Image: Netflix
Every parent knows there are generally two kinds of animated features: the ones that put in the extra work to appeal to an audience of all ages and the ones that don’t aspire to entertain anyone but the easy-to-please under-12 set. Thelma The Unicorn is, sadly, the latter.
Every parent knows there are generally two kinds of animated features: the ones that put in the extra work to appeal to an audience of all ages and the ones that don’t aspire to entertain anyone but the easy-to-please under-12 set. Thelma The Unicorn is, sadly, the latter.
- 5/22/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
Closer in tone to the sharp adult series “BoJack Horseman” than to Illumination’s bland “Sing” franchise, Netflix’s “Thelma the Unicorn” avoids being rendered completely unoriginal by its overly familiar premise thanks to consistent splashes of acid humor and a plethora of wacky supporting characters. Reimagined from the popular 2015 children’s book by Aaron Blabey, this bright-colored fable concerns a female pony chasing musical stardom disguised as a horned magical creature. But by changing her identity to chase those ambitions, Thelma betrays herself and those who truly know her.
The adaptation marks the animated feature debut for co-directors Jared Hess and Lynn Wang. Hess, still best known for co-writing and directing the 2004 indie hit “Napoleon Dynamite,” received an Oscar nomination earlier this year for the handcrafted animated short “Ninety-Five Senses” about a Death Row inmate. He shared the accolade with his wife and careerlong collaborator Jerusha Hess (also his...
The adaptation marks the animated feature debut for co-directors Jared Hess and Lynn Wang. Hess, still best known for co-writing and directing the 2004 indie hit “Napoleon Dynamite,” received an Oscar nomination earlier this year for the handcrafted animated short “Ninety-Five Senses” about a Death Row inmate. He shared the accolade with his wife and careerlong collaborator Jerusha Hess (also his...
- 5/17/2024
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Variety Film + TV
May is here, and what does that mean? Obviously, a huge number of all kinds of intriguing releases on Netflix, which are rushing to replenish the streaming service's library! Today, we're going to talk specifically about the company's full-length, internationally available original projects.
From an animated pony musical starring Brittany Howard to an anime feature by the co-director of A Whisker Away. From a new Jerry Seinfeld comedy to a sci-fi action film headlined by Jennifer Lopez. Without further ado, let's take a look at what high-octane movie premieres Netflix has in store for us in May 2024. Don't forget to renew your subscription!
4. Unfrosted
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Genre: Comedy, Biography
Since ending his iconic sitcom 26 years ago, Jerry Seinfeld has maintained a steady stream of active comedy work, which has flourished in recent years thanks to the legendary stand-up comedian's multi-year deal with Netflix. And now, the streaming service added another Seinfeld's story,...
From an animated pony musical starring Brittany Howard to an anime feature by the co-director of A Whisker Away. From a new Jerry Seinfeld comedy to a sci-fi action film headlined by Jennifer Lopez. Without further ado, let's take a look at what high-octane movie premieres Netflix has in store for us in May 2024. Don't forget to renew your subscription!
4. Unfrosted
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Genre: Comedy, Biography
Since ending his iconic sitcom 26 years ago, Jerry Seinfeld has maintained a steady stream of active comedy work, which has flourished in recent years thanks to the legendary stand-up comedian's multi-year deal with Netflix. And now, the streaming service added another Seinfeld's story,...
- 5/7/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Thelma The Unicorn is coming to Netflix this May 17, 2024, This animated musical is led by the talented singer Brittany Howard, This is her acting debut after years of doing music. For a first-time voice actress, she fits the role like a glove. It is based on a book written by Aaron Blabey. Husband and wife duo of Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess writes the screenplay of the film. Jared also directs this movie in collaboration with Lynn Wang. The Hess couple are known for their works in Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite. Netflix have a string of successful animated films while Mainstream film companies are struggling to make Cinematic animated movies succeed. Thelma The Unicorn Thelma, an aspiring singer from a small town, faced rejection from the music industry due to her plain appearance as a farm pony. Let’s be honest, even though music is primarily heard, most people...
- 4/17/2024
- by Skylar Kinsley
- popgeeks - film
Refresh for updates: The votes are in, the tuxes are pressed, and the envelopes are sealed: It’s time for the 96th Academy Awards. Deadline is updating the winners list live as they are announced, so check it out below.
Christopher Nolan’s near-billion-dollar juggernaut Oppenheimer has been collecting trophies at nearly every stop this awards season and comes into the ceremony as the odds-on favorite for Best Picture, among other nods. It’s vying for the Big Prize on Hollywood’s Big Night against the No. 1 movie of 2023, Barbie, along with American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest.
Here are the winners announced so far at the Oscars, followed by the remaining nominees:
Winners
Tba
Nominees
Best Picture
American Fiction
Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers
Anatomy of a Fall...
Christopher Nolan’s near-billion-dollar juggernaut Oppenheimer has been collecting trophies at nearly every stop this awards season and comes into the ceremony as the odds-on favorite for Best Picture, among other nods. It’s vying for the Big Prize on Hollywood’s Big Night against the No. 1 movie of 2023, Barbie, along with American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, Killers of the Flower Moon, Maestro, Past Lives, Poor Things and The Zone of Interest.
Here are the winners announced so far at the Oscars, followed by the remaining nominees:
Winners
Tba
Nominees
Best Picture
American Fiction
Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers
Anatomy of a Fall...
- 3/10/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The 17th Annual Women in Film (Wif) Oscar nominees party took place at Catch Steak LA on March 8, 2024. The event celebrating women, nonbinary and trans people nominated at this year’s Academy Awards coincided with International Women’s Day. Gold Derby associate editor Latasha Ford was on the red carpet to interview some of the 2024 Oscar nominees, celebrities and special guests.
Watch each short video below from the 2024 Women in Film Oscar nominees party by clicking that person’s name:
Erika Alexander (“American Fiction”)
Diane Warren (“The Fire Inside” songwriter from “Flamin’ Hot”), *2024 Oscar nominee
Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride”)
Jane Seymour (Actress/Producer)
Cara Jade Myers (“Killers of the Flower Moon”)
Garcelle Beauvais (Actress/Producer/Writer)
Abigail Spencer (“Extended Family”)
Alex Meneses (Actress/Producer)
Laura Karpman (“American Fiction” composer), *2024 Oscar nominee
Lori McCoy-Bell (“Maestro” makeup and hairstyling), *2024 Oscar nominee
Janty Yates (“Napoleon” costume designer), *2024 Oscar nominee
Raney Aronson and Michelle Mizner...
Watch each short video below from the 2024 Women in Film Oscar nominees party by clicking that person’s name:
Erika Alexander (“American Fiction”)
Diane Warren (“The Fire Inside” songwriter from “Flamin’ Hot”), *2024 Oscar nominee
Sherry Cola (“Joy Ride”)
Jane Seymour (Actress/Producer)
Cara Jade Myers (“Killers of the Flower Moon”)
Garcelle Beauvais (Actress/Producer/Writer)
Abigail Spencer (“Extended Family”)
Alex Meneses (Actress/Producer)
Laura Karpman (“American Fiction” composer), *2024 Oscar nominee
Lori McCoy-Bell (“Maestro” makeup and hairstyling), *2024 Oscar nominee
Janty Yates (“Napoleon” costume designer), *2024 Oscar nominee
Raney Aronson and Michelle Mizner...
- 3/9/2024
- by Latasha Ford and Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Animated Short
Weekly Commentary: In the realm of animated shorts, the title can be as captivating as the storyline itself.
This year, Dave Mullins’ “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko,” which is co-writes with Sean Lennon, the son of Beatles band member John Lennon,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
There exist three Oscar categories where it’s possible to watch all nominated films in one shot – that’s shorts, Animated, Live Action and Documentary. Packaged into three feature length films presented by ShortsTV, the Oscar Nominated Short Films open in theaters today for a four-week run on about 650 screens in the U.S. and Canada.
It’s 19-year tradition popular with audiences and theaters. Each film is also “an event. Then you can go argue about who you think should win,” says ShortsTV founder and CEO Carter Pilcher.
Theater owners can screen any or all of the three compilations however and whenever they want from a traditional run to a one-week marathon before the Academy Awards on March 10.
Pilcher says the animated bundle tends to do the best historically, although the 2023 short called My Year Of Dicks nudged out some of the family audiences that love animation, giving Live Action the win.
It’s 19-year tradition popular with audiences and theaters. Each film is also “an event. Then you can go argue about who you think should win,” says ShortsTV founder and CEO Carter Pilcher.
Theater owners can screen any or all of the three compilations however and whenever they want from a traditional run to a one-week marathon before the Academy Awards on March 10.
Pilcher says the animated bundle tends to do the best historically, although the 2023 short called My Year Of Dicks nudged out some of the family audiences that love animation, giving Live Action the win.
