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Review: ‘LANDMINE GOES CLICK’ is filled with cringe worthy mind games.

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

If you were trapped in the middle of nowhere, and you alone had to ensure the safety of your loved ones, how far would you go to save them? In the new film Landmine Goes Click, those very questions are put to the test in the most hellish way.

Three American tourists are backpacking through the remote countryside of European Georgia when one of them gets trapped on an armed landmine. But that seems to be a minor threat compared to the nightmarish happenings the rest of the afternoon will bring on. A psychopath takes advantage of the tourist’s immobility and brutally assaults the woman he loves. Directed by Levan Bakhia and distributed by Gravitas Ventures, the film is a gripping thriller mining the rich topics of betrayal and revenge. The film stars hot young talents: Spencer Locke (“Resident Evil” Franchise, “Cougar Town,” Monster House”), Dean Geyer(“Glee,” “Australian Idol”), and Sterling Knight (“Mackenzie Falls,” “Sonny With a Chance,” “Melissa & Joey”).

Sterling Knight steals the spotlight in this sanity testing tale. The progression of despair and possible madness is truly awesome to watch from minute one. I applaud him for being able to carry long scenes, some with very few cuts. Spencer Locke is also strong as our heroine. In some pretty heart pounding moments in the film, she stands her ground both physically and emotionally. Kote Tolordava plays one sadistic son of a bitch. You will hate this character, which has everything to do with this actor’s ability to be vile.

The film is structured in 3 distinct acts; Act 1: The Set Up, Act 2: Torture, Act 3: Revenge. Only enhanced by progressively longer takes and hand held camera work, Landmine Goes Click is a solid indie thriller. The film is filled to the brim with gruesome mind games and beyond cringe-worthy physical confrontations, so you’ll be glad to breathe again once the credits finally role.

“Landmine Goes Click” Opens Theatrically in LA & NY Nov 6th, 2015, VOD/Digital November 10th, 2015

The movie has won numerous awards and recognition at festivals around the world such as Audience Award Fantasporto Film Festival 2015, Official Selection Tucson Terrorfest 2015, Official Selection Frightfest London 2015, Award Winning Film, The Indie Gathering 2015, Best International Picture Fantafestival Rome 2015, Official Selection Telluride Horror show 2015, Official Selection Diabolique International Film Festival 2015, Official Selection Mad Town Horror 2015. It will be distributed in theaters across the U.S.

Interview: Amy Koppelman, author and screenwriter of ‘I SMILE BACK’ tells us where Amy ends and Laney begins.

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Beautifully insightful, generous human being, and honest writer, Amy Koppelman now has three books and one screenplay under belt. Her novel, I SMILE BACK just opened in theaters, a film she developed for the screen with her screenwriting partner, Paige Dylan. After her first novel A Mouthful of Air, Koppelman used her own life as a rough base for the lead character in I Smile Back, Laney, immaculately portrayed by Sarah Silverman on the big screen. I got a chance to sit down with Amy last week, and pick her brain.

Liz: Firstly, congratulations, to both you and Paige on bringing such a bold and honest story to life. Thank you for tackling a subject we tend to try to hide rather than seek help for. I would love to know, where does Amy end and Laney begin?

Amy: All the thoughts and fears, the self-loathing, the doubt, the sadness, all of those, I own those completely. The ways in which they manifest in Laney and in me, that’s where things diverge. I’ve been sleeping with the same guy for 25 years…

Liz: So her outwardly self-destruction and addiction.

Amy: Exactly, that’s not me.

Liz: Did Brian (Koppelman, Amy’s screenwriter/director husband) actually help you at all with the transition from page to screen?

Amy: Well, he’s very helpful in the sense that he actually kept me alive and got me better for so long, and yes, of course, he was helpful. He gives great notes. It’s like, what more could you want but a great screenwriter in your house. I mean screenwriting for me is a completely different muscle than novel writing. It uses a completely different skills set and some people can do both with fluidity. For me, it’s counter-intuitive to the way I write, so he was very helpful.

Liz: Do you think it’s easier to “write what you know” or is that more of a challenge?

Amy: I don’t know because for years and years I just wrote without thinking about what I’m writing… I mean I knew that when I was writing I Smile Back I wanted a write a story about a woman and about how everything she did was based on fear, that she was so anxiety ridden about hurting or being hurt by the people she loved that she almost preemptively strikes against them. Because even if everything goes right, even if they don’t leave her, somebody at some point will die and that’s just, you know… I always think that by the time you’re five and you realize that everyone you love is going to one day die, it’s amazing that every five year old doesn’t run into traffic. So, I just write and write until I hit a scene and think, “Oh, that’s what I’ve been trying to write to.” … It’s not that I know the answer to that, I just write from the inside out, I guess.

Liz: Yeah, I don’t think that there’s an definitive answer. Sometimes it’s a hindrance to know too much or you don’t want to reveal too much. Sometimes it’s cathartic. Every piece it sort of it’s own thing.

Amy: Yeah. I do know that when I write, I don’t hold back anything. I don’t care how I’m judged or what people think of me. It is the most unadulterated part of myself.

Liz: It’s great. It’s very accessible. It’s unapologetic so it’s unfiltered. It’s very relatable.

Amy: Maybe not for everyone?

Liz: But I think in some way, you’ve either known someone who’s like that, or perhaps feared to become that person?

Amy: Yes! That’s what I think it is. You know, when people ask me about redemption, I don’t understand that question because for me, redemption comes for the viewer or the reader, for the person who is experiencing it. I know the reason that I read, or the reason that I watch films is so that.. the thing that moves me the most is when someone is able to articulate a thought or feeling that I’ve had that I haven’t been able to put into words. Sometimes that I didn’t even realize I was having and it makes me feel so much less lonely. I hope that I Smile Back can do that for some people. Make them feel like they can identify themselves in the character or someone they love in the character and either help that person get the help they need, or realize like Josh Charles (who plays Laney’s husband Bruce in the film) ultimately has to, that sometimes, no matter how much you love somebody, you can’t make them better.

Liz: That’s why I loved the ending so much, because it’s honest and real. (SPOILER ALERT- *scroll down if you haven’t yet read or seen the film) It’s real life. Things don’t get wrapped up in a bow.

Amy: We’ve come to expect that somehow and some of the bad reviews have been very angry about the ending, “It just ends in the middle of nowhere!” And I thought, well, I don’t think it ends in the middle of nowhere, it just ends there. It wasn’t some ploy to be cute or something. That’s just where it ended for me. Maybe Laney can get her shit together.

Liz: And who knows? And you let that story just sort of live in the ether and I thought it was awesome.

(SPOILERS ALERT OVER!)

Liz: I also thought there was an interesting comment on this cultural need to fake it through your day. But also, as a Mom, to sort of lose your “self” to family obligations. Two really big things… especially in the city!

Amy: Yeah. I think as women, at some point, we do feel the need to put people at ease. Not all women, but I do think that is a trait more inherent to women. To kind of make things right, so I think that for Laney, if she can keep her family okay, and keep her kids okay, and keep her demons to herself, then maybe they can all be safe.

Liz: What was in Sarah’s voice, when you heard her on Howard Stern? Was it a tone or something she said?

Amy: It’s funny, I’ve been tempted to listen to the interview again, because someone told me it was online, and I thought, “I don’t actually think I should listen to it again.” There was just something in the tone of her voice and I can’t explain it except for like it happens a couple times in your life, you have a moment of magic, like when you fall in love, ya know? I just thought she’d understand me. She would understand Laney and what I was trying to explain with Laney. I do believe that as writers, or carpenters, or teachers, or just human beings, we just want to be heard and understood. So, my first inclination was just to get the book to her because I thought, “Oh, she’s gonna understand me and that in and of itself felt like a real victory.” The fact that she got it, and opened it and read it, well that was a real miracle.

Liz: So, Postpartum Depression, in the past couple weeks, has gotten a little more attention than it normally gets. Which I think is important. I have a lot of friends, who have just given birth and who are also pregnant, and clearly that is a huge fear. You just don’t know if and when it’s going to happen.

