Gus Van Sant’s 1995 satirical black comedy To Die For begins in the midst of a news frenzy: Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), a well-liked man who helped his family run their small-town Italian restaurant, has been murdered and his wife, Suzanne (Nicole Kidman), has been arrested as a suspect. The rest of the film, which blends mockumentary talking heads and flashbacks of the characters’ lives, sends up the contemporaneous sensationalism of high-profile criminal trials like those of O.J. Simpson and the Menendez brothers. By showing the murder upfront, the film, written by the late Buck Henry, proceeds as a rebuke to the public’s fascination with whodunit by psychoanalyzing an already apprehended party.
Yet from the moment we first see Suzanne speaking directly into the camera in an interview, we need not spend too much time unpacking her psychological state. Perfectly coiffed and dressed in tones not quite bright enough to outshine her wide,...
Yet from the moment we first see Suzanne speaking directly into the camera in an interview, we need not spend too much time unpacking her psychological state. Perfectly coiffed and dressed in tones not quite bright enough to outshine her wide,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
Stars: Sharon Kane, Eric Edwards, Jerry Butler, Sharon Mitchell, George Payne, Joey Silvera, Joanna Storm, Michelle Maren, Annie Sprinkle, Marc Stevens | Written and Directed by Gerard Damiano
Walter (George Payne) and Marsha (Michelle Maren) are the classic American married couple. Walter has a good job and Marsha is your perfect housewife. The pair believe in monogamy. I say that, but the couple have a sort of sexual awakening. One day, Walter has a bit of fun with a local hooker (Sharon Mitchell) and whilst he’s at it – Marsha finds herself seduced by Joe (Eric Edwards) – their Meter man. As this is going on, their friends Andy (Joey Silvera) and his wife Louise (Sharon Kane) are the complete opposite. The couple are both openly promiscuous and have their own fun when they can. One night – after some drinks in Andy and Louise’s apartment – the two couples decide to sit...
Walter (George Payne) and Marsha (Michelle Maren) are the classic American married couple. Walter has a good job and Marsha is your perfect housewife. The pair believe in monogamy. I say that, but the couple have a sort of sexual awakening. One day, Walter has a bit of fun with a local hooker (Sharon Mitchell) and whilst he’s at it – Marsha finds herself seduced by Joe (Eric Edwards) – their Meter man. As this is going on, their friends Andy (Joey Silvera) and his wife Louise (Sharon Kane) are the complete opposite. The couple are both openly promiscuous and have their own fun when they can. One night – after some drinks in Andy and Louise’s apartment – the two couples decide to sit...
- 9/8/2017
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
Stars: Chris Jordan, Douglas Stone, Tina Russell, Harry Reems, Marc Stevens, Ultramax, Herding Harrison, Levi Richards, Eric Edwards | Written and Directed by Joseph W. Sarno
Melvin (Douglas Stone) has decided to drop out of his education as an accountant and run himself an antiques store. Frustrated with where his life is headed and becoming ever increasingly sick of his overbearing and judgemental mother (Ultramax) his only escape are his dreams of becoming an author and heading down to his favourite movie theatre whenever he can to catch the latest skin flicks – in silly disguise of course! Here he develops an infatuation with the beautiful Tina Russel and just wishes that he could get the opportunity to satisfy her sexually. Just as this dreamer is giving up, he finds himself in possession of a mysterious lamp and after giving it a good rub, a beautiful Genie (Chris Jordan) appears granting him five wishes.
Melvin (Douglas Stone) has decided to drop out of his education as an accountant and run himself an antiques store. Frustrated with where his life is headed and becoming ever increasingly sick of his overbearing and judgemental mother (Ultramax) his only escape are his dreams of becoming an author and heading down to his favourite movie theatre whenever he can to catch the latest skin flicks – in silly disguise of course! Here he develops an infatuation with the beautiful Tina Russel and just wishes that he could get the opportunity to satisfy her sexually. Just as this dreamer is giving up, he finds himself in possession of a mysterious lamp and after giving it a good rub, a beautiful Genie (Chris Jordan) appears granting him five wishes.
- 7/26/2017
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
Cvs is stepping up to help consumers frustrated with the EpiPen’s price hike.
The drugstore chain announced Thursday that it reduced the price of an EpiPen alternative, Adrenaclick, to just $110 for a two-pack, compared to $608 for the Mylan-produced EpiPen.
“We recognized the urgent need for a less-expensive epinephrine auto-injector,” Cvs says in a press release. “Patients with life-threatening allergies need immediate access to injectable epinephrine. But over time, the brand-name epinephrine auto-injector pens that make it easy to quickly and safely administer the medication have become increasingly expensive.”
The move comes just days after insurance company Cigna said it...
The drugstore chain announced Thursday that it reduced the price of an EpiPen alternative, Adrenaclick, to just $110 for a two-pack, compared to $608 for the Mylan-produced EpiPen.
