#sundance film festival 2015

[margotrobbieuniverse]

At Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah - January 2015

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

The Witch (2015, Robert Eggers)

14/01/2024

The Witch (The VVitch: A New-England Folktale) is a 2015 film written and directed 5Robert Eggers.

The cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy (in her big screen debut), Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Ellie Grainger and Lucas Dawson. Set in the 1630s, the film follows a Puritan family who encounter evil forces in the woods beyond their New England farm.

An international co-production between the United States and Canada, The Witch premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2015, where it won Best Director, and was released theatrically by A24 on February 19, 2016.

New England, 1630s. William, a religious preacher, together with his wife Katherine and five children - his daughter Thomasin, his son Caleb, the twins Mercy and Jonas and the newborn Samuel - is removed from the Puritan community in which he lives for his extremism in the interpretation of the word of God. He thus goes near a forest, in the hope of living in a humble and peaceful way, practicing agriculture and breeding to feed his family.

The disappearance of the youngest child progressively triggers hatred between family members, who are pitted against each other by lies, omissions, superstitions and mutual accusations.

Caleb also disappears in the woods. When the boy is found he is taken home where he wakes up and later expels a bite-marked apple from his mouth; Katherine aks all the family members to pray, but the twins claim not to remember the words of the Lord's Prayer and during the prayer they end up having convulsions and losing consciousness.

Left completely alone and without hope for the future, Thomasin decides to also speak to the goat - who turns out to be the Devil - who entices her with promises of wonderful news and pleasures, finally persuading her to sign the cursed manuscript. Stripped of all her clothes and her faith, the girl goes into the woods and here she finds a congregation of witches dancing around the fire.

The director decided to refer to a topic that had aroused his interest during his adolescence, namely witches understood according to the Christian concept.

The horror film is an international co-production of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and became a wide release on February 19, 2016, on behalf of A24. In the final part we read that the film is derived directly from "newspapers, diaries and judicial reports of the time (17th century)". In the United States it was released on February 19, 2016, while in Italy it was released in cinemas on August 18 of the same year.

[mrs-stans]

@sundanceorg: Some familiar faces from Sundance ’15 with new films at this year’s Festival.

1. Sebastian Stan 2. Saoirse Ronan 3. Ben Mendelsohn 4. Jay Duplass 5. Rosemarie DeWitt 6. Jason Schwartzman 7. Mark Duplass

Pics by Rick DeMint/ courtesy of @sundancetv. 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

[thecultofmalcom]

So. Its out. This is obviously pretty awesome sauce (sorry not sorry jas) and like.

wow.

so it started, middle/late 2011, almost 12 years ago. Some silly little university kids making a stupid horror puppet show. Becky Sloan and Joseph Pelling, creating Dont Hug Me Im Scared. What a way to start of the 2010s huh.

After a series of short videos, created for the Kickstarter, the sequel was created. Tony The Talking Clock was he spectacle of 2014 tumblr, eventually winning the most coveted title a fictional outcast could probably get, ‘Tumblr Sexyman.’ The fandom at this time was WILD, with the whole IceHell genre and the ‘Paige x Tony’ fanatics. Not to mention that kids react video.

At this same year, my personal skrunkle scrimblo came around. The Love Cult was introduced by the ringleader Shrignold, worshipping a stone who they fed gravel. Nobody knows why or how the living FUCK they managed to start a cult like this, but here we go. This was the first time the gang was seen outside, and this circled around Yellow Guy (whos a pig??)

Along comes 2015, introducing the absolute LEGEND, COLIN. THE. COMPUTER. Legend in the making, stupid self absorbed fucktwat, and the computery guy!! Also, the outro was a bop. By now, the DHMIS community had grown a fanbase, the watch count of the series so far over 3 Million!!1!

AND NOW. THIS IS WHEN SHIT GETS REAL!!

dhmis five. the talking point of every internet kids trauma. This episode was about being helfy!,2 Joined by the silly goofy Healthy Band, duck guy and yellow (red guy, whered he go?) learned all about why you shouldnt eat food from a strangers plate!! What made DHMIS special was its unsettling gore, which was shown perfectly in the scene where duck gets his. organs took out! graphically! Awesome!

then the finale came. dhmis 6, 2016, 6. years ago now. 6 whole years. introducing the harsh reality of the real world, the absoloute CHAD which we call Larry, Lars, Larson, Lamp Guy, THE LAMP1!11 Teaching (drunk, on drugs, sleep deprived, who knows?) yellow guy all about the wonderful dreams you can have, including eating a drink, buying a hat, losing your friends and drowning in oil of course! This episode was what made this whole puppet show a real nightmare. skrunkle yellow guy gets (unfortunately) mind-tortured by all the teachers, including the saxaphone. still really wanna know how to buy a canoe. At the end, we finally found out who was the brains behind all of this, none other than yellow guys DAD himself, ROY. This is why, perhaps, this whole fever dream nightmare was based around June 19th Fathers day. This is what, we all though, the end was. 5 years of youtube wonder, Becky Joe and Baker created a phenomenon that shocked the internet in perhaps a million different ways. But the positive feedback was overwhelming, woohoo!

By now, the improvement was MASSIVE. as shown below :

And now. This is when we all thought it was over. Until 2 years later, in 2018, all hope was lost. Until those 2 words,

WAKEY WAKEY!!

this was a 30 second short trailer for the DHMIS Pilot, showing at the 2019 Sundance film festival!

This is where it gets a bit weird, because not only is the original Wakey Wakey deleted, the full thing was never shown anywhere else. the only surviving footage of this was the bad quality pirated videos , with those 2 girls laughing thunderously in the background. A new sexyman, MEAN STEVE (🤤, sorry not sorry) WAS INTRODUCED! WE ALL WANNA SEE HIM IN HIS FULL METAL STICK GLORY! But nah we didnt get that. We didnt get a show, which we all because suspicious of.

well. thats what we thought.

2020. the year of the corona. no hope, isolation. until a lovely woman named Becky Sloan posted a lil thing on her instagram. ‘Were making a tv shooowwww! 📺👀📺👀📺👀📺👀’ AND THIS IS WHERE IT GOT WILDER AWESOMER EPICER!!! WE WAITED AND WE WAITED AND WE FINALLY GOT SOME CONFIRMATION! THIS WAS AWESOME! it got picked up by a charity project by the name of BFI YAC,, hoping to pick up on small industries work! AND IT DID!

time went by, still no show. we all thought it was over, cancelled, whatever.

