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I thank everyone sincerely for all the nice comments to my post about The Air I Breathe. I received many questions so I'll try to answer them here as best as I can.
Would you consider the movie to be an Oscar contender?
That's a tough one. I was actually thinking about that all the way through, especially since there were hundreds of comments online over the last few months about Sarah Michelle Gellar's prospects. But it's pretty much an ensemble cast so no one actor really was the "star" of the film. Andy Garcia may have had the most screen time. But it's probably Andy and Brendan Fraser who have the biggest roles. More than Sarah I think.
Most of the characters don't really have major arcs in terms of performance. Without giving anything away, they pretty much are solid throughout but consistent in their characterizations. Sarah's role was different. She has to display a wide range of emotions, more than the others in my opinion. So to the extent that the Academy likes that sort of thing, I think she may have a shot at it. But it may not have been a large enough role.
I heard from another poster that was at the premiere that Brendan Fraser also has a sex scene. I love him & without any spoilers, can you confirm this? Thanks again!
Hmm...let's just say that fans will not be disappointed!
Will this movie be rated R?
I cannot imagine any way that it would not be rated R. It has a lot of violence, language, and sexual content.
I know you may hear this 1000 times but how was the performance and the character from Sarah Michelle Gellar?
I was very impressed. I think I may have posted before seeing the film that I was not a huge fan. Not that I didn't like her -- just that I wasn't really seeing the film because she was in it. So I really focused on her performance to see what all the fuss was about. She was amazing, really. It took a while for it to sink in, since her character is very tortured and goes through a lot emotionally and physically. She is a very very brave actress. She took a lot of risks and put a lot into it. I think she will surprise a lot of people.
How was the music? And how was Sarah's character and what was her performance like? Was it really sad??
please answer me its very important to me!
Great questions. Of all the things I pay attention to, the soundtrack is always the first thing I focus on. It plays a major role in this movie, almost like another character. It has an Asian feel, not just because of the filmmaker's background but because it is based on a Chinese proverb. It was quite haunting. Was Sarah's character and performance really sad? Yes, about as sad as you can get.
I can only just imagine how relieved Bob and Jieho must be to have it out of the way. Any word on a distributor picking this thing up for national release?
I actually spoke with Jieho, Bob, and Chris (producer) afterward and that was basically what I said first (about being relieved at the event finally taking place). As far as a release is concerned, nothing that was officially announced by anyone with the film. But I was told by a source that the Weinsteins and ThinkFilm are both interested. I think it will be a big release. Those are just my thoughts, though.
Thanks to all for the great questions!
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Here are some of my initial thoughts. The Air I Breathe is stunning in many ways. Visually it is breathtaking, with broad sweeping images interspersed with lots of gritty closeups of tragedy. The narrative is somewhat fuzzy at first, but I won't say more because I don't want to give anything away. As much as I'd read about it, I was still taken by surprise at every step of the way. It's hard to watch at times and quite violent. There's a lot of sadness and tension. But there is also an amazingly clever use of humor in the film, and that is perhaps what most surprised me. After all, that's what life is.
The film is basically divided into four parts: Happiness, Pleasure, Sorrow, and Love. Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Kevin Bacon, the anchors of the four sections, are better than I've ever seen. The supporting actors all put their hearts into it.
As with other World Premieres I've attended, it was beyond description. I was again honored to be the only journalist chosen to photograph the red carpet arrivals, attend the screening and shoot the Q&A, and attend the after party. So I have lots of pictures to post. In addition to shots of the red carpet and Q&A, I shot most of the Q&A on video. I promise I will get some of this posted as soon as I can.
The house was oversold. People who actually had tickets were turned away because they did not get there in time. I sat with some of the cast members and crew. Everyone who was there got up onstage for the Q&A: Sarah, Brendan, Andy, Kevin, director Jieho Lee, and co-writer Bob DeRosa. Some of the other actors, including Emile Hirsch, were not able to make it but would have been very proud of their work, I think.
As far as distribution goes, I can't say anything right now but things look good. I can say that we should be able to post some information very very soon. A source told me that the Weinstein Co. and ThinkFilm have both expressed interest. They are arguably the 2 most important indie distributors in America. I can't verify that, of course, but I wouldn't doubt that it's true.
Special thanks to Jieho Lee, Bob DeRosa, and producer Christopher Pratt for being so gracious and generous all evening. Amidst the media circus and mayhem of one of the festival's premiere events, they went to great lengths to accommodate those who faced some challenges during the event, myself included. Without their selflessness you wouldn't be reading this report right now.
More to come.
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Wow, where to begin? The Final Season is breathtaking. I told producer Steve Schott that the first word that came to mind was "triumphant." It's such an incredible true story, and they remained faithful to it. It's just a classic, feel-good family movie, and we don't see too many of those lately. It's dramatic, it's funny, it's exciting, and it's something everyone can relate to.
Tom Arnold, Powers Boothe, Rachel Leigh Cook, and, of course, Sean Astin all put so much heart into this movie and it shows. Michael Angarano shows once again why he is one of the most sought after young actors in America. As was pointed out in the Q&A, they didn't just become like a family -- they were family. The director's son is one of the stars, Sean's brother Mackenzie is in it, and on and on.
