In her writing (The Keeping Room) and the bulk of her four co-writer/director credits to date Julia Hart has set out her stall as a storyteller who frames stories that we might more traditionally see from a male point of view through a female protagonist. In this case that story is a 70s set crime thriller about Jean (Rachel Brosnahan), who is forced to go on the run with her baby—or rather, the one her husband Eddie (Bill Heck) brought home a few weeks ago—and Cal (Arinzé Kene), a man she doesn’t know, after Eddie betrays the criminal gang he’s part of.
Most other tellings of this story would, indeed have, revolve around the man. We’d see what Eddie did, first to get the baby and then to upset his crew. We’d know how Cal became the person to find Jean a safe house and to protect her,...
Most other tellings of this story would, indeed have, revolve around the man. We’d see what Eddie did, first to get the baby and then to upset his crew. We’d know how Cal became the person to find Jean a safe house and to protect her,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Sam Inglis
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
You’ll be halfway through “I’m Your Woman” before its premise is clear, but the mystery is as gripping as its payoff. Director Julia Hart’s fourth feature pairs an engrossing turn from Rachel Brosnahan with a tense ‘70s-set script constructed with jigsaw precision. The full picture may amount to a contrived gangster story, but Hart (who scripted with her partner Jordan Horowitz) approaches that formula from the inside out.
“I’m Your Woman” owes much to Brosnahan’s evolving performance as she goes from terrified housewife to trenchant survivalist over the course movie, and the movie consolidates the strengths of Hart’s previous work. Like her breakout Civil War script “The Keeping Room,” it finds women trapped in a man’s world, and forced to resort to violence as a means of escape. And like the lo-fi superhero drama “Fast Color,” its heroine goes on the lam before she truly understands what’s chasing her,...
“I’m Your Woman” owes much to Brosnahan’s evolving performance as she goes from terrified housewife to trenchant survivalist over the course movie, and the movie consolidates the strengths of Hart’s previous work. Like her breakout Civil War script “The Keeping Room,” it finds women trapped in a man’s world, and forced to resort to violence as a means of escape. And like the lo-fi superhero drama “Fast Color,” its heroine goes on the lam before she truly understands what’s chasing her,...
- 10/16/2020
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Like so many other festivals unspooling in recent months, this year’s AFI Fest has opted to roll out as a virtual event, all the better for film fans to catch the best the Los Angeles-based festival has to offer from just about anywhere. One of the last big festivals on the fall circuit, this year’s AFI Fest boasts a wide range of both films and events for everyone to enjoy.
The fest opens on Thursday night with the world premiere of Julia Hart’s “I’m Your Woman” and, over the course of the next week, will also play new films from filmmakers Errol Morris, Heidi Ewing, Mira Nair, Florian Zeller, Werner Herzog, and many more. This year’s complete AFI Fest program includes 124 titles of which 53 percent are directed by women, 39 percent are directed by Bipoc, and 17 percent are directed by Lbgtq+.
The virtual event is accessible...
The fest opens on Thursday night with the world premiere of Julia Hart’s “I’m Your Woman” and, over the course of the next week, will also play new films from filmmakers Errol Morris, Heidi Ewing, Mira Nair, Florian Zeller, Werner Herzog, and many more. This year’s complete AFI Fest program includes 124 titles of which 53 percent are directed by women, 39 percent are directed by Bipoc, and 17 percent are directed by Lbgtq+.
The virtual event is accessible...
- 10/14/2020
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, Anne Thompson, David Ehrlich, Ryan Lattanzio and Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Perhaps the only genre of film that has ever feared the status of going extinct is the western. For many, it may seem that’s already the case. Believe it or not, this quintessential American genre of filmmaking is still holding on by its bootstraps.
However, despite the abundant history of western movies, the bulk of the filmography pre-dates the 1960s. I argue that the modern era is the true golden age of the western and the showcase for what potential the genre holds.
For me, the western is the epitome of quantity over quality. Prior to the 1960s, the Hollywood machine churned out countless examples of mostly formulaic flicks. Only a select portion of these deserved any significant praise.
Our contemporary fare, however, shows the opposite to be very true. As uncommon as it is to see a new western film hit theaters, or even direct-to-streaming, we find a...
However, despite the abundant history of western movies, the bulk of the filmography pre-dates the 1960s. I argue that the modern era is the true golden age of the western and the showcase for what potential the genre holds.
For me, the western is the epitome of quantity over quality. Prior to the 1960s, the Hollywood machine churned out countless examples of mostly formulaic flicks. Only a select portion of these deserved any significant praise.
Our contemporary fare, however, shows the opposite to be very true. As uncommon as it is to see a new western film hit theaters, or even direct-to-streaming, we find a...
- 4/6/2020
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It’s been over half a century since gun-slinging, hi-de-ho westerns dominated the box office, when names like John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Clint Eastwood rolled off the tongue. In 2018, tumbleweeds slowly crawling across a deserted street are few and far between. Don’t get it twisted, though, westerns are no where near extinct. Some of your favorite stars have been recently seen polishing their revolvers in hot pursuit of money, power and revenge, including in this weekend’s “Ballad of Buster Scuggs” and next month’s “The Sisters Brothers.”
In honor of the 21st century takes on a classic genre, TheWrap takes a look at 10 stars you may be surprised dawned the proverbial ten-gallon hat.
Brad Pitt
In between Pitt’s performances in “Interview with a Vampire” and “Seven” was 1994’s western drama “Legends of the Fall.” The film saw Pitt play a World War I soldier who returns...
In honor of the 21st century takes on a classic genre, TheWrap takes a look at 10 stars you may be surprised dawned the proverbial ten-gallon hat.
Brad Pitt
In between Pitt’s performances in “Interview with a Vampire” and “Seven” was 1994’s western drama “Legends of the Fall.” The film saw Pitt play a World War I soldier who returns...
- 11/15/2018
- by Omar Sanchez
- The Wrap
Ron Perlman would have us believe that war never changes, but the movies about it certainly have. The last 15 years have brought no shortage of films about the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (for obvious reasons), but World War II continues to fascinate filmmakers most of all. That includes Christopher Nolan, whose recent hit “Dunkirk” manages to bring something new to a genre that constantly feels at risk of becoming old hat.
Read More‘Dunkirk’ Is Too Loud For Some Viewers, But Christopher Nolan Says That’s the Way He Likes It
And while those two conflicts have dominated the genre of late, everything from the Civil War to the Battle of Red Cliffs has found powerful expression onscreen. Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” tells us that “war is a drug,” and the films below suggest that movies about war are just as addictive — maybe even more so.