“We recognized the urgent need for a less-expensive epinephrine auto-injector,” Cvs says in a press release. “Patients with life-threatening allergies need immediate access to injectable epinephrine. But over time, the brand-name epinephrine auto-injector pens that make it easy to quickly and safely administer the medication have become increasingly expensive.”
The move comes just days after insurance company Cigna said it...
- 1/13/2017
- by Julie Mazziotta
- PEOPLE.com
Ice Cube and Charlie Day star as high school teachers prepared to solve their differences the hard way in the comedy Fist Fight directed by Richie Keen (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”).
On the last day of the year, mild-mannered high school English teacher Andy Campbell (Day) is trying his best to keep it together amidst senior pranks, a dysfunctional administration and budget cuts that put jobs on the line. But things go from bad to worse when he accidentally crosses his much tougher and deeply feared colleague, Ron Strickland (Ice Cube), who challenges Campbell to an old-fashioned throw down after school. News of the fight spreads like wildfire and ends up becoming the very thing this school, and Campbell, needed.
Fist Fight also stars Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad”), Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), Dennis Haysbert (“The Unit”), JoAnna Garcia Swisher (“The Astronaut Wives Club...
On the last day of the year, mild-mannered high school English teacher Andy Campbell (Day) is trying his best to keep it together amidst senior pranks, a dysfunctional administration and budget cuts that put jobs on the line. But things go from bad to worse when he accidentally crosses his much tougher and deeply feared colleague, Ron Strickland (Ice Cube), who challenges Campbell to an old-fashioned throw down after school. News of the fight spreads like wildfire and ends up becoming the very thing this school, and Campbell, needed.
Fist Fight also stars Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), Dean Norris (“Breaking Bad”), Christina Hendricks (“Mad Men”), Dennis Haysbert (“The Unit”), JoAnna Garcia Swisher (“The Astronaut Wives Club...
- 12/7/2016
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It’s been nearly three months since Mylan, the company that owns EpiPen, controversially raised the price of a two-pack to more than $600. Now its main competitor is coming back on the market.
Kaleo Pharmaceticals is reintroducing Auvi-q for 2017, and hopes to offer the epinephrine auto-injector at a lower price than the EpiPen.
“It is not in the best interest of patients or physicians to have high out-of-pocket costs,” Spencer Williamson, Kaleo’s president and chief executive, tells Forbes. “We’re engaging with all of the stakeholders — wholesalers and pharmacy benefits managers — to insure that we can provide this innovative...
Kaleo Pharmaceticals is reintroducing Auvi-q for 2017, and hopes to offer the epinephrine auto-injector at a lower price than the EpiPen.
“It is not in the best interest of patients or physicians to have high out-of-pocket costs,” Spencer Williamson, Kaleo’s president and chief executive, tells Forbes. “We’re engaging with all of the stakeholders — wholesalers and pharmacy benefits managers — to insure that we can provide this innovative...
- 10/26/2016
- by Julie Mazziotta
- PEOPLE.com
Robin’S Nest (1980)
“There’s high flying action when the pretty little birds flock together…”
Newlyweds Alan (Eric Edwards, Laura’s Toys) and Robin (Arcadia Lake, Debbie Does Dallas) spend their first day as a married couple by moving in to their new apartment. Naturally, that evening they christen said apartment like most couples would do and damn do they start married life with a bang! The perfect start to what will be a truly future? Maybe not, because fast forward six months later and the couple’s bickering has lead to the pair undergoing a trial separation and Robin to move out. She decides to stay with her high society nympho of a friend; Glenna (Robin Byrd, Pleasure Palace). The pair then do some “catching up”. With her mind somewhat at ease, Robin’s healing process is off to a great start! Alan on the other hand is a bumbling,...
“There’s high flying action when the pretty little birds flock together…”
Newlyweds Alan (Eric Edwards, Laura’s Toys) and Robin (Arcadia Lake, Debbie Does Dallas) spend their first day as a married couple by moving in to their new apartment. Naturally, that evening they christen said apartment like most couples would do and damn do they start married life with a bang! The perfect start to what will be a truly future? Maybe not, because fast forward six months later and the couple’s bickering has lead to the pair undergoing a trial separation and Robin to move out. She decides to stay with her high society nympho of a friend; Glenna (Robin Byrd, Pleasure Palace). The pair then do some “catching up”. With her mind somewhat at ease, Robin’s healing process is off to a great start! Alan on the other hand is a bumbling,...
- 3/27/2016
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
“Nasty Enough To Say Yes!”
