During last night’s GOP debate, we were treated to a new political ad. While I generally find these to be full of lies and altogether vomit inducing, this particular ad was right up my alley. Take a look for yourself.
I’d vote for him.
Filmed over a 10-year period, Making a Murderer is an unprecedented real-life thriller about a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime. Set in America’s heartland, the series takes viewers inside a high-stakes criminal case where reputation is everything and things are never as they appear.
From comedian Bill Burr and EmmyⓇ award-winner Michael Price, F is for Family transports viewers back to the 1970s, a time when political correctness, helicopter parenting and indoor smoking bans weren’t part of anyone’s vocabulary, let alone the norm. Featuring the voices of Burr, Laura Dern, Justin Long, Sam Rockwell and more.
In Mike Epps: Don’t Take It Personal, filmed at the historic Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, Mike Epps wastes no time bringing his unapologetic and raunchy swagger to a howling live audience.
When the magical kingdom of Jubiland is invaded by an evil emperor and his band of fairytale villains, a tiny pixie named Candy recruits five preteen girls to form the powerful team of the Glitter Force to help defend Earth from becoming the next target. These fabulous friends transform from ordinary school girls into super powered cool girls. Defending the Earth from fairytale villains isn’t an easy job, but the Glitter Force proves that nothing is more powerful than friendship. From Saban Brands, the 20-episode season will premiere worldwide, excluding Asia, exclusively on Netflix December 18, 2015.
Thursday, December 24th
Eep, Grug, Thunk, Ugga, Sandy and Gran are back and funnier than ever in this all-new family sitcom. Follow everyone’s favorite family as they meet new friends, outrun new creatures and encounter “firsts” the world has never seen – such as school, slumber parties, hiccups and elections. The Croods are discovering them all. Dawn of the Croods will be available exclusively on Netflix in all current territories except Germany and Japan.
John Fusco, who wrote the Academy-Award nominated feature Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, created the standalone feature Marco Polo: One Hundred Eyes and is executive producer and showrunner along with Dan Minahan, whose previous work includes Homeland and Game of Thrones, with Patrick Macmanus, Harvey Weinstein, Bob Weinstein and Elizabeth Sarnoff as executive producers.
Body is the story of three friends who spend their entire Christmas Eve night deciding if they should call the police or cover up an accidental murder. This film toys with your morals leaving you wondering how you would handle this situation. Brought to us from Oscilloscope Laboratories, comes a film of a simple story, with a disturbing symbolic nature. When you watch these girls make life changing decisions, it will truly make your skin crawl.
Body was exactly what it needed to me, and nothing more. It was a small splice of the thriller genre that is an homage to other psychological thrillers. Even though Body is not as extreme or disturbing as those it pays tribute to, it successfully unveiled the shocking characterization of three girls in only 75 minutes. The less you know about it going in the better your experience will be. Overall, for those who like morally testing thrillers, I recommend going to see Body in theaters on Friday, December 11th.
3 out 5 stars
Directors:
Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
Starring:
Helen Rogers
Alexandra Turshen
Lauren Molina
Larry Fessenden
One of the most acclaimed docs from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, dream/killer, is being released in NY today and in LA next Friday, Dec 11th. Fans of the podcast Serial and HBO’s The Jinx, this film is right up your alley, I highly recommend you seek it out!
In the fall of 2005, 19-year-old Ryan Ferguson was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40-years in prison based on someone else’s dream. Over the next ten years while Ryan languished in prison, his father Bill engaged in a tireless crusade to find justice. dream/killer tells the story of this extraordinary father’s journey to free his son.
When Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt was brutally murdered in the newspaper’s parking lot, the crime went unsolved for two years, leaving the affluent college town desperate to bring home justice. At the time, it was the only unsolved murder in the city. A break in the case lead police to Chuck Erickson, who confessed to the crime, implicated Ferguson as an accomplice and left America with one of the country’s most outrageous miscarriages of justice.
The documentary uses archival footage from when Ryan was first arrested, interviews with him in prison, and court hearings that reveal the strengths and the flaws of the American judicial system. The arguments of the ruthless prosecutor and Ryan’s brilliant defense attorney are also depicted to show how easily the system is influenced. Interspersed with footage from the Ferguson family archive, dream/killer looks at the personal consequences of a wrongful conviction.
dream/killer – OFFICIAL TRAILER (2015) from Bloom Project on Vimeo.
You can check out my original review and listen to my exclusive interview with Ryan and Bill in the link below. This is one extraordinary story and family.
Review/Interview with ‘Dream/Killer’ subject Ryan and Bill Ferguson
The Lady in the Van, Alan Bennett’s adaptation of his commercial and critical West End hit, based on his own bestselling memoir will open in New York & Los Angeles for a Limited Engagement on December 4, 2015. Dame Maggie Smith reprises one of her most-loved stage roles for the big screen, under the direction of Nicholas Hytner, who also directed the stage version. Damian Jones and Kevin Loader produced, along with Hytner.
The film tells the true story of Alan Bennett’s strained friendship with Miss Mary Shepherd, an eccentric woman of uncertain origins, who “temporarily” parked her broken down van in Bennett’s London driveway… and proceeded to live there for the next fifteen years. Their unique story is funny, poignant and life-affirming.
Miss Smith, who plays the singular Miss Shepherd, is joined by Alex Jennings (The Queen), who plays Bennett. Smith incarnation of Shepard is nothing but her usual brilliance. She is quirky and earnest. We are treated to a true character study in her subtle facial expressions and physicality. Each beat is masterful in comic timing. Jennings, as Bennett, is equally as charming in his quiet insolence. As Miss Shepard’s inevitable enabler, their relationship is actually a foil for Bennett’s real life lack of a relationship with his own mother. Bennett as narrator of his own tale, has the opportunity to play two very distinct sides of his personality. The performance should not go unnoticed come awards season. Others in the cast include Frances de la Tour, Roger Allam, Dominic Cooper, Jim Broadbent & James Corden.
The script has a lovely Odd Couple feel to it. Filed with heart, emotional pull, mystery and levity, The Lady in the Van, (however much based on true events) will capture your soul. With a cast such as this, under the delightful direction of Nicholas Hytner, one cannot go wrong.