Read More‘Dunkirk’ Is Too Loud For Some Viewers, But Christopher Nolan Says That’s the Way He Likes It
And while those two conflicts have dominated the genre of late, everything from the Civil War to the Battle of Red Cliffs has found powerful expression onscreen. Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” tells us that “war is a drug,” and the films below suggest that movies about war are just as addictive — maybe even more so.
- 7/28/2017
- by Michael Nordine and Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The depiction of Native Americans in the movies is notorious for its reductive stereotypes. By those standards, “Mohawk,” a bloody, low-budget survival saga about members of a flailing tribe facing off against brutish American soldiers during the war of 1812, arrives like a revelation. The sophomore feature from Ted Geoghegan is a far cry from the haunted house tropes of his debut, “We Are Still Here,” but it explores a much more realistic horror — the struggle to survive against ruthless persecution, even as the future looks grim.
It’s a fast-paced action-thriller that, while rough around the edges, delivers a wild ride — and an implicit rebuke to the limitations of Hollywood storytelling.
The movie, which premiered at the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival, revolves around the plight of Oak (Kaniehtiio Horn), a young member of the Mohawk tribe in upstate New York, and the two men with whom she enjoys a polyamorous...
It’s a fast-paced action-thriller that, while rough around the edges, delivers a wild ride — and an implicit rebuke to the limitations of Hollywood storytelling.
The movie, which premiered at the 2017 Fantasia International Film Festival, revolves around the plight of Oak (Kaniehtiio Horn), a young member of the Mohawk tribe in upstate New York, and the two men with whom she enjoys a polyamorous...
- 7/17/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Newly minted blockbuster superstar Gal Gadot was hardly a household name when she was picked to play Wonder Woman in DC’s Extended Universe, including turns in “Batman v Superman” and “Justice League” and a starring role in the studio’s newest smash hit, “Wonder Woman.” Best known to action-loving audiences for her supporting roles in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, the former Israeli soldier is now a bonafide breakout, thanks to her work in the long-awaited and instantly beloved superhero film. Fortunately, she’s not the only actress who made the jump from rising star to tentpole leading lady.
Oscar winner Alicia Vikander is toplining the newly re-launched “Tomb Raider” franchise, while “Kingsman” and “Star Trek Beyond” standout Sofia Boutella will star in the upcoming “The Mummy” reboot and presumably continue on in the planned “Dark Universe” franchise. Daisy Ridley has handily taken over chief badass status on the...
Oscar winner Alicia Vikander is toplining the newly re-launched “Tomb Raider” franchise, while “Kingsman” and “Star Trek Beyond” standout Sofia Boutella will star in the upcoming “The Mummy” reboot and presumably continue on in the planned “Dark Universe” franchise. Daisy Ridley has handily taken over chief badass status on the...
- 6/6/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
If the career of Sam Worthington — bland and boring in leading man roles, much more interesting when he gets to play character parts in indies like “Somersault” or “The Keeping Room” — was anything to go by, people maybe shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss his fellow Australian Jai Courtney. Yes, Courtney was a bit of a charisma vacuum in films like “Terminator: Genisys,” but he was a lot more fun when he got to ugly-up in “Suicide Squad” — indeed, he was probably the best thing in the movie.
Continue reading Jai Courtney Is A Nazi In First Trailer For A24’s ‘The Exception’ With Lily James & Christopher Plummer at The Playlist.
Continue reading Jai Courtney Is A Nazi In First Trailer For A24’s ‘The Exception’ With Lily James & Christopher Plummer at The Playlist.
- 4/24/2017
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
Since Wrath of the Titans in 2012, Sam Worthington has successfully made the transition from leading man in studio blockbusters to dependable supporting actor in independent films. Following his last appearance as Perseus, the actor has peppered his resume with excellent turns in efforts like The Keeping Room, Everest and Hacksaw Ridge. Now, he’s back in theaters to play lead Mack Phillips in the upcoming film adaptation of the bestselling novel, The Shack.
Mack’s life is destroyed when his youngest daughter is abducted during a camping trip, with nothing but her clothes recovered from a secluded shack. After receiving an invitation possibly from God, he returns to the shack where he embarks on the spiritual journey of a lifetime.
A few weeks back in New York City, we had the chance to sit down with Worthington for an exclusive interview. The actor dished on his new film, how he selects his roles,...
Mack’s life is destroyed when his youngest daughter is abducted during a camping trip, with nothing but her clothes recovered from a secluded shack. After receiving an invitation possibly from God, he returns to the shack where he embarks on the spiritual journey of a lifetime.
A few weeks back in New York City, we had the chance to sit down with Worthington for an exclusive interview. The actor dished on his new film, how he selects his roles,...
- 3/1/2017
- by Joseph Hernandez
- We Got This Covered
Director Julia Hart made waves at last year’s SXSW Festival with her breakthrough film “Miss Stevens.” Now, the writer and director is gearing up to helm her next feature, “Fast Color, which has just found its lead actress: Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Co-written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, the actress will portray Ruth, a woman who is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home.
Principal photography for the film will begin in New Mexico on March 13.
Read More: ‘Miss Stevens’ Trailer: Lily Rabe Molds Minds in Julia Hart’s South by Southwest Drama
“Fast Color” hails from “La La Land” producer Horowitz via Original Headquarters and “Jackie” producers Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon of Ld Entertainment. Ld will fully finance the project.
Hart’s directorial debut, “Miss Stevens,” was among...
Co-written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz, the actress will portray Ruth, a woman who is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home.
Principal photography for the film will begin in New Mexico on March 13.
Read More: ‘Miss Stevens’ Trailer: Lily Rabe Molds Minds in Julia Hart’s South by Southwest Drama
“Fast Color” hails from “La La Land” producer Horowitz via Original Headquarters and “Jackie” producers Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon of Ld Entertainment. Ld will fully finance the project.
Hart’s directorial debut, “Miss Stevens,” was among...
- 1/13/2017
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
Dubois Records, in cooperation with Mammoth Screen and Masterpiece will release the Victoria – Original Soundtrack digitally on all music streaming platforms to coincide with the Us release of the television series on PBS this coming weekend. The album features the limited series’ original score by multi-bafta and Ivor Novello winning composer Martin Phipps (Woman In Gold, The Keeping Room) and Ruth Barrett (City Of Tiny Lights, Whitechapel) with vocals from the Mediaeval Baebes. Victoria was first aired on ITV in the UK on August 28, 2016.
