Rlje Films (Nasdaq: Rlje) will release 100 Yards on Digital and DVD on March 5, 2019. The film stars Sean Patrick Flanery (“Dexter”), Steven Brewis (“Tabloid”), Danielle Rayne (“Switched at Birth”) and Rebecca Lim (“The Pupil”). The film is the directorial debut of screenwriter Ross Campbell who co-directed with Dale Fabrigar (Lonely Boy). Rlje Films will release 100 Yards on DVD for an Srp of $27.97.
In 100 Yards, Rich Porter (Steven Brewis) had it all: talent, good looks and a bright future playing quarterback for an American football team…then tragedy struck. His mother goes missing while volunteering in a remote area of the Philippines, and Rich’s attempts to find her are in vain. Giving in to despair, he receives more bad news when he is diagnosed with cancer. Then, at the hospital, a young boy with the same condition and a compassionate nurse do their best to bring hope back to the ailing Rich.
In 100 Yards, Rich Porter (Steven Brewis) had it all: talent, good looks and a bright future playing quarterback for an American football team…then tragedy struck. His mother goes missing while volunteering in a remote area of the Philippines, and Rich’s attempts to find her are in vain. Giving in to despair, he receives more bad news when he is diagnosed with cancer. Then, at the hospital, a young boy with the same condition and a compassionate nurse do their best to bring hope back to the ailing Rich.
- 2/11/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hulu has confirmed that several of its original series will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in July, including the first season of the highly anticipated Stephen King thriller “Castle Rock” as well as season 2 of the costume drama “Harlots” and season 4 of the comedy “Casual.”
And there will also be new to Hulu seasons of some of your favorites from other networks, including season 2 of “The Strain,” season 4 of “The Vikings” and season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first Hulu appearances including the first five films in the “Star Trek” franchise and the Oscar-winning “Rosemary’s Baby.”
See Netflix schedule: Here’s what is coming and leaving in July
Available July 1: TV
Alaska: The Last Frontier: Complete Season 4 (Discovery)
Deadliest Catch: Complete Season 11 (Discovery)
Deadly Women: Complete Season 6 (ID)
Dual Survival: Complete Season 5 (Discovery)
Elementary: Complete Season...
And there will also be new to Hulu seasons of some of your favorites from other networks, including season 2 of “The Strain,” season 4 of “The Vikings” and season 8 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first Hulu appearances including the first five films in the “Star Trek” franchise and the Oscar-winning “Rosemary’s Baby.”
See Netflix schedule: Here’s what is coming and leaving in July
Available July 1: TV
Alaska: The Last Frontier: Complete Season 4 (Discovery)
Deadliest Catch: Complete Season 11 (Discovery)
Deadly Women: Complete Season 6 (ID)
Dual Survival: Complete Season 5 (Discovery)
Elementary: Complete Season...
- 7/1/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Documentarian Errol Morris has something of an obsession with cameras, both as a tool of his trade and as a subject for his work. His 2010 documentary Tabloid derived much of its power from the lurid draw of the captured image, while 2008’s Standard Operating Procedure explored the Abu Ghraib prison scandal through the lens of the guards’ bizarre drive to photograph their abuses. Now, Morris is exploring the sweeter, more nostalgic side of snapping photos, releasing a trailer for his latest doc, The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography.
Massachusetts-based Dorfman has spent nearly 50 years working as a photographer, capturing families, friends, and a number of influential Beat generation figures on her distinctive large-format Polaroid film—which has since been discontinued by the company, forcing Dorfman to delicately ration her remaining stock. The trailer shows Dorfman leading Morris’ own camera through decades of work, reflecting on her ...
Massachusetts-based Dorfman has spent nearly 50 years working as a photographer, capturing families, friends, and a number of influential Beat generation figures on her distinctive large-format Polaroid film—which has since been discontinued by the company, forcing Dorfman to delicately ration her remaining stock. The trailer shows Dorfman leading Morris’ own camera through decades of work, reflecting on her ...
- 4/20/2017
- by William Hughes
- avclub.com
Ryan Lambie Published Date Tuesday, August 23, 2016 - 12:30
In David Cronenberg's freakish, genre-bending classic Videodrome, a sleazy cable TV boss seeks out the most sleazy entertainment he can find to put on his channel - but then discovers a disturbing underworld that he wished he'd never seen.
There are several curious parallels between Tickled, a new feature-length documentary hailing from New Zealand, and Cronenberg's 1982 movie - not that Tickled's reporter, director and narrator has much in common with Max Renn, the protagonist of the latter. But TV reporter David Farrier, who normally specialises in those fluffy stories you see at the end of the news, soon finds himself in way over his head when he starts investigating something called "competitive endurance tickling" - a supposed sport that fronts for something far more sinister.
It all begins when Farrier stumbles on a company called Jane O'Brien Media, and one...
In David Cronenberg's freakish, genre-bending classic Videodrome, a sleazy cable TV boss seeks out the most sleazy entertainment he can find to put on his channel - but then discovers a disturbing underworld that he wished he'd never seen.
There are several curious parallels between Tickled, a new feature-length documentary hailing from New Zealand, and Cronenberg's 1982 movie - not that Tickled's reporter, director and narrator has much in common with Max Renn, the protagonist of the latter. But TV reporter David Farrier, who normally specialises in those fluffy stories you see at the end of the news, soon finds himself in way over his head when he starts investigating something called "competitive endurance tickling" - a supposed sport that fronts for something far more sinister.
It all begins when Farrier stumbles on a company called Jane O'Brien Media, and one...
- 8/23/2016
- Den of Geek
This story first appeared in the Jan. 22 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. In the midst of a boom in true-crime documentaries like Making a Murderer and The Jinx, a Los Angeles courtroom is set to host a sensational trial that exposes the often fraught relationship between these filmmakers and their subjects. Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris, whose 1988 murder mystery The Thin Blue Line influenced a generation of nonfiction directors, will square off Feb. 29 against Joyce McKinney, who believes she is the victim of Morris' 2011 film Tabloid.
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- 1/15/2016
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Uncle Nick could still turn out to be a black comedy yuletide classic, but it’s going to be foremost remembered as a piece of trivia as the only (first?) comedy that renowned documentarian Errol Morris ever produced (Uncle Nick director, Chris Kasick, is a regular actor in Errol Morris-directed commercials). In a resume that includes hard looks at genocide, war atrocities, and however you want to categorize the sexual mishaps of Tabloid, Uncle Nick’s broad black comedy looks particularly out of place, but maybe Morris knows something we don’t.
That said, the first green band trailer isn’t a particularly strong argument for the movie’s actual quality. It’s not a great first impression to release a sanitized, mildly suggestive trailer for a movie about a skeezy, obnoxious, foul mouthed drunk uncle, but the preview does serve as a good look at the ensemble cast...
That said, the first green band trailer isn’t a particularly strong argument for the movie’s actual quality. It’s not a great first impression to release a sanitized, mildly suggestive trailer for a movie about a skeezy, obnoxious, foul mouthed drunk uncle, but the preview does serve as a good look at the ensemble cast...
- 11/12/2015
- by Michael Snydel
- The Film Stage
The festival will screen ten films picked by the Us filmmaker, who will also take part in a masterclass.
Errol Morris, the reverred documentary filmmaker, has revealed his top 10 programme for this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Nov 18-29).
Each year, the festival invites an important figure in the world of documentary to compile a list of ten important works of factual film, all of which will be screened as part of the programme.
Morris’ selections include Werner Herzog’s surreal Fata Morgana, which is set in the Sahara Desert and features an exclusively Leonard Cohen soundtrack, and Dziga Vertov’s experimental early film Man With A Movie Camera.
Idfa will also show six of Morris’ films including his 1978 debut Gates of Heaven and his seminal investigative piece The Thin Blue Line.
Further screenings of his films will be: Fast Cheap And Out Of Control; Mr. Death: The Rise And Fall Of Fred A...
Errol Morris, the reverred documentary filmmaker, has revealed his top 10 programme for this year’s International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (Nov 18-29).
Each year, the festival invites an important figure in the world of documentary to compile a list of ten important works of factual film, all of which will be screened as part of the programme.
Morris’ selections include Werner Herzog’s surreal Fata Morgana, which is set in the Sahara Desert and features an exclusively Leonard Cohen soundtrack, and Dziga Vertov’s experimental early film Man With A Movie Camera.
Idfa will also show six of Morris’ films including his 1978 debut Gates of Heaven and his seminal investigative piece The Thin Blue Line.
