In Lila Neugebauer’s film “Causeway,” Jennifer Lawrence and Brian Tyree-Henry play two people adrift in their lives who develop a relationship. The score, which relies heavily on slowed cello music, helps to capture the emotional lives of these people dealing with their trauma. At IndieWire’s Consider This FYC Brunch in Los Angeles, the film’s composer Alex Somers described the cellos as the key to unlocking the sound of the film.
“We started recording layer after layer of cellos and building masses of cellos,” Somers told IndieWire Crafts and Animation Editor Bill Desowitz at IndieWire’s Consider This FYC Brunch. “And then I slowed it all down, and that’s when Lila felt the lightbulb go on, and she was like, ‘This is the sound.’ So it was just exploring and experimenting with cool musicians and friends of mine.”
At the brunch, Somers talked about the other important...
“We started recording layer after layer of cellos and building masses of cellos,” Somers told IndieWire Crafts and Animation Editor Bill Desowitz at IndieWire’s Consider This FYC Brunch. “And then I slowed it all down, and that’s when Lila felt the lightbulb go on, and she was like, ‘This is the sound.’ So it was just exploring and experimenting with cool musicians and friends of mine.”
At the brunch, Somers talked about the other important...
- 11/23/2022
- by Bill Desowitz and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
When it premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, “Causeway” attracted plenty of attention for helping to relaunch Jennifer Lawrence’s acting career. By the actress’ own admission, she had begun to feel trapped by the big franchise roles that made her a superstar at such a young age. She sought a second act defined by smaller, more character-driven films like “Causeway,” which she also developed through her production company, Excellent Cadaver.
But any effect that “Causeway” had on Lawrence’s career arc is only a small part of the film’s impact. Telling the story of an Army Corps engineer who suffers a brain injury while serving in Afghanistan, the film has been praised by critics as one of the best films about traumatized veterans adapting to civilian life in recent memory.
At IndieWire’s Consider This Brunch, “Causeway” director Lila Neugebauer, producer Justine Ciarrocchi, composer Alex Somers, and...
But any effect that “Causeway” had on Lawrence’s career arc is only a small part of the film’s impact. Telling the story of an Army Corps engineer who suffers a brain injury while serving in Afghanistan, the film has been praised by critics as one of the best films about traumatized veterans adapting to civilian life in recent memory.
At IndieWire’s Consider This Brunch, “Causeway” director Lila Neugebauer, producer Justine Ciarrocchi, composer Alex Somers, and...
- 11/18/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
While Causeway is positioned as an intimate account of the troubled return home from Afghanistan of an injured U.S. Army engineer played by Jennifer Lawrence, this minor-key drama only really blossoms after its stealth transformation into a balanced two-hander about damaged people finding mutual solace. Brian Tyree Henry’s soulful work brings out richer shadings in Lawrence’s guarded stoicism and vice versa. Debuting director Lila Neugebauer surrounds herself with top-tier recruits from her New York stage background to flesh out this melancholy reflection on trauma and trust, set against the sleepy background of blue-collar New Orleans.
Neugebauer made a name for herself with incisive theater work in the past decade, notably her immersive staging of Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves, about a high school girls’ soccer team; the Edward Albee diptych At Home at the Zoo; and Tracy Letts’ fragmented character study Mary Page Marlowe.
While Causeway is positioned as an intimate account of the troubled return home from Afghanistan of an injured U.S. Army engineer played by Jennifer Lawrence, this minor-key drama only really blossoms after its stealth transformation into a balanced two-hander about damaged people finding mutual solace. Brian Tyree Henry’s soulful work brings out richer shadings in Lawrence’s guarded stoicism and vice versa. Debuting director Lila Neugebauer surrounds herself with top-tier recruits from her New York stage background to flesh out this melancholy reflection on trauma and trust, set against the sleepy background of blue-collar New Orleans.
Neugebauer made a name for herself with incisive theater work in the past decade, notably her immersive staging of Sarah DeLappe’s The Wolves, about a high school girls’ soccer team; the Edward Albee diptych At Home at the Zoo; and Tracy Letts’ fragmented character study Mary Page Marlowe.
- 9/11/2022
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alex Somers has revealed two solo debut albums — Siblings and Siblings 2 — out March 19th via Krunk.
Ahead of the release, the producer and Jónsi collaborator dropped lead singles from each LP, “Deathbed” and “Sooner.” The tracks are both instrumental, with “Deathbed” containing deep, billowing exhales and “Sooner” taking a lighter cinematic approach.
While making both LPs, Somers was particularly inspired by his score for the 2016 documentary Dawson City: Frozen in Time. “It’s such a poetic story,” he said in a statement “And it’s so in sync with how...
Ahead of the release, the producer and Jónsi collaborator dropped lead singles from each LP, “Deathbed” and “Sooner.” The tracks are both instrumental, with “Deathbed” containing deep, billowing exhales and “Sooner” taking a lighter cinematic approach.
While making both LPs, Somers was particularly inspired by his score for the 2016 documentary Dawson City: Frozen in Time. “It’s such a poetic story,” he said in a statement “And it’s so in sync with how...
- 2/10/2021
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
The Sundance Film Festival’s 2021 virtual Main Street will play host to a series of conversations about music and the movies, hosted by first-time festival partner Film Music House, with Mary J. Blige, Rufus Wainwright and Colin Stetson (pictured above) among those taking part in the streamed chats Jan. 28 through Feb. 3.
Blige will join Nova Wav and DJ Camper in a conversation on songwriting for films. Wainwright will participate in a panel on the music of the film “Rebel Hearts” with veteran music supervisor Tracy McKnight and Ariel Marx. A panel about music auteurs will feature Stetson as well as Bryce Dessner of the National and Alex Somers.
The confab’s keynote conversations will spotlight Mychael Danna, Jeff Beal, Dan Romer, Miriam Cuter and Rob Simonsen.
The full lineup of names and times for Film Music House programs can be found on Sundance’s Village site, here.
Other programs include...
Blige will join Nova Wav and DJ Camper in a conversation on songwriting for films. Wainwright will participate in a panel on the music of the film “Rebel Hearts” with veteran music supervisor Tracy McKnight and Ariel Marx. A panel about music auteurs will feature Stetson as well as Bryce Dessner of the National and Alex Somers.
The confab’s keynote conversations will spotlight Mychael Danna, Jeff Beal, Dan Romer, Miriam Cuter and Rob Simonsen.
The full lineup of names and times for Film Music House programs can be found on Sundance’s Village site, here.
Other programs include...
- 1/14/2021
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Sundance Film Festival alums that receive a ton of acclaim usually have one of two paths. They either end up as Oscar players, taking that strong buzz and carving out a path in the awards season, or they crumble under the weight of added expectations. For every one of the former, there’s multiple each year of the latter. Charm City Kings, while not firmly stuck as a disappointment, certainly is a step down from what Sundance crowds seemed to suggest. This is not an Academy Award player in the slightest, and frankly, isn’t a particularly satisfying experience. Headed this week to HBO Max, it’s likely to wind up forgotten about before too long, despite some promising aspects to it. The movie is a drama, mixed with a bit of a coming of age tale. For as long as he can remember, Mouse (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) has wanted...
- 10/7/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Updated: Networks and streamers are setting special programming to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22. We’ll be updating as more information comes in, so refresh for the latest.
National Geographic has programmed an entire day of special Earth Day programming on April 22, culminating with two Nat Geo specials.
More from Deadline'The Story Of Plastic' Documentary To Premiere On Discovery Channel In Honor Of Earth DayRon Howard And Brian Grazer Set Nat Geo Docu Following Chef José Andrés And World Central KitchenApple Releases IPhone Se, A $399 Device For Uncertain Economic Times
Jane Goodall: The Hope, featuring the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall, follows her throughout her travels, capturing her commitment and determination to spread a message of hope. Premiering April 22, at 9/8c on Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild. Born Wild: The Next Generation is produced in tandem with ABC News and hosted by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts.
