There's a moment in Ken Burns and Lynn Novick's new PBS miniseries, The Vietnam War, in which a Vietnamese woman – what they call a "hero mother" – talks about losing eight brothers and two sons to ground combat and bombings. It's the sort of devastating testimonial about the personal toll of conflict that you might see in any war doc. But this grieving woman was also a Viet Cong soldier, one of dozens of North Vietnamese citizens Burns and Novick interviewed for the film – and when she mournfully describes losing...
- 9/15/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Depending on your point of view, the story of Tonya Harding is sort of an American tragedy. A poor girl from a difficult background, Harding follows her passion and ends up the Women’s U.S. Figure Skating Champion and places 2nd at the World Championships the same year. But, she doesn’t fit the model of what the ice skating establishment expects from their figure skaters and her chances at making the Olympic Winter Games team are in peril.
Continue reading Sebastian Stan Says Marvel Studios Training Put To Good Use On ‘I, Tonya’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
Continue reading Sebastian Stan Says Marvel Studios Training Put To Good Use On ‘I, Tonya’ [Interview] at The Playlist.
- 9/11/2017
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
A half-century on, Detroit bears the scars of racial violence that racked it and other cities in the late 1960s.
Tensions boiled over in the summer of 1967 when Detroit Police raided an African-American speakeasy in the dead of the night on July 23. After the officers arrested all civilians found at the scene, the city began to riot in defiance, leading to a week of unrest and dozens of deaths.
Kathryn Bigelow’s new film Detroit dramatizes an incident at the Algiers Motel that occurred on the third night of the riots in which police and National Guardsmen, claiming to be looking for snipers,...
Tensions boiled over in the summer of 1967 when Detroit Police raided an African-American speakeasy in the dead of the night on July 23. After the officers arrested all civilians found at the scene, the city began to riot in defiance, leading to a week of unrest and dozens of deaths.
Kathryn Bigelow’s new film Detroit dramatizes an incident at the Algiers Motel that occurred on the third night of the riots in which police and National Guardsmen, claiming to be looking for snipers,...
- 8/4/2017
- by Ale Russian
- PEOPLE.com
“The Ranch” is a deceptive series. At its onset, the Netflix multi-cam comedy feels like a natural follow-up for Ashton Kutcher post-“Two-and-a-Half Men.” There’s a laugh track, a dozen of crude sex jokes per episode (minimum), and a simple, repetitious structure where most of the comedy stems from grown men acting like children — and then being called out for it by the series’ female characters.
Those who stuck with it for more than a few episodes (because they were bored, dead, or masochistic) discovered the comedy’s hidden secret: It’s a tragedy, and not for Kutcher’s disgraced former quarterback, forced to move home after squandering his talent by drinking and womanizing. It’s about his father, Beau, played by Sam Elliott. We’ve chronicled his struggles in the past, and they do continue (to a lesser degree) in Part 3, the latest block of episodes released on Netflix.
Those who stuck with it for more than a few episodes (because they were bored, dead, or masochistic) discovered the comedy’s hidden secret: It’s a tragedy, and not for Kutcher’s disgraced former quarterback, forced to move home after squandering his talent by drinking and womanizing. It’s about his father, Beau, played by Sam Elliott. We’ve chronicled his struggles in the past, and they do continue (to a lesser degree) in Part 3, the latest block of episodes released on Netflix.
- 6/17/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
If you have a theater fan in your life who has been extra hyped these days, it’s likely because the 2017 Tony Awards are nearly here.
The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre (as the Tonys are officially known) recognize the highest honor in U.S. theater — the equivalent of television’s Emmys or the film industry’s Oscars.
With no Hamilton-sized hit this year, the race in the top categories has been pretty wide open and hard to predict — with only Bette Midler’s turn in the revival of Hello, Dolly! a lock for the best actress in a musical prize.
The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre (as the Tonys are officially known) recognize the highest honor in U.S. theater — the equivalent of television’s Emmys or the film industry’s Oscars.
With no Hamilton-sized hit this year, the race in the top categories has been pretty wide open and hard to predict — with only Bette Midler’s turn in the revival of Hello, Dolly! a lock for the best actress in a musical prize.
- 6/11/2017
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
Long Strange Trip is playing for one-night only in St Louis on Thursday, May 25th at the Marcus Des Peres, before opening in NY & La on Friday, May 26th, and then premiering on Amazon Prime Video on June 2nd
The 30-year odyssey of the Grateful Dead was the most unlikely success story in rock ’n’ roll history. Famously averse to publicity and seemingly incapable of recording radio-friendly hits, they flouted music-industry convention by giving their live music away to a global network of tape traders and becoming the highest-grossing concert act in America through word of mouth alone.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese (The Last Waltz), Long Strange Trip is the first full-length documentary to explore the fiercely independent vision, perpetual innovation, and uncompromising commitment to their audience that made the Bay Area band one of the most influential musical groups of their generation.
The 30-year odyssey of the Grateful Dead was the most unlikely success story in rock ’n’ roll history. Famously averse to publicity and seemingly incapable of recording radio-friendly hits, they flouted music-industry convention by giving their live music away to a global network of tape traders and becoming the highest-grossing concert act in America through word of mouth alone.
Directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese (The Last Waltz), Long Strange Trip is the first full-length documentary to explore the fiercely independent vision, perpetual innovation, and uncompromising commitment to their audience that made the Bay Area band one of the most influential musical groups of their generation.
- 5/12/2017
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
… Stan Lee, Jack Kirby & Black Panther take me to lunch!
This article features part one in its entirety. If you’d prefer to skip it scroll down to the paragraph break Core Business- it’s all caps and in bold. If you can I’d like you to read this from the beginning. I’ve made some changes albeit small ones I feel were warranted.
My apologies for the long delay.
The Black Panthers were at one time the number one target of the FBI in the 60s. They were viewed as terrorists and J. Edger Hoover the longtime leader of the most powerful police force in the world was hell bent on getting rid of them by hook or by crook.
Yep, hook or crook.
It’s no secret the United States Government from time to time will ignore the law. It’s fair to say it goes on...
This article features part one in its entirety. If you’d prefer to skip it scroll down to the paragraph break Core Business- it’s all caps and in bold. If you can I’d like you to read this from the beginning. I’ve made some changes albeit small ones I feel were warranted.