Phipps says: “The idea was to give Victoria a dynamic voice, an explosive theme through which we could rejoice in her strength & courage. The Mediaeval Baebes were the perfect sound for this. With one foot in the classical world & one in the commercial, they gave Victoria the mixture of refinement & attitude I was after.”
Barrett says: “I started composing from episode 2, weaving in some of Martin...
Phipps says: “The idea was to give Victoria a dynamic voice, an explosive theme through which we could rejoice in her strength & courage. The Mediaeval Baebes were the perfect sound for this. With one foot in the classical world & one in the commercial, they gave Victoria the mixture of refinement & attitude I was after.”
Barrett says: “I started composing from episode 2, weaving in some of Martin...
- 1/13/2017
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Find out what made our top 10 films of 2016 - and which films feature on Team Screen’s overall top 10.Scroll down for Screen’s overall top 10
Screen’s esteemed critics have had their turn. Now, Screen staff, contributors and correspondents reveal their favourite films seen in 2016. Festival premieres and UK/Us theatrical releases are deemed eligible.
Matt Mueller (editor)
Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Mustang (dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven)Hell Or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie)Embrace Of The Serpent (dir. Ciro Guerra)Little Men (dir. Ira Sachs)Suntan (dir. Argyris Papadimitropoulos)Love & Friendship (dir. Whit Stillman)Nocturnal Animals (dir Tom Ford)Jeremy Kay (Us editor)
Manchester By The Sea (dir. Kenneth Lonergan)Neruda (dir. Pablo Larrain)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Deadpool (dir Tim Miller)Fire At Sea (dir. Gianfranco Rosi)Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)Oj: Made In America (dir. Ezra Edelman)[link=tt...
Screen’s esteemed critics have had their turn. Now, Screen staff, contributors and correspondents reveal their favourite films seen in 2016. Festival premieres and UK/Us theatrical releases are deemed eligible.
Matt Mueller (editor)
Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Mustang (dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven)Hell Or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie)Embrace Of The Serpent (dir. Ciro Guerra)Little Men (dir. Ira Sachs)Suntan (dir. Argyris Papadimitropoulos)Love & Friendship (dir. Whit Stillman)Nocturnal Animals (dir Tom Ford)Jeremy Kay (Us editor)
Manchester By The Sea (dir. Kenneth Lonergan)Neruda (dir. Pablo Larrain)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Deadpool (dir Tim Miller)Fire At Sea (dir. Gianfranco Rosi)Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)Oj: Made In America (dir. Ezra Edelman)[link=tt...
- 12/20/2016
- ScreenDaily
Netflix dropped the first trailer for “The Oa,” the new sci-fi mystery series from indie film darlings Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. The show follows a missing blind girl in her twenties, Prairie Johnson (Marling), who returns home to the community she grew up in with her sight fully restored. Some hail her a miracle, others a dangerous mystery, but Prairie won’t talk about her seven years missing with the FBI or her parents. Marling and Batmanglij wrote the eight-episode series together, and he directs all episodes. Also Read: 'The Keeping Room' Trailer: Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld Defend Their Home From Sam.
- 12/12/2016
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
There’s no way around it. The new trailer for “The Shack” is strange. From the incredibly dark opening and the very odd acting choices by star Sam Worthington (remember him?) to the almost cartoon-like last half, the trailer is all over the place. One thing is for sure, “The Shack” is targeting your heart strings and expects you to bring tissues.
Read More: Watch: Sam Worthington Hunts Brit Marling In Trailer For Thriller ‘The Keeping Room’
“The Shack” is the film adaptation of the best-selling faith based novel of the same name.
Continue reading Octavia Spencer Teaches Sam Worthington To Feel Again In Trailer For ‘The Shack’ at The Playlist.
Read More: Watch: Sam Worthington Hunts Brit Marling In Trailer For Thriller ‘The Keeping Room’
“The Shack” is the film adaptation of the best-selling faith based novel of the same name.
Continue reading Octavia Spencer Teaches Sam Worthington To Feel Again In Trailer For ‘The Shack’ at The Playlist.
- 12/2/2016
- by Charles Dean
- The Playlist
Thousands of women auditioned for the role of angsty teen Nadine Byrd in Kelly Fremon Craig’s “The Edge of Seventeen,” but none of them fit the part. Fremon Craig’s directorial debut had a lot going for it: a lively screenplay in tune with the John Hughes movies that inspired it, and legendary comedy guru James L. Brooks as a producer. However, without a young woman able to convey Nadine’s frustrations with the world, its tricky comedy-drama balance would fall apart.
“The part is hard,” Brooks said. “We needed to have someone who could make it seem true and natural, and nobody could nail it.”
Fremon Craig was growing despondent. “We’re never going to make this,” she recalled thinking at the time.
Read More: ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Resurrects the Teen Comedy: How Filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig Pulled It Off — Toronto
Then Hailee Steinfeld showed up, and everything changed.
“The part is hard,” Brooks said. “We needed to have someone who could make it seem true and natural, and nobody could nail it.”
Fremon Craig was growing despondent. “We’re never going to make this,” she recalled thinking at the time.
Read More: ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Resurrects the Teen Comedy: How Filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig Pulled It Off — Toronto
Then Hailee Steinfeld showed up, and everything changed.
- 11/22/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Hailee Steinfeld experienced the kind of sudden child actor fame very few have, outside of maybe Jodie Foster and Tatum O’Neal. In her very first feature film role as Mattie Ross in the Coen brothers’ True Grit, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of 14. In the six years since then, she’s gone on to appear in more than a dozen films, including Pitch Perfect 2, Ender’s Game, and The Keeping Room. Not only that, she’s embarked on the kind of multi-pronged career most young artists are warned against—modeling, signing a recording deal last year, and releasing a debut Ep, including a single that’s gone platinum in multiple countries. When The A.V. Club spoke with her, she was out promoting her new coming-of-age film The Edge Of Seventeen (read The A.V. Club’s review ...