National Geographic has programmed an entire day of special Earth Day programming on April 22, culminating with two Nat Geo specials.
More from Deadline'The Story Of Plastic' Documentary To Premiere On Discovery Channel In Honor Of Earth DayRon Howard And Brian Grazer Set Nat Geo Docu Following Chef José Andrés And World Central KitchenApple Releases IPhone Se, A $399 Device For Uncertain Economic Times
Jane Goodall: The Hope, featuring the legendary Dr. Jane Goodall, follows her throughout her travels, capturing her commitment and determination to spread a message of hope. Premiering April 22, at 9/8c on Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild. Born Wild: The Next Generation is produced in tandem with ABC News and hosted by Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts.
- 4/20/2020
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Country music artists are often taught young to not have any opinions, especially ones that could be deemed controversial. To do that is to risk losing a portion of your fanbase. Early on in the documentary Taylor Swift: Miss Americana, and on more than one other occasion throughout, we hear Taylor Swift reference this. At one point in her career, that desire was paramount. Now, having hit a new milestone, and having experienced a number of things she can’t forget, Swift is ready to shed that safe image. Miss Americana, the Netflix Original documentary, shows her finding her voice, amplified by her decision to weigh in on the 2018 midterm elections. Streaming this weekend after a debut a few days ago at the Sundance Film Festival, it’s a quality doc for both Swift diehards and newcomers alike. Plus, it has the added bonus of featuring a new Original Song,...
- 1/31/2020
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
“Charm City Kings,” directed by Angel Manuel Soto and written by Sherman Payne, is an earnest coming-of-age story about a Baltimore 14-year-old named Mouse (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) torn between joining the Midnight Clique, an extreme dirt bike crime gang in stormtrooper-esque shiny white breastplates, or becoming a veterinarian. While that setup might make eyes roll, it’s inspired by the 2013 documentary “12 O’Clock Boys,” in which an actual kid (real name Pug) wrestled with those same options. The film’s truly ridiculous plot choices — the phony twists that make you leave the theater feeling like you’ve inhaled a tank of carbon monoxide — are its own invention, bolted onto a likable, if formulaic, charmer.
Soto opens on home movie-style footage of Mouse’s older brother Stro (Tyquan Ford) pushing himself to “hit 12,” rearing up on his bike’s back wheel until he’s as straight as a clock hand. Stro,...
Soto opens on home movie-style footage of Mouse’s older brother Stro (Tyquan Ford) pushing himself to “hit 12,” rearing up on his bike’s back wheel until he’s as straight as a clock hand. Stro,...
- 1/29/2020
- by Amy Nicholson
- Variety Film + TV
Meryl Streep is set to star in and narrate an animated short film for Apple TV+ that will celebrate Earth Day, Apple announced Friday.
Streep will star with Chris O’Dowd, Jacob Tremblay and Ruth Negga in “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth.” The film will premiere on Apple TV+ on April 17, five days ahead of Earth Day on April 22.
The animated film follows a precocious seven-year-old (voiced by Tremblay) who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (voiced by O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Streep will narrate the short film.
Also Read: Apple to Release 'The Banker' in March After Conclusion of Misconduct Review
“Here We Are” is also based on the #1 New York Times Best Seller of 2017 “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth” by artist,...
Streep will star with Chris O’Dowd, Jacob Tremblay and Ruth Negga in “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth.” The film will premiere on Apple TV+ on April 17, five days ahead of Earth Day on April 22.
The animated film follows a precocious seven-year-old (voiced by Tremblay) who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (voiced by O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Streep will narrate the short film.
Also Read: Apple to Release 'The Banker' in March After Conclusion of Misconduct Review
“Here We Are” is also based on the #1 New York Times Best Seller of 2017 “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth” by artist,...
- 1/17/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Meryl Streep is the latest big name heading to Apple.
The acclaimed actor is attached to narrate a forthcoming animated short film about Earth Day, which is slated to premiere April 17 on Apple TV Plus.
Titled “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the short will also feature the voices of “State of the Union” star Chris O’Dowd, young “Room” breakout Jacob Tremblay, and “Loving” star Ruth Negga.
In celebration of Earth Day, which falls on April 22, the animated film follows a precocious seven-year-old (voiced by Tremblay) who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (voiced by O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the “Museum of Everything.” Streep will provide voiceover narration to accompany the images.
The 36-minute film hails from Oscar-nominated indie animation house Studio Aka and was written by Philip Hunt and Luke Matheny.
The acclaimed actor is attached to narrate a forthcoming animated short film about Earth Day, which is slated to premiere April 17 on Apple TV Plus.
Titled “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the short will also feature the voices of “State of the Union” star Chris O’Dowd, young “Room” breakout Jacob Tremblay, and “Loving” star Ruth Negga.
In celebration of Earth Day, which falls on April 22, the animated film follows a precocious seven-year-old (voiced by Tremblay) who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (voiced by O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the “Museum of Everything.” Streep will provide voiceover narration to accompany the images.
The 36-minute film hails from Oscar-nominated indie animation house Studio Aka and was written by Philip Hunt and Luke Matheny.
- 1/17/2020
- by Will Thorne
- Variety Film + TV
Meryl Streep will lead a cast lending their voices to an animated short film that will premiere on Apple TV+ on April 17 in celebration of Earth Day. “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” based on the 2017 Time magazine Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers, will be narrated by Streep and feature the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Chris O’Dowd, and Ruth Negga.
The short follows a precocious 7-year-old who, over the course of Earth Day, learns from his parents — and from a mysterious exhibit called the Museum of Everything — about the wonders of the planet.
The 36-minute short is from independent animation production company Studio Aka, whose educational preschool series “Hey Duggee” has won three BAFTAs and two Emmys. Its short “A Morning Stroll,” directed by Grant Orchard, was nominated for an Oscar and BAFTA in 2012.
“Here We Are” is written by Philip Hunt, who won...
The short follows a precocious 7-year-old who, over the course of Earth Day, learns from his parents — and from a mysterious exhibit called the Museum of Everything — about the wonders of the planet.
The 36-minute short is from independent animation production company Studio Aka, whose educational preschool series “Hey Duggee” has won three BAFTAs and two Emmys. Its short “A Morning Stroll,” directed by Grant Orchard, was nominated for an Oscar and BAFTA in 2012.
“Here We Are” is written by Philip Hunt, who won...
- 1/17/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
Meryl Streep, Chris O’Dowd, Jacob Tremblay and Ruth Negga will voice an exclusive animated Earth Day short film for AppleTV+, Apple said today. Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth will premiere April 17.
The film follows a precocious 7-year-old who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Streep narrates the film.
The film is based on author Oliver Jeffers’ 2017 bestseller of the same name. The 36-minute film is written by Philip Hunt and Luke Matheny, and directed by Hunt.
Here We Are hails from independent animation studio Studio Aka. Executive producers are Sue Goffe, Hunt and Jeffers. Alex Somers is the music composer.
The film follows a precocious 7-year-old who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents (O’Dowd and Negga) — and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything. Streep narrates the film.
The film is based on author Oliver Jeffers’ 2017 bestseller of the same name. The 36-minute film is written by Philip Hunt and Luke Matheny, and directed by Hunt.
Here We Are hails from independent animation studio Studio Aka. Executive producers are Sue Goffe, Hunt and Jeffers. Alex Somers is the music composer.
- 1/17/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Producer Brian Kavanaugh-Jones admits he “cried” when he first read Shia Labeouf‘s script for “Honey Boy.” “I think everybody that has parent issues can engage in some way in the loss and pain that Shia went through. It is profoundly personal, but I think also really amazing in terms of how it is so universal.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Kavanaugh-Jones above.
