Category Archives: News

New trailer for the documentary ‘He Named Me Malala’ about 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai

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HE NAMED ME MALALA one-sheet

It’s here! Take a first look at HE NAMED ME MALALA, a documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai’s…

Posted by Malala Fund on Thursday, June 18, 2015

Opening in select theaters on October 2, 2015

Cast: Malala Yousafzai, Ziauddin Yousafzai (father), Toorpekai Yousafzai (mother), Khushal and Atal Yousafzai (brothers)

Directed by: Davis Guggenheim

Screenplay by: Davis Guggenheim

Produced by: Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald under their long-term production partnership with Image Nation Abu Dhabi and co-financed by Participant Media

HE NAMED ME MALALA is an intimate portrait of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban and severely wounded by a gunshot when returning home on her school bus in Pakistan’s Swat Valley. The then 15-year-old (she turns 18 this July) was singled out, along with her father, for advocating for girls’ education, and the attack on her sparked an outcry from supporters around the world. She miraculously survived and is now a leading campaigner for girls’ education globally as co-founder of the Malala Fund.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, Waiting for Superman) shows us how Malala, her father Zia and her family are committed to fighting for education for all girls worldwide. The film gives us an inside glimpse into this extraordinary young girl’s life – from her close relationship with her father who inspired her love for education, to her impassioned speeches at the UN, to her everyday life with her parents and brothers.

“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.” – Malala

 

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DreamWorks Unleashes the Trailer for ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’!

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The first trailer for  DreamWorks Animation’s Kung Fu Panda 3 has arrived and we have it for you below!

When Po’s (Jack Black)  long-lost panda father Li (Bryan Cranston) suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible-learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas.

The film is directed by Jennifer Yuh and Alessandro Carloni, also stars returning cast members Angelina Jolie as Tigress, Jackie Chan as Monkey, Seth Rogen as Mantis, Lucy Liu as Viper and David Cross as Crane. James Hong and Dustin Hoffman also return. Rebel Wilson will also star as a new character named Mei Mei. 

Kung Fu Panda 3 arrives in theaters on January 29, 2016

Paramount Pictures Releases the Trailer for ‘Captive’

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Captive

Paramount Pictures has just released the trailer for their upcoming film Captive starring David Oyelowo (Selma) and Kate Mara (Fantastic Four) which you can view below.

The film, directed by Jerry Jameson, is based on the book “Unlikely Angel: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero” written by Ashley Smith with Stacey Mattingly, which tells the true story of of how Smith, a single mother and recovering drug addict, was taken hostage in her own apartment by Brian Nichols, a fugitive who escaped prison on a rape conviction. The roles are played in the film by Mara and Oyelowo, respectively.

Captive also stars Michael K Williams, Mimi Rogers, Jessica Oyelowo and Leonor Varela. The novel was adapted for the screen by Brian Bird (“Touched by an Angel”).

The film hits theaters September 18th

New Trailer for ‘Hotel Transylvania 2’ Has Arrived

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Sony Pictures Animation has released the new trailer for Hotel Transylvania 2 and we have it for you below!

The Drac pack is back! Everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania… Dracula’s (voiced by Adam Sandler) rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. So while Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny (Andy Samberg) – and in for a major cultural shock of her own – “Vampa” Drac enlists his friends Frank (voiced by Kevin James), Murray (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), Wayne (voiced by Steve Buscemi) and Griffin (voiced by David Spade) to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad (voiced by Mel Brooks) is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood – and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty!

The movie is directed by Genndy Tartakovsky and featuring a script by Adam Sandler and Robert Smigel.

Hotel Transylvania 2 hits theaters on September 25th

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Benecio Del Toro as Pablo in ‘Escobar: Paradise Lost’ looks perfectly cast – Check out the trailer!

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Escobar Paradise Lost poster

For Pablo Escobar (Benicio Del Toro), family is everything. When young surfer Nick (Josh Hutcherson) falls for Escobar’s niece, he finds his life on the line when he’s pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.