- 2/16/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Before they had a plot for “Ninety-Five Senses,” Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess knew that they wanted to lead a project that would give them the opportunity to have several animators working on the film. “We wanted to get five to six animators and the producers to be involved. So, [writers] Chris Bowman and Hubbel Palmer said, ‘Let’s write a story that could feature each one really succinctly.’ That’s how they came up with the five senses as the vehicle to tell Coy’s story,” Jerusha tells Gold Derby during our recent webchat (watch the exclusive video interview above).
“Ninety-Five Senses” centers on Coy, an old man who is recounting memories associated with each of his senses as an ominous event draws near. The short is now an Oscar nominee for Best Animated Short Film. It marks the first nomination for the husband and wife directors. The couple are...
“Ninety-Five Senses” centers on Coy, an old man who is recounting memories associated with each of his senses as an ominous event draws near. The short is now an Oscar nominee for Best Animated Short Film. It marks the first nomination for the husband and wife directors. The couple are...
- 2/7/2024
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Nominations voting is from January 11–16, 2024, with official Oscar nominations announced on January 23, 2024. Final voting is February 22–27, 2024. And finally, the 96th Oscars telecast will be broadcast on Sunday, March 10, and air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Et/ 5 p.m. Pt. We update predictions throughout awards season, so keep checking IndieWire for all our 2024 Oscar picks.
The State of the Race
The animated short Oscar nominees are all acclaimed indies that explore such heady themes as the Holocaust, war, gender restrictions, incest, and mortality. They hail from the U.S., France, Israel, and Iran and embrace CG, 2D, stop-motion, and mixed media.
The field is led by the timely “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”, about a chess game played across enemy lines of an alternative World War I, with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon. It was specifically inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s popular protest song,...
The State of the Race
The animated short Oscar nominees are all acclaimed indies that explore such heady themes as the Holocaust, war, gender restrictions, incest, and mortality. They hail from the U.S., France, Israel, and Iran and embrace CG, 2D, stop-motion, and mixed media.
The field is led by the timely “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko”, about a chess game played across enemy lines of an alternative World War I, with the help of a heroic carrier pigeon. It was specifically inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s popular protest song,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Documentary+ Acquires Oscar-Nominated Animated Short ‘Ninety-Five Senses,’ Starring Tim Blake Nelson
Exclusive: Fast channel Documentary+ has picked up worldwide rights to Ninety-Five Senses days after the film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short.
Ninety-Five Senses, produced by the “Mast” accelerator program of the Salt Lake Film Society, is directed by Jerusha and Jared Hess. The fictional film, inspired by nonfiction, tells “the story of a man facing his own mortality while reflecting on the grave mistakes of his youth. This is juxtaposed against the beauty of life and how we perceive it. ‘It may be that in the next life, we’ll have ninety-five senses,’ he muses. The film comprises five scenes, with connective vignettes, animated in six distinctive styles.”
‘Ninety-Five Senses’
It premieres today on Documentary+, which describes itself as the “leading documentary Fast channel and streaming platform.”
“The striking visual appeal and great storytelling of Ninety-Five Senses instantly attracted us to this short,” said Justin Lacob, head...
Ninety-Five Senses, produced by the “Mast” accelerator program of the Salt Lake Film Society, is directed by Jerusha and Jared Hess. The fictional film, inspired by nonfiction, tells “the story of a man facing his own mortality while reflecting on the grave mistakes of his youth. This is juxtaposed against the beauty of life and how we perceive it. ‘It may be that in the next life, we’ll have ninety-five senses,’ he muses. The film comprises five scenes, with connective vignettes, animated in six distinctive styles.”
‘Ninety-Five Senses’
It premieres today on Documentary+, which describes itself as the “leading documentary Fast channel and streaming platform.”
“The striking visual appeal and great storytelling of Ninety-Five Senses instantly attracted us to this short,” said Justin Lacob, head...
- 1/25/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
The cast of Napoleon Dynamite reunited at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival!
Believe it or not, the cult classic high school movie starring Jon Heder as the titular character, premiered 20 years ago in 2004.
On Thursday (January 24), Jon got together with costars Jon Gries, Shondrella Avery, Efren Ramirez and Tom Lefler at a special screening of the movie.
Keep reading to find out more…
The cast was joined by producers Jeremy Coon, Sean Covel and Chris Wyatt, art director Curt Jensen and costume director Jerusha Hess. We’ve got pics of all of them in the gallery!
It looks like the group had a great time getting together again, and the event even featured a “Vote for Pedro” pin!
If you haven’t been keeping up, we’ve got all the coverage you need from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. For instance, did you know a popular star brought their parents as dates for their premiere?...
Believe it or not, the cult classic high school movie starring Jon Heder as the titular character, premiered 20 years ago in 2004.
On Thursday (January 24), Jon got together with costars Jon Gries, Shondrella Avery, Efren Ramirez and Tom Lefler at a special screening of the movie.
Keep reading to find out more…
The cast was joined by producers Jeremy Coon, Sean Covel and Chris Wyatt, art director Curt Jensen and costume director Jerusha Hess. We’ve got pics of all of them in the gallery!
It looks like the group had a great time getting together again, and the event even featured a “Vote for Pedro” pin!
If you haven’t been keeping up, we’ve got all the coverage you need from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. For instance, did you know a popular star brought their parents as dates for their premiere?...
- 1/25/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
The three short film categories can be such a pain to try to predict the nominees for. Don’t worry Derbyites, we are here to help you all. With the shortlist for the 96th Oscars having been released, below we have listed all 15 shortlisted films in the Best Animated Short category along with descriptions of each one. We also have information and links listed for where you can currently watch these finalists.
Among the subjects that are covered in this year’s crop are birds protecting eggs during a volcanic eruption, an overly confident singing cat, a woman attending her husband’s funeral, and an old man appreciating all of the body’s senses.
See Dozens of video interviews with 2024 awards contenders
“Boom” – Two birds that aren’t very bright try to protect their eggs in the midst of a volcano’s eruption. This won the Gold Medal for Animation...
Among the subjects that are covered in this year’s crop are birds protecting eggs during a volcanic eruption, an overly confident singing cat, a woman attending her husband’s funeral, and an old man appreciating all of the body’s senses.
See Dozens of video interviews with 2024 awards contenders
“Boom” – Two birds that aren’t very bright try to protect their eggs in the midst of a volcano’s eruption. This won the Gold Medal for Animation...
- 12/25/2023
- by Charles Bright
- Gold Derby
Anniversary screenings include Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, The Babadook.
Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the 53 shorts as well as the eight films celebrating the festival’s 40th edition – a list which includes Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, and The Babadook.
The 40th edition celebration screenings and events are set for the second half of the festival from January 23-26, 2024, with a slate of retrospective programming that will bring alumni artists together for conversations and gatherings.
Sundance Film festival runs January 18-28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles...
Sundance Film Festival has unveiled the 53 shorts as well as the eight films celebrating the festival’s 40th edition – a list which includes Park City hits Napoleon Dynamite, Mississippi Masala, and The Babadook.
The 40th edition celebration screenings and events are set for the second half of the festival from January 23-26, 2024, with a slate of retrospective programming that will bring alumni artists together for conversations and gatherings.
Sundance Film festival runs January 18-28, 2024, in person in Park City and Salt Lake City, with a selection of titles...
- 12/12/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Béla Tarr Set For European Film Awards Honor
Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr will receive the Honorary Award of the Academy President and Board at this year’s European Film Awards. Tarr is the sixth filmmaker to receive this recognition – earlier recipients are Manoel de Oliveira, Michel Piccoli, Sir Michael Caine, Andrzej Wajda, and Costa-Gavras. Tarr is best known for his 1994 feature Sátántangó, a 450-minute adaptation of the novel by László Krasznahorkai. The film won the Grand Prix of the Jury at the Budapest Hungarian Film Week and quickly reached cult status, often referred to as one of the most important films of the 1990s. This year’s European Film Awards take place in Berlin on December 9.
‘Aftersun’ Leads 2023 BAFTA Scotland Awards
Charlotte Well’s debut feature, Aftersun, leads this year’s BAFTA Scotland Awards with five nominations. The film has been nominated in the following categories: Actor Film, Actress Film,...
Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr will receive the Honorary Award of the Academy President and Board at this year’s European Film Awards. Tarr is the sixth filmmaker to receive this recognition – earlier recipients are Manoel de Oliveira, Michel Piccoli, Sir Michael Caine, Andrzej Wajda, and Costa-Gavras. Tarr is best known for his 1994 feature Sátántangó, a 450-minute adaptation of the novel by László Krasznahorkai. The film won the Grand Prix of the Jury at the Budapest Hungarian Film Week and quickly reached cult status, often referred to as one of the most important films of the 1990s. This year’s European Film Awards take place in Berlin on December 9.
‘Aftersun’ Leads 2023 BAFTA Scotland Awards
Charlotte Well’s debut feature, Aftersun, leads this year’s BAFTA Scotland Awards with five nominations. The film has been nominated in the following categories: Actor Film, Actress Film,...