Betty (Angel, For Your Thighs Only) is your typical innocent Catholic schoolgirl. One day after studying her bible under the supervision of Sister Rose (Lisa De Leeuw, Pink Champagne) with her party loving friend Catherine (Ginger Lynne, Lust in the Fast Lane), she doses off (religion does that to you.) and finds herself in a world filled with lust, debauchery and some very questionable individuals indeed. Her adventures begin with her watching Catherine get down and dirty with an older guy (Jamie Gillis, Corruption) who thankfully has better taste in women than he does clothes! After the free show, Catherine promises her much more and instantly delivers by sending her to a brothel ran by Madame Rose (De Leeuw again). She’s treated once again to a free show, but finds herself the subject of a bidding war between Senator Bribe (Eric Edwards, Laura’s...
Betty (Angel, For Your Thighs Only) is your typical innocent Catholic schoolgirl. One day after studying her bible under the supervision of Sister Rose (Lisa De Leeuw, Pink Champagne) with her party loving friend Catherine (Ginger Lynne, Lust in the Fast Lane), she doses off (religion does that to you.) and finds herself in a world filled with lust, debauchery and some very questionable individuals indeed. Her adventures begin with her watching Catherine get down and dirty with an older guy (Jamie Gillis, Corruption) who thankfully has better taste in women than he does clothes! After the free show, Catherine promises her much more and instantly delivers by sending her to a brothel ran by Madame Rose (De Leeuw again). She’s treated once again to a free show, but finds herself the subject of a bidding war between Senator Bribe (Eric Edwards, Laura’s...
- 3/5/2016
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
Read More: The 2016 Indiewire Sundance Bible: All the Reviews, Interviews and News Posted During The Festival It's been twenty-five years since Eric Edwards worked with Gus Van Sant in shooting the seminal "My Own Private Idaho," having already worked in the industry for a decade. Since that time, he's been the cinematographer for projects across multiple media, including narrative features, documentaries and music videos. Now, he's lent his expertise to "The Hollars," the latest directorial effort from actor John Krasinski. The film, which follows Krasinski as a man returning to visit his ailing mother (Margo Martindale), premiered this past weekend at Sundance. Edwards sat down with us to discuss the practical and psychological motivations behind the artistic and technical choices that went into making "The Hollars." What camera and lens did you use? We used the Alexa. The Xt with the 4:3 sensor. We shot with the Hawk anamorphic lenses and they were.
- 1/28/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Patching together portraits of his beloved Portland streets, bits of Shakespeare’s Henry IV via Welles’ tumultuous Chimes at Midnight, and vignettes of a narcoleptic vagabond hustler whose motherless anxieties send him travelling through time and space in shimmeringly nostalgic deep sleep, Gus Van Sant‘s My Own Private Idaho is a wildly original amalgam of cultural references and personal investments that transcend a mere tip of the hat. Riding high in the wake of Drugstore Cowboy‘s Hollywood success, Van Sant convinced River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, two rising Tinseltown heart-throbs, to take a serious risk, committing themselves, against the loudly voiced opinions of their agents, to a pair of overtly homosexual roles in a film that opens with an off-screen blowjob. After River was awarded the prizes for Best Actor from the Venice International Film Festival, the Independent Spirit Awards and the National Society of Film Critics Awards...
- 10/20/2015
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Production is now underway on location in Atlanta, Georgia, on New Line Cinema’s comedy Fist Fight, starring Ice Cube and Charlie Day as high school teachers prepared to solve their differences the hard way. The film is being directed by Richie Keen (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”).
On the last day of the year, mild-mannered high school English teacher Andy Campbell (Charlie Day) is trying his best to keep it together amidst senior pranks, a dysfunctional administration and budget cuts that put jobs on the line. But things go from bad to worse when he accidentally crosses his much tougher and deeply feared colleague, Ron Strickland (Ice Cube), who challenges Campbell to an old-fashioned throwdown after school. News of the fight spreads like wildfire and ends up becoming the very thing this school, and Campbell, needed.
Fist Fight also stars Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), Dean Norris...
On the last day of the year, mild-mannered high school English teacher Andy Campbell (Charlie Day) is trying his best to keep it together amidst senior pranks, a dysfunctional administration and budget cuts that put jobs on the line. But things go from bad to worse when he accidentally crosses his much tougher and deeply feared colleague, Ron Strickland (Ice Cube), who challenges Campbell to an old-fashioned throwdown after school. News of the fight spreads like wildfire and ends up becoming the very thing this school, and Campbell, needed.
Fist Fight also stars Tracy Morgan (“30 Rock”), Jillian Bell (“22 Jump Street”), Dean Norris...
- 10/5/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Birdman, Fury and Leviathan among main competition titles; Roland Joffé to preside over main jury.
Alejandro G Ińárritu, Yimou Zhang, Mike Leigh and Jean-Marc Vallée are among the directors with films screening in competition at the 22nd Camerimage (Nov 15-22), the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography.
