Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Age Out (A.J. Edwards)
The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it within grasp and realizing you cannot accept it. To see salvation and turn around knowing it would be a lie is the type of heartbreaking choice we often have to make in order to keep on going. It’s the decision that separates man from monster: an admission of remorse, guilt, and regret. Our actions cause ripples that affect countless others we haven’t met yet or never will and while that truth allows some to sleep at night, the rest wonder what nightmares the collateral damage of their deeds endure as a result. You could say that the only thing separating those two groups is love.
Age Out (A.J. Edwards)
The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it within grasp and realizing you cannot accept it. To see salvation and turn around knowing it would be a lie is the type of heartbreaking choice we often have to make in order to keep on going. It’s the decision that separates man from monster: an admission of remorse, guilt, and regret. Our actions cause ripples that affect countless others we haven’t met yet or never will and while that truth allows some to sleep at night, the rest wonder what nightmares the collateral damage of their deeds endure as a result. You could say that the only thing separating those two groups is love.
- 9/29/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
First Love (A.J. Edwards)
Following The Better Angels and Age Out, A.J. Edwards’ third feature, First Love, is both a tender tale of blossoming romance and nuanced depiction of the pride and human frailties that can disrupt a decades-long bond. The writer-director, who got his start working with Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life, The New World, To the Wonder, Knight of Cups, and Song to Song, displays an immense amount of grace in this recession-era portrait of family and romance. Led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film got a quiet release earlier this summer, but certainly deserves to find an audience in coming years.
Where to Stream: Hulu
The Legend of Molly Johnson...
First Love (A.J. Edwards)
Following The Better Angels and Age Out, A.J. Edwards’ third feature, First Love, is both a tender tale of blossoming romance and nuanced depiction of the pride and human frailties that can disrupt a decades-long bond. The writer-director, who got his start working with Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life, The New World, To the Wonder, Knight of Cups, and Song to Song, displays an immense amount of grace in this recession-era portrait of family and romance. Led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film got a quiet release earlier this summer, but certainly deserves to find an audience in coming years.
Where to Stream: Hulu
The Legend of Molly Johnson...
- 12/30/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
After two impressive features—visually stunning Malickian riffs The Better Angels and Age Out, which married that director’s accomplished visual style with a narrative finesse and willingness to play with chronology—writer-director A.J. Edwards uncharacteristically stumbles with this third, First Love. Seemingly unable to adapt his impressionistic style to the grammar of a teen drama, First Love spreads in too many directions at once, packing enough story beats to round out a miniseries. While not as much of a catastrophe as, say, the After series—a connection that the production company Voltage is playing up, especially with the casting of Hero Fiennes Tiffin—Edwards’ project is stunning in singular moments and ultimately unable to reign its sprawling ideas and characters into a cohesive vision.
Reuniting with his Better Angels star Diane Kruger (who also produces here), First Love tells parallel stories of two relationships within the Albright family, following...
Reuniting with his Better Angels star Diane Kruger (who also produces here), First Love tells parallel stories of two relationships within the Albright family, following...
- 6/17/2022
- by Christian Gallichio
- The Film Stage
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Burning (Lee Chang-dong)
After Poetry, it makes sense that Lee Chang-dong would find himself interested in deconstructing another literary genre: the murder mystery. Adapting Haruki Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning” for the screen, the South Korean master has created something that feels akin to a real page turner, with each cut, the tensions, and the mystery rise as we become desperate to know whatever happened to Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), the young woman who went missing, leaving her childhood friend Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) searching for her. With pulpy characters, including a delicious Steven Yeun as a mysterious Gatsby-like figure, and a dark sense of humor, the film also serves as a study of class and the way in which the...
Burning (Lee Chang-dong)
After Poetry, it makes sense that Lee Chang-dong would find himself interested in deconstructing another literary genre: the murder mystery. Adapting Haruki Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning” for the screen, the South Korean master has created something that feels akin to a real page turner, with each cut, the tensions, and the mystery rise as we become desperate to know whatever happened to Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), the young woman who went missing, leaving her childhood friend Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) searching for her. With pulpy characters, including a delicious Steven Yeun as a mysterious Gatsby-like figure, and a dark sense of humor, the film also serves as a study of class and the way in which the...
- 6/17/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Following The Better Angels and Age Out, A.J. Edwards’ third feature, First Love, is both a tender tale of blossoming romance and a nuanced depiction of the pride and human frailties that can disrupt a decades-long bond. The writer-director, who got his start working with Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life, The New World, To the Wonder, Knight of Cups, and Song to Song, displays an immense amount of grace in this recession-era portrait of family and romance.
Led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film will now get a release beginning this Friday and I was pleased to chat with him about returning to the coming-of-age story in a new angle, his depiction of class, being inspired by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Sidney Lumet, and more.
The Film Stage: Your last film was a coming-of-age story of sorts. And this one obviously takes...
Led by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film will now get a release beginning this Friday and I was pleased to chat with him about returning to the coming-of-age story in a new angle, his depiction of class, being inspired by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Sidney Lumet, and more.
The Film Stage: Your last film was a coming-of-age story of sorts. And this one obviously takes...
- 6/15/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Click here to read the full article.
On June 17, filmmaker A.J. Edwards debuts his third feature, a coming-of-age drama titled First Love. But while audiences will see his vision on the big screen, they won’t hear it.
After turning in a cut of the film, he was informed by Voltage Pictures that the score, by Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire, would be replaced with one by composer George Kallis, of the After franchise.
“My hope is simply that the true form of this film does have a future and does have an audience, and, at the very least, I want people to know about it. [Parry] did beautiful work, and it melds the performances and the heart of the film in the way it was intended.” Voltage declined to comment.
This story first appeared in the June 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
On June 17, filmmaker A.J. Edwards debuts his third feature, a coming-of-age drama titled First Love. But while audiences will see his vision on the big screen, they won’t hear it.
After turning in a cut of the film, he was informed by Voltage Pictures that the score, by Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire, would be replaced with one by composer George Kallis, of the After franchise.
“My hope is simply that the true form of this film does have a future and does have an audience, and, at the very least, I want people to know about it. [Parry] did beautiful work, and it melds the performances and the heart of the film in the way it was intended.” Voltage declined to comment.
