Today is Veteran's Day, a day set aside to remember and honor those who served our country. I am personally deeply grateful to our troops and delighted to share highlights from three of this year's films that are moving tributes to our military.
"Taking Chance" is a riveting, unforgettable film directed by Ross Katz that stars Kevin Bacon and pays tribute to the sacrifice of a 19 year old Marine killed in Iraq. The movie is one of the most powerful and moving films I've ever seen. Based on the real-life experience of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl and the essay he wrote to remember his journey, "Taking Chance" follows Bacon (Lt. Col Strobl) who volunteers to escort the remains of a young Marine killed in Iraq across the country to his family. It is a simple story, yet an amazingly powerful film that showcases the dedication, professionalism and commitment of our...
"Taking Chance" is a riveting, unforgettable film directed by Ross Katz that stars Kevin Bacon and pays tribute to the sacrifice of a 19 year old Marine killed in Iraq. The movie is one of the most powerful and moving films I've ever seen. Based on the real-life experience of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl and the essay he wrote to remember his journey, "Taking Chance" follows Bacon (Lt. Col Strobl) who volunteers to escort the remains of a young Marine killed in Iraq across the country to his family. It is a simple story, yet an amazingly powerful film that showcases the dedication, professionalism and commitment of our...
- 11/11/2009
- Makingof.com
Chicago – Just so there’s absolutely no confusion out there: HollywoodChicago.com’s beloved Round-Up column is merely for informative purposes only. Rather than just let you know about the titles we have time to watch front to back and award a grade as we do in our great full-length reviews, we thought we’d also do our readers a service and provide the synopsis, cast, and technical details for a few other notable titles. Welcome to the TV on DVD edition of the Round-Up.
“Taking Chance” was released on May 12th, 2009.
“Friday Night Lights” and “Russell Brand In New York City” were released on May 19th, 2009.
“Wallander” was released on June 2nd, 2009.
“The Cleaner” will be released on June 9th, 2009.
“The Cleaner: The First Season”
Photo credit: Paramount Synopsis: “Each week The Cleaner follows Benjamin Bratt as William Banks, a recovering addict who helps others get clean by...
“Taking Chance” was released on May 12th, 2009.
“Friday Night Lights” and “Russell Brand In New York City” were released on May 19th, 2009.
“Wallander” was released on June 2nd, 2009.
“The Cleaner” will be released on June 9th, 2009.
“The Cleaner: The First Season”
Photo credit: Paramount Synopsis: “Each week The Cleaner follows Benjamin Bratt as William Banks, a recovering addict who helps others get clean by...
- 6/4/2009
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
By Terry Keefe
Frost/Nixon comes to DVD this week with special features which include a director's commentary from Ron Howard. Below is an in-depth interview with Frost/Nixon co-star Kevin Bacon, which also covers his recent starring role in Taking Chance.
(Note: This article appeared in the February 2009 issue of Venice Magazine. )
Kevin Bacon: Hollywood’s Long Distance Runner
Memo to young stars: If you want to know how to manage an acting career, study the project choices of Kevin Bacon. After Footloose, he was as big as any of the young stars of the 80s, but, a few years later, deftly avoided being lumped in with the pop culture relics of a fading decade by a small role he took in 1991’s JFK, for director Oliver Stone, then at the height of his filmmaking, and press-creating, powers. Bacon’s screen time was brief as gay hustler Willie O’Keefe,...
Frost/Nixon comes to DVD this week with special features which include a director's commentary from Ron Howard. Below is an in-depth interview with Frost/Nixon co-star Kevin Bacon, which also covers his recent starring role in Taking Chance.
(Note: This article appeared in the February 2009 issue of Venice Magazine. )
Kevin Bacon: Hollywood’s Long Distance Runner
Memo to young stars: If you want to know how to manage an acting career, study the project choices of Kevin Bacon. After Footloose, he was as big as any of the young stars of the 80s, but, a few years later, deftly avoided being lumped in with the pop culture relics of a fading decade by a small role he took in 1991’s JFK, for director Oliver Stone, then at the height of his filmmaking, and press-creating, powers. Bacon’s screen time was brief as gay hustler Willie O’Keefe,...
