News

Set in 1956 and ’57, The Long Game abounds in spectacular vintage cars, pristine and gleaming and a signal of the tidy shape of the movie’s narrative. That’s not to say there are no ups and downs, no setbacks and reversals in the drama that unfolds, but director Julio Quintana (The Vessel) has tailored it to reassure, using gentle comic strokes and zingy visuals to explore a true story of sports underdogs and their triumph against bigotry. Jay Hernandez provides the grounded enthusiasm as a high school administrator with a passion for golf and a vision of better things for Mexican Americans like him and his students. Together, he and his coltish team, dubbed the Mustangs, take on the country-club set, with Dennis Quaid providing effortless old-timer charm as a key ally and Cheech Marin on hand as a wiseass Yoda.

Hernandez plays Jb Peña, a veteran of World War II who,...

The Dallas International Film Fest kicked off last night and today sees the first full day of screenings. One of the films making its premiere tonight is Cameron Nelson's Some Beasts and we've got the debut of the film's very attractive poster for you here. Billed as a "Thoreau-style narrative that incorporates both the land itself and the non-actors who inhabit it into the story, Nelson's film combines aspects of narrative filmmaking with ethnographic documentary techniques to achieve a heightened sense of realism." The film stars Frank Mosley, Lindsay Burdge and Heather Kafka. The poster is designed by filmmaker and artist Yen Tan who also has a short film he directed called The Outfit playing at the fest. Tan recently won the SXSW 2015 poster...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Adriene Mishler, Brian Mays, Aj Wilson McPhaul, Sue Rock, Heather Kafka, Brenda Isaacs Booth, Anna Niemtschk, Elbert Hill III | Written by Gary Hawkins | Directed by David Gordon Green

The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.

Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.

James McDaniel, Jason Douglas, Heather Kafka, Jenessa Grant

Hysteria, Season 1, Episode 1: “Pilot”

Written by Shaun Cassidy

Directed by Otto Bathurst

Released August 28, 2014 by Amazon

A veteran of television writing, and known mostly for having created the ABC science fiction drama Invasion, Shaun Cassidy’s next foray to the small screen comes courtesy of Amazon. Titled Hysteria, the series follows a medical investigator in Austin as she attempts to understand the cause behind a series of seizures and spasmic movements affecting a group of largely unrelated individuals. With Mena Suvari in the lead role, Amazon and the creators have released the pilot online in an attempt to get a series greenlight. Unfortunately, poor characterisation and a simplistic mystery at its core dooms this pilot by seemingly promising a dull show.

One of the key problems with this pilot, and potentially with the series as a whole, is that the central...

It's pilot season once again for Amazon Studios, and among the five announced shows getting a test run, two seem to offer a little something for the horror crowd. Read on for more about "Hand of God" and "Hysteria."

"Hand of God," directed by Marc Forster, stars Ron Perlman and Dana Delaney. You can get more info and watch the pilot here.

Co-stars include Alona Tal, Garret Dillahunt, Julian Morris, Emilio Rivera, Andre Royo, Maximiliano Hernández, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Wes Chatham, Sandy Martin, Elizabeth McLaughlin, Anthony Starke, Daniel Louis Rivas, Elaine Tan, Ravi Kapoor, Hugh Dane, Julian Acosta, Jennifer Cortese, and Brett Wyman.

Synopsis:

A psychological drama about a morally-corrupt judge who suffers a breakdown and believes God is compelling him onto a path of vigilante justice.

"Hysteria," directed by Otto Bathurst, stars Mena Suvari and T.R. Knight. You can get more info and watch the pilot here.

Co-stars include Laura San Giacomo,...

Big news today: We’re excited to announce Amazon Studios’ third pilot season, beginning August 28th and featuring three half hour comedies The Cosmopolitans, Really and Red Oaks, and two hour-long dramatic thrillers Hand of God and Hysteria. For one month, it will be up to you to watch, rate and comment – ultimately helping us decide which of them get the greenlight.

“There is something for everyone in this season,” says Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. The glamorous life of modern day expats in Paris. The hijinks of a summer job at a country club in 1980s New Jersey. The visions of a vigilante judge who appears to be channeling God. The complexities of marriage and friendship among a circle of friends in suburban Chicago. And the mysteries behind a psycho-physiological illness spreading through a small town in Texas.

You can help choose which of these stories should get “picked up” to become shows.

Learn more about the two new pilots Amazon Studios greenlit, including Really and Hysteria.