The audience was jam packed with people from Cedar Rapids, where the film was shot, including many of the actors and extras. So many of the cast and crew were there. Family members and people involved in the production sat on all sides of me and told me some wonderful stories, all with great affection, about how they were treated by the filmmakers.
As far as the whole experience of the World Premiere goes, it was amazing. I was privileged to be one of only a few journalists chosen to photograph the red carpet arrivals, attend the screening and shoot the Q&A, and attend the after party. So I have lots of pictures to post. In addition to shots of the red carpet and Q&A, I shot most of the Q&A on video. I promise I will get some of this posted as soon as I can.
Posted by phileysmiley at 06:08 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Some more thoughts on Nobel Son. I was quite surprised by the film. It's much more stylized than I'd imagined it would be. Digital effects and clever camera work help take what could have been a standard caper movie (a la Oceans 11) and turn it into a psychological thriller, emphasis on the thrills. It is such a fascinating story and an amazing script.
Shawn Hatosy is one of my favorite young actors and he is chilling here. It's a bit like his portrayal of Elvis in Alpha Dog but taken to the level of a starring role. The intensity he brought to that film is in his performance here from start to finish. Nobody is better at psycho-scary. I'm sure many will be blown away by his performance. I had a chance to chat with him afterward and he couldn't be more different from his character. But that's exactly what makes him such a talented actor. If he wasn't on your radar before he will be after you see Nobel Son.
It is definitely headed for a distribution deal soon, no doubt about it. It was a hot ticket, too. Not an empty seat in the house. I took a lot of pictures at the red carpet arrivals. I also shot some pics of the Q&A after the film. As soon as I get the chance I'll be posting those plus writing a more extensive review.
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And we have a winner...and its name is Nobel Son. This winning film, from writer/director/producer/editor Randall Miller (did he cook lunch too?), is now at the top of my list of festival favorites. "In this taut thriller spiked with droll humor," the synopsis reads, "Ph.D. candidate Barkley (Bryan Greenberg) is kidnapped the night before his father Eli (Alan Rickman) will receive the Nobel Prize. When Eli refuses to pay a ransom equal to the $2 million prize, secrets, betrayal and revenge collide."
In addition to Greenberg and Rickman, Nobel Son stars a veteran ensemble cast including Bill Pullman, Shawn Hatosy, Danny DeVito, Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Ernie Hudson, and Eliza Dushku.
Gasps and laughs were traded back and forth in the audience at today's World Premiere, and most of the cast and crew attended and held a Q&A afterward. We photographed both the red carpet arrivals as well as the Q&A, and you can look forward to seeing them here in due time, as the day is young. I'm about to head over to the World Premiere of The Final Season, which we've written about extensively here over the past year. Stay tuned.
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Tonight we attended the World Premiere of Take, from first-time writer-director Charles Oliver. Minnie Driver stars along with Jeremy Renner and Oliver's son Bobby Coleman. He's only 9 but has an impressive 4 films (plus 2 in production) and 10 TV appearances (including 7 episodes of Surface) on his resume.
The lives of two strangers-a struggling mother (Minnie Driver) and a gambling addict (Jeremy Renner)-converge in unspeakable tragedy. Years later, they must come to terms with themselves and one another. As two pivotal days, one past and one present, unfold in a non-linear mosaic, Take offers a powerful reflection on redemption and forgiveness.
Pictured are Charles Oliver, Minnie Driver, and Bobby Coleman.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
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It was another fun-filled jam-packed day of moviegoing and stargazing here at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. First we attended a press conference for Gardener of Eden (see previous posts for more). Present were director Kevin Connolly (whom you may recognize as a regular on TV's Entourage) and star Lukas Haas.
While Q&As following film screenings are always fun, they generally run for 15 minutes to a half hour at most. This sit-down session went for 45 minutes and dove deep into what went into the making of Gardener of Eden. Connolly revealed that he almost gave up several times along the way -- the film is complex and challenging in scope, mixing several genres in a way that is rarely done well. Haas talked about his transition from child star (1985's Witness) to indie actor and musician. I spoke of the mental references I'd made to films like Death Wish, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and Apocalypse Now. Smiling broadly, Connolly fully agreed and admitted that it was fully intentional.
Both were frank and very low key. I had a chance to chat with Haas afterward and he is quite the gentleman, and very soft spoken. His Swedish Auto was one of my Top Picks of 2006, as was Alpha Dog. What a talent.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
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This little gem was shot in the shadow of New York City, where gritty New Jersey towns like Glen Ridge and Paramus hide a world of mystery and intrigue. Yes, this is a variation on the "you'll die here if you don't get out" genre, but the protagonist (Lukas Haas) decides to do something entirely different -- he won't get out, but he'll find a way to survive which is so original that's it's no wonder DiCaprio chose this project to produce.
I thoroughly enjoyed Gardener of Eden, a poignant character-driven film that represents the essence of what film festivals should be about.
Here are some more pictures from last night's gala World Premiere of the Leo DiCaprio-produced Gardener of Eden.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Yolanda Ross and Mums
Danny A, Gregg Bello
Mary Stuart Masterson, Mizuo Peck
John Abrahams
Petra and Olga Nemcova, Constance Zimmer
Erika Christiansen, Carla Gugino
Desmond Harrington, Tanner Grey
Anna Beatriz Barros
Cassie, Kevin Connolly
Adrian Grenier
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Tonight was the World Premiere of Gardener of Eden. Leonardo DiCaprio decided to produce the film after reading the script. He brought on board Kevin Connolly, of Entourage, to direct. Lukas Haas and Erika Christiansen star.
