Oscar Watch: ‘Theory of Everything’ – Watch Eddie Redmayne & Felicity Jones at the New York Film Festival

Theory of Everything-00003The Theory of Everything

5 NOMINATIONS

  • Actor in a Leading Role – Eddie Redmayne
  • Actress in a Leading Role – Felicity Jones
  • Music (Original Score) – Jóhann Jóhannsson
  • Writing (Adapted Screenplay) – Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
  • Best Picture – Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten, Producers

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New Trailer: ‘My Own Man’ – Original Documentary From Netflix & Executive Producer Edward Norton

myownmanNetflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network, will premiere the original documentary My Own Man, from executive producer Edward Norton on March 6, 2015. The film was written, produced and directed by David Sampliner (Dirty Work), and will premiere exclusively on Netflix in all territories where Netflix is available. Read More →

Hobbits, Vampires & Why You Should See ‘What We Do In The Shadows’ In a Theater

WWDITS-00009Even though I had seen What We Do In The Shadows, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to attend the Center For Communication screening and Q&A with the co-directors/co-writers/co-awesome Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement.

You may remember Clement from the sleeper HBO hit, The Flight of the Conchords with Bret McKenzie. Since then he’s been keeping busy with roles in Muppets Most Wanted and Men In Black 3. Waititi directed and starred with Clement in Eagle VS Shark, then gained notoriety with Boy, with 11 nominations and 6 wins at the New Zealand Film Festival.

Here’s the audio from Q&A:

WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Photo Credit Unison Films

With their signature deadpan (excuse the pun) style, the comedy works beautifully with a live audience, as there are roars of laughter and chuckles filling every moment. It’s both obvious and unexpected hilarity. The story loosely follows four vampire flatmates in the year leading up to the Unholy Masquerade, an annual gathering. Each character has their own unique charm and the supporting characters lend their own charm.

Taika Waitit

Taika Waititi

During the Q&A, the two revealed they first had the idea over 10 years ago and made a short film. They admit that the movie was “5 weeks of fun and 14 months of editing” explaining that one cut was heavy on story, but not funny, the other was hilarious, but no story.

Jemaine Clement1WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Photo Credit  Unison Films (2)

Jemaine Clement

Clement also admitted that they owe their crew to Peter Jackson, as he let them use the second unit from The Hobbit, as well as camera equipment and some of the green screens.

WWDITS-00002The movie has already opened in New Zealand, and rather than sell to a U.S. distributor, they opted to create a Kickstarter campaign to raise the money to distribute to over 70 cities themselves. Their goal was met on February 13th and opened in New York and Los Angeles. The rollout continues to more cities every week.

Taika Waititi1 WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS Photo Credit Unison FilmsThe event was an advanced screening hosted by the Center For Communication with tickets free to students and faculty. After the screening a 30 minute Q&A was led by Indiewire, followed by a spread of cheeses and custom drinks.

With or Without Reading the Book, The Shocking Part About ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Is That We Liked It

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Liz has read the book, but Melissa hasn’t. Here’s their individual takes on the movie they were totally surprised by.


 

Melissa Hanson aka Dial M For Melissa
Managing Editor / Podcast Producer
Growing up, Melissa’s favorite destination was always the video store and would agonize over whether to watch something new or to rewatch a favorite. Things have not changed.
Follow on Twitter @DialMForMelissa 

I did not read the books. Once the hype started, I pretty much dismissed them and the movie announced. I had a few friends read it, and did try to read it myself, but couldn’t get past a few pages. All I knew was that there’s a “plain,” innocent girl and there’s a rich guy who’s into BDSM. Oh, and people (mostly women) are going nuts over it and it’s already selling out screenings. I didn’t really pay much attention to it and had zero interest in watching, but then, I saw Jamie Dornan is Christian Grey. This piqued my interest because he’s in the Netflix series, The Fall, which I absolutely love. Ok, so I’ll watch Fifty Shades of Grey.