- 10/11/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
How in the hell does a small, low-budget independent movie become a massive runaway blockbuster hit and pop-cultural landmark at once? While not an exact science, there are surely several different roads to success for each production. We’ve seen it in the past with My Big Fat Greek Wedding and several others. But what about Jared Hess’ viral cult classic Napoleon Dynamite? How does a first-time filmmaker restricted by a $400,000 budget and just 23 shooting days somehow manage to make a semi-autobiographical movie based on his own experiences and still strike such a major chord among the moviegoing masses?
Seriously, how did such a big-hearted underdog of a movie made on the fly become such a beloved comedic touchstone that spoke to an entire generation? After all, it’s extremely hard to make a bad movie. It’s damn a mini-miracle to make a good movie. Yet, for Napoleon Dynamite,...
Seriously, how did such a big-hearted underdog of a movie made on the fly become such a beloved comedic touchstone that spoke to an entire generation? After all, it’s extremely hard to make a bad movie. It’s damn a mini-miracle to make a good movie. Yet, for Napoleon Dynamite,...
- 6/28/2023
- by Jake Dee
- JoBlo.com
Jennifer Coolidge is fresh from shooting Season 2 of The White Lotus and she’s on a high. Having made such an indelible mark in Season 1 of Mike White’s limited series set in a luxury Hawaiian resort, she’s the only main character returning for a second shot. For now, she’s having to keep plot details under wraps, but she’s positive that it will be another hit: “It would be impossible to not like it,” she says. All we know is that Season 2 will see Coolidge, Emmy-nominated for her role, back as the tortured and grieving Tanya McQuoid alongside her terminally ill boyfriend Greg (Jon Gries). This time the setting is a Sicilian White Lotus resort, where they’ll be joined by such new cast members as Aubrey Plaza, F. Murray Abraham, Adam Dimarco and Tom Hollander. Here, she reminisces on a career that’s seen her stealing...
- 8/13/2022
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: As the dust settles from a multi-studio bidding battle that played out over two weeks, Netflix has won screen rights to the celebrated Aaron Blabey children’s novel Thelma the Unicorn. Jared and Jarusha Hess, whose work includes Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, have been set to adapt the book into an animated musical family feature. Jared Hess will direct it.
It’s the second time that a Blabey-authored book has caused a studio stampede, with DreamWorks Animation winning rights to his last one, Bad Guys. Hess last directed Masterminds and episodes of the Will Forte series The Last Man on Earth.
Blabey and Patrick Hughes of Foundation Media Partners will be the executive producers.
When a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate makes Thelma the Pony’s wish of being a unicorn come true, she rises to instant international pop-superstar stardom, but at an unexpected cost. The...
It’s the second time that a Blabey-authored book has caused a studio stampede, with DreamWorks Animation winning rights to his last one, Bad Guys. Hess last directed Masterminds and episodes of the Will Forte series The Last Man on Earth.
Blabey and Patrick Hughes of Foundation Media Partners will be the executive producers.
When a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate makes Thelma the Pony’s wish of being a unicorn come true, she rises to instant international pop-superstar stardom, but at an unexpected cost. The...
- 6/5/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Jack Black has revealed that he wants to make a sequel to his 2006 wrestling comedy Nacho Libre.
The actor, speaking on British talkshow The Jonathan Ross Show, admitted, “I’ve always wanted to do another Nacho Libre.”
The film, which was written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and Mike White and directed by Jared Hess, was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta, a Mexican Catholic priest who had a 23-year career as a masked luchador and competed in order to support the orphanage he ran.
Black produced the film with White, David Klawans and Julia Pistor, which went on to gross around $100M worldwide for Paramount Pictures against a budget of $35M. In the film, Black played Ignacio, a cook for a Mexican orphanage, who turns to wrestling after he was robbed for the the tortilla chips he was collecting for the orphans.
The Jumanji star has previously...
The actor, speaking on British talkshow The Jonathan Ross Show, admitted, “I’ve always wanted to do another Nacho Libre.”
The film, which was written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and Mike White and directed by Jared Hess, was loosely based on the story of Fray Tormenta, a Mexican Catholic priest who had a 23-year career as a masked luchador and competed in order to support the orphanage he ran.
Black produced the film with White, David Klawans and Julia Pistor, which went on to gross around $100M worldwide for Paramount Pictures against a budget of $35M. In the film, Black played Ignacio, a cook for a Mexican orphanage, who turns to wrestling after he was robbed for the the tortilla chips he was collecting for the orphans.
The Jumanji star has previously...
- 9/6/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Back in the fall of 2015, news surfaced that Paramount Pictures was working on a live-action animated hybrid movie that would bring back some of the staple Nicktoons from the ’90s era of Nickelodeon. Since then, Napoleon Dynamite director Jerusha Hess was brought on as director, but it’s been over a year and we haven’t heard any significant […]
The post ‘Ren and Stimpy’ Will Not Be Part of Any Nicktoons Reboot or Movie appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Ren and Stimpy’ Will Not Be Part of Any Nicktoons Reboot or Movie appeared first on /Film.
- 3/21/2017
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Nickelodeon has confirmed that it’s making a NickToons movie, because no one ever went broke betting on millennials' nostalgia for their own childhood. Paramount and Nickelodeon have tapped Napoleon Dynamite's Jared Hess to direct, with a script by Hess and his wife and writing partner Jerusha Hess. There aren’t many details yet, but Deadline reports that the film will combine characters from across the Nickelodeon universe, as well as incorporate live-action segments in the manner of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? We don’t know which NickToons will be featured in the film yet, but Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh! Real Monsters, The Angry Beavers, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, and CatDog are all on the table. (What this means for the planned Hey Arnold! TV movie is unknown.) Now we are just left to wonder who the live-action actors will be, and...
- 1/28/2016
- by Madeline Raynor
- Vulture
Depending on your age, the '90s programming at Nickelodeon was either a childhood staple or was part of late nights of your high school/college years. Either way, the run of shows was very strong, and in this era of maximizing IP value, it's a bit of a surprise the network hasn't done anything with them...until now... Variety reports that Nickelodeon is going to ambitiously put characters from all their '90s shows into a single movie, "NickToons," with "Napoleon Dynamite" director Jared Hess to helm the project. That's right, the worlds of "Doug," "Rugrats," "Ren & Stimpy" and "Ahh! Real Monsters" will collide (and, hopefully, "Hey Arnold!") for what's being described as a "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"-esque film. Hess is also writing the project with regular collaborator Jerusha Hess, and it's certainly an ambitious undertaking. Read More: Review: 'Don Verdean' Starring Sam Rockwell, Amy Ryan,...
- 1/28/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
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Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess will helm Nickelodeon’s cinematic nostalgia trip, Nicktoons, starring the Rugrats and more…
Not content with creating a channel dedicated to 1990s reruns and commissioning a new Hey Arnold! TV movie, Nickelodeon has gone one step further with the nostalgia – it's announced a cinematic feature film.
This movie – going by the title Nicktoons – will include characters from Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh! Real Monster, and The Angry Beavers. They’ll all interact together in one big story, as opposed to a series of sketches.
Jared Hess of Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos has signed up to direct. He’ll work on the script, as well, with his wife and regular collaborator Jerusha Hess (she worked on all three of those films, too).
The idea for the film originated with Disruption Entertainment's Ali Mendes, “who grew up...
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Napoleon Dynamite’s Jared Hess will helm Nickelodeon’s cinematic nostalgia trip, Nicktoons, starring the Rugrats and more…
Not content with creating a channel dedicated to 1990s reruns and commissioning a new Hey Arnold! TV movie, Nickelodeon has gone one step further with the nostalgia – it's announced a cinematic feature film.
This movie – going by the title Nicktoons – will include characters from Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life, Aaahh! Real Monster, and The Angry Beavers. They’ll all interact together in one big story, as opposed to a series of sketches.
Jared Hess of Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos has signed up to direct. He’ll work on the script, as well, with his wife and regular collaborator Jerusha Hess (she worked on all three of those films, too).
The idea for the film originated with Disruption Entertainment's Ali Mendes, “who grew up...
- 1/28/2016
- by rleane
- Den of Geek
If you fall into a certain age bracket, shows from Nickelodeon.s stable of animated properties. Rugrats, Ren & Stimpy, Rocko.s Modern Life, and a slew of others.hold a significant and nostalgic place in your heart. Aside from SpongeBob, the network has never done all that much with them in terms of movies, but that is about to change. They.re working on a mash up film called NickToons, and the project just took a big step forward by hiring director Jared Hess. Jared Hess, who is best known for directing movies like indie comedy Napoleon Dynamite and the Jack Black-starring wrestling flick Nacho Libre, will, according to Deadline, take the helm for NickToons. He.ll also write the script, once again teaming up with his wife, Jerusha Hess, who has collaborated with her husband on all of his directorial efforts up to this point, including their latest,...