See Alex Somers Interview: ‘Honey Boy’ composer
Written by Labeouf during his own stay in rehab, the Amazon Studios release draws from many of the actor’s real-life experiences. It centers on Otis (played by Noah Jupe as a boy and Lucas Hedges as an adult), a former child actor struggling with addiction and post-traumatic stress fueled by his relationship with his abusive dad, who is actually played by Labeouf himself.
Given the obvious parallels to Labeouf’s own life, one could’ve expected on-set horror stories.
See Alex Somers Interview: ‘Honey Boy’ composer
Written by Labeouf during his own stay in rehab, the Amazon Studios release draws from many of the actor’s real-life experiences. It centers on Otis (played by Noah Jupe as a boy and Lucas Hedges as an adult), a former child actor struggling with addiction and post-traumatic stress fueled by his relationship with his abusive dad, who is actually played by Labeouf himself.
Given the obvious parallels to Labeouf’s own life, one could’ve expected on-set horror stories.
- 11/15/2019
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Natasha Braier was advised to not sign on to lense the low-budget “Honey Boy” — let alone read the script — but you could say the experience she had on the film was priceless.
“When I got the script, it came with a lot of warnings: ‘Shia Labeouf, no money.’ So my agent was like, ‘Don’t even look at this one,’” Braier revealed at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this writer (watch above). “But I did look at it and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s like film therapy.’ I’m Argentinian and we all go to therapy in Argentina as a hobby. And my parents are also both Freudian shrinks. I read it and I was really moved. I always gravitate towards very experimental projects and things that are going to challenge me in some way.”
Written by Labeouf as part of his rehab, “Honey Boy...
“When I got the script, it came with a lot of warnings: ‘Shia Labeouf, no money.’ So my agent was like, ‘Don’t even look at this one,’” Braier revealed at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematography panel, moderated by this writer (watch above). “But I did look at it and I was like, ‘Oh, it’s like film therapy.’ I’m Argentinian and we all go to therapy in Argentina as a hobby. And my parents are also both Freudian shrinks. I read it and I was really moved. I always gravitate towards very experimental projects and things that are going to challenge me in some way.”
Written by Labeouf as part of his rehab, “Honey Boy...
- 11/11/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Is a movie ever complete without music?
“F— no,” Justin Tranter (“Klaus”) declared at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Music panel, moderated by this author (watch above), which also featured Diane Warren (“Breakthrough”), H. Scott Salinas (“The Banker”) and Alex Somers (“Honey Boy”). “Music is everywhere. You can’t even go to the grocery store without music, so I feel like there are amazing examples of films without music. … [But] it’s the universal language. It can enhance emotion, I think, better than almost anything. That’s why music’s everywhere.”
Added Warren: “I think Quincy [Jones] said something about that one time: Watch a movie with no music and see how that affects you. It’s so important; it’s like another character.”
Of course, there have been films sans music, like “Mother” (2017), which Somers dubbed “creatively absent of score,” and “No Country for Old Men” (2007), which featured very minimal music.
“F— no,” Justin Tranter (“Klaus”) declared at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Music panel, moderated by this author (watch above), which also featured Diane Warren (“Breakthrough”), H. Scott Salinas (“The Banker”) and Alex Somers (“Honey Boy”). “Music is everywhere. You can’t even go to the grocery store without music, so I feel like there are amazing examples of films without music. … [But] it’s the universal language. It can enhance emotion, I think, better than almost anything. That’s why music’s everywhere.”
Added Warren: “I think Quincy [Jones] said something about that one time: Watch a movie with no music and see how that affects you. It’s so important; it’s like another character.”
Of course, there have been films sans music, like “Mother” (2017), which Somers dubbed “creatively absent of score,” and “No Country for Old Men” (2007), which featured very minimal music.
- 11/9/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Alex Somers was under a major time crunch when Alma Har’el asked him to score her narrative feature debut, “Honey Boy.”
“I think Alma was searching for a composer for a really long time,” Somers revealed at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Music panel, moderated by this author (watch above). “They were getting down to the wire, and I think some of my music reached her ears. I’m not sure how, to be honest; I’ve never asked. And she called me when she realized it was me. Because she just knew me as Alex and I just knew her as Alma. She really dug my stuff and she was like, ‘Oh my God! It’s you! You have to do this! You have six weeks.’ So I did it.”
“Honey Boy” was written by Shia Labeouf while he was in rehab and is based on his...
“I think Alma was searching for a composer for a really long time,” Somers revealed at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Music panel, moderated by this author (watch above). “They were getting down to the wire, and I think some of my music reached her ears. I’m not sure how, to be honest; I’ve never asked. And she called me when she realized it was me. Because she just knew me as Alex and I just knew her as Alma. She really dug my stuff and she was like, ‘Oh my God! It’s you! You have to do this! You have six weeks.’ So I did it.”
“Honey Boy” was written by Shia Labeouf while he was in rehab and is based on his...
- 11/8/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
It takes real courage to put your life, warts and all, out there on display like Shia Labeouf is willing to do in Honey Boy. Willing to go all in, Labeouf has penned a biographical drama that will almost certainly make you look at him in a different way. That he started writing the script while in court mandated rehab only furthers that. Reframing some of his more controversial moments within the microscope of a troubled childhood, this movie is truly touching. Not only is it one of Amazon Studios’ hopefuls for the Academy Award race, it’s on of the year’s better works overall. Opening this week, prepare to be floored by this one. The film is a drama, based on Labeouf’s own life/upbringing. A somewhat fictionalized account of not just his quick jump to movie stardom during childhood, as well as a look at his adult issues with the law,...
- 11/4/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Few actors have engendered the level of curiosity and confusion surrounding Shia Labeouf, yet it’s seen little impact on his movie career. Labeouf’s arrests for public intoxication and his mixed bag of performance art may have hindered his public profile, but they never downgraded the quality of a risky and substantial filmography. Now, the dueling facets of Labeouf’s career and public life have collided in a most intriguing fashion.
With “Honey Boy,” Labeouf has scripted a rambling, understated autobiographical summation of his troubled youth, pinning much of his rough entryway into young adulthood on his abusive father — an exuberant role that the actor himself embodies with plenty of unsettling machismo, but it’s one of only a few meta flourishes in an otherwise straightforward addiction drama. Directed by expressionistic documentarian Alma Ha’rel in her narrative debut, “Honey Boy” benefits from the filmmaker’s keen eye, even...
With “Honey Boy,” Labeouf has scripted a rambling, understated autobiographical summation of his troubled youth, pinning much of his rough entryway into young adulthood on his abusive father — an exuberant role that the actor himself embodies with plenty of unsettling machismo, but it’s one of only a few meta flourishes in an otherwise straightforward addiction drama. Directed by expressionistic documentarian Alma Ha’rel in her narrative debut, “Honey Boy” benefits from the filmmaker’s keen eye, even...
- 1/26/2019
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
“Minding the Gap,” Bing Liu’s film about working-class Illinois skateboarders whose raucous lifestyle hides brutal family stories, has been named the best nonfiction film of 2018 at the International Documentary Association’s Ida Documentary Awards, which took place on the Paramount Studios lot on Saturday night.
Liu also received the Emerging Filmmaker Award, and he and Joshua Altman won the award for best editing.
Other craft awards went to “Distant Constellation” cinematographer Shevaun Mizrahi, “The Other Side of Everything” writer Mila Turajlić and, in a tie, “Bisbee ’17” composer Keegan DeWitt and “Hale Country This Morning, This Evening” composers Scott Alario, Forest Kelley and Alex Somers.
Also Read: 'Minding the Gap' Film Review: Powerful Doc Depicts Skateboarders In Transition to Adulthood
The award for the best music documentary also ended in a tie, between Steve Loveridge’s “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.” and Melissa Haizlip’s “Mr. Soul!”
In its first year,...
Liu also received the Emerging Filmmaker Award, and he and Joshua Altman won the award for best editing.
Other craft awards went to “Distant Constellation” cinematographer Shevaun Mizrahi, “The Other Side of Everything” writer Mila Turajlić and, in a tie, “Bisbee ’17” composer Keegan DeWitt and “Hale Country This Morning, This Evening” composers Scott Alario, Forest Kelley and Alex Somers.
