IDFA’s Artistic Director on Defending Seriousness, Dreams, Experimentation in Documentary Filmmaking
Amsterdam’s documentary festival IDFA’s 34th edition wrapped on Sunday as an in-person event, having weathered the partial lockdown in the Netherlands. Variety speaks to artistic director Orwa Nyrabia about this year’s edition.
He says of documentary filmmakers: “I prefer to spend my life with this bunch. These people are beautiful, they are kind, accessible and down to earth,” adding that they make him think of Johnny Cash.
“Do you know this song, ‘Man in Black’? That’s what this community feels like. It’s a good exercise to organize a festival that celebrates them, that’s chic but not too chic to make everyone uncomfortable. After all, these films depict the world that’s in pain. It was wonderful to show Andrea Arnold that by making ‘Cow’ she came to the place where she is not being asked about what she’s wearing. We are curious about what she does.
He says of documentary filmmakers: “I prefer to spend my life with this bunch. These people are beautiful, they are kind, accessible and down to earth,” adding that they make him think of Johnny Cash.
“Do you know this song, ‘Man in Black’? That’s what this community feels like. It’s a good exercise to organize a festival that celebrates them, that’s chic but not too chic to make everyone uncomfortable. After all, these films depict the world that’s in pain. It was wonderful to show Andrea Arnold that by making ‘Cow’ she came to the place where she is not being asked about what she’s wearing. We are curious about what she does.
- 11/28/2021
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…and while God was doing that, Timur Bekmambetov created the series iBible — which will be premiering its first five episodes at SXSW starting March 16.
iBible is a screenlife project from Bekmambetov which, as the title suggests, tells biblical stories through the screen of a smartphone via the various apps we interact with on a daily basis. The audience will be able to scroll through two-minute episodes that dive into a famous story from the Book of Genesis: Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Cain and Abel, David and Goliath, Ten Commandments, among others. This would be perfect Quibi fodder… if the mobile platform still existed.
Josh Robert Thompson utilizes a Morgan Freeman impersonation to provide a voice to God as he uses a smartphone to create the universe. We don’t get to see the face of God, but we...
iBible is a screenlife project from Bekmambetov which, as the title suggests, tells biblical stories through the screen of a smartphone via the various apps we interact with on a daily basis. The audience will be able to scroll through two-minute episodes that dive into a famous story from the Book of Genesis: Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, Cain and Abel, David and Goliath, Ten Commandments, among others. This would be perfect Quibi fodder… if the mobile platform still existed.
Josh Robert Thompson utilizes a Morgan Freeman impersonation to provide a voice to God as he uses a smartphone to create the universe. We don’t get to see the face of God, but we...
- 3/10/2021
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
The Kenyan film Softie is gaining momentum as documentary features make their closing arguments for inclusion on the Oscar shortlist, with preliminary voting set to wrap up Friday. The film was nominated Tuesday for a Producers Guild Award, honoring the work of director-producer Sam Soko and producer Toni Kamau.
“Crying!!! Stunned! Screaming!!! What?!!” Kamau tweeted in reaction to the nomination. For his part, Soko tweeted, “Hoarse from screaming with [Toni Kamau] because this is unbelievable!”
The PGA recognition follows a nomination as Best Feature at the IDA Documentary Awards last month, as well as prizes at film festivals around the world, including Durban, South Africa. Softie, the story of Kenyan photojournalist-turned-political-candidate Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, began its awards journey a year ago at the Sundance Film Festival, where Park City crowds “got” the film, overcoming the filmmakers’ concern about a potential culture gap.
“It was magical to see people laugh in the same...
“Crying!!! Stunned! Screaming!!! What?!!” Kamau tweeted in reaction to the nomination. For his part, Soko tweeted, “Hoarse from screaming with [Toni Kamau] because this is unbelievable!”
The PGA recognition follows a nomination as Best Feature at the IDA Documentary Awards last month, as well as prizes at film festivals around the world, including Durban, South Africa. Softie, the story of Kenyan photojournalist-turned-political-candidate Boniface “Softie” Mwangi, began its awards journey a year ago at the Sundance Film Festival, where Park City crowds “got” the film, overcoming the filmmakers’ concern about a potential culture gap.
“It was magical to see people laugh in the same...
- 2/3/2021
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO Max has put an “Outliers” anthology project into development, based on the best-selling book by Malcolm Gladwell. The first subject of the potential series will be Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Brian Grazer (“Genius”), Ron Howard (“Genius”), and Samie Kim Falvey will executive produce for Imagine Television Studios, along with Gladwell and Greg Walker, who also serves as writer and showrunner. CBS Studios is a co-producing partner, and James Seidman will oversee for Imagine.
The series will be part historical drama and part biopic, and will examine what makes people successful and at what cost. The first season will be based on the New Yorker article, “How Anthony Fauci Became America’s Doctor” by Michael Specter.
Also Read: CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta Calls Dr. Fauci's Low Profile a 'Loss for the Country' (Video)
“I am thrilled to be working with my...
Brian Grazer (“Genius”), Ron Howard (“Genius”), and Samie Kim Falvey will executive produce for Imagine Television Studios, along with Gladwell and Greg Walker, who also serves as writer and showrunner. CBS Studios is a co-producing partner, and James Seidman will oversee for Imagine.
The series will be part historical drama and part biopic, and will examine what makes people successful and at what cost. The first season will be based on the New Yorker article, “How Anthony Fauci Became America’s Doctor” by Michael Specter.
Also Read: CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta Calls Dr. Fauci's Low Profile a 'Loss for the Country' (Video)
“I am thrilled to be working with my...
- 6/22/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
If you loved the indie film Turbo Kid, you're absolutely going to love this. Alien Expedition takes the genre of intentional sci-fi camp and does it some real justice in its two-minute trailer. I for one am really hoping one of the streaming services snags this film up so I can watch it without having to do a lot of searching months from now. Check out the synopsis and trailer below, and watch the film's website for information on a potential release date:
After a deep space exploration vessel discovers a potentially habitable planet, a scouting team composed of human and biorobotic individuals is dispatched to investigate the planet’s resources. Once on the ground, their reconnaissance mission soon turns into a battle for survival against the planet’s hostile alien lifeforms.
By the way this film hails from The Wallace Brothers, who you may know from their 2016 film David and Goliath.
After a deep space exploration vessel discovers a potentially habitable planet, a scouting team composed of human and biorobotic individuals is dispatched to investigate the planet’s resources. Once on the ground, their reconnaissance mission soon turns into a battle for survival against the planet’s hostile alien lifeforms.
By the way this film hails from The Wallace Brothers, who you may know from their 2016 film David and Goliath.