My apologies for the long delay.
The Black Panthers were at one time the number one target of the FBI in the 60s. They were viewed as terrorists and J. Edger Hoover the longtime leader of the most powerful police force in the world was hell bent on getting rid of them by hook or by crook.
Yep, hook or crook.
It’s no secret the United States Government from time to time will ignore the law. It’s fair to say it goes on...
- 2/15/2017
- by Michael Davis
- Comicmix.com
The Bowling Green Massacre—a.k.a., the dumb Kellyanne Conway gaffe that caught the hearts and minds of a nation—has inspired plenty of jokes, and even a semi-fake charitable movement, already. But no American tragedy can be truly real until Mark Wahlberg (or at least “Mark Wahlberg”) has made a Patriots Day-style movie about it. Enter comedy writer Jordan VanDina, a.k.a. Weekend Scripts, who spent a recent weekend penning a freedom-loving thriller in which a heroic Wahlberg is prepared to die for America’s right to bowl.
VanDina—who’s the author of similarly speedily written fare like 21 Trump Street, and one about Bill Murray stealing that Wu-Tang Clan record back from Martin Shkreli—transfers the Massacre from the place it hypothetically could have, but definitely did not, happen, Bowling Green, Kentucky, to Wahlberg’s native Boston. (The better to have the actor frequently ...
VanDina—who’s the author of similarly speedily written fare like 21 Trump Street, and one about Bill Murray stealing that Wu-Tang Clan record back from Martin Shkreli—transfers the Massacre from the place it hypothetically could have, but definitely did not, happen, Bowling Green, Kentucky, to Wahlberg’s native Boston. (The better to have the actor frequently ...
- 2/4/2017
- by William Hughes
- avclub.com
Massive crowds of protestors mobilized quickly Wednesday in response to news of President Trump’s proposed ban on issuing visas to people from seven Muslim-majority nations, including Iran. In addition to the last minute rallies held nationwide, Iranian actress Taraneh Alidoosti had harsh words of her own for the president. Her condemnation serves as a bitter reminder that even Hollywood cannot redeem America’s image in the eyes of the world.
“Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist,” she tweeted Thursday morning. “Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the Academy Awards 2017 in protest.”
Read More: ‘The Salesman’ Trailer: Asghar Farhadi Is Iran’s Oscar Contender With This Two-Time Cannes Winner
Alidoosti is the star of “The Salesman,” which is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. It is the latest from acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose 2012 film, “A Separation,” won the Oscar...
“Trump’s visa ban for Iranians is racist,” she tweeted Thursday morning. “Whether this will include a cultural event or not, I won’t attend the Academy Awards 2017 in protest.”
Read More: ‘The Salesman’ Trailer: Asghar Farhadi Is Iran’s Oscar Contender With This Two-Time Cannes Winner
Alidoosti is the star of “The Salesman,” which is nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. It is the latest from acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, whose 2012 film, “A Separation,” won the Oscar...
- 1/26/2017
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
In the 1960s, the Black Panthers were the number one target of the FBI. They were viewed as terrorists and J. Edgar Hoover, the longtime leader of the most powerful police force in the world, was hell bent on getting rid of them by hook or by crook.
Yep, hook or crook.
It’s no secret the United States Government from time to time will ignore the law. It’s fair to say it goes on often and as far as we know it goes on all the time. When caught, those who swore to uphold the constitution offer apologies for actions that dismissed the law like Trump denies any negative press.
But it’s all bullshit.
If not caught these people may have stopped breaking the law, but it’s doubtful they would have been sorry. I gather few are sorry for wrongdoing that benefits them. How many people...
Yep, hook or crook.
It’s no secret the United States Government from time to time will ignore the law. It’s fair to say it goes on often and as far as we know it goes on all the time. When caught, those who swore to uphold the constitution offer apologies for actions that dismissed the law like Trump denies any negative press.
But it’s all bullshit.
If not caught these people may have stopped breaking the law, but it’s doubtful they would have been sorry. I gather few are sorry for wrongdoing that benefits them. How many people...
- 1/20/2017
- by Michael Davis
- Comicmix.com
On July 20, 2012, James Eagan Holmes entered a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colorado and opened fire during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people and injuring 70 more. At the time, the Aurora massacre featured the largest number of casualties in a shooting in the United States and continued the neverending debate over gun control and gun violence in America.
Now, four years later, Tim Sutton’s third film “Dark Night” tackles the massacre as well as the national gun culture. The film follows the lives of six strangers over the course of one day, the shooter included, as their lives intersect at a suburban movie theater which will become the site of a massacre. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: ‘Dark Night’ Trailer and Poster: Tim Sutton’s Dreamlike Film About Gun Violence Arrives in Theaters Next Month
The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Now, four years later, Tim Sutton’s third film “Dark Night” tackles the massacre as well as the national gun culture. The film follows the lives of six strangers over the course of one day, the shooter included, as their lives intersect at a suburban movie theater which will become the site of a massacre. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: ‘Dark Night’ Trailer and Poster: Tim Sutton’s Dreamlike Film About Gun Violence Arrives in Theaters Next Month
The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
- 1/17/2017
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
A year after premiering at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, Tim Sutton’s “Dark Night” is set to arrive in theaters courtesy of Cinelicious Pics. An elliptical quasi-documentary, the film brings to mind Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant” (and, for that matter, Alan Clarke’s “Elephant”) as it explores the day leading up to a tragedy that’s modeled in part after the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado of 2012. Find the film’s trailer and poster below.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Dark Night’ is a Gorgeous Look at an American Tragedy
The trailer offers glimpses of the nonprofessional actors who make up Sutton’s cast and keeps viewers guessing as to who among them might be plotting violence as day slowly turns into night. Hélène Louvart (“Pina,” “The Beaches of Agnes”) shot “Dark Night,” and her cinematography is its most distinctive, arresting element — all mood and atmosphere, the film relies on...
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Dark Night’ is a Gorgeous Look at an American Tragedy
The trailer offers glimpses of the nonprofessional actors who make up Sutton’s cast and keeps viewers guessing as to who among them might be plotting violence as day slowly turns into night. Hélène Louvart (“Pina,” “The Beaches of Agnes”) shot “Dark Night,” and her cinematography is its most distinctive, arresting element — all mood and atmosphere, the film relies on...
