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Tribeca 2016: Five Questions for Kicks Director Justin Tipping
4 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
The Tribeca Film Festival kicked off on April 14 with the Opening Night premiere of Justin Tipping’s Kicks, an ambitious coming-of-age film set in an inner city enclave in Northern California. Though it’s Tipping’s feature debut, he’s far from a novice filmmaker, having already won a Student Academy Award and the Lexus Short Film competition. The semi-autobiographical Kicks focuses on 15-year-old Brandon (newcomer Jahking Guillory in a breakout performance), who buys himself a sweet new pair of “kicks.” But when the local hood snatches them, Brandon goes on a mission to retrieve his new stolen sneakers with his best buddies’ help. Along the […] »
- Paula Bernstein
Review: 'The Measure Of A Man' Starring Vincent Lindon Makes You Want To Be A Kinder Person
5 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
This is a reprint of our review from the 2015 Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Featuring an extraordinary, almost inexplicably riveting lead performance from Vincent Lindon, who earned a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his work here, Stéphane Brizé's french-language "The Measure of a Man" is a terrific addition to the low-key social realist genre that is unavoidably dominated by the films of the Dardenne brothers. But while there are unmistakable parallels between 'Measure' and last year's "Two Days One Night," in the main, the links between Brizé's film and the rest of the category are more circumstantial than DNA-based. Brizé's approach to this kind of Dardennes-influenced "invisible" docu-realism is to use that aesthetic ingeniously, almost deceptively; the joltingly naked, handheld immediacy disguises the film's meticulously pointed construction. And so these moments in the life of the »
- Jessica Kiang
Lyndon B. Johnson Is Ready To Fight In New Trailer For HBO's 'All The Way'
6 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
If the current crop of presidential candidates is bumming you out, perhaps HBO's "All The Way" is arriving at the right time. There was a time when presidents (and candidates) seemed to be fighting for more than just whatever lobby group they need to please, and Bryan Cranston takes center stage during a powerful moment in White House history. Directed by Jay Roach ("Trumbo," "Game Change"), with Anthony Mackie, playing Martin Luther King Jr., "All The Way" finds Cranston once again playing his Tony-award winning role of Lyndon B. Johnson, who has to navigate the halls of power when he's thrust into the highest office of the land following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Here's the synopsis: Bryan Cranston reprises his Tony-winning role in All The Way, a riveting behind-the-scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s tumultuous first year in office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
TV Drama Based On The Music Of Bob Dylan In The Works From Lionsgate And Amazon
7 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Bob Dylan's career always felt very cinematic. Once considered an ever evolving chameleon, maybe even more so than the late David Bowie, Bob Dylan's fifty year career has been vast and eclectic, covering genres that totalled the history of music: country, folk, blues, gospel, rock, jazz, reggae and spirituals have all been given the Dylan treatment through the decades. Taking on many different personalities and identities in the process, he epitomized the importance of sinking into character and telling a story through song. Although he's kept a "stable" identity in the last two decades, anyone who has followed his career is familiar with his shapeshifting nature. With a musical catalogue that spans more than six decades, Amazon and Lionsgate have decided to team up for an upcoming TV show that will be inspired by the characters and themes of Bob Dylan's songs. "Time Out Of Mind," named »
- Jordan Ruimy
Review: Denys Arcand's 'An Eye for Beauty' Starring Éric Bruneau, Mélanie Thierry And Melanie Merkosky
7 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
How acclaimed filmmaker Denys Arcand went from earning an Oscar nomination for the screenplay of “The Barbarian Invasions” to writing the truly execrable script for “An Eye for Beauty” is an even greater mystery than what drives his characters to make their oft illogical decisions. Instead of a relationship drama, the film works better as a 100-minute ad for Canadian travel or the benefits of competitive sports for adults. Its failure to succeed on any level but the visual is all the more puzzling due to its provenance from a celebrated director with decades of experience. At the shallow heart of “An Eye for Beauty” is Luc (Éric Bruneau), a talented architect who is married to athletic beauty Stéphanie (Mélanie Thierry). The couple has a stunning home on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, shown through green-tinted views of the Canadian wild. The film stresses Luc’s happiness, and he »
- Kimber Myers
Watch: The Future Has Never Been Less Certain In New Trailer For 'Mr. Robot' Season 2