Also Read: 'Minding the Gap' Film Review: Powerful Doc Depicts Skateboarders In Transition to Adulthood
The award for the best music documentary also ended in a tie, between Steve Loveridge’s “Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.” and Melissa Haizlip’s “Mr. Soul!”
In its first year,...
- 12/9/2018
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
The 34th Annual Ida Documentary Awards were handed out Saturday night at the Paramount Theatre in Los Angeles with Bing Liu’s Minding The Gap taking top honors in the Best Feature category.
Hosted by actress and producer Ricki Lake, the ceremony also honored Floyd Russ’s Zion as Best Short as well as Netflix’s Wild Wild Country which won for Best Limited Series.
Other winners for the evening included HBO’s John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls for the ABC News VideoSource Award, PBS’ Pov for Best Curated Series, Showtime’s The Trade for Best Episodic Series, Mel Films for Best Short Form Series, and Jayisha Patel’s Circle for the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. The New York Times’ Caliphate won the inaugural Best Audio Documentary category.
In addition, the Career Achievement Award was presented to three-time Academy Award winner Julia Reichert and Ida...
Hosted by actress and producer Ricki Lake, the ceremony also honored Floyd Russ’s Zion as Best Short as well as Netflix’s Wild Wild Country which won for Best Limited Series.
Other winners for the evening included HBO’s John McCain: For Whom the Bell Tolls for the ABC News VideoSource Award, PBS’ Pov for Best Curated Series, Showtime’s The Trade for Best Episodic Series, Mel Films for Best Short Form Series, and Jayisha Patel’s Circle for the David L. Wolper Student Documentary Award. The New York Times’ Caliphate won the inaugural Best Audio Documentary category.
In addition, the Career Achievement Award was presented to three-time Academy Award winner Julia Reichert and Ida...
- 12/9/2018
- by Erik Pedersen and Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
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By Hank Reineke
One need not be an enthusiast of silent-era cinema to find Bill Morrison’s illuminating Dawson City: Frozen Time a totally engrossing, masterfully assembled documentary. Anyone with even a passing interest in the history of the 19th and 20th centuries, of the Klondike Gold Rush, of film preservation, or of time-capsule newsreel footage will find this film absolutely fascinating and rewarding. Aside from a bit of on-screen prefatory and postscript talking-head commentary - courtesy of the two surviving and earliest on-site “lost film” investigators - most of Morrison’s two-hour long film is presented to us as an intriguing mosaic; an emotive montage expertly combining the imagery of long-lost vintage newsreels, miraculously salvaged snippets of silent film footage, and an astonishing series of rescued glass-plate negative photographs – the latter courtesy of Klondike Gold Rush chronicler Eric Hegg (1867-1947).
There is,...
By Hank Reineke
One need not be an enthusiast of silent-era cinema to find Bill Morrison’s illuminating Dawson City: Frozen Time a totally engrossing, masterfully assembled documentary. Anyone with even a passing interest in the history of the 19th and 20th centuries, of the Klondike Gold Rush, of film preservation, or of time-capsule newsreel footage will find this film absolutely fascinating and rewarding. Aside from a bit of on-screen prefatory and postscript talking-head commentary - courtesy of the two surviving and earliest on-site “lost film” investigators - most of Morrison’s two-hour long film is presented to us as an intriguing mosaic; an emotive montage expertly combining the imagery of long-lost vintage newsreels, miraculously salvaged snippets of silent film footage, and an astonishing series of rescued glass-plate negative photographs – the latter courtesy of Klondike Gold Rush chronicler Eric Hegg (1867-1947).
There is,...
- 3/18/2018
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Make no mistake, filmmaker Bill Morrison is not a man trapped in the past. Though he deals in celluloid from another time, his work bridges the gap between then and now. Dawson City: Frozen Time, Morrison’s critically-acclaimed documentary, tells the story of a treasure trove of lost silent cinema discovered in Dawson City, Canada under a swimming pool. From these slivers of nitrate film comes something grand. Aided by a remarkable score from Alex Somers of Sigur Rós, Morrison connects the history of film with the history of life in North America. Political movements, sports scandals, heinous fires (some caused by the flammable celluloid itself), and countless other moments captured in time. It appeared on multiple Top 10 of 2017 lists for us here at The Film Stage, sitting atop my own. Compelled to have a conversation with Morrison, the filmmaker was kind enough to chat with us for a good...
- 1/30/2018
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
2017 was a year where I was constantly thinking about time. Whether it was spending months wondering whether I’d die in my sleep from a random nuclear explosion or hours trying to pick something on a streaming service, time had never felt so long or so pointless. Everything existed in the present, was bold and urgent, and the past or future often seemed totally irrelevant. And just as often, every day felt like it meant nothing–an eternal parentheses of a year.
That may just be a more involved way to say that–like so many other people–it was harder than ever to care about and watch things than ever before. But I think those circumstances also say something about the cinematic experiences that meant more to me this year. To be frank, I don’t think it was a particularly good year for movies, and I’m still...
That may just be a more involved way to say that–like so many other people–it was harder than ever to care about and watch things than ever before. But I think those circumstances also say something about the cinematic experiences that meant more to me this year. To be frank, I don’t think it was a particularly good year for movies, and I’m still...
- 1/3/2018
- by Michael Snydel
- The Film Stage
NFL Network has suspended analysts Marshall Faulk, Heath Evans, and Ike Taylor while it investigates accusations of sexual harassment made in a lawsuit filed by a former network stylist. “Marshall Faulk, Ike Taylor, and Heath Evans have been suspended from their duties at NFL Network pending an investigation into these allegations,” Alex Riethmiller, NFL Media Vice President of Communications, said in a statement provided to TheWrap. Also Read: 'SNL': James Franco and Kenan Thompson Get Fired for Sexual Harassment (Video) In a lawsuit filed against NFL Enterprises in L.A. Superior Court on Dec. 6 and obtained by TheWrap,...
- 12/12/2017
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Jennifer Lopez is having the best time with the leading ladies in her life!
On Friday, the 48-year-old actress shared a pair of pics with her Second Act co-stars, Vanessa Hudgens and Bff Leah Remini.
J.Lo showed off a stunning selfie with Hudgens, who blew a kiss into the camera. "Love this little one...
On Friday, the 48-year-old actress shared a pair of pics with her Second Act co-stars, Vanessa Hudgens and Bff Leah Remini.
J.Lo showed off a stunning selfie with Hudgens, who blew a kiss into the camera. "Love this little one...
- 12/11/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Review by Roger Carpenter
Dawson City, located in the Yukon Territory of Canada, is inextricably linked to the 1896 gold rush. But the area had been an important seasonal fishing and hunting village for indigenous tribes for centuries before gold was discovered. Once the gold ran out, the city nearly ceased to exist before making headlines again in 1978 for a find nearly as extraordinary as the gold nearly a century before. This new discovery was of a cache of over 500 silent films from the earliest era of the movies, which had been buried for decades. Dawson City: Frozen Time is an exploration of the complicated history of the town as told through clips and still shots from the films salvaged from the tundra.
This area had long been a seasonal hunting ground for the Tr’ondek Hwech’in tribe, important because of its location at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers.
Dawson City, located in the Yukon Territory of Canada, is inextricably linked to the 1896 gold rush. But the area had been an important seasonal fishing and hunting village for indigenous tribes for centuries before gold was discovered. Once the gold ran out, the city nearly ceased to exist before making headlines again in 1978 for a find nearly as extraordinary as the gold nearly a century before. This new discovery was of a cache of over 500 silent films from the earliest era of the movies, which had been buried for decades. Dawson City: Frozen Time is an exploration of the complicated history of the town as told through clips and still shots from the films salvaged from the tundra.