- 7/6/2018
- by Mick Joest
- GeekTyrant
Attorney Lisa Bloom will represent a Facebook user being sued by ex-Fox News Channel host Bill O’Reilly in what the attorney called a “David and Goliath” case. Bloom appeared on ABC’s The View today to try to explain why she was working as part of Harvey Weinstein’s legal team when the New York Times and New Yorker published explosive reports of the first wave of women coming forward with lurid tales of sexual predation at Weinstein’s hands. “I very much regret ever being…...
- 11/10/2017
- Deadline TV
Let’s take a moment to recall the 2008 MTV Vma Best New Artist nominees.
That year, Tokio Hotel (what?!) upset Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Jordin Sparks for the annual honor, in a sort of curse of fate that befalls many Best New Artists, as Tokio Hotel went on to not make much of an impact stateside (they’ve fared much better in their homeland of Germany), while Sparks grabbed a couple of chart-climbing hits, and Swift, Perry and Cyrus became… well, you know… megastars.
Photo: Getty Images
Perry’s 2010 Teenage Dream album is matched only by Michael Jackson’s Bad in the number of No. 1 singles it produced, Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” of an album frenzy was arguably the most culturally relevant (and arguably, appropriative) phenomenon of 2013, and Swift -- a self-image virtuoso and omnipresent millennial icon -- transformed from the “Teardrops on My Guitar” country darling, to the victim of the most infamous mic-grabbing in recorded...
That year, Tokio Hotel (what?!) upset Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Jordin Sparks for the annual honor, in a sort of curse of fate that befalls many Best New Artists, as Tokio Hotel went on to not make much of an impact stateside (they’ve fared much better in their homeland of Germany), while Sparks grabbed a couple of chart-climbing hits, and Swift, Perry and Cyrus became… well, you know… megastars.
Photo: Getty Images
Perry’s 2010 Teenage Dream album is matched only by Michael Jackson’s Bad in the number of No. 1 singles it produced, Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” of an album frenzy was arguably the most culturally relevant (and arguably, appropriative) phenomenon of 2013, and Swift -- a self-image virtuoso and omnipresent millennial icon -- transformed from the “Teardrops on My Guitar” country darling, to the victim of the most infamous mic-grabbing in recorded...
- 11/9/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from the Season 2 premiere of “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,” titled “Space Rabbit.”]
“How did I forget how annoying you are?” asks Todd Brotzman (Elijah Wood) in the trailer for BBC America’s “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” It’s a familiar feeling for viewers reentering the world Max Landis adapted from Douglas Adams’ source material because just as with last year, this season is not content to unspool a story quietly, logically, or with any sort of restraint.
The overstuffed episode checks back in with eight returning characters (yes, we’re also counting Rowdy 3 member Vogel and the dog Rapunzel), and introduces at least eight more. Despite that surfeit of players, we have yet to even meet Alan Tudyk, who joins this year as the gun-happy Mr. Priest.
Read More:‘Dirk Gently’: 7 Blunt Statements About Max Landis and the Lunatic World He’s Created in Season 2
A little over two months have passed since all hell broke loose in the Season 1 finale,...
“How did I forget how annoying you are?” asks Todd Brotzman (Elijah Wood) in the trailer for BBC America’s “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency.” It’s a familiar feeling for viewers reentering the world Max Landis adapted from Douglas Adams’ source material because just as with last year, this season is not content to unspool a story quietly, logically, or with any sort of restraint.
The overstuffed episode checks back in with eight returning characters (yes, we’re also counting Rowdy 3 member Vogel and the dog Rapunzel), and introduces at least eight more. Despite that surfeit of players, we have yet to even meet Alan Tudyk, who joins this year as the gun-happy Mr. Priest.
Read More:‘Dirk Gently’: 7 Blunt Statements About Max Landis and the Lunatic World He’s Created in Season 2
A little over two months have passed since all hell broke loose in the Season 1 finale,...
- 10/15/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
You’d seen Rocky take on someone bigger than him before, but this was akin to a true David and Goliath story. Ivan Drago was almost twice Rocky’s size and could punch hard enough to send your heart bouncing against your backbone if he connected. Just watching Rocky take on the big Russian and, in some ways, the very government of the nation he’d wandered into, was inspiring in some ways until you took a look at the beating he was taking. Worse still is the fact that Sylvester Stallone was really taking some of those shots. Doing his own stunts
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Rocky IV...
10 Things You Didn’t Know about Rocky IV...
- 10/14/2017
- by Wake
- TVovermind.com
The “Hell or High Water” band is getting back together after earning four Oscar nominations. Filmmaker David Mackenzie will once again be directing Chris Pine in the Netflix historical action drama “Outlaw King.” Pine arguably delivered his finest work as bank robber Toby Howard in “Hell or High Water,” which makes the prospect of a Mackenzie reunion quite enticing.
Read More:Netflix to Make ‘Outlaw King’ With ‘Hell or High Water’s’ David Mackenzie and Chris Pine
“Outlaw King” tells the David and Goliath story of how the Scottish outlaw Robert the Bruce defeated the much larger and better equipped English army during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. Mel Gibson tackled the same time period in his five-time Oscar winner “Braveheart.”
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to dig deep into the story of Robert the Bruce and to discover some of the truths that often get obscured by legend,...
Read More:Netflix to Make ‘Outlaw King’ With ‘Hell or High Water’s’ David Mackenzie and Chris Pine
“Outlaw King” tells the David and Goliath story of how the Scottish outlaw Robert the Bruce defeated the much larger and better equipped English army during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. Mel Gibson tackled the same time period in his five-time Oscar winner “Braveheart.”
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to dig deep into the story of Robert the Bruce and to discover some of the truths that often get obscured by legend,...
- 9/8/2017
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
In this week’s final casting roundup, give in to “Nostalgia,” an upcoming indie dramatic thriller. The production is currently seeking its lead actor, as well as several additional lead, supporting, and background roles. There are also roles for eclectic talent in an international commercial, a feature film about tomb raiders uncovering secrets, and a host for a production at Scary Mommy! “Nostalgia”Casting is currently underway for “Nostalgia,” an upcoming indie dramatic thriller that’s described as “a ‘Mulholland Drive’-style David and Goliath story.” The film follows a young woman who is baited by a demonic presence and must commune with her deceased mother to confront what is afflicting her. A 24-year-old female actor is wanted for the lead role of Mallory. Full-frontal nudity is required for the role (will be in director’s cut, not theatrical release). There are also several additional lead, supporting, and background roles...
