Film Fresh

Some overlooked indie films about family

katie — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:55:36 +0000

We recommend these quiet, powerful films about families surviving the hardships of poverty, racism, or death. In each film, emotional growth comes from adversity. Find out for yourself why these dramas have such high scores in Rotten Tomatoes rating system.

NIGHT CATCHES US (2010) by Tanya Hamilton Rotten Tomatoes score: 81%

In 1976, after years of mysterious absence, Marcus (Anthony Mackie, THE HURT LOCKER) returns to the Philadelphia neighborhood where he came of age in the midst of the Black Power movement. While his arrival raises suspicion among his family and former neighbors, he finds acceptance from his old friend Patricia (Kerry Washington, RAY) and her daughter. However, Marcus quickly finds himself at odds with the organization he once embraced, whose members suspect he orchestrated the slaying of their former comrade-in-arms. In a startling sequence of events, Marcus must protect a secret that could shatter everyone's beliefs as he rediscovers his forbidden passion for Patricia.

Nominated: Grand Jury Prize, 2010 Sundance Film Festival; Best First Feature, 2011 Independent Spirit Awards; Breakthrough Director Award, 2010 Gotham Awards

BALLAST (2008) by Lance Hammer (pictured, above) Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%

In the cold, winter light of a rural Mississippi Delta township, a man's suicide radically transforms three characters' lives and throws off-balance what has long been a static arrangement among them. Marlee is a single mother struggling to scratch out a living for herself and James, her 12-year-old son, who has begun to stumble under drug and violence pressures. So when the opportunity to seek safe harbor at a new home arises, she grabs it, though the property is shared by Lawrence, a man with whom Marlee has feuded bitterly since James's birth. With circumstances thrusting them into proximity, a subtle interdependence and common purpose emerge for Marlee and Lawrence as they navigate grief, test new waters and move forward.

Won: Special Jury Prize, Revelations Prize, 2008 Deauville Film Festival

Nominated: Golden Berlin Bear, 2008 Berlin International Film Festival; Best Feature, Best Director, Best First Screenplay, Best Female Lead (Riggs), Best Supporting Male (Ross), Best Cinematography, 2009 Independent Spirit Awards

FROZEN RIVER (2008) by Courtney Hunt Rotten Tomatoes score: 87%

Life in Massena is as harsh and barren as the frigid landscape. In this bleak terrain, two hardened single mothers are trying to make lives for their children. Lila is a widowed Mohawk whose mother-in-law "stole" her newborn son a year ago. Ray is a mother of two whose gambling-addicted husband just left town with the down payment for their new trailer home. Faced with little opportunity to make ends meet, Ray and Lila embark on an illegal venture transporting immigrants into the U.S. across Mohawk territory. With the money for the down payment within Ray's grasp, the women are determined to make one last run. When circumstances spiral out of control, the two women must make life or death decisions based on their friendship and love for their children.

Won: Grand Jury Prize, 2008 Sundance Film Festival; Best Film, Breakthrough Award, 2008 Gotham Awards; Best Actress (Melissa Leo), Producers Award, 2009 Independent Spirit Awards

WINTER’S BONE by Debra Granik (2010) (pictured, above) Rotten Tomatoes score: 94%

17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) sets out to track down her father, who put their house up for his bail bond and then disappeared. If she fails, Ree and her family will be turned out into the Ozark woods. Challenging her outlaw kin_ s code of silence and risking her life, Ree hacks through the lies, evasions and threats offered up by her relatives and begins to piece together the truth.

Won: Grand Jury Prize, Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, 2010 Sundance Film Festival; CICAE Award, Reader Jury of the "Tagesspiegel," 2010 Berlin International Film Festival

Can Hollywood films elevate political discussions about power?

katie — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:08:23 +0000

As we edge toward Super Tuesday’s elections and face another round of vituperous Presidential debates and Super-PAC ads, today's release of J. EDGAR comes at an optimal time to serve as an alternative form of political discussion. Like all of director Clint Eastwood’s historical films, it offers an even-handed historical view while engaging us emotionally in the politics of surveillance and the power of naming enemies. This film is worth your evening’s time.

J. EDGAR blends the full arsenal of narrative filmmaking -- an accomplished screenwriter, a masterful director, a superb lead actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) -- with the historical significance of J. Edgar Hoover as the controversial FBI director during the pivotal years of post-WWII reformation through the height of Cold War paranoia and propaganda. The film won AFI’s Award for Movie of the Year (as did Eastwood’s GRAN TORINO in 2008 and LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA in 2006).

Yale professor of U.S. history, Beverly Gage, told NPR: “The movie fictionalizes a lot of scenes as any Hollywood film about a historical figure does, but I think, overall, it actually does a pretty good job of conveying the big picture of Hoover's life, some of the biggest themes and the biggest questions we still have about Hoover.”

Like the film GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, J. EDGAR succeeds at encasing an era of excessive power within compelling storytelling, staying on top of historical fact while offering an entertaining look back. Perhaps it’s no surprise that these two films about the abuses of the Cold War era were made by preeminent actor/directors – George Clooney directed GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK (and dissects Democratic politics as well in his recent THE IDES OF MARCH) while J. EDGAR is just one of Clint Eastwood’s vast body of work looking at history, world war, and culture. Both directors bring their extensive filmmaking experience to enriching contemporary political discourse by facing controversial figures such as Senator Joe McCarthy and J. Edgar Hoover. Actors and artists of all stripes have been targeted by both men, yet these two films eloquently respond with a goal of elevating historical scrutiny rather than descending into finger pointing and name calling.

In an election year, we owe it to ourselves to examine political policy and power rather than just rant, especially when issues of privacy resurface now that the "Big Data" of our online lives are mined and monetized. J. EDGAR is a great way to get a rational conversation started.

Additional films by Clint Eastwood for rent:

INVICTUS (2009) – a political thriller about how anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela used the 1995 Rugby World Cup to build interracial trust

GRAN TORINO (2008) – explores the vulnerability of the middle class white male to declining American manufacturing and rising immigration through the metaphor of Detroit’s muscle cars

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA (2006) – a gripping view of the Japanese soldiers trapped inside the mountain’s bunkers during one of World War II’s pivotal battles

MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004) – Eastwood won the Oscar for Best Director with this moving story of a hardened boxing trainer and the female boxer he reluctantly brought to the ring

UNFORGIVEN (1992) – Clint’s Oscar-winning, groundbreaking revision of the Western, shifting the genre’s focus on heroes to its self-conscious myth making and drastic violence

THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976) – Eastwood’s fifth film, this Western about rebellion and survival got new interest after UNFORGIVEN won two Oscars

Valentine's Day Films

katie — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:05:21 +0000

Valentine's Day -- Films to Love
Grab one of these great films, open a bottle of wine or bubbly water, & you’ve created a romantic evening -- for February 14 or any time. Some tear jerkers included! We discounted the Oscar contender MIDNIGHT IN PARIS -- $2.14 today only -- to inspire you to snuggle up.

Casablanca
Crazy, Stupid, Love
North by Northwest
The Thin Man
The Crying Game
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Labios Rojos
The Philadelphia Story
Circumstance
From Here to Eternity
The Shop Around the Corner
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist
Archie’s Final Project
La Dolce Vita
The Road Home
Closer
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Piano
Sleepless in Seattle
The Future
Gone With the Wind
C over Girl
S ingin' in the Rain
A n Education

The Monkey in the Mirror

katie — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:15:33 +0000

This year’s Oscar-nominated fictional films include delightful performances from dogs, from Uggie in THE ARTIST to Cosmo in BEGINNERS. We have two extraordinary documentaries about animals -- PROJECT NIM and THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM -- that will grab you as much as any masterful drama, and they‘ll reveal much about humans’ complex emotional relationship to animals.

Just out today, PROJECT NIM is a biography of the chimpanzee at the center of 1970s language debates, a documentary that Roger Ebert calls “fascinating” and which Rotten Tomatoes named the “best reviewed indie of 2011.” The leftist linguist Noam Chomsky argued that only humans had language, so a contrarian (Columbia professor Herbert Terrace) set out to disprove Chomsky’s theory by having this chimp, whom he named Nim Chimpsky, raised like a human baby. Terrace’s student provided the first foster home for Nim, a decidedly 1970s home in which pot smoking and human breast feeding was shared with Nim.

PROJECT NIM is directed by James Marsh, who also made the Oscar-winning MAN ON WIRE. Filling out the amazing 1970s footage, Marsh adds in some recreated clips in the style of legendary documentary director Errol Morris.

As Nim grows from a baby and displays normal chimpanzee development, he is less able to fit into human families, and his strength and aggression make him a less welcome house guest. The human response when his cuteness is replaced by strength is an important part of this documentary’s emotional impact.

From 2010, THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM is another amazing documentary about humans who have exotic and dangerous animals as pets. Director Michael Webber focuses on two men at opposite ends of the controversial human-pet drama, one a police officer whose friend was killed by an exotic pet and, the other, a loving caretaker of two African lions. The Los Angeles Times called this “an impeccably made film,” but your reaction might be even stronger as the film can really hit the nerve of anyone fascinated by humans' relationships to their pets.

It’s an old joke that pets come to look like the humans that care for them, and the reason it’s funny is the truth it holds -- we learn about ourselves through our pets, be they a cute terrier or a breast-fed chimpanzee.

What you’ll be watching on a smartphone this fall

katie — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:29:14 +0000

This weekend, you might be tuned into the Super Bowl or catching up with Oscar nominated films like MIDNIGHT IN PARIS or MONEYBALL before the award winners are announced on February 26, but we have a good idea of what you’ll be watching around Thanksgiving, 2012.

We predict that you’ll be watching Frank Langella’s new film, ROBOT & FRANK, a big hit at last week’s Sundance Film Festival, and we’ll go out on a limb to say that you just might watch it on a phone or tablet instead of your computer or living room device. How about Sundance’s scandalous documentary about financial excess, QUEEN OF VERSAILLES? Yup, we’ll be offering that on your computer, living room device, tablet and phone by the time this film comes out on digital release.

We’re fresh back from seeing these films at the snowy Sundance Film Festival, where we also spoke with VARIETY reporter, Josh Dickey, about the future of watching films on digital devices. This story actually began a couple of weeks ago at the Consumer Electronic Show, the worldwide showcase for innovations in home entertainment technology, where we demonstrated the relaunch of Film Fresh’s website plus showed off our new Film Finder™, our store on Facebook, plus our new Android store for the upcoming Motorola XOOM tablet. That’s where we met the PC World reporter who tweeted: "For an alternative to Amazon and Netflix, check out FilmFresh.com. It's a streaming service run by real film nerds (and that's a compliment).”

We love that PC World called us film nerds, but we’re also technology lovers, which is why we’re using 21st century technology to recreate the experience of the corner video store (where the film nerd at the counter turned customers on to totally great but unknown films). With our new Film Finder™, and the ability now to tie your Film Fresh account to Facebook or Twitter, plus our cool store of films on Facebook, you can find unexpected matches for your film taste or help guide someone else to films you love. We’ve got the technology in place for these conversations, we’ve got the new films with Sundance buzz coming to our stores, so all we need is you to explore the Film Finder™ and share your opinions. The more you use the Film Finder™, the smarter it gets. The more films you watch, the smarter you get. It’s a win-win situation.

This week, we're giving away free rentals to five randomly selected people who friend us on Facebook or post to our Facebook wall this week. Come on, we need to get this conversation going.

More Rentals, Bigger Selection, & Our Own Film Finder™ Discovery Tool

katie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:47:57 +0000

Last week, PC World tweeted this: "For an alternative to Amazon and Netflix, check out FilmFresh.com. It's a streaming service run by real film nerds (and that's a compliment)"

That’s because we relaunched our digital delivery service to provide more rentals, a wider selection of films, a bigger choice of Blu-ray devices and Internet-connected TVs for watching movies in your living room as well as on your computer. Now you can also sign into your Film Fresh account from Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or Yahoo, making it easier than ever to join our community or bring your conversations about film to your social networks. Wait, that’s not all -- we added a Film Fresh store on Facebook, where you can watch a handful of indie and international films with others (or by yourself) and leave comments (or not) or read other's comments (or not).

We’ve been working on this for months, part of our response to the growing demand for an online movie source that offers an alternative to Netflix, Amazon, and other retailers that are all owned by large corporations. You might not realize that Film Fresh is the last remaining digital film store that is independently owned and operated. We don’t have the resources of Walmart or Best Buy, but we’re bringing the best innovations of the 21^st century to recreate the sense of community and discovery once provided by the corner video store.

The new Film Finder™ is part of this plan, because you can use it to discover a range of films that you’ll like but might also be something you wouldn’t have habitually selected. We created it by combining our own knowledge of films with algorhythms generated by the geniuses at The Filter, a media recommendation service started by the musician Peter Gabriel. The more you use it when you’re logged in, the smarter it gets about your film choices. It’s fun, give it a try.

We showed off all these changes plus our new Android film store (coming out this Spring on the Motorola Mobility XOOM tablet) at the annual Consumer Electronic Show last week, the world’s largest trade show. We met Jon Healy from the Los Angeles Times, who called the Film Finder “nifty” and Chris Tribbey of Home Media Magazine; Peter Gabriel blogged about our Film Finder, the Huffington Post gave us a quick shout out, and we talked to so many film lovers from all around the world. This week, we’re off to Sundance Film Festival. That’s our job, keeping up with the latest in home entertainment technology and the freshest films from around the world. Hey, it's hard work being a film nerd!

With Film Fresh, you can:

Find good films. Watch them everywhere.

The return of silent films in the 21st century

katie — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:17:12 +0000

If you haven’t seen THE ARTIST or HUGO, two serious contenders for Oscars that have recently opened in movie theaters, then go see them now on the big screen -- they are exhilaratingly fun films. Both celebrate the early days of filmmaking when films were silent*, before technology was invented to synch up recorded sound with moving images. In our age of computer-generated imagery and fantastic effects, this zeitgeist of silent cinema signals a renewed fascination with storytelling -- how to convey a narrative without all the scaffolding of spoken dialogue (this is also true of THE TREE OF LIFE, another film likely to be in the Oscar race).

For these reasons, we’re delighted to offer now one of Alfred Hitchcock’s silent films, THE RING (1927), a melodrama about a love triangle involving two boxers who fight it out for the girl they love. The British-born Hitchcock began making films in 1920 and made several dozen silent films (many of which have since been lost). THE RING may only interest you if you’ve got a scholar’s curiosity about how Hitchcock learned his craft or about the details of this era, but Britain’s “Bioscope” hailed it in 1927 as “the most magnificent British film ever made,” according to Marc Strauss’ “Alfred Hitchcock’s Silent Films.” Strauss and others have written about how scenes from THE RING tie to the director’s later works.

We’ve also got two additional early films by Hitchcock, two talkies with dialogue and even music performed live during the filming, MURDER! (1930) and THE SKIN GAME (1931). What interests us is the lurid detail of the stories (in the United States, the Motion Picture Production Code brought chastity and sobriety to the silver screen in 1934). MURDER! centers around a traveling theater troupe in which a young actress with amnesia is on trial for killing a colleague. (Spoiler alert: the real murderer is a “half-Negro” acrobat shaded as a transvestite.) THE SKIN GAME is an adapted theater piece about the encroachment of industrialization into the English landed gentry, noteworthy for the lovely cars and costumes more than the action, but the denouement involves the revelation that the land baron’s daughter-in-law was once a prostitute.

You might not like these films if you’re an action fan. But it’s great that they’re finally available digitally for anyone with a keen interest in cinematic history, a curiosity about how stories were told before dialogue and computer generated imagery.

Best wishes for the holidays!

* Films before “talkies” weren’t actually silent, for live musical accompaniment enhanced the narrative cues for audiences. The first U.S. talkie was THE JAZZ SINGER (1927). Hitchcock’s final silent film was BLACKMAIL (1929), which he began shooting as a silent film but adapted it to the new technology while still in production. MURDER! was Hitchcock’s first talkie filmed as such and contains a particularly noteworthy stream-of-consciousness monologue and orchestra playing on the radio.

CATCHER IN THE RYE for the YouTube generation

katie — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:58:09 +0000

THE HUFFINGTON POST calls ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT “a Catcher in the Rye for the YouTube generation.” This indie film centers on 17-year-old Archie (Gabriel Sunday, also one of the film’s screenwriters), one of those high school film nerds who cannot experience life without a video camera in hand. Archie announces his school project will be to film his own suicide, thus raising thorny issues of teen tendencies toward self-destruction. We think it’s a terrific portrayal of how the confusion of adolescence can sometimes become overwhelming, and it’s got an uplifting side that never becomes sentimental or didactic.

The film is spot on for capturing teen angst and treats its serious narrative with a deft touch. Its kinetic, mash-up style expresses the urgent shifts in hormones and priorities that characterize this time of life. Rachel Saltz of the NY TIMES noted: “Animation, 1950s-inspired public-service films, home movies, vérité footage, green-screen experiments— it’s all here in a grand collage of Archieness.” Backing up this stylistic brio is laser-like insight into teen longings. Actor Sunday (from TAKING WOODSTOCK and TV's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody") described this: “The theme of connection—trying to figure out how to reach out and somehow be really involved with people other than yourself—was one of a lot of themes in the film that really intrigued me. The ADD nature, narcissism, suicide, depression, isolation, media overload, social pressure, kids feeling over-connected and completely disconnected… all those things were very relevant.”

The film's insight into teen media usage, its risk-taking authenticity plus Archie’s own comic tenderness have made ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT a hit on the festival circuit, where it’s won over twenty international awards. Even more important to its star and co-writer, Gabriel Sunday, is the viral response of IAmAnArchie by fans who spontaneously began posting photos, videos and words of support about preventing teen suicide to the film’s Facebook, Twitter and website.

Many films portray the confusion and libido of adolescence—whether it be by exploring disturbed youth as in ELEPHANT, laughing at teen sexual conquest as in EASY A, having compassion for complicated parental relations in THUMBSUCKER or compassion for teen parents as in JUNO, or celebrating the utter nerd in NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. By contrast, ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT portrays these years with such raw intensity that it took some time finding its way from festivals into theaters, so this widespread digital release is sure to turn ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT into the cult hit it deserves to be.

Remember, viewers play a vital role in giving indie films like this a second life after their festival and theatrical runs. In other words, you're a life saver. Archie would like that.

“I would be happy if I was considered a good filmmaker and writer.”

katie — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:52:51 +0000

Miranda July’s newest film, THE FUTURE, takes a brave look at commitment in relationships -- most importantly in one's relationship to oneself -- and the ways people distract themselves and their loved ones from attaining authentic connection. We think it’s a terrific film.

Miranda generously agreed to participate with Film Fresh customers to choose and answer two questions of all those submitted by our readers.

Here they are:

Did you need to overcome any artistic and/or production challenges based upon the requirement to go back and forth between director and character roles in your film, THE FUTURE? Similar questions submitted by Joe and Gabe, both of Los Angeles, CA

MJ: The hardest part is that I can't see what we're doing when I'm in a scene. I can kind of "feel" if a take went well, but to really know what happened I have to watch a recording of the take, immediately after we cut. This is especially true if there is another person in the scene, and I'm not facing them. The problem is that watching "playback" takes time, it takes the same amount of time as it does to do the scene again! And time is the one thing you don't have on an indie film (I shot THE FUTURE in 21 days.) So often I just keep shooting and try to follow my instincts. I was in most of my short movies and live performances, so, as challenging as it is, this process is very familiar to me, almost comforting -- performing is completely tied to how I learned to become a filmmaker.

How will you align being hipster and indie with becoming older? Submitted by Deborah, Walnut Creek, CA

MJ: I would be happy if I was not considered "hipster and indie" but just considered a good filmmaker and writer. I hope to somehow get out of that category in the next decade, not by becoming more mainstream, but just by making really really good work -- and getting older could only help with that.

Gabe and Deborah each win a signed copy of Miranda’s latest book, IT CHOOSES YOU, which the NY TIMES choose last Sunday as one of its holiday recommendations. Congratulations!

Everyone else who submitted a question for Miranda was entered into a random drawing for a download of THE FUTURE. Carol in Santa Barbara, CA and Ashly from Phoenix, AZ won a copy of Miranda’s film.

You could win, too, by downloading THE FUTURE. Sure, the contest is over, but even if you had to buy Miranda’s film, you’d have a fascinating film. Supporting filmmakers like Miranda is part of our mission at Film Fresh, and hopefully it’s part of yours, too.

Finding Good Films: The Role of Awards in Predicting Good Indie Films

katie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:23:43 +0000

Big-budget Hollywood films benefit from lots of advertising, but the smaller budgets of indie films are usually exhausted by paying the actors (typically at scale), covering production costs, and buying necessities like production insurance. These indie films may only show in a limited amount of theaters, and so potential audiences might only hear about a worthy indie film through word of mouth or buzz generated by non-advertising sources such as awards (or recommendations from reliable sites like Film Fresh). Much-needed esteem for indie films comes from last night’s Gotham Independent Film Awards and today’s announcement from Independent Spirit Awards of nominations for that award ceremony (held February 25, 2012). VARIETY’s Anthony Kaufman writes that the Gotham Independent Film Awards bring “razzle dazzle” to the “gritty pluck” of indie films.

But how reliable are such awards for your taste, if you’re an indie film supporter? Here are the winners of the Best Films from the Gotham Independent Film Awards since 2008, which is when the Gotham Awards shifted focus to indie films. Consider for yourself how well these winners align with your own viewing pleasure:

Gotham Independent Film Awards for Best Film:

2011 BEGINNERS tied with TREE OF LIFE

2010 WINTER’S BONE

2009 THE HURT LOCKER

2008 FROZEN RIVER

Many of Film Fresh customers agree with the judges because the past years’ winners have been popular here. All of you who posted questions on the Film Fresh site to Mike Mills, director of BEGINNERS, already know how important the digital and DVD/Blu-Ray customers are to Mills, especially since that film showed in only about 175 theaters. While most of us don’t vote as members of the Academy, we do vote with our pocket books, so we provide another measure of success to indie filmmakers. (We’ll talk about how important sales are to predicting the quality of films in a future blog entry.)

Clearly. awards only predict so much. A case in point is Miranda July’s newest film, THE FUTURE, available digitally for the first time today. Here’s an indie film that hasn’t garnered many indie awards, but Film Fresh champions it for its bold risks in filmmaking, its creativity and vulnerability. That’s why we’re delighted that Miranda is answering questions posted to our blog by Film Fresh customers, and why we’re giving away two free rentals of the film in a random drawing for all who participate. The people who post the two questions Miranda answers will win a copy of her signed book, IT CHOOSES YOU.

New library films available today, CHICAGO and PULP FICTION, won so many awards, especially Oscars, that we’ll need a future article to discuss the links between Academy Awards and popularity. Journalists point out that winning a Gotham Award is not necessarily a predictor or Academy Awards (THE HURT LOCKER is a rare film that won both the Gotham and Academy Award for Best Film), but the difference between big budget films and small indie films is certainly a factor in people’s individual tastes for various types of films. Which awards motivate you to go to a movie theater and/or to buy or rent a film? It’s worthwhile to become aware of the navigational signposts you personally use to predict a good film.

Please show your support of brave indie filmmakers by posting a question for Miranda July on our blog (be sure to register so we have your email address to let you know if you won a prize), and weigh in below on how well the past four years of Gotham Independent Film Awards’ Best Film winners match YOUR taste in good film.

Contests! Win Miranda July’s THE FUTURE. Plus: BEGINNERS' Mike Mills answers winners' questions here.

katie — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:02:16 +0000

When you imagine finding a film that’s fresh – something unique, new, and free from the clichés that drag films down – does Miranda July’s work come to mind?

Filmmaker, writer, artist, and web innovator, Miranda July can be counted on to deliver a challenging view of the world that also speaks to our yearning to be creative, authentic, and bold. As the review in the LA Weekly says of Miranda’s newest film, available for download from Film Fresh next Tuesday, 11/29, “THE FUTURE tests the limits of what narrative cinema can be and do.”

We paired up with Miranda to give everyone who participates (& registers so we have a way to contact you if you win) a chance to win a digital copy of THE FUTURE or a signed copy of her book, IT CHOOSES YOU, to people who post a question for her here on our blog.

Rules: Register with Film Fresh before you post your question here to Miranda so we have your email address on file and can contact you if you win. Two books will be given to people posting the two questions Miranda chooses to answer here on the blog; a digital film will go to each of two remaining participants selected at random. Only one question per person; no purchase necessary to win, but you must register so we can contact you if you win.

Miranda July's blog http://mirandajuly.com/

THE FUTURE http://thefuturethefuture.com/

Have Miranda tell you your future twice a week http://thefuturethefuture.com/oracle.php

excerpt from IT CHOOSES YOU http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2011/10/it-chooses-you.html

SCROLL DOWN TO FIND COMMENTS SECTION FOR ASKING MIRANDA A QUESTION. (Don't forget to register first so we have your email address!)

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BEGINNERS' DIRECTOR MIKE MILLS ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS HERE

Thanks to everyone who submitted a question to director Mike Mills about his filmmaking career or BEGINNERS in our prior contest. We've posted the answers below to questions posed by Kjell H. and Gary M., who will each win a copy of DRAWINGS FROM THE FILM BEGINNERS signed by Mike. Everyone else who posted a question and gave us their email address was put into a random drawing, with Zach W. and Casey McG. each winning a copy of the film. Congratulations to all who participated in Film Fresh's goal to create dialogues between viewers and filmmakers!

Q: If you could go back or start over, would you chose the career you have? If so, would you change anything? Thank You, Gary M.

A (mike mills): That's a tough one. While I'm very happy doing the different things I do (design, art, filmmaking) and while each of those practices helps me, feeds the others creatively, I must say that part of me is always wondering if I would be a better designer, artists, filmmaker if I just did one of those things. Mostly I wonder what depths would I have reached if I wasn't diversified.

And secondly, it's strange but the older I get the more I see that being multi-disciplined doesn't really help you career-wise. Each career/subculture is a bit suspicious of you: The design world thinks I'm not really a designer, the art world thinks I'm too commercial to be really embraced, the film world thinks I'm too arty to really be real, etc etc. But that said, the person I am couldn't have done it differently, this way of working really suits my rambling curiosity which is central to why I make things. While I may want to be more singular, who I am and the other artist-designers-filmmakers I love (Charles and Ray Eames, Joergen Loeth, Fischli and Weiss) are all pretty heterogeneous. And, career wise, I've been very fortunate in the three cultures I work in - so, while sometimes I want to, I really can't complain.

Q: What was the most important thing about your own life you learned while making BEGINNERS?

A (mike mills): It's kind of hard to describe how making the film really didn't teach me new things about myself. At least not the content of the story. While the film deals with my family, my own wobbly dealings with love - I learned what I think about all that before I made the film, through my relationships, my friends, my family, my therapist, my dog. Making the film was really more of a way of trying to use these things I know, or think I know, to communicate with an audience, to report back what I can specifically report about being human. There was catharsis and discovery and realizations before I started making the film, and that's what allowed me to make it, consciously for an audience, which was my goal - not to do therapy for 3.2 million dollars!

That said, to try to answer your question, I learned how much I rely on humor to get out of depressing mental corners, and I Iearned more than ever that my parents could both be quite funny and irreverent and dry at times - I knew that before, but I know it much more now. I learned how annoying it can be to see privileged white guys worry out loud about their anxieties on film! And I learned that I'm willing to defend the much more internal problems my generation (and younger) has about love, honesty, anxiety, vulnerability, emotional confusion and so on!

Win two of the best films for the holidays!

katie — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:35:09 +0000

Thanksgiving's coming up, and the malls are already full of Christmas decorations. Holidays offer us a little extra time away from work, a bit of bonus time with family or friends, and that creates a good opportunity to savor a film. Sure, we could give you a list of films we have at Film Fresh with a Thanksgiving or Christmas theme (and we have plenty), but we would rather hear your suggestions for the best films to watch in the winter holidays. You could win two free digital films when you participate.

Two years ago, our extended family watched the famous silent film PANDORA'S BOX (1929) with Louise Brooks by G. W. Pabst, something we had only heard about but never seen. It was a fun film for a family of wise crackers (note: it is not a comedy), and eye-openingly erotic without being explicit for this post-Hayes Code generation. But after days filled with the chatter of relatives visiting from Portland, Brooklyn, and Pittsburgh, we were glad to have a quiet film ready to watch when our loved ones caught their planes home.

This year, we can’t decide what to watch. We need your help.

Suggest two films below, one that can entertain a group of people and one that offers some substance for a quiet moment, and you’ll be automatically entered in a random drawing to win two digital copies of films from Film Fresh. The films you suggest must be on our site, but the digital films you win don’t have to be what you suggest. Include a brief note about why you choose each film—for example, a memory of watching the film yourself or why this is something you want to watch. Post your suggestions before midnight on Monday, November 21, and we’ll announce the winning combination in next week’s blog and tweet your suggestions all week long.

Remember: post to the blog (right below here) your two recommendations for films on our site, one for a crowd and one for winding down after a big gathering. Include a short explanation for your choices, especially if it includes a memory, experience, or expectation. Our holiday viewing happiness depends on your suggestions, so give us your best. Ho ho ho. REALLY IMPORTANT: you need to register before you post your comment or else we won't know how to reach you to tell you you've won!

One entry per person. No purchase necessary.

Contest! Win a copy of BEGINNERS or drawings by director Mike Mills

katie — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:56:38 +0000

To celebrate the role played by you, home viewers, in supporting indie films like director Mike Millsʼ BEGINNERS, Mills and Film Fresh have teamed up to give away two copies of his film, out on DVD and Blu-Ray next Tuesday (November 15), as well as two signed copies of his book, DRAWINGS FROM THE FILM BEGINNERS.

Director Mike Mills (left), who is also an artist, shown here with Ewan McGregor (starring in BEGINNERS as Oliver).

BEGINNERS imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Ewan McGregor). Oliver meets the irreverent and unpredictable Anna (Melanie Laurent) only months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) has passed away. This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who- following 44 years of marriage- came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized,and wonderfully tumultuous gay life. The upheavals of Hal's new honesty, by turns funny and moving, brought father and son closer than they'd ever been able to be. Now Oliver endeavors to love Anna with all the bravery, humor, and hope that his father taught him.

Mills stopped by the Film Fresh office to let us know the importance of our viewers to the after-theatrical success of indie films. “BEGINNERS was only in about 175 theaters in the U.S., so most people will see the home entertainment version of the film,” he emphasized. Now you have a chance to let Mills know how important indie films like BEGINNERS or his first film, THUMBSUCKER, are to you. Our contest gives you a chance to ask Mills questions, which heʼll answer here online a week after BEGINNERS is released.

Mills told us that he watches three or four films a week at home, and that he is an avid DVD collector and a huge fan of digital films, which he watches on his laptop. “Iʼm happy to watch movies in bed on my computer or a piece of a movie during the day,” he told us, explaining that he loves classic films the best, everything from silent films with Charlie Chaplin to noirs, comedies, and sometimes a recent documentary. He notes that watching films at home is “personal and intimate.”

Catching a scene or two during the day is an important activity for Mills. Watching a few minutes or half an hour of certain films encourages him, and gives him a welcome break from the loneliness of writing. He often studies scenes, timing them with a watch and jotting down an accompanying one-sentence description; other times, heʼll watch a segment without sound to better focus on the visual qualities of the film.

Like anyone who enjoys movies, Mills considers his nighttime viewing as a way to relax and catch up on the many classic films he wants to see. Itʼs his daytime habits that mark him as a filmmaker—and point to the importance of owning films for all who are involved in the art, craft, business, or scholarship of cinema. “I watch things over and over again. I canʼt tell you how many times I watch Woody Allen for Jean-Luc Godard films, for instance, or my favorite Hungarian and Japanese directors.”

To thank our customers for their contribution to the on-going success of indie films, Mills has teamed up with Film Fresh to offer this contest. To participate, just post your questions below for director Mike Mills by midnight Wednesday, November 16. Mills will choose two questions to answer and those who posted the selected questions will receive a signed copy of his book DRAWINGS FROM THE FILM BEGINNERS. And everyone else who posts a question for Mike Mills or shares a comment on his films by midnight, November 16, will be entered into a random drawing for two winners to get their choice of a DVD or Blu-Ray copy of BEGINNERS.

Only one posting per person. No purchase necessary.

A wide range of music-themed films

katie — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:52:27 +0000

Thanks to the exuberance of REJOICE AND SHOUT, the new documentary available for the first time digitally, we renewed our interest in music-related documentaries, musicals, bio pics, and features.

These are the ones we own in our personal collections:

THIS IS IT, the documentary about Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for his come-back concert, filmed right before he died of a drug overdose (the trial is near to wrapping up this week)—you cannot watch this film without getting into a good mood.

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Julie Taymor’s rock musical about the 1960s as told through imaginative visual use of The Beatles’ songbook.

LA BAMBA (with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%) celebrates Richie Valens, rock pioneer and Chicano crossover musician, whose vibrant music endures after he died at the top of his career in a plane crash in 1959.

FUNNY GIRL (RT 92%) One of the most popular movie musicals ever made! We bet you know the words to at least one song if you’re 50 years or older. This bio pic follows the early career of stage comedienne Fanny Brice, a role that earned Barbra Streisand the 1968 Oscar for Best Actress.

BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST The new documentary about the legendary hip hop group that fused jazz and rap to achieve commercial and artistic success until it broke up in 1998.

ALMOST FAMOUS Writer/director Cameron Crowe's experience as a teenage journalist for Rolling Stone inspired this coming-of-age story of a band on the road in the early 1970s.

These are music-themed films on our wishlist:

GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN TWELVE PARTS For 18 months, Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning director Scott Hicks followed the legendary Philip Glass across three continents, creating a remarkable portrait of this brilliant composer.

LEONARD COHEN: I’M YOUR MAN This documentary digs into the music of the influential troubadour, Leonard Cohen, including a tribute concert with Bono, Nick Cave, Beth Orton, and others.

IT MIGHT GET LOUD A documentary on the electric guitar from the point of view of three significant rock musicians: The Edge, Jimmy Page, and Jack White.

CADILLAC RECORDS This drama chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists including Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Chuck Berry, Willie Dixon and Etta James.

SOUL POWER A documentary about the Zaire '74 music festival planned to coincide with the now-legendary and epic "Rumble in the Jungle" between Mohammed Ali and George Foreman. Featuring musical legends James Brown, B.B. King, Bill Withers, Celia Cruz and a host of others.

TANGO A drama that celebrates the dance and music of Argentina, nominated for Best Foreign Film of 1999. Ebert calls it “visually beautiful, also ravishing as a musical.”

WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY A spook on the rock bio pic genre starring John C. Reilly as the dimwitted country boy whose music transforms him into the greatest American rock star who never lived.

For your kids -- WORDWORLD: BOPPIN’ WITH THE BUG BAND This animated spelling-oriented series for preschoolers stars bug, duck, frog, and pig who are scheduled to sing on ant’s radio show; plus three other episodes.

Vintage films:

BALLAD IN BLUE (1964) A forgotten musical classic with Ray Charles playing himself in a drama set in London plus electrifying performances of "Hit the Road, Jack," "I Got a Woman" and "Unchain My Heart."

A MAN CALLED ADAM (1966) Sammy Davis Jr. plays a brilliant jazz trumpeter who enthralls the crowds that pack into smoky clubs to hear him play. But offstage, Adam struggles with anger and addiction. Costarring Ossie Davis and featuring a soaring jazz score and performances by Louis Armstrong and Mel Torme.

Why parents love our digital films for kids

katie — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:49:31 +0000

The kids can't hide them. The dogs can't eat them. You can get them in a hurry and keep them forever. Digital films make sense for families with kids.

Our best sellers include animated films: SCOOBY-DOO! ABRACADABRA-DOO, the big dog and his gang visit a White Magic Academy; CLOUDY WITH A CHANGE OF MEATBALLS, an inventor makes hamburgers rain from the sky; and ALPHA AND OMEGA, the updated "Incredible Journey” for the Pixar generation.

We have some really unusual films too, like HOPLA: HELLO HOPLA, one of a sweet series from Belgium that is not available on any of the subscription services—this animated mixture of shapes, colors, and animal characters is a nice change from American films. Perfect for quieting down a rambunctious toddler.

For tweens, our customers like EYE OF THE DOLPHIN, about an estranged father and daughter rediscovering one another, and FLY AWAY HOME, with truly amazing footage of the flying geese cared for by a father-daughter team (one of Anna Paquin’s first roles).

We suggest the time is right this Halloween weekend for MAD MONSTER PARTY (1967), made via the vintage technique of stop-motion puppetry of Count Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy. But you can show it again and again and again and again any time of the year because this film is stands out distinctly from today’s CGI environment.

Our films play on PlayStation 3.

Other tried-and-true favorites:

HOOK

SID THE SCIENCE KID: BUG CLUB

BOB THE BUILDER ON-SITE: SKYSCRAPERS

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

GHOSTBUSTERS

Scary films & sobering documentaries about scary things

katie — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:13:54 +0000

Over the next 13 days until Halloween, we’re giving you a treat of 31% off great horror films from the U.S., Japan, Spain and Mexico (for our Dia de los Muertos fans) and 31% off the documentaries that investigate the economic crisis, industrial agriculture, dolphin fishing and even our fetishistic love of horror films (no kidding). The trick is that you’ve got to buy the films on the specific day they’re on sale -- just one day for each scary film and sobering documentary.

Today's specials, 10/20: 31% off ZOMBIELAND & 31% off OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

	SCARY	SOBERING
10.19 Wednesday	The Crow- A murdered musician seeks revenge each year.	Food, Inc.- industrial agriculture, Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score of 96%
10.20 Thursday	Zombieland- Take some time to laugh at zombies.	Our Brand is Crisis- why politicians want us scared, RT 92%
10.21 Friday	The Sylvian Experiments- Japan's brain experiments	Countdown to Zero- Atomic bomb history
10.22 Saturday	Quarantine II: The Terminal- the newest microbes on a plane scare	Casino Jack & the US of Money- This haunts Occupy Wall Street.
10.23 Sunday	[REC]- Spain's POV thriller, Rotten Tomatoes 96%	The Tillman Story- The US makes war propaganda. RT 93%
10.24 Monday	Invasion of the Body Snatchers- the 1956 version, RT 97%	The Cove- dolphin fishing in Japan, RT 96%
10.25 Tuesday	Scream- Wes Craven's landmark spoof on the genre	Illuminating Angels and Demons- world domination
10.26 Wednesday	Bram Stoker’s Dracula- visually stunning, passionately seductive	Inside Job- behind the '08 economic crisis, RT 97%
10.27 Thursday	Biutiful- Javier Bardem sees los muertos.	Who Killed the Electric Car- The EV-1 seemed perfect
10.28 Friday	Evil Dead 2- Raimi's classic zombies, RT 98%	Client 9- Eliot Spitzer's fatal flaw, RT 91%
10.29 Saturday	The Child's Eye- Hong Kong's Pang Brothers' newest	Imaginary Witness- Nazism
10.30 Sunday	Zombie Strippers- Jenna Jameson as a zombie	S&man (Sandman)- linking horror to fetish films
10.31 Monday	The Shining- redrum, redrum, redrum	The Matrix Revisited- making The Matrix cyberworld

Godard's Contributions to Creative Upheaval

katie — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:49:48 +0000

“It's not where you take things from — it's where you take them to.” -- Jean-Luc Godard

The protestors on Wall Street and in other cities around the United States create a carnivalesque environment. Pundits complain there’s no clear message from the dissidents. But we think people are failing to understand the role of creativity in protests against the status quo.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, for instance, France was still recovering from a world war fought in that nation’s heart while also facing rampant American consumerism, especially as conveyed in Hollywood’s movies. Film critic turned film director, Jean-Luc Godard, loved American films but resisted American capitalism, and his creative, unique, and frequently absurdist films reflect this tension.

Godard’s films don’t follow a strict logic. They challenge narrative satisfaction and ask viewers to be playful as they re-examine bourgeois values. These films are charming, frustrating, and significant; they spark rebellion and creativity for every subsequent generation of film students.

If you buy or rent any of Godard’s films this week, we’ll give you a coupon to rent your choice of any other film we've got -- that's a risk-free way to explore Godard’s feisty legacy.

Here's what we have for you:

A WOMAN IS A WOMAN (UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME) (1961)

CONTEMPT (LE MEPRIS) (1963)

UNE FEMME MARIÉE (1964)

ALPHAVILLE (1965)

PIERROT LE FOU (1965)

MADE IN U.S.A (1966)

LA CHINOISE (1967)

2 0R 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER (1967)

LE GAI SAVOIR (1969)

NOTRE MUSIQUE (2004)

Only two of these titles are available digitally from Netflix. Film Fresh is different.

Qwikster’s out, UltraViolet’s in, and Film Fresh is here for you

katie — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:11:13 +0000

Lots of changes in digital films.

First, Netflix alienated customers by announcing last month that it would split its DVD rentals from the streaming business, making two companies (Qwikster for DVDs, Netflix for streaming), two separate bills, and too much hassle. Today, Netflix responded to customer anger by dumping Qwikster, keeping the DVD and streaming services all under the Netflix roof but also keeping the 60% price increase it announced at the same time as the Qwikster mistake.

That’s now the past. Here’s the future – UltraViolet, a “digital locker” that allows you to store your film purchases in a cloud so you can easily move content across all your connected devices and watch it anywhere. UltraViolet is the brainchild of a multi-studio consortium working together for three years to create a “buy once, play anywhere” solution to the increasing mobility of digital films. The Hollywood studios are working together (with the exception Disney) to help customers find greater convenience in owning films rather than renting them. Obviously, ownership is more lucrative for the studios.

Chris Tribbey of HOME MEDIA MAGAZINE explains how UltraViolet will work:

"Any Blu-ray or DVD featuring the UltraViolet logo includes a code that can be redeemed after launching an account at UltraViolet’s user site, UVVU.com. Once the code is entered, that content is available for use on up to a dozen UltraViolet-enabled devices (PCs, connected HDTVs, Blu-ray players, mobile devices), with a total of six people registered on the account able to access that content at any time."

The first UltraViolet film becomes available October 11, but only six films are planned for rollout this year. It’ll be a slow build until this service becomes more widespread, and when it does, Film Fresh will pass this opportunity on to you. We’re always looking for ways to improve our convenience and flexibility.