2021 ROLLS PAST.

FILMING WAS WRAPPED! IN THE TIME WE WERE ALL GRIEVING AT THE THOUGHTS OF NO TV SHOW, THEY WERE WORKING ON IT THE WHOLE TIMEEE!!

‘WAKEY WAKEY’ as the fandom called it at the time, was coming!

now we wait. until FEB 25 2022. They finished the final sound recording. It was all done, we were all waiting for that special day, June 19th

, Fathers day. , 3 months ago.

and what did we get?

FLY.

THE TRAILER FOR THE NEW SHOW, PREMIERING CHANNEL 4 IN SEPTEMBER!! OH !EM GEE!

Now, we were all anticipating for the new series, we waited EXTREMELY PATIENTLY for this, 4-5 years no less. Honestly we shoulda won an award for the most patient fandom at this point.

SEPTEMBER 2022!

WE GOTTA GET THINGS READY FOR THS BIG DAY! BIG DAY! THE TRAILER WAS OUT! COMING SEPTEMBER 13TH!

but then, disaster struck! ohh no!

HRH Queen Elizabeth fell ill and kicked the bucket. Obviously , this meant not only is the country in ruins now lol! (fuck liz truss basically) But the show (we thought) was in jeopardy! (not really) The 10 days of mourning began, and the All 4 Website announced that the show would be slightly delayed, but coming this month.

THIS MONTH! NOW! FRIDAY 23RD, 2022. THE BIG DAY HAS ARRIVED! 6 SHINING BRAND NEW EPISODES, PREPARED FOR THE BIG TV DEBUT FRIDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER!

THE IMPROVEMENT, BY NOW WAS STUNNING AWESOME EPIC!! LOOKLOOKLOOK!

this new series, which is 1 day old!! fresh new awesome! is AMAZING! 3 WHOLE HOURS FULL OF OUR FAVE TRAFFIC LIGHT TRIO!

(Yes. we know, you still find red guy sexy.)

(AND COLIN. AND THE LAMP. AND A BIT OF TONY TOO!)

JUST THREE OF THEM! CLAYHILL HAD, UNFORTUNATELY, SHRIVELLED UP OR SOMETHING! (I RECKON)

this was obviously a sign that Wakey Wakey is now Lost Media. But we got this! all thanks to that one silly dumb stupid epic 3 minute long short on youtube, made by 2 people, in their free time, DONT HUG ME IM SCARED!

This post is basically, appreciation for Becky Joe and Baker, and the fandom, and everyone who helped in the making of this phenomenon!

Along the way, we’ve encountered our askblogs, most notably @sketchbook-and-tony-adventures !! And the awesome, probably most noted artists of DHMIS tumblr, the epic awesome amazing @amii-stuff @frootrollup? whats the username again? @hecklefreckled & @bernold ! Obviously more as well but i honestly dont remember the usernames :/ And our epic news sharer @creative-time !! Thanks you guys! And some awesome others, like @creechurfoundincheckerboardvoid @dhmispaint and the bezzie mate @xzumichannn !! Woohoo! Thank you guys so much, without this crazy massive fandom, we probably wouldnt have even got this far, crazy right!

So far, the best moments of this 2011-2022 era for me have been

- ‘Where are all you nasty clockfuckers! did you finally fuck that clock?’

- Sketch has a small face

- LisWeegee Adventures In Lurning dubs

- Whoever the heck that spanish dhmis gacha person is!

- That one ‘No bitches’ meme with shrignold :

- My amazing askblog i could never be bothered to do!

- Whoever that tiktok guy is

- “FREELANCERS DESERVE TO DIE!”

- Money Man. Deserves to be a sexyman fr!

- “BYE GUYS! I LOVE YOU!”

- Hearing the first few seconds of the first episode intro. those bells man. something, a feeling im never gonna feel again. ever. something i could experience only once.

The only bad thing. LAMPS SOBERED UP?? WHERED THE DRUGGIE INSOMNIAC VOICE GO?

Anyways. I love yall your all awesome, were finally trending on tumblr again, and we all have worms in our brain!

What have we got to look forward to now?

- DELTARUNE NEW CHAPTERS, 2023? The finale will probably be ready for 2027…

thats literally it. sorry. Hazbin Hotels coming to tv? i guess? lol.

this is obviously a national highlight of 2022 🥱 well no. Its internationally an internet milestone. duh!

LONG LIVE DHMIS!!

[missing-old-seattle]

February 6, 2021 

The Seven Gables Theatre began life as an American Legion dance hall in 1925, designed by Swedish-born architect Eric Carl Rising (1892-1987). In 1968, Randy Finley bought the Movie House (currently the Grand Illusion Cinema), which he and his partners converted from a dentist’s office and opened in 1970. This led to him eventually buying 15 more theaters, including the Seven Gables Theatre in 1974, which opened on December 10, 1976. These theaters (minus the Movie House) eventually became part of the Seven Gables Corp.

Landmark Theaters acquired the chain in 1989. Sadly, out of all the theaters that existed when I moved to Seattle, only the Crest still operates as a Landmark theater (at least until COVID closed all the theaters in our state).

The first to go was the Neptune, bought out by STG in 2011. Then the Metro, initially turned into Sundance Cinemas in 2012 and then acquired by AMC (who kept the interior and the 21+ rules the same but changed the menus). Next to go was the Egyptian Theatre in 2013, which SIFF reopened in time for the 40th Seattle International Film Festival in 2014 and ran as its second year-round cinema (third if you count the Film Center, though that theater is more of a weekend venue). The Varsity’s future was up-in-the-air for years, until Far Away Entertainment purchased it in 2015 (they also run the Admiral in West Seattle). Then we lost the Harvard Exit in 2015 (see my post about it here), currently a Mexican Embassy. Last to go were the Guild 45th and the Seven Gables.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

PETER MULLAN IS RED JACOB MACKENZIE

Peter Mullan is a Scottish actor and filmmaker, he was born in Peterhead, a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 UK. He was interested in directing films at the age of 19 and he made several shorts. He decided to dedicate himself to acting and made his debut in the theatre in 1988 before moving to cinema and television.

