Review/Interview: OITNB star Nick Sandow talks ‘THE WANNABE’

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Presents

THE WANNABE

Respect isn’t earned. It’s stolen.

Written & Directed & Co-Starring Nick Sandow (Captuto on Orange is the New Black) Executive Produced by Academy Award Winner Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas) & Dean Devlin (Independence Day)

No matter who we are, during our lives we have idolized a person. Perhaps in some cases, to a point that may border on the unhealthy. Orange Is The New Black star, Nick Sandow, has written and directed a new film where that idol is the infamous mobster John Gotti. Meet one man’s story of obsession and desperation to be somebody, in The Wannabe.

The wannabe still Patricia Arquette,Vincent Piazza

Based on true events and Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese and Dean Devlin, comes a story about Thomas ( Vincent Piazza), a man obsessed with Mafia culture during the 1990s in New York City. When Thomas’s failed attempts to fix the trial of infamous mobster John Gotti gets him rejected by the people he idolizes most, he sets off on a drug infused crime spree with his girlfriend and long time mob groupie, Rose (Patricia Arquette), by brazenly robbing the local Mafia hangouts.

The film is perfectly paced by Sandow‘s writing. Coming up with the story after a friend sent him an article about the real life couple, The Wannabe is a “what might have happened” tale. Perfectly cast as Thomas, Vincent Piazza gives a fully fleshed out performance as a man who craves acceptance. When he doesn’t receive it, drugs lead to power hungry and dangerous life choices. Piazza’s time on Boardwalk Empire served him well in outlining his gangster look and the way he carried himself physically. We’re on the emotional roller coaster alongside him throughout. Patricia Arquette as Rose, is nothing less than brilliant. I am convinced that no matter what character you throw at her, she would own it. Her ease and presence on screen is unmatched, ever the scene stealer. Also, a Boardwalk alum, along with Sandow, it is clear that their chemistry as a trio makes the film as successful as it is.

I was privileged to interview Nick Sandow this week. Take a look at what he had to say about The Wannabe.

Liz: Firstly, Nick, thanks for taking the time to chat with me. The Wannabe is an incredibly successful story of audacious choices and personal delusion. Love the structure and style. So, congratulations on the film!

Where is the line between truth and fiction with Thomas and Rose’s story?

Nick: The line is blurry. There were a handful of facts about a real couple that in the early nineties went around robbing mob social clubs. I was fascinated with how they got from A to Z. I just ran with the story and started to blend in real events that were going on at that time.

Liz: You write and direct this project. What was the biggest challenge in wearing both hats?

Nick: Writing and directing hats go very well together. I’ve directed things that I didn’t write and I have to work very hard to find my way into it. When you write it….. it’s yours…. you are already inside it. It has your DNA all over it so when it comes time to direct it I am attempting to take it further and trying to find another level of understanding with all the tools available.

Liz: Getting the script to Scorsese, wow. What was that moment like when he decided to come on board?

Nick: I couldn’t believe it. I still don’t. It’s hard to fathom. But what a gentle guiding spirit he is.

Liz: When writing, did you already have Vincent and Patricia in mind?

Nick: I didn’t have them in mind at first but when they did come on board they were both very influential contributors to the rewriting process.

Liz: Was mob history an interest of yours prior to discovering this story?

Nick: Mob history wasn’t an interest. I grew up in a very similar neighborhood in the Bronx. So it was less an interest than a way of life.

Liz: How easy/difficult was it to shoot in the city for it being a period piece?

Nick: It was extremely difficult shooting a period piece in NYC on our budget in 20 days. It was all about finding the right locations. We had 35 location in 20 days. We were trying to find the 90s in the city and you really have to hunt for it. It’s there, you just have to get out into the boroughs. We shot in every one of them except Staten Island.

Liz: Have you ever been obsessed, for lack of a better word, with an individual in the way Thomas was?

Nick: I’m not sure I was ever as obsessed as Thomas with one single person but I do very much identify with the desperation of wanting to be someone you are not. I’ve made a living out of doing that as an actor for 25 years. I understand where that obsession comes from… I had an outlet for it with acting.

Liz: You, as an actor, have a knack to for being cast as an authority figure, shall we say? Why do you think that is?