Film Fresh keeps on top of changes in the way films are sold and rented, as we have for the six years we’ve stayed in this volatile business. We’re here for the long run. Right now, Film Fresh is working on other technological improvements besides the innovative “Film Finder” tool we announced last week with The Filter, including the ability to sign into your account from Facebook and Twitter, new download technologies, plus a larger selection of rentals. We’ll announce more details soon. If there’s something – anything – about our service you want us to know, write me! katie@filmfresh.com

Announcing partnership with The Filter to create Film Fresh's exclusive new "Film Finder"

katie — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:40:24 +0000

We're pleased to announce Film Fresh's partnership with The Filter to bring personalized recommendations to fans of Hollywood, independent, classic and international cinema. Look for the new "Film Finder" on FilmFresh.com later this year.

The Filter, the leading recommendation solution for digital content, today announced a new strategic partnership with Los Angeles-based online movie retailer Film Fresh which will deliver personalized and relevant recommendations to the site’s users.

Film Fresh offers a unique blend of Hollywood and independent movies from emerging and established directors that take viewers away from the beaten track and invite them to “refresh their relationship to film.” The Filter’s technology presents users with the most relevant recommendations available anywhere. This is what makes The Filter a particularly good match for Film Fresh, since its intelligent recommendations help users discover titles that they love but would not otherwise have found.

"Online film delivery has come a long way, but film discovery remains the Holy Grail,” says Rick Bolton, CEO and Founder of Film Fresh. “There are thousands of titles available, but how do you lead audience members to specific films that match their interests? Film Fresh is particularly interested in this challenge. The Filter’s film recommendation technology is many things: exciting, forward-thinking, even visionary. It is also an indispensable part of our efforts at Film Fresh. "

The partnership between Film Fresh and The Filter brings together two highly innovative companies to deliver relevant recommendations and connect movie fans to the content they love at the right time, in the right place and in the best way possible.

About Film Fresh

Film Fresh, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, is an online retailer offering digital delivery of Hollywood, independent, classic and international films for sale and rental at Filmfresh.com. Founded in 2005, the company utilizes both the RoxioNow and DivX platforms, giving customers the opportunity to “Watch Here. Watch Anywhere.™” -- on computers, wireless Blu-ray players, Internet-connected TVs and on many other consumer electronic devices. Along with providing well-known titles from major studios, Film Fresh offers a chance to discover quality films from established and emerging directors across the globe, encouraging customers to “refresh their relationship to film.” For more information please visit http://www.filmfresh.com

About The Filter

The Filter is a world leader in recommendation services for digital media content, delivering over one billion recommendations to more than 150 million unique users every month. The Filter uses the data produced by consumers’ interaction to deliver the most relevant content back as recommendations. Founded in 2004 and backed by Peter Gabriel and Eden Ventures, The Filter is based in the UK with offices in New York and California. The Filter provides Software as a Service recommendation and personalization solutions across all digital platforms including video, films, TV and music. The Filter’s clients include Dailymotion, Walmart’s Vudu, Nokia, NBC.com , Fuhu and Warner Bros. For more information please visit http://www.thefilter.com

Press Contact (The Filter)

Alice Bonasio

Marketing & PR Executive

Intl: +44 78 24 81 17 94

alice@thefilter.com

http://www.thefilter.com

Press Contact (Film Fresh)

Katie Mills

Director of Content

Intl: +01 32 35 76 15 74

katie@filmfresh.com

http://www.filmfresh.com

Films that inspired George Clooney's THE IDES OF MARCH

katie — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:15:49 +0000

Last week, we discussed ten of George Clooney's favorite films from 1964-1976; this week is the opening of Clooney's latest film, THE IDES OF MARCH. What's the link?

George Clooney told Parade.com why he prefers film made between 1964-1976: "That era was a reflection of the antiwar movement, the civil rights movement, the women's rights movement, the sexual revolution, the drug counterculture. All those things were exploding at the same time. And these films were reflections of it. Movies are really good when they do that. They give us a sense of what was going on in our psyche.”

Clooney’s desire to make films that reflect our psyche is what makes him so great as a director. This week Clooney’s latest gig as a director (and star) opens, THE IDES OF MARCH, which we saw in advance at the Toronto Film Festival. Yes, the film is great, go see it. There’s no doubt that this political drama reflects our American psyche since Clinton messed things up with Monica Lewinsky. Many of us are cynical about leadership today. Still.

So if you’re looking for inspiration, here’s something you can do on your own at home. This exercise involves imagination and thought, so not everyone can do it. First, pretend you’re George Clooney. Hey, stretch your mind. Pretend you’re George Clooney on the Film Fresh site, trying to find films in your favorite time span, 1964-1976. Film Fresh’s chronological search application makes it simple for George (i.e., you imagining you’re George) to search by year – just scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the web page to find our search application, depicted below. You can move the ends to the exact years that you want to browse, as shown here for George's favorite years.

So what’s your favorite time frame? Use Film Fresh’s chronological search thingy at the bottom of the site to explore. Maybe you should search what films were made the year you were born. Lots of people loved the classic French films (1935-1970) we wrote about two weeks ago. Many people want the newest digital films available (remember, at Film Fresh, you get the newest releases on their date of release from the studios--no waiting for 28 days as with some competing sites). Do you have a favorite era of filmmaking? And why? Let us know by commenting below.

LAST WEEK’S DRAWING: Film Fresh had a random drawing for a free download of one of Clooney's ten favorite films from the years 1964-1976, and two winners have checked in already -- Alex from Blue Island, Illinois, will be getting a download of FAIL-SAFE, Sidney Lumet's classic film about American during a nuclear crisis; and Christina of Westlake Village, California, selected 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, a film whose visuals are so amazing that it's a perfect film to own so you can watch it again and again. Congratulations and thanks for participating! We’re always happy to hear from you. Really happy. Really.

source: http://www.parade.com/celebrity/slideshows/editors-pick/george-clooney-top-100-movies.html

Get a Free Download of One of George Clooney’s Favorite Films

katie — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:08:44 +0000

Actor and director George Clooney loves films made between 1964-1976, “movies that were really changing the face of filmmaking," as he told PARADE magazine this week. We agree, and we’ve got many of Clooney’s favorite films on download, including:

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Breathtaking Classic by Stanley Kubrick, 1968

ALPHAVILLE French New Wave's Sci Fi Noir, 1965

TAXI DRIVER Robert DeNiro's triumphant role, 1976

BLAZING SADDLES Revisionist Western comedy, 1974

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE Violent youth vs. governmental control, 1971

DOG DAY AFTERNOON Al Pacino holds hostages in a failed bank heist, 1975

THE WAY WE WERE Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford in this love story, 1973

SHAMPOO Warren Beatty & Julie Christie in a political comedy, 1975

THE PASSENGER Jack Nicholson's quiet role of desperation, 1975

FAIL-SAFE Henry Fonda as President during a nuclear crisis, 1964

source: http://www.parade.com/celebrity/slideshows/editors-pick/george-clooney-top-100-movies.html

We’re holding a random drawing for the download of your choice of one of these Clooney favorites, so email us your name and tell us how you found out about Film Fresh:

A consumer electronic device?
A search engine?
A friend?
Our emails?
Other?
Any other information you’d like us to know?

Email us your answer at drawing@filmfresh.com (the regular privacy rules apply, so we won’t share your name or send you spam) by midnight, Sunday, October 2, and we’ll contact the people whose names have been drawn randomly on Monday, October 3. No purchase necessary.

We’ve got more to say about Clooney’s passion for films in our next blog post, plus another chance for a free download of his favorites.

“Sci Fi is Reality Ahead of Schedule”: Syd Mead on Futuristic Films

katie — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:52:14 +0000

While commuting to work today, I was lucky enough to hear NPR’s interview with Syd Mead, designer of some of the most amazing film sets of all time, who specializes in futuristic films like BLADE RUNNER, MINORITY REPORT, and TRON: LEGACY. Mead keeps informed of technological advances for his filmic inventions, adding: "If something is a good idea, then it will probably come true, because of economic pressures, or just simply invention. Technology tends to climb on its own past accomplishments. If you've solved three or four problems, you can probably solve eight more." You’ll find the story (with clips from the films) here; you already know where to find the films.

Why France Fought for Film

katie — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 19:21:16 +0000

For the past week, we’ve been at the Toronto International Film Festival, and between the two of us we've watched about fifty films in seven days. We saw many of the movies now in the news, including George Clooney’s powerful political satire, THE IDES OF MARCH; the notorious SHAME, about a sex addict (which was very touching and worthwhile despite scandal over its references to pornography and use of full frontal nudity); and RESTLESS, Gus Van Sant’s film that opens today in New York and Los Angeles about young love and brain cancer. We also saw amazing foreign films that celebrate the best of humanity by acknowledging its sorrows – A SIMPLE LIFE, Ann Hui's Hong Kong film about an aging servant and the well-off family she served for four generations, and OSLO, AUGUST 31st, about a recovering drug addict and postmillennial angst. The Festival affirmed for us the power of film and storytelling, its significance as a cultural force as well as an industry.

So much buzz goes to new films that we want to take a moment to go back in cinema’s roots to four of France’s classic films. France created a vibrant film culture back in the 1920s, when the medium of film was still only a generation old; this widespread cinephilia continued with the archive of Henri Langlois, who was one of the founders of the famed Cinémathèque Française in 1936 and a key figure in the protection of films during the Nazi occupation (1940-1944). One of the first insults of the occupying Third Reich was confiscating France’s films, as discussed in Evelyn Ehrlich's “Cinema of Paradox: French Filmmaking under the German Occupation.” During World War II, resisters smuggled films to unoccupied zones, hid films in attics and basements, and buried some works in the ground. Perhaps it was this battle over not only France but also cinema itself (for the Nazis well understood the power of film and used cinema as propaganda not only in France but especially in Germany) that made France home to a society so passionate about film.

There was one film that the Nazis hated the most, calling it "Cinematic Public Enemy No. 1'' – Jean Renoir’s GRAND ILLUSION (1937), which we are delighted to offer you now in digital format. Universally regarded as one of the most important films of all time, Renoir’s anti-war masterpiece is set in World War I, in Germany’s prisoner of war camps where captured French officers build an escape tunnel. GRAND ILLUSION is more than the inspiration for THE GREAT ESCAPE; it is a pinnacle of composition and character study. Roger Ebert has said of Renoir, “observation and sympathy for the characters define every shot; there is hardly a camera decision made for pure effect, without thinking first of where best to stand to see the characters.” We watched this last night (it was my time seeing it), and now I understand why Erich von Stroheim’s performance of the deluded German Capitan is so highly heralded.

French filmmakers focus on social class and the changes rendered by the breakdown of aristocracy in the 20th century. Their disdain for the bourgeoisie – the middle class – has surprising relevance to Americans, not only because of our growing socioeconomic disparity but also because American crime thrillers build upon France’s noir and crime genres, yet U.S. films downplay the class issues behind social crime. Do yourself a favor and watch Jean-Pierre Melville’s classic films, BOB LE FLAMBEUR (1956) and LE CERCLE ROUGE (1970), and you’ll see how important Melville’s movies have been to the American imagination. Yes, they move a bit more slowly than contemporary American crime films, but they are sinister, affecting works that offer something more lasting than adrenaline – namely, an insight into criminals and society. And if you’re more inclined to surreal satire, to dreamy formalism and the power of absurdist social commentary, then try THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE, winner of the 1973 Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Buñuel's frustrated dinner party films are referenced in the recent MIDNIGHT IN PARIS when Owen Wilson’s character Gil suggests this idea to Luis Buñuel.

These are the films that have shaped contemporary American cinema. This week’s film offerings give you a delightful grounding in the foundational architecture of filmmaking, the humanist focus of narrative, and the insights produced by France’s risks to preserve film in the face of Nazi invasion and profound change in the social structure. That’s worth fighting for.

What Film Fresh Has That Netflix Doesn't

katie — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:27:12 +0000

Netflix’s September 1 price increase has prompted people to shop around for new online film services. And now Netflix's stock price dropped more than 8.6% on news that Netflix stands to lose films from Sony and Disney next year (on September 1, Starz turrned down Netflix's offer of $300 million-plus to license these films for streaming, which is why Netflix's stock dropped today), and industry analysts are pondering Netflix's ability to offer "fresh content." Specifically, BTIG's Richard Greenfield said today, "It is an interesting coincidence that Netflix begins to raise prices on its existing members as of the September billing cycle with the popular press likely to focus consumers on the fact that they are going to be paying more to keep streaming and DVD subscription plans now, while getting less 'fresh' movie content just six months from now."

Hey, Film Fresh has good solutions to BOTH the problems of availability and price:

•    We have no subscription fees. You pay only for the films you buy or rent.
•    There's no waiting for new studio releases. We get these films on the earliest available dates.
•    Film Fresh gives you access to more quality films online than Netflix. And it's cheaper to buy from us than Blockbuster.

Take a look at the details:

Film Fresh Best-Sellers

Netflix Streaming

Blockbuster on Demand

THE TOURIST	Not on streaming. Wait for the DVD in the mail	$2 less at Film Fresh
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES	Nope	$2 less at Film Fresh
BIUTIFUL	Not this either	$4 less at Film Fresh
THE SCENESTERS	Not available	Same price
THE UNDERNEATH (2006)	Unh-unh!	$8 less at Film Fresh
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN	Not even available on DVD from Netflix	Same price
PAPRIKA	Not on streaming	$1 less at Film Fresh
ON ANY SUNDAY	Neither is this one	$3 less at Film Fresh
MILO THE MANTIS	Can’t stream from Netflix	You can’t stream this from Blockbuster, either

Blockbuster’s using this opportunity to scoop up angry Netflix customers, and since Blockbuster both rents and sells digital films (like we do), we compared price differences between our two services. Our rental prices are about the same, but Film Fresh is far less expensive when it comes to purchasing a digital film.

Analyst Richard Greenfield said something else interesting about a week ago:

"The big media companies have all failed when it comes to digital. While it's hard to pin down why they fail, even if they acquire or invest in the right assets, the DNA of traditional media companies seems to have a negative impact on virtually all digital initiatives (compensation structures are not aligned to foster innovation relative to start-up digital media companies)."

Film Fresh is a start-up digital media company -- even though we've been in business for several years, our shift from DVDs to digital delivery of Hollywood, indie, and international films comes as a result of our independent set-up, which gives us the ability to take advantage of changes in technology, consumer electronic devices, and the digital film marketplace. We're working on some key innovations right now -- including the launch of an easy new digital download platform -- that we'll be rolling out in a matter of weeks. Film Fresh stores are also showing up on more and more internet TVs and Blu-Ray players, and we've got lots of fresh new content that we'll be announcing soon.

In the meantime, what're you watching this holiday weekend? We just posted the Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Film from this year, Susanne Bier's IN A BETTER WORLD, about a Danish doctor splitting his time between African refugee camps and his family in Denmark who sees the true costs of revenge in the third world as well as in his own prosperous homeland. It's a gripping, thoughtful film, like all of Susanne Bier's work. And if you lean towards lighter fare, TYLER PERRY'S MADEA'S BIG HAPPY FAMILY just came out this week, and you can buy it from us for $6 less than at Blockbuster. Have a great Labor Day Weekend.

What Happens to a Dream Deferred? Civil Rights on Film before THE HELP.

katie — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:26:37 +0000

Now in movie theaters, THE HELP is a moving film about racism in the 1960s confronted through the heroic (and secret) work of women who learn to help and trust one another across racial boundaries. It’s an admirable and worthy film, based on Kathryn Stockett’s popular 2009 novel, and audiences are loving it.

That’s why we thought now is a great time to (re)watch a film from 1961, also about racism but told from the perspective of a black family trying to better itself through enterprise, education, and self-respect – A RAISIN IN THE SUN. This movie is in the U.S. National Film Registry because it is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant,” and it’s also so good that Rotten Tomatoes gives it a rating of 100 (THE HELP got 74%).

A RAISIN IN THE SUN is based on the 1959 play by Lorraine Hansberry, the first African-American woman to have a play produced on Broadway and the youngest American playwright (and only the fifth woman) to win the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. Both the play and film versions starred Sidney Poitier, who is joined in the film cast by the indomitable Ruby Dee as well as Diana Sands as the young woman who speaks out for herself. A RAISIN IN THE SUN explores the dreams of betterment in the Younger family when a sizable inheritance opens up competing opportunities – to move into a better home, to start a new business, and/or to attend medical school.

The title comes from one of America’s greatest poets, Langston Hughes (a friend of Hansberry’s), lamenting the broken dreams of African Americans:

“A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes (1951)

What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

A RAISIN IN THE SUN anticipates some of the explosions that followed during the 1960s, but the film is rooted in the assimilationist dreams of the black middle class rather than the radical protests that came later. It’s fascinating to see this film and its bravura performances in light of THE HELP’s current run in theaters and the upcoming 38^th anniversary of the March on Washington (8/28/63), along with this week’s unveiling of the new MLK, Jr. monument in the nation’s capitol.

Please post your comments about the film on our site!

Films Your Tweens May Not Have Seen Yet

katie — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:01:55 +0000

Our friend had a great weekend with his sons by introducing them to the films he loved when he was younger – GHOSTBUSTERS (1984), MEN IN BLACK (1997) and BATMAN (1989). When we called these “vintage films,” our pal objected (a bit too much, methinks), but he was the hero of the evening when he downloaded these films. Sure, children should be outdoors exercising, but if you’re looking to share an evening bonding with your tween, try a vintage film.

Four advantages of downloading films from Film Fresh for your family members:

They don’t have to wait for it in the mail.
They can’t break it or scratch it, and neither can the dog.
They can’t lose it.
They can’t download any of these films from Netflix! (We checked.)

G-Rated Vintage Films

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (1971 – G)

THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004 – G)

MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975 – PG)

GROUNDHOG DAY (1993 – PG)

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE (1993 – PG)

See our KIDS page for more suggestions.

PG-13 Films

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000)

GODZILLA (1998)

ACE VENTURA : PET DETECTIVE (1994)

AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (1997)

WAYNE’S WORLD (1992)

We also have all the older HARRY POTTER FILMS on download (is it even remotely possible your kids haven’t seen these?)

And if you’re still in a vintage mood after the kids go to bed:

BLAZING SADDLES (1974) Back when scatological humor and genre parody were original.

DIRTY DANCING (1987) We watched this last week outdoors on a hot summer night. We're still dancing.

STAND BY ME (1986) This fabulous film was nostalgic back even when its key actors were just young men.

LIFE OF BRIAN (1979) if you were old enough to inhale in the 1970s, you may not remember this film even if you saw it.

SCREAM (1996) Wes Craven's send-up of horror films is smart - you may find yourself remembering some classic lines.

THE WAY WE WERE (1973) Many of today's grandparents were impressionable young romantics when this film came out.

Gabby Giffords and Mr. Smith Both Go to Washington

katie — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 19:26:29 +0000

"I have closely followed the debate over our debt ceiling and have been deeply disappointed at what's going on in Washington," Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said upon returning to the House on Monday for the first time since surviving an assassination attempt this past January. She surprised everyone by showing up at the dramatic vote on the debt-limit bill. Eyewitnesses exclaim that Gifford's presence instantly calmed the politically charged tension as everyone-- Republicans and Democrats alike-- united in the best interests of the country and voted to avert a disastrous national default. This climax to weeks of divisive bickering over radically different fiscal positions helps reaffirm America’s faith in the power of the individual and democracy.

That's why Frank Capra, one of the 20th century's greatest filmmakers, used a similar story to buoy up Americans with MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, made in 1939 (when the nation needed a super-sized affirmation of democracy as it weathered financial ruin and escalating world war-- sound familiar?). Capra is renowned for his crisp talent as a visual storyteller and also for his fierce patriotism (he immigrated from Italy as a boy). His films all celebrate America’s democratic spirit in the form of the humble citizen who puts politicos and rich people to shame.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON is a delightful counterbalance to the shenanigans in Washington. It’s also a classic and uplifting film by Jimmy Stewart, playing the idealistic Jefferson Smith who arrives in the Capitol as a naïve new Senator scorned by the cynical congressmen who dominate politics. But Mr. Smith’s values win the day as he eventually triumphs over cronyism and partisanship. The film was nominated for eleven Academy Awards in 1940. If you’ve never seen the film before, we guarantee you will like it, especially this week when bitter arguments over entitlements, debt, deficits, and default make us question the promise of democratic debate by our elected officials.

If you’re not familiar with the films of Frank Capra, now is a perfect time to catch up on this beloved auteur. The humor in his films is deeply intelligent and thought provoking, celebrating shared values that seem to be missing from this era of irreconcilable political ideologies. Here’s what Film Fresh offers you:

PLATINUM BLONDE (1931) stars Jean Harlow as a wealthy socialite who falls in love with a newspaper journalist but tries to mold him into a gentleman. Capra’s humor always rewards the common man (yes, it’s usually a man) against bankers, heiresses and other spoiled brats, who always end up recognizing the wisdom of the masses. Rotten Tomatoes 100%

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) was the very first blockbuster, sweeping the Oscars with five Academy Awards. Another tale of a rich girl and a gritty journalist who fall in love, this screwball comedy plays up class and gender differences as Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable stubbornly struggle against passion for the upper hand. Rotten Tomatoes 97%

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1938) won Capra his third Oscar as Best Director in just four years, the first such record held by any film director. A variation on the screwball comedy, this film casts Jimmy Stewart as a wealthy scion who falls in love with Ann Miller, whose family of creative free spirits shakes up business as usual. Rotten Tomatoes 96%

Canadian Cinema: Questions of Trust and Truth

katie — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:57:57 +0000

Some of America’s favorite directors-- James Cameron (AVATAR), Paul Haggis (CRASH), and Jason Reitman (JUNO)-- hail from up north. Film Fresh features a wide variety of world, indie and Hollywood films, and this week we’re celebrating Canadian films.

July is the month that Canada commemorates its independence as a nation 150 years ago, and Canada’s film tradition is as old as America’s.

Just last week the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (which runs the Genie Awards, Canada’s equivalent to our Oscars) announced its newest board members. This week, Film Fresh has two new Canadian films for download (THE WAY OF THE WEST and SMALL TOWN MURDER SONGS), so we thought it’s a good time to send out a love song to Canadian cinema.

Canada’s Broadcasting Corporation reports that filmmaker “Paul Donovan once compared the difficulty of making a movie in Canada to climbing Mount Everest without oxygen. Faced with an indifferent public, harsh critics, limited funds, and foreign-owned movie houses, filmmaking in Canada is, by necessity, a labour of love.” That commitment by Canada’s filmmakers is why these films are worth your time, for they ask questions about trust and truth that are as vast as Canada’s open landscapes.

CHLOE by Atom Egoyon (2009) Egoyon’s latest film is a tense psychosexual thriller exploring erotic temptation and what can/should be known in a marriage.

THE SWEET HEREAFTER also by Atom Egoyon (1997) Film Fresh has eight of this auteur’s films, but this is the one that put Egoyon on the map as a world-class filmmaker with its compelling story about a school bus accident that affects a rural town of well-intended neighbors.

A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE by David Cronenberg (2005) Violent mobsters start harassing a local hero, saying he’s not the small-business owner and family man he claims to be.

AWAY FROM HER by Sarah Polley (2007) A compassionate love story about wife, played by Julie Christie, who is institutionalized with Alzheimer’s and believes she’s married to a fellow patient rather than her attentive husband.

THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS by Denys Arcand (2003) Oscar winner for Best Foreign film plus two awards at Cannes reward this complex drama about a narrow-minded patriarch and his stubborn son.

BARNEY’S VERSION by Richard J. Lewis (2010) The award-winning cast in this dramatic comedy includes Paul Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, and Minnie Drive-- Barney meets his life's greatest love just as he’s marrying his second wife.

FAR SIDE OF THE MOON by Robert Lepage (2003) Reminiscent of a French-Canadian Woody Allen, Lepage himself stars in the dual roles of brothers at odds after the loss of their mother. This is a surreal, magical film from the creator and director of Crique du Soleil's hit show "Kà."

RESIDENT EVIL: AFTERLIFE by Paul W.S. Anderson (2010) In this fourth film based on the video game series about a ravaging infection that turns victims undead, our heroine finds survivors and seeks safety in Los Angeles.

It's fascinating to us that the question of identity, secret (or forgotten) pasts, and revelation are such strong themes in these films. What do you think? Let us know-- we want to hear from you.

(The film triptych above is from the Library of Congress collection of films by Thomas A. Edison of "Views of Niagara Falls." These stills come from the American side of the falls in a short film available here.)

Carmegeddon? Stay home and watch movies for just $4.05!

katie — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:28:30 +0000

Our home office is located in Hollywood, so we’re gearing up for “Carmegeddon”— the July 15-17 closure of the major north-south freeway in west Los Angeles, the 405. It appears that a total shutdown is the only way repairs can be made safely.

Even if you don’t live in L.A., you may be aware of all the predictions about the horrible traffic we'll have during this time, since even the New York Times has covered the topic. While lots of people are offering creative solutions for avoiding traffic, and think it’s a perfect time to watch a film or two (or three). And with our download service, you won't even need to leave the house.

Every day during the closure, we're offering three driving-related movies on sale for... yes... $4.05. That means you can own these films for less than half our usual price. Even if you don't live anywhere near the 405.

JULY 15: FRIDAY (some closures start at 7 p.m.)

CRASH (Dir. Paul Haggis, 2004) Lives change when people meet randomly in this winner of 3 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Rotten Tomatoes 76%

RUSH HOUR (Dir. Brett Ratner, 1998) If you’ve never seen this Jackie Chan classic, then download it immediately. Great fun, really. Flixster 79%

HURRAY FOR HUCKLE!: ZOOMING AROUND BUSYTOWN (NCircle, 2009) Park your children in front of Huckle while you finish your errands before the big freeway shutdown!

JULY 16: SATURDAY

EASY RIDER (Dir. Dennis Hopper, 1969) Enjoy your freedom– while you’ve still got it. Probably THE most important film of the hippie era. Rotten Tomatoes 87%

THE ROAD (Dir. John Hillcoat, 2009) Uh oh. It’s the end of the world and we’ve got to walk. Actually, it’s a moving story in several ways thanks to Viggo Mortensen. Rotten Tomatoes 75%

TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY (Dir. James Cameron, 1991) The Terminator becomes a good guy in this sequel; learn traffic shortcuts through the L.A. River. Rotten Tomatoes 98%

JULY 17: SUNDAY

THE WILD ONE (Dir. Laslo Benedek, 1953) A young Marlon Brando as a sensitive, alienated biker who falls in love with a small-town girl – oh yeah. A truly great classic.

OCTANE (Dir. Mark Jay, 2007) Illegal street racing is predicted to dominate L.A. during the 405 closure. Here’s the manual.

TALLADEGA NIGHTS (Dir. Adam McKay, 2006) Even NASCAR drivers need a break from driving. John C. Reilly stars in this turbo-charged comedy.

Looking back at KRAMER VS. KRAMER

katie — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:57:40 +0000

In the New York Times Magazine (July 10, 2011), Heather Havrilesky wrote about being a nine-year-old comparing her parents' divorce to that in the then-current film, KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979): "the movie hit so close to home that it made me feel sick to my stomach." She compared it to today's culture of “quickly metabolized” trauma subsumed by “a courageous determination to sally forth against the storm." Havrilesky adds, "watching it again as an adult left me with a satisfying sense that I endured something profoundly sad and emerged with a new feeling of resiliency."

Beyond BRIDESMAIDS – Indie Films BY Women

katie — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:42:25 +0000

We agree that BRIDESMAIDS is funny. It’s the “top R-rated female comedy of all time,” says The Hollywood Reporter. But New York Times film reviewer Manhola Dargis warns that BRIDESMAIDS “turns out to be one of the few occasions this summer when you can enjoy a movie about and with women released by a major studio.” Hey! That’s why Film Fresh offers indie films by women that cover a rich range of narratives and intriguing approaches to filmmaking, even though we’ve also got mainstream comedies like THE HOUSE BUNNY, which Anna Faris produced and starred in.

BTW, Anna Faris’ profile in April’s The New Yorker generated lots of discussion about misogyny in Hollywood. Jezebel contributed to that conversation when it reported: "To make a woman adorable, one successful female screenwriter says, "you have to defeat her at the beginning. It's a conscious thing I do—abuse and break her, strip her of her dignity, and then she gets to live out our fantasies and have fun. It's as simple as making the girl cry, fifteen minutes into the movie." Yikes!

So if you’re looking for some quality films that don’t perpetuate these clichés, Film Fresh has fantastic films by women that are worth your time and attention. Here are the ones we highly recommend for downloading this summer. Let us know if you liked (or didn’t like) them or what you recommend as films that give women actors and directors some substance. There aren’t many comedies listed here, but neither are these filled with romantic clichés.

WINTER’S BONE (Dir. Debra Granik, 2010) – A teen in the Ozarks backwoods shepherds her younger siblings away from the meth side of the family. Powerful performances, compelling women’s roles, intriguing view of methamphetamine’s hold over rural America. Rotten Tomatoes 94%

NIGHT CATCHES US (Dir. Tanya Hamilton, 2010) – Set in the wake of the Black Power Movement in Philadelphia, 1976, a young man examines his community’s radicalism as he seeks redemption for old debts and present-day revelations. Rotten Tomatoes 80%

13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING (Dir. Jill Sprecher, 2001) -- Weaving five contemporary stories together into a single tale, this playful and poignant film examines the dramatic impact people have on each other’s lives. Rotten Tomatoes 82%

PLEASE GIVE (Dir. Nicole Holofcener, 2010) – A smart NY comedy about a family that needs more space and waits for the elderly tenant in the flat next door to die or to become swayed by their friendship. Rotten Tomatoes 88%

GAS FOOD LODGING (Dir. Allison Anders, 1992) – A touching story about two teen daughters, one hooked on Mexican films and the other pregnant after a one-night stand with a nice guy, who live with their single mom in New Mexico. Rotten Tomatoes 77%

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (Dir. Lisa Cholodenko, 2010) – Examines the make-up of family with humor and power as a lesbian couple and their teen children befriend the kids’ sperm donor, mixing up love, lust, and belonging in a very insightful film. DVD only. Rotten Tomatoes 94%

More films by Lisa Cholodenko. LAUREL CANYON (2002) is an early work that gives insights into Cholodenko’s longtime fascination with family, love, and sex, plus a fantastic performance by Frances McDormand.

ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW (Dir. Miranda July, 2005) – the narrative is engaging, but it’s the fresh view of filmmaking that makes this film important. Rotten Tomatoes 82% DVD only

WENDY AND LUCY (Dir. Kelly Reichert, 2008) – A gem of a film about young woman on the edge of poverty whose journey toward employment halts when she loses her dog. Rotten Tomatoes 85% DVD only

LOST IN TRANSLATION (Dir. Sofia Coppola, 2003) – Explores alienation by setting lonely people in a Tokyo hotel, with excellent performances by Bill Murray and cast. Rotten Tomatoes 94% DVD only

Time to (Re)Watch THE FOG OF WAR

katie — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:50:09 +0000

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates weeps daily over the damages of war, according to the Los Angeles Times. He said "I love you" last December in Afghanistan to a unit of soldiers hard hit by loss.

Gates retires at the end of this month, which prompted that L.A. Times reporter David S. Cloud to reflect: “Other than Robert McNamara, who headed the Pentagon during the early years of the Vietnam War and left office a broken man, perhaps no other Defense secretary in the last half-century has seemed more affected by the hard task of sending American soldiers into combat than Gates.”

Errol Morris’ powerful documentary THE FOG OF WAR (2003) gave McNamara, Defense secretary to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson between 1960-1968, a chance to reflect back on his role and America’s aggressions when McNamara was a sage 85 years old (McNamara died in 2009 at age 93). THE FOG OF WAR won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2004, and it offers insights into the power of secretaries of Defense in shaping America’s wars.

A recent debate about slow-moving films fulfilling the function of “cultural vegetables” (something we need but don’t enjoy) simply does not apply to Morris’ creative documentaries. Besides his thoughtful graphics, Morris is known for modifying a camera so that the person talking looks directly into the lens, creating a far more engaging discussion between the subject interviewed and the film’s audience. Roger Ebert notes: "Morris is uncanny in his ability to bring life to the abstract, and here he uses graphics, charts, moving titles and visual effects in counterpoint to what McNamara is saying."

As Robert Gates packs his duffel bag to retire and Leon Panetta readies to replace him in this key role, America announces a troop reduction in Afghanistan and aggressively debates whether our involvement in Libya should be called a war. It’s a good time to consider (re)watching one of Film Fresh’s many instant-downloading documentaries about war (Netflix doesn't have ANY of these available for instant viewing, in case you wondered about Film Fresh's competitive advantage).

Film Fresh's instant downloads:

THE FOG OF WAR – Oscar for Best Documentary 2004, Rotten Tomatoes ranks this at 98

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (2008) – Errol Morris’ most recent documentary about Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq; winner of the Jury Grand Prix - Silver Berlin Bear, 2008 Berlin International Film Festival. Rotten Tomatoes 80%

WHY WE FIGHT (2004) by Eugene Jarecki -- Grand Jury Prize winner at 2005 Sundance... an unflinching look at the politics, economics, and ideologies of American war-making through rare Pentagon access. Rotten Tomatoes 80%

THE TILLMAN STORY (2010) by Amir Bar-Lev -- When pro football star Pat Tillman died as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan, the U.S. covered up the fact that friendly fire killed him. This documentary examines truth and heroism. Rotten Tomatoes 93%

Film Fresh’s DVD suggestions

RESTREPO (2010) by Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington (who was killed April 2011 while photographing the fighting in Libya)

This feature-length documentary chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in one of Afghanistan's most dangerous U.S. military positions. This film gives a sense of the experience: the cameras never leave the valley; there are no interviews with generals or diplomats. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize (Documentary), 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

BROTHERS (2005) by Susanne Bier

Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier (whose newest film, IN A BETTER WORLD, won the 2011 Oscar for best Foreign Film) offers international perspective to the war in Afghanistan, plus gives us a look at a female director other than Katheryn Bigelow, director of the Best Film Oscar-winning HURT LOCKER (which we also have in DVD) portrays the current war. When a loyal family man is presumed dead after his helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, his younger brother summons previously unseen courage in order to care for the soldier’s widow. This film was remade in English by Jim Sheridan, starring Natalie Portman and Jake Gyllenhaal, and we also have that version of BROTHERS on download. Winner of the Audience Award, 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Funny Fathers

katie — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:43:52 +0000

Some of us like to laugh at Dad. Consider these examples:

BIG DADDY Have you ever adopted a kid to get a girl? When Adam Sandler tries this, he learns it's not easy raising a child when you're still a kid yourself.

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE Spoiler alert: this romantic comedy is funny! A Seattle widower (Tom Hanks) finds true love (Meg Ryan) and makes his son happy.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE When you’re the dad of a child beauty contestant and a sulky teen, it’s bound to get funny on a road trip with all the crazy relatives.

JUNO Ellen Page's spunky character doesn’t miss a beat when she gets pregnant in high school -- her insights into three dads are more than funny.

BROKEN FLOWERS What if you were Bill Murray's character and you weren’t sure you had fathered a child 19 years ago? You’d revisit all your past girlfriends, right?

THE SANTA CLAUSE Tim Allen evolves from a divorced workaholic into the perfect dad by becoming… Santa Claus. His son helps him accept fate after the first sleigh ride.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS Dysfunction meets mirth when Wes Anderson explores this family of geniuses, creatives, and characters overshadowed by the patriarch.

RV When Robin Williams is the dad driving this comedy road trip, you know there will be “enough pratfalls and poo jokes for tykes and enough sentimentality for parents,” notes The Village Voice.

ABOUT SCHMIDT Jack Nicholson explores fatherhood after he’s widowed and retired, learning to expand his horizons in his RV before he’s welcome at his daughter’s wedding.

THE SHINING And speaking of Jack Nicholson, we were inspired by the re-edited trailer of this horror film that went viral a few years ago.

Tough Love for Father's Day

katie — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 23:31:11 +0000

Our electrician called his dad a "turd" this week, and that got us philosophizing about fathers who are tough to love. If you could use some perspective on fathers with flaws and how a child's views about them soften over time, here are some great films. BTW -- these are all available for instant download on Film Fresh (and none are available instantly on Netflix!)

BIG FISH by Tim Burton

Ewan McGregor is lauded currently for his role as a son in the new indie hit, BEGINNERS, but in this magic film, he’s the whimsical younger version of a now-irascible father (played by Albert Finney) whose tall tales about his past frustrate his adult son (Billy Crudup).

CENTRAL STATION by Walter Salles

This movie is perfect. That’s why it won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1999. It’s about a missing father, but the real drama unfolds between Brazil’s amazing actress (Fernanda Montenegro, who won Berlin’s Best Actress Award for this role) and an orphan in Rio de Janeiro, who learn to trust each other as they search for the boy’s father.

THE SQUID AND THE WHALE by Noah Baumbach

I think grown-ups recognize that fathers who are getting a divorce often behave badly, as do mothers going through a divorce. Noah Baumbach’s semi-autobiographical film about the breakup of a Brooklyn family shows the kids’ view of this stuff. A great performance by Jessie Eisenberg before he became famous as Mark Zuckerberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK.

BIUTIFUL by Alejandro González Iñárritu

A dedicated father, played by Javier Bardem, living in tough circumstances in Spain’s street economy must learn to trust the welfare of his two children to others as he faces his own mortality. Visually innovative, truly moving, and I actually found its theme of trust to be unexpectedly uplifting.

Other father films we like (available from Film Fresh on DVD):

SMOKE SIGNALS by Chris Eyre

Families are tough under any circumstances, but Indian reservations can be fraught places, as Sherman Alexie’s famous story about sons’ complex relationships with missing fathers and the irreversible sorrows -- and joys -- a father can create in an instant.

LE GRANDE VOYAGE by Ismaël Ferroukhi

An immigrant to France, the Arab father (Mohamed Majd) demands his French-born son drive him from France to Mecca on pilgrimage. The road trip takes them through Italy, Serbia, Turkey, Syria, and Jordan to Saudi Arabia plus even more vast emotional territory as they learn to bridge the generational divide.

SOMEWHERE by Sofia Coppola

Oscar-winning director Sofia Coppola’s newest film, her first after having a child, examines the evolving relationship between a famous actor living in the fast lane (Stephen Dorff) whose 11-year-old daughter (Elle Fanning -- starring now in SUPER 8 in theaters) needs her father.

ROAD TO PERDITION by Sam Mendes

Director Sam Mendes kind of specializes in films about fathers, but this one best fits our theme with Tom Hanks starring as a hitman who is forced to go on the lam with his son and ends up challenging his crime boss/father figure, played by Paul Newman.

Tomorrow -- a list of films portraying fathers we can laugh at. For today, share your comments about these films, our list, or or any other films that offer insights about family.

Paris After Midnight

katie — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:22:47 +0000

We had a great time seeing MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, the latest film from Woody Allen, so later we looked up Roger Ebert’s review to see if his good taste matched our own. He liked it, too. France is where film was invented, and it’s been a spectacular setting for movies ever since. Then we dusted off our DVD of PARIS, JE T’AIME -- the 2006 collection of short films set in the City of Lights made by a wide spectrum of today’s indie and world directors -- and we’ve been watching one of these gems each night as a sort of in-home cinemathèque.

We had forgotten how many great directors contributed to this anthology, and seeing Sylvain Chomet’s contribution led us to watch his newest animated film, THE ILLUSIONIST (2010), the quietly lovely story set in 1959 inspired by Jacques Tati’s script (and center of some controversy within the Tati family), definitely an evening well spent since we have always loved Tati’s MR. HULOT’S HOLIDAY and PLAYTIME. We then stayed up too late discussing our favorite French films, and we finally agreed that MIDNIGHT IN PARIS reminded us of the charming indie BEFORE SUNSET (Dir. Richard Linklater, 2004), an overlooked film that puts Paris central to the story of love rekindled.

Two French films we’ve recently watched and truly loved, not just liked, are FAREWELL -- a political thriller based on true events that is a masterpiece of visual storytelling -- and the amazingly visual and oddly inspiring THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (2007), one of my favorite art house films of all time by Julian Schnabel.

The Elephant in The Living Room

rick — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 23:55:16 +0000

There's a very interesting documentary opening in a theatre near you.

THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM introduces us to people who keep some of the most dangerous animals on earth as household pets. "Could scarcely be more engaging — or more consciousness-raising," said Kevin Thomas in a recent review in the LA TIMES.

Here's the trailer:

2011 Oscars: Acting Nominees on Film Fresh

rick — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:27:37 +0000

Not all the films nominated for Oscars are available on DVD or download yet. But some are!

We wanted to make it easy for you to get current. Below, you'll find links to the nominated films available here at Film Fresh, plus links for additional films we have by the nominated actors and actresses.

We've also provided links for the nominated films and directors on a separate blog entry.

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem in Biutiful
Jeff Bridges in True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
Colin Firth in The King's Speech
James Franco in 127 Hours

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman in Black Swan
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale in The Fighter
John Hawkes in Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner in The Town
Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech

Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams in The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech
Melissa Leo in The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit
Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom

2011 Oscar Nominees on Film Fresh

rick — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:26:53 +0000

Not all the films nominated for Oscars are available on DVD or download yet. But some are!

We wanted to make it easy for you to get current. Below, you'll find links to the nominated films available here at Film Fresh, plus links for additional films we have by some of the nominated directors and writers.

We've also provided links for the nominated actors and actors on a separate blog entry.

Best Picture

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

Documentary (Feature)

Exit through the Gift Shop
GasLand
Inside Job
Restrepo
Waste Land

Foreign Language Film

Biutiful (Mexico)
Dogtooth (Greece)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Incendies (Canada)
Outside the Law (Algeria)

Animated Feature Film

How to Train Your Dragon, Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
The Illusionist, Sylvain Chomet
Toy Story 3, Lee Unkrich

Directing

Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky
The Fighter, David O. Russell
The King's Speech, Tom Hooper
The Social Network, David Fincher
True Grit, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

127 Hours, Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network, Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3, Michael Arndt (story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)
True Grit, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Winter's Bone, Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Another Year, Mike Leigh
The Fighter, Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (story by Keith Dorrington and Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson)
Inception, Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right, Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg
The King's Speech, David Seidler

Cinematography

Black Swan, Matthew Libatique
Inception, Wally Pfister
The King's Speech, Danny Cohen
The Social Network, Jeff Cronenweth
True Grit, Roger Deakins

THE SCENESTERS: View the Trailer

rick — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:28:05 +0000

Someone is killing beautiful young hipsters in East L.A.