- 1/27/2016
- cinemablend.com
Going Clear: Hess’ Uncomfortable Religious Comedy Defuses Subversive Potential
Religion and comedy don’t make for comfortable bedfellows, at least not for films attempting to play it safe by simultaneously poking fun at blind belief while expecting us to empathize with an inability to question basic tenets of any particular religious belief system. This is exactly the tone director Jared Hess strikes with his new comedy Don Verdean, a film about a well-meaning religious charlatan preying on the superstitious beliefs of Christians devoted to finding archaeological relics supposedly proving various mythological instances from the Bible. Rather than castigate his characters, we’re meant to laugh at their desperate antics in a sort of moral fable whose agenda is made palatable by its notable cast members allowing for a work around from falling into a religious niche market.
A decade ago, biblical archaeologist Don Verdean (Sam Rockwell) discovered an artifact in...
Religion and comedy don’t make for comfortable bedfellows, at least not for films attempting to play it safe by simultaneously poking fun at blind belief while expecting us to empathize with an inability to question basic tenets of any particular religious belief system. This is exactly the tone director Jared Hess strikes with his new comedy Don Verdean, a film about a well-meaning religious charlatan preying on the superstitious beliefs of Christians devoted to finding archaeological relics supposedly proving various mythological instances from the Bible. Rather than castigate his characters, we’re meant to laugh at their desperate antics in a sort of moral fable whose agenda is made palatable by its notable cast members allowing for a work around from falling into a religious niche market.
A decade ago, biblical archaeologist Don Verdean (Sam Rockwell) discovered an artifact in...
- 12/10/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Religious themes will always spark controversy, but it’s never Jared or Jerusha Hess’ intention to lace Don Verdean with stinging societal commentary. Satire certainly exists, but in a more goofy, overexposed kind of way that makes light of men who build congregations around insane epiphanies and phony beliefs. The Hess’ don’t seek controversy, as Don Verdean exists in their silly realm of quirky character pieces like Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentleman Broncos - but this is certainly their most grounded effort to-date. This isn’t a case of Team Hess jumping ship, just an attempt at more straight-laced comedy and almighty exploitation. No flying spaghetti monsters, I promise!
Sam Rockwell plays a biblical artifact hunter named Don Verdean, who spreads the Lord’s word by proving scripture passages with evidence. Aided by his research assistant Carol Jensen (Amy Ryan), Don spends his days trying to prevent already...
Sam Rockwell plays a biblical artifact hunter named Don Verdean, who spreads the Lord’s word by proving scripture passages with evidence. Aided by his research assistant Carol Jensen (Amy Ryan), Don spends his days trying to prevent already...
- 12/9/2015
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
If Indiana Jones were living today -- and living at all, to begin with -- would he be battling evangelical ministers in pursuit of religious artifacts? Or maybe he would be working for one, like Don Verdean, an archeologist specializing in the Bible in the new comedy from the husband/wife team of Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess (Napoleon Dynamite). Sam Rockwell stars as the title character in the movie, somewhat unrecognizable (supposedly people on the set didn't know it was him) underneath a dirty blonde wig and beard. Joining Rockwell is a terrific ensemble of comedic actors. There's Oscar-nominated actress Amy Ryan as Verdean's assistant, Jemaine Clement as his Israeli friend and guide, Danny McBride as the pastor he works for, Leslie Bibb as the pastor's...
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- 10/28/2015
- by Christopher Campbell
- Movies.com
Sam Rockwell and Danny McBride are on a mission from God in the riotous first trailer for Don Verdean, the all-new comedy coming by way of Napoleon Dynamite duo Jared and Jerusha Hess.
Toplining the flick as Biblical archaeologist Don, Rockwell is channeling a comedic energy not unlike his turn in Seven Psychopaths as the naive and dim-witted explorer, who is tasked with unearthing the fabled and forgotten skull of Goliath from the sun-kissed hills of Israel. All of this is in an effort to reap the benefits of stumbling upon such a discovery, but when Don fails to locate the asset, he finds himself spinning an old yarn in order to cover both himself and his bumbling number two Boaz (Jermaine Clement) from the wrath of McBride’s character.
As Rockwell’s character so gleefully puts: “untruths are necessary for the greater good,” and that ought to give you...
Toplining the flick as Biblical archaeologist Don, Rockwell is channeling a comedic energy not unlike his turn in Seven Psychopaths as the naive and dim-witted explorer, who is tasked with unearthing the fabled and forgotten skull of Goliath from the sun-kissed hills of Israel. All of this is in an effort to reap the benefits of stumbling upon such a discovery, but when Don fails to locate the asset, he finds himself spinning an old yarn in order to cover both himself and his bumbling number two Boaz (Jermaine Clement) from the wrath of McBride’s character.
As Rockwell’s character so gleefully puts: “untruths are necessary for the greater good,” and that ought to give you...
- 10/28/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Despite making a big splash with his 2004 feature debut Napoleon Dynamite, filmmaker Jared Hess has not been seen on the big screen since 2009’s Gentlemen Broncos, with his only other work in the meantime being the animated Napoleon Dynamite animated series. Hess is set to return to theatres later this year, however, with a new film, his first in six years.
Titled Don Verdean, the film is directed by Hess and co-written by Jared and Jerusha Hess, both of whom have worked together on the screenplay for all the films Jared Hess has directed. Sam Rockwell leads the cast this time around, joined by Jermaine Clement, Will Forte, Danny McBride, and Amy Ryan. The film’s synopsis is as follows.
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels...
Titled Don Verdean, the film is directed by Hess and co-written by Jared and Jerusha Hess, both of whom have worked together on the screenplay for all the films Jared Hess has directed. Sam Rockwell leads the cast this time around, joined by Jermaine Clement, Will Forte, Danny McBride, and Amy Ryan. The film’s synopsis is as follows.
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels...
- 10/28/2015
- by Deepayan Sengupta
- SoundOnSight
Don Verdean is a film that comes to us from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess, and it looks like it will deliver some hilarious comedy. We have a trailer and clip for the film for you to watch today. The story centers on Sam Rockwell, who plays a Biblical archaeologist. When he sets out on his latest adventure, he finds himself caught in a feud between two rival congregations led by Danny McBride and Will Forte.
The movie has a fun cast that also includes Jemaine Clement as Rockwell's Holy Land associate, Amy Ryan as his assistant Carol, and Leslie Bibb as McBride’s wife. The film screened at Sundance earlier this year, and you can read our review for it here. In that review, Eli says:
"Hess dials back the zaniness in Don Verdean without losing his signature touches and provides a better stage for Rockwell and Clement, who...
The movie has a fun cast that also includes Jemaine Clement as Rockwell's Holy Land associate, Amy Ryan as his assistant Carol, and Leslie Bibb as McBride’s wife. The film screened at Sundance earlier this year, and you can read our review for it here. In that review, Eli says:
"Hess dials back the zaniness in Don Verdean without losing his signature touches and provides a better stage for Rockwell and Clement, who...
- 10/27/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
While we wait to see what Disney does with its never-gonna-get-recast icon Indiana Jones, Napoleon Dynamite duo Jared and Jerusha Hess have mounted their own search for the Holy Grail. Don Verdean stars Sam Rockwell as a Biblical archaeologist who gets caught in the rivalry between two congregations led by Danny McBride and Will Forte. Needless to say, this is a much sillier quest than the one […]
The post ‘Don Verdean’ Trailer: The ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ Duo Sends Sam Rockwell in Search of Religious Artifacts appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Don Verdean’ Trailer: The ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ Duo Sends Sam Rockwell in Search of Religious Artifacts appeared first on /Film.
- 10/27/2015
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
Join Sam Rockwell on his journey of holy discovery with the new poster from Lionsgate Premiere’s Don Verdean.
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels a comic conspiracy from the filmmaking team (Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess) behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.
Rockwell along with Amy Ryan, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Bibb, Stephen Park, Will Forte and Danny McBride star in this hilarious satire of biblical proportions, arriving in theaters and on demand December 11.
Catch the official trailer debut next week on October 27 at 10am Pt // 1pm Et on Fandango.
Check out the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DonVerdean
Twitter: twitter.com/lgpremiere #DonVerdean
The post New Poster From Sam Rockwell’s Don Verdean appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
Hired by an ambitious small-town pastor to find sacred relics in the Holy Land, a self-proclaimed Biblical archaeologist comes up short and his attempt to cover up his failure fuels a comic conspiracy from the filmmaking team (Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess) behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.
Rockwell along with Amy Ryan, Jemaine Clement, Leslie Bibb, Stephen Park, Will Forte and Danny McBride star in this hilarious satire of biblical proportions, arriving in theaters and on demand December 11.
Catch the official trailer debut next week on October 27 at 10am Pt // 1pm Et on Fandango.
Check out the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DonVerdean
Twitter: twitter.com/lgpremiere #DonVerdean
The post New Poster From Sam Rockwell’s Don Verdean appeared first on We Are Movie Geeks.
- 10/22/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“The Strongest Man” is a record of determination; not just in plot, but in production as well. Riches’ stick-to-itiveness work method is on full display - par for the course for someone who, as a kid, lived, breathed, and ate skateboarding (and lots of concrete pavement).
History
Originally from Salt Lake City, Riches gained early experience making short films with childhood friends Patrick Fugit, Paul Chamberlain, and David Fetzer. Branching out from an interest in skate videos and visuals, Riches studied art in university, but his success as an artist was not enough to deter his silver screen goals.
