Tag Archives: drafthouse films

Review: Festival favorite ‘A LIFE ON THE FARM’ is a weirdly moo-ving doc. Yup.

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A LIFE ON THE FARM

Somerset, England, and a mysterious VHS tape of a local farmer named Charles Carson. A LIFE ON THE FARM is a documentary feature that has had genre festivals buzzing since last year. Well, the chickens have come to roost, as they say, because the film finally arrives in theaters. You are not ready.

Carson’s tape provides viewers with so much unwanted information and detail. Most notably, a distasteful closeup of a bovine afterbirth and a dead cat. That is only the first taste of weirdness, as images get much darker the longer you watch. Carson’s nonchalant attitude toward everything on the farm feels jarring. His nervous laughter echoes throughout the film and viewers are disturbed. A LIFE ON THE FARM is one of the most bizarre home movies ever discovered. It feels wrong to watch, and yet you cannot look away!

Director Oscar Harding happened upon the tape as a child but had only had the pleasure of watching until his father hit stop on the VCR. It isn’t until the VHS reemerges in his adulthood that he feels compelled to dig deeper into the man beyond the vast amount of background provided by Charles along the way.

Carson’s neighbors and fans of the tape share their confusion, fascination, and shock at the tape’s contents, but I stopped in my tracks and took a step back when I realized the deeper meaning behind Charles’s actions. The films are part of his coping mechanism for loneliness, loss of purpose, grief, and, eventually, dementia. Friends honor Carson’s memory with understanding and respect for his complicated circumstances.

A new chapter to the mystery of Charles Carson occurred in 1996 when a new video appeared on YouTube. Harding and his peers are astounded by the short film’s artistry, story, and editing. Carson’s view of mortality is astonishing. A LIFE ON THE FARM is a creepy, enchanting, unusual, and extraordinary chronicling of a particular life.

** Theatrical tour at Alamo Drafthouse theaters throughout the US
starts April 13th (schedule below); both films available On Demand May 9th **

Fan Favorites from Fantastic Fest 2022, CHOP & STEELE, and A LIFE ON THE FARM will be screened as a double feature, with a theatrical rollout starting on April 13th at Alamo Drafthouse theaters throughout the country. The above special screenings will all precede live comedy shows with Found Footage Festival founders Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, as well as filmmaker Q&As for A LIFE ON THE FARM in select cities. This double feature will screen as part of the theater chain’s fan-favorite “Fantastic Fest Presents” series and will expand further with additional shows in the weeks following.

 

Review: ‘THE CONNECTION’ out on DVD, Blu-Ray, and HD Digital!

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The Connection posterA stylish, ’70’s-period crime thriller inspired by true events, THE CONNECTION tells the story of real-life Marseille magistrate Pierre Michel (Academy Award® Winner Jean Dujardin, The Artist, The Wolf of Wall Street) and his relentless crusade to dismantle the most notorious drug smuggling operation in history: the French Connection. In his crosshairs is charismatic and wealthy kingpin, Gatean, who runs the largest underground heroin trade into the States. Though the fearless and tenacious Michel, aided by a task force of elite cops, will stop at nothing to ensure the crime ring’s demise, Zampa’s “La French” always seems one step ahead. As La French mounts its retaliation, Michel will be forced to make the most difficult decision of his life: to continue waging his war, or ensure his family’s safety, before it’s too late.The connection
This film is massively dynamic. From the crisp and well framed cinematography to the outstanding cast. Dujardin proves he is still a star as Michel. He owns every moment on screen as his presence is captivating. Gilles Lellouche as Gaëtan ‘Tany’ Zampa is just as powerful. In a script where both men are equally determined to protect their legacy, Dujardin and Lellouche are movie magic when they appear on screen together. The film is action packed. Even with a runtime of 135 mins, it never seems like it drags. If you’re a fan of Netflix‘s new series Narcos, The Connection is right up your alley.The connection 2 still
It deserves the multitude of praise and awards is has garnered thus far. Director Cédric Jimenez (also one of the screenwriters) clearly knows his stuff. I’d love to see more from him asap. The overall look is pretty killer from the slick wardrobe to the soundtrack of the era filled club scenes. They nailed it.  While the idea of cops and gangsters is anything new, I still think this film keeps your interest with it’s mixture of action and plan of action. The acting is beyond solid with a vast array of bad guys to run through. DVD extras include a featurette on the making of The Connection as well as some great deleted scenes. We highly recommend you catch this film and thankfully, now you can!
 
