Democratic presidential candidate and former VP Joe Biden has been accused of being out of the limelight as the coronavirus pandemic shuts down the country.
So his handlers said set ’em up, Joe, and scheduled a whirlwind of video appearances. So far, they’ve spotlighted his famous knack for stumbling into word salad.
More from DeadlineJoe Biden Kicks Off Media Blitz In New Reality Of Coronavirus Campaigning; Praises "Ordinary People"Joe Biden Debuts His Own Briefing To Counter Donald Trump's Daily SpotlightMeghan McCain Reveals Pregnancy, Says She Will Co-Host 'The View' Remotely
Fresh off an online appearance in which he waved off his first point about the pandemic as his teleprompter allegedly malfunctioned, Biden came to The View seeking redemption. He appeared via satellite to reveal how he would handle the current coronavirus crisis.
He did offer one gem in response to Sara Haines’s question on...
So his handlers said set ’em up, Joe, and scheduled a whirlwind of video appearances. So far, they’ve spotlighted his famous knack for stumbling into word salad.
More from DeadlineJoe Biden Kicks Off Media Blitz In New Reality Of Coronavirus Campaigning; Praises "Ordinary People"Joe Biden Debuts His Own Briefing To Counter Donald Trump's Daily SpotlightMeghan McCain Reveals Pregnancy, Says She Will Co-Host 'The View' Remotely
Fresh off an online appearance in which he waved off his first point about the pandemic as his teleprompter allegedly malfunctioned, Biden came to The View seeking redemption. He appeared via satellite to reveal how he would handle the current coronavirus crisis.
He did offer one gem in response to Sara Haines’s question on...
- 3/25/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Nov. 19, 2013
Price: DVD $29.95
Studio: Music Box
Brandon Darby (l.) working with Common Ground Collective, as seen in Informant.
The 2012 documentary Informant presents a portrait of Brandon Darby, a left-wing activist turned FBI informant and then Tea Party conservative whose actions led to the arrest of two protesters at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
In 2005, Texas-born Brandon Darby became an overnight hero when he traveled to Katrina-devastated New Orleans and braved toxic floodwaters to rescue a friend stranded in the Ninth Ward. Soon after, he became a co-founder and spokesperson for Common Ground, a successful grassroots relief organization. But over the next few years, he began hiding a shocking secret. After two young protestors, David McKay and Bradley Crowder, were arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Darby revealed he had been instrumental in the indictment as an FBI informant. Today, having renounced his Left-wing past, Darby is a...
Price: DVD $29.95
Studio: Music Box
Brandon Darby (l.) working with Common Ground Collective, as seen in Informant.
The 2012 documentary Informant presents a portrait of Brandon Darby, a left-wing activist turned FBI informant and then Tea Party conservative whose actions led to the arrest of two protesters at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
In 2005, Texas-born Brandon Darby became an overnight hero when he traveled to Katrina-devastated New Orleans and braved toxic floodwaters to rescue a friend stranded in the Ninth Ward. Soon after, he became a co-founder and spokesperson for Common Ground, a successful grassroots relief organization. But over the next few years, he began hiding a shocking secret. After two young protestors, David McKay and Bradley Crowder, were arrested at the 2008 Republican National Convention, Darby revealed he had been instrumental in the indictment as an FBI informant. Today, having renounced his Left-wing past, Darby is a...
- 10/14/2013
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
Director: Jamie Meltzer It’s good to be reminded every now and then that if the truth exists, you’ll probably never know for sure if you’ve found it. Take the story of Brandon Darby, the once-upon-a-time Austin anarchist activist turned FBI informant and Andrew Breitbart-endorsed Tea Party darling. Depending on who you ask, he’s either a […]...
- 9/13/2013
- by Linc Leifeste
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
When the late malevolent rightwing carny Andrew Breitbart provides your sole positive character reference out of nearly a dozen people speaking about you—some of whom were once your best friends—you might want to re-think your existence. In director Jamie Meltzer's mesmerizing documentary Informant, Brandon Darby—a onetime lefty activist darling turned FBI informant and rightwing spokesman—is slowly filleted by former associates. None, however, are more damning than his own documented actions, or the original interviews he gives Meltzer; he's tense, combative, defensive, and unconvincing as he argues on his own behalf. As is true with many fallen heroes, Darby's strength and Achilles heel were (are) one and the same. A handsome, magnetic alpha male, he's ...