“I realized I wasn’t making films and doing what I cared about, so that’s when I started writing again.”
Utilizing the fanbases of Patrick Fugit, and Ashly Burch of the popular web series “Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’?,” Riches partially funded his first feature film, “Must Come Down,” by spearheading a strong Kickstarter campaign - a “good tool for young filmmakers” says Riches.
Friends/Family
“When we lived together, every day, me and [David Fetzer] would wake up and watch a movie. We’d assign each other screenwriting homework. We had our own form of school. [Patrick Fugit] and David are so invested in performance. They were my film school. They were the ones that showed me how to appreciate story and character and writing. That’s the language they spoke. Patrick - going to visit him on set. He’s so supportive and he’s the reason why I’d ever been on a film set in the first place.”
Riches brought along the majority of the same cast and crew from “Must Come Down” to “The Strongest Man” likening it to a family reunion and a reason to get his friends all together.
“I’m learning as I go. I don’t like when people bring ego to set. I like the collaborative spirit. I’m very happy I can bring my friends along and they all found where they fit. It’s a family that I try to keep together as long as I can.”
Writer/Director
“For the most part my films are regional, reactionary, and circumstantial. Just towards what is happening. Presently or in the past.”
On the strength of “The Strongest Man”’s Sundance premiere, Riches has signed with UTA, and now faces a difficult decision about the direction of his career. For now, Riches has only directed features of his own creation.
“I think I’m hitting that step of my career where filmmakers have to find answers to that question. Right now I’m not sure what I want. I want to do what I do, but I haven’t closed that door of taking a look at other projects. I wouldn’t trust someone to direct something I’ve written because it’s so specific and visual… things might be lost in translation.”
With his career taking off to new heights, finding balance in business and creation is about finding the right compromises to make.
“It’s really hard to stay focused on writing if you have a day job. And I just try to live as thin as possible. My cost of living is so low and it’s more important to me to focus on film rather than upgrade my car. That’s the struggle all filmmakers have: you don’t want to lose your voice, you want to make the stuff you want to make so you have to sacrifice a little.
Miami
“Having a relationship with this place gives it another texture that you just don’t get. It’s just a weird place.”
Trading salt lakes for saltier oceans, Riches moved to Miami after a period of restlessness and took inspiration from the city’s unique way of life. Set on the streets of Miami, “The Strongest Man” portrays a rare slice in an already legendary locale, incorporating ostentatious cultural norms with an introverted twist.
“My film is very Miami-centric, references that you’ll only know if you’ve ever been or lived [there]. Miami’s image of money and the complexities it brings with poverty and luxury bumped up right next to each other is interesting. All of that stuff is a part of the culture so I just thought it was appropriate for [Beef, the protagonist] to have a gold bike, but live in a tiny apartment across the street from a luxury condo development. Beef’s anxiety monster in the film is made of palm fronds and palm leaves that fall off the trees; they start decomposing and turn black. So everything was influenced by being there. My bike was stolen, just like Beef’s was.”
Contrasting, relative to the typical depictions of the city which have been immortalized in films like “Scarface” and series like “Miami Vice.” A city of stereotypical excess has never been so humbled, down to earth, and yet so rightly touted and honored at the same time.
“There’s something very exciting happening in the indie film scene in Miami. It’s the one place I’ve been where indie theaters are opening instead of closing.”
Beef
Though the protagonist “Beef,” portrayed by Robert “Meatball” Lorie, has the Miami affinity for the material, his monastic nature is equally level throughout the film. Lorie’s performance is akin to surface tension - constantly on the edge of rupturing; and his relatively transparent tone and goal is tempered by humorous deadpan along with mindful contemplation, perhaps giving more insight into Kenny Riches’ being rather than Beef’s.
“I had crazy bad anxiety. Beef is kind of a mash-up of me and [Rob Lorie.] I’m more introverted and he’s much more charming. I like the conflict it brings. Having this physically strong character who’s telling this story that’s engrained in masculine Latin culture, but on the inside… a small, insecure person – that juxtaposition set up something different.”
The Strongest Man
There’s an understandable amount of ambivalence when it comes to Riches’ sophomore effort - a dark comedy that carries indie’s knack for quirk and offbeat mindsets; featuring a storybook aesthetic like Wes Anderson, and sharing the esoteric humor of other Slc natives Jared and Jerusha Hess, the film finds terra firma on universal themes in spite of its individual attitude.
“As long as your characters are relatable. That’s the most important part. I’m interested in flawed human characters that anyone will get it. With “Must Come Down” I thought I was making a film that was more marketable or relatable, but this time I wrote something that I wanted, without considering how it would be received, and it’s interesting to me that this is the film that I went to Sundance with. Do what you want to do, oftentimes that voice is more honest.”
“The Strongest Man ” premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2015. FilmBuff has acquired North American distribution rights. Isa: Xyz Films .
Kenny Riches is the Vice President of the David Ross Fetzer Foundation which is a grant giving organization for filmmakers and playwrights dedicated in memory to the late David Fetzer. Riches is currently represented by UTA .
The Phoenix Film Festival is an annual international festival that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Special thanks to Erik O’Malley.
History
Originally from Salt Lake City, Riches gained early experience making short films with childhood friends Patrick Fugit, Paul Chamberlain, and David Fetzer. Branching out from an interest in skate videos and visuals, Riches studied art in university, but his success as an artist was not enough to deter his silver screen goals.
“I realized I wasn’t making films and doing what I cared about, so that’s when I started writing again.”
Utilizing the fanbases of Patrick Fugit, and Ashly Burch of the popular web series “Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin’?,” Riches partially funded his first feature film, “Must Come Down,” by spearheading a strong Kickstarter campaign - a “good tool for young filmmakers” says Riches.
Friends/Family
“When we lived together, every day, me and [David Fetzer] would wake up and watch a movie. We’d assign each other screenwriting homework. We had our own form of school. [Patrick Fugit] and David are so invested in performance. They were my film school. They were the ones that showed me how to appreciate story and character and writing. That’s the language they spoke. Patrick - going to visit him on set. He’s so supportive and he’s the reason why I’d ever been on a film set in the first place.”
Riches brought along the majority of the same cast and crew from “Must Come Down” to “The Strongest Man” likening it to a family reunion and a reason to get his friends all together.
“I’m learning as I go. I don’t like when people bring ego to set. I like the collaborative spirit. I’m very happy I can bring my friends along and they all found where they fit. It’s a family that I try to keep together as long as I can.”
Writer/Director
“For the most part my films are regional, reactionary, and circumstantial. Just towards what is happening. Presently or in the past.”
On the strength of “The Strongest Man”’s Sundance premiere, Riches has signed with UTA, and now faces a difficult decision about the direction of his career. For now, Riches has only directed features of his own creation.
“I think I’m hitting that step of my career where filmmakers have to find answers to that question. Right now I’m not sure what I want. I want to do what I do, but I haven’t closed that door of taking a look at other projects. I wouldn’t trust someone to direct something I’ve written because it’s so specific and visual… things might be lost in translation.”
With his career taking off to new heights, finding balance in business and creation is about finding the right compromises to make.
“It’s really hard to stay focused on writing if you have a day job. And I just try to live as thin as possible. My cost of living is so low and it’s more important to me to focus on film rather than upgrade my car. That’s the struggle all filmmakers have: you don’t want to lose your voice, you want to make the stuff you want to make so you have to sacrifice a little.
Miami
“Having a relationship with this place gives it another texture that you just don’t get. It’s just a weird place.”
Trading salt lakes for saltier oceans, Riches moved to Miami after a period of restlessness and took inspiration from the city’s unique way of life. Set on the streets of Miami, “The Strongest Man” portrays a rare slice in an already legendary locale, incorporating ostentatious cultural norms with an introverted twist.
“My film is very Miami-centric, references that you’ll only know if you’ve ever been or lived [there]. Miami’s image of money and the complexities it brings with poverty and luxury bumped up right next to each other is interesting. All of that stuff is a part of the culture so I just thought it was appropriate for [Beef, the protagonist] to have a gold bike, but live in a tiny apartment across the street from a luxury condo development. Beef’s anxiety monster in the film is made of palm fronds and palm leaves that fall off the trees; they start decomposing and turn black. So everything was influenced by being there. My bike was stolen, just like Beef’s was.”
Contrasting, relative to the typical depictions of the city which have been immortalized in films like “Scarface” and series like “Miami Vice.” A city of stereotypical excess has never been so humbled, down to earth, and yet so rightly touted and honored at the same time.
“There’s something very exciting happening in the indie film scene in Miami. It’s the one place I’ve been where indie theaters are opening instead of closing.”
Beef
Though the protagonist “Beef,” portrayed by Robert “Meatball” Lorie, has the Miami affinity for the material, his monastic nature is equally level throughout the film. Lorie’s performance is akin to surface tension - constantly on the edge of rupturing; and his relatively transparent tone and goal is tempered by humorous deadpan along with mindful contemplation, perhaps giving more insight into Kenny Riches’ being rather than Beef’s.