Amy: Every woman, to varying degrees has.. it’s very emotional when you have a child. I mean the hormones in your body, the estrogen, there is something called Baby Blues which isn’t Postpartum Depression and so postpartum depression is just like baby blues, that just doesn’t go away, it gets worse. I started writing [ A Mouthful of Air] 20 years ago, it was impossible to get published, and I think every single agent in NYC rejected that book and they all said, “No one wants to read about this.” I remember, I’m so sick, that when Andrea Yates killed her children, I don’t know if you remember that? I remember seeing it on the cover of Newsweek and calling one of the agents and going, “See?! This is a real thing!.” And she said, “Well this isn’t going to make it any easier for you, it’s going to make it worse.” So, I’m really happy to see that people talk about it more now. When I wrote that book, people say it’s a book on postpartum, I never even knew the words postpartum depression even existed. I just thought it was a variation on the theme of depression. I didn’t know there was this separate world of this kind of depression. I remember after writing the final scene… I remember going online and reading, I don’t even think it was Google, I think it was Ask Jeeves!… it was the first time I saw the words “postpartum depression” and it was on a very rudimentary site where some mother was writing about how her daughter had killed herself, not the child. Slowly through that book, I met a lot of people who were working really hard to bring awareness. It’s much better that people know to look out for it. People know with their friends, they can spot it. They know the difference between when the person is having emotional stuff happen because they have just had a baby versus, “Oh, that’s something different.” And they need an different level of help. A Mouthful of Air is actually out of print now but you can get it for free on my website. (www.AmyKoppelman.com) You can print it out at home or you can get it as an eBook. I might as well have it there, because the most rewarding thing for me, even though I don’t sell a lot of books, is when I get letters from psychiatrists or from people who say, “I gave this to my patient’s husband, so that they could understand what’s going on with their wife.” Or, “I gave this to my patient’s mother so they could help get their child to take medication.”

Liz: I think that’s so generous of you.

Before they steal you, HESITATION WOUNDS! (Amy’s new novel) I think it’s so interesting that you’re coming from a psychiatrist’s point of view in this respect. I think that’s a really interesting way to tackle the subject of depression.

Amy: I think that one of the things that Susa Seliger says, (The main character in the novel) she says that even though she knows so much about the human mind, it doesn’t really help her in terms of being a human being. It doesn’t make it easier for her to deal with regret and fear and mourning and anger. The guilt for having survived. And, I hope you like it!

HESITATION WOUNDS Synopsis:

The new novel by the author of I Smile Back, now a film starring Sarah Silverman.The acclaimed author of I Smile Back, Amy Koppelman is a novelist of astonishing power, with a sly, dark voice, at once fearless and poetic. In her breathtaking new novel, Dr. Susanna Seliger is a renowned psychiatrist with a specialty in treatment-resistant depression. The most difficult cases come through her door, and Susa will happily discuss medication or symptom management but draws the line at messy feeling. Her mantra and most fervent anti-prayer, and the undeniable fact of her past is that the people who love you leave.But the past is made present by one patient, Jim, whose struggles tear open Susa’s hastily stitched up wounds, and she’s once again haunted by the feeling she could have saved those she’s lost, including her adored, cool, talented graffiti-artist brother. Spectacularly original, gorgeously unsettling, Hesitation Wounds is a wondrous novel that will sink deep and remain—powerfully, transformingly, like a persistent scar or a dangerous glow-in-the-dark memory.

I SMILE BACK is in theaters now and will be On Demand this Friday, November 6th.

Hesitation Wounds comes to shelves tomorrow, November 3rd!

Review: ‘THE PACK’ & ‘THE DEVIL’S CANDY’ are two of this year’s Scary Movies 9 at Lincoln Center.

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

FESTIVALS • OCTOBER 30 – NOVEMBER 05, 2015

Scary Movies 9

Now in its ninth edition, New York’s top festival for quality horror from around the globe is back with a vengeance. This year’s fright fest includes 12 of the best new titles out there, including Sean Byrne’s eagerly anticipated follow-up to The Loved Ones, The Devil’s Candy,and the gut-wrenching Australian feral-dog thriller The Pack, plus horror movies of all stripes from Ireland, Denmark, Spain, and Turkey. Revival offerings include Juan Piquer Simón’s ’80s cult classics Pieces and Slugs, and in tribute to the dearly departed Christopher Lee, a 35mm screening of the Hammer gem The Gorgon. We will also be presenting evenings with Larry Fessenden, whose company Glass Eye Pix is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and Bernard Rose, whose new film, Frankenstein, a wildly original update set on the streets of L.A., closes this year’s festival with large doses of both heart and gore.

On Opening Night, we begin our journey into nightmare with Southbound, an anthology road film from some of the key players behind V/H/S, followed by a blow-out Halloween bash where prizes will be given for the best costume.

Programmed by Laura Kern, Rufus de Rham, and Gavin Smith.

THE PACK

Nick Robertson, Australia, 2015, DCP, 90m
Not to be confused with Robert Clouse’s 1977 when-animals-attack classic (which screened as part of last year’s Scary Movies), Nick Robertson’s directorial debut The Pack does feature killer canines, but their prey here is a family of four—already battling assorted harsh realities—who must rely on their own ingenuity to survive a night of sheer terror, as they are relentlessly stalked by ravenous dogs on their remote Australian farm. The film is horror of the most jarring, edge-of-your-seat kind, with the added bonus of a cast of characters actually worth rooting for.

Filled with really solid characters and performances, The Pack is not necessarily anything new in story. You will route for this family to not only save their land but survive the night in a violent attack from these very cunning and hyper-intelligent wild dogs. The practical effects are gruesome and well played. The plot ramps up as we slowly learn about each member through family dynamics and circumstance. You will not be indifferent to their survival and will find yourself on edge at each near miss. The Pack is worth seeing. Australian horror is getting better and better with recent hits like The Babadook and These Final Hours. The Pack does distinguish itself with great camera work, mixed with an intriguing combo or quick cuts and slow motion sequences. While it does take a good 30 minutes to really set up the plot properly, it’s worth the wait. Think CUJO but with more than one attacker minus the rabies, just evil. Using all the old horror tropes but with dogs as the villains, The Pack will not help anyone with Cynophbia.

THE DEVIL’S CANDY

Sean Byrne, USA, 2015, DCP, 90m
Six long years may have elapsed since Aussie writer-director Sean Byrne made The Loved Ones—the closing-night film of Scary Movies 4, and perhaps the most satisfying horror film of the last decade—but it will come to no genre fan’s surprise that his follow-up was more than worth the wait. As exquisitely crafted as his debut feature, The Devil’s Candy stars a captivatingly intense and nearly unrecognizable Ethan Embry as an artist struggling to support his devoted wife (Shiri Appleby) and preteen daughter (Kiara Glasco). But the real fight for survival begins when the tight-knit family moves into a new house, unaware that its previous occupant is a royally disturbed child-killer (Pruitt Taylor Vince) who wants his home back. And even worse, the devil’s demands that swirl around in the sick man’s head—muted only by heavy-metal music—also begin taking hold of the artist and his paintings. After witnessing this intensely emotional and haunting work, audiences too will struggle to shake those demonic voices.

I had to look twice, nay, three times to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. Ethan Embry is a ripped, rock god in this surprising feature. I cannot express how much adored this film. With a slight Amityville feel, the latin voices heard in this film will get under your skin immediately. Loaded with seriously sick tunes from bands like Metalica and Queens of the Stoneage, the music takes on a life of its own in The Devil’s Candy. The film has an 80’s throwback feel in approaching the death metal and satanic ritual link. Visually, one of the coolest flicks I’ve seen in a while, especially for a horror. High end effects are beautifully juxtaposed with unique painting as each are being assembled… or disassembled as it were. The entire cast is spot on awesome. The Devil’s Candy has gorgeous framing and jump scares galore. I HIGHLY recommend you catch this particular selection if horror is truly your genre of choice.

The festival starts today and runs through November 5th.

You can check out all the films at http://www.filmlinc.org/festivals/scary-movies-9/

Tickets

$ 14

General Public

$ 11

Student & Senior

$ 9

Member

3+ Film Package

BUY

All-Access Pass

BUY

Review: ‘DIFRET’ will change your view of the world.

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Angelina Jolie Pitt Presents

DIFRET

Based on a True Story

In a world where most of us get to pick their spouse, arranged marriage can seem like a foreign concept. Taking it one step further than that, seems unimaginable. In DIFRET, a young lawyer travels to an Ethiopian village to represent Hirut, a 14-year-old girl who shot her would-be husband as he and others were practicing one of the nation’s oldest traditions: abduction into marriage.