This area had long been a seasonal hunting ground for the Tr’ondek Hwech’in tribe, important because of its location at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers.
- 10/31/2017
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This Blu is a fascinating hybrid of experimental film and historical documentary by Bill Morrison of Decasia fame. Lost film history and the vanished era of the Dawson Gold Rush blend into one story — all touched off by the discovery of tons of rare silent film, buried in the cold ground of the Canadian Yukon. And Donald Trump’s in there too! In the show, not the snow.
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Blu-ray
Kino Lorber Kino Classics
2017 / Color & B&W / 1:78 widescreen & 1:37 Silent Ap / 120 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 34.95
Starring: Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates, Sam Kula, Bill O’Farrell, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, Bill Morrison.
Film Editor: Bill Morrison
Researchers: Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates
Original Music: Alex Somers; sound design John Somers
Produced by Bill Morrison and Madeleine Molyneaux
Written and Directed by Bill Morrison
Bill Morrison is the celebrated filmmaker of Decasia, a wonderful film...
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Blu-ray
Kino Lorber Kino Classics
2017 / Color & B&W / 1:78 widescreen & 1:37 Silent Ap / 120 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 34.95
Starring: Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates, Sam Kula, Bill O’Farrell, Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo, Bill Morrison.
Film Editor: Bill Morrison
Researchers: Kathy Jones-Gates, Michael Gates
Original Music: Alex Somers; sound design John Somers
Produced by Bill Morrison and Madeleine Molyneaux
Written and Directed by Bill Morrison
Bill Morrison is the celebrated filmmaker of Decasia, a wonderful film...
- 10/28/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
For 11 years, Internet users looking for delicious, fuss-free recipes with a side of stunning food photography have been flocking to Smitten Kitchen. Praised for what The New York Times calls its “confessional voice,” the blog has become a darling of the culinary world, counting lifestyle perfectionist Gwyneth Paltrow among its legions of devoted followers.
As it turns out, Deb Perelman, the 41-year-old New Yorker behind the site, stumbled onto her career accidentally. “It started because I’m really picky, honestly,” she says. “I would see a recipe online that had hundreds of positive reviews, then I’d make it, and...
As it turns out, Deb Perelman, the 41-year-old New Yorker behind the site, stumbled onto her career accidentally. “It started because I’m really picky, honestly,” she says. “I would see a recipe online that had hundreds of positive reviews, then I’d make it, and...
- 10/26/2017
- by Shay Spence
- PEOPLE.com
Are McGarrett and the team still doing their best to rid the Aloha State of its criminal element, in the eighth of the Hawaii Five-0 TV show on CBS? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether the TV show Hawaii Five-0 is cancelled or renewed for season nine. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all the season eight episodes of Hawaii Five-0 for us, below. A CBS police procedural, Hawaii Five-0 stars Alex O’Loughlin, Scott Caan, Ian Anthony Dale, Meaghan Rath, Beulah Koale, Jorge Garcia, Chi McBride, Taylor Wily, Dennis Chun, and Kimee Balmilero. The action revolves around Detective Steve McGarrett (O’Loughlin) and his elite state police task...
- 10/21/2017
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Jennifer Lopez is saying goodbye to her piece of the big Apple!
The Shades of Blue star just listed her New York City penthouse for $26.95 million with Adam D. Modlin of Modlin Group. According to Trulia, Lopez picked up the pad in 2014, but is now gearing up to let go of the stunning space.
Situated on the fifth and sixth floors of the Whitman Mansion in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, the 6,500-square-foot abode boasts 15 rooms total.
After arriving to the palatial pad via private elevator, Lopez, 48, who has been dating Alex Rodriguez, 42, since March, is greeted by the expansive Great Room,...
The Shades of Blue star just listed her New York City penthouse for $26.95 million with Adam D. Modlin of Modlin Group. According to Trulia, Lopez picked up the pad in 2014, but is now gearing up to let go of the stunning space.
Situated on the fifth and sixth floors of the Whitman Mansion in Manhattan’s Flatiron district, the 6,500-square-foot abode boasts 15 rooms total.
After arriving to the palatial pad via private elevator, Lopez, 48, who has been dating Alex Rodriguez, 42, since March, is greeted by the expansive Great Room,...
- 10/10/2017
- by Megan Stein
- PEOPLE.com
This week on Comics Corner, we have issue #14 of The Hellblazer series, Spawn #278, The Normals #5 from Adam Glass (Supernatural) and Dennis Calero, Angel Season 11 #9, Buffy Season 11 #11, Jim Henson's The Power of the Dark Crystal #7, Black Magick #8, and Redneck #6.
The Hellblazer #14: "“The Spirit Hunter” part two! Detective Margaret Ames doesn’t want to think her ex could murder someone, but when you used to date John Constantine, anything is possible. And John’s staying uncharacteristically sober as he tries to absolve himself of the murder he dreamed!
Artist: Jesús Merino
Cover: Tim Seeley
Variant Cover: Yasmine Putri
Writer: Tim Seeley
Series: The Hellblazer 2016
U.S. Price: 3.99
On Sale Date: Sep 27, 2017
Volume/Issue #: 14
Color/B&W: Color
Trim Size: Comic
Page Count: 32."
To keep up with The Hellblazer series, go to:
http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-hellblazer-2016/the-hellblazer-14
---------
Spawn #278: "Story: Darragh Savage, Jason Shawn...
The Hellblazer #14: "“The Spirit Hunter” part two! Detective Margaret Ames doesn’t want to think her ex could murder someone, but when you used to date John Constantine, anything is possible. And John’s staying uncharacteristically sober as he tries to absolve himself of the murder he dreamed!
Artist: Jesús Merino
Cover: Tim Seeley
Variant Cover: Yasmine Putri
Writer: Tim Seeley
Series: The Hellblazer 2016
U.S. Price: 3.99
On Sale Date: Sep 27, 2017
Volume/Issue #: 14
Color/B&W: Color
Trim Size: Comic
Page Count: 32."
To keep up with The Hellblazer series, go to:
http://www.dccomics.com/comics/the-hellblazer-2016/the-hellblazer-14
---------
Spawn #278: "Story: Darragh Savage, Jason Shawn...
- 9/27/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
As Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park exit “Hawaii Five-0,” the show suddenly finds itself without any regular Asian American cast members. That’s a huge problem for a show set in Hawaii, and a representation gap that producers will need to address before the show returns this fall.
The new “Hawaii Five-0” has made an effort to recognize Hawaiian culture in ways that other Hawaii-set TV shows hadn’t in the past – featuring more of the music, customs and traditions from the islands. But the depiction of the state’s large Asian American population was still mostly limited to cast members Kim, Park and Masi Oka.
Read More: Daniel Dae Kim Confirms He Is Leaving ‘Hawaii Five-0’ Over Pay Disparity: ‘The Path To Equality Is Rarely Easy’
But with all three gone (Oka announced his exit earlier this year), the network and producers hopefully understand it’s a huge...
The new “Hawaii Five-0” has made an effort to recognize Hawaiian culture in ways that other Hawaii-set TV shows hadn’t in the past – featuring more of the music, customs and traditions from the islands. But the depiction of the state’s large Asian American population was still mostly limited to cast members Kim, Park and Masi Oka.
Read More: Daniel Dae Kim Confirms He Is Leaving ‘Hawaii Five-0’ Over Pay Disparity: ‘The Path To Equality Is Rarely Easy’
But with all three gone (Oka announced his exit earlier this year), the network and producers hopefully understand it’s a huge...
- 7/6/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Director Matt Harlock (American The Bill Hicks Story) and comic artist Krent Able, whose previous short, Ink, C**ks & Rock’n’Roll is live on Vice, have launched a new supernatural horror, entitled Deep Clean, on Kickstarter. In his latest podcast/interview, host Stuart Wright talks to Matt about the film, the Kickstarter campaign, collaborating with comic artist Krent Able and their first film together…
The campaign is Live Now, runs until July 13th. Deep Clean is a supernatural comedy horror, in the vein of films like Trollhunter, Shaun of the Dead and Attack the Block. Official synopsis:
What if the council road crews you see causing traffic jams every day were not what you thought? 16-year-old Alex on a boring work placement with his loser Uncle. What he doesn’t know is that Deep Clean is a secret council unit whose job…is blocking up demon portals.