- 11/17/2016
- by Alex McCown-Levy
- avclub.com
A simple listing, duplicated from the homepage, of new releases and other stuff currently available, for the benefit of those playing along by RSS or keeping up via the Daily Digest emails (sign up here).
new dvd+vod Us/Can Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie Don’t Breathe Fire Song Hell or High Water Kubo and the Two Strings War Dogs Mechanic: Resurrection I’m planning to watch… Indignation Morris from America Spaghettiman new dvd+vod UK Before the Flood Ghostbusters Little Men Zoom I’m planning to watch… Keanu Things to Come
recent releases Us/Can Bad Moms Before the Flood Blood Father Captain Fantastic The Divide Ghostbusters The Great Gilly Hopkins Into the Inferno Michael Moore in TrumpLand Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Miss Sharon Jones! The Purge: Election Year Sausage Party Sherpa Star Trek Beyond 13th Time to Choose Under the Shadow Anthropoid Cafe Society Microbe & Gasoline...
new dvd+vod Us/Can Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie Don’t Breathe Fire Song Hell or High Water Kubo and the Two Strings War Dogs Mechanic: Resurrection I’m planning to watch… Indignation Morris from America Spaghettiman new dvd+vod UK Before the Flood Ghostbusters Little Men Zoom I’m planning to watch… Keanu Things to Come
recent releases Us/Can Bad Moms Before the Flood Blood Father Captain Fantastic The Divide Ghostbusters The Great Gilly Hopkins Into the Inferno Michael Moore in TrumpLand Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Miss Sharon Jones! The Purge: Election Year Sausage Party Sherpa Star Trek Beyond 13th Time to Choose Under the Shadow Anthropoid Cafe Society Microbe & Gasoline...
- 11/8/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The little gem of an indie dramedy “Miss Stevens” slipped off our radar upon its theatrical release last week, but since it hit VOD on Tuesday, here’s a heads up about the film, and an exclusive clip to boot. Consider this our mini-review.
Julia Hart makes her directing debut with “Miss Stevens,” which she co-wrote with producer Jordan Horowitz. Hart wrote the script for the Civil War drama “The Keeping Room,” which was directed by Daniel Barber, and with “Miss Stevens,” she brings things into the contemporary world.
Continue reading Find Out What’s Going On In This Exclusive Clip From The Delightful Indie Gem ‘Miss Stevens’ at The Playlist.
Julia Hart makes her directing debut with “Miss Stevens,” which she co-wrote with producer Jordan Horowitz. Hart wrote the script for the Civil War drama “The Keeping Room,” which was directed by Daniel Barber, and with “Miss Stevens,” she brings things into the contemporary world.
Continue reading Find Out What’s Going On In This Exclusive Clip From The Delightful Indie Gem ‘Miss Stevens’ at The Playlist.
- 9/22/2016
- by Katie Walsh
- The Playlist
‘Miss Stevens’ Is A Must-See Indie Debut With An Amazing Lily Rabe Performance — IndieWire On Demand
Editor’s Note: Click here for more information about the indie films available from Movies on Demand.
As the fall movie season heats up and theaters become bombarded with high profile awards release, On Demand becomes more valuable than ever to small indies that risk getting lost in the shuffle. One movie that demands your attention this week is “Miss Stevens.” The debut feature from Julia Hart, who co-wrote last year’s revisionist western “The Keeping Room,” this wonderful drama stars Lily Rabe as a high school English teacher who chaperones a group of students to a drama competition. Timothée Chalamet, Rob Huebel and Oscar Nuñez co-star.
Read More: ‘Miss Stevens’ Review: This Sweet Indie Dramedy Teaches The Genre A Valuable Lesson
In his review, Indiewire Senior Film Critic David Ehrlich writes, “‘Miss Stevens’ is a reassuring delight. Told with the ramshackle energy of a first feature (but with a...
As the fall movie season heats up and theaters become bombarded with high profile awards release, On Demand becomes more valuable than ever to small indies that risk getting lost in the shuffle. One movie that demands your attention this week is “Miss Stevens.” The debut feature from Julia Hart, who co-wrote last year’s revisionist western “The Keeping Room,” this wonderful drama stars Lily Rabe as a high school English teacher who chaperones a group of students to a drama competition. Timothée Chalamet, Rob Huebel and Oscar Nuñez co-star.
Read More: ‘Miss Stevens’ Review: This Sweet Indie Dramedy Teaches The Genre A Valuable Lesson
In his review, Indiewire Senior Film Critic David Ehrlich writes, “‘Miss Stevens’ is a reassuring delight. Told with the ramshackle energy of a first feature (but with a...
- 9/20/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Going in, it is tempting to make a great deal of assumptions about Miss Stevens, because its outer-most layer feels like familiar territory. An unhappy female High School teacher takes three students to a weekend drama competition, and a transformative experience ensues. This is a dramatic plot device that we have seen play out many times on the big screen but – as the film begins its powerful opening sequence, set to the haunting musical saw stylings of Natalia Paruz – it quickly becomes clear that Miss Stevens is actually something else entirely.
This is the directorial debut of Julia Hart (The Keeping Room), who co-wrote the screenplay with producer, Jordan Horowitz (La La Land). What has been created is a stunning work of misdirection, though it is neither contrived nor manipulative. Rather, it works in concert with the habitual expectations of the audience to weave a tale run-through with absolute truth.
This is the directorial debut of Julia Hart (The Keeping Room), who co-wrote the screenplay with producer, Jordan Horowitz (La La Land). What has been created is a stunning work of misdirection, though it is neither contrived nor manipulative. Rather, it works in concert with the habitual expectations of the audience to weave a tale run-through with absolute truth.
- 9/20/2016
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
“Are you waiting for someone?”
Those are the first words spoken in “Miss Stevens,” the modestly scaled but characteristically strong directorial debut from “The Keeping Room” writer Julia Hart, and they bore into the rest of the film like a bad hangover. The usher is just trying to be polite, trying to understand why the crying blonde woman in the back row of his theatre is still in her seat long after the rest of the audience has cleared out and gone home. “Are you waiting for someone?” He has no idea how big of a question that is.
A 29-year-old teacher at a high school somewhere in the deserts of Southern California, Miss Stevens (Lily Rabe) looks like a deer in the headlights and lives like she’s already been flattened. And yet, judging by how aggressively she deflects any and all of the personal questions that her students lob in her direction,...
Those are the first words spoken in “Miss Stevens,” the modestly scaled but characteristically strong directorial debut from “The Keeping Room” writer Julia Hart, and they bore into the rest of the film like a bad hangover. The usher is just trying to be polite, trying to understand why the crying blonde woman in the back row of his theatre is still in her seat long after the rest of the audience has cleared out and gone home. “Are you waiting for someone?” He has no idea how big of a question that is.
A 29-year-old teacher at a high school somewhere in the deserts of Southern California, Miss Stevens (Lily Rabe) looks like a deer in the headlights and lives like she’s already been flattened. And yet, judging by how aggressively she deflects any and all of the personal questions that her students lob in her direction,...
