Remember the glory days of 2018 moviegoing? Those with MoviePass can now relive the rise and fall of the company that offered customers a subscription service to watch one movie a day for the price of just $9.95 a month with a new documentary. MoviePass, MovieCrash, which premiered at SXSW, now has its first trailer ahead of an HBO and Max debut at the end of the month.
Company co-founder Stacy Spikes was interviewed by John Fink for The Film Stage on the subject of the company’s relaunch after their business model proved unsustainable, the state of the movie industry today, and his memoir Black Founder. In his review of MoviePass, MovieCrash, Fink recommends Spikes’ book as an alternative to the film, which he calls “a detailed overview that is at times a little too dry to find the irony and injustice at the core of this story.”
Here’s the...
Company co-founder Stacy Spikes was interviewed by John Fink for The Film Stage on the subject of the company’s relaunch after their business model proved unsustainable, the state of the movie industry today, and his memoir Black Founder. In his review of MoviePass, MovieCrash, Fink recommends Spikes’ book as an alternative to the film, which he calls “a detailed overview that is at times a little too dry to find the irony and injustice at the core of this story.”
Here’s the...
- 5/16/2024
- by Justin Martinez
- The Film Stage
What new perspective can one bring to the horror genre? With his directorial debut, Chris Nash answers this question with a resoundingly brutal and formally fascinating answer. Primarily following a murderer’s steps and slashes through his travels terrorizing those near a remote cabin, the wonderfully Béla Tarr-esque In a Violent Nature sticks to its meticulous conceit and delivers one of the most chilling horror movies I’ve seen in years. Ahead of a May 31 theatrical release from IFC Films, which will be unrated, the new trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 60-year-old crime, his body is resurrected and becomes hellbent on retrieving it. The undead golem hones in on the group of vacationing teens responsible for the theft and...
Here’s the synopsis: “When a locket is removed from a collapsed fire tower in the woods that entombs the rotting corpse of Johnny, a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 60-year-old crime, his body is resurrected and becomes hellbent on retrieving it. The undead golem hones in on the group of vacationing teens responsible for the theft and...
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Current Debate is a column that connects the dots between great writing about a topic in the wider film conversation.Civil War.Every now and then there comes a film so in tune with our pestilential zeitgeist as to earn that most dangerous of descriptors: important. I can’t think of many words more vacuous, not only because of all the questions it leaves unanswered, but also because of the argument it peddles: that a film’s ability to sponge the mood of our times should count as an artistic merit. A film is important because it deals with important topics, or so the logic goes; it is necessary because these are things we all should care about, lessons we ought to treasure, and warnings we must heed. In this Neanderthal worldview, art is reduced to propaganda, and audiences to crowds who must be educated and pandered to. But...
- 5/8/2024
- MUBI
Just before Killers of the Flower Moon set her on the path towards an Oscar nomination / robbery, Lily Gladstone debuted another film concerning conflicts between Indigenous and white communities. Erica Tremblay’s 2023 Sundance premiere Fancy Dance is arriving some 18 months later from Apple, who stream it on June 28, and with this comes a trailer.
As John Fink said in his review, “Fancy Dance is a rich character study that explores the contemporary impact of permanently marginalizing a community with limited options. Other communities and economies emerge and potentially entrap someone like Roki who, as a teen, tries reconciling a sense of foundation while having little to grab onto. Above all, this is a well-written drama that feels like an authentic, at times painful exploration of a community from a filmmaker that knows this place all too well.”
Find the preview below, also featuring Shea Whigham and Isabel Deroy-Olson:
Since her sister’s disappearance,...
As John Fink said in his review, “Fancy Dance is a rich character study that explores the contemporary impact of permanently marginalizing a community with limited options. Other communities and economies emerge and potentially entrap someone like Roki who, as a teen, tries reconciling a sense of foundation while having little to grab onto. Above all, this is a well-written drama that feels like an authentic, at times painful exploration of a community from a filmmaker that knows this place all too well.”
Find the preview below, also featuring Shea Whigham and Isabel Deroy-Olson:
Since her sister’s disappearance,...
- 5/8/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
One of our early favorites of 2024, Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Saint Frances follow-up Ghostlight premiered at Sundance and stopped by SXSW before coming to theaters next month from IFC Films. Ahead of the June 14 theatrical release, the first trailer has now arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “When melancholic construction worker Dan finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet. As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss.”
John Fink said in his review, “A masterfully crafted work with nearly no false notes, Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Ghostlight is a tender drama bearing profound moments of humor and small triumphs. The smartly constructed script by O’Sullivan buries the lede, revealing new narrative information with each layer as...
Here’s the synopsis: “When melancholic construction worker Dan finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet. As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss.”
John Fink said in his review, “A masterfully crafted work with nearly no false notes, Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson’s Ghostlight is a tender drama bearing profound moments of humor and small triumphs. The smartly constructed script by O’Sullivan buries the lede, revealing new narrative information with each layer as...
- 5/6/2024
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
While Hayao Miyazaki deservedly took home the Oscar for The Boy and the Heron, another nominee is well worth your attention. Pablo Berger’s Cannes favorite Robot Dreams, which had an awards-qualifying run way back in December (solidifying it as a 2023 film), will finally properly open next month from Neon. Ahead of the release, a new trailer has arrived.
Here’s the simple synopsis: “Dog lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, Dog, with great sadness, is forced to abandon Robot at the beach.”
John Fink said in his review, “By far one of the most delightful films of the year––even when it breaks your heart––Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams is a deceptively simple take on companionship that...
Here’s the simple synopsis: “Dog lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, Dog, with great sadness, is forced to abandon Robot at the beach.”
John Fink said in his review, “By far one of the most delightful films of the year––even when it breaks your heart––Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams is a deceptively simple take on companionship that...
- 4/23/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Premiering at TIFF last fall, Flipside follows filmmaker Chris Wilcha as he reflects on his past and what it means to live a life of creativity. Picked up by Oscilloscope Laboratories for a North American release, featuring Judd Apatow on board as executive producer, the first trailer has now landed ahead of a May 31 debut.
Here’s the synopsis: “When filmmaker Chris Wilcha revisits the record store he worked in as a teenager in New Jersey, he finds the once-thriving bastion of music and weirdness from his youth slowly falling apart and out of touch with the times. Flipside documents his tragicomic attempt to revive the store while revisiting the abandoned documentary projects that have marked his career. In the process, he captures “The American Life” icon Ira Glass in the midst of a creative rebirth, discovers the origin story of David Bowie’s ode to a local New Jersey cable television hero,...
