pigeons) or even a landscape (Brooklyn in Quiet City, Kentucky in Pilgrim Song). In Land Ho! (which premiered at Sundance this year), the same type of exploration takes place -- this time in Iceland -- with two primary characters who are gentlemen in their retirement years. It's a change for Katz, whose characters are usually in their late teens/early twenties.
No matter what the age of the characters, however, Stephens and Katz sustain the audience's interest in the type of story that sounds terribly slow and dull when explained in print, but is very rewarding as it unfolds onscreen. Two retired brothers-in-law,...
No matter what the age of the characters, however, Stephens and Katz sustain the audience's interest in the type of story that sounds terribly slow and dull when explained in print, but is very rewarding as it unfolds onscreen. Two retired brothers-in-law,...
- 9/14/2014
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
The wonderfully freewheeling, peripatetic road movie Land Ho!, spanning the vast, rich Icelandic landscape, marks the first collaboration between two talented independent filmmakers: Martha Stephens (Passenger Pigeons, Pilgrim Song) and Aaron Katz (Dance Party USA, Quiet City, Cold Weather). Together, they have created a beautiful and quietly charming film, one not afraid of being small, in the sense of letting the naturalistic performances and atmosphere impress themselves on the audience, and not shoehorning in false melodrama or forced comedy. And although the buddy comedy road trip movie is a genre that is thoroughly well-worn at this point, Land Ho! is blissfully free of cliché and hackneyed retreads. Set to be released this summer, the film will serve as perfect counter-programming to whatever superhero movie is...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 7/10/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Land Ho!, co-written and co-directed by Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, is an odd-couple two-hander like Katz’s previous Cold Weather and Quiet City, and a progressively rural odyssey like Stephens’ Pilgrim Song, accented by the hues of regional color familiar from both directors’ palettes. But given the film’s Icelandic setting, perhaps another frame of reference is also called for. In interviews, the filmmakers frequently discuss the remoteness of the Icelandic landscape, its incongruity with the day-to-day lives of their characters, and, above all, its mysterious and “otherworldly” beauty. In Iceland, where I currently live, this view is not necessarily reflective […]...
- 7/10/2014
- by Mark Asch
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Land Ho!, co-written and co-directed by Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens, is an odd-couple two-hander like Katz’s previous Cold Weather and Quiet City, and a progressively rural odyssey like Stephens’ Pilgrim Song, accented by the hues of regional color familiar from both directors’ palettes. But given the film’s Icelandic setting, perhaps another frame of reference is also called for. In interviews, the filmmakers frequently discuss the remoteness of the Icelandic landscape, its incongruity with the day-to-day lives of their characters, and, above all, its mysterious and “otherworldly” beauty. In Iceland, where I currently live, this view is not necessarily reflective […]...
- 7/10/2014
- by Mark Asch
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Generally speaking, indie cinema tends to focus stories about journeys of self-discovery, friendship and more on younger people, but when it comes to the genre, co-writers and directors Martha Stephens (“Passenger Pigeons”) and Aaron Katz ("Cold Weather") have decided not to play into standard expectations. Their dramedy "Land Ho!," which premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, not only sets the action in Iceland, it centers it around a unlikely, elderly duo. Starring Paul Eenhoorn and Earl Lynn Nelson, "Land Ho!" tells the story of two former brothers-in-law who decide to vacation together in Iceland. Already mismatched — one is an American Southerner, the other Australian — Mitch and Colin avoid their issues with aging and loneliness and more, with women, nightclubs and other spirited adventures, as they take in the landscape with their rented SUV. And in this clip, we even see drugs play a role in their...
- 6/30/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Word spread at Sundance in January that "Land Ho!" was a sleeper hit, and sure enough, it was soon scooped up by Sony Pictures Classics, which will unleash the comedy on audiences July 11. (It's at 83 on the Tomatometer.) Check out the video below to see why it's a load of fun. The two writer-directors, Martha Stephens ("Pilgrim Song") and Aaron Katz ("Cold Weather"), cast Australian actor Paul Eenhoorn and plastic surgeon non-pro Earl Lynn Nelson to enact the story of two ex-brothers-in-law and friends who reunite on an exotic trip to Iceland. The movie is both raucous adventure and sweetly intimate bromance. And the dynamics at work are obvious from the video interview below, which starts with quiet-spoken Eenhoorn and is utterly taken over by bigger-than-life Nelson. Trailer is also below. ...
