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Gotham Awards 2016: Oliver Stone Offers His Advice to Filmmakers in Trump Era
10 hours ago
On Monday night at Manhattan’s Ciprani Wall Street, Gotham Award Tribute recipient Oliver Stone took the stage to receive his award after a glowing introductory speech from fellow filmmaker and friend Jc Chandor and a snappy highlight reel of some of his past successes.
As is so often the case with the always-outspoken Stone, his acceptance speech inevitably turned to the current political state of the world. Stone took the opportunity to speak to a large assembly of some of indie film’s brightest stars to offer his advice for filmmakers now living in the Donald Trump era.
Read More: Gotham Awards 2016: Complete Winners List
“I’d point out to those of you who are struggling to be independent and to stay independent, that’s the hard part, staying independent, I’d like to remind you that you can be critical,” Stone told the crowd. “You can be critical of your government, »
- Kate Erbland
Gotham Awards 2016: Kenneth Lonergan, Isabelle Huppert, Ezra Edelman and More on Why Independent Film Is Healthy
11 hours ago
The 2016 Ifp Gotham Independent Film Awards brought some of the best indie film talent to New York City’s Cipriani Wall Street on Monday night, and many of the filmmakers on hand for the event told IndieWire that the state of indie film is as strong as ever — even if it could always be stronger.
Here’s what some of the artists had to say to IndieWire directly before the show.
“It’s a real robust, healthy environment but you can always do better. You can make it easier, more accessible, you can make more films about things that people personally care about — and not necessarily by the numbers Hollywood product. It would be nice to see less of a division between the independent product and the Hollywood product, because it’s very clear to me that people really like these kinds of movies and would like them »
- Graham Winfrey
Gotham Awards 2016: Complete Winners List
12 hours ago
And we’re off to the races! The Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp) officially kicked off the 2016-17 awards season with this evening’s 26th Annual Gotham Awards, which took place at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
The ceremony’s nomination list was studded with some of the year’s most beloved indies, including “Manchester By the Sea,” “Certain Women,” “Everybody Wants Some!!,” and “Paterson,” but the evening’s biggest winner was Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” which pulled in four awards, including Best Feature, Best Screenplay, the Special Jury Award For Ensemble Performance, and the Audience Award.
Other winners included Ezra Edelman’s “O.J.: Made in America” for Best Documentary, Casey Affleck for Best Actor for his turn in “Manchester By the Sea,” and Isabelle Huppert’s surprise win for Best Actress for her work in “Elle.”
Read More: Gotham Awards 2016: ‘Manchester By The Sea’ Leads With Four Nominations, »
- Kate Erbland
African American Film Critics Association Deems 2016 the ‘Best Ever Year for Blacks in Cinema’
12 hours ago
The African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) has yet to release its annual best-of list, but the group has already made an important proclamation: 2016 has been the best year for blacks in cinema. Ever. That’s especially significant, considering that it comes so soon after #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
Read More: African American Film Critics Association 2015 Winners
“The studios and major film distributors really gave it to us this year,” says Gil Robertson, Aafca co-founder and president. “By any measurement, it’s been an exceptional year for Blacks in film. From comedies to high-quality dramas and documentaries, 2016 will forever represent a bonanza year for Black cinema and all cinema really.” In addition to box-office successes like “Ride Along 2,” “Barbershop: The Next Cut” and “Central Intelligence,” the Aafca also cites Ava DuVernay’s documentary “13th” and Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” — the most critically acclaimed film of the entire year — as key elements of this annus mirabilis. »
- Michael Nordine
10 Holiday Movies You Might Not Have Seen
13 hours ago
Hanukkah and Thanksgiving have come and gone, but there’s still the one-two punch of Christmas and New Year’s Eve to come at the month. Celebrate the imminent end of this terrible year with these 10 holiday-themed movies you might not have seen.
Related storiesTop 10 Takeaways: 'Krampus' and Three Holiday Hits Boost WeekendReview: 'Krampus' Starring Adam Scott, Toni Collette, Allison Tolman, David Koechner, And MoreThe 20 Best Christmas Movies Of All Time »
- Michael Nordine
‘Jackie’ Crafts Roundtable: Making a Quasi-Horror Film About Grief and Legacy
14 hours ago
There’s a lurid fascination in “Jackie” about the eponymous First Lady’s Ptsd following JFK’s assassination. Chilean director Pablo Larraín (Oscar submissions “No” and “Neruda”) approached the movie as an outsider looking in, trying to get close to Mrs. Kennedy (Oscar contender Natalie Portman) as she tried to overcome her grief.