Tizita Hagere (foreground) as “Hirut Assefa”. Photo Courtesy of Truth Aid Media

1996, Ethiopia, caught in a culture where women are considered second class citizens, where abuse is swept under the rug, Hirut is kidnapped on her way home from school, raped and told she will be come her capture’s wife. After a swift and brave escape, she shoots her would-be husband and is quickly taken in by police. Hearing of her plight, young activist lawyer, Meaza Ashenafi , takes it upon herself to defend this truly innocent girl. Sexism is rampant in the surrounding villages, ruled by elders and unbalanced justice notions. Even in the city, where Hirut is being held, the male police, lawyers, and Minister of Justice all pose road blocks to a young girl’s rights.

Meron Getnet as “Meaza Ashenafi” in DIFRET. Photo Courtesy of Truth Aid Media.

The film is beautifully juxtaposed with scenes from village justice Vs the actual legal proceedings. Breaking down of 3rd world injustice is the ultimate victory. Teaching Hirut that she does not have to follow those forced into traditional kidnapped marriage, like so many before her. Mob mentality among the men reigns supreme. Infuriating to endure as Western audience members may not begin to fathom that such a heinous custom could be socially acceptable. This film, based on a true story, is about changing the culture. It’s about self esteem. It’s about standing up for what we know is right.

Tizita Hagere as “Hirut Assefa” and Meron Getnet as “Meaza Ashenafi” in DIFRET. Photo Courtesy of Truth Aid Media

Meron Getnet as Meaza is natural and reassuring. Her tenacity jumps off the screen and you route for her to save everyone. Tizita Hagere as Hirut is overwhelmingly stunning. For such a young actress, to be able to carry half of the film is quite the accomplishment. The honesty in her silence, speaks volumes. Both of these women paint a picture of hardship and triumph. This film incredibly important as young women around the world strive for equality and a sense of self. It brings light to the atrocities still happening. Just this past June, in 2015, genital mutilation was finally banned in Nigeria. 2015. Think about that for just a minute. Difret has the potential to be a saving grace.

The film won audience awards at Sundance, Berlin, and Amsterdam Film Fest among others, and was Ethiopia’s official submission for the Academy Awards; it will open in theaters starting October 23rd in New York at the Lincoln Plaza.

Social Media:

Facebook: fb.com/DifrettheFilm

Twitter: @difretfilm

Instagram: @difretfilm

Review: ‘I SMILE BACK’ is Sarah Silverman’s game changer.

Posted on October 22, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Presents

Sarah Silverman has been making us laugh for ages now. Her raunchy comedy style is beyond funny. Though, we’ve never seen her in a role like the one she plays in I SMILE BACK. As a mother of two children, insurance salesman husband, massive house in the burbs, Silverman plays a woman on the edge of a cliff. This film is not funny.

So many mothers try their damnedest to attain a facade of perfection. Doing it all, every day, can take its toll. Even more so if underlying issues bubble to the surface and collide head on with mental illness and addiction. Silverman‘s character, Laney, has a routine. Hubby wakes her up as he is heading out the door. She rises, makes her kids their personalized lunches, breakfast, gets them to school… then all hell breaks loose in her world. Faking it through the moments has become the bane of her existence so pills, alcohol and sex become her destructive outlet. When the cracks begin to show and the fun wears off, Laney’s sporadic outbursts among the masses, and worse, the ones she knows intimately are simply the beginning of all the walls imploding around her. The film tackles so many touchy subjects unapologetically. Based on Amy Koppleman‘s novel (which she adapted for the screen along with Paige Dylan) I SMILE BACK pulls no punches in parading Laney’s self destructive behavior for the audience to cringe along with. Whether or not we’ve experienced addiction first hand, we all know someone who has. Depression doesn’t have a magical cure.

Bruce, Janey, son, Josh Charles, I smile Back still

Sarah Silverman should, hands down, get an award for this performance. Do not for one minute think that was an easy performance to pull off. It is raw, dirty, unglamorous, and very real. If this doesn’t open up an entire new avenue for her career, then shame on Hollywood. Sharp tongued and effortlessly pointed, Silverman owns this film from minute one. Josh Charles as supportive husband Bruce is no throw away character. Endlessly in love with his wife, knowing full well what she is capable, there are moments real truth is revealed. Through brief remarks, side glances,even if he tolerates her behavior, he does not condone it. His portrayal is incredibly realistic in each moment. He never asks too much of her but strives for her happiness even if it means making unpleasant family decisions. It is an unafraid performance.

Laney and dad Sarah Silverman still from I smile Back

I Smile Back not only tackles addiction, depression, mental illness, but breaking the patterns that have been, and are being, passed down generation to generation. The film is brave. The script is bold. It will leave you with a sense of reality some may not be ready to accept. Audiences will be lucky to dive into this film head first. We’re very proud to recommend I SMILE BACK.

I SMILE BACK open tomorrow, October 23rd in NY at the Angelika! Available On Demand November 6th.

Laney is an attractive, intelligent suburban wife and devoted mother of two adorable children. She has the perfect husband who plays basketball with the kids in the driveway, a pristine house, and a shiny SUV for carting the children to their next activity. However, just beneath the façade lie depression and disillusionment that send her careening into a secret world of reckless compulsion. Only very real danger will force her to face the painful root of her destructiveness and its crumbling effect on those she loves.

Starring: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Tom Sadoski and Mia Barron

Directed by: Adam Salky

Written by: Amy Koppelman (based on her novel) and Paige Dylan

Running Time: 85 minutes

Rating: R

Official site: http://ismilebackmovie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ismilebackmovie

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ismilebackmovie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ismilebackmovie

#ISmileBack

Review: ‘ROOM’ is gut-wrenching and extraordinary.

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Presents

What would you do to protect the ones you love? What sacrifices would you make to ensure their health and safety? ROOM pushes our “what if’s” to the brink and asks us to take a leap of faith into this harrowing story of a mother and son.

ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack (Jacob Tremblay in a breakout performance), a spirited 5 year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted Ma (Brie Larson, SHORT TERM 12, TRAINWRECK). Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical-they are trapped-confined to a windowless, 10-by-10-foot space, which Ma has euphemistically named “Room.” Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack’s curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma’s resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world. ROOM also stars three-time Academy Award® nominee Joan Allen and Academy Award® nominee William H. Macy.

At once a taut narrative of captivity and freedom, an imaginative trip into the wonders of childhood, and a profound portrait of a family’s bonds and fortitude, ROOM is a beautifully transcendent experience based on the award-winning global bestseller by Emma Donoghue. Director Lenny Abrahamson (FRANK) remains faithful to the novel while bringing Jack, Ma and their entirely singular world to heart-pounding and intensely cinematic life. ROOM demonstrates the triumphant power of familial love even in the darkest of circumstances, and is sure to take its place among the most emotionally affecting films to ever explore the bond between parents and children.

This film will leave you in tears. There is absolutely no getting around it. Sitting in a small screening room filled with all ages and stages of critics, at various points in the film, people, including myself, were weeping. ROOM takes hold of you and never lets go. It forces you to face your own fears, (albeit, mostly irrational) and think about what you would do if you were in Ma’s position. Should she have tried sooner to get Jack to safety? Was her decision to craft a special world just for Jack the right one? Hopefully, we will never have to answer such questions. I am very glad that Emma Donoghue was able to adapt her own words for the big screen. In speaking to some audience members that had read the novel, they admitted that the book tore their hearts out. They were amazed at Donahue’s skill in bringing these characters to life and found it to be even more effective on film. Other book fans were so affected by the novel, that they couldn’t even bring themselves to see the film. I encourage them to be brave. It is worth every gut-wrenching moment. Bravo to Lenny Abrahamson for a gorgeously structured movie. FRANK was a complete gem and he has another total success in ROOM.