Further screenings of his films will be: Fast Cheap And Out Of Control; Mr. Death: The Rise And Fall Of Fred A...
- 9/29/2015
- ScreenDaily
Ivan Radford Jun 13, 2017
More recommendations have been added to our list of Netflix UK movies you might want to try...
Ask some Netflix users and they'll tell you that Netflix UK pales in comparison to Netflix Us, that America has all the new, good stuff, while British streamers are left with the bargain bin rejects from old Blockbuster stores.
See related No Metroid Prime sequel for Wii U says series producer
Take a closer look, though, and there's a whole heap of quality there just waiting to be discovered. Whether they're unfairly maligned, or just criminally under-seen, here are 25 under-appreciated films on Netflix UK.
(We'll keep this list updated as things arrive or leave the service to make sure you don't run of new things to try. Last update: June 2017)
What We Do In The Shadows
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s horror mockumentary, which follows a group of vampire flatmates in Wellington,...
More recommendations have been added to our list of Netflix UK movies you might want to try...
Ask some Netflix users and they'll tell you that Netflix UK pales in comparison to Netflix Us, that America has all the new, good stuff, while British streamers are left with the bargain bin rejects from old Blockbuster stores.
See related No Metroid Prime sequel for Wii U says series producer
Take a closer look, though, and there's a whole heap of quality there just waiting to be discovered. Whether they're unfairly maligned, or just criminally under-seen, here are 25 under-appreciated films on Netflix UK.
(We'll keep this list updated as things arrive or leave the service to make sure you don't run of new things to try. Last update: June 2017)
What We Do In The Shadows
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s horror mockumentary, which follows a group of vampire flatmates in Wellington,...
- 3/25/2015
- Den of Geek
Over the last 10 years, documentary filmmaker Errol Morris has been preoccupied with the methodology behind warfare, specifically investigating the mismanagement of American armed conflicts from Vietnam to Iraq. With the exception of his fascinating 2010 crime doc Tabloid, his output over the last decade has been a sober postmortem on our recent overseas failures: The Fog of War, Standard Operating Procedure and now The Unknown Known, which is the best of the bunch. Where his earlier documentaries looked at aspects of the military mindset, his newest feels nearly definitive, putting a face to hawkish policies....
- 11/12/2013
- Pastemagazine.com
Filmmaker Errol Morris has won another round in his legal battle with Joyce McKinney, the woman who became famous in the 1970s during the "manacled Mormon" sex scandal.
The former American beauty queen was alleged to have abducted and raped Mormon missionary Kirk Anderson while he was touring England in 1977.
Their bizarre story unfolded in salacious detail in two newspapers, the Daily Mirror and Daily Express, as they fought to out-scoop each other.
And the saga was told by Morris in Tabloid, a documentary film first screened in London in October 2010, which I regarded at the time as a "a sad tale of old Fleet Street."
McKinney sued Morris and others responsible for the film, alleging - among other things - that she was tricked into giving an interview to Morris.
A Los Angeles judge dismissed many of McKinney's allegations, including her claim that the film had defamed her and violated her likeness and privacy.
The former American beauty queen was alleged to have abducted and raped Mormon missionary Kirk Anderson while he was touring England in 1977.
Their bizarre story unfolded in salacious detail in two newspapers, the Daily Mirror and Daily Express, as they fought to out-scoop each other.
And the saga was told by Morris in Tabloid, a documentary film first screened in London in October 2010, which I regarded at the time as a "a sad tale of old Fleet Street."
McKinney sued Morris and others responsible for the film, alleging - among other things - that she was tricked into giving an interview to Morris.
A Los Angeles judge dismissed many of McKinney's allegations, including her claim that the film had defamed her and violated her likeness and privacy.
- 10/17/2013
- by Roy Greenslade
- The Guardian - Film News
Dear Danny,
Funny you mention Casanova and Dracula, because that could easily be one way to describe the legitimately uncanny Under the Skin. Another would be Species directed by the Antonioni of Red Desert. From the opening shots—a staring retina emerges from a wandering dark orb, the cosmic unto the visceral—there’s a sense of ineffable dread making the images vibrate. It’s an otherworldly film, but the locations are scraggly, overcast, wintry, a Scotland very much like that of Ken Loach. Against this naturalism lies the most extreme stylization, patches of abstract blackness literally swallowing up young men as they march towards the beckoning heroine, a body-harvesting creature that happens to look exactly like Scarlett Johansson. Just as a human body can be evacuated of everything but its skin (one of several remarkable visions), so is an alien skin gradually filled with… what? Horror? Longing? Compassion? The...
Funny you mention Casanova and Dracula, because that could easily be one way to describe the legitimately uncanny Under the Skin. Another would be Species directed by the Antonioni of Red Desert. From the opening shots—a staring retina emerges from a wandering dark orb, the cosmic unto the visceral—there’s a sense of ineffable dread making the images vibrate. It’s an otherworldly film, but the locations are scraggly, overcast, wintry, a Scotland very much like that of Ken Loach. Against this naturalism lies the most extreme stylization, patches of abstract blackness literally swallowing up young men as they march towards the beckoning heroine, a body-harvesting creature that happens to look exactly like Scarlett Johansson. Just as a human body can be evacuated of everything but its skin (one of several remarkable visions), so is an alien skin gradually filled with… what? Horror? Longing? Compassion? The...
- 9/13/2013
- by Fernando F. Croce
- MUBI
Watching and listening to former United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld speak at length—close to two hours, in fact—about his life and career in politics is a bit of a dizzying ordeal. Even with Errol Morris directing, The Unknown Known is frustrating at times and stupefying at others. But rather than being a weakness or a reason to dismiss the film as a slog through circular reasoning and overanalyzing minute details of history, the movie indeed seems to capture qualities inherent to Mr. Rumsfeld, working in a way that is emblematic of the great documentarian’s preference to create portraits rather than incisive and conclusion probes of public figures. That is to say, the audience is ultimately left to judge the exploits and demeanor of the former Secretary, rather than being blatantly instructed on what to think of him.
It’s not until the end of the...
It’s not until the end of the...
- 9/11/2013
- by Darren Ruecker
- We Got This Covered
Exclusive: Naomi Watts is in talks to star in Holland, Michigan, a thriller that will be directed by Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris from a script by first time screenwriter Andrew Sodroski. The script is described as a suburban thriller with pitch black humor. Le Grisbi Productions’ John Lesher and Adam Kassan are producing and Sean Murphy will be co-producer. Production will start in April. Watts will be seen next as Princess Diana in the Oliver Hirschbiegel-directed biopic Diana. She just wrapped the Ted Melfi-directed St. Vincent De Van Nuys with Bill Murray and the Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu-directed Birdman, the latter of which Lesher produced. Morris is at Toronto to unveil his latest documentary, The Unknown Known and his past work includes The Thin Blue Line, Tabloid and the Oscar-winning The Fog Of War: Eleven Lessons From The Life Of Robert S. McNamara. Morris served as executive producer on...
- 9/6/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
With the Toronto International Film Festival underway, the fall movie season—as well as awards season—is officially upon us. Over the next eleven days, we’ll be bringing you our reviews and more coverage from ground. Since the festival has only just begun and we’ve already told you about some of our most anticipated films of the festival, let’s take a moment to get a quick peek at some of the other films premiering. First up is a clip (via Vice) from “The Unknown Known,” Errol Morris’ new documentary on Donald Rumsfeld. Just shy of three minutes, the clip focuses on the memos the former Secretary of Defense wrote in advance of the Iraq War. The film, his follow-up to 2010’s “Tabloid,” looks to be a nice companion piece to Morris’ Oscar-winning “The Fog Of War,” which also focused on a controversial former Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara.
- 9/5/2013
- by Cain Rodriguez
- The Playlist
Every Labor Day weekend, cinephiles journey out to a small town nestled in a remote corner of southwest Colorado’s San Juan mountain range for the Telluride Film Festival. Production staff are hard at work building state-of-the-art theaters for more than a month before the event and readying for a sudden influx of dedicated filmgoers. Veteran pass holders, staff, and volunteers make the trip largely out of faith in the festival’s superb programming that’s famously kept completely secret up until the day before it begins. The shroud of mystery, the breathtaking scenery of a box canyon and the fact that there are no press lines, competitions, or paparazzi lend a sanctified awe to this complete cinematic immersion. Venturing deep into uncharted storytelling territory with old or new friends make the cost of getting out here and the intensive labor involved with putting it all together worth it each and every time.