ESCOBAR: PARADISE LOST
In theaters June 26, 2015

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‘Dragon Blade’ starring Jackie Chan, John Cusack & Adrien Brody – Yep, you read that right

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A massive success this year in its native China, Dragon Blade brings action spectacle on a grand scale to US audiences. Featuring an international cast led by Jackie Chan, John Cusack and Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody, the film features the fight for the Silk Road when East and West collide. When corrupt Roman leader Tiberius (Adrien Brody) arrives with a giant army to claim the Silk Road, Huo An (Jackie Chan) and his group of trained warriors teams up with an elite legion of defected Roman soldiers led by General Lucius (John Cusack) to maintain the delicate balance of power in the region. To protect his country and his new friends, Huo An gathers the warriors of thirty-six ethnic nations together to fight Tiberius in an incredible epic battle.  The film is directed by Daniel Lee (“Black Mask”) and produced by Jackie Chan and Susanna Tsang.

What?!?

“Dragon Blade “will be released by Lionsgate Premiere in theaters and On Demand on September 4th.

Liz’s Review: Get raunchy with ‘BALLS OUT’

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Balls Out posterYou never know what you’re gonna see at Tribeca Film Festival. One out of left field film from last year was BALLS OUT. Wrong sports metaphor in this case since this particular movie revolves around an intramural college flag football league. Starring a rag tag team of hilarious and talented people like Jake Lacy, Kate McKinnon, Nikki Reed, Beck Bennett, Jay Pharoah and many, many more, Balls Out pulls no punches when it comes to the A-typical sports genre movie. Balls out cast stillCaleb (Jake Lacy) is a fifth year senior with law school on the brain and an overbearing and hilariously high-on-life girlfriend (Kate McKinnon). Suddenly finding himself faced with having his future mapped out for him, he begins to reminisce about his freshman year and his flag football team’s- The Panthers- epic win over a douchebag rival team the Titans. Haunted by the how the first game ended with the paralysis of his best friend, Caleb struggles to commit to what makes him truly happy. Balls Out is an unapologetic underdog story, that’s frankly funny as hell. Every single sports cliche you can think of is admittedly thrown in your face. Training montages, two stoner fans acting as the league’s “official announcers”, hidden personal agendas, each Panther member being just slightly too weird for reality, and a rival captain so damn ridiculous you love to hate him. All this is admitted in the actual dialogue. The film never takes itself seriously at any moment, which is what makes it so great. I was not expecting to like this film at all, and it ended up being my favorite comedy of the fest last year.Kate KcKinnon Balls Out stillSo let’s talk performances in Balls Out. Jake Lacy is, for lack of a better phrase, relatively straight laced, in comparison to the rest of the cast. Nikki Reed does an excellent job playing the girl who comes into Caleb’s life just when he needs it most. This was a nice departure for Reed coming off the Twilight series and a great follow up to her quirky performance in last year’s Murder of a Cat. She is cool and fun. Kate McKinnon steals every scene she is in. Since she joined SNL, I have been touting her as the new Amy Poehler. One wide-eyed look from this gal is comedy gold. Newly minted Panther head coach is played by Nick Kocher. Wher has this kis been all my life? He easily flips from just amusing to sidesplitting comedy with the ease of someone twice his age. How is he not in everything right now? Team him up with Chris Pratt, like yesterday. I want over saturation of Kocher immediately. Jay Pharoah and D.C. Pierson‘s narration as the sideline peanut gallery makes the game sequences what they are. Balls Out Beck StillNow, let’s get real  for a moment. Hands down, once again,the star of this film is Beck Bennett. I have been a fan ever since his national AT&T campaign. Believing he is vastly under utilized on SNL, I have been privileged to see his outstanding movie roles thus far. His last film, Beside Still Waters (a MUST see), was on the opposite end spectrum on his testosterone driven revenge obsession in Balls Out. Like McKinnon, each frame he appears in he completely owns. I don’t know how anyone kept a straight face having to be in a scene with him. It makes me wonder how much of his dialogue is improvised. I would imagine the DVD blooper reel with feature him heavily. Cheers to Beck for bring this film over the goal line.