Here’s the synopsis: “When filmmaker Chris Wilcha revisits the record store he worked in as a teenager in New Jersey, he finds the once-thriving bastion of music and weirdness from his youth slowly falling apart and out of touch with the times. Flipside documents his tragicomic attempt to revive the store while revisiting the abandoned documentary projects that have marked his career. In the process, he captures “The American Life” icon Ira Glass in the midst of a creative rebirth, discovers the origin story of David Bowie’s ode to a local New Jersey cable television hero,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
If the only April release was my top pick of the month it would be one of the finest lineups of the years, but thankfully there’s more to recommend. Featuring films about cinephilic obsession, subversive superhero tales, and what is sure to be at least one divisive big-screen near-future adventure, check out the list of must-sees below.
12 & 11. Kim’s Video (David Redmon and Ashley Sabin; April 5) and I Like Movies (Chandler Levack; April 8)
Anyone interested in physical media will appreciate a pair of films this month. Kim’s Video explores the strange story of the East Village establishment that housed around 55,000 DVDs while I Like Movies is a Canadian coming-of-age tale about a video store clerk who has bigger dreams in life, and is chockfull of cinephile-related humor that rang quite a familiar bell for this writer. John Fink said in his review of the former, “A sweeping documentary...
12 & 11. Kim’s Video (David Redmon and Ashley Sabin; April 5) and I Like Movies (Chandler Levack; April 8)
Anyone interested in physical media will appreciate a pair of films this month. Kim’s Video explores the strange story of the East Village establishment that housed around 55,000 DVDs while I Like Movies is a Canadian coming-of-age tale about a video store clerk who has bigger dreams in life, and is chockfull of cinephile-related humor that rang quite a familiar bell for this writer. John Fink said in his review of the former, “A sweeping documentary...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
After nearly two decades of work in front of the camera, Dev Patel has crafted his directorial debut with the actioner Monkey Man. The Jordan Peele-produced feature, from Patel’s own story and screenplay he collaborated on with Paul Angunawela and John Collee (Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World), will arrive just a few weeks after its SXSW premiere, and now a new trailer has landed.
Here’s the synopsis: “Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over,...
Here’s the synopsis: “Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Monkey Man stars Patel as Kid, an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over,...
- 3/21/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
What new perspective can one bring to the horror genre? With his directorial debut, Chris Nash answers this question with a resoundingly brutal and formally fascinating answer. Primarily following a murderer’s steps and slashes through his travels terrorizing those near a remote cabin, the wonderfully Béla Tarr-esque In a Violent Nature sticks to its meticulous conceit and delivers one of the most chilling horror movies I’ve seen in years. Ahead of a May 31 theatrical release from IFC Films, the first trailer has now landed.
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “A slow-cinema spin on well-burnished tropes, In a Violent Nature largely strips the artifice of the slasher formula, which dictates a deformed man must hunt down attractive teens or young adults in either the woods or suburbia. A film built around a mythology that comes to life, as our killer rises from a grave, Chris Nash...
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “A slow-cinema spin on well-burnished tropes, In a Violent Nature largely strips the artifice of the slasher formula, which dictates a deformed man must hunt down attractive teens or young adults in either the woods or suburbia. A film built around a mythology that comes to life, as our killer rises from a grave, Chris Nash...
- 3/20/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A snapshot of the most exciting voices working in American and international cinema today––and with a strong focus on newcomers––the Museum of the Moving Image’s First Look festival returns this week, taking place March 13-17.
As always, the annual festival brings together a varied, eclectic lineup of cinema from all corners of the world––including a number of films still seeking distribution, making this series perhaps one of your only chances to see these works on the big screen. Check out our top picks below, along with the exclusive premiere of the festival trailer.
Arthur&Diana (Sara Summa)
A lo-fi siblings road trip movie shot with a mix of MiniDV, Betacam, and 16mm, Sara Summa’s Arthur&Diana marks an interesting, mostly successful gamble of personal storytelling, in which Summa stars alongside her-real brother, Robin Summa. Jared Mobarak said in his TIFF review, “As such, we glean...
As always, the annual festival brings together a varied, eclectic lineup of cinema from all corners of the world––including a number of films still seeking distribution, making this series perhaps one of your only chances to see these works on the big screen. Check out our top picks below, along with the exclusive premiere of the festival trailer.
Arthur&Diana (Sara Summa)
A lo-fi siblings road trip movie shot with a mix of MiniDV, Betacam, and 16mm, Sara Summa’s Arthur&Diana marks an interesting, mostly successful gamble of personal storytelling, in which Summa stars alongside her-real brother, Robin Summa. Jared Mobarak said in his TIFF review, “As such, we glean...
- 3/11/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Anyone interested in physical media should surely know the tale of Kim’s Video. The East Village establishment last closed its doors in 2014, though its rental collection recently returned to Alamo Drafthouse’s Lower Manhattan location. The story of where the 55,000 films ended up in between is far stranger than one may expect and now its gotten documentary treatment from David Redmon and Ashley Sabin. After premiering at Sundance last year, Drafthouse Films fittingly picked up the film for a release beginning April 5 and now the trailer has arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “A sweeping documentary by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, Kim’s Video follows the personal-inquiry, man-on-the-street format from their previous works Mardi Gras: Made in China and Girl Model. With Redmon largely remaining behind the scenes, asking questions while holding his camera, the film is simply left to wander where the story takes it: from...
John Fink said in his review, “A sweeping documentary by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, Kim’s Video follows the personal-inquiry, man-on-the-street format from their previous works Mardi Gras: Made in China and Girl Model. With Redmon largely remaining behind the scenes, asking questions while holding his camera, the film is simply left to wander where the story takes it: from...
- 3/7/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
One of the most singular viewing (and listening) experiences of the year, the documentary The Tuba Thieves explores what it means to listen and how sound––particularly the absence of it––figures into everyday life. A fascinating counterpart to a fellow recent Sundance premiere, 32 Sounds, Alison O’Daniel’s film opens up the world of the d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing community to invite audiences to see and hear the experience. With a rather radical use of captions and subtitles, as previewed in our exclusive trailer premiere below, it’s one of the essential documentaries of the year thus far.
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “A film that rewards patience, The Tuba Thieves, despite its title, is not a quirky heist picture but rather a meditation on the presence and absence of sound framed by both recent and further-removed history. It’s directed by d/Deaf visual artist Alison O’Daniel,...
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “A film that rewards patience, The Tuba Thieves, despite its title, is not a quirky heist picture but rather a meditation on the presence and absence of sound framed by both recent and further-removed history. It’s directed by d/Deaf visual artist Alison O’Daniel,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Any year where we get a new Hayao Miyazaki movie means a great one for animation, but look a bit deeper and other gems emerge. One such is Pablo Berger’s Cannes favorite Robot Dreams, which had an awards-qualifying run in December and will open this year from Neon. Ahead of the release, they’ve released a teaser trailer. Here’s the simple synopsis: “Dog lives in Manhattan and he’s tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until they become inseparable, to the rhythm of 80’s NYC. One summer night, Dog, with great sadness, is forced to abandon Robot at the beach.”