- 6/17/2014
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
“This Week in Unnecessary Censorship,” Jimmy Kimmel had more fun at the expense of Southern California TV reporters, and even made kids’ television icon Barney sound dirty. “Coming up, we're going to tell you how you can @#$& yourself,” a San Diego correspondent says in video (above). See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like Who knows what she actually said, as the weekly “Jimmy Kimmel Live” segment uses carefully placed bleeps to make something innocent sound like so much more. After that, Barney — the big purple dinosaur on that nationally syndicated kids’ show — sings about a.
- 5/23/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
If we may avert your eyes from the new trailer for Christopher Nolan‘s Interstellar for a moment, you’ll find the first look at one of my favorite Sundance films, Land Ho!. Co-directed by Martha Stephens (Pilgrim Song) and Aaron Katz (Cold Weather), the David Gordon Green-produced road trip finds Paul Eenhoorn (who gave a great performance in last year’s This is […]...
- 5/16/2014
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Indie filmmakers Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz have been turning heads separately over the past little while, with their most recent efforts "Pilgrim Song" and "Cold Weather" in particular earning them attention. This past January, the pair unveiled their first co-director collaboration with "Land Ho!" at the Sundance Film Festival, and the response was good. Though we had our quibbles with it, we called the movie "easy to admire and appreciate in its quiet observations and tender form," and now you too can see what those in Park City saw, with the first trailer landing today. Paul Eenhoorn and Early Lynn Nelson lead the movie that follows a brassy former surgeon who convinces his ex-brother-in-law to vacation with him in Iceland. And they aren't just Americans out of place abroad, but out of step with each other, with the pair falling into an odd couple dynamic that allows them to...
- 5/16/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
The wonderfully freewheeling, peripatetic road movie Land Ho!, spanning the vast, rich Icelandic landscape, marks the first collaboration between two talented independent filmmakers: Martha Stephens (Passenger Pigeons, Pilgrim Song) and Aaron Katz (Dance Party USA, Quiet City, Cold Weather). Together, they have created a beautiful and quietly charming film, one not afraid of being small, in the sense of letting the naturalistic performances and atmosphere impress themselves on the audience, and not shoehorning in false melodrama or forced comedy. And although the buddy comedy road trip movie is a genre that is thoroughly well-worn at this point, Land Ho! is blissfully free of cliché and hackneyed retreads. Set to be released this summer, the film will serve as perfect counter-programming to whatever superhero movie is coming...
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- 4/25/2014
- Screen Anarchy
Perhaps the film I was most disappointed to miss at January's Sundance Film Festival was "Land Ho!," an Iceland-set road comedy from directors Aaron Katz and Martha Stephens. I've been a Katz fan for some time: his third feature, the Portland semi-noir "Cold Weather," landed in my 2010 Top 10. (I also interviewed him at that year's London Film Festival.) So it's nice to see him rising through the distribution ranks: IFC Films taking "Cold Weather" was a step up from the ultra-indie distributors of his first two features, and "Land Ho!" went one better, scoring a deal with Sony Pictures Classics. Spc will release the film in New York and Los Angeles on July 11, a couple of weeks after it plays the La Film Fest; it also surfaces this month at the Tribeca Film Festival. "Land Ho!" follows the low-key adventures of a pair of former brothers-in-law, both retired, who travel...
- 4/8/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Aaron Katz, who co-wrote and co-directed the road trip comedy Land Ho! with Martha Stephens that premiered at Sundance this year, has inked with CAA. Sony Pictures Classics picked up the pic, which follows a pair of retirees who set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. A release this year is planned. Katz, formerly with UTA, made his feature debut with Dance Party USA, which premiered at the 2006 SXSW. His sophomore feature, Quiet City, earned a Spirit Award nomination in 2007, and IFC Films released his third film 2010′s Cold Weather.
- 3/1/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
Tom Hanks may not have been nominated for Best Actor this year for his performance in “Captain Phillips,” but that’s okay, because his fans have a more prestigious award in mind: Best Picture of the Year. TheWrap hit Hollywood Blvd. earlier this week to talk to movie fans outside this Sunday’s Oscar venue, the Dolby Theatre, and yes, a surprising number picked Hanks to beat out “American Hustle,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Nebraska,” and the rest of the competition. See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like “Wolf of Wall Street,” “Gravity,” and “12 Years a Slave” were also.