Really

Really is about four hard-charging suburban Chicago couples trying to grasp on to their dwindling youth. At the center are the happily but messily married couple “Jed,” played by Chandrasekhar, and “Lori,” played by Sarah Chalke. When Jed is faced with the choice of keeping his pal’s secret or destroying his friend group, he winds up digging himself into a very deep hole. Really explores marriage, friendship and the stifling peculiarities of suburban Chicago life. The pilot also stars Selma Blair, Travis Schuldt, Hayes MacArthur, Collette Wolfe, Luka Jones, Lindsay Sloane, and Rob Delaney.

Hysteria

Directed by Bathhurst, Hysteria takes viewers to Austin where members of a girls’ dance troop are stricken with a strange, psycho-physiological disease. Neurologist Dr. Logan Harlow (Mena Suvari) is called back to her hometown to investigate the cause. Fighting her own demons,...

Amazon today announced it has added the hour-long dramatic thriller Hysteria, from Amazon Studios, Universal Television and Alcon Television Group, to its third pilot season, which will debut later this year on Amazon Instant Video. Starring Mena Suvari (American Beauty) as “Dr. Logan Harlen,” James McDaniel (Orange Is The New Black) as “Carl Sapsi,” Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises) as “Ray Ratajeck,” Adan Canto (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as “Matt Sanchez,” Laura San Giacomo (Saving Grace) as “Grace Pelayo” and T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as “Carter Harlen,” Hysteria follows a doctor (Suvari) who returns to her hometown of Austin, Texas to investigate a growing epidemic that appears to be spreading through social media. The show is written by Shaun Cassidy who also serves as Executive Producer alongside Adam Schroeder, Sharon Hall, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Bryan Zuriff, and Director Otto Bathurst. Customers will once again be invited...

Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.

Filmmaker Annie Silverstein's student short movie Skunk won the top prize at this year's Cinefondation section of the Cannes Film Festival, according to The Wrap. Along with winning 15,000 Euros, Skunk -- one of 16 films that screened, out of 1,631 student movies submitted worldwide -- gives Silverstein guaranteed entry to the festival for her first feature. She ran a successful crowdfunding campaign last year to finish Skunk, which was her master's thesis movie at The University of Texas at Austin. The movie stars local actress Heather Kafka.Native Texan writer-director Matt Muir's Austin-lensed movie Thank You a Lot, which premiered at this year's SXSW, will have its digital/cable VOD release on June 3. The movie will also screen that night at the Angelika in Dallas (through Tugg) to celebrate its digital release. Thank You a Lot tells the story of a struggling...

Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulter, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Adriene Mishler, Brian Mays, Aj Wilson McPhaul, Sue Rock, Heather Kafka, Brenda Isaacs Booth, Anna Niemtschk, Elbert Hill III | Written by Gary Hawkins | Directed by David Gordon Green

The pairing of director David Gordon Green and actor Nicholas Cage is an intriguing one. Green was once an indie darling winning critical praise for films like George Washington, All the Real Girls and Snow Angels. Once big Hollywood got a hold of him many argued he lost his touch as the quality of his films dropped. When films like The Sitter and Your Highness failed critically and financially most figured he was the latest example of wasted potential. Last year he went back to basics with Prince Avalanche and saw some of that praise return. That praise will no doubt continue with his latest film Joe.

Nicolas Cage’s demise has been well documented.

If I had to place a wager on who will "out-Mars" Austin talent Jonny Mars with the number of film projects that one Texan can possibly be associated with in one year, my bet for the top contender is Dallas-based Farah White. At this year's Dallas International Film Festival, White was involved in five films as either a member of the cast and producer.

Hell hath no fury like a Texas woman scorned in Rachel Shepard's About Mom and Dad, a comedic drama of a couple whose decades-long marriage disintegrates. White leads the ensemble Texas cast as Teri, effortlessly delivering many of the film's witty lines including, "There are no sides -- you just need to know that I am right." Dallas-based Brent Anderson stars as dad Eddie, and Austinites Heather Kafka and Jonny Mars also appear in supporting roles in the movie.

White is also executive producer for About Mom and Dad,...

Catch a new "Snake" clip from Roadside Attractions' "Joe" starring Nicolas Cage and Tye Sheridan. David Gordon Green directs the film which opens in theaters from Aprl 11th, with other cast names in the mix like Ronnie Gene Blevins, Adriene Mishler, Heather Kafka and Sue Rock. Gary Hawkins wrote the script based on the novel by Larry Brown. Nicolas Cage goes back to his indie roots in the title role as the hard-living, hot-tempered, ex-con Joe Ransom, who is just trying to dodge his instincts for trouble – until he meets a hard-luck kid played by Tye Sheridan who awakens in him a fierce and tender-hearted protector.