Brie Larson‘s performance as Ma is stunning. Her ability to span emotions in each scene is elegant and engrossing. This is one of the least glamorous roles an actress could receive and yet, Larson is somehow able to show the beauty of her struggle to remain sane in a scenario that is unimaginable. She should not be overlooked come awards season. Joan Allen as Larson’s mother is just lovely. Finding out that you’re a Grandma and having to adjust to the unknown, well, Allen made it look easy. Wiiliam H. Macy, ever the star, has the uncanny ability to make you love him, hate him, and completely understand where he is coming from with a mere glance. Now… let’s talk about our Jack. Jacob Tremblay gives the kind of performance one might expect from a 45 year old Oscar winner. Jacob turned 9 on October 5th. He was 8 when production began in November 2014. Jacob gives one of the most honest and insightful performances I have ever seen from anyone, let alone a child actor. Each moment feels fresh,completely unrehearsed or false. Tremblay has a long and brilliant career ahead of him. I hope, for the sake of wonderful storytelling, he chooses to continue this path. We, as an audience, would be privileged to watch him grow.

Opening October 16th in New York

At Angelika and AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13

The film will expand nationwide on November 6th!!

Review: ‘MEADOWLAND’ drives Olivia Wilde to the brink.

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

How does one cope after the loss of a child? Do marriages survive? Can we be saved? These are all questions in an intense script lead by a masterful performance from Olivia Wilde. Sarah and Phil’s son goes missing, shattering their life together and forcing each to find their own way to cope. Cinematographer-turned-director Reed Morano presents a masterfully crafted contemplation on a relationship strained to the breaking point. Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson capture the unraveling emotions with remarkable power, alongside Kevin Corrigan, John Leguizamo, Elisabeth Moss, Giovanni Ribisi, Juno Temple, and Merritt Wever. Read More →

Review: ‘REVERSION’ will not soon be forgotten.

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

There are often times when someone asks the question: “If you could go back in time and relive any moment, what would it be?” I don’t think there is a single one of us that can truthfully say, “I wouldn’t. Everything is perfect.” Would it be a good memory? Would be it something tragic or regrettable? And even if you could, what would you do with that moment? In Jose Nestor Marquez’s new film, such questions come to the forefront.

REVERSION centers on Sophie Clé (Aja Naomi King), a delighted user of the Oubli, a wisp of high-tech jewelry that wraps behind the ear and uses neuroscience to help its users experience their most joyful memories as if they were happening for the first time. In addition to being the head of marketing for the company that makes this revolutionary memory-enhancing wearable device, she is also the daughter of its inventor, Jack Clé (Colm Feore).

Sophie’s most joyful memory is the last day she saw her mother alive, fifteen years earlier. But on the eve of the Oubli’s worldwide launch, a stranger named Isa (Jeanette Samano) kidnaps Sophie, setting off a chain of events that remind us all, you can’t escape what you can’t forget.

Sophie’s life is really a well oiled facade. She utilizes the Oubli as a drug. Once Isa exposes the cracks in her carefully crafted present, Sophie begins to realize that manipulation, lies, and secrets have taken over this once spectacular idea of bringing peace and happiness to the general populace.

Aja Naomi King has a great energy on screen and easily commands the lead. From her work on How To Get Away With Murder, I have already been impressed with her abilities and this is no exception. Colm Feore is always phenomenal with what seems like effortless ease. Gary Dourdan plays Ayden, Sophie’s driver, security, and closest ally. His strong, quiet presence is a perfect backup to Sophie manic potential. Isa is played flawlessly by Jeanette Samano. Simply based upon this role, I want to see her in everything. Someone is missing out by not casting her. Along with strong performances from Amanda Plummer and Lela Rochon, REVERSION has one outrageously talented cast.

The look of the film is sleek and has some suggestive early Minority Report-esque allusions with technology intertwining with emotions and memories. The music is a wonderful bonus being both ethereal and haunting in all the right places. The plot gets more complicated as the film rolls along with twists you may not ever see coming. This film is much deserving of an audience and if you’re a sci-fi thriller fan, REVERSION is one to watch.

Opening theatrically on October 9^th, 2015 in New York (Empire 25), Los Angeles (Universal Citywalk) with a wider national release to follow.

One Night Only ‘Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse’ Ultimate Fan Experience in Select Cities

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Paramount Pictures, AMC Theatres and Dillon Francis are offering moviegoers in the U.S. a one-night-only Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Ultimate Fan Experience with an advance screening of the film as well as exclusive music and a special visual show from Dillon Francis for the regular price of admission. The visual experience blends the bold graphics of creative powerhouse Pizzaslime and Dillon Francis, short form video content from Dillon Francis’ zombie alter ego “Dead Dillon,” scenes from the film and original music from Dillon Francis.

The event will take place in select AMC Theatres locations across the U.S. on Wednesday, October 28^th at 7:00 p.m. Ticket holders will also receive a commemorative t-shirt.

In New York City, ticket holders attending the Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Ultimate Fan Experience at the AMC Loews 19^th St. East 6 theater will receive admittance to an exclusive, off-site after party event featuring a performance by Dead Dillon following the screening.

Tickets are available for purchase now at participating theater box offices and online at

www.ScoutsAndZombiesMovie.com/ultimatefanexperience

DJ/Producer/Artist Dillon Francis, who makes a cameo in the film, released his debut album “Money Sucks, Friends Rule” last year. Featuring standout track “Get Low,” the album was named one of Rolling Stone’s Top Electronic Albums of 2014. His latest release “This Mixtape is Fire,” which sees Dillon Francis return to his Moombahton roots, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic chart, fueled by collaborations with Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Chromeo and more. Having played shows and festivals in the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, France, Australia and more, Dillon Francis is continuing to make a name for himself as one of the most influential players in electronic music.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse follows three scouts and lifelong friends who join forces with one badass cocktail waitress to become the world’s most unlikely team of heroes. When their peaceful town is ravaged by a zombie invasion, they’ll fight for the badge of a lifetime and put their scouting skills to the test to save mankind from the undead. Starring Tye Sheridan, David Koechner, Cloris Leachman¸ Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Joey Morgan, Sarah Dumont and Patrick Schwarzenegger.

Produced by Todd Garner and Andy Fickman. Story by Carrie Evans & Emi Mochizuki and Lona Williams, with a screenplay by Carrie Evans & Emi Mochizuki and Christopher Landon. Directed by Christopher Landon.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse opens in theaters on October 30^th, 2015.

New York Film Festival Review: ‘STEVE JOBS’ The idol and the narcissist.

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 2 Comments ↓

Steve Jobs: Humanity may recognize his face quicker than any religious leader, sports icon, historical figure… even Kardashian. The world knows this man. But, do they really? Danny Boyle‘s new film, based upon the biography by Walter Isaacson, focuses on three specific moments in the life of Jobs; the launches of the Macintosh, Next, and the iMac. You may think you know the man that inspired the internet in your pocket, but truly you have no idea.

The unmistakable dialogue from Aaron Sorkin breathes life into this film. Steve Jobs takes off running right out of the gate without a moment’s rest in it’s 122 minute run time. Each of the three sequences appearing in “real time” as they play out on screen. Sorkin admitted in the press conference following the screening that he has a bit of an obsession with time itself. The pacing is unreal. You have no idea how far you are into the movie at any given time as his dialogue is lush but never verbose. The entire cast nails each beat precisely.

If you haven’t read Isaacson’s book, you may not have a clear picture of Jobs. While he was adored by those in the public and those closest to him, the man was no saint. Self obsessed, “my way or the highway attitude” and in total denial, each move in his career was 1000% calculated. Oftentimes, to the detriment of those personal relationships. This is another brilliant aspect that the film brings in its editing. Each of the three launches is inter-cut with a pivotal moment from the past in which a character had a confrontation with Steve. While the adoration remains, let it be known that everyone in his path at some point reached their emotional limit and let him know it. I would be remiss to ignore the look and feel of each era, including wardrobe, music, and sporadic text visuals that serve to quietly highlight it’s excellence.