Nick: I’ve never really thought of this before. An authority figure….hmmmm. To be honest the first thing that pops into my head is that as a kid I always felt I needed to know the answers to survive. In many ways that served me and in many ways as a young person I feel it shut me down to learning as much as I could of. Maybe this is why? It’s only a guess. I really don’t know.

Liz: We are definitely excited for more Caputo action in Season 4 this June. We’re really rooting for something good to happen to this character! Outside of OITNB, what’s next for you?

Nick: Yes, there will be more Caputo in Season 4. It’s going to be a great season. I’m also excited about it.

Besides Orange, I am looking to shoot another film this spring. It’s a great script written by Frank Pugliese of House of Cards. It is the weekend in the life of a middle aged retired pro football player coming to grips with having Dimentia. I’m also working on a documentary about Kalief Browder who was wrongfully imprisoned for 3 years on Rikers Island from the age of 16 to 19.

Liz: That all sounds incredibly exciting! Thanks again for your time, Nick. ReelNewsDaily is looking forward to seeing more of you any way we can!

Starring:

Academy Award Winner Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Vincent Piazza (Boardwalk Empire), Michael Imperioli (The Sopranos),Domenick Lombardozzi (The Wire), David Zayas (Dexter) & Nick Sandow (Orange Is The New Black)

The Wannabe is now playing in select theaters nationwide and is available on all VOD platforms.

Review: ‘THE LADY IN THE VAN’ is Alan Bennett’s mostly true story brought to life by Dame Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings

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

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.

Review: ‘CHRISTMAS, AGAIN’ is a true NYC character study.

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Presents
CHRISTMAS, AGAIN

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.

Review: Experience a joyride to hell in ‘SUBMERGED’.

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Presents

SUBMERGED

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.

Check out the trailer below:

Open in NY and LA November 27th

99 Minutes. Not Rated.

Interview: ‘JAMES WHITE’ writer/director Josh Mond and star Christopher Abbott talk about this visceral film that takes hold of the viewer.

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

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!

Review: ‘JAMES WHITE’ makes escaping reality impossible.

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

Josh Mond’s

JAMES WHITE

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

Review & Press Conference: ‘BURNT’ is a tasty dish we’ve had before

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Chef Adam Jones (Bradley Cooper) had it all – and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, the former enfant terrible of the Paris restaurant scene did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. To land his own kitchen and that third elusive Michelin star though, he’ll need the best of the best on his side, including the beautiful Helene (Sienna Miller). BURNT is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, and the preparation of recipes as gourmet chocolate cookies which you can even get deliver to your home now a days.

BRADLEY COOPER stars in BURNT.

Cooper is strong as ever, there is no denying that. Not only do you absolutely buy him as a skilled chef but you also find yourself engrossed in the background story of addiction. Not to mention he gets to show off his impeccable and charming French skills. Miller, once again, gives a solid performance as single mother Helene. Her great balance of strength and vulnerability make her a lovely foil for Cooper. There chemistry seems truly organic. This film is really an ensemble piece. You cannot create an environment such a kitchen without relying heavily on your entire team. Daniel Bruhl reads as one of the most passionate characters in the film, by far. Sam Keeley and Omar Sy, both inject life into this eclectic group of chefs. Other noteworthy performances come from Matthew Rhys and Emma Thompson. The cast was put through kitchen boot camp. they had become chefs on set. That is clear and wonderful to watch.

(L-R) BRADLEY COOPER and SIENNA MILLER star in BURNT.

The film should do well with cooking enthusiasts and foodies alike. While the script is nothing revelatory, it does give the audience an easy peak into the aftermath of addiction. BURNT is very much a film about second chances and self respect. The cast is strong, the food porn aspect is delightful. The comment on building the perfect meal and building the perfect relationship was certainly not lost on me. Go for Cooper, go for the acting, and definitely go for the food.

Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller attended the film’s press conference with fellow stars Daniel Bruhl, Uma Thurman, and Sam Keeley. Moderated by the gregarious and world renowned chef Mario Batali, the press conference took place at The London Hotel in New York.