Here’s the big shock: it’s actually a very interesting story of a man and woman who surprisingly talk about their relationship intimacy. It’s just disguised as sex. This could have been shown at a film festival and I wouldn’t have even known the difference.

Although it’s a little drawn out and definitely crawls in the third act, it keeps your interest. The dialogue starts out a little flat, but quickly picks up once the focus is just on Anastasia and Christian. The music and score is works beautifully. The remix of “Crazy In Love” by Beyoncé is magnificent.

When it comes to the sex, it’s really nothing shocking. The most shocking parts are the conversations they have TALKING about the sex. If you want to see a shocking sex scene, just watch The Counselor and wait for Cameron Diaz to get on top of a car.


FSG_Tsr1Sht_RGB_1103_2_rgbLiz Whittemore aka IndieBizLiz
Managing Editor / Girls on Film Podcast Host
Actor / Singer / Dancer / Writer / Producer / Adventurer / New Englander / AMDA Alum / Wifey / MBAMrs / Whovian / Literary Sponge / Odd Duck / Pot Stirrer / Awesome Gal
Follow on Twitter @Liz_Whittemore

Yes. I read the damn book. In fact, I read the book in a book club at Yale School of Management’s Partners Club. I know, I know, I know, I sound like a cliche. We most definitely read it because of the hype. It could not be avoided, the hype I mean. BDSM and hot sexy “Mummy Porn”? I mean, is there really a question as to why we chose it? I don’t think so. To be honest, as I’m sure you’ve heard by now, the writing is atrocious. E.L. James began this “novel” as Twilight Fan fiction. I’m not sure if Christian Grey was meant to resemble Edward Cullen or not, though I do know that Robert Pattinson was James’ first pick to fill the role. Let’s just say that the entire book is from the inner monologue of Anastasia, a fresh faced college grad and virgin. Although, from the inner monologue presented by the author, you’d think she was 11. The book was a tough read in respect to the repetitive nature of James’ phrasing. If I had to read “My Inner Goddess” one more damn time, I don’t know if I ever would have finished. The infamous “tampon” scene alone made me toss my kindle across the bed. I didn’t pick the book back up for another three weeks; I hate to leave something unread simply on principle. Thankfully, that was not included in the film. Now, shall we launch into said version? I think we shall…

Truth be told, I actually REALLY liked the film. I don’t even care what you think about me after that statement. I liked it. Had there been zero hype, had I not ever heard of the book, had I not read any articles anywhere, I would be one happy audience member. The structure of the film versus the book is a vast improvement. We skip through the garbage and head straight into a courtship with a twist. It has a very tongue and cheek, rom-com formula in the beginning. Dakota Johnson is charming and funny, just the way I imagined Ana to be, without the gushing jargon of a pre-teen. Jamie Dornan is a pretty good Christian Grey. He grew on me as the film rolled on. His presence is strong and quiet and I think his interpretation is a thoroughly thought out character study. It is certainly a performance that would easily progress with two additional scripts. The chemistry is a tad tough to read, but not altogether unbelievable.

When you get to the heart of the screenplay, this story is about an intimate relationship between two people. Real moments, real issues, something for everyone to relate to. The sex scenes, while relatively intense, are no more “porny” than anything else we’ve seen before in film. Johnson is full frontal nude for a good amount of time. And, don’t worry, you get plenty of Dornan abs, and just enough rock hard bum shots a girl can handle in a span of two hours (*not enough, sorry not sorry*.) The struggle of power between a man and a woman, both emotionally and physically, is beautifully set out on screen. I applaud Sam Taylor-Johnson for a fantastic job in both shot layout and a keen hand in knowing what will play well with the intended audience. Also, I would be remiss if I did not high five the screenwriter, Kelly Marcel. She takes an average narrative and spins it into what would be considered a great little indie flick in any other world. Try your best to separate the book and the film. I think as a reader, you will be very pleased with Fifty Shades of Grey. As a movie goer, it will put a smile on your face. Take it at face value, and go from there. I, for one, walked away a happy book-clubber and a very happy audience member.