In this dark comedy, Adam Harris' (Lukas Haas) aimless life consists of working at a deli, living with his parents, hanging with his friends and...well, that's about it. Stuck in a rut, he loses it all, but soon finds new purpose when he accidentally captures a serial rapist.
Guests walking down the red carpet tonight included the following:
Leonardo DiCaprio
Kevin Connolly
Olivia Wilde
Lukas Haas
Erika Christiansen
John Abrahams
Adrian Grenier
Carla Gugino
Gary Winnick
Petra Nemcova
Mary Stuart Masterson
Anna Beatriz Barros
Ori Pheffer
Yolanda Ross
and more.
Here is a small sampling of the shots I took. More to come tomorrow.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Olivia Wilde, Petra and Olga Nemcova
Erika Christiansen, Anna Beatriz Barros
Lukas Haas
Leonardo DiCaprio, Lukas Haas, Kevin Connolly
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So far it's been nothing less than a blast here at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. Most of the films I've seen have been in the World Narrative Features Competition, which (obviously) includes films from many countries. I've seen entries from Mexico, Tunisia, Morocco, Iran, Iraq, Austria, France, Belgium, Turkey, Russia, Germany, Italy, China, Lebanon, and the good old US of A. Almost all have been World, International, North American, or US Premieres.
My weakness is generally the low budget character piece, but a couple of "movie movies," big yet far removed from Hollywood, have topped my list so far. I was particularly impressed by Napoleon and Me (N: lo ne Napoleone), a sweeping epic from Italy and France. This had the look of a big budget period piece (think Coppola's Gangs of New York) with a balance of comedy and drama that's generally a risk to pull off. Here it works.
I also enjoyed Half Moon (Niwemang), an Iran/Iraq/Austria/France co-production. And as if that multicultural mix wasn't enough, the film was actually in Kurdish. It felt a bit like Lawrence of Arabia set on the border between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan. This was another grand endeavor that played with that gray area between the absurd and the divine but was immensely satisfying.
Smaller films of note included Times and Winds (Bes Vakit), a sweet, tender tale of growing up in a small mountain village in Turkey, and Playing the Victim (Izobrazhaya zhertvu), a Russian film with a Kubrick influence which was one of the most unique I've seen at any festival. A haunting, poignant Mexican entry called Two Embraces (Dos Abrazos) also sits near the top of my list so far.
Then there are the "arrivals," of course, or the red carpet photo ops which are the magnet for much of the world's press. At Tribeca, though, they are arrivals on steroids. Last night's gala kickoff event is documented in a couple of earlier posts. Many more are to come -- I'll be headed to the Gardener of Eden arrivals in just about an hour. I won't mention who'll be there just in case they don't make it. But watch this space for the pics!
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Here are some more pictures from last night's opening gala for the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.
The event was the SOS Short Film Program. SOS is the campaign behind the Live Earth global concert series on July 7, 2007. The mission of the SOS Short Films Program is to create a series of educational and compelling short films that highlight the problems of, and engage people with solutions for, the global climate crisis.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
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It was truly a star-studded night tonight at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, the site of the official gala to kick off the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.
Among the stars strolling the red carpet were:
Christoper Walken
Josh Lucas & Alex Davolos
Paul Haggis & Mark Bennett
Edie Falco
Adrian Grenier
Jesse Bradford
Jennifer Maguire
Chris Cooper
Billie Jean King
Chazz Palmintieri
Christie Brinkley
Julia Stiles
Diego Luna
Jimmy Fallon
Martin Scorsese
Eric Bogosian
Robert DeNiro
Tom Brokaw
Jon Bonjovi
Tiki Barber
I'll be posting as time allows. Here is the first installment.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
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The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival officially opens tomorrow night, with public screenings getting underway on Thursday. But preparations have been underway for quite some time, of course, and screenings for the press actually began last Friday. Thankfully, this puts a bit less pressure on me to try to fit in all the films I want and/or need to see in the coming weeks. So I am posting this report from the lobby of the screening room where I have spent several days watching films nonstop. You can look for my reviews in due course.
As usual with our festival coverage, I'll be posting as the opportunity allows. And if you're in the area, stop by the Box Office at 15 Laight Street, where Varick meets Canal. There are plenty of tickets available. The alphabetical film guide is a good place to start!
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The World Premiere of The Education of Charlie Banks takes place this Friday at the Tribeca Film Festival. Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst sits in the director's chair for the first time. Chris Marquette, Jason Ritter, Eva Amurri, and Jesse Eisenberg are among the cast members expected to attend.
In this videography, Durst discusses the making of The Education of Charlie Banks.
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One of the most highly anticipated events of this week's Tribeca Film Festival is the World Premiere of The Air I Breathe. This long awaited film from first time writer-director Jieho Lee and co-writer Bob DeRosa features an all-star cast including Sarah Michelle-Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Emile Hirsch, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, and Forest Whitaker.
In this videography, Lee discusses the making of The Air I Breathe.