His feature film work over the last several decades stretches across every genre, including roles in Riff-Raff (1991), Braveheart (1995), Trainspotting (1996), Miss Julie (1999), Young Adam (2003), Children of Men (2006), The Red Riding Trilogy (2009), War Horse (2011) The Vanishing, the Harry Potter film series (2010–11) and The Vanishing (2018).

Although his part in Braveheart was a small recurring role as one of the Scottish army foot soldiers, Mullan was to go on to enjoy a breakthrough shortly after Gibson’s classic film hit cinemas.

He followed Braveheart with his part as the drug dealer Mother Superior in Trainspotting, then found himself being fêted by Martin Scorsese when he won the best actor award at Cannes for Ken Loach’s film, ‘My Name Is Joe’ (1998), filmed in Argyll and Glasgow.

Trainspotting 1996 ‧ Crime/Thriller

Mullan has a vast body of work but is probably best known for his portrayal of Joe in the 1988 Ken Loach film ‘My Name is Joe’. For this work, he won the highly prized Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mullan in My Name is Joe, directed by Ken Loach. Photograph: Allstar Picture Library

A few years later, in 2011, the Sundance Film Festival awarded Mullan a World Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Breakout Performances for his role as Joseph in Paddy Considine’s Thriller/Drama ‧ ‘Tyrannosaur’ (2011) with Olivia Colman.

Since then, Mullan has gone on to work with directors like Steven Spielberg (War Horse 2011 ‧ War/Adventure ) alongside Jeremy Irvine and with Alfonso Cuarón popped up as a totalitarian crank in Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men, goading the dispossessed into parading their “refugee face”. On Mullan suggestion, Cuarón swapped his character’s weapon of choice for something less obvious, but more threatening, and has become one of the most respected modern film and TV actors.

War Horse 2011 ‧ War/Adventure ‧ Film of the Year 2012

He has also made his name as a director, with acclaimed movies such as Neds, Orphans and The Magdalene Sisters.

His other film credits include ‘Hercules’ 2014 ‧ Action/Fantasy alongside Dwayne Johnson as General Sitalces, Commander of the Thracian army. Lord Cotys's second-in-command right-hand man portrayed by the late John Hurt.

Sunset Song, 2015 ‧ Romance/Drama Terence Davies’s adaptation of Lewis Grassic Gibbons’s novel, stars Agyness Deyn as Chris, a Scottish farm worker who sees family trauma merge into global catastrophe as the First World War devastates her village.

Starring Peter Mullan, as Chris’s abusive dad. was filmed at various locations across Scotland in Aberdeenshire, including Fettercairn and the Glenmuick, Glen Tanar, Invercauld and Ballogie estates. Sunset Song is certainly a masterpiece of Scottish/ British literature and was voted Scotland's favourite book.

Scots Quair is actually three books, Sunset Song, Cloud Howe and Grey Granite, that tell the story of Chris Guthrie, a young woman in the North East of Scotland, moving from the hard, rural life of her adolescence to adulthood and marriage. A Scots Quair is one of the most important works of Scottish literature.

Tommy's Honour 2016 ‧ Sport/Romance is based on the powerfully moving true story (and novel of the same name by Kevin Cook) of the challenging relationship between “Old” Tom and “Young” Tommy Morris, the dynamic father-son team who ushered in the modern game of golf.

Tommy's Honour 2016

Peter Mullan stared as Tom with Jack Lowden playing his son. The film was filmed in the Edinburgh city region including Peebles and Musselburgh golf course.

He also played Yaxley in ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, parts 1 and 2. In TV, he’s played characters in ‘Westworld’, ‘Top Of The Lake’ and Netflix’s ‘Ozark’ as Jacob Snell. [Netflix]

In 2020 He was great in #Ozark portraying local crime lord Jacob Snell, The crime boss of Osage Beach until he died in season two of the Netflix hit.

Ozark 2017 ‧ Drama ‧ 4 seasons

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (TV Series 2022– ) - Peter Mullan played Durin III king of the dwarves and builder of the great halls of Moria.

Moria is introduced in Tolkien's novel The Hobbit and is a major scene of action in The Lord of the Rings. In the fictional world of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moria, also named Khazad-dûm, is an ancient subterranean complex in Middle-earth.

On the big and small screen, from sci-fi to action and comedy, there are plenty of Scots actors who have made a huge impact on the world of acting. Just take a look at the right place where you will find them in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

#PeterMullan #Scotland #actor #filmmaker #Peterhead #RedJacobMackenzie #BOMB #Braveheart #Trainspotting #MartinScorsese #bestactor #CannesFilmFestival #KenLoach #MyNameIsJoe #Tyrannosaur #OliviaColman SundanceFilmFestival #ChildrenofMen #WorldDramaticSpecialJuryPriz #Hercules #DwayneJohnson #GeneralSitalces #book #SunsetSong #Scottishliterature #TerenceDavies #LewisGrassicGibbons #Tommy'sHonour #novel #Kevin Cook #TommyMorris #Musselburghgolf #Netflix #Ozark #JacobSnell #DurinIIIking #Moria #RingsofPower #Tolkien'snovel

Posted 5th April 2024

[carolinesiede]

My 2022 Roundup

Phew! What a year.

2022 started with news of some disappointing corporate shake-ups at The A.V. Club — my main freelance home for the past nine years. After leaving the site in solidarity with my wonderful departing editors, I went all-in on a full-time contract gig with FOX Digital only for that to rather unexpectedly end in mid-November. Add in the tumult that has taken over Twitter in the last third of the year, and I’m ending this year without any of the pillars of stability that have propped me up for my entire career, not to mention nearly my entire adult life.

And, yet, remarkably, I also feel more rejuvenated and excited than I have since the start of the pandemic. After a challenging 2021 took a fairly drastic toll on my mental health, 2022 was filled with adventures that pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me that I’m capable of more than I think I am.

I started the year covering virtual Sundance, which was my first experience with a major film festival like that. Then in March I hopped on a plane for the first time since 2015 (!!!) to attend SXSW, where I saw a Dolly Parton concert, watched Nic Cage watch Nic Cage play Nic Cage, and just generally had 10 of the most surreal, exhausting, exhilarating days of my life.

May brought my first-ever on camera interview, with Cha Cha Real Smooth writer/director/star Cooper Raiff, who was in town for the Chicago Critics Film Festival. Then June took me to L.A., where I watched a dear college friend get married and took my first-ever trip to Disneyland! (I also dealt with my first major cancelled flight snafu and managed to have only a minor emotional breakdown in LAX.)