John Fink said in his review, “By far one of the most delightful films of the year––even when it breaks your heart––Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams is a deceptively simple take on companionship that...
John Fink said in his review, “By far one of the most delightful films of the year––even when it breaks your heart––Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams is a deceptively simple take on companionship that...
- 1/5/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Happy New Year! As we continue to wrap up 2023 in cinema, we’re also looking toward what awaits in 2024. Ahead of more expansive 2024 previews, we’re taking an in-depth look at this first month of the year. We should also note that a batch of December favorites will continue to expand, including All of Us Strangers, The Zone of Interest, The Sweet East, and American Fiction.
10. Mambar Pierrette (Rosine Mbakam; Jan. 26)
A selection from Cannes, NYFF, and TIFF, Rosine Mbakam’s narrative feature debut will begin its U.S. run at Anthology Film Archives this month. Edward Frumkin said in his NYFF review, “Cameroonian filmmaker Rosine Mbakam uses familiar spaces as microcosms of society. After capturing her subjects in one setting, such as a mall in Chez Jolie Coiffure (2018) and the protagonist’s home in Delphine’s Prayers (2021), her narrative-feature debut Mambar Pierrette foregrounds the eponymous tailor and love for...
10. Mambar Pierrette (Rosine Mbakam; Jan. 26)
A selection from Cannes, NYFF, and TIFF, Rosine Mbakam’s narrative feature debut will begin its U.S. run at Anthology Film Archives this month. Edward Frumkin said in his NYFF review, “Cameroonian filmmaker Rosine Mbakam uses familiar spaces as microcosms of society. After capturing her subjects in one setting, such as a mall in Chez Jolie Coiffure (2018) and the protagonist’s home in Delphine’s Prayers (2021), her narrative-feature debut Mambar Pierrette foregrounds the eponymous tailor and love for...
- 1/2/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
As we continue to explore the best in 2023, today we’re taking a look at the articles that you, our dear readers, enjoyed the most throughout the past twelve months. Spanning reviews, interviews, features, podcasts, news, and trailers, check out the highlights below and return for more year-end coverage as well as a glimpse into 2024.
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
Most-Read Reviews
1. Body Parts
2. The Exorcist: Believer
3. Barbie
4. Beau Is Afraid
5. Priscilla
6. Suzume
7. Hypnotic
8. No Hard Feelings
9. The Zone of Interest
10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Most-Read Interviews
1. Claire Simon on Capturing the Female Body and What Sets Her Apart From Frederick Wiseman
2. “I Don’t Think Directors Should Be Amenable”: Erik Messerschmidt on Shooting The Killer and David Fincher’s Simple Process
3. Richard Kelly on Creative Heartbreak, Political Cinema, and Future Projects
4. Christopher Blauvelt on May December, Formatting for Netflix and 35mm, and Life Lessons from Harris Savides
5. Brandon Cronenberg on Infinity Pool,...
- 1/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Consistent comparison to Parasite is the dream of any sales agent and producer in 2023, which surely made those behind Raging Grace awfully pleased. Solidifying it a whole lot more was the film putting that money where its mouth is: at this year’s South By Southwest it nabbed the Grand Jury prize and special notice for writer-director Paris Zarcilla. Riding these coattails, the film will open on December 1 and (naturally) there is now a trailer.
It’s an effectively cut and scored bit of work that nicely portends the film John Fink commended in his SXSW review. As he said, “Zarcilla frames his film as more of an atmospheric dark comedy with a sharp commentary on colonization that is often both innovative and creepy. While it doesn’t quite achieve the genius of Bong’s angry satire, it does come close: it reveals exactly what is going on and who...
It’s an effectively cut and scored bit of work that nicely portends the film John Fink commended in his SXSW review. As he said, “Zarcilla frames his film as more of an atmospheric dark comedy with a sharp commentary on colonization that is often both innovative and creepy. While it doesn’t quite achieve the genius of Bong’s angry satire, it does come close: it reveals exactly what is going on and who...
- 11/8/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
One of the most impressive films at Sundance Film earlier this year was the latest work from Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Elaine McMIllion Sheldon. With stunning cinematography, King Coal explores the lives in Central Appalachia and how the effects and bonds instilled by the coal industry. Ahead of a theatrical release beginning on August 11 the first trailer has now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “A poetic ode to the blue ridges of Central Appalachia, King Coal often evokes an IMAX educational film in its scope, space, and presence. The film explores the complex history of coal as a specter that looms over the region. The precious rock is celebrated throughout, the picture never veering off-course to engage in a discussion of contemporary politics. It’s instead built on West Virginia itself, a land still tied to mythology in some ways. “Who are we, without a king,” Lanie Marsh...
John Fink said in his review, “A poetic ode to the blue ridges of Central Appalachia, King Coal often evokes an IMAX educational film in its scope, space, and presence. The film explores the complex history of coal as a specter that looms over the region. The precious rock is celebrated throughout, the picture never veering off-course to engage in a discussion of contemporary politics. It’s instead built on West Virginia itself, a land still tied to mythology in some ways. “Who are we, without a king,” Lanie Marsh...
- 7/24/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The Fantasia International Film Festival is back for its 27th annual edition, running July 20 through August 9, and it’s bringing one of Hollywood’s biggest stars––in spirit now; he’s officially canceled so as to not cross the picket line of the current SAG-AFTRA strike––to Montreal with a world premiere and career recognition. Nicolas Cage, his new film Sympathy for the Devil, and his Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award aren’t the only draw for this three-week event, though.
You’ve got a spotlight on Korean cinema to celebrate sixty years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea. There’s the honor of bestowing underground filmmaker Larry Kent with the 2023 Canadian Trailblazer Award alongside a screening of a rare 35mm print of his 1981 film Yesterday. And a slew of world premieres from horror’s best and brightest––a list spanning Larry Fessenden (Blackout), Jenn Wexler...
You’ve got a spotlight on Korean cinema to celebrate sixty years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea. There’s the honor of bestowing underground filmmaker Larry Kent with the 2023 Canadian Trailblazer Award alongside a screening of a rare 35mm print of his 1981 film Yesterday. And a slew of world premieres from horror’s best and brightest––a list spanning Larry Fessenden (Blackout), Jenn Wexler...
- 7/17/2023
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Cold Souls and Madame Bovary director Sophie Barthes returned to Sundance Film Festival earlier this year with her latest feature The Pod Generation. Led by Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the film follows their characters living in a not-so-distant future in New York, taking a wild ride to parenthood after landing a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient and shareable pregnancy by way of detachable, artificial wombs, or pods. Ahead of an August 11 theatrical release, the first trailer has now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “A sharp relationship satire that proves the more things change, the more they stay the same, Sophie Barthes’ The Pod Generation imagines a world of, to borrow Aaron Bastani’s idea, Fully Automated Luxury Communism. Are there poor people in this imagined futuristic world of the United States? (We can only identify the country because there’s a...