The main competition at the festival, held in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz, comprises:
Alejandro G Ińárritu’s Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki
Yimou Zhang’s Coming Home (Gui lai); China, 2014; Cinematographer: Zhao Xiaoding
Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer; UK, 2014; Cinematographer: Carlos Catalán Alucha
Lech J. Majewski’s Field of Dogs - Onirica (Onirica - Psie pole); Poland, 2014; Cinematographers: Paweł Tybora and Lech J. Majewski
Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body (Obce cialo); Poland, Italy, Russia, 2014; Cinematographer: Piotr Niemyjski
David Ayer’s Fury; USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Roman Vasyanov
Tate Taylor’s Get on Up; USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Stephen Goldblatt
Łukasz Palkowski’s Gods (Bogowie); Poland, 2014; Cinematographer:...
Alejandro G Ińárritu, Yimou Zhang, Mike Leigh and Jean-Marc Vallée are among the directors with films screening in competition at the 22nd Camerimage (Nov 15-22), the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography.
The main competition at the festival, held in the Polish city of Bydgoszcz, comprises:
Alejandro G Ińárritu’s Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Emmanuel Lubezki
Yimou Zhang’s Coming Home (Gui lai); China, 2014; Cinematographer: Zhao Xiaoding
Richard Raymond’s Desert Dancer; UK, 2014; Cinematographer: Carlos Catalán Alucha
Lech J. Majewski’s Field of Dogs - Onirica (Onirica - Psie pole); Poland, 2014; Cinematographers: Paweł Tybora and Lech J. Majewski
Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body (Obce cialo); Poland, Italy, Russia, 2014; Cinematographer: Piotr Niemyjski
David Ayer’s Fury; USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Roman Vasyanov
Tate Taylor’s Get on Up; USA, 2014; Cinematographer: Stephen Goldblatt
Łukasz Palkowski’s Gods (Bogowie); Poland, 2014; Cinematographer:...
- 10/31/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Polish film festival sets competition juries; Roland Joffe to preside over main competition.
Camerimage (Nov 15-22), the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, has set an impressive roster of jurors for its various competition categories.
The Killing Fields director Roland Joffe will preside over the main competition jury, which incldues cinematographers Christian Berger and Manuel Alberto Claro.
Caleb Deschanel has been appointed president of the Polish Films Competition.
The full list of jurors is below.
Main Competition
Roland Joffé – Jury President (director, producer; The Killing Fields, The Mission, Vatel)
Christian Berger (cinematographer; The Piano Teacher, Hidden, The White Ribbon)
Ryszard Bugajski (director, screenwriter; Interrogation, General Nil, The Closed Circuit)
Ryszard Horowitz (photographer)
David Gropman (cinematographer; The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Life of Pi)
Arthur Reinhart (cinematographer, producer; Crows, Tristan + Isolde, Venice)
Oliver Stapleton (cinematographer; The Cider House Rules, Pay It Forward, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark)
Manuel Alberto Claro (cinematographer; Reconstruction, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac...
Camerimage (Nov 15-22), the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, has set an impressive roster of jurors for its various competition categories.
The Killing Fields director Roland Joffe will preside over the main competition jury, which incldues cinematographers Christian Berger and Manuel Alberto Claro.
Caleb Deschanel has been appointed president of the Polish Films Competition.
The full list of jurors is below.
Main Competition
Roland Joffé – Jury President (director, producer; The Killing Fields, The Mission, Vatel)
Christian Berger (cinematographer; The Piano Teacher, Hidden, The White Ribbon)
Ryszard Bugajski (director, screenwriter; Interrogation, General Nil, The Closed Circuit)
Ryszard Horowitz (photographer)
David Gropman (cinematographer; The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Life of Pi)
Arthur Reinhart (cinematographer, producer; Crows, Tristan + Isolde, Venice)
Oliver Stapleton (cinematographer; The Cider House Rules, Pay It Forward, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark)
Manuel Alberto Claro (cinematographer; Reconstruction, Melancholia, Nymphomaniac...
- 10/31/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Eric Edwards (Teenage Twins) and Alan Marlow (Rollerbabies) star as Will and Fred, two down and out guys who are just as desperate for money as they are some tail. Whilst contemplating their situation, they spot Jackie, a good looking socialite played by Darby Lloyd Rains (Naked Came the Stranger) exiting a small shop – which happens to be in the middle of nowhere. They hatch the plan to abduct her and give her such a good seeing to that she’ll be so satisfied that she won’t feel the need to call the police. A kick in the balls later, the pair take their hostage to Will’s sister’s place so they can have a little bit of fun. After searching through Jackie’s stuff, Will cooks up the plan to hold her for ransom. With all this planned out, it should be smooth sailing from here right?...
- 7/10/2014
- by Mondo Squallido
- Nerdly
Roadside Attractions has released three new images and trailer for their upcoming film, Life Of Crime.
When a pair of low-level criminals kidnap the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer, they get both more and less than they bargained for in Life Of Crime, a dark caper comedy based on legendary author Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch.