8 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
There are probably a few contenders for breakout show for 2015, but high in the mix would definitely be "Mr. Robot." USA Network's paranoid drama was a critical hit, an audience fave, and finally gave Rami Malek the platform role he deserves. Now the question is, what will season two bring with it? Read More: Review: Blazingly Cinematic 'Mr. Robot' Is The Best New Show On TV “Now that Elliot is aware [of the truth about Mr. Robot], that has opened the door. We’re literally externalizing Elliot’s mentality and his inner conflict, Mr. Robot being the other half of Elliot,” executive producer Sam Esmail told EW. “In the first season, because Elliot wasn’t aware, there was a mystery about who Mr. Robot was and what his real motivations were. Now we know, so what does that mean? What does Elliot really want?” Tantalizing concerns, indeed. "Mr. Robot" returns this summer — watch the trailer below. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Exclusive: Mads Mikkelsen Gets Offended In Clip From 'Men & Chicken'
8 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
We already know that Mads Mikkelsen can cut an imposing presence on the big screen (and small too; see "Hannibal"), but the actor is showing a whole new side of his talent in the upcoming "Men & Chicken." The movie allows Mikkelsen to practice his comedy chops, and today we have an exclusive clip that highlights these skills that are not often seen. Read More: Tiff Review: Danish Absurdity 'Men & Chicken' Starring Mads Mikkelsen & David Dencik Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, and co-starring David Dencik, Nikolaj Lie Kass, Søren Malling, and Nicolas Bro, the story follows a pair of socially challenged siblings who discover they are adopted half-brothers, and journey to the small, insular Danish island of Ork, where they make discoveries about their unexpected and wacky family. In the clip below, Mikkelsen's character is seen on a date, albeit one with an ulterior motive. "Men & Chicken" opens in limited release on. »
- Edward Davis
Studio Reportedly Tested VFX To Make Scarlett Johansson Appear More Asian In 'Ghost In The Shell'
8 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
This week, the first look at Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming live action anime adaptation "Ghost In The Shell" arrived, and it has fuelled a firestorm of controversy. The casting of Johansson already caused concern that Hollywood was "whitewashing" Mamoru Oshii's movie, and those worries multiplied with the first look. And Paramount and DreamWorks aren't out of hot water just yet. ScreenCrush is reporting that according to their sources, the studios tested VFX that would make that would allow filmmakers to "shift her ethnicity" in post-production toward something more Asian. Given the ongoing conversation around diversity in cinema, no to mention how poorly received the casting of the recent "Gods Of Egypt" was received (to the point where Lionsgate and director Alex Proyas apologized months before the film was released), the lack of awareness by the studio is a bit galling. However, in a statement issued by Paramount, they stress it. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Trailer Watch: Nate Parker’s The Birth of a Nation
9 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
Though it won’t hit theaters for nearly six months, The Birth of a Nation got its first trailer today — and it’s a stunner. The film — written, directed, produced and starring Nate Parker — wowed critics and audiences at Sundance earlier this year, where it won both the Audience Award and Jury Award and sold to Fox Searchlight for a record $17.5 million, making it the biggest Sundance deal of all time. Set to Nina Simone’s cover of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” the trailer artfully presents snippets of the story, which follows Parker’s Nat Turner as becomes the leader of the 1831 slave rebellion. […] »
- Paula Bernstein
New Photos From 'Captain America: Civil War,' Hulk Nearly Had A Post-Credits Cameo
9 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
"Captain America: Civil War" (our review) is coming, and it's bringing an insanely stacked roster of Marvel characters with it. Pretty much everyone you've seen in the McU so far appears, along with newcomers Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), but there are two people who are notably absent: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Both will take center stage in next year's "Thor: Ragnarok," but according to screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the latter was considered for an appearance in 'Civil War.' Read More: Review: 'Captain America: Civil War' Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, More “Mark Ruffalo shot no scenes. We talked about having Bruce Banner at the very end of the film, and it just, again, seemed like we’re sticking people in just to stick them in. He has clearly gone somewhere at the end of ‘Ultron, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Tribeca 2016: Five Questions with Awol Director Deb Shoval
9 hours ago | Filmmaker Magazine - Blog | See recent Filmmaker Magazine news »