- 8/25/2013
- by Lane Scarberry
- SoundOnSight
Filmmaker Errol Morris, best known for his law-changing documentary "The Thin Blue Line" and Oscar-winning "The Fog of War," has attached himself to narrative feature "Holland, Michigan." Per Deadline, the film is "a suburban thriller laced with black humor." It is penned by first-timer Andrew Sodroski, a Harvard grad. Le Grisbi's John Lesher and Adam Kessan will produce. Meanwhile, Morris has another feature somewhere in the pipeline: "Freezing People Is Easy." During press rounds for his last documentary "Tabloid," Morris described it to Empire as "a dramatic feature about the first man to be cryogenically frozen"; that project has Christopher Walken, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig and Owen Wilson on board. "Holland, Michigan" is reportedly set to begin production in early 2014. Morris has had a 22-year hiatus from narrative filmmaking; his Lou Diamond Phillips police procedural "The Dark Wind" was made in 1991.
- 7/11/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Errol Morris's name tends to be met with a hush of reverence in documentary-making circles, but he's no newcomer to the feature-making either. He's attached himself to another, Holland, Michigan, his first since 1991's Lou Diamond Phillips crime procedural The Dark Wind. An Oscar-winner with The Fog Of War and a law-changer with The Thin Blue Line, Morris is turning his attention to a movie that Deadline calls "a suburban thriller laced with black humor", presumably set on the eastern banks of Lake Michigan. Holland, Michigan is written by Harvard grad and newbie screenwriter Andrew Sodroski, and will be produced by Le Grisbi’s John Lesher and Adam Kassan.When Empire met Morris for Tabloid last year, he talked about making "a dramatic feature about the first man to be cryogenically frozen", so his documentary work may be on the backburner for the foreseeable future. That sci-fi-sounding project goes...
- 7/11/2013
- EmpireOnline
Master documentarian Errol Morris is largely known for his fascinating profiles into the odder and darker corners of humanity that still somehow manage to resonate with nearly everyone who crosses his films. Everything from pet cemeteries ("Gates Of Heaven") to war veterans ("The Fog Of War") to physicists ("A Brief History Of Time") to a woman's adventures in kidnapping and cloning ("Tabloid"), Morris chases his fascinations wherever they take him. However, feature films are something he hasn't completely ignored. In 1991, he directed the not very well received "The Dark Wind," and while a long feature break followed, the pieces seemed to be coming together for "Freezing People Is Easy" last year with a star-studded cast -- Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Kirsten Wiig and Christopher Walken -- but then all went quiet. But now it looks like Morris is getting on-board a different fictional feature. Deadline reports that he'll direct "Holland,...
- 7/10/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
A good talker can be a mixed blessing for the documentary biographer. Tabloid's Joyce McKinney, for instance, the beauty queen alleged to have abducted and raped a Mormon missionary in the 1970s, proved hypnotically chatty. Every nutty tangent and girlish inflection, as presented by Errol Morris, contributed to a portrait as strange and magnetic as the personality at its center. Then there are those subjects whose every knowing anecdote and aphorism serve to polish a jewel-cut—and ultimately deflective—self-mythology. Artist Tomi Ungerer is one such subject. Watching Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story, it's clear that no one ever told this illustrator and author's story bigger, longer, and with better sound bites than Ungerer himself.
T...
T...
- 6/12/2013
- Village Voice
You may have thought we were done for the day with distro news, but one more announcement just slipped in under the wire. Grindstone/Lionsgate Home Entertainment have acquired North American rights to Dark Feed, and Recreation Media has taken on international rights for the film, which is currently screening at Afm.
From the Press Release:
Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired North American rights, and Recreation Media has acquired international rights to writer/directors Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen’s anticipated directorial debut, the horror film Dark Feed. Lionsgate Home Entertainment will distribute in North America. The deals with Grindstone and Recreation were negotiated by Ronna Wallace from Eastgate Pictures. The Rasmussen brothers produced the film along with Glenn Cooper, Roger Danchik and Jon Huberman.
In Dark Feed, a group of young professionals are terrorized while working in an abandoned psychiatric hospital when it appears that insanity is spreading among them like a virus.
From the Press Release:
Grindstone Entertainment Group has acquired North American rights, and Recreation Media has acquired international rights to writer/directors Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen’s anticipated directorial debut, the horror film Dark Feed. Lionsgate Home Entertainment will distribute in North America. The deals with Grindstone and Recreation were negotiated by Ronna Wallace from Eastgate Pictures. The Rasmussen brothers produced the film along with Glenn Cooper, Roger Danchik and Jon Huberman.
In Dark Feed, a group of young professionals are terrorized while working in an abandoned psychiatric hospital when it appears that insanity is spreading among them like a virus.
- 11/1/2012
- by The Woman In Black
- DreadCentral.com
In such films as The Thin Blue Line, The Fog of War and Mr. Death, Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris has won acclaim for his attention to detail in challenging conventional wisdom on historical subjects. Then last year, Morris was sued by Joyce McKinney, the central figure in his documentary, Tabloid, for allegedly tricking her into appearing in the film. Photos: Top 10 Legal Disclaimers in Hollywood Since first being filed, the lawsuit has taken some twists and turns, with some parts being dismissed and others being allowed to continue. If the dispute gets to trial, the case could
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- 8/25/2012
- by Eriq Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Espn has a long history of working with talent that hasn’t necessarily set foot on a sports field, but never perhaps a filmmaker as renowned as Academy Award-winning “The Fog of War” and “Tabloid” documentarian Errol Morris. In typical Morris fashion, his Espn short documentary “Team Spirit” explores the obsessive nature of sports fans that carry their team spirit until they are quite literally a plot and a grave stone. From fans who are dying to be remembered for the love they hold for their favorite sports teams, to a funeral home owner who has caskets fitted with logos and symbols officially licensed from the Mlb, Morris explores the overtly obsessed sports fan in a morbid but tender way – aka the only way Errol Morris can. The clip is a brief but incredibly enjoyable watch that epitomizes the saying “When you’re a fan, you’re a fan for...
- 8/7/2012
- by Benjamin Wright
- The Playlist
Three Irish documentaries have been shortlisted for this year's Grierson Awards for Documentary Film. Paul Duane's 'Barbaric Genius', Carol Morley's 'Dreams of a Life' and Ian Palmer's 'Knuckle' have all made the shortlist for the prestigious British awards ceremony considered the Oscars of the documentary world. Morley and Palmer are up against one another in the Best Cinema Documentary category where they face further competition from such established names as Kevin McDonald (Marley), James Marsh (Project Nim) and Errol Morris (Tabloid).
- 8/2/2012
- IFTN
In the running with Quentin Dupieux's Wrong as the funniest entry in the Fantasia and possibly of this year so far, I am going to give Black Pond the edge because of its Errol Morris "Life is pretty damn strange, would you fancy a cup of tea and a chat about it?" penchant for absurdity in the mundane. While the events depicted in this almost-a-crime documentary are not 'real' as say Tabloid or Gates of Heaven, films are lies that tell the truth either way and funny is and funny does. Black Pond just wants you to have a banana, but not a midnight, bananas are for energy to do do something. Let me start at the ending. (The film itself does so.) The Thompson...
- 7/26/2012
- Screen Anarchy
After doing the rounds on VoD for a few weeks, where many of you will have seen it, Sarah Polley's "Take This Waltz" starts to roll out in theaters from tomorrow, and we can't recommend it enough; it's a messy, sometimes frustrating film, but a deeply felt, beautifully made and wonderfully acted one, and we named it last week as one of the best of the year so far. It is not, however, recommended as a date movie, fitting into a long cinematic tradition of painful examinations of broken, decaying, collapsing or dead relationships.
After all, it's one of the more universal human experiences; unless you get very lucky, everyone who falls in love will at some point have the wrenching experience of falling out of it, or being fallen out of love with. And when done best in film, it can be bruising and borderline torturous for a filmmaker and an audience,...
After all, it's one of the more universal human experiences; unless you get very lucky, everyone who falls in love will at some point have the wrenching experience of falling out of it, or being fallen out of love with. And when done best in film, it can be bruising and borderline torturous for a filmmaker and an audience,...
- 6/28/2012
- by The Playlist Staff
- The Playlist
Festival initiative “U.S. in Progress” introduces four U.S. productions in post-production to European buyers.
American Independent films, French Independent Films and Oscar Nominated Foreign Language Films will be showcased.
The Weinstein Company’s Harvey Weinstein wil receive a tribute and will host a retrospective of his films.