John Fink said in his review, “A sharp relationship satire that proves the more things change, the more they stay the same, Sophie Barthes’ The Pod Generation imagines a world of, to borrow Aaron Bastani’s idea, Fully Automated Luxury Communism. Are there poor people in this imagined futuristic world of the United States? (We can only identify the country because there’s a...
- 7/17/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
While July is a bit of a lighter month for worthwhile cinematic offerings, it’s only because a trio of blockbuster hopefuls, while anticipated, are taking up so much oxygen. Thankfully, there’s still room for my favorite film of the year, a few worthwhile directorial debuts, and more. Check out my picks to see below and catch up with the best films from the first half of the year.
9. Talk to Me (Danny and Michael Philippou; July 28)
A horror hit at Sundance that was quickly snatched up by A24. John Fink said in his review, “Featuring a great premise from which to build a franchise, YouTube creators Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut Talk To Me is a refreshing retread, imagining tantalizing “micro-possessions” that get stronger the more you use them. The premise is simple enough: a possessed hand that seems to have been passed down for generations...
9. Talk to Me (Danny and Michael Philippou; July 28)
A horror hit at Sundance that was quickly snatched up by A24. John Fink said in his review, “Featuring a great premise from which to build a franchise, YouTube creators Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut Talk To Me is a refreshing retread, imagining tantalizing “micro-possessions” that get stronger the more you use them. The premise is simple enough: a possessed hand that seems to have been passed down for generations...
- 7/3/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Poised for quite a major fall with Martin Scorsese’s stellar Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone also leads one of our most recommended films of the summer. Though it premiered at last year’s SXSW festival to strong acclaim, Music Box Films smartly waited until this summer to release The Unknown Country ahead of Scorsese’s epic a few months later. Ahead of a July 28 release, the first trailer and poster have now arrived for Morrisa Maltz’s debut feature.
Here’s the synopsis: “Reeling from a devastating loss, Tana (Lily Gladstone) is pulled back into the world by an unexpected invitation to her cousin’s wedding. She packs up her late grandmother’s Cadillac and hits the open road, driving from her home in Minnesota to South Dakota. After reconnecting with her Oglala Lakota family, Tana sets off to retrace a surreal journey that her grandmother took decades ago,...
Here’s the synopsis: “Reeling from a devastating loss, Tana (Lily Gladstone) is pulled back into the world by an unexpected invitation to her cousin’s wedding. She packs up her late grandmother’s Cadillac and hits the open road, driving from her home in Minnesota to South Dakota. After reconnecting with her Oglala Lakota family, Tana sets off to retrace a surreal journey that her grandmother took decades ago,...
- 6/16/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A pair of essential documentaries from Sundance Film Festival this year examined the lives of trans sex workers through their own perspectives, and now both will be arriving this summer. Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker’s The Stroll, coming to HBO and Max next week, explores 1990s sex work in NYC’s now-gentrified Meatpacking District, while D. Smith’s Kokomo City, opening in theaters later next month, gives the spotlight to four trans sex workers from Atlanta and NYC. Ahead of both releases, the first trailers have now arrived.
John Fink said in his review of The Stroll, “A frank celebration of a pre-Giuliani New York, Kristen Lovell and Zachary Drucker’s The Stroll explores a unique period from the inside. Lovell––an actress, activist, and the producer of the seminal trans film The Garden Left Behind––knows the streets well, and after being the subject of a 2007 documentary about...
John Fink said in his review of The Stroll, “A frank celebration of a pre-Giuliani New York, Kristen Lovell and Zachary Drucker’s The Stroll explores a unique period from the inside. Lovell––an actress, activist, and the producer of the seminal trans film The Garden Left Behind––knows the streets well, and after being the subject of a 2007 documentary about...
- 6/15/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
On April 21, Warner Bros. released “Evil Dead Rise,” the fifth installment of the supernatural horror franchise. The film written and directed by Lee Cronin currently holds a freshness rating of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, scaring up rave reviews from critics. The consensus reads, “Offering just about everything longtime fans could hope for while still managing to carry the franchise forward, Evil Dead Rise is all kinds of groovy.”
The film stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher in a twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable. Read our review round-up below.
See 24 most anticipated movies for April include ‘Air,’ ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ ‘Evil Dead Rise’ … [Photos]
John Fink of The Film Stage notes, “Like the latest ‘Scream’ installment,...
The film stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols and Nell Fisher in a twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable. Read our review round-up below.
See 24 most anticipated movies for April include ‘Air,’ ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie,’ ‘Evil Dead Rise’ … [Photos]
John Fink of The Film Stage notes, “Like the latest ‘Scream’ installment,...
- 4/21/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
After finding Sundance success with previous horror features Hereditary and The Witch, A24 picked up YouTube creators Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut Talk To Me at the festival this year and have set it for a prime summer slot. Starring Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Zoe Terakes, and Chris Alosio, the film follows a group of friends who discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand. They become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Ahead of a July 28 release, the first trailer and poster have now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “Featuring a great premise from which to build a franchise, YouTube creators Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut Talk To Me is a refreshing retread, imagining tantalizing “micro-possessions” that get stronger the more you use them. The...
John Fink said in his review, “Featuring a great premise from which to build a franchise, YouTube creators Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut Talk To Me is a refreshing retread, imagining tantalizing “micro-possessions” that get stronger the more you use them. The...
- 4/11/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
One of the highlights of Sundance Film Festival this year was Amanda Kim’s documentary Nam June Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV, which examined the life and work of the avant-garde Korean artist who helped to shape American art as it relates to technological advances. Executive produced by Steven Yeun, who reads the artist’s writings throughout the film, it’ll now arrive in the theaters next week and the first trailer has landed.
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “‘I use technology in order to hate it properly,’ pioneering video artist and self-identified cultural terrorist Nam June Paik says while explaining his playful, boundary-breaking work. A Ph.D. holder who speaks 20 languages––almost all quite badly––Paik is known as the father of video art, fantasizing early on about converting the medium of television into something other than passive work. It often broke the rules, incorporating onstage nudity,...
John Fink said in his Sundance review, “‘I use technology in order to hate it properly,’ pioneering video artist and self-identified cultural terrorist Nam June Paik says while explaining his playful, boundary-breaking work. A Ph.D. holder who speaks 20 languages––almost all quite badly––Paik is known as the father of video art, fantasizing early on about converting the medium of television into something other than passive work. It often broke the rules, incorporating onstage nudity,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A selection at Sundance Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and London Film Festival, Ondi Timoner’s latest documentary Last Flight Home takes a personal look at her own family’s search for closure. Set for a release on October 7 from MTV Documentary Films, the first trailer has now arrived.
On an unremarkable suburban street, we find Eli Timoner in his final days and discover an extraordinary life, one filled with wild achievements, tragic loss and, above all, enduring love. His daughter Ondi shares an unforgettable and stunning verité account of a family courageously, and joyously, facing both life and death.