Joe Trailers. David Gordon Green‘s Joe (2013) Us, French movie trailers stars Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Sue Rock, Heather Kafka, and Ronnie Gene Blevins. Joe‘s plot synopsis: “A gripping mix of friendship, violence and redemption erupts in the contemporary South in this adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel, celebrated [...]

Continue reading: Joe (2013) Us & French Movie Trailers: Nicolas Cage Unleashes His Rage...

Over the course of his career, actor Nicolas Cage has effectively developed two sets of fans; those who admire his performance in movies such as Leaving Las Vegas, Raising Arizona, and Adaptation, and those who admire his performance in movies such as Vampire’s Kiss, Deadfall, and The Wicker Man. Fans of Cage’s first set were thus excited to hear of his casting in the newest drama from director David Gordon Green. Titled Joe, Gary Hawkins adapts the screenplay from the Larry Brown novel, and Cage stars alongside Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins, and Heather Kafka. A new trailer for the film has now been released, and can be seen below. Sound on Sight also did see the movie at Tiff, and our reviews can be read here, as well as here.

(Source: First Showing)

The post ‘Joe’, by David Gordon Green and starring Nicolas Cage, releases a new...

More keynotes (Tilda Swinton!) for this year's SXSW Film Festival were announced yesterday, with a few more films added to the schedule. Many features and documentaries with Austin and/or Texas connections are on the schedule for SXSW 2014, which takes place from March 7-15. Here's the rundown, with some familiar names joining new voices.

Headliners:

Veronica Mars -- Creator/writer/director/Austinite Rob Thomas kickstarted the budget for this silver-screen continuation of the cult favorite TV series. Kristen Bell (Veronica) and Jason Dohring (Logan) -- and many more from the original series cast -- reprise their roles when this detective movie makes its world premiere at SXSW. (screening times)

Joe -- Current Austin resident and director David Gordon Green, whose Prince Avalanche played at SXSW 2013, directed this Nicolas Cage vehicle about an ex-con (Cage) who befriends a teenage boy (Tye Sheridan, Mud). The movie was shot in Austin, Bastrop,...

The upcoming horror film ‘Daylight’s End’ is offering insight into how the dwindling human race is banding together to protect and save what’s left of humanity in a new sneak preview promo trailer, posted on Vimeo page. The action-sci-fi independent film, which was shot in Dallas, was directed by William Kaufman, and written by Chad Law. The film stars Johnny Strong, Chris Kerson, Chelsea Edmundson, Louis Mandylor, Gary Cairns, Mark Hanson, Lance Henriksen, Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Heather Kafka. ‘Daylight’s End,’ a post-apocalyptic zombie thriller, is set years after a mysterious plague has devastated the planet and turned most of humanity into blood-hungry creatures that roam by night. A rogue drifter [ Read More ]

The post Daylight’s End Offers Insight in Sneak Preview Promo Trailer appeared first on Shockya.com.

Welcome to Holiday Favorites, a series in which Slackerwood contributors and our friends talk about the movies we watch during the holiday season, holiday-related or otherwise.

It's a Wonderful Life is a popular pick this year! Austin actress Heather Kafka (Kid-Thing, Loves Her Gun) writes about what the 1946 film means to her.

"Is he sick?"

"No, worse, he's discouraged."

I remember walking into my parents' living room one day and an old movie was on. I don't remember how old I was but I do remember feeling like the TV was talking to me. I've tuned in every year since that day. It's a Wonderful Life never ever Never gets old. I feel and see something new in it every single time.

Sure, I could mention all the obvious things like the acting, the story, the comedy ... the swimming pool in the floor, the missing $8,000, ZuZu's petals ... Jimmy Stewart running...

Today’s film is the 2011 short The Man Who Never Cried. The film is written and directed by Bradley Jackson, and stars Heather Kafka, Keir O’Donnell, and Jess Weixler. Weixler is a 10-year veteran of the acting industry, appearing in tv shows such as Everwood, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and The Good Wife. Her newest feature, titled Best Man Down, opens in wide release in American theatres this weekend, and is already available through online streaming sources.

****

The post Sunday Shorts: ‘The Man Who Never Cried’, starring Jess Weixler appeared first on Sound On Sight.