In their 2013 Toronto International Film Festival review, Sound on Sight said, “Life Of Crime is a reasonable addition to the world of Leonard adaptations.”
Starring Jennifer Aniston, John Hawkes, yasiin bey, Mark Boone Junior, Isla Fisher, Will Forte, and Tim Robbins, Life Of Crime is packed with the outrageously eccentric characters, black comedy and unexpected twists that earned Leonard a reputation as one of America’s sharpest and funniest crime writers.
Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of crooked real-estate developer Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), is kidnapped by two common criminals (yasiin...
When a pair of low-level criminals kidnap the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer, they get both more and less than they bargained for in Life Of Crime, a dark caper comedy based on legendary author Elmore Leonard’s novel The Switch.
In their 2013 Toronto International Film Festival review, Sound on Sight said, “Life Of Crime is a reasonable addition to the world of Leonard adaptations.”
Starring Jennifer Aniston, John Hawkes, yasiin bey, Mark Boone Junior, Isla Fisher, Will Forte, and Tim Robbins, Life Of Crime is packed with the outrageously eccentric characters, black comedy and unexpected twists that earned Leonard a reputation as one of America’s sharpest and funniest crime writers.
Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of crooked real-estate developer Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), is kidnapped by two common criminals (yasiin...
- 5/21/2014
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Fire City: Interpreter of Signs is an upcoming demon fantasy thriller set against the noir backdrop of a shadowy atmospheric world, where demons live among humans who are blind to what they really are.
The story follows Atum Vine, a 700-year-old demon with an attitude. To the humans who live unwittingly alongside him in a derelict tenement building, Vine is just the drug dealer at the end of the hall. But to the demons also living on the floor, Vine is a procurer of human misery, which they need to survive.
After Vine’s flow of addicts shuts off unexpectedly and apparently for no reason, Vine consults Cornelia, an interpreter of signs. She is a fortune teller in the demon world and an enigma even Vine can’t quite figure out.
We got a chance to catch up with Danielle Chuchran, the young actress who plays Cornelia, during our recent set visit for the film.
The story follows Atum Vine, a 700-year-old demon with an attitude. To the humans who live unwittingly alongside him in a derelict tenement building, Vine is just the drug dealer at the end of the hall. But to the demons also living on the floor, Vine is a procurer of human misery, which they need to survive.
After Vine’s flow of addicts shuts off unexpectedly and apparently for no reason, Vine consults Cornelia, an interpreter of signs. She is a fortune teller in the demon world and an enigma even Vine can’t quite figure out.
We got a chance to catch up with Danielle Chuchran, the young actress who plays Cornelia, during our recent set visit for the film.
- 5/6/2014
- by Staci Layne Wilson
- DreadCentral.com
Vince Vaughn plays a chronic sperm donor whose progeny come back to haunt him in this American remake of 2011's Starbuck.
Warmth and fuzziness abounds in Delivery Man, a feel-good yarn about a lovable loser of a meat delivery truck whose old side gig as a fertility clinic donor has resulted in his being the dad of hundreds of biological children, of whom 142 have filed a lawsuit to reveal his identity.
An extremely faithful re-telling of Starbuck, a popular 2011 French-Canadian comedy directed and co-written by Ken Scott (who duplicates his services here), the fictional film politely abstains from tapping the storyline’s ripe, satirical potential in favor of a softer-around-the-edges approach.
Thanks to some potent performances, led by Vince Vaughn in a decidedly change-of-pace, reflective turn, this Disney release proves lightly entertaining in spite of its more heartfelt tendencies.
It should perform modestly with the older-skewing audiences who won’t...
Warmth and fuzziness abounds in Delivery Man, a feel-good yarn about a lovable loser of a meat delivery truck whose old side gig as a fertility clinic donor has resulted in his being the dad of hundreds of biological children, of whom 142 have filed a lawsuit to reveal his identity.
An extremely faithful re-telling of Starbuck, a popular 2011 French-Canadian comedy directed and co-written by Ken Scott (who duplicates his services here), the fictional film politely abstains from tapping the storyline’s ripe, satirical potential in favor of a softer-around-the-edges approach.
Thanks to some potent performances, led by Vince Vaughn in a decidedly change-of-pace, reflective turn, this Disney release proves lightly entertaining in spite of its more heartfelt tendencies.
It should perform modestly with the older-skewing audiences who won’t...
- 11/12/2013
- by Michael Rechtshaffen
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Tracking Shot” is a monthly featurette here on Ioncinema.com that looks at a dozen or so projects that are moments away from lensing. This February we’ve got a slew of projects that we feel are worth signaling out: we start with a sequel (and pictured above) we find The Raid 2 (also known as Berandal) which has set up shop with the same producing team, star player and writer/director Gareth Huw Evans. Sony Pictures Classics backed the film prior to production. This picks up two hours after the first installment ends.