SNL Documentary to Open the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival

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Connect with Live From New York! at www.livefromnewyorkmovie.com. Like the Facebook page at facebook.com/Livefromnewyorkmovie. Follow the film on Twitter at @lfnymovie and on Instagram @lfnymovie

Tickets for the opening will go on sale on March 23 for American Express Card Members at www.tribecafilm.com. General Public can buy tickets starting March 28. In the meantime, keep checking back for more TFF 2015 announcements.

The Tribeca Film Festival (TFF), presented by AT&T, announced today that the world premiere of the documentary Live From New York!, will open the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival on Wednesday, April 15. “Saturday Night Live” has been reflecting and influencing the American story for 40 years. Live From New York! explores the show’s early years, an experimentthat began with a young Lorne Michaels and his cast of unknowns, and follows its evolution into a comedy institution. Archival footage is interwoven with stolen moments and exclusive commentary from “SNL” legends, journalists, hosts, crew and others influenced by the comedy giant. Live From New York! captures what has enabled “SNL” to continually refresh itself over nearly 800 episodes and keep America laughing for 40 years.  Live From New York! is directed by Tribeca alum Bao Nguyen and produced by JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker. Tickets for the TFF 2015 Opening Night Gala go on sale on March 23 at tribecafilm.com/festival. The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 15 to April 26.

“’SNL’s’ contribution to the arts and to pop culture has been—and continues to be—groundbreaking, and Live From New York! offers an inside look at the show’s inimitable ability to both reflect and impact American news, history and culture,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. “This is the story of a creative journey from pilot to institution and a tribute to the moments that kept us laughing and talking long after the episodes aired. We are excited to welcome Bao Nguyen back to Tribeca to open our 14thFestival with the world premiere of Live From New York!.”

“After 40 years, the timing just felt right,” said Lorne Michaels.

“The selection of Live from New York! to open the 14th Tribeca Film Festival is personally gratifying to me on several levels. Having hosted SNL three times, and guested on several occasions, I speak from a first-hand experience about “SNL’s” rightful place in our culture as well as a welcome addition to our Festival,” said Robert De Niro, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

“’Saturday Night Live’ is such a revered institution and we really wanted to make a film that reflected its significance not just to the American comedic tradition but also to American culture and society,” said director Bao Nguyen. “I want to thank Lorne Michaels for allowing us to film in the storied halls of Studio 8H.   I’d also like to thank JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker for trusting me with their creative vision. Finally, I can’t thank Tribeca enough for all their support. We couldn’t dream of a better place to world premiere Live From New York! than at New York City’s own Tribeca Film Festival.”

Sundance Hit ‘The Hunting Ground’ Release Date Moved Up

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Although I thought The Invisible War was a worthy story to tell, I felt that documentary had too much emotion in it’s presentation. I look forward to seeing The Hunting Ground to see how they deal with a topic that hits closer to home. Read More →

Check out the ‘Birdman’ Q&A & A Buy 1 Get 1 Free Ticket!

birdman nyff52

Check out this fun Q&A from this year’s New York Film Festival after a press screening that Liz and myself had the honor to attend. Everyone is very charming and you’ll fall in love with Michael Keaton all over again! Check out Michael’s review here.

Go see Birdman, it’s a truly mesmerizing experience for the senses.

Buy one ticket, get one free. Use promo code REGALBIRD at checkout at any Regal Theater. Offer ends 2/5. While Supplies Last. Terms Apply. Read More →

Bring Your Date For FREE To ‘Amira & Sam’ at Drafthouse Cinema For Military Service Members & Veterans

Special Opening Weekend Ticketing Offer For Nation’s Military at Select Theaters
(In theaters and on demand on January 30)
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Gravitas Ventures picks up VOD rights to John Stuart Wildman’s ‘The Ladies of the House’

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Gravitas Ventures announced today that the company is acquiring North American rights to John Stuart Wildman’s THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE to be released in April/May on VOD. Featuring a screenplay by Justina Walford and Wildman, the film stars Farah White, Melodie Sisk, Brina Palencia, Samrat Chakrabarti, and Michelle “Belladonna” Sinclair and was produced by White, Wildman, Walford and Adam Dietrich. THE LADIES OF THE HOUSE had its world premiere at last year’s Dallas International Film Festival.