This cast is beyond perfection. Michael Fassbender, who admits he looks nothing like Jobs, did his actor’s due diligence studying YouTube clips of Steve. The rhythm and timbre of his voice and his physicality. Kate Winslet plays Joanna Hoffman, Job’s head of marketing and perhaps closest female friend ever, with a delicious ease. The leftover Polish accent of Hoffman is perfectly captured on Winslet’s lips. Seth Rogen is the ever forgotten genius Steve Wozniak. Rogen’s performance should not be overlooked in this year’s awards nominations. His quiet power does not go unnoticed and the scenes between he and Fassbender are spellbinding. Jeff Daniels, who perhaps has the most experience with Sorkin’s writing with his work on The Newsroom, gives us a knockout performance as Apple CEO John Sculley. Butting heads with Jobs but revealing a while boat load of truth in the process, Daniels also deserves accolades for this role. The cast is rounded out by exceptional portrayals of Crisann Brennan, Jobs’ thrown to the wind ex and mother of his first child, by Katherine Waterston. The emotional torture this woman endured is evident in each scene. Finally, Michael Stuhlbarg is Andy Hertzfeld, Mac software system designer, who often argued with Steve about his closed source software (the reason Mac is incompatible with anything other than Mac, which was probably his most calculated decision ever). Stuhlbarg, like the majority of the cast, spent time with his real life counterpart, getting to know the true ins and outs of who they were to Steve and who they were as individual innovators. STEVE JOBS is both a pretty picture and a not so pretty picture of a man the world still worships. It will take you by surprise in every way possible. A triumph from start to finish, look for, at the very least, massive nominations for all involved come award season. STEVE JOBS comes to theaters in limited release Friday, October 3rd, followed by it’s nationwide release Friday, October 23rd. Stay tuned to Reel News Daily for the latest updates.

Directed By Danny Boyle
2015
USA
DCP

Anyone going to this provocative and wildly entertaining film expecting a straight biopic of Steve Jobs is in for a shock. Working from Walter Isaacson’s biography, writer Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Charlie Wilson’s War) and director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) joined forces to create this dynamically character-driven portrait of the brilliant man at the epicenter of the digital revolution, weaving the multiple threads of their protagonist’s life into three daringly extended backstage scenes, as he prepares to launch the first Macintosh, the NeXT work station and the iMac. We get a dazzlingly executed cross-hatched portrait of a complex and contradictory man, set against the changing fortunes and circumstances of the home-computer industry and the ascendancy of branding, of products, and of oneself. The stellar cast includes Michael Fassbender in the title role, Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, Jeff Daniels as John Sculley, Katherine Waterston as Chrisann Brennan and Michael Stuhlbarg as Andy Hertzfeld. A Universal Pictures release.

New York Film Festival Review: ‘MICROBE & GASOLINE’ is a charming coming of age road movie.

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

So many of us did not fit in while we were in school. Maybe we wore clothes that were different, has religious parents, or just had quirky personalities that wouldn’t be appreciated until college. Director Michel Gondry tackles the coming of age genre with his new film MICROBE & GASOLINE. With credits like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep, Gondry has no problem tackling the whimsy many of us enjoy while sitting in a dark theater to escape our everyday lives. Still brimming with that very same sense of lightness, Microbe & Gasoline takes on the subject of two young boys trying to navigate insecurities and innocence… all while alone on the road in a car they build themselves.

Available to rent and buy onTuesday, September 4th with behind-the-scenes extras on We Are Colony

Newcomer Ange Dargent, is a true delight on screen. His natural presence is so relatable. He plays young introvert and artist, Daniel. Nicknamed ‘Microbe’ by classmates, even though he continually points out he is not the shortest boy in the class, he is constantly picked on at school. While at home, mother Marie-Thérèse (played effortlessly by the beautiful Audrey Tautou) dotes so heavily it drives him deeper into himself. Enter new kid, Théo, rambunctious, confident and perfect foil for Daniel, he is unafraid of standing up to bullies even if he not the most popular. Young actor, in only his sophomore picture, Théophile Baquet, plays Gasoline with the perfect balance of snark and charm. Buzzing onto the scene with a souped up electric bicycle and smelling of, yep, you guessed it, gasoline, he adopts our Microbe as his new project. The two discover that with a whole lot of ingenuity they can build their own car to escape struggles at home for the summer. But why stop at a car? Why not add a house on top for camouflage and living purposes.

Tackling subjects like confidence, sex, loss, and just plain growing up, MICROBE & GASOLINE has enough heart to compete with Gondry’s previous adult incarnations with the same issues. The dialogue is snappy, sweet, and funny. While the plot itself is not necessarily a new idea, I still believe it to be a true success. Below you can find the trailer. While for now we only have it available in French (sans subtitles), you still get the general idea of how wonderful this film truly us. And, not to worry, there are English subtitles during the film itself.

Directed By Michel Gondry
2015
France
French with English subtitles
DCP
103 minutes

The new handmade-SFX comedy from Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Be Kind Rewind) is set in an autobiographical key. Teenage misfits Microbe (Ange Dargent) and Gasoline (Théophile Baquet), one nicknamed for his size and the other for his love of all things mechanical and fuel-powered, become fast friends. Unloved in school and misunderstood at home—Microbe is overprotected, Gasoline is by turns ignored and abused—they decide to build a house on wheels (complete with a collapsible flower window box) and sputter, push, and coast their way to the camp where Gasoline went as a child, with a stop along the way to visit Microbe’s crush (Diane Besnier). Gondry’s visual imagination is prodigious, and so is his cultivation of spontaneously generated fun and off-angled lyricism, his absolute irreverence, and his emotional frankness. This is one of his freshest and loveliest films. With Audrey Tatou as Microbe’s mom.

Showtimes

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4

12:00 PM

Buy Tickets

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

9:00 PM

Standby Only

VENUE

Francesca Beale Theater Alice Tully Hall

New York Film Festival 53 Review: ‘MIA MADRE’

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 2 Comments ↓

Impending death of a loved one is something we’ll all face in our lifetime. Everyone deals with it on their own very personal way. In Nanni Moretti‘s new feature MIA MADRE, Margherita knows her mother is on the verge of death, but is in the kind of denial that turns her world into a tailspin. Trying to separate her professional life and her home life is not working. Relationships with her volatile American actor, her loving brother, young daughter, and her film, are all in jeopardy as she flails through feigning normalcy.Margherita Buy is beyond brilliant as our lead. Never a false moment or a skipped beat. her presence is perfection and the story is relatable on every level. John Turturro’s outstanding performance as over the top American actor Barry Higgins is equally captivating. His boisterous sense of importance is the perfect foil to Margherita’s slow emotional unraveling. The film’s impact is pretty massive. It will stick with you long after you leave the theater. It’s a true study in human behavior.In the press conference immediately following the screening, Nanni Moretti and John Turturro sat down to chat about the experience. Moretti crafted this script when his own mother became ill while he as editing one of his films and later passed away. He explained that Margherita Buy was his first choice to play the leading lady, and that he felt that it would be more interesting to play the story out through a female character. As he was writing and shooting, his catharsis also occurred in his portrayal of the character Giovanni, Margherita’s brother. “Giovanni is the character I wanted to be (in real life), but I’m not.” This quiet, grounded performance speaks volumes and is another gorgeous emotional counterbalance to Margherita.

There was a whole lot of improv on the set. I asked John if it was complicated to switch between fluent Italian and English in the same monologue stream or if that was precisely how Nanni had written the dialogue. John revealed that Nanni asked him to memorize all the lines in Italian, go back and learn them again in English, then once he had a true sense of who ,Barry Huggins was, he had the freedom to play within the languages. He admitted it was incredibly complicated. Let me assure you, it is deliciously effective.

MIA MADRE is a beautiful film. One that we, at Reel News Daily, highly recommend.

Directed By Nanni Moretti
2015
Italy/France
Italian and English with English subtitles
DCP
106 minutes

Margherita (Margherita Buy) is a middle-aged filmmaker who has to contend with an international co-production starring a mercurial American actor (John Turturro) and with the realization that her beloved mother (Giulia Lazzarini) is mortally ill. Underrated as an actor, director Nanni Moretti offers a fascinating portrayal as Margherita’s brother, a quietly abrasive, intelligent man with a wonderfully tamped-down generosity and warmth. The construction of the film is as simple as it is beautiful: the chaos of the movie within the movie merges with the fear of disorder and feelings of pain and loss brought about by impending death. Mia Madre is a sharp and continually surprising work about the fragility of existence that is by turns moving, hilarious, and subtly disquieting. An Alchemy release.

Showtimes

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

9:15 PM

Standby Only

VENUE

Francesca Beale Theater Alice Tully Hall

It’s DOCTOR WHO DAY!! Series 9 Premieres Tonight!

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

In just under 30 minutes, Series 9 of Doctor Who will begin on BBCAmerica. Last time we saw the Doctor and Clara, Missy was running amuk, Cybermen were causing a ruckus and the fate of the universe was in jeopardy. But this, my friends, is why we love the show. Steven Moffat is teaming up with “Blink” director, Hettie MacDonald. Tonight’s episode is titled, “The Magician’s Apprentice“. Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman are back in action. Here is the run down… as far as I can reveal to you.