THE SCENESTERS, out soon from Monterey Media.

View the official film Web site here:

Film Fresh Obtains $2 Million Equity Investment

rick — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Funds Will Be Used to Expand Digital Film Download Service to New Devices and Touchpoints

Los Angeles, CA (January 31, 2011) – Online film service Film Fresh Inc. announced today that the company has obtained $2 million in equity investment from a private investment group.

This investment arrives on the heels of the company’s January 6th announcement of its partnership with Sonic Solutions to place Film Fresh stores (powered by RoxioNow) on millions of wireless Blu-Ray and connected TV devices.

“We are expanding our service aggressively, creating Film Fresh stores tailored to a variety of touchpoints, including new consumer electronic and mobile devices,” said Rick Bolton, CEO of Film Fresh. “This funding comes at the perfect time – it will help accelerate the work we are doing in the United States and abroad.”

About Film Fresh

Film Fresh Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The company offers Hollywood, independent and world cinema for sale and rental in download format through its online destination at FilmFresh.com.

Contact Information

Rick Bolton
+1 310-801-0076
rick@filmfresh.com

Film Fresh Leverages Sonic Technologies to Launch Film Fresh Stores on CE Devices

rick — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:16:47 +0000

Expands Long Standing Relationship with Sonic for Premium Content Delivery

Las Vegas, NV, CES 2011 (January 6, 2011) -- Sonic Solutions® and Film Fresh Inc. today announced a partnership to launch Film Fresh stores, powered by RoxioNow™, on an array of new consumer electronic devices. Consumers will be able to rent and purchase new and classic Hollywood, independent, and world cinema and begin watching these films immediately from the comfort of their living rooms.

Film Fresh - found online at FilmFresh.com - has been selling online movie downloads in the DivX format since 2005. The company's latest agreement with Sonic Solutions will allow the Film Fresh to expand its content offering and provide consumers access to content directly from connected devices including HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players.

"Our partnership with Sonic Solutions is a key component of our efforts to expand the Film Fresh brand onto new platforms and devices," said Rick Bolton, CEO of Film Fresh. "Sonic's technology provides us with an opportunity to rapidly deploy and reach consumers in simple and direct ways."

RoxioNow-powered Film Fresh stores will be preinstalled on a broad, multi-manufacturer ecosystem of CE devices. Over 40 different models will be represented in the first wave of Film Fresh stores, with more to come in the future.

"Film Fresh represents the latest in a long line of companies turning to Sonic for a turnkey solution to quickly introduce branded digital entertainment services to its customers," Mark Ely, President of Strategy, Sonic Solutions. "With the combination of RoxioNow and DivX support, Film Fresh customers can enjoy great entertainment on the latest line up of connected devices, as well as offline on hundreds of millions of existing DivX Certified consumer electronics."

About Film Fresh

About Sonic Solutions

Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) enables digital media from Hollywood to Home. For more than two decades, Sonic products, service, and technology brands including Roxio®, RoxioNow™, DivX®, and MainConcept®, have fueled home entertainment, powered rich digital media functionality on a range of platforms for a variety of partners, and inspired unique personal media experiences for hundreds of millions of consumers. Sonic technologies are now combining to deliver a universal platform for Hollywood Studios, retailers, consumer electronics manufacturers, and PC OEMs that provides consumers instant access to premium entertainment from virtually anywhere. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California. Learn more at www.sonic.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations, including the launch, distribution, and market acceptance of the RoxioNow platform. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Sonic Solutions' annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with Sonic Solutions' most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results. Sonic Solutions does not undertake to update any forward looking statements.

Sonic, Sonic Solutions, Roxio, RoxioNow, DivX, MainConcept, and Hollywood to Home are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by Sonic Solutions in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic Solutions under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.

Iran sentences filmmaker Jafar Panahi

rick — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 02:01:35 +0000

The acclaimed Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi was sentenced to six years in prison today, and banned from directing and producing films for the next 20 years, his lawyer said.

Read the full story in the GUARDIAN.

Take a look at his films here.

New Trailers, 12/19/10: Kids Are All Right, Mademoiselle Chambon, Metropolis, Other Guys, Cairo Time, Micmacs, Mother and Child

rick — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:05:22 +0000

________________________________________________________________________
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, directed by Lisa Cholodenko

As Joni prepares to leave for college, 15-year-old Laser presses her for a big favor. He wants Joni, now 18, to help him find their biological father; the two teenagers were conceived by donor insemination.

________________________________________________________________________
MADEMOISELLE CHAMBON, directed by Stéphane Brizé

Jean, his loving wife and son live a simple, happy life. At his son's homeroom teacher Madamoiselle Chambon's request, he volunteers as substitute teacher and starts to fall for her delicate and elegant charm. His ordinary life between family and work starts to falter.

________________________________________________________________________
METROPOLIS (Complete Restored Version), directed by Fritz Lang

Sometime in the future, the city of Metropolis is home to a Utopian society where its wealthy residents live a carefree life. One of those is Freder Fredersen. One day, he spots a beautiful woman with a group of children, she and the children who quickly disappear. Trying to follow her, he, oblivious to such, is horrified to find an underground world of workers, apparently who run the machinery which keeps the above ground Utopian world functioning.

________________________________________________________________________
THE OTHER GUYS, directed by Adam McKay

Misfit NYPD detectives Gamble and Hoitz are sentenced to life behind the desk. They hate each other and the monotony of their meaningless jobs, as they’re forced to live in the shadow of the two biggest and most badass cops on the force.

________________________________________________________________________
CAIRO TIME, directed by Ruba Nadda

Juliette is a magazine editor who is happily married to Mark, a Canadian diplomat. Their kids are all grown up, and they've planned a three-week vacation in Cairo together when Mark gets delayed in the Palestinian territories and Juliette is left to navigate the Egyptian capitol alone.

________________________________________________________________________
MICMACS, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

First it was a mine that exploded in the middle of the Moroccan desert. Years later, it was a stray bullet that lodged in his brain. Bazil doesn't have much luck with weapons. The first made him an orphan, the second holds him on the brink of sudden, instant death.

________________________________________________________________________
MOTHER AND CHILD, directed by Rodrigo Garcia

Three women's lives share a common core: the have all been profoundly affected by adoption.

17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominees Announced

rick — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:17:05 +0000

http://www.sagawards.org/media-pr/press-releases/17th-annual-screen-acto...

Director Blake Edwards dies at 88

rick — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:16:06 +0000

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-blake-edwards-20101217,0,56...

2010 Golden Globe Nominations Announced

rick — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 20:14:09 +0000

Nominees announced by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association: http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/ .

New Trailers, 11/28/10: Winning Season, Eat Pray Love, Centurion, Extra Man, I'm Still Here

rick — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:31:45 +0000

________________________________________________________________________
THE WINNING SEASON, directed by James C. Strouse

A has-been coach, Bill (Sam Rockwell), is given a shot at redemption when his old friend and high school principal (Rob Corddry) asks him to coach the high school girls’ basketball team. Bill is hungry to coach but he has mixed feelings about leading a girl’s team -- frankly, he thinks it’s beneath him. But slowly, he and the girls forge a strong bond as underdogs that rebound from a string of early-season losses to make it to the sectional finals.

________________________________________________________________________
EAT PRAY LOVE, directed by Ryan Murphy

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) is a modern woman on a quest to marvel at and travel the world while rediscovering and reconnecting with her true inner self in EAT PRAY LOVE. At a crossroads after a divorce, Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical from her job and steps uncharacteristically out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life. In her wondrous and exotic travels, she experiences the simple pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy, the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of love in Bali. Based on an inspiring true story, EAT PRAY LOVE proves that there really is more than one way to let yourself go and see the world.

________________________________________________________________________
CENTURION, directed by Neil Marshall

CENTURION is set during the war between Roman soldiers and Pict tribesmen during the 2nd century Roman conquest of Britain. Michael Fassbender stars as Quintus Dias, Roman centurion and son of a legendary gladiator who leads a group of soldiers on a raid of a Pict camp to rescue a captured general (Dominic West). The son of the Pict leader is murdered during the raid, and the Romans find themselves hunted by a seemingly unstoppable group of the Pict’s most vicious and skilled warriors, led by a beautiful and deadly tracker (Olga Kurylenko), and hell bent on revenge.

________________________________________________________________________
THE EXTRA MAN, directed by Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman

Louis Ives (Paul Dano) heads to New York City following an embarrassing incident that forces him to leave his job. He rents a room in the apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a penniless, wildly eccentric playwright, and accepts a position with an environmental magazine, where he encounters green-obsessed Mary (Katie Holmes). But it's Louis' new home life with Henry that really sparks his imagination. Developing a mentor/apprentice relationship, Henry exposes Louis to the duties of an "extra man," a social escort for wealthy society widows.

________________________________________________________________________
I'M STILL HERE, directed by Casey Affleck

Oscar-nominated actor Casey Affleck, in his directorial debut, together with fellow Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix blow the roof off of conventional filmmaking in this unique and groundbreaking experimental project. Joaquin gives a powerful performance as “JP,” an out-of-control Hollywood celebrity who commits career suicide in announcing that he is “retiring” from acting, while at the top of his game, to become a hip-hop star. JP shuts himself off from the protection and better judgment of his agent, manager and publicist, and sets out on a jaw-dropping journey into a decadent frenzy of sex, drugs and outrageousness, as he tries desperately to break away from his old celebrity persona to develop his rap career. Mired in self-doubt and harsh criticism from the media, he struggles to find his identity.

New Trailers, 11/10/10

rick — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:47:34 +0000

LOVELY, STILL, directed by Nik Fackler

GROWN UPS, directed by Dennis Dugan

WINNEBAGO MAN, directed by Ben Steinbauer

TERRIBLY HAPPY, directed by Henrik Ruben Genz

New Trailers, 10/28/10

rick — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:26:27 +0000

WINTER'S BONE, directed by Debra Granik

WILD GRASS, directed by Alain Resnais

LAKE PLACID 3, directed by G.E. Furst

FRAYED, directed by Norbert Caoili & Rob Portman

From Our Members: HALLOWEEN FILM SUGGESTIONS

rick — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:12:57 +0000

We recently asked our members to recommend their favorite Halloween films, and we got some terrific suggestions! You'll find most of these titles here at Film Fresh, along with lots of other Halloween-appropriate films. (Many of our films are available on both DVD and download.)

Faye T. from New Rochelle, NY, recommended Clint Eastwood's THE CHANGELING (2008), a film normally not thought of as a Halloween film, as she acknowledged in a note to us. But the film "is very suspenseful and bizarre… some of the scenes are more scary and terrorizing than any Halloween movie" she has seen. Alongside, she also recommended John Carpenter's classic HALLOWEEN (1978: the first one, with Jamie Leigh Curtis) and Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film PSYCHO… quite the triple feature.

John Carpenter was often mentioned by our readers. Chris M. was frightened as a child by Carpenter's THE THING (1982), in which "research scientists in the Arctic are being hunted by a mysterious alien force." This film "will have your heart pounding from the first reel to the last." And Jorge B. from Dayton, OH likes CHRISTINE, Carpenter's 1983 feature in which "a red 1958 Plymouth Fury is possessed by the Devil, with the ability to reconstruct itself, doing a nerd boy's vengeance, and, best of all, playing rock and roll music."

Don X. picked some classic movies from the 1950s that were "favorites when [he] was a boy growing up in Oklahoma." His list includes Charles Lamont's 1951 ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET THE INVISIBLE MAN, Joseph Newman's THIS ISLAND EARTH (1955) and Robert Wise's 1951 alien classic THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. (Repeat after me: "Klaatu barada nikto.")

THE DESCENT, a 2005 horror film by Neil Marshall that "follows six women who become trapped in an unmapped cave system in the Appalachian mountains, was recommended by Guy W. of Kennesaw, GA, and Aurelio C. recommended Ruben Fleischer's 2009 film ZOMBIELAND "because it is funny and scary."

Although he didn't tell us why, Robert L. recommended John Dahl's 2001 film JOY RIDE and Sam Raimi's DRAG ME TO HELL (2009), both great additions to our list. Robin M. of Los Angeles, CA picked two lesser-known films, both equally "creepy": Adrian Lyne's 1990 film JACOB'S LADDER ("mentally challenging… mesmeric and hallucinatory," Robin says) and Larry Fesseden's THE LAST WINTER (2006), which "sticks to the mind like an oil slick."

THE SHINING (1980) brought praise from Blair S. in Atlanta, GA, who said that this Stanley Kubrick film has "the most suspenseful climax in a large hedge maze. It's full of hauntings, suspense, blood and excellent acting -- everything that makes for a classic thriller." And Ridley Scott's well-known 1979 film ALIEN topped the Tim L.'s list, which he praises for creating a new "genre of horror/sci-fi." "Despite having watched this movie over 200 times [!!], I still jump when the alien… falls from the ceiling onto Sigourney Weaver."

And finally, Rick K. of Los Angeles, CA offered a more metaphysical choice: J.A. Bayona's 2007 film THE ORPHANAGE. While "spooky in the tradition of Hitchcock, it's either a great ghost story or a psychological thriller, and the viewer decides. No slasher mischief… [but] a solid plot and empathic characters. Tons at stake, and great acting throughout."

All great suggestions! Thanks so much to everyone who wrote in and contributed ideas.

New Trailers, 10/22/10

maint — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:35:22 +0000

PLEASE GIVE, directed by Nicole Holofcener, starring Catherine Keener

SMASH HIS CAMERA, directed by Leon Gast, starring Ron Galella

THE WARLORDS, directed by Peter Chan, starring Jet Li

WHALEDREAMERS, directed by Kim Kindersley

Featured Trailers, 10/14/10: Killer Inside Me, I Am Love, Karate Kid, Eclipse, Oxford Murders

maint — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:30:30 +0000

I AM LOVE, directed by Luca Guardagnino, starring Tilda Swinton

THE ECLIPSE, directed by Conor McPherson, starring Ciaran Hinds

THE OXFORD MURDERS, directed by Álex de la Iglesia, starring Elijah Wood & John Hurt

THE KARATE KID, directed by Harald Zwart, starring Jaden Smith & Jackie Chan

THE KILLER INSIDE ME, directed by Michael Winterbottom, starring Casey Affleck & Jessica Alba

Latest Trailers, 9/28/10

maint — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:32:30 +0000

IRON MAN 2, directed by Jon Favreau, starring Robert Downey Jr. & Gwyneth Paltrow

COCO CHANEL & IGOR STRAVINSKY, directed by Jan Kounen, starring Anna Mouglalis & Mads Mikkelsen

KILLERS, directed by Robert Luketic, starring Ashton Kutcher & Katherine Heigl

TROPIC THUNDER, directed by Ben Stiller, starring Robert Downey Jr. & Jack Black

EAGLE EYE, directed by D.J. Caruso, starring Shia LaBeouf & Michelle Monaghan

Trailer: THE SQUARE

maint — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:02:01 +0000

There is lots of talk about the Australian noir thriller THE SQUARE. "Spring-loaded with surprises," said Andrew O'Herir in SALON.COM.

We're offering this title by download and on DVD, and wanted to call it to your attention!

Trailer: LOVELY, STILL

rick — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn star in the must-see bittersweet romance LOVELY, STILL, opening nationally in September.

We thought you'd like to take a look at the trailer:

Sex, Celebrity and Politics: VIDEOCRACY

rick — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Italian television is notorious for both its skin-bearing programming and its reactionary politics. The first is cause for amusement, the second a cause for concern, given the majority ownership interest in the Italian television industry held by Silvio Berlusconi, the country's leader. Mass media have been central to Berlusconi's efforts reshaping Italy to his own financial and political benefit, and Erik Gandini's new documentary, VIDEOCRACY, examines the connections between the crass world of Italian television and the Prime Minister's rise.

Laemmle Theatres is hosting the release of the film in Los Angeles this week -- it's well worth a trip to the theatre. "After watching, you realize that even a cursory look at Mr. Berlusconi is crucial to understanding an age in which celebrity is now the coin of the realm," says Manohla Dargis of the NEW YORK TIMES.

Find out where to see the film here.

Take a look at the trailer here.

What’s your favorite French film?

katie — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:15:31 +0000

One of the first DVDs we bought years ago, back when DVDs were a new technology, was Jean-Luc Godard’s sci-fi film noir ALPHAVILLE from 1965. We immediately agreed this was a film we wanted to own and watch again and again – it is so unique that it had blown our minds when we each first saw it in college. We’re going to watch it again this July 14, when the French celebrate the Revolution of 1789. Bastille Day commemorates the attack on the Bastille prison, which symbolizes the rise of the middle class against the unpopular King Louis XVI and the privileges of the aristocracy.

We’re rather fond of the middle class here at FilmFresh, but we most certainly love French films and films about France. FilmFresh has over 100 films from France, plus plenty of great films about France and romance. Bastille Day is a great excuse to make a date for some French culture.

Les “musts” --

Jean-Luc Godard’s ALPHAVILLE is a rewarding, adventurous, highly original B&W film that helped launch the French New Wave.

Another classic is Jean-Pierre Melville’s BOB LE FLAMBEUR (BOB THE GAMBLER). This masterpiece from 1956 shows a gritty, hardboiled Paris from the vantage of Montmartre and Pigalle.

Oscar-winning director Sofia Coppola’s MARIE ANTOINETTE, starring Kirsten Dunst, offers a deliciously revisionary look at the party scene of Louis XVI’s court, which led to the French Revolution.

Richard Linklater’s BEFORE SUNSET is a smart, contemporary film about former lovers and the ways their lives have developed without each other, all shot beautifully in Paris. This is our favorite film of Ethan Hawke's and the always wonderful Julie Delpy.

PARIS, JE T’AIME is a truly delightful omnibus film with short masterpieces by filmmakers such as Gus Van Sant, Alexander Payne, Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas, Joel and Ethan Coen, and many more.

It’s never too early to get your kids hooked on France with RUGRATS IN PARIS: THE MOVIE (2000).

What’s your favorite film about France? Let us know! RSVP!

Bonne Bastille

Price reductions on Anchor Bay titles, starting at $7.99!

rick — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:29:54 +0000

We just lowered prices on a large number of download titles from Anchor Bay Entertainment!
Check them out:

Now $7.99

Alice Upside Down
Dark Honeymoon (w/ Daryl Hannah, Lindy Booth)
Gettin' It
H.O.T.S.
Heavy Petting
InAlienable (w/ Walter Koenig)
Lightning Bug
Puppetmaster vs Demonic Toys (w/ Corey Feldman)
Soccer Mom (w/ Emily Osment)
The Fallen Ones
The Grand (w/ Cheryl Hines, Woody Harrelson)
The Man with the Screaming Brain (w/ Bruce Campbell, Stacy Keach)
The Quick and the Undead
The Thirst (w/ Jeremy Sisto)

Now $9.99

Blood: The Last Vampire
Children of the Corn
Dante's Inferno (animated)
Dead Space: Downfall (animated)
Grace
Lies and Illusions (w/ Cuba Gooding Jr., Christian Slater)
Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon (w/ Shannon Doherty)
Merlin and the Book of Beasts
Red Mist
The Alphabet Killer (w/ Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, Timothy Hutton)
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (animated)
Sands of Oblivion (w/ Adam Baldwin, Dan Castellaneta)
Street Fighter Alpha (animated)
Surfer, Dude (w/ Matthew McConaughey, Willie Nelson)
Walled In (w/ Mischa Barton)
While She Was Out (w/ Kim Basinger)

PIONEERING BLACK FILMS NOW ON DOWNLOAD

katie — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:11:52 +0000

Charles Burnett is one of America’s finest independent directors who has been making his mark since attending UCLA film school in the 1970s. Long before winning the MacArthur "genius" Award, Burnett made his 1977 debut with the powerful film, KILLER OF SHEEP. Having grown up in Watts, Burnett consistently chronicles South Los Angeles and the African American families that live there, segregated by poverty, prejudice, or hardship. Burnett relies upon the gritty aesthetics of cinéma vérité and the challenging maneuvers of Third Cinema, aiming for a truth that transcends Hollywood’s crowd-pleasing tactics. We’re proud to announce our first download of this film pioneer’s striking work, TO SLEEP WITH ANGER from 1990, reflecting LA’s black neighborhoods just two years before the LA riots/rebellion. Danny Glover delivers an affecting performance as an old friend from the deep South now staying with friends in Los Angeles. His character is both a fond reminder of the past and a menace to the present. The NEW YORK TIMES calls this Burnett’s “most accomplished work to date.” Finally, finally available on download.

We've also just added another of Sidney Poitier's films, TO SIR WITH LOVE, a memorable 1967 film with Poitier as a teacher in London’s tough East End. He fights the students' prejudice and insolence, becoming a beloved mentor -- and delivering a performance that makes this film well worth watching fourty years later. The film was directed by James Cavell, the author of the popular novel, "Shogun," and director of that TV mini-series in 1980 and many other films. We also have Poitier's classic GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, which is a fun look back at racial attitudes during the civil rights movement, as well as the incomparable RAISIN IN THE SUN, a much more serious view of race relations from 1961, featuring Poitier's stunning performance as a frustrated black man in a family trying to have dignity in a white world.

FILM HISTORY'S SEXIEST FIREWORKS SCENE—Downloads for 4th of July

katie — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:43:05 +0000

Fourth of July weekend means picnics and fireworks, so selecting film downloads may seem irrelevant this week. But that just isn’t so -- once the fireworks have faded from the sky, you can light up the rest of your evening with some classic films. Our first choice is TO CATCH A THIEF, Alfred Hitchcock’s delightful love story between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, set on the French Riviera. The fireworks scene is famous for expressing the mounting love and censored sex between the two charismatic stars. What's more, the scene reveals Hitchcock’s power as an auteur both on the screen and off, because when the Production Code Administration demanded he cut the scene, Hitchcock outright refused. You’ll see when you watch the film that this was a good decision on his part. This film will absolutely engage a crowd lingering over leftover watermelon after all the sparklers have been lit.

Perhaps you’ll be traveling this holiday weekend and need a diversion? Download the great Howard Hawks’ TWENTIETH CENTURY, a sure laugh from 1934 about an up-and-coming star (Carole Lombard) and a swiftly sinking Broadway director (John Barrymore) stuck together on the train from Hollywood to New York. These old standards are perfect for relieving the irritations of holiday travel. You’ll be the loudest one laughing on the plane, train, bus, or car.

If your kids need a download more than you do, nothing is better than ANIMAL ATLAS: PUPPY PARTY. When traveling gets to be overwelming, then you should watch this, too, and instantly get in a better mood. We’re not kidding about the better mood.

Maybe you’re getting a bit too much family this weekend, so we suggest you sneak off and watch HOUSEKEEPING, director Bill Forsyth’s memorable and offbeat film based on Pulitzer-Prize winning Marilynne Robinson’s 1980 novel. Christine Lahti (of TV’s “Chicago Hope”) does a masterful job playing a quirky aunt who becomes guardian to her two nieces, raising them to trust their inner creativity and unique gifts. One sister can do so gracefully, the other can’t slip from the bonds of conformity that were so strong in the 1950s, when this movie was set. If you like movies about independent women, this is one you’ve truly got to see.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

NPR and THE LIVES OF OTHERS

katie — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:32:18 +0000

Recently, NPR used THE LIVES OF OTHERS in its report on Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party “spy files” to convey the surreal ways that surveillance can generate its own evidence. Under a repressive regime like the Nazis or Ba’thists, family members can be intimidated into betraying one another, providing incriminating facts -- or fictions -- when under pressure. NPR argued that THE LIVES OF OTHERS illustrates “the way a repressive spying apparatus over time eats away at the social fabric holding a community together.” Under Saddam’s reign, details of who said what were documented in literally tons of archives kept by the secret police. Many of these archives, over 3 million pages of documents, are now in the United States.The U.S.-funded Iraq Memory Foundation collected them and is in the process of digitizing them with the help of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.

Robert Pattinson is tired of all the attention, Edinburgh champions the Indie community, and Kenneth Turan plans out your Saturday

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 21:11:26 +0000

It's kinda difficult to feel sorry for him, isn't it?

As hundreds of TWILIGHT fans camp out for tomorrow’s premiere of TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE in Los Angeles, heartthrob star actor Robert Pattinson is telling THE NEW YORK TIMES that he’s tired of all the attention. “I’ve learned to let it go a bit, but I’m still really bothered by it,” he said. The article explains that Pattinson “talks about a desire to play ‘characters that are not parodies,’” and to “have a career like Joaquin Phoenix, somebody who makes unorthodox roles pop" (more).

Edinburgh is deep in the midst of its annual International Film Festival, an event that INDIEWIRE credits for taking “considerable strides in recent years to celebrate smaller, undiscovered films.” As such, the festival’s Artistic Director, Hannah McGill, used her interview with the website as an opportunity to criticize distributors, “whether small, medium, or large”, for taking fewer and fewer risks these days. “They’re not going to take a risk a small, niche British film unless there’s some evidence that they can get an audience,” she said (more).

Kenneth Turan predicts that Saturday will be a perfect day in Los Angeles for “lovers of really big movies on really big screens, not to mention vintage movie theaters”, as he recommends two great moviegoing experiences. Alex Theatre in Gendale will host a 35 mm Cinemascope showing of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical OKLAHOMA!. Later, the Orpheum will show a digital restoration of THE LEOPARD, a film that “justifiably wowed audiences at Cannes" (more).

Jessica Alba walks out on her own movie, Free popcorn for nerds at the LA Film Fest, and why NYC's independent filmmakers should be pissed

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:18:38 +0000

Kate Hudson and Casey Affleck in THE KILLER INSIDE ME, which comes out tomorrow.

THE KILLER INSIDE ME, Michael Winterbottom’s extremely violent new film to be released in theaters tomorrow, is reportedly so harrowing that Jessica Alba (one of the stars of the film) walked out of a screening. “So put off was she by the unlikely sight of herself being beaten by Casey Affleck,” says SLATE writer James Verini (more). But who, really, could blame the girl, since another character described her onscreen face after the beating as “stewed meat, hamburger.” Needless to say, THE KILLER INSIDE ME has been a divisive film since it first aired at Sundance in January (more).

This year, at the Los Angeles film festival, you will get free soda and popcorn if you dress up as Darth Vader or Yoda. Its true. It's really true. (more).

Four hundred protesters gathered last Friday in downtown Manhattan to protest the city’s advances toward regulating and restricting filmmaking in the streets of NYC. The proposal states that anyone creating film or still photography involving a tripod and a crew of 5 or more persons (at one site for 10 or more minutes) would require a permit, and anyone obtaining a permit must carry $1 million in liability insurance. As Agnes Vardum of INDIEWIRE explains, “Others are worried less about getting a permit than what may happen if the police have the ability to stop anyone with a camera for violating these new permit rules" (more).

Outrage in Japan over censorship of THE COVE, Tom Cruise a.k.a. "Les Grossman" gets his own movie, and the latest on the greatest of gay cinema

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:02:31 +0000

THE COVE, an infamous, Oscar-winning American documentary on dolphin slaughtering in Japan (released in 2009), is continuing to ignite controversy over the right to free speech in Japan. IFC's blog reports that despite the film's wide release and popularity in the US, only three theaters in Japan agreed to show the film. All three theaters later canceled "after receiving a flood of angry phone calls and warnings of protests by nationalists, who have been screaming slogans outside the Tokyo office of the Japanese distributor in recent months." In response to the censorship, a group of cultural figures signed a counter-petition which reads, "This is a film that has been widely shown abroad. If the work, which is about Japan, cannot be shown in Japan, it only underlines the weakness of the freedom of speech in Japan." Among those leading the counter-petition is Hirokazu Kore-eda, the director of STILL WAKING and AFTER LIFE (more).

Cruise (left) and "Les Grossman" (right)

Tom Cruise's recent stint as a foul-mouthed character named "Les Grossman" at the MTV Movie Awards left audiences laughing and Paramount Pictures scrambling to offer him a film deal. Cruise will star in TROPIC THUNDER alongside Ben Stiller, who will also produce the movie. At the awards ceremony, "Les" danced onstage with Jennifer Lopez and criticized Robert Pattinson's hair, a highly successful comedic act that has many blogs predicting a Cruise "comeback" (more). Personally, I'd like to see Paramount make a film starring Tom Cruise as Tom Cruise in the 2005 Oprah Winfrey "couch incident", but then again, I can always watch that here.

SPORK, a highly-anticipated queer high school dance comedy directed by J.B. Ghuman, will be screened at the closing of Outfest 2010: The 28th Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which will run from July 8th through the 18th. The festival's organizers have also announced that they will be screening Cheryl Dunye's THE OWLS and Javier Fuentes-León's UNDERTOW, which are among 147 films from 23 countries to be shown over the course of the eleven-day event. For more information on the Outfest, visit their official website here.

Shrek is the most popular loser and Guillermo del Toro quits THE HOBBIT!

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:25:15 +0000

SHREK FOREVER AFTER, the "winner" of a loser movie weekend.

Memorial Day weekend, while traditionally one of the most profitable holidays at the box office, presented the lowest ticket sales in 15 years and experts are blaming it on the films. SHREK FOREVER AFTER managed to beat out its competitors like SEX AND THE CITY 2 and Disney's PRINCE OF PERSIA. Altogether, however, low numbers of ticket sales indicate that audiences weren't stoked about any of their options. "The audience is not absolutely thrilled with the movies in the marketplace and they're voting with their absence now," explains Paul Dergarabedian, of Hollywood.com. With critics panning most of the new releases, who could blame them? (more).

Guillermo del Toro announced to fans yesterday that he has abandoned his (now two-year) project to direct J.R.R. Tolkien's THE HOBBIT, a two-part prequel to Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy. Disappointed bloggers are already suspecting del Toro was forced to quit due to budget issues, although the director's personal statement on the matter blames production delays. "In light of ongoing delays in the setting of a start date for filming THE HOBBIT, I am faced with the hardest decision of my life," del Toro wrote on a LORD OF THE RINGS fansite. "After nearly two years of living, breathing and designing a world as rich as Tolkien's Middle Earth, I must, with great regret, take leave from helming these wonderful pictures," he said (more).

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (a la Michael Bay), Ang Lee needs some $$$ and Universal reopens New York City backlot after fire

Fri, 28 May 2010 16:44:07 +0000

Weird looking, isn't it?

Michael Bay and his partners from Platinum Dunes have been hired by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon to produce the newest version of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, a live-action film that will continue the series originally created by New Line in 1990. Neil Miller of the blog Film School Rejects points out that recent trends in the film industry, with KICK-ASS and MACGRUBER nearly failing at the box office, should indicate to Paramount that their demographic can't be too specific. "Do they want a TMNT film that will appeal to children and teens, similar to the original 1990 film?" Miller asks. "Or are they looking for something violent and gritty that will target a nostalgic 18-35 male demographic?" Until more details are revealed, Miller's brow will "remain furrowed" (more).

Ang Lee is trying to accumulate enough funding for his latest project, an adaptation of the book The Life Of Pi, which would be shot partially on water. The book focuses on a boy stranded on a ship 227 days after a shipwreck, with a tiger, a hyena and a zebra onboard. Lee needs $70 million to complete the film, which is more than Fox is willing to pay at this time despite his seemingly modest proposal. The explanation? "Water shoots are notorious for costing far more than initially allocated," Russ Fischer from Slash Film speculates (more).

The studio in 2008 after the fire.

New York is back -- in Los Angeles! Yesterday, Universal Studios reopened its backlot of fake New York Streets, which were destroyed in June 2008 in an accidental fire. The rebuilding project cost Universal $200 million, but will now allow filmmakers to create scenes based in New York without ever leaving Hollywood. Films like BACK TO THE FUTURE and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD were shot in the same backlot before the 2008 fire, which also destroyed portions of the "King Kong" attraction in Universal's theme park. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger attended the opening celebration. "For me this is kind of a homecoming," he said. "I have all kinds of really great, great memories of this studio" (more).

An emotional end to Cannes & How SEX AND THE CITY 2 epically fails to deliver neither sex nor city

Wed, 26 May 2010 19:28:10 +0000

Cannes came to a close with Julia Bertuccelli's THE TREE, a film which NEW YORK TIMES writer Joan Dupont describes as "far from Cannes traditional splashy studio finale" and reflective of a "recurrent theme" in 2010 cinema: interestingly, the theme of "family loss". In the film, Charlotte Gainsbourg (the winner of last year's "Best Actress" award) plays Dawn, a young French mother whose husband suddenly dies and takes the form of a tree (more). THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER warns its readers that "those who cringe at that title should stay away from the film". But they also concede: "given the many who enjoy touchy-feely themes, box office potential is high" (more).

Also at Cannes, French actress Juliette Binoche took home this year's award for Best Actress for her performance in Abbas Kiarostami's CERTIFIED COPY. On stage, Binoche redirected the audience's attention toward Jafar Panahi, the Iranian filmmaker currently in detention in Iran. According to reports from INDIEWIRE, Binoche brandished Panahi's name onstage and pleaded for his freedom (more).

Has SEX AND THE CITY 2 surpassed GIGLI as the worst movie of all time?

No one could have possibly expected reviews for SEX AND THE CITY 2 to be great, but did anyone expect the film to receive a 00% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes? Yikes. In the sequel, the girls escape New York for an adventure in Abu Dhabi, prompting some critics to call the film, "Almost No Sex and Very Little City". What's worse, the film has also been called anti-Muslim and racist. Here's a sample of pull quotes from top film critics:

"The characters of SEX AND THE CITY 2 are flyweight bubbleheads living in a world which rarely requires three sentences in a row." -- Roger Ebert, THE CHICAGO SUN TIMES

"An insult to the memory of the cleverly written show and its celebration of friendship, it's a slap in the face for the four gal pals (often photographed at unflattering angles) and an affront to Muslims" -- Claudia Puig, USA TODAY

"Bad puns, fashion porn, domestic handwringing, contrived plot points, idiotic dialogue and offensive stereotypes. What's not to loathe?" -- Richard Roeper

"The most depressing thing about SEX AND THE CITY 2 is that it seems to justify every nasty thing said and written about the series and first feature film." -- David Edelstein, NEW YORK MAGAZINE

I can't believe no one even mentioned the movie's campaign posters.

How to bring Bollywood to mainstream America, why Naomi Watts endured physical abuse, and a film festival for T-Rex admirers (a.k.a. total nerds)

Thu, 20 May 2010 16:49:47 +0000

In an attempt to bring the Bollywood movie business to the American mainstream, the makers of the Bollywood film KITES have created an innovative campaign: release two versions of the same movie -- one that is over 2 hours long, and one that is short, concise, and more "Westernized". Reliance Big Cinema, a studio in India, will be responsible for the release plan. They have already started to collaborate with Brett Ratner, the director of RUSH HOUR, to create the short version, which will be a "more Westernized rendering" of the film's central romance. "What we are trying to say," Ratner explains, "is that this isn't your father's Bollywood movie" (more).

Rumor has it that Naomi Watts give an amazing performance as Valerie Plame, the woman whose secret CIA identity was leaked by the Bush administration, in the politically-charged film FAIR GAME, which is now competing against 18 other movies for the Cannes Film Festival's main prize, the Palme D'or. To prepare for her role, Watts explained to the press yesterday that she spent two days at Camp Prearu, a US military training facility nicknamed "The Farm". Apparently, it was pretty brutal: "On the first day as he kicked me in the shins and threw me down," she told reporters, referring to an unnamed instructor. Guess it worked? (more).

Don't pretend you understand just how much this triceratops has changed your life.

Tonight, the Brooklyn Academy of Music will begin its nerdiest event to date: a miniature film festival to celebrate Charles R. Knight, a New York artist best known for his paintings and murals of dinosaurs and prehistoric scenes. Knight, who died in 1953, created murals that are still on display at numerous Natural History museums across the country, including New York's. And what does this have to do with the movie industry? Andy Newman of the NEW YORK TIMES writes that Knight "changed the way that homo sapiens viewed the dinosaur...From the early days of stop-motion animation to the original KING KONG (where stegosaurus and brontosaurus roam the jungle) to FANTASIA and JURASSIC PARK generations of animators and directors are indebted to him" (more).

Oliver Stone criticizes the rich and powerful (then screens to them), why ROBIN HOOD isn't #1, and Angelina Jolie as an online video game

Mon, 17 May 2010 16:06:18 +0000

Michael Douglas stars as Gordon Gekko in WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS.

Oliver Stone's latest film, WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS, calls attention to the
avarice and grossly excessive lifestyles of the rich and powerful. The
film was recently screened at Cannes to an audience of, well, extremely
rich and powerful people, who were not unaware of the irony. "They
don't like me that much," Stone told reporters who inquired about his
status among the international oligarchs attending the festival.
"There's irony. I've laughed about it for years. What do you want me to
do? You work inside the system that you have." Despite the scowls,
MONEY NEVER SLEEPS was widely popular at Cannes on its opening weekend,
and according to USA TODAY, "earn[ed] cheers from even the most jaded
festival press" (more).

Ridley
Scott's ROBIN HOOD failed to earn to the number one spot at the box
office over the weekend, taking second place behind IRON MAN 2.
Critical reception of ROBIN HOOD has been mixed: the film received a
mere 45 percent approval rating on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, as
critics like James Berardinelli stated that Scott "has proven unable to
justify the existence of yet another Robin Hood film." Harsh. (more)

THE
NEW YORK TIMES reports that Sony Pictures has embarked on a new
advertising project involving an internet game, "Day X Exists", in
order to promote their Angelina Jolie spy thriller SALT, to be released
on July 23rd. The game consists of "Web episodes" and "companion
challenges" that reveal the film's plot line, bit by bit, day by day. A new portion
of the game will be unveiled every Monday, as you can see on
dayxexists.com (more).

Italian culture minister angry at Cannes, More Polanski petitions from France, and Katherine Bigelow's controversial new project

Thu, 13 May 2010 21:04:07 +0000

Italian culture minister, Sandro Bondi, announced over this past
weekend that he refuses to attend the Cannes film festival this year
because the program included DRAQUILA: ITALY TREMBLES, a documentary on
the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila. Bondi claims that the documentary is
"propaganda" and "insults the truth and the entire Italian population" (more).

Meanwhile,
a group of leading directors at Cannes have signed (yet another)
petition in support of director Roman Polanski, who is still under
house arrest in Switzerland. Among those who signed the petition are
Jean-Luc Godard, Mathieu Amalric, and the winner of Cannes' "Best
Director" Award, Bertrand Tavernier. Then again, France's position is
on the matter was established a pretty long time ago, was it not? (more).

Paraguay
and Argentina have stated that they "will not cooperate" with Katherine
Bigelow should she decide to implement her latest project, a film about
organized crime in the "triple border" region where Argentina, Paraguay
and Brazil meet. The region is a center for smuggling and alleged
fundraising for Islamic militant groups, BBC news explained. "We were
indignant when we discovered that this project seeks to portray a
region shared by three South American countries in a negative light,"
said the Argentine tourism secretary, Enrique Meyer (more).

Tarantino to head Venice Film Festival jury, a CRUDE ruling against documentary films, and the agreeability of BABIES

Sat, 08 May 2010 20:09:49 +0000

Thomas Balmè's documentary, BABIES: is it really as simple as it looks?

Organizers of the 67th annual Venice Film Festival, scheduled to take
place this September 2010, have selected Quentin Tarantino to head the
jury. In recent years, Tarantino has been recognized through various
awards at the Oscars, Golden Globes and Palme d'Or, but was selected
also for his celebrity-director status, as festival administrators explained.
"[Tarantino is] perhaps the only American auteur to be adored worldwide
like a rock star," they said. Sofia Coppola's SOMEWHERE and Julian
Schnabel's MIRAL WITH FREIDA PINTO will premiere at the festival (more).

The US District Court ruled Thursday that Joe Berlinger, the director
of the documentary CRUDE, must hand over his original footage to
Chevron. The company has now successfully subpoenaed the footage from the
director, who filmed a group of Ecuadorians engaged in a long-running
legal battle over the pollution of the Amazon rain forest (resulting in a lawsuit against Chevron). Judge Lewis
A. Kaplan's ruling has been greeted with serious disapproval, if not
outrage, from members of the film industry, especially documentary
filmmakers. “It makes me feel insulted for my profession,” said
director Ric Burns, whose documentary films include ANDY WARHOL and the
PBS series, NEW YORK. Michael Moore also expressed his concerns over
the long-term effect of the ruling. “I’ve never had to deal with any
corporation suing me to find out how I gather information [for my
films],” he said. “Obviously the ramifications of this go far beyond
documentary films, if corporations are allowed to pry into a reporter’s
notebook or into a television station’s newsroom.” (more).

In other documentary news, A.O. Scott reviewed Thomas Balmè's
documentary, BABIES, which centers on four newborns in four different
countries. "Is it that simple?" Scott asks with regards to the film's
premise. "I mean, who doesn’t love babies? Why isn’t this just a
smattering of YouTube videos ('Baby Pulls Cat’s Tail,' 'Baby Eats
Banana,' etc.) stitched together into a feature film and accompanied by
a peppy musical score? That’s kind of what it is." Still, he
seems to have loved it anyway (more).

Iranian director Jafar Panahi still in Tehran prison, US filmmakers join together in his defense

Thu, 06 May 2010 16:45:33 +0000

As we twittered earlier this week, a group of leading filmmakers,
including Spielberg, Scorcese and Coppola, have joined together to sign
a petition in defense of Jafar Panahi, an Iranian director (THE WHITE
BALLOON, OFFSIDE) who was arrested two months ago. Panahi is currently
being held in a Tehran prison for "making a film against the regime".
Two years ago, his films were officially banned from the Isalmic
Republic.

INDIEWIRE reports that those signing the petition
include Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Francis Ford
Coppola, Terrence Malick, Steven Soderbergh, the Coen Bros., Jim
Jarmusch, Michael Moore, Ang Lee, Robert De Niro, and Oliver Stone.

Blogger
Anthony Kaufman, who has been calling attention to the injustices
surrounding Panahi's arrest since March, asked whether or not such
petitions have any effect on the Iranian government -- good or bad.
"There is some concern that calling out the injustices of Iranian
authorities could actually make them harder on Panahi," he writes. He
also reports that several pro-government websites have already began a
blacklash campaign, as the Iranian Web site TABNAK just published a
piece with the title, “West Meddles in Panahi Affair Again, This Time
Using the Prestige of the Hollywood Greats". The article accuses the western media of being biased and dishonest.