John Fink said in his review, “In her most personal and intimate film, master documentarian Ondi Timoner turns an intended family tribute for a virtual memorial into a moving, bittersweet feature. In Last Flight Home, the Timoner family and immediate friends gather in Los Angeles to send off their father Eli Timoner.
On an unremarkable suburban street, we find Eli Timoner in his final days and discover an extraordinary life, one filled with wild achievements, tragic loss and, above all, enduring love. His daughter Ondi shares an unforgettable and stunning verité account of a family courageously, and joyously, facing both life and death.
John Fink said in his review, “In her most personal and intimate film, master documentarian Ondi Timoner turns an intended family tribute for a virtual memorial into a moving, bittersweet feature. In Last Flight Home, the Timoner family and immediate friends gather in Los Angeles to send off their father Eli Timoner.
- 9/8/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s documentary Free Chol Soo Lee examines the story of a 20-year-old Korean immigrant in 1970s San Francisco who was wrongly convicted of murder, and the unprecedented pan-Asian American movement that freed him. Picked up by Mubi, the acclaimed film will get a release on August 12 at the IFC Center in New York, followed by a special, one-night-only screening event in movie theaters nationwide on August 17th, then a larger rollout. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “Shedding light on the life of the Korean-American cause cél`èbe, Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s Free Chol Soo Lee captures a unique moment in Asian American history and ultimately the story of a young man who may have never had a chance. Arriving in Chinatown, San Francisco in the early ’70s,...
John Fink said in his review, “Shedding light on the life of the Korean-American cause cél`èbe, Julie Ha and Eugene Yi’s Free Chol Soo Lee captures a unique moment in Asian American history and ultimately the story of a young man who may have never had a chance. Arriving in Chinatown, San Francisco in the early ’70s,...
- 7/20/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Written, directed, and led by James Morosini based on his own experiences, I Love My Dad was a cringe comedy hit at SXSW earlier this year and now it’s set to arrive in next month. Also starring Patton Oswalt, he plays a hopelessly estranged father who desperately wants to reconnect with his troubled son, Franklin (Morosini), eventually leading him to an inadvertent catfishing adventure. Ahead of a release, the first trailer has now arrived.
John Fink said in his review, “Along the way I Love You Dad strikes a unique tone that is at times hilariously cringe-inducing, while also building some empathy for the psychopathic tendencies of Chuck. Franklin is played with extreme vulnerability by Morosini, who in the credits swears this is a true story his father doesn’t want you to know is a true story. Sulewski is radiant as the imaginary manic pixie dream girl tailor-made...
John Fink said in his review, “Along the way I Love You Dad strikes a unique tone that is at times hilariously cringe-inducing, while also building some empathy for the psychopathic tendencies of Chuck. Franklin is played with extreme vulnerability by Morosini, who in the credits swears this is a true story his father doesn’t want you to know is a true story. Sulewski is radiant as the imaginary manic pixie dream girl tailor-made...
- 7/14/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Captured over three years on 16mm, the new documentary Anonymous Club goes on the road with Courtney Barnett as she tours the world for Tell Me How You Really Feel. With narration from the artist herself, recording from her audio diary, Danny Cohen’s film premiered at SXSW and will now arrive in theaters beginning July 15th.
John Fink said in his review, “A current of loneliness runs through Danny Cohen’s beautifully haunting Anonymous Club, a rich documentary filmed in 16mm chronicling little more than a year in the life of singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. Those familiar with Barnett’s music know it ranges from the empowering, like her international hit “Pedestrian At Best” (“Put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you”), to her latest single “If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight,” which represents the new direction Barnett is exploring as she attempts to slow down in her 30s.
John Fink said in his review, “A current of loneliness runs through Danny Cohen’s beautifully haunting Anonymous Club, a rich documentary filmed in 16mm chronicling little more than a year in the life of singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. Those familiar with Barnett’s music know it ranges from the empowering, like her international hit “Pedestrian At Best” (“Put me on a pedestal and I’ll only disappoint you”), to her latest single “If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight,” which represents the new direction Barnett is exploring as she attempts to slow down in her 30s.
- 6/9/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The summer is coming to an end and with it comes a number of films to have on your to-watch list. From some highly-anticipated auteur-driven films to dazzling animations to riveting documentaries to horror stand-outs, there’s a wide-ranging array of selections. Check out our picks to see below.
12. Ma Belle, My Beauty (Marion Hill)
A premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Marion Hill’s acclaimed drama Ma Belle, My Beauty explores the nuances of a polyamorous relationship. John Fink said in his review, “In some relationships it’s easier to pick up where you left off, even after years of being apart. Others, such as those at the core of Marion Hill’s impressive, nuanced feature film debut Ma Belle, My Beauty—contain more heartbreak and baggage. Screening in Sundance’s Next category, Hill’s picture navigates uncomfortable truths with perspective and lyrical emotional honestly as Lane...
12. Ma Belle, My Beauty (Marion Hill)
A premiere at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Marion Hill’s acclaimed drama Ma Belle, My Beauty explores the nuances of a polyamorous relationship. John Fink said in his review, “In some relationships it’s easier to pick up where you left off, even after years of being apart. Others, such as those at the core of Marion Hill’s impressive, nuanced feature film debut Ma Belle, My Beauty—contain more heartbreak and baggage. Screening in Sundance’s Next category, Hill’s picture navigates uncomfortable truths with perspective and lyrical emotional honestly as Lane...
- 8/3/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Written and directed by Eugene Ashe, the melodrama Sylvie’s Love made its world premiere earlier this year at Sundance Film Festival and now it is set to get a worldwide release through Amazon Prime this Christmas. Starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, the NYC-set film takes place in the summer of 1957 as their relationship blossoms only to have their lives take separate paths. Also starring Aja Naomi King, Jemima Kirke, Tone Bell, Alano Miller,with Wendi Mclendon-Covey, and Eva Longoria, the first trailer and poster have now arrived.
John Fink said in our review, “Lush and elegant with beautiful performances, the jazzy period melodrama Sylvie’s Love plays many notes exceptionally well. It’s a shame its plotting and pacing doesn’t keep up with its star power. The always-excellent Tessa Thompson stars as Sylvie, a young woman that works in her family’s Harlem record shop in the late 1950s.
John Fink said in our review, “Lush and elegant with beautiful performances, the jazzy period melodrama Sylvie’s Love plays many notes exceptionally well. It’s a shame its plotting and pacing doesn’t keep up with its star power. The always-excellent Tessa Thompson stars as Sylvie, a young woman that works in her family’s Harlem record shop in the late 1950s.
