Review: ‘The Sunlit Night’ glows from every angle.

Synopsis: The Sunlit Night follows an aspiring painter (Slate) from New York City to the farthest reaches of Arctic Norway for an assignment she hopes will invigorate her work and expand her horizons. In a remote village, among the locals, she meets a fellow New Yorker (Sharp), who has come in search of a proper Viking funeral only to find that the Chief (Galifianakis) is but a re-enactor from Cincinnati. The eclectic crew ranges from “home” to “lost,” within the extreme and dazzling landscape of the Far North. Under a sun that never quite sets, and the high standards of an unforgiving mentor, Frances must navigate between ambition, desire, obligation, and risk in order to find a way forward.

If you grew up with an art teacher mother as I did, this film will resonate with you immediately. I was given my own portfolio at the age of six. To be fair, I was drawing scale recreations from the 3 foot Georgia O’Keefe book that came with it. The birthday prior my parents got divorced. The Sunlit Night is a film made or me.

Through art references and voiceover we are privy to Frances’ inner thoughts. These moments are like diary entries. Color is like its own character. Frances is always wearing red. The barn is entirely different shades of yellow. The landscape is lush green. Viking reenactments are jewel and earth-toned while Yasha is in black. Specific paintings mirror each character, according to Frances. The film is a cinephile and art lover’s dream. Everyone that arrives is there to find something or perhaps, truly, to find themselves. The relationship between all the eccentric inhabitants of this small Norwegian town is what makes this film extra charming. Every shot in the film seems to glow. It’s simply breathtaking.

Jenny Slate is extraordinary. She always shines through her humor but here she has the opportunity to explore an even more nuanced vulnerability. Alex Sharp is tender and open. More and more of him everywhere, please. Fridtjov Såheim as Nils is a perfect balance of obstinate and passionate. He’s a great foil for Slate. While Zach Galifianakis is his adorably funny self in this, I wish we had more of him. As for Gillian Anderson, her appearance is brief but I’ll never turn down a chance to watch her effortlessness. The Sunlit Night has a glorious grace to it. It’s not a loud film, by any means, but what it does it does extremely well. Take a peek at the trailer below and watch the film on VOD starting tomorrow.

THE SUNLIT NIGHT will be released on VOD on July 17th from Quiver Distribution.

The Trailer for the Action-Comedy ‘Masterminds’ Has Arrived!

masterminds_teaserposter

Relativity Studios has released the first trailer for the upcoming action comedy Masterminds. You can view it below!

In this action comedy based on true events, directed by Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite),David (Zach Galifianakis) discovers the true meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He is a simple man stuck in a monotonous life. Day in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight. The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work crush Kelly (Kristen Wiig) who soon lures him into the scheme of a lifetime.

Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by Steve (Owen Wilson) and an absurdly faulted heist plan, David manages the impossible and makes off with $17 million in cash, only problem is he foolishly hands the money over to this wild group of double crossers and has been set up to take the fall. With the bandits blowing the millions on lavish and ridiculous luxuries, they leave behind a glaring trail of evidence. Now on the lam and in over his head, David must dodge the authorities and try to turn the tables on the ones he trusted most.

Masterminds hits theaters on August 7th.

Michael’s Review: ‘Birdman’ or (The Unexpected Virtue of Greatness!)

birdman-movie-poster-1There are films you experience and there are films you view. Do you know the difference? A film you experience is one that you become completely immersed, that you lose yourself to the world in which you are subjected to. Experiences like Birdman do not come along everyday. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu opens his film with his main character hovering, weightless, in his underwear, deciphering the current state of his life.  It’s the only time the camera, and the audience, are given a reprieve in the film, as it is shot completely in long takes. It’s a movie in name, but a test of endurance for your mind. So come along with me now and enjoy the tale of the Birdman. Read More →

Liz’s Review: ‘Are You Here’ … I’m Not Really Sure

Are You Here

Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, and Amy Poehler in a new film written/directed by Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner; I had high hopes. Too high. Are You Here is a story about two friends, Steve and Ben, who travel back to their hometown after the death of Ben’s father only to find that he has inherited the entirety of his father’s massive fortune, leaving his sister, Terri, high and dry. Read More →

‘Mistaken For Strangers – The Play’: A Funny or Die Masterpiece

For those of you who followed us when we were swinging our beat over at Cinemit.com, you might have read my review of Tom Berninger‘s fascinating documentary Mistaken for Strangers about his brother Matt‘s band, The National, and their time together on tour. Well, Funny or Die, in the way that few can do, created this wonderful send-up of the film being turned into a stage play:

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