Donald Sutherland will host a screening of Klute and will receive a Medal of Arts and Letters bestowed by Frederic Mitterrand.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival’s U.S. President is Michael Madsen
The French Festival President is Lambert Wilson
The discussions held so often about the sustainability of arthouse theaters, about the joining of forces between them and festivals and the ownership of festivals themselves, and sometimes of theaters as well, by distributors as a way to sustain the three key players of this precious triangle of culture, continue as the first Champs Elysees Film Festival presents a jam-packed line up and full program of events at its inaugural edition.
The seven day festival, June 6-12, has been formed and is owned by the independent distributor Sophie Dulac. It is exciting for me to go to see the arthouses we have already written about in the area of the Champs Elysees - the Balzac, its rival the Lincoln, the Publicis, and the two major chains, Gaumont Champs Elysees and Ugc George V. Another interesting aspect of this upcoming event is the festival's ownership by a French distributor, Sophie Dulac. This is one of two similarities between Gutek and Dulac. The New Horizons and the American Film Festivals are owned by Roman Gutek whose distribution company Gutek is the largest arthouse distributor in Poland. Similarly Sophie Dulac seems to "own" this festival. Somewhat analagous to this is the "owning" of distribution company Tribeca Films by the Tribeca Film Festival or the Sundance Select Distribution arm owned by the Sundance Film Festival. The New York Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festivals have yet to declare themselves distributors but do own the arthouses in which to show "their" films year round in festival settings.
Dulac explains the impetus to launch the Champs Elysees Film Festival, “As Paris’ first truly international film festival, our mission is to create a bridge between the independent American and French film industries. In the most beautiful city in the world and one with a worldwide association to cinema, the Champs Elysées Film Festival will be a celebration of film promoting the work of young filmmakers and honoring the work of established directors.” She adds, “We want to throw a spotlight on independent film from France and the U.S. We will welcome famous names, offer new films, open up discussions between members of the film industry, give short films a special showcase and invite audiences to gala previews.”
I personally hope the tourists of Champs Elysees see this as a special opportunity to share inside festival experiences with international professionals and that it brings in more business than ordinary theatrical fare brings to the same theaters, thus proving that festivals serve as a new branch of film distribution and that the joining of forces between distributor, exhibitor and festival point toward a new mode of profitability for all parties.
U.S. in Progress was first presented at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw Poland in November. This is the second similarity between Dulac and Gutek. U.S. in Progress will now be here as well. U.S. in Progress is in fact a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs Elysees Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film, a company of Adeline Monzier who also created the association of European indie distributors called EuropaDistribution. It is the first and only industry event devoted to U.S. indies in Europe. Its aim is to present U.S. indie films in post-production to European buyers in order to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. This presentation of American independent films in post-production to European buyers to promote the distribution of American independent films in Europe is uniquely one of the top new developments in the industry. The program works to forge inroads between the generation of talented American filmmakers emerging today and European buyers. I am so proud to be serving on its jury as I did on the first edition as well.
The other sections are: Official Selection of American Independent Films, French Galas, American Galas, Oscar Nominated Foreign Language Films and Shorts. A tribute to Harvey Weinstein will be presented on June 6 at an event to celebrate his career. Weinstein will participate in a roundtable conversation to discuss French/American co-productions and a Retrospective of 11 of his films will be shown throughout the week.
The American independent films selected as part of the inaugural program include Richard Linklater’s Bernie (Isa: Hyde Park, U.S.: Millennium) with Jack Black, Shirley Maclaine and Matthew McConaughey; Jesus Henry Christ (Isa: Im Global, U.S. E1) with Toni Collette and Michael Sheen; Bruce Beresford’s Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (Isa: Voltage, U.S. IFC) starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olsen and Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (Isa: Submarine, U.S. Music Box). An Audience Award will be given out to the most popular American Independent. American Galas include Jennifer Westfeldt’s Friends with Kids (Isa: Red Granite, U.S. Roadside Attractions/ Lionsgate) and Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take (2010) in 3D.
French films include Comme Un Homme (Isa: Memento) directed by Safy Nebbou; Journal de France (Isa: Wild Bunch) directed by Claudine Nougaret and Raymond Depardon; Vous n'avez encore rien vu (Isa: Studiocanal) directed by Alain Resnais and Wrong (Isa: Kinology) helmed by Quentin Dupieux.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival has selected esteemed French Actor Lambert Wilson for the role of French President and Michael Madsen has accepted the role of the Festival’s U.S. President.
The festival will pay tribute to the actor Donald Sutherland who will be at the Festival to host a screening of the masterpiece Klute directed by Alan J. Pakula followed by a “Hollywood Conversation” with the iconic actor. Frederic Mitterrand will bestow Sutherland with the medal of Commander of Arts and Letters that evening.
Official Selection of American Independent Films
Blank City, a documentary directed by Celine Danhier’s
Bernie directed by Richard Linklater starring Jack Black, Shirley Maclaine and Matthew McConaughey
Jesus Henry Christ with Toni Colette, Jason Spevack and Michael Sheen
Keep The Lights On directed by Ira Sachs
Luv directed by Sheldon Candis
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, Matthew Akers acclaimed documentary
Not Waving But Drowning directed by Devyn Waitt, winner of U.S. in Progress Prize, Wroclaw, Poland.
Peace, Love & Misunderstanding directed by Bruce Beresford starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olsen
Tabloid, Errol Morris fascinating documentary
The Perfect Family, directed by Anne Renton and starring Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel and Jason Ritter
French Galas
Adieu Berthe directed by Bruno Podalydès
Comme Un Homme directed by Safy Nebbou
Du Vent Dans Mes Mollets directed by Carine Tardieu
Journal De France directed by Claudine Nougaret and Raymond Depardon
La Clinique De L’Amour directed by Artus de Penguern
L’Air De Rien directed by Grégory Magne and Stéphane Viard
Mains Armees directed by Pierre Jolivet
Quand Je Serai Petit directed by Jean-Paul Rouve
Vous N’Avez Encore Rien Vu directed by Alain Resnais
Wrong helmed by Quentin Dupieux.
American Galas
After Life directed by Agnieszka Wojtow
Brake directed by Gabe Torres
Bitch Slap directed by Rick Jacobson
Friends With Kids directed by Jennifer Westfeldt
My Soul To Take (3D) directed by Wes Craven
Perfect Host directed by Nick Tomnay
Terri, directed by Azazel Jacobs
Summertime directed by Matthew Gordon.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival intends to reflect the diversity of international production by offering the public a selection of the 2012 Oscar nominated foreign language films, some never before seen in France:
Bullhead directed by Michael R.Roskam (Belgium)
Dans Ses Veux directed by Juan José Campanella (Spain/Argentina)(2010)
Monsieur Lazhar directed by Philippe Falardeau (Canada)
Une Separation directed by Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
72 Days directed by Danilo Serbedzija (Croatia)
Letters To Angel directed by Sulev Keedus (Estonia)
Volcano directed by Runar Runarsson (Iceland)
Films being screened as part of Harvey Weinstein’s retrospective include The Aviator, Chicago, Gangs Of New York, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill 1&2, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare In Love, Good Will Hunting and The Yards.
More than thirty short films comprise the Champs Elysees Film Festival’s Official Selection of Short Films which were selected by a French industry team as well as four major film school programs: University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Columbia University’s Columbia University Film Festival for the United States and Paris-based film school La Femis for France:
French Shorts Selection
Hurlement D’Un Poisson directed by Sébastien Carfora
It’S A Miracul’House directed by Stéphane Freiss
Les Meutes directed by Manuel Schapira
Mon Canard directed by Emmanuelle Michelet & Vincent Fouquet
Les Grossesses De Charlemagne directed by Nicolas Slomka and Matthieu Rumani,
Plume directed by Barry Purves
Personne(S) directed by Marc Fouchard
La Fille De L’Homme directed by Manuel Schapira
Kiss & Kill directed by Alain Ross
USC School of Cinematic Arts Shorts Selection
Little Spoon directed by Lauren Fash
Ellen directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
Efrain directed by Matthew Breault
Fig directed by Ryan Coogler
The Nature Of Fall directed by Tomer Stolz
New York University Tisch School of the Arts Shorts Selection
Little Horse directed by Levi Abrino
Border Land directed by Alexander Smolowe
Premature directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green
Down In Number 5 directed by Kim Spurlock
Columbia University Film Festival Shorts Selection
Rolling On The Floor Laughing directed by Rusel Harbaugh
Motherland directed by Shario Siddiqui
Hatch directed by Christoph Kusching
Crossing directed by Gina Atwater
Off Season directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken
The Hirosaki Players directed by Jeff Sousa
La Femis Shorts Selection
Goose directed by Morgan Simon
Demain Ce Sera Bien directed by Pauline Gay
On Traks directed by Laurent Navarri
Bye Bye Wild Boy directed by Julie Lena...