Halflife Films...
The campaign is Live Now, runs until July 13th. Deep Clean is a supernatural comedy horror, in the vein of films like Trollhunter, Shaun of the Dead and Attack the Block. Official synopsis:
What if the council road crews you see causing traffic jams every day were not what you thought? 16-year-old Alex on a boring work placement with his loser Uncle. What he doesn’t know is that Deep Clean is a secret council unit whose job…is blocking up demon portals.
Halflife Films...
- 6/30/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
There is a scholarly theory that proposes films are always telling the story of their creation, singing an endless song about their own history. That seemed to have been literally the case in 1978 when Frank Barrett, a construction worker in Dawson City in the northern Yukon, discovered strips of nitrate film poking out of the earth in the site of a new recreation center — like stubborn blossoms trying to defeat the harshness of winter. Children had taken to lighting the visible strips on fire unaware that in the joy of the pyrotechnic display they were erasing history. Barrett’s unique discovery led to the unearthing of over 500 reels containing films made in the 1910s and 1920s, and considering that it is believed that 75% of all silent films were lost, this might have been the most important finding in the archaeology of film. Taking clips from these reels and solving the mystery of how they ended up buried in the Yukon, director Bill Morrison made Dawson City: Frozen Time which might just be the ultimate found footage film.
Morrison tells three parallel tales: one in which prospectors expel the Hän people from their land upon discovering gold and start the township of Dawson, another in which the glories and failures of the inhabitants of Dawson help jumpstart Hollywood, and a third one which is nothing less than a history of cinema itself. In the first one we see how at the turn of the 19th century, American prospectors made their way up to the Klondike River territory and drained it from its mineral riches, while displacing the original inhabitants. We learn that over one-hundred thousand people tried making their way up to the Yukon, with over seventy thousand either returning gold-less or perishing on the road. One of those who gave up on the way, but found a way to make money off people’s basic instincts was an ancestor of the current American president, who opened the brothel that started their fortune. Talk about prescience.
In fact, Dawson City seems to have emanated this strange energy that should have made it one of the most influential cultural hubs in modern history, but its distance and the way it was so quickly forgotten once the gold ran out gave it a different future. The small town inspired Jack London to write his books of adventure in the snow. It was also the place where Alexander Pantages opened his first theater before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest impresarios, and Dawson City paved the road for a young Sid Grauman who realized he had a knack for entertaining people and led him to open one of the most iconic movie palaces in history home to the very first Hollywood movie premiere. It’s as if everyone touched by Dawson City went on to lead a notorious life — and in the case of actor William Desmond Taylor, who worked briefly at the Yukon Gold Corporation before leaving to find fame in Tinseltown, also a notorious death.
The ice and earth of the Yukon held much more stories than the reels of film themselves contained, and one of the most impressive feats in the documentary is how Morrison is able to always find his way back to the central narrative. He’s such an astute filmmaker that he creates dialogues that could very well warrant films of their own, such as the depressing notion that the flammability of nitrate film, which caused fires that burned down Dawson’s entire business district nine times in nine years, was also the reason behind filmmaking pioneer Alice Guy-Blaché’s early retirement. After her studio burned down, she simply gave up. Or how photographs of Dawson City inspired Jim Low and Wolf Koenig to make City of Gold, the 1957 documentary short that originated the “Ken Burns” style of panning and zooming on photographs; therefore originating the form Morrison works with in this very film. The short was nominated for an Oscar and the ceremony that year was held at a Pantages theater.
Morrison proves that there is no better way to tell the story of movies than with movies, and it seems almost spooky how the Dawson City reels supplied him with the material he needed. It’s as if the films had been aching to speak to the world. “Speech” is key here, since all the films are silent. In fact Morrison discovers it was talkies that led so many silent films to be discarded. Dawson City was at the end of a distribution line which meant that films had been out for a very long time before they arrived there, and once their engagements were over nobody wanted to pay the cost of shipping the films back to the studios. In telling this shameful story, Morrison allows the images to speak for themselves. He avoids voiceovers or heavy narration choosing, instead to go with simple title cards, supertitles, and musical accompaniment from Alex Somers’ haunting score. Those who believe in fate might believe Morrison was born to tell this story and perhaps these reels were meant to surface only when he was around to share with the world. Those who prefer pragmatism will undoubtedly be captivated by this tale of progress and its relation to art, but both sides will agree that the stories contained here are nothing if not stranger than fiction.
Dawson City: Frozen Time is now in limited release.
Morrison tells three parallel tales: one in which prospectors expel the Hän people from their land upon discovering gold and start the township of Dawson, another in which the glories and failures of the inhabitants of Dawson help jumpstart Hollywood, and a third one which is nothing less than a history of cinema itself. In the first one we see how at the turn of the 19th century, American prospectors made their way up to the Klondike River territory and drained it from its mineral riches, while displacing the original inhabitants. We learn that over one-hundred thousand people tried making their way up to the Yukon, with over seventy thousand either returning gold-less or perishing on the road. One of those who gave up on the way, but found a way to make money off people’s basic instincts was an ancestor of the current American president, who opened the brothel that started their fortune. Talk about prescience.
In fact, Dawson City seems to have emanated this strange energy that should have made it one of the most influential cultural hubs in modern history, but its distance and the way it was so quickly forgotten once the gold ran out gave it a different future. The small town inspired Jack London to write his books of adventure in the snow. It was also the place where Alexander Pantages opened his first theater before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest impresarios, and Dawson City paved the road for a young Sid Grauman who realized he had a knack for entertaining people and led him to open one of the most iconic movie palaces in history home to the very first Hollywood movie premiere. It’s as if everyone touched by Dawson City went on to lead a notorious life — and in the case of actor William Desmond Taylor, who worked briefly at the Yukon Gold Corporation before leaving to find fame in Tinseltown, also a notorious death.
The ice and earth of the Yukon held much more stories than the reels of film themselves contained, and one of the most impressive feats in the documentary is how Morrison is able to always find his way back to the central narrative. He’s such an astute filmmaker that he creates dialogues that could very well warrant films of their own, such as the depressing notion that the flammability of nitrate film, which caused fires that burned down Dawson’s entire business district nine times in nine years, was also the reason behind filmmaking pioneer Alice Guy-Blaché’s early retirement. After her studio burned down, she simply gave up. Or how photographs of Dawson City inspired Jim Low and Wolf Koenig to make City of Gold, the 1957 documentary short that originated the “Ken Burns” style of panning and zooming on photographs; therefore originating the form Morrison works with in this very film. The short was nominated for an Oscar and the ceremony that year was held at a Pantages theater.
Morrison proves that there is no better way to tell the story of movies than with movies, and it seems almost spooky how the Dawson City reels supplied him with the material he needed. It’s as if the films had been aching to speak to the world. “Speech” is key here, since all the films are silent. In fact Morrison discovers it was talkies that led so many silent films to be discarded. Dawson City was at the end of a distribution line which meant that films had been out for a very long time before they arrived there, and once their engagements were over nobody wanted to pay the cost of shipping the films back to the studios. In telling this shameful story, Morrison allows the images to speak for themselves. He avoids voiceovers or heavy narration choosing, instead to go with simple title cards, supertitles, and musical accompaniment from Alex Somers’ haunting score. Those who believe in fate might believe Morrison was born to tell this story and perhaps these reels were meant to surface only when he was around to share with the world. Those who prefer pragmatism will undoubtedly be captivated by this tale of progress and its relation to art, but both sides will agree that the stories contained here are nothing if not stranger than fiction.
Dawson City: Frozen Time is now in limited release.