This story first appeared in the June 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
- 6/12/2022
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“After your first, life is never the same,” is the tagline from “First Love,” the new film from A.J. Edwards, who worked closely with acclaimed director Terrence Malick throughout the last several years. “First Love” follows Jim (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and Ann (Sydney Parker), two high school seniors who navigate a bourgeoning romantic relationship as they stand at the crossroads of their young lives.
Continue reading ‘First Love’ Trailer: Terrence Malick’s Former Protégé Directs A Coming-Of-Age YA Romance Co-Starring Diane Kruger at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘First Love’ Trailer: Terrence Malick’s Former Protégé Directs A Coming-Of-Age YA Romance Co-Starring Diane Kruger at The Playlist.
- 5/14/2022
- by Rosa Martinez
- The Playlist
After getting his start with Terrence Malick on the editing team for The New World, Knight of Cups, and Song to Song, A.J. Edwards has proven to be a formidable writer-director in his own right. Following The Better Angels and Age Out, his third feature, First Love, will now arrive in theaters and on VOD on June 17 and the first trailer has debuted. Starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park, the film features new original music by Arcade Fire’s Richard Reed Parry.
The story follows Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school experiencing the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (Park) as they navigate their pending departure to college. At the same time, Jim’s parents (Kruger and Donovan) are dealing with the familial fallout of a financial crisis. Cinematography is courtesy of Jeff Bierman, who worked with Edwards on Age...
The story follows Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school experiencing the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (Park) as they navigate their pending departure to college. At the same time, Jim’s parents (Kruger and Donovan) are dealing with the familial fallout of a financial crisis. Cinematography is courtesy of Jeff Bierman, who worked with Edwards on Age...
- 5/13/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
"After your first, live is never the same." Voltage Pictures has debuted an official trailer for First Love, a new romantic comedy from filmmaker A.J. Edwards, following his other two indies The Better Angels and Age Out. There have been way too many films named First Love, or about teenage first love recently, making everything a bit confusing as to what is what. This is described as a poignant look at a young man's difficult entry into adulthood. First Love follows Jim, played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin from the After franchise, a senior in high school who experiences the highs & lows of his first love with Ann, played by Sydney Park. At the same time, his parents are dealing with the familial fallout spurred by the financial crisis of 2008. Also starring Diane Kruger, Jeffrey Donovan, Diane Venora, and Nanrisa Lee. It looks like made-for-tv derivative cheesy junk, hitting all the...
- 5/12/2022
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Women In Film Los Angeles has selected the first class of participants for its new Emerging Producers Program, which is designed to provide women and non-binary people access to master classes, mentorship and advising early in their producing careers.
Participants looking to build careers across various producing tracks in both film and TV were selected by a jury of industry leaders and veteran producer mentors, a list that includes Jenn Asaro (VP Physical Production Finance, Warner Bros), Chelsea Barnard (Booksmart, If Beale Street Could Talk), Yolanda Cochran (SVP Live-Action Long-Form Production, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness), Linda Goldstein Knowlton (We Are the Radical Monarchs, Code Black), Niija Kuykendall (EVP Film Production, Warner Bros), Monica Levinson (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Trial of the Chicago 7), Lyn Sisson-Talbert (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Bookmarks) and Jeanette Volturno.
The inaugural class:
Apoorva Charan an L.A.-based producer who was born in India,...
Participants looking to build careers across various producing tracks in both film and TV were selected by a jury of industry leaders and veteran producer mentors, a list that includes Jenn Asaro (VP Physical Production Finance, Warner Bros), Chelsea Barnard (Booksmart, If Beale Street Could Talk), Yolanda Cochran (SVP Live-Action Long-Form Production, Nickelodeon & Awesomeness), Linda Goldstein Knowlton (We Are the Radical Monarchs, Code Black), Niija Kuykendall (EVP Film Production, Warner Bros), Monica Levinson (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, The Trial of the Chicago 7), Lyn Sisson-Talbert (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Bookmarks) and Jeanette Volturno.
The inaugural class:
Apoorva Charan an L.A.-based producer who was born in India,...
- 6/11/2021
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Fortitude International fully financing.
Diane Kruger and After franchise star Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park have joined A.J. Edwards’s romance First Love, which Fortitude International is fully financing.
Edwards wrote and directs the story about senior high school student Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), who experiences the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (The Walking Dead star Sydney Park).
First Love also depicts Jim’s parents, played by Kruger and Donovan, as they deal with the impact of the 2008 recession.
Producers Henry Kittredge, Lucas Jarach, Fortitude head Nadine de Barros, and Edwards are currently in production in Los Angeles.
Diane Kruger and After franchise star Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jeffrey Donovan, and Sydney Park have joined A.J. Edwards’s romance First Love, which Fortitude International is fully financing.
Edwards wrote and directs the story about senior high school student Jim (Fiennes Tiffin), who experiences the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (The Walking Dead star Sydney Park).
First Love also depicts Jim’s parents, played by Kruger and Donovan, as they deal with the impact of the 2008 recession.
Producers Henry Kittredge, Lucas Jarach, Fortitude head Nadine de Barros, and Edwards are currently in production in Los Angeles.
- 5/26/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Diane Kruger, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Jeffrey Donovan and Sydney Park have joined romantic drama First Love from writer/director A.J. Edwards. Produced by Henry Kittredge, Lucas Jarach, Nadine de Barros and Edwards, the film is currently in production in LA. Kruger serves as an executive producer and De Barros’ Fortitude International is fully financing.
The story is described as a poignant look at a young man’s difficult entry into adulthood. First Love follows Jim (the After franchise’s Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school who experiences the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (The Walking Dead’s Park). At the same time, Jim’s parents, played by Cannes Best Actress winner Kruger and Donovan, are dealing with the familial fallout spurred by the financial crisis of 2008.
Edwards and Kruger previously worked together on The Better Angels, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. Most recently,...
The story is described as a poignant look at a young man’s difficult entry into adulthood. First Love follows Jim (the After franchise’s Fiennes Tiffin), a senior in high school who experiences the highs and lows of his first love with Ann (The Walking Dead’s Park). At the same time, Jim’s parents, played by Cannes Best Actress winner Kruger and Donovan, are dealing with the familial fallout spurred by the financial crisis of 2008.