American Independent films, French Independent Films and Oscar Nominated Foreign Language Films will be showcased.
The Weinstein Company’s Harvey Weinstein wil receive a tribute and will host a retrospective of his films.
Donald Sutherland will host a screening of Klute and will receive a Medal of Arts and Letters bestowed by Frederic Mitterrand.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival’s U.S. President is Michael Madsen
The French Festival President is Lambert Wilson
The discussions held so often about the sustainability of arthouse theaters, about the joining of forces between them and festivals and the ownership of festivals themselves, and sometimes of theaters as well, by distributors as a way to sustain the three key players of this precious triangle of culture, continue as the first Champs Elysees Film Festival presents a jam-packed line up and full program of events at its inaugural edition.
The seven day festival, June 6-12, has been formed and is owned by the independent distributor Sophie Dulac. It is exciting for me to go to see the arthouses we have already written about in the area of the Champs Elysees - the Balzac, its rival the Lincoln, the Publicis, and the two major chains, Gaumont Champs Elysees and Ugc George V. Another interesting aspect of this upcoming event is the festival's ownership by a French distributor, Sophie Dulac. This is one of two similarities between Gutek and Dulac. The New Horizons and the American Film Festivals are owned by Roman Gutek whose distribution company Gutek is the largest arthouse distributor in Poland. Similarly Sophie Dulac seems to "own" this festival. Somewhat analagous to this is the "owning" of distribution company Tribeca Films by the Tribeca Film Festival or the Sundance Select Distribution arm owned by the Sundance Film Festival. The New York Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festivals have yet to declare themselves distributors but do own the arthouses in which to show "their" films year round in festival settings.
Dulac explains the impetus to launch the Champs Elysees Film Festival, “As Paris’ first truly international film festival, our mission is to create a bridge between the independent American and French film industries. In the most beautiful city in the world and one with a worldwide association to cinema, the Champs Elysées Film Festival will be a celebration of film promoting the work of young filmmakers and honoring the work of established directors.” She adds, “We want to throw a spotlight on independent film from France and the U.S. We will welcome famous names, offer new films, open up discussions between members of the film industry, give short films a special showcase and invite audiences to gala previews.”
I personally hope the tourists of Champs Elysees see this as a special opportunity to share inside festival experiences with international professionals and that it brings in more business than ordinary theatrical fare brings to the same theaters, thus proving that festivals serve as a new branch of film distribution and that the joining of forces between distributor, exhibitor and festival point toward a new mode of profitability for all parties.
U.S. in Progress was first presented at the American Film Festival in Wroclaw Poland in November. This is the second similarity between Dulac and Gutek. U.S. in Progress will now be here as well. U.S. in Progress is in fact a joint initiative between the American Film Festival in Wroclaw, the Champs Elysees Film Festival in Paris and Black Rabbit Film, a company of Adeline Monzier who also created the association of European indie distributors called EuropaDistribution. It is the first and only industry event devoted to U.S. indies in Europe. Its aim is to present U.S. indie films in post-production to European buyers in order to foster the circulation and distribution of American indie films in Europe. This presentation of American independent films in post-production to European buyers to promote the distribution of American independent films in Europe is uniquely one of the top new developments in the industry. The program works to forge inroads between the generation of talented American filmmakers emerging today and European buyers. I am so proud to be serving on its jury as I did on the first edition as well.
The other sections are: Official Selection of American Independent Films, French Galas, American Galas, Oscar Nominated Foreign Language Films and Shorts. A tribute to Harvey Weinstein will be presented on June 6 at an event to celebrate his career. Weinstein will participate in a roundtable conversation to discuss French/American co-productions and a Retrospective of 11 of his films will be shown throughout the week.
The American independent films selected as part of the inaugural program include Richard Linklater’s Bernie (Isa: Hyde Park, U.S.: Millennium) with Jack Black, Shirley Maclaine and Matthew McConaughey; Jesus Henry Christ (Isa: Im Global, U.S. E1) with Toni Collette and Michael Sheen; Bruce Beresford’s Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (Isa: Voltage, U.S. IFC) starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olsen and Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (Isa: Submarine, U.S. Music Box). An Audience Award will be given out to the most popular American Independent. American Galas include Jennifer Westfeldt’s Friends with Kids (Isa: Red Granite, U.S. Roadside Attractions/ Lionsgate) and Wes Craven’s My Soul to Take (2010) in 3D.
French films include Comme Un Homme (Isa: Memento) directed by Safy Nebbou; Journal de France (Isa: Wild Bunch) directed by Claudine Nougaret and Raymond Depardon; Vous n'avez encore rien vu (Isa: Studiocanal) directed by Alain Resnais and Wrong (Isa: Kinology) helmed by Quentin Dupieux.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival has selected esteemed French Actor Lambert Wilson for the role of French President and Michael Madsen has accepted the role of the Festival’s U.S. President.
The festival will pay tribute to the actor Donald Sutherland who will be at the Festival to host a screening of the masterpiece Klute directed by Alan J. Pakula followed by a “Hollywood Conversation” with the iconic actor. Frederic Mitterrand will bestow Sutherland with the medal of Commander of Arts and Letters that evening.
Official Selection of American Independent Films
Blank City, a documentary directed by Celine Danhier’s
Bernie directed by Richard Linklater starring Jack Black, Shirley Maclaine and Matthew McConaughey
Jesus Henry Christ with Toni Colette, Jason Spevack and Michael Sheen
Keep The Lights On directed by Ira Sachs
Luv directed by Sheldon Candis
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, Matthew Akers acclaimed documentary
Not Waving But Drowning directed by Devyn Waitt, winner of U.S. in Progress Prize, Wroclaw, Poland.
Peace, Love & Misunderstanding directed by Bruce Beresford starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener and Elizabeth Olsen
Tabloid, Errol Morris fascinating documentary
The Perfect Family, directed by Anne Renton and starring Kathleen Turner, Emily Deschanel and Jason Ritter
French Galas
Adieu Berthe directed by Bruno Podalydès
Comme Un Homme directed by Safy Nebbou
Du Vent Dans Mes Mollets directed by Carine Tardieu
Journal De France directed by Claudine Nougaret and Raymond Depardon
La Clinique De L’Amour directed by Artus de Penguern
L’Air De Rien directed by Grégory Magne and Stéphane Viard
Mains Armees directed by Pierre Jolivet
Quand Je Serai Petit directed by Jean-Paul Rouve
Vous N’Avez Encore Rien Vu directed by Alain Resnais
Wrong helmed by Quentin Dupieux.
American Galas
After Life directed by Agnieszka Wojtow
Brake directed by Gabe Torres
Bitch Slap directed by Rick Jacobson
Friends With Kids directed by Jennifer Westfeldt
My Soul To Take (3D) directed by Wes Craven
Perfect Host directed by Nick Tomnay
Terri, directed by Azazel Jacobs
Summertime directed by Matthew Gordon.
The Champs Elysees Film Festival intends to reflect the diversity of international production by offering the public a selection of the 2012 Oscar nominated foreign language films, some never before seen in France:
Bullhead directed by Michael R.Roskam (Belgium)
Dans Ses Veux directed by Juan José Campanella (Spain/Argentina)(2010)
Monsieur Lazhar directed by Philippe Falardeau (Canada)
Une Separation directed by Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
72 Days directed by Danilo Serbedzija (Croatia)
Letters To Angel directed by Sulev Keedus (Estonia)
Volcano directed by Runar Runarsson (Iceland)
Films being screened as part of Harvey Weinstein’s retrospective include The Aviator, Chicago, Gangs Of New York, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill 1&2, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare In Love, Good Will Hunting and The Yards.