“It’s a horror film in a way because it tells the story of a woman, with a terrible trauma,” Larraín’s frequent editor Sebastian Sepulveda told IndieWire. “So Pablo made the right choice putting the camera very near to her. And the score too [by Mica Levi] helped a lot in establishing this melancholy mood.”
Cinematographer Stephane Fontaine (“Elle”) chose to use Super 16mm and a lot of held-held shots for both aesthetic and practical reasons. “You’ve got archival footage and two different kinds of period footage,” he said. “The 1962 White House Tour that she did for CBS, »
- Bill Desowitz
‘Manchester By the Sea’: Casey Affleck Talks Brilliance of Film’s Most Heartbreaking Scene
14 hours ago
Kenneth Lonergan’s heartbreaking “Manchester By the Sea” debuted to stellar reviews earlier this year at Sundance, and the Casey Affleck-starrer has so far managed to keep up the momentum as we roll into awards season. The film — inspired by an early idea from Matt Damon and John Krasinski, who are both credited as producers on the feature — is a tragedy told in a way that only Lonergan could truly master.
On the surface, it’s a film about a loner (Affleck) who is forced to return to his small hometown to care for his nephew (breakout Lucas Hedges) after his father (Kyle Chander) passes away. Yet there are many other stories to tell within “Manchester By the Sea,” including the story that explains why Affleck’s Lee Chandler is so distant and removed from, well, just about everything in his life. It’s a story that steadily unfolds throughout the film, »
- Kate Erbland
Gotham Awards 2016 Live Stream: Watch The Indie Film Awards Live Online
14 hours ago
The long road to Oscar officially begins tonight with the 2016 Gotham Independent Film Awards, presented by Independent Filmmaker Project (Ifp). While not the biggest prognosticator of Oscar success, the Gotham Awards have become one of the season’s best places for indie films to get an added boost of exposure on the awards circuit . Where else would the likes of “Certain Women” or “Everybody Wants Some!!” get a Best Picture nomination? Or Kate Beckinsale and Craig Robinson land acting noms? That’s what makes the Gotham Awards so special.
Read More: Gotham Awards 2016: ‘Manchester By The Sea’ Leads With Four Nominations, ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Paterson’ Also Dominate
This year, Kenneth Lonergan’s acclaimed drama “Manchester By The Sea” leads the pack with four nominations, including Best Actor for Casey Affleck and Best Picture. The drama’s biggest threat in the Best Picture race is inarguably “Moonlight,” Barry Jenkins’ beloved coming-of-age »
- Zack Sharf
‘Billy on the Street’: Lupita Nyong’o Tries Her Hand at Standup Comedy in Hilarious New Clip — Watch
15 hours ago
Oscar-winning and Tony-nominated actress Lupita Nyong’o is undoubtedly best known for her stellar dramatic work in films like “12 Years a Slave” and plays like “Eclipsed,” but the Kenyan-Mexican starlet is looking to do something a little different these days: standup comedy.
Well, not really, but that’s the theme of this week’s “Billy on the Street,” which will feature Nyong’o and host Billy Eichner taking it to the streets (of course) so that Nyong’o can show off her burgeoning standup comedy chops — billed as part of her (fake) upcoming comedy special, “Lupita Nyong’o: Bring the Pain” — to predictably confused and/or angry packs of passerby. (Big love to that guy who yells that he likes “a quiet life.”)
Read More: ‘Billy on the Street’: 10 Classic Clips to Get You Ready for Season 5
For her new career, Nyong’o is borrowing from some of the greats, »
- Kate Erbland
The Best Movie Scores of The 21st Century — IndieWire Critics Survey
15 hours ago
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question:
Last Friday saw the release of Garth Davis’ “Lion,” the musical score for which is the gorgeous result of a collaboration between two giants of the neo-classical movement, Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka. It’s just the latest indication that we’re living in a fascinating, vibrant time for movie music, and December boasts a number of films that will only add more fuel to that fire. With that in mind, we asked our panel of critics to name their favorite film score of the 21st Century.
Tasha Robinson (@TashaRobinson), The Verge
There are some really striking contenders out there, topped by Susumu Hirasawa’s manic, »
- David Ehrlich
Ryan Reynolds Reveals He Bombed The Audition For The Coen Brothers’ ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’
15 hours ago
Ryan Reynolds is coming off his best year ever thanks to “Deadpool,” which finally landed him a worldwide blockbuster and iconic big screen character. But it wasn’t that long ago when Reynolds was still auditioning for projects, one of which surprisingly was the Coen Brothers’ “Inside Llewyn Davis.” During a sit-down interview with Taraji P. Henson for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series, Reynolds reminisced on one of his last auditions, citing it as the film before “Hail, Caesar!,” which would make it the folk drama that eventually starred Oscar Isaac.