- 9/1/2017
- backstage.com
In the age of peak TV, we’ve gotten to see many series which are constructed to be satisfying after just one season of storytelling. But it’s important to remember that this is a relatively new phenomenon, that all too often, potentially great shows will get cancelled before getting the chance to reach their full potential.
Read More:8 Cancelled TV Shows That Got A ‘Twin Peaks’-Style Revival
The list below focuses on scripted series, reaching back over two decades to cover some of television history’s most disappointing ends. The aim is to remember some of network and cable’s most audacious experiments, for better and for worse.
25. “Almost Human” (2013-2014)
In many ways, “Almost Human” was deeply flawed to a degree that made its cancellation understandable — it struggled to balance too many plot threads with an over-reliance on recycled world-building, ultimately failing to coalesce despite some ambitious...
Read More:8 Cancelled TV Shows That Got A ‘Twin Peaks’-Style Revival
The list below focuses on scripted series, reaching back over two decades to cover some of television history’s most disappointing ends. The aim is to remember some of network and cable’s most audacious experiments, for better and for worse.
25. “Almost Human” (2013-2014)
In many ways, “Almost Human” was deeply flawed to a degree that made its cancellation understandable — it struggled to balance too many plot threads with an over-reliance on recycled world-building, ultimately failing to coalesce despite some ambitious...
- 8/15/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Hounds of Love..
In a David and Goliath battle, the screenplays for Ben Young.s debut feature Hounds of Love and Mel Gibson.s Hacksaw Ridge will compete for the original feature film prize at this year.s Awgie Awards.
That pits a low-budgeted film scripted by Young, which has grossed $125,000 in three weeks at six Australian cinemas, against the $US40 million WW2 drama written by Andrew Knight with Robert Schenkkan, which has amassed $US175.3 million worldwide.
There is only one nomination for the feature film adaptation category so the winner almost certainly will be Luke Davies for Lion, based on Saroo Brierley.s memoir.
The 50th Annual Awgie Awards presented by the Australian Writers. Guild will be handed out in Sydney on Friday August 25.
Individual category winners will be eligible for the Major Award, given to the most outstanding script of the year. Past winners have included the writers...
In a David and Goliath battle, the screenplays for Ben Young.s debut feature Hounds of Love and Mel Gibson.s Hacksaw Ridge will compete for the original feature film prize at this year.s Awgie Awards.
That pits a low-budgeted film scripted by Young, which has grossed $125,000 in three weeks at six Australian cinemas, against the $US40 million WW2 drama written by Andrew Knight with Robert Schenkkan, which has amassed $US175.3 million worldwide.
There is only one nomination for the feature film adaptation category so the winner almost certainly will be Luke Davies for Lion, based on Saroo Brierley.s memoir.
The 50th Annual Awgie Awards presented by the Australian Writers. Guild will be handed out in Sydney on Friday August 25.
Individual category winners will be eligible for the Major Award, given to the most outstanding script of the year. Past winners have included the writers...
- 6/20/2017
- by Don Groves
- IF.com.au
It’s now hard to imagine a time when football was without goal line technology (Glt). The last few years have proven many things; the fact Luis Suarez randomly bites opposing players without warning, that England are a million miles away from winning a major tournament, underdogs can win the Premier League, and most importantly, that there is room within the game for technology.
With Glt being a huge success, it must once and for all convince the doubters that video technology will not ruin the game. In July 2010 English hearts were broken when Frank Lampard’s perfectly good goal wasn’t awarded, but without knowing it then, football was to change forever. This incident was the moment that Sepp Blatter re-opened discussions concerning the use of Glt, and how happy are we they decided to do that. Some moments, (Lampard’s goal against Germany not being the case), are impossible to call.
With Glt being a huge success, it must once and for all convince the doubters that video technology will not ruin the game. In July 2010 English hearts were broken when Frank Lampard’s perfectly good goal wasn’t awarded, but without knowing it then, football was to change forever. This incident was the moment that Sepp Blatter re-opened discussions concerning the use of Glt, and how happy are we they decided to do that. Some moments, (Lampard’s goal against Germany not being the case), are impossible to call.
- 5/19/2017
- by kieranedwards
- The Cultural Post
Jessica Chastain headlines Miss Sloane, which will hopefully make more of a splash in the UK than it made in the Us...
The Us release of Miss Sloane came in the same month as the 2016 presidential election finally came to pass, and perhaps it's only down to a general exasperation with politics that it has been so overlooked. The absurdity of the news has only been compounded over the six months that it's taken to arrive in UK cinemas, but it's testament to how well executed the film is that this story of corruption and skullduggery in Washington DC still seems remarkable.
The film centres on Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain), a ruthless lobbyist who has been hauled in to plead the Fifth in front of an ethics committee (chaired by John Lithgow's pompous senator), and the three months that led to these proceedings. Miss Sloane has quite the reputation in Washington,...
The Us release of Miss Sloane came in the same month as the 2016 presidential election finally came to pass, and perhaps it's only down to a general exasperation with politics that it has been so overlooked. The absurdity of the news has only been compounded over the six months that it's taken to arrive in UK cinemas, but it's testament to how well executed the film is that this story of corruption and skullduggery in Washington DC still seems remarkable.
The film centres on Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain), a ruthless lobbyist who has been hauled in to plead the Fifth in front of an ethics committee (chaired by John Lithgow's pompous senator), and the three months that led to these proceedings. Miss Sloane has quite the reputation in Washington,...
- 5/14/2017
- Den of Geek
Author: Adam Lowes
Resembling a kind of David and Goliath tale in the pushing back against the kind of homogeny that seemingly comes hand in hand with urbanisation, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City is a fascinating history lesson which never feels preachy nor heavy-handed. Director Matt Tyrnauer (armed with a generous quantity of gorgeous archive footage) brings an accessibility and light touch to the story, managing to engage and entertain without it ever turning into a dry polemic.
It helps immensely that the film’s subject matter – author, journalist and activist Jane Jacobs – is such an appealing and admirable figure. Focused primarily on urban studies in the Us during the 1960’s, Jacobs’ bookish exterior betrays the vociferous dissident nature within, which favoured brain over brawn. It was this approach which saw her prevail many times, particularly during the fight which forms the basis of this film, when she went...
Resembling a kind of David and Goliath tale in the pushing back against the kind of homogeny that seemingly comes hand in hand with urbanisation, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City is a fascinating history lesson which never feels preachy nor heavy-handed. Director Matt Tyrnauer (armed with a generous quantity of gorgeous archive footage) brings an accessibility and light touch to the story, managing to engage and entertain without it ever turning into a dry polemic.