- 9/11/2013
- Village Voice
Title: Informant Music Box Films Director: Jamie Meltzer Screenwriter: Jamie Meltzer Cast: Brandon Darby, Scott Crow, Lisa Fithian, Caroline Heldman, Michael May, David Hanners Screened at: Review 2, NYC, 8/5/13 Opens: September 13, 2013 There’s a saying, “If you’re not liberal when you’re young, you have no heart. And if you’re not conservative when you’re older, you have no brains.” People do tend to become gradually more conservative as the years roll by, but there are extremes. Think of Italy’s Benito Mussolini, a socialist in his youth, a fascist when that served him politically. On the other hand, think of the retired Israeli information- gathering, terrorist fighting Shin Bet (in [ Read More ]
The post Informant Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Informant Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 8/27/2013
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
"How does a radical activist end up working for the FBI as an informant?" Today's trailer is for a doc that premiered last year and is just now being released by Music Box. It's called Informant and profiles radical left-wing activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby. The doc won top prize at the Doc NYC Festival and also played the San Francisco & Austin Film Festivals. Not to be confused with Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! or the doc The Imposter, Informant dives into the mysterious story of an activist who turned out to be an FBI informant. Was he duping all of his friends? What's the real story? This looks quite fascinating. Watch the official Us trailer for Jamie Meltzer's documentary Informant, in high def from Apple: "What is the truth?" Winner of Best Documentary at the 2012 Doc NYC Festival, Informant is a fascinating, gripping portrait of Brandon Darby,...
- 8/25/2013
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In an age of massive surveillance and whistle-blowing, trust is quickly becoming the most valuable currency of them all. As activists continue to congregate online (and offline), knowing who you can confide in with complete confidence and solidarity can be at tricky business. But what if the one person you thought you could rely on, turned out to be working for the enemy? That's at the core of "Informant," an upcoming documentary with a rather remarkable story to tell. Described as a kind of " 'Fog Of War' for the age of Occupy" by Indiewire brethren Anthony Kaufman, Jamie Meltzer's Doc NYC Grand Jury Prize winning film tells the true tale of Brandon Darby, who co-founded grassrooots organization Common Ground, and seemed to fit every description you might have of someone committed to the left. Instead, to the shock and surprise of his friends and fellow activists, Darby had been...
- 8/20/2013
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Music Box Films announced today that it has acquired U.S. rights to three new documentaries: Jamie Meltzer 's "Informant," Treva Wurmfeld 's "Shepard & Dark" and Klaartje Quirijn's "Anton Corbijn Inside Out." Synopses of the films provided by Music Box: Informant, directed by Jamie Meltzer, is the fascinating psychological portrait of Brandon Darby, a radical leftist activist who shocked friends and colleagues when he was exposed as an FBI informant at the 2008 Republican National Convention. Informant won the Grand Jury Prize at Doc NYC. Director Jamie Meltzer and producer George Rush negotiated the deal with Music Box Films. A summer release is planned. Treva Wurmfeld s Shepard & Dark captures the complex relationship between playwright/actor Sam Shepard and his close friend Johnny Dark as they prepare forty years of their correspondence for publication. Shepard & Dark was named one of the 50 Best Undistributed Films of 2012 by Film Comment, and won the Best.
- 4/9/2013
- by Peter Knegt
- Indiewire
New York's Doc NYC festival, which ran November 8-15, announces its jury and audience award winners. Included are Jamie Meltzer's "Informant," a portrait of radical activist-turned-fbi informant Brandon Darby, and Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief's "Rafea: Solar Mama," with follows an illiterate Jordanian woman who becomes a solar panel engineer. Full list below. Viewfinders Competition: The jury selected from among ten films in this section, chosen by the programmers for their distinct directorial visions. Grand Jury Prize Winner - Informant, directed by Jamie Meltzer, probes the radical activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby Special Jury Prize Winner - Rafea: Solar Mama, directed by Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief, follows an illiterate Jordanian woman who becomes a solar panel engineer Metropolis Competition: The jury selected from among seven films in this section, which showcases films that exemplify the diverse range of stories...