It might seem fitting that a cast and crew of rookies made a film about a beer league softball team, but it is pretty surprising that the resulting film is as strong of a debut as Summer League. Having been deeply embedded in the Austin film community for a few years now, I was admittedly very apprehensive about screening an Austin film with no recognizable names. (I mean, really, what is an Austin film without Jonny Mars, Chris Doubek, John Merriman, Ashley Spillers and Heather Kafka?) Thankfully, though, writer-director Lex Lybrand and his rookie team knock this film way out of the proverbial park. Summer League is an impeccably-made, professional-quality film, from the aforementioned writing and directing to the cinematography (Austin Shaffer) and editing (Lex Lybrand). The impressive production quality is rivaled by the astounding break-out performances of Danielle Ploeger, Kelsey Thomas and Gabriel Peña. I am not sure where...

Austin-based actress Heather Kafka shows up in features Pit Stop, The Bounceback, Loves Her Gun, When Angels Sing, and short Black Metal which are all screening at SXSW next month. Let's just say that if you see a film with local ties during the festival, there's about a 75% chance that Kafka will be in it. You might have seen her previously in locally made movies like Lovers of Hate, Saturday Morning Massacre, Slacker 2011 (pictured above) ... and she's the woman trying to buy from the Carl's Jr. kiosk in Idiocracy.

Kafka took some time to talk to us (via email) about working in the friendly Austin film community and taking on roles that her grandma shouldn't see.

Slackerwood: You appear in a number of the films showing at SXSW this year. How did you become involved with these film projects?

Heather Kafka: Sometimes I'm lucky. When I came back...

The feature-film selections for the 2013 SXSW Film Festival were announced last week and boy, are there a lot of movies with Austin connections on the program -- so many that we had to split this article in two! We'll start with the narrative feature films, and the second half will highlight the documentaries and "festival favorites." These lists don't include the short films or the midnight movies, which will be announced later today.

Headliners:

When Angels Sing -- Austin director Tim McCanlies' new film is based on a novel by Turk Pipkin (who also appears in the movie), wherein the main character has a troubled relationship with Christmas. Sometimes-Austinite Connie Britton stars as the wife, and the cast also includes Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Heather Kafka (who appears in four SXSW feature films this year), and the Red Headed Stranger himself! Elizabeth Avellan of Troublemaker Studios is one of the producers on this film,...

I'm passionate about short films -- as evidenced by my role as a programmer for Austin Film Society's ShortCase series -- and hope to see quite a few at Sundance this coming week. A record number of 8,102 short films were submitted for the 2013 Sundance Short Film program, with only 65 short films making the cut. 

You don't have to trek to Park City to enjoy some of these shorts -- a dozen of the best are now available online in The Screening Room, a YouTube channel curated by Sundance short film programmers. Austin represents with local writer/director Kat Candler's Black Metal, starring Jonny Mars (Saturday Morning Massacre, Hellion) and Heather Kafka (Lovers of Hate). This short yet powerful and evocative piece leaves viewers wanting more of the story of Ian, a death metal rocker who must deal with the consequences of a fan's actions.  

Watch Black Metal here after the jump.

Austin's own Kat Candler is building up quite the cinematic reputation, following up her well received 2012 Sundance short Hellion with her equally strong 2013 Sundance short Black Metal. Clocking in at just nine minutes, Black Metal intensely scratches the surface of the story of a black metal singer who is blamed by proxy for a murder by a young fan, looking at the aftermath in his personal life. Brilliantly crafted and featuring stunning performances by Austin actors Jonny Mars and Heather Kafka, Black Metal draws you in and leaves you hungry for more. I had a chance to chat with Kat about the film, her background in black metal, Jonny Mars and her thoughts on Sundance. (Also, check out Don Simpson's review of Black Metal.)...

The Sundance Film Festival has announced most of its 2013 film program, which includes a pleasantly surprising number of films from the Lone Star State. Austin filmmaker Richard Linklater will premiere Before Midnight, the sequel to Before Sunset (2004) and Before Sunrise (1995), with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy (pictured above) reprising their roles as their characters cross paths again. Local company Stuck On On was involved in the movie's post-production.

Take Shelter director Jeff Nichols' new film Mud, starring sometimes-Austinite Matthew McConaughey, native Texan Joe Don Baker and Reese Witherspoon will have its North American premiere at the Utah festival, having wowed audiences and critics alike at Cannes earlier this year. Young actor Tye Sheridan (Tree of Life) from Elkhart, Texas, stars as one of the young boys who befriends McConaughey's title character. As with Take Shelter, Nichols utilized Stuck On On for sound post-production and Austin composer David Wingo for Mud.