We just recently added some of Jafar Panahi's films to the site. Details below:

CRIMSON GOLD
Hussein,
a pizza delivery man, is one day refused entry into an upscale jewelry
shop. Seeking revenge, he vows to come back and hold up the store.
"A stark, minimalist near-masterpiece." -- Michael Wilmington, CHICAGO TRIBUNE

OFFSIDE
The
Tehran soccer stadium roars with 100,000 cheering men -- and only men.
According to Islamic custom, women are not allowed, and the ambitious
girls who manage to sneak in are caught and sent to a holding pen,
guarded by male soldiers their own age. Duty makes the young men and
women adversaries, but duty can't overcome their shared dreams, their
mutual attraction, and ultimately their overriding sense of national
pride and humanity.
"This charming comedy takes on a big subject with great zest." -- Joe Morgenstern, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

THE CIRCLE
A
woman gives birth to a baby girl. Little does she know, but she and her
daughter are already unwanted. Three women are released from prison and
their need for money leads them to take desperate measures. An
unmarried woman seeking an abortion is rejected from her father's house
by the violent threats of her brothers. Their crimes are vague, their
guilt or innocence unimportant. Their paths cross, the suspense of
their intrigues heightens. Their plights are often too tragically
similar. Their world is one of constant surveillance, bureaucracy and
age-old inequalities. But this stifling world cannot extinguish the
spirit, strength and courage of the circle of women.
"THE CIRCLE,
from the gifted Iranian director Jafar Panahi, is a political fireball
that's banned in Iran." -- Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

THE MIRROR
When
a young girl becomes lost in the hustle and bustle of Tehran, her
journey turns into a dazzling exercise on the nature of film itself.
In this ingenious and daringly original feature, director Jafar Panahi
has wrapped a political critique inside the layers of a deceptively
simple film.
"A fascinating glimpse of modern Iranian culture." -- Marjorie Baumgarten, AUSTIN CHRONICLE

TOY STORY 3 cliffhanger screenings, THE DARK KNIGHT sequel, and Roger Ebert hates the 3D film "stampede"

Mon, 03 May 2010 21:33:45 +0000

Disney hosted a free screening of TOY STORY 3 for 200 college
students last week in Pheonix, Arizona, but the screening only lasted
65 minutes. Oddly, the lights were turned on about two thirds into the
film, prompting the students to shout "No!" almost entirely in unison.
To be fair, the students were warned that this would happen ahead of
time, as Walt Disney Studios have plans to tour the country while
screening "cliffhanger" editions of the film to college-age consumers.
Why 18- to 24-year olds, do you ask? While usually the college age
group doesn't care much for animated features, they are the ones who
grew up with the TOY STORY franchise. "Today’s college students were
about 3 when the first TOY STORY was released in 1995, and about 7 when
the sequel arrived," reports THE NEW YORK TIMES. "TOY STORY 3 also has
a natural tie-in, since it revolves around Andy’s departure for college
and what that means for the oddball inhabitants of his toy box" (more).

The
sequel to Christopher Nolan's THE DARK KNIGHT now has a release date:
the summer of 2012. That's all anyone knows about the film so far. Can you stay excited for 2 more years? (more).

In
a NEWSWEEK op ed, Roger Ebert added his name to a small list of critics
who denounce 3D films, as he claims that the "crazy stampede toward
[3D] is suicidal" and "adds nothing to the movie-going experience."
According to Ebert, serious dramas like THE HURT LOCKER cannot be made
into 3D films, which limits the genre to audiences seeking fluffy
entertainment. "For moviegoers in the PG-13 and R ranges, it only
rarely provides an experience worth paying a premium for," he writes (more).

Tribeca festival winners, Manohla Dargis on women and mirrors, What the kids are saying about blockbusters

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:48:57 +0000

One German and one American film won the top prizes at the Tribeca
Film Festival, which ends this Sunday. WHEN WE LEAVE (DIE FREMDE), a
German film directed by Feo Aladag, took home awards for best narrative
feature and best actress (Sibel Kekilli). The American winner is MONICA
& DAVID, a documentary that centers on a couple with down syndrome
who are preparting for their wedding. The film was directed by
Alexandra Codina, who received an award for best documentary. Eighty
five other feature-length movies were presented at the festival this
week, and were judged by a panel that included celebrities like Alicia
Keys, Jessica Alba, and Whoopi Goldberg (more).

Catherine Keener stars in Nicole Holofcener's latest film, PLEASE GIVE.

Monohla
Dargis just completed her review of PLEASE GIVE, the latest comic drama
by Nicole Holofcener (the director of FRIENDS WITH MONEY and LOVELY AND
AMAZING), and includes some fascinating commentary on gender and
escapism. Dargis writes that "few American filmmakers create female
characters as realistically funny, attractively imperfect and flat-out
annoying as does Ms. Holofcener", whose films are refreshingly devoid
of the typical female romcom variety. "We don’t necessarily or only go
to the movies to see mirror versions of ourselves: we also want (or
think we do) better, kinder, nobler, prettier and thinner images,
idealized types and aspirational figures we can take pleasure in or
laugh at in all their plastic unreality," she writes. "The female
characters in Ms. Holofcener’s films don’t live in those movies: they
watch them" (more).

Every spring, Patrick Goldstein of the LA
TIMES likes to sit down with a group of California high schoolers and
ask them which trailers are getting them the most excited about summer
blockbusters. "This year's Summer Movie Posse is made up of a bunch of
kids from Orange County, which means that the studio marketing execs
can't complain that their movies were unfairly judged by a bunch of
jaded Westside L.A. private schoolers," he writes, which doesn't
entirely make sense. Nevertheless, we were interested in their list,
which includes blockbusters such as SALT, a spy thriller starring
Angelina Jolie, ROBIN HOOD (yes!), and IRON MAN 2 (duh). For the
complete list, click here.

Woody Allen in Paris, Off-Track Betting (Hollywood Style), Seriously High-Res Images from Ridley Scott's ROBIN HOOD

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 21:06:34 +0000

Not going to lie: I kinda wanna go see Ridley Scott's ROBIN HOOD on opening night? Is that weird?

Woody Allen provided details on his upcoming romance comedy, MIDNIGHT
IN PARIS, which he will begin filming this summer (in Paris). MIDNIGHT
will star French actress Carla Bruni-Sarkozy along with support from
Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates. As
Allen's press release states, “The film celebrates a young man’s great
love for Paris, and simultaneously explores the illusion people have
that a life different from their own is better." You mean, its about
not wanting to belong to any club that would have someone like you for
a member? (more).

Cantor
Futures Exchanges received a preliminary approval from federal
regulators to create an exchange where people can bet on the success of
new Hollywood movies despite major opposition from the film industry.
"The idea is to give people a way to make an investment in how well a
film will perform in theaters. Those who sign on as buyers are betting
that it will do better than the market expects, while those who agree
to sell are betting it won't," the LOS ANGELES TIMES reports. One
million dollars in box-office revenue would translate to a contract
value of one dollar. If this goes through, make sure you don't put any
money down on a movie featuring Madonna!!
(more).

Universal
just released 54 high resolution film stills from Ridley Scott's
upcoming movie, ROBIN HOOD, starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett.
Slash Film will publish its "unofficial", early review of the film
tomorrow (more).

Restore Stephen Baldwin (.org), Virtual Film Fests, & What Dana Stevens says about J.Lo's latest rom-com

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:26:57 +0000

A friend emailed me a story this morning along with the message, "This. Is. REAL!"

GAWKER
reported yesterday that Stephen Baldwin is bankrupt and "came up with a
plan to make money that requires no talent or work: It is a website
called restorestephenbaldwin.org."

According
to a video on the website, Baldwin (a born-again Christian) abandoned
Hollywood for his Christian beliefs and has, as a result, lost all of
his savings and been subjected to public mockery. "A simple search
through the internet will reveal that people not only mock Stephen, but
mock God as well," the site claims. "If the people of God come to
together and each give a small donation...we can see a mass restoration
of a public figure and all the glory will go to God." If you want to
help Stephen pay his bills, visit restorestephenbaldwin.org (more).

Following
a trend picked up earlier this year by Sundance, the Tribeca Film
Festival is also going virtual. "TFF Virtual", as the site is called,
was launched today and will continue to provide users with live content
through April 30th, the last day of the festival. "We've created a
schedule that will help you plan your online week so you can feel just
like you are here!" the homepage says. For a fee, you can become a
"Premium User" which will allow you to watch film screenings and Joan
Rivers. And for free, you can plenty of other events, including red
carpet Q&A's (more).

Jennifer Lopez's latest romance comedy is almost agreeable: success!!

I
know I always report on funny things that Dana Stevens writes over at
SLATE, but I can't help myself. In her review of THE BACK-UP PLAN, the
new Jennifer Lopez romance comedy, Stevens claims that she must be
suffering from Romantic-Comedy Stockholm syndrome. "After being
repeatedly brutalized by the cynical, soul-deadening rom-coms of recent
years, perhaps I've begun to identify with my captors and am now
grateful for the smallest scrap they throw me. Formulaic plot? Bland
characters? Sappy ending? Fine. Just don't make me watch Katherine
Heigl have a remote-controlled orgasm in a restaurant." Thus, Stevens
was excited that THE BACK-UP PLAN was neither "reprehensible,
misogynistic, or cynical". And while she wouldn't recommend the film,
she believes that if you were forced to watch it, you wouldn't
necessarily try to kill yourself. Let's all go see it tonight!
(more).

John Malkovich could have been in SPIDERMAN 4 & how KICK ASS surprised everyone, but not in the way they expected

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 23:42:39 +0000

John Malkovich confirmed rumors that he was going to co-star in SPIDERMAN 4 (now a canceled project) as "The Vulture", Spiderman's adversary. Slash Film interviewed him on the set of his latest film, RED, and found that Malkovich, although normally considered to be "above popcorn franchises", really wanted to play a role in the movie. “Yes [I was disappointed],” he told them. “But because I like Sam and I like Toby [Maguire] and all that stuff, and the producers, two of whom I’d met before because I’d been offered [Green Goblin on] the first [Spider-Man]… I came to like them, so sure why not? But it didn’t play out" (more).

BOX OFFICE MOJO titled their major news headline this morning, "KICK ASS Opens Up A Can of Weak Sauce" despite the fact that KICK ASS was the number one film over the weekend. Still, according to the weekend totals, KICK ASS barely beat out HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, which has been dominating for weeks. Brandon Gray, who wrote the article, claims that the film did not "bust out of its unpopular superhero comedy confines nor did it match its hype" (more). Similarly, today's LOS ANGELES TIMES features an article, "Why Kick Ass Failed (and did it really?)", which outlines some of the staff's misconceptions that were fueled by the hype surrounding the film. Some of these misconceptions include: 1) An abstract marketing campaign is almost foolproof and 2) Controversy will sell tickets (more).

Twitter is the new Box Office Mojo, This weekend's predictions, & What they're saying about KICK ASS

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:39:24 +0000

Computer scientists are using Twitter to predict weekend box office
rankings, and its working. They compared 3 million tweets to 25
recently-released movies, and found that their predictions were
significantly close. "We developed algorithms to analyse these tweets
and measure the rate at which they were produced," said Bernardo
Huberman, the head of a computing lab at HP. "Our intuition was that
the faster people tweet, the more likely they are to go and see it." Word of mouth builds audiences!
(more).

"
"Hit-Girl is a heroine for these movie times: a vision of female might whittled down to pocketsize," Dargis writes in her review of KICK ASS.

And what,
exactly, is the box office forecast for this weekend? BOX OFFICE MOJO's
crystal ball predicts that two morbidly-themed comedies, KICK ASS, a
superhero comedy, and DEATH AT A FUNERAL, the new Chris Rock
blockbuster, will emerge as winners (more). The man behind KICK
ASS is Matthew Vaughn, a British producer-turned-director of Guy
Ritchie movies, who wrote the screenplay alongside Jane Goldman. His
film didn't sit too well with Manohla Dargis, who describes KICK ASS in
her review as "fast, periodically spit-funny and often grotesquely
violent" and "the latest in giggles-and-guts entertainment" (more).

Dana
Steven's SLATE review of the film does more to explain the legitimate
controversy behind the Tarantino-esque KICK ASS, which began with its
trailer: an 11-year old girl, a superhero, announces her presence in
the preview with the words, "All right, you cunts, let's see what you
can do now." While these lines made the trailer a huge hit at this
year's Comic-Con, Stevens notes that the character swears like this
throughout the movie as if she was starring in GOODFELLAS. Her review
becomes even more interesting when she criticizes the film's shameless
violence. "That's right, I just mentioned moral vision in a review of a
comic-book movie," she writes. "Go ahead and call me a sententious
schoolmarm (you cunts). The bone I'm picking here goes beyond the flaws
of a minor movie like Kick-Ass: I'm ready to rip the needle on
the intravenous feed of comic-book superheroes that Hollywood has had
us hooked up to for decades now" (more).

Stanley Kubrick & his long lost LUNATIC AT LARGE, Starring Scar Jo

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:41:17 +0000

A "lost" Stanley Kubrick treatment, LUNATIC AT LARGE, was discarded in
the sixties but will now make it to the big screen, with Scarlett
Johansson and Sam Rockwell on board to star in the film. The story, set
in 1956, revolves around a former carnival worker living in New York,
who befriends an attractive barfly. According to The Guardian, the
audience "must try to work out which of the characters is an axe
murderer escaped from an asylum" (more). YES!

Stanley
Kubrick's son in law, Philip Hobbs, rediscovered the lost treatment
over a decade ago while cleaning out Kubrick's estate. "I knew what it
was right away," Hobbs said in an interview with THE NEW YORK TIMES.
"Because I remember Stanley talking about Lunatic. He was always saying
he wished he knew where it was, because it was such a great idea" (more). Apparently,
Kubrick was a packrat who didn't like to discard anything, but he was
also disorganized and failed to maintain an effective filing system. As
he moved from Hollywood to London in 1962, a number of his projects
went astray, including LUNATIC AT LARGE. Luckily, Kubrick's story will become known to his fans soon
enough.

Kubrick is widely recognized as one of the most
influential and progressive filmmakers in history. He was, as his
anyone who knew him describes, a stubborn and obsessive perfectionist.
As such, his surrealistic and provocative films reflect Kubrick's
meticulous attention to detail. If you haven't seen ALL of the titles
below, you are surely missing out on a crucial chunk of film history.
Be sure to visit (or revisit) them!

You'll never be able to get these twins out of your head! Never!

THE SHINING (1980)
From
a script he co-adapted from the Stephen King novel, Kubrick melds vivid
performances, menacing settings, dreamlike tracking shots and shock
after shock into a milestone of the macabre. In a signature role, Jack
Nicholson ("Heeeere's Johnny!") plays Jack Torrance, who's come to the
elegant, isolated Overlook Hotel as off-season caretaker with his wife
and son. Torrance has never been there before - or has he? The answer
lies in a ghostly time warp of madness and murder. Roger Ebert wrote on
the film in 2006, "In a snowbound hotel, three people descend into
versions of madness or psychic terror and we cannot depend on any of
them for an objective view of what happens. It is this elusive
open-endedness that makes Kubrick's film so strangely disturbing."

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)
VARIETY
calls this important 1970's film "a brilliant nightmare". Derby-topped
teddy-boy hooligan Alex has his own way of having a good time - at the
tragic expense of others. His journey from amoral punk to brainwashed
proper citizen and back again forms the dynamic arc of Kubrick's
future-shock vision of Anthony Burgess' novel. Controversial when first
released, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE won New York Film Critics Best Picture and
Director awards and earned four Oscar nominations, including best
picture. Its power still entices, shocks and holds us in its grasp.

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
What
many consider to be one of the greatest films ever made, 2001 needs no
introduction, but here goes: A mysterious black monolith appears at the
dawn of man to educate a group of apes. In modern times, the monolith
is found again, unearthed on the moon. It sends a strange signal to
Jupiter, and a group of astronauts travel to that planet to learn more.
Unfortunately, their on-board computer goes...a little crazy. Human
evolution and artificial intelligence mixed with a little bit of
surrealism? Yes please.

DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)
Kubrick's
black comedy classic about an "accidental" nuclear attack received four
Oscar nominations (including Best Picture, 1964). Convinced the Commies
want to pollute America's "precious bodily fluids," a crazed general
orders a nuclear air strike on the U.S.S.R. As his aide, Captain
Mandrake, scrambles to unlock a recall code to prevent the bombing, the
U.S. President calls a drunken Soviet Premier on the hotline claiming
the proposed attack is all a silly mistake, while the President's
advisor (an ex-Nazi scientist) Dr. Strangelove verifies the existence
of a dreaded Doomsday Machine -- a retaliatory device designed by the
Soviets to end the human race once and for all! The film has been
selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

Jim Carey's Gay Comedy, A Disappointing DATE NIGHT, and Harmony Korine's TRASH HUMPERS Finds A Distributor

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:06:40 +0000

Jim Carey and Ewan McGregor are the stars of a new film, I LOVE YOU,
PHILIP MORRIS, a gay comedy-drama about two men who fall in love while
in prison. The film received mixed reviews after it premiered at the
Sundance Film Festival, and since then, the film's release date has
been postponed enough to prompt questions from eager audiences, who
suspect that the postponing has something to do with the film's
explicit sexual content (more).

Fey and Carell star in DATE NIGHT but might be better off as TV stars.

LOS
ANGELES TIMES writer Patrick Goldstein asks how Tina Fey and Steve
Carell, the stars of "two of the funniest, most sophisticated shows on
TV" (30 ROCK and THE OFFICE, respectively) could have possibly made the
"ramshackle, almost totally forgettable" movie, DATE NIGHT, which
opened this past weekend. The film made only $25.2 million at the box
office, which apparently is a much lower number than 20th Century Fox
expected. "The movie's ad campaign shamelessly exploited all the
goodwill we have toward its two stars," Goldstein writes. "If you want
to see sparkling comedy and compelling drama, you'd have much better
luck staying home, curled up in front of your TV set instead of hiring
a baby-sitter and fighting traffic getting to the multiplex." While
that may be true, it seems as if Goldstein has forgotten about great
Fey & Carell films like MEAN GIRLS and ANCHORMAN (more).

The record label
Drag City, which has released material from Pavement, Joanna Newsom,
and Will Oldham, will release Harmony Korine's highly regarded and
controversial film, TRASH HUMPERS. Indiewire's readers voted TRASH
HUMPERS the "Best Undistributed Film of 2009" on their year-end poll.
The film follows the day-to-day existance of several old, deformed
sociopaths in Nashville, where they drink copious amounts of alcohol,
destroy televisions, and hump trash cans (hence the title). “It’s not
that different from booking a tour,” Drag City said, “and there’s a lot
less gear involved" (more).

Mumblecore, Hardcore Apathy

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:03:56 +0000

Between the increasing appearances of "omega males" in popular films and the recent buzz surrounding actress Greta Gerwig, a culture of inarticulate and nonprofessional apathetics are creating what major newspapers refer to every decade or so as a youthquake in film. This time around, the movement is something called mumblecore, filled with individuals who just don't know how to express themselves without being awkward, or who just don't care: "Neither rebels nor bohemians, they remain stuck in a limbo of semi-genteel, moderately hip poverty," David Denby described last year in his NEW YORKER piece, aptly titled "Youthquake: Mumblecore". Unfortunately, terms such as these often typify the very sensational, intellectual, or careerist culture that the youth are resisting in the first place, via apathy, and yet for the sake of clarity, perhaps, the term "mumblecore" has endured.

The typical mumblecore film is even more low budget than a typical independent film, as even professional actors and crews can cost millions. Rather, mumblecore films can cost as low as fifteen hundred dollars to make. Denby describes what this entails: "The films are usually shot with a digital camera, in somebody’s apartment, and run about eighty minutes," he writes. "The filmmaking ensemble gathers around a writer-director-editor figure; they act in the movie, add ideas or lines of dialogue, write music, play or sing onscreen. Few people get paid much, if they get paid at all."

The first mumblecore film was Andrew Bujaski's FUNNY HA HA, a comedy of manners released in 2002. The film follows a 23-year old woman named Marnie in the midst of a post-college rut. Marnie is dejected, but not passionate or angry, nor does she share the same revolutionary ambitions of other depressed youths who arrived before her. "The young people in the quickly made Godard movies of the sixties dreamed of becoming gangsters, thieves, revolutionaries—characters, so to speak, in a movie. The studs and the female 'superstars' of the Warhol films played at Hollywood glamour while enacting the ceremonies of decadence and self-destruction. Mumblecore disdains flamboyance; its reigning mood is diffidence," Denby says.

If you're interested in finding out more about mumblecore, Film Fresh carries a number of staples from the genre, such as:

THE PUFFY CHAIR (2005)
In this road film, an indie-rocker decides to clear his head by driving across the country. His mission: taking a gift to his father, namely, a large purple chair. With his girlfriend and his brother along for the trip, the stage is set.

Generation DIY in MUTUAL APPRECIATION, a 2005 film directed by the award-winning Anrew Bujalski.

MUTUAL APPRECIATION (2005)
Alan's quest for success in music and love is hampered by one thing -- himself. Centering on Alan's half-hearted romancing of radio DJ Sara and promoting his fledgling band, MUTUAL APPRECIATION is less a love story than an insightful and hilarious portrayal of the art of awkwardness. Andrew Bujalski, voted "Someone to Watch" at the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards and writer-director of critically acclaimed FUNNY HA HA (a New York Times Top 10 Film of 2006), slinks through New York City bars, clubs and teeny apartments in this exploration of the gray areas between expectation, disappointment and desire that accompany adulthood. An indie festival favorite, MUTUAL APPRECIATION is a cleverly written, utterly timeless snapshot of post-college angst.

QUIET CITY + DANCE PARTY USA (2007)
Widely praised for his contemplative lyricism and character-driven style, and his "gift for naturalistic dialogue" (VILLAGE VOICE), writer-director Aaron Katz now stands at the vanguard of American cinema's new wave of forward-thinking independents. In QUIET CITY, Katz's deceptively simple drama that has been called "a Terrence Malick film for the new lost generation" (AUSTIN CHRONICLE), we meet twenty-something Jamie (Fisher) as she arrives in New York to visit a friend who never shows. On an empty subway platform, she crosses paths with a kindly stranger named Charlie (Lankenau), and an unlikely connection is formed over the next 24 hours through city parks, abandoned apartments, and art galleries in the heart of industrial Brooklyn. Achingly sincere and shot with a painterly eye. Katz's approach is refreshingly devoid of romantic clichés. Then in his impressionistic and tenderly heartbreaking debut, DANCE PARTY, USA hailed as "one of the best films of the year" (NEW YORK SUN) apathetic teens Jessica (Kavan) and Gus (Pennsinger) share a fleeting moment at a Fourth Of July party in Portland, but their relationship grows closer and more complex after Gus confronts her with a troubling secret.

LOL (2006)
Struggling to balance their online obsessions with the demands of real life, Alex (Bewersdorf), Chris (C. Mason Wells), and Tim (Swanberg) are, like many young men, unable to decipher the mixed messages that everyday tools of communication offer. Does email help them connect, or are they alienating their chances for love by viewing women through the dimensions of a computer screen and the lens of a cameraphones? Filmed with documentary-like realism and a nonprofessional cast, and featuring a brilliantly eclectic soundtrack by Bewersdorf, LOL's defiantly un-Hollywood approach pulls no punches in its up-to-the-second relevance and honesty about the new male paradigm.

TEAM PICTURE (2007)
Kentucker Audley's homegrown debut TEAM PICTURE is a deadpan comic odyssey about that moment before adulthood when you don't need an excuse to quit your job, and sometimes you fall for the wrong girls... shucks! Praised as one of FILMMAKER MAGAZINE's 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Audley stars as an aimless young musician who passively floats through his own life, even in the throes of a break-up, a brand new fling or an open-mic performance. The Boston Phoenix calls it "a lazy, Memphis afternoon of a movie...TEAM PICTURE creates a world and the lives in it and wisely leaves them all hanging."

Find out what's going on here in BAGHEAD, a low-budget mumblecore film by the Duplass Brothers.

BAGHEAD (2005)
From the award-winning Duplass Brothers comes BAGHEAD, a wildly funny send-up of low-budget horror movies starring Ross Partridge Steve Zissis, Great Gerwig and Elise Muller. While debating the merits of writing a screenplay based on a bag-headed serial killer, four friends soon discover there may be more to their story than meets the eye when a stolen car battery, strange noises and a mysterious disappearance or two lead them to believe a sack-wearing maniac may be lurking right outside their door.

NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS (2008)
Mattie and James are in love and living in separate cities. But too many mornings and too many miles apart have taken a toll on them. As they both struggle with the distance between New York and Chicago, their visits become reminders of the difficulties rather than the pleasures of their relationship. Joe Swanberg and Greta Gerwig follow their collaborations on HANNAH TAKES THE STAIRS and LOL with an intimate portrayal of coupling, longing and raw emotional vulnerability. This time Swanberg co-stars with Gerwig, and Gerwig co-directs with Swanberg, creating a startlingly honest adult drama that SALON.COM hails as "erotic and electrifying. This is a new-school independent film with old-school integrity. NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS is a knockout!"

HUMPDAY (2009)
It's been a decade since Ben (Duplass) and Andrew (Leonard) were the bad boys of their college campus. Ben has settled down and found a job, wife and home. Andrew took the alternate route as a vagabond artist, skipping the globe from Chiapas to Cambodia. When Andrew shows up unannounced on Ben's doorstep, they easily fall back into their old dynamic of macho one-upmanship. Late into the night at a wild party, the two find themselves locked in a mutual dare: to enter an amateur porn contest together. But what kind of boundary-breaking, envelope pushing porn can two straight dudes make? After the booze and big talk run out, only one idea remains -- they will have sex together on camera. It's not gay, they tell themselves. It's beyond gay. It's not porn; it's art. But how exactly will it work? And more importantly, who will tell Anna (Delmore), Ben's wife?

The Unexpected Success of CLASH OF THE TITANS, the Death of TV Film Criticism, and the Rise of the Outer Boroughs

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:37:23 +0000

CLASH OF THE TITANS, an Easter favorite.

Despite its sour reviews, CLASH OF THE TITANS managed
not only to top box office charts this past weekend, but to set new
all-time records. The film earned $67 million in US theaters, breaking
the record for the largest opening film on Easter weekend. This
certainly isn't the first time that ticket sales haven't agreed with
top film critics, yet the discrepancy this time around is particularly
notable: Peter Travers called the film "a sham, with good actors going
for the pay and using beards and heavy make-up to hide their shame."
America says: who cares!! (more)

With
the final season of "At The Movies" on the horizon, speculation over
the possible "death" of televised film criticism is gaining speed. In Disney's
statement that addresses the show's demise, the company says, “From a
business perspective, it became clear this weekly, half-hour, broadcast
syndication series was no longer sustainable.” But why? David Itzkoff
of the NEW YORK TIMES argues that the program's cancellation reflects
changes in the film and television industries, as the Web's extensive
offerings of free film reviews undermines the value of a television
show like "At the Movies". Yet even Roger Ebert, once the star of the
show, says that 3-D blockbusters now dominate the market and succeed
independently of critics -- as we just saw yesterday (see above). The last episode of "At
The Movies" will air in August (more).

According
to GOTHAMIST, Woody Allen and Carrie Bradshaw can keep Manhattan:
younger filmmakers are shooting their movies in the outer boroughs of
Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Three recent films, COP OUT,
BROOKLYN'S FINEST, and CITY ISLAND were all shot on location in various
neighborhoods outside Manhattan, and not only because its cheaper.
Anyone whose anyone knows that's where all the cool people are these
days (more).

The Controversial TICKED OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES, The Sandra Bullock "Trade", and a 3-D Hater

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 13:43:31 +0000

The media advocacy group GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) is urging organizers of the Tribeca Film Festival to remove the film TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES from their lineup, arguing that the film "make[s] light of the horrific brutality" that transgender women face. The film, which premieres in late April, was directed by the openly gay writer-director Israel Luna. It stars a group of trannies seeking revenge (à la Kill Bill) against their violent attackers, who injured them and killed some of their friends.

“[TICKED-OFF TRANNIES] demeans actual transgender women who struggle for acceptance and respect in their day-to-day lives and to be valued for their contributions to our society," GLAAD said in a statement released last week. “In this film, repeated shots of a baseball bat covered in clumps of hair and blood are grotesque – and serve only as horror movie-like gore…There is nothing funny about the murders of the countless LGBT people who have fallen victim to hate-motivated violence.” GLAAD has also reached out to director Israel Luna, arguing that all parties involved should contact the Tribeca Film Festival's organizers and demand that they remove the film from the festival's lineup (more)

In a rather odd op-ed piece, David Brooks debates with himself over what he calls "The Sandra Bullock Trade", using the actress's roller-coaster month, with a victory at the Academy Awards followed by a tragic discovery of her husband's infidelities, to mull over the question: "Would you exchange a tremendous professional triumph for a severe personal blow?" Hmmmmm (more)

Were you drinking the haterade when you saw this?

SALON.COM's writer Mary Elizabeth Williams recently saw a Sears advertisement for a 3-D television. Given that ALICE IN WONDERLAND (3D) and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (3D) are the currently the top films in the country, Williams concludes that "resistance is futile...The future of entertainment is here." The 3-D movement, however, doesn't charm her: "I can’t be the only astigmatic who would prefer not to have to choose between wearing her own glasses and seeing a blurry movie, wearing the 3-D glasses and seeing a blurry movie, or wearing two pairs of glasses on top of each other," she writes. "I can’t be the only migraine sufferer who doesn’t need much visual overload to trigger an episode that’ll leave me curled up in bed weeping in pain. I sure as hell can’t be the only mother who just about fainted dead when she saw the inflated ticket prices for CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS." So, readers, what do you think? Is Williams the only one who doesn't seem to be moving with the 3-D tides? (more)

Roger Ebert's Favorites -- Available on Film Fresh!

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:20:38 +0000

There may not be one movie critic whose opinion is the be-all-and-end-all of a film's reception...but, nevertheless, Roger Ebert might come pretty close. Ebert's reviews are syndicated to more than 200 newspapers in the US and worldwide. He was the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1975, the first film critic to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the first to receive honorary degrees from the University of Colorado, the AFI Conservatory, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Perhaps Ebert has distinguished himself as a critic for so long because of his "relative" and democratic approach to criticism. Ebert likes to consider a film's prospective audience before he assesses its value, which allows him to remain flexible through decades of changes in cinema.

Ebert received over 400 comments on his website when he recently posted his list, "The Best Films of 2009", which he divided thoughtfully into both "mainstream" and independent movies. Whether or not his readers agreed with his choices, there's no doubt that even their objections reaffirmed Ebert's importance in the world of criticism.

We've highlighted a number of films from Ebert's list (along with his descriptions) below that are also available on Film Fresh. Ebert's Hollywood selections might be obvious choices, but his adminiration for great 2009 indies like SIN NOMBRE and JULIA direct our attention toward lesser-known pictures that still deserve praise:

AN EDUCATION

A star is born with Carey Mulligan's performance
as a 16-year-old schoolgirl who is flattered and romanced, along with
her protective parents, by an attractive, mysterious man in his mid-30s
(Peter Sarsgaard). He's sophisticated, she's not; she sees him as a way
out of London suburbia and into the circles she dreams of entering.
He's not a molester but an opportunist and role-player, and Lone
Scherfig's film is wise about what people want in a relationship and
what they get. Faithfully adapted by Nick Hornby from the memoirs of
the well-known British journalist Lynn Barber.

THE HURT LOCKER

"War is a drug," the opening title informs us, and in one of the best war movies ever, Jeremy Renner plays an expert member of an elite bomb disposal unit in Iraq. Somewhat guarded by a protective suit, he handles delicate mechanisms designed to outwit him. It's like chess. He's very good at his job, but is that what drives him to put his life on the line hundreds of times? Not pro-war, not anti-war, not about the war in Iraq, but about the minds of dedicated combat soldiers. Directed flawlessly by Kathryn Bigelow; as one critic's group after another honored it in their year-end awards, it became a sure thing for picture, actor and director nominations.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Quentin Tarantino is a natural and joyous filmmaker who feeds off his own tory story that fearlessly rewrites history. It finally comes down to a conflict between a fatuous Nazi monster (Chrisophe Waltz) and a fearless French Jewish heroine (Mélanie Laurent), with Brad Pitt as a knife wielding American commando leader. You have to hand him this: it's one World War Two movie where we don't know the ending. Waltz won best actor at Cannes 2009, has swept the critic's awards, is a shoo-in as best supporting actor.

PRECIOUS

The heart-rending story of an overweight, abused young teenager and the support she finds from a teacher and a social worker, who both glimpse her potential. Harrowing, depressing, and yet uplifting, as director Lee Daniels uses her fantasies to show the dreams inside. What a sure and brave lead performance by newcomer Gabourey Sidibe, and what a powerful one by Mo'Nique, as her heartless mother. She, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and Sherri Shepherd are all but unrecognizable as they disappear into key supporting roles.

A SERIOUS MAN

Another great film the Coen Brothers, returning to their homeland of the Minneapolis suburbs to tell the story of a modern-day Job who strives to be a good man, a "serious man," and finds everything--but everything--going wrong. Michael Stuhlbarg gives a virtuoso lead performance as the suffering man, who earnestly tries to do the right thing. Fred Melamed is inspired as his best friend, who, he discovers, is having an affair with his wife. The friend tries to console him; he is grief and grief counselor at once.

DEPARTURES

In Japan, a young man apprentices to the trade of "encoffinment," the preparation of corpses before their cremation. It is the only employment he can find, after he loses his job as a cellist in an orchestra that goes broke. The company owner approaches the job as a sacred vocation, and although the hero and his wife find the task unsettling, he slowly learns a new respect for himself through respect for the dead. A visually beautiful and poetic film by Yojiro Takita. Winner of the 2009 Academy Award as best foreign film.

GOODBYE SOLO

the third remarkable film by Ramin Bahrani, after "Man Push Cart" and "Chop Shop." In Winston-Salem, NC, a straight-talking man around 70 (onetime Elvis bodyguard Red West) gets into the taxi of an African immigrant (Souleymane Sy Savané, from the Ivory Coast). For $1,000, paid immediately, he wants to be driven in 10 days to the top of a mountain in Blowing Rock National Park, to a place so windy that the snow falls up. He says nothing about a return trip. As a friendship develops between them, the days tick inexorably away.

JULIA

The most striking performance in Tilda Swinton's exciting career. Only poor marketing prevented this from succeeding as the thriller of the year. Swinton plays an alcoholic slut who agrees to help kidnap a child, and ends up with him on an odyssey in Mexico through a thorn thicket of people you do not want to meet. If there's one thing consistent about her behavior, it's how she lies to all of them. Directed by Erick Zonca.

SIN NOMBRE

Atop the fright cars of a train running north through Mexico, hopeful emigrants ride toward their dream of the United States. Two stories: We follow a young woman from Honduras, and Casper, a young gang member who robs those riding on the cars. During the odyssey, scenes of great beauty join with others of the horrifying closed world of gangs. We realize that the difference between the two worlds is the scope of their dreams. An extraordinary debut by Cary Fukunaga, only 31. Won for direction and cinematography at Sundance 2009.

To read Roger Ebert's list in its entirety, click here!

Finds of the Day: ROBIN HOOD named Cannes Opener, A.O. Scott's New Favorite Girl, & The Most Unlikely Cast of All Time

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:44:37 +0000

ROBIN HOOD, the new Ridley Scott film starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, will open this year's Cannes Film Festival on May 12th. Last year's opener was Pixar's animated film, UP, following Fernando Meirelles’ BLINDNESS in 2008 and Wong Kar-wai's MY BLUEBERRY NIGHTS in 2007. Thus, 2010's festival marks the second year in a row that a big budget Hollywood film has snared the opening spot. ROBIN HOOD is yet another movie based on the legendary English tale of Robinhood, the outlaw and archer, who frolics around with his pals King Richard the Lionheart, Lady Marian, et al. The film will premiere at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival and will premiere worldwide on May 14th (more).

The most unlikely combination of actors will star in a new cop drama entitled SON OF NO ONE, which will feature Tracy Morgan, Juliette Binoche, Al Pacino, Ray Liotta and...Katie Holmes. Filming begins next week in New York City. Does anyone want to take grainy paparazzi photos for us? (more).

Greta Gerwig, with her "wide gray-green eyes" and "untameable dirty-blond hair", as A.O. Scott describes.

A.O. Scott praised the 26-year old actress Greta Gerwig as someone who "may well be the definitive screen actress of her generation", calling attention to her impressive career as part of an underground film movement (that some unfortunately refer to as "mumblecore", a word that Hot Topic probably invented).

Scott hijacked his own review of Noah Baumbach's film GREENBERG to talk more about Gerwig than the film itself. In GREENBERG, Gerwig stars as Florence, the on-again-off-again love interest of the movie's title character. He writes that Gerwig's new approach to acting, as demonstrated in the film, represents an important movement taking place right under our feet. "She seems to be embarked on a project, however piecemeal, and modestly scaled, of redefining just what it is we talk about when we talk about acting," he writes (more).

If you're interested in more Greta Gerwig, she also stars in the films BAGHEAD and NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS.

Godard Re-Release, Godard Party, Godard Forever

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:55:57 +0000

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jean-Luc Godard's BREATHLESS,
Rialto Pictures will re-release a restored version of the film at
Hollywood's Chinese Theater next month. Subsequently, the film will
premiere in New York at Film Forum in May and afterwards, in theaters across the
nation as part of the inaugural TCM Classic Film Festival. "We've had some of our biggest hits with Godard's amazing, innovative
movies of the '60s," said Rialto founder Bruce Goldstein.
"But BREATHLESS is in a class by itself. It's not only one of the
most important films of the last half-century, still inspiring new
generations of moviemakers, but it's just as fun and audacious as it
was 50 years ago."

Jean Seberg and Jean-Paul Belmondo in BREATHLESS, to be re-released next month.

Paris-based studio Pretty Pictures negotiated a deal with Rialto
Pictures, allowing them to restore and release BREATHLESS along with
other Godard films, including LE PETIT SOLDAT and LES CARABINIERS. If
you're planning on having your own Godard festival in your livingroom,
be sure to start with these essentials available on Film Fresh:

CONTEMPT (LE MEPRIS), 1963
Stars Michel
Piccoli as a screenwriter torn between the demands of a proud European
director, a crude and arrogant American producer, and
his disillusioned wife, Camille (played by Brigitte Bardot) as he attempts to doctor the
script for a new film version of The Odyssey.

UNE FEMME MARIEE, 1964
Charlotte aimlessly drifts between morning affairs with the
artistic Robert and mundane evenings with her paternalistic
husband Pierre. Unsure of whether she loves either man,
Charlotte discovers she is pregnant and must come to terms with her
emotional infidelities.

ALPHAVILLE, 1965
A cockeyed fusion of science fiction, pulp characters, and surrealist
poetry, Jean-Luc Godard's irreverent journey to the mysterious
Alphaville remains one of the least conventional films of all time.
Eddie Constantine stars as intergalactic hero Lemmy Caution, on a
mission to kill the inventor of fascist computer Alpha 60.

MADE IN USA, 1966
With its giddily complex noir plot and widescreen, color-drenched
images, MADE IN USA was a final burst of exuberance from Jean-Luc
Godard's early-sixties barrage of delirious movie-movies. Yet this
chaotic crime thriller and acidly funny critique of consumerism --
featuring Anna Karina as the most brightly dressed private investigator
in film history, rummaging through an intricate plot for a former lover
who might have been assassinated -- also points toward the more
political cinema that would come to define Godard. Featuring characters
with names such as Richard Nixon, Robert McNamara, David Goodis and
Doris Mizoguchi, and appearances by a slapstick Jean-Pierre Leaud and a
sweetly singing Marianne Faithfull, this piece of pop art is like a
Looney Tunes rendition of THE BIG SLEEP gone New Wave.

LA CHINOISE, 1967
Disillusioned by their suburban lifestyles, a group of
middle-class students, led by Guillaume and Veronique, form a small Maoist cell and plan to change the world by
any means necessary. After studying the growth communism in China, the
students decide they must use terrorism and violence to ignite their
own revolution.

2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER, 1967
In 2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HER Jean-Luc Godard beckons us ever
closer, literally whispering in our ears as narrator. About what?
Money, sex, fashion, the city, love, language, war: in a word,
everything. Considered by many to be among the legendary French
filmmaker's finest achievements, the film takes as its ostensible
subject the daily life of Juliette Janso, a housewife
from the Paris suburbs who prostitutes herself for extra money. Yet
this is only a template for Godard to spin off into provocative
philosophical tangents and gorgeous images. 2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT
HER is perhaps Godard's most revelatory look at consumer culture, shot
in ravishing widescreen color by Raoul Coutard.

LE GAI SAVOIR, 1969
While producing a movie, two militants, Emile Rousseau and
Patricia Lumumba, discuss the nature of language. Referring to
spoken word as "the enemy" -- the weapon used by the establishment to
confuse liberation movements -- the two deconstruct the meanings of
sounds and images in a film representing an important step in Godard's
return to a "degree zero" of cinema.

NOTRE MUSIQUE, 2004
Part poetry, part journalism, part philosophy, master filmmaker
Jean-Luc Godard's NOTRE MUSIQUE is a witty and lyrical reflection on
war through the ages. The film is structured into three Dantean
Kingdoms: Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. The journey begins in Hell,
represented by modern war and then moves to Purgatory, set in Sarajevo.
Finally, Paradise is conceived as a small beach guarded by Marines from
the United States. At the same time, the film also follows the parallel
stories of two Israeli Jewish women, one drawn to the light and one
drawn towards darkness.

Finds of the Day - 3/19/10

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:56:21 +0000

While Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND has already accumulated more than $221 million domestically plus another $200 million overseas, reports from the LA TIMES predict that the film will stay on top through the weekend. New films like BOUNTY HUNTER, REPO MAN, or WIMPY KID apparently pose no threat to the 3-D Blockbuster, which has topped box office charts for the past three weeks (more).

The film is also receiving additional attention from movie theaters and Hollywood studios who claim that Disney will release ALICE on DVD too quickly. In only three months, consumers will have the opportunity to watch the movie in their livingrooms, prompting some theater owners to worry about losing ticket sales. "A robust, exclusive theatrical window remains vital for the health of cinemas and the movie industry as a whole," said John Fithian, who runs the National Association of Theatre Owners. Narrowing the gap between theatrical release and DVD debuts may undermine ticket sales, Fithian worries (more).