Sony Pictures Classics Will Release The Lady in the Van In The U.S. on January 15, 2016 Following A Limited Engagement In New York & Los Angeles Starting on December 4, 2015
THE LADY IN THE VAN runs 103 Minutes.
The film is Hytner’s first directorial outing after ending his massively successful decade at the head of the British National Theatre. He and Bennett previously collaborated on The Madness of King George and The History Boys. Damian Jones (The Iron Lady, Belle) and Kevin Loader (Venus, In the Loop) produced, along with Hytner. Hytner is among the preeminent theatrical creators of his generation, having directed such standouts as Miss Saigon, Stuff Happens, and One Man, Two Guvnors. At the National, he commissioned the breakout hits Warhorse, The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night, Jerry Springer, The Opera and Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein. In addition to Madness and History Boys, his filmography also includes Wendy Wasserstein’s The Object of My Affection and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, starring Daniel Day-Lewis. He has won multiple Olivier and Tony Awards, and a BAFTA.
Dame Maggie Smith has led a distinguished, varied career on stage, in film and in television over the past six decades. She is a two-time Academy Award® winner (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, California Suite) and has been nominated an additional four times. Among many other accolades and honors, she has won multiple BAFTA Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony. Her achievements range from performing Shakespeare opposite Laurence Olivier, to capturing the attention of a new generation when she played the strict witchcraft teacher Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, and recently as the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the acclaimed television drama Downton Abbey.
Alex Jennings is one of the most successful British actors of his generation. He has played Alan Bennett multiple times and is currently shooting the Netflix series “The Crown” where he portrays the Duke of Windsor.
Bennett, a celebrated playwright, screenwriter, actor and author, is considered a national literary treasure in England. Over the course of his more than 50-year career, he has won, or been nominated for, every major writing award that exists in film, television and theatre, including an Academy Award®, multiple BAFTAs, Tonys, and Oliviers.
What little girl, at some point or another, didn’t want to be a princess? I wanted to be Princess Leia but I’m pretty sure that still counts. What I didn’t think about back then was the oppressive sense of duty and decorum that stunted normal adolescent growth.
A ROYAL NIGHT OUT is a film about one perfect, glorious evening in the lives of two real-life princesses. They are Elizabeth and Margaret Windsor at and the night is 8 May 1945, V-E Night. The whole of London is on the streets to celebrate the official end of World War II in Europe. It is known the young princesses, aged 19 and 14, slipped out of the palace to join the communal euphoria and went dancing at the Ritz. They apparently returned to Buckingham Palace just after midnight. Directed by acclaimed UK director Julian Jarrold (Becoming Jane, Brideshead Revisited), A ROYAL NIGHT OUT is an affectionate ‘what-if’ story about the adventures Elizabeth and Margaret might have had on the joyous night that brought the whole of London together.
Sarah Gadon‘s portrayal of Elizabeth is absolutely stunning. She gives us the perfect mix of proper royal behavior, wide-eyed innocence and subtle heroism. She is elegant and soft all while giving us a beautifully timed coming of age performance thanks to writers Trevor De Silva and Kevin Hood and, of course, Julian Jarrold‘s direction. You can see Sarah in Dracula Untold, the upcoming 11/22/63, and as the face of Armani Beauty. Bel Powley, who was outstanding in Diary of a Teenage Girl, takes only somewhat of a backseat to Gadon as sister Margaret. Reminiscent of Prince Harry today, as second in line for the throne, she is more carefree and much more outspoken, constantly telling people that no one cares what she does. Her rambunctious energy is electric. Jack Reynor is the object of young Elizabeth’s fascination. Firstly as a savior and secondly as a teacher. His opinions shape her sheltered view of what the country really thinks of the war and the royal family. 
Rounding out the cast are heavy hitters, are Rupert Everett as the King and Emily Watson as The Queen. We are treated to moments that will throw your memory back to blockbuster The King’s Speech, starring Colin Firth. This is a key part of the emotional growth experienced by Elizabeth. A Royal Night Out will play particularly well with a YA audience. It’s a great family film that parents can take their children to. It contains a soft entrance of feminist message, with both princesses trying to break free from familial duty for just a brief moment in time. It’s subtle but eased into slowly and appropriately for the plot, the period, and the audience. With meticulous sets, gorgeous costumes and a message of culture and class relations, A Royal Night Out is a real victory.
You can check out the trailer below:
Directed by: Julian Jarrold
Written by: Trevor De Silva and Kevin Hood
Starring:
Produced by: Robert Bernstein and Douglas Rae
Running Time: 97 Minutes / Rating: PG-13
A ROYAL NIGHT OUT comes to theaters today!
Presents
Oh, the holidays. A time for an overabundance of food, gifts, parties… and family. Inevitably, someone is going to get a dinner role thrown at them, or maybe that only happens in my family. In the end, love or hate each other, spending time with the people you grew up with will lead to some of the best and worst moments of your life. 
That voice you know so well, that massive stature, that snarky wit. All the things that make Brian Posehn the perfect choice to play the title character in Chris Kasick‘s new Christmas family fiasco film, UNCLE NICK. Nick is an alcoholic and depressed individual who is dreading attending Christmas Eve at his younger brother Cody’s new cougar wife’s house. With his brass balled sister, her adorably down-to-earth husband, his tech obsessed nephew, and over-sexed niece, shit is going to get real. Trying desperately to not hold his tongue, Nick runs through all the inappropriate behaviors expected from “that one family member.” But in reality, could he be the only normal one in the bunch? Probably not. 