- 9/15/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Hailee Steinfeld was nominated for an Oscar at age 13 for her performance in the Coen Brothers’ film “True Grit,” and has since had crucial roles in many films, including “The Keeping Room” and “Pitch Perfect 2,” and has even released an acclaimed pop Ep last year. Now, she’s starring in the new teen film “Edge of Seventeen,” about a witty, awkward high school student whose life heads into a tailspin.
Read More: ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Trailer: Hailee Steinfeld Toplines High School Drama That Channels John Hughes
Steinfeld stars as Nadine, who struggles with adolescence and often relies on the guidance of her history teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson). When she learns her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her popular older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), she starts to spiral and is ultimately forced to take risks like socializing and trying to woo a fellow crush. Watch...
Read More: ‘The Edge of Seventeen’ Trailer: Hailee Steinfeld Toplines High School Drama That Channels John Hughes
Steinfeld stars as Nadine, who struggles with adolescence and often relies on the guidance of her history teacher, Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson). When she learns her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) starts dating her popular older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), she starts to spiral and is ultimately forced to take risks like socializing and trying to woo a fellow crush. Watch...
- 9/11/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
“Miss Stevens” was one of the more-talked about films to emerge from this year’s edition of South by Southwest, where Lily Rabe won a Special Jury Recognition prize for her lead performance. Ahead of the drama’s release next month, the Orchard has released the film’s first trailer. Watch it below.
Read More: Exclusive ‘Miss Stevens’ Poster Lends Old School Charm to a New SXSW Breakout
Rabe (“Pawn Sacrifice”) stars as a high-school English teacher who chaperones a group of students (one of whom clearly has a crush on her) to a drama competition, with Timothée Chalamet, Rob Huebel and Oscar Nuñez in supporting roles. Ellen Page was originally attached to make her directorial debut with “Miss Stevens”; when she dropped out, co-writer Julia Hart stepped in to make her own behind-the-camera debut. Hart also wrote last year’s “The Keeping Room.”
Read More: Ellen Page Gets Behind The Camera...
Read More: Exclusive ‘Miss Stevens’ Poster Lends Old School Charm to a New SXSW Breakout
Rabe (“Pawn Sacrifice”) stars as a high-school English teacher who chaperones a group of students (one of whom clearly has a crush on her) to a drama competition, with Timothée Chalamet, Rob Huebel and Oscar Nuñez in supporting roles. Ellen Page was originally attached to make her directorial debut with “Miss Stevens”; when she dropped out, co-writer Julia Hart stepped in to make her own behind-the-camera debut. Hart also wrote last year’s “The Keeping Room.”
Read More: Ellen Page Gets Behind The Camera...
- 8/23/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Everyone knows that dying is the best thing that can happen to an artist, but what happens if everyone just thinks you’ve died. Lulu Wang’s romantic comedy “Posthumous” explores that premise, focusing on a struggling artist who’s mistakenly thought to have committed suicide. The film stars Jack Huston (“Boardwalk Empire,” “American Hustle”) as the artist in question whom the public believes is dead. He decides to keep up the charade and pose as his brother, but when he meets a reporter, played by Brit Marling (“Another Earth,” “The Keeping Room”), his plan falls into jeopardy, especially after they start falling for each other. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Exclusive: Brit Marling and Jack Huston Pair Up in ‘Posthumous’ Poster
Wang says that while she and her team “set out to make a classic romantic-comedy,” “Posthumous” isn’t a story “about two people falling in love,...
Read More: Exclusive: Brit Marling and Jack Huston Pair Up in ‘Posthumous’ Poster
Wang says that while she and her team “set out to make a classic romantic-comedy,” “Posthumous” isn’t a story “about two people falling in love,...
- 8/17/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
All this week, IndieWire will be rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including offerings that span genres, a close examination of some of the year’s biggest breakouts, all the awards contenders you need to know about now and special attention to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up.
“White Girl,” September 2
Writer-director Elizabeth Wood exploded onto the filmmaking scene when her controversial debut “White Girl” shocked audiences at the Sundance Film Festival. A fearless portrait of young female sexuality, the film stars “Homeland’s” Morgan Saylor as Leah, a college student who becomes involved with a young drug dealer during the last two weeks of summer in New York City. When the cops...
“White Girl,” September 2
Writer-director Elizabeth Wood exploded onto the filmmaking scene when her controversial debut “White Girl” shocked audiences at the Sundance Film Festival. A fearless portrait of young female sexuality, the film stars “Homeland’s” Morgan Saylor as Leah, a college student who becomes involved with a young drug dealer during the last two weeks of summer in New York City. When the cops...
- 8/17/2016
- by Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich, Graham Winfrey, Steve Greene, Chris O'Falt and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
All this week, IndieWire will be rolling out our annual Fall Preview, including offerings that span genres, a close examination of some of the year’s biggest breakouts, all the awards contenders you need to know about now and special attention to all the new movies you need to get through a jam-packed fall movie-going season. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer, and clear your schedule, because we’re going to fill it right up.
“White Girl,” September 2 – Elizabeth Wood, Writer and Director
Elizabeth Wood’s feature film debut was almost immediately deemed “shocking!” and “racy!” and “wild!” as soon as it debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but underneath a film about throwing caution to the wind in the pursuit of both terrible decisions and the capricious joys of youth beats a big, honest heart. Wood’s...
“White Girl,” September 2 – Elizabeth Wood, Writer and Director
Elizabeth Wood’s feature film debut was almost immediately deemed “shocking!” and “racy!” and “wild!” as soon as it debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but underneath a film about throwing caution to the wind in the pursuit of both terrible decisions and the capricious joys of youth beats a big, honest heart. Wood’s...
- 8/16/2016
- by Kate Erbland, Chris O'Falt, David Ehrlich, Steve Greene and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
Zachary Treitz and Kate Lyn Sheil’s “Men Go To Battle” sets its story in the 1860s, treating the Civil War period as a background prop on a miniscule stage, in an intimate and muted story about two brothers. It’s a film that would make for an attention-grabbing double bill with “The Keeping Room” (coming to […]
The post ‘Men Go To Battle’ Is A Quietly Resonant Cinematic Experience [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
The post ‘Men Go To Battle’ Is A Quietly Resonant Cinematic Experience [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
- 7/8/2016
- by Nikola Grozdanovic
- The Playlist
The past year or so has been a fantastic time for fans of offbeat westerns, with a variety of filmmakers taking on this conic genre and giving it a unique twist. The Keeping Room used the genre to craft a low-key feminist thriller. Bone Tomahawk eased you into a traditional The Searchers riff before taking […]
The post ‘Outlaws and Angels’ Trailer: Finally, Luke Wilson and Chad Michael Murray Play Cowboys appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Outlaws and Angels’ Trailer: Finally, Luke Wilson and Chad Michael Murray Play Cowboys appeared first on /Film.