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Watch ‘Holy Rollers’ for FREE on SnagFilms.com

holy rollers poster

Inspired by actual events in the late ’90s in which Hasidic Jews were recruited as drug mules, Holy Rollers was a Gotham Award winner and Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize nominee in 2010.  On the eve of Sundance 2015, the crime drama, starring Oscar® nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network, Now You See Me) makes its free VOD debut on January 20, exclusively on SnagFilms,the award-winning social video-viewing platform and 2014 Webby® nominee. It will be available to view online at SnagFilms.com, and all supported devices, including their multi award-winning app. Read More →

Liz’s ‘MATCH’ Review and Roundtable Interview with Sir Patrick Stewart and Stephen Belber

MatchPoster

In the arts, like other career paths, but especially in the arts, one must sacrifice quite a bit to succeed. Putting off kids, working extra crappy jobs, and being selfish are all things most artists must do in order to live the dream. Eventually, those decisions can creep up on you, leading to regret.

 Stephen Belber has adapted his Tony-nominated stage play Match for the silver screen. The story centers around just three characters; Tobi (Patrick Stewart), an aging dance teacher, and the Seattle based couple, Lisa(Carla Gugino) and Mike (Matthew Lillard) who fly in to interview him. The set up is simple, Lisa needs info about what it was like during the 1960’s in the NYC dance scene. Hubby, Mike, is just along for the ride. They meet at a quaint neighborhood diner where Tobi is a regular. Once the three are comfortable enough, he invites them back to his apartment for drinks and continued conversation. Slowly, and under the influence of alcohol and a little pot, the hard questions come out. Mike, being a cop, begins to use what seem like interrogation tactics in inquiring about specific sexual partners. Tobi is compliant until it becomes clear that there are ulterior motives in this supposed dissertation inquiry. Finally, at the end of his polite host rope, he attempts to end the ruse. Mike’s aggression escalates as he demands a DNA sample from Tobi. He is certain that Tobi is his father. What happens from there is a startling scene of betrayal and crossed lines.

 MatchStill

Gugino is earnest and vulnerable in her portrayal of Lisa. She is a woman who has lost her self-worth due to her husband’s emotional damage. Her one-on-one scenes with Stewart are breathtaking. Lillard, who I will forever associate with Scream, seems uncomfortable in his own skin, and I do mean that as a compliment. He struggles with his own identity, not sexually, but as a grounded man and caring husband. The dynamic between the three actors worked so well for me. The tension on screen is strong and each beat is carefully timed by Belber’s adaptation and in his direction.

Patrick Stewart is a legend of stage and screen, both large and small. No matter what role he takes on, he is perfection. Watching him is like taking a free masterclass in acting. His stillness speaks volumes and his eyes tell you nothing but the truth before you’ve even realized it. Playing the role Tobi, seems to be more personal by his own admission. And, as for Stephen, well, the genius is evident both on the page and on the screen as he adapts his own work seamlessly.

MatchPatrickStill

The following is the interview from roundtable discussions when Match first screened at The Tribeca Film Festival 2014.

Being that this is the second time he’s adapted one of his plays for the screen. Belber speaks to the challenges of moving a stage play to film:

 Stephen Belber: Obviously, theater is about the dialogue and I was interested in getting in between the words. The dialogue is what it is, but I wanted to use the camera to get in between and chart the emotional landscape of the faces and what’s not said, and where they’re conveying emotion without words. So that was a fun challenge just to set myself, and to know that I had actors who were able to give so much without having to speak it. To be up close in Patrick’s face when he is lying and to compel the audience to know whether it is a lie or the truth. And to see him hear certain information that is thrown at him and to non verbally register it, and deal with it, is very filmic and cinematic in a way you can’t get in a theater. There’s a great exchange that obviously takes place with the theater and a live audience so for this it’s a whole different ballgame. So that’s something I wanted to concentrate on.