With an outstanding ensemble cast including Paget Brewster, as pristine pharma saleswoman and new sister-in-law, Missi Pyle as Nick’s sister, Michelle, is an awesome reflection of the no-filter nonsense I like to add to my own family dynamic. A little crass and a little class, know your surroundings I always say. Scott Adsit as her husband Kevin is a perfect example of a not uptight, go with the flow, funny guy… with a passion for podcasting, because, why not. Melia Renee as new niece Valerie and grossly the object of Nick’s fantasies, doesn’t make it easy to resist her daddy issues. Jacob Houston and nephew Marcus is the epitome of 16 with his face in his laptop, video game, or phone the entire film plus a dash of volatile sarcasm thrown in for good measure. Beau Ballinger plays Nick’s younger brother Cody, whose former childhood shenanigans cause the animosity that Michelle and Nick still hold, and for the right reasons, trust me. And of course, Brian Posehn, the man himself. I don’t think this man can be unfunny. He captures this role with so much ease, whether you’re laughing at him or with him, rolling your eyes or cringing, his performance is brilliant.
Mike Demski’s script is just cool. Structurally surprising, he gives us a history lesson in Cleveland baseball intertwined with the narrative as a juxtaposition to the plot. I love me some baseball and somehow, I had never heard this story, and boy is it gold. The dialogue is quippy and sardonic, perfect for the holiday script. Uncle Nick works on many levels. It is not what you’re expecting going in and that’s what makes it great. Unapologetically in your face, do not bring kids to this film. In one way or another, you’ll relate to it, for better or worse.
Lewd, drunken Uncle Nick (Brian Posehn, Mr. Show, The Sarah Silverman Program) stumbles his way through his brother’s cookie cutter-family’s annual Christmas gathering in the hopes of scoring with a super-hot party guest. But the arrival of his equally crass sister coupled with Nick’s liquor-fueled faux pas cause family secrets to bubble to the surface that might spell disaster for the whole clan before the night is over. Presented by Errol Morris, UNCLE NICK is a raucously funny comedy of inappropriate behavior, uncomfortably interrupted trysts, and a monumental over serving of ten-cent beers.
In Theaters Nationwide December 4th, 2015
THE ANTI-CHRISTMAS MOVIE OF THE YEAR!
Starring Kentucker Audley and Hannah Gross
Written, Produced & Directed by Charles Poekel
The holidays inevitably spark memories of both the good times and the bad. We often think of those we’ve lost, while trying desperately to cling to every last minute of holiday spirit. Some love the season. Some think it the worst time of the year. In Charles Poekel‘s CHRISTMAS, AGAIN, we are treated to both sides of the coin. 
Synopsis:
For a fifth consecutive December, a heartbroken Noel returns to New York City to work the night shift at a sidewalk Christmas tree lot. Devoid of any holiday spirit, he struggles to stay awake during the long, chilly nights in his trailer, while the daytime traffic keeps him from getting any real rest. As he slowly spirals into despair, he comes to the aid of a mysterious young woman in the park. Her warming presence, matched with some colorful customers, help rescue him from self-destruction.
Kentucker Audley owns every minute of screen time as Noel. This organically written character of Poekel‘s allows Audley to give a down-to-earth performance of a young man we all know to well. Tackling depression, loneliness, longing, and emotional survival, Christmas, Again is a such a success in it’s honest simplicity.There are no fancy car chases or explosions. The story is straight forward and beautifully quiet. Hannah Gross gives a lovely performance as Lydia. A little lost, a little sad, but very much a real person. The chemistry between the two characters is a slow and realistic build, again, thanks to Poekel. He never pushes too hard, there are no gimmicks or exploited moments we’re used to in a typical holiday blockbuster. This indie is fresh and easy. Combined with the calling card cinematography of Sean Price Williams (Listen Up Phillip, Queen of Earth), the film has a gorgeous added intimacy with it’s single handheld camera and use of close ups. All involved should be extremely proud of their work. I applaud the departure in tone and style. While I certainly enjoy a good, old fashion Hollywood role call such as The Coopers, CHRISTMAS, AGAIN is a comforting film that has an incredible amount of heart and relatability.
FACTORY 25 will release CHRISTMAS, AGAIN at the MoMA in New York (and exclusive SVOD on Fandor) on Thursday, December 3rd, and Los Angeles on Friday, December 11th.
This year has been an incredibly interesting year for documentaries about women in music. First came Asif Kapadia‘s electric doc Amy about Amy Winehouse now we have Amy Berg‘s equally incredible doc Janis: Little Girl Blue. There is more in common between these two women than might meet the eye and they are really good companion pieces. Berg‘s cinematic territory for most of her career has focused on some pretty heavy shit – child molesting priests, innocent kids accused of horrific murder, mind-controlling polygamist church leaders and sex crimes perpetuated on children in Hollywood. While Janis Joplin‘s story has a fair amount of tough details, this film is something that many of her others are not, and frankly they couldn’t be because of the subject matter – celebratory. This is a film that, despite the shitty elements of her life, celebrates the legacy left behind by an incredibly dynamic woman and performer, one the represented the time in which she lived as well as any.
What Berg gives us is a fairly conventional documentary, flush with testimonials from the people that knew Joplin from her early days in Texas spanning to her time in San Francisco to her eventual blossoming into the female powerhouse voice of a generation. Her trials and tribulations as a young girl looking for that one thing that could make her stand out and get her out of small-town Texas on to something bigger occupy a great deal of this film, although Berg doesn’t skimp on the details when she began to hit it big, first with Big Brother and Holding Company and then when she went solo. And what we see is the incredibly vulnerable young woman who even at the height of her fame doubted whether she was worthy of it all. She sought refuge with different men, but also with illicit drugs and especially booze. The film builds to the inevitable end of Joplin‘s death at 27 (like so many incredible musicians of her own time, but incidentally the same as Winehouse).
Berg draws so perfectly from home video and archival interview footage to help Joplin speak for herself throughout the film. What may well be the truest stroke of genius in the film, though, is that Berg slowly but surely removes the talking head interviews throughout the film until we are left with just people speaking in voiceover, if any at all, with footage of Janis. Ultimately, Berg lets the footage act as Janis’ voice and this really captures the essence of what I expect she was all about. While I’ve stated that this is fairly conventional documentary with a linear telling of Joplin‘s tale, that doesn’t make it any less impactful. Another deft move was having Chan Marshall aka Cat Power narrate the film. Her voice is strikingly similar to Joplin‘s, and at times in the film, I couldn’t tell whether it was Marshall or Joplin speaking.