- 10/15/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
A hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where Radha Blank won the U.S. Dramatic Competition Directing Award, The 40-Year-Old Version stars the actress as a playwright who decides at 40 to become a rapper, hoping to re-discover her artistic voice. In addition to starring and directing the film, which arrives on Netflix in October, Blank also serves as screenwriter and producer alongside Emmy winner Lena Waithe. The first trailer for the film showcases Blank (who has served as a producer on Netflix’s adaptation of She’s Gotta Have It and the Fox hit Empire) as a fresh voice in independent cinema as she details the difficulty and absurdity of navigating a predominantly white industry as a Black female creative.
John Fink said in our review, “Playwright Radha Blank’s spirited directorial debut The 40-Year-Old Version in an often hilarious and heartfelt autobiographical tale of reinvention. Surrounded in a...
John Fink said in our review, “Playwright Radha Blank’s spirited directorial debut The 40-Year-Old Version in an often hilarious and heartfelt autobiographical tale of reinvention. Surrounded in a...
- 8/26/2020
- by Stephen Hladik
- The Film Stage
It’s the final month of the year and there’s no shortage of cinematic gifts. From long-awaited features from some of our favorite directors to genre-tinged delights to massive blockbusters, December is overflowing with films to see. We should note that Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an essential watch, but it’s only getting a one-week awards-qualifying run in NY/La, so we’ll wait to feature it when it opens wide this February. Check out our monthly picks below.
15. Little Joe (Jessica Hausner; Dec. 6)
After landing on our radar with the formally thrilling, adventurous Amour Fou, Jessica Hausner finally returned with Little Joe. Starring Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, and Kerry Fox, the Cannes winner is set in the near-future where a plant is invented that begins to psychologically alter those who come in contact with it. This plays out in the story of a mother who...
15. Little Joe (Jessica Hausner; Dec. 6)
After landing on our radar with the formally thrilling, adventurous Amour Fou, Jessica Hausner finally returned with Little Joe. Starring Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, and Kerry Fox, the Cannes winner is set in the near-future where a plant is invented that begins to psychologically alter those who come in contact with it. This plays out in the story of a mother who...
- 12/2/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and an archive of past round-ups here.
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) (Eva Husson)
A post-9/11 world rife with domestic terrorism is one our youth should be allowed to avoid. Parents seek an escape as well, though, something that risks leaving their kids alone without supervision for longer than recommended. This concept is never more prevalent than within the affluent sector of society where expendable income and exotic jobs leave a ton of latchkey children trying to defeat boredom. Internet connectivity provides whatever their hearts desire, freedom the ample opportunity to do as they please. Social pressures must be relieved and sex is easily the quickest and cheapest way to do so.
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) (Eva Husson)
A post-9/11 world rife with domestic terrorism is one our youth should be allowed to avoid. Parents seek an escape as well, though, something that risks leaving their kids alone without supervision for longer than recommended. This concept is never more prevalent than within the affluent sector of society where expendable income and exotic jobs leave a ton of latchkey children trying to defeat boredom. Internet connectivity provides whatever their hearts desire, freedom the ample opportunity to do as they please. Social pressures must be relieved and sex is easily the quickest and cheapest way to do so.
- 10/4/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
At the start of this decade, Chris Morris released his controversial terrorist dark comedy Four Lions, resulting in a high mark for satire that would follow in the 2010s, while also providing a breakthrough performance from Riz Ahmed. Now, nearly ten years later, he’s back with The Day Shall Come, which premiered at SXSW and will arrive in theaters this fall. Another dark comedy, it follows an FBI operation to turn an innocent black man into a criminal.
John Fink said in our review, “Allegedly based upon a hundred true stories, The Day Shall Come, directed by Chris Morris (Four Lions), is another comedy satirizing the theatrics involved in the theater of war–this war, of course, is the War on Terror. This is difficult material to farm laughs from and the film is only marginally successful at showing the absurdity of a sting where competing organizations waste resources...
John Fink said in our review, “Allegedly based upon a hundred true stories, The Day Shall Come, directed by Chris Morris (Four Lions), is another comedy satirizing the theatrics involved in the theater of war–this war, of course, is the War on Terror. This is difficult material to farm laughs from and the film is only marginally successful at showing the absurdity of a sting where competing organizations waste resources...
- 8/7/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
With only two films notched in his belt, Riley Stearns has proven to be one of the more distinctive voices in American independent filmmaking. Delivering both laughs and shocks with a considered precision–and often at the same time–Faults and his new film, The Art of Self-Defense, explore power structures and a twisted sense of community in inspired ways.
Starring Jesse Eisenberg as Casey, a lonely auditor who desires to prove his masculinity, he meets a mentor of sorts at the local dojo, Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), and things only get more intense and darkly humorous from there. John Fink said in our review from SXSW, “The Art of Self-Defense proves to be a twisted comedy with hidden depths that gravitates at times between tenderness and restrained silliness.”
Ahead of the release, I spoke with Stearns about his precise pacing, how he feels being compared to Yorgos Lanthimos, the realities...
Starring Jesse Eisenberg as Casey, a lonely auditor who desires to prove his masculinity, he meets a mentor of sorts at the local dojo, Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), and things only get more intense and darkly humorous from there. John Fink said in our review from SXSW, “The Art of Self-Defense proves to be a twisted comedy with hidden depths that gravitates at times between tenderness and restrained silliness.”
Ahead of the release, I spoke with Stearns about his precise pacing, how he feels being compared to Yorgos Lanthimos, the realities...
- 7/12/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Following its world premiere at SXSW (where it won the top documentary prize), For Sama is an official selection at this year’s prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and it’ll arrive in theaters this summer. PBS Distribution has now unveiled the first trailer for the harrowing and essential documentary, which conveys the female experience of living though an active war zone through the lens of first time co-director Waad al-Kateab. The film shows al-Kateab’s life though five years of the uprising in Aleppo, as she falls in love, becomes a mother, and gives birth to the titular Sama. The film grapples with love, loss, and the arduous choices one must make as a mother to protect her loved ones, even if it means abandoning one’s homeland.
John Fink in his review wrote, “ Co-directed with Edward Watts, For Sama’s structure mirrors the chaos of the moments it captures,...
John Fink in his review wrote, “ Co-directed with Edward Watts, For Sama’s structure mirrors the chaos of the moments it captures,...
- 5/14/2019
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
“All I’ve ever dreamed about is living on a couch, playing video games with no one bugging me. Relaxer is the nightmare version of my fantasy,” so says Joel Potrykus when it comes to his latest unsettling, yet riveting film. A fitting companion with his brilliant Buzzard, the Y2K-set feature stars Joshua Burge as he undertakes a challenge with grave consequences. Oscilloscope Pictures has now released the first trailer, which grabs a quote from our SXSW review.
John Fink said in our review, “While many indie filmmakers like Andrew Bujalski started making films in apartments with their friends and scaled up to larger projects, Michigan-based madman Joel Potrykus has gleefully and unapologetically scaled down as his career has progressed. His fourth outing, Relaxer, barely even takes place in an apartment, but rather in the corner of a living room where Abbie (Joshua Burge) is stuck on a couch for nearly six months.