Edwards and Kruger previously worked together on The Better Angels, which premiered at Sundance in 2014. Most recently,...
- 5/26/2021
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite a relatively unassuming title, Henry Butash’s ruminative feature debut, The Atlantic City Story, is a quietly profound, muted character study, following two wayward souls at a crossroads in their lives, looking to the faux-glamour of Atlantic City as a possible escape. While hitting familiar narrative beats, the film features a career-best performance by notable character actor Jessica Hecht and relative newcomer Mike Faist (perhaps most famous for his work in Dear Evan Hansen), marking an auspicious debut for the first-time director.
Trapped in a seemingly routine marriage, Jane (Hecht) decides to flee her suburban Jersey life on her birthday, buying a bus ticket and, ultimately, a hotel room in the casino. Perhaps unsure herself why she is taking the trip, she wanders through the casino floor before finding a roulette table where Arthur (Faist) is sitting. Arthur, with his layered coats and baseball hat tucked low to his eyes,...
Trapped in a seemingly routine marriage, Jane (Hecht) decides to flee her suburban Jersey life on her birthday, buying a bus ticket and, ultimately, a hotel room in the casino. Perhaps unsure herself why she is taking the trip, she wanders through the casino floor before finding a roulette table where Arthur (Faist) is sitting. Arthur, with his layered coats and baseball hat tucked low to his eyes,...
- 10/29/2020
- by Christian Gallichio
- The Film Stage
There are a multitude of reasons why any film may get unfairly overlooked. It could be a lack of marketing resources to provide a substantial push, or, due to a minuscule roll-out, not enough critics and audiences to be the champions it might require. It could simply be the timing of the picture itself; even in the world of studio filmmaking, some features take time to get their due. With an increasingly crowded marketplace, there are more reasons than ever that something might not find an audience and we’ve rounded up the releases that deserved more attention.
Note that all of the below films made less than $100K at the domestic box office at the time of posting–with a few exceptions for stellar Netflix/VOD films that went completely under the radar–and are, for the most part, left out of most year-end conversations. Sadly, many documentaries would qualify for this list,...
Note that all of the below films made less than $100K at the domestic box office at the time of posting–with a few exceptions for stellar Netflix/VOD films that went completely under the radar–and are, for the most part, left out of most year-end conversations. Sadly, many documentaries would qualify for this list,...
- 12/20/2019
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
An act of difficult transition not often captured in cinema is that of aging out, a term referring to when a teenager’s foster care term ends and they enter independent living. In his second feature, which draws its title from this term, writer-director A.J. Edwards captures this moment of isolation and loneliness with immediacy and gracefulness. Age Out tells the story of Richie (Tye Sheridan), a teenage drifter just out of foster care who finds a new love and trouble in Texas, with a cast also including Imogen Poots, Caleb Landry Jones, and Jeffrey Wright.
Following its South by Southwest Film Festival premiere, where it played under the title Friday’s Child, the film will now get a release this week both in limited theaters and VOD. We spoke with the director–who got his start working on Malick’s The New World, The Tree of Life, and To The Wonder,...
Following its South by Southwest Film Festival premiere, where it played under the title Friday’s Child, the film will now get a release this week both in limited theaters and VOD. We spoke with the director–who got his start working on Malick’s The New World, The Tree of Life, and To The Wonder,...
- 11/19/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
One my favorite debuts this decade was A.J. Edwards’ young Lincoln tale The Better Angels. Terrence Malick’s longtime collaborator has now returned with a modern-day tale for his follow-up. Premiering at festivals as Friday’s Child but now going by Age Out for the theatrical release, the drama stars Tye Sheridan, Imogen Poots, Caleb Landry Jones, and Jeffery Wright. Following a teenage drifter just out of foster and who finds a new love, the film will get a release this November and now the beautiful new trailer and poster have arrived.
Jared Mobarak said in our review, “The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it within grasp and realizing you cannot accept it. To see salvation and turn around knowing it would be a lie is the type of heartbreaking choice we often have to make in order to keep on going. It’s...
Jared Mobarak said in our review, “The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it within grasp and realizing you cannot accept it. To see salvation and turn around knowing it would be a lie is the type of heartbreaking choice we often have to make in order to keep on going. It’s...
- 10/18/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Gravitas Ventures has landed worldwide rights to A.J. Edwards’s crime drama Age Out (formerly known as Friday’s Child), which premiered at 2018 SXSW Film Festival. The pic, which will be released in limited theaters and on demand November 22, stars Tye Sheridan, Imogen Poots (Green Room), Jeffrey Wright, Brett Butler (The Walking Dead), and Caleb Landry Jones. The plot follows Richie (Sheridan), a fresh out of foster care 18-year-old who is forced to navigate a stark life on his own since his emancipation. Richie must survive despite a glaring environment of poverty, addiction and run-ins with the law. Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas, negotiated the deal with Alan Elias at OnBuzz.
Film Independent has revealed that Bull, the drama directed by Annie Silverstein, will serve as the opening night feature for The New Wave,...
Film Independent has revealed that Bull, the drama directed by Annie Silverstein, will serve as the opening night feature for The New Wave,...
- 10/8/2019
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Would You Like To See Samuel L. Jackson Return as Mace Windu in Another Star Wars Project? He Would!
Samuel L. Jackson has played some pretty incredible characters in the movies over the years. One of the most surprising film franchises he showed up in was the Star Wars franchise! I remember being shocked when I heard that he was going to be playing a Jedi in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels and Mace Windu has since become a fan favorite character.
Jackson is a big Star Wars fan; over the years he’s made it clear that he loved playing this character. He loved it so much that it’s the one role that he would love to play a gain if given the opportunity. He recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and said:
“I'd really love to give one more run at Mace Windu in Star Wars.”
Five years ago there was a rumor that Mace Windu might be getting his own Star Wars movie.
Jackson is a big Star Wars fan; over the years he’s made it clear that he loved playing this character. He loved it so much that it’s the one role that he would love to play a gain if given the opportunity. He recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and said:
“I'd really love to give one more run at Mace Windu in Star Wars.”
Five years ago there was a rumor that Mace Windu might be getting his own Star Wars movie.