My mother idolized Joplin and growing up, I learned what a powerhouse she was through her voice and her music. I honestly didn’t know much about her outside of that. Perhaps that’s how Janis would have wanted it, to let her music speak for her. Berg has put together a touching portrait that fills in the void that I, and many others, likely had in Joplin‘s story. This film in quite engaging and I think that it does Joplin justice. It stresses her importance to the music scene of the 60s and her lasting influence well beyond. I would be wholeheartedly surprised if this film doesn’t at least make the shortlist for the Oscars and I could certainly see it end up with a nomination. It’s that damn good.
This film hits theaters in New York today and premieres in LA on December 4. If you love music and the legacy left by one of the greats, you’ll run and see this one.
Get there, people.
Presents
SYNOPSIS:A limousine joyride goes berserk in this breathless, pulse-pounding thriller. Jonathan Bennett stars as an ex-soldier turned bodyguard hired to protect a young woman. But while cruising with a group of friends one night, their stretch limo is run off the road and underwater by a gang of ruthless kidnappers-who then dive in to finish the job. Suddenly it’s sink or swim, as the bodyguard must fight to keep the vehicle from becoming a watery grave.
Small town politics turns into a deadly cat and mouse game in this indie thriller. Jonathan Bennett, who most of us will recognize from Mean Girls, becomes the protagonist who simply wants to protect the ones he loves. Run off the road by masked gunman, he and five 20-somethings are at the bottom of a waterway that will eventually lead straight out into the ocean, if they cannot figure out a way to escape. The script is filled with who-dun-it moments, keeping the viewer engaged throughout. Bennett has an incredibly strong screen presence and captures the lead role in a surprisingly effortless manner. With a really nice ensemble cast surrounding him, including Cody Christian, Talulah Riley, Tim Daly and Mario Van Peebles, the film certainly delivers in it’s ups and down emotionally. Submerged utilizes time hops for an effective high stress pace. High five to the director Steven C Miller‘s use of creative visual cues as scene transitions between the past and present story lines. The film also has some nice gun play choreography. If you’re looking to sit back and relax with some not altogether mindless action this holiday weekend, Submerged could be your answer to the overcrowded blockbusters.
What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? Just one seemingly innocent question is the spark that ignites the entire rest of one quirky and fantastic film. Onur Tukel’s APPLESAUCE will get under your skin and inside your psyche. 
Synopsis:
Every Tuesday night, radio talk show host Stevie Bricks invites his listeners to call in and share “the worst thing they’ve ever done.” Tonight, Ron Welz (writer/director Onur Tukel) is ready to share his story. But soon after he confesses on the air, someone starts sending him severed body parts. Ron becomes paranoid, terrified. His life begins to unravel. His marriage begins to fall apart. He has no idea who’s tormenting him. Is it his insolent high school student? Is it his best friend? His own wife? In a city like New York, there are eight million suspects and each one could have a bone to pick with someone like Ron.
Onur takes upon the role of Ron with hilarious gusto. After he answers “the question”, someone begins to torment him by sending him “gifts” that remind him of what he did. The question not only effects him but his wife and their best couple friends, when they answer the question, as well. Everyone is angry but each is guilty of being haunted by their own past. The fallout spreads like a virus, spoiling the sanity of these four individuals. The circumstances get weirder and weirder, but you’re already along for the ride. This cast clicks and whirs like a well oiled machine. Tukel’s script is filled with pop culture digs and the realities of intimate relationships. It’s a crazy give and take between bizarro land and total nonchalance. I was all in from the beginning. 
I had the pleasure of interviewing this multifaceted artist about this truly unique indie. Enjoy.
Liz: Firstly, this is some wacky and wonderful stuff. I’m gonna need more asap. Just throwing that out there. What in the world was the inspiration for this unique story?
Onur: The inspiration was a true story that happened to a friend of mine in college. We were at a party together and he accidentally cut a stranger’s finger off. He was haunted by this event for years. We’ve visited this story dozens of times – over dinners, at parties, at various social gatherings – and it always captivates whoever’s listening. We always wondered whatever happened to the injured person, how it changed his life. My friend and I also agreed that having a character tell the story over dinner would make a terrific starting point for a film. This was, indeed, the lynch-pin. I started with that and the script wrote itself.
Liz: You wear a ton of hats in making your films. Do you find that’s been a necessity or for the love of the project?
Onur: When you make a really low-budget film, yeah, you have to wear a lot of hats. I was the costumer, the production designer, co-editor, writer, co-actor, and co-producer. The DP was also the operator, best boy, gaffer, and grip. The producers are handling props and also working on production design and script supervising. The PA is doing the work of six people. Everyone’s wearing a lot of hats. You have no choice! Of course, love factors into the whole process. But when people get over-extended, it becomes stressful, and that sucks. Still, when that camera rolls and you get a take that really pops, it’s all worth it. Then, in the editing room, when you start piecing it together like a puzzle and it starts to come to life, it’s magic. On the next one, I hope to have a bigger budget and crew so I can focus exclusively on the writing, directing and editing. This will give the other crew members a chance to focus on fewer things, as well.
Liz: For Applesauce, specifically, what was the length of time from page to production? Shooting to wrap?
Onur: I finished the first draft of the script in August of 2014 and rewrote it over several months. We went into production in November and wrapped on December 31, 2014. Just four months later, it premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in April. The schedule was nuts: fast-paced, chaotic, exhilarating and at times, infuriating. I made a vampire movie when I was 26 in Wilmington, NC and we were rushed into production, much like we did on Applesauce. The entire crew of six decided to abandon the movie because they thought we weren’t ready. I recruited the camera operator Bryan Kupko and asked him if he wanted to make the movie with just a two-person crew. He shrugged and said, “Sure.” And that was all I needed to hear. I just wanted a camera rolling; wanted to hear that purr of the film threading throughout the CP-16 as it burned itself up at 24 frames per second. The crew eventually came back on board and we dug in and got the movie made, but I was ready to go with one person. I feel alive on a film set. A group of creative people working together to make a movie is a beautiful battlefield. Even when it seems like films may be losing their cultural significance, it’s an honor to be called a director.