Ben Stiller as Greenberg, the quintessential omega male.

SLATE writer Jessica Grose asks why "omega males" (a term used to describe unemployed, romantically challenged, and generally defeated men) are popping up everywhere in pop culture, particularly film and television (more). Citing Ben Stiller's character, Greenberg, in Noah Baumbach's latest film (of the same title), Grose argues that Greenberg's line in the film, "I'm doing nothing and I'm tied to no one", defines the ideology of a new generation that welcomes beer guys, liberal arts layabouts, "mimbos", and game boys. "The omega male is not experiencing the tired trope of the midlife crisis," she writes. "A midlife crisis implies agency, a man who has the job and the family and chooses to reject it. The omega male doesn't have the power to reject anything—he's the one who has been brushed off."

Finds of the Day -- 3/17/10

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:26:12 +0000

After months of HURT LOCKER madness, several film industry insiders
claim that THE GREEN ZONE, a new $100 million war pic starring Matt
Damon, has put "the final nail in the coffin on war-themed pics for
some time." So far, THE GREEN ZONE has nearly failed to attract
audience members under the age of 30, a sign that America is starting
to suffer from "war fatigue". Studios like Sony, Disney, Fox and
Paramount, according to reports from VARIETY, have already began
avoiding the genre like the swine flu (more). When asked if any war-themed scripts are in demand at the moment,
one industry insider exclaimed the word
"Noooooooooooo!"

Your perfect medicine for war movie fatigue? How about watching Michael sing "Heal The World" in the inspiring documentary THIS IS IT, since you were too busy planning your Halloween costume when it came out last October.

Are you ready to watch this scene in 3D?

James
Cameron announced that he has plans to re-release his 1997 hit TITANIC
in the spring of 2012 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the
sinking ship. This time, however, the film will be released in 3D! Can
you imagine? Now, maybe the sex scene featuring Leonardo DiCaprio and
Kate Winslet will be as awkward and weird as the one in AVATAR.
Undoubtedly, Cameron is thrilled about the recent success of 3D films
and believes the trend will redefine the way we view movies: "[In a theater] you can’t pause, multitask,
picture-in-picture talk to your friends while the movie is playing.
You’re submitting to the power of the movie. As a filmmaker I want your
attention," he said. Sure, I guess, but I still laughed and talked with my friends through AVATAR's most intimate scene. Didn't you? (more).

This Just In: New Titles, 3/2/10

rick — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0000

This just in...

Happy Oscar Week. If you haven't seen everything yet, get a move on. If you've already decided who you're voting for, then you have time to watch a few classic award-winning films.

We're getting quite a library of past Hollywood films for download, and we want to make sure everyone knows that.

Fellini's LA DOLCE VITA with Anita Ekberg at her greatest. And GILDA with Rita Hayworth at her greatest. Godard's CONTEMPT with Brigitte Bardot at... you get the idea. Or, if you prefer, Brando in THE WILD ONE, Sinatra in PAL JOEY, Orson Welles in THE THIRD MAN.

Plus...

some interesting new additions to our Indie section:
THE BURNING PLAIN, FOOD INC., HUMPDAY.

And, of course, lots more.

We bet you've been
waiting for...
at least one of these films:

Spike Jonze's
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Jane Campion's
BRIGHT STAR

Roland Emmerich's
2012

This Just In: New Titles, 2/16/10

rick — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:33:51 +0000

This just in...

Lots of great World and Indie content this week: Audrey Tautou in COCO BEFORE CHANEL, Chris Rock in the documentary GOOD HAIR, Kevin Bacon's directorial debut LOVERBOY and STRANGE CIRCUS from Japan, among other.

But we didn't forget you Hollywood action types. We've got Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler in LAW ABIDING CITIZEN, the blaxploitation satire BLACK DYNAMITE and the animated HALO LEGENDS.

Other titles new to Film Fresh: CROWLEY, FROM MEXICO WITH LOVE, LYMELIFE, PERSONAL EFFECTS, THE CAKE EATERS, ADAM AND STEVE, THE MAN WHO COPIED, THREE DANCING SLAVES and, lest we forget, SCOOBY-DOO ABRACADABRA-DOO.

Plus...

Our new After-hours section has some new titles, too: SEX SELLS, PERVERT!, RELAX... IT'S JUST SEX and MEATBALL MACHINE.

Bargains of the Week!

Now, for a limited time, we're offering the option of FREE SHIPPING on all DVD orders. Just make that selection at checkout.

Last week of our Warner sale: Buy a Warner download title, get a second one!

Not much longer to get your free copy of Sid the Science Kid: Getting A Shot - You Can Do It!

Finds of the Day - 1/14/09

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:00:34 +0000

Eric Rohmer's 2007 film, THE ROMANCE OF ASTREA AND CELADON.

Box office revenues in China increased by 44 percent ($908 million) in 2009 as the Chinese added 600 movie screens across the country. Their box office revenues have grown by an average 30 percent over the past six years (more).

Five film juries have been formed for 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Parker Posey, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME), director Karyn Kusama (GIRLFIGHT and JENNIFER'S BODY) are among the selected jurors, along with Wes Anderson's cinematographer and the editor of Entertainment Weekly. A complete list of jurors is available for viewing here.

SLATE Magazine writer Dana Stevens describes in her article "Body and Soul" the lasting appeal of Eric Rohmer's films. Rohmer, a celebrated French director, died this week at the age of 89. Stevens quotes the philosopher Gerard Legrand, who once wrote that "Rohmer is constantly inviting you to be intelligent …. In fact, more intelligent than his characters." She explains this further, "The first part of that statement is impeccably observed: A Rohmer movie doesn't clobber you with its smarts; it generously furnishes you a space in which to think for yourself." Rohmer's last film, created in 2007, is THE ROMANCE OF ASTREA AND CELADON and is available for viewing on FilmFresh. The film received the Golden Lion at the 2007 Venice Film Festival.

This Just In - 1/12/10

gerry — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:11:48 +0000

With the success of films like STAR TREK, DISTRICT 9 and AVATAR, 2009 might be looked back at as the year science fiction dominated. Another of the year’s most celebrated sci-fi films comes to Film Fresh today on DVD and DivX download: Duncan Jones’ MOON.

Made for $500,000, this British independent film stars Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, an astronaut living in solitude on the moon. At the end of his three-year assignment, a terrible incident exasperates his feelings of loneliness and isolation.

MOON premiered last year at the Sundance Film Festival and received a limited distribution in the summer. The film was largely successful with critics, who appreciate the film's examination of the human condition within the sci-fi genre.

Critic James Berardinelli of REELVIEWS wrote in his review, “This film does not feature explosions. It does not contain endless, mind-numbing chase sequences. Instead, it's a simple idea-rich storyline that explores areas science fiction fans will find familiar: the concept of artificial intelligence, whether prolonged isolation can lead to psychosis, and where bioethics is headed.” (more)

The films focus on the psychological, rather then the spectacle, earned it the 2009 British Indepdendent Film Award for best film. (more)

Check out this video interview with director Duncan Jones and let us know how you think MOON stacks up with some of your favorite sci-fi films.

It’s also worth mentioning that we have the popular web series THE BANNEN WAY, now available as a DivX download. There’s also Paramount’s direct-to-DVD crime thriller, WRONG TURN AT TAHOE with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Harvey Keitel.

Wondering what happened to GOONIES star Cory Feldman? We think you’ll enjoy the horror-camp film PUPPET MASTER VS. DEMONIC TOYS in all its hilarious absurdity.

We recommend OUT OF SIGHT

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:30:45 +0000

Terrence Rafferty of the NYTimes writes in his article "Being Clooney: Not as Easy as It Looks" that George Clooney's success, propelled by his obvious charm and good looks, is also largely due to his self-awareness as an actor, choosing roles that complement his skills. "He hasn't typecast himself," Rafferty writes, "It’s fairer to say that he has chosen his roles with an extremely canny awareness of his range...You wouldn’t want to see him as Richard III, and he’s smart enough not to try."

Unlike actors like Johnny Depp and Daniel Day-Lewis, Clooney's "range" doesn't extend wide across the spectrum, but he still manages to present his audiences with variety. Take his roles in the Coen brothers films, O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU? and BURN AFTER READING, in addition to OCEAN'S ELEVEN and TWELVE: although these movies are both full of exaggerated, nearly cartoon-like characters, Clooney's performance is still restrained, digestible, and recognizably "Clooney".

Rafferty believes that Steven Soderbergh's comic caper movie OUT OF SIGHT is the first film in which Clooney found his identity in a role that put him "at ease". In the film, Clooney plays a thief and escaped convict who admires the United States Marshal, played by Jennifer Lopez, who is trying to bring him down. "His performance is all sly looks and bone-dry readings," Rafferty writes, describing the successful, "bankable" star persona that became the foundation for Clooney's career.

Finds of the Day - 1/6/10

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:28:20 +0000

Happy 2010!

Things might be looking up, according to film writer Bob Verini's report on recent trends in Academy Award-worthy films. While gloomy movies like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, and THE READER have dominated awards shows in recent years, Verini believes that a sea change has occurred. With awards ceremonies recognizing films like Pete Docter, Bob Peterson and Thomas McCarthy's UP, Nora Ephron's JULIE AND JULIA, and even (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, it appears that cheery movies are taking the lead (more).

Sam Mendes, the acclaimed director of AMERICAN BEAUTY and ROAD TO PERDITION, may direct the next James Bond movie. While Mendes is renowned for his eclectic projects, from gangster period dramas to contemporary road-trip comedies like last year's AWAY WE GO, the film community is surprised by this news. Nonetheless, Mendes' publicist, Sara Keene, confirmed this morning that Mendes has been meeting with the Bond franchise, though nothing is confirmed yet (more).

Some conservative movie critics are upset by the political messages behind James Cameron's latest film, AVATAR. James Nolte, for instance, calls the movie "a thinly disguised, heavy-handed and simplistic sci-fi fantasy/allegory critical of America from our founding straight through to the Iraq War." Nolte continues: "It looks like a big-budget animated film with a garish color palette right off a hippie's tie dye shirt" (more).

Finds of the Day - 12/30/09

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:06:38 +0000

Twenty five films, including THE MUPPET MOVIE, THRILLER and PILLOW TALK, were added to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry, an official federal archive of "culturally significant" films that are deemed suitable for preservation. These films are now among 500 other pictures in the Registry, which began in 1989 as an integral part of the National Film Preservation Act. Other highlights from the list of 25 new films include THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (more).

In the countdown to 2010, a review of this decade in films reveals a new era for Hollywood, which has reached the $10 billion mark. Ticket revenues in North America from 2000 through 2009 are slightly more than $10 billion, which sets a new record for the movie business (more).

2009 was the year of THE HANGOVER. How does that make you feel?

The New York Times writes about THE HANGOVER as the epitome of a "2009 film", the type of "relatable, nonthinking comedy" that moviegoers turned to during the recession to escape their troubles and have a good laugh. "A little raunch but not too much, please (BRUNO seemed to push it too far) are the perfect balm for the recession," the article says. THE HANGOVER cost $35 million to produce and sold $459.4 million at the global box office (more).

This Just In - 12/29/09

gerry — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:31:21 +0000

Director Oren Peli films actress Katie Featherston in PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

The horror movie cultural phenomenon that is PARANORMAL ACTIVITY comes to Film Fresh on DVD and DivX download. The work of first-time Israeli director Oren Peli, the film focuses on a young couple that find themselves haunted by a supernatural presence.

This low-budget, independent horror film premièred in 2007, but didn’t captivate movie audiences until this past summer. Utilizing guerilla style marketing via Twitter and Eventful.com, PARANORMAL ACTIVITY played only in cities where people requested special midnight screenings. An aura of mystique developed around the film, creating immediate buzz and helping it earn over $140 million. This was an incredible feat for a film that had a budget of only $15,000, thus making it the most profitable film in history.

Due to its unique back-story, the press and critics covered the film extensively. Mary Elizabeth Williams of SALON.COM chronicled the movie’s success in her review, stating, “It delivers satisfyingly gasp-out-loud scares.” (more)

While world famous critic Roger Ebert of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES wrote in his review, “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is an ingenious little horror film, so well made it's truly scary.” (more)

See what all the hype is about and, hopefully, get the pants scared off of you.

Another film completed in 2007 that finally saw a wide release in 2009 is the horror thriller, CARRIERS. Starring Chris Pine of recent STAR TREK fame, CARRIERS focuses on four people who are fleeing a viral pandemic.

Acclaimed horror writer Stephen King calls the film “A sharp but small horror flick.” (more)

THE MARC PEASE EXPERIENCE is a smaller, indie release featuring actors Ben Stiller and Jason Schwartzman. Schwartzman stars as Marc Pease, a young man who reminisces the days when he starred in his high school’s stage musicals.

It's also worth mentioning that we have added the French film APRES LUI, the Italian political thriller IL DIVO, and the third release by Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, THREE MONKEYS, for sale on DVD in our expanding World section. Jim Jarmusch’s latest, THE LIMITS OF CONTROL, is also available on DVD in the Film Fresh Indie section.

We Recommend SUGAR

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 03:12:44 +0000

In an interview with writer/director team Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Fleck says that they interviewed about 500 Domenicans for the part of Miguel “Sugar” Santos. Alegnis Soto, who they eventually chose for the part, was number 452, and was also a baseball player without any acting experience. Watching this film, it is apparent that this level of meticulousness and authenticity went into every last detail, especially in their treatment of the film’s characters. People like Santos or the Churchgoers featured in SUGAR could have easily been typecast as flat, poorly-written stereotypes, as you often encounter films like THE BLIND SIDE. Fleck and Boden, however, clearly took the time to know their characters, and to care about them, as well. Click here to watch SUGAR.

We Recommend BATMAN BEGINS

gerry — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:54:03 +0000

Director Christopher Nolan resurrected Warner Bros.’ Batman franchise with his reboot, BATMAN BEGINS. Working as an origin story, Nolan draws inspiration from some of the most intriguing stories written about the character, specifically Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. Steering away from the campy spectacle the Batman film series had become, Nolan takes a new approach and opts for realism. What would Batman be like if he operated in our modern world? Shot primarily on location in Chicago, Nolan’s Gotham City is filled with realistic corruption, greed and crime. It resonates in a way that no other cinematic adaptation of the caped crusader before it has. The film explores greater themes of vengance and justice in a way that feels poingnant, not tacked on like in previous Batman films. Actor Christian Bale is both a terrific Bruce Wayne and Batman, a combination sorely lacking from earlier adaptations. Fans of the comic book will not be disappointed and those generally turned off by films about super heroes may find themselves converted. BATMAN BEGINS is truly one of the best films about a comic book character ever made.

This Just In - 12/22/09

gerry — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 06:24:37 +0000

Few films this past summer were as beloved by critics and audiences as DISTRICT 9. The directorial debut of South African native Neil Blomkamp, the film centers on a government relocation of aliens living in refugee camps.

This premise was the subject of Blomkamp’s short film “Alive in Joburg,” which is still available to view online. (more)

DISTRICT 9 was shot on the moderate budget of $30 million and featured a cast of relative unknowns. This led many critics to refer to the film as a ‘sleeper hit,' as it would end up bringing in over $200 million worldwide. (more)

Claudia Puig of USA TODAY commented upon this in her original review, finding that the budget and cast work in the film's favor. “DISTRICT 9 proves that sci-fi thrillers don't have to be star-studded or mega-budgeted to be visually compelling and thoroughly entertaining.” (more)

Other critics appreciated the films allegorical elements, examining the parallels between the treatment of aliens in the film to the treatment of Blacks in South Africa. WASHINGTON POST writer John Anderson states, “The poison that permeates the phenomenal DISTRICT 9 is the same toxin that has defined so much of human history: The oppression of the Other. In this case, that means scaly aliens with feelers for faces who are confined to South African-style ‘townships,’ and who, in director-writer Neill Blomkamp's allegorical thrill ride, represent every tyrannized population since the institution of the pogrom. A sci-fi-fueled indictment of man's inhumanity to man -- and the non-human – DISTRICT 9 is all horribly familiar, and transfixing.” (more)

Adding to the film’s praise is a Golden Globe nomination for Blomkamp and co-writer Teri Tatchell for Best Screenplay, which is leading many to speculate that Blomkamp and Tatchell may also earn an Academy Award nomination as well. (more)

Guitar and rock aficionados will enjoy the music documentary IT MIGHT GET LOUD, a film that explores the history of the electric guitar through the styles and personalities of famous guitarists Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin), The Edge (U2) and Jack White (The White Stripes). Directed by Davis Guggenheim (AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH), the film premiered at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival and received a primarily positive reaction from critics.

Owen Gleiberman of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY calls it, “pure candy for the guitar hero in all of us.” (more)

We Recommend SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:30:33 +0000

Nancy Meyers' latest film, ITS COMPLICATED (to be released on Christmas day), has received 3 Golden Globe nominations, including a nomination in the Best Picture category. The film stars Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin (the 2 hosts of the Academy Awards), along with Meryl Streep, who stars as a 60-something divorcee having an affair with her ex-husband. Director Meyers has a knack for creating refreshing romance comedies starring divorcee characters who are 20 to 30 years older than your average boring romcom star, just as she did in this wonderful film, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE. You know how watching Adam Sandler in FUNNY PEOPLE was sort of like watching a biography of Adam Sandler (if he had actually been diagnosed with a terminal illness)? This movie is sort of like that, but infinitely less depressing. If you imagined what would happen if the snarky, iconic Jack Nicholson fell in love with the independent, confident Diane Keaton at the age of 65, it might look a lot like this: two egos, stranded at a mansion in the Hamptons, who are too successful and hardened to realize they might actually like each other. We didn't expect to like this film, but we did. Think of it as the romance comedy for people who don't like romance comedies.

SAG Nominations Announced: Nods to UP IN THE AIR, PRECIOUS & BASTERDS

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:45:22 +0000

With INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, PRECIOUS and UP IN THE AIR leading the way, the nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards were announced earlier this week. The nominees for Best Cast in a Motion Picture, perhaps the ceremony's "Best Picture" equivalent, are AN EDUCATION, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, NINE, and PRECIOUS.

Sandra Bullock received a nomination for her performance in THE BLIND SIDE, and will be competing for the award against Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourney Sidibe and Meryl Streep.

(from top left) Sandra Bullock in THE BLIND SIDE, Gabourey Sidibe in PRECIOUS,
Meryl Streep in JULIE & JULIA, Carey Mulligan in AN EDUCATION, and Helen Mirren
in THE LAST STATION

The SAG winners will be announced January 23 at the awards broadcast, on TNT and TBS at 8 p.m. Until then, we've posted the film actor nominees here:

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

THE HURT LOCKER
PRECIOUS
NINE
AN EDUCATION
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges, CRAZY HEART
George Clooney, UP IN THE AIR
Colin Firth, A SINGLE MAN
Morgan Freeman, INVICTUS
Jeremy Renner, THE HURT LOCKER

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock, THE BLIND SIDE
Helen Mirren, THE LAST STATION
Carey Mulligan, AN EDUCATION
Gabourey Sidibe, PRECIOUS
Meryl Streep, JULIE & JULIA

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon, INVICTUS
Woody Harrelson, THE MESSENGER
Christopher Plummer, THE LAST STATION

Stanley Tucci, THE LOVELY BONES
Christoph Waltz, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz, NINE
Vera Farmiga, UP IN THE AIR
Anna Kendrick, UP IN THE AIR
Diane Kruger, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Mo'Nique, PRECIOUS

Outstanding Stunt Ensemble:

PUBLIC ENEMIES
STAR TREK
TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

What People Are Saying About ... AVATAR

gerry — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:24:21 +0000

The day has finally arrived. After a multimillion dollar production budget, months of geek hype, and a massive promotional campaign from Fox, James Cameron’s AVATAR has finally comes to theaters.

AVATAR is said to change to movie industry and cement the 3D format as the next step in filmmaking, and like director George Lucas, Cameron has worked to create an entire new world complete with its own mythology and history.

An article in POPULAR MECHANICS looks extensively at the new technology Cameron created to reach his vision, including a modified version of the digital 3D Fusion Camera System. (more)

Initial buzz from critics indicates that Cameron’s technological breakthroughs are an astounding success and that the filmmaker's gambles have paid off.

David Denby of THE NEW YORKER opens his review with, “James Cameron’s AVATAR is the most beautiful film I’ve seen in years.” (more)

Indeed, the screen shots and trailers of AVATAR reveal a lush green planet known as Pandora. The idyllic environments in the film were created entirely through the use of digital technology and many are saying that AVATAR features the best use of CGI in film history. (more)

WASHINGTON POST critic Ann Hornaday writes that, “Cameron creates a seamless journey between the realistic and imagined world.”

One of the main criticisms of Cameron’s film has been its dialogue, but Hornaday challenges the naysayers. “Is the dialogue corny? You bet. Does the movie go kerblooey in its final moments, during a ferocious, explosive firefight that will leave your eyeballs bleeding? Uh-huh. But Cameron has delivered what he promised with AVATAR: an ambitious, fully immersive cinematic experience.” (more)

Fox, and Cameron, hope that the film wins big at the box-office this weekend. Will audiences agree with critics and find that Cameron has achieved what many thought was impossible? Only Monday’s return reports will tell, but considering the impressive amount of presale tickets sold, the filmmaker and the studio have nothing to worry about.

What People Are Saying About ... HOME

rick — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 01:07:35 +0000

This Friday (December 18), French-Swiss director Ursula Meier's debut feature, HOME, opens in New York and Los Angeles. We heartily recommend you getting out of the house to see this comedy about a family trying to hang onto their own home.

The movie opens with a family of five playing a night-time hockey game on a deserted superhighway that runs past the front of their property. The highway hasn't been in use for years, and the family has annexed the space. Furniture and toys litter the road. The oldest sister spends her free time sunbathing nearby. The young boy rides his bicycle madly up and down the empty expanse. The mail box and school bus are on the opposite side of the freeway, but it's not a problem, since there are no cars to worry about, ever.

Until, of course, the government repaves and reopens the road. Suddenly, thousands of cars are zipping by the family's home, creating a roar that keeps the family up all night. Traffic jams turn their front yard into a tourist carnival, with drivers gawking at the eldest, who refuses to give up her sunbathing habit. The younger daughter, certain that the poisonous car exhaust will kill the family, maintains a state of complete vigilance. The family starts to fray around the edges. As they loose their sanity, they start walling themselves in, trying to escape the invasion of traffic by disappearing into their home.

Meier is a sly director, letting the warmth and casual grace of the family show through, while quietly hinting that the family might be a little too close for comfort. Bunuel's EXTERMINATING ANGEL comes to mind, as well as the French cinematic preoccupation with traffic -- Godard's WEEKEND and Tati's TRAFIC, for example. Experienced cinematographer Agnès Godard brings an equally light touch to the task.

Isabelle Huppert plays the mother of the family, moving from carefree to paranoid as the world imposes on her castle. Olivier Gourmet, the father, may be recognized by arthouse audiences for his previous roles in LA PROMESSE, THE SON and TIME OF THE WOLF. Newcomers Adélaïde Leroux, Madeleine Budd and Kacey Mottet Klein round out the cast.

"A confident, appealingly bizarre theatrical debut," says Andrew Shenker in the VILLAGE VOICE. "The talented Ms. Meier has a particularly generous appreciation for the human comedy," concludes NEW YORK TIME's Manohla Dargis.

We Recommend RUDO Y CURSI

gerry — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:44:53 +0000

Carlos Cuarón's directorial debut RUDO Y CURSI is a hilarious and poignant film that focuses on the relationship between two rival brothers in rural Mexico. By chance, a talent scout spots the two siblings and offers them contracts to become professional soccer players in Mexico City. Viewers shouldn’t expect a sports spectacle though, as the majority of soccer takes place off camera. This allows the filmmaker to focus on the film’s greater themes of masculinity, family and social mobility in Mexican culture. Cuaron’s comedic tone and the natural chemistry between actors Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna helps lighten the mood for the film’s more serious and dramatic themes. Rudo and Cursi’s ignorance of urban life makes the harsh reality of their character’s backgrounds all the more believable. Take for example the Rudo and Cursi’s fascination with freeze-dried shrimp in instant ramen and Bernal’s hilarious, off-key rendition of Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me.” In both scenes there are undercurrents of permeating class issues within Mexican society. Like his brother Alfonso, it’s clear that Carlos is a natural and gifted storyteller, making RUDO Y CURSI an enjoyable and socially conscious film.

New and Old Christmas Classics

gerry — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:05:43 +0000

Film Fresh has a growing collection of Christmas films to get you in the holiday spirit. From heartwarming classics, to animated visual feasts and even cynical modern visions, there’s really something for anyone and everyone.

You can’t get more traditional then Frank Capra’s moving vision of American family in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, George Seaton’s Oscar winning MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET and Irving Berlin’s musical WHITE CHRISTMAS

A trio of great animated Christmas films have found their way into our expanding library. They include Chuck Jones’ interpretation of Dr. Seuss’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS!, Robert Zemeckis' first foray into motion-capture technology, THE POLAR EXPRESS, and TOKYO GODFATHERS, a film directed by Japanese Anime master Satoshi Kon.

For a more skewed interpretation of Christmas, make sure to give the films BAD SANTA, A CHRISTMAS STORY, FOUR CHRISTMASES and CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS a view this season. How skewed we talking? A boozing, cursing Santa Claus and a father with an unhealthy obsession with a gaudy leg lamp are just a couple of examples.

More modern holiday favorites now available include THE SANTA CLAUSE, starring Tim Allen as a man who unwilling takes on the mantle of Kris Kringle, and THIS CHRISTMAS, featuring the musical talents of Chris Brown.

From our World and Indie sections we offer the French film JOYEUX NOEL, the story of World War I soldiers celebrating Christmas in the trenches, and HOLLYWOOD, JE T'AIME, a film about a gay French man who finds love in Los Angeles while on Christmas holiday.

It's a Christmas tradition to watch some holiday films. Feel free to take to your pick.

We Recommend THE COUNTERFEITERS

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:06:32 +0000

A great deal of movies about the Holocaust are tales of survival. Here, however, the plot is far less straightforward: the main characters are prisoners inside concentration camps who the Nazis feed decently and provide with mattresses, sheets, blankets and even a ping pong table for their own “leisure”. We only catch glimpses of the suffering and death occurring by the thousands outside the "comforting" walls that shelter Soloman and his league of counterfeiters. But the threat is always there: Jews who are unable to forge foreign currencies properly are thrown out with the rest. But if they help the Nazis too much, who really wins in the end? Thus, in the case of this film, its greatest horrors are merely suggestions – likely outcomes -- of what could happen if the counterfeiter Soloman’s brilliant balancing act tilts too much toward one side. THE COUNTERFEITERS is an incredible and captivating Austrian-German film written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, and was released in 2007. It won the the Oscar in 2008 for Best Foreign Language Film but really deserved even more.

67th Golden Globe Award Nominations Announced

gerry — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:53:59 +0000

Nominees for the 67th Annual Golden Globes were announced today with the Jason Reitman film UP IN THE AIR receiving six, inlcuding Best Picture (Drama), Best Director, Best Actor (George Clooney) and Best Supporting Actress (Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendric).

AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, and PRECIOUS rounded out the rest of the nominees in the Best Picture (Drama) category with (500) DAYS OF SUMMER, THE HANGOVER, IT'S COMPLICATED, JULIE & JULIA and NINE snagging the nominations in the Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) category.

Five out of the four nominations for Best Foreign Language Film came from European cinemas, with the exception coming from Chile. Those nomineees are: BAARIA (Italy), BROKEN EMBRACES (Spain), THE MAID (Chile), A PROPHET (France) and THE WHITE RIBBON (Germany).

The Golden Globes are often considered as a precursor to the films that will earn Academy Award nominations.

VARIETY has a full list of this year's nominees. (more)

The ceremony will be telecast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, January 17, 2010, and hosted by British comedian/actor Ricky Gervais.

This Just In - 12/15/09

gerry — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:39:26 +0000

THE HANGOVER shows the aftermath of a drunken Vegas bachelor party gone horribly wrong. Directed by Todd Phillips (OLD SCHOOL, ROAD TRIP), the film features performances by Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms (“The Office”), Zack Galifianakis and even a cameo by former boxing champion Mike Tyson.

Critics and audiences loved the film when it was released this past June, making it one of the most successful films of the summer. Critics specfiically praised Phillips and his comedic directing abilities.

ROLLING STONE critic Peter Travers wrote in his original review that, “THE HANGOVER ain't art, but Phillips has shaped the hardcore hilarity into the summer party movie of all our twisted dreams.” (more)

Another attribute that earned THE HANGOVER critical praise was the film’s depiction of men. Mike LaSalle of the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE wrote in his review, “[Phillips is] a director who knows what men are really like. Other comedies present men in ways that are too crude or too sentimental, but Phillips has an instinctive feel for the truth… Here's the truth about men: They are often prone to lewd, absurd, demented behavior, particularly when traveling in packs; and yet at the exact same time, men can be wildly romantic, in ways that are absolutely juvenile, yet weirdly soul nourishing. Another truth: Sometimes men, even married men (maybe especially married men), need to be around other men. “ (more)

However, not all critics were fans of the film’s absurdist qualities. Critic Joe Neumaier of the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS wrote that the film, “has a decent setup - three friends have to reconstruct a wild bachelor party night and find the missing groom-to-be - but ruins it by cranking up the contrivances. “ (more)

Despite the few naysayers, Phillips, along with his cast and crew, have definitely had the last laugh. The film is now a Golden Globe nominee for Best Picture of the year. (more)

Check this out unlikey award season contender here at Film Fresh on DVD and DivX download.

We Recommend THE DESCENT

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:38:43 +0000

A glance at THE DESCENT's poster image and you might believe this is Charlie’s Angels: The Horror Movie, but despite the plethora of babes, blood and sweat, this movie is smarter than the average horror flick. Six tough women, all friends with a few unresolved relationship issues, go spelunking in a deep-underground cave together. There, nature turns against them in the most freaky, screwed up and horrific ways. As they crawl through narrow, claustrophobic holes, severe panic arises when their path back to the earth's surface collapses in on itself. What's more, far undergorund they encounter a flesh-eating, pale-skinned species that emerges from the black hole (presumably a species that evolved from humans who once fell into the depths themselves). And not everyone gets a flashlight. Fans of the horror genre will find the sharp, respectable all-female cast refreshing (these girls are not Jennifer Love Hewitts or Lucy Lius) And most importantly, you’ll be absolutely terrified, guaranteed.

We Recommend GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

gerry — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:20:15 +0000

James Foley’s film adaptation of David Mamet’s stage play, GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, has all the essential elements of an engaging film: a captivating story, stellar performances and sharp dialogue. Harkening back to the days of early Hollywood, the film features minimal locations and no visual effects. It relies upon its script and compelling cast, and they all deliver. Jack Lemmon truly shines as Shelley “the Machine” Levine, a salesman down on his luck and desperate for money. Lemmon draws empathy quickly and effectively from his audience. Right from the start of the film you watch him with both a sense of fascination and pity. Alec Baldwin also provides an extremely memorable, all-be-it short, performance as a corporate shill with a knack for dispensing venomous criticism. The film features many iconic actors. Aside from Lemmon and Baldwin, the film stars Al Pacino, Ed Harris, Kevin Spacey and Alan Arkin. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is a film that might get lost in its cast’s lengthy resumes, but it deserves to be watched and celebrated for its dedication to telling an effective and compelling story.

Finds of the Day - 12/14/09

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:31:23 +0000

The top film of the weekend was THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, which topped the domestic box office at $25 million. This is the best nationwide debut for an animated movie opening in December (more). "For parents exasperated with their daughters' princess obsession—fueled by such earlier Disney features as CINDERELLA, SNOW WHITE and SLEEPING BEAUTY, or more accurately by Disney's (genius) decision to brand those characters under the "princess" line in 2000 -- THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG will feel heaven-sent," Dan Kois wrote in Slate Magazine (more).

THE HURT LOCKER continues to emerge as the big award-winner as the season progresses. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association presented the film yesterday with awards for both best director and best picture. It also won five awards yesterday with the Boston Society of Film Critics (more).

Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the many celebrity stars of NINE, a new Rob Marshall film based on Fellini's 8 1/2. “If Rob hadn’t knocked on the door all day, I might not have done it,” Mr. Day-Lewis told the NEW YORK TIMES. Apparently, after Javier Bardem dropped out of the film, Mr. Marshall started adamently pursuing Day-Lewis by finding him and his family in Connecticut. “I thought he was living with us at one point,” he said. “He was there for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I thought the only way this is going to work is if I just get on with it" (more).

Noah Baumbach's Movies: Maybe Autobiographical, But It Doesn't Matter

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:54:01 +0000

Jeff Daniels (center) plays the difficult patriarch, Bernard, in THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.

In THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, Jeff Daniels plays Bernard, a pompous creative writing teacher and novelist whose intellectual capabilities far outweigh his emotional maturity. A.O. Scott aptly describes his character as “the kind of man who can refer to Franz Kafka as ‘one of my predecessors’ and dismiss A TALE OF TWO CITIES as ‘minor Dickens’”. Bernard’s perception of himself and his two sons relies heavily on the success of their intellectual endeavors, as family dinners revolve around discussions of classic literature as if Bernard had never left his classroom that day.

Bernard’s difficult personality is one of the many factors contributing to his divorce with the aloof and complicated Joan (Laura Linney), also a writer and the mother of his children. Noah Baumbach wrote and directed this intense coming-of-age story that revolves around a divorce set in Park Slope, Brooklyn in the mid 80’s, told primarily through the perspective of Walt, their 16-year old son. Both hilarious and painful, the experience of watching the egos of Baumbach’s characters bounce off one another is much like reliving the time when we were first embarrassed or ashamed of our parents -- a profound moment in adolescence that often marks a transition into young adulthood. Baumbach's stories are about characters, and his characters are often all too real.

Baumbach's 2007 film MARGOT AT THE WEDDING.

Baumbach’s next feature was MARGOT AT THE WEDDING in 2007, another dysfunctional-family comedy/drama. The film disappointed some of the critics who had loved SQUID but believed that MARGOT had barrowed Baumbach’s signature “verbally violent” characters and turned them into cruel basketcases. Nicole Kidman stars as Margot, a successful and anxiety-ridden woman who brings her 11-year old son to visit her sister, engaged to a man that Margot despises. Here, Baumbach pushes family drama to its extreme: while relatives slap each other in the face, the hostility of their physical assaults is far less threatening than their biting, passive-aggressive remarks toward one another.

The director has noted in interviews that the first question journalists tend to ask him is whether his films are autobiographical. Like the two boys of SQUID, Noah was born in Brooklyn, New York to writer parents who divorced when he was 14 – thus, it is difficult not to make the assumption. "Somebody could easily go through and link everything to different points in not just my family, but people I know - but I don't even really care,” he once said. “For me, the movie is a protection - a completely reinvented film." Perhaps a number of Baumbach’s fans ask this question simply because they identified all too much with the broken families of his films.

Baumbach also attended my alma mater, Vassar College, and graduated in 1991 long before I arrived. Incidentally, his first film, KICKING AND SCREAMING, centers on the lives of four young men who graduate from a left-wing, northeast liberal arts college and refuse to move on with their lives. Autobiographical? Isn't everything? No. Maybe. Who cares?

Mexico's New Wave

gerry — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:13:44 +0000

The "Three Amigos": Alejandro González Iñárritu, Guillermo Del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón at the 2007 Academy Awards.

This past decade has seen an emergence of Mexican New Wave cinema. Like the filmmakers of Japan and France that came to prominence in the 50s and 60s, the 00s might belong to the auteurs of Mexico. Three directors in particular have captivated audiences with their diverse body of work. Dubbed “The Three Amigos,” Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo Del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu have enjoyed mainstream success and turned the eyes of cinephiles around the world towards the nation of Mexico.

The catalyst was in 2000 when Iñárritu released AMORES PERROS, a film that tells three intertwining stories in the barrios of Mexico City. Following its premiere at Cannes Film Festival, established critics and mainstream audiences took notice of the first time filmmaker.

In his original review, critic Roger Ebert wrote, “It is the work of a born filmmaker, and you can sense Gonzalez Inarritu's passion as he plunges into melodrama, coincidence, sensation and violence.” (more)

AMORES PERROS won every major award at the 2001 Ariel Awards in Mexico and also managed to pick-up a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2001 Academy Awards.

Also in 2001, Alfonso Cuarón released his sexually charged allegory, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and Guillermo Del Toro unleashed his horror film THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE.

Co-written with his brother Carlos Cuarón, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN is a coming-of-age road film featuring Mexican actors Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna and Maribel Verdú. THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE starred Eduardo Noriega and told the story of a ghost during the Spanish Civil War. Like AMORES PERROS, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE both received a great deal of attention from both audiences and critics.

Desson Howe of the WASHINGTON POST called Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, “the best road movie ever made” and the Academy recognized the work of the Cuarón brothers by nominating them for Best Original Screenplay in 2003.

Controversy surrounded Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and its depiction of sex and sexuality.

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films nominated THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE for 2002 award for Best Horror Film. A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES also bestowed praised upon the film and its director, writing that “Mr. del Toro provokes your screams and shudders, but he also earns your tears.” (more)

The success of AMORES PERROS, Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN and THE DEVIL’S BACKBONE granted Iñárritu, Cuarón and Del Toro the opportunity to move onto new projects with bigger budgets and bigger stars. Iñárritu released 21 GRAMS, another compelling drama with converging storylines that starred Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro and Naomi Watts. Cuarón took on the blockbuster adaptation of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN and Del Toro directed a pair of comic-book adaptations with BLADE II and HELLBOY.

However, it was in 2006 that Hollywood insiders and film journalists began to refer to the three Mexican filmmakers as “The Three Amigos” following the releases of BABEL, CHILDREN OF MEN and PAN’S LABYRINTH. (more)

All three auteurs were present at the 79th Academy Awards where they received nominations in the categories of Best Director, Best Picture for Iñárritu and BABEL, Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay for Cuarón and CHILDREN OF MEN and Best Writing, Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film of the Year for Del Toro and PAN’S LABYRINTH. (more)

The three filmmakers are also friends and appeared in a special episode of the Charlie Rose Show to discuss their films and personal relationships. (more)

Since 2006 the “The Three Amigos” have shown no signs of stopping. They have started their own production company called Cha Cha Chá Films with the goal of producing and directing their own films. (more)

RUDO Y CURSI, a film directed by Alfonso’s brother Carlos, marks the first movie to be released under the Cha Cha Chá Films banner. It reunites Mexican stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna in a hilarious and poignant film about two rvial brothers who become major league soccer players in Mexico.

RUDO Y CURSI is the first film produced through Cha Cha Chá Films.

Currently, Iñárritu is hard at work on BITIFUL, a Spanish drama starring Javier Bardem (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN). Cuarón takes on a cinematic adaptation of the comic book “The Umbrella Academy” and Del Toro looks to New Zealand where he is set to direct the film version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic, THE HOBBIT.

Iñárritu, Cuarón and Del Toro have reinvegorated Mexican cinema. Thier work has defined a generation of Mexican filmmakers and they continue to captivate audiences around the world.

What People Are Saying About ... THE BLIND SIDE

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:18:14 +0000

THE BLIND SIDE opened in theaters on the weekend of November 20th, and has remained steadily at the top of box office charts ever since. During its opening weekend, the film grossed $34,510,000, undoubtedly the highest-grossing of Sandra Bullock's romcom-riddled career. Originally marketed to an "older female audience", the marketing team switched gears after the film's release when they realized it appealed to kids, jocks, and dads, as well. Who knew! What's especially rare about this movie's ticket sales is the film's steadily-increasing profits: during its second weekend in theaters, it earned an estimated $40 million.

The movie is a drama sports film written and directed by John Lee Hancock, who based the story on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of the Game by Michael Lewis. The actor Quinton Aaron stars as Michael Oher, a homeless 18-year old who struggles to get by at a Christian school. He is adopted by the Tuohys (Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw) along with their two zany kids, a Christian family who try to help him succeed as a football player.

Quinton Aaron and Sandra Bullock star in football movie, THE BLIND SIDE.

The film has received a 58 percent approval rating among top critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but its rating among t-meter critics is much higher. Reviewers who dislike the film tend to frown upon the film's lame and short-sighted portrayal of the black lead, Michael. Steven Cole from THE GLOBE AND MAIL, for example, writes, "What a drag that, one year into Obama's presidency, American films remain so careful about depicting black actors. There are more around, to be sure..Still, not one of them is at all interesting. It's almost as if directors hurry past the black actors' scenes, afraid of making a mistake" (more). A.O. Scott writes that Leigh Anne Tuohy (Bullock) coaches Michael "as if the young man were a 300-pound robot she had reprogrammed with the flip of a switch." Scott also writes that THE BLIND SIDE is "interested only in [Michael's] world as an occasion for selective charity" (more).

James Berardinelli of REELVIEWS, however, disagrees. He gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and contends that the film is meant to be a straightforward and uplifting tale, not a radical social commentary. "Some will doubtlessly dismiss THE BLIND SIDE as another example of a heroic white person saving a black victim but, although there is an element of truth in that perfunctory description, it misses the point. This is more about simple human decency and economic disadvantage than it is about racial inequality," he writes.

Betsy Sharkey of the LOS ANGELES TIMES also praises the film and particularly Sandra Bullock's performance as the confident, tough-loving Leigh Anne: "This is Bullock's movie," she writes. "She is Leigh Anne to such a degree you forget you're watching one of the best-known actresses around."

What People Are Saying About ... INVICTUS

gerry — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:04:46 +0000

Clint Eastwood maybe looking at some more accolades come award season with his latest release, INVICTUS. Based upon the life of South African leader Nelson Mandel and the book Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed a Nation by John Carlin, INVICTUS looks at the way Mandela used the 1995 Rugby World Cup as a means of his bringing the people of South Africa together.

INVICTUS stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the South African rugby team’s captain.

While the film won’t be released until this Friday (December 11), early reviews have been trickling in and so far so good.

Todd McCarthy of VARIETY writes in his review, “Inspirational on the face of it, Clint Eastwood's film has a predictable trajectory, but every scene brims with surprising details that accumulate into a rich fabric of history, cultural impressions and emotion.” (more)

At nearly 80 years-old, Eastwood has directed over 30 films and, with another project geared for release next year, the man shows no signs of stopping.

Welsh actor Julian Lewis Jones plays a role in INVITUS and an article published on WALESONLINE.CO.UK reveals some of the actor’s experience when working with the cinema legend.