Where is the Doctor?” When the skies of Earth are frozen by a mysterious alien force, Clara needs her friend. But where is the Doctor, and what is he hiding from? As past deeds come back to haunt him, old enemies will come face-to-face, and for the Doctor and Clara survival seems impossible

I was fortunate enough to attend the premiere screening here in NYC Thursday night. The Mistress herself, Michelle Gomez, was in attendance along with hundreds of lucky Whovians. TARDIS outside the theater, cosplayers as far as the eye could see, Michelle sat down for a pre-screening Q&A to reveal some of her favorite things about playing The Mistress. The biggest surprise to the audience came when she revealed that not only would we be privy to the first episode, but the second as well! As you can imagine, the house went nuts; cheering and shouting surrounded by the glow of sonic screwdrivers. It was brilliant. Here are a few pics I shared from the event.

Did I forget to mention that #MichelleGomez was there AND we saw the first TWO episodes?! #Spoilers #press #citylife #nyc #NYC #DoctorWho #series9 #premiere #TheMistressIsHere Check out the sweet Whovian swag. Today was a great day.

A photo posted by Elizabeth Whittemore Ferry (@indiebizliz) on Sep 17, 2015 at 8:10pm PDT

Guess where I am? #HappyWhovain #series9 #DoctorWho #TheMistressIsHere A photo posted by Elizabeth Whittemore Ferry (@indiebizliz) on Sep 17, 2015 at 4:27pm PDT

We’re certainly excited and you should be, too! That’s all I can say for now…. Spoilers.

DOCTOR WHO airs tonight at 9pm/8C on BBCAmerica.

Be The First to See ‘Captive’ at a One Night Only Event on Thursday September 17th

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Paramount Pictures is giving moviegoers an opportunity to experience the upcoming film Captive before its theatrical release with special “CAPTIVE: NIGHT OF PURPOSE” events. These one-night-only events tell the inspiring real-life story of Ashley Smith and convicted criminal Brian Nichols and will take place on Thursday, September 17^th starting at 7:00 p.m. at participating theaters across the U.S.

“CAPTIVE: NIGHT OF PURPOSE” will feature advance screenings of the film, followed by exclusive content and conversations moderated by Gayle King with the film’s stars David Oyelowo and Kate Mara, producer Terry Botwick and Brian Nichols’ mother, Claritha Nichols.

For more information, to purchase tickets, and for a list of participating theaters, visit http://captivemovieresources.com/nightofpurpose

Captive, based on a miraculous true story that drew the attention of the entire nation, is the dramatic, thrilling, and spiritual journey of Ashley Smith and Brian Nichols. After being taken hostage by Brian in her own apartment, Ashley turns to Rick Warren’s inspirational book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” for guidance. In reading from the book, Ashley not only finds purpose in her own life, but helps Brian find a more peaceful resolution to a harrowing situation.

The film stars David Oyelowo, Kate Mara, Leonor Varela, Jessica Oyelowo, with Mimi Rogers and Michael K. Williams.

Directed by veteran filmmaker Jerry Jameson, Captive is based on the book “Unlikely Angel” by Ashley Smith with Stacy Mattingly. The film’s screenplay is by Brian Bird. Produced by Terry Botwick, Jerry Jameson, Lucas Akoskin, Alex Garcia, Katrina Wolfe, David Oyelowo and Ken Wales. The executive producers are Santiago Garcia Galván, Jonathan Gray, Brian Bird, Elliott Lester and Ralph Winter.

Captive opens in theaters on September 18^th, 2015.

Broad Green Pictures Announces 99 Homes: 99 Good Deeds Initiative in 20 Cities Nationwide

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Broad Green Pictures announces the launch of 99 Homes: 99 Good Deeds, a charitable initiative to encourage individuals to perform one good deed to help a member of their community and to underscore the positive impact that even the smallest amounts of assistance can have. The launch comes just ahead of the release of the studio’s upcoming film 99 Homes debuting in theatres on Sept. 25, expanding nationwide Oct. 9. In collaboration with local organizations in 20 cities throughout the United States, Broad Green Pictures will perform 99 good deeds.

In Phoenix, Broad Green Pictures has partnered with non-profit charity Phoenix Rescue Mission. To prepare for the holiday season, the Mission is in desperate need of food, water, blankets, clothing, shoes, sleeping bags and monetary donations. To help with this effort, the studio will donate 99 (admit two) passes for the advance screening on October 5^th to be given to the first 99 people to donate. Broad Green Pictures will also host a canned food drive at the screening where people who bring at least one canned food item will be entered to win a 99 Homes prize pack including promo items from the film, a medium popcorn to enjoy during the screening and two VIP tickets to a future screening of one of their upcoming films.

Additional national partner organizations include:

New York: Make Them Visible
Los Angeles: LA Family Housing
Chicago: North Side Housing and Supportive Services
Philadelphia: Rosa’s Pizza
San Francisco: Compass Family Services
Boston: Haley House
Washington, D.C.: Friendship Place
Atlanta: United Way of Greater Atlanta
Houston: Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston – Meals on Wheels
Detroit: South Oakland Shelter
Seattle: Mercy Housing Northwest
Tampa: Agency for Community Treatment Services
Minneapolis: YouthLink
Miami: HOPE South Florida
Cleveland: Greater Cleveland Food Bank
Orlando: Faith Promise of Greater Orlando
Sacramento: Steps Forward

99 Homes is written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, Man Push Cart) and stars Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spiderman, The Social Network) as Dennis Nash, a single father trying to take care of his mother, played by Laura Dern (Wild, The Fault in Our Stars) and young son after being evicted from their home. Nash becomes so desperate to provide for his family that he goes to work for Rick Carver played by Michael Shannon (Man of Steel, “Boardwalk Empire“) – the very man who evicted him from his home in the first place. 99 Homes is produced by Ashok Amritraj, Kevin Turen, Justin Nappi and Bahrani.

For more information on the 99 Homes: 99 Good Deeds initiative and a full list of and how to get involved, please visit 99HomesGoodDeeds.com.

Warner Bros Television to Invade New York Comic Con

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Warner Bros. Television takes a massive bite out of the Big Apple during New York Comic Con (NYCC) October 8–11 with six series that include Gotham (Mondays 8/7c on FOX), Supergirl (Mondays 8/7c on CBS), Blindspot (Mondays 10/9c on NBC), Person of Interest (Midseason on CBS), DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (Midseason on The CW) and Containment (Midseason on The CW); plus, a brand-new series, Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production (Mondays 8/7c on Boomerang), from Warner Bros. Animation.

Confirmed to attend New York Comic Con 2015 for panel sessions with fans include:

Gotham’s Ben McKenzie, Robin Lord Taylor, Cory Michael Smith, James Frain, Jessica Lucas and executive producer John Stephens
DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s Brandon Routh, Arthur Darvill, Caity Lotz, Ciara Renée, executive producer Phil Klemmer and director Glen Winter
Blindspot’s Sullivan Stapleton, Jaimie Alexander, Rob Brown, Audrey Esparza, Ashley Johnson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and executive producer Martin Gero
Supergirl’s stars and executive producer Ali Adler
Person of Interest’s Michael Emerson, Kevin Chapman, Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi
Containment’s David Gyasi, Chris Wood, Claudia Black, Hanna Mangan Lawrence and executive producer Julie Plec
Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production’s Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen and producer Gary Hartle

For the third year at NYCC, Warner Bros. Television will host preview night screenings at the Main Stage on Thursday, October 8. Fans will not only view the complete pilot episodes of the hotly anticipated series Supergirl (series premiere Monday, October 26, 8:30/7:30c on CBS),Containment (series premiere Midseason on The CW) and Lucifer (series premiere Midseason on FOX), but also a sneak peek of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (series premiere Midseason on The CW).

Confirmed WBTV panelists will participate in autograph signings taking place the same day as the panel in the NYCC Autographing Area. NYCC signings are first come, first serve and times are as follows:

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

3:00–3:30 p.m. Containment

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11

11:00–11:30 a.m. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

11:45–12:15 p.m. Supergirl

12:30–1:00 p.m. Blindspot

1:15–1:45 p.m. Person of Interest

1:45–2:30 p.m. Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production

2:00–2:45 p.m. Gotham

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION SCREENINGS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

7:00–9:30 p.m. (Main Stage) WBTV Pilot Screenings: For the third year in a row, Warner Bros. Television offers an advance viewing of pilot episodes; this year, check out three of the most highly anticipated series of the 2015–16 television season — Supergirl, Containment andLucifer — as well as a sneak peek of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow.