- 6/17/2016
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
★★★★☆ Contorting the standard gender expectations of its genre, Daniel Barber's The Keeping Room finally arrives in UK cinemas on the back of considerable praise. Investigations of masculine identity regularly pass the time of day in traditional westerns, yet this revisionist incarnation turns its attention away from the horrors of the Civil War battlefield and instead chooses to focus on the experiences of the women on the home front. The result is an atmospheric drama that fuses the bones of a home invasion flick into a gripping exploration of those exposed to the destructive forces that drive the kinds of characters that usually inhabit these environs.
- 6/16/2016
- by CineVue UK
- CineVue
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Arabian Nights (Miguel Gomes)
In lauding Miguel Gomes‘ three-part, six-and-a-half hour behemoth, it’s perhaps important to consider his background as a critic. Not just in terms of the trilogy’s cinephilic engagement with Rossellini, Alonso, Oliveira, etc.; also in its defiant nature. While it’s easy to assign the trilogy certain humanist and satirical labels from the get-go and just praise these films for following through on them,...
Arabian Nights (Miguel Gomes)
In lauding Miguel Gomes‘ three-part, six-and-a-half hour behemoth, it’s perhaps important to consider his background as a critic. Not just in terms of the trilogy’s cinephilic engagement with Rossellini, Alonso, Oliveira, etc.; also in its defiant nature. While it’s easy to assign the trilogy certain humanist and satirical labels from the get-go and just praise these films for following through on them,...
- 5/6/2016
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
Curious to know what movies and TV shows are coming to Netflix Watch Instantly over the next few weeks? Get a head start and mark your calendars using the list below, just released to us by Netflix. Here are some recommendations to get you started... Ava's Possessions (2015) Bring It On (2000) Pleasantville (1998) The Keeping Room (2015) Goosebumps (2015) We Are Still Here (2015) Arriving: May 1: 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 Crítico (2013) FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue (1998) Finger of God (2007) Gary Gulman: It's About...
Read More...
Read More...
- 4/28/2016
- by Movies.com
- Movies.com
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
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Warner Bros is set to be the latest studio to gamble on fewer blockbuster movies. But there's a big silver lining, Simon argues...
Last week, the news landed that Warner Bros was considering reducing its output of films, focusing its slate primarily on DC, Lego and Harry Potter movies.
The argument runs that it’s had a bumpy few years, with expensive films such as Pan, Jupiter Ascending and In The Heart Of The Sea leaving the office copy of Excel looking decidedly red and distressed. The box office tail off of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is said not to have helped, either. It actually looks like we're officially in the era where a movie will end up making just under $1bn and end up being called a commercial disappointment.
If and when Warner Bros follows such an approach – and it’s not confirmed that it will,...
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Warner Bros is set to be the latest studio to gamble on fewer blockbuster movies. But there's a big silver lining, Simon argues...
Last week, the news landed that Warner Bros was considering reducing its output of films, focusing its slate primarily on DC, Lego and Harry Potter movies.
The argument runs that it’s had a bumpy few years, with expensive films such as Pan, Jupiter Ascending and In The Heart Of The Sea leaving the office copy of Excel looking decidedly red and distressed. The box office tail off of Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is said not to have helped, either. It actually looks like we're officially in the era where a movie will end up making just under $1bn and end up being called a commercial disappointment.
If and when Warner Bros follows such an approach – and it’s not confirmed that it will,...
- 4/13/2016
- Den of Geek
The best advice I could give you during a film festival is to take at least one day off. Watching movies is wonderful fun, but there comes a point around day 5 or 6 when the idea of a movie just feels exhausting and all you want to do is lay on your bed, eat, and watch television.
So for the most part of my Tuesday I chilled at home, munching on avocado toast and lounging on my comfortable queen size bed reflecting on the films I have so far seen this festival (this also helped because Letterboxd came out with an app and I could rate all of them from my phone!). I came up with a list of favorites because I am obsessed with ranking and rating things. So below I have listed the films I have seen at SXSW so far from most favorite to least:
American Fable
Under...
So for the most part of my Tuesday I chilled at home, munching on avocado toast and lounging on my comfortable queen size bed reflecting on the films I have so far seen this festival (this also helped because Letterboxd came out with an app and I could rate all of them from my phone!). I came up with a list of favorites because I am obsessed with ranking and rating things. So below I have listed the films I have seen at SXSW so far from most favorite to least:
American Fable
Under...
- 3/17/2016
- by Jenny Nulf
- DailyDead
In this special episode of Off The Shelf, Ryan and Brian take a look at the new DVD and Blu-ray releases for Tuesday, January 26th 2016.
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Follow-Up Depatie-Freleng Supplements News Arrow Video: Cult Cinema sold out directly (Available from Amazon UK), BFI: Napoleon Criterion Collection: In A Lonely Place Disney: Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Blu-ray 4/5 Flicker Alley: Blu-ray Mod, film noirs John Carpenter Lost Themes II Kino: Tijuana Toads, Roland and Rattfink, Beware! The Blob, Eleni, Fuzz, Absolution, Masters of Cinema: April announcements tomorrow Olive Films: April titles Second Run: teaming up with Arrow Video Shout! Scream: Manhunter cover, MST3K Vol 2, NightHawks, I Saw What You Did / You’ll Like My Mother Thunderbean: Flip the Frog and Cubby Bear Twilight Time: New February titles available for pre-order on Wednesday February 3rd: Where The Sidewalk Ends, Cowboy, The Big Heat,...
Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.
Follow-Up Depatie-Freleng Supplements News Arrow Video: Cult Cinema sold out directly (Available from Amazon UK), BFI: Napoleon Criterion Collection: In A Lonely Place Disney: Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Blu-ray 4/5 Flicker Alley: Blu-ray Mod, film noirs John Carpenter Lost Themes II Kino: Tijuana Toads, Roland and Rattfink, Beware! The Blob, Eleni, Fuzz, Absolution, Masters of Cinema: April announcements tomorrow Olive Films: April titles Second Run: teaming up with Arrow Video Shout! Scream: Manhunter cover, MST3K Vol 2, NightHawks, I Saw What You Did / You’ll Like My Mother Thunderbean: Flip the Frog and Cubby Bear Twilight Time: New February titles available for pre-order on Wednesday February 3rd: Where The Sidewalk Ends, Cowboy, The Big Heat,...