More than thirty short films comprise the Champs Elysees Film Festival’s Official Selection of Short Films which were selected by a French industry team as well as four major film school programs: University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Columbia University’s Columbia University Film Festival for the United States and Paris-based film school La Femis for France:
French Shorts Selection
Hurlement D’Un Poisson directed by Sébastien Carfora
It’S A Miracul’House directed by Stéphane Freiss
Les Meutes directed by Manuel Schapira
Mon Canard directed by Emmanuelle Michelet & Vincent Fouquet
Les Grossesses De Charlemagne directed by Nicolas Slomka and Matthieu Rumani,
Plume directed by Barry Purves
Personne(S) directed by Marc Fouchard
La Fille De L’Homme directed by Manuel Schapira
Kiss & Kill directed by Alain Ross
USC School of Cinematic Arts Shorts Selection
Little Spoon directed by Lauren Fash
Ellen directed by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
Efrain directed by Matthew Breault
Fig directed by Ryan Coogler
The Nature Of Fall directed by Tomer Stolz
New York University Tisch School of the Arts Shorts Selection
Little Horse directed by Levi Abrino
Border Land directed by Alexander Smolowe
Premature directed by Rashaad Ernesto Green
Down In Number 5 directed by Kim Spurlock
Columbia University Film Festival Shorts Selection
Rolling On The Floor Laughing directed by Rusel Harbaugh
Motherland directed by Shario Siddiqui
Hatch directed by Christoph Kusching
Crossing directed by Gina Atwater
Off Season directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken
The Hirosaki Players directed by Jeff Sousa
La Femis Shorts Selection
Goose directed by Morgan Simon
Demain Ce Sera Bien directed by Pauline Gay
On Traks directed by Laurent Navarri
Bye Bye Wild Boy directed by Julie Lena...
- 6/7/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, IFC Films‘ On the Road Starring Garrett Hedlund, Sam Riley, and Kristen Stewart, Walter Salles’ On the Road movie version of Jack Kerouac‘s iconic novel will be distributed in North America by IFC Films and Sundance Selects. Is that good news for North Americans? Definitely. Is that good news for On the Road? Well, it’s both good and not-so-good news. It’s good news in that Walter Salles’ film has finally landed a U.S. distributor, which means a 2012 release — some time in the fall, according to reports. It’s not great news for those who were expecting On the Road to find a box-office and awards-season-savvy North American distributor. IFC Films releases usually get enthusiastic reviews, but for the most part they have performed modestly — or downright poorly (at times abysmally) — at the North American box office. Andrew Haigh’s Weekend took in $484k,...
- 5/9/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Tyrannosaur; Tabloid; Midnight in Paris; Perfect Sense; Footloose
One of the very few major disappointments at this year's Bafta nominations was the lack of a best actress nod for the brilliant Olivia Colman. While Oscar voters tend to prefer their British thespians to play royals rather than real people, Colman's portrayal of an apparently happy-go-lucky charity shop worker with a dark domestic secret in Tyrannosaur (2011, StudioCanal, 18) deserved to wow British voters.
An assured and deeply personal feature debut from writer-director Paddy Considine, this tough but elegiac drama throws together two displaced souls: Colman's covertly abused wife (the mercurial Eddie Marsan plays her tormentor with horrific conviction and guile) and Peter Mullan's borderline psychotic drunk who opens the movie by kicking his faithful dog to death in a fit of impotent rage. It all sounds unbearably tough and certainly there is much here that challenges even the most sympathetic viewer to flinch and turn away.
One of the very few major disappointments at this year's Bafta nominations was the lack of a best actress nod for the brilliant Olivia Colman. While Oscar voters tend to prefer their British thespians to play royals rather than real people, Colman's portrayal of an apparently happy-go-lucky charity shop worker with a dark domestic secret in Tyrannosaur (2011, StudioCanal, 18) deserved to wow British voters.
An assured and deeply personal feature debut from writer-director Paddy Considine, this tough but elegiac drama throws together two displaced souls: Colman's covertly abused wife (the mercurial Eddie Marsan plays her tormentor with horrific conviction and guile) and Peter Mullan's borderline psychotic drunk who opens the movie by kicking his faithful dog to death in a fit of impotent rage. It all sounds unbearably tough and certainly there is much here that challenges even the most sympathetic viewer to flinch and turn away.
- 2/5/2012
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
Tyrannosaur
Like Gary Oldman (Nil By Mouth) and Tim Roth (The War Zone) before him, actor Paddy Considine has picked a relentlessly grim and challenging story for his first outing as director. It's the story of a bond that forms between the drunken, volatile Joseph (Peter Mullan) and Hannah (Olivia Colman), a good-natured volunteer at a charity shop who is just as tortured and troubled. Their relationship doesn't provide redemption for either of them but it does give them the impetus they need to break whatever circle of misery they are locked into.
As a director Considine isn't too concerned with framing shots or pacing; his real skill lies in capturing moments of intensity and character. Mullan has played men like Joseph before, but that gives him the strength and lack of ego to tackle a character who is introduced killing his dog (offscreen), and later makes racist comments to shop workers.
Like Gary Oldman (Nil By Mouth) and Tim Roth (The War Zone) before him, actor Paddy Considine has picked a relentlessly grim and challenging story for his first outing as director. It's the story of a bond that forms between the drunken, volatile Joseph (Peter Mullan) and Hannah (Olivia Colman), a good-natured volunteer at a charity shop who is just as tortured and troubled. Their relationship doesn't provide redemption for either of them but it does give them the impetus they need to break whatever circle of misery they are locked into.
As a director Considine isn't too concerned with framing shots or pacing; his real skill lies in capturing moments of intensity and character. Mullan has played men like Joseph before, but that gives him the strength and lack of ego to tackle a character who is introduced killing his dog (offscreen), and later makes racist comments to shop workers.
- 2/4/2012
- by Phelim O'Neill
- The Guardian - Film News
Director Errol Morris has made a career out of solving mysteries, which comes as no surprise since the man used to be a private detective. Whether he was exonerating Randall Dale Adams in The Thin Blue Line or unraveling a sordid sex tale in Tabloid, Morris has deftly used his subjects to provide gripping accounts of situations that have been wrapped in intrigue and ambiguity. In his book, Believing is Seeing, Morris turns his attention to the art of photography. In a series of photographic whodunnits, Morris explores the truth-telling capacity of photos. His conclusion? "Photographs don't have truth value." I had a chance to sit down with Morris in his Cambridge, Ma office during his recent book tour and chat extensively with him about the nature of photography, the plausibility of re-enactments, and Joyce McKinney's controversial reaction to Tabloid [1]. After the break, read highlights of my discussion with Morris.
- 1/20/2012
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
The backlash against the Academy’s recent changes to its nomination policies for documentary films contrasted with the casual atmosphere of last night’s Cinema Eye Honors. In an intimate theater at the Museum of the Moving Image, the pillars of the documentary community gathered to celebrate the breadth and diversity of their craft. In attendance were Frederick Wiseman, Al Maysles, Steve James, Alex Gibney, Michael Moore, Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky and many more. Founder and co-host Aj Schnack spoke of the Cinema Eyes evolution prior to the awards:
“Some things about Cinema Eye are the same as they were that first time that we gathered together at the IFC Center in 2008 – that sense of community, a feeling that we are honoring our community’s values of respecting artistic craft and recognizing the entire collaborative team. What’s changed is that instead of just a couple of us making the event happen,...
“Some things about Cinema Eye are the same as they were that first time that we gathered together at the IFC Center in 2008 – that sense of community, a feeling that we are honoring our community’s values of respecting artistic craft and recognizing the entire collaborative team. What’s changed is that instead of just a couple of us making the event happen,...
- 1/13/2012
- by Daniel James Scott
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Every year, it seems the documentary branch of the Academy goes out of their way to embarass themselves, and this year is no exception. When the shortlist for the Oscar nominees landed back in November, it was arguably more notable for what was left off the list than what was included. A number of high profile, well reviewed films -- Errol Morris' "Tabloid," "Being Elmo: A Pupeteer's Journey," Werner Hezog's "Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, a Tale of Life," "Page One: Inside the New York Times," "Senna" -- didn't make the cut, but luckily the DGA have righted some of those wrongs. The guild have revealed their nominess in the documentary category today, and finally, Steve James' excellent, moving, must-see "The Interrupters" got some deserved love from the industry. The film is a powerful portrait of various members of CeaseFire in Chicago, a group commited to...
- 1/12/2012
- The Playlist
Steve James' The Interrupters Steve James' The Interrupters, Frederick Wiseman's Harrowing Expose Titicut Follies Win Cinema Eye Honors Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking: The Interrupters directed by Steve James; produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James Outstanding Achievement in Direction: Steve James, The Interrupters Audience Choice Prize: Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl Outstanding Achievement in a Debut Feature Film: Clio Barnard, The Arbor Outstanding Achievement in Production: Gian-Piero Ringel and Wim Wenders, Pina Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Gregers Sall and Chris King, Senna Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography: Danfung Dennis, Hell and Back Again Outstanding Achievement in an Original Music Score: John Kusiak, Tabloid Spotlight Award: The Tiniest Place, directed by Tatiana Huezo Sánchez Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Animation: Rob Feng and Jeremy Landman, Tabloid Heterodox Award: Beginners, directed by Mike Mills Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Short Filmmaking: Diary, directed by Tim Hetherington Hell Yeah Prize: Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky,...