It helps immensely that the film’s subject matter – author, journalist and activist Jane Jacobs – is such an appealing and admirable figure. Focused primarily on urban studies in the Us during the 1960’s, Jacobs’ bookish exterior betrays the vociferous dissident nature within, which favoured brain over brawn. It was this approach which saw her prevail many times, particularly during the fight which forms the basis of this film, when she went...
- 5/5/2017
- by Adam Lowes
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Cell phones and Instagram have made it easier for everyone to be a photographer—but being a good photographer isn’t easy. All the selfie sticks in the world don’t mean a thing without a storyteller’s soul and an eye for detail—and Ben Folds can teach a master class in both.
As the frontman of ’90s piano rock heroes Ben Folds Five and more recently as a solo artist, Folds has penned songs that showcase an unflinching eye, capturing moments and characters with hilarious—and often poignant—honesty. After years of setting scenes with music, he began...
As the frontman of ’90s piano rock heroes Ben Folds Five and more recently as a solo artist, Folds has penned songs that showcase an unflinching eye, capturing moments and characters with hilarious—and often poignant—honesty. After years of setting scenes with music, he began...
- 3/3/2017
- by Jordan Runtagh
- PEOPLE.com
Disney’s 2012 Tony-winning Broadway musical Newsies makes its debut on the big screen this week, playing in movie theaters nationwide for three days beginning Thursday as part of a new partnership between Fathom Events and Disney Theatrical Productions.
It’s an unexpected move for the cult favorite, which had a long journey to success.
Newsies was primed to be the High School Musical hit of 1992 — with a cast of singing and dancing teens (including a young Christian Bale), a score by composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyricist Jack Feldman, and future HSM director Kenny Ortega at the helm.
It’s an unexpected move for the cult favorite, which had a long journey to success.
Newsies was primed to be the High School Musical hit of 1992 — with a cast of singing and dancing teens (including a young Christian Bale), a score by composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyricist Jack Feldman, and future HSM director Kenny Ortega at the helm.
- 2/13/2017
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
The world’s largest short film festival has a new lease on life, but will it learn from past mistakes?
How can one describe the story of Tropfest? What genre or narrative structure might we put it in?
Perhaps it is a David and Goliath battle. The world’s largest short film festival on one hand, and penny-pinching, rights-relinquishing artists on the other. Film-makers who try their hand at Tropfest have long abided by a harsh condition of entry, surrendering ownership of their work, granting the organisation “an exclusive license throughout the universe, in perpetuity”.
Continue reading...
How can one describe the story of Tropfest? What genre or narrative structure might we put it in?
Perhaps it is a David and Goliath battle. The world’s largest short film festival on one hand, and penny-pinching, rights-relinquishing artists on the other. Film-makers who try their hand at Tropfest have long abided by a harsh condition of entry, surrendering ownership of their work, granting the organisation “an exclusive license throughout the universe, in perpetuity”.
Continue reading...
- 2/9/2017
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
A teenaged Hong Kong student takes on the Chinese Communist government and fights it to an international draw. It may sound like the basis for a kids' animated feature, but Joshua: Teenager vs. Super Power is actually a rousing documentary on a youth movement against, essentially, educational brainwashing.
In the most mismatched David and Goliath political scenario you can conjure, Joshua Wong rallies his fellow students to protest the Chinese Communist government's insidious attack on their curriculum. In short, the Communist government is set to impose a system based on the “principles” of their government. It's tantamount to brainwashing and...
In the most mismatched David and Goliath political scenario you can conjure, Joshua Wong rallies his fellow students to protest the Chinese Communist government's insidious attack on their curriculum. In short, the Communist government is set to impose a system based on the “principles” of their government. It's tantamount to brainwashing and...
- 1/28/2017
- by Duane Byrge
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Well “Miss Sloane” certainly picked an interesting weekend to make its world premiere. A barnstorming political thriller about a fiercely intelligent woman who breaks men over her knee and brings Washington D.C. to heel, the latest film from “Shakespeare in Love” director John Madden may have been conceived as a story of empowerment, but in the wake of President-Elect Donald J. Trump. it can’t help but feel like a feminist fantasy from a more hopeful time when the glass ceiling seemed ready to shatter into 160 million tiny pieces — a time that I like to call “last Monday.”
But maybe that will change. Maybe tomorrow — after the smoke clears and our anger coalesces into action — this fierce, over the top, and wholly entertaining saga of lobbyists run amok won’t be seen as a nostalgic throwback so much as a cautionary tale about what’s to come.
Read More:...
But maybe that will change. Maybe tomorrow — after the smoke clears and our anger coalesces into action — this fierce, over the top, and wholly entertaining saga of lobbyists run amok won’t be seen as a nostalgic throwback so much as a cautionary tale about what’s to come.
Read More:...
- 11/12/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
It’s the last day of June, and Billy Bob Thornton and co-star Nina Arianda are standing outside of Los Angeles City Hall, braving the summer heat to shoot a scene for their new Amazon series “Goliath.” It’s the show’s penultimate episode, and IndieWire is spending the day with the cast as they prepare to wrap Season 1.
Written by the Emmy-winning David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro (“The Practice”), “Goliath” stars Thornton as lawyer Billy McBride, whose alcoholism ruined his marriage and got him booted from his own company by his former partner Donald Cooperman (William Hurt). Billy’s apathetic lifestyle changes when low rent practitioner Patty Solis-Papagian (Nina Arianda) enlists his help for what seems like a straightforward wrongful death case. Instead, it pits him against his old company.
Read More: ‘Goliath’ Executive Producer David E. Kelley on Billy Bob Thornton and Amazon – IndieWire’s Turn It...
Written by the Emmy-winning David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro (“The Practice”), “Goliath” stars Thornton as lawyer Billy McBride, whose alcoholism ruined his marriage and got him booted from his own company by his former partner Donald Cooperman (William Hurt). Billy’s apathetic lifestyle changes when low rent practitioner Patty Solis-Papagian (Nina Arianda) enlists his help for what seems like a straightforward wrongful death case. Instead, it pits him against his old company.
Read More: ‘Goliath’ Executive Producer David E. Kelley on Billy Bob Thornton and Amazon – IndieWire’s Turn It...
- 10/14/2016
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
“Every giant has its weakness,” warns Amazon’s trailer for ‘Goliath,’ a new series starring Billy Bob Thornton, William Hurt, Maria Bello and Olivia Thirlby. Season One will premiere October 14th on Amazon Prime, and you can watch the first trailer below.
“Goliath” is a legal drama following formerly celebrated trial lawyer Billy McBride (Thornton), who hesitantly agrees to represent a wrongful death lawsuit against a firm he helped create. As a result, he and his small-time team deal with the consequences of uncovering a legal system that favors wealth and power above truth — a modern day “David and Goliath” tale where the bad guy is corruption disguised as justice.