Liz: The dialogue is delicious. Super natural, which leads me to think there was a lot of improv involved?
Onur: Delicious. Super natural. You’re delicious and super natural, Liz. Hope that doesn’t sound creepy. Yes, there’s always improvisation in my movies, but it’s always very scripted at the beginning. We will improv a scene if the words don’t sound real or the dialogue feels flat. I always want the scene to have life and that usually means severing a sentence or two, rearranging some lines, or tossing the dialogue out all together. Sometimes we’ll use 100% of the dialogue. Sometimes 70%. Sometimes none. Plus, I’m rewriting the script during production, so it’s always changing. I just want it to feel real, whatever it takes. If what I’ve written works, great. If it doesn’t, the hell with it!
Liz: Loved the structural choice to use Stevie Bricks as a transitional catalyst. It made for some quick relief from the adult realness (even as those scenes funny as hell) You totally could have gotten away with just having him as the opener. Talk about utilizing that character throughout, if you would.
Onur: The brilliant Dylan Baker gives such a great performance. I used him like a one-night stand. Literally. We had him for eight hours. I squeezed as much as I could out of him during that time, knowing we would edit him into the movie as much as possible. He was very busy working on another project and I gave him maybe 10 pages of dialogue the night before his shoot. He came in and nailed it. I just sat back and watched. I threw in a couple suggestions here and there to feel like I was a big shot and so I could tell people, “I directed Dylan Baker,” but I didn’t do a thing. I didn’t really direct anyone in the movie. That’s why it’s pretty good!
Liz: How does casting generally work for you? Do you have people in mind while writing or do you use a more traditional route with casting directors?
Onur: I wrote the role of Kate for Jennifer Prediger. She’s a dear friend, but I was a fan or her work before I met her. It’s easy to write for her because we kind of speak the same language. We’re self-effacing, jokey, over-histrionic at times, charming when we need to be, yet self-aware when we’re both being sniveling little assholes. I was also friends with Trieste Kelly Dunn long before I cast her. We both have connections to North Carolina, which might be one of the reasons we find the same things funny. North Carolinians can bullshit about anything. I could probably talk to Trieste about a blade of grass for two hours. I always have a blast in her company. The great Max Casella and wonderful Dylan Baker were brought on through a casting director named Stephanie Holbrook. The thought of making a movie now without her is terrifying. I won’t do it. She’s absolutely indispensable. She also happens to be a sweetheart. Lots of lovely people on Applesauce.
Liz: What advice can you give writers/artists in a world saturated with naysayers and Youtube clips/fleeting attention spans?
Onur: Read as many books as you can. The act of reading is creative. Whatever damage technology is doing to our attention spans can all be reversed with reading. Of course, this is easier said than done. Reading is a luxury for those with time. Outside of that, you better use your free time doing your art, whether it’s writing, drawing, recording music, playing music, making movies, etc. After all, if you ain’t doing that, you ain’t an artist. If you are creating art, don’t be self-important. You’re not special and you’re probably not that good. I have to tell myself this all the time. Every now and then, someone flatters me with praise. It’s nice to hear, but the day you start believing that stuff, you’re done. Before you know it, you’re lecturing people on how to make art like I’m doing now. I’m so ashamed. I’m the last person who should be giving advice. You should see my apartment. It’s like Hooverville for roaches in here.
Liz: I want to say THANK YOU for taking the time to chat with me. I cannot wait to see what’s next!
Onur: Thank you, Liz. It’s an honor answering your great questions!
U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE LIVE IN PARIS, the first HBO concert special by the 22-time Grammy-winning band, has been rescheduled for MONDAY DEC. 7 (9:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT). Originally slated to be seen Nov. 14, the exclusive presentation will be available on HBO GO and HBO NOW simultaneously with its world premiere on HBO.
As previously announced, U2: iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE LIVE IN PARIS will be shot live at the Accorhotels Arena in Bercy and air exclusively on HBO that same day.
The new debut date of the exclusive presentation “Very Semi-Serious: A Partially Thorough Portrait of New Yorker Cartoonists,” which was originally scheduled to debut Monday, Dec. 7 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT), will be announced when it is confirmed.
Bono commented, “So much that was taken from Paris on the tragic night of November 13th is irreplaceable. For one night, the killers took lives, took music, took peace of mind – but they couldn’t steal the spirit of that city. It’s a spirit our band knows well and will try to serve when we return for the postponed shows on December 6th and 7th. We’re going to put on our best for Paris.”
iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE LIVE IN PARIS is produced by Done And Dusted with executive producers Hamish Hamilton, Simon Pizey, Davis Guggenheim and Guy Oseary; directed by Hamish Hamilton.
As one of the most anticipated films of this year’s New York Film Festival, CAROL most certainly blew everyone’s expectations out of the water. Here are just a few reasons why we adore this elegant film…
The Plot:
In an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel The Price of Salt, CAROL follows two women from very different backgrounds who find themselves in an unexpected love affair in 1950s New York. As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change. A young woman in her 20s, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), is a clerk working in a Manhattan department store and dreaming of a more fulfilling life when she meets Carol (Cate Blanchett), an alluring woman trapped in a loveless, convenient marriage. As an immediate connection sparks between them, the innocence of their first encounter dims and their connection deepens. While Carol breaks free from the confines of marriage, her husband (Kyle Chandler) begins to question her competence as a mother as her involvement with Therese and close relationship with her best friend Abby (Sarah Paulson) come to light.
ROONEY MARA and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL
The Cinematography:
Edward Lachman is a genius behind the camera. Having worked hand in hand with Director Todd Haynes on Far From Heaven in 2002, his visual landscape for Carol is unmatched. Shot in 16mm, perfectly framed, with delicate but specific shots through windows and the focus on the color of crimson and corals, make this a true feast for the eyes.
You can watch Ed discuss his experience in an interview from NYFF53 here.