- 1/12/2012
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
The new rule that, from next year, a review in the New York Times or La Times will be necessary to qualify for the best documentary Oscar has put unprecedented power in the hands of two heavyweight Us media organs and their chief critics: Ao Scott and Manohla Dargis in New York, and Kenneth Turan in La.
The battle lines are clear. On one side is the Academy and its governor responsible for documentaries, Michael Moore (yes, him), lining up behind the two venerable newspapers who are asserting, in Scott's description, that "print criticism and the theatrical release of movies remain important in a media environment that has rapidly expanded". On the other, a host of independent film-makers whose films won't have a chance of getting a notice from the big-shot critics,...
The battle lines are clear. On one side is the Academy and its governor responsible for documentaries, Michael Moore (yes, him), lining up behind the two venerable newspapers who are asserting, in Scott's description, that "print criticism and the theatrical release of movies remain important in a media environment that has rapidly expanded". On the other, a host of independent film-makers whose films won't have a chance of getting a notice from the big-shot critics,...
- 1/9/2012
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
There were many delights to be found in UK cinemas in 2011 both in wide release and at the wide variety of festivals that still thrive here. I watched a great many films in 2011 and there were a large number that impressed me and below are some of my favourites.
I have divided the films into released and unreleased categories, thereby allowing me to include films seen at festivals that have have not (yet) been released in the UK. Some of these films are still without a distributor (including my number one film) and therefore may never be eligible for inclusion in a ‘released top ten list’.
Released Top Ten
1. 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)
“Who would have thought the age of war would be like this? It’s magnificent.”
Having followed Takashi Miike’s career for a number of years there has been plenty of variety, from fantastical kid’s films to graphically violent experimentation,...
I have divided the films into released and unreleased categories, thereby allowing me to include films seen at festivals that have have not (yet) been released in the UK. Some of these films are still without a distributor (including my number one film) and therefore may never be eligible for inclusion in a ‘released top ten list’.
Released Top Ten
1. 13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)
“Who would have thought the age of war would be like this? It’s magnificent.”
Having followed Takashi Miike’s career for a number of years there has been plenty of variety, from fantastical kid’s films to graphically violent experimentation,...
- 1/6/2012
- by Craig Skinner
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Of all the films being developed in the Hollywood-sphere right now, perhaps no other has more reasons to be excited about it than the upcoming, based-on-a-true-story shocker Freezing People is Easy. First off, it’s based on the life story of Robert Nelson, a man who spearheaded a movement in cryonics that saw several bodies being frozen back in the 60s, with disastrous results. Nelson’s story is darkly funny, shockingly grisly, and endlessly interesting due to its many twists and turns. It’s already been documented to great success in the man’s memoirs, “We Froze the First Man,” and also in a segment on the radio program This American Life entitled “Cold as Ice,” and it’s really a tale that everyone needs to hear. Secondly, the talent bringing this story into yet another medium, this time the big screen, is impressive. Freezing People is Easy is set to be the second dramatic work by...
- 1/4/2012
- by Nathan Adams
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Joyce McKinney, Errol Morris' Tabloid A few days ago, the Detroit Film Critics chose Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist, starring Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo, as their top film of 2011. Set in Hollywood at the dawn of the sound era, The Artist is currently the favorite for the 2012 Best Picture Oscar. Competition, however, remains fierce, including Martin Scorsese's Hugo, Steven Spielberg's War Horse, and Alexander Payne's The Descendants. [Full list of Detroit Film Critics winners.] Hazanavicius was also the Detroit Critics' Best Director, but the Best Screenplay Award went to Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian for Moneyball, a baseball drama directed by Bennett Miller and starring Brad Pitt. In the acting categories, Michael Fassbender was the Best Actor for his performance as a troubled man who enjoys a lot of sex in Steve McQueen's Shame, while Carey Mulligan, Fassbender's troubled sister in Shame, was the Best Supporting Actress. Critics' faves Michelle Williams...
- 12/28/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet in Roman Polanski's Carnage The Artist, Kidnapped Mormon Missionary/Sex-Slave Documentary Tabloid Top Detroit Film Critics Awards Best Picture * The Artist The Descendants Hugo Take Shelter The Tree Of Life Best Director * Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist Terrence Malick – The Tree Of Life Jeff Nichols – Take Shelter Martin Scorsese– Hugo Nicholas Winding Refn – Drive Best Actor George Clooney– The Descendants Jean Dujardin – The Artist * Michael Fassbender – Shame Brad Pitt – Moneyball Michael Shannon – Take Shelter Best Actress Viola Davis – The Help Felicity Jones – Like Crazy Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady Charlize Theron – Young Adult * Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn Best Supporting Actor Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn Albert Brooks – Drive Ryan Gosling – Crazy Stupid Love Patton Oswalt – Young Adult * Christopher Plummer – Beginners Best Supporting Actress BÉRÉNICE Bejo – The Artist Jessica Chastain – Take Shelter * Carey Mulligan – Shame Vanessa Redgrave – Coriolanus Octavia Spencer – The Help Best Ensemble...
- 12/28/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Why not fold documentaries into my list of the "Best Films of 2011?" After all, a movie is a movie, right? Yes, and some years I've thrown them all into the same mixture. But all of these year-end Best lists serve one useful purpose: They tell you about good movies you may not have seen or heard about. The more films on my list that aren't on yours, the better job I've done.
That's particularly true were you to depend on the "short list" released by the Academy's Documentary Branch of 15 films they deem eligible for nomination. The branch has been through turmoil in the past and its procedures were "reformed" at one point. But this year it has made a particularly scandalous sin of
omission. It doesn't include "The Interrupters" (currently scoring 99% on the Tomatometer), which has received better reviews and been on more critic's Best lists than any other.
That's particularly true were you to depend on the "short list" released by the Academy's Documentary Branch of 15 films they deem eligible for nomination. The branch has been through turmoil in the past and its procedures were "reformed" at one point. But this year it has made a particularly scandalous sin of
omission. It doesn't include "The Interrupters" (currently scoring 99% on the Tomatometer), which has received better reviews and been on more critic's Best lists than any other.
- 12/25/2011
- by Roger Ebert
- blogs.suntimes.com/ebert
The Descendants, George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller in Hawaii Woody Allen, Janet McTeer: Southeastern Film Critics Surprise Winners Top Ten Films The Descendants The Artist Hugo Moneyball The Tree of Life Drive Midnight in Paris Win Win War Horse The Help Best Foreign Language Film Asghar Farhadi's A Separation Runner-up: Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In Best Actor George Clooney, The Descendants Runner-up: Michael Fassbender, Shame Best Actress Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady Runner-up: Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin Best Supporting Actor Christopher Plummer, Beginners Runner-up: Albert Brooks, Drive Best Supporting Actress Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs Runner-up: Shailene Woodley, The Descendants Best Ensemble The Help Runner-up: The Descendants Best Director Martin Scorsese, Hugo Runner-up: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Best Original Screenplay Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris Runner-up: Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Best Adapted Screenplay Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, The Descendants Runner-up: Steven Zaillian,...
- 12/20/2011
- by Steve Montgomery
- Alt Film Guide
Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life tops Film Comment's list of the "Best Released Films of 2011," an annual year-end survey of film critics, editors, and past and present contributors — over 120 of them this year — so the magazine has put Kent Jones's beautiful essay from the July/August issue online (even if you don't admire the film as much as he does, you'll know that this is a must-read), and the Film Society of Lincoln Center is screening The Tree of Life through Tuesday.
The "Released" list goes as far as 50; the "Best Unreleased Movies of 2011" list runs to 52. At #1 is Jafar Panahi's This Is Not a Film; #2: Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse. There's been some grumbling among the tweeting set, by the way, that this list is too crowded with films that have scored distribution deals and will indeed be seeing a theatrical run sooner or later.
The "Released" list goes as far as 50; the "Best Unreleased Movies of 2011" list runs to 52. At #1 is Jafar Panahi's This Is Not a Film; #2: Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse. There's been some grumbling among the tweeting set, by the way, that this list is too crowded with films that have scored distribution deals and will indeed be seeing a theatrical run sooner or later.
- 12/17/2011
- MUBI
Reviewer: Philip Tatler IV
Rating (out of five): *** 1/2
With Tabloid, Errol Morris turns his camera on the lurid life story of Joyce McKinney, a fetching young lady from a small town in North Carolina whose love for a Mormon man resulted in several bizarre international incidents. Before the decade-spanning story is over, McKinney finds herself mixed up in alleged kidnapping, aberrant sexual practices, a Christlike canine, ugly undergarments, and even cloning.