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Just out: the trailer for The Final Season. The World Premiere will take place at the Tribeca Film Festival one week from Saturday (April 28).
The Final Season stars Sean Astin, Rachael Leigh Cook, Powers Boothe, Tom Arnold, and Michael Angarano. It was directed by David M. Evans (The Sandlot).
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Just out: the trailer for Charlie Bartlett. The World Premiere will take place at the Tribeca Film Festival one week from Tuesday (May 1).
Charlie Bartlett stars Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr., Hope Davis, Tyler Hilton, and Jake Epstein. It was directed by legendary editor Jon Poll.
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Alpha Dog opens in the UK tomorrow and is out on DVD in the US on Tuesday May 1. So the buzz is out there again. There is a 5-page article/interview with writer-director Nick Cassavetes on the making of Alpha Dog at ArtistInterviews.com. There are also 10 production stills, some of which have not been seen before.
The same site also has an in-depth article with interviews about the making of Griffin Dunne's Fierce People. There are many production stills there as well.
Alpha Dog was our #1 Top Pick from last year's Sundance Film Festival and one of our Top Picks of 2006. Fierce People was one of our Top Picks from the 2006 Woodstock Film Festival. It stars Diane Lane, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Stewart, and Alpha Dog's Anton Yelchin and will be out in theaters on July 20th. It was shot 3 years ago. It's about time, I'd say.
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The Tribeca Film Festival brings a lot more than films to New York, of course. A new tradition is a series of Filmmaker Talks at the Apple Store SoHo. The events are co-sponsored by indieWIRE. "Get a peek behind the scenes from some of the industry's leading filmmakers as well as emerging directors," the organizers proclaim. "Come to Apple Store SoHo to hear these filmmakers share their stories: Joel and Ethan Coen, Julie Delpy, David Holbrooke, John Dahl, Mary Harron, Edward Burns, John Canemaker, Matthew Modine, Marc Forster, Tribeca Film Festival Student Filmmakers, and DJ Spooky."
Sounds very cool! All events are free and seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
Store directions
Schedule of filmmaking events and workshops
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Brad Gann's Black Irish was our #1 Top Pick from last year's Hamptons International Film Festival. It was also one of our favorites of the year. Others apparently agree, as in the past few weeks Black Irish has won a number of awards, including:
* Winner of both the Grand Jury and Audience Award at the Florida International Film Festival
* Winner of Best Picture at Method Fest
* Winner of Best Actor for Michael Angarano at Method Fest
* Winner of Best Supporting Actor for Tom Guiry at Method Fest
Now we have our first look at a new official poster.
Click the thumbnail to enlarge picture
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As we mentioned a couple of posts below, there is a feature in the UK mag Dazed & Confused on young actors at Sundance, many of whom we have featured here over the past few months and photographed ourselves. Here are two of them:
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures (then click the pic again to blow up to full size)
Angarano stars in David Gordon Green's Snow Angels, which blew them away at its World Premiere at Sundance. The film was picked up by Warner Independent Pictures for release late this year or early 2008. We also saw Angarano share the screen with Christopher Plummer in Michael Schroeder's Man in the Chair, which premiered at Santa Barbara one week later. And in just 2 weeks we'll catch the World Premiere of The Final Season at Tribeca, in which Angarano co-stars with Sean Astin. Other films of his in the can and awaiting release are The Bondage, whose premiere we attended at SXSW 2006, and Black Irish, which we caught at several festivals, including its premiere at the Hamptons in 2006. And just announced is his forthcoming appearance with Jet Li and Jackie Chan in The Forbidden Kingdom. The film begins shooting in China on May 2 for joint release by Lionsgate and The Weinstein Co. in Summer 2008.
Fugit's film at Sundance was Stephen Berra's The Good Life, with Zooey Deschanel, Mark Webber, and Chris Klein. He has 2 other films awaiting release. Bickford Schmeckler's Cool Ideas is set to be released soon by Screen Media. The acclaimed, controversial Wristcutters: A Love Story is set for a limited release on August 17 from AfterDark.
Cinephiles will remember that Angarano and Fugit played the same character in Almost Famous. They were the young and slightly older William Miller, respectively.
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A couple of our Top Picks of the past festival year are featured in major articles in two of America's most widely-read newspapers today.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, in an article about the upcoming Palm Beach Film Festival, singles out Man in the Chair as "the film that perhaps most personifies the festival as a whole." Man in the Chair was our #1 Top Pick from this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival and one of our favorites of the year thus far.
The film that perhaps most personifies the festival as a whole is one that [festival executive director Randi] Emerman found not in South Florida, but in Southern California, which has been her primary residence for the past few years.
Emerman met Michael Schroeder, Man in the Chair's writer-director-producer, at the Santa Barbara film festival. "He said, `I've got a film about a high school film contest,'" Emerman recalled. "And I'm like, `Oh my God. How perfect. I have a festival [in which] we try to raise money for the high schools.'
"It was like, wow, what a story for South Florida."
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The New York Post (one of the most widely read papers in the US) has an article, picked up from Hollywood.com, on the Bermuda Film Festival. They say some great things about Cashback, our #1 Top Pick from last year's Toronto International Film Festival and one of our Top Picks for 2006.