John Fink said in our review, “While many indie filmmakers like Andrew Bujalski started making films in apartments with their friends and scaled up to larger projects, Michigan-based madman Joel Potrykus has gleefully and unapologetically scaled down as his career has progressed. His fourth outing, Relaxer, barely even takes place in an apartment, but rather in the corner of a living room where Abbie (Joshua Burge) is stuck on a couch for nearly six months.
- 3/8/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Nearly 50 years after it was filmed, the recording of what would be the most successful gospel album of all time has now seen the light of day. After touring festivals since last fall, Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace will finally see a release next month courtesy of Neon. Produced and realized by Alan Elliott, with uncredited direction by Sydney Pollack, the trailer and poster have now been unveiled.
John Fink said in his review, “A time capsule that’s as fresh and powerful an experience as it must have been when recorded live in Watts in 1972, Amazing Grace is arguably one of the year’s most-anticipated films arriving after years of litigation and a near-fatal technical glitch that was resolved thanks to digital workflows. Following the success of concert films like Woodstock and director Sydney Pollack’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and The Way We Were, the young...
John Fink said in his review, “A time capsule that’s as fresh and powerful an experience as it must have been when recorded live in Watts in 1972, Amazing Grace is arguably one of the year’s most-anticipated films arriving after years of litigation and a near-fatal technical glitch that was resolved thanks to digital workflows. Following the success of concert films like Woodstock and director Sydney Pollack’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and The Way We Were, the young...
- 3/6/2019
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
As superhero films dominate the Hollywood tentpole marketplace, smaller productions are finding more interesting ways to expand the storytelling boundaries of such tales. This year, Julia Hart follows up her excellent drama Miss Stevens (which was a break-out role for Timothée Chalamet) with her own take on superheroes in Fast Color. Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a woman with special abilities that must go on the run, the film premiered at SXSW last year and now the first trailer has debuted ahead of a March release.
“My husband and I came up with the idea for the movie when we became parents,” Hart tells EW. “I just felt this superhuman strength that I had never felt before when I became a mother. So, the idea for the movie came from this notion that mothers are superheroes. I realized that I’d never seen a movie where there was actually a superhero who was a mother.
“My husband and I came up with the idea for the movie when we became parents,” Hart tells EW. “I just felt this superhuman strength that I had never felt before when I became a mother. So, the idea for the movie came from this notion that mothers are superheroes. I realized that I’d never seen a movie where there was actually a superhero who was a mother.
- 1/18/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
After hearing about a handful of festival titles for at least the past month (and perhaps beyond), a number of much-acclaimed films arrive in October alongside a few essential documentaries, and more. For the better half of the month we’ll also be continuing to cover the 56th New York Film Festival and one can our reviews here.
Matinees to See: The Hate U Give (10/5), Studio 54 (10/5), The Happy Prince (10/10), The Sentence (10/12), Thunder Road (10/12), Sadie (10/12), Apostle (10/12), Beautiful Boy (10/12), The Kindergarten Teacher (10/12), What They Had (10/19), and Galveston (10/19)
15. Bad Times at the El Royale (Drew Goddard; Oct. 12)
It’s been too long since Drew Goddard’s inventive debut The Cabin in the Woods, but thankfully the director is returning this month. Bad Times At The El Royale follows a group of shady characters–played by Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and more–as they descend on a rundown hotel in a 1960s California.
Matinees to See: The Hate U Give (10/5), Studio 54 (10/5), The Happy Prince (10/10), The Sentence (10/12), Thunder Road (10/12), Sadie (10/12), Apostle (10/12), Beautiful Boy (10/12), The Kindergarten Teacher (10/12), What They Had (10/19), and Galveston (10/19)
15. Bad Times at the El Royale (Drew Goddard; Oct. 12)
It’s been too long since Drew Goddard’s inventive debut The Cabin in the Woods, but thankfully the director is returning this month. Bad Times At The El Royale follows a group of shady characters–played by Chris Hemsworth, Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and more–as they descend on a rundown hotel in a 1960s California.
- 10/1/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Following its initial premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, The Guilty now has its first U.S. trailer and a release date slated for later this fall. The film went on to win the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance and had subsequent festival screenings at New Directors/New Films, Sydney, and Karlovy Vary International Film Festivals – as well as many others.
Marking Danish director Gustav Möller’s directorial debut, The Guilty centers on Asger Holm (played by Jakob Cedergren), a stoic emergency service operator who finds himself unusually invested in a new case involving a violent abduction and kidnapping. After its premiere, the film received high praise for its suspense and strong screenplay, which Gustav Möller wrote alongside Emil Nygaard Albertsen. The first trailer for the film showcases both of these elements, displaying the film’s tight cinematography accompanied by a tense and urgent piece of score.
Marking Danish director Gustav Möller’s directorial debut, The Guilty centers on Asger Holm (played by Jakob Cedergren), a stoic emergency service operator who finds himself unusually invested in a new case involving a violent abduction and kidnapping. After its premiere, the film received high praise for its suspense and strong screenplay, which Gustav Möller wrote alongside Emil Nygaard Albertsen. The first trailer for the film showcases both of these elements, displaying the film’s tight cinematography accompanied by a tense and urgent piece of score.
- 8/13/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
From his early so-called mumblecore days to his higher-profile features like Results, there’s been flashes of brilliance in all of Andrew Bujalski’s work, and now he’s created his best feature yet with Support the Girls. Starring Regina Hall, Haley Lu Richardson, Shayna McHayle, Brooklyn Decker, Jana Kramer, James Le Gros, Dylan Gelula, Aj Michalka and Lea DeLaria, the film follows a group of workers at a sports bar as they band together under the pressures of life and difficulties of the job.
John Fink said in his review from SXSW, “Bujalski as a filmmaker has created a film as fascinating as anything in his previous output. Similar to what he’s done for early computing, disabilities, and the fitness industry, he’s again demystified unseen worlds, finding gentle humor and drama in these settings. Support The Girls tackles diversity, racial identity, and an economy built on flirting and mutual exploitation.
John Fink said in his review from SXSW, “Bujalski as a filmmaker has created a film as fascinating as anything in his previous output. Similar to what he’s done for early computing, disabilities, and the fitness industry, he’s again demystified unseen worlds, finding gentle humor and drama in these settings. Support The Girls tackles diversity, racial identity, and an economy built on flirting and mutual exploitation.
- 6/26/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
As a “bomb cyclone” touches down on the east coast, we can think of no better respite from the cold than taking a trip to the beach, courtesy of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary Dina. Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini’s documentary Dina tells a love story of a unique stripe. The film follows Dina Buno, a 49-year-old living on disability, suffering from a neurological disorder, and her courtship with Scott Levin, a Walmart greeter with Asperger syndrome. Today we’re pleased to present an exclusive clip, featuring Scott and Dina on the beach and a rendition of Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls.”