The Performances:
We’re not shy about our love for Cate Blanchett, nor is The Academy. In truth, there is not a single loose thread in the casting of this film. In the film’s press conference this week, you could see and hear the passion the entire cast held for the project and the respect they had for Phyllis Nagy‘s immaculate adaptation. This is not a story about a lesbian couple, this is a story of two people falling in love. The effortless nature of Blanchett, Mara, Chandler, Paulson, and Lacy as an ensemble evokes the kind of emotion so rarely experienced in the cinema these days. Both Cate and Rooney landed on my Top Female Performances of NYFF53 list. Lacy’s boyish charm and naivete bound off the screen. Chandler’s masculinity and energy are a powerful match for both the period and Blanchett. And as for Sarah Paulson (my favorite player in American Horror Story, every season), well, I wanted to put her in my pocket and place her in every film from here on out. It’s the kind of presence that should not be overlooked, ever. These actors are extraordinarily great at their jobs. There is no doubt about it, CAROL is a timeless film.
(L-R) KYLE CHANDLER and CATE BLANCHETT star in CAROL
For a mere taste of what you’re in for, here is the trailer:
CAROL– Opening In Limited Theaters November 20, 2015
Rated R | Runtime 118 minutes
So many of us participated in “The Ice Bucket Challenge”. The real question is, how many of us took 60 seconds to Google why we were doing it? Patrick Sean O’Brien‘s inspirational documentary TRANSFATTY LIVES paints a stunning, incredibly raw picture of ALS.
At 30, Patrick Sean O’Brien was TransFatty, a New York City DJ, Internet personality, and filmmaker. He spent his days as a beer-drinking creative force, making art films about perverts, vulnerable souls, and Howard Johnson’s restaurants. Then his legs started shaking.
Defying sentimentality, TRANSFATTY LIVES takes you on an emotional roller coaster from Patrick’s wild, fun-loving days into the dark heart of ALS (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease). Given 2 to 5 years to live, Patrick first loses his ability to walk, then move his arms, then to swallow, and even to breathe. With the support of his bewildered friends and family Patrick braves the unthinkable and turns his camera onto himself.
As the director and star of his own documentary, Patrick films every step of his debilitating journey from first diagnosis through his current paralysis. Forcefully lacking self pity, he captures the emotion, humor, and absurdity of real life as he makes art, gets political, falls in love, fathers a son, and fights extreme depression and paranoia.
At 40, Patrick has completed this film by typing directions to his editors with the movements of his pupils. Miraculously, TRANSFATTY LIVES is not a movie about death. Because, while Patrick’s brain stopped being able to control his muscles, it remains brilliantly alive, allowing him to ask: “What if my diminishing physical abilities can be inversely proportional to my journey inward? And, more importantly, “will there be bacon and unicorns once I get there?”
Patrick’s film is moving, impactful, and funny. Narrated by Patrick, mostly through voice-to-text on his computer via eye movements, the structure of the film is high impact with footage from his previous quirky films, photographs of his adventures, and dairy entries starting from 2005, when he was diagnosed with ALS. Completely unafraid, what began as a film about Patrick’s love for Howard Johnson, soon becomes a film about his journey. His crew seem to become a huge part in his care-taking. Along with his family, they are totally immersed in Patrick’s world, as much as someone without ALS can possibly be. If you’re not crying half way through this doc, you may not actually have a soul. Patrick has created a lens through which the audience can begin to understand just how quickly this disease sucks the life out of you physically. Having Patrick as the center of this project is invaluable. Firstly, he’s intensely charming. Using humor and positivity, he is able to put us at ease. But, moments of extraordinary challenge break the surface at every turn, throwing reality back into our faces just as quickly. The film’s balance is sheer perfection. TRANSFATTY LIVES should be seriously considered as awards season ramps up in the coming weeks. Patrick Sean O’Brien is a brilliant filmmaker and one hell of a human being.
TRANSFATTY LIVES won the ‘Audience Award’ at The Tribeca Film Festival, Milano Film Festival, and American Film Festival in Poland. It was also a Top 20 Film at HotDocs International Film Festival.
Let’s watch the trailer:
There are three different ways I can describe By the Sea, written, directed and starring Angelina Jolie Pitt opposite husband, Brad Pitt.
Full disclosure, I love dramas. The American, with George Clooney, is one of my recent favorites. It’s slow and purposeful with beautiful cinematography. Not unlike By the Sea, that reveals slowly with a bit of mystery centering around Vanessa.
Jolie Pitt’s performance as Vanessa is cold, rigid and stoic. One of the only problems I had with the story is why the young, full of life, Lea (Melanie Laurent) would seek out her friendship.
What I particularly enjoyed was the lack of formula, leaving it completely without prediction, yet all actions were plausible. Angelina Jolie Pitt wrote and directed the film before she started directing, so she had no intention of starring in it or for it to be a commercial film. Most of the scenes take place in the hotel, and you really get the sense that there is a beautiful world waiting just outside. While many will be drawn to it because of the couple, this is not the picture of a perfect marriage.
Brad Pitt‘s character, Roland, is full of despair over being with the woman he loves, but not actually BEING with her. He has such painfully anguished expressions and empathy is clearly with him. The feeling of despair reminds me of another really good movie, Sunlight, with Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon which was oddly more uplifting.
The pace was very smooth and at 2 hours, it keeps you guessing so much that you forget the time. I very much enjoyed the journey and wouldn’t have a second thought to revisit. It’s in select theaters now and more to come.
In regards to the U2 concert scheduled to air on HBO Saturday night, the following has been posted on the band’s website:
As a result of the ongoing state of emergency across France, the U2 Paris concert scheduled for 14th November will not be going ahead as planned. U2 and Live Nation, along with HBO who were due to live broadcast the Saturday concert, are fully resolved to go ahead with this show at an appropriate time.
Speaking from Paris the band said:
“We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight.
We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans.
And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe”.
Editor’s Note: The feature film Jersey Boys has replaced the concert on the HBO schedule
I had the opportunity to sit down with writer/director Josh Mond and star Christopher Abbott of JAMES WHITE this week. We chat this volatile and spectacular film and how it effected everyone involved.
(L-R) CHRISTOPHER ABBOTT and CYNTHIA NIXON star in JAMES WHITE
Liz: Congratulations. I love everything from the structure of the film to how in your face it is from absolute go. There is no moment of downtime, which I appreciate as a viewer… who sees a lot of movies.