BALLS OUT arrives theatrically and on VOD June 19th.

Genre: Comedy
TRT: 100 min
Camera: RED Epic
Language: English

Rated: R for crude and sexual material, language and some drug use

SYNOPSIS: With graduation, marriage, and an uncertain future on the horizon, fifth year college senior Caleb Fuller (Jake Lacy) decides to do the one thing he vowed to never do again: get the ol’ flag football team back together. Now with the help of his Panther teammates and unorthodox head coach Grant Rosenfalis (Nick Kocher), Caleb must defy all odds and logic if he ever hopes to achieve the intramural football glory he once had. Set in the highly popular world of college intramural sports, BALLS OUT is the epic sports movie for the guys who don’t deserve one.

‘Maleficent’ Sequel in the Works at Disney

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Deadline is reporting that Walt Disney Pictures is developing a Maleficent sequel. The studio has hired Linda Woolverton, who scripted the first film, to work on the followup. No word on if the star of the first film, Angelina Jolie, will return but the studio is hot to sign her.

The original film brought in more than $758 million worldwide.

More as it becomes available

Michael Myers Rises Again in Halloween Returns!

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Dimension Films and Trancas International Films announced that production will start in July on the newest installment into the Michael Myers franchise entitled Halloween Returns. The script was written by Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton (Saw) with Dunstan also directing the film.

“Michael Myers has taken a long break from the big screen and we know fans are eager to see him return,” Bob Weinstein, co-chair of Dimension and its parent company, The Weinstein Company, said in a statement. “We are excited to be back in business with Trancas and look forward to bringing one of the scariest installments of this classic franchise to audiences worldwide.”

Halloween Returns is produced by Malek Akkad with Matthew Stein as executive producer.

“It’s been a joy to work with so many creative people – ten films. We’re working on eleven as we speak. We’re working on a script right now. A new draft – perfect timing – is supposed to hit the day before Halloween. Hopefully my Halloween night reading will be a good read.”, said Akkad.

 

 

Shock Til You Drop has learned that Halloween Returns will follow the events of 1981’s Halloween 2 and will be connected to the original series and not the Rob Zombie films. The new film will follow the first sequel’s Deputy Gary Hunt, now a sheriff.

More as it becomes available

See the funniest movie of the summer – ‘The Overnight’ at a sneak peek with Q&A at Lincoln Center this Wednesday

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Taylor Schilling (Emily) in a scene from THE OVERNIGHT. Photograph by John Guleserian

Taylor Schilling (Emily) in a scene from THE OVERNIGHT.
Photograph by John Guleserian

Q&A with director Patrick Brice, actors Adam Scott, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godreche, and producer Naomi Scott

8pm – Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center, New York, NY – Buy tickets here

Seattle transplants Alex and Emily (Parks and Recreation’s Adam Scott and Orange Is the New Black’s Taylor Schilling) are settling into their new Los Angeles life with some difficulty (their young son makes friends more easily than they do). The two are overjoyed when outgoing fellow parent Kurt (Jason Schwartzman) invites them over for a dual playdate—one for the kids and one for the adults. Things take a turn for the bizarre when Kurt and his elegant French wife Charlotte (L’Auberge Espagnole’s Judith Godrèche) suggest putting the children to bed and continuing their couples date. The rare contemporary comedy that does not outstay its welcome, writer/director Patrick Brice’s second feature (after last year’s found-footage thriller Creep) capitalizes on Scott’s proven straight-man abilities and Schwartzman’s patented confidence, with art-house darling Godrèche more than holding her own amid seasoned comics. A The Orchard release.

Jack Huston Exits ‘The Crow’ Remake

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Variety is reporting that Jack Huston (“Boardwalk Empire”) is bowing out of the upcoming Crow remake due to scheduling issues.