- 2/28/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
Jimmy Kimmel’s thoughts and prayers were with the brave local TV reporters who had to cover the “much-needed” rain that fell from Los Angeles skies on Thursday morning. “It doesn’t rain much here in Southern California, especially this year, but when it does, it’s very important to rush inside and turn on your local news,” Kimmel joked before showing his viewers a montage of outlets rushing to cover the humidity. See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like The rainfall was such a big story, that reporters were even covering it hours after it stopped.
- 2/28/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
Went into the living room this morning, looked out the big window and… what do you know? Snow! That was four or five hours ago and it’s still coming down: small flakes, but a lot of them. I guess we should be thankful that this weather wasn’t happening Sunday, because Sunday, as some of you may have heard, was the day of the Big Game, which was played at New Jersey’s Meadowlands, which is a quick drive to New York City (unless Governor Christie’s minions are conducting a traffic study) and New York City is a quick trip to where I’m sitting and so I’m guessing that the snow’s falling on the Meadowlands as it is falling here and if that had happened yesterday it might have interfered with the game. And wouldn’t that have been the worst, most horrific, most devastating,...
- 2/6/2014
- by Dennis O'Neil
- Comicmix.com
Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.
Austin-based indie electronica band The Octopus Project won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at this year's Sundance Film Festival for their work on fellow Austinites David and Nathan Zellner's Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Debbie's review). This true-to-life drama follows a lonely Japanese woman who travels to America in search of the treasure mentioned in the movie Fargo.The Zellner Brothers discussed their inspiration for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, which debuted at Sundance, with The Wall Street Journal. Austinite Todd Rohal's Rat Pack Rat (Debbie's dispatch), about a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator who's hired to visit a Rat Pack fan, won Sundance's Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision. Austin filmmaker Clay Liford (Wuss) produced. In more Sundance Film Festival news, Austin-based filmmaker David Gordon Green continues to express his appreciation for Iceland (Prince Avalanche...
Austin-based indie electronica band The Octopus Project won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at this year's Sundance Film Festival for their work on fellow Austinites David and Nathan Zellner's Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Debbie's review). This true-to-life drama follows a lonely Japanese woman who travels to America in search of the treasure mentioned in the movie Fargo.The Zellner Brothers discussed their inspiration for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, which debuted at Sundance, with The Wall Street Journal. Austinite Todd Rohal's Rat Pack Rat (Debbie's dispatch), about a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator who's hired to visit a Rat Pack fan, won Sundance's Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision. Austin filmmaker Clay Liford (Wuss) produced. In more Sundance Film Festival news, Austin-based filmmaker David Gordon Green continues to express his appreciation for Iceland (Prince Avalanche...
- 1/27/2014
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
Road trip movies (and road trips in general) live and die by the likability of the travel companions. Writing and directing team Martha Stephens (Pilgrim Song) and Aaron Katz (Cold Weather) knew that, of course. Their film Land Ho! reunites a pair of 70-something ex-brother-in-laws for a trip around Iceland.
“We wanted to make a comedy that was sort of an ode to comedies that we loved growing up like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Uncle Buck and stuff that’s really fun, but we also wanted to incorporate the way that we made movies,” said Stephens.
Cast chemistry is...
“We wanted to make a comedy that was sort of an ode to comedies that we loved growing up like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and Uncle Buck and stuff that’s really fun, but we also wanted to incorporate the way that we made movies,” said Stephens.
Cast chemistry is...
- 1/23/2014
- by Lindsey Bahr
- EW - Inside Movies
Sundance coverage continues with Glenn musing on the career of Aaron Katz and his latest, Land Ho!
"Mumblecore", the term given to the influx of super low-budget independent films with a rotating core of creatives, cops a lot of grief these days. I assume it's mostly from people sick of Lena Dunham’s ubiquity (she wrote/directed/starred in the incredible Tiny Furniture) or people just getting sick from the home-spun, handheld aesthetic that beset many of the movement’s features. Personally, I love that we now have the likes of Greta Gerwig, Lynn Shelton (who’s at Sundance again this year with Laggies) and Joe Swanberg amongst others. The brightest star to my eyes, however, is Aaron Katz, the 32-year-old American director who directed the woozy, boozy, teenage coming-of-age drama Dance Party USA and the deliciously cheeky Sherlock riff Cold Weather. He returns with Land Ho!, co-directing alongside Martha Stephens...