- 11/16/2012
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
Following a week of over 100 films and events, the third edition of the ever-growing Doc NYC Festival came to a close Thursday night with a Closing Night screening of Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon's "The Central Park Five." But before the screening, Artistic Director Thom Powers led an awards presentation to hand out the prizes in the Festival's three Jury Prizes-the Viewfinder Competition, Metropolis Competition, and the Shorts Competition-as well as the SundanceNOW Audience Award. Of the ten films vying for the Viewfinders Compeition, chosen by the programmers for their "distinct directorial vision," the Grand Jury Prize went to Jamie Meltzer's "Informant," which investigates the radical activist turned FBI informant Brandon Darby. The Special Jury Prize went to Jehane Noujaim and Mona Eldaief's "Rafea: Solar Mama," which follows an illiterate woman from Jordon who becomes a solar panel engineer. Among...
- 11/16/2012
- by Eric Mattina
- Indiewire
Day three of the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival promises more great films and an appearance at the Hi-Pointe by director Joe Dante. And there are still 8 days to go!
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Saturday, November 10th
Director Jennifer Lynch
A Fall From Grace Program is at 11:00 am at the Tivoli Theatre – A Free Event Sliff guest Jennifer Lynch (Chained.) has plans to shoot her next film, A Fall from Grace, in St. Louis. Post-Dispatch film critic Joe Williams leads a...
Sliff’s main venues are the the Hi-Pointe Theatre, Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac Cinema, Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium, Washington University’s Brown Hall Auditorium and the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville, Il
The entire schedule for the 21st Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival be found Here.
http://cinemastlouis.org/sliff-2012
Here is what will be screening at The 21st Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival today, Saturday, November 10th
Director Jennifer Lynch
A Fall From Grace Program is at 11:00 am at the Tivoli Theatre – A Free Event Sliff guest Jennifer Lynch (Chained.) has plans to shoot her next film, A Fall from Grace, in St. Louis. Post-Dispatch film critic Joe Williams leads a...
- 11/10/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
After Better This World (which was one of my favorite documentaries of 2011), I admittedly questioned whether or not the world would need another documentary about Brandon Darby and the "Texas Two" -- David McKay and Bradley Crowder. Luckily Jamie Meltzer's Informant takes a different approach from what had already been done before in Better This World. While both films bring to question Darby's precarious role as an FBI informant, Meltzer's documentary opts to focus primarily on Darby, allowing him ample opportunity to spew his side of the story. From most accounts an ego-maniacal jerk, it is no surprise that Darby seems to enjoy having his time in the spotlight. It is impossible to tell if Darby has even considered whether or not he should trust Meltzer; if anything, Darby is so damn confident in his side of the story that he probably assumes that everyone will agree that he was right in his actions.
- 11/8/2012
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
This week marks the start of Manhattan's third annual documentary festival, Doc NYC, at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village and Chelsea's Sva Theatre. The eight-day presentation boasts big names like Ken Burns, Barbara Kopple and Jonathan Demme as well as a significant roster from the indie underworld: Rufus Wainwright, Antony Hegarty, and Sophie Fiennes, to name but a few.
To help you sift through the massive schedule of documentaries, we've created our own guide to the must-see films of this year. Our list is as much a grab bag as the 115-item Doc NYC list, but we've picked the ones that we know you just can't miss:
1. How to Survive a Plague (directed by David France)
A powerful overview of Act Up and its science-savvy subgroup, Tag (Treatment Action Group); its members worked tirelessly to bring awareness to the plight of AIDS victims in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
To help you sift through the massive schedule of documentaries, we've created our own guide to the must-see films of this year. Our list is as much a grab bag as the 115-item Doc NYC list, but we've picked the ones that we know you just can't miss:
1. How to Survive a Plague (directed by David France)
A powerful overview of Act Up and its science-savvy subgroup, Tag (Treatment Action Group); its members worked tirelessly to bring awareness to the plight of AIDS victims in the mid-1980s and early 1990s.
- 11/6/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Informant, a thrilling documentary from Jamie Meltzer, tells the story of Austinite Brandon Darby, the former anarchist who turned in Brad Crowder and David McKay during the Rnc protests in 2008. How did Darby morph from someone who "would've attacked the government for what it was doing to people" in New Orleans during Katrina to someone who trusted governmental authority so much that he would inform on a planned/possible attack? Meltzer's film, through intimate interviews (almost like on-camera confessions) with Darby and some of his former associates, attempts to explain.