Read More: Ryan Reynolds Launches ‘Deadpool’ Fyc Awards Campaign With Hilarious Letter To Voters
“I auditioned and failed for the Coen brothers,” he told the “Hidden Figures” actress. “It wasn’t the right fit, mostly because they’re very high class. They were just quietly shaking their heads, like, ‘What are you doing here? Do you have a SAG card? »
- Zack Sharf
Slamdance Film Festival Announces 2017 Lineup: ‘Aerotropolis,’ ‘The Children Send Their Regards’ and More
16 hours ago
Slamdance has announced the 11 narratives and eight documentaries that will comprise its 2017 lineup. The festival was established in 1995 and takes place in Park City, Utah in January — the same time and place, of course, as Sundance. 12 of the films will be world premieres, and all competition entries are directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1 million that have yet to receive stateside distribution. Next year’s edition of the festival will run from January 20–26. Full lineup below:
Read More: Watch Slamdance Selections ‘Coming To’ and ‘Courtesan,’ Thanks to Digital Bolex and Seed&Spark (Exclusive)
Narrative Features
“Aerotropolis” (Jheng-Neng Li)
“Beat Beat Heart” (Luise Brinkmann)
“Cortez” (Cheryl Nichols)
“Dave Made a Maze” (Bill Watterson)
“Dim the Fluorescents” (Daniel Warth)
“The Family” (Shumin Liu)
“Kate Can’t Swim” (Josh Helman)
“Kuro” (Joji Koyama, Tujiko Noriko)
“Weather House” (Frauke Havermann)
“Withdrawn” (Adrian Murray)
Read More: Watch the Trailer for »
- Michael Nordine
‘Hell or High Water’ Stars Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine Reveal Why the Film Hits Hard in 2016 — Video Interview
16 hours ago
Tomorrow, the National Board of Review will announce its best films of the year, the first in what will be many year-end best-of lists from critics’ groups. And as Oscar season comes into full effect, there’s no film that could use the vote of confidence more than David Mackenzie’s contemporary Texas western, “Hell or High Water.”
With its robust-but-not-recordbreaking Metascore of 88, “Hell or High Water” (CBS FIlms/Lionsgate) is both an entertaining genre piece and a thoughtful art film. It’s an excellent piece of work, but it’s not a film that telegraphs its Serious Intentions — and that’s where the critics could lend it some needed gravitas. It may or may not be an advantage that the modern frontier heist thriller is the highest-grossing independent film of the year ($27 million). The critics may want to give it a boost — or decide that other less successful or newer films need their help. »
- Anne Thompson
Free Scripts! Download 2017 Oscar Contenders ‘Jackie,’ ‘Loving’ and More (Running List)
17 hours ago
Last year IndieWire shared free scripts available to download from 2016 Oscar Contenders such as “Carol,” “Spotlight,” and “Room,” among others. Now, we have a new list full of screenplays that you can skim over, read how the writer envisioned the film, and then go see how the director interpreted it on the big screen. These scripts are also great for aspiring writers to get ideas for their own stories, as well as see how a Hollywood film screenplay really looks like.
Among the screenplays included in this year’s list include “Captain Fantastic” written by Matt Ross and starring Viggo Mortensen, “The Girl on the Train” penned by Erin Cressida Wilson” and “Hail, Caesar!” written by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Read More: Free Scripts! Download 2016 Oscar Contenders ‘Inside Out,’ ‘Carol,’ ‘Spotlight’ and More
We’ll continue to update this list throughout awards season, so keep checking back for more free scripts. »
- Liz Calvario
‘Blue Jay’ Exclusive Clip: A Mysterious Group of Mountain Men Stalk a Young Woman on Mount Whitney
17 hours ago
Mount Whitney is the highest summit in Sierra Nevada and the contiguous United States. Every year, many people hike the 22-mile trail. The new thriller “Blue Jay” follows a young couple doing just that when they discover a mysterious group of mountain men who develop a dark obsession with the young woman. The film stars Sara Lindsey (“Concussion”), James Landry Hébert (“Taken”) and Travis Aaron Wade (“Supernatural”). Lindsey co-wrote the film with her then-fiancé Michael Ciulla, who also directed the feature and based it on a hiking experience he had in his own life. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below featuring Ashley (Lindsey) trying to evade the men.