- 1/10/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
A former Ivy League professor who admitted to killing his wife in 2006 while she wrapped Christmas presents was released from prison Sunday, People confirms.
Rafael Robb, 66, an economist who taught at the University of Pennsylvania, served 10 years in a state prison for fatally bludgeoning his wife, Ellen Gregory Robb, 49.
The beating death, in the kitchen of the couple’s suburban Philadelphia home, came after Ellen contacted a lawyer and threatened to divorce him, according to court records obtained by People.
Ellen was beaten so badly with a metal exercise bar that police thought she had been shot in the face with a high-powered rifle,...
Rafael Robb, 66, an economist who taught at the University of Pennsylvania, served 10 years in a state prison for fatally bludgeoning his wife, Ellen Gregory Robb, 49.
The beating death, in the kitchen of the couple’s suburban Philadelphia home, came after Ellen contacted a lawyer and threatened to divorce him, according to court records obtained by People.
Ellen was beaten so badly with a metal exercise bar that police thought she had been shot in the face with a high-powered rifle,...
- 1/9/2017
- by kcbakerpeoplemag
- PEOPLE.com
Netflix announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights to Kitty Green’s documentary “Casting JonBenet,” which will have its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festivalin the Us Documentary Competition, the first time a nonfiction work from the company will compete.
Read More: Weinstein Co. and National Enquirer Aim to Beat CBS with Their Own JonBenet Ramsey Docuseries
The film is a sly and stylized exploration of the world’s most sensational child-murder case, the still unsolved death of six-year-old American beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey. Over 15 months, the filmmakers traveled to the Ramseys’ Colorado hometown to elicit responses, reflections and even performances from the local community. In doing so, Casting JonBenet examines how this crime and its resulting mythologies have shaped the attitudes and behavior of successive generations of parents and children.
The film is co-produced by Green (“Ukraine is Not a Brothel”), Scott Macaulay (“Gummo”) and James Schamus,...
Read More: Weinstein Co. and National Enquirer Aim to Beat CBS with Their Own JonBenet Ramsey Docuseries
The film is a sly and stylized exploration of the world’s most sensational child-murder case, the still unsolved death of six-year-old American beauty queen, JonBenet Ramsey. Over 15 months, the filmmakers traveled to the Ramseys’ Colorado hometown to elicit responses, reflections and even performances from the local community. In doing so, Casting JonBenet examines how this crime and its resulting mythologies have shaped the attitudes and behavior of successive generations of parents and children.
The film is co-produced by Green (“Ukraine is Not a Brothel”), Scott Macaulay (“Gummo”) and James Schamus,...
- 1/4/2017
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
"Yeah, man, I mean, they're so boring. Boring, and kind of dangerous."
Pablo Larraín is looking out the window of his hotel room, staring at the folks in the windows of their hotel rooms across the street from where he's staying in New York. Nothing salacious is happening, mind you; no one is getting undressed, or murdering their spouse, or jumping on top of their bed to a Beyoncé song. But the 40-year-old Chilean director is still fascinated by the rows of what he calls "glass movie screens" facing him,...
Pablo Larraín is looking out the window of his hotel room, staring at the folks in the windows of their hotel rooms across the street from where he's staying in New York. Nothing salacious is happening, mind you; no one is getting undressed, or murdering their spouse, or jumping on top of their bed to a Beyoncé song. But the 40-year-old Chilean director is still fascinated by the rows of what he calls "glass movie screens" facing him,...
- 12/17/2016
- Rollingstone.com
The IndieWire team spent Tuesday night scattered across New York and Los Angeles, attending campaign events, sitting in the audience of live TV events, drinking at election parties and watching the coverage at home. Here’s how they experienced the unexpected win for President-Elect Donald Trump.
Colbert’s Rapport
I watched the election results with Stephen Colbert, in his New York City studio with several hundred people for his Showtime election special. It was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.
Colbert struggled to find humor in an increasingly despondent situation and the audience slowly sunk with him. The fixed nature of the program — the guests, the sappy one-liners, Colbert’s occasional f-bomb made possible by the cable format — felt totally out of sync with a combustible scenario that caught everyone by surprise. Being in a studio audience for a show watched around the country should feel exciting; instead,...
Colbert’s Rapport
I watched the election results with Stephen Colbert, in his New York City studio with several hundred people for his Showtime election special. It was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.
Colbert struggled to find humor in an increasingly despondent situation and the audience slowly sunk with him. The fixed nature of the program — the guests, the sappy one-liners, Colbert’s occasional f-bomb made possible by the cable format — felt totally out of sync with a combustible scenario that caught everyone by surprise. Being in a studio audience for a show watched around the country should feel exciting; instead,...
- 11/9/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Spy dramas are a delicate balance of tactical thinking and explosive action, with the latter typically going down far less often than the former. Even more action-heavy espionage tales — your “Homelands,” your James Bonds — light a fuse with their lengthy scenes of stalking, talking and traditional spy-craft. Many also incorporate varying degrees of sensuality — your “Americans,” your “Night Managers” — as the mentally strenuous life of a spy can lead to physically exhausting nighttime excursions. The best of the genre usually links the two together: The thrill of the chase and satisfaction of success can be found on the streets and in the sheets.
“Berlin Station,” the first original drama series from Epix, has too little thrills of any kind. There’s a lot of exposition very clearly pointed toward real-world politics in the opening hour, but the show’s commentary is largely muted by contradictory choices in later episodes. Through...
“Berlin Station,” the first original drama series from Epix, has too little thrills of any kind. There’s a lot of exposition very clearly pointed toward real-world politics in the opening hour, but the show’s commentary is largely muted by contradictory choices in later episodes. Through...
- 10/12/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Netflix is attempting to tackle the timely subject of the heroin epidemic sweeping the country in their new feature film, “6 Balloons.” Dave Franco, Abbi Jacobson, Jane Kaczmarek and Tim Matheson have now signed on to star in the new film. Franco will play Seth, a recovering addict who falls back into heroin while having to care for his two-year-old daughter. Deadline reports that Jacobson is set to star as his sister who must act after discovering this.
Read More: Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer on Their Favorite Comedic Performances on ‘Broad City’ & Beyond (Consider This)
Marja-Lewis Ryan, who most recently wrote the screenplay for the somehow-happening “Splash,” an upcoming update on the1 1984 Ron Howard film starring Tom Hanks, has written the script and will also direct the film.