Cashback became the talk of the festival from its early screening on Sunday the 18th, setting a high bar for films to follow. The story of a supermarket janitor who freezes time to contemplate the female form as he figures out his own relationships, the comedy particularly appealed to [festival juror Richard] Dreyfuss. ""The film had a perfect whimsy that didn't try to become something that it was not,"" he said. ""The ambition of the film has a narrow niche, and it hit the mark. It did not become unbalanced. It had a strong script, and it was exactly right."
Why It Mattered: As one of the first films to screen on opening weekend, the film's comedy and subtle special effects made it stand out from the usual somber, issue-driven fare of the week. It also intrigued people by including the original short film that spawned it in its entirety in the body of the film.
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A slew of rising young stars are featured in the April issue (Vol. 2 #48) of Dazed & Confused, a popular UK magazine. It's a hefty oversized glossy, a bit like Vanity Fair meets Rolling Stone with a wealth of fashion photography and style features.
The cover story is, "New Hollywood: All the young stars of Sundance."
Interestingly (or not, as it's no surprise to this reporter) most of the actors pictured are those we've met and photographed ourselves, both during the Sundance Festival as well as others where their films have screened.
The feature includes Evan Rachel Wood, Jena Malone, James Franco, Lou Taylor Pucci, Sienna Miller, Michael Angarano, Patrick Fugit, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Dano, Wes Bentley, Paolo Mendoza, Victor Rasuk, Khan Chittenden, Emma Booth, and Reece Daniel Thompson.
We have featured our own photographs and written about 8 of these 15 actors over the past few months. Kudos to anyone who can name them. Extra credit to those who can also name the films of theirs we've seen and reviewed.
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SXSW Film Festival producer Matt Dentler tells us that today, two of this year's SXSW films are opening in theaters: D.J. Caruso's Disturbia and Paul Fox's Everything's Gone Green (in New York with future expansions).
Everything's Gone Green
- Green director Paul Fox's interview with indieWIRE.
- IFC chats with Green star Paulo Costanzo and writer Douglas Coupland, during SXSW.
- The MySpace page for the terrific soundtrack to the film.
Disturbia
- Quint at AICN reviews the film, from SXSW 2007.
- For the Associated Press, Christy Lemire sits down with star Shia LeBeouf during SXSW, to discuss his growth as an actor. He also denies those Indy 4 rumors... which are proven true today (nice timing, huh?) in this USA Today piece.
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Fay Grim, one of our Top Picks from this year's SXSW Film Festival, is getting the 2929 Entertainment day-and-date treatment. 2929 owns HDNet Films, Magnolia Pictures, Landmark Theaters, HDNet Movies cable channel, and Magnolia Home Entertainment. It will be released in theaters on Friday, May 18. It will be shown digitally in Landmark Theaters where available.
That night it will make its cable TV premiere on HDNet with 2 screenings at 8:30 PM and 11:00 PM.
The following Tuesday, May 22, it will be released on DVD through Magnolia Home Entertainment.
There are very high resolution pics now available for download from the Magnolia Pictures site.
You can also download a .doc of the Production Notes and Press Kit.
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If you're interested in heading to Staunton, Virginia this Monday, read on. If not, well, it may just frustrate you! A little birdy sent this our way today from The Hook, a Charlottesville, VA paper :
A free movie and a chance to tell the filmmakers what you think? It really doesn't get any better than that for moviegoers, at least for those willing to visit Staunton for their free flick. Barry Sisson, financier of the highly acclaimed 2003 indie phenom The Station Agent, needs test audiences for his latest venture. The movie started out being called Disconnected, then Pretzels and Pills, and now it's Familiar Strangers.
"It's the story of a family learning to relate to each other as adults," says Sisson. Familiar Strangers stars D.J. Qualls, who played the white kid in Hustle and Flow, and Shawn Hatosy, who appears in Factory Girl with Sienna Miller. Sisson's production company, Cavalier Films, wants an audience to watch the 90-minute film and then answer a short questionnaire and give the film a rating between one and 10. Will this be like the Jaws tests-- to see if viewers scream enough? Not exactly.
"We have two different versions of the film," explains Sisson, and he and business partner Marc Lieberman are hoping audience reaction will help them choose. "If the responses are equal, we'll just pick one," he says. The movie was filmed in the Shenandoah Valley last year and includes scenes shot in Staunton and Stuarts Draft. What happens if the test audience is stacked with movie extras who like the version that gives them the most screen time?
"I'm a little worried about that," admits Sisson. "We're going to try to weed out people who worked with the film." The movie is likely to be rated PG or PG-13, but is not targeted at teenagers. "You need a little life under your belt to understand it-- like Station Agent," Sisson says.
Cavalier Films is looking for viewers of all ages willing to cruise over to Staunton April 16. Those interested in getting on the list should email info@cavalierfilms.com. Hey, maybe Sisson could charter the Starlight Express bus service to haul a coachful of fans over Afton Mountain for the show.
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Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are reporting that the previously untitled J&J Project will be called The Forbidden Kingdom. It has been picked up by the Weinstein Co. and Lionsgate for a Summer 2008 release.
Lionsgate will be the lead distributor on the co-release with the Weinstein Co. in the US.
The Weinstein Co. will distribute in Spain, France, and Latin America. Lionsgate UK will put the film out in the UK.