- 6/17/2019
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The only thing worse than never getting your happy ending is having it within grasp and realizing you cannot accept it. To see salvation and turn around knowing it would be a lie is the type of heartbreaking choice we often have to make in order to keep on going. It’s the decision that separates man from monster: an admission of remorse, guilt, and regret. Our actions cause ripples that affect countless others we haven’t met yet or never will and while that truth allows some to sleep at night, the rest wonder what nightmares the collateral damage of their deeds endure as a result. You could say that the only thing separating those two groups is love. Knowing love is to understand its power and its pain.
This idea is at the core of A.J. Edwards’ Friday’s Child and his lead character Richie (Tye Sheridan). Here...
This idea is at the core of A.J. Edwards’ Friday’s Child and his lead character Richie (Tye Sheridan). Here...
- 10/5/2018
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Criterion technical director Lee Kline is used to working with filmmakers to polish alternate versions of their movies. Previously, one of his biggest projects was the Criterion release of Terrence Malick’s “The New World,” a 172-minute director’s cut that Malick always preferred to the 135-minute version New Line Cinema released in 2005.
However, what Malick had in mind for “The Tree of Life” was something unlike anything Criterion had done before. According to Kline, the extended, 188-minute version of “The Tree of Life” that will premiere at the Venice Film Festival next week isn’t just 49 minutes longer; Malick created something new.
“Unlike with ‘New World,’ [the version of ‘The Tree of Life’] that premiered in 2011 at Cannes [was] definitely the definitive version of the film he wanted to make,” said Kline. “What’s interesting talking to Terry about this [new version of ‘Tree of Life’], I think he still doesn’t want people to think this is a better version.
However, what Malick had in mind for “The Tree of Life” was something unlike anything Criterion had done before. According to Kline, the extended, 188-minute version of “The Tree of Life” that will premiere at the Venice Film Festival next week isn’t just 49 minutes longer; Malick created something new.
“Unlike with ‘New World,’ [the version of ‘The Tree of Life’] that premiered in 2011 at Cannes [was] definitely the definitive version of the film he wanted to make,” said Kline. “What’s interesting talking to Terry about this [new version of ‘Tree of Life’], I think he still doesn’t want people to think this is a better version.
- 8/31/2018
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
The drama about a couple in need of a caesarean section then closed the event.
Swiss-Mongolian drama Out Of Paradise, directed by Batbayar Chogsom, won best film at the Golden Goblet Awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival.
The film, which played as Siff’s closing film due to its win, follows a couple from the Mongolian steppes in need of a caesarean section who travel to Ulaanbaatar but don’t have enough money for the operation.
Sonthar Gyal’s Tibetan drama Ala Changso picked up Siff’s Jury Grand Prix and the best screenplay award. Best director...
Swiss-Mongolian drama Out Of Paradise, directed by Batbayar Chogsom, won best film at the Golden Goblet Awards at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival.
The film, which played as Siff’s closing film due to its win, follows a couple from the Mongolian steppes in need of a caesarean section who travel to Ulaanbaatar but don’t have enough money for the operation.
Sonthar Gyal’s Tibetan drama Ala Changso picked up Siff’s Jury Grand Prix and the best screenplay award. Best director...
- 6/25/2018
- by Liz Shackleton
- ScreenDaily
"You know what we call it?" A teaser trailer has debuted online for a film titled Friday's Child, the latest feature from filmmaker A.J. Edwards, who worked for Terrence Malick as his editor before jumping into making his own films. Tye Sheridan stars as young drifter Richie, fresh out of foster care, trying to figure out what to do with himself. He ends up on the streets involved in petty crime and meets two other people: Joan, played by Imogen Poots, and Swim, played by Caleb Landry Jones. The film's cast also includes Jeffrey Wright and Brett Butler. This looks like a very artsy, powerfully intimate film with some very intense cinematography by Dp Jeff Bierman. The score in this trailer is superb, and the footage will pull you in - for whatever you may find in here. This is a good palette cleanser from all the recent Hollywood trailers.
- 6/10/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A.J. Edwards’ latest film, “Friday’s Child,” looks like a stunner. And if his style seems a little familiar, it’s because he worked very closely with director Terrence Malick for several years. In fact, “Friday’s Child” is actually a reunion for Edwards and star Tye Sheridan. At 10 years old, Sheridan’s first ever role was in Malick’s “The Tree of Life” which Edwards worked on.
Continue reading ‘Friday’s Child’ Trailer: Imogen Poot & Tye Sheridan Star For Terrence Malick’s Pupil A.J. Edwards at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Friday’s Child’ Trailer: Imogen Poot & Tye Sheridan Star For Terrence Malick’s Pupil A.J. Edwards at The Playlist.
- 6/8/2018
- by Erica Bahrenburg
- The Playlist
Friday’s Child, a new crime drama from The Better Angels director A.J. Edwards, initially premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival, and now, ahead of a Shanghai International Film Festival bow, the first trailer has arrived. The film tells the story of 18-year-old Richie Wincott (Tye Sheridan) who, after being involved in a robbery-gone-wrong, must avoid altercations with the police. All the while, Richie’s developing – albeit, implausible – relationship with a friend (Imogen Poots) is intercepted by a mysterious outsider (Caleb Landry Jones).
Taking a look at the trailer, A.J. Edwards’ use of drastically wide lenses, phantasmal camera moves, and an eerily hypnotic score establishes a style strikingly reminiscent of Terrence Malick’s – although this shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Edwards has been a career-long pupil of Malick. With contributions on Malick’s The New World, The Tree of Life, and To The Wonder, it...
Taking a look at the trailer, A.J. Edwards’ use of drastically wide lenses, phantasmal camera moves, and an eerily hypnotic score establishes a style strikingly reminiscent of Terrence Malick’s – although this shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering Edwards has been a career-long pupil of Malick. With contributions on Malick’s The New World, The Tree of Life, and To The Wonder, it...
- 6/5/2018
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
The Shanghai International Film Festival, celebrating its 21st edition this year, on Tuesday unveiled the first eight features selected for its main competition section.