The adventures didn’t stop there, as I took a relaxing trip home to St. Louis in August, dashed around like a madwoman covering the Chicago International Film Festival in October, and took a semi-spontaneous trip to New York City in November, where I squeezed in five Broadway shows amongst catching up with friends old and new.

The year wasn’t all easy, of course, especially when it came to the major mental adjustment of switching from a freelance lifestyle to the structure and demands of a full-time job creating a brand new section with a two-person team.

And it was incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to some of the long-time anchors of my career: My episodic recaps of This Is Us (my favorite show I’ve ever gotten to write about in such an in-depth way) and especially my long-time A.V. Club column When Romance Met Comedy, which came to a close after 101 columns totaling 187,227 words.

I’m especially proud that my final four WRMC entries (Roman Holiday, Win A Date with Tad Hamilton!, 2005′s Pride & Prejudice, and How To Be Single) really sum up the scope of what I was trying to do with this four-year project. And though it was kind of nice to take a break from writing about rom-coms for most of 2022, I feel like the genre is calling me back again in 2023. 

Other highlights of the year included celebrating Nathan Chen’s gold medal win at the Beijing Olympics (I’ve been following his skating career since 2016!), spotting Nate from The Bachelorette at my screening of Black Adam, re-hauling my wardrobe, getting my bivalent booster (a major turning point in pandemic safety — get yours today!) and reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in person in years.

I also created a public Instagram account, recapped “The Slap” Oscars, delved deep into the nerd-spheres of the MCU, Stranger Things, and House of the Dragon, and kept things going strong with my podcast Role Calling, where we covered the careers of Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, and Zac Efron, and released a series of Lord of the Rings specials that I’m especially proud of.

Oh and I picked my 10 favorite films of 2022, even though this is the first time in years that I didn’t actually publish any official year-end coverage:

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

Living

Cha Cha Real Smooth

Elvis

Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.

The Woman King

Aftersun

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Saint Omer

Turning Red

As we head into 2023, I’ll leave you with wishes for a Happy New Year and a roundup of all the major writing and podcasts I did in 2022. If you enjoyed my work, you can support me on Kofi or PayPal. Or you can just share some of your favorite pieces with your friends! That really means a lot. 

When Romance Met Comedy

Nearly 70 years on, Roman Holiday remains one of romantic comedy’s most delectable treats

Win A Date With Tad Hamilton! now has retro charms twice over

Joe Wright made Pride & Prejudice feel fresh all over again

Can romantic comedies teach us How To Be Single?

My last A.V. Club TV recaps

This Is Us season 6

The Doctor Who 2022 New Year’s Day Special

Op-eds and Features

At the SXSW Film Festival, Nicolas Cage watches Nicolas Cage play Nicolas Cage

Revisit the lighthearted nun comedy that won Sidney Poitier the Oscar

Awards show recap: The chaos Oscars

‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ is still timeless at 25

75 years of the Roswell incident — pop culture’s favorite alien conspiracy theory

Watch rare color footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1947 royal wedding

Interviews

Cooper Raiff on his new Apple TV+ indie rom-com ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’

Film Reviews

Say "maybe" to Jennifer Lopez’s Marry Me (my last A.V. Club film review!)

‘The Worst Person in the World’ might be the best movie of the year

Unfortunately, ‘Uncharted’ isn’t quite a national treasure

‘The Batman’ review: Why so serious?

'After Yang' review: Colin Farrell grapples with the loss of his android son

‘Turning Red’ is Pixar at its weird, wonderful best

‘The Lost City’ almost strikes gold at SXSW

‘Everything Everywhere All At Once' is transcendent and a bit exhausting

‘Morbius’ is a boring, bloodless bat man

In ‘Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood,’ nostalgia becomes rocket fuel

‘Dual’ review: Two Karen Gillans, one deadpan dark comedy

‘The Bad Guys’ review: Animated baddies make for a good time at the movies

‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ review: Marvel makes a messy horror movie

‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ review: Mamma Mia, here we go again

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ review: ‘Top Gun 2’ is a gloriously corny nostalgia fest

HBO’s ‘The Janes’ tells the story of radically empathetic abortion activists

‘Jurassic World Dominion’ review: Just going through the dino motions

‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is a stellar new riff on a classic indie dramedy formula

‘Elvis’ somehow has both the best and worst performances of the year

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ review: A surprisingly bittersweet romp

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ lacks grit

‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On’ is pure magic

‘My Old School’ is a wild, weirdly charming documentary

‘DC League of Super-Pets’ has delightful Saturday morning cartoon vibes

‘Bullet Train’ review: Brad Pitt’s thrill ride just barely stays on track

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ review: A wickedly fun Gen Z slasher from A24

‘Not Okay’ and ‘Vengeance,’ two provocative comedies about narcissism

‘13: The Musical’ review: Broadway magic gets lost in Netflix translation

John Boyega gets a dramatic showcase in ‘Breaking’

‘Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.’ review: A megachurch mockumentary masterclass

‘The Woman King’ review: Viola Davis’ crowning achievement

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ should’ve worried more

‘Bros’ review: Billy Eichner is a glorious rom-com lead

‘Black Adam’ review: The Rock goes bad — mostly for good

‘Ticket to Paradise’ review: George Clooney and Julia Roberts grin and bear it

'Call Jane' review: An abortion drama with optimism

‘My Policeman’ and ‘Causeway’: Harry Styles and Jennifer Lawrence lead quiet new dramas

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ review: A superhero elegy

TV Reviews/Recaps

‘Welcome to Flatch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

‘Monarch’ S1 (premiere + final recap)

Streaming pick of the week: Hulu’s ‘Pam & Tommy’

‘The Dropout’ review: Amanda Seyfried leads TV’s latest scammer drama

Marvel’s ‘Moon Knight’ is promising but weirdly paced

‘Doctor Who’ review: A pirate-themed Easter special is a throwaway romp

Get ready to fall in love with ‘Ms. Marvel’

‘She-Hulk’ review: Marvel’s bold comedic experiment’

‘House of the Dragon’ review: ‘Game of Thrones’ is back and better than ever

‘Andor’ review: ‘Star Wars’ grows up, with a rebel yell

Explainers & Rankings

Oscars 2022: Where to watch the Best Picture nominees (and other movies like them)

Marvel second installments ranked — including ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’

‘Top Gun 2’: Film critic eats his shoe (literally) over ‘Top Gun: Maverick’

'Stranger Things' recap: Here's a refresher ahead of the season 4 premiere

‘Stranger Things’ season 4 storylines, ranked

Here's everything Marvel announced at Comic-Con

'She-Hulk': Three Marvel movies (and one TV show) to revisit before starting the series

The 11 best movies of the year so far: ‘Top Gun 2,’ ‘Turning Red’ and more

10 of the best streaming shows of the year (so far)

22 things we loved in 2022

‘House of the Dragon’ 101

‘Game of Thrones’ returns: Everything you need to know about HBO’s ‘House of the Dragon’

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: Who's who in this new game of thrones

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What are the Stepstones and where’s Old Valyria?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: What’s up with Targaryen incest?