Read More: Dave Franco, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Orlando Bloom, Malin Akerman & More Take It ‘Easy’ For Joe Swanberg’s Netflix Series
“6 Balloons” represents an...
Read More: Abbi Jacobson & Ilana Glazer on Their Favorite Comedic Performances on ‘Broad City’ & Beyond (Consider This)
Marja-Lewis Ryan, who most recently wrote the screenplay for the somehow-happening “Splash,” an upcoming update on the1 1984 Ron Howard film starring Tom Hanks, has written the script and will also direct the film.
Read More: Dave Franco, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Orlando Bloom, Malin Akerman & More Take It ‘Easy’ For Joe Swanberg’s Netflix Series
“6 Balloons” represents an...
- 10/11/2016
- by Casey Coit
- Indiewire
No time for the news? Then “Vice News Tonight” is for you.
While not as catchy as “the first modern news show,” the above tagline could certainly apply to the premiere episode of “Vice News Tonight.” Moving along at rapid speed with constantly shifting graphics, HBO’s debut half-hour glazed over most of its content in favor of covering a wide swath of topics. So fast were the reports thrown at the audience, “Vice News Tonight” didn’t even have time for an anchor. No one sat behind a desk. No one cracked wise. And no revolution occurred.
…yet.
Read More: John Oliver Takes on Guantánamo in ‘Last Week Tonight’ Screed About the Controversial Military Prison — Watch
To be fair, “Vice News Tonight” — despite a name with a similar ring to “Last Week Tonight” — is not trying to be funny. In the modern news world, there remains a void Jon Stewart...
While not as catchy as “the first modern news show,” the above tagline could certainly apply to the premiere episode of “Vice News Tonight.” Moving along at rapid speed with constantly shifting graphics, HBO’s debut half-hour glazed over most of its content in favor of covering a wide swath of topics. So fast were the reports thrown at the audience, “Vice News Tonight” didn’t even have time for an anchor. No one sat behind a desk. No one cracked wise. And no revolution occurred.
…yet.
Read More: John Oliver Takes on Guantánamo in ‘Last Week Tonight’ Screed About the Controversial Military Prison — Watch
To be fair, “Vice News Tonight” — despite a name with a similar ring to “Last Week Tonight” — is not trying to be funny. In the modern news world, there remains a void Jon Stewart...
- 10/11/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
With the premieres of “Love,” “Stranger Things,” and “Luke Cage,” Netflix is having quite a busy year for original series, but soon they will debut their first Brazilian original production “3%.” Created by Pedro Aguilera and directed and executive produced by Cesar Charlone (“City of God”), “3%” follows a dystopian future Brazil in which the surviving population resides in the Inland, a place that lacks basic resources. But at the age of 20, everyone is given a chance to apply for the Process, which allows 3% of applicants to live in the glorious Mar Alto. The cast includes Joao Miguel (“Xingu”), Bianca Comparator (“Pure Beauty”), Zeze Motta (“Chica da Silva”), Mel Fronckowiak (“Rebelde”), and more.Watch the teaser trailer for the series below.
Read More: ’13th’ Review: Ava DuVernay’s Netflix Documentary Is the Most Relevant Movie of the Year — Nyff
Based off a 2011 web series also created by Pedro Aguilera, , “3%” marks the first Netflix series to be filmed,...
Read More: ’13th’ Review: Ava DuVernay’s Netflix Documentary Is the Most Relevant Movie of the Year — Nyff
Based off a 2011 web series also created by Pedro Aguilera, , “3%” marks the first Netflix series to be filmed,...
- 10/10/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Review: ‘Westworld’ Review: Season Premiere Offers Violent Delights and Asks Many Questions
Diagnostic Report
After getting to know our hosts last week, it’s time to learn a bit more about what it’s like to be a guest. Through the eyes of newcomer William (Jimmi Simpson) and his more boorish friend Logan (Ben Barnes), we go through the orientation process — or lack thereof — and also gain new insight into how guests get drawn into Westworld’s many ongoing narratives.
Those narratives, as designed by resident sociopathic Sizemore, might be starting to unravel on a host-by-host basis, with Dolores remembering more than she should and Maeve nearly getting decommissioned for her malfunctions. Bernard suspects sabotage, and we learn that he’s been secretly meeting with two different women. His reasons for hooking up with Theresa (Sidse Babett Knudsen) are pretty obvious, but what’s less clear is...
Diagnostic Report
After getting to know our hosts last week, it’s time to learn a bit more about what it’s like to be a guest. Through the eyes of newcomer William (Jimmi Simpson) and his more boorish friend Logan (Ben Barnes), we go through the orientation process — or lack thereof — and also gain new insight into how guests get drawn into Westworld’s many ongoing narratives.
Those narratives, as designed by resident sociopathic Sizemore, might be starting to unravel on a host-by-host basis, with Dolores remembering more than she should and Maeve nearly getting decommissioned for her malfunctions. Bernard suspects sabotage, and we learn that he’s been secretly meeting with two different women. His reasons for hooking up with Theresa (Sidse Babett Knudsen) are pretty obvious, but what’s less clear is...
- 10/9/2016
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Review: Margot Robbie Hosts the Premiere of America’s Rebuilding Season
After a reasonably strong outing last week, “Saturday Night Live” returned this week with first-time host Lin-Manuel Miranda and musical guest twenty one pilots. The multiple Tony award-winner met, if not exceeded, expectations as #SNLinManuel soared through sketches with fresh energy and a glimmer in the cast’s collective eye. Even Miranda’s bumpers were adorable! Unsurprisingly, this particular episode was super-saturated with music and culture references, but it offered a fair amount of pointed political commentary as well. Let’s dive in.
Cold Open: VP Debate/Latest Trump Controversy
The cold open this week was exceptional. Kicking off with “an encore presentation” of last week’s Vice Presidential debate, the evening opened on new cast member Melissa Villaseñor addressing the audience directly. It’s difficult to think of any other example of “SNL” breaking the fourth wall,...