“I had crazy bad anxiety. Beef is kind of a mash-up of me and [Rob Lorie.] I’m more introverted and he’s much more charming. I like the conflict it brings. Having this physically strong character who’s telling this story that’s engrained in masculine Latin culture, but on the inside… a small, insecure person – that juxtaposition set up something different.”
The Strongest Man
There’s an understandable amount of ambivalence when it comes to Riches’ sophomore effort - a dark comedy that carries indie’s knack for quirk and offbeat mindsets; featuring a storybook aesthetic like Wes Anderson, and sharing the esoteric humor of other Slc natives Jared and Jerusha Hess, the film finds terra firma on universal themes in spite of its individual attitude.
“As long as your characters are relatable. That’s the most important part. I’m interested in flawed human characters that anyone will get it. With “Must Come Down” I thought I was making a film that was more marketable or relatable, but this time I wrote something that I wanted, without considering how it would be received, and it’s interesting to me that this is the film that I went to Sundance with. Do what you want to do, oftentimes that voice is more honest.”
“The Strongest Man ” premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2015. FilmBuff has acquired North American distribution rights. Isa: Xyz Films .
Kenny Riches is the Vice President of the David Ross Fetzer Foundation which is a grant giving organization for filmmakers and playwrights dedicated in memory to the late David Fetzer. Riches is currently represented by UTA .
The Phoenix Film Festival is an annual international festival that takes place in Phoenix, Arizona.
Special thanks to Erik O’Malley.
- 4/7/2015
- by Vincent Lay
- Sydney's Buzz
Sam Rockwell and Jermaine Clement in Don Verdean
Don Verdean
Directed by Jared Hess
Written by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess
USA, 2015
The wife and husband duo behind Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos gives us Don Verdean, a relatively tame exploration into the antics of biblical archaeology. The subject matter is rife with comedic possibilities but the film doesn’t go big enough with its shenanigans to see us through to being truly entertained. There are sporadic moments of inspiration, but they are too few and far in between to save it from itself. Not much is skewered about religion, instead broadly-drawn zealots populate the plot who desperately want to believe that discoveries abound which could validate biblical stories. The religious extremism doesn’t go far enough, as if it’s afraid of offending its audience. It seems satisfied to keep it mild and barely tongue-in-cheek. A rocking...
Don Verdean
Directed by Jared Hess
Written by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess
USA, 2015
The wife and husband duo behind Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentlemen Broncos gives us Don Verdean, a relatively tame exploration into the antics of biblical archaeology. The subject matter is rife with comedic possibilities but the film doesn’t go big enough with its shenanigans to see us through to being truly entertained. There are sporadic moments of inspiration, but they are too few and far in between to save it from itself. Not much is skewered about religion, instead broadly-drawn zealots populate the plot who desperately want to believe that discoveries abound which could validate biblical stories. The religious extremism doesn’t go far enough, as if it’s afraid of offending its audience. It seems satisfied to keep it mild and barely tongue-in-cheek. A rocking...
- 2/5/2015
- by Lane Scarberry
- SoundOnSight
There are a growing number of recent films that have tried to make a fun joke out of religion, which can sometimes be a sensitive subject (at least in this country). Not many of them are that good, as sometimes they get too dumb with the humor (e.g. Year One), but sometimes they strike the right chord, touching upon both the importance of and hilarity of modern religion. Don Verdean is the latest film from Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess, the husband/wife filmmaker team that brought us Napoleon Dynamite and Gentlemen Broncos previously. Don Verdean is the name of religious artifacts collector who gets into some deep shit. In Don Verdean, Sam Rockwell dons a beard and plays Don, a religious collector who made a name for himself years ago but is well past his prime now. Working with his assistant Carol, played by Amy Ryan, he decides to...
- 1/31/2015
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
For Don Verdean, director Jared Hess reunites with Sam Rockwell and Jemaine Clement, who both starred in Gentlemen Broncos, Hess’ last feature length effort which was not released nationally due to the abysmal critical reception it received. In the review I wrote for Broncos back in 2009, like many other critics, I cited that the film’s use of feces and vomit would likely turn audiences off, unaware that complaints like mine would end up turning the powers that be off to running the film nationally at all. While I liked it more than most, looking back, the director did abandon quality storytelling for gross out humor and often overwhelming quirkiness. Hess dials back the zaniness in Don Verdean without losing his signature touches and provides a better stage for Rockwell and Clement, who gave great comedic performances in their last outing with the director but didn’t actually share any screen time.
- 1/29/2015
- by Eli Reyes
- GeekTyrant
Last evening at Jupiter Bowl in Kimball Junction, the 2015 Sundance Short Film Awards were doled out over a somewhat temperamental microphone. Stationed at the foot of a bowling alley, Director of Programming Trevor Groth said a few words before turning it over to Jared Hess, who is at the festival with his latest, Don Verdean. Hess told a nice anecdote about forcing his wife Jerusha Hess to invite Pauly Shore to a screening of their first Slamdance short decades back, before reminding the audience that any interest you court in a short film is reason to stay true to that unadulterated vision. The mic […]...
- 1/28/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Last evening at Jupiter Bowl in Kimball Junction, the 2015 Sundance Short Film Awards were doled out over a somewhat temperamental microphone. Stationed at the foot of a bowling alley, Director of Programming Trevor Groth said a few words before turning it over to Jared Hess, who is at the festival with his latest, Don Verdean. Hess told a nice anecdote about forcing his wife Jerusha Hess to invite Pauly Shore to a screening of their first Slamdance short decades back, before reminding the audience that any interest you court in a short film is reason to stay true to that unadulterated vision. The mic […]...
- 1/28/2015
- by Sarah Salovaara
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
I know that most of you have seen Napoleon Dynamite. I am equally certain that most of you can quote one, if not more, lines from that aforementioned film of awkward hilarity. But you might not be aware of what Jared and Jerusha Hess have done since they unleashed Napoleon and his weird clique on an unsuspecting world. Lionsgate is hoping that you will still have some passion left for their work, though, as they picked up the Hess’ new film Don Verdean very quickly at Sundance.
Lionsgate acquired the film for U.S. distribution several days in advance of its premiere at Sundance – which either says that the studio is hard up for new releases, or that they have great faith in what the Hesses have produced.
For those who don’t know, Don Verdean features Sam Rockwell as a biblical archaeologist hired by a pastor to find artifacts from the Holy Land.
Lionsgate acquired the film for U.S. distribution several days in advance of its premiere at Sundance – which either says that the studio is hard up for new releases, or that they have great faith in what the Hesses have produced.
For those who don’t know, Don Verdean features Sam Rockwell as a biblical archaeologist hired by a pastor to find artifacts from the Holy Land.
- 1/23/2015
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
The 2015 Sundance Film Festival won't even begin until tomorrow, but Lionsgate has already picked up a film debuting in Park City this month. It's been 11 years since director Jared Hess made a huge splash at Sundance with Napoleon Dynamite, and now he's back with Don Verdean, a new comedy starring Sam Rockwell, Jemaine Clement, Amy Ryan, Danny McBride, Will Forte and more. And now Deadline reports Lionsgate has already picked up the distribution rights to the film before it premieres next week. Does this mean that Hess might finally have another good film to follow his breakthrough indie sensation? We certainly hope so, especially since it's one of our 10 most anticipated films of the festival. More below! Here's our first look at Jared Hess' Don Verdean from the Sundance film guide: Don Verdean is directed by Jared Jess (Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre), who co-wrote the script with his brother Jerusha Hess.
- 1/22/2015
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
The Sundance Film Festival’s Premieres section is “A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.”
Mississippi Grind — Image courtesy of The Sundance Institute
Mississippi Grind
Written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
From the writing and directing duo that brought us Half Nelson and It’s Kind of a Funny Story comes Mississippi Grind, starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn as a pair of desperate gamblers on the road. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have thus far earned a solid indie reputation, so there’s not much reason to doubt that they’ll deliver engaging content even if one’s unsure of the acting team that’s being put to task. Reynolds’ name may suffer from overexposure in big studio flops like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Green Lantern, whereas Mendelsohn’s growing respectability flies well below pop culture’s radar.
Mississippi Grind — Image courtesy of The Sundance Institute
Mississippi Grind
Written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
From the writing and directing duo that brought us Half Nelson and It’s Kind of a Funny Story comes Mississippi Grind, starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn as a pair of desperate gamblers on the road. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have thus far earned a solid indie reputation, so there’s not much reason to doubt that they’ll deliver engaging content even if one’s unsure of the acting team that’s being put to task. Reynolds’ name may suffer from overexposure in big studio flops like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Green Lantern, whereas Mendelsohn’s growing respectability flies well below pop culture’s radar.
- 1/17/2015
- by Lane Scarberry
- SoundOnSight
The 2015 Sundance Film Festival has been slowly unveiling the films that will screen in Park City, Ut from January 22-February 1. We’ve already listed the midnight line up as well as the list of films in competition. Now, the Premieres have been revealed and the event is looking more and more promising. The entire slate include films directed by Noah Baumbach, James Ponsoldt, Paul Weitz, Jared Hess, Joe Swanberg, Charles Stone III and others. Here is the full list.