Read More: ‘Goliath’ Trailer: Billy Bob Thornton Broods in David E. Kelly’s New Amazon Show
The series comes from writers David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal”) and Jonathan Shapiro (“The Practice”) and is directed by David Semel (“Madam Secretary”). The...
“Goliath” is a legal drama following formerly celebrated trial lawyer Billy McBride (Thornton), who hesitantly agrees to represent a wrongful death lawsuit against a firm he helped create. As a result, he and his small-time team deal with the consequences of uncovering a legal system that favors wealth and power above truth — a modern day “David and Goliath” tale where the bad guy is corruption disguised as justice.
Read More: ‘Goliath’ Trailer: Billy Bob Thornton Broods in David E. Kelly’s New Amazon Show
The series comes from writers David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal”) and Jonathan Shapiro (“The Practice”) and is directed by David Semel (“Madam Secretary”). The...
- 9/8/2016
- by Annakeara Stinson
- Indiewire
"Y'all been here for a while? Long enough to watch a bank getting robbed that has been robbing me for 30 years..." CBS Films has unveiled one more official trailer for David Mackenzie's modern western Hell or High Water, from the writer of Sicario and the director of Starred Up. Chris Pine and Ben Foster star as brothers who decide to rob a couple of banks in small towns in Texas. Close to retirement, the Texas Ranger who decides to hunt them down is Marcus, played by Jeff Bridges. The cast includes Katy Mixon, Dale Dickey, Kevin Rankin, Marin Ireland and Gil Birmingham. This is a helluva film and I highly recommend catching it in theaters. See it because Jeff Bridges is badass in it, see it because the script is outstanding, see it because David Mackenzie is a talented director. There's plenty of good reasons to see it. Here's...
- 7/19/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Last month, news broke that Michael Strahan would be leaving Live With Kelly and Michael and starting a full-time position at Good Morning America. What should have been pretty run-of-the-mill news quickly turned into a wildfire, though, when cohost Kelly Ripa was mysteriously absent from Live's shows for two consecutive days. Saturday Night Live alum and comedy actress Ana Gasteyer took her place and sat idly by as Michael announced his big move. Reports of behind-the-scenes drama quickly began surfacing, and if you're like us, you're probably eager to find out exactly what went down. Keep reading for the most important facts about the situation, including quotes from Kelly's new interview. It's unclear whether or not Kelly and Michael actually like each other. In January 2015, Michael appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers and had nothing but wonderful things to say about Kelly. The clip may be unavailable, but the...
- 5/11/2016
- by Ryan Roschke
- Popsugar.com
Like its namesake mutt, Dream Alliance, Dark Horse is an easy documentary to underestimate — an archetypal underdog story of a working-class town coming together despite economic hardship through a shared pursuit. It’s the classic snobs vs. slobs story as a group of dozens of regulars at a local watering hole in the impoverished Wales mining town of Cefn Fforest pooled their meager earnings, and bought a winning racehorse in the early 2000s.
But while the majority of Louise Osmond’s documentary feels as circuitous as a horse race from the starting pistol shot to the final stretch, it’s also told with an uncommon level of pathos and craft, emphasizing the symbolic personal victories above the historical viewpoint. Even delivered with breakneck exposition, Dark Horse would be immediately compelling, a story whose rags to riches arc aligns with some of the medium’s most immortal stories, but Osmond repeatedly...
But while the majority of Louise Osmond’s documentary feels as circuitous as a horse race from the starting pistol shot to the final stretch, it’s also told with an uncommon level of pathos and craft, emphasizing the symbolic personal victories above the historical viewpoint. Even delivered with breakneck exposition, Dark Horse would be immediately compelling, a story whose rags to riches arc aligns with some of the medium’s most immortal stories, but Osmond repeatedly...
- 5/6/2016
- by Michael Snydel
- The Film Stage
If I learned one thing from The Lion King, it’s be prepared. This applies to so many things in life, not the least of which is my Netflix viewing schedule. A schedule of the newest arrivals to the streaming video service is out. The highlights include Bring It On (May 1), Sixteen Candles (May 1), Grace and Frankie: Season 2 (May 6) and the Hitchcock classic To Catch a Thief (May 1). Following is a full listing. Start your planning now. May 1, 2016 A Study in Sherlock Admiral Ava's Possessions Bring It On Bring It On: All or Nothing Easy Living: Seasons 1-3 El Crítico FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue Finger of God Gary Gulman: It's About Time Great Expectations I Am Road Comic Jesus Town, USA Just Friends Kevin Hart Presents Keith Robinson: Back of The Bus Funny Kevin Hart Presents Lil Rel: RELevent Kevin Hart Presents: Plastic Cup Boyz...
- 4/25/2016
- by David Eckstein
- Hitfix
May 2016 promises to deliver more Netflix Originals than you can shake a stick at.
Wait no more: Netflix Originals "Grace and Frankie" and "Bloodline" return for their second seasons in May. Also returning is the original Netflix reality series "Chef's Table." And dying for the return of BBC's "Sherlock"? Enjoy "A Study in Sherlock," in which the show's co-creator and cast discuss the inner workings of the detective series.
New movies to streaming include "Goosebumps" and other 2015 movies you might have missed, as well as cheerleading classic "Bring It On" and John Hughes favorite "Sixteen Candles."
Here's the complete list of what's new on Netflix for May 2016. All title and dates are subject to change.
Available May 1, 2016
"A Study in Sherlock" (2016)
"Admiral" (2015)
"Ava's Possessions" (2015)
"Bring It On" (2000)
"Bring It On: All or Nothing" (2006)
"Easy Living": Seasons 1-3
"El Critico" (2013)
"FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue" (1998)
"Finger of God" (2007)
"Gary Gulman...
Wait no more: Netflix Originals "Grace and Frankie" and "Bloodline" return for their second seasons in May. Also returning is the original Netflix reality series "Chef's Table." And dying for the return of BBC's "Sherlock"? Enjoy "A Study in Sherlock," in which the show's co-creator and cast discuss the inner workings of the detective series.
New movies to streaming include "Goosebumps" and other 2015 movies you might have missed, as well as cheerleading classic "Bring It On" and John Hughes favorite "Sixteen Candles."
Here's the complete list of what's new on Netflix for May 2016. All title and dates are subject to change.
Available May 1, 2016
"A Study in Sherlock" (2016)
"Admiral" (2015)
"Ava's Possessions" (2015)
"Bring It On" (2000)
"Bring It On: All or Nothing" (2006)
"Easy Living": Seasons 1-3
"El Critico" (2013)
"FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue" (1998)
"Finger of God" (2007)
"Gary Gulman...