After a reasonably strong outing last week, “Saturday Night Live” returned this week with first-time host Lin-Manuel Miranda and musical guest twenty one pilots. The multiple Tony award-winner met, if not exceeded, expectations as #SNLinManuel soared through sketches with fresh energy and a glimmer in the cast’s collective eye. Even Miranda’s bumpers were adorable! Unsurprisingly, this particular episode was super-saturated with music and culture references, but it offered a fair amount of pointed political commentary as well. Let’s dive in.
Cold Open: VP Debate/Latest Trump Controversy
The cold open this week was exceptional. Kicking off with “an encore presentation” of last week’s Vice Presidential debate, the evening opened on new cast member Melissa Villaseñor addressing the audience directly. It’s difficult to think of any other example of “SNL” breaking the fourth wall,...
- 10/9/2016
- by Sophy Ziss
- Indiewire
Most of Aaron Sorkin’s professional life has been spent making political debates — both personal and public — into poetically entertaining and informative exchanges. In “The West Wing,” he did it every week. Josh and Toby would fight it out until one was proven the victor or a compromise was reached. In “The Newsroom,” Will McAvoy would lambaste politicians, and his reports would often lead to various ethical conversations with his staff.
The point is, Aaron Sorkin knows a thing or two about winning a debate, and our current presidential candidates could learn from his work. We’ve examined the most pertinent examples of debate procedures, and the points below represent key strategies for winning a verbal battle. Apply them wisely.
Read More: How to Watch the First 2016 Presidential Debate: Live Stream [Video]
1. Don’t let third party candidates into the debate.
This one is fairly easy to do these days, considering...
The point is, Aaron Sorkin knows a thing or two about winning a debate, and our current presidential candidates could learn from his work. We’ve examined the most pertinent examples of debate procedures, and the points below represent key strategies for winning a verbal battle. Apply them wisely.
Read More: How to Watch the First 2016 Presidential Debate: Live Stream [Video]
1. Don’t let third party candidates into the debate.
This one is fairly easy to do these days, considering...
- 10/9/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Cinelicious Pics has acquired all North American rights to Tim Sutton’s critically acclaimed “Dark Night.” Billed as “an artfully understated critique of American gun culture,” the film is “loosely based around the 2012 massacre that took place during a multiplex screening of ‘The Dark Knight’ in Aurora, Colorado.” Sutton’s feature uses pseudo-documentary technique and a cast of non-professional actors to chart the course of six strangers — including the eventual shooter — over one fateful day. The film was shot in Sarasota, Florida, and lensed by veteran French Dp Helene Louvart and boasts an original score by Montreal-based Maica Armata.
The film debuted at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was later selected as Closing Night Film at Bam CinemaFest. In recent weeks, the film played out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, where it took home the Lanterna Magica Award.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Dark Night’ is a Gorgeous Look...
The film debuted at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was later selected as Closing Night Film at Bam CinemaFest. In recent weeks, the film played out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, where it took home the Lanterna Magica Award.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Dark Night’ is a Gorgeous Look...
- 9/28/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Before anyone gets triggered, let me forewarn you that King Cobra is a true story centered around gay porn. That story seems absolutely insane as it features two porn moguls going to war over one man: Brent Corrigan. Here's the official description:
Based on a stranger-than-fiction true story, King Cobra is a deliciously dark, twisted plunge into the behind-the-scenes world of the pornography industry. It’s 2006, YouTube is in its infancy, and internet porn is still behind a paywall. Taking the stage name Brent Corrigan, a fresh-faced, wannabe adult video performer (Garrett Clayton) is molded into a star by Stephen (Christian Slater), a closeted gay porn mogul who runs the skin flick empire Cobra Video from his seemingly ordinary suburban home. But as Brent’s rise and demands for more money put him at odds with his boss, he also attracts the attention of a rival producer (James Franco) and...
Based on a stranger-than-fiction true story, King Cobra is a deliciously dark, twisted plunge into the behind-the-scenes world of the pornography industry. It’s 2006, YouTube is in its infancy, and internet porn is still behind a paywall. Taking the stage name Brent Corrigan, a fresh-faced, wannabe adult video performer (Garrett Clayton) is molded into a star by Stephen (Christian Slater), a closeted gay porn mogul who runs the skin flick empire Cobra Video from his seemingly ordinary suburban home. But as Brent’s rise and demands for more money put him at odds with his boss, he also attracts the attention of a rival producer (James Franco) and...
- 9/27/2016
- by Mick Joest
- GeekTyrant
"Just wait 'till I make you a star." IFC Films has debuted a trailer for an indie drama titled King Cobra, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Based on a stranger-than-fiction true story, King Cobra is a "deliciously dark, twisted plunge into the behind-the-scenes world of the porn industry." The film is about a young gay porn star, played by Garrett Clayton, who decides to leave the producer who originally made him famous but encounters more trouble by way of two rival producers who try to cash in on his fame. The impressive cast includes James Franco, Christian Slater, Molly Ringwald, Alicia Silverstone, Keegan Allen and Sean Grandillo. It's described as "part delirious, tabloid-shocker satire, part American tragedy." Definitely not going to be for everyone, but might be worth a watch. Take a peek. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Justin Kelly's King Cobra, direct...
- 9/26/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
While he’s currently shooting David Simon’s new HBO series The Deuce, which looks at the porn industry in the 1970s and ’80s in New York City, James Franco has another production which explores a more modern look at the industry. King Cobra, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, follows Franco and Christian Slater as rival gay porn producers who fight over a burgeoning star. Ahead of a release next month, IFC Midnight has now released the first trailer.
We said in our review, “Throw Boogie Nights, Shooting Porn, Downloading Nancy, and Party Monster in a blender, add some cocaine, a scope of whey protein and squirt of lube and you’ve got the unexpectedly fun King Cobra. Inspired by a true story, the sophomore feature from writer-director Justin Kelly is a darkly comic tale set in the wake of Katrina, a piece of background information that informs the lack of smart phones,...
We said in our review, “Throw Boogie Nights, Shooting Porn, Downloading Nancy, and Party Monster in a blender, add some cocaine, a scope of whey protein and squirt of lube and you’ve got the unexpectedly fun King Cobra. Inspired by a true story, the sophomore feature from writer-director Justin Kelly is a darkly comic tale set in the wake of Katrina, a piece of background information that informs the lack of smart phones,...