- 2/3/2016
- by Ryan Gallagher
- CriterionCast
A Chet Baker biopic starring Ethan Hawke, a Las Vegas drug thriller co-starring Nicolas Cage and Sky Ferreira and a Korean documentary about karaoke addiction are just three of the several dozen movies that SXSW added to their previously announced lineup Tuesday. Famous for premiering both huge blockbusters (Bridesmaids) and beloved indies (Short Term 12), the 2016 edition of Austin's premiere pop culture showcase highlights a wide variety of potential breakout hits.
The Narrative Feature Competition culls 10 world premieres from a list of 1,442 different movies. In Miss Stevens, the directorial debut...
The Narrative Feature Competition culls 10 world premieres from a list of 1,442 different movies. In Miss Stevens, the directorial debut...
- 2/2/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Every week we dive into the cream of the crop when it comes to home releases, including Blu-ray and DVDs, as well as recommended deals of the week. Check out our rundown below and return every Tuesday for the best (or most interesting) films one can take home. Note that if you’re looking to support the site, every purchase you make through the links below helps us and is greatly appreciated.
Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg)
Tom Hanks has a cold, and he needs to save America. A natural follow-up to Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln in its immersion into nitpicky political discussion, Bridge of Spies also distinguishes itself with a wittier, frequently downright sarcastic screenplay (mostly courtesy, one imagines, of the Coen brothers), more agile camerawork (the ten-minute opening jaunt through Mark Rylance’s Brooklyn morning has been a justified source of attention), and a different kind of lead...
Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg)
Tom Hanks has a cold, and he needs to save America. A natural follow-up to Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln in its immersion into nitpicky political discussion, Bridge of Spies also distinguishes itself with a wittier, frequently downright sarcastic screenplay (mostly courtesy, one imagines, of the Coen brothers), more agile camerawork (the ten-minute opening jaunt through Mark Rylance’s Brooklyn morning has been a justified source of attention), and a different kind of lead...
- 2/2/2016
- by TFS Staff
- The Film Stage
David, Devindra, and Jeff discuss the dramatic changes to 2017’s movie calendar, get excited about The X-Files and Mad Dogs, and marvel at the heartbreaking beauty of 45 Years. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(At)gmail(Dot)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Also, like us on Facebook! Download or Play Now in your Browser: Subscribe to […]
The post /Filmcast Ep. 351 – The Keeping Room appeared first on /Film.
The post /Filmcast Ep. 351 – The Keeping Room appeared first on /Film.
- 1/27/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
The home invasion sub genre has seen some inventive takes in recent years and shows no signs of disappearing anytime soon. From the under-seen Replicas, to sci-fi tinged The Purge, to You're Next and onto this year's feminist Civil War film The Keeping Room and even, yes, Eli Roth's Knock Knock, it's certainly been a good time to be a fan of those kinds of stories.
Enter into this group Adam Schnider's confident feature [Continued ...]...
Enter into this group Adam Schnider's confident feature [Continued ...]...
- 1/16/2016
- QuietEarth.us
Read More: The 13 Most Criminally Overlooked Indies and Foreign Films of 2015 Daniel Barber's feminist Western "The Keeping Room" was a critically acclaimed drama that just couldn't find its legs at the box office when it was released in select theaters last September. And yet, thanks to some appearances on end-of-the-year compilation lists and this excellent new Mondo poster, it seems like "The Keeping Room" might just get a second chance at discovery for audiences looking for a worthy surprise. Set in the rural South of 1865, the drama takes place at the end of Civil War on a remote farm run by three women: Augusta (Brit Marling), her teenage sister Louise (Hailee Steinfeld) and their slave Mad (Muna Otaru). As all the men in their lives vanished long ago on the battlefield, the women exist in a static world, but their lives soon change when two soldiers discover their home...
- 1/12/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Where life had no value, death had its price."
So begins Sergio Leone's For a Few Dollars More, the film's opening title card succinctly setting the scene for the carnage to come. And yet, for all of its ominous portent, the preface betrays a certain shortsightedness: Just because the film is set in the past doesn't mean that it should speak in the past tense. More than 40 years have elapsed since that spaghetti Western first hit theaters — and more than 100 since the twilight of the late 19th Century frontier that it depicts.
So begins Sergio Leone's For a Few Dollars More, the film's opening title card succinctly setting the scene for the carnage to come. And yet, for all of its ominous portent, the preface betrays a certain shortsightedness: Just because the film is set in the past doesn't mean that it should speak in the past tense. More than 40 years have elapsed since that spaghetti Western first hit theaters — and more than 100 since the twilight of the late 19th Century frontier that it depicts.
- 12/29/2015
- Rollingstone.com
From an idea, to the script, to filming and finally making its way to the big screen, every movie starts with a great story. The cinematic stories of 2015 inundated audiences with inspiring tales of compassion, happiness, courage and love while being spread over the various genres.
Moviegoers saw the rise of Nwa, true stories of an ongoing cover-up and the economic catastrophe whose effects are still being felt today, journeys of harsh survival but also ones of inspirational hope – both here on earth and on distant worlds – and a re-imaging of the beauty and chaos of the post-apocalyptic world that is Mad Max. Even the new story about Rocky Balboa proved to be a fascinating one as we watched the torch being passed to a new generation. We couldn’t help but feel a whimsy of nostalgia from a visit back to Philadelphia as well as to that Galaxy Far Far Away.
Moviegoers saw the rise of Nwa, true stories of an ongoing cover-up and the economic catastrophe whose effects are still being felt today, journeys of harsh survival but also ones of inspirational hope – both here on earth and on distant worlds – and a re-imaging of the beauty and chaos of the post-apocalyptic world that is Mad Max. Even the new story about Rocky Balboa proved to be a fascinating one as we watched the torch being passed to a new generation. We couldn’t help but feel a whimsy of nostalgia from a visit back to Philadelphia as well as to that Galaxy Far Far Away.
- 12/23/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
I'm only familiar with Taylor Schilling's work on the Netflix original series Orange is the New Black, in which she plays the show's lead character, Piper Chapman. Piper is the worst, and Schilling makes her fun to hate (or at least strongly dislike). But it looks like Schilling is heading from a women's prison to the world of sci-fi, because Deadline reports that she's joining Avatar star Sam Worthington in a new sci-fi movie called The Titan.