Supergirl: In the vast DC Comics Universe of super heroes, the rich mythology of Superman and the planet Krypton is perhaps the most famous and instantly recognizable. Enter Supergirl! Born on the doomed planet Krypton, the preteen Kara escaped at the same time as the infant Kal-El, but didn’t arrive on Earth until many years later after being lost in the Phantom Zone. Now age 24, living in National City and working as an assistant for Catco Worldwide Media mogul Cat Grant, Kara has spent so many years trying to fit in that she forgot to ever stand out. All that changes when she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and become the hero she was always destined to be. With the help of Daily Planet photographer James Olsen, her foster sister Alex, and the research of the super-secret, off-the-grid Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO) and its head, Hank Henshaw, who are tasked with keeping the Earth safe from aliens, Kara takes to the skies to protect her world.

Containment: When a mysterious and deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, a vast urban quarantine is quickly enforced, forcing those stuck on the inside to fight for their lives while local and federal officials desperately search for a cure in Containment. Torn apart from their loved ones, the survivors trapped within the cordon are fighting against not only fatal infection, but also isolation, fear and the disintegration of society around them. But as they begin to gain each other’s trust, hope remains, and on either side of the cordon unlikely heroes will rise.

Lucifer: The story of the original fallen angel. Bored and unhappy as the Lord of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar has resigned his throne and retired to the City of Angels, where he owns an upscale piano bar called Lux. When a beautiful pop star is murdered, he feels something awaken deep within him for the first time in roughly 10 billion years. Is he actually capable of feelings for a human being? The very thought disturbs him. The murder attracts the attention of LAPD homicide detective Chloe Dancer, who finds herself both repulsed and fascinated by Lucifer. At the same time, God’s emissary, the angel Amenadiel, has been sent to Los Angeles to convince Lucifer to return to Hell. But with the City of Angels at his feet and a newfound purpose, Lucifer’s having too much fun to go back now.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: When heroes alone are not enough … the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat —one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. From the creators of The Flash and Arrow comes this super hero team-up unlike anything that’s ever been seen on television before.

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION SESSIONS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

5:15–6:15 p.m. (Room 1A06) Containment (Midseason on The CW): When a mysterious and deadly epidemic breaks out in Atlanta, a vast urban quarantine is quickly enforced, forcing those stuck on the inside to fight for their lives while local and federal officials desperately search for a cure. Containment makes its New York Comic-Con debut with a special screening of the entire pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with series stars David Gyasi (Interstellar), Chris Wood (The Vampire Diaries), Claudia Black (The Originals), Hanna Mangan Lawrence (Spartacus:Vengeance) and executive producerJulie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, The Originals). Based on the original Belgian series created by Carl Joos for Eyeworks, Containment is produced by My So-Called Company in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Plec, David Nutter (The Flash, Arrow), Matt Corman (Covert Affairs) and Chris Ord (Covert Affairs). Become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CWContainment and follow the show on Twitter at @cwcontainment.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11

12:15-1:15 p.m. (Room 1A10) Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production Special Video Presentation and Q&A: Get ready for an afternoon of hilarity and hijinks as the looniest animation studio in the world, Warner Bros. Animation, showcases the hilarious, heroic and mischievous Bugs Bunny that everyone loves in Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production. Join producer Gary Hartle (The Mask) and members of the voice cast, Jeff Bergman and Bob Bergen (The Looney Tunes Show), for a look at this new animated series featuring Bugs in all-new shorts that find the iconic carrot-loving rabbit matching wits against — and getting the best of — classic characters like Yosemite Sam and Wile E. Coyote. Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production premieres Monday, October 5^th at 8/7c on Boomerang.

1:30 p.m. (Empire Stage) Warner Bros. Television Takeover: Join stars and producers from five Warner Bros. Television series — Gotham, Supergirl, Blindspot, Person of Interest andDC’s Legends of Tomorrow — for exclusive footage, a pilot screening and a Q&A on the Empire Stage.

Gotham: Special Video Presentation and Q&A —The hit series returns to New York Comic-Con for its second year as Jim Gordon continues his quest to clean up Gotham City, but the stakes are higher than ever in season two as we witness the Rise of the Villains. Join series stars Ben McKenzie (Southland), Robin Lord Taylor (The Walking Dead), Cory Michael Smith (Olive Kitteridge), James Frain (True Blood) and Jessica Lucas (Cloverfield) with executive producer John Stephens (Gossip Girl) for a special Q&A. From Warner Bros. Television, Gotham airs Mondays at 8/7c on FOX. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GOTHAMonFox, and follow the show on Twitter at @Gotham.

Supergirl Pilot Screening and Q&A – Born on the planet Krypton, Kara Zor-El escaped its destruction years ago. Since arriving on Earth, she’s been hiding the powers she shares with her famous cousin. But now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Attendees will see a screening of the complete pilot, followed by a Q&A with series stars and executive producer Ali Adler (Chuck). From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supergirl will premiere Monday, October 26^th on CBS at a special time of 8:30 p.m., before moving to its regularly scheduled time of Mondays at 8/7c. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SupergirlCBS and follow the show on Twitter at @SupergirlCBS.

Blindspot: Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Sullivan Stapleton (300: Rise of an Empire) and Jaimie Alexander (Thor films) star in Blindspot, a one-hour action thriller from Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Arrow, Pan) and writer/executive producer Martin Gero (Stargate: Atlantis). Stapleton stars as hardened FBI agent Kurt Weller, who is drawn into a complex conspiracy when a naked amnesiac, Jane Doe (Alexander), is found in Times Square covered in a series of cryptic tattoos … including his name on her back. As Weller and his teammates at the FBI begin to investigate the veritable treasure map that is Jane Doe’s tattoos, they are drawn into a high-stakes underworld that twists and turns through a labyrinth of secrets and revelations — and the information they uncover might ultimately change the world. Join series stars Sullivan Stapleton, Jaimie Alexander, Rob Brown (Treme), Audrey Esparza (Public Morals), Ashley Johnson(The Killing), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Without a Trace) and executive producer Martin Gero for a revealing Q&A. From Warner Bros. Television and Berlanti Productions, Blindspot airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC. Become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NBCBlindspot and follow the show on Twitter at @NBCBlindspot.

Person of Interest: Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Person of Interestreturns to New York for the fifth year! Join the discussion with stars Michael Emerson,Kevin Chapman, Amy Acker and Sarah Shahi as the science “fiction” of Person of Interest stays one step ahead of real-world events. John Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Harold Finch (Michael Emerson) have saved countless lives thanks to the omniscience of their supercomputer and their crack team of brave misfits — NYPD detective Lionel Fusco (Kevin Chapman), the unpredictable cyber-hacker Root (Amy Acker), and missing-in-action operative Sameen Shaw (Sarah Shahi) — but a new threat puts their mission in jeopardy and their lives in even more danger. Samaritan, the rival AI, has initiated its lethal “correction.” Finch’s Machine is essentially dead. Shaw is still missing. And the team is once again hiding in plain sight. But with Samaritan’s invisible grip tightening everywhere, will Finch be able to rebuild and resurrect The Machine? And if he does, will it be the same Machine when it comes back online? From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Person of Interest returns Midseason for its fifth season on CBS. Become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PersonofInterestCBS and follow the show on Twitter at @PersonInterest.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A – When heroes alone are not enough … the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront the immortal threat of Vandal Savage. Attendees will be treated to a sneak peek at upcoming footage from the show, followed and Q&A with series stars Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who), Caity Lotz (Arrow), Ciara Renée and executive producers Phil Klemmer (The Tomorrow People) and Glen Winter (Arrow). From Berlanti Productions Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will premiere Midseason on The CW. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWLegendsOfTomorrow and follow the show on Twitter at @TheCW_Legends.

PLEASE NOTE: Series stars and creative teams scheduled to attend are subject to change.