Premieres
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.
Brooklyn / United Kingdom (Director: John Crowley, Screenwriter: Nick Hornby, based on the book by Colm Tóibín) — 1950s Ireland: Eilis must confront a terrible dilemma — a heartbreaking choice between two men and two countries, between duty and true love. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent.
Digging for Fire / U.
Premieres
A showcase of world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated narrative films of the coming year.
Brooklyn / United Kingdom (Director: John Crowley, Screenwriter: Nick Hornby, based on the book by Colm Tóibín) — 1950s Ireland: Eilis must confront a terrible dilemma — a heartbreaking choice between two men and two countries, between duty and true love. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent.
Digging for Fire / U.
- 12/9/2014
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Last year’s slate of seventeen Narrative Premieres (excluding secret screenings of Boyhood and Nymphomaniac: Vol. I) refreshingly included works from first time filmmakers. I hadn’t seen it coming but Little Accidents and The One I Love were included among the likes of Calvary, Frank and Love is Strange. 2015 will be a true we Swanberg family affair with Joe Swanberg joining wife Kris (Unexpected) with a feature as well in Digging for Fire. James Ponsoldt is officially four for four with Sundance — his latest End of the Tour should be a slam dunk for the Eccles. Sticking to the numbers game… we’ll have a lovely bedfellow pairings of Kyle Patrick Alvarez’s already announced The Stanford Prison Experiment which is going to be mentioned in many loglines alongside Michael Almereyda’s Experimenter - about the Milgram experiment. Among the filmmaking duos we were expecting, we find Mississippi Grind...
- 12/8/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The Sundance Institute effectively filled out its slate for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival with the announcement of the always star-friendly premieres category. It's also where many former Sundance filmmakers bring their second, third and even fourth films back to the fest. This year the category features 16 world premieres and almost all of them are from Sundance alumni, including Ryan Fleck ("Half Nelson"), Noah Baumbach ("The Squid and the Whale"), Joe Swanberg ("VHS"), Jared Hess ("Napoleon Dynamite"), James Ponsoldt ("The Spectacular Now"), Michael Almereyda (2000's "Hamlet"), Rodrigo Garcia ("Nine Lives"), Benson Lee ("Miss Monday"), Leslye Headland ("Bachelorette"), and Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman ("American Splendor"). Some of the intriguing titles include Paul Weitz's "Grandma" with Lily Tomlin and Laverne Cox, Ryan Fleck and Anna Bowden's "Mississippi Grind" with Ryan Reynolds and Sienna Miller, Garcia's "Last Days in the Desert" featuring Ewan McGregor as Jesus, Charles Stone III's "Lila...
- 12/8/2014
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
What a difference a year makes. In 2003, Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess, and Jon Heder — students at Brigham Young University's film school — were just another trio of independent filmmakers working the festival circuit in Park City. Their short film "Peluca," about a fanny pack-wearing teen named Seth, was selected to screen at the Slamdance Film Festival. If the protagonist sounds slightly familiar, it's because he was the prototype for the titular geek hero of Napoleon Dynamite, the micro-budget indie that would become the toast of that city's other film fest — Sundance...
- 8/28/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Marvel Studios
Creating lovable bands of misfits for the movies is not an easy feat, by any stretch of the imagination. A big part of that is down to the fact that misfits are often lone wolves who don’t work well with others – there are hundreds of movies featuring outsiders, but few and far between are the films that group them together, and even fewer that do it well.
Everything that Marvel has teased for James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy suggests it’s going to be one of those few films that buck the trend. Getting to see Peter Quill / Star-Lord unite with Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot is pretty much guaranteed to be some of the most fun you’ll have in the cinema all year.
And with it all leading to something even bigger – namely, Phase Three of the McU – you can...
Creating lovable bands of misfits for the movies is not an easy feat, by any stretch of the imagination. A big part of that is down to the fact that misfits are often lone wolves who don’t work well with others – there are hundreds of movies featuring outsiders, but few and far between are the films that group them together, and even fewer that do it well.
Everything that Marvel has teased for James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy suggests it’s going to be one of those few films that buck the trend. Getting to see Peter Quill / Star-Lord unite with Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot is pretty much guaranteed to be some of the most fun you’ll have in the cinema all year.
And with it all leading to something even bigger – namely, Phase Three of the McU – you can...
- 7/23/2014
- by Kenji Lloyd
- Obsessed with Film
Sundance Institute today announced the films and music acts that will headline the Sundance Next Fest summer festival August 7-10 in Los Angeles. Next Fest, headquartered at the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, celebrates the intersection of film and music and the renegade spirit of independent artists. Tickets ($15-25) go on sale to Sundance Institute members today and all others tomorrow at sundance.org/next
In addition to a 10th Anniversary screening of "Napoleon Dynamite" with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery as the festival’s kickoff event on August 7, Next Fest will present the Los Angeles premieres of six films that first screened at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and offer unfettered creativity and fresh perspectives. The program features a zombie love story, an Iranian-set vampire movie, a modern tale of buried treasure, a thriller about a mysterious soldier, and films that explore the perils of artistic ambition amongst gang life in Watts and the literary world of New York respectively.
Each film screens once at the Theatre at Ace Hotel August 8-10 and will be paired with either a special music act that shares a complementary artistic sensibility or conversations that bring together filmmakers with those who inspired them. The Sundance Film Festival programming staff selected the films and music acts for Next Fest.
The festival is an extension of the popular Next <=> section at the Sundance Film Festival, which showcases stylistically adventurous and bold films, and builds on the Institute’s Next Weekend event, hosted in 2013.
John Cooper , Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “Next Fest is a continuation of our efforts to connect film-loving audiences with the next generation of independent filmmakers. The unique convergence of film and music enhances the experience of each and offers fresh insight into the talent and vision of these outstanding independent artists.”
Trevor Groth , Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In the heart of one of the most creative cities in the world, Next Fest will launch a new wave of film and music talent into the artistic atmosphere. The Theatre at Ace Hotel, with its roots in cinematic trailblazing, will serve as the ideal hub for this cultural adventure.”
Sundance Institute members have access to a host of benefits related to Next Fest, including the ability to purchase tickets today, before they go on sale to the general public tomorrow. At the August 7 screening with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, members will enjoy a reserved seating section and receive an exclusive tote bag, screenprinted live at the event by Hit + Run. Members are also invited to a special party during Next Fest and are eligible to win a prize package including a three-night stay at the Ace Hotel plus airfare. For more information visit Here
The film schedule is as follows:
Thursday, August 7,
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
"Napoleon Dynamite" (Director: Jared Hess, Screenwriters: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess) — From the rural town of Preston, Idaho, comes Napoleon Dynamite – a new kind of hero. He spends his days drawing magical beasts, working on his computer hacking skills to impress the chicks, and begrudgingly feeding his Grandma's pet llama. When his friend Pedro runs for class president, Napoleon helps him triumph over adversity. The film premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Cast: Jon Heder, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Sandy Martin, Efren Ramirez. Special guests to be announced. 10th Anniversary Screening
Friday, August 8, 8:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Life After Beth" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser. Los Angeles Premiere
Father John Misty — Father John Misty is the charismatic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and performer who released his debut album, Fear Fun in 2012 to universal praise. The acclaim, emboldened by his incredible live show, led to multiple sold-out tours and high profile TV performances on Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is currently at work on his follow up, due in early 2015. Next Fest will feature a solo acoustic performance.
Saturday, August 9, 1:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter" / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director David Zellner and co-screenwriter Nathan Zellner with a special guest to be announced.
Saturday, August 9, 4:45 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Listen Up Philip"/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol's daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Alex Ross Perry and Jason Schwartzman with a special guest to be announced.
Saturday, August 9, 8:30 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Imperial Dreams" / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic ) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds. Winner of the Audience Award: Best of Next <=> at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Los Angeles Premiere
Tinashe : Tinashe does everything on her own terms. The stunning 21-year-old singer, songwriter and performer arrives with a distinct and dynamic vision of R&B punctuated by hip-hop attitude, pop flavor, rock swagger and electronica spark. It all comes to life vividly on Aquarius, her forthcoming full-length debut on RCA Records.
Sunday, August 10, 4:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"The Guest" / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Wingard, Screenwriter: Simon Barrett) — A soldier on leave arrives at the home of a fallen comrade. Friendly and helpful, they welcome him in, but when people start mysteriously dying in town, mayhem ensues as their teenage daughter starts wondering if he’s responsible. Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Chase Williamson, Brendan Meyer. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Adam Wingard and a special guest to be announced.
Sunday, August 10, 7:45 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town of Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. Los Angeles Premiere
Warpaint — Warpaint was formed in 2004 and comprises Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa. They recently released their self-titled second album to rave reviews. Rolling Stone described it as, “The perfect backdrop for your next midnight séance or moonlit dance party” and W Magazine said, “If the La band’s first album was the sonic equivalent of falling into happy slumber, then its newly released follow-up is a beautifully lucid dream...