“He’s gentle and quiet on set and yet everything goes like
clockwork.” (more)

You can catch the trailer for INVICTUS here and catch the movie in theaters this weekend.

Finds of the Day - 12/9/09

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:52:36 +0000

Princess Tiana is Disney's first black animated princess; she arrives after decades of movies featuring white princesses like Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora and Snow White (although Mulan was asian and Pocahontas was Native American). THE LOS ANGELES TIMES interviewed Danielle Moné Truitt, who worked as the "video reference" for Tiana's character. Truitt is not the voice of Tiana - instead, she provided all of the body movements and facial expressions for the cartoon. "They wanted her to have the essence of a black woman," she said. "She definitely has that. But for a cartoon, all your movements also have to be very exaggerated so that the cartoon will come to life" (more).

Chris Weitz, the director of NEW MOON, is defending a woman who may face 3 years in prison for supposedly attempting to pirate his movie. The woman was caught taping only 3 minutes of NEW MOON while sitting in a theater and was arrested on November 28th. “Needless to say, the case seems to me terribly unfair and I would like to do what I can to address this,” Weitz wrote in an e-mail (more). The woman told the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES that she was not, in fact, attemping to pirate the movie, but instead was taping parts of her sister's 29th birthday party celebrated at the movie theater.

Adam Shankman, the producer of the Oscars, asked for opinions on how he should speak to his 48,000 Twitter followers during the Awards broadcast. "The tweeples have spoken," he announced on Sunday after he received feedback from his primarily "tween" followers. “Had dinner last night with Oscar co-hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin," he wrote, "Laughed so hard I almost passed out. This is gonna b goooood…” (more).

This Just In - 12/8/09

gerry — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:39:30 +0000

The sixth installment of the HARRY POTTER series comes to Film Fresh on DVD and DivX download. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is directed by David Yates, the British filmmaker behind the previous film in the series and the upcoming HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS. Under his direction, PRINCE has become another strong entry in this film franchise, with Kenneth Turan of the LOS ANGELES TIMES writing that the Potter series has “become as comfortable and reliable as an old shoe, providing a degree of dependability that's becoming increasingly rare.” (more)

Check out this interview with Yates and see what it took to bring this adaptation to the screen. (more)

Early Oscar-buzz surrounds the film JULIE & JULIA, the film based upon the real- lives of chef Julia Child and author Julia Powell. Powell, played by Academy Award nominee Amy Adams, attempts to cook every recipe in Child’s, Academy Award winner Meryl Streep, book Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Streep received specific praise for her performance as Child. Stephanie Zacharek of SALON.COM writes her in review, “Streep isn't playing Julia Child here, but something both more elusive and more truthful -- she's playing our idea of Julia Child.” (more)

The original blog that Powell kept during her culinary endeavor is still available to read. (more)

HOLLYWOOD, JE T’AIME is written and directed by young filmmaker/actor Jason Bushman. A favorite at 2009’s Outfest, HOLLYWOOD, JE T’AIME follows the encounters of a young Frenchman newly arrived in Hollywood.

Peter Debruge of VARIETY writes, “Though delivered in sitcom style, HOLLYWOOD, JE T’AIME also manages to address such issues as HIV and prostitution in the gay community, as well as the double standard facing gay actors.” (more)

INDEIWIRE featured this interview with Bushman during the film’s screening at Outfest.

The 1998 Spanish film BARRIO comes to Film Fresh’s ‘World’ section. BARRIO details the lives of the lower-middle class in Madrid, Spain, through the eyes of three kids and with a lot of black humor. Fernando León de Aranoa, one of Spanish cinema’s top talents, directs the film.

One of the most influential films during the French New Wave was Jean-Pierre Melvile’s BOB LE FLAMBEUR. This story of an aging gambler is part of the Criterion Collection’s DVD series, but Film Fresh also offers the movie via DivX download. You can still read the Criterion Collection’s analysis of the film on their web site. (more)

Another film found in the Criterion Collection that is now available for DivX download is THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, starring music legend David Bowie. Catch this cult-classic in all its stunning sci-fi imagery and read Criterion’s own analysis of the film. (more)

BALLAST, JULIE & JULIA, and Kevin Spacey in SHRINK

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:41:40 +0000

Find out why last year's extraordinary film BALLAST received a rare 100 percent "fresh" rating on aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes among America's top film critics, who called the film a "serious achievement" (THE NEW YORK TIMES) and a "beacon of independent filmmaking" (BOSTON GLOBE). We are thrilled to announce that it has been added to our Indie section. Directed by Lance Hammer, the film is set in rural Mississippi in the middle of a gray winter when man's suicide throws the lives of three different characters off-balance. At last year's Sundance Film Festival, BALLAST won the awards for Best Director and Best Cinematography. It also received 6 nominations at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards. Roger Ebert noted that he rarely ever cries while watching movies, but he did while watching this one (more).

Among our recently-added Hollywood films the charming JULIE & JULIA, starring Amy Adams and Meryl Streep in her notable performance as the warbly-voiced Julia Child. "By now this actress [Streep] has exhausted every superlative that exists and to suggest that she has outdone herself is only to say that she’s done it again. Her performance goes beyond physical imitation, though she has the rounded shoulders and the fluting voice down perfectly," A.O. Scott wrote in his NEW YORK TIMES review. In the film, Adams plays Julie Powell, an emerging chef and blogger who decides to document her experience cooking every recipe in Julia Child's epic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Nora Ephron, who wrote and directed the film, based her screenplay on two pieces of writing: My Life in France, Julia Child's autobiography, and a blog called "The Julie/Julia" project that was largely updated between 2004 and 2006.

Another new addition to Film Fresh's library is SHRINK, a 2009 independent drama about a therapist (or "shrink"), played by Kevin Spacey, who specializes in helping celebrities in need. Thus, everyone in Hollywood turns to "the shrink" for all of their worst problems: cocaine addition, infidelity, germaphobia, truancy, and turning 30 years old. Spacey's performance as Dr. Henry Carter will greatly please anyone who enjoys "classic Spacey", as critic Stephen Holden says that "no actor is better than Mr. Spacey at conveying a bone-deep cynicism."

The "Ultimate" Treat for HARRY POTTER Fans

gerry — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:11:46 +0000

Fans of Harry Potter are eagerly awaiting the arrival of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE on DVD and download. However, starting tomorrow, Potter fanatics will also have the ability to purchase HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE and HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS in 4-disc “Ultimate Edition” collections on both Blu-Ray and DVD. While it would be easy to dismiss this at the studio merely double-dipping its DVD sales, it is clear this isn’t meant for the casual fans of the films and books, but rather for the devotees of Wizards, Hogwarts and Quidditch.

This new edition has several features distinguishing it from the existing DVD releases. There are two cuts of the film included: the screen theatrical version and also an extended version including 13 minutes of additional footage.

Loaded with special features, this release has everything from making-of featurettes, interviews with cast and crew, interactive games, trailers and even a digital copy of the film. Some of the features that stand out the most arevinsightfuls interview with author J.K Rowling and screenwriter Steven Kloves about adapting the fantasy epics for the silver screen and the original screen tests for actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.

The “Ultimate Edition” of both HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE and HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS are available at the Warner Bros. shop online.

And be sure to visit Film Fresh tomorrow to get your copy of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE on DVD or DivX download.

Finds of the Day - 12/7/09

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:54:35 +0000

The film MOON took home top honors at this year's British Independent Film Awards

The results from this year's British Independent Film Awards are in, which include MOON's award for Best Film and Andrea Arnold's award for Best Director (FISH TANK). Other highlights from the ceremony include:

BEST ACTOR
Tom Hardy (BRONSON)

BEST ACTRESS
Carey Mulligan (AN EDUCATION)

BEST FOREIGN FILM:
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

BEST DOCUMENTARY:
MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN

For a complete list of winners, visit the British Independent Film Award's site.

In the US, the number one movie of the weekend was THE BLIND SIDE, a football movie starring Sandra Bullock. As the film just earned $20.4 million in domestic theaters, it has already become a bit of a "box office phenomenon" since its target audience was originally "older females", as VARIETY reports. "Initially, the film's core audience was older. What we're finding now is that it is becoming a movie that people are finding age appropriate for kids 8 years and older," said Alcon's Broderick Johnson, who shares the CEO title with Andrew Kosove at Warner Bros. and Alcon Entertainment (more).

Jack Black is set to produce a feature-length animated film about cryptozoology (the study of animals whose existence has not been proven), and the project has already been preemptively picked up by Universal-based Illumination Entertainment. Borys Kit from ABC news has already suggested Bigfoot, the Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster as possible stars.

The British film director Julien Temple is making a film about the British rock band, The Kinks. The plot of his film, titled YOU'VE REALLY GOT ME, surrounds the tension between the band's brothers, Ray and Dave Davies, who formed the band in London in 1964. Ray Davies himself will be collaborating on the project with Temple, a director who tends to focus on the social history of Britian's scene, as his previous films include THE GREAT ROCK 'N' ROLL SWINDLE and OIL CITY CONFIDENTIAL (more).

Spotlight on 3 Fantastic Films from China

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:27:41 +0000

Film Fresh’s ever-growing collection boasts a number of films from around the world (subtitles included!). Today, we’d like to highlight 3 fantastic films from China that have been hailed by critics from Hong Kong to New York:

KUNG FU HUSTLE

Directed, Produced & Starring Stephen Chow
When Roger Ebert first saw the action-comedy KUNG FU HUSTLE at Sundance 5 years ago, he described it as "Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny". The film went on to receive the award for Best Picture at the 2005 Hong Kong Film Awards, was nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the 2006 Golden Globes, and received a 90% approval rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes. Fans of this film have expressed their admiration for its “cartoon” style and use of traditional Chinese music, which accompanies zany kung fu showdowns and dance sequences. Other critics described KUNG FU HUSTLE as a comedic yet equally captivating version of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

The charming, manipulative prostitute of Zhang Yimou's
SHANGHAI TRIAD.

SHANGHAI TRIAD
Directed by Zhang Yimou

Jack Matthews from NEWSDAY says, "From the glowing artifice and warm surfaces of chic Shanghai to the natural blues and greens of the misty countryside where the tale leads, it is, in the truest sense, poetry in motion." This film follows a beautiful prostitute, who is used as bait between feuding ganglords in 1930’s Shanghai. Janet Maslin of the New York Times expressed her initial reservations that this film would merely use the cliched genre of the "gangster film.” Nevertheless, as she writes, the film "movingly affirms the magnitude of [Zhang Yimou's] storytelling power.” Poetry in motion, indeed.

THE WOODEN MAN’S BRIDE

Directed by the fifth generation filmmaker Huang Jianxin
Hal Hinson of the WASHINGTON POST calls this film “the most visually stunning, emotionally powerful western since Clint Eastwood's UNFORGIVEN" (more). The story revolves around a young woman who is kidnapped on the way to her wedding, and her fiancé is killed while trying to rescue her. What ensues is a shocking and tragic tale of a woman’s oppression. As Stephen Holden of THE NEW YORK TIMES describes, the film is a "methodical, cool-headed expose of an
oppressive sexual code that treats women as chattel and metes out
brutal punishment to violators" (more).

What People Are Saying About ... UP IN THE AIR

gerry — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:19:03 +0000

The National Board of Review declared UP IN THE AIR to be the best picture of 2009. The film, directed by Jason Reitman (THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, JUNO), places George Clooney in the role of a man who travels around the country to fire people. Based upon the book written by Walter Kirn (THUMBSUCKER), the film balances aspects of comedy and drama, while also offering a commentary upon the nation’s current economic conditions. (more)

Critics have had overwhelmingly positive things to say, finding that Reitman perfectly balances the comedic aspects of the film with its overall darker and more serious tone. Anthony Lane of THE NEW YORKER writes, “the tension between the bleak and the blithe, the prime source of this movie’s strength.” (more)

Owen Gleiberman from ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY offers glowing praise, stating “Here are a few of the kinds of movies that I wish Hollywood made more often (like, you know, two or three times a year): a drama that connects to an audience because it taps, in a bold and immediate way, into the fears and anxieties of our time; a romantic comedy in which the dialogue pings with stylish wit and verve; a film that keeps surprising us because its characters keep surprising themselves. The beauty of UP IN THE AR is that it's all those things at once.” (more)

While the film prmiered at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival, it finally opens today in a limited release. A larger release is scheduled for December 11 and a wide release is set for Christmas day. As the award season gets into full swing in the coming months, be sure to keep an eye on UP IN THE AIR.

The 2010 Sundace Film Festival Lineup

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:05:57 +0000

The Sundance Film Festival unveiled its 2010 lineup of films that will be competing for awards, which will be decided in Park City, Utah between January 21st and 31st, 2010. The program’s directors received 9,916 submissions earlier this year, and only 113 feature-length films were selected.

John Cooper, the newly-appointed director of Sundance, explained that the films this year are particularly challenging. "A lot of our films are hard to describe, and that's very attractive," says Cooper. "We put marketability on the sidelines for a while and said, 'Let's just go for films that were highly original and pushed the envelope.'”

It appears that this year’s Sundance programmers are more than willing to take risks, as they have also made several major changes to the Festival. A new section will be devoted entirely to low- and no-budget filmmaking. Additionally, eight filmmakers from Sundance will visit eight cities throughout the US on one night of the festival. Once there, they will lead cinema-oriented discussions that will be screened live across the US.

Ultimately, the films that emerge as big winners in the festival usually become highly influential in both the Indie film community and in Hollywood, as well. Last year, PRECIOUS was the biggest winner.

An extensive list of the selected films is now available for viewing on Sundance’s Official Website.

We’ve posted a few highlights from the US Dramatic Competition list below to give you just a taste of what is to come:

U.S. DRAMATIC COMPETITION

DOUCHEBAG (Director: Drake Doremus; Screenwriters: Lindsay Stidham, Drake Doremus, Jonathan Schwartz and Andrew Dickler) —On the verge of getting married, Sam Nussbaum insists he escort his younger brother, Tom, on a wild goose chase of a journey to find Tom's fifth grade girlfriend. Cast: Andrew Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius, Amy Ferguson, Wendi McClendon-Covey. World Premiere

THE DRY LAND (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Piers Williams)—A U.S. soldier returning home from war struggles to reconcile his experiences abroad with the life and family he left in Texas. Cast: Ryan O'Nan, America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Ethan Suplee, June Diane Raphael, Melissa Leo. World Premiere

HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE (Director and screenwriter: Josh Radnor)—Six New Yorkers negotiate love, friendship, and gratitude at a time when they're too old to be precocious and not ready to be adults. Cast: Malin Akerman, Josh Radnor, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Tony Hale, Pablo Schreiber, Michael Algieri. World Premiere

HESHER (Director: Spencer Susser; Screenwriters: Spencer Susser and David Michod; Story by Brian Charles Frank)—A mysterious, anarchical trickster descends on the lives of a family struggling to deal with a painful loss. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu, Piper Laurie, John Carroll Lynch. World Premiere

LOVERS OF HATE (Director and screenwriter: Bryan Poyser)—The shaky reunion of estranged brothers takes a turn for the worse when the woman they both love chooses one over the other. Cast: Chris Doubek, Heather Kafka, Alex Karpovsky, Zach Green. World Premiere

SKATELAND (Director: Anthony Burns; Screenwriters: Anthony Burns, Brandon Freeman, Heath Freeman)—In the early 1980s, in small-town Texas, dramatic events force a 19-year-old skating rink manager to look at his life in a very new way. Cast: Shiloh Fernandez, A.J. Buckley, Ashley Greene, Brett Cullen, Ellen Hollman, Heath Freeman. World Premiere

SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS (Director: Mark Ruffalo; Screenwriter: Christopher Thornton)—A newly paralyzed DJ gets more than he bargained for when he seeks out the world of faith healing. Cast: Orlando Bloom, Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis, Laura Linney, John Carroll Lynch. World Premiere

WELCOME TO THE RILEYS (Director: Jake Scott; Screenwriter: Ken Hixon)—On a business trip to New Orleans, a damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward young woman. Cast: James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo. World Premiere

More in Awards News: Nominees for the Independent Spirit Awards Are In

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:58:37 +0000

The Independent Spirit Award Nominees were announced yesterday by Matt Dillon (CRASH) and Taraji P. Henson (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON). Awards will be presented two days before the Academy Awards on Friday, March 5th, 2010. Watch the awards live onIFC at 8pm. Here are the nominees:

BEST FEATURE FILM
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
AMREEKA

PRECIOUS

SIN NOMBRE

THE LAST STATION

BEST DIRECTOR

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen for A SERIOUS MAN

Lee Daniels for PRECIOUS

Cary Joji Fukunaga for SIN NOMBRE

James Gray for TWO LOVERS

Michael Hoffman for THE LAST STATION

BEST SCREENPLAY

Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman for THE MESSENGER

Michael Hoffman for THE LAST STATION

Lee Toland Krieger for THE VICIOUS KIND

Greg Mottola for ADVENTURELAND

Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber for (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

BEST FIRST FEATURE

A SINGLE MAN - Director: Tom Ford

CRAZY HEART - Director: Scott Cooper

EASIER WITH PRACTICE - Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - Director: Oren Peli

THE MESSENGER - Director: Oren Moverman

BEST FEMALE LEAD

Maria Bello - DOWNLOADING NANCY

Nisreen Faour - AMREEKA

Helen Mirren - THE LAST STATION

Gwyneth Paltrow - TWO LOVERS

Gabourey Sidibe - PRECIOUS

BEST MALE LEAD

Jeff Bridges - CRAZY HEART

Colin Firth - A SINGLE MAN

Joseph Gordon-Levitt - (500) DAYS OF SUMMER

Souleymane Sy Savane - GOODBYE SOLO

Adam Scott - THE VICIOUS KIND

BEST DOCUMENTARY

ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL

FOOD, INC.

MORE THAN A GAME

OCTOBER COUNTRY

WHICH WAY HOME

BEST FOREIGN FILM

A PROPHET

AN EDUCATION

EVERLASTING MOMENTS

MOTHER

THE MAID

Gotham Award Winners Announced: HURT LOCKER Wins Big

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:13:41 +0000

The Gotham Awards, an annual ceremony in New York City honoring independent films, took place on Monday night; winners were announced yesterday.

The biggest winner of the evening was THE HURT LOCKER, an Iraq War drama directed by Katherine Bigelow, which won for both Best Feature and Best Ensemble Performance. “While the Gothams is not necessarily a precursor to the Oscars, this is definitely the winner of the night which has the best chance of making it to the Academy Awards next year,” writes blogger Matt Dentler. Other nominees for the Best Feature award presented some serious competition to THE HURT LOCKER, which beat out BIG FAN, THE MAID, and A SERIOUS MAN.

THE HURT LOCKER follows a US Army EOD team through the Iraq War in 2004.

Still, other independent films managed to get their fair share of attention. “Many thought Jeremy Renner was a lock for Breakthrough Actor for his performance in THE HURT LOCKER,” writes Ward Porrill on THE EXAMINER’s website, but the award went to Catalina Saavedra for her title role in THE MAID. The Award for Breakthrough Director went to BIG FAN’s Robert Siegel, who also wrote last year’s hit movie THE WRESTLER. BIG FAN stars Patton Oswalt as a crazy New York Giants fan.

FOOD INC. won Best Documentary while Ry Russo-Young's YOU WON’T MISS ME won the award with the funny title: Best Film Not Playing At A Theater Near You.

Last year's Gotham Award winners are very well-represented on Film Fresh (which means that you can watch them - right now!). This includes Lance Hammer's phenomenal BALLAST, which one the prize for Breakthrough Director in 2008. Courtney Hunt’s film FROZEN RIVER won the award for best feature, and its star Melissa Leo, won the "Breakthrough Actor" award. Two films won the award for best ensemble performance last year: SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, and VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA written and directed by Woody Allen.

This Just In - 12/1/09

gerry — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:24:36 +0000

The TERMINATOR film franchise continues on Film Fresh with TERMINATOR SALVATION. The fourth installment in the series stars Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. Unlike the other TERMINATOR films, SALVATION is set in the future and focuses on the machine/human war referenced in the previous three movies. Director McG (CHARLIE’S ANGELS) takes the helm this time around and does so without the star power of series veteran Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When Warner Bros. announced that McG would be taking over the franchise, the internet community reacted quite negatively. However, McG worked to restore faith in the eyes of the die-hard TERMINATOR fans. He paid a visit to series creator James Cameron, cast Christian Bale as John Connor and brought in Jonathan Nolan (THE DARK KNIGHT) to do script re-writes. (more)

A.O. Scott of THE NEW YORK TIMES calls SALVATION “a mastery of the vernacular of chases, fights, explosions and crashes” and that McG “manages speed, impact and the choreography of technomayhem with aplomb and a measure of wit.” (more)

Mary Pols of TIME has a different take on McG’s visual style. She argues that his focus on action prevents him from telling an engaging story with compelling characters. “We're too busy thinking about how cool that stunt was, the one where that body skimmed the river's surface like a skipping stone.” (more)

The film failed to leave a major mark at the box-office, grossing only $125 million in the U.S. despite its $200 million price tag. (more)

Did the fourth TERMINATOR film get you excited about the franchise again, or did you long for the days of James Cameron and even Jonathan Mostow?

Film Fresh also has the 2008 indie film HALF-LIFE. Directed by Jennifer Phang, the film tells the story of two siblings coping with their broken family. Phang utilizes rotoscoping-style animation giving the film a sureal quality. HALF-LIFE made its round at several film festivals, including: Sundance, the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and the Tokyo International Film Festival. (more)

The documentary AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL looks at America’s increasing low self-esteem and the way a media saturated culture creates images of unattainable beauty. In 2007, the film won the Special Jury Prize for Best Director at the 43 Chicago International Film Festival. Catch the film and catch a special Q & A with the director, Darryl Roberts. (more)

TOXIC SKIES tells the story of a government that sprays a virus upon its population in order to kill the old and sick. Anne Heche stars as Dr. Tess Martin. She attempts to uncover the truth behind this political conspiracy.

In STEVIE, a young couple adopts a little girl and her violent imagainary friend, Stevie. Bryan Goeres directs.

Finally, we have 2 DUDES AND A DREAM. Thomas and Sebastian must leave their hometown to pursue their dreams of becoming an actor and supermodel. Jason Mewes (Jay of Jay and Silent Bob) co-stars.

Finds of the Day - 11/30/09

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:01:34 +0000

AVATAR filmmakers challenge you to ask them anything.

On December 3rd, MTV will host a live webcast of a roundtable with the makers of AVATAR, including director James Cameron, producer Jon Landau and actors Zoe Saldana and Sam Worthington. The event will last 30 minutes and will include footage from the movie. Visit the movie's official facebook page to submit your questions for the roundtable (you could ask, for example, why AVATAR took 14 years to make).

THE NEW YORK TIMES' story on Jason Reitman, the director of JUNO, talks about his latest Oscar-worthy film, UP IN THE AIR. Based on a novel by Walter Kirn (see also: THUMBSUCKER, also based on a Kirn novel),Reitman's movie focuses on a man (George Clooney) who fires people on behalf of companies who don't want to do it themselves. The filmmakers decided to hold on open casting call for those who were recently fired in St. Louis and Detroit; even reading the script aloud became unexpectedly emotional for unemployed auditioners. “The second they heard the language of firing, you could just see it,” Mr. Reitman said. “Their eyes would turn, their posture would change, their face would go sallow. One girl broke into hives. It just happened, and they would be in the moment" (more). The L.A. TIMES also writes about UP IN THE AIR as a huge marketing challenge for Paramount, given how touchy the subject of layoffs has become in 2009 (more)

INDIEWIRE released a list of the top-grossing foreign language films of the 00's, which includes films like Austria's THE COUNTERFEITERS and China's KUNG FU HUSTLE. France had the most films on the list with AMELIE, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF, LA VIE EN ROSE, THE CLOSET, A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, and TELL NO ONE, while director Pedro Almodovar is included twice in the list with
VOLVER and TALK TO HER. Another Almodovar movie, BAD EDUCATION, just barely missed the cut (more).

Finds of the Day - 11/25/09

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:13:22 +0000

The Swiss Court accepted Polanski's bail offer of $4.5 million! He will be released from prison and placed under house arrest at his Swiss Chalet. But fear not, Polanski-detractors: the justice system has yet to decide whether or not he will be sent to Los Angeles (more). A poll on the L.A. Times blog asks readers, "Would Roman Polanski skip out on $4.5 million bail to avoid extradition to Los Angeles?". So far, an overwhelming majority of readers have voted "yes".

THE LOST BOY posted their updated predictions for this year's Oscars, which includes everything from Best Supporting Actress to Best Picture. Their predictions for Best Director are: Kathryn Bigelow for THE HURT LOCKER, Clint Eastwood for INVICTUS, Lee Daniels for PRECIOUS, Jason Reitman for UP IN THE AIR, and Quentin Tarantino for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (more).

Judd Apatow picked up a few new comedy pitches, according to a report from VARIETY (more). Aziz Ansari, who plays opposite Amy Poehler in the television show "Parks and Recreation", pitched three ideas to Apatow. “We didn’t expect all three to work,” said Ansari. “We had a breakfast meeting with Judd and pitched them. We were like, ‘Which one do you like?’ He wanted all three.” One of the untitled comedies would feature Ansari in a supporting role that draws on his character in FUNNY PEOPLE.

This Just In - 11/24/09

gerry — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:52:45 +0000

This week, Film Fresh brings you ANGELS & DEMONS, the prequel to the 2006 blockbuster THE DA VINCI CODE. Based upon the best-selling book by Dan Brown, ANGELS & DEMONS is directed by Ron Howard and stars Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer.

This story of Catholic conspiracy grossed $46 million when it opened last May, and it went on to make nearly $500 million in total ticket sales. (more)

The release of the film generated a bit of controversy due to its representation of the Catholic Church. President of the Catholic League Bill Donohue accused both the film and book it was based upon of being anti-Catholic. Donohue’s wanted to ensure that audiences saw the film as a fable “based on malicious myths.” (more)

In David Denby's review published in THE NEW YORKER, he argues that, “Brown and now Ron Howard have added an incendiary element to trash—open hostility toward the Catholic Church.” (more)

Richard Corliss of TIME, however, came to the film’s defense. In his positive review, Corliss writes, “[ANGELS & DEMONS] portrays the Catholic hierarchy as the victim, not the perpetrator, of a grandly evil plot.” (more)

In an interview with the TELEGRAPH, director Ron Howard explained what he ultimately believes the film says about the church. (more)

Give ANGELS & DEMONS a view and decide for yourself.

After making a name for himself with the documentary THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS, filmmaker Seth Gordon returned with the holiday comedy FOUR CHRISTMASES. Starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon, the film tells the story of a couple who are forced to spend the holidays with their extended family.

In an interview published in the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, Gordon discusses how he went from an indie documentarian to big-budget Hollywood director. (more)

Writer/director Robert Rodriguez seems to alternate between doing exploitation gore fests and family friendly kids movies. SHORTS is one of the filmmaker’s latter endeavors. SHORTS tells multiple interweaving stories surrounding a colorful rock that grants wishes. While the film only earned $6.4 million in the U.S., it received favorable reviews from some top critics. Claudia Puig of USA TODAY called it, “Fast-paced, imaginative and often cute” (more) and Amy Biancolli of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE says the film is “a wild kinetic jumble of images, ideas and flying-candy-bar product placement that would offend if it weren't so forthright.” (more)

New to our Indie section is THE MAIDEN HEIST. Starring Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman, William H. Macy and Marcia Gay Harden, the film premiered at the Edinurgh International Film Festival in May of last year, but lost its distribution deal after the Yari Film Group declared bankruptcy. (more) Now this comedy of three museum security guards who plot to steal valuable artworks finally comes to audiences on DVD and DivX download.

Three Films to Watch on Thanksgiving

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:20:19 +0000

Kick off the holiday season with a decidedly un-cheesy Reese Witherspoon romance comedy (yes, it exists!), a quirky, coming-of-age, Thanksgiving family drama, or an old 1950's classic featuring Mr. Bing Crosby.

As families are the center of holiday films, holiday films tend to focus on the inevitable family politics that reignite all those "unresolved issues" during the November/December months. Luckily, there are great ones to remind us that we're not alone, and maybe even inspire us to hug our dogs. FAMILIAR STRANGERS is a quirky yet touching story of a family who are coping with divorce and adolescent angst during a 4-day family gathering to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.

Witherspoon and Vaughn in the "tart" and "lean" movie FOUR CHRISTMASES.

Among the new releases this week we have FOUR CHRISTMASES, a romantic comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon as a couple who are forced to visit all four of their divorced parents' homes on Christmas Day. The upscale, unmarried couple, Brad (Vaughn) and Kate (Witherspoon), greatly enjoy their annual ritual of escaping to an exotic, sunny locale during the holiday season, allowing them to avoid squabbling or dysfunctional family members. But this year, they get trapped in the San Francisco airport and are forced to spend "four Christmases" with the relatives they've been avoiding. A.O. Scott enjoyed the film, describing it as "refreshingly tart and lean, forgoing the usual schmaltz and syrup of the season" (more). Be prepared, however: a number of critics thought the film's "tartness" was overly cynical, and while FOUR CHRISTMASES may be about ABOUT families, it is not necessarily a "family film".

One classic film that we just added to Film Fresh's growing collection is WHITE CHRISTMAS, which highlights the importance of friendship during the holidays. When Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas", written by the great composer Irving Berlin, the song became one of the best-selling singles of all time and an indespensible Christmas classic. In this 1954 musical, Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star as two talented song-and-dance men who met as soldiers during World War II. They pair up with two equally musical women and head to Vermont during the holidays.

The kind of happiness that doesn't exist anymore.

WHITE CHRISTMAS was extremely popular with audiences, as the film made $12,000,000 at the box office, making it the top moneymaker during the year of its release. The film continues to receive positive reviews from critics. "Crosby wraps up his portion of the show with deceptive ease," writes VARIETY. "Kaye takes in his stride the dance, song and comedy demands of his assignment, keeping Crosby on his toes at all time" (more).

Finds of the Day - 11/23/09

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:58:30 +0000

We're still happy about awards for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

Whaaat? THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON sold $140.7 million in tickets on its opening weekend. This ranks as the third-biggest opening on record of all time behind THE DARK KNIGHT and SPIDERMAN 3. Last week, Film Fresh reported on the highly unfavorable reviews that the film has received (As James Berardinelli calls the film "unintentionally funny"), but obviously, NEW MOON's poor critical reception didn't stop anyone (more).

Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Stanley Tucci and Christoph Waltz will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award at the Santa Barbara Festival (more). "This group of supporting actors encompasses the best of the best;
their roles have made us love them as well as hate them, sometimes all
at the same time," said the festival's director, Roger Durling.

INDIEWIRE composed a list of 25 things the Academy has done right with the Oscars since 2000, since complaining about the awards ceremony has evidently become too easy. Writer Peter Knegt is happy with the 8 nominations and 2 wins for MILK, Laura Linney’s nods for best actress, and the 10 nominations and 4 awards for CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, and more.

Film School: The 1990s

gerry — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

The 1990s were an era of blockbusters, technology and bankable celebrities. However, they were also an era of a growing independent film movement that looked to gain access into Hollywood by defying its rules. Sound ironic? That’s probably because it was, but the 90s were a decade seeped in irony and it only makes sense that the film world would reflect this cultural trend.

The 90s kicked off with continued work by the influential Move Brats, the group of influential movie directors that came to prominence in the 70s such as Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese. These three began the decade by adapting well-known books to the big screen. Steven Spielberg cast Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and Julia Roberts in a different take on the Peter Pan story with his 1991 film HOOK. Now a childhood favorite of many, it is important to remember that when it was released HOOK was a financial and critical failure. Spielberg quickly rebounded with another book adaptation. However, this time the director chose a more serious topic, a non-fiction book about the Holocaust. Spielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST was incredibly well received by audiences and critics, winning the Oscar for Best Picture and earning Spielberg his first Academy Award for Best Director.

Liam Neeson starred as Oskar Schlinder in the film that earned Steven Spielberg his first Oscar.

In that same year, Francis Ford Coppola concluded his crime trilogy with THE GODFATHER: PART III, based upon Mario Puzio’s initial novel on the Correlone family. Coppolla refers to PART III as the saga’s epilogue and the film features a greater emphasis on historical events than the previous films of the franchise. Following that, Coppola directed a bombastic and epic adaptation of a horror classic. BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA was a visual feast and a drastically different take on the vampire lore seen in any other cinematic interpretation.

It was probably Martin Scorsese who made the biggest initial impression in this new decade with one of his most celebrated films. Based upon former mob member Henry Hill‘s non-fiction book Wiseguy, Scorsese’s GOODFELLAS took the film world by storm with its uncompromising violence and realistic portrayal of the gangster lifestyle. The film was immediately considered a classic, earning several Academy Award nominations and it was even proclaimed by some critics as being the best gangster film of all time.

This scene between Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta in GOODFELLAS is one of the most memorable from any 90s film.

The freedom and diversity of projects of the movie brats does not accurately reflect the trends that were occurring in other mainstream Hollywood films. James Cameron’s sci-fi sequel TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY set the standard for high cost, high grossing summer blockbusters that dominated the film market of the 90s.

There were several other sci-fi films with bloated budgets and stacked casts that enticed filmgoers every summer. INDEPENDENCE DAY, GODZILLA, MEN IN BLACK, ARMAGEDDON, MARS ATTACKS are just a few of the films that reflect this trend.

Perhaps the most memorable, influential and well-received science fiction film of the 90s came near the end of the decade with THE MATRIX. Critics hailed the film not only for its groundbreaking special effects, but also for its intelligent plot and captivating storyline; traits they felt was sorely lacking from many of the decade’s sci-fi films.

THE MATRIX featured some of the decade's most dazzyling special effects.

But while Hollywood was chugging along releasing a slew of blockbusters, there were also several new, independent filmmakers breaking their way into the mainstream. Partially due to the success of films like SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE and THE CRYING GAME, there was an increasing interest for young filmmakers hitting the festival circuit with films quite different from those gracing screens at the multiplexes.

Within the span of two years, three directors that dominated the 90s came into the national conscious. Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith became unexpected, almost overnight success stories with RESERVOIR DOGS, EL MARIACHI and CLERKS. Proclaimed at the “VCR Generation,” these filmmakers were the first of major auteurs to grow up with movies on home video. They even gained access into the Hollywood studio world and showed what they were capable of when they had more than a shoestring budget to work with. Their low-budget approach to filmmaking was a refreshing change of pace from the Hollywood releases and these directors enjoyed continued success throughout the decade. Tarantino even earned an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay with his sophomore effort PULP FICTION, arguably the most influential film of the decade.

Samuel L. Jackson's character in PULP FICTION became one of the most quoted.

While many cinephiles may argue that the 90s were one of the worst decades for movies, there was plenty to love and admire about the films of this era. Those coming of age in the 90s had the opportunity to see some of the best work from classic directors, as well as the rise of new important figures in the film world. If nothing else, the world took greater notice of the incredible work created outside of the mainstream.

What People Are Saying About ... PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE

gerry — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:22:37 +0000

The film PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE is quickly earning critical acclaim and box-office success. As the film’s lengthy title suggests, it is adapted from a book published back in 1996 . The movie tells the story of 16-year old Precious, a girl whose day-to-day life in Harlem deals with such issues as incest, rape and poverty. (more)

Thanks to the film’s big-name producers (Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry), PRECIOUS earned a distribution deal with Lionsgate after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for best drama. (more)

PRECIOUS received a limited release on November 6 and, to date, is still only playing in a handful of theaters across the country. However, the film is has cracked the top five of the weekend box-office since its release. Most recently it was number three, surpassed only by the disaster flick 2012 and the holiday remake A CHRISTMAS CAROL. (more)

Critics are praising the film. A.O. Scott of the NEW YORK TIMES calls the film, “the illumination of an individual’s painful and partial self-realization” (more) and Joe Morgenstern of the WALL STREET JOURNAL says, “If the filmmaking weren't so skillful and the acting weren't so consistently brilliant, you might mistake this production for a raw slice of life from a Third World country where movies can still be instruments of moral instruction and social change.” (more)

But, per the usual, there are critics who have been unmoved by this tale. Dana Stevens of SLATE.COM finds the film problematic and believes that the filmmakers have, “created something uncomfortably close to poverty porn.” (more)

With PRECIOUS up against THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON this weekend, it will be interesting to see how the film fares at the box office as it continues its limited release.

What People Are Saying About...THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:07:20 +0000

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is the sequel to the 2008 vampire movie TWILIGHT, both of which are based on novels by Stephanie Meyer. NEW MOON, directed by Chris Weitz, stars Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black and Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen.

The 2008 TWILIGHT film received a number of positive reviews from critics, which is especially impressive considering its target audience. It grossed over $7 million in ticket sales from midnight showings alone last year, and accumulated $69.6 million overall (more). Even David Denby's review in THE NEW YORKER was surprisingly positive: "Twilight, the first movie adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s series of best-selling teen novels, is going to be a big hit with young girls, and deservedly so -- the picture delivers," he wrote.

The sequel, however, isn't faring as well with critics this year. Stephanie Zacarek, who reluctantly praised the original TWILIGHT, wrote that NEW MOON "offers few of the juicy, go-for-broke romantic pleasures of its predecessor, and the movie is so badly shaped that it's hard not to blame Weitz as a director" (more).

James Berardinelli of REELVIEWS was even harsher in his assessment of the film. "NEW MOON comes dangerously close to self-parody on more than one occasion," he writes. Berardinelli muses that the film nonetheless "seems blissfully unaware of this and soldiers on with a seriousness that's unintentionally funny" (more).

The film does have a few supporters, like Michael Sullivan from the WASHINGTON POST, who calls the film "a sexy and scary romp", although Sullivan remains in a slim minority (more).

Film School: The 1980s

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:40:58 +0000

The 80's duo "Wham!" looking macho.

Recently, the 80's hit "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! got into my head and wouldn't leave for a couple of days. I eventually forced myself to listen to an equally catchy Mariah Carey song to drown it out, but that didn't stop me from looking up the original video on YouTube in the meantime. Click here if you're brave. The video features the duo performing the song onstage in front of an audience of teens, wearing t-shirts that say "CHOOSE LIFE" and "GO-GO" in the largest possible text. They are both wearing a notable amount of makeup, although that doesn't even BEGIN to describe just how over-the-top the video becomes (as in, when Pepsi, Shirlie, and Guru are onstage together wearing tiny neon shorts with white socks and break out into a poorly-coordinated "monkey dance").

Is it possible that this video once looked totally normal?

Perhaps, considering how often similar, jazzercise-inspired dances are featured in prominent films from the 80's. Maybe Wham! really did once blend in with the crowd. Released in 1980, Alan Parker’s dance/musical FAME served as a fortuitous introduction to a loud decade full of dances with names like The Moonwalk, Cloning, The Hammer Dance, The Sprinkler and The Worm. In a number of popular 80s films, an epic dance scene could unite seemingly incompatible characters, or provide emotional release after watching an hour and a half of dialogue. Sequences from 80’s films such as RISKY BUSINESS and FOOTLOOSE are still being imitated by revivalist fans and referenced by characters on television shows like "Scrubs" or "Friends."

Alex, the famous dancer in Adrian Lyne's hit movie FLASHDANCE (1983).

Jennifer Lopez was even successfully sued in 2003 for referencing the 80s movie FLASHDANCE in one of her music videos, which she intended to be a tribute to the original. In the video, Lopez wore the same messy hair and black leotard that the character Alex once did in the 1983 film. Instead of gyrating to Michael Sembello’s song, “Maniac”, however, Lopez dances to her own song “I’m Glad”, as the camera moves up and down her sweaty, muscular physique and taped feet. Alex’s costume in this particular FLASHDANCE scene inspired about five to seven years of aerobics-inspired fashion that included items such as the terrycloth sweatband and leg warmers.

Has there EVER been a girlfriend cooler than Sloane Peterson?

In the 80’s, dancing also took place in the street. The well-loved John Hughes film, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, climaxes during a larger-than-life dance sequence lead by Bueller (the young Matthew Broderick) during a local street parade while he ditches school with his girl and his best friend. Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song for the film GHOSTBUSTERS was the number one hit in the country for three weeks after the movie’s release. The music video for the song features Ray Parker and other stars of the film dancing in the streets of New York, as Bill Murray leads a triangular formation of men swinging their arms in unison to the left and right. The dance sequence, like the hit song, became a familiar part of American pop culture and was shown again in the Ghostbusters cartoon series as well as the 2009 video game.

Everything here was brought to you by Kenny Ortega.

The choreographer who later became famous for directing Michael Jackon's THIS IS IT tour and for his work in HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, Kenny Ortega, was also the mastermind behind the dance scenes of the 1987 hit DIRTY DANCING, featuring the late Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Their performance during the goosebump-inducing sequence at the close of the film brought the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, to international fame and to the Academy Awards. While dancing, Grey whips her round mop of curly hair back and forth as she spins and swivels, perfectly demonstrating t-h-e signature move of the 80’s (see it again while watching Molly Ringwald in THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Jennifer Beals in FLASHDANCE, or like, every aerobics video ever made before 1993).

And with that, I will leave you with the lyrics from the song "Funkytown" by none other than Lipps, Inc., whose music continues to define an era:

Gotta make a move to a
Town that's right for me
Town to keep me movin'
Keep me groovin' with some energy

Well, I talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it

Talk about, Talk about
Talk about movin

Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Gotta move on

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Gotta make a move to a
Town that's right for me

Town to keep me movin'
Keep me groovin' with some energy

Well, I talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it

Talk about, Talk about
Talk about movin

Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Gotta move on

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

Won't you take me to

Funkytown

What People Are Saying About ... THE BURNING PLAIN

gerry — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:21:43 +0000

Critics took notice of Mexican filmmakers when screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga released AMORES PERROS in 2000. Arriaga's work with director Alejandro González Iñárritu (AMORES PERROS, 21 GRAMS, BABEL) earned the writer an Academy Award nomination in 2007 and his collaboration with Tommy Lee Jones (THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA) won him the Best Screenplay Award at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Springboarding off the success of these films, Arriaga recently made his directorial debut with THE BURNING PLAIN (more).

Like his prior work, the film features different converging storylines and a focus on the U.S./Mexico border. Starring acclaimed actress Charlize Theron, the film seems like the perfect package for critcs. However, unlike his other films, this one is not beloved.