Set in a not-too-distant future, it tracks the journey of a military family that is relocated to take part in a groundbreaking experiment of man’s genetic evolution into space.
Could that description be any more vague? I don't know if the producers are trying to keep the story details under wraps because the movie is dependent on twists and surprises, or if they just did a terrible job writing a compelling synopsis.
Set in a not-too-distant future, it tracks the journey of a military family that is relocated to take part in a groundbreaking experiment of man’s genetic evolution into space.
Could that description be any more vague? I don't know if the producers are trying to keep the story details under wraps because the movie is dependent on twists and surprises, or if they just did a terrible job writing a compelling synopsis.
- 12/16/2015
- by Ben Pearson
- GeekTyrant
The 2015 St. Louis International Film Festival, also known as Sliff, has begun. Even though Alex Winter couldn’t bring Freaked in town, he did bring his two great tech documentaries, Downloaded and Deep Web – in addition to being awesome to us and presenting Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Sliff has a robust schedule full of independent and foreign cinema along with some mainstream affair like Legend starring Tom Hardy and some possible future Oscar contenders like Carol. However, since we are a horror website, we are going to highlight some films that should definitely be on your radar!
Feature Films
The Nameless
Filmed in “The Exorcist House” here in St. Louis, which most of you might have seen last weekend during Discovery Channel’s laughable Exorcism: Live!, this thriller borrows from the premise that The Exorcist was based out of by having a main character, Amy, return to the house...
Feature Films
The Nameless
Filmed in “The Exorcist House” here in St. Louis, which most of you might have seen last weekend during Discovery Channel’s laughable Exorcism: Live!, this thriller borrows from the premise that The Exorcist was based out of by having a main character, Amy, return to the house...
- 11/8/2015
- by Andy Triefenbach
- Destroy the Brain
Review by Dana Jung
The Keeping Room screens Friday, November 6th at 4:45pm and Sunday, November 8th at 9:15pm as part of The St. Louis International Film Festival. Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac Theater. Ticket information can be found Here and Here
During the last days of the War Between the States, Augusta (Brit Marling, I Origins, Another Earth) and her younger sister Louise (Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit), along with the former slave Mad (Muna Otaru), are etching out a meager existence in the deep South, surviving one day at a time on sparse vegetables they grow in a barren garden, and little meat. Their time is spent working all day, or longing for the days of old when they wore fine dresses and men came calling. The sheer monotony of their isolated lives is slowly wearing the women down, but things change one afternoon when...
The Keeping Room screens Friday, November 6th at 4:45pm and Sunday, November 8th at 9:15pm as part of The St. Louis International Film Festival. Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac Theater. Ticket information can be found Here and Here
During the last days of the War Between the States, Augusta (Brit Marling, I Origins, Another Earth) and her younger sister Louise (Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit), along with the former slave Mad (Muna Otaru), are etching out a meager existence in the deep South, surviving one day at a time on sparse vegetables they grow in a barren garden, and little meat. Their time is spent working all day, or longing for the days of old when they wore fine dresses and men came calling. The sheer monotony of their isolated lives is slowly wearing the women down, but things change one afternoon when...
- 11/5/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
A fantastic example of how shifting to women’s perspectives can lend an exciting freshness to tired genres.
Click here for the ongoing ranking of 2015’s films for female representation.
Note: This is not a “review” of The Keeping Room! It is simply an examination of how well or how poorly it represents women. (A movie that represents women well can still be a terrible film; a movie that represents women poorly can still be a great film.) Read my review of The Keeping Room.
See the full rating criteria. (Criteria that do not apply to this film have been deleted in this rating for maximum readability.)
This project was launched by my generous Kickstarter supporters. You can support this work now by:
• buying some Where Are the Women? merch
• becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber of FlickFilospher.com
• making a pledge at Patreon
• making a one-time donation via Paypal...
Click here for the ongoing ranking of 2015’s films for female representation.
Note: This is not a “review” of The Keeping Room! It is simply an examination of how well or how poorly it represents women. (A movie that represents women well can still be a terrible film; a movie that represents women poorly can still be a great film.) Read my review of The Keeping Room.
See the full rating criteria. (Criteria that do not apply to this film have been deleted in this rating for maximum readability.)
This project was launched by my generous Kickstarter supporters. You can support this work now by:
• buying some Where Are the Women? merch
• becoming a monthly or yearly subscriber of FlickFilospher.com
• making a pledge at Patreon
• making a one-time donation via Paypal...
- 10/29/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Call this a revisionist feminist postapocalyptic historical western home-invasion horror drama. But even that doesn’t quite do it justice. I’m “biast” (pro): desperate for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
You haven’t seen a movie like this before. Even a wild label like “revisionist feminist postapocalyptic historical western home-invasion horror drama” doesn’t quite do it justice. The Keeping Room is a thrilling experience in how it defies categorization even as it pulls in bits and pieces from various genres in a way that shakes them all up, and in how it finds a fresh perspective on a scenario that is familiar in many of its aspects via the simple yet radical approach of telling its tale through the eyes of women.
This isn’t quite a western: we are not on the untamed frontier but,...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
You haven’t seen a movie like this before. Even a wild label like “revisionist feminist postapocalyptic historical western home-invasion horror drama” doesn’t quite do it justice. The Keeping Room is a thrilling experience in how it defies categorization even as it pulls in bits and pieces from various genres in a way that shakes them all up, and in how it finds a fresh perspective on a scenario that is familiar in many of its aspects via the simple yet radical approach of telling its tale through the eyes of women.
This isn’t quite a western: we are not on the untamed frontier but,...
- 10/29/2015
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
The Western is making a bit of a comeback these days. This year has already given us Slow West and The Keeping Room, while the near future offers The Hateful Eight, Jane Got a Gun, and In a Valley of Violence. Before that next wave of movies hits, though, fans of the genre can sink their teeth into the grizzly meat of Bone Tomahawk. Sporting a stellar cast that includes Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins, Bone Tomahawk is about a Sheriff (Russell) who leads a team of gunslingers to rescue settlers kidnapped by a tribe of cannibals. If the words "Kurt Russell," "Western," "team of gunslingers" and "cannibals," don't excite you, then we don't know what will and are, frankly, afraid to find...
Read More...
Read More...
- 10/22/2015
- by Peter Hall
- Movies.com
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