Rating (out of five): *** 1/2
With Tabloid, Errol Morris turns his camera on the lurid life story of Joyce McKinney, a fetching young lady from a small town in North Carolina whose love for a Mormon man resulted in several bizarre international incidents. Before the decade-spanning story is over, McKinney finds herself mixed up in alleged kidnapping, aberrant sexual practices, a Christlike canine, ugly undergarments, and even cloning.
- 12/13/2011
- by weezy
- GreenCine
The fifth annual Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Filmmaking will be handed out next month in New York City, with such inveterate documentarians as Errol Morris (Tabloid), Steve James (The Interrupters) and Kevin Macdonald (Life in a Day) facing off against the upstart likes of Alma Har'el (Bombay Beach), Tristan Patterson (Dragonslayer) and Clio Barnard (The Arbor). But look no further than the Audience Choice Award nominees for the most dynamic, high-stakes clash between old and new.
- 12/13/2011
- Movieline
San Francisco, the city that's launched a couple of dotcom booms and busts — home of Twitter, for heaven's sake — has a Critics Circle that did not live-tweet the results of their votes for all that's best in 2011, but rather, has made their announcement the old-fashioned way. They've posted it on a Web page. They've made up for it, though, with a pretty fine round of choices:
Best Picture: The Tree of Life.
Best Director: Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life.
Best Original Screenplay: Jc Chandor for Margin Call.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Best Actor: Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive.
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave for Coriolanus.
Best Animated Feature: Gore Verbinski's Rango.
Best Foreign Language Film: Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy.
Best Picture: The Tree of Life.
Best Director: Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life.
Best Original Screenplay: Jc Chandor for Margin Call.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Best Actor: Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Best Actress: Tilda Swinton for We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for Drive.
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave for Coriolanus.
Best Animated Feature: Gore Verbinski's Rango.
Best Foreign Language Film: Abbas Kiarostami's Certified Copy.
- 12/12/2011
- MUBI
The Cinema Eye Honors revealed the nominees for the 5th Annual Awards honoring Non-Fiction Filmmaking. Winners will be announced on January 11. Here's the list of the 2012 Cinema Eye Honors:
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking:
"The Arbor," Directed by Clio Barnard, Produced by Tracy O.Riordan
"Senna," Directed by Asif Kapadia; Produced by James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
"Project Nim," Directed by James Marsh, Produced by Simon Chinn
"Position Among the Stars," Directed by Leonard Retel Helmrich, Produced by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich
"Nostalgia for the Light," Directed by Patricio Guzmán, Produced by Renate Sachse
"The Interrupters," Directed by Steve James, Produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James
Outstanding Achievement in Direction:
Clio Barnard for "The Arbor"
Leonard Retel Helmrich for "Position Among the Stars"
Patricio Guzmán for "Nostalgia for the Light"
Steve James for "The Interrupters"
Danfung Dennis for "Hell and Back Again"
Outstanding Achievement in Production:
Erik Nelson...
Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Feature Filmmaking:
"The Arbor," Directed by Clio Barnard, Produced by Tracy O.Riordan
"Senna," Directed by Asif Kapadia; Produced by James Gay-Rees, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner
"Project Nim," Directed by James Marsh, Produced by Simon Chinn
"Position Among the Stars," Directed by Leonard Retel Helmrich, Produced by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich
"Nostalgia for the Light," Directed by Patricio Guzmán, Produced by Renate Sachse
"The Interrupters," Directed by Steve James, Produced by Alex Kotlowitz and Steve James
Outstanding Achievement in Direction:
Clio Barnard for "The Arbor"
Leonard Retel Helmrich for "Position Among the Stars"
Patricio Guzmán for "Nostalgia for the Light"
Steve James for "The Interrupters"
Danfung Dennis for "Hell and Back Again"
Outstanding Achievement in Production:
Erik Nelson...
- 12/11/2011
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Aside from maybe Errol Morris' "Tabloid," there is no story you'll see in a docmentary this year as astonishingly odd and visceral as that in Ian Palmer's "Knuckle." But unlike Morris' film, which centers on a single incident in the already quirky life of one woman, Palmer's film tracks the simmering real life feuds between multiple families that has deloved in an endless series of bare knuckle fights between warring members. In "Knuckle," Palmer weaves an incredible tale, captured from more than a decade's worth of footage he shot as an invited witness to the matches, centered around the Quinn-McDonaugh family of Irish travellers and their battles with the Joyce and Nevins clans. The film is raw, brutal stuff with men of all ages -- from lads barely out of their teenage years to grandfathers -- meeting every few months to settle a variety of scores in bloody...
- 12/8/2011
- The Playlist
DVD Playhouse—November 2011
By Allen Gardner
Tree Of Life (20th Century Fox) Terrence Malick’s latest effort is both the best film of 2011 and the finest work of his (arguably) mixed, but often masterly canon. A series of vignettes, mostly set in 1950s Texas, capture the memory of a man (Sean Penn) in present-day New York who looks back on his life, and his parents’ (Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain) troubled marriage, when word of his younger brother’s suicide reaches him. Almost indescribable beyond that, except to say no other film in history so perfectly evokes the magic and mystery of the human memory, which both crystalizes (and sometimes idealizes) the past. Like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, this is a challenging, polarizing work that you must let wash over you. If you go along for the ride, you’re in for a unique, rewarding cinematic experience. Also available on Blu-ray disc.
By Allen Gardner
Tree Of Life (20th Century Fox) Terrence Malick’s latest effort is both the best film of 2011 and the finest work of his (arguably) mixed, but often masterly canon. A series of vignettes, mostly set in 1950s Texas, capture the memory of a man (Sean Penn) in present-day New York who looks back on his life, and his parents’ (Brad Pitt, Jessica Chastain) troubled marriage, when word of his younger brother’s suicide reaches him. Almost indescribable beyond that, except to say no other film in history so perfectly evokes the magic and mystery of the human memory, which both crystalizes (and sometimes idealizes) the past. Like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, this is a challenging, polarizing work that you must let wash over you. If you go along for the ride, you’re in for a unique, rewarding cinematic experience. Also available on Blu-ray disc.
- 11/25/2011
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Tabloid, the latest feature film from Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris (The Thin Blue Line; The Fog of War) was left off this year's horribly disappointing Oscar shortlist, and unfortunately it's also too late to include a new six-minute work of his on the short-subject shortlist. That's okay, because a whole ton of people are watching a documentary short today (let alone just a doc or just a short!), and that's more exciting to me than any awards it might receive. What they're looking at is The Umbrella Man, which was posted to the New York Times' new Op-Doc element of its opinion section. Fitting today's commemoration of John F. Kennedy's death 48 years ago, the film centers on an interview with JFK...
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- 11/23/2011
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
What a treasure we have in Errol Morris. This year he already gave us Tabloid, a tremendously entertaining documentary that presents a wild, lurid story and uses it to sift for, if not factual truth, at least the perception of truth from a specific perspective. Truth and perspective have been two of the driving forces for Morris' entire career as a documentarian, with both explored in detail through essays the filmmaker writes on a semi-regular basis for the New York Times. The latest film from Morris is a six-minute short made for the New York Times. The Umbrella Man is a short interview with Josiah Thompson, a Kierkegaard scholar who also wrote Six Seconds in Dallas [1], the key book that argues for a three-gunman explanation for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. But this isn't some conspiracy theory story. Quite the opposite, in fact. It is, as Thompson says,...
- 11/22/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Documentaries have come a long way in the past twenty years, especially in the past decade. Ten years ago, I would have been at a loss for words had you asked me to name ten “great” documentaries released in a single year. Documentary film has developed into a popular and visible form of entertainment, while having a bigger effect on society, usually addressing important issues with the goal of informing the public and pushing for social change.
The shortlist of documentary nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced recently. As expected, many bloggers have commented on their disappointment with the number of misfires. I doubt that these same bloggers have seen the majority of the films listed, so it is a bit unfair that they presume these 15 titles aren’t worthy of consideration. With that said, I can say that two of the best films I’ve seen...
The shortlist of documentary nominees for the 84th Annual Academy Awards were announced recently. As expected, many bloggers have commented on their disappointment with the number of misfires. I doubt that these same bloggers have seen the majority of the films listed, so it is a bit unfair that they presume these 15 titles aren’t worthy of consideration. With that said, I can say that two of the best films I’ve seen...
- 11/22/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
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