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 20: (L-R) Mario Batali, Daniel Bruhl, Sienna Miller, Bradley Cooper, Uma Thurma and Sam Keeley attend the “BURNT” New York Press Conference at The London Hotel on October 20, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)

NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 20: (L-R) Mario Batali, Daniel Bruhl, Sienna Miller, Sam Keeley, Uma Thurman and Bradley Cooper attend the “BURNT” New York Press Conference at The London Hotel on October 20, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew Toth/Getty Images for The Weinstein Company)

Check out our audio from the conference. You can hear me make a comment and ask a question around the 22:00 minute mark. And yes, that is Bradley Cooper reacting to my profound statement. As for Mario Batali… I’m going to need him to moderate more often. What a gem.

BURNT is in theaters now!

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

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Student & Senior

$ 9

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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 →

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.

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:

Liz’s Review: ‘HOMME LESS’ is worth far more than 1000 words.

Posted on August 7, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — Leave a reply

From his dapper appearance and his suave sensibilities, you’d never guess that Mark Reay is homeless in NYC. Using a YMCA locker room as his bathroom and personal storage system, Mark is able to blend seamlessly into the upper echelon of New York’s fashion and film business. As a former model, he hustles the streets of Manhattan as a photographer and smooth talker. Genuinely talented and extremely good looking, Mark’s adaptability to his circumstances is astounding and certainly commendable. He lives in secret on a friend’s rooftop, enduring the changing weather and fearing, each night, that he may be found out and forced to find somewhere else to survive the nights. He lives off his extraordinary photography skills, acting residuals, and his uncanny ability to cold approach beautiful women, for both personal and professional rewards.

Mark Reay BY GREG SCAFFIDI

HOMME LESS follows Mark’s ventures as he narrowly eludes the total collapse of the very existence he has built for himself. His emotional highs and lows drive the heart of this doc. As New Yorkers, we most definitely have a built up image of what it means to look homeless. It’s the man in the subway station that wreaks of urine, is dirty, and oftentimes muttering to himself, or yelling incoherently on a street corner. Mark is the penultimate opposite of these images. Clean cut, eloquent, genuine, resourceful. You route for him at each turn as we tag along on his day to day routine, using every networking trick known to man. I would hang out with Mark in a heartbeat. He is optimistic, as much as any one man can be facing his current situation. I admire the hell out of him.

Director, Thomas Wirthensohn, has been friends with Mark for 20 years, since their modeling days back in Europe. When the two reconnected over drinks, Thomas had no idea that Mark was homeless. The two decided to take a new journey together in making this fascinating documentary. Wirthensohn is very careful to stay at arm’s length, which must have been extra difficult already being so emotionally invested in his subject. One of the toughest things you hear from documentary filmmakers is the challenge they face in trying to stay objective. There are quite a few moments in the film that directly address this issue and I commend Wirthensohn for his efforts.

HOMME LESS is a beautifully shot portrait of one man’s journey to not only survive, but thrive, in this big city. As someone who has lived here on and off since college, I can only imagine having to do what Mark does on the daily. Living paycheck to paycheck takes on a whole new meaning in this film. I highly recommend you catch this documentary this weekend. It will rattle around in your brain and, if you happen to live in NYC, make you wonder if you’ll run into Mark any day soon. It would be my pleasure to buy him dinner and a drink… and then book him for new headshots.

HOMME LESS Trailer from Thomas Wirthensohn on Vimeo.

Synopsis: HOMME LESS is about the underbelly of the American Dream, the hidden backyard of our society. Mark’s life stands as a metaphor for the struggle of the vanishing middle class in America. But it’s also a film about the relationship between New York City and one of its residents. New York is not simply a beautiful backdrop for this story. She’s the antagonist that dictates the direction Mark’s life is going in. The joy and pain, the love and hate, the success and denial New York is teasing him with, the hardship he is going through in order to stay in her grace and the inventiveness he comes up with to be with her are all unique.

HOMME LESS captures a raw and unfiltered moment in time, our time, and raises the question of how far are we from losing everything, even our homes? How often do we have to pretend that everything is fine in order to keep up the facade of being a well-off member of society? And how far do we go to take the financial pressure off our shoulders to live a more carefree life, a life we aspire to live?

What went wrong in Mark’s life? How is he able to keep up his facade of success and fool everyone? What keeps him from going under? What motivates him to put up with this rather unthinkable situation? What were and are his hopes and desires in life?

Mark stands lost and alone in the midst of eight million dreams, balanced between the glamorous surfaces of this vibrant and inspiring city and its far from glamorous hidden backyard. He is the HOMME LESS.