"Mumblecore", the term given to the influx of super low-budget independent films with a rotating core of creatives, cops a lot of grief these days. I assume it's mostly from people sick of Lena Dunham’s ubiquity (she wrote/directed/starred in the incredible Tiny Furniture) or people just getting sick from the home-spun, handheld aesthetic that beset many of the movement’s features. Personally, I love that we now have the likes of Greta Gerwig, Lynn Shelton (who’s at Sundance again this year with Laggies) and Joe Swanberg amongst others. The brightest star to my eyes, however, is Aaron Katz, the 32-year-old American director who directed the woozy, boozy, teenage coming-of-age drama Dance Party USA and the deliciously cheeky Sherlock riff Cold Weather. He returns with Land Ho!, co-directing alongside Martha Stephens...
- 1/23/2014
- by Glenn Dunks
- FilmExperience
Indie road trip comedies are perhaps the worst cliché of low budget American filmmaking, but "Land Ho!," the story of two aging men on a meandering vacation in Iceland, provides a notable exception. This unassuming, elegantly shot collaboration by directors Aaron Katz ("Cold Weather," "Quiet City") and Martha Stephens ("Pilgrim Song," "Passenger Pigeons") actively avoids any melodramatic confrontations or cheesy subplots. A gentle meditation on growing old and bored, "Land Ho!" never rises to the level of narrative engagement found in the filmmakers' previous efforts, but it doesn't take much to make it sufficiently insightful, carried along by a pair of actors so inherently likable from the outset that "Land Ho!" hardly requires a lot of story to set their adventure in motion. Essentially a two-hander from start to finish, "Land Ho!" opens with the soft spoken Colin (Paul Eenhoorn, star of last year's sleeper hit "This Is Martin Bonner...
- 1/19/2014
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Co-directed features aren’t too common in the independent film world, and even less so from already established auteurs. But Land Ho! finds two of the American independent scene’s most promising young directors – Aaron Katz (Cold Weather) and Martha Stephens (Pilgrim Song) – joining forces. A buddy, road trip comedy about a pair of aging ex-brother-in-laws (Paul Eenhoorn of This is Martin Bonner, and Earl Lynn Nelson) on holiday in Iceland, the film is already being hyped as one of the most promising discoveries of this year’s festival. Land Ho! premieres today in Sundance’s Next section. Filmmaker: A full-on directorial […]...
- 1/19/2014
- by Dan Schoenbrun
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Co-directed features aren’t too common in the independent film world, and even less so from already established auteurs. But Land Ho! finds two of the American independent scene’s most promising young directors – Aaron Katz (Cold Weather) and Martha Stephens (Pilgrim Song) – joining forces. A buddy, road trip comedy about a pair of aging ex-brother-in-laws (Paul Eenhoorn of This is Martin Bonner, and Earl Lynn Nelson) on holiday in Iceland, the film is already being hyped as one of the most promising discoveries of this year’s festival. Land Ho! premieres today in Sundance’s Next section. Filmmaker: A full-on directorial […]...
- 1/19/2014
- by Dan Schoenbrun
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Before the teams take to the football field, Robin Thicke and Kendrick Lamar will take center stage at the Espn The Party. Story: Super Bowl Performer Bruno Mars Prepares for Cold Weather The pre-game bash will be held on Friday Jan. 31 at the Lower Manhattan’s Pier 36/Basketball City -- just a few miles from MetLife Stadium where Super Bowl Xlviii will be played -- with former Grammy Award winner Jermaine Dupri also performing. To celebrate the first time the big game has been played in the Big Apple, the theme of the night will be a "New York State of Mind," with decor
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- 1/17/2014
- by Debbie Emery
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alison Sweeney is the host of NBC's The Biggest Loser, the award-winning star of Days of Our Lives, and author of The Star Attraction and The Mommy Diet. She's also a director, producer, wife and mom. Like she has for the past three seasons, Alison will blog each week about the latest episode of The Biggest Loser. Follow her on Twitter: @Ali_Sweeney.