Read More: AFI Fest Review: Will Smith-Starrer ‘Concussion’ Argues Case Against NFL
“The difficult part about filming this scene is that we were almost shooting in two locations at once,” says Ciulla about this clip. “Ashley is about 200 yards up a mountain, »
- Vikram Murthi
‘Wizardhood’: Watch All 8 ‘Harry Potter’ Movies Condensed to a Single 90-Minute Film in This Fan-Made Supercut
17 hours ago
If your first thought upon seeing Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” was that what the world really needs is a supercut condensing all eight “Harry Potter” movies into a single 90-minute narrative, allow Vimeo user Tim Stiefler to grant you that wish. The arrival of “Wizardhood” is timely, as the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” spinoff is now in theaters. Catch up on the franchise that preceded it below.
Read More: ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Review: The ‘Harry Potter’ Prequel Is One of the Best Blockbusters of the Year
The first several minutes are all from the scene-setting “Sorcerer’s Stone,” of course, but Stiefler uses the movie magic that is editing to seamlessly transition to both “Chamber of Secrets” and “Prisoner of Azkaban” via a series of quidditch matches. (The reason I instantly remembered which film these scenes were lifted from definitely isn’t because »
- Michael Nordine
Dennis Hopper’s 110-Piece Vinyl Collection Is Being Sold For $150K
17 hours ago
When Dennis Hopper passed away in May 2010, he left behind a handful of iconic movie performances thanks to the likes of “Apocalypse Now,” “Hoosiers” and “Blue Velvet.” But it turns out those weren’t the only things, as Pitchfork reveals the late actors massive vinyl collection is now being sold for $150,000. The collection, which includes 110 vinyls, is now for sale on the womenswear retail site Moda Operandi, with part of the proceeds going to the The Future Heritage Fund.
Read More: The 10 Best Dennis Hopper Performances
As you’d expect from the man who gave us such cinematic classics as “Easy Rider,” Hopper’s collection is made up culture-defining musicians like Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Leonard Cohen and Simon and Garfunkel. Handwritten notes to the actor from artists are also included, as well as some unreleased material he acquired throughout the years. Check out pictures of the collection below, courtesy of Moda Operandi. »
- Zack Sharf
‘Fallen Stars’ Exclusive Trailer: Two Lost Souls Develop a Friendship in Los Angeles’ Koreatown Neighborhood
18 hours ago
This past year, actress Michelle Ang’s performance in the web series “Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462” garnered her an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series. But Ang’s work in 2016 doesn’t stop there, as she also co-stars in the new indie drama “Fallen Stars” alongside Ryan O’Nan (“Fargo,” “Ray Donovan”), which will finally see a theatrical release this week.
Read More: 2015 Austin Film Festival Unveils First Slate, Including ‘Carol,’ ‘Youth’ and More
Set in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood, the film chronicles the unexpected friendship that develops between Cooper (O’Nan), a burnt-out bartender in her mid-30s who still isn’t sure what he wants to do with his life, and Daisy (Ang), an accomplished, socially awkward girl in her early 20s. Despite differences in age and background, the two gradually get to know each other and begin to share their lives together. »
- Vikram Murthi
Mark Hamill Slams Trump’s ‘Despicable’ Cabinet Picks
18 hours ago
Mark Hamill knows a thing or two about evil empires, and he’s getting a bad vibe from Donald Trump’s incoming administration. After battling the likes of Darth Vader and Boba Fett in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the actor has this to say about the names being considered for prominent cabinet positions: “If you look at what’s being assembled for our government it’s like, yikes,” he tells the Daily Beast. “It’s a who’s-who of really despicable people.”
Read More: Francis Ford Coppola Takes Shot at Donald Trump in Letter to the New York Times
Which is especially funny — albeit not ha-ha funny — considering that Trump’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has literally cited Vader as someone with power whom he seems to admire. Like any good member of the Rebel Alliance, though, Hamill is resisting the urge to up and run. “It’s tempting to say, »
- Michael Nordine
‘Bodyguards’ Exclusive Clips: Documentary Examines the Lives of People Who Protect the Rich and Famous
19 hours ago
Though they remain silent out in public, bodyguards and protection agents are still the individuals on the front lines for the rich and famous. Their job is to protect those most vulnerable to attack in any and all walks of life. The new documentary “Bodyguards: Secret Lives from the Watchtower” explores the lives of these people and their daily struggles to maintain control amidst chaos. Some of the people interviewed in the film are Justin Bieber and his Director of Security, Whitey Bulger’s protector, 50 Cent and Lil Wayne’s bodyguard and Ambassador’s under Blackwater.
Read More: Laurence Fishburne Will Star in Bet’s Nelson Mandela Miniseries, Directed by Kevin Hooks
See two exclusive clips from the film below that feature Rory, a white South African and former member of Special Branch, the department of the South African police force tasked with breaking up anti-Apartheid groups. In his quest »
- Vikram Murthi
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