- 4/23/2009
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Kevin Bacon: Hollywood’s Long Distance Runner
By Terry Keefe
[Note: This article is appearing in this month's issue of Venice Magazine.]
Memo to young stars: If you want to know how to manage an acting career, study the project choices of Kevin Bacon. After Footloose, he was as big as any of the young stars of the 80s, but, a few years later, deftly avoided being lumped in with the pop culture relics of a fading decade by a small role he took in 1991’s JFK, for director Oliver Stone, then at the height of his filmmaking, and press-creating, powers. Bacon’s screen time was brief as gay hustler Willie O’Keefe, who was a key witness in the conspiracy case being but together by Kevin Costner’s character, Jim Garrison, but Bacon was able to showcase his acting chops in a role unlike any he had been seen in before on-screen. Perception-wise, he was also in some very good acting company in JFK,...
By Terry Keefe
[Note: This article is appearing in this month's issue of Venice Magazine.]
Memo to young stars: If you want to know how to manage an acting career, study the project choices of Kevin Bacon. After Footloose, he was as big as any of the young stars of the 80s, but, a few years later, deftly avoided being lumped in with the pop culture relics of a fading decade by a small role he took in 1991’s JFK, for director Oliver Stone, then at the height of his filmmaking, and press-creating, powers. Bacon’s screen time was brief as gay hustler Willie O’Keefe, who was a key witness in the conspiracy case being but together by Kevin Costner’s character, Jim Garrison, but Bacon was able to showcase his acting chops in a role unlike any he had been seen in before on-screen. Perception-wise, he was also in some very good acting company in JFK,...
- 3/3/2009
- by The Hollywood Interview.com
- The Hollywood Interview
Well, it's been a busy weekend at Sundance, where I've packed in nearly twenty screenings since the last report. Let me start with a couple that I found particularly good:
Taking Chance is a very simple film about Lt. Col. Michael Strobl (Kevin Bacon) who is escorting the body of a fallen Pfc named Chance Phelps to his family. In under ninety minutes, the film bears witness to the respectful procedures that the Usmc follows in such situations and to the reactions of ordinary Americans who Strobl meets on this particular journey. He doesn't know the Private, and we learn only a few details about Strobl himself, but I found the film to be one of the most moving experiences I've had in a theater, almost indescribably so. Bacon's solidity and restraint bind the minimal plot together, as do the tasteful decisions made by filmmaker Ross Katz, a producer-turned-director (he...
Taking Chance is a very simple film about Lt. Col. Michael Strobl (Kevin Bacon) who is escorting the body of a fallen Pfc named Chance Phelps to his family. In under ninety minutes, the film bears witness to the respectful procedures that the Usmc follows in such situations and to the reactions of ordinary Americans who Strobl meets on this particular journey. He doesn't know the Private, and we learn only a few details about Strobl himself, but I found the film to be one of the most moving experiences I've had in a theater, almost indescribably so. Bacon's solidity and restraint bind the minimal plot together, as do the tasteful decisions made by filmmaker Ross Katz, a producer-turned-director (he...
- 1/19/2009
- Pastemagazine.com
Viewers with ties to the military, or an obsession with the burial practices of the Marine Corps may find something interesting in Taking Chance, but for anyone else it's a tedious 85 minutes of Kevin Bacon saluting. Bacon plays Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl, a Marine working a desk job as an analyst and carrying around a lot of unnecessary guilt. While his buddies fight it out in Iraq, he rides a cubicle crunching numbers for military commanders who won't listen to him. At night he sits in bed combing through casualty records, until he stumbles on the name of a dead soldier from his home town of Clifton, Colorado. Though he doesn't know the deceased, Strobl volunteers for escort duty. It's now his job to accompany the boy's body home, delivering his coffin and his personal effects to bereaved parents. Along the way Taking Chance subjects us to every minute detail...
- 1/18/2009
- cinemablend.com
See Kevin Bacon in the image below from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival offering "Taking Chance," directed bu Ross Katz who writes alongside Michael Strobl. Based on real-life events, the war drama stars Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, an officer on duty in Iraq who accompanies the body of a soldier named Chance Phelps back home for a burial to take place in Wyoming. Philadelphia, Pa born Katz, a producer of "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette," makes his writing and directing debut here...