Josh: Well, thank you.
Liz: I also really liked that you used Mátyás (Erdély), and I just saw Son of Saul at the NYFF, and I hadn’t known you used him initially, and I thought, “Well, that makes so much more sense.” So for you (Chris), how was that having someone in your face the whole time?
Chris: It never felt invasive. In a strange way, I got used to it pretty quick. I was involved in the process early on so, I was prepared for it. I would go and meet with Josh and Mátyás and talk about it, so I knew going into the movie the style in which it would be shot. I loved it, just for experimental reasons, too, of working that way. I loved working with Mátyás and Josh in that sense. The opening sequence, when we were shooting it, it almost felt like a little performance art piece. Under the camera, Mátyás is holding onto my shirt and I’m tapping him on the hip when I’m gonna move left or right, I’m kind of directing him a little bit under the camera and he’s moving with me, so just in terms of working in that kind of waltzy way, I found it kind of exciting.
Liz: It’s really, really impactful because it’s this great balance of throwing the audience off kilter because you’re right there, but also feeling like you’re inside your skin, so to speak, so it’s a really interesting way, like “fly-on-the-wall” but also ” point of view”. It’s very effective.
(To Josh) Where is the line between truth and fiction for you when you wrote this?
Josh: It’s not autobiographical, but I did lose my mother four and a half years ago to cancer, and I was raised by a single mother. I grew up on the UWS and I wanted to explore something that I didn’t understand. And explore things I wanted to understand better and while doing it I realized I was desperate to connect. So, yeah, it’s coming from a personal place.
Liz: So many of us have lost people that are close (with cancer) but people don’t talk about it. It was amazing to delve right into it and be completely raw. And with Cynthia, how was working with her, for both of you?
Josh: I mean, it was amazing. She was so generous and patient with me, being my first film. Also, she connected with the material and was nice enough to open up about her personal experiences in losing her mother to cancer just a coupe months prior to meeting. I mean, she’s worked with everyone from Altman to Mike Nichols to Sidney Lumet, and uh, it was amazing. I got to watch the two of them play off each other. I was very lucky to have both of them.
Chris: She’s such a professional in that way. She showed up the picture completely painted. It made my job easier. Again, she’s a professional, so she knows how to do it, so she listens well and delivers well. It makes playing those kinds of scenes extremely fulfilling. She gives you so much to work toward.
Liz: How long was the shooting?
Josh: We shot in NY for 18 days. And then Mexico in 4.
Liz: Was Scott (Kid Cudi) Mescudi in your brain while writing? Was he playing in the background?
Josh: Yeah, I wrote a lot of the film while listening to his music. I would put on the music to change mood or to encourage me. I started listening to the lyrics, so I found motivation not only through what he was doing but also how it sounded. I connected to him. I’m first a fan. So it was a fantasy when [ he got the script ].
Liz: “Here, read this. What do you think? Also, would you like to be in it?”
Josh: Yeah, and I feel very lucky because I now consider him a close friend. Having him do the score for the film was surreal.
Liz: Did he score after or during the filming?
Josh: I asked him towards the end of the shoot if he would be interested in doing it. During the editing and post-production process we just started discussing ideas.
Liz: You don’t really know what people are capable of until you give them that platform. The chemistry between everybody is shockingly real. It’s just really comfortable, something about it.
When you first read the script, did you get James immediately or was it something that you got once you two started to discuss?
Chris: I was lucky enough to be involved pretty early on so I got to read quite a few different variations of different drafts. I mean, it was both, I felt like the character was pretty fleshed out immediately and I felt like a knew the kind of guy he was. Whatever kind of conflicts he had, I understood the reasoning behind it. Even in his worst moments, why he was acting in the way he was. It was a mix of that and being lucky enough to having been friends with Josh, it was very easy to get together and talk about it. And just get coffees for a while before we even started shooting.
Liz: There is so much going on in this film all the time. Did you guys take breaks emotionally from shooting? It’s so heavy. Did you ever get overwhelmed and just say, “Can we take 5 minutes?”
Chris: Not until the end really. At least not until Mexico.
Josh: I was overwhelmed a lot.
Chris: We shot 6 day weeks. It’s a bit of a blur, the whole thing, by now, but I think that served the movie. The lack of rest in that way, I think it served the anxiety for me at least. I never really got a break emotionally but that’s another reason I really liked it. It was equally tiring and thrilling.
Liz: Did you have an intention of tackling hospice care issues?
Josh: No. I am extremely grateful for hospice care. I can only speak for my experience. The point of hospice is there’s no more treatment. So it’s now about the quality of life. You couldn’t go back to the hospital because then you’ll lose hospice care and then you’ll have to reapply. We had a wonderful, wonderful nurse who was there when my mom passed and was very informative of how to say goodbye and just was really very loving. They also provide grief counseling, you get the opportunity to get counseling from a hospice person, and not a therapist, for a year. I did some of that. If you feel like you just need some sort of help. I am absolutely nothing but grateful for hospice care and I hope that’s how it comes across.
JAMES WHITE in in theaters today!
SHELTER
A film by Paul Bettany
In NYC, the homeless are a huge problem. If we’re being honest, most of us ignore them or wave them off and go about our lives. Paying $5 for a cup of coffee but turning our noses up at giving spare change to a person in need. It’s a cultural problem. It’s an epidemic that we have to face rather than pretend doesn’t exist. In Paul Bettany‘s brilliant directorial debut, SHELTER, we are brought into the lives of two homeless people who could not seem more different on the surface.
Tahir is a Nigerian immigrant making ends meet, whatever that means for a man who lives on the streets, by drumming on buckets in the park. He stumbles upon Hannah, a woman alone, gaunt, drug addicted, desperate to end it all. Tentatively, Hannah allows Tahir to be her protector and partner. The two fight their demons as a pair, struggling to keep their heads above water among the dangers of illness, judgement, the rules of the NYC shelter system, and the night. As the pair become closer, their stories become the anchors that keep them together but could just as easily tear them apart.