Ready, Set, Fund is a column about crowdfunding and related fundraising endeavors for Austin and Texas independent film projects.

Local director Geoff Marslett (Mars) has wrapped filming in Austin and New York City for his first live-action feature film, Loves Her Gun (pictured at top), which stars several familiar Austin actors including Chris Doubek, John Merriman, Ashley Rae Spillers (Saturday Morning Massacre), and Heather Kafka (Lovers of Hate). It's about a Brooklyn hipster who flees to Austin after she's been attacked. Funding for post-production work is still needed, so the filmmakers are running an Indiegogo campaign through Wednesday, December 5. Currently the only way to get DVDs of Marslett's film Mars is as a perk at the $25 backer level or higher. Marslett says that if the campaign meets its fundraising goal then Loves Her Gun is expected to screen in early 2013.

61 Bullets is a historical documentary project that centers around a famous assassination in 1935. U.

I received ton of emails after my “What Works for Austin Filmmakers?” post last week, which provided me with motivation to continue on with part two this week. One thing is obvious, this is a very touchy and emotional subject. Several filmmakers contacted me with their personal insights, all of which will appear one way or another in this or subsequent posts. Some emails were critical of certain members of the local film community, but I will not mention anyone’s names. My goal is to do whatever I can to help foster a more supportive and successful film community, so I am not here to get in the middle of any personal grievances. I do think there is a certain level of validity in many of the claims, but I will keep the criticisms as general as possible. So, I ended my last post with my thoughts on micro-budget genre films and promised to discuss comedies...

I wasn't at the Los Angeles Film Festival this weekend, sadly for me. However, former Austinite Spencer Parsons screened his locally shot horror-comedy Saturday Morning Massacre here in Austin last week, and I was lucky enough to be there. It's just the kind of horror movie I like -- lots of humor but not enough to dilute genuine scariness, and no prolonged graphic violence. Seeing it accomplished with familiar local talent was a happy bonus.

Saturday Morning Massacre is set in 1994, which seems random until you realize that's right before cell phones became commonplace, thus keeping them out of the picture. Four twentysomething slackers have formed a small business that videotapes and debunks paranormal activities, although it's not especially profitable. It's led by Nancy (Ashley Spillers), the short perky gal in the big pink sweater, and includes the attractive and clean-cut couple Gwen (Josephine Decker) and Chad (Adam Tate) as...

I know, I know. A modern day, live action reinterpretation of Scooby Doo sounds like a really horrible Hollywood pitch. But, c’mon just hear me out… Because if any film community would be able to spin this particular pitch into gold, it would be Austin. The idea was originally hatched by Jonny Mars and Jason Wheling. They eventually brought Spencer Parsons (I’ll Come Running) on board as the director. Next, Aaron Leggett and Jory Balsimo were hired to flesh out the idea into a fully realized script. Then, the true moment of genius came — the casting. The slightly-skewed Scooby gang became embodied by Ashley Rae Spillers, Josephine Decker, Jonny Mars and Adam Tate, with masterful supporting turns by Chris Doubek, Paul Gordon, and Heather Kafka. The end result is Saturday Morning Massacre, a film that plays in dutiful homage to 1980s horror films with gory practical effects and boatloads of blood. Though...

The 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival will run June 14-24, 2012, and included in the schedule are more than a few movies with ties to Austin or Texas. As Matthew Odam points out in his Tuesday post on Austin Movie Blog, the feature films Saturday Morning Massacre and Magic Mike are both in the lineup. Magic Mike is a Steven Soderbergh film starring Austin actor Matthew McConaughey.

Saturday Morning Massacre was directed by former Austinite Spencer Parsons and was shot locally. Cast members include Jonny Mars and Paul Gordon from The Happy Poet, Heather Kafka and Chris Doubek from Lovers of Hate and veteran character actor Sonny Carl Davis (The Whole Shootin' Match, Bernie). It's a horror movie that references a popular 70s cartoon about crime-fighting teens in a van with a dog.

Here are some more films with Austin/Texas connections scheduled to show during this year's fest:

Big Easy Express,...