The sole U.S. contender so far is A.J. Edwards' young adult drama Friday’s Child, starring Tye Sheridan, while China will be represented by Lv Yue's family drama Lost, Found. Also screening in competition is Batbayar Chogsom's Out of Paradise, a Mongolian road movie about a nomadic couple who must travel to the big city for medical treatment.
This 21st edition of the fest, set to run June 16-25, will feature its usual blend of high-minded ...
The sole U.S. contender so far is A.J. Edwards' young adult drama Friday’s Child, starring Tye Sheridan, while China will be represented by Lv Yue's family drama Lost, Found. Also screening in competition is Batbayar Chogsom's Out of Paradise, a Mongolian road movie about a nomadic couple who must travel to the big city for medical treatment.
This 21st edition of the fest, set to run June 16-25, will feature its usual blend of high-minded ...
The Shanghai International Film Festival, celebrating its 21st edition this year, on Tuesday unveiled the first eight features selected for its main competition section.
The sole U.S. contender so far is A.J. Edwards' young adult drama Friday’s Child, starring Tye Sheridan, while China will be represented by Lv Yue's family drama Lost, Found. Also screening in competition is Batbayar Chogsom's Out of Paradise, a Mongolian road movie about a nomadic couple who must travel to the big city for medical treatment.
This 21st edition of the fest, set to run June 16-25, will feature its usual blend of high-minded ...
The sole U.S. contender so far is A.J. Edwards' young adult drama Friday’s Child, starring Tye Sheridan, while China will be represented by Lv Yue's family drama Lost, Found. Also screening in competition is Batbayar Chogsom's Out of Paradise, a Mongolian road movie about a nomadic couple who must travel to the big city for medical treatment.
This 21st edition of the fest, set to run June 16-25, will feature its usual blend of high-minded ...
After making an impression at the SXSW Film Festival earlier this year, A.J. Edwards’ “Friday’s Child” is gearing up to compete at the Shanghai International Film Festival later this month. IndieWire is celebrating the occasion with the exclusive debut of the film’s trailer, which is the kind of visual jaw-dropper moviegoers should start expecting from Edwards.
“Friday’s Child” stars Tye Sheridan as Richie Wincott, an 18-year-old fresh out of foster care who becomes the prime suspect in a botched robbery. Wincott’s mission to avoid being captured by the police and the arrival of a stranger threatening to reveal his past (Caleb Landry Jones) cause problems for his budding romance with an unlikely friend (Imogen Poots).
Read More: Terrence Malick Disciple, A.J. Edwards, Discusses His Debut ‘The Better Angels’
Edwards started his career as a disciple of Terrence Malick, working on “The New World,” helping cast “The Tree of Life,...
“Friday’s Child” stars Tye Sheridan as Richie Wincott, an 18-year-old fresh out of foster care who becomes the prime suspect in a botched robbery. Wincott’s mission to avoid being captured by the police and the arrival of a stranger threatening to reveal his past (Caleb Landry Jones) cause problems for his budding romance with an unlikely friend (Imogen Poots).
Read More: Terrence Malick Disciple, A.J. Edwards, Discusses His Debut ‘The Better Angels’
Edwards started his career as a disciple of Terrence Malick, working on “The New World,” helping cast “The Tree of Life,...
- 6/4/2018
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Following last year’s debut of Song to Song at South by Southwest Film Festival, a new project from Terrence Malick premiered at this year’s edition. The Vr experience Together, which is directed by Malick and shot by cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (Silence, The Wolf of Wall Street, Brokeback Mountain), is a movement piece that incorporates the visuals of the director. If you couldn’t make it to Austin (or Tribeca, where it’ll be shown next, and one can see a new synopsis from them below), a video walkthrough has now been posted by Framestore.
Together fuses storytelling, dance and technology, placing the viewer in the center of a stirring, emotional narrative that explores the power of human connection. Working with Movement Art Is co-founders Jon Boogz and Lil Buck, Palme d’Or winning director Terrence Malick has crafted an immersive experience about breaking down barriers that is brilliantly brought to life through choreography.
Together fuses storytelling, dance and technology, placing the viewer in the center of a stirring, emotional narrative that explores the power of human connection. Working with Movement Art Is co-founders Jon Boogz and Lil Buck, Palme d’Or winning director Terrence Malick has crafted an immersive experience about breaking down barriers that is brilliantly brought to life through choreography.
- 3/14/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Actor Tye Sheridan is doing double duty at SXSW. Many might be pressing start for his role in the festival’s surprise screening of Ready Player One, but his other film, Friday’s Child directed by A.J. Edwards speaks more to the independent bend of the film fest with a story that focuses on a Sheridan’s Richie, an 18-year-old fresh out of foster care who becomes a young drifter that turns to petty crime to survive and discovers an impossible love in an unlikely friend…...
- 3/13/2018
- Deadline
Exclusive: Up and coming writer-director A.J. Edwards (The Better Angels) goes bold with his SXSW film Friday’s Child starring a roster of talented actors including Tye Sheridan, Imogen Poots, Caleb Landry Jones, and Jeffrey Wright. Edwards comes from the Terrence Malick camp, having worked with him on a number of films including To the Wonder and Song to Song — and it is evidenced in the exclusive clip which showcases his visual eye. Friday’s Child is part of…...
- 3/7/2018
- Deadline
Terrence Malick is one of the most influential filmmakers alive, with everyone from Christopher Nolan and David Gordon Green to John Hillcoat and Andrew Dominik citing him as an inspiration. To show the extent to which the “Badlands,” “The Thin Red Line,” and “The Tree of Life” director has left his mark on a generation of directors, Vimeo user Jacob T. Swinney made a video called “Not Directed by Terrence Malick” made up of shots from other filmmakers whose work bears a distinct resemblance to Malick’s. Watch below.
Read More:Terrence Malick-Produced ‘Awaken’ Trailer: Awe-Inspiring Doc Follows Humans’ Relationship With Technology — Watch
Borrowing the music that graced the trailer for “To the Wonder,” the strikingly made video cuts between Malickian footage from a range of films: “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “George Washington,” even “Man of Steel” (whose first teaser had a heavy Malick influence that was sorely lacking from...