“Dina is a sometimes uncomfortable film to watch, especially as we wonder how certain moments were constructed: is this a performative piece or vérité? And does it matter? We can’t forget Robert Flaherty was a kind of con man in his own right,...
“Dina is a sometimes uncomfortable film to watch, especially as we wonder how certain moments were constructed: is this a performative piece or vérité? And does it matter? We can’t forget Robert Flaherty was a kind of con man in his own right,...
- 1/4/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Growing up in suburbia can be painfully dull, and sometimes the battle against that boredom can turn nasty. In Kevin Phillips Super Dark Times, a group of teens in the suburbs during the 1990s dealing with typical teen problems that soon blossom into the atypical.
In his review from the Tribeca Film Festival, John Fink wrote, “Virtually free from quirk and black humor, the film is an effective, nasty thriller and a rare horror film that provides an emotional investment because the portrait of teenhood is utterly authentic. These are not sexy 20/30-somethings playing teens wise beyond their years in a throwaway product designed for the weekend multiplex crowd. Phillips and cast offer something significantly more nuanced than that.”
The new trailer for Super Dark Times hints at the inciting incident the film centers around while keeping things intentionally vague, because it seems the less you know about this movie...
In his review from the Tribeca Film Festival, John Fink wrote, “Virtually free from quirk and black humor, the film is an effective, nasty thriller and a rare horror film that provides an emotional investment because the portrait of teenhood is utterly authentic. These are not sexy 20/30-somethings playing teens wise beyond their years in a throwaway product designed for the weekend multiplex crowd. Phillips and cast offer something significantly more nuanced than that.”
The new trailer for Super Dark Times hints at the inciting incident the film centers around while keeping things intentionally vague, because it seems the less you know about this movie...
- 8/6/2017
- by Chris Evangelista
- The Film Stage
The end of the summer movie season is upon us, which normally means a dry spell for studio releases, and while that indeed looks to be the case, this is one of the best months of the year if one digs a little deeper. From European getaways to redneck heists to dramas about riots and terrorism, there’s an abundance of appealing choices at the cinema this August. See our picks below and let us know what you’re most looking forward to.
Matinees: It’s Not Yet Dark (8/4), This Time Tomorrow (8/4), Icarus (8/4), Machines (8/9), After Love (8/9), In This Corner of the World (8/11), The Nile Hilton Incident (8/11), The Wound (8/16), Sidemen: Long Road to Glory (8/18), What Happened to Monday (8/18), Crown Heights (8/25), Death Note (8/25), The Villainess (8/25), and The Teacher (8/30)
15. Lemon (Janicza Bravo; Aug. 18)
Synopsis: A man watches his life unravel after he is left by his girlfriend of 10 years.
Trailer
Why You Should...
Matinees: It’s Not Yet Dark (8/4), This Time Tomorrow (8/4), Icarus (8/4), Machines (8/9), After Love (8/9), In This Corner of the World (8/11), The Nile Hilton Incident (8/11), The Wound (8/16), Sidemen: Long Road to Glory (8/18), What Happened to Monday (8/18), Crown Heights (8/25), Death Note (8/25), The Villainess (8/25), and The Teacher (8/30)
15. Lemon (Janicza Bravo; Aug. 18)
Synopsis: A man watches his life unravel after he is left by his girlfriend of 10 years.
Trailer
Why You Should...
- 8/1/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The first trailer has landed for Brave New Jersey, the cheekily-titled comedy that finds Arrested Development and Veep star Tony Hale as Clark Hill, one of many who experienced the now-legendary day where Orson Welles’ broadcast War of the Worlds over radio waves in 1938 and started a hysteria of massive proportions. Helmed by first time director Jody Lambert (who penned People Like Us), Brave New Jersey seems to be about the lies we believe, and the fun you might end up having along the way.
We said in our review, “Part of the pleasure is the film’s superb production design by Chloe Arbiture and art direction by Jonathan Bell, who have crafted an authentic and clean pre-World War II look that is a simple yet gorgeous. Depicting the last night of these characters’ lives, or so they think, Brave New Jersey is an elegant work of Americana with a...
We said in our review, “Part of the pleasure is the film’s superb production design by Chloe Arbiture and art direction by Jonathan Bell, who have crafted an authentic and clean pre-World War II look that is a simple yet gorgeous. Depicting the last night of these characters’ lives, or so they think, Brave New Jersey is an elegant work of Americana with a...
- 6/19/2017
- by Mike Mazzanti
- The Film Stage
Welcome, one and all, to the newest episode of The Film Stage Show! This week, in a special episode, I am joined by Jordan Raup, Dan Mecca, and John Fink, who just returned from Park City, to discuss their experience at the Sundance Film Festival, including their favorite films, disappointments, and the political climate at the festival.
Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream download (right-click and save as…).
M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 225 – Sundance Film Festival 2017 Wrap-Up
00:00 – 1:00:18 – Sundance Film Festival Wrap-Up
Read More: The Best Films at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival
The Film Stage is supported by Mubi, a curated online cinema streaming a selection of exceptional independent, classic, and award-winning films from around the world. Each day, Mubi hand-picks a new gem and you have one month to watch it. Try it for free here.
Subscribe below:
E-mail us or follow on...
Subscribe on iTunes or see below to stream download (right-click and save as…).
M4A: The Film Stage Show Ep. 225 – Sundance Film Festival 2017 Wrap-Up
00:00 – 1:00:18 – Sundance Film Festival Wrap-Up
Read More: The Best Films at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival
The Film Stage is supported by Mubi, a curated online cinema streaming a selection of exceptional independent, classic, and award-winning films from around the world. Each day, Mubi hand-picks a new gem and you have one month to watch it. Try it for free here.
Subscribe below:
E-mail us or follow on...
- 2/1/2017
- by Brian Roan
- The Film Stage
When Molly Duffy and Robbie Edwards, both 3, met in person for the first time at Boston Children’s Hospital in November, it was like they’d been best friends forever.
The tiny tots, who both have light brown hair, sparkling blue eyes and infectious, toothy grins, could pass for sisters. They both love listening to “Wheels on the Bus,” playing house in their miniature toy kitchen sets and spending time outside.
But another commonality unites the toddlers, who are the only known people in the country, and two of 11 in the entire world, diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called...
The tiny tots, who both have light brown hair, sparkling blue eyes and infectious, toothy grins, could pass for sisters. They both love listening to “Wheels on the Bus,” playing house in their miniature toy kitchen sets and spending time outside.
But another commonality unites the toddlers, who are the only known people in the country, and two of 11 in the entire world, diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called...
- 12/7/2016
- by roseminutaglio
- PEOPLE.com
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