“Jack Huston is unfortunately unavailable to continue with us on ‘The Crow,’” says director Corin Hardy  . “‘The Crow’ is an amazing project, and I am grateful that we have the time and patience to get it right. We look forward to unveiling our new lead and starting to film over the next several weeks.”

Huston is the second actor to exit the project as Luke Evans was previously attached to play the role of Eric Draven but departed the project earlier this year.

In other Crow news, Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker is in talks to play a role in the remake. The role is rumored to be that of Sergeant Albrecht which was played by Ernie Hudson in the 1994 original.

More as it becomes available

 

It’s Official: ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ Set for July 2017!

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pitch perfect 1

They’re coming back, again pitches! Hot off the success of this years Pitch Perfect 2, Universal Pictures has announced that Pitch Perfect 3 will hit theaters on July 21, 2017! It was also announced that  Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson will return for a third go around.

Universal hit a goldmine with this franchise as the first film grossed $115 million globally and the second film currently has grossed $260 million across the globe.

Pitch Perfect 3 will be produced by series fixtures Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman & Elizabeth Banks of Brownstone Productions. No word yet on whether Banks will return to direct the third film.

Stay tuned for more info as it breaks

The creators of ‘Glee’ & ‘Saw’ give us ‘Cooties’ starring Elijah Wood & Rainn Wilson

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Cooties posterIn Select Theaters & VOD on September 18
From the twisted minds of Leigh Whannell (co-creator of Saw and Insidious) and Ian Brennan (co-creator of “Glee”), COOTIES is a horror comedy with unexpected laughs and unapologetic thrills. When a cafeteria food virus turns elementary school children into killer zombies, a group of misfit teachers must band together to escape the playground carnage. The film stars Elijah Wood (The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings ), Rainn Wilson (“The Office”), and Alison Pill (“The Newsroom”) as teachers who fight to survive the mayhem while hilariously bickering in an uncomfortable love triangle on the worst Monday of their lives. COOTIES will be one of the debut releases of the newly-launched Lionsgate Premiere label, which will release the film on September 18th in select theaters and on demand.
Elijah Wood talks about the movie in the roundtable interview for Set Fire to the Stars – reviewed by Liz Whittemore!
Cooties_imageSpectreVision and Glacier Films present COOTIES, starring Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Ian Brennan and Jorgé Garcia. The film is directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and Ian Brennan. Daniel Noah, Josh C. Waller and Elijah Wood produce along with Tove Christensen, Georgy Malkov and Steven Schneider. Ian Brennan, Leigh Whannell, Gevond Andreasyan, Sarik Andreasyan, Hayden Christensen, Seth William Meier and Vladmir Poliakov serve as Executive Producers.
#CootiesMovie

Anchor Bay Entertainment Announces Release Date for ‘Northmen- A Viking Saga’

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Anchor Bay Entertainment announces the release of the highly-anticipated, action-packed Viking film Northmen – A Viking Saga will be released in theaters and on Digital HD by Starz Digital July 31, 2015, and on DVD, Blu-ray™ and On Demand August 11, 2015. Directed by Claudio Fäh (Hollow Man II and Sniper: Reloaded), Northmen – A Viking Saga stars Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”), Tom Hopper (Starz’ “Black Sails,” “Merlin”), James Norton (Belle, Rush), Ed Skrein (“Game of Thrones,” the upcoming The Transporter Refueled), Charlie Murphy (Philomena) and Johan Hegg (front man of the metal band Amon Amarth). The film was written by Matthias Bauer and Bastian Zach.

