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‘Stranger Things’: How the Netflix’s Drama’s Sonic Environment Was Created
6 hours ago
If you’re an audiophile who also loves “Stranger Things,” then brother, have I got the interview for you. The sonically inclined folks at A Sound Effect recently spoke to Brad North and Craig Henighan — the Netflix drama’s supervising sound editor and sound designer, respectively — about all things strange, from how they got involved with the ’80s-set show to its now-famous synth score to those attention-grabbing light bulbs. Find some highlights of their chat (which was presumably recorded on the finest equipment available) below.
Read More: ‘Stranger Things’ Creators Promise Fan Favorite Will Not Be Forgotten in Season Two
Henighan says that he was lucky insofar as much of the music was already in place for “Stranger Things” when he came onboard, granting him a more complete sense of the aural environment he would be working within. “From the beginning, they established the instrumentation and the sound of the synths, »
- Michael Nordine
The Perfect TV Diet: What Shows You Should Watch to Stay Healthy
7 hours ago
In today’s day-and-age of “peak TV,” so much of the conversation about television focuses on which shows you should be watching. Well, what kind of shows you watch is just as important as which specific shows you choose to engage with in your spare time.
For instance, if you merely chose your shows by which ones are “the best,” your lineup may look something like this:
“O.J. Made in America”
“The Americans”
“The People v. O.J. Simpson”
“Fargo”
The above list is a combination of the three highest-rated programs of the 2016 season (according to Metacritic) and the three most nominated series at this year’s Emmys. Do you notice anything similar between the six shows? Other than two programs focusing on O.J. Simpson, the commonality across all six is their general genre: drama. They’re all dark, heady, hour-long dramas.
If these »
- Ben Travers
Rupert Grint to Star in ‘Snatch’ Series for Crackle
8 hours ago
To viewers of a certain age and sensibility, the prospect of a TV series blending “Harry Potter” and “Snatch” is sure to hit a particular sweet spot. They’ll get just that thanks to Crackle’s just-announced series based on Guy Ritchie’s comedy caper, which Rupert Grint will star in and executive produce.
Read More: Watch: Nsfw Red Band Trailer For ‘Moonwalkers’ Starring Ron Perlman & Rupert Grint
Playing a posh con man named Charlie Cavendish, the former Ron Weasley will be joined onscreen by Dougray Scott (“Fear the Walking Dead”) as the imprisoned Vic Hill and Ed Westwick (“Wicked City”) as nightclub owner Sonny Castillo. Nick Renton, who previously helmed “The Musketeers,” will direct the 10-episode first season.
Read More: ‘StartUp’ Exclusive Clip: Crackle’s New Drama Features Martin Freeman And Adam Brody On Opposite Sides of the Law
Crackle, the streaming service owned by Sony, has been upping »
- Michael Nordine
‘Mr. Robot’ Emmys 2016: How Score and Sound Explore Elliot’s Splintered Psychology
8 hours ago
Tapping into the mindset of “Mr. Robot’s” vigilante hacker, Elliot (Rami Malek), was a great creative opportunity for both composer Mac Quayle and re-recording sound mixers John Cook and Bill Freesh. They even collaborated together in blending the sonic design.
For Quayle, who specializes in moody electronic music, it was a natural fit— mixing strange ambient sounds with unnerving beats to help blur Elliot’s objective and subjective realities. Fittingly, his lone theme in Season 1 revolved around Elliot’s splintered psychology. The rest he defines as texture and mood.
“The electronic score is pretty dark, paranoid and tense in mood,” said Quaye, who’s nominated for the first episode (“Hello Friend”). “It alternates with melancholy and there are very few light moments.”
Quaye found it fascinating playing with Elliot’s passive-aggressive nature as well as his kindness and destructive behavior. “So it was a stupid idea to have the »
- Bill Desowitz
‘Cameraperson’ Trailer: Kirsten Johnson’s Acclaimed Documentary Is a Cinematic Self-Portrait
9 hours ago
“Cameraperson” was one of the most acclaimed films to emerge from Sundance this year, and perhaps the most unique: Kirsten Johnson’s cinematic memoir is comprised of excerpts from the many documentaries she’s served as cinematographer on over the last 25 years. Janus Films has unveiled the documentary’s first trailer, which you can find below.
Read More: Sundance Review: Surprisingly Emotional And Heartfelt Documentary ‘Cameraperson’ Is A Stunning Achievement
Many of these clips involve someone on camera interacting with either Johnson herself (who’s often unseen) or merely her camera. Among her many prior credits are “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “The Invisible War” and Laura Poitras’ Oscar-winning “Citizenfour,” though “Cameraperson” marks her directorial debut. After premiering at Sundance, the film went on to screen at South by Southwest, True/False, New Directors/New Films and many other festivals.