- 6/21/2017
- by Jose Solís
- The Film Stage
Jennifer Lopez may currently be dating Alex Rodriguez, but once upon a time, she and Sean "Diddy" Combs were a hot item. In fact, Diddy wasn't even known as Diddy back then - he was Puff Daddy. After her 1998 divorce from Ojani Noa, Jennifer famously dated Diddy for almost a year and a half in 1999, and together, they weathered through getting arrested and alleged infidelities on Diddy's part. And who could forget those matching white outfits? Back in December 1999, the rapper and his girlfriend were arrested in New York and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and of stolen property in connection with a nightclub shooting. Neither Jennifer nor Diddy were injured, but two men and a woman suffered minor injuries to their faces and shoulders. The couple had been at a midtown Manhattan club when gunfire erupted at around 2:20 a.m., and they were stopped by police...
- 6/13/2017
- by Monica Sisavat
- Popsugar.com
As far as feature documentaries about the history of film, be it about specific genres, films or film talent, are more often than not “tough sledding.” Droll, self serious and completely superficial, a vast majority of documentaries about the history of film feel lifeless and simply a series of facts told to the audience by whoever the filmmaker could get in the booth that day.
This, however, could not be further from the truth when discussing Dawson City: Frozen Time. Despite having a relatively dry title, Bill Morrison’s latest and possibly greatest work sends us back to the earliest days of the medium, or at least after initially setting the stage for what would come. In 1978, a man in the small Canadian village of Dawson City uncovered a treasure trove of roughly 500 nitrate film reels, with their origins in back half of the 1910’s. This discovery thrusts the viewers...
This, however, could not be further from the truth when discussing Dawson City: Frozen Time. Despite having a relatively dry title, Bill Morrison’s latest and possibly greatest work sends us back to the earliest days of the medium, or at least after initially setting the stage for what would come. In 1978, a man in the small Canadian village of Dawson City uncovered a treasure trove of roughly 500 nitrate film reels, with their origins in back half of the 1910’s. This discovery thrusts the viewers...
- 6/9/2017
- by Joshua Brunsting
- CriterionCast
Bill Morrison is a passionate archivist and a gifted collage artist, and sometimes — at his best — he is able to be both at once, using one area of expertise to deepen the other. In 2002’s brilliant “Decasia,” for example, he reassembled snippets of exposed and decaying nitrate film stock into a quasi-structuralist (and entirely non-narrative) meditation on death. Morrison recognizes that objects are endowed with their own unique histories, that raw material can be a medium unto itself, and his work invites viewers to think about cinema as a product of — and a witness to — its environment.
In that respect at least, “Dawson City: Frozen Time” is vintage Bill Morrison. Almost entirely comprised of archival footage and monochromatic stills, the film tells the story of its own existence and does so in exhaustive detail. Fortunately, it’s an incredible story to tell.
Only James Comey could be expected to remember...
In that respect at least, “Dawson City: Frozen Time” is vintage Bill Morrison. Almost entirely comprised of archival footage and monochromatic stills, the film tells the story of its own existence and does so in exhaustive detail. Fortunately, it’s an incredible story to tell.
Only James Comey could be expected to remember...
- 6/8/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
"It was an incredible story.." Kino Lorber has debuted the official trailer for a very unique cinema history documentary titled Dawson City: Frozen Time, that is a must-see for any die-hard fans of silent films. This beautiful doc tells the bizarre true story of a lost silent film collection, lost for over 50 years until being discovered buried in a sub-arctic swimming pool deep in the Yukon Territory. Dawson City is a gold rush town located about 350 miles south of the Arctic Circle in Canada, situated at the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers and rests on a bed of permafrost. It was the "end of a film distribution line", and movies became popular in the town despite its distance. The old reels were discovered by a construction company in 1978, then recovered and restored. The film features a lovely original score composed by Alex Somers, from Sigur Ros, who also scored Captain Fantastic.
- 5/28/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
In 1978, a construction crew breaking ground for a rec center found something completely unexpected buried under ice and debris in an old mining town in the Yukon: a cache of lost nitrate films from 1910s and 20s Hollywood.
Gold was discovered in Dawson City in 1896, leading to a gold rush that caused the town’s population to boom. Dawson City became the end of a film distribution line that sent prints of films and newsreels to the Yukon. More often than not, the films were never returned, and many of them were thought lost forever.
As the first trailer shows ahead of a release next month, Bill Morrison’s documentary Dawson City: Frozen Time digs into the story of the lost films, telling the story almost entirely through clips from the re-discovered films, as well as archival footage, interviews, historical photographs, all set to score by Sigur Rós collaborator and composer Alex Somers.
Gold was discovered in Dawson City in 1896, leading to a gold rush that caused the town’s population to boom. Dawson City became the end of a film distribution line that sent prints of films and newsreels to the Yukon. More often than not, the films were never returned, and many of them were thought lost forever.
As the first trailer shows ahead of a release next month, Bill Morrison’s documentary Dawson City: Frozen Time digs into the story of the lost films, telling the story almost entirely through clips from the re-discovered films, as well as archival footage, interviews, historical photographs, all set to score by Sigur Rós collaborator and composer Alex Somers.
- 5/27/2017
- by Chris Evangelista
- The Film Stage
When Alex Rodriguez started looking for real estate a few years ago, he commuted between Manhattan and Miami Beach, where he had a waterfront home overlooking Biscayne Bay — for his new home, he wanted something a bit more secluded, the former Yankee, who has been dating Jennifer Lopez since March, tells Architectural Digest.
“Traveling as much as I do, what I really wanted was someplace peaceful, where I could rest and recover and be with my daughters,” the New York Yankees star says, of keeping his children — Natasha, 11, and Ella, 8, — at the forefront of the whole process.
Related: Kelly Ripa...
“Traveling as much as I do, what I really wanted was someplace peaceful, where I could rest and recover and be with my daughters,” the New York Yankees star says, of keeping his children — Natasha, 11, and Ella, 8, — at the forefront of the whole process.
Related: Kelly Ripa...
- 5/8/2017
- by Maria Yagoda
- PEOPLE.com
The girls are saying goodbye to Girls.
On Sunday, the hit HBO series aired its final episode after six seasons. Created by and starring Lena Dunham, the show originally premiered in 2012 and followed the lives of four young women living in New York City, played by Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke and Zosia Mamet.
The cast took social media by storm to bid an emotional farewell to the show.
“And that’s a wrap on Girls,” Williams, 29, captioned a photo of herself cuddling up to Dunham, 30.
“We watched together in Brooklyn, with Manhattan in the background, on a couch, much like it all began,...
On Sunday, the hit HBO series aired its final episode after six seasons. Created by and starring Lena Dunham, the show originally premiered in 2012 and followed the lives of four young women living in New York City, played by Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke and Zosia Mamet.
The cast took social media by storm to bid an emotional farewell to the show.
“And that’s a wrap on Girls,” Williams, 29, captioned a photo of herself cuddling up to Dunham, 30.
“We watched together in Brooklyn, with Manhattan in the background, on a couch, much like it all began,...
- 4/17/2017
- by Aurelie Corinthios
- PEOPLE.com
Cue the handmaids.
The Tribeca Film Festival announced its second annual Tribeca TV program on Thursday and it includes a range of world premieres, popular show returns and a slate of independent pilots. One of the most highly anticipated debuts will be Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Fillms From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons Lead the Eclectic Mix
The series has been in the news lately, and not only because it will premiere soon. The dystopian story about a government forcing fertile women to become breeders for their high-ranking officials has struck a nerve among progressive women who are wary of having their health and reproductive rights controlled. Recently, protestors dressed in the handmaids’ red robes and white bonnets made an appearance in the Texas Senate gallery as its members were passing abortion legislation.
The TV lineup...