Filming begins on May 2 in China.
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Black Irish, fresh from last week's Best Picture win at the Method Fest in California, now has an official MySpace. The film was our #1 Top Pick from the 2006 Hamptons International Film Festival and one of our Top Picks of 2006.
BLACK IRISH TRAILER
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The official trailer may also be viewed at the film's MySpace and can be accessed directly at MySpace Videos.
It can also be downloaded in Quicktime format (.mov file) in 3 sizes at the film's Official Site.
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by contributing reporter Dan Molyneux
Canvas, based on the life of first-time writer-director Joseph Greco, is a film so powerful it should be required viewing in schools and universities around the world. Rarely has the issue of mental illness been so realistically tackled on the screen. The subject was touched upon in such recent classics as Girl, Interrupted and A Beautiful Mind, but Canvas takes a stance of advocacy that is so startlingly refreshing that it will bring shivers up your spine.
Marcia Gay Harden plays mother and wife Mary Marino, afflicted with paranoid schizophrenia. Her husband John, played brilliantly by veteran Joe Pantoliano, is the glue that keeps the family from crumbling during Mary's frequent breakdowns and hospitalizations. Caught in the middle of it all is young Chris Marino, played by the adorably talented Devon Gearhart. The 11 year-old boy is firsthand witness to the ultimate frustration inflicted on a family by mental illness. Confused yet resilient, Chris takes up the unusual hobby his mother handed down to him -- sewing. After some practice, he is the talk of the school for creating unique garments (fetching $40 per shirt, to boot). A Gucci book, given as a birthday gift from a friend, cemented his interest in the craft.
Meanwhile, during her many hospitalizations, John feverishly constructs a wooden sailboat for Mary. He takes an extended leave of absence from his day job to work on his project and is reported to the building inspector by a nosy neighbor. And as if having sewing as a hobby wasn't enough, young Chris is bullied for his mother's "craziness" as well as for his father's sailboat obsession. As confused as his life is, Chris carries himself with pride. He is a survivor.
The emotional core of this film is so profound that it is destined to change minds and lead to more impactful mental health advocacy. Kudos to Joseph Greco for bringing this serious but still taboo issue to the forefront of cinema. He is a true champion of social good. And bravo to Marcia Gay Harden, Joe Pantoliano, and star on the horizon Devon Gearhart for their heartfelt performances.
Posted by phileysmiley at 08:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
by contributing reporter Dan Molyneux
Canvas star Joe Pantoliano and writer-director Joseph Greco were in attendance at a screening at AMC Clifton Commons in Clifton, New Jersey. The Q&A was hosted by Marshall Fine of Star Magazine.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Marshall Fine and Joseph Greco
Greco and Joe Pantoliano
Posted by phileysmiley at 05:50 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
IFC was one of the main sponsors of this year's SXSW Film and Music Festival, and throughout the festivities their cable channel and website posted behind-the-scenes videos. Now they have compiled some of the best into a half hour presentation, "SXSW 2007: Behind the Badge."
The show is now airing on TV. Here is a list of the encore presentations through the month of April. Check your local listings for your IFC channel, and tune in:
Thursday, April 12 5:55 AM
Friday, April 13 12:40 PM
Thursday, April 19 1:30 PM
Friday, April 20 5:05 PM
Sunday, April 29 5:30 AM
Tuesday, May 01 8:00 AM
Posted by phileysmiley at 11:36 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Have you downloaded a movie (legally) lately? If it's not at the top of your mind now, it soon will be.
After a long slow period of rising consumer awareness, the concept of purchasing movies via download is beginning to take hold. It hasn't replaced DVD sales the way that music downloads have diminished CD sales (yet), but it's getting there.
"Who'll end up as the Blockbuster of Internet movie distribution?" CinemaTech asks. "No one has all the elements in place yet: big audience, vast selection, intuitive design, and a simple way to transfer movies onto portable devices and the living room television."
CinemaTech picks the 5 download sites most likely to succeed, plus a few dark horses:
1. iTunes Store
2. Amazon Unbox
3. CinemaNow
4. Vongo
5. Microsoft Xbox 360 Video Marketplace
Check out the CinemaTech piece for more.
Posted by phileysmiley at 05:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Last night was a pretty exciting one for us, as a couple of our favorite films of the past festival year picked up some big awards at the 9th annual Method Fest in Calabasas, California.
First, Man in the Chair, our #1 Top Pick from this year's Santa Barbara International Film Festival, won the award for Best Ensemble Cast. That cast is led by Michael Angarano and Christopher Plummer.
Then, Black Irish, our #1 Top Pick from the 2006 Hamptons International Film Festival and one of our Top Picks of 2006, picked up a whopping 3 awards:
Best Picture
Best Actor -- Michael Angarano
Best Supporting Actor -- Tom Guiry
You'll notice that both films star the Best Actor Award-winning Michael Angarano, so his two films at Method Fest picked up a total of 4 awards. Not bad for a kid who's still a teenager.
Congratulations to all involved with these two wonderful motion pictures, both festival darlings and now award winners as well.
Posted by phileysmiley at 03:53 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Al Gore will kick off the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival on April 25. He will be hosting the SOS Short Films Program, focusing on global warming. According to Variety, "Sixty SOS shorts are now being filmed by an array of acclaimed indie directors, including Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast), Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) and Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil)." The 7 winning shorts will be announced on April 22 at a press conference.