The film has a current rating of 29% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers saying that the film is "overly symbolic" and "melodramatic" (more). They also cite Arriaga's multiple, interweaving plots to be a major weakness of the film and its ultimate undoing. Is the Arriaga way of storytelling beginning to adhere to a type of formula? Is this formula waring thin on viewers?

In his review, Roger Ebert goes as far to say if the film were told chronologically, "it might have accumulated considerable power. Told as a labyrinthine tangle of intercut timelines and locations, it is a frustrating exercise in self-indulgence" (more).

Arriaga doesn't find his storytelling techniques to be formulaic. In a recent interview with Latino Review, the filmmaker states, "Until now I've been trying to find a different structure for a story. For example, the structure of AMORES PERROS is very different from the structure of THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA or this one" (more).

If you've caught the film in its limited release, or its run on Direct TV, leave your thoughts below. Is THE BURNING PLAIN a major disappointment for Arriaga's fans? Or is it another resounding success that critics just don't get?

If you're unfamiliar with the writer's work check out BABEL and THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA here on Film Fresh and let us know if Arriaga's multiple, converging storylines enthrall you, or just irritate you.

Finds of the Day - 11/18/09

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:31:48 +0000

Universal released a new poster for their hit movie COUPLES RETREAT in the UK and made a pretty bad mistake (more). Yep, its bad.

Christopher Rosen from the NEW YORK OBSERVER makes a case for STAR TREK to be nominated for "Best Picture" at the Oscars, following in the tradition of other entertaining Blockbusters that were also nominated for the award, like ROCKY, JAWS, THE FUGITIVE and GLADIATOR (more).

Writer Keith Phipps retraced the pathway of the road trip in EASY RIDER on the iconic film's 40th anniversary, stopping in the places where the film was shot in location. "The America of EASY RIDER is one of unspoiled landscapes, utopian aspirations, deep-rooted prejudice, and senseless violence," he writes. "I wondered what remained of that world 40 years later" (more).

This Just In - 11/17/09

gerry — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:31:28 +0000

Starting today Film Fresh has J.J. Abrams' STAR TREK reboot. This summer blockbuster is one of the highest rated films of the year. NPR film critic Bob Mondello called the film an “insanely satisfying ride” and ROLLING STONE critic Peter Travers believes the film is “an irresistible invitation for fun.”

One of the few naysayers of the film was critic Roger Ebert. “The movie deals with narrative housekeeping. Perhaps the next one will engage these characters in a more challenging and devious story, one more about testing their personalities than re-establishing them.” (more)

Abrams recently responded to criticisms of the film in an exclusive interview on the STAR TREK blog TrekMovie by stating, “I agree with almost every criticism I read.” However, Abrams goes onto to say that he is “incredibly proud of the cast, really honored to be involved in this movie. It was an incredible experience.” (more)

Based upon the novel of the same name, MY SISTER’S KEEPER stars Cameron Diaz and Abigail Breslin (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE). The film tells the story of one family’s struggle to cope with Kate’s (Sofia Vassilieva) case of promyelocytic leukemia. The movie is directed by Nick Cassavetes, who scored a hit with audiences back in 2004 with THE NOTEBOOK. MoviesOnline has an interview with Cassavetes where he discusses the challenges of making the film, including his decision to change the film’s ending. (more)

Adam Yauch of the Beastie Boys and his Oscilloscope Laboratories bring UNMISTAKEN CHILD to Film Fresh. This documentary observes the four-year search for the Lama Konchog in Tibet. Film critic Kenneth Turan of the LOS ANGELES TIMES says, “Its privileged glimpse deep into unfamiliar spiritual territory has the strength of revelation.” (more)

We've also got the music documentary LENOARD COHEN: I'M YOUR MAN. This look at the singer-songwriter also includes segments from a tribute concert featuring performances by Nick Cave, Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, Rufus Wainwright, Beth Orton, Kate and Anna McGarrigle. Find out more on the artist at his official web site. (more)

Finally, for all those Jason Statham fans out there, Film Fresh is happy to announce that CRANK 2: HIGH VOLTAGE is finally available for DivX download. Jason Anderson of the TORONTO STAR says the film is, “Tasteless, trashy and totally over the top, CRANK: HIGH VOLTAGE might also be one of the year's most inventive movies. Sometimes, nothing exceeds like excess.” (more)

Finds of the Day - 11/17/09

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:00:46 +0000

Al Gore in his documentary AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH.

Lady Gaga, who has acted in a few episodes of GOSSIP GIRL, has announced that she would like to pursue a career in filmmaking and ideally, would start with big-budget "Rock Opera" (more).

Martin Scorsese, already an Oscar and Golden Globe Award-winning director, has been honored the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Cecil B. DeMille Award. Previous DeMille winners include Steven Spielberg, Warren Beatty, Robin Williams and Michael Douglas (more).

INDIEWIRE writes that its been a stunning decade for documentary filmmaking, as nearly all of the top 30 highest-grossing documentary films have been released in the last 10 years. "With early-to-mid 2000s entries like BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and WINGED MIGRATION paving the way, documentaries all of a sudden became something they have rarely been considered with such consistency: potential moneymakers," Peter Knegt writes. Among the top-grossing documentary films of the last 10 years are:

THE FOG OF WAR
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
FAHRENHEIT 9/11
THE ARISTOCRATS
RELIGULOUS
STEP INTO LIQUID
MARCH OF THE PENGUINS
MAD HOT BALLROOM
SICKO

The 5 Best STAR TREK Blogs

gerry — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:38:42 +0000

In the great geek debate I have always fancied STAR WARS to STAR TREK. The lure of lightsabers, a wisecracking Harrison Ford and endless merchandising proved to be very powerful over my adolescent mind. However, there's no denying that J.J. Abram's STAR TREK reboot more or less blew the STAR WARS prequels out of the water when it came to creating compelling characters, realistic dialogue and a coherent plot.

While I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a full STAR TREK convert (I could never forsake my plush Chewbacca), I can safely say that I have become extremely intrigued by the STAR TREK universe. These 5, great Trekkie web sites can help bring us newbie’s up to snuff on the world of Klingons, Vulcans and Borgs before tomorrow's DVD and DivX download release of J.J. Abram's STAR TREK.

1) Memory Alpha

This wiki is a great reference for those unfamiliar with the STAR TREK world and its vocabulary. Even if you aren't sure of the spelling, I'm sure some poking will lead you to a fruitful discovery.

2) Trek Movie

This site became the highest ranked STAR TREK news site in 2008 during the production of the Abram's film. Still updated daily, Trek Movie will give fans of Abrams' film all the links they need.

3) My Star Trek Scrapbook

Written by a long-time Star Trek (1971 according to the blog), My Star Trek Scrapbook collects and posts all sorts of interesting tidbits and links related to the Star Trek universe.

4) Soul of Star Trek

Don't let the simplicity of this blog's layout fool you. This site provides intelligent analysis on the STAR TREK films and television series. Great for those looking for that deeper meaning beneath the phasers and aliens.

5) Trek Web

Once you've found yourself immersed in STAR TREK, Trek Web is a great site to keep up on all things related to the franchise. Founded in 1996, these Trekkies have been at this for a while.

Film School: The 1970s

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:41:17 +0000

Arthur Hiller's LOVE STORY (1970), the original "chick flick".

The 1970’s began with LOVE STORY (1970), a sentimental “chick flick” that branded the famous line, “Love means never having to say you're sorry." Yet Oliver and Jenny’s gushy romance harks back to the sappier trends of the decades before; as the 70's progressed, America saw more and more popular films begin to portray such topics as love and marriage with bittersweetness, or even cynicism. The love that Oliver and Jenny shared, although full of obstacles, would not even end in death, but in films like ANNIE HALL (1977), a relationship could end simply because love faded, or became less important, or had perhaps never existed in the first place. The film, directed by Woody Allen, chronicles the best and worst moments in a relationship between a neurotic comedian, Alvy Singer (Allen) and the whimsical Annie (Diane Keaton). Allen describes ANNIE HALL as a major turning point in his career: "I said to myself, 'I think I will try and make some deeper film and not be as funny in the same way. And maybe there will be other values that will emerge, that will be interesting or nourishing for the audience.'" By applying his typical irreverent and fatalistic humor to the story of a heartfelt relationship, Allen created a decidedly contemporary romance comedy in the sense that love does not conquer all, but instead exists as something both complicated and painful.

Woody Allen as Alvy Singer and Diane Keaton as Annie in ANNIE HALL (1977).

Among the most popular and widely recognized of such films about complicated relationships is Robert Benton’s KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979). The film tells the story of a divorce and its impact on a young couple’s battle for custody over young son Billy. Dustin Hoffman stars as Ted Kramer, a workaholic-advertising executive, while Meryl Streep plays his wife, Joanna, who decides to leave her husband and child at the start of the film. The custody battle that ensues in this Academy Award-winning movie marks a significant cultural shift in 1970’s gender role ideology. As such, the film nearly reverses the behaviors that traditionally defined fatherhood and motherhood: Ted, the successful and selfish businessman, tries to become a loving and protective single parent, while Joan, the housewife, embarks on a path toward self-discovery, devoid of any obligations to please her child and husband. Of the film, Roger Ebert wrote in 1979, “KRAMER wouldn't be half as good as it is -- half as intriguing and absorbing -- if the movie had taken sides.” The film successfully portrays the plight of both a male and a female who struggle to define themselves within the structure of a nuclear family.

KRAMER VS. KRAMER, starring Streep and Hoffman, was released in 1979.

The moral ambiguity of 1976’s TAXI DRIVER, a film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader, also reflects the confused and contradictory social climate of the 70s. Robert De Niro stars as a lonely 26-year old Vietnam veteran named Travis Bickle. In order to cope with his increasing insomnia, Bickle takes a job driving a cab at all hours of the day. He spends much of his time discussing his general loathing for the city and interacts with many different types of New Yorkers, including a racist husband spying on his cheating wife, and a 13-year old prostitute named Iris, played by Jodi Foster. Bickle grows disgusted by New York street crime and becomes intent on rescuing Iris from her dangerous and sad lifestyle. On one hand, Bickle is much like a hero from a Western film transplanted into the harsh reality of a postmodern, urban environment. On the other hand, his violent behavior and aggression resemble a villain from the popular horror films that also emerged in the 70s. In TAXI DRIVER, Scorsese does not instruct his viewers to feel any affinity toward the protagonist nor any disgust with him – he is neither a hero nor a villain, and is neither sane nor crazy. The character’s feelings of displacement reflects the inconsistencies within American culture in the 70s, when the country seemed to lack true leadership or moral direction.

Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in 1976's TAXI DRIVER.

Michelangelo Antonioni’s THE PASSENGER, released in 1975, also centers on an isolated character who lacks a true and consistent identity. In the film, a TV journalist (played by Jack Nicholson) steals a dead man’s name and embarks on a new life. The film does not contain much of a plotline, as the characters are wanderers who seem to be searching for something, but we don’t know what. “In essence, THE PASSENGER is about a man on the run from himself,” writes Manohla Dargis of THE NEW YORK TIMES. “[It is] a further exploration of a feeling, a mood, that Mr. Antonioni had…described with elegant simplicity: ‘man is uneasy, something is bothering him.’”

THE PASSENGER (1975)

In the aftermath of the Vietnam and the Watergate scandal, America's pervasive sense of doom and distrust in authority remains evident in films like APOCALYPSE NOW (1979), an epic film set in the midst of the Vietnam war. The script is based on Joseph Conrad's novella, Heart of Darkness, and follows the story of two US Army special operations officers, one of whom must assassinate the other. Martin Sheen plays Captain Benjamin L. Willard, a disturbed, alcoholic veteran on the brink of insanity, living in Saigon in 1970 from deployment in the field. Similarly, the 1976 thriller BLACK SUNDAY features a character, Michael Lander (Bruce Dern), whose horrible experiences in the Vietnam War render him deranged and mentally unstable. As Lander plots out his suicide, he decides to kill as many people in the process, and collaborates with a Palestinian terrorist group to launch a suicide bombing at the Olympics on American soil.

Highly regarded as one of the best films of all time, THE GODFATHER, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, was released in 1972. Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his role as the patriarch of the Corleones, a Sicilian family who struggle to stay in power in a corrupt post-war America. Not since the film's release in 1972 has any "gangster" movie escaped a comparison. While THE GODFATHER interprets the Mafia as a product of a corrupt society, older films featuring gangsters had failed to place them in this important context. Only two years later, THE GODFATHER PART II was released in 1974, and remains just as beloved as its prequel, if not more. The film features two interwoven narratives: one follows Robert De Niro as the young Don Vito in Sicily, while the other chronicles the upward mobility of Al Pacino as Michael, who replaces Don.

Marlon Brando won an Oscar for his role in THE GODFATHER.

What People Are Saying About... 2012

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:07:32 +0000

2012 is a disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. The film has an ensemble cast of celebrities, including John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Woody Harrelson.

Critics remain divided on their reactions to 2012. While most recognize that Emmerich intended the movie to be a fun and unchallenging experience for moviegoers, Peter Travers gave it only one star, calling it “sheer, cynical, mind-numbing, time-wasting, money-draining, soul-sucking stupidity.” (more)

Roger Ebert, on the other hand, writes, “This is fun. 2012 delivers what it promises, and since no sentient being will buy a ticket expecting anything else, it will be, for its audiences, one of the most satisfactory films of the year.” (more)

While Emmerich has already explored the subject of earth-destroying in his other movies (INDEPENDENCE DAY, for example), never before has the earth been destroyed with such detail, and to such a great extent. Ebert clearly enjoyed 2012’s two hours of “cataclysmic special events hammering the Earth relentlessly” – and who, honestly, would walk into the theater expecting much else?

What People Are Saying About... THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS

gerry — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:34:23 +0000

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS directed by Grant Heslov

This farcical look at war and politics opened in third place at the box office, grossing $12.7 million. (more)

The film features a wide range of talented actors including Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey.

Seems like enough star power needed to bring in large audiences and elicit positive reviews. However, this hasn’t really been the case.

The film has earned generally negative reviews and its box office results were defintely less than overwhelming. One of the most critical reviews came from Anthony Lane in THE NEW YORKER. “Clooney gives it everything, but what does he get in return? A void where the story is meant to be.” (more)

However, Claudia Puig of USA TODAY defends the film in her review, even stating that, “the film has some of the farcical appeal and subversive wit of DR. STRANGELOVE.” (more)

Is THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS a worth resume addition for these celebrated actors? Or does the film fall short of what you'd expect from these guys?

What People Are Saying About... A CHRISTMAS CAROL

gerry — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:11:19 +0000

A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Robert Zemeckis

The holidays came early to the theaters with the release of Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This marks the third film by Zemeckis to use computer motion capture technology (the others being POLAR EXPRESS and BEOWULF). The film boasts both Jim Carrey and Gary Oldman in multiple roles. Like Zemeckis’ two previous films, A CHRISTMAS CAROL is earning mixed reviews.

What seems to be dividing the critics is the motion capture technology Zemeckis has grown so keen on. Zemeckis believes that this technology is the future of filmmaking. In a recent interview, the director states that "I have more control making a movie than I ever had before with live-action. I'm able to maintain performances by actors, which is where I think the magic comes from, and you get to turn the actors loose without any restrictions." (more)

Many others are still not convinced. In his review for the WALL STREET JOURNAL, critic Joe Morgenstern says that, “motion capture has become synonymous with a special sort of semi-lifelessness—body language that is vaguely impoverished, faces with limited mobility and dead eyes.” (more)

Zemeckis and the digital technology he loves do have their supporters though. Critic Roger Ebert says that A CHRISTMAS CAROL is “an exhilarating visual experience and proves for the third time [Zemeckis] is one of the few directors who knows what he's doing with 3-D.” (more)

A viewer’s enjoyment of A CHRISTMAS CAROL seems to rely upon his or her feelings on the technology Zemeckis has so deeply embraced. However, A CHRISTMAS CAROL doesn’t seem to be changing the minds of any original naysayers.

Film School: The 1960s

gerry — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:51:00 +0000

The 1960s were a turbulent time in America. Vietnam, Civil Rights, the Cold War and the hippy movements were changing American culture. These changes weren’t only limited to the politics of the day, but also applied to changes occurring in movie theaters.

Big studios looked for a way to bring audiences back to the theater and they struggled to make films relevant to the turmoil found across the nation. Epic films such as David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and the 70mm musical WEST SIDES STORY brought spectacle back to cinema. Beloved by critics and audiences alike, these innovative films showed the awesome power of the film medium versus its competitors on television.

It was also in the 1960s that some of cinema’s most influential and important filmmakers, from inside and outside the U.S., emerged and offered movie goers films that challenged the status quo and brought people, places and ideas never before seen in theaters.

The work of Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks became an integral part of the influential civil rights movement, calling for an end to racial inequality and segregation. Stanley Kramer’s 1967 film GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER reflected the nation’s developing thoughts on race during this era, telling the story of an interracial couple and society’s fluctuating social norms.

Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone’s Westerns reexamined ides of America’s cowboy past with his DOLLARS TRILOGY and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. With unprecedented levels of violence in the genre, Leone’s films revealed the brutality of the often-romanticized American “frontier.”

In 1968 Roman Polanski made a name for himself in with the seminal horror film ROSEMARY’S BABY. Look beyond the surface of this bone-chilling story of Satanism and viewers will find a startling critique of patriarchy expressed through the gender-based compromises Rosemary makes to uphold her role as a wife and mother. Polanksi’s first big hit connected with feminists dissatisfied with the treatment of women in the U.S. and showcased the need to reevaluate gender roles in the traditional American family.

The 60s also saw the release of three influential and groundbreaking films from director Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick kicked off the decade with his studio biopic SPARTACUS and followed that film up with the sharp political satire DOCTOR STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB. DOCTOR STRANGELOVE criticized politicians and their absurd handling of serious issues such as nuclear weapons, the Red Scare and the Cold War. The results are as equally hilarious as they are frightening.

Kubrick also managed to completely reshape and revolutionize the science fiction genre with 2001: A SPACE ODYESSY. The film displayed unprecedented scientific realism and a surreal approach to subjects such as evolution, artificial intelligence and humanity’s relationship with technology. Complemented with breathtaking special effects, Kubrick’s film set the bar for intellectually stimulating sci-fi films.

But it was actually the work of French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard who altered the state of American films forever with BREATHLESS. Part of the French New-Wave movement, Godard’s film drew attention to the filmmaking process and defied the rules of traditional Hollywood. Utilizing jump cutting, non-linear editing and frequent improvisation, BREATHLESS turned the limitations of classical Hollywood filmmaking on its head, influencing a new generation of American filmmakers to take risks and explore taboo themes that dealt with drugs, violence and sexuality.

The first of the American films to directly call upon the influence of the French New-Wave were BONNIE AND CLYDE and EASY RIDER. These two films, dealing with outlaws, rebellion, sex, violence and drugs, reflected the mutated American cultural landscape. These films spoke to American youth like no other films at the time could.

Their success ushered in the era of the New Hollywood, a place where unknown and experimental directors had the freedom to push the limits of the film medium. Many consider this era to be known as the Hollywood Renaissance, a time where American filmmakers created their finest work. These innovations in American film started in the 1960s and stretched into the 70s.

Finds of the Day - 11/11/09

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:38:53 +0000

Marshall Fine of THE HUFFINGTON POST submitted a glowing review of Wes Anderson’s FANTASTIC MR. FOX this morning. “Anderson's delicious take on life and movies may amuse youngsters - but not as much as it will tickle adults, with its delightfully anthropomorphized forest creatures who can't quite escape their animal nature,” he writes, sounding painfully similar to reviews of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (more).

On Monday night, the New York Public Library hosted an evening with director Wes Anderson (RUSHMORE, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS) in conversation with screenplay co-writer Noah Baumbach (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING) about FANTASTIC MR. FOX. Attending the event, as I did, was much like watching two close friends sit down to dinner while onstage, making fun of themselves and laughing at their neuroses. At one point, Anderson mentioned how important the Scorsese film TAXI DRIVER was to him, especially while he was filming TENENBAUMS. Apparently, he and actor Owen Wilson regularly exchanged quotes from the movie until TAXI DRIVER quotations became their "only form of communication" on the set.

The two-time Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington will return to Broadway in “Fences”, a Pulitzer Prize-winning August Wilson play. Rehearsals will begin in the spring (more). Just this week, Washington was spotted in Bellaire shooting his new movie, UNSTOPPABLE (more). You could drive out there RIGHT NOW and track him down, or you could stay inside and watch PHILADELPHIA, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, or THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123. Every day, we are forced to make important decisions.

This Just In - 11/10/09

gerry — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:01:33 +0000

Every Tuesday Film Fresh has your new releases. Start checking out the blog for updates in our "This Just In" column. Here you'll find the latest films that have gone live on the site.

This week we have THE UGLY TRUTH starring Brett Butler and Katherine Hegel. This R-rated romantic comedy was written by three women who wanted bring some raunchiness back to the genre. Critics praised the performances of both Hegel and Butler, but they generally gave the film a negative review. Claudia Puig of USA TODAY said in her original review, “THE UGLY TRUTH offers decent performances by attractive actors hampered by a bland script.” (more)

These types of reviews didn’t hamper the film's success; it made $88 million domestically and grossed nearly $200 worldwide. (more)

This marks another hit for Australian director Robert Luketic, whose other work includes LEGALLY BLONDE and 21. Seems he’s good at making crowd pleasers.

Take a look at an interview back from the films initial release with both Butler and Hegel to get the actor’s perspective on the movie. (more)

Let us know what you think. Were the critics right, or do Butler and Hegel make this romantic comedy worth a download?

Another new release is the film ENLIGHTEN UP!, a documentary chronicling one man’s exposure and adventure into the world of Yoga. This film by Kate Churchill features encounters with a diverse group of Yoga practitioners, including celebrities and gurus.

Walter Addiego, critic for the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, calls the film an “engaging documentary…with humor and an open spirit.” (more)

Give this documentary a view and listen to this interview with Churchill on NPR’s “All Things Considered” back in April of this year. (more)

There’s also FAMILIAR STRANGERS, the family dramedy from Zackary Adler. FAMILIAR STRANGERS tells the story of a family reuniting during the Thanksgiving holiday. This is Adler’s first feature film and features Nikki Reed of TWILIGHT fame as well as DJ Qualls from 2000’s ROAD TRIP.

Tyler Perry has a little a brother and he’s written and directed his own play that comes straight to DVD and download. In GOD SEND ME A MAN, the younger Perry tells the story of a 20-something women who decides to end her promiscuous ways and set a better example for her younger siblings.

Finally, check out Michael Keaton’s (BATMAN, BEETLEJUICE) directorial debut THE MERRY GENTLEMAN. In this drama, a woman runs away from an abusive relationship and forms an unlikely friendship with a hitman in Chicago. The film stars Kelly Macdonald (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) and Keaton himself. Check out this interview with Keaton from April 30, 2009 concerning the film and find out why Roger Ebert says it “is original, absorbing and curiously moving in ways that are far from expected.” (more)

Finds of the Day - 11/9/09

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:37:34 +0000

SLATE film critic Dana Stevens, the same critic who Film Fresh quoted last week as saying she will “never see a Lars Von Trier film again”, doesn’t seem to like PRECIOUS either. In her recent article on the site, she describes the movie as “uncomfortably close to poverty porn” (more), a term coined by Alice Miles of THE TIMES when she reviewed SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE earlier this year. Although I haven’t seen PRECIOUS yet, Stevens’ criticism seems well-informed: “In its eagerness to drag us through the lower depths of human experience, PRECIOUS leaves no space for the audience to breathe or to draw our own conclusions. For a film about empowerment and self-actualization, it wields an awfully large cudgel.”

A.O. Scott wrote an insightful piece last week about a new trend in children’s movies: reverse dress-up. Instead of churning out children’s movies with predictable, perfect endings, the filmmakers behind WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE and FANTASTIC MR. FOX disguise “adult anxieties in the costumes of innocent make-believe.” In other words, they’re really “emo” (more).

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is number 1 at the box office, taking in $31 million and pushing THIS IS IT into second place (more). So far, a a number of critics have spoken favorably of Carrey’s performance, while others have bashed it, which seems to be yet another example of the hit-or-miss dynamic that defines his career as an actor. Which of Carrey’s performances in these films do you think were awesome, and which ones were definitely not?

Finds of the Day - 11/6/09

gerry — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Following a seven-year hiatus, hip hop star Eminem is set to make his return to the silver screen. The rapper will star in SHADY TALEZ, a 3D horror anthology film. (more)

A SERIOUS MAN, the latest from the Coen Bros., has made a star of lead actor Michael Stuhlbarg. Check out this great interview with Stuhlbarg and check out the film if you haven't yet. It's truly one of the year's best. (more)

The indie films FISH TANK and WOMAN have each earned the AFI Film Fest's top prize, The New Lights Competition. Actress Angel Basset led the jury that chose this year's winners. (more)

The holiday movie season kicks off with Robert Zemeckis' adpatation of Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Zemeckis once again used the motion capture technology he's used in his last two films (POLAR EXPRESS and BEOWOLF). The L.A. TIMES reaction? "Bah humbug indeed." (more)

Tom Hanks Brings Theater Gimmicks to WWII

gerry — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

Yesterday, Marina linked to an article announcing the Tom Hanks produced World War II film at the National World War II museum would open today in “4D.” This means that, along with the visual and auditory experience, the film includes props, simulated winds and shaking seats. Hanks is quoted as saying that he wanted these elements in order to “put you in the actual environment.”

The short film is entitled “Beyond all Boundaries,” but it does not mark the first time filmmakers have sought to engage senses other then sight and sound. While traditional cinemas have recently embraced 3D filmmaking, techniques such as Smell-O-Vision, buzzers in the seats and squirting water at the audience go as far back as the 50s and 60s. They were also generally considered gimmicks.

Take the 1960 film SCENT OF MYSTERY for example. It was the first and only film to use Smell-O-Vision, a technology that released specific odors during the film. A theater that was complete with Smell-O-Vision ran about $1,000,000, so it makes sense that it was used just once. Cult favorite director John Waters used something similar with his 1981 film POLYESYESTER. Instead of constructing a million dollar theater, Waters created Odorama, where the audience received scratch and sniff cards. At specific points in the film the screen would a flash a number for viewers to scratch on their cards. The smells would correspond with different scents included in the scene such as flowers, pizza, glue and even feces.

Smell wasn’t the only sense targeted by these theater tricks. The king of cinema gimmicks was director William Castle. Castle would do things like place joy buzzers to the underside of seats to shock audience members for his 1959 film THE TINGLERS or attach seatbelts to certain seats that were designed to shake around.

Nowadays, most of these sensual gimmicks seem limited to amusement park attractions like Universal Studio’s “Terminator 2: 3D” and Disney’s “It’s Tough to be a Bug.”

Smell-O-Vision, Odorama, the tingler, time traveling robots and talking cartoon bugs all seem like subjects far removed from something as real and as serious as war. Considering the history of this “4D” cinema, it strikes me as odd that Hanks would apply these type of technologies to World War II.

I generally respect Hanks as an actor and I enjoyed both SAVING PRIVATE RYAN as well as BAND OF BROTHERS. Both projects were praised for their realistic depictions of war, but that apparently wasn’t enough for Hanks. It seems like he’s obsessed with recreating World War II for both himself and the audience. But does sitting in a theater and having water splashed on your face come anywhere near to recreating the real thing? I question as to whether or not veterans would want to relive the real thing, or wish the real thing upon anyone. Hanks’ endeavor seems surprisingly tactless considering his past sensitivity and seriousness to the subject. What’s the motivation here?

I should probably reserve judgment until I’ve seen the film, but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. What do you think?

Finds of the Day - 11/5/09

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:28:51 +0000

Coming soon to a theater near you! The organizers of Sundance Film Festival announced today that the event will expand across eight cities in the US this year as they attempt to create a more “collective” film experience (more).

Danny Boyle won the Academy Award for Best Director and Best Film for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE in 2008 and has yet to announce his next project. Until now. Next year, he is set to begin shooting 127 HOURS, a biographical film about the mountaineer Aaron Lee Ralston, who had to saw off his own arm (more).

The filmmakers who created the new apocalyptic blockbuster, 2012, say that if the world was ending, they would try to save the Mona Lisa first. And the city of Los Angeles? Probably not. This will be the third time that Roland Emmerich has destroyed LA in one of his movies (more).

Tom Hanks’ newly-produced film, BEYOND ALL BOUNDARIES, opens at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans on Friday. The film will be shown exclusively at the museum's new Victory Theater, which includes “4-D elements such as props, simulated winds and shaking seats.” (more). WOAH.

Finds of the Day - 11/4/09

gerry — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:50:51 +0000

It's official: Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will host the 2010 Academy Awards. The annoucement came yesterday and marks the first time the Oscars will have two hosts. (more)

PRECIOUS, the film adaptation of the novel PUSH produced by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, earned praise at Sundance and is an early favorite to score an Oscar nomination for best picture. However, film critic Armond White blasts the movie, referring to it as the "con job of the year." (more)

Director Michael Mann (HEAT, PUBLIC ENEMIES) is known for embracing digital technologies in the filmmkaing world. The director recently expressed an interest in making a 3D film. (more)

The blog POPCRUNCH published a list of 20 films they think were better than the books they were based upon. See if your favorites made the cut. (more)

Finds of the Day - 11/3/09

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:43:19 +0000

Dana Stevens of SLATE Magazine explains why she will never see a Lars Von Trier movie again. “I'll just read the plot outline of each new movie, layer on that familiar von Trier affect of repulsion, resentment, and boredom, and it'll be as if I've seen it," she writes. (more)

Rights to the TERMINATOR film franchise are up for auction at $100 million. Think of all the people you could sue! (more)

THE NEW YORK TIMES writes about why Matt Damon’s career as an A-list actor has been particularly well-played and unique, largely because he favors supporting roles. (more)

Here is Jack Nicholson's EASY RIDER scene of the day. Or watch the real deal.

Finds of the Day - 11/2/09

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:35:09 +0000

Eugene Hernandez of INDIEWIRE talks about the telling moment at the heart of THIS IS IT when Jackson says, “I want it like I wrote it” (more). Although the film was only supposed to show in theaters for two weeks, it will now run through Thanksgiving weekend (more).

VARIETY reviews the Japanese remake of the film SIDEWAYS, released exclusively to Japanese audiences. That's really a shame for the rest of us, because I would have loved to see a Japanese Paul Giamatti (more).

Oprah Winfrey enthusiastically endorses the film PRECIOUS, saying, “It struck me in a way that nothing else has. The only thing that came close was reading 'The Color Purple' -- that's how struck I was. It took the breath right out of me" (more).

Wes Anderson would like to make a movie set in space. And shoot the film on location. In space. (more).

Finds of the Day - 10/30/09

gerry — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:26:11 +0000

Review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes published a list of the 25 best reviewed vampire movies. Check out if your favorites made the list. (more)

While it's been confirmed that Rick Gervais will host the Golden Globes, actor Hugh Jackman has passed on the opportunity to host the Oscars for a second time. Anyone have a guess as to who it will be this year? (more)

Science fiction film favorite GATTACA is apparently getting a television spin-off. The show is being developed by Sony and will be a one-hour police procedural program. (more)

In time for Halloween, film writer Matt Zoller Seitz published an article examining and discussing zombie movies. He refers to them a "cinema's most durable morality play." (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/29/09

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:25:53 +0000

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY is now the most profitable film of all time. The movie cost $15,000 to make, and has delivered a 434,000 percent return (more).

INDIEWIRE writes that “2009 has been seen by many as landmark film for female-directed, written or produced cinema”, listing Lone Scherfig’s AN EDUCATION and Claire Denis’ WHITE MATERIAL among the successes (more).

The LATimes gathered predictions for this year’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars from “Oracle” film critics like Peter Travers and Steve Pond (more). All of them predict nominations for AVATAR, THE HURT LOCKER, and PRECIOUS.

Mark Harris takes a moment to ponder the old chicken-vs-egg question with regards to Penelope Cruz and Pedro Almodóvar (more). Is she HIS muse, or is the other way around?

Finds of the Day - 10/28/09

gerry — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:50:23 +0000

THIS IS IT, the Michael Jackson concert film that assembles footage from the late star's rehearsal sessions, premiered yesterday. The film is receiving terrific reviews, with the L.A. TIMES stating, "[Director] Ortega has assembled this film to bewitch the senses." (more)

/Film has an interview with director Spike Jonze about the release of his short film WE WERE ONCE A FAIRY TALE starring Kanye West. The film features puppets and projectile vomit. (more)

The 33rd Annual Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival will run November 12-15 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The festival is the longest running documentary film festival and will feature work from over fifteen different countries. You can purchase tickets now. (more)

Nominees for the British Independent Film Awards were announced with Andrea Arnold's FISH TANK and Duncan Jones' MOON earning the most nominations. The award ceremony will take place on December 6. EMPIRE has the full list of nominees. (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/27/09

gerry — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:39:23 +0000

Media site IGN has posted the first five minutes of BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY. The sequel to the 1999 cult-classic hits theaters this Friday. Will the film score Box Office succes? Or will it merely be just another addition to the seemingly endless list of unnecessary sequels? (more)

Following the success of A SERIOUS MAN, the acclaimed Coen Brothers are working towards their next project: TRUE GRIT, a remake of the 1969 film that starred John Wayne. While Jeff Bridges is set to takeover Wayne's role, VARIETY reports that the Coen's have added Matt Damon and Josh Brolin to the cast list. (more)

In a public letter writer/director Paul Haggis (CRASH) renounced his membership to the Church of Scientology. Haggis was "disturbed" by the church's opposition to gay rights and support of California's Proposition 8. You can read Haggis' full letter at AirAmerica.com. (more)

David Kehr of THE NEW YORK TIMES looks at the evolution of the horror films from the 1960s through the present. Kehr finds the monsters in these films have shifted from the supernatural to the social to the physiological. (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/26/09

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:59:12 +0000

Ricky Gervais will host this year’s Golden Globe Awards, marking the first year that the ceremony has had an emcee since 1995. (more)

January Jones and Diane Kruger have signed to star alongside Liam Neeson in the Dark Castle thriller UNKNOWN WHITE MALE (more). Liam Neeson!!! In a thriller!!

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES interviews the suddenly-famous stars of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, who just a few weeks ago, were waiting tables (more).

On December 12th, Warner Brothers will host the first-ever worldwide live community screening of HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE. Daniel Radcliffe and director David Yates will be in attendance. The first 100,000 to RSVP will be guaranteed a spot! For more information, read here.

Review: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

gerry — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:46:39 +0000

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Spike Jonze

The big screen adaptation of the beloved children's book WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE earned the number one spot at the box office during its opening weekend. Director Spike Jonze has made a name for himself by directing landmark music videos (Weezer's "Buddy Holly") and unconventional films (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and ADAPTATION), so it should be no surprise that his take on the popular storybook nothing like a traditional kid's film. Reactions to the film have been diverse, with some claiming that it is an instant classic -- a marvel for its emotional realism. Others feel that simply too dark, making it unsuitable for children.

Film Fresh writers Marina and Gerry toss around the issues.

Marina: I loved the movie. It wasn’t a perfect film by any means, but I would certainly defend it against most of the criticism it is receiving. First of all, it was visually stunning. Director Spike Jonze did a fantastic job recreating the "cozy," textured and grainy aesthetic of the original children's book. Although the film barely touched the surface of the complex issues in Max's life (like an absent father, his distress about the sun dying, and so on), I liked that those issues were left undiscussed, and were instead played out with the make-believe monsters on an island. I also liked the fact that, although WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE is by no means a kid’s movie, the story was delivered to us as a child's story, in a child's voice.

Gerry: I liked the film, but I found it very flawed and overall a mixed bag. I would give it a cautious recommendation. The film was definitely beautifully made and I thought it did capture a child's emotions well. However, I found the narrative very disjointed and unsatisfying. I also didn’t like the fact that Max's motivations for leaving the island were revised drastically from those in the book. In the book, Max leaves the island because he misses his family, but in the film it seems as if -- after he's done meddling in the affairs of the monsters -- he returns home as a way of escaping his guilt.

These changes made Max come off as a jerk and made me identify with him less. And -- this may just be a personal thing -- but if I had run away from home after biting my mother, I would not be greeted with a loving hug and warm piece of chocolate cake upon my return.

Marina: I think it would have been too sentimental if Max had been a truly great king, if he had left them with all of their problems resolved. The "wild things" will always be wild -- untamed, confused, arguing, disjointed creatures. The creatures were only reflections -- fantastical elaborations of the real world.

In regards to the chocolate cake, I just thought that Keener, the mother, was so relieved to see him home and safe. Actually, there was no eating in the entire film. (The monsters talked about eating but never actually got around to it). The cake was an image of Max's fulfillment, which came at the film's conclusion.

Gerry: Generally, I dislike it when critics take issue with a movie for not being like its source material. And I didn't expect a direct adaptation, especially given that the original children’s book is so short. But in this case, I feel that the changes made in Max's motivation and actions altered the spirit and meaning of the story completely, making the film less powerful than the book.

Marina: That’s an interesting point. Although I didn't feel that Max left to escape his guilt. It seemed to me that Max finally admitted to himself that he couldn't be king of wild beasts, and that's why he returned home. I thought of it as more of a self-realization, a willful return to reality.

Gerry: Did you think it was a film children should see? If I was 6 years old, or younger, I think the film would have given me nightmares for weeks. It fuses elements of fear, the supernatural and the real very effectively. When the monsters are threatening to eat Max, the discussion reminded me of a kid trying to talk his way out of a beating from bullies on a playground.

Marina: I also got the sense that the monsters were reenacting a number of Max's memories. The first thing that comes to mind is the snowball fight at the start of the movie, which is later mimicked by the monsters throwing dirt balls at one another.

Gerry: I got that impression, too, and I felt that was the films greatest strength: incorporating reality into the fantastic, instead of making them separate entities.

Marina: Perhaps the way that the monsters felt was really beside the point, since they were first and foremost a part of Max's imagination.

Gerry: Nevertheless, I find myself in agreement with people that say that this isn't a kid’s movie.

Marina: Yes. I’ve been baffled by the number of scathing remarks by parents who took their 6-year-olds to see the film and were surprised to discover how "heavy" it was. I thought the trailer did a pretty good job of marketing this movie as the sort of "hipster" film it was intended to be... aimed at audiences who are interested in childhood but aren't actually children. I mean, there's an adult clothing line inspired by the film, for god's sake.

Gerry: That's a perfect way to sum up its intended audience. Also, a quick search on the film's reviews would reveal its dark, even existential, tone. In that way, it’s a lot like Henry Selick's CORALINE, another great adaptation of a kid's book that deals with serious issues and doesn't resolve them neatly. The film is definitely layered, and those who are intrigued by the film will discover new things at each new viewing. So, to summarize, I certainly think the film warrants a viewing, but, as you said, it should be viewed by those interested in childhood rather than children themselves. Still I found the film ultimately disappointing, both for its disjointed narrative and its drastic deviation from the book when it comes to Max's motivations.

Marina: I thought that the film was a beautiful way of exploring a lonely child's imagination. It both simplifies and exaggerates the very real issues faced by a child with a bad temper confronted by divorce, the decline of the environment, and growing up in general. But rather than address these issues directly, Spike Jonze created a dream-like absurdist poem.

Finds of the Day - 10/23/09

gerry — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:52:11 +0000

The movie that shocked and disgusted audiences at Cannes gets its limited release in the U.S. today. The arthouse horror film ANTICHRIST by Danish film director Lars von Trier polarized viewers in its festival run and currently has a 49% on review aggregate site ROTTEN TOMATOES. However, INDIEWIRE reports that the first showing in New York sold out and the NEW YORKER gave the film a glowing review. Will you make the venture to see this controversial film?

Science fiction fans rejoice! DISTRICT 9 director Neil Blomkamp next project has been given the greenlight. Blomkamp insists that his next film will be "very different from DISTRICT 9," but promises that it will be "totally original" and "very violent." I'm sold. (more)

Quentin Tarantino and the Weinstein Company have already started their Oscar campaign for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Tarantino kicked things off with an apperance at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival where they honored the director with the Kirk Douglas Award. While Christoph Waltz certainly deserves kudos for his performance as German soldier Hans Landa, I am not sure sure the film deserves a Best Picture nod. (more)

SAW VI is released today. It is the sixth film in the SAW franchise, but in Spain it is the first film (that isn't porno) to ever receive an X rating. BOXOFFICE.COM notes that "this might be the best press SAW VI has gotten." (more)

THE NEW YORK TIMES published an interesting piece by critic A.O. Scott about the films of 1962. Scott argues that '62 was a pivotal year for cinema and a year in which "eras collided." (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/22/09

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:09:24 +0000

A poll on INDIEWIRE asks readers whether they believe Mira Nair’s AMELIA (starring Hilary Swank as Amelia Earhart) will be a serious contender during Awards Season. So far, most have voted “No.” (more)

An interesting essay in TABLET MAGAZINE asks why so many Jewish filmmakers have kept Jewish actresses out of their films and have chosen WASP-y blondes instead. (more)

Don’t confuse this with a local weather forecast! THE WEATHER CHANNEL will begin showing movies on Friday nights in a series called “The Weather Channel Presents…”, which will feature films like A PERFECT STORM and MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. (more)

Lynn Hirschberg of THE NEW YORK TIMES writes about the film that received a 15-minute standing ovation at Cannes. (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/21/09

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:11:32 +0000

Ridley Scott’s latest project is GUCCI, a film that focuses on the scandalous murder within the Italian fashion dynasty. Angelina Jolie may star as Patrizia Reggiani, the woman who was jailed for 29 years for taking part in the killing of her ex-husband. Hey, at least he was wearing $1200 crocodile skin boots when he died. (more)

Although the host of this year’s Oscars is still TBD, we now know who the producers are: Bill Mechanic, the former chairman of 20th Century Fox, and Adam Shankman, the director of HAIRSPRAY (the Broadway musical, not the film) and a judge on the program SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. So I guess reality TV really is here to stay. (more)

The Czechs are really excited to announce that their “20 Percent Incentive” Plan has passed. Foreign film shoots will be refunded 20 percent of their expenses to encourage major productions on their soil. In order to qualify for the partial refund, you need to score high enough on a “culture” point scale. (more)

Among the films nominated for best feature at this year’s Gotham Awards are: A SERIOUS MAN, THE HURT LOCKER, THE MAID, and BIG FAN. You can watch A.O. Scott announce the nominees on UStream TV here.