The movie introduces the viewer to Darby through his work with other activists co-founding the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He comes off as determined in his work to serve the people in the Ninth Ward. He and his pal Scott Crow (also an Austinite) brought guns to the city to combat the violence against "looters.
The movie introduces the viewer to Darby through his work with other activists co-founding the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He comes off as determined in his work to serve the people in the Ninth Ward. He and his pal Scott Crow (also an Austinite) brought guns to the city to combat the violence against "looters.
- 10/22/2012
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
Informant, an intense documentary which focuses on Austinite Brandon Darby, is documentarian Jamie Meltzer's latest film. The movie is made up of interviews with Darby, a former anarchist who informed on two young men during the 2008 Rnc, and his (former) friends and co-workers.
Meltzer is currently an assistant professor in the Mfa program in Documentary Film and Video at Stanford, and his previous films include Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story, Welcome to Nollywood and the short La Caminata. His Informant will show as part of Austin Film Festival on Sunday 10/21 and Wednesday 10/24.
Before the fest kicked off, Meltzer answered some questions I had via email.
Slackerwood: Why did you decide to make a film about Brandon Darby? Did you know him before you started working on the movie?
Jamie Meltzer: I first discovered this story when Brandon posted his "open letter" declaring he was an informant, which...
Meltzer is currently an assistant professor in the Mfa program in Documentary Film and Video at Stanford, and his previous films include Off the Charts: The Song-Poem Story, Welcome to Nollywood and the short La Caminata. His Informant will show as part of Austin Film Festival on Sunday 10/21 and Wednesday 10/24.
Before the fest kicked off, Meltzer answered some questions I had via email.
Slackerwood: Why did you decide to make a film about Brandon Darby? Did you know him before you started working on the movie?
Jamie Meltzer: I first discovered this story when Brandon posted his "open letter" declaring he was an informant, which...
- 10/18/2012
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
Raindance have just announced their line-up for their 20th annual film festival. The 2012 festival will, like every year showcase some of the best independent movies that we can expect in the coming year and beyond. Raindance 2012 will take place 26th September to 7th October at the Apollo Cinema, Piccadilly Circus in London. This year we can expect to see 105 features, more than 138 shorts, 64 UK Premieres, 13 International Premieres, 5 European Premieres, 19 World Premieres and 24 Directorial Debuts from 38 countries.
Scroll down to see the full press release as well as all the feature films that will be showing at the festival. To find out more, click here to visit their official site.
Opening the festival on Wednesday 26th September is the International Premiere of Here Comes The Devil a powerful fantasy horror from Mexico. Shot in Tijuana, a married couple lose their children while on a family trip near some caves in Tijuana.
Scroll down to see the full press release as well as all the feature films that will be showing at the festival. To find out more, click here to visit their official site.
Opening the festival on Wednesday 26th September is the International Premiere of Here Comes The Devil a powerful fantasy horror from Mexico. Shot in Tijuana, a married couple lose their children while on a family trip near some caves in Tijuana.
- 9/4/2012
- by David Sztypuljak
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Tampa, Fla. -- Another documentary is drawing controversy at the Republican National Convention -- the filmmakers of Occupy Unmasked, starring the late Andrew Breitbart, say they've received dozens of threats of physical violence in advance of Thursday's screening of the critical look at the Occupy Wall Street movement. Some of the messages target Brandon Darby and Lee Stranahan, two former leftists who appear in the film, according to a spokesperson for Citizens United Prods, the company behind the film. Photos: 20 Biggest Political Players in Hollywood “We’ll be legitimately raping Brandon Darby and Lee Stranahan for the next several days while they
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- 8/29/2012
- by Paul Bond
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Magnet Releasing is diving into the pre-election political mix with an all-rights deal to distribute “Occupy Unmasked,” the latest documentary from Citizens United Productions that features the late conservative firebrand Andrew Breitbart. To maximize potential exposure for the politically contentious film, Magnet plans a day-and-date theatrical and VOD release in late September, just six weeks before the presidential election. Citizens United has already had a tremendous impact on the national campaign: its controversial 2008 documentary “Hillary: The Movie” led to a Supreme Court decision that rolled back restrictions on large donations. “Occupy Unmasked” writer-director Stephen K. Bannon has also made the politically charged films “Battle for America,” “Fire From the Heartland” and “Generation Zero” for the company. In “Unmasked,” Breitbart and colleagues Brandon Darby, David Horowitz, Pam...