- 1/16/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
See Kevin Bacon in the image below from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival offering "Taking Chance," directed bu Ross Katz who writes alongside Michael Strobl. Based on real-life events, the war drama stars Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, an officer on duty in Iraq who accompanies the body of a soldier named Chance Phelps back home for a burial to take place in Wyoming. Philadelphia, Pa born Katz, a producer of "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette," makes his writing and directing debut here...
- 1/16/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
See Kevin Bacon in the image below from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival offering "Taking Chance," directed bu Ross Katz who writes alongside Michael Strobl. Based on real-life events, the war drama stars Kevin Baconas Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, an officeron duty in Iraq who accompanies the body of a soldier named Chance Phelps back homefor a burial to take place in Wyoming. Philadelphia, Pa born Katz, a producer of "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette," makes his writing and directing debut here. The film is a Grand Jury Prize nominee at this year's Sundance Film Festival and is produced and distributed by HBO Films. ...
- 1/16/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
See Kevin Bacon in the image below from the 2009 Sundance Film Festival offering "Taking Chance," directed bu Ross Katz who writes alongside Michael Strobl. Based on real-life events, the war drama stars Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, an officer on duty in Iraq who accompanies the body of a soldier named Chance Phelps back home for a burial to take place in Wyoming. Philadelphia, Pa born Katz, a producer of "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette," makes his writing and directing debut here...
- 1/16/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Oh man, I’m getting a lump in my throat and tears welling in my eyes just from this trailer. No pictures of coffins coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s what the men who sent our soldiers into harm’s way decreed. They thought they could make us forget that Americans were dying in their wars of choice. But they couldn’t keep it a secret -- they couldn’t hide it from everyone. This film is based on the personal journal of the high-ranking officer, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, Usmc (played by Kevin Bacon here), who accompanied home the body of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps, Usmc, who was killed in action in Iraq. Assuming what we see here, in the trailer alone, is true, then there was clearly no hiding the stark reality from anyone, photos or no, and clearly none of that “not supporting the...
- 1/8/2009
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
Check out the official trailer for "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon (“Frost/Nixon”) HBO Films’ Taking Chance, which debuts Saturday, Feb.21 at 8:00 p.m. (Et/Pt), exclusively on HBO. The film is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition and is the story of a fallen marine's final journey home. In spring 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, Usmc (Bacon), came across the name of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps...
- 1/7/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out the official trailer for "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon (“Frost/Nixon”) HBO Films’ Taking Chance, which debuts Saturday, Feb.21 at 8:00 p.m. (Et/Pt), exclusively on HBO. The film is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition and is the story of a fallen marine's final journey home. In spring 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, Usmc (Bacon), came across the name of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps...
- 1/7/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out the official trailer for "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon (“Frost/Nixon”) HBO Films’ Taking Chance, which debuts Saturday, Feb.21 at 8:00 p.m. (Et/Pt), exclusively on HBO. The film is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition and is the story of a fallen marine's final journey home. In spring 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, Usmc (Bacon), came across the name of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps, a young Marine who had been killed in action in Iraq. Strobl, a Desert Storm veteran with 17 years of military service, requested that he be assigned for military escort duty to accompany Chance’s remains to his family in Dubois, Wyo. Based on Strobl’s personal journal of the same name, Taking Chance chronicles one of the silent, virtually unseen journeys that take place every day across the country, bearing witness to the fallen and all those who,...
- 1/7/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Check out the official trailer for "Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon (“Frost/Nixon”) HBO Films’ Taking Chance, which debuts Saturday, Feb.21 at 8:00 p.m. (Et/Pt), exclusively on HBO. The film is an Official Selection of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival in Dramatic Competition and is the story of a fallen marine's final journey home. In spring 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, Usmc (Bacon), came across the name of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps...