Finds of the Day - 10/20/09

gerry — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:15:18 +0000

3D filmmaking is a rapidly growing trend in Hollywood, with many claiming that James Cameron's AVATAR will revolutionize the industry when it is released in December. THE NEW YORKER published an extensive profile on the director. He discusses his latest the movie and the unique filmmaking experience surrounding it. (more)

Movie blog "The House Next Door" published a series of articles on the celebrated animation studio Pixar. These aren't your usual puff pieces. Some include the politics of Pixar films, Pixar's utilization of cutting-edge technology and a history of the company. (more)

Thanks to Ben Stiller and other Hollywood actors, a documentary on the Japanese annual salughter of dolphins called THE COVE will be screened at the Tokyo International Film Festival despite initial resistance. (more)

The Austin Film Festival announced late that their line-up would include some bigger titles, including the adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel THE ROAD and the Nick Hornby film AN EDUCATION. (more)

While the new film COUPLE'S RETREAT is a hit at the box-office, critics have had very few positive words to say about it. Vince Vaughn's shtick may still have audiences rolling with laughter, but film critic Betsy Sharkey of the LOS ANGELES TIMES believes Vaughn has stalled as an actor. She's even compiled a list of the ten things she hates about him. He use to be "so money." (more)

There's Something About Gangsters

gerry — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:47:53 +0000

Moviegoers have always been fascinated by gangsters. The crime genre is as old as Hollywood itself, showcasing the American dream at both its best and its worst. Taking the “rags to riches” approach of writers like Horatio Alger and turning it on its head, the gangster picture focuses on the dark side of those who will do anything to escape a life of poverty.

In 1912, D.W. Griffith released THE MUSKETEERS OF PIG ALLEY, a short film considered to be the very first gangster movie. The 1922 film THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK was the first feature-length gangster movie with sync sound, giving audiences the chance to hear blazing Tommy-guns and screeching getaway cars.

As the 1920’s progressed, the nationwide establishment of prohibition helped organized crime gain a strong foothold, with gangsters smuggling alcohol into the United States. Criminals like Al Capone became national icons. This trend continued into the Great Depression of the 1930’s, with most Americans living in poverty, looking on as movie gangsters lived a life full of glamour and riches. The films LITTLE CAESAR (1931), SCARFACE (1932) and LADY KILLER (1933) glorified gangster lifestyles; Hollywood’s strict production and morality codes still required that each criminal meet an untimely end by film’s end.

During and after World War II, crime films took a turn into film noir, a sensibility created in part by displaced European filmmakers moving to Los Angeles, bringing along their love of expressionism. Characters in this genre approached the world with cynicism, introduced such lasting elements as the hardboiled detective and the femme fatale. Early noir detective films like THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) and THE BIG SLEEP (1946) propelled the careers of Humphrey Bogart and others.

American film noir -- and gangster films generally -- had a profound effect upon European and Asian filmmakers. Celebrated Japanese filmmaker Akira Kuroasawa drew heavily from noir for his films DRUNKEN ANGEL (1948) and STRAY DOG (1949). Jean Luc Godard’s groundbreaking BREATHLESS (1960) tells the story of a French thug who imitates the style and speech of Humphrey Bogart. In turn, the editing style and distinct visual aesthetic of Godard’s film influenced American directors like Arthur Penn and his BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967).

Three of America’s most popular contemporary directors -- Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese – have also taken a crack at the gangster picture. Coppola’s masterful adaptation of Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER (1972) was quickly hailed as a masterpiece and often cited as the one of the best gangster films of all time. It earned several Academy Awards and spawned two largely successful sequels. DePalma’s THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) harkens back to the Prohibition Era, giving us the story of the federal agent who brought the legendary Al Capone to justice. In 1983, DePalma directed a remake of the classic crime film SCARFACE, changing its protagonist to a Cuban immigrant (played by Al Pacino), but like its predecessor, featuring unprecedented levels of movie violence.

And, of course, no one is better known for his gangster pictures than Martin Scorsese. In MEAN STREETS (1973), Scorsese told the story of several low-level gangsters trying to make a living in New York City. GOODFELLAS (1990), based upon the life of real gangster Henry Hill, describes the day-to-day experiences of a member of the Mafia. In 1995, Scorsese returned with CASINO, another crime tale based on real-life mobsters. All of these films earned accolades, but it was Scorsese’s THE DEPARTED (2006) that earned the acclaimed filmmaker his first Oscar for Best Director. A remake of the Hong Kong film INFERNAL AFFAIRS (2002), THE DEPARTED tells the story of undercover police work against the Irish mob in Boston.

The gangster film continues to attract directors. Quentin Tarantino made his debut with RESERVOIR DOGS (1992) and Steven Soderbergh tried his hand with THE LIMEY (1999). Guy Ritchie and Matthew Vaughn both made a mark with British gangsters in their films SNATCH (2000) and LAYER CAKE (2004). ANGEL-A (2005), from French director Luc Besson, adds elements of fantasy and romance to the mix. With Michael Mann’s PUBLIC ENEMIES (2009) and Hong Kong director Johnnie To’s VENGEANCE (2009), the genre continues to grow, now with a rich history on which to draw.

Finds of the Day - 10/19/09

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:57:49 +0000

Surprise! WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE topped the weekend box office charts, although the film appealed much more to grownups than kids. (more). Posted below A.O. Scott’s review of the film (published last week) is a lengthy debate among NYTIMES readers about this issue, and whether or not parents were misled. (more)

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director of THE LIVES OF OTHERS, will begin filming a new thriller, THE TOURIST, in February. Angelina Jolie will star as an Interpol agent. (more)

THE MAID was the #1 indie film in America this past weekend. Sebastian Silva, the director, discusses with the NYTIMES what it was like to film inside the house where he grew up. (more)

Only three days left of the 45th Chicago International Film Festival. Tonight’s Theme: New Yorkers dealing with tragedies. (more)

Peter Jackson’s THE LOVELY BONES, a film based on Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel, will premiere in London next month as the Royal Film Performance. This means that the film will be screened for the Queen of England. Does anyone else think that’s weird? (more)

Finds of the Day - 10/16/09

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:24:03 +0000

THE NEW YORK TIMES released its review of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE this morning, calling it “alternately perfect and imperfect if always beautiful.” Hm. (more)

This weekend's box office is shaping up to be one of the most difficult to predict of the year, says the LA TIMES. (more)

Polanski plans to continue working on his latest movie, GHOST, from jail. Robert Harris, who wrote the best-selling novel that Polanski adapted for his film, said to the Times, "We will test to the upper limits the notion that there's no such thing as bad publicity." (more)

The juice company Dole is no longer suing the makers of the controversial documentary BANANAS!. In the film, Nicaraguan workers say that they were made sterile by a pesticide used at a Dole plantation – apparently, they were actually recruited by a lawyer to lie. (more)

65 countries are in the running for an Oscar in the Foreign Film category. You can take a look at the extensive list here. A list of semi-finalists will be released in January.

Peter Sarsgaard - "Park Slope stroller pusher"?

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:51:58 +0000

NYC’s favorite blog GOTHAMIST interviewed Peter Sarsgaard last week, calling the actor a “Park Slope stroller-pusher." Its true – I have seen his familiar face (from GARDEN STATE, JARHEAD and BOYS DON’T CRY) on the sidewalks of Brooklyn holding a newspaper and a cup of coffee, although I had no idea he also recently starred in the Broadway play THE SEAGULL. Or that he was a dad.

Sarsgaard's latest film, AN EDUCATION, opened on October 8th and has received an astonishing amount of praise from critics. Peter Travers, for instance, describes the film as “a quiet miracle of a movie” (Read more). In the film, the actor was presented with the immense challenge of playing a man in his thirties pursuing a 16-year old girl, but he explains to GOTHAMIST that this only made his character more interesting: “You get told what this story is and you think it's going to be Lolita or something. But that's not what he's attracted to. I think he's attracted to youth, which is something that he missed,” he says.

Sarsgaard also starred in Mike White’s 2007 film THE YEAR OF THE DOG and Wayne Wang’s THE CENTER OF THE WORLD. Roger Ebert commended his performance in the latter, saying that its as close to the “real thing” as you get (Read more). You can get both of those films right here on Film Fresh, and you can also let us know what you think about his role in AN EDUCATION. Did Sarsgaard succeed in making his "Humbert Humbert" character a human being worthy of our sympathy?

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

gerry — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:49:48 +0000

Perhaps the most anticipated film of this month is WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak's well-known children’s book. Jonze’s feature work has not been exactly conventional by Hollywood standards (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, ADAPTATION), so it will be interesting to see what he does when he's working with material aimed at kids. The hype surrounding the film is huge, and the trailer has been met with almost unanimous praise. (It's already made its way onto the list of "Stuff White People Like").

VARIETY has already published one of the first reviews of the film. In general, reviewer Todd McCarthy finds that the film is a triumph of design, but fails to provide an engaging plot for its entire duration. The actual text of the book was a little under 400 words, so it is easy to see how this could be a problem.

Personally, I am greatly intrigued by the film and might even attend a midnight screening. I will catch it during opening weekend at least. Hopefully WILD THINGS will continue this year’s trend of great feature films for kids -- witness both CORALINE and UP -- proving that children’s films don’t have to be idiotic to be entertaining. Children’s films can, in fact, just be good films.

What say you? Will you give Spike $12 this weekend, or wait it out and see what the consensus is after opening weekend?

Mike White: No longer a secret

gerry — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Mike White. You may not know his name but you're probably familiar with his work – witness, for example, his turn as Jack Black’s unassuming pushed-around roommate in SCHOOL OF ROCK

.But White is better known for the time he spends behind the scenes as an established and in-demand screenwriter, lending his writing talents to hit films like ORANGE COUNTY, NACHO LIBRE and SCHOOL OF ROCK. And recently, taking a break from comedy blockbusters, White made his directorial debut at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival with the hilarious YEAR OF THE DOG. Now that HBO has given the green light to his television series "Enlightened," he won’t be a secret much longer.

Eddie Murphy

gerry — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Eddie Murphy was once funny. Seriously funny. Before the days of Norbit, Nutty Professor sequels and shameless kid movie cash-ins like DADDY DAY CARE, Murphy was one of the edgiest, most innovative and downright hilarious comedians of all time.

Check out his groundbreaking stand-up in EDDIE MURPHY RAW. The man was a 1980’s comedy icon. Catch some of Murphy’s classic performances in COMING TO AMERICA , BOWFINGER and THE GOLDEN CHILD, and also watch him perfect the buddy cop genre in 48 HRS., ANOTHER 48 HRS., BEVERLY HILLS COP and BEVERLY HILLS COP II.

Aliens? Here?

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

With DISTRICT 9 topping box office charts this month, critics are praising South African-born director Neill Blomkamp for creating an entirely original alien film about a spacecraft that breaks down while hovering over South Africa. Certainly, aliens in popular movies have never landed in Johannesburg before. As Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly writes, the film’s setting calls our attention to the infamous political history of the director’s homeland (Read more.). What other cities have been used as backdrops for popular alien films? Byron Haskin’s incredible WAR OF THE WORLDS takes place in the familiar American locale of Southern California. Similarly, the residents of ‘perfectly normal’ Santa Mira, California suffer from mass hysteria in Don Siegel's classic INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, and a very glamorous New York City serves as setting for the hit movie MEN IN BLACK. Check out a few more of our favorite sci-fi invasion movies and watch familiar American locations get a little more... alien.

Mighty Mouse?

gerry — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

The film, business and nerd communities exploded into a frenzy last week when Disney announced that they were purchasing Marvel Comics and its character library. Rumors about the eventual fate of beloved Marvel franchises spread faster than Southern California wild fires. Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man crossovers? Fantastic Four meets the Incredibles? Stan Lee, say it ain’t so! Realistically, it will take some time before we see the effects of this enormous purchase, but you best stock up on Marvel movies as you remember them, because the future, at this point, is certainly unknown. Check out IRON MAN, THE PUNISHER and Sam Raimi’s well-respected SPIDER-MAN and SPIDER-MAN 2. Take a look at SPIDER-MAN 3 and try to figure out what went wrong; hopefully it’s not a harbinger of things to come.

Jack Black

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

The month of August ended with the annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, where about 100,000 showed up to see bands like TV on the Radio, Pearl Jam and M.I.A perform in Golden Gate Park. Too bad those of us on East Coast were unable to see Jack Black’s band, Tenacious D, as they headlined the last night of the Festival. Lame. Fortunately, Black’s fans who couldn’t make it to San Francisco last month can console themselves with a variety of his films, from ORANGE COUNTY to NACHO LIBRE to THE HOLIDAY, and of course, the celebrated SCHOOL OF ROCK. Rest assured, you'll find plenty of cockiness, slacker/stoner-ness and bumbling idiot moments. And who knows, maybe the truest Jack Black fans are the ones who boycott festivals because there’s no “outside” beer allowed.

Play it again

gerry — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month Steven Spielberg set cinephiles ablaze when he announced his intention to remake the 1950 classic HARVEY. Remakes are all the rage in Hollywood, but the results are mixed. What does it take to develop a good remake? Is it even possible? Several important directors and A-list stars have certainly tried , hoping to update influential films and make them relevant to today’s audiences. Watch some classic films and their recent remakes back-to-back and judge for yourself: ALFIE (1966 and 2004), THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976 and 2005) and THE ITALIAN JOB (1969 and 2003).

Klutzy-cool indie darling

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 05:00:00 +0000

We were stoked to hear that Spike Jonze’s WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE will be released in theaters this coming October! The casting director could not have chosen a better lady to be Max’s mother than Catherine Keener. While she’s now an Oscar-and Golden Globe-nominated actress, Keener has been a klutzy/cool indie darling since the 90’s, when she starred in LIVING IN OBLIVION. Don't miss her impressive, award-winning performance as a bourgeois screenwriter in FRIENDS WITH MONEY. Or watch Keener get lost and lovelorn in Sean Penn’s INTO THE WILD.

The Horror

gerry — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Everyone seems caught in the craze of superhero movie franchises. However, they seem to be forgetting one of Hollywood’s most traditional movie franchises that continuously fills theater seats: horror films. Rob Zombie is set to release HALLOWEEN II, the tenth film in the HALLOWEEN series. Take a look at some of Hollywood’s other successful horror franchises guaranteed to scare the pants off you with THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT, the SAW franchise (we've got SAW III and SAW V), as well as RESIDENT EVIL, RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE and RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION.

Brad Pitt is a basterd!

gerry — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 21:07:42 +0000

Say what you want about Brad Pitt’s tabloid persona, the man is a damn fine actor who connects with audiences. With INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Pitt has lent his talents to another top box office film and added Quentin Tarantino to the list of influential directors he’s worked with. Some critics act as if it has been only recently that the actor has devoted himself to projects outside of Hollywood’s mainstream, but if you look at the roles and the directors he has worked with throughout his entire career you’ll see this is not the case. Spend time taking in some of Pitt’s most memorable performances and see why he’s one of the best actors of his generation. See Pitt in Edward Zwick’s LEGENDS OF THE FALL, Guy Ritchie’s SNATCH, Alejandro Iñárritu’s BABEL and David Fincher’s THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON.

Christmas in August

rick — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:52:09 +0000

We woke up today to significant interest in the blogosphere about all things Film Fresh, and we are grateful. Supportive -- and at times, probing -- stories about the relaunch of FF appeared this morning in the Los Angeles Times, the Hollywood Reporter, ZDNet, Engadget, Video Business/Variety, PaidContent and NewTeeVee. All the press interviews we did over the last week paid off, it seems. Special thanks to Formula and to Jen at DivX for making things happen. Alright. Enough boasting. Back to work.

Adam Sandler marathon?

rick — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Adam Sandler has to be one of the hardest working men in show biz. In addition to starring in God knows how many films, he's also quite active as a producer (THE HOUSE BUNNY and PAUL BLART: MALL COP being two recent examples). His most recent film, FUNNY PEOPLE, has met with mixed reviews, as one might expect from a film about a terminally ill comedian. Might be time for that Adam Sandler marathon you've always promised yourself: we've got a lot of his films. 50 FIRST DATES, ANGER MANAGEMENT, YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN, CLICK, MR. DEEDS.... line 'em up!

New Yorker Films closes

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:58:43 +0000

New Yorker Films, the legendary distributor of American and international art films, was forced out of business this week over unpaid debts. Over the past 47 years, the company brought a score of important films and filmmakers to the attention of the American public, including Jia Zhang-ke, Francois Ozon, Abbas Kiarostami, the Dardenne brothers, Anne Fontaine, Hirokazu Koreeda, Aki Kaurismaki and others. (Not to mention directors like Godard and Werner Herzog.) No news yet on what will happen to the company's library, a collection of some of the greatest films in contemporary world cinema.

More here: http://tinyurl.com/bjp9k8

Film Club: Frozen River

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:57:27 +0000

Directed by Courtney Hunt

Film Fresh International Film Club Selection No. 23
February 2009

Ray Eddy’s difficult life on the cold northern U.S. has just taken a turn for the worse – her gambling husband has disappeared with all the money she’d saved for a new doublewide trailer for her family. Given that Ray only works part-time at the local Yankee Dollar Store, we can only guess at the sacrifices the accumulation of these savings required.

Reduced to feeding her kids -- 15-year old T.J. and 5-year-old Ricky – popcorn and Tang until her next paycheck comes in, Ray is feeling even more despondent than ever, although you can hardly tell, given the steely reserve actress Melissa Leo has given the character. But when Ray sees Lila Littlewolf, a young Mohawk woman from the nearby reservation, driving off in her husband’s car, she acts, reclaiming the car and shooting up the young woman’s trailer in the process. Lila, it turns out, is involved with human smuggling, using the safe haven of the reservation to ferry illegal immigrants into the United States. She eventually convinces Ray to participate in the smuggling, too. After all, Ray is white, and the police won’t suspect her. Ray, needing money badly, finally agrees to join up – just for a while. Until she gets enough for the doublewide.

Director Courtney Hunt steers FROZEN RIVER away from many possible clichés by focusing on the common conditions of the two women, both struggling with poverty, anger, children and despair, both trying to control circumstances as conditions overwhelm them. While issues boil beneath the surface of the film – race, immigration, low-wage employment – the director stays focused on the women and their alliance based on common need. Still, Hunt refuses to romanticize their relationship – this is not Thelma and Louise, not by a long shot.

Courtney Hunt started out her professional life with a law degree, but went back to school to obtain an MFA in film from Columbia University. She developed FROZEN RIVER, her first feature-length film, from a short she directed in 2004. Actress Melissa Leo needs no introduction. Viewers will remember her work as a detective on the television series HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS. More recently, she has gained praise in such films as 21 GRAMS and THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA. Her counterpart in the film, actress Misty Upham, began her film career in SKINS, the second film of director Chris Eyre. Both actresses starred in Hunt’s earlier short version of FROZEN RIVER.

Won: Grand Jury Prize, 2008 Sundance Film Festival;

Won: Best Film, Breakthrough Award, 2008 Gotham Awards;

Won: Best Actress (Leo), Producers Award, 2009 Independent Spirit Awards;

Nominated: Best Actress (Leo), Best Screenplay, 2009 Academy Awards

"Its bracing drama and the intensity of its acting [will] restore your spirits as well as your faith in American independent film." – Kenneth Turan, LOS ANGELES TIMES

Film Club: Happy-Go-Lucky

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:53:34 +0000

Directed by Mike Leigh

Film Fresh International Film Club Selection No. 24
March 2009

Film Fresh celebrates the completion of Year Two of its International Film Club with the story of Poppy, a British primary school teacher who goes through life entertaining her students, hanging with girlfriends, talking to homeless people and jumping on trampolines, each task informed by an almost preternatural happiness that she shares quite freely – too freely, for some. Like that other great English optimist, nanny Mary Poppins, Poppy is a joy to some and an irritant to others.

“Lighthearted” is not a word typically associated with the films of director Mike Leigh. BLEAK MOMENTS, his first directorial effort in 1971, is more characteristic, initiating a career of deeply moving films like NAKED, SECRETS & LIES and VERA DRAKE, films in which secrecy, emotional scarring and high drama rule the day. He has, on occasion, stopped to smell the roses – in his early film LIFE IS SWEET, for example, or the more recent TOPSY-TURVY – but, for the most part, brooding and sadness rule the day. To put this another way, if Mike Leigh can make a film this happy, there is hope for us all.

Much of this film is laugh-out-loud funny. (The scene in which a chiropractor “tickles” Poppy and makes her laugh in pain is priceless.) But Poppy isn’t exactly a blithe spirit. She is part of a long line of feminist heroines in Leigh’s films – none are crusaders, exactly (not even Vera Drake), but all are women with confidence and emotional integrity. This frequently makes them the target of angry men, and this is the case in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, too, as Poppy contends with her Scott (Eddie Marsan), her driving instructor, a xenophobic compulsive with the worse case of road rage in the history of teaching.

Learning is, in fact, a theme that winds throughout this film. Not only are most of the main characters teachers of a sort (including Tim, a social worker played by Samuel Roukin); everyone seems to be occupied with learning (or refusing to learn) the lessons offered by those around them. Poppy is particularly fascinating in this regard. Initially, she seems uncomplicated, a bottomless source of good humor. But as events unfold, we begin to see the patience and sympathy for others that inform her happiness, and we catch a glimpse of some of her disappointments, too. At first, Poppy seems like a bit of a cartoon – just short of annoying – but she grows in depth, finally emerging before us as a good friend, a loyal companion and even a bit of a saint, someone who, when all is said and done, believes in other people and looks to the future with optimism.

Won: Silver Bear for Best Actress (Hawkins), 2008 Berlin International Film Festival;

Won: Best Actress (Hawkins), 2009 Golden Globes

Nominated: Best Screenplay, 2009 Academy Awards;

“[Sally Hawkins] is a joy to behold.” – Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

Must See: Goodbye Solo

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:49:08 +0000

Ramin Bahrani's new film, GOODBYE SOLO, is now playing in Chicago and New York, and opens in Los Angeles this week (April 10). Here's what we had to say about this great film after we saw it at last year's Toronto Film Festival:

Director Ramin Bahrani offers up his third extraordinary feature, another fascinating study of immigration, work, alienation and family, this time exploring the landscape of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Senegalese cab driver Solo (Souléymane Sy Savané) is an extremely good natured man, so it is no surprise when he extends himself to one of his passengers, a seventy-year-old man named William, who has a tragic destination in mind. He wants to hire Solo to drive him to a high cliff in two weeks, where he plans to take his life. Solo agrees, if only to talk William out of it. At the same time, Solo has problems of his own -- his wife has just tossed him out of the house.

You'll find the film's official Web site here.

Must See: Treeless Mountain

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:44:00 +0000

So Yong Kim's second feature is now open in select cities in the United States. Here is what we said about it when we saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival:

Directed by So Yong Kim
(2008, South Korea)

This quiet and dreamlike film introduces us to two young sisters in South Korea. Jin is six years old; through her point-of-view that we explore the difficulties she faces with her younger sister Bin. Abandoned by their mother – who has left home to find her wayward husband – they are forced to live with their cold strict aunt. The aunt in turn hands them off to their farmer grandparents, where the girls slowly find happiness. Throughout, the two work to fill up a pink piggybank given to them by their mother: “When this piggybank is full, I will return.” This moody and lyrical film is filled with subtle emotions, made all the more impressive by the director’s near total focus on such young characters.

(So Yong Kim’s first feature: In Between Days)

Must See: Il Divo

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:41:31 +0000

We saw IL DIVO at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. Here is what we thought:

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino
(2008, Italy)

Since his election in 1946 to Parliament, Guilio Andriotti has served as a continual and controversial presence in Italian politics. Elected to the Prime Minister’s office no less than three times, he led the centrist Christian Democratic party to one-party dominance over a large portion of the 20th century. Through his career, he has been dogged by accusations of Mafia connections, and his last term of office ended in the 1990s amidst revelations of widespread corruption. This wild, kaleidoscopic and thoroughly irreverent biopic explores some of the most controversial moments of Andriotti’s reign, including the murder of journalist Mino Pecorelli and the kidnapping of Prime Minister Aldo Moro, while at the same time mapping out the complicated relationships between the Christian Democrats, the Mafia and the Catholic Church. IL DIVO is visually daring, sophisticated and intriguing, and, as strange as it may sound, an enormous amount of fun. Actor Toni Servillo’s portrayal of Andriotti is a hoot.

Film Club: Wendy and Lucy

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:36:42 +0000

Directed by Kelly Reichardt

Film Fresh International Film Club Selection No. 26
May 2009

There aren’t many films about people quietly falling through society’s safety net, but WENDY AND LUCY offers an intimate view of a good person whose options close down despite her best efforts. Wendy (Michelle Williams) is a determined but downtrodden young woman on the road with her dog, Lucy, en route to Alaska for high-paying cannery work when her plans stall out in small-town Oregon. Hers is not an irresponsible journey, but a tightly budgeted trek toward financial and emotional self-sufficiency. Despite her meager resources, she manages to survive through sheer will -- society offers little to Wendy except pennies for recycled bottles. But when her car breaks down, she is forced to rethink her approach, and in particular, her responsibility to Lucy. Film lovers have waited a long time for a character like Wendy, even though there are plenty of women like her in real life – women determined to gain some autonomy for themselves, no matter how slight, rather than accept the standard positions reserved for women without education or opportunity. Wendy is likable, disciplined, and capable; the challenges she faces reflect poorly on society, not her.

When On the Road popularized the road story in 1957, author Jack Kerouac celebrated romantic drifters -- the “fellaheen,” in Beat terminology -- but director Kelly Reichardt breaks rank with the Beats in her road film WENDY AND LUCY by showing the real price people pay living on the edge. Unlike INTO THE WILD (2007), a latter-day Beat road film by director Sean Penn that describes a young man’s journey to Alaska, Reichardt’s Wendy reveals the ways in which the search for adventure is shaped by the gender and class of the traveler. INTO THE WILD is based on the actual experiences of Christopher McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch), an outgoing young man who refashioned himself as the resourceful “Alexander Supertramp”; in contrast, Wendy’s reclusive tenacity stems from awareness of her own vulnerability.

While there are no doubt many independent women like Wendy (and independent directors like Reichardt), there aren’t many films about them. The motion picture industry thrives on sensational scenarios and box-office-driven filmmakers. Reichardt, like her protagonist Wendy, is determined to do things her own way, to a large degree opting out of Hollywood’s standards of success. She supports her unique films through the stability of her “day job,” teaching film at the liberal arts Bard College. (This position even gives her the freedom to make works few even see, including short avant-garde films that she makes on Super 8.) “Nobody’s money was at risk,” she notes in one interview. But she admits in another interview: “It’s really hard to stay small.”

Reichardt clearly resents the presumption that blockbuster riches are every filmmaker’s dream, preferring to keep her creative freedom instead, something that is quite apparent in her past feature films, RIVER OF GRASS (1994) and OLD JOY (2006). These are also road films, and Reichardt remaps this genre as cannily as a French New Wave auteur, exploring the freedom of travel and automobility with a femme fatale in the first film and male buddies in the second. WENDY AND LUCY comes closest to Reichardt’s own experiences on the road, as she travels extensively by car, usually accompanied only by her dog, Lucy (yes, the same dog that appears in these last two films), staying in “cruddy motels, the kind where you drive right up to the door.” On these trips, she meets many small-town women who have no means to move beyond their low-end jobs and little curiosity about the world besides. Wanting to give the film an aesthetic character that would reflect the growing divide between rich and poor, Reichardt prepared by watching a great many Italian neorealist films, as well as British “kitchen sink” dramas about “the nonromantic people in society” and the question of their worth.

Reichardt and a crew of volunteers shot WENDY AND LUCY in just 18 days for a total budget of $300,000. Reichardt then spent six months editing the film by herself in her apartment in Astoria, Queens. Her writing partner on the film was novelist Jon Raymond, introduced to her by WENDY AND LUCY’s executive producer, director Todd Haynes, who also brought Michelle Williams into the project. Williams is a big star for a low budget film -- she appeared in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and I’M NOT THERE -- but she was “drawn to the idea of playing a character who feels really invisible,” Reichardt has noted, which was “really different from how she was feeling, so watched,” after the dramatic death of Heath Ledger, William’s ex-husband and the father of her child. The rest of the film’s casting is equally unpredictable. Reichardt used “authentic train-hopping gutter punks” in one of the early scenes, and Walter Dalton, a former TV writer on Laverne and Shirley and Barney Miller, plays the security guard. There’s also a cameo by musician Will Oldham, the lead in OLD JOY.

With her ethos of social responsibility, it’s no surprise that Reichardt’s film is being distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories, the new indie company started by Adam Rauch of the Beastie Boys. Oscilloscope is quickly acquiring an exceptional repertoire of foreign, documentary and indie films. In the beautifully packaged WENDY AND LUCY, Oscilloscope allowed Reichardt to forego the usual director’s commentary, and instead showcase experimental films by Peter Hutton, Peggy Ahwesh, Les LeVeque and Jacqueline Goss, her teaching colleagues at Bard. This generous gesture by the director provides one sort of answer to the question implicit in WENDY AND LUCY, namely, what is our responsibility to others? In an interview with The Washington Post, Reichardt said: “There was a sentiment in our country after Katrina that, if people hadn’t left themselves so vulnerable, if they didn’t live so precariously, they wouldn’t have found themselves in that situation…. What happens if, like Wendy, you have no safety net, you have a nothing education, you don’t have family support, and certainly there’s no trust fund. How do you pull yourself up by your bootstraps? Do we owe each other anything? Are we supposed to take care of each other to any degree?” By focusing on such questions, Reichardt has given us a thought-provoking and captivating film.

-- Katie Mills

Katie Mills is a film scholar who lives in Los Angeles and teaches at Occidental College. She is the author of The Road Story and The Rebel: Moving Through Film, Fiction and Television (SIU Press, 2006).

Won: Best Picture, Best Female Performance (Williams), 2008 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards;

Nominated: Best Feature, Best Female Lead (Williams), 2009 Independent Spirit Awards

“Kelly Reichardt is a true cinema poet who works miracles in miniature. And she finds the perfect collaborator in Williams, an actress of grit and amazing grace.” – Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

Film Club: Waltz With Bashir

maint — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:17:26 +0000

Who wants to hear about genocide? Not me. Not most of us. So how does a filmmaker tell a story of humanity’s turn against itself? In WALTZ WITH BASHIR Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman does this with empathy and satisfying innovation. Told as a present-day mystery, WALTZ WITH BASHIR explores Folman’s repressed memories of his experiences as a 19-year-old soldier in Israel’s 1982 offensive against Lebanon. His relentless interrogation of these memories brings to light details of the massacres at the Sabra and Shatila Palestinian refugee camps following the war, actions performed by the Lebanese Christian Militia (known as the Phalangists) after the assassination of Bashir Gemayal, their leader. Israel sided with the Phalangists, giving tacit support to the massacres -- circumstances that eventually led to the resignation of Ariel Sharon, Israel’s Defense Minister at the time.

Folman chooses an affecting way to present his lost memories. WALTZ WITH BASHIR is an animated film; in fact, it is an “animated documentary.” The film tells a true story, based on conversations with former Israel Defense Forces soldiers who, like the director himself, also could not remember the three-day-long massacre of Palestinians, despite their proximity to the refugee camps. Animated versions of the men appear in the film, and the dialogue comes from taped interviews with the soldiers themselves, who are also named. (Two of the interviewees requested anonymity and were given alias identities, with their words voiced by actors). The stark drawings connect the flashbacks of the middle-aged men to their experiences as adolescent soldiers in 1982. Here, animation is used to create a new approach to narrative, a melding of present and past that engages us and works against our desire to close our eyes to evil. The film reminded me why we need such stories of war’s horrors; I felt buoyed by humanity’s capacity for insight rather than buried beneath the brutality and blame of genocide. WALTZ WITH BASHIR is more than a film -- it is a transformative work of art.

Fiction films that address the atrocities of war usually strive to provoke an emotional response. For instance, Terry George’s HOTEL RWANDA (2004) shows the 1994 massacre of Tutsis by Hutus from the victims’ point of view, emphasizing both the terror and uncommon heroism that arose. A more ironic approach can be found in Danis Tanovic’s NO MAN’S LAND (2001), which humanizes Serb/Bosnian animosity by placing two enemies face to face in a trench, standing on the same land mine.

Documentaries, in contrast, tend to be more analytical, combining the inevitable talking head interviews with news footage and photographs. This is exactly the approach director Folman wanted to avoid when he set out to make an “animated documentary” (seemingly a contradiction in terms, as Folman discusses in the interview included in the special features section of the DVD release). Folman said in an interview: "When you look at everything that there is in this film -- lost memory, memories of war, which are probably the most surreal things on Earth, dreams, subconscious, drugs, hallucination -- [animation] was the only way to combine one fluid storyline… If it was a classic documentary, it would have shown middle-aged men telling their war experiences… with footage that you could never find, and [it] wouldn't come close to resembling what they went through. It would be a boring film. And if you made a big action movie with the budget of an Israeli movie, that would just be sad."

Folman’s approach has something in common with graphic novelist Joe Sacco, who has used comic drawings to depict traumas in Palestine and Bosnia; but, because it is a film, WALTZ WITH BASHIR brings a sense of immediacy to its story, its inventive moving images overlaid with the actual voices of the former soldiers trying to recall events, backed by an intriguing sound track of 1980s music. The revelatory nature of WALTZ WITH BASHIR also has something in common with NIGHT AND FOG (1955), Alain Resnais’ classic documentary about Nazi death camps, and Marcel Ophuls THE SORROW AND THE PITY (1969), which both reveal how, beneath a seemingly calm exterior, the utter unraveling of humanity can occur -- first, in the annihilation of a population, but then through subsequent denials by the perpetrators.

Some have criticized WALTZ WITH BASHIR for minimizing the fact of mass murder by focusing on the post-traumatic stress experienced by Israeli soldiers. Although it is clear that Israel’s allies, the Christian Phalangists, actually killed the Palestinians (murdering between 400 to 3,000 people in a few days), it is equally certain that Israel bore indirect responsibility for the massacres as well. Israel’s own Kahan Commission determined that Israel commanders (including Ariel Sharon) allowed the Phalangists to enter the camps in the first place. The Commission also concluded that Israeli commanders ignored rumors of massacre, when they should have taken immediate action.

After the tribunals and war crime convictions have passed, society must figure out how to return to everyday life, and artists are often the ones who take on the burden of answering such questions. Any attempt to humanize war’s carnage will inevitably bring criticism, but society needs to understand all points of view, including that of the soldier. Folman realizes that his film does not present us with any heroes. As he says in the DVD interview, “Nobody wants to be the guy in this film.” Which is to say, no one wants to be him. He finally recalls his unit’s role in the massacre, concluding that they launched the flares that allowed the Phalangists to find their victims in the camps at night. Likewise, Folman’s film highlights for viewers the ways we are all capable of repressing knowledge of violent injustice; by animating the past, WALTZ WITH BASHIR gives new clarity to today’s images of collateral damage.

Who wants to know about the brutality of war? Perhaps no one. But some of the greatest works of civilization encourage us to face such crimes against humanity, so that we, like Oedipus Rex, might recognize our own blindness and the plague it creates. WALTZ WITH BASHIR is one of these works, a reminder of humanity’s great capacity for evil and for truth.

-- Katie Mills

Katie Mills is a film scholar who lives in Los Angeles and teaches at Occidental College. She is the author of The Road Story and The Rebel: Moving Through Film, Fiction and Television (SIU Press, 2006).

Won: Best Foreign Language Film, 2009 Golden Globes;

Won: Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, 2008 Awards of the Israeli Film Academy

Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film, 2009 Academy Awards;

Nominated: Golden Palm, 2008 Cannes Film Festival;

"Hallucinatory brilliance in the service of understanding the psychic damage of war." – Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE

Film Club: Elegy

maint — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:35:22 +0000

Directed by Isabel Coixet

Film Fresh International Film Club Selection No. 25
April 2009

Director Isabel Coixet has long been under-appreciated in the United States, despite her many award-winning films and her work with top-flight actors. Her first English language film, THINGS I NEVER TOLD YOU (1996), featured Lili Taylor, Andrew McCarthy and Debi Mazur; her next film that was distributed in the US, MY LIFE WITHOUT ME (2003), starred Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo and Amanda Plummer. THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS (2005) placed Sarah Polley in the starring role again, accompanied by Tim Robbins. None of these films did very well in the US, despite the acclaim and awards they received around the globe.

But things are changing for this Spanish director. ELEGY, her latest film, has finally garnered her some long-delayed and well-deserved attention, at least among the art house set. Coixet’s players are impeccably cast, as always, with Ben Kingsley as the aging, cynical, creatively-blocked writer and college professor, and Penélope Cruz as the younger, adoring, but savvy (former) student who finally gets the better of him. Excellent supporting performances by Dennis Hopper, Patricia Clarkson, Peter Sarsgaard and Deborah Harry (!) add much weight to the film, but it is the nuanced relationship between teacher and student that takes center stage.

ELEGY is based upon Philip Roth’s novel THE DYING ANIMAL, one of the writer’s now-standard tales that pit age against beauty. The details of the story fit many of Coixet’s own obsessions – love, illness, desperation and devotion – and so she makes it her own. Events shift the initial petty student-teacher dynamic, the grasp of the film expanding to take in the largest life and death issues with a seriousness and sincerity seldom seen in cinema today. To say more would spoil the story, so we’ll leave it at that.

Won: Outstanding Performance (Cruz), 2009 Santa Barbara International Film Festival;

Won: Best Supporting Actress (Cruz), 2008 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards

Nominated: Golden Bear, 2008 Berlin International Film Festival;

“[Kingsley’s and Cruz’s] best performances of their recent careers.” – Andrew O’Hehir, SALON.COM

The Wrestler - Review

maint — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:19:28 +0000

The Wrestler is a film that Mickey Rourke has been waiting to star in for most of his acting career. It’s a film about failure, loneliness, knowing that the best years of one’s life have long passed. Even in Rourke’s youth, when he blazed so fiercely and beautifully in Body Heat (1981), Rumblefish (1983) and Year of the Dragon (1985) he always had a rueful look in his eyes, as if he had caught sight of his destiny, as if he knew he could keep it at bay for only a while.

By the middle of the 1990s he was living that future. He had been arrested for spousal abuse. His decision to take up professional boxing had lost him his looks and, to judge from his slow and sometimes slurred voice on chat shows, part of his brain. His once shining career had sunk to such a level that he was reduced to sharing screen time with the likes of Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dennis Rodman in Double Team (1998).

In recent years, he has been virtually MIA, a John Travolta figure waiting for his own Quentin Tarantino to come along and restore his reputation. Actually, he was offered a part in Pulp Fiction (1994) – that of Butch Coolidge; after he turned it down, it went to Bruce Willis, an actor who has made his fortune by refining a lightweight, vanilla-flavoured version of the persona that Rourke has lived out for ruinous real.

Darren Aronofksy, a director making a comeback of his own after he followed his critically-esteemed Pi (1998) and Requiem For A Dream (2000) with the commercially unsuccessful The Fountain (2006), has pulled off something of a coup. Not only has he hauled Rourke from his self-pitying slump, but, working from a screenplay written by Robert D Siegel, he has created an often-brutal, always-compelling portrait of a decent man trying to peel himself off Skid Row.

Rourke plays Robin Ramzinski, known to older wrestling fans as Randy (the Ram) Robinson. He was at his peak back in the 1980s, a decade in which the hair metal music he loves was still popular. Now his body is criss-crossed with scars; he relies on painkillers and steroids to keep him in the ring; he fights in small-town venues picking up fees that barely cover the rent on his trailer-park home in Jersey. He hasn’t seen his daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) for many years.

The Wrestler is less hyperactive than Aronofsky’s earlier films. It’s designed to resemble a documentary and achieves its goal of looking crummy so successfully that viewers may feel they’re taking a holiday in a dirty refrigerator. The pervasive, wheezy grottiness highlights the Ram’s fall from his former glories, and also captures the daily reality of most wrestlers’ lives.

And yet, in spite of all the grot and the poor money, and even after a younger opponent uses a staple gun on Ram that leads to him having a heart attack, the appeal of “grapple” never wanes. Randy is addicted to the ritual of fighting. He prefers its choreographed violence to the messiness of his personal life. Its “family” – of fellow wrestlers, of devoted spectators – is easier to handle than his real one. Unlike Cassidy (Marisa Tomei), his favourite stripper, he’s devoted to performing; he can’t imagine a life in which he can’t enjoy the fix of being “the Ram”.

The fight scenes are handled with a sweaty, bloodied intensity that makes them far less aesthetically appealing or even dramatic than Raging Bull or Rocky. Even when the Ram wins, the poundings he takes and the slowness with which he hobbles back to his dressing room mean that it’s hard to feel any pleasure or joy. We stare at Rourke and can’t help but wonder what wretched depths of personal experience he is mining.

And yet, even when he’s at his weariest and most beleaguered, there’s still the hint of a smile, both rueful and sexy, that seduces us. There’s also evidence of that comic talent that his tough-man reputation has always obscured: the scenes in which he does overtime at a deli counter – wearing a name tag that says “Robin” while his blond extensions are wrapped in a hair net; scooping egg mayonnaise into plastic tubs and slicing ham for elderly customers - are poignantly delightful.

The Wrestler doesn’t get everything right. The Ram’s relationship with Cassidy, while it does have the benefit of showcasing 44-year-old Tomei’s extraordinary body, feels almost as programmatic as his encounters with Stephanie. The film doesn’t – and maybe as a sports film, can’t – take us anywhere very surprising.

We recommend: FADOS

maint — Thu, 28 May 2009 14:21:11 +0000

We first saw this movie two years ago at a film festival. It's finally out in theatres!

Here is what we said at the time:

FADOS
Carlos Saura (2007, Spain)

This valentine to the traditional Portuguese song form fado is a sight to behold. Literally. Carlos Saura -- known for his films on the flamenco -- strings together a series fados, each featuring a well-known performer in the genre. Those who are familiar with the music will love this film, and those who do not know the music will find this an appropriate introduction. FADOS is as much about film as it is about music -- each song is embellished with dancers, musicians, rear projection, inventive camerawork... all choreographed with extraordinary style, sweeping us from tune to tune. No story. No plot. None needed. (Musicians featured include Mariza, Caetano Veloso, Carlos do Carmo and, of course, Amália Rodrigues.