The love story of Deb Shoval’s Awol plays out against the backdrop of a depressed coal town in Pennsylvania. The protagonist is Joey (Lola Kirke), a plucky 19-year-old who sees the Army as the only way out of town until she falls for Rayna (Breeda Wool), a married mother of two who can’t afford to leave her trucker husband. The project started out as a short which Shoval shot in her hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania while she was an Mfa student at Columbia in 2010. After it premiered at Sundance in 2011, where it won awards from Kodak, Technicolor, and Women in Film, Shoval decided to […] »
- Paula Bernstein
Podcast: 'Above and Below' Director Nicolas Steiner Talks Traumatizing Movies, Making A Cinematic Doc & More
9 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
The Playlist Podcast returns for an in-depth conversation with Nicolas Steiner, director of the great documentary "Above and Below." The film opens in limited release today and will expand in the weeks ahead. Read More: 15 Movies To See In April "Above and Below" is easily one of the best and most cinematic documentaries to come out this year so far, the rare nonfiction film that demands to be seen on a big screen, and even offers a tremendous auditory experience as well. The film follows five characters, credited as April, Dave, Cindy, Rick, and The Godfather, and is loosely connected by their voluntary off-the-grid lifestyles that the film weaves together beautifully. It's a small film, but one that I highly recommend to any movie fan. In the following interview, I talk with Nicolas Steiner about constructing beautiful shots for a nonfiction work, the power of good sound design and how he got distribution for his. »
- Erik McClanahan
Watch: First Trailer For Nate Parker's Sundance Sensation 'The Birth Of A Nation'
10 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
If you were even casually paying attention to the Sundance Film Festival this year, you likely heard the big noise surrounding Nate Parker's "The Birth Of A Nation." Greeted with a rapturous reception in Park City, Fox Searchlight scooped up the movie for staggering $17.5 million, and with an awards-season release date set, the push has begun to turn this one into a big hit. Read More: Sundance Review: 'The Birth Of A Nation' Starring Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, And More Written by Parker, who also stars, with Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Jr., Colman Domingo, Aunjanue Ellis, Dwight Henry, Aja Naomi King, Esther Scott, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Gabrielle Union in support, the movie tells the story of a ferocious slave revolt. Here's the official synopsis: Set against the antebellum South, The Birth Of A Nation follows Nat Turner »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Summer Movie Photos: 'Jason Bourne,' 'Café Society,' 'The Bfg,' 'Star Trek Beyond,' 'Ghostbusters,' And More
11 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Cinemas are getting ready to make the popcorn extra buttery, and the sodas a little bit colder, as the summer movie season rolls in. And that means lots of blockbusters, but also some indie faves, and low-key thrillers to give you plenty of options in your nearest air-conditioned movie house where you can beat the heat. Read More: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2016 On the spectacle side of things, "Jason Bourne" is back to kick more butt, "Ghostbusters" gets a reboot, "Star Trek Beyond" goes...beyond, Steven Spielberg weaves his magic with "The Bfg" and Disney reboots "Pete's Dragon." Meanwhile, Blake Lively tries to survive in open water in "The Shallows," while Woody Allen's latest, "Café Society," will head to theaters in August courtesy of Lionsgate, before hitting Amazon. Check out the new photos from all below and see you at the movies. »
- Edward Davis
A Spanish Wave: A Chat with the Filmmakers of "El Futuro" and "Androids Dream"
11 hours ago | MUBI | See recent MUBI news »
Mubi is exclusively showing two new, brilliant and unconventional films from Spain: Luis López Carrasco's El Futuro (April 11 - May 10) and Ion de Sosa's Androids Dream (April 12 - May 11). We asked the two filmmakers—friends and collaborators—a few questions about their work. For an in-depth exploration of the two films, we recommend Michael Pattison's article, Back to the Future: Androids Dream and El Futuro.Spanish directors Ion de Sosa (front left) and Luis López Carrasco (back right).Notebook: How did you each manage to bring your projects to life?Luis LÓPEZ Carrasco: After living in Berlin for a few months through a scholarship program, I came back to Spain in 2010 fully energized with the aim to set up a production company, finance my own projects and support friends whose work I deeply admire. The international success of Los Hijos Collective led me to believe »
- Notebook
Interview: Richard Linklater Talks ‘Everybody Wants Some!!,’ Spiritual Sequels, Music In His Films & More
11 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