 On casting Patrick as Tobi:

Stephen Belber: I wanted someone to go away from the broad comedy and the bigness of it and go to the humanity of it and I knew that Patrick could do that hands down.

Patrick Stewart: This morning has been curious for me, because every interview that I’ve done I have been asked,  “So what were the challenges of taking on what was a stage play and now putting it in front of a camera?” I had never realized until this morning that I never actually gave your stage play a thought and people express real surprise when I said, “I didn’t see the play. I never read it. I never thought of reading it”. Well, what I had was a screenplay and it was always a screenplay but furthermore I had the author behind the camera every minute of the day so why would I need to access something that we were not doing, anyway. It was very successful as a screenplay. I had no answer to these questions I’ve been asked all morning.

Stephen Belber: I’m glad that you didn’t read the play because it is a different piece. I wrote (the play) 10  years ago so I think I’m a more nuanced writer and I knew that I wanted to be different so it is a different ballgame and not a great reference point probably.

Patrick Stewart: The role and the story resonate strongly for me because a powerful theme in the film is about the choices that people can make in their lives, especially if they are people who are passionately, ambitiously building a career and how those choices require that some things get put aside or left behind, forever. The life of an actor, particularly an actor working in the theater, as I was working for decades, 6 nights a week I was not there to tuck my children up and sing a song. It was only Sunday night  I could do that exclusively and so there was a huge part of my life… I was not making choices, those were just the conditions that you had to accept to work, so this theme in the film has related to me. How you feel you’ve made the right choices. You feel that you are where you want to be, but you don’t know until the shock of what happens in the movie comes up, that actually the choices you’ve made were not the best ones and that life could have been very different. You know, the path not taken. I put my work first, always. I remember once at a dinner party in my own home sitting around a table 6, 8, 10 people, some actors, directors, but all people in the arts, this was the topic of conversation. Somebody at the table said, “I love my job, I love what I do, but my family always come first” and I heard a voice in my head, quite distinctly, saying, “Not me! Not me.” I think it was shocking because it was true.

(Liz) Reel News Daily: I had a question about theatre culture in the UK versus the US and since I have you both here, this is the perfect opportunity. I have found that the respect for theatre acting is so much greater in the UK. That is really where you hone your skills and then maybe from there you are plucked to do movies and television. I feel like it’s the opposite in the US. I’m a theater kid and a writer so to have you both here with your perspectives, I was just curious where do you think that comes from? Why do you think theater maybe isn’t as respected or wide as it is in the UK?

Patrick Stewart: First of all I’m not sure that that’s true, but I think tradition has a great deal to do with it. There’s been Theater on stage in England for 700 years and particularly a lot of classical theatre, as I’ve done. You look over your shoulder and you see all these actors going back in time who has been standing exactly where you been standing saying the same lines. I think it is different now in the UK. Most actors leaving drama school, as I hear this from the casting department of the Royal Shakespeare Company, say its not what it was. We don’t have first pick, anymore, of the cream of the drama school because of these guys, they are not interested in doing theater. They see the careers that can be made in film and TV and that’s where they want to be. So it’s different from how it was. All I ever wanted to do was to be on stage. Everything that ever happened to me on film and television was an accident it. I fell over it rather than pursuing it. And it just so happened that you guys are so much better at film acting than we are. For the most part, you are. I loved the cinema when I was a kid! It was, for me, the absolute escape from my really rather not very great life. I don’t recall seeing British movies. If I thought they were British I wouldn’t go see them, and I sort of lost myself in this world that used to be overwhelmed with sadness. The curtains would close and I would have to go back to real life again. So working with American filmmakers and American actors, as with Matthew and Carla, both superb actors, was such a joy to me. I mean we do OK, we got a few actors that do OK. We did not have one hour of film acting in our drama school in 2 years. I think we once visited a television studio which is to say, “That is the camera.”