Bettany‘s beautiful script comes from real life inspiration. Two homeless individuals, one black man and one white woman, lived outside his apartment in Tribeca. Each morning he would greet them until hurricane Sandy rolled into town. Bettany never saw them again. SHELTER was inspired by his longing to create the story of these two people who had now disappeared completely. Working with the Homelss Coalition NYC, he and Jennifer Connelly, who also happens to be his wife, learned what life is like for the more than 50,000 men, women, and children that slip through the cracks of a very broken system. With the gap between the rich and the poor widening at a pace that’s out of this world, this population is only going to grow exponentially as the months and years roll on. The script is incredibly bold and totally raw. Issues of faith and philosophy, human connection, and anonymity all come into play in a perfect storm of story-telling.
Shelter-4110.NEF
Anthony Mackie brings Tahir to life with a subtle power. He has a confidence and gentleness that is a gorgeous balance to Jennifer Connelly‘s more manic survivalist existence. Her effortless portrayal of Hannah will haunt you. The chemistry between Mackie and Connelly is played at the perfect pace as the story glides along. Both give a physically unafraid and impactful performance. You truly believe the two need one another to survive their own emotionally draining pasts. As one is introduced as caregiver and the other more victim, the film slowly and poetically evolves and the two switch places. Once again, as a directorial debut, this is an immaculate first go and should not go unnoticed. SHELTER will both bring you hope and ravage your heart. With a seductive score, effective script, and outstanding cast, the film will draw you in and perhaps cause you to lift up your head from your phone and pay attention a bit more often.
SHELTER comes to theaters today.
Written and directed by Paul Bettany
Produced by Robert Ogden Barnum, Paul Bettany, Katie Mustard, Daniel Wagner
Starring Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Mackie
RT: 105min
Hannah and Tahir come from two different worlds. But when their lives intersect, they’re at the same place: homeless on the streets of New York. How did they get there? As we learn about their past, we begin to understand that to have a future, they need each other. There are more than 50,000 homeless people living on the streets and in the shelters of New York City. To most of us they are nameless and faceless, and occasionally a nuisance. But every single person has a story. And Hannah and Tahir are no different. And theirs is a story of loss, love, hope and redemption.
Josh Mond’s
Starring Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi
If you’ve ever watched someone die from cancer… if you’ve ever seen the downward spiral of a loved one… if you’ve ever been lost in a haze a grief and confusion, JAMES WHITE will speak to you. What does a young man, flailing in his own existence, do to cope with the idea that one of these days, his mother will not get better? Is escapism the answer? Josh Mond‘s directorial debut lets us into the skin and brain of one man’s story.
JAMES WHITE- Christopher Abbot & Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi
As James’ mother’s health deteriorates, his ne’er do well lifestyle is forced to come to an end, but not before attempting to escape reality after the death of his estranged father. Triggering a getaway trip to Mexico with friends to avoid dealing with life, this drug, alcohol, and sex addled stay comes to an abrupt end when a call from Gail forces him to return to the couch of his childhood NYC home and take care of Mom 24 hrs a day. Struggling to put his bad boy behavior on the back burner, James walks the line between telling the world to fuck off and dropping his very existence to protect the woman he loves most in the world. As the plot progresses, we learn the this is not his first go round with mom’s illness. Do we forgive his behavior because of this? That’s for the individual to decide.
(L-R) CHRISTOPHER ABBOTT and CYNTHIA NIXON star in JAMES WHITE
Mond’s script is partially based on his own experiences with his own mother. It is unapologetic and raw. You cannot take that away from Mond. No arguing that the film is ever dull or full of shit. It goes there fast and hard. Using cinematographer Mátyás Erdély was a genius move. Having recently seen Son of Saul at this year’s NYFF, his literal in your face, ultra close-up style of shooting, gives James White the immersive feeling the script calls for. I cannot imagine the film being in any other style. From the opening sequence, scored to perfection by co-star Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, with it’s organic feel and LOUD introduction, we immediately enter the world of a man who is grasping at straws to figure out who he is and what kind of person he wants/needs to be.
Christopher Abbott gives an purely award-winning performance. His truth is on his sleeve 1000%. Somehow, through all the distasteful behavior he exhibits, you love him. Scott Mescudi is outstanding. As James’ best friend and long time player inside the family, his genuine interactions with Christopher and Cynthia feel so authentic, it’s almost hard to believe that this film isn’t a documentary at moments. Cynthia Nixon‘s portrayal of Gail is epic. With the film’s structure presented from month to month like chapters in a book, we are privy to the physical and mental changes her character endures. No matter the form of media, Nixon creates her own presence and we are lucky enough to witness it. The entire cast deserves all the accolades in the world, as does Mond for delivering a bold story.
JAMES WHITE will capture part of your soul. It allows you to let go and perhaps forgive yourself for past transgressions. Do yourself a favor and see this film.
Nominated for Three IFP Gotham Awards:
Christopher Abbott (Best Actor)
Josh Mond (Bingham Ray Breakthrough Actor Award)
Audience Award
About JAMES WHITE
James White (Christopher Abbott) is a troubled twenty-something trying to stay afloat in a frenzied New York City. He retreats further into a self-destructive, hedonistic lifestyle, but as his mother (Cynthia Nixon) battles a serious illness James is forced to take control of his life. As the pressure on him mounts, James must find new reserves of strength or risk imploding completely. The directorial debut of MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE producer Josh Mond, JAMES WHITE, which had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2014 where it was the winner of the “Best of Next” Audience Award, is a confident and closely observed debut that explores loss and the deep relationship between a mother and son. Abbott’s strong central performance is aided by a stellar supporting cast featuring Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City”), Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi (“Comedy Bang! Bang!”), and Ron Livingston (DRINKING BUDDIES). Shot on location in New York City with an intimate visual style, JAMES WHITE follows its lead into deep, affecting places while still maintaining its fragile humanity.
The Film Arcade will release JAMES WHITE on November 13th
MARVEL’S JESSICA JONES
In ten more days, the world will know her name. Today, Netflix released a second trailer for the highly-anticipated series Marvel’s Jessica Jones. The series will premiere on November 20, 2015 at 12:01am PT in all territories where Netflix is available.
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