- 9/26/2016
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
It didn’t need to bill itself as such on its poster: War Dogs is obviously a movie about the modern, sad version of the American Dream. If you’ve ever been to a cinema you’ve encountered this rags to prison jumpsuit story a hundred times over. Yet director Todd Phillips’ (of The Hangover fame) first foray into more serious fare, for all its obvious derivativeness, somehow acquits itself decently. Yes, the movie showcases the immaturity of its characters alongside that of its director’s abilities in this field. But the formula works because this sort of tale is so gripping and thanks to the solid performances by its talented young stars, Miles Teller and Jonah Hill.
Teller is David Packouz, a young man who, like many in our modern bumbling economy, finds himself adrift in a dead-end job and no prospects at prosperity. Packouz (a real life character...
Teller is David Packouz, a young man who, like many in our modern bumbling economy, finds himself adrift in a dead-end job and no prospects at prosperity. Packouz (a real life character...
- 8/18/2016
- by J Don Birnam
- LRMonline.com
If you’ve seen the start of FX’s “Oj: Made in America” and all of FX’s “The People v Oj Simpson,” you may think you know all there is to know about the NFL star-turned-prisoner. But there are still stunning facts that haven’t aired yet. 1. Oj Had 9 Guns According to Lawrence Schiller’s book “American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the Oj Simpson Defense”: “Juice owned nine guns, including an Uzi.” The guns were one reason Simpson friend Robert Kardashian didn’t believe Simpson killed Nicole, who was killed with a knife, Schiller writes: “A...
- 6/12/2016
- by Tim Molloy
- The Wrap
Nc-17. is a new American tragedy written and conceived by Rodney Hicks, featuring music by indie singer-songwriter Justin Jude Carroll. Below, check out a new trailer for Nc-17., featuring the show's new graphic design The Nc-17 website -- www.ncseventeen.net -- has also been updated with new interactive features on the journey, characters, the soundtrack, and a web journal tracking progress on the piece.
- 4/14/2016
- by Stage Tube
- BroadwayWorld.com
On August 1, 1966, a gunman climbed the tower at the University of Texas in Austin and opened fire with a high-powered rifle. After 96 minutes, the sniper was dead, but so were 16 of his victims. Dozens more were wounded. A nation looked on in shock. And it was just the harbinger of more violence to […]
The post ‘Tower’ Offers a Unique and Enthralling Look at an American Tragedy [SXSW Review] appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Tower’ Offers a Unique and Enthralling Look at an American Tragedy [SXSW Review] appeared first on /Film.
- 3/18/2016
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
In an effort to help alleviate the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, more than 300 union plumbers assembled in the devastated town on Saturday to lend a hand. The plumbers, representing the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, visited over 1,100 Flint homes to help install new faucets and water filters free of charge. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s); if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'...
- 2/2/2016
- by Rose Minutaglio, @RoseMinutaglio
- PEOPLE.com
In an effort to help alleviate the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, more than 300 union plumbers assembled in the devastated town on Saturday to lend a hand. The plumbers, representing the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, visited over 1,100 Flint homes to help install new faucets and water filters free of charge. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s); if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'...
- 2/2/2016
- by Rose Minutaglio, @RoseMinutaglio
- PEOPLE.com
The Kardashian family's late patriarch makes a desperate plea to O.J. Simpson in the new teaser for American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.
Simpson, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., has a gun to his head in the childhood room of Kim Kardashian West, as her father, Simpson defense attorney Robert Kardashian (played by David Schwimmer), tries to talk him down.
"Do not kill yourself in Kimmy's bedroom," Kardashian says.
Lawrence Schiller, author of American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense previously spoke out about this real-life incident, which allegedly saw Simpson hold a...
Simpson, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., has a gun to his head in the childhood room of Kim Kardashian West, as her father, Simpson defense attorney Robert Kardashian (played by David Schwimmer), tries to talk him down.
"Do not kill yourself in Kimmy's bedroom," Kardashian says.
Lawrence Schiller, author of American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense previously spoke out about this real-life incident, which allegedly saw Simpson hold a...
- 12/17/2015
- by Aaron Couch, @AaronCouch
- People.com - TV Watch
The Kardashian family's late patriarch makes a desperate plea to O.J. Simpson in the new teaser for American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.Simpson, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., has a gun to his head in the childhood room of Kim Kardashian West, as her father, Simpson defense attorney Robert Kardashian (played by David Schwimmer), tries to talk him down. "Do not kill yourself in Kimmy's bedroom," Kardashian says. Lawrence Schiller, author of American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense previously spoke out about this real-life incident, which allegedly saw Simpson hold a...
- 12/17/2015
- by Aaron Couch, @AaronCouch
- PEOPLE.com
A film’s rewatchability factor has a great deal to do with its enduring success. Last year, I listed Bennett Miller’s gloomy, heavy “Foxcatcher” as my favorite movie of the year and, to a degree, it’s a pick I still stand by. But the glum solemnity of "Foxcatcher" doesn’t divulge any particularly new layers upon repeat viewings, whereas other films that I listed in my top five — mainly James Gray’s staggering American tragedy “The Immigrant” and Alex Ross Perry’s underrated and seriously funny “Listen Up, Philip” — continued to reveal new and fascinating layers with repeat viewings. Some flicks from 2014 seem less interesting when watched more than once (for me, it was Damien Chazelle’s almost universally-praised “Whiplash”) while others, like Paul Thomas Anderson’s wigged-out cinematic cornucopia “Inherent Vice,” are best enjoyed when you’ve had a chance to unpack their dense narratives more than once.
- 10/15/2015
- by Nicholas Laskin
- The Playlist
O.J. Simpson contemplated killing himself in Kim Kardashian‘s teenage bedroom before the infamous car chase in his white Ford Bronco. O.J. Simpson’s Suicidal Moment According to Lawrence Schiller, who wrote American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense, Simpson had recorded something of a suicide tape from his lawyer Robert Kardashian’s daughter Kim Kardashian’s […]
The post O.J. Simpson Almost Attempted Suicide In Kim Kardashian’s Teen Bedroom appeared first on uInterview.
The post O.J. Simpson Almost Attempted Suicide In Kim Kardashian’s Teen Bedroom appeared first on uInterview.