We have the highly touted Black List screenplay that could very well place itself in the fall festival releases in David O. Russell’s adaptation of American Bullshit – a film we imagine will be much talked about because of its cast (Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Louis C.K.) and the plotline (an FBI sting...
We have the highly touted Black List screenplay that could very well place itself in the fall festival releases in David O. Russell’s adaptation of American Bullshit – a film we imagine will be much talked about because of its cast (Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Louis C.K.) and the plotline (an FBI sting...
- 2/1/2013
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The French fall in love with tomboys, alliteration is all the rage and Leicester Square looks ill-prepared for the London film festival
Cherchez le tomboy
François Ozon's comedy from earlier this year taught us the word potiche, meaning "trophy wife". But now the cinema dictionary is working in reverse. Céline Sciamma's new film about childhood, Tomboy, is teaching the French a new word, and it is catching on fast, the director tells me. Her film has been a surprise hit in France, notching up more than 300,000 admissions (they measure their films thus over there, rather than in box office takings), but she has been even more surprised that the title has entered the national lexicon. "We used to call the concept garçon manqué because we never had the word tomboy," she says. "I always hated the phrase, so I was happy to use the English word but I was worried,...
Cherchez le tomboy
François Ozon's comedy from earlier this year taught us the word potiche, meaning "trophy wife". But now the cinema dictionary is working in reverse. Céline Sciamma's new film about childhood, Tomboy, is teaching the French a new word, and it is catching on fast, the director tells me. Her film has been a surprise hit in France, notching up more than 300,000 admissions (they measure their films thus over there, rather than in box office takings), but she has been even more surprised that the title has entered the national lexicon. "We used to call the concept garçon manqué because we never had the word tomboy," she says. "I always hated the phrase, so I was happy to use the English word but I was worried,...
- 9/19/2011
- by Jason Solomons
- The Guardian - Film News
Los Angeles Film Festival
Rowan Woods' "Winged Creatures" is earnest as all get-out, but the underlying artistic purpose of the dirge-like melodrama is terribly muddled. A nut job shoots up a Los Angeles-area coffee shop, killing himself once he feels he has accomplished his purpose, and the survivors are left to cope with their feelings of fear, bereavement and guilt. It's not a new theme, nor does writer Roy Freirich bring anything new to the table. The 94-minute film has the look and feel of a television drama but without the heat and intelligence the best TV movies possess.
Lots of luck to Sony in trying to figure out how to market a film that has no easily identifiable audience. Sony Worldwide Releasing has domestic rights to the film, though the company has not yet determined which of its units will release the film, nor when it will be released. The best thing to do with the film, which was a surprise premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, is to let it ride the festival circuit, then get it quickly into home entertainment, where an unusually high quotient of name actors will attract viewers.
As with all ensemble pieces, the film jumps episodically among the various story lines. However, few of these subplots by themselves make much sense. That shellshocked characters act irrationally is understandable. But the story lines shouldn't lack rationality. Plus, many characters seem to have what insurance companies like to call pre-existing conditions.
Forest Whitaker's character, apparently recovered from a gambling addiction, reverts to form following his near brush with death. Oh, by the way, the filmmakers give him cancer, too, which presumably underscores his turn into self-destructiveness.
Guy Pearce's doctor, who left the cafe moments before the slaughter, starts slipping his unsuspecting wife increasingly dangerous drugs to counter her chronic headaches. Dakota Fanning's little girl turns into a born-again Christian, who extols the bravery of her dad, who died at the scene.
Kate Beckinsale's single-mom waitress suddenly hungers after male companionship, eyeing virtually every man she sees, including the married doctor. Meanwhile, she obsesses about the fact her cell phone failed her during the rampage.
None of these subplots really adds up to much. Nor do the continual flashbacks to the crime scene -- as characters fixate on and recall the event -- shed any revelatory light on the incident or the characters' reactions.
The characters remain remote, out of touch, not only from family and friends but from viewers. You never see why the killings provoke these particular oddball quirks. The problem is that the film has little if any backstory for its people: You can't imagine what any of these people were like before the tragic incident.
The movie thoroughly wastes those playing family members and friends, including Jennifer Hudson, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Embeth Davidtz. Tech credits are satisfactory, though unexceptional, because visual artistry is certainly not Woods' strong suit.
Production: Artina Production in association with Peace Arch Entertainment and RGM Entertainment. Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, Forest Whitaker, Embeth Davidtz, Troy Garity, Jackie Earle Haley, Jennifer Hudson, Josh Hutcherson, Jeanne Tripplehorn. Director: Rowan Woods. Screenwriter: Roy Freirich. Producers: John J. Kelly, Robert Salerno. Executive Producers: Naomi Despres, Devesh Chetty, Robyn Gardiner, John Flock, Lewin Webb, Gilbert Alloul. Director of Photography: Eric Alan Edwards. Production designer: Max Biscoe. Music: Marcelo Zarvos. Costume Designer: Mary Claire Hannan. Editor: Meg Reticker. Rated R, 94 minutes.