- 1/7/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Our good friends over at SlashFilm have discovered the trailer for an upcoming Sundance film called Taking Chance starring Kevin Bacon. There are usually a few Iraq war based films that always show up at Sundance but never go far, because audiences (for some odd reason) just never connect with them. While Taking Chance is related to the Iraq war, it definitely seems interestingly unique. Based on real-life events, the film follows Lt. Col. Michael Strobl (Bacon), a volunteer military escort officer, as he accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming. If you need any more convincing, we'll let Geoffrey Gilmore, Sundance's Director, explain why this is a film to keep your eyes on: "You might presume that yet another film about the war in Iraq couldn’t possibly reveal anything new... But you would be wrong. Taking Chance is without question...
- 12/26/2008
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
As January nears, we begin to focus on the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. A new trailer has hit the web for Ross Katz’s Taking Chance. Katz, who started in Hollywood as a grip on Reservoir Dogs, served as producer on films like In The Bedroom and Lost in Translation, both of which earned him Academy Award nominations. Chance is his directorial debut.
The film is based on true events. Actually, its based on an actual letter written by a volunteer military escort officer (which you can read online here). The film recounts the story of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, a marine who volunteers to escort the remains of a 19-year-old killed in Iraq, back to his family in a small Wyoming town.
In the last couple years, Sundance has been overrun with films which focus on or use the Iraq war as a backdrop. But Taking Chance is one...
The film is based on true events. Actually, its based on an actual letter written by a volunteer military escort officer (which you can read online here). The film recounts the story of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, a marine who volunteers to escort the remains of a 19-year-old killed in Iraq, back to his family in a small Wyoming town.
In the last couple years, Sundance has been overrun with films which focus on or use the Iraq war as a backdrop. But Taking Chance is one...
- 12/26/2008
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
The Sundance Film Festival officially announced the lineup for the films playing in competition next month. The 16 movies will compete for the Grand Jury Prize in Park City, Utah at the 25th anniversary of the largest independent film festival in the U.S. from January 15-25.
The list was announced by festival director Geoff Gilmore, who recently received the first annual Sydney Pollack Award.
At the bottom of the page is a full list with synopsis and partial cast lists, but I wanted to focus on a few of the titles that stand out. Alphabetical order with omissions of films I don’t care about yet:
Arlen Faber - A single mother and a man out of rehab intrude into the life of a reclusive author, played by Jeff Daniels. He’s my other favorite Jeff, but I also like young actresses Kat Dennings and Olivia Thirlby.
Big Fan -...
The list was announced by festival director Geoff Gilmore, who recently received the first annual Sydney Pollack Award.
At the bottom of the page is a full list with synopsis and partial cast lists, but I wanted to focus on a few of the titles that stand out. Alphabetical order with omissions of films I don’t care about yet:
Arlen Faber - A single mother and a man out of rehab intrude into the life of a reclusive author, played by Jeff Daniels. He’s my other favorite Jeff, but I also like young actresses Kat Dennings and Olivia Thirlby.
Big Fan -...
- 12/4/2008
- by Jeff
- newsinfilm.com
I am heading out the door and have no time to really dig into this, but here is the line-up for next year's 2009 Sundance Film Festival as reported by Variety. Dramatic Competition Adam, directed and written by Max Mayer ("Better Living"), about a slightly dysfunctional man's attempt at a relationship with an alluring new neighbor. Stars Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison. Amreeka, directed and written by Cherien Dabis, a drama examining the challenges faced by a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son upon moving to rural Illinois. With Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem. Arlen Faber, directed and written by John Hindman, about the intrusion of two strangers into the life of a famous reclusive author. With Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings. Big Fan, directed and written by Robert Siegel (writer of "The Wrestler"), which hinges on the reaction of a...
- 12/3/2008
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
U.S. Dramatic Competition
This year's 16 films were selected from 1,026 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Adam (Director-screenwriter: Max Mayer)
A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.
Amreeka (Director-screenwriter: Cherien Dabis)
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat.
Big Fan (Director-screenwriter: Robert Siegel)
The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants' biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (Director-screenwriter: John Krasinski)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation,...
This year's 16 films were selected from 1,026 submissions. Each film is a world premiere.
Adam (Director-screenwriter: Max Mayer)
A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.
Amreeka (Director-screenwriter: Cherien Dabis)
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat.
Big Fan (Director-screenwriter: Robert Siegel)
The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants' biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (Director-screenwriter: John Krasinski)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation,...
- 12/3/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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