‘House of the Dragon’ 101: That time jump (and those kids), explained

Festival Coverage

Sundance coverage part one, two, three, four, and five

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 1

The coolest, weirdest, best things at this year’s SXSW festival: Vol. 2

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 1

The splashiest movies out of this year’s SXSW festival, Vol. 2

Chicago International Film Festival preview, part one and two

Movie Previews

February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Role Calling Podcast

Meg Ryan: When Harry Met Sally, Joe Versus the Volcano, Sleepless In Seattle, Anastasia, You’ve Got Mail

Antonio Banderas: The Mask of Zorro, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Desperado, Evita, Pain and Glory

Zac Efron: High School Musical, Hairspray, Neighbors, The Greatest Showman, The Greatest Beer Run Ever

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King

Specials: One Year Anniversary Special, Thor: Love and Thunder, Halloween Ends, The Best and Worst Films of 2022: Letterboxd Special

Other Podcast Appearances

The Filmcast: The Tragedy of Macbeth

Culturally Relevant: Breaking Down the Films of Sundance 2022 

Travolta/Cage: Old Dogs/National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

The Filmcast: The Lost City

The Filmcast: Morbius

Happy Harvest Horror Show: Hocus Pocus 2

And here are similar year-end wrap-ups I did in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.

[prcdiglson]

                                               INTRODUCING  ...

WHAT  HAPPENS  WHEN  SOMEBODY  TELLS  A  STORY  /                          THAT  HAS  REAL  PEOPLE  IN  IT?

GENERAL DETAILS.

FULL NAME:  killian  ean  holder  ii NICKNAME(S):  kel,  ian AGE:  forty DATE OF BIRTH:  june  12th PLACE OF BIRTH:  johannesburg,  south  africa ETHNICITY:  white,  english  &  german  hailing GENDER:  cismale PRONOUNS:  he / him ORIENTATION:  bisexual  demiromantic RELIGION:  nonpracticing  jewish OCCUPATION:  independent  film  maker FINANCIAL STATUS:  one  of  the  top  earners  in  his  field, worth  over  $80  million. SPEAKING VOICE AND ACCENT:  londoner  gone  abroad,  seems  people  are  still  charmed  by  his  english  lilt. SPOKEN LANGUAGES:  german,  yiddish,  english,  french    POSITIVE TRAITS:  frank,  devoted,  observant,  self - assured,  acute NEGATIVE TRAITS:  priggish,  cynical,  impulsive,  stubborn,  impatient

FAMILY, RELATIONSHIPS, ETC.

MOTHER:  iona  levin - holder  ( 67,  alive ) FATHER:  george  holder  ( 71,  deceased ) SIGNIFICANT OTHER:  mackenzie  kennedy - holder  ( m.  2016 ) SIBLING(S):  stefen  holder  ( 38,  younger  brother ) CHILDREN:  emmett  holder  ( son,  b.  2017 ),  elijah  holder  ( son,  b. 2020  PET(S):  bernese  mountain  dog  named  kubrick

TIMELINE

1982:  the  second  of  his  name,  killian  is  born  to  south  african  born  humanitarian,  iona  levin - holder  &  english  screenwriter,  george  holder.  killian  is  a  child  born  a  novel  shade  of  similar  circumstance.  half  dead  and  half  alive  in  the  same  body,  nearly  strangled  by  his  own  embellical  cord.  but  he  survives,  and  at  2:38  that  morning  his  birth  time  is  recorded.

1984:  the  year  of  change.  killian  had  was  brought  up  in  his  mother’s  hometown  of  johannesburg,  south  africa  up  until  this  point.  within  the  span  of  seven  months  the  family  not  only  made  the  official  move  to  london,  but  his  younger  brother,  stefen,  was  also  born.

2000-04:  killian  attends  and  graduates  from  london  film  school  with  a  degree  in  film  with  a  minor  in  ethnology;  his  brother  would  follow  in  his  footsteps  while  attending  cambridge  two  years  later.

2006:  killian  &  stefen  enter  the  field  independently  as  a  film  maker  duo  &  start  their  own  film  studio  named  ‘ levin  -  hold  studios, ’  after  their  parents  --  but  most  namely  their  mother.

2007:  the  holder  bros.  release  their  first  collaborative  work,  days  are  over  --  a  feature  length  film  debuted  at  the  sundance  film  festival  and  awarded  with  their  first  standing  ovation.

2008:  the  pair  briefly  split  after  allegations  arise  and  a  drug-induced  escapade  lands  stefen  in  a  rehabilitation  center.  killian  also  releases  his  first  independent  film  in  his  brother’s  absence,  beware  of  pity.

2010:  playboy  era  ensues.  the  holder  bros.  become  a  household  name  for  more  reasons  than  one.  killian  becomes  known  for  his  dirty  designer  taste  in  friends,  and  knack  for  covering  up  his  brother’s  inconsistencies.  their  second  collaborative  work  hedy  is  released  and  awarded  with  their  first  joint  oscar.

2014:  on  a  yatch  coasting  along  the  maldives,  killian  and  mackenzie  kennedy  are  spotted  looking  particularly  close  amid  a  slew  of  mutual  friends.  rumors  are  abuzz  the  next  day.

2015:  killian  and  mackenzie  keep  a  tight  lid  on  their  relationship  status  after  being  spotted  together  several  times  after  their  vacation  abroad.  the  rumors  are  confirmed  with  a  40  carat  diamond  ring.  george  holder  passes  away  from  health  complications  on  christmas  day.