- 4/22/2016
- by Sharon Knolle
- Moviefone
The Live! drama may be ongoing, but Kelly Ripa was all smiles when she was spotted out for the first time since her co-host Michael Strahan's bombshell announcement that he was leaving their ABC morning talk show show.
Ripa, 45, sporting an army-green backpack, wore a black polka-dot dress and black heeled sandals Thursday morning while leaving her New York City townhouse.
Ripa was also holding a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath, a non-fiction book which focuses on the probability of improbable events in situations where a certain outcome is more favored than others. The subhead on the cover reads: "Underdogs,...
Ripa, 45, sporting an army-green backpack, wore a black polka-dot dress and black heeled sandals Thursday morning while leaving her New York City townhouse.
Ripa was also holding a copy of Malcolm Gladwell's David and Goliath, a non-fiction book which focuses on the probability of improbable events in situations where a certain outcome is more favored than others. The subhead on the cover reads: "Underdogs,...
- 4/21/2016
- by Aurelie Corinthios
- People.com - TV Watch
Some Survivor eliminations are more painful to watch than others.
Alecia Holden, a 24-year-old real estate agent from Dallas, was inexplicably put on the "Brawn" tribe of Survivor: Kaoh Rong. It didn't go well.
Holden never quite fit in with the rest of her tribe. From the start, she was on the outs with former NBA star Scot Pollard and Michigan bounty hunter Kyle Jason. The clashes grew increasingly personal – and viewers have taken to social media to blast Pollard and Jason for actions they thought were misogynstic and disrespectful.
But Holden tells People that she is far from...
Alecia Holden, a 24-year-old real estate agent from Dallas, was inexplicably put on the "Brawn" tribe of Survivor: Kaoh Rong. It didn't go well.
Holden never quite fit in with the rest of her tribe. From the start, she was on the outs with former NBA star Scot Pollard and Michigan bounty hunter Kyle Jason. The clashes grew increasingly personal – and viewers have taken to social media to blast Pollard and Jason for actions they thought were misogynstic and disrespectful.
But Holden tells People that she is far from...
- 3/16/2016
- by Steve Helling, @stevehelling
- People.com - TV Watch
Some Survivor eliminations are more painful to watch than others. Alecia Holden, a 24-year-old real estate agent from Dallas, was inexplicably put on the "Brawn" tribe of Survivor: Kaoh Rong. It didn't go well. Holden never quite fit in with the rest of her tribe. From the start, she was on the outs with former NBA star Scot Pollard and Michigan bounty hunter Kyle Jason. The clashes grew increasingly personal - and viewers have taken to social media to blast Pollard and Jason for actions they thought were misogynstic and disrespectful. But Holden tells People that she is far...
- 3/16/2016
- by Steve Helling, @stevehelling
- PEOPLE.com
I Hate wine! Seriously, no kidding, I cannot drink it, smell it and I don’t like to talk about it. The origin of this distaste for fermented grape juice? It was when I was in the Navy (there he goes again!) I was on liberty in Brindisi, Italy (Bill remembers!) We were in a restaurant on a bright, sunny Italian Sunday afternoon. We ordered food and wine. The wine came in pitchers, not bottles. I don’t recall the food ever arriving, don’t remember leaving the restaurant, going back to the ship, none of that, complete blackout.
Literally one minute in the restaurant, the next lying face down in my rack strangling on my own sick. I won’t go into any more sordid details, I’ll spare you that. Sufficient to note I was in trouble with the Navy, had gotten horribly sick on a liberty boat,...
Literally one minute in the restaurant, the next lying face down in my rack strangling on my own sick. I won’t go into any more sordid details, I’ll spare you that. Sufficient to note I was in trouble with the Navy, had gotten horribly sick on a liberty boat,...
- 2/1/2016
- by Sam Moffitt
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
On March 24th, 1975, struggling actor Sylvester Stallone spent his last few dollars to see boxing champ Muhammad Ali fight Chuck Wepner. Thought to be an easy win, Ali surprisingly met his match: a career brawler who was having the fight of his life. Fifteen rounds and an Ali knockdown later, Wepner lost. But the scrappy no name fighter inspired Stallone, who emerged from a twenty-hour writing binge with a screenplay and an underdog character named Rocky Balboa.
The script quickly became a hot property in Hollywood, and several attempts were made to purchase it for stars like Burt Reynolds and Ryan O’Neal. But Stallone refused, knowing full well that no one could play the part like he could. Stallone eventually got his wish at United Artists, and under director John G. Avildsen, the rest became movie history. Released in 1976, Rocky was a global sensation, winning a Best Picture Oscar...
The script quickly became a hot property in Hollywood, and several attempts were made to purchase it for stars like Burt Reynolds and Ryan O’Neal. But Stallone refused, knowing full well that no one could play the part like he could. Stallone eventually got his wish at United Artists, and under director John G. Avildsen, the rest became movie history. Released in 1976, Rocky was a global sensation, winning a Best Picture Oscar...
- 11/25/2015
- by Danilo Castro
- CinemaNerdz
Early on in Creed, the seventh installment of the Rocky franchise, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) shadowboxes in front of a screen projecting footage of a bout between Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), and his father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). It’s a sharp composition, but the positioning is the revealing aspect, as Jordan’s stationary form overlaps with both Rocky and Apollo – the David and Goliath relationship of the Rocky series.
There’s few greater visual metaphors for Creed as both a character, and as the continuation of a successful franchise than this image. Despite its reputation as an iconic underdog story, Rocky — and the franchise by extension — aren’t dark horses anymore, and neither is Adonis.
Director Ryan Coogler taps into something existential about the Rocky story. He knows that the legacy of Rocky will always tower over Creed, but by transforming those expectations into a mirror for its protagonist,...
There’s few greater visual metaphors for Creed as both a character, and as the continuation of a successful franchise than this image. Despite its reputation as an iconic underdog story, Rocky — and the franchise by extension — aren’t dark horses anymore, and neither is Adonis.
Director Ryan Coogler taps into something existential about the Rocky story. He knows that the legacy of Rocky will always tower over Creed, but by transforming those expectations into a mirror for its protagonist,...
- 11/24/2015
- by Michael Snydel
- The Film Stage
There are few people in show business with such enviable careers as Thomas McCarthy. As an actor, he’s worked with everyone from Peter Jackson and Clint Eastwood to Lukas Moodysson and Mike White, in addition to his pivotal turn on HBO’s The Wire. As a writer-director, McCarthy’s output, starting with his debut feature The Station Agent, rarely fails to captivate audiences. Even McCarthy’s critical missteps, such as his comedic fairy tale The Cobbler, are equally compelling for their flaws and miscalculations.