In his 25-year feature career, Richard Linklater has consistently developed stories about transitional points in people’s lives, whether it’s the first inkling of a shift from adolescence to adulthood ("Dazed and Confused"), a couple’s shifts in relationship status (the ‘Before’ films) or the regular ebb and flow of many years of life in "Boyhood." Linklater’s latest film, "Everybody Wants Some!!," could almost be a direct sequel to "Boyhood" as it begins with freshman baseball player Jake (Blake Turner) arriving at college, and continues through his first few days spent with new teammates. It’s a fond look at a type of masculinity during the summer of 1980, when, for a moment in time, young men like Jake seemed untouchable. Laced through with autobiographical elements, the film continues Linklater’s gently ambling approach to script and character as it observes the competitive and chest-thumping teammates in various social settings. »
- Russ Fischer
Listen: 'The Essentials' Soundtrack For HBO’s ‘Vinyl’ Featuring Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop, The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas & More
12 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
The red carpet is usually rolled out for HBO prestige shows, but they’ve had a difficult time with their troubled 1970s-set rock n’ roll series, “Vinyl,” from Martin Scorsese, Mick Jagger and “Boardwalk Empire” creator Terence Winter. Many critics weren’t too kind to the show (including our series review) and ratings and word of mouth got so bad the cable channel made the tough decision to part ways with its showrunner, the aforementioned Terence Winter— a move that must have proved extremely difficult given the fact that Winter has become Scorsese’s righthand-man-screenwriter of late, not to mention his longstanding creative relationship with HBO. Read More: HBO Fire Terence Winter From ‘Vinyl,’ Scott Z. Burns To Replace Him As Showrunner At the very least, the show is no slouch in terms of its music. As the season one finale nears, the soundtrack, “Vinyl: Music From the HBO »
- Jordan Ruimy
'The Sopranos' Creator David Chase Talks The Changing Creative Culture At HBO
12 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
We recently took a hard look at the current state of HBO, which has seen the network hitting a rough patch of late, with a prestige drama that had a bumpy roll-out ("Vinyl") and a strong handful of projects from top-tier directors like Steve McQueen and David Fincher skidding to a stop. Clearly, there is some kind of dynamic shift happening behind closed doors as the network adjusts to a new climate where they are facing more competitors than ever, both on the air, and online. And David Chase, the man who arguably started the new golden age of TV with "The Sopranos," and cemented HBO's reputation for first-rate programming, has perceived a change in how things are done as he writes his mini-series for the network, "A Ribbon Of Dreams." Read More: 20 Indie Filmmakers Who Found Their Second Acts On TV "I haven’t worked with them for a »
- Kevin Jagernauth
'Game Of Thrones' Showrunners Say There Will Only Be 13 More Episodes After Season 6
13 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
While the rest of the world anxiously awaits the new season of "Game Of Thrones," there is one person who gets to see the new batch of episodes ahead of everyone else: President Barack Obama. The sixth season, which isn't even being sent to press, has been sent to the White House, with President Obama requesting screeners of the upcoming season from HBO. “When the commander-in-chief says, ‘I want to see advanced episodes,’ what are you gonna do?” showrunner David Benioff said. However, Obama and everyone else better savor every last moment, because the series is winding down. Read More: First Look: 24 Images From 'Game Of Thrones' Season 6 “I think we’re down to our final 13 episodes after this season. We’re heading into the final lap. That’s the guess, though nothing is yet set in stone, but that’s what we’re looking at,” Benioff told Variety. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
"There Is Absolutely No Place For The Distraction Of A Lit Phone Screen": Alama Drafthouse Talks Texting In Theaters
13 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Earlier this week, AMC Theaters revealed they were considering creating texting-friendly cinemas, theaters where patrons could whip out their mobile free of the fear of being yelled at by fellow moviegoers. The company's head, Adam Aron, claimed it was a move designed to appeal to those pesky millennials, who can't bear to turn off their phone for the duration of feature length film. The plan was roundly criticized in many quarters, and forced AMC to clarify their position, that it was something they were looking at, but that they realize the "vast majority of audience wants no texting." Read More: Comments by J.J. Abrams & Todd Phillips Highlight Hollywood Divide About The Premium VOD Plan With the chatter swirling around the subject, Tim League of the celebrated indie chain Alamo Drafthouse issued a statement on texting in cinemas and made the company's position quite clear: "...when it comes to our core business, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
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