Opening at the IFC Center on August 7th

Trailer of the Day: The Anti-Romance – ‘Hungry Hearts’ with Adam Driver

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Melissa Hanson — Leave a reply

***WILL BE RELEASED THEATRICALLY IN NEW YORK ON FRIDAY, JUNE 5***

New York City newlyweds Jude (Girls’ Adam Driver) and Mina (I Am Love’s Alba Rohrwacher) have a seemingly perfect relationship. But things take an unsettling turn with the birth of their son. Convinced that the baby must be kept free of all contaminants, Mina develops fanatical obsessions with veganism, cleanliness, and purity that may kill the child unless Jude can stop her. With stunning performances from Driver and Rohrwacher, this intense psychological drama suggests that sometimes a parent’s love can be the scariest thing of all.

DIRECTED & WRITTEN BY: Saverio Costanzo
STARRING: Adam Driver, Alba Rohrwacher
RUN TIME: 118 MINUTES

Tribeca Film Festival review: ‘Autism in Love’ puts faces to preconceived notions.

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Lindsey and Dave

Love is something we cannot explain. It is like magic. Isn’t is difficult enough to find love for two average people? What if you were not considered to be average? It can be torturous to express how we feel. What if you add autism into the mix? Autism is on a wide spectrum. Autistic adulthood is not a common topic of conversation. Director Matt Fuller brings us into the world of 4 extraordinary people; Lenny, Stephen, Lindsey and Dave in the new documentary Autism in Love.

Lenny

Lenny is an unemployed young man, living with his immensely supportive mother. He has a fondness for video games and longing for a girlfriend. He is extremely aware of his autism and believes that it impedes him from finding love. Highly emotional, Lenny’s struggles have a visceral affect on even Fuller. In a moment of breaking the wall, even with the director out of sight, Lenny is visibly upset and tells Fuller not to cry. He says, “I would rather be a normal man than an autistic person with a million dollars.”

Geeta and Stephen

Stephen is a middle aged savant who knows every answer on Jeopardy before we’ve even finished reading the clue, makes hot dogs for his parents every Sunday, and has a distinct cadence reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. Married to a lovely woman named Geeta, he has a routine that he lives by that has only recently been disrupted by the fact that after 17 years with Geeta, she has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While Stephen’s autism is much more obvious, you can see the adoration in his eyes even if he is unable to express it verbally.

Dave and Lindsey

Lindsey and Dave have been dating for years. Labeled “High-functioning”, the two are an endearing match. Both are ready to take the next step, with Lindsey being the more verbal on the subject and Dave taking a seemingly more intellectual route. You instantly fall in love with this couple and cheer them on from the get go. The juxtaposition of these four individuals is a beautifully crafted story. The added struggle of being on the spectrum is something not many of us consider when searching for a mate. I think that Autism in Love is an important doc that let’s us gaze into a world often fraught with misconception, without gawking.

Here is a clip from Autism in Love:

Tribeca Film Festival interview: ‘CROCODILE GENNADIY’ is a modern-day superhero story.

Posted on April 23, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Gennadiy Mokhnenko is a pastor in Mariupol, Ukraine. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, hundreds, if not thousands of children have become homeless and addicted to a deadly mixture of cold medicine and alcohol that they are injecting like herion. Gennadiy has taken it upon himself to rescue these children, small groups at a time and bring them to his rehabilitation center called Pilgrim Republic. An accomplished and eloquent orator, this strong headed and passionate pastor, sometimes forcibly removes children from sewers, or other filth ridden settings, to set them on the straight and narrow. His aim is to improve their alcohol recovery timeline, get these kids healthy and make them want to be functioning members of society. Confronting abusive parents and taking on the government, Gennadiy is a saint. He has 11 children, most of them adopted from the lot that he has saved over the years. He has a wit and charm that make him one of the most approachable men, and yet he has a tenacity that is also threatening when it needs to be.

This documentary from Steve Hooper is beautifully inter-cut with a Soviet animated TV show, Crocodile Gennadiy from which our pastor gets his nickname. The parrallels between Gennadiy and the cartoon are almost unbelievable. The methods this man uses are far from what would be acceptable for any church in the United States, and as far as I am concerned, we should be taking a page from his playbook when fighting for good.