In addition to the short films will be performances by acts appearing at the July 7 Live Earth concert, Gore's 24 hour international event to benefit the Alliance for Climate Protection.
Posted by phileysmiley at 12:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and Columbia Pictures want you to be ready for the latest chapter in the life, loves and adventures of Peter Parker, and the best way to do so is to see the larger-than-life action on the big screen. Spider-Man week will include special screenings of the first two films plus an exclusive sneak peek at Spider-Man 3. Night-owls will enjoy midnight screenings while die-hard fans can start their Spidey-weekends early with a back-to-back doubleheader on Thursday, May 3. Finally, the very first screenings of the new film will take place on Friday, May 4.
Spider-Man Midnight Screening:
Tuesday, May 1, MIDNIGHT, Clearview Chelsea West 1
Spider-Man 2 Midnight Screening:
Wednesday, May 2, MIDNIGHT, Clearview Chelsea West 1
Spider-Man Marathon
SPIDER-MAN, SPIDER-MAN 2 PLUS AN EXCLUSIVE
SNEAK PEEK OF SPIDER-MAN 3 ALL IN ONE SITTING
THURSDAY, May 3, 5 p.m., BMCC TribecaPac 1
For more information, updates and ticketing go to the Tribeca Film Festival Film Guide.
Simultaneous Premieres in All 5 Boroughs
In addition to the U.S. premiere in Queens, the Tribeca Film Festival will also present, with Columbia Pictures, simultaneous screenings in the other four boroughs. These free advance screenings will be open to the public and details about how these tickets can be secured will be released as the event approaches. Check back closer to the Festival for screening dates, times and details about how to get tickets.
Posted by phileysmiley at 08:33 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Man in the Chair, our #1 Top Pick from the Santa Barbara Film Festival and one of the year's best so far, has won the Best Feature Film Award at the Kent Film Festival in Kent, Connecticut.
Lynn Redgrave presented the award to Festival Director Frank Galterio on behalf of the filmmakers.
Writer-director Michael Schroeder was at AFI Dallas and producer Sarah Schroeder was attending Method Fest in Los Angeles at the time, 2 other festivals where the film was also showing.
The film has also received 6 nominations for tonight's Method Fest Awards ceremony:
Best Picture
Best Actor -- Christopher Plummer
Best Supporting Actor -- M . Emmet Walsh
Best Director -- Michael Schroeder
Best Screenplay -- Michael Schroeder
Best Ensemble Cast
The ceremony takes place at 7 PM at the Carlson Family Theatre, 23620 Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas, California.
Posted by phileysmiley at 04:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Cashback, our #1 Top Pick from Toronto and one of our Top Picks of 2006, has been selected for the Istanbul Film Festival.
There will be 3 screenings:
Friday, April 13
7:00 PM
Saturday, April 14
7:00 PM
Sunday, April 15
11:00 AM
Writer-director Sean Ellis will be present.
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Clubland, one of our Top Picks from Sundance and of the year to date, will open in limited release on July 6. Following several expansions, it will go wide on August 3.
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Alpha Dog, our #1 Top Pick from Sundance 2006 and one of our Top Picks of 2007, will open in the UK on April 18. Distributor Icon Pictures has released some new artwork.
Click the thumbnail to enlarge picture
Posted by phileysmiley at 02:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
by contributing reporter Dan Molyneux
The Hoax was directed by the great Lasse Hallstrom, whose genius is evident in My Life as a Dog and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Based on a true story, The Hoax tells the tale of author Clifford Irving's (Richard Gere) arduous and somewhat unbelievable attempt at fame and glory by falsifying an autobiography by Howard Hughes. Think "Howard Hughes" and Leonardo DiCaprio's The Aviator may come to mind. This is not The Aviator. Kudos to Gere for his charming portrayal of the master thief, perhaps even more than Irving deserves. Irving extorted what eventually amounted to over a million dollars from several book publishing companies competing to obtain rights to the fake autobiography by the bipolar billionaire. Alfred Molina is hilarious as Irving's co-con artist Dick Susskind. His nervous antics are a joy -- watch for the "water drinking" scene.
Producer Joshua D. Maurer was in attendance at a screening at AMC Clifton Commons in Clifton, New Jersey. The Q&A was hosted by Marshall Fine of Star Magazine.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge pictures
Marshall Fine, Fine and Joshua D. Maurer
Posted by phileysmiley at 01:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Get ready to be trapped in the web. We have learned that the US Premiere of Spider-Man 3 will take place as part of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on April 30. But it will not take place in Manhattan. This will be "the first-ever star-studded gala premiere in Queens," as 3000 people will fill each theater of the UA Kaufman Astoria 14. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst will be ushered in by a marching band with crowds lining the surrounding streets.
There will be many other Spider-Man 3-themed events in New York, both as part of as well as outside the Tribeca Film Festival itself. Among them are free screenings which will take place simultaneously in New York's other 4 boroughs: Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, and, of course, Manhattan.
Ticket details are soon to be announced.
Posted by phileysmiley at 10:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I attended the World Premiere of Borderland at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival. The fact that this was in the midnight screenings section should say a lot right off the bat. But what made this horror film so horrifying is that it all really happened.