Read More: Janus Films Picks Up Kirsten Johnson’s Award-Winning Documentary ‘Cameraperson’ – Exclusive
Though »
- Michael Nordine
‘Daughters of the Dust’ Restoration Trailer: Julie Dash’s Seminal Independent Film Returns To Theaters This Fall
9 hours ago
When Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” film premiered this past April on HBO, many critics were quick to cite numerous influences on the stylized work. One of the most cited influences was Julie Dash’s 1991 seminal film “Daughters of the Dust,” about the lives of a family on a small island near South Carolina at the turn of the century, which was the first American feature directed by an African American woman ever to receive a theatrical release. Now, the film has received a 25th anniversary 2K restoration that will open theatrically this November. Watch a trailer for the film and check out the new poster below.
Read More: ‘Daughters of the Dust’: Long-Forgotten Film That Influenced Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ to Be Re-Released in Theaters
“Daughters of the Dust” follows the women in Peazant family, who belong to the creole Gullah culture – former slaves living in the coastal Carolinas who have »
- Vikram Murthi
‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’: Why Sarah Paulson Will Win Best Actress Emmy (Video)
9 hours ago
It was the first day of shooting on FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” and Sarah Paulson was anxious.
Why? Because she had not auditioned for the role. Her “American Horror Story” executive producer Ryan Murphy, who is also behind “American Crime Story,” had offered her the part.
Now, Paulson is considered the frontrunner for Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series, and “The People v. O.J. Simpson” has been nominated for a whopping 22 Emmys. And in hindsight, it’s hard to believe that Paulson, who has been plying her craft as a working actress for 20 years, was worried that she would pass muster as Marcia Clark.
“I really fear walking onto the set and having them go, ‘oops!'” she confessed during our video interview at the recent Television Critics Association confab, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. “When you’re auditioning, you know you »
- Anne Thompson
CNN Films Picks Up Documentary ‘9/11’ for 15th Anniversary
9 hours ago
CNN Films has acquired the Emmy award-winning documentary “9/11″ in time for the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
French filmmakers Gédéon and Jules Naudet and former New York City firefigher James Hanlon directed the 2002 film, which is being updated with a new introduction from actor and producer Denis Leary. CNN will premiere the anniversary edition of the two-hour film with limited commercial interruption on Sunday, September 11, at 8 p.m. Est and 11 p.m. Est on CNN/U.S. The network will also air the movie on CNN International at 6 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. the same day.
“We are honored that our documentary has found a home at CNN,” the Naudets and Hanlon said in a statement. “We hope that the courage and sacrifices of all of New York’s first responders that we witnessed on September 11th will be seen by a worldwide audience as a beacon »
- Graham Winfrey
Viff 2016 Unveils Ambitious Canadian Feature Film Slate, Including ‘Mean Dreams,’ ‘Old Stone’ and ‘Weirdos’
10 hours ago
The Vancouver International Film Festival (Viff) has today announced 22 additional Canadian feature films in two series, Canadian Images and Future//Present. These films join 10 British Columbia-produced features announced previously to create one of the largest annual showcases of Canadian cinema in the world. Standouts include Nathan Morlando’s Cannes premiere “Mean Dreams,” Johnny Ma’s “Old Stone” and Bruce McDonald’s “Weirdos.”
The longstanding Canadian Images series will once again feature some of the country’s best narrative films and documentaries, while the new Future//Present series highlights the work of emerging independent filmmakers from across the country. Future//Present promises to “bring together the most talented, bold and distinct voices in Canadian film.”
Read More: Tiff Adds New Round of Titles, Including ‘It’s Only the End of the World,’ ‘Mean Dreams’ and More
As part of its commitment to Canadian filmmakers, Viff offers three cash awards to celebrate »
- Kate Erbland
‘Friends from College’: Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders to Star in Netflix Series from Nick Stoller
10 hours ago
Netflix has found its “Friends from College.” The new eight-episode comedy from husband-and-wife team Nicholas Stoller and Francesca Delbanco will star Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders, Annie Parisse, Nat Faxon, Fred Savage and Jae Suh Park. The sextet will play a group of 40-somethings who went to Harvard together and are now confronting the crushing disappointment that is real life.
Read More: ‘Anne of Green Gables’: Netflix Announces ‘Breaking Bad’ Writer Moira Walley-Beckett as Showrunner
“Nick is a comedic mastermind,” said Cindy Holland, Netflix’s Vice President of Original Content, in a statement. “With ‘Friends from College,’ he and Francesca have created a world that is both moving and very, very funny. We are thrilled to be working with them and this incredible cast, and look forward to audiences around the world laughing with and at these relatable characters.” Stoller (“Neighbors,” “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”) and Delbanco (“The Five-Year Engagement, »
- Michael Nordine
‘Complete Unknown’ Review: Joshua Marston’s ‘Forgiveness Of Blood’ Follow-Up Has A Fatal Identity Crisis
10 hours ago
“We are what we pretend to be so we must be careful what we pretend to be.” That lucite pearl of wisdom, which appears in the introduction of Kurt Vonnegut’s 1961 novel “Mother Night” and then reverberates beneath the rest of its pages, is as much of a warning as it is an invitation. Many of the great filmmakers have dedicated their lives to sifting through the truth of Vonnegut’s words — or at least that of the principle expressed therein — using that sentiment as a starting point from which to dive into the bottomless void of the human psyche.