Northmen – A Viking Saga tells the story of a group of Vikings in the ninth century who sets sail for Britain, aiming to plunder the rich monasteries in the northern part of the island. But a storm smashes the ship to pieces on the rocks off the coast of Scotland, the only part of Britain without any Viking settlements. Soon thereafter, the daughter of the Scottish King falls into their hands and the Vikings see this as an opportunity to demand a large ransom. The King immediately sets his ‘wolfpack’ — a group of mercenaries well known for their savagery — on the Vikings. The “Northmen” with their hostage now have to force their way through the rough highlands, where they meet the brave and mysterious Christian monk Conall (Ryan Kwanten). Having the wolfpack close on their heels, a desperate race against time begins. A battle over life and death…

Northmen – A Viking Saga is directed by Claudio Fäh. The film is a co-production between Elite Filmproduktion AG, Two Oceans Production Ltd., and Jumping Horse Film GmbH.  It was produced by Ralph S. Dietrich, Karin G. Dietrich, Daniel Höltschi, Frank Kaminski, Ulrich Stiehm, Marco Del Bianco, Rolf Wappenschmitt, Giselher Venzke and Bertha Spieker.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/northmenmovie

Website:  http://www.northmen-themovie.com/

 

 

Channing Tatum’s ‘Gambit’ Director Announced

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Entertainment Weekly is reporting that  director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) has been chosen to direct the 2016 Gambit movie. The film stars Channing Tatum (Jupiter Ascending) in the titular role. The film will be produced by Tatum as well as Lauren Schuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, and Reid Carolin.

Gambit, a.k.a. Remy LeBeau is one of the most popular X-Men characters who, recently, made his debut into the cinematic universe of the franchise in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine then played by Taylor Kitsch (Battleship). This will be the characters first solo outing.

Gambit has the ability to mentally create, control, and manipulate pure kinetic energy to his desire. He is also incredibly knowledgeable and skilled in card-throwing, hand-to-hand combat, and the use of a staff. Gambit is known to charge playing cards and other objects with kinetic energy, using them as explosive projectiles. He was part of a thieves’ guild before becoming a member of the X-Men.

 

The film is set for an October 7, 2016 release.

‘Jurassic World’ Topples ‘Avengers’ For All-Time Box Office Weekend Record

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Early morning estimates show that Jurassic World has done what many thought to be impossible, it beat The Avengers’ $207.4 million dollar box office weekend from 2012. Early indications put Jurassic World at $209 million dollars for the weekend coming in much higher than the $204.5 million dollar projection on Sunday. While other analysts have it just slightly lower than the $209 million dollars, but all agree that it has bested The Avengers for the crown. Couple the domestic number with the $307 million dollar international opening and Jurassic World has the highest global opening weekend in history making It  the first time a film has ever grossed more than $500 million in one weekend.

What a year Universal is having! The studio now holds 4 of the top 5 opening weekends for 2015 with Furious 7, Pitch Perfect 2, and Fifty Shades of Grey all taking top honors.

Liz’s Review: Vengeance and Religion drive the fight in ‘REDEEMER’

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Redeemer posterGuilt is a loud devil on your shoulder. The past can drive you mad or drive you to change… sometimes a little bit of both. In Ernesto Diaz Espinoza‘s new film REDEEMER, a man known only by this title is a mysterious figure, righting wrongs among his small Chilean community. Tortured by an unthinkable past that is slowly revealed as the film progresses, The Redeemer must conquer his own ghosts in order to battle the biggest evil he has ever known. Can he protect those left behind? redeemer 2Marko Zaror, martial arts action star extraordinaire, takes on the lead with ease and ownership. Not only is his acting pretty damn stellar, he is also the fight coordinator for the film’s vast array of sequences that are enhanced by key moments of slow motion. These sequences are extremely long and well shot. It was mostly refreshing to see an organic quality about the battles. They are interesting and definitely full of surprises. My favorite aspect would definitely be the use of graphic blood splatter. Reading like a first person shooter game, the blood use is colorful, impactful, and sometimes just over-the-top enough to make you cringe at the perfect moments. redeemer 1The dialogue is creative and comic relief comes in the form of our only English speaking character, drug lord Bradock, Noah Segan, who I recognized from Deadgirl, is so natural in his comedy it should be against the law.  He was actually my favorite part of the film. Segan has 8 projects this year alone, including Tales of Halloween with Lin Shaye (Insidious) and Booboo Stewart (The Twilight Saga), as well as The Mind’s Eye with Larry Fessenden (We Are Still Here). This guy is around for the long hall. Bottom line, if you liked Netflix’s Daredevil season 1, Redeemer will resonate with you. While it could be about 10-15 minutes tighter, due to the extended fight scenes, this film is definitely worth a shot.