Read More:Terrence Malick-Produced ‘Awaken’ Trailer: Awe-Inspiring Doc Follows Humans’ Relationship With Technology — Watch
Borrowing the music that graced the trailer for “To the Wonder,” the strikingly made video cuts between Malickian footage from a range of films: “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” “George Washington,” even “Man of Steel” (whose first teaser had a heavy Malick influence that was sorely lacking from...
- 12/31/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
The suddenly prolific Terrence Malick isn’t just busy making his own movies, but lending his producing powers to other projects that have no shame in borrowing his aesthetic. “The Better Angels,” directed by “To The Wonder,” “Knight Of Cups,” and “Weightless” editor A.J. Edwards, certainly bore the trademark look and feel of Malick feature, and […]
The post First Trailer For Terrence Malick-Produced ‘The Vessel’ Starring Martin Sheen Looks Like It Was Directed By Terrence Malick appeared first on The Playlist.
The post First Trailer For Terrence Malick-Produced ‘The Vessel’ Starring Martin Sheen Looks Like It Was Directed By Terrence Malick appeared first on The Playlist.
- 7/1/2016
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
They Knew Him Well: Malick’s Sublime Existential Search for the Pearl
To many, Terrence Malick, perhaps the most revered of modern American auteurs, has ascended to his own idiosyncratic, esoteric doss, entering his most prolific decade in his forty years of filmmaking with confounding illustrations of pronounced existential ennui. Following 2011’s Palme d’Or winning The Tree of Life, he unleashed the belabored To the Wonder, cementing a pretentious predilection for wandering, rambling lost souls. His latest, Knight of Cups is certainly as impressionistic as these last two features, and hinges once again on a restless nomad, this time a faded Hollywood screenwriter hovering betwixt the sacred labors of his profession and the profane temptations of his surroundings. Inundated with notable celebrities, it’s too abstruse for a legion of starfuckers to fathom, much less righteously embrace its rather obvious critique of how completely commodifying an art form eventually...
To many, Terrence Malick, perhaps the most revered of modern American auteurs, has ascended to his own idiosyncratic, esoteric doss, entering his most prolific decade in his forty years of filmmaking with confounding illustrations of pronounced existential ennui. Following 2011’s Palme d’Or winning The Tree of Life, he unleashed the belabored To the Wonder, cementing a pretentious predilection for wandering, rambling lost souls. His latest, Knight of Cups is certainly as impressionistic as these last two features, and hinges once again on a restless nomad, this time a faded Hollywood screenwriter hovering betwixt the sacred labors of his profession and the profane temptations of his surroundings. Inundated with notable celebrities, it’s too abstruse for a legion of starfuckers to fathom, much less righteously embrace its rather obvious critique of how completely commodifying an art form eventually...
- 3/3/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
#20. The Skeleton Twins
#19. Obvious Child
#18. A Spell To Ward Off The Darkness
#17. Wild
#16. 112 Weddings
#15. The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga
#14. Tales of the Grim Sleep
#13. The Boxtrolls
#12. Enemy
#11. The Guest
#10. The Lego Movie
Despite my love of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, nothing could prepare me for the sheer joy projecting from every pixel, effortless kineticism that carries the raucous narrative, nor the surprising intellectualism that serve as the building blocks of the entire film. Writer/directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have performed a cinematic miracle in bringing a beloved inexpressive children’s toy to life with more vivacious wit than the vast majority of films release this year, animated or not.
#9. The Strange Little Cat
Ramon Zürcher’s student project turned festival darling debut is an odd, wholly original work that bears little resemblance to anything on this list. Essentially a non-narrative dinner party film about...
#19. Obvious Child
#18. A Spell To Ward Off The Darkness
#17. Wild
#16. 112 Weddings
#15. The Vanquishing of the Witch Baba Yaga
#14. Tales of the Grim Sleep
#13. The Boxtrolls
#12. Enemy
#11. The Guest
#10. The Lego Movie
Despite my love of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, nothing could prepare me for the sheer joy projecting from every pixel, effortless kineticism that carries the raucous narrative, nor the surprising intellectualism that serve as the building blocks of the entire film. Writer/directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have performed a cinematic miracle in bringing a beloved inexpressive children’s toy to life with more vivacious wit than the vast majority of films release this year, animated or not.
#9. The Strange Little Cat
Ramon Zürcher’s student project turned festival darling debut is an odd, wholly original work that bears little resemblance to anything on this list. Essentially a non-narrative dinner party film about...
- 1/6/2015
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Jerry Goldsmith, Planet Of The Apes (1968) Nominee for Best Original Score for a Motion Picture
By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson
As 2014 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the best movie music from this past year. The backbone of any movie, audiences heard rocket engines roar, traveled through Lego worlds and made spiritual connections all thanks to the musical vision of the composer.
In a mix that was soulful, haunting and fun, this year’s soundtracks covered a range of emotions, from light to dark, to atmospheric and assaultive.
Our Top 15 scores wouldn’t be complete without an honorable mention…
Michael Giacchino – Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
The story about the birth of a civilization and “restart” for the planet Earth was no more prevalent than with the emotional reality of composer Michael Giacchino’s score. Director Matt Reeves’ sequel to 2011’s...
By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson
As 2014 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the best movie music from this past year. The backbone of any movie, audiences heard rocket engines roar, traveled through Lego worlds and made spiritual connections all thanks to the musical vision of the composer.
In a mix that was soulful, haunting and fun, this year’s soundtracks covered a range of emotions, from light to dark, to atmospheric and assaultive.
Our Top 15 scores wouldn’t be complete without an honorable mention…
Michael Giacchino – Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
The story about the birth of a civilization and “restart” for the planet Earth was no more prevalent than with the emotional reality of composer Michael Giacchino’s score. Director Matt Reeves’ sequel to 2011’s...
- 12/30/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It’s the fest’s most overlooked section with its five offerings, and thankfully we didn’t blink or else we would have missed out on A.J. Edwards’ The Better Angels. This year Guy Maddin leads a half dozen pack of awkward, worldly, hard to categorize cinematic treats.
The Forbidden Room/ Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) —A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever/ Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) —Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative...
The Forbidden Room/ Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) —A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever/ Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) —Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative...
- 12/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Question. What do The Skeleton Twins, The Better Angels and actor Miles Teller have in common? There’ll always be some head-scratcher surprises and snubs and the 2015 Indie Spirit award nominations are no different. It goes with the territory. As we tend to some wounds, we access those that were criminally overlooked in the key categories. Here is a glance at some of the shoulda, woulda and coulda.