Borderland is based on the true story of ritual sacrifice killings conducted by a group of drug dealers in Mexico a few years back. The story centers around Phil, chillingly played by Rider Strong (Boy Meets World, Cabin Fever). Phil and two of his college buddies are spending some quality time just across the Mexican border before shipping off to grad school. Strong is one of those actors who, having started very young, has such a naturalistic acting style that his performance here was frightening on many levels.
The Q&A with director Zev Berman and cast members Rider Strong and Brian Presley ended close to 3 AM, about as long as any I can remember, and could have gone on all night. It was amazing how much of a stickler Berman was for being faithful to the story. It's hard to believe that some of the torture scenes really took place. But that's what makes it so gripping. It's one of the most gruesome films I've seen, and would be right up there with some of the most shocking horror/slasher/thrillers to come out lately, if not for the fact that it all really happened. There have been many films at recent festivals which have been very hard to watch, and this was no exception. It was an intense experience. But it absolutely has to be known going in that it is a true story, because otherwise some of the scenes would strain credulity.
I hope it can find an audience, because it might be too tough for the highbrow crowd yet not as darkly comedic as most slasher flicks are to satisfy the horror crowd. I did see one film similarly horrific this year, An American Crime at Sundance. It also plays out a shocking true story without pulling any punches. But Borderland is more "entertaining," if that makes sense, because there is at least a genre that it falls into neatly. Anyone who loves a good gory thriller will enjoy it. But once they are aware it all really happened, they will be chilled to the bone.
Posted by phileysmiley at 05:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
There is now a video library up at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival site. Included is terrific footage from some of the Q&A sessions we attended following screenings as well as some which we missed. The Awards ceremony is also available for viewing along with many of the panels and parties.
Videos from some of the events we attended include:
* Regional Premiere: Smiley Face
The regional premiere of Smiley Face, the latest film from Gregg Araki (Mysterious Skin), which made its regional premiere as part of SXSW Film Festival's Spotlight Premieres program. Monday, March 12, 2007 at the Paramount Theatre.
* World Premiere: The Lookout
Part of the SXSW Film Festival's Special Screenings category, Scott Frank's crime drama The Lookout, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which made its world premiere at South by Southwest on Friday, March 9th at Austin's historic Paramount Theatre.
* Film Awards Ceremony
SXSW filmmakers accepting their awards at the annual Film Awards at the Austin Convention Center.
* SXSW Film Closing Party
Fox Entertainment hosted the bash that officially closed the 2007 SXSW Film Festival at Maggie Mae's on Sixth Street.
Plus some events we missed:
* DGA Filmmakers' Reception
The Director's Guild of America hosted a reception for SXSW filmmakers at the Six Lounge in Austin.
* Blogging About Film
Blogs have become some of the first things people read each and every day. Film blogs are no exception. The movie reporter/critic uses their blog as a way to connect to the movie fan. A trip to a film set, an experience at a screening or a great discovery at a film festival, can be posted in just a few minutes. This panel discussed the grind and payoff of publishing online. And, how future bloggers and current filmmakers, can get the most mileage out of this powerful medium.
* Sex Scenes Stay Hard
Love scenes might be the toughest thing for a filmmaker, actors and crew to accomplish. Under play it, and the audience does not believe there is connection between the characters. Go too far, and you'll get yourself a NC-17 rating. From behind the camera to between the sheets to behind the scenes, this roundtable discussed what it takes to get that love connection on film and keep those scenes in the final cut.
Check out these videos and more at the 2007 SXSW Film Festival site.
Posted by phileysmiley at 04:13 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Nickelodeon 20th Annual Kids' Choice Awards show was held last night. Because kids are the future (and we've been jonesing for an awards show), we thought it would be nice to post the list of winners:
MOVIES:
Favorite Movie
The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Favorite Female Movie Star
Dakota Fanning
Favorite Male Movie Star
Adam Sandler
Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie
Queen Latifah/Ice Age: The Meltdown
Favorite Animated Movie
Happy Feet
MUSIC:
Favorite Music Group
Black Eyed Peas
Favorite Female Singer
Beyonce
Favorite Male Singer
Justin Timberlake
Favorite Song
Irreplaceable (Beyonce)
TELEVISION:
Favorite TV Show
American Idol
Favorite Television Actress
Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana
Favorite Television Actor
Drake Bell/Drake & Josh
Favorite Cartoon
SpongeBob SquarePants
SPORTS:
Favorite Athlete
Shaquille O'Neal
OTHER CATEGORIES:
Favorite Video Game
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Favorite Book
Harry Potter (series)
SOURCE: Nickelodeon press release
Posted by phileysmiley at 05:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Brad Gann's Black Irish has won both the Best Feature as well as the Audience Award at the Florida Film Festival. The film is a must-see, largely due to the fantastic ensemble cast including Brendan Gleeson, Melissa Leo, Michael Angarano, Tom Guiry, and Emily Van Camp.
We attended the World Premiere at the 2006 Hamptons International Film Festival. We saw it again at the Avignon/New York Film Festival. It was one of our Top Picks for 2006.
Keep checking this blog for news about festival screenings and distribution.
Posted by phileysmiley at 02:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
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