“Maria Full of Grace” director Joshua Marston, who has struggled to live up to the promise of that stirringly urgent debut, is not one of the great filmmakers. Identity is a construct, relationships are a performance and love is a fiction that only endures for as long as two people »
- David Ehrlich
Review: ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ Season 3 Laughs in the Face of Its Doubters
10 hours ago
How is “Halt and Catch Fire” still on the air?
The question may seem rude, given timing and context, as AMC prepares to launch the third season of its period tech drama this Tuesday (Aug. 23), but the query demands further investigation for (at least) two reasons: First, I’m not sure who the audience is I’m writing to right now — nostalgic techies? Lee Pace fans? Odd hangers-on who typically only watch one season of TV? The series has failed to snag enough awards attention or land on a significant number of Top 10 lists to become “prestige TV” in the day and age of “Peak TV,” and the ratings read as a national collective shrug when it comes to the fictional tribulations of a Texas-based PC startup. So who among you need to know if Season 3 is worth watching vs. how many have already decided it’s not?
This quandary »
- Ben Travers
‘Equal Means Equal’ Trailer Tries to Crash Through the ‘Brick Wall’ of American Gender Discrimination – Watch
10 hours ago
“The laws that I thought were going to protect me, didn’t.”
Kamala Lopez’s searing documentary “Equal Means Equal” aims to examine how women are treated in the United States today, zeroing in on all manner of issues related to gender discrimination, from workplace harassment to the wage gap, domestic violence to sexual assault.
The film uses both real-life stories and precedent-setting legal cases to “uncover how outdated and discriminatory attitudes inform and influence seemingly disparate issues and…reveals the inadequacy of present laws that claim to protect women, ultimately presenting a compelling and persuasive argument for the urgency of ratifying the Equal Rights Amendment.”
Read More: David Oyelowo’s Big Cause: How the Actor Hopes to Bring Gender Equality to Hollywood
“Equal Means Equal” features a number of luminaries talking on the subject, including Patricia Arquette and Gloria Steinem. The film had its debut at the Traverse City Film Festival last month. »
- Kate Erbland
‘Halt and Catch Fire’ Season 3: Watch The First Episode Of The New Season Online For Free
11 hours ago
The hotly-anticipated new season of everyone’s favorite period drama “Halt and Catch Fire” will premiere this week with two back-to-back episodes, but folks may have already gotten the chance to check out one of those episodes already. Last night, AMC quietly aired the first episode of the new season after the midseason premiere of “Talking Dead.” Luckily for those who didn’t get a chance to see it, you can watch it for free on the AMC website.
Read More: ‘Halt and Catch Fire’ Season 3 Trailer: AMC’s Computer Drama Returns Next Month
Set in the mid-80s during the personal computer revolution, “Halt and Catch Fire” follows a few rag-tag individuals who set out to change the tech world with new innovations. There’s Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace), a smooth-talking salesman who finds himself perched atop a new anti-virus empire in San Francisco; Gordon and Donna Clark (Scoot »
- Vikram Murthi
‘Max Steel’ Trailer: Andy García and Maria Bello Help Bring Mattel’s Action Figure to Life
11 hours ago
If you were a kid in the ’90s, there’s a decent chance you played with Max Steel action figures. After years of rumors, false starts and uncertainty, it’s finally been confirmed that the live-action adaptation of Mattel’s well-known toy line will soon arrive in theaters. Find the film’s first trailer below.
Read More: ‘Clue’ Remake in the Works, Which Was Probably Inevitable When You Really Think About It
The project has been in one stage of development or another dating back to 2009, when Taylor Lautner of “Twilight” fame was attached to star. He left the project the following year for a “Stretch Armstrong” movie that has yet to materialize, and “Max Steel” now stars Ben Winchell ias Max McGrath — a teenager who literally joins forces with an alien named Steel to create the superheroic entity of the title. Andy García and Maria Bello co-star.
Read More: Review: Disney Sports Movie ‘McFarland, »
- Michael Nordine
‘Equals’ Rights: Plagiarism Accusation Ignites Behind-the-Scenes Battle Over Costume Design
11 hours ago
Credit wars are a fact of Hollywood life that’s rarely laid bare. Those involved are often intimidated by the possible consequences, and the backstories aren’t simple; there’s the question of whether they’ll be believed, or if anyone really has the patience to hear them out.