Stephen Belber: I think he’s right in the tradition and  “Who is royalty?” and I think that film actors became royalty with kids growing up, but “These (referring to Patrick)  are the icons,” and they value their skill. But there are enough kids here that catch the theater bug. Matt has weekly play readings in his living room, in his house in L.A., because he’s a theater nerd. And you grab those people and then cross them over into film.

 What has been your proudest moment, thus far, in your career?

 Patrick Stewart: I think, as I said, all I want to do was be on stage but I couldn’t narrow that down to say what I really wanna be is on the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. that was actually my ambition and everything I did for the six years that led up to that wasn’t going into that direction so I did one season with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford upon Avon playing quite small roles, supporting roles, and understudy roles. And thank God, never, ever, ever had to go on. But at the end of that 10 month season, all the company, one at a time, were called to Peter Hall’s office, it’s like meeting the headmaster, “We will review your work”, and I didn’t think mine had been very good or overly interesting or of any real quality but all I wanted was to be asked, given one more chance to come back and do another season, and that’s all I wanted. And it was my turn to go in, and I went in and Peter Hall said, “Well this isn’t going to take long.” And I thought,oh no, this is it and he said, “Look, are you aware that we have three year contract here?”, and I said, “Yeah, I had heard of that.” And he said, “We wanna give you a three year contract.” I was speechless and outside the theater in Stratford there was a telephone box and I went down and I called my wife and she said, “How did it go?” …. and finally, getting the silence she says, “I take it it went well.” That was it for me. Nothing has been quite so thrilling a feeling as that moment.

Match is a beautifully intimate film. It dares to go places that some might be scared to approach.  How have our decisions in our lives affected where we are now? I think that remains to be seen. Bottom line, it’s a contemplative film. You will, perhaps, reexamine your choices when you leave the cinema. 

 Written/Directed by: Stephen Belber Starring: Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino, Matthew Lillard Runtime: 94 min


MATCH opens in theaters January 14th. and is available on VOD. 

Netflix News: Marco Polo On for Season 2, Trailer for The Fall Season 2, New Documentary & 7 New Series!!

Netflix

Whew. Netflix is really ramping it up! There’s lots of news, so let me break it down. Read More →

What’s the Average Number of Movies Released In Theaters Per Month? & Other Random Trivia about the 2014 Box Office

Hunger Games Part 1

$121,897,634 – Biggest opening weekend? The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1


072 INTL GrandBudapestStill__090$202,792 – Best per theater opening weekend average? The Grand Budapest Hotel


4,324 – Largest number of theaters for a single movie? The Amazing Spider-Man 2


ST. VINCENT2,548 – Largest number of theaters added from initial release? St Vincent – Starting out in only 4 theaters with an opening weekend of just over $109,000 – St Vincent went on to gross over $43,000,000.


AMERICAN SNIPER$332,250 – Highest per theater gross? American Sniper – Just opening on Christmas Day, American Sniper is well on its way to making lotsa moola. The guy on the right is the versatile Chance Kelly. You’ve no doubt seen him in all kinds of stuff on television and at the movies. And mark my words: you’ll see him in something you’re watching by the end of the week.


Boyhood_1$24,214,829 – Highest grossing IFC film? Boyhood


79.73% – Movie that made the most money in the first weekend? Saw 10th Anniversary


as above seal$21,321,100 – Lowest grossing movie from Universal? As Above/So Below


$134,938,200 – Highest grossing movie released in January 2014? Ride Along


 63

Number of movies grossing over $50,000,000


684

Total number of movies released in theaters in 2014


149

Total number of studios that released movies


104

Total number of movies Reel News Daily reviewed in our first six months at film festivals, from theaters, from home and online. We’re super excited for 2015!


130

Total number of movies released in at least 1,000 theaters


37

Studio with the most releases? IFC


57

Average number of movies released in theaters per month

*All information from Box Office Mojo.