I was able to sit down with Steve Hoover and producer Danny Yourd. Find out some of the crazy story behind the making of this film.

Crocodile Gennadiy Teaser from Crocodile Gennadiy Documentary on Vimeo.

You can still catch CROCODILE GENNADIY at this year’s festival:

8:00 PM – FRI 4/24 REGAL CINEMAS BATTERY PARK 11-3 –RUSH

Tribeca Film Festival reviews: Docs that will make you face palm humanity. ‘Cartel Land’, ‘Indian Point’, and ‘Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle’

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

CARTEL LANDFrom poverty comes desperation and opportunistic turn. The mentality of, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” could not be more true in a new doc from director Matthew Heinman, Cartel Land. Mexican drug cartels are running rampant, killing innocent people in their wake, wreaking havoc on what would otherwise be hard working, peaceful folk. Infuriated by the circumstances forced up them, townspeople have taken up arms of their own and formed a group named the Autodefensa. They side step the government, who deny there is a problem at all, and capture cartel members to be handed immediately to the police. We also meet a group called the Arizona Border Recon. Mostly comprised of neo-con, anti-immigration minded men, they are able to put their politics aside to police human trafficking and cartel scouting groups. The most unprecedented footage is when the filmmakers were allowed access inside the cartels themselves. The saddest past of the doc, a lot of the present cartel members are former members of the Autodefensa. Money begets power. It remains a vicious cycle. Cartel Land gives us a real time look into the everyday struggle of the Mexican people. While constantly in true physical peril, Heinman and his crew present us with outstanding production value, balanced storytelling, and an insight to what most of us turn a blind eye to.

8:30 PM – FRI 4/24 BOW TIE CINEMAS CHELSEA 8 –RUSH

5:00 PM – SUN 4/26 REGAL CINEMAS BATTERY PARK 11-3 –RUSH

INDIAN POINTAs a New Yorker, post-9/11, we want to believe that we’re safer. We want to think that the heightened presence of armed guards at Grand Central means something. But, it’s the forces we don’t see that should freak us out. Did you know that just 35 miles north of Times Square is an aging nuclear power plant called Indian Point? I sure didn’t. Not scary enough for you? Alright, the government has down graded evacuation plans since the Fukushima melt down. Still no? 6% of the country’s population lives with 50 miles of the plant. You cannot outrun radiation. The plant was built in the 1950’s and has not been sufficiently updated since. This is not a one off for the plants across the country. Old technology cannot be applied fast enough for the amount of old cores we are storing on site (encased in cement). The volatility of this waste is unbelievable. When the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, Fukushima’s waste was jostled enough to cause multiple reactor meltdown, something that the industry claims is impossible in the US. That radiation has traveled across the ocean and is now causing birth defects in California. Indian Point shows this issue from all sides; activists, journalists, plants supervisors, residents, and the former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This is an eye-opening doc about money Vs power. When you get the end of the film, the information provided will downright piss you off more than you ever thought possible. Indian Point should stand as a warning for us all. Complacency is the way we power our planet is no longer an option.

6:15 PM – FRI 4/24 BOW TIE CINEMAS CHELSEA 4 – RUSH

TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLEIn the wake of so many tragic police shootings, I posed a question to my husband, “Why don’t they just use tasers anymore?!” I recalled the infamous YouTube video “Don’t Tase Me Bro!”. Without giving much weight to the incident, when that video went viral, I, like most Americans, brushed it off as internet fodder. What I didn’t realize was just how serious this issue actually was and continues to be. In the doc Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle we learn about the origin of the one single company that created and trains law enforcement on the proper use of Tasers. These “weapons” are meant to incapacitate a subject. Unfortunately, for brother Tom and Rick Smith, tasers also kill people. The two founded Taser International in 1993 and have sold their stun gun to almost every one of the US’ 18,250 law enforcement agencies.

The updated Taser targeting guide issued by Taser International.

Between 2001 and 2012, there were 500 taser related deaths reported in the U.S. There are no regulations on the use of tasers. In the film, we are privy to dash cam footage of 23 year old Stanley Harlan. Pulled over in front of his house, the reason still unclear, he is seen complying with officers and then suddenly, off camera, he is tasered 3 times, causing him to go into cardiac arrest. As his parents look on is sheer terror, we witness Harlan’s death. In a deposition following a string of additional deaths, the Smith brothers sit smugly testifying that they have no scientific knowledge that their product contributes to anyone’s death. Ironically, in 2009, Taser International updated their training guide to reflect what they claimed they did not believe. These gentlemen and this company know they are wrong. They know the dangers of their product, but for them, their monopoly grows in spite of the deaths.

Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle is raw and shocking. You will walk out shaking your head. All of that being said, this documentary is incredibly informative and well structured. On the surface, it may appear to be a propaganda piece, so let me assure it, it is well researched and definitely worth your time.

You can still catch Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle at the fest!

8:30 PM – SUN 4/26 SVA THEATER 2 BEATRICE $21.50

For more information on all of these films, you can visit the Tribeca Film Festival Guide 2015

Tribeca Film Festival review & interview: ‘DREAM/KILLER’ is frightening for reasons you must see to believe. Liz interviews Ryan and Bill Ferguson.

Posted on April 22, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 1 Comment ↓

Some of us have a some pretty wild dreams. Maybe monsters are chasing us, maybe we fly like superman, or just maybe, we kill someone. What if someone else’s dream affected your life? What if their dream took away your freedom. This is was happened to 19 year old Ryan Ferguson. After a friend has a nightmare about a murder case that happened two years prior, he calls 911 to “confess” and once in custody, puts Ryan at the scene. Director Andrew Jenks, brings us a fascinating new documentary called Dream/Killer. Ryan is convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison. Let’s be clear, there is zero evidence that Ryan was even in the area at the time. The entire case, if you can call it such a thing, is based upon a coerced confession of another young man with some serious issues. This is the tragic story of how the American judicial system is beyond broken. We’ve seen numerous young men convicted based on socio-economic background or the color of their skin, but it is still very unlikely that a middle-class white man would be in the same boat.We follow Ryan’s entire journey, with the help of his extraordinary parents, Bill and Leslie. Bill does everything in his power, including tours of the crime scene to anyone and everyone that will walk with him and listen to the evidence, setting up social media pages in support of Ryan, and tracking down one the most renowned lawyers in the country, Kathleen Zellner. Roadblocked at every turn, this documentary is full of twists and turns in the wake of shockingly awful work by The Ferguson’s first lawyer, witnesses fabricating stories, and the dubious practices of District Attorney-turned-Judge Kevin Crane. If there is one criminal in this entire story, it may be the one presently on a bench in Missouri.

Bill Ferguson‘s tireless efforts are rewarded after his son spends 9 1/2 years in prison. Kathleen Zellner is finally able to get Ryan released. Through years of exasperating setbacks, Bill and Leslie keep up Ryan’s spirits and lead his charge to freedom. Dream/Killer is an eye opening film. The scales of justice are definitely waited against the truth and they need to be fixed. Andrew Jenks agrees that the film is emotionally enraging. As an audience member, you walk away shaking your head and fuming. These are both compliments to the story Jenks is is trying to tell. He and The Fergusons have developed a genuine friendship. Jenks calls Ryan “A bit of a Gandhi figure” for his ability to stay so positive throughout this entire ordeal. The Fergusons love for each other is certainly unconditional. Never once did Bill or Leslie question Ryan’s innocence. Jenks says that he doesn’t think this story is over. There is still a murderer on the loose. With the popularity of the Serial podcast and HBO‘s The Jinx, there could not be a more timely introduction for Dream/Killer. Jenks also attributes the growing intrigue surrounding documentaries to Netflix. He believes it’s interface and the artistry in docs movie posters are attracting a newer, and perhaps younger audience.

I was fortunate enough to sit down with Ryan and Bill and discuss this film and their extraordinary family. Here is the audio from that interview. *At the very end, you’ll hear my private thoughts as I left the recorder on longer than intended.* I actually ran into Ryan the following day. He remembered me, asked me how I was doing, and we chatted like old friends. Welcome to The Ferguson family. Enjoy.

You can still catch two more screenings of Dream/Killer at the fest.

3:45 PM – FRI 4/24 REGAL CINEMAS BATTERY PARK 11-1 RUSH

9:45 PM – SAT 4/25 BOW TIE CINEMAS CHELSEA 5 RUSH

dream/killer Trailer from Andrew Jenks Entertainment on Vimeo.