Are you all getting excited for the Winter Olympics? I have to say, the week we spent in Park City, Utah, was so incredible. To meet the athletes, to see where they are training and to watch...
Are you all getting excited for the Winter Olympics? I have to say, the week we spent in Park City, Utah, was so incredible. To meet the athletes, to see where they are training and to watch...
- 1/15/2014
- by Alison Sweeney
- People.com - TV Watch
Days after Mitt Romney was caught on video showing off his 66-year-old dance moves at a Mormon Church conference at Arizona State University over the weekend, Jimmy Kimmel decided to put other aging men’s moves to the test. For his pedestrian question segment on Tuesday, Kimmel asked volunteers if they could dance, then allowed his audiences to guess “Yes” or “No” before revealing their rhythm. Or in most cases, complete lack of it. See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like (Video) Age is just a number. But as it turns out, it’s also a pretty strong indicator.
- 1/15/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
Two ex-brothers-in-law (This Is Martin Bonner’s Paul Eenhoorn and Eastbound & Down’s Earl Lynn Nelson) set off on an Iceland vacation to reclaim their youth; dipping their toes in the Reykjavik nightclub scene, visiting trendy spas, dining at daring restaurants and communing at rugged campsites. What starts as a raucous adventure becomes a journey of self-discovery. Land Ho! is the latest producing project from lyrical indie-film favorite David Gordon Green, directed by Martha Stephens (Pilgrim Song, Passenger Pigeons) and Aaron Katz (Cold Weather, Quiet City). The endearing tale is part 1980s raucous road comedy, part sensitive and charming portrait of aging à la an edgier Strangers in Good Company for men. Interestingly enough, Nelson, who...
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- 1/13/2014
- by Alison Nastasi
- Movies.com
Cold weather still have you bummed? Looking for something neat to do while home that will induce a different kind of chill? Then this latest spooker, The Occupants, might do the trick for you! The flick is now available on VOD, and we have a look at its new artwork for you right here!
Todd Alcott directs, and Cristin Milioti, Michael Rady, James Urbaniak, and Toby Huss star.
Synopsis
Lucy has a new husband, a new home, and a new baby; but old ghosts won't let her be. She has dedicated her life to helping families "break the cycle" of abuse so when she and her husband, Wade, see the echoes of a violent family tragedy in their home, Lucy tries to help the tortured souls break free of their torment and move on. She finds, however, that these ghosts don't want her help -- they want to lead Lucy...
Todd Alcott directs, and Cristin Milioti, Michael Rady, James Urbaniak, and Toby Huss star.
Synopsis
Lucy has a new husband, a new home, and a new baby; but old ghosts won't let her be. She has dedicated her life to helping families "break the cycle" of abuse so when she and her husband, Wade, see the echoes of a violent family tragedy in their home, Lucy tries to help the tortured souls break free of their torment and move on. She finds, however, that these ghosts don't want her help -- they want to lead Lucy...
- 1/13/2014
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Last fall, word emerged that David Gordon Green was putting his executive producer stamp on "Land Ho!," the new feature film from directors Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz. The pair have been making waves on the indie film scene over the past few years, with their most recent efforts "Pilgrim Song" and "Cold Weather" (respectively), drawing them particular praise and attention. Well, "Land Ho!" finds the directors joining forces and soon they'll be hitting the Sundance Film Festival to unspool their collaboration.Starring Paul Eenhoorn (the breakout star of 2013's terrific indie "This Is Martin Bonner") and Early Lynn Nelson, the film tells the story of a brassy former surgeon who convinces his ex-brother-in-law to vacation with him in Iceland. And what follows is a road trip comedy that finds the older pair hitting Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, adventurous restaurants and rugged campsites. But more than just a collection of hijinks,...
- 1/9/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Spike Jonze’s “Her” has already gotten lots of attention from critics, but finally got attention from Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday when the late-night host broadcast “an early trailer that leaked online” featuring the original voice of the operating system that Joaquin Phoenix’s character falls in love with. Who could writer and director Jonze possibly have wanted for the role before securing Scarlett Johansson’s sultry, yet sweet voice? See video: TheWrap Reminds Los Angeles Reporters What Cold Weather Actually Looks Like It turns out, “Her” was actually a “Him,” who was cute, cuddly and probably locked away in your attic right now.
- 1/9/2014
- by Greg Gilman
- The Wrap
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