2016:  killian  and  mackenzie  have  a  highly  publicized  yet  intimate  wedding  in  the  summery  alps  of  italy.  the  holder  bros.  release  bad  dog.

2017:  emmett  is  born.

2020:  elijah  is  born.

2021:  the  holder  bros.  release  their  most  recent  film,  this  is  an  adventure  in  honor  of  killian’s  sons  and  are  awarded  with  their  first  joint  oscar.

HEADCANONS

his  work  is  akin  to  that  of  the  greats,  a  feast  for  the  eyes  and  then  some.  the  aesthetic  of  his  films  are  entirely  deliberate:  rich  color  palettes,  themes  of  tradition  &  longing,  serenity  with  vast  tonal  changes,  and  eccentricity  grounded  in  real  experiences.

notable  for  dating  the  who’s  who  of  hollywood, so  mack  was  no  different.  the  announement  of  their  engagement  unceremoniously  heralded a  slew  of  ‘ love  or  lust ’  headlines  due  to  their  age  gap.

always  had  a  knack  for  putting  pen  to  paper  so  his  first  ambition  was  to  become  a  poet.  as  he  swiftly  discovered,  he  wasn’t  much  of  a  wordsmith;  thus  his  interest  turned  to  film.

caffeine  addict  but  only  indulges  espresso  shots;  takes  the  shot  part  literally  and  downs  them  as  such.

evil  little  british  man  who  adores  his  wife  and  children.

has  accrued  a  cult - like  fandom  that  value  his  earlier  works  more  than  that  of  recent  years;  he  often  frequents  letterboxd  to  see  what  his  beloved  idiots  have  to  say  about  his  life’s  work.

mostly  refuses  appearances  alongside  his  wife  and  children  on  keeping  up  with  the  kennedy’s,  fans  have  noted  that  he  has  been  spotted  on  the  show  only  five  times.

does  what  he  can  to  be  present  for  his  children.  goes  as  far  as  to  bring  them  along  with  him  to  the  studio  when  he’s  shooting.

though  their  bond  was  severed  toward  the  end  of  his  father’s  life,  killian  does  well  to  fly  home  as  often  as  possible  to  visit  his  father’s  grave.

says  most  things  with  an  unclear  diction  both  intentionally  and  the  latter,  thus  making  him  somewhat  believable  in  most  circumstances;  will  lie  to  you  simply  to  test  if  you  believe  what  he  says.

FILMOGRAPHY 

coming  soon.

[carmenvicinanza]

Rebecca Miller

Rebecca Miller, regista e scrittrice statunitense, indaga le relazioni umane alternando cinema e letteratura.

Sostenitrice delle donne nell’industria cinematografica, le sue storie hanno sempre protagoniste femminili e anche i cast tecnici sono costituiti in gran parte di donne. Per il suo impegno, nel 2003, è apparsa nel documentario In The Company of Women.

Tra i suoi film, che ha scritto e diretto, spiccano Angela, che ha ricevuto il Gotham Independent Film Award, Personal Velocity: Three Portraits, che ha vinto il Sundance Film Festival, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Maggie’s Plan e She came to me.

Ha scritto i romanzi The Private Lives of Pippa Lee e Jacob’s Folly, il libro che ha anche illustrato A Woman Who e la raccolta di racconti Personal Velocity premiata come miglior libro del 2001 dal Washington Post.

È nata a Roxbury, Connecticut, il 15 settembre 1962, da due celebrità, Inge Morath, fotografa della Magnum e il drammaturgo Arthur Miller. Cresciuta in un ambiente culturale molto stimolante, ha studiato arte a Yale e si è specializzata a Monaco di Baviera, in Germania.

Stabilitasi a New York, nel 1987, ha iniziato la sua carriera come pittrice e scultrice, esponendo in diverse gallerie.

Dopo gli studi di cinema alla New School, ha iniziato a realizzare film muti che esponeva insieme alle sue opere d’arte.

A teatro, si ricorda il suo ruolo di Anya ne Il giardino dei ciliegi di Anton Čechov diretta da Peter Brook, nel 1988.

Ha lavorato come attrice cinematografica e televisiva in film come A proposito di Henry (1991), Wind – Più forte del vento (1994) e Mrs. Parker e il circolo vizioso (1994).

Ha anche diretto un’opera teatrale.

Da regista e sceneggiatrice, il suo primo lungometraggio è stato Angela, presentato in anteprima al Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema e poi al Sundance Film Festival, che le è valso l’Open Palm Award dell’Independent Feature Project e il Sundance Film Festival Filmmaker Trophy oltre a altri importanti premi per la fotografia.

Dopo il matrimonio con l’attore Daniel Day-Lewis, da cui ha avuto due figli, si era trasferita a Dublino dove ha prestato servizio di volontariato in case rifugio per donne vittime di violenza, impegno che le ha ispirato la raccolta di racconti Personal Velocity che poi è diventata un pluripremiato film in tre episodi che esplora la trasformazione personale in risposta a circostanze che cambiano la vita.

La pellicola, proiettata al Tribeca Film Festival e all’High Falls Film Festival,  ha ricevuto importanti riconoscimenti e fa parte della collezione permanente del MoMA di New York. 

Nel 2005 ha scritto la sceneggiatura per l’adattamento cinematografico dell’opera teatrale Proof di David Auburn, vincitrice del premio Pulitzer che ha visto come protagonisti Gwyneth Paltrow e Anthony Hopkins e ha diretto The Ballad of Jack and Rose, proiettato al Woodstock Film Festival e all’IFC Center di New York. Il film le ha procurato una menzione d’onore da MTV nel 2010 per le migliori registe che avrebbero dovuto vincere un Oscar. 

Nel 2009 ha girato il suo quarto film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, un adattamento del suo romanzo del 2002 con un cast stellare composto da Robin Wright, Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder e Julianne Moore.

Del 2015 è Maggie’s Plan, girato principalmente nel Greenwich Village e presentato in anteprima al Toronto International Film Festival che è stato proiettato in importanti festival internazionali.

La sua ultima fatica risale al 2023, She Came to Me presentato in anteprima mondiale al 73º Festival internazionale del cinema di Berlino, interpretato da Anne Hathaway, Marisa Tomei e Peter Dinklage.

Le sue narrazioni sono pregne di ironia, delicatezza e profondità.