Jeremy’s Review: Igal Hecht’s ‘The Sheik’ About Wrestler The Iron Sheik Puts Jabronis in The Camel Clutch

the sheik posterI will admit to being one of the more nostalgic people that I know. Perhaps it is a flaw, but I think it serves a great purpose. While I’m happy to live in the moment, the things that I’m nostalgic for, and reflection upon them, help keep that past as close as possible, which can’t be all bad, right? Especially when we are talking about people like The Iron Sheik, the former WWF bad guy who helped usher in the era of Hulkamania and the golden age of wrestling as entertainment. While many people today only know The Sheik from his exceedingly humorous Twitter feed, his backstory, which Hecht draws out in this film, has remained largely uncovered. The Sheik gives us the whole gamut of the wrestler’s life, up to and including his foray into becoming a social media star. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘RED KNOT’- Do you know where your marriage is?

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Marriage is difficult. I got married 5 days before my husband started business school at Yale. He was on the Investment Banking track. What that meant in my world was that I wouldn’t see my husband for the next 4 months as he prepared for innumerable interviews, events, and attended the accelerated course load that comes with an ivy league school. Even after 6 years together, I had to become a whole new woman. In the new film RED KNOT, a young, newly married couple take this idea to the extreme as they honeymoon on a research vessel near Antarctica.

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Liz’s Review: ‘PIONEER’ is a thriller based on true events.

PioneerposterSometimes reality is stranger than fiction. In Magnolia Pictures new release, PIONEER, we find a story based on true events that is both disturbing and heart-pounding. The film is based upon the scientific and political race to get a group of deep sea divers to 500 meters; a feet never even attempted prior. An American Team and a Norwegian team train side by side and the best men win, or so they think. Petter (Aksel Hennie) and his brother are part of the Norwegian team chosen to pursue the dive which would ultimately allow Norway to build an oil pipeline. After a tragedy during their first real attempt to dive, Petter is thrust into a conspiracy so deep, it is astounding to think that any of this actually happened. Though, if you know anything about international politics, you might think twice.

PIONEERAkselandWes Read More →

Melissa’s Review: ‘The Mule’ shows the gross inventiveness of desperation

TheMule_Poster_5What an awesome poster. It conveys the movie perfectly. I first saw The Mule at this year’s SXSW Film Festival, covering for Cinemit.com. It was one of the films that I had on my watchlist that I was able to see and I was delighted by it’s odd deliver and captivating journey. Star, co-writer and co-director, Angus Sampson is Ray Jenkins, a man who’s got himself in quite a predicament. He must not poop. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘THE KING AND THE MOCKINGBIRD’ is a classic brought back to life

The King and the Mockingbird Poster_Rialto

When I was a child I revelled in my mother and father reading bedtime stories.  I grew up on classic Disney fairytales and Tom & Jerry reruns. As an adult, nothing makes me happier than reliving those moments and sharing that joy with the next generation. At this year’s New York Film Festival, I was treated to a film that has been around for ages, but for me was a brand new tale to pass down. Read More →

Jeremy’s Review: Aoife Kelleher’s ‘One Million Dubliners’ an Absolutely Touching Portrait of Ireland’s Glasnevin Cemetery

OMD Portrait 2 1800pxIn the opening sequence of Aoife Kelleher‘s One Million Dubliners a funeral is being set and there is an incredibly pertinent quote from James Joyce‘s Ulysses: “In the midst of death, we are in life,” which is a careful reminder to us that even though we are inching closer to death with each day, there is still life to be lived. While pertinent, it may not make much sense to us in the beginning of the film as we allow ourselves to be taken on the journey that Kelleher takes us on in chronicling the history, the energy, the pulse of Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin, Ireland. Read More →

Liz’s Review: The Blu-Ray and DVD release of ‘Alive Inside’- Proof that music is a magic medicine

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Music is life’s breath. When you attend a concert, there a thousands of people from different backgrounds, races, religions, ages, what have you. Everyone has one thing in common; they are all connecting to the music. In the emotionally charged and viscerally compelling documentary ALIVE INSIDE, is finally coming to Blu-Ray and DVD. Minutes into this film you will realize why I say what I do. Just for an example, check out the clip from the movie that got the world talking. Rest of the world; May I introduce Henry and ALIVE INSIDE. Read More →