Acclaimed Chilean director Ernesto Diaz Espinoza (Mandrill, The ABCs of Death, Kiltro) teams up again with martial arts action star Marko Zaror (Undisputed III, Machete Kills) in the theatrical and VOD release of REDEEMER. The epic action film, which made its debut at the 2014 Fantastic Film Festival, hits theaters and VOD on June 12 from Dark Sky Films.

The Trailer for ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2’ is Here!

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Lionsgate has released the new trailer for the upcoming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, the thrilling conclusion to the popular franchise. You can watch it below!

With the nation of Panem in a full-scale war, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games as she realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.

The film is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong. Rounding out the all star cast is Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone and Stanley Tucci along with Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 will be released in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D theaters on November 20, 2015.

Review: A ghost story that won’t let the past die in ‘We Are Still Here’

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We Are Still Here posterIn the new haunted house horror We Are Still Here, Anne and Paul Sacchetti move to a small New England town to make a fresh start following the death of son Bobby.  Anne believes that Bobby’s spirit is in the house reassuring her that everything is hunky dory. After she and Paul enlist their new age friends Jacob and May to visit and ease their minds, they realize something much older is lurking and poised to rear it’s ugly head. The past does not want to stay in the past.We Are Still Here house stillRight off the bat, the camera work displays an “I’m not alone” feeling with handheld, over the shoulder and around the corner shots that set the tone for the entirety of the film. Establishing shots of each room and the snow covered acres surrounding the property itself, give you a definitely isolated sense. 10 minutes in, our first real set up moment, an object from the past and a blink-and-you-miss-it jump scare of classic proportion. Not bad, not bad at all. Writer/Director Ted Geoghegan, clearly with a crush on the classics good and bad, knows his stuff. The story moves along at lightening pace, laying out a small town’s history mired with sadness, rumors, and evil. We Are Still Here pays homage to films like Amityville and Poltergeist. Films with an unshakable past that seem to be well known by the locals and end up terrorizing the newbies. The practical effects are gold and vomit inducing for sure, but the use of the seamless CG takes the film to another level. We Are Still Here still Lisa and LarryFlawlessly held together with a stellar cast of genre greats, We Are Still Here is an instant classic. Barbara Crampton‘s Anne is grounded, loving, and searching for comfort. Andrew Sensenig‘s portrayal of Paul is as masculine and protective as you can get, without losing that caring husband edge. Larry Fessenden as Jacob is funny and vivacious. Lisa Marie plays May with an airy realness of someone who is actually a sensitive. The four leads work so well with one another, I cannot imagine a different cast. Fun Fact: Both Barbara and Larry recently appeared in the 2011 horror/thriller You’re Next (Another film I would recommend). The music is quiet and looming like that of a small wind chime, and truly adds the the eerie factor. The color scheme of the surrounding dank New England winter (one I grew up with myself) makes the eventual appearance of bright red blood all the more visually impactful. The set dressing is top notch. The house appears untouched since the film’s set 1979 date. Old houses creek, we all know this to be true, but the timing of the sound editing ramps up the natural inclination that maybe you shouldn’t hang out long in a dusty old basement. We Are Still Here Barbara CramptonA few obvious takeaways from this movie: 1. Don’t trust your creepy neighbors, 2. Shit starts flying off the walls you should just assume the worst, and 3. Don’t ever, ever mess with the dead. There are 1000 more things I could praise about this film, thing is, I really  just want you to go see it for yourselves! We Are Still Here arrives in theaters and on VOD today, June 5th. Go get your spooky on.