The Tribeca Film Festival announced its second annual Tribeca TV program on Thursday and it includes a range of world premieres, popular show returns and a slate of independent pilots. One of the most highly anticipated debuts will be Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Tribeca 2017 Lineup: New Fillms From Alex Gibney, Azazel Jacobs and Laurie Simmons Lead the Eclectic Mix
The series has been in the news lately, and not only because it will premiere soon. The dystopian story about a government forcing fertile women to become breeders for their high-ranking officials has struck a nerve among progressive women who are wary of having their health and reproductive rights controlled. Recently, protestors dressed in the handmaids’ red robes and white bonnets made an appearance in the Texas Senate gallery as its members were passing abortion legislation.
The TV lineup...
- 3/23/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
On Wednesday evening, People confirmed that triple-threat superstar Jennifer Lopez is dating Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez, and the planet let out a collective “Omg.”
Sure, there may be some naysayers who are not impressed with this truly epic grand slam of a romantic union. “Celebrities hook up and break up all the time,” you might be thinking, “Who’s to say that’ll last?”
We’re to say! J.Rod (A.Lo?) are going all the way—they were born to be together—and here are five sure-fire reasons why.
1. Lopez has always been Rodriguez’s “dream girl.”
Rodriguez has...
Sure, there may be some naysayers who are not impressed with this truly epic grand slam of a romantic union. “Celebrities hook up and break up all the time,” you might be thinking, “Who’s to say that’ll last?”
We’re to say! J.Rod (A.Lo?) are going all the way—they were born to be together—and here are five sure-fire reasons why.
1. Lopez has always been Rodriguez’s “dream girl.”
Rodriguez has...
- 3/9/2017
- by Jordan Runtagh
- PEOPLE.com
From almost the very first time TV’s new MacGyver whipped out his Swiss Army knife, a plan was afoot to eventually cross over the freshman CBS drama with its lead-out, Hawaii Five-0 — as will happen this Friday at 8/7c.
Related2017 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?
“There is a detail in the [MacGyver] pilot that, if you look closely — I cut out the part that actually was a little more obvious — on Jack’s gun in the flashback to Iraq, it said, ‘Aloha’ on the barrel,” Peter M. Lenkov, who...
Related2017 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?
“There is a detail in the [MacGyver] pilot that, if you look closely — I cut out the part that actually was a little more obvious — on Jack’s gun in the flashback to Iraq, it said, ‘Aloha’ on the barrel,” Peter M. Lenkov, who...
- 3/8/2017
- TVLine.com
Exclusive: After six years with Slate PR, Alex Schack has been promoted to Vice President. She has worked extensively with a client roster that includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Nicola Peltz, Joey King, Isla Fisher, Nicolas Cage, Deepika Padukone and Phoebe Tonkin among others. Schack began her career at ID PR. “Alex has proven herself to be an extraordinarily talented publicist,” Slate PR partner and founder Stephen Huvane said. “Her impeccable taste, attention to detail…...
- 1/28/2017
- Deadline
by Nathaniel R
Alex R Hibbert's omission from the nominated cast of Moonlight is one of the worst yet from SAG
For several years now we've highlighted a major problem with the Screen Actors Guild Awards that we hope their union will eventually address. The rule is that to be included in the Ensemble nomination you have to have your own title card (or share the first title card if the whole principle cast is listed on the same card as in Woody Allen movies). But the prize is meant to honor the whole cast and sometimes a less famous person can deliver in a big way in which the movie wouldn't be the same without. My fascination/aggravation with this rule and its collateral damage goes all the way back to The Avatior (2004) when I realized that Matt Ross (an actor who is now a director - see Captain Fantastic...
Alex R Hibbert's omission from the nominated cast of Moonlight is one of the worst yet from SAG
For several years now we've highlighted a major problem with the Screen Actors Guild Awards that we hope their union will eventually address. The rule is that to be included in the Ensemble nomination you have to have your own title card (or share the first title card if the whole principle cast is listed on the same card as in Woody Allen movies). But the prize is meant to honor the whole cast and sometimes a less famous person can deliver in a big way in which the movie wouldn't be the same without. My fascination/aggravation with this rule and its collateral damage goes all the way back to The Avatior (2004) when I realized that Matt Ross (an actor who is now a director - see Captain Fantastic...
- 12/14/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Welcome back to the Weekend Warrior, your weekly look at the new movies hitting theaters this weekend, as well as other cool events and things to check out.
This Past Weekend:
It wasn’t a bad Thanksgiving weekend, especially for the Weekend Warrior who pretty much nailed two of his predictions for the weekend! Disney Animation’s Moana indeed at opened at #1 with $55.5 million for the three-day weekend (exactly my prediction), although it ended up with more--$81.1 million--in its first five days. The Brad Pitt-Marion Cotillard spy thriller, Allied (Paramount), directed by Robert Zemeckis, also opened with $18 million, right on track with my prediction. I guess I could take some comfort on being spot on with two of the Thanksgiving releases—like I said last week, that holiday weekend is a bear to predict—but I way overestimated the other two movies as sequelitis indeed hit Billy Bob Thornton...
This Past Weekend:
It wasn’t a bad Thanksgiving weekend, especially for the Weekend Warrior who pretty much nailed two of his predictions for the weekend! Disney Animation’s Moana indeed at opened at #1 with $55.5 million for the three-day weekend (exactly my prediction), although it ended up with more--$81.1 million--in its first five days. The Brad Pitt-Marion Cotillard spy thriller, Allied (Paramount), directed by Robert Zemeckis, also opened with $18 million, right on track with my prediction. I guess I could take some comfort on being spot on with two of the Thanksgiving releases—like I said last week, that holiday weekend is a bear to predict—but I way overestimated the other two movies as sequelitis indeed hit Billy Bob Thornton...
- 11/30/2016
- by Edward Douglas
- LRMonline.com
Lou Diamond Phillips will guest-star on an upcoming episode of CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 — and we’ve got the details.
RelatedMasi Oka Leaving Hawaii Five-0
TVLine has learned that the Longmire vet will play Lincoln, the officious and no-nonsense U.S. Deputy Marshal who heads a Special Operation Group’s tactical team.
Phillips will appear in the 14th episode of Season 7, to air sometime in early 2017.
RelatedHawaii Five-0′s Alex O’Loughlin Hints at His Exit Plan
Phillips — whose previous TV credits also include Blindspot, Southland, Stargate Universe and Numb3rs — shared the casting news via Twitter, accomplished by a...
RelatedMasi Oka Leaving Hawaii Five-0
TVLine has learned that the Longmire vet will play Lincoln, the officious and no-nonsense U.S. Deputy Marshal who heads a Special Operation Group’s tactical team.
Phillips will appear in the 14th episode of Season 7, to air sometime in early 2017.
RelatedHawaii Five-0′s Alex O’Loughlin Hints at His Exit Plan
Phillips — whose previous TV credits also include Blindspot, Southland, Stargate Universe and Numb3rs — shared the casting news via Twitter, accomplished by a...
- 11/18/2016
- TVLine.com
Is Quantico‘s Lydia a secret member of the rogue CIA faction or just the most chill escaped hostage on Earth?
That’s what Alex has to figure out — and quickly — in this exclusive sneak peek at Sunday’s episode (ABC, 10/9c).
RelatedQuantico Adds Hamilton Lead
Picking up where last week’s episode left off, Alex and Lydia stealthily make their way around lower Manhattan while each woman calculates the odds that the other is lying about her circumstances. Lydia wonders how Alex came into possession of a satellite phone. Alex wonders why her former teacher didn’t get the...
That’s what Alex has to figure out — and quickly — in this exclusive sneak peek at Sunday’s episode (ABC, 10/9c).
RelatedQuantico Adds Hamilton Lead
Picking up where last week’s episode left off, Alex and Lydia stealthily make their way around lower Manhattan while each woman calculates the odds that the other is lying about her circumstances. Lydia wonders how Alex came into possession of a satellite phone. Alex wonders why her former teacher didn’t get the...
- 11/5/2016
- TVLine.com
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