[margotrobbieuniverse]

Sundance Film Festival Portraits - 2015

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

Call Me By Your Name (2017, Luca Guadagnino)

24/12/2023

Call Me By Your Name is a 2017 sentimental film directed by Luca Guadagnino.

The screenplay is written by James Ivory and is a film adaptation of the novel Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman. It is the third and final film of Guadagnino's "desire trilogy", after I Am Love (2009) and A Bigger Splash (2015). Set in northern Italy in 1983, the film tells the love story between Elio (Timothée Chalamet), a seventeen-year-old living in Italy, and the American student Oliver (Armie Hammer). Also part of the cast are Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel and Victoire Du Bois. The film's editor Walter Fasano also has a cameo in the film: he is the DJ of the famous party scene, as stated by Fasano himself in an interview.

Principal photography took place in Crema, Italy, between May and June 2016.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2017, and was subsequently released theatrically in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2017 and in the United States on November 24, 2017. The film received unanimous acclaim, with particular appreciation for the direction, screenplay, soundtrack and performers, and was chosen by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute as one of the 10 best films of the year. It received three nominations for the 2018 Golden Globe, for best film, best actor (Chalamet) and best supporting actor (Hammer) and four nominations for the 2018 Oscar awards for best film, best actor (Chalamet), best non-original screenplay, best song (Mystery of Love). The Oscar was won by Ivory for best adapted screenplay.

Summer 1983. Elio Perlman, a seventeen-year-old French-American Jew, spends his summer holidays in a villa immersed in the Cremasco countryside, in Moscazzano, where his father, an archeology professor, usually hosts a foreign student every year who is busy writing his thesis doctoral degree.

[elen-000]

Friendship, Films, and Farewells

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a touching 2015 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, adapted from the 2012 novel by Jesse Andrews, who also penned the screenplay. The film stars Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke, and follows the life of a socially awkward high school senior whose life takes an unexpected turn when he befriends a classmate battling leukemia. Premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, this emotional story quickly garnered praise for its witty screenplay and moving performances.

Plot Summary

The story revolves around Greg Gaines, a high school senior at Schenley High in Pittsburgh, who prides himself on being socially invisible—never too close with anyone, and just skating by. His carefully maintained distance from people is shattered when his mother forces him to reconnect with Rachel Kushner, a fellow student who has just been diagnosed with leukemia. Despite both of their initial reluctance, Greg and Rachel form a unique friendship.

Greg introduces Rachel to his "co-worker" Earl, his longtime friend with whom he makes quirky homemade films that parody classic movies. Although Greg refuses to call anyone his "friend" out of fear of rejection, Rachel finds comfort in Greg and Earl's offbeat friendship and humor during her difficult cancer treatment.

As Rachel's condition worsens, Greg begins spending all his time with her, neglecting school in the process. His focus shifts from grades to making her smile, often breaking the fourth wall to assure the audience that, despite her illness, Rachel won’t die. When a popular classmate, Madison, encourages Greg and Earl to create a special film for Rachel, Greg throws himself into the project, dedicating all his time and energy to making something that will lift her spirits. However, Rachel’s decision to discontinue chemotherapy causes tension between her and Greg, leading to a heated argument where both express their frustrations.

Dealing with Loss

Greg’s life spirals as he faces the consequences of neglecting school, losing both his friendship with Earl and his college admission. Meanwhile, Rachel’s condition deteriorates rapidly. As her final moments approach, Greg abandons his plans to attend prom and rushes to the hospital to show her the film he made in her honor. Rachel, deeply moved by the film, slips into a coma shortly after watching it and passes away the next day. Greg later reveals that he lied to the audience—Rachel did die, despite his earlier reassurances.

At Rachel’s funeral, Greg reflects on their time together, finding solace in her memory and the intricate carvings she left behind in her books—beautiful depictions of their moments together. Rachel's mother reveals that Rachel had written to Greg's college, explaining his absence from school and ensuring that his time spent with her wasn’t in vain.

In the end, Greg writes about his journey with Rachel, sending both his story and the film they made to the college. His final note humorously warns, "the last person who saw this immediately went into a coma and DIED."

Final Thoughts

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is a poignant yet humorous exploration of friendship, love, and loss. The film's bittersweet moments are balanced with clever humor and touching performances, making it a powerful story about the impact we have on each other's lives. It's a heartfelt reflection on mortality and connection that lingers long after the credits roll.

[geobuzzer]

Inside Taylor Swift and Zoe Kravitz's Friendship Timeline

From their first meeting to their current status, we dive into the timeline of Taylor Swift and Zoe Kravitz's friendship.

2014: The First Meeting

The duo first met at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, where Swift was nominated for several awards for her album 'Red'. Kravitz was there to support her father, Lenny Kravitz, who was performing at the event.

2015: Swift's Album '1989' and Kravitz's Movie 'Dope'

Swift released her fifth studio album '1989' in 2014, which became a huge success. Kravitz starred in the film 'Dope', which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2015. The movie received positive reviews, boosting Kravitz's acting career.

2016: Kravitz's Support for Swift

When Swift was involved in a highly publicized feud with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, Kravitz showed her support for the singer on social media. Kravitz posted a series of snake emojis, which were a nod to Swift's 'Reputation' album cover, indicating her solidarity with the singer.

2017: Swift's Album 'Reputation' and Kravitz's Album 'Liberated'

Swift released her sixth studio album 'Reputation' in November 2017, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Kravitz released her second album 'Liberated' with her band Lolawolf in November 2017 as well.

2018: Kravitz's Wedding and Swift's Tour

Kravitz married actor Karl Glusman in June 2018. Swift embarked on her 'Reputation' world tour in May 2018, which concluded in November of the same year.

2019: Kravitz's Role in 'Big Little Lies' and Swift's Album 'Lover'

Kravitz starred in the second season of HBO's 'Big Little Lies', playing the role of Bonnie Carlson. Swift released her seventh studio album 'Lover' in August 2019, which featured the hit single 'You Need to Calm Down', which advocated for LGBTQ+ rights.