‘The Walk’ starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, directed by Robert Zemekis to open the New York Film Festival this September

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The Walk NYFF 53

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that Robert Zemeckis’s The Walk will make its World Premiere as the Opening Night selection of the upcoming 53rd New York Film Festival (September 25 – October 11), which will kick off at Alice Tully Hall. A true story, the film is based on Philippe Petit’s memoir To Reach the Clouds and stars Golden Globe nominee Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Petit, the French high-wire artist who achieved the feat of walking between the Twin Towers in 1974. The Walk will be the second 3D feature selected for the Opening Night Gala since Ang Lee’s Life of Pi in 2012 and also marks Zemeckis’s return to the Festival afterFlight, the 2012 Closing Night Gala selection. Today’s announcement coincides with the release of the film’s trailer, which can be viewed at movies.yahoo.com. The film will be released in 3D and IMAX 3D on October 2, 2015.

New York Film Festival Director and Selection Committee Chair Kent Jones said: “The Walk is surprising in so many ways. First of all, it plays like a classic heist movie in the tradition of The Asphalt Jungle or Bob le flambeur—the planning, the rehearsing, the execution, the last-minute problems—but here it’s not money that’s stolen but access to the world’s tallest buildings. It’s also an astonishing re-creation of Lower Manhattan in the ’70s. And then, it becomes something quite rare, rich, mysterious… and throughout it all, you’re on the edge of your seat.”

Robert Zemeckis added: “I am extremely honored and grateful that our film has been selected to open the 53rd New York Film Festival. The Walk is a New York story, so I am delighted to be presenting the film to New York audiences first. My hope is that Festival audiences will be immersed in the spectacle, but also to be enraptured by the celebration of a passionate artist who helped give the wonderful towers a soul.”

Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group Chairman Tom Rothman said: “On behalf of TriStar and Sony, I want to thank Kent and the NYFF for this great honor. The Walk is a love letter to the Twin Towers, which through the unique magic of cinema, come back to vibrant, inspiring life. But it is also a universal story of the determined pursuit of impossible dreams, told by one of our greatest living filmmakers, and the NYFF has always been a place where such dreams come true.”

The film also stars Academy Award® winner Ben Kingsley, James Badge Dale, Ben Schwartz, Steve Valentine, Charlotte Le Bon, Clement Sibony, Caesar Domboy and Benedict Samuel. Directed by Zemeckis, the screenplay is by Robert Zemeckis & Christopher Browne, based on the book To Reach the Clouds by Philippe Petit, and produced by Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, and Jack Rapke.

The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Jones, also includes Dennis Lim, FSLC Director of Programming; Marian Masone, FSLC Senior Programming Advisor; Gavin Smith, Editor-in-Chief, Film Comment; and Amy Taubin, Contributing Editor, Film Comment and Sight & Sound.

NYFF previously announced Luminous Intimacy: The Cinema of Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler, the first-ever complete dual retrospective of the experimental filmmakers works that will include the world premiere of Dorsky’s Intimations, a new untitled work, and New York premieres of Summer, December, February, and Avraham.

Tickets for the 53rd New York Film Festival will go on sale in early September. Becoming a Film Society Member at the Film Buff Level or above provides early ticket access to festival screenings and events ahead of the general public, along with the exclusive member ticket discount! To find out how to become a Film Society member, visit filmlinc.com/membership.

For even more access, VIP Passes and Subscription Packages give buyers one of the earliest opportunities to purchase tickets and secure seats at some of the festival’s biggest events including Opening, Centerpiece and Closing nights. VIP passes also provide access to many exciting events including the invitation-only Opening Night party, “ An Evening With…” Dinner, Filmmaker Brunch, and VIP Lounge. Benefits vary based on the pass or package type purchased. VIP Passes and Subscription Packages will go on sale Tuesday, June 9.  For information about purchasing Subscription Packages and VIP Passes, go to filmlinc.com/NYFF.