- 8/6/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
When I first read about Better This World, I thought it was actually a narrative film. It tells the story of two teenage boys who are arrested for domestic terrorism after their plot to firebomb the 2008 Republican National Convention is thwarted. Surely, this must be fictional. But it's a documentary, and it's all unbelievably true. As the story unfolds, we see watch two disillusioned Texas teenagers get ground to pieces by the Homeland Security machine. It's infuriating and horrifying and devastating, and that's pretty much all you can ask from a documentary. I left shaking with the same indignant rage that infused me after seeing Inside Job and The Tillman Story. I realize the FBI and Homeland Security, at the basest level and politics aside, is honestly trying to stop another bombing from happening. But in those efforts, they are committing heinous crimes themselves. Using the manipulations of the legal...
- 3/15/2011
- by Brian Prisco
Filed under: Movie News, SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical
Celebrity Sightings
Because celebrities (film-related and otherwise) are people too and there's nothing - well, almost nothing -- that celebrities don't like more than being sighted at film (and other) festivals. Celebrities were out in full force on the opening night of the SXSW Film Festival.
Our Coverage
If you haven't had a chance to check out our coverage of the first day of the SXSW Film Festival, just follow this link for fest-related goodness.
Biggest Buzz
Joe Cornish's 'Attack the Block' absolutely killed at the midnight Alamo Drafthouse screening. Think 'Critters' meets 'The Warriors' -- Cornish described the wildly entertaining aliens-vs-teen-thugs horror-comedy as 'Super 8 Mile,' and the audience loved every minute of it. Apparently American distributors are afraid of the thick British neighborhood accents, but in our opinion the general kick-assery of the movie overpowers any sort of language barrier.
Celebrity Sightings
Because celebrities (film-related and otherwise) are people too and there's nothing - well, almost nothing -- that celebrities don't like more than being sighted at film (and other) festivals. Celebrities were out in full force on the opening night of the SXSW Film Festival.
Our Coverage
If you haven't had a chance to check out our coverage of the first day of the SXSW Film Festival, just follow this link for fest-related goodness.
Biggest Buzz
Joe Cornish's 'Attack the Block' absolutely killed at the midnight Alamo Drafthouse screening. Think 'Critters' meets 'The Warriors' -- Cornish described the wildly entertaining aliens-vs-teen-thugs horror-comedy as 'Super 8 Mile,' and the audience loved every minute of it. Apparently American distributors are afraid of the thick British neighborhood accents, but in our opinion the general kick-assery of the movie overpowers any sort of language barrier.
- 3/13/2011
- by Mel Valentin
- Moviefone
Filed under: Movie News, SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical
Celebrity Sightings
Because celebrities (film-related and otherwise) are people too and there's nothing - well, almost nothing -- that celebrities don't like more than being sighted at film (and other) festivals. Celebrities were out in full force on the opening night of the SXSW Film Festival.
Our Coverage
If you haven't had a chance to check out our coverage of the first day of the SXSW Film Festival, just follow this link for fest-related goodness.
Biggest Buzz
Joe Cornish's 'Attack the Block' absolutely killed at the midnight Alamo Drafthouse screening. Think 'Critters' meets 'The Warriors' -- Cornish described the wildly entertaining aliens-vs-teen-thugs horror-comedy as 'Super 8 Mile,' and the audience loved every minute of it. Apparently American distributors are afraid of the thick British neighborhood accents, but in our opinion the general kick-assery of the movie overpowers any sort of language barrier.
Celebrity Sightings
Because celebrities (film-related and otherwise) are people too and there's nothing - well, almost nothing -- that celebrities don't like more than being sighted at film (and other) festivals. Celebrities were out in full force on the opening night of the SXSW Film Festival.
Our Coverage
If you haven't had a chance to check out our coverage of the first day of the SXSW Film Festival, just follow this link for fest-related goodness.
Biggest Buzz
Joe Cornish's 'Attack the Block' absolutely killed at the midnight Alamo Drafthouse screening. Think 'Critters' meets 'The Warriors' -- Cornish described the wildly entertaining aliens-vs-teen-thugs horror-comedy as 'Super 8 Mile,' and the audience loved every minute of it. Apparently American distributors are afraid of the thick British neighborhood accents, but in our opinion the general kick-assery of the movie overpowers any sort of language barrier.
- 3/13/2011
- by Mel Valentin
- Cinematical
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