His newest film, Spotlight, has already garnered an immensely positive critical reception, including our review from Venice. The drama is based on the true story of the journalists at the Boston Globe who discovered a child molestation scandal and cover-up within the walls of the Catholic Church.
If you’re interested in thematically-similar films, focusing on journalism, courtroom drama, and David and Goliath battles of moral sacrifice,...
His newest film, Spotlight, has already garnered an immensely positive critical reception, including our review from Venice. The drama is based on the true story of the journalists at the Boston Globe who discovered a child molestation scandal and cover-up within the walls of the Catholic Church.
If you’re interested in thematically-similar films, focusing on journalism, courtroom drama, and David and Goliath battles of moral sacrifice,...
- 11/5/2015
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Monopoly enthusiasts will one day receive their money’s worth with the unknown backstory to their beloved game. Deadline reports that Big Beach’s Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf will produce alongside Diane Nabatoff (Dancing in Jaffa) and have set Howard A. Rodman to adapt not one, but a pair of books: Mary Pilon’s best selling non-fiction book The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game and Ralph Anspach’s The Billion Dollar Monopoly (R) Swindle.
Gist: This is about the unknown David and Goliath story of S.F. State Universal economist Ralph Anspach, who invented the game Anti-Monopoly as a cry against rampant capitalism, and was promptly sued by Parker Brothers and was shored up against the game invented by Elizabeth Magie, a stenographer who hatched The Landlords Game to lash out against slumlords and other monopolists of the early 20th Century.
Gist: This is about the unknown David and Goliath story of S.F. State Universal economist Ralph Anspach, who invented the game Anti-Monopoly as a cry against rampant capitalism, and was promptly sued by Parker Brothers and was shored up against the game invented by Elizabeth Magie, a stenographer who hatched The Landlords Game to lash out against slumlords and other monopolists of the early 20th Century.
- 10/27/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Exclusive: Big Beach is developing a film about the origins of the most popular board game in history – Monopoly. Big Beach producers Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf have partnered with Diane Nabatoff to produce a film based on Mary Pilon's best selling non-fiction book The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game. The book told the unknown story behind the iconic game and the David and Goliath story of S.F. State University…...
- 10/27/2015
- Deadline
The Battle of Jakku took place place in the aftermath of the Rebel victory in the Battle of Endor, and will be available as free Dlc for those who buy Star Wars Battlefront. In the artwork below, a Star Destroyer has crash landed, and from the belly of this battle-scarred metal giant, a myriad of Imperial ground troops have evacuated and engaged with Rebel troops, also strangers to this desert planet. "There’s a David and Goliath theme to this," says Dice Concept Artist Anton Grandert. "The epic, huge super structures of the Star Destroyers contrast against the tiny but brave Rebel soldiers fighting the Imperial forces. We wanted to portray a battle completely surrounding you, in every direction. Debris is falling from the sky, telling the story of battles above. On the surface of the planet you can see ground troops as well as X-wings, all taking part of the fight.
- 8/28/2015
- ComicBookMovie.com
See Full Gallery Here
Come November, EA and Dice will reboot a dormant franchise of their own with Star Wars Battlefront, and though the shooter will focus on events that occurred during the original trilogy a few generations ago, the studios won’t turn their back on the movie universe entirely. In fact, thanks to The Battle of Jakku Dlc, Battlefront will actively tie in with J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens, focusing on the battle between the Empire and the Republic in and around the time period of Return of the Jedi.
Endor may have acted as the focal point in the adorned threequel, but such a titanic battle had ramifications across the galaxy, hence the reason we see the downed Star Destroyer in the latest teaser trailer for The Force Awakens. For Dice Concept Artist Anton Grandert, the prequel add-on allows the creative team to flesh out an important part of the lore.
Come November, EA and Dice will reboot a dormant franchise of their own with Star Wars Battlefront, and though the shooter will focus on events that occurred during the original trilogy a few generations ago, the studios won’t turn their back on the movie universe entirely. In fact, thanks to The Battle of Jakku Dlc, Battlefront will actively tie in with J.J. Abrams’ The Force Awakens, focusing on the battle between the Empire and the Republic in and around the time period of Return of the Jedi.
Endor may have acted as the focal point in the adorned threequel, but such a titanic battle had ramifications across the galaxy, hence the reason we see the downed Star Destroyer in the latest teaser trailer for The Force Awakens. For Dice Concept Artist Anton Grandert, the prequel add-on allows the creative team to flesh out an important part of the lore.
- 8/27/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Paul Lazarus is an award-winning director, producer and writer of film, theater and television with more than 30 years of experience. He recently completed a feature documentary called "SlingShot" about Segway inventor Dean Kamen and his work to solve the world's safe water crisis. Below he writes about how he got involved with the project. Above you can watch an exclusive clip from the documentary. In 2006, Dean Kamen told me he was working on a device that could take any form of contaminated water and turn it into safe, potable water. It was in his words: a "point-of-use," "bottom-up," "21st century solution to the 21st century problem" of access to clean water all over the planet. He called it SlingShot, which is reference to the biblical story of David and Goliath. At the time I knew very little about the world's water challenges. Fortunately, I had made over a dozen short...
- 7/10/2015
- by Paul Lazarus
- Indiewire
The Hand That Feeds is a David and Goliath story playing out in the streets of New York. Directors Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick document the struggle of the immigrant food service workers as they fight for their rights and respect. In doing so, they paint the future of the American labor movement a little bit brighter.It all starts at 63rd Street Hot & Crusty, a 24-hour deli franchise that has been serving many Upper East Side New Yorkers for more than a decade. Tired of getting underpaid and mistreated, some Mexican immigrant workers get involved themselves with Laundry Workers Center, a volunteer organization providing resources, legal services and training for the laundry and food industry workers, founded by tireless, passionate community activist Virgilio Arán. Some...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 4/2/2015
- Screen Anarchy
Pre-credit sequence. We begin at Nagarote, as I try to remember where we left off and what the names of the tribes were. Shirin is sad to have been blindsided and to have lost Max. "I don't know that I can trust you," Carolyn tells Shirin, further shunting her aside. Shirin protests that Max made her isolate herself, but Carolyn is being rough, making it clear that she wants no part of the newly solitary Shirin. "Is anybody left in this game willing to play with me?" Shirin ponders, wondering if this is a reflection on her. Hali levels with Shirin and tells her that Max had been annoying and that people felt like she was annoying as well. Ouch. This hits home for Shirin, who grew up rich, but not popular. So sad. I guess. Kinda. "I'm trying to do now what I was incapable of doing back then,...