Product Information
Language: French                                                     
Subtitles: English
Widescreen: Yes
Length: 135 min.
Year: 2014                                        
Genre: Action/Foreign
Rating: NR
CC: No
DVD
SRP: $24.99                                                  
Blu-Ray
SRP: $29.93
About Drafthouse Films
Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, is a curated brand of provocative, visionary and artfully unusual films new and old from around the world. Following the earnestly simple motto of “sharing the films we love with widest audience possible,” Drafthouse Films debuted in 2010 with the theatrical release of Four Lions, which was named of Time Magazine’s “Top 10 Films Of The Year.” Their diverse and unique slate includes the highly-acclaimed, Oscar® nominated documentary The Act Of Killing produced by Errol Morris and Werner Herzog, 2013 SXSW Midnight Audience Award winner Cheap Thrills starring David Koechner (Anchorman), British auteur Ben Wheatley’s psychedelic trip into magic and madness, A Field In England, Ari Folman’s Cannes Film Festival selected sci-fi epic The Congress starring Robin Wright, Harvey Keith, Jon Hamm and Paul Giamatti, Midnight Movie sensations Miami Connection andThe Visitor and rediscovered classics Wake in Fright and Ms. 45. Recent and upcoming releases include Dutch thriller Borgman, Michel Gondry’s Mood Indigo, Sundance Award-winning documentaries The Overnighters and the recently acquired Look of Silence, Joshua Oppenheimer’s stunning follow up to The Act of Killing. Drafthouse Films distributes films theatrically, through home video, VOD and their direct-to-consumer platforms integrating into the ever-growing Alamo Drafthouse entertainment lifestyle brand, which along with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas includes: Mondo, the collectible art boutique; Fantastic Fest, the largest international genre film festival in the US; and the pop culture website Birth.Movies.Death.

 

Nick Cave to Perform in NY to Celebrate the Theatrical Release of ‘20,000 Days On Earth’ From Drafthouse Films

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Following sold-out advance screenings this summer of 20,000 Days on Earth— the groundbreaking new film on celebrated rock legend Nick Cave—the iconic artist returns Stateside for a one night-only encore screening, performance, and conversation event, joined by the film’s directors. Read More →

‘The Congress’ Starring Robin Wright – On iTunes/On Demand July 24th

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Love that Robin Wright is breaking out again and this looks very interesting with a great cast.

Drafthouse Films will release The Congress on iTunes/On Demand July 24, 2014, in select theaters August 29 2014, and in NY September 5, 2014.

Directed by Ari Folman

More than two decades after catapulting to stardom with The Princess Bride, an aging actress (Robin Wright, playing a version of herself) decides to take her final job: preserving her digital likeness for a future Hollywood. Through a deal brokered by her loyal, longtime agent (Harvey Keitel) and the head of Miramount Studios (Danny Huston), her alias will be controlled by the studio, and will star in any film they want with no restrictions. In return, she receives healthy compensation so she can care for her ailing son and her digitized character will stay forever young. Twenty years later, under the creative vision of the studio’s head animator (Jon Hamm), Wright’s digital double rises to immortal stardom. With her contract expiring, she is invited to take part in “The Congress” convention as she makes her comeback straight into the world of future fantasy cinema.

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Drafthouse Films’ ‘20,000 DAYS ON EARTH’ Joins Nick Cave on His Summer 2014 Concert Tour!

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unnamed (1)Nick Cave will perform at a trio of exclusive events this summer in conjunction with advance screenings of 20,000 Days on Earth, the groundbreaking new film on the iconic rock legend, and winner of two awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Canadian distributor, filmswelike, have announced special advance screenings of 20,000 Days On Earth –– the lyrical and inventive documentary on musician Nick Cave — to coincide with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ North American Summer 2014 tour before its wider, traditional theatrical release this September. In association with Goldenvoice, three eventized screenings will take place at The American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles (July 10), The Phi Centre in Montreal (August 1) and The French Institute Alliance Francais’ Florence Gould Hall in New York City (August 4). Each of these screenings will be followed by a conversation with the rock legend himself, during which Cave — in a rare solo piano performance — will play a number of songs from his extensive catalog.The rest of the advance screenings will take place in many of the same nationwide cities as Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ Summer 2014 tour, offering his fans the unique opportunity to watch the Sundance-winning film months before the release. As a nod of appreciation to his fans, pre-sale tickets to these exclusive advance screenings will first be made available to those on Nick Cave’s mailing list and website, nickcave.com/live starting this Thursday, June 5th – 24 hours prior to the general public on Friday.”I am among many who consider Nick Cave the unofficial poet laureate of the modern age,” says Drafthouse Films founder Tim League. “I am personally excited we are able to integrate screening this bold and riveting portrait of an artist with a series of musical performances by Nick for a truly unique experience.”Fusing cinematic drama with reality by weaving a fictitious 24-hour journey through the life of musician and international cultural icon Nick Cave, the film is an intimate portrayal of the artistic process that speaks volumes to music fans, the art community and movie lovers alike. The debut directorial feature film of visual artists Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the film — which opens theatrically on September 17, 2014– is set to an original score by Nick Cave and fellow Bad Seeds band mate Warren Ellis.