2020: Kravitz's Role in 'The Batman' and Swift's Album 'Evermore'

Kravitz was cast as Selina Kyle (Catwoman) in Matt Reeves' 'The Batman', set to be released in 2022. Swift released her ninth studio album 'Evermore' in December 2020, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Conclusion

From their first meeting in 2014 to their current status as close friends, Taylor Swift and Zoe Kravitz have come a long way. Both women have achieved great success in their respective careers, and their friendship has only grown stronger over the years. To keep up with more celebrity friendships and updates, stay tuned to our site!What do you think about the friendship between Taylor Swift and Zoe Kravitz? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Read the full article

[lboogie1906]

Ryan Kyle Coogler (born May 23, 1986) is a director, producer, and screenwriter. He is a recipient of four NAACP Image Awards, four Black Reel Awards, and an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

He made his feature-length debut with the independent film Fruitvale Station, which won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for US dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. It won at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, for Best First Film.

He has since co-written and directed films such as Creed (2015), and Black Panther (2018), the latter of which broke numerous box office records and became the highest-grossing film of all time by an African American director. He co-wrote and directed its sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022).

His work has been hailed by critics for centering on often overlooked cultures and characters—most notably African Americans. In 2013, he was included on Time’s list of the 30 people under 30 who are changing the world. In 2018, he was named the runner-up of Time’s Person of the Year and he was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

He and his wife, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian founded the multimedia company Proximity Media to create event-driven content across various platforms.

He was born in Oakland. His mother, Joselyn (née Thomas), is a community organizer, and his father, Ira Coogler, is a juvenile hall probation counselor. He lived in Oakland until age eight when the family moved to Richmond. He ran track and played football. He went to Saint Mary’s College High School. He attended Saint Mary’s College of California on a football scholarship as a redshirt wide receiver, intending to major in chemistry. The football players were encouraged to take a creative writing course.

After Saint Mary’s canceled its football program, he transferred and earned a scholarship to Sacramento State, where he grabbed 112 receptions for 1,213 yards and 6 touchdowns. He obtained a BS in Finance and took as many film classes. He was accepted into the three-year master’s program at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he made a series of short films. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[greensparty]

Preview: 2024 IFFBoston

Forget about Xmas, this is the most wonderful time of the year!  It is now my favorite time of year in Boston! My favorite film festival in Boston, in Massachusetts and possibly the world is Independent Film Festival Boston (read my coverage here).  I have a special place for this festival: in 2014 my documentary Life on the V: The Story of V66 had its World Premiere at the festival, and in 2015 I was on the Documentary Jury. The 2024 festival is at Somerville Theatre (Somerville), Brattle Theatre (Cambridge), and Coolidge Corner Theatre (Brookline) from Wed. May 1 to Wed. May 8, 2024!

2024 IFFBoston logo

Here are just some of the Official Selections that are on my radar:

Wed. 5/1/24:

The Opening Night Film is the recent Sundance hit Ghostlight, about a construction worker who joins a theater group!

Thurs. 5/2/24:

One of the most highly-anticipated movies of this year is I Saw the TV Glow about two teens who bond over their fandom of a mysterious TV show. I caught director Jane Schoenbrun's last film We're All Going to the World's Fair when it was was at the 2021 IFFBoston and while I had a mixed response to the film, I'm excited to see their follow up.

In a festival first, they are going to be doing their first episodic screening with the first episode of a 3-part documentary series Ren Faire airing on HBO later this year. While IFFBoston is very much a film festival and not a TV festival, I think it's kind of cool they are expanding their reach to include this doc about a Texas renaissance faire.

Fri. 5/3/24:

In the recent Sundance hit My Old Ass, an 18-year-old's mushroom trip brings her face-to-face with her 39-year-old self played by Aubrey Plaza (who makes everything she's in better).

Sat. 5/4/24:

In addition to all of the shorts package programs, it's always exciting to see IFFBoston do a Students Short Showcase made up of student films.

After my friend Michael Gill passed away in 2022, my hope was that his long in the works documentary about Billy Ruane, owner of legendary Boston rock club The Middle East (actually Cambridge, but a big part of the Boston music scene), would somehow get completed and released. I met up with Gill a few times before he moved around 2017 as I had heard about his doc and there was a lot of overlap with his doc and my doc Life on the V: The Story of V66 in terms of interviewees and subject matter. I am thrilled to see that co-director Scott Evans completed The Road to Ruane and it is finally premiering. The fact that the doc features loads of Middle East archival footage and interviews with members of Dinosaur Jr., The Lemonheads, Buffalo Tom, Letters To Cleo, Morphine has my attention too!

Sun. 5/5/24:

In the comedy Tallywacker, a two-member rock band's friendship is tested when one of them gets a gig touring with a major rock star.

My friends director Dan Habib and editor James Rutenbeck were at the 2018 IFFBoston with the great doc Intelligent Lives. Now they are back with a new doc The Ride Ahead co-directed by Dan's son Samuel about his own personal journey to becoming an adult. “But no one tells you how to be an adult,” Samuel says, “let alone an adult with a disability.” I've been hearing a lot of great things about this doc!

The always good Julia Louis-Dreyfus is a comic genius, but she's flexed her dramatic muscles in films like You Hurt My Feelings. In Tuesday she plays a mother who must confront death with her teenage daughter in the form of a talking bird.

Mon. 5/6/24:

My friend Mark Phinney's film Fat was at 2014 IFFBoston when I was there with Life on the V: The Story of V66. We've remained good friends since then and I'm super excited to see his new feature Fear of Flying about a man struggling with his anxieties while trying to maintain his relationships.

Earlier this year I got to cover the Oscar-nominated Short Films and one of the nominees for Best Documentary was Nai Nai & Wai Po from director Sean Wang. Without missing a beat, Wang is back his with his Sundance award-winner Didi.

Tues. 5/7/24:

In My Own Normal, director Alexandre Freeman turns the camera on himself: living with cerebral palsy since age two he is now an adult about to become a new father and how his parents react to this. This is produced by Friends producer Kevin S. Bright, Oscar-winner Chris Cooper and my friend Ariana Garfinkel (she's an IFFBoston alum having produced Best and Most Beautiful Things, You Don't Nomi, and On These Grounds).

Sing Sing stars recent Oscar nominee Colman Domingo as a man imprisoned at Sing Sing who is involved with a theater troupe for incarcerated men. This movie actually walks the walk and features the majority of its cast made up of formerly incarcerated members of the real life theater troupe the film is based on.

Wed. 5/8/24:

The Closing Night Film is the comedy Thelma starring Oscar-nominee June Squibb as an elderly woman who is scammed by a caller claiming to be her grandson and goes on a city-wide quest to get back what's hers. I've been hearing a lot of good things about this one!

For tickets and info to IFFBoston