To find out more information, you can click the Tribeca Film Festival Guide 2015.

Tribeca Film Festival review & podcast: TUMBLEDOWN will win hearts and fans. Including the audio from our roundtable interview with Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Director Sean Mewshaw, and Writer Desiree Van Til.

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Liz Whittemore — 4 Comments ↓

Music is part of our souls. It can heal, it can hurt, it’s like a sense memory. We’ve lost great artists in their prime like, Leonard Cohen, Kurt Cobain, and Elliot Smith. The impact of their death is felt each time we hear one of their songs. Imagine, for a moment, that your very favorite artist suddenly dies. Now imagine you were married to them. This is the very premise of TUMBLEDOWN. Hannah is the widow of indie folk singer Hunter Miles. She is hounded by gossip seekers on a daily basis. When Hofstra professor and true fan Andrew tries to get in touch with her, she brushes him off… and brushes him off again… and again. Only until realizing that her dream of writing Hunter’s story is one she cannot accomplish on her own, does she let her highly guarded heart open just a crack. Andrew and Hannah strike a deal; Andrew writes a biography on her terms for $50k. With the encouragement of his music industry girlfriend Finley, Andrew drives from NYC to Maine and moves into Hannah’s guest bedroom. He is then exposed to a world a true fan can only dream of, with one massive catch. Hannah will not stop mourning her late husband. Can fan and family see eye to eye. Can trust break down the walls of Hannah’s suffering? Will intellect stifle healing. In a film where it’s head vs heart, who wins?

Rebecca Hall is flawless as Hannah. Witty, independent, strong headed, Hall plays a woman unwilling to move on with her life. Jason Sudeikis as Andrew is unstoppable. Smart, and quippy as ever, this role is something new for Sudeikis. I love this side of him and hope that the industry, and more writers, take note of his innate ability to be funny in a non-slapstick kind of way. These two are an absolute powerhouse as they match wits with one another in each scene. Rounding out an incredible cast is Dianna Agron as Finley. Life after GLEE fame should treat her well if she keeps up such a strong, believable presence on the big screen. Blythe Danner and Richard Masur play Hannah’s parents. Deeply supportive and yet totally realistic, these two are the perfect counter balance to Andrew’s inability to let go of presumption. Finally, Griffin Dunne plays Hannah’s editor and owner of the town beloved book shop. He brings warmth and charm only a small town holds.

The film was 8 years in the making. Writer Desi Van Til thoughtfully crafted this story partly as a personal healing piece for a lost friend. She skillfully captures the heart of New England, the desperation of grief, and the hold that music has on everyone’s heart. For Director Sean Mewshaw, his first feature length film is a total success. It’s shot in such a way that truly shows the quaintness of the area. Finding “Hunter Miles” or singer Damien Jurado was one of his triumphs. He perfectly encapsulates the feel of the character that was created by Desi, Rebecca, Jason, and Sean. Coming in after the film was already in the can, with his music and lyrics, he “created” a musician we’re all discovering for the first time, but feel like we’ve now lost as well. It might also help that Sean and Desi are husband and wife! This team is a real tour de force and without any solid knowledge (only mere mentions) I predict many captivating projects coming down the pipeline from these two.

Grief is something so personal. No matter how big the hit we feel, it still leaves a hole in our hearts and souls. Sometimes music helps. Sometimes it’s a trigger. Either way, the songs live on long after we’re gone. So sing, I say. TUMBLEDOWN is easily in my top three narrative selections to come out the this year’s festival. It is a must see and definitely a must hear.

I was fortunate enough to attend a roundtable interview with Dianna Agron, Jason Sudeikis, Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw. We talk issues from the film, insight into the project’s journey, as well as Jason and Dianna’s other releases at the fest. Take a listen to the absolute joy around the table: *You can hear me ask a question about journalistic responsibility and one about Dianna’s similarities to the character of Hannah.* Enjoy the voices of TUMBLEDOWN!

You can still catch a screening of TUMBLEDOWN at the fest this Thursday!! I cannot imagine this film not getting distribution. We will most certainly keep you updated here at RND.

3:30 PM – THU 4/23 REGAL CINEMAS BATTERY PARK 11-11

ADD $13.50

To find out more about TUMBLEDOWN in the Tribeca Film Guide 2015

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