DrafthouseWith startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, the genre-defying film examines what makes us who we are, and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. The film made its World Premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it was awarded both “Best Directing” and “Best Editing” Awards in the World Cinema Documentary category.
Andrew O’Hehir of Salon.com calls it “gorgeous and haunting…an unclassifiable and frequently spectacular documentary.” Rob Nelson of Variety says “simply astounding, razor sharp, dynamic” while Michael Dunaway of Paste Magazine proclaims, “just spending an hour and a half or so inside the mind of Nick Cave would be fascinating enough. But the themes of time and lifetime, and the 20,000-day take on it, make this one a must-see.”

More information on the special screenings can be found at nickcave.com/live.

For more information on 20,000 Days On Earth and Drafthouse Films:
About Drafthouse Films
Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, is a curated brand of provocative, visionary and artfully unusual films new and old from around the world. Following the earnestly simple motto of “sharing the films we love with widest audience possible,” Drafthouse Films debuted in 2010 with the theatrical release of Four Lions, which was named of Time Magazine‘s “Top 10 Films Of The Year.” Their diverse and unique slate includes the highly-acclaimed, Oscar® nominated documentary The Act Of Killing produced by Errol Morris and Werner Herzog, 2013 SXSW Midnight Audience Award winner Cheap Thrills starring David Koechner (Anchorman), British auteur Ben Wheatley’s psychedelic trip into magic and madness, A Field In England, Ari Folman’s Cannes Film Festival selected sci-fi epic The Congress starring Robin Wright, Harvey Keith, Jon Hamm and Paul Giamatti, Midnight Movie sensations Miami Connection and The Visitor and rediscovered classics Wake in Fright and Ms. 45. Recent and upcoming releases include Dutch thrillerBorgman, Michel Gondry’s Mood Indigo, Sundance Award-winning documentaries The Overnighters and 20,000 Days on Earth featuring musician and culture icon Nick Cave. Drafthouse Films distributes films theatrically, through home video, VOD and their direct-to-consumer platforms integrating into the ever-growing Alamo Drafthouse entertainment lifestyle brand, which along with the Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas includes: Mondo, the collectible art boutique; Fantastic Fest, the largest international genre film festival in the US; and the pop culture website Badass Digest.
About Films We Like:
Founded by award-winning documentary filmmaker Ron Mann, Films We Like is a boutique distributor of documentary, independent and international films in Canada. www.filmswelike.com
About Nick Cave
Nick Cave has been performing music for more than thirty years as the lead singer of The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. He is also an acclaimed film score composer, screenplay writer, novelist and occasional actor. His first novel, And the Ass Saw the Angel, was published in 1989, The Death of Bunny Munro was published in 2009. Cave has also published collections of lyrics & prose – King Ink & The Complete Lyrics.
Cave wrote the screenplay for the John Hillcoat directed The Proposition (2005) and again took on the screenplay adaptation role for Hillcoat’s Lawless (2012).
Together with Warren Ellis, Cave has composed and recorded soundtracks for The Proposition (2005), Andrew Dominik’s adaptation of Ron Hansen’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2006), John Hillcoat’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’sThe Road (2009), Lawless (2012), David Oelhoffen’s Loin Des Hommes (due 2014/2015) and multiple documentaries including The English Surgeon (2007), The Girls Of Phnom Penh (2009) and West of Memphis (2013).
Born in Australia, Cave now lives in England. He continues to record and tour with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and is involved in an ever-increasing variety of music, literary, film and theatre projects.
About Pulse Films
Founded in 2008, Pulse Films is a uniquely integrated production company that has produced award-winning feature films, commercials, music videos, branded content and television formats. Over the past five years, Pulse CEO and co-founder Thomas Benski and Head of Film Lucas Ochoa have developed a partnership that has produced a number of critically acclaimed documentaries and award winning theatrical film releases. Their distinguished slate includes the seminal LCD Soundsystem documentary Shut Up and Play the Hits, the record breaking & Paramount Pictures released Katy Perry film Part of Me and the Grammy and Grieson nominated Blur documentary No Distance Left to Run. Forthcoming theatrical releases include the Sundance award winning 20,000 Days on Earth featuring Nick Cave, The Possibilities Are Endless starring Edwyn Collins, which received its world premiere at SXSW and the 2011 Sundance Best Cinematography Award winner Who is Dayani Cristal? starring Gael Garcia Bernal. Pulse has offices in London, New York, Los Angeles and Paris.