- 10/2/2015
- by Chelsea Regan
- Uinterview
Oh my. It's been 21 years since O.J. Simpson's famous 1995 murder trial, and yet new information continues to pour in about his past. Lawrence Schiller, who wrote American Tragedy: The Uncensored Story of the O.J. Simpson Defense, now claims in a new interview that the former NFL player once tried to kill himself in the childhood bedroom of none other than Kim Kardashian. Schiller followed Simpson's case as he stood trial for the 1994 murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman. [...]...
- 9/30/2015
- Us Weekly
Of all those who revolutionized TV in the last 20 years, David Simon was always the most political and least commercial. From The Wire to Generation Kill and Treme, he's consistently dived into the country's thorniest topics: the Drug War, inner city public schools, the invasion of Iraq, New Orleans post-Katrina. In his new HBO project, Show Me a Hero, he takes on his least likely subject for nightly entertainment yet: public housing. A true story set in Yonkers in the late Eighties/early Nineties, the six-episode miniseries stars Oscar Isaac...
- 8/11/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Ian Halperin, author of “Whitney & Bobbi Kristina: The Deadly Price of Fame,” has spoken out about Bobbi Kristina Brown, calling her death “an American tragedy.” While describing the younger Brown as “affable, respected and extremely talented,” Halperin noted that she “deserved better in life.” Brown died Sunday at age 22 at Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth, Ga. After being found unresponsive and face-down in the bathtub of her Roswell, Georgia, home on January 31, she was hospitalized and placed in a medically induced coma. Later she was transferred to a rehabilitation facility and, ultimately, to hospice care in June. Though there...
- 7/27/2015
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
1. Frankie Bridge and Kevin Clifton's Cha Cha: (8-8-8-8) 32
Len: "Your footwork is good."
Darcey: "Really sleek and clean."
2. Mark Wright and Karen Hauer's Quickstep: (7-7-7-8) 29
Bruno: "I saw the fancy Wright white knight!"
Craig: "You've got very flat hands."
3. Judy Murray and Anton du Beke's Tango: (4-6-6-6) 22
Craig: "Amazing isn't the world."
Darcey: "I thought it was a wonderful beginning and wonderful end."
4. Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff's Charleston: (7-8-8-8) 31
Darcey: "I knew there was a star dancer in you!"
Craig: "Finally...some personality."
5. Alison Hammond and Aljaz Skorjanec's Samba: (6-7-7-7) 27
Len: "Full of fun!"
Darcey: "I wanted to be part of that party."
6. Scott Mills and Joanne Clifton's American Smooth: (2-5-4-4) 15
Bruno: "It looked like an American tragedy."
Craig: "You are an exception to the rule that everyone can learn to dance."
7. Steve Backshall...
Len: "Your footwork is good."
Darcey: "Really sleek and clean."
2. Mark Wright and Karen Hauer's Quickstep: (7-7-7-8) 29
Bruno: "I saw the fancy Wright white knight!"
Craig: "You've got very flat hands."
3. Judy Murray and Anton du Beke's Tango: (4-6-6-6) 22
Craig: "Amazing isn't the world."
Darcey: "I thought it was a wonderful beginning and wonderful end."
4. Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff's Charleston: (7-8-8-8) 31
Darcey: "I knew there was a star dancer in you!"
Craig: "Finally...some personality."
5. Alison Hammond and Aljaz Skorjanec's Samba: (6-7-7-7) 27
Len: "Full of fun!"
Darcey: "I wanted to be part of that party."
6. Scott Mills and Joanne Clifton's American Smooth: (2-5-4-4) 15
Bruno: "It looked like an American tragedy."
Craig: "You are an exception to the rule that everyone can learn to dance."
7. Steve Backshall...
- 10/18/2014
- Digital Spy
Jake Wood and Caroline Flack have tied in first place in week four of Strictly Come Dancing.
The EastEnders actor's Elvis-themed Jive with Janette Manrara scored 33 from the judges, as did Flack's Quickstep with Pasha Kovalev.
Judge Darcey Bussell told Wood that he "definitely shook [her] up", while head judge Len Goodman added that it was a "full-on, dynamic performance".
Bruno Tonioli told Flack that he couldn't wait to see her perform another Quickstep, and Craig Revel Horwood said he thought the dance was "gorgeous".
At the bottom of this week's scorecard is Scott Mills, whose American Smooth to 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' earned a low 15 points.
Revel Horwood, who awarded Mills a two, quipped: "You are an exception to the rule that everyone can learn to dance."
Tonioli said: "It looked like an American tragedy."
The Strictly Come Dancing results show airs on Sunday (October 19) at 7.20pm on BBC One.
The EastEnders actor's Elvis-themed Jive with Janette Manrara scored 33 from the judges, as did Flack's Quickstep with Pasha Kovalev.
Judge Darcey Bussell told Wood that he "definitely shook [her] up", while head judge Len Goodman added that it was a "full-on, dynamic performance".
Bruno Tonioli told Flack that he couldn't wait to see her perform another Quickstep, and Craig Revel Horwood said he thought the dance was "gorgeous".
At the bottom of this week's scorecard is Scott Mills, whose American Smooth to 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' earned a low 15 points.
Revel Horwood, who awarded Mills a two, quipped: "You are an exception to the rule that everyone can learn to dance."
Tonioli said: "It looked like an American tragedy."
The Strictly Come Dancing results show airs on Sunday (October 19) at 7.20pm on BBC One.
- 10/18/2014
- Digital Spy
Yep, you read that headline right: There was a lot going on in Svu last night. Just how much? About as much as was stuffed into 2013's biggest kitchen-sink episode, "American Tragedy"—a smorgasbord that included takes on Paula Deen, Trayvon Martin, stop-and-frisk, and even "Blurred Lines." The latest entry in the Svu canon—which aired almost exactly one year after "American Tragedy"—was a similarly chock-full affair, complete with an analogous title ("American Disgrace"), another big-name guest star (Stacy Keach as a Donald Sterling-esque billionaire), and the same disingenuous opening title card: "The following story is fictional and does...
- 10/2/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
Jersey Boys, a recreation of the smash hit Broadway musical of the same name, recounts the rise to fame of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons during the late 50s and early 60s.
John Lloyd Young, who originated the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway, reprises the part on the big screen in Jersey Boys, dominating the vocals on the group’s timeless hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” Vincent Piazza, Erich Bergen and Micael Lomenda round out the Italian-American quartet that achieved international fame despite some trials and tribulations on the way from their Belleville, N.J. roots.