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Falling below the 21 million mark set by the Indie Spirit folks, it is indeed an odd year when a major studio release figures among the fives noms. Considering that Ava DuVernay is an indie talent, I didn’t think her film would be part of the equation. That said, it was a given that Boyhood and the more deserving Birdman and Whiplash would all face off. In...
Best Feature
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
Love is Strange
Selma
Whiplash
Falling below the 21 million mark set by the Indie Spirit folks, it is indeed an odd year when a major studio release figures among the fives noms. Considering that Ava DuVernay is an indie talent, I didn’t think her film would be part of the equation. That said, it was a given that Boyhood and the more deserving Birdman and Whiplash would all face off. In...
- 11/28/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Fully engrossed, I became, in this hauntingly beautiful, rare telling of the formative history behind one of our nation’s greatest men in history. So much of what we learn in school about Abraham Lincoln focuses on his accomplishments as our country’s 16th President. Rightfully so, but as children in school, would it not make sense to also learn about how these great men and women grew up? Childhood experience is crucial to the development of character, which is paramount to The Better Angels, a film that introduces the audience to a much younger Lincoln than we’re typically accustomed.
The Better Angels illustrates the difficulties Lincoln endured as a child, growing up poor and secluded from anyone but his small family in the remote Indiana woods of 1817. Tragedy strikes his family, hard lessons are learned, but Lincoln evolves on screen before us in raw, subtle form. His father (Jason Clarke) loves him,...
The Better Angels illustrates the difficulties Lincoln endured as a child, growing up poor and secluded from anyone but his small family in the remote Indiana woods of 1817. Tragedy strikes his family, hard lessons are learned, but Lincoln evolves on screen before us in raw, subtle form. His father (Jason Clarke) loves him,...
- 11/21/2014
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Could Mace Windu, one of the baddest mother-lovin’ Jedis in the Star Wars universe, be getting his own stand-alone film? Maybe... at least according to director A.J. Edwards. Edwards, who’s the filmmaker behind the young Abe Lincoln feature The Better Angels, recently did a Reddit Ama event. During the course of the Q&A, the subject of recent rumors suggesting the director was in talks with Disney about helming one of the stand-alone Star Wars spin-off films was broached. This is when things got interesting… It all started off in a pretty standard way with Edwards responding “Talking about it, not able to say a lot yet." Hey, at least we know it’s a possibility, right? Edwards wasn’t done there, though – adding... "it...
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- 11/18/2014
- by Mike Bracken
- Movies.com
There haven't been any official announcements yet about the forthcoming standalone "Star Wars" spin-off films that were greenlit alongside the new trilogy. But that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from working overtime trying to figure out just which character may get his or her own flick, and the latest name to be floated is a surprising one.
Director A.J. Edwards, who's promoting his Abraham Lincoln film "The Better Angels," was participating in a Reddit Ama earlier this month when he was asked about his rumored involvement in one of the standalone flicks. Edwards confirmed he was indeed in the mix, but declined to reveal any details -- at least initially.
"Talking about it, not able to say a lot yet," was Edwards's first, short response to the query. But then, he offered a bit more information in a subsequent answer.
"It will focus on Mace Windu," the director added.
For the uninitiated,...
Director A.J. Edwards, who's promoting his Abraham Lincoln film "The Better Angels," was participating in a Reddit Ama earlier this month when he was asked about his rumored involvement in one of the standalone flicks. Edwards confirmed he was indeed in the mix, but declined to reveal any details -- at least initially.
"Talking about it, not able to say a lot yet," was Edwards's first, short response to the query. But then, he offered a bit more information in a subsequent answer.
"It will focus on Mace Windu," the director added.
For the uninitiated,...
- 11/18/2014
- by Katie Roberts
- Moviefone
While it appears that after Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens kicks off a new trilogy of films in the Star Wars saga, we are still waiting to hear if the rumored spin-offs focused on the origins of Han Solo, Yoda, and Boba Fett are coming to fruition. With so many characters worthy of their own films, it never occurred to anyone but Samuel L. Jackson to further the adventures of purple lightsaber-wielding Jedi master Mace Windu. Until now. Director A.J. Edwards recently took part...
- 11/18/2014
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
As of now, there are already two Star Wars spin-off films lined up after Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives next December. Godzilla director Gareth Edwards is already signed to direct the first one, arriving just one year after Episode VII, and Lucasfilm has already lined up Chronicle director Josh Trank to be at the helm of whatever spin-off will follow Episode VIII from Looper director Rian Johnson. However, is there a chance that another spin-off is in the works? The Better Angels director A.J. Edwards partook in a Reddit Ama and was asked about potential involvement in the revival of the Star Wars franchise. Read on! Now we're pretty sure that Edwards was just joking around (sarcasm is hard to detect in text, especially online), but the director responded, "Talking about it, not able to say a lot yet. It will focus on Mace Windu." Aside from the...
- 11/18/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Lucasfilm is currently developing a few highly anticipated Star Wars projects. Outside of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rian Johnson is developing Episodes VIII and IX, and directors Josh Trank (Chronicle) and Gareth Edwards (Godzilla) each working on standalone films that have yet to be revealed. Lucasfilm also has a third standalone film in the works, but as of right now no director has been hired to develop it yet.
We’ve heard rumors and speculation of Yoda, Han Solo, and Boba Fett possibly getting their own movies. But now it looks like we can add Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu to the list. Now before you brush this off as just a rumor, it comes from a very interesting source.
Director A.J. Edwards recently did a Reddit Ama to promote his upcoming young Abraham Lincoln film The Better Angels. This is the only movie that he has directed,...
We’ve heard rumors and speculation of Yoda, Han Solo, and Boba Fett possibly getting their own movies. But now it looks like we can add Samuel L. Jackson’s Mace Windu to the list. Now before you brush this off as just a rumor, it comes from a very interesting source.
Director A.J. Edwards recently did a Reddit Ama to promote his upcoming young Abraham Lincoln film The Better Angels. This is the only movie that he has directed,...