- 3/26/2015
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Read More: Attention, Documentary Filmmakers: Here's What You Need to Know Before You Start Production It's a David and Goliath story that most New Englanders are familiar with: In the summer of 2014, 25,000 non-union employees and nearly two million devoted customers organized a boycott of the Lowell, Massachusetts-based Market Basket supermarket chain in order to regain control of their company and reinstate their beloved CEO Arthur T. Demoulas. Now a new documentary "We The People: The Market Basket Effect" will tell the story behind the organized boycott and how the Demoulas Super Market family empire was saved by community support. Two of the executive producers, one of the producers and the film's narrator, Michael Chiklis, are all from New England. The film is executive produced by New Hampshire natives Nick Buzzell and Mike Buzzell (Nbtv Studios) as well as Robert "Bobby" Friedman and Todd Hoffman (Bungalow Media + Entertainment)....
- 3/12/2015
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
A little bit of a lackluster ratings update today as Daniel Espinosa's Child 44 is probably the most recognizable title on the board for most. Starring Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman and Noomi Rapace, this adaptation of the Tom Rob Smith novel hits theaters on April 17 and it will do so with an R-rating. Next is the sequel to 2010's Monsters, Monsters: Dark Continent, which also receives an R-rating, though Radius-twc has not yet set a release date, though it is expected some time in April. Finally we have Claudia Llosa's Aloft, which Sony Classics picked up out of the Berlin Film Festival. The pic, which stars Melanie Laurent, Jennifer Connelly and Cillian Murphy, is Llosa's English language debut and it doesn't yet have an official release date. Check out the complete bulletin below. Aloft Rated R For language and some sexuality. Note: Edited For Re-rate. Previous "R" Rating,...
- 3/4/2015
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Sondheim’s mashup of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood loses a little magic on the path from stage to screen
A layer of theatregoing good taste covers this entertaining if stately movie musical, based on Stephen Sondheim’s stage show, which opened in the Us in 1987 and has been revived constantly since. It has been adapted for the screen by James Lapine, who wrote the book for the original Sondheim production, and robustly directed by Rob Marshall.
Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim’s classic analysis of fairytales, it is a mythic mashup of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood, with a bit of David and Goliath somewhere somewhere in there, too. A childless baker and his wife are informed by a quivering, quavering witch that their barrenness is a result of her curse. They can cure it by journeying into...
A layer of theatregoing good taste covers this entertaining if stately movie musical, based on Stephen Sondheim’s stage show, which opened in the Us in 1987 and has been revived constantly since. It has been adapted for the screen by James Lapine, who wrote the book for the original Sondheim production, and robustly directed by Rob Marshall.
Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim’s classic analysis of fairytales, it is a mythic mashup of Rapunzel, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood, with a bit of David and Goliath somewhere somewhere in there, too. A childless baker and his wife are informed by a quivering, quavering witch that their barrenness is a result of her curse. They can cure it by journeying into...
- 1/8/2015
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
When it comes to Bible stories, Hollywood likes to play favorites. The upcoming Christian Bale-starring epic Exodus: Gods and Kings will be the latest in a long line of high-profile onscreen adaptations of the Old Testament's Moses story, including Charlton Heston’s Ten Commandments and the 1998 animated hit Prince of Egypt. Earlier this year, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah became the third screen adaptation of the Biblical Noah’s Ark story in the last 15 years. The many films about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus merit their own category page on Wikipedia. But when’s the last time anybody made...
- 12/9/2014
- by Ashley Fetters
- EW - Inside Movies
Leonardo DiCaprio has been an avid environmentalist for over 15 years, and started his own foundation in 1998 to preserve endangered species and their habitats, among other goals. This year, the prolific actor accepted a role as executive producer of Virunga, a documentary he describes as "a true David and Goliath story" that argues for the protection of mountain gorillas and Africa’s oldest national park, as well as peers into as the harsh realities of life in the Congo. Although shooting took place in 2011 and 2012 before DiCaprio signed on to produce, the actor felt a strong tie to
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- 11/11/2014
- by Quinn Costello
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A Mormon mother of three secured her place in American history as the first black female Republican elected to Congress. "Tonight you have made history!" Utah's Mia Love told supporters after winning the state's 4th House district. "Many of the naysayers out there said that Utah would never elect a black Republican Lds (Latter-day Saint) woman to Congress. Not only did we do it, we were the first to do it!" Love, 38, who also will be the first Haitian-American to serve in the Capitol, was surrounded by her husband, Jason, and their kids: Alessa, 14; Abigail, 11; and Peyton, 7. Throughout this campaign,...
- 11/5/2014
- by Sandra Sobieraj Westfall
- PEOPLE.com
A Mormon mother of three secured her place in American history as the first black female Republican elected to Congress. "Tonight you have made history!" Utah's Mia Love told supporters after winning the state's 4th House district. "Many of the naysayers out there said that Utah would never elect a black Republican Lds (Latter Day Saint) woman to Congress. Not only did we do it, we were the first to do it!" Love, 38, who also will be the first Haitian-American to serve in the Capital, was surrounded by her husband, Jason, and their kids: Alessa, 14; Abigail, 11; and Peyton, 7. Throughout this campaign,...
- 11/5/2014
- by Sandra Sobieraj Westfall
- PEOPLE.com
Warner Bros is developing a film about the Biblical King David.
The second project of its kind in the works, the film will be based on Rabbi David Wolpe's new book David: The Divided Heart, reports The Tracking Board.
"David is the most complex hero and anti-hero in the Bible," Wolpe told Variety. "He's a man who was a warrior, a prodigy, a poet, a king who united the nation and a man close to God who sins.
"I cannot imagine a more cinematic figure from the Bible."
Ridley Scott is developing a film based on the famous battle between David and Goliath with 20th Century Fox.
The veteran filmmaker's latest project is Exodus: Gods and Men, which tells the story of Moses's escape from Egypt, and will be released in December.
Watch a trailer for Exodus below:...
The second project of its kind in the works, the film will be based on Rabbi David Wolpe's new book David: The Divided Heart, reports The Tracking Board.
"David is the most complex hero and anti-hero in the Bible," Wolpe told Variety. "He's a man who was a warrior, a prodigy, a poet, a king who united the nation and a man close to God who sins.
"I cannot imagine a more cinematic figure from the Bible."
Ridley Scott is developing a film based on the famous battle between David and Goliath with 20th Century Fox.
The veteran filmmaker's latest project is Exodus: Gods and Men, which tells the story of Moses's escape from Egypt, and will be released in December.
Watch a trailer for Exodus below:...
- 10/27/2014
- Digital Spy
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