'Jersey Boys' Reviews
As a feature film, directed by Clint Eastwood, Jersey Boys seems to have largely underwhelmed critics – though it’s a general consensus that the soundtrack is enjoyable in any medium. Compared to other...
John Lloyd Young, who originated the role of Frankie Valli on Broadway, reprises the part on the big screen in Jersey Boys, dominating the vocals on the group’s timeless hits including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” Vincent Piazza, Erich Bergen and Micael Lomenda round out the Italian-American quartet that achieved international fame despite some trials and tribulations on the way from their Belleville, N.J. roots.
'Jersey Boys' Reviews
As a feature film, directed by Clint Eastwood, Jersey Boys seems to have largely underwhelmed critics – though it’s a general consensus that the soundtrack is enjoyable in any medium. Compared to other...
- 6/21/2014
- Uinterview
The West Memphis Three case was the subject of Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s much-lauded Paradise Lost trilogy (1996, 2000, 2011), as well as Amy Berg’s 2012 West of Memphis. Each documentary chronicled the ongoing evolution of a uniquely American tragedy: the wrongful convictions of three teenage outcasts in the grotesque slayings of three eight-year-olds in West Memphis, Ark on May 5th, 1993. In Devil’s Knot, Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s fictionalized retelling of the events, the teenagers who stand accused — Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether), Damien Echols (James Hamrick), and Jessie Misskelley Jr. (Kris Higgins) — are clearly railroaded by local law […]...
- 5/9/2014
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
The West Memphis Three case was the subject of Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s much-lauded Paradise Lost trilogy (1996, 2000, 2011), as well as Amy Berg’s 2012 West of Memphis. Each documentary chronicled the ongoing evolution of a uniquely American tragedy: the wrongful convictions of three teenage outcasts in the grotesque slayings of three eight-year-olds in West Memphis, Ark on May 5th, 1993. In Devil’s Knot, Canadian director Atom Egoyan’s fictionalized retelling of the events, the teenagers who stand accused — Jason Baldwin (Seth Meriwether), Damien Echols (James Hamrick), and Jessie Misskelley Jr. (Kris Higgins) — are clearly railroaded by local law […]...
- 5/9/2014
- by Brandon Harris
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Devil’s Knot is the fifth film that’s been made about the true story of the West Memphis Three. What sets this story about the infamous 1993 murders apart, however, is its well-known cast, led by Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. A dramatization of the true-crime book Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three by Mara Leveritt, the movie, from Canadian director Atom Egoyan (Chloe, The Sweet Hereafter), will focus on the three teens accused of brutally slaying three eight-year old boys in Memphis, Arkansas.
According to the official plot synopsis, Devil’s Knot will explore “the lives of deeply misunderstood outsiders, their families and communities, and their darkest fantasies.” The first trailer for the film arrived over the weekend, and you can check it out right here.
)
Those suffering from True Detective withdrawal may find comfort in Devil’s Knot, a harrowing and compelling mystery...
According to the official plot synopsis, Devil’s Knot will explore “the lives of deeply misunderstood outsiders, their families and communities, and their darkest fantasies.” The first trailer for the film arrived over the weekend, and you can check it out right here.
)
Those suffering from True Detective withdrawal may find comfort in Devil’s Knot, a harrowing and compelling mystery...
- 3/11/2014
- by James Garcia
- We Got This Covered
Settling in for Fruitvale Station, I already knew where Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan)’s story was headed. Grant’s final moments, in the first hours of 2009, facedown on cold pavement with a bullet from the gun of a Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart) officer lodged in his back, have been immortalized through the media. The shooting sparked protests across the city of Oakland and made headlines worldwide.
What I never could have expected was how Ryan Coogler’s utterly devastating dramatization of the incident, and of the quiet, normal days leading up to it, would pull me into Oscar’s life and force me to see the world through his eyes in a way I never would have believed possible. That’s the brilliance of Fruitvale Station - it’s a brutal and heartbreaking documentation of a national tragedy, to be sure, but it’s also an involving work...
What I never could have expected was how Ryan Coogler’s utterly devastating dramatization of the incident, and of the quiet, normal days leading up to it, would pull me into Oscar’s life and force me to see the world through his eyes in a way I never would have believed possible. That’s the brilliance of Fruitvale Station - it’s a brutal and heartbreaking documentation of a national tragedy, to be sure, but it’s also an involving work...
- 1/13/2014
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Hollywood has always had a peculiar way of treating its artists. Usually after celebrating an initial spark of genius, the studios, media, or loyal fans often watch the once promising talent fizzle out with a bang, or more times, with a quiet whimper. Either way, it remains a difficult feat to stay relevant in Hollywood. Martin Scorsese is an example of the rare filmmaker who has been working for over forty years and continues to challenge himself while keeping audiences on their toes.
Martin Scorsese on the set of “Gangs of New York.”
Photo by Mario Tursi – © 2002
Miramax Films – All Rights Reserved.
Over the past ten years Scorsese has released five films, four of which have gone on to be big Oscar contenders (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, and Hugo). This year marks the release of his latest Oscar hopeful, The Wolf of Wall Street. After Scorsese...
Martin Scorsese on the set of “Gangs of New York.”
Photo by Mario Tursi – © 2002
Miramax Films – All Rights Reserved.
Over the past ten years Scorsese has released five films, four of which have gone on to be big Oscar contenders (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, and Hugo). This year marks the release of his latest Oscar hopeful, The Wolf of Wall Street. After Scorsese...
- 12/11/2013
- by Matt Santia
- CinemaNerdz
New York filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie are known for their irreverent urban narratives "The Pleasure of Being Robbed" and "Daddy Longlegs," both of which contain a naturalistic quality that suggests they could work wonders with non-fiction. With "Lenny Cooke," they've done just that: Partly a found footage documentary about former high school basketball star Lenny Cooke, who in 2001 ranked highest in the country, the movie follows Cooke from his promising teen years through the series of disappointments that follow, constructing a beguiling American tragedy that defies genre categorization and eventually veers into magic realism even as it remains tethered to a true story. The Safdies have stood out over the last few years for continually challenging audience expectations even while seeming to adhere to conventional storytelling traditions, and that's certainly true here: You've never seen a sports movie like this before. Early on, it's clear that the Safdies find their subject.
- 12/6/2013
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
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