- 11/18/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Of the six Star Wars movies currently in the works at Disney and Lucasfilm, five have already found their directors. The saga movies are being taken care of by J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson, with the former making Star Wars: The Force Awakens (a.k.a. Star Wars: Episode VII) and the latter making Episodes VIII and IX, and both Chronicle's Josh Trank and Godzilla's Gareth Edwards have been hired to make two of the three in-the-works "spin-off" movies. So who is directing the remaining feature? New evidence suggests that the gig could belong to up-and-coming filnmaker A.J. Edwards, and it's possible that we may already know what it will be about. In promotion of his new movie, The Better Angels, A.J. Edwards recently did an Ama session on Reddit, and when asked by a fan about his potential involvement with the future of the Star Wars...
- 11/18/2014
- cinemablend.com
Wes Bentley, star of American Beauty and The Hunger Games, is suddenly everywhere. Over the weekend, he appeared in two new movies: Christopher Nolan's Interstellar and A.J. Edwards's The Better Angels, an ethereal, black-and-white drama that explores Abraham Lincoln's childhood. In the latter, Bentley plays a soft-spoken school teacher who enters our future 16th president's life and nudges him towards greatness. It's a role in stark contrast to another appearance playing concurrently on the small screen: American Horror Story: Freak Show's Edward Mordrake. Seriously, Bentley is everywhere. Vulture sat down with the actor to touch on each of his spinning plates, plus the everlasting effect of The Hunger Games and an unlikely fandom surrounding Ghost Rider.The Better Angels director A.J. Edwards is a close collaborator of Terrence Malick, a filmmaker known for shooting ideas on the fly and finding the story as he goes. But this...
- 11/10/2014
- by Matt Patches
- Vulture
This is a reprint of our review from the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. Working closely under the tutelage of Terrence Malick for several years now, editor and second-unit director turned writer/director A.J. Edwards (who has logged time on "The New World," "The Tree of Life," and "To the Wonder"), might have been better advised to get out from under the shadow of his mentor for his feature-length debut, “The Better Angels.” Instead the fledgling filmmaker is content to bask adoringly in the shadow of his teacher to the deal-breaking detriment of his first film. Perhaps intended as loving homage, “The Better Angels” instead borders on self-serious parody, utilizing a virtual checklist of every stylistic trope Edwards’ cinematic maharishi uses—hushed ponderous voice-over about the nature of life, that gliding camera, expansive wide-angle shots, jump cuts, dancing in fields, a spiritual connection to nature—and one by one employing them all without.
- 11/8/2014
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Edwards Breathes Malickian Verve Into Lincoln’s Youth
It’s impossible to discuss director A.J. Edwards’ triumphant debut without first acknowledging his association with Terrence Malick. Having worked with the singular filmmaker for over a decade, from documenting the making of The New World, consulting on The Tree of Life and having edited To The Wonder, Edwards seems to have transformed from resolute disciple to artistic descendant, sponging both formal technique and spiritual inflection to create a film that looks, sounds and feels like the work of Malick, yet stands as something new, fresh and fully formed, if not stylistically original. In development since 2007 and still debuting in the wake of a handful of other recent Lincoln films, The Better Angels breathes refreshing verve into the little known story of Abraham Lincoln’s brief, but formative years spent in Indiana.
Exhaustively researched, young Abe’s story is told with an...
It’s impossible to discuss director A.J. Edwards’ triumphant debut without first acknowledging his association with Terrence Malick. Having worked with the singular filmmaker for over a decade, from documenting the making of The New World, consulting on The Tree of Life and having edited To The Wonder, Edwards seems to have transformed from resolute disciple to artistic descendant, sponging both formal technique and spiritual inflection to create a film that looks, sounds and feels like the work of Malick, yet stands as something new, fresh and fully formed, if not stylistically original. In development since 2007 and still debuting in the wake of a handful of other recent Lincoln films, The Better Angels breathes refreshing verve into the little known story of Abraham Lincoln’s brief, but formative years spent in Indiana.
Exhaustively researched, young Abe’s story is told with an...
- 11/7/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
It’s with good reason that producer Terrence Malick has gotten top billing in the PR campaign for The Better Angels, namely the ethereal tone and sublime sublunary feel accorded to the story of Abraham Lincoln’s Indiana upbringing that he alone has developed over the course of his career, but it is first time writer and director A.J. Edwards who has actually brought this miraculous film to life. Having worked with Malick in varying roles throughout his last three features, Edwards has gleaned a thing or two about his mentor’s craft and applied them with genuine admiration for and engagement with the material at hand, bringing to life Lincoln’s rural childhood and the impressionistic relationships he shared with his mother Sarah and step-mother Nancy with a startling semblance to Malick’s own work.
Having been relegated to premiere as part of the the New Frontiers sidebar at Sundance earlier this year,...
Having been relegated to premiere as part of the the New Frontiers sidebar at Sundance earlier this year,...
- 11/7/2014
- by Jordan M. Smith
- IONCINEMA.com
Whether it is unabashed idol worship, plagiaristic mimicry or two directors who happen to be cut from the same cerebral cloth, there is absolutely no denying the countless permutations of Terrence Malick's influences permeating every single frame of A.J. Edwards' The Better Angels. Undeniably referential and reverential of Malick -- especially his last three films (The New World, The Tree Of Life, To The Wonder) -- Edwards' impressionistic visual poem captures Abraham Lincoln (Braydon Denney) at around ten years old, as he grows up in rural Illinois. Lincoln's humble upbringing is captured with a moving slideshow of one idyllic image after the next; even young children toiling the land are made to look absolutely glamorous. Photographed by Matthew J. Lloyd with sharp depth of focus and perpetual magic hour lighting, the ever-bedazzling sunlight dances across the images, sublimely showcasing the magical qualities of living a simple existence. The...
- 11/7/2014
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Plot: The early days of a young Abraham Lincoln growing up is explored. As a young boy living destitute with his family in the Indiana wilderness, the tragedy he faces and the obstacles he fights hint at the historic future he ultimately holds. Review: Watching the new film from writer/director A.J. Edwards The Better Angels, you are very likely to get the feeling you are taking in another director altogether. In this biographical tale of young Abraham Lincoln, there is more than a hint of...
- 11/7/2014
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
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