Review: Nichols and Walker’s ‘Welcome to Leith’ Is an Incredibly Stunning and Rattling Film Capturing the Scariness of White Supremacists in All Their Ignorant and Gross Glory

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

The reason I like documentaries so much is that you can’t shy away from what is depicted on the screen, you can’t suspend your disbelief because it is happening or has really happened. Some docs are whimsical and can delight you with the beauties of life. Others, the exact opposite. Welcome to Leith happens to fall in the latter crowd, although don’t let that take away from how good this film is.

Directors Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher Walker are unbelievably able to situate themselves right in the middle of a shitstorm…in the middle of Nowhere, North Dakota (really, Leith). When Craig Cobb comes to town, he goes about unnoticed, busy snapping up pieces of property in the small town. To what end you might ask? Well, Cobb just so happens to be one of the foremost white supremacists in the country and he is doing his best to buy enough property to settle his racists buddies in town so that they can take over Leith politically by using their votes to oust the City Council and sitting Mayor Ryan Schock. And why would they do that, you ask again? So that they can set up what I later learned is called a PLE, or Pioneer Little Europe, or really just a town that is all white and non-Jew, non-Christian where they are free to propagate their ridiculous and, frankly, dangerous views.

Nichols and Walker do such a wonderful of balancing the perspective of the concerned local townsfolk who don’t want anything to do with Cobb and his fellow bigots being in Leith with the viewpoint of Cobb and his cronies, sickening as it is. The directors are able to capture the growing concern for the citizens of Leith for their own safety as Cobb himself falls into more and more of an uncontrolled, hate-filled spiral. The interplay between the rights of the citizens of Leith and the rights of the racists to exist in town is fascinating to watch play out amid all of the legal wranglings by both sides to allow their ways of life to continue.

What the directors do best here is really letting Cobb and the other white supremacists featured hang themselves with their own words and actions. It is hard not to squirm each time Cobb and his cohort comes on screen spouting their hateful rhetoric. And perhaps the best thing is, they willingly contributed to this. The directors were able to use footage shot by the racists and weave it into the film, so in essence they co-directed portions of the film. The score that composers Brendan Canty and Tim Hecker created added a nice layer to the film. This film is quite scary (if you ask me) and the score really helps reiterate that, allowing the directors to not have to show tons more heavy handed interviews with Cobb and his little posse. I will say that the final shot of Cobb in this film is one of the most satisfying of any documentary I’ve ever seen and incredibly indicative of the how most Americans feel about racists and their fucked up agendas.

This is an endlessly enthralling, enraging and interesting film that really encapsulates the complexity of interpreting the First Amendment. Walker and Nichols have woven together a really important film that gives relatively equal balance to both arguments, something that I can’t imagine was an easy thing to do. The film is chock full of poignant moments (none as good as the reveal of Cobb‘s DNA profile) that show the extremes that both sides will go to protect their rights. While the subject matter is hard to digest in parts (because of the nature of it, not the lack of quality in how it is shown), the filmmakers do a dynamic job in getting the points of both parties across and that is why this film is so successful. I would firmly put this documentary beside K. Ryan Jones‘ Fall from Grace about the Westboro Baptist Church as a film that is able to take a subject that is really vomit-inducing about some really disgusting people and allow said disgusting people to do all the dirty work themselves. And as gross as I think Cobb and his lot are, it makes for fascinating cinema to watch them try to work the system and ultimately fail.

This film make its US theatrical debut tonight at the IFC Center in New York City. Directors Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher Walker will be present at the 7:45 screening tonight and tomorrow. The film is being distributed by First Run Features.

Get there, people!

Here’s the trailer:

‘Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension’ to Premiere in REALD 3D Closing Night of Screamfest Horror Film Festival

Posted on September 4, 2015 by Michael Petrelli — Leave a reply

Paramount Pictures’ Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, the sixth film in the blockbuster horror franchise, will premiere in RealD 3D closing night of the Screamfest Horror Film Festival on Thursday, October 22^nd at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The screening marks the series’ return to the largest and longest running horror film festival in the U.S., where the first Paranormal Activity film made its debut in 2007.

“We are thrilled to have the Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension premiere close this year’s festival,” said Rachel Belofsky, Screamfest Founder and Festival Director. “We are so proud of Oren Peli and his success with the franchise. It’s great to have him back in the festival where it all began.”

“It’s incredibly exciting, and somewhat surreal, to premiere the final installment of the Paranormal Activity series at Screamfest where the first film premiered eight years ago,” said producer Oren Peli, who directed, produced and wrote the original Paranormal Activity. “These films continued to be made because of the incredible fans that supported them from the very beginning, so I look forward to bringing the series back to its roots to honor them.”

As a tribute to the original film’s most passionate fans, for the first time ever, Screamfest will expand nationwide with special advance screenings of Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension in the 12 markets in which the first film opened with “Demand It” fan screenings before its theatrical run in 2009. The new film will play in Ann Arbor, MI; Baton Rouge, LA; Boulder, CO; Columbus, OH; Durham, NC; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; Orlando, FL; Santa Cruz, CA; Seattle, WA; State College, PA; and Tucson, AZ on October 22^nd.

See the unseen in Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension – the horrifying conclusion to the Paranormal Activity films in theaters on October 23^rd. The film is produced by Jason Blum and Oren Peli, based on the film Paranormal Activity by Oren Peli. Story by Brantley Aufill and Jason Harry Pagan & Andrew Deutschman, with a screenplay by Jason Harry Pagan & Andrew Deutschman and Adam Robitel & Gavin Heffernan. Directed by Gregory Plotkin. Starring Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Dan Gill, Ivy George, Jessica Brown, Chloe Csengery, Don McManus, Hallie Foote and Cara Pifko.

The 2015 Screamfest Film Festival will run October 13^th through October 22^nd at TCL Chinese Theater. Tickets are available at http://screamfestla.com.

Screamfest Film Festival premieres and showcases new work from American and international independent horror filmmakers. Many of the filmmakers have garnered distribution and representation as a result of the festival. Film entries are accepted in the categories of Best Feature, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Special Effects and Musical Score. In addition, there are special categories for Best Animation, Best Short, Best Documentary and Best Student Film.

Screamfest was formed in August 2001 by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in order to give filmmakers and writers in the horror/sci-fi genres a venue to have their work showcased to people in the industry.

‘The Iron Giant: Signature Edition’ releasing in theaters September 30th!

Posted on August 29, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

The 1999 hit THE IRON GIANT (Warner Bros. Pictures) will re-issue in theatres as THE IRON GIANT: SIGNATURE EDITION (some added footage) via Fathom Releasing for special showings on Wednesday, September 30^th at 7pm and Sunday, October 4^that Noon.

Mark Your Calendars: Less Than One Week Until the Directed by Women Celebration Kicks Off

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Jeremy Harmon — Leave a reply

Next Tuesday, September 1, the Directed by Women worldwide viewing party will commence running until September 15. The focus of this event, from founder Barbara O’Leary, is to have “film lovers will gather together in their communities around the world for film screenings & guest filmmaker visits designed to focus attention on and offer appreciation for women film directors and their work.” Over the course of those fifteen days, people from Seattle to New York to Spain to Montreal to Houston to India will gather together to celebrate the great cinematic output of women directors. Brittany Friesner has curated a special screening series at the fantastic Indiana University Cinema that includes visits from Penelope Spheeris (Decline of Western Civilization Parts I-III and Wayne’s World), the New Negress Film Society‘s Ja’Tovia Gary and Stefani Saintonge as well as Hannah Fidell who will host a special screening of her new film, 6 Years.

The Directed by Women events tumblr page is chock full of opportunities that may well be happening in your area. However, don’t be dissuaded if there are no group screenings in your area. Feel free to watch create your own screenings for yourself or others that you know. Be sure to post, Tweet, Facebook, Tumblr the hell out of what you are viewing, sharing your experiences with these wonderful films. Be sure to use the #directedbywomen tag.

I, myself, will be taking this opportunity to revisit the films of Lynne Ramsay, Ben’s at Home directed by Mars Horodyski, the documentaries of Barbara Kopple, especially Harlan County USA and I may just sneak some of Agnès Varda or Chantal Akerman‘s work in for good measure. I have had Barbara Loden‘s Wanda on my shelf for some time, so what better time than now to check it out?

The point is join in however you want. Showcase the work of women directors you love and find interesting. The fact that there is one female director for every 15 male directors working in narrative film which is unacceptable.

So join in however you want and however you can. You’ve got 6 days to get prepped and ready. Get there, people!

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