Rowan Woods' "Winged Creatures" is earnest as all get-out, but the underlying artistic purpose of the dirge-like melodrama is terribly muddled. A nut job shoots up a Los Angeles-area coffee shop, killing himself once he feels he has accomplished his purpose, and the survivors are left to cope with their feelings of fear, bereavement and guilt. It's not a new theme, nor does writer Roy Freirich bring anything new to the table. The 94-minute film has the look and feel of a television drama but without the heat and intelligence the best TV movies possess.
Lots of luck to Sony in trying to figure out how to market a film that has no easily identifiable audience. Sony Worldwide Releasing has domestic rights to the film, though the company has not yet determined which of its units will release the film, nor when it will be released. The best thing to do with the film, which was a surprise premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival, is to let it ride the festival circuit, then get it quickly into home entertainment, where an unusually high quotient of name actors will attract viewers.
As with all ensemble pieces, the film jumps episodically among the various story lines. However, few of these subplots by themselves make much sense. That shellshocked characters act irrationally is understandable. But the story lines shouldn't lack rationality. Plus, many characters seem to have what insurance companies like to call pre-existing conditions.
Forest Whitaker's character, apparently recovered from a gambling addiction, reverts to form following his near brush with death. Oh, by the way, the filmmakers give him cancer, too, which presumably underscores his turn into self-destructiveness.
Guy Pearce's doctor, who left the cafe moments before the slaughter, starts slipping his unsuspecting wife increasingly dangerous drugs to counter her chronic headaches. Dakota Fanning's little girl turns into a born-again Christian, who extols the bravery of her dad, who died at the scene.
Kate Beckinsale's single-mom waitress suddenly hungers after male companionship, eyeing virtually every man she sees, including the married doctor. Meanwhile, she obsesses about the fact her cell phone failed her during the rampage.
None of these subplots really adds up to much. Nor do the continual flashbacks to the crime scene -- as characters fixate on and recall the event -- shed any revelatory light on the incident or the characters' reactions.
The characters remain remote, out of touch, not only from family and friends but from viewers. You never see why the killings provoke these particular oddball quirks. The problem is that the film has little if any backstory for its people: You can't imagine what any of these people were like before the tragic incident.
The movie thoroughly wastes those playing family members and friends, including Jennifer Hudson, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Embeth Davidtz. Tech credits are satisfactory, though unexceptional, because visual artistry is certainly not Woods' strong suit.
Production: Artina Production in association with Peace Arch Entertainment and RGM Entertainment. Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce, Forest Whitaker, Embeth Davidtz, Troy Garity, Jackie Earle Haley, Jennifer Hudson, Josh Hutcherson, Jeanne Tripplehorn. Director: Rowan Woods. Screenwriter: Roy Freirich. Producers: John J. Kelly, Robert Salerno. Executive Producers: Naomi Despres, Devesh Chetty, Robyn Gardiner, John Flock, Lewin Webb, Gilbert Alloul. Director of Photography: Eric Alan Edwards. Production designer: Max Biscoe. Music: Marcelo Zarvos. Costume Designer: Mary Claire Hannan. Editor: Meg Reticker. Rated R, 94 minutes.
- 6/26/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Though he has raised the risks considerably, once again writer-director Gus Van Sant Jr. has come up with a film that zeros in on the poignance and gentle comedy at the heart of an otherwise seamy situation. And with the sole exception of a misfired Orson Welles tribute, his new film, "My Own Private Idaho, '' is his most accomplished effort yet.
Despite the fact that it is the story of a teenaged narcoleptic male hustler in Portland, Ore., with an obsession about finding his mother, the film's tonal richness, its hipness and its plain humanity, as well as the considerably canny casting of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves in lead roles, mark this feature as one to watch.
Outstanding specialty success is all but assured; even more, the film has the potential to wade into the mainstream and make a sizable cache.
Phoenix and Reeves play Mike Waters and Scott Favor, respectively, a pair of teenagers making their living off the mostly male, occasionally female, paying public.
Mike, the center of most of the attention, is actually gay and is obsessed with finding the mother who abandoned him to state care as a child. The movie's title refers to the image of a country home and family he carries around in his head.
Scott, whose own sexual preferences are straight but likes the money of hustling almost as much as the shock it gives his politician father, agrees to take off into the countryside, in the United States and eventually even Italy, in pursuit of leads.
A series of dead ends leads to Mike's brother Richard (James Russo, who, despite appearing only briefly onscreen, makes a powerful impression) and some devastating revelations that, nevertheless, help Mike get on with his life.
However, as with Van Sant's other features, plot doesn't do justice to the crowded anecdotes, varying tones and stylistic insouciance.