The battle over costume design credits on “Equals” is different.
Read More: ‘Equals’ Review – Kristen Stewart Is The Only Bright Spot In This Dull Dystopian Romance
Directed by the Sundance-winning Drake Doremus, “Equals” stars Kristen Stewart and Nicolas Hoult. Two costume designers are officially credited to the production: In first position is Abby O’Sullivan, a veteran whose credits included “Frozen River,” “Sinister,” and “Mississippi Grind.” In second position, Alana Morshead, who was an actress and stylist when she started collaborating with Doremus on the film.
However, according to O’Sullivan and others who worked on the film’s costumes, Morshead »
- Chris O'Falt
‘Anne of Green Gables’: Netflix Announces ‘Breaking Bad’ Writer Moira Walley-Beckett as Showrunner
12 hours ago
“Anne” is coming to Netflix, and the iseries now has a showrunner and writer in Moira Walley-Beckett. An Emmy winner for her work on “Breaking Bad,” Walley-Beckett has also been tasked with adapting Lucy Maud Montgomery’s 1908 children’s novel “Anne of Green Gables.” Niki Caro (“Whale Rider”) is directing the two-hour pilot episode.
Read More: Starz Gives a Series Order to ‘Flesh and Bone,’ a Dark Ballet Drama From ‘Breaking Bad’ Producer Moira Walley-Beckett
Miranda de Pencier (“Beginners”) will produce the eight-episode first season, which tells the story of an orphan mistakenly sent to live with an old woman in 1890. “I am thrilled and inspired to be joining this incredibly talented team, and honored to collaborate on material that brings this iconic character to life in such a bold, fresh, and exciting way,” Caro said in a statement; her enthusiasm was matched by Walley-Beckett, who added that “I adore Anne! »
- Michael Nordine
Nyff 2016 Adds Ang Lee’s ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk,’ His Ambitious 4K Fast Frame Narrative Feature
13 hours ago
The Film Society of Lincoln Center has added, as expected, Ang Lee’s latest technological advance, “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.” The special world premiere presentation of the film will screen on Friday, October 14, at AMC Lincoln Square. The Nyff presents the first public screening of a full-length narrative film shot in 4K, native 3D at the ultra high rate of 120 frames-per-second.
At CinemaCon, Sony studio chairman Tom Rothman, much as he did when he introduced Ang Lee’s “Life of Pi” — in his old guise at Fox — in 2012 as a potential Oscar contender and game-changer, launched the Sony show with Lee’s follow-up, a true-life drama about an Iraq War vet who is turned into a hero. Kristen Stewart co-stars as his sister. Nyff opener “Life of Pi” went on to win Lee the Best Director Oscar; Sony will push for Lee’s new film as an Oscar contender. »
- Anne Thompson
‘Maggie’s Plan’ Exclusive Behind-The-Scenes Clip: Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, and More Praise Director Rebecca Miller
13 hours ago
Rebecca Miller’s new witty romantic comedy “Maggie’s Plan” charmed audiences and critics when it premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and then later when was it released in theaters this past May. Now, it soon will enchant audiences when it hits home video.
Read More: Toronto Review: With ‘Maggie’s Plan,’ Greta Gerwig Officially Owns Her Own Genre
The film follows Maggie (Greta Gerwig), a vibrant and independent New Yorker, decides to become a single mother with the help of a former college acquaintance (Travis Fimmel), but the initial plan comes up against fate when she meets and falls for “ficto-critical anthropologist” John (Ethan Hawke), whose marriage to Columbia University professor Georgette (Julianne Moore) is falling apart. Years later when Maggie finds herself falling out of love with her now husband, she devises a new plan to reconnect John with Georgette. The film also stars »
- Vikram Murthi
‘Last Week Tonight’: John Oliver Turned a 20-Year-Old Kids’ Book with ‘Startling Parallels’ to Trump into a Bestseller
13 hours ago
Author Dan Gutman didn’t expect to wake up this morning and see a book he wrote 20 years ago fly up the Amazon charts.
But thanks to a segment on Sunday night’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” Gutman’s 1996 children’s novel “The Kid Who Ran for President” suddenly has a renewed life.
Prior to Oliver’s segment, Gutman said the book usually hovered between Nos. 15,000 and 30,000 on Amazon’s ranker of all books on sale. But as of Monday morning, “The Kid Who Ran for President” had already skyrocketed to No. 198 148 128 110.
“That’s the highest any of my books have ever been in my 30-year career,” said Gutman, who has written tons of books over his successful career, including the popular kids’ series “My Weird School” and “The Genius Files.”
Read More: ‘Last Week Tonight’: John Oliver & Will Arnett Encourage Donald Trump to Drop Out of »
- Michael Schneider
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