In addition to a 10th Anniversary screening of "Napoleon Dynamite" with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery as the festival’s kickoff event on August 7, Next Fest will present the Los Angeles premieres of six films that first screened at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and offer unfettered creativity and fresh perspectives. The program features a zombie love story, an Iranian-set vampire movie, a modern tale of buried treasure, a thriller about a mysterious soldier, and films that explore the perils of artistic ambition amongst gang life in Watts and the literary world of New York respectively.
Each film screens once at the Theatre at Ace Hotel August 8-10 and will be paired with either a special music act that shares a complementary artistic sensibility or conversations that bring together filmmakers with those who inspired them. The Sundance Film Festival programming staff selected the films and music acts for Next Fest.
The festival is an extension of the popular Next <=> section at the Sundance Film Festival, which showcases stylistically adventurous and bold films, and builds on the Institute’s Next Weekend event, hosted in 2013.
John Cooper , Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “Next Fest is a continuation of our efforts to connect film-loving audiences with the next generation of independent filmmakers. The unique convergence of film and music enhances the experience of each and offers fresh insight into the talent and vision of these outstanding independent artists.”
Trevor Groth , Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In the heart of one of the most creative cities in the world, Next Fest will launch a new wave of film and music talent into the artistic atmosphere. The Theatre at Ace Hotel, with its roots in cinematic trailblazing, will serve as the ideal hub for this cultural adventure.”
Sundance Institute members have access to a host of benefits related to Next Fest, including the ability to purchase tickets today, before they go on sale to the general public tomorrow. At the August 7 screening with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, members will enjoy a reserved seating section and receive an exclusive tote bag, screenprinted live at the event by Hit + Run. Members are also invited to a special party during Next Fest and are eligible to win a prize package including a three-night stay at the Ace Hotel plus airfare. For more information visit Here
The film schedule is as follows:
Thursday, August 7,
Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
"Napoleon Dynamite" (Director: Jared Hess, Screenwriters: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess) — From the rural town of Preston, Idaho, comes Napoleon Dynamite – a new kind of hero. He spends his days drawing magical beasts, working on his computer hacking skills to impress the chicks, and begrudgingly feeding his Grandma's pet llama. When his friend Pedro runs for class president, Napoleon helps him triumph over adversity. The film premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Cast: Jon Heder, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Sandy Martin, Efren Ramirez. Special guests to be announced. 10th Anniversary Screening
Friday, August 8, 8:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Life After Beth" / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser. Los Angeles Premiere
Father John Misty — Father John Misty is the charismatic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and performer who released his debut album, Fear Fun in 2012 to universal praise. The acclaim, emboldened by his incredible live show, led to multiple sold-out tours and high profile TV performances on Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is currently at work on his follow up, due in early 2015. Next Fest will feature a solo acoustic performance.
Saturday, August 9, 1:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter" / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi. Winner of a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director David Zellner and co-screenwriter Nathan Zellner with a special guest to be announced.
Saturday, August 9, 4:45 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Listen Up Philip"/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol's daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Alex Ross Perry and Jason Schwartzman with a special guest to be announced.
Saturday, August 9, 8:30 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"Imperial Dreams" / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic ) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds. Winner of the Audience Award: Best of Next <=> at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Los Angeles Premiere
Tinashe : Tinashe does everything on her own terms. The stunning 21-year-old singer, songwriter and performer arrives with a distinct and dynamic vision of R&B punctuated by hip-hop attitude, pop flavor, rock swagger and electronica spark. It all comes to life vividly on Aquarius, her forthcoming full-length debut on RCA Records.
Sunday, August 10, 4:00 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
"The Guest" / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Wingard, Screenwriter: Simon Barrett) — A soldier on leave arrives at the home of a fallen comrade. Friendly and helpful, they welcome him in, but when people start mysteriously dying in town, mayhem ensues as their teenage daughter starts wondering if he’s responsible. Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Leland Orser, Lance Reddick, Chase Williamson, Brendan Meyer. Los Angeles Premiere
Followed by a conversation between director Adam Wingard and a special guest to be announced.
Sunday, August 10, 7:45 p.m.
Theatre at Ace Hotel
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town of Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. Los Angeles Premiere
Warpaint — Warpaint was formed in 2004 and comprises Emily Kokal, Theresa Wayman, Jenny Lee Lindberg and Stella Mozgawa. They recently released their self-titled second album to rave reviews. Rolling Stone described it as, “The perfect backdrop for your next midnight séance or moonlit dance party” and W Magazine said, “If the La band’s first album was the sonic equivalent of falling into happy slumber, then its newly released follow-up is a beautifully lucid dream...
- 6/25/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Ten years ago, a little indie comedy shot in Idaho burst into the mainstream and made Napoleon Dynamite a household name. The hilarious story of an awkward high schooler, created by screenwriters Jared and Jerusha Hess and brilliantly embodied by then unknown actor Jon Heder, turned out to be the sleeper hit of the summer of 2004. In honor of tomorrow's ten year anniversary of "Napoleon Dynamite," we've compiled a list of our most favorite lines from the film that we still use to this day, whether or not the situation is appropriate. Bust out a line from "Napoleon Dynamite" in an awkward or funny moment, there's a good chance someone knows exactly what you're talking about...and knows the next line after it. 1. "Tina you fat lard come get some dinner. Tina! Eat the Food!"-Napoleon (Jon Heder) To this day, if I'm making dinner for someone, I will announce...
- 6/10/2014
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
Kidnap drama Prisoners is sombre yet slick, while the Bafta-nominated Wadjda is a rich tale about a rebellious Saudi schoolgirl
February is traditionally the greyest, dampest month and therefore an opportune time to unleash Prisoners (Entertainment One, 15) into Britain's living rooms: Denis Villeneuve's rain-pelted, Pennsylvania-set thriller is so ostentatiously gloomy as to make the dregs of winter positively sparkle by comparison. That's a compliment of sorts. Solemn, cement-thick atmosphere – Roger Deakins's cinematography has been deservedly Oscar-nominated – elevates the absurdities in this lengthy, engrossing bit of pulp, which follows a suburban kidnapping case through to some very bitter ends.
Hugh Jackman (on unusually steely form) is the rampaging father scorned, Jake Gyllenhaal reprises his Zodiac performance to slightly lesser effect as the dogged detective, Melissa Leo plays the patented Melissa Leo role as the mangy shut-in who may or may not know more than she's letting on. Québécois auteur...
February is traditionally the greyest, dampest month and therefore an opportune time to unleash Prisoners (Entertainment One, 15) into Britain's living rooms: Denis Villeneuve's rain-pelted, Pennsylvania-set thriller is so ostentatiously gloomy as to make the dregs of winter positively sparkle by comparison. That's a compliment of sorts. Solemn, cement-thick atmosphere – Roger Deakins's cinematography has been deservedly Oscar-nominated – elevates the absurdities in this lengthy, engrossing bit of pulp, which follows a suburban kidnapping case through to some very bitter ends.
Hugh Jackman (on unusually steely form) is the rampaging father scorned, Jake Gyllenhaal reprises his Zodiac performance to slightly lesser effect as the dogged detective, Melissa Leo plays the patented Melissa Leo role as the mangy shut-in who may or may not know more than she's letting on. Québécois auteur...
- 2/2/2014
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Feb. 11, 2014
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
For anyone who can’t get enough of Mr. Darcy and the other characters in Jane Austen’s books, welcome to Austenland.
In the movie, Keri Russell (TV’s The Americans) plays Jane Hayes, one such devoted fan, who has saved all her money for a trip of a lifetime — to the eccentric resort Austenland, where fans can live out the Regency era of the books.
Armed with her bonnet, corset and needlepoint, Jane aims to avoid spinsterhood, but her difficulties come in figuring out where the fantasy ends and real life – and maybe love — begins.
Rated PG-13, Austenland also stars Jane Seymour (Love Wedding Marriage), Jennifer Coolidge (American Reunion), J.J. Feild (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Bret McKenzie (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). The film was directed by first-time helmer Jerusha Hess on a screenplay...
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
For anyone who can’t get enough of Mr. Darcy and the other characters in Jane Austen’s books, welcome to Austenland.
In the movie, Keri Russell (TV’s The Americans) plays Jane Hayes, one such devoted fan, who has saved all her money for a trip of a lifetime — to the eccentric resort Austenland, where fans can live out the Regency era of the books.
Armed with her bonnet, corset and needlepoint, Jane aims to avoid spinsterhood, but her difficulties come in figuring out where the fantasy ends and real life – and maybe love — begins.
Rated PG-13, Austenland also stars Jane Seymour (Love Wedding Marriage), Jennifer Coolidge (American Reunion), J.J. Feild (Captain America: The First Avenger) and Bret McKenzie (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). The film was directed by first-time helmer Jerusha Hess on a screenplay...
- 12/6/2013
- by Sam
- Disc Dish
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