New York Film Festival Opening Night Films

2014    Gone Girl (David Fincher, US)
2013    Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass, US)
2012    Life of Pi (Ang Lee, US)
2011    Carnage (Roman Polanski, France/Poland)
2010    The Social Network (David Fincher, US)
2009    Wild Grass (Alain Resnais, France)
2008    The Class (Laurent Cantet, France)
2007    The Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson, US)
2006    The Queen (Stephen Frears, UK)
2005    Good Night, and Good Luck. (George Clooney, US)
2004    Look At Me (Agnès Jaoui, France)
2003    Mystic River (Clint Eastwood, US)
2002    About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, US)
2001    Va Savoir (Jacques Rivette, France)
2000    Dancer in the Dark (Lars von Trier, Denmark)
1999    All About My Mother (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)
1998    Celebrity (Woody Allen, US)
1997    The Ice Storm (Ang Lee, US)
1996    Secrets & Lies (Mike Leigh, UK)
1995    Shanghai Triad (Zhang Yimou, China)
1994    Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, US)
1993    Short Cuts (Robert Altman, US)
1992    Olivier Olivier (Agnieszka Holland, France)
1991    The Double Life of Veronique (Krysztof Kieslowski, Poland/France)
1990    Miller’s Crossing (Joel Coen, US)
1989    Too Beautiful for You (Bertrand Blier, France)
1988    Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain)
1987    Dark Eyes (Nikita Mikhalkov, Soviet Union)
1986    Down by Law (Jim Jarmusch, US)
1985    Ran (Akira Kurosawa, Japan)
1984    Country (Richard Pearce, US)
1983    The Big Chill (Lawrence Kasdan, US)
1982    Veronika Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West Germany)
1981    Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson, UK)
1980    Melvin and Howard (Jonathan Demme, US)
1979    Luna (Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy/US)
1978    A Wedding (Robert Altman, US)
1977    One Sings, the Other Doesn’t (Agnès Varda, France)
1976    Small Change (François Truffaut, France)
1975    Conversation Piece (Luchino Visconti, Italy)
1974    Don’t Cry with Your Mouth Full (Pascal Thomas, France)
1973    Day for Night (François Truffaut, France)
1972    Chloe in the Afternoon (Eric Rohmer, France)
1971    The Debut (Gleb Panfilov, Soviet Union)
1970    The Wild Child (François Truffaut, France)
1969    Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (Paul Mazursky, US)
1968    Capricious Summer (Jiri Menzel, Czechoslovakia)
1967    The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo, Italy/Algeria)
1966    Loves of a Blonde (Milos Forman, Czechoslovakia)
1965    Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, France)
1964    Hamlet (Grigori Kozintsev, USSR)
1963    The Exterminating Angel (Luis Buñuel, Mexico)

ABOUT FILM SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER
Founded in 1969 to celebrate American and international cinema, the Film Society of Lincoln Center works to recognize established and emerging filmmakers, support important new work, and to enhance the awareness, accessibility, and understanding of the moving image. The Film Society produces the renowned New York Film Festival, a curated selection of the year’s most significant new film work, and presents or collaborates on other annual New York City festivals including Dance on Camera, Film Comment Selects, Human Rights Watch Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, New York African Film Festival, New York Asian Film Festival, New York Jewish Film Festival, Open Roads: New Italian Cinema and Rendez-Vous with French Cinema. In addition to publishing the award-winningFilm Comment magazine, the Film Society recognizes an artist’s unique achievement in film with the prestigious Chaplin Award, whose 2015 recipient is Robert Redford. The Film Society’s state-of-the-art Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, located at Lincoln Center, provide a home for year-round programs and the New York City film community.

The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from American Airlines, The New York Times, HBO, Stella Artois, The Kobal Collection, Variety, Trump International Hotel and Tower, RowNYC, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, visitwww.filmlinc.com and follow @filmlinc on Twitter.

Support for the New York Film Festival is also generously provided by Jaeger-LeCoultre, Fiji Water, and WNET New York Public Media.