In one scene sure to increase the film's buzz factor, Reeves' picture on the cover of a male nudie magazine suddenly comes alive and starts talking about the vicissitudes of hustling, eventually landing in an argument with the many newly animated figures on the covers of the rack's other magazines.
Van Sant emphasizes the vulnerable side of Phoenix's persona, and not only does the young actor deliver his best performance, he manages to limn a gay character who will probably have an enormous appeal to young women. Even his narcolepsy, which causes Mike to fall asleep in moments of stress, alternates between the wryly sad and macabrely humorous.
Grace Zabriskie as a horny suburban matron, Udo Kier as the ultimate Euro-sleaze pickup artist, and Mickey Cottrell as a clean-freak client of Mike's, add to the general zaniness.
Yet, no matter how pronounced the sexual humor, pathos underlies every scene, and in the Italian interlude, when Scott falls for a beautiful girl (Chiara Caselli) he meets on a farm and perforce abandons Mike, Van Sant creates a profoundly sympathetic portrait of an emotionally impossible situation.
The film does contain interludes shot in the style of Welles' "Chimes at Midnight, '' during which Reeves' character acts out a drama of filial rebellion and reconciliation, with William Richert performing a good turn as the Falstaff character. Unfortunately, Van Sant's editing becomes so self-consciously heated, and the dialogue so ersatz, that barely a moment works.
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
Fine Line Features
Writer-director Gus Van Sant Jr.
Producer Laurie Parker
Directors of photography Eric Alan Edwards,
John Campbell
Production designer David Brisbin
Editor Curtiss Clayton
Color
Cast:
Mike Waters River Phoenix
Scott Favor Keanu Reeves
Richard Waters James Russo
Bob Pigeon William Richert
Carmella Chiara Caselli
Alena Grace Zabriskie
HansUdo Kier
Running time -- 102 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
Despite the fact that it is the story of a teenaged narcoleptic male hustler in Portland, Ore., with an obsession about finding his mother, the film's tonal richness, its hipness and its plain humanity, as well as the considerably canny casting of River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves in lead roles, mark this feature as one to watch.
Outstanding specialty success is all but assured; even more, the film has the potential to wade into the mainstream and make a sizable cache.
Phoenix and Reeves play Mike Waters and Scott Favor, respectively, a pair of teenagers making their living off the mostly male, occasionally female, paying public.
Mike, the center of most of the attention, is actually gay and is obsessed with finding the mother who abandoned him to state care as a child. The movie's title refers to the image of a country home and family he carries around in his head.
Scott, whose own sexual preferences are straight but likes the money of hustling almost as much as the shock it gives his politician father, agrees to take off into the countryside, in the United States and eventually even Italy, in pursuit of leads.
A series of dead ends leads to Mike's brother Richard (James Russo, who, despite appearing only briefly onscreen, makes a powerful impression) and some devastating revelations that, nevertheless, help Mike get on with his life.
However, as with Van Sant's other features, plot doesn't do justice to the crowded anecdotes, varying tones and stylistic insouciance.
In one scene sure to increase the film's buzz factor, Reeves' picture on the cover of a male nudie magazine suddenly comes alive and starts talking about the vicissitudes of hustling, eventually landing in an argument with the many newly animated figures on the covers of the rack's other magazines.
Van Sant emphasizes the vulnerable side of Phoenix's persona, and not only does the young actor deliver his best performance, he manages to limn a gay character who will probably have an enormous appeal to young women. Even his narcolepsy, which causes Mike to fall asleep in moments of stress, alternates between the wryly sad and macabrely humorous.
Grace Zabriskie as a horny suburban matron, Udo Kier as the ultimate Euro-sleaze pickup artist, and Mickey Cottrell as a clean-freak client of Mike's, add to the general zaniness.
Yet, no matter how pronounced the sexual humor, pathos underlies every scene, and in the Italian interlude, when Scott falls for a beautiful girl (Chiara Caselli) he meets on a farm and perforce abandons Mike, Van Sant creates a profoundly sympathetic portrait of an emotionally impossible situation.
The film does contain interludes shot in the style of Welles' "Chimes at Midnight, '' during which Reeves' character acts out a drama of filial rebellion and reconciliation, with William Richert performing a good turn as the Falstaff character. Unfortunately, Van Sant's editing becomes so self-consciously heated, and the dialogue so ersatz, that barely a moment works.
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
Fine Line Features
Writer-director Gus Van Sant Jr.
Producer Laurie Parker
Directors of photography Eric Alan Edwards,
John Campbell
Production designer David Brisbin
Editor Curtiss Clayton
Color
Cast:
Mike Waters River Phoenix
Scott Favor Keanu Reeves
Richard Waters James Russo
Bob Pigeon William Richert
Carmella Chiara Caselli
Alena Grace Zabriskie
HansUdo Kier
Running time -- 102 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
(c) The Hollywood Reporter...
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