In story 1, a night basketball game leads to the discovery of a woman performing a heart massage on another. Flack (Eddie Cahill) deems it an open and shut case. The Vic was Rachel Camden, ( Ranjani Brow) married and divorced. Flack says the suspect was covered in blood and the murder weapon was found next to her. Stella (Melina Kanakaredes) says the Vic died instantly. Mac (Gary Sinise) comments on it being a "crime of passion between two apparent strangers." She looks at Mac. Stella processes her for trace, talk about giving her the rough treatment. She drinks water and Stella takes the glass. In story 2, the Db of an unidentified man is found. Danny (Carmine Giovinazzo) notices the presence of blood spatter. Aiden (Vanessa Ferlito) notices his pockets have been turned inside out and he doesn't have a wallet or keys. Hawkes (Hill Harper) removes his clothes (no not his own clothes!

"…and I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn’t for you meddling kids!. Just how many episodes of "Scooby Doo" ended with that line? And did anyone ever wonder why the criminals were able to bamboozle the entire town and police squad with their schemes only to be foiled by a dog and four stoner kids who rolled into town two days earlier in a van that had to smell like malted hops, bong resin and dog farts? We’ve got some info on a new movie where the meddling kids don't necessarily fare so well.

Directed by Spencer Parsons and starring Ashley Spillers, Josephine Decker and Jonny Mars, Saturday Morning Massacrefollows some meddling paranormal investigators trying to make a buck. From the information we've managed to glean thus far, there is no talking dog in this film.

The film is currently in post-production and the official website titsandaxe.

Filming has wrapped and director Spencer Parsons is presently in post-production on Saturday Morning Massacre . The team behind the film describe Saturday Morning Massacre as "a bloody parody of mystery cartoons and the consequences of meddling with the supernatural." Ashley Spillers, Josephine Decker, Jonny Mars, Adam Tate, Paul Gordon, Heather Kafka, Sean Ryan and Wyeth Miller. Parsons previously helmed Slacker 2011 . In the film, a team of amateur paranormal investigators struggle to make ends meet by debunking reports of supernatural incidents. With the group on the verge of bankruptcy, Nancy takes on a case involving rumors of suspicious disappearances and violent deaths linked with the abandoned Kyser schoolhouse. Discounting rumors of satanic practices the...

Directors: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Writers: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Starring: Bob Ray, Chris Doubek, Maggie Lea, Hilah Johnson, Robert Lambert, Leslie Naugle, John Wesley Coleman, Kelli Bland, Justin Meeks, Jonny Mars, Ashley Spillers, Jen Tracy Duplass, Jay Duplass, Chris Trew, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Luke Savisky,...

As a way of celebrating this year's nominees for the Spirit Awards in the weeks leading up to the ceremony, we reached out to as many as we could in an effort to better understand what went into their films, what they've gotten out of the experience, and where they've found their inspiration, both in regards to their work and other works of art that might've inspired them from the past year. Their answers will be published on a daily basis throughout February.

When "Lovers of Hate" opens in New York at the reRun Gastropub Theater this Valentine's Day weekend beginning this evening, it is indicative of two things: one, the sick sense of humor of the theater's programmers since Bryan Poyser's comedy is anything but romantic and that Poyser is indeed quite worthy of the John Cassavetes Award at this year's Spirit Awards since "Lovers of Hate" is...

I attended and/or covered more film festivals in 2010 than ever before: South by Southwest, Austin Film Festival, AFI Fest, aGLIFF, the list goes on... And I saw a shit ton of amazing films at these festivals; films that will probably never get the national theatrical releases that they truly deserve. The good news is that most of these films are or will soon be available on DVD, VOD and/or cable television. That said, I purposefully left off any films that signed contracts in 2010 for theatrical distribution (for example: Meek’s Cutoff and When We Leave, both of which I can already guarantee will make my “Favorite 10% of 2011” list). 1) Lovers of Hate I have an infinite amount of love (and absolutely no hate) for Bryan Poyser’s Lovers of Hate. Lovers of Hate is an exquisitely written and acted film. The plot itself seems relatively simple (three characters, two...

Best Documentary "Exit Through the Gift Shop" It's hard to know whether street artist Banksy's feature documentary is what it claims to be—a doc about an obsessive man who falls in love with the world of street art (where artists place their work in public, risking arrest for vandalism), fashioning himself as the most financially successful street artist in history—or is Banksy's best prank to date. The film follows the life of buffoonish French expatriate Thierry Guetta, a happy-go-lucky proprietor of an overpriced hipster-wear store in West Hollywood with the curious habit of videotaping everything that happens to him. Guetta persuades his cousin, a street artist known as Space Invader, to become the subject of a "documentary," which leads Guetta to other street artists like Obama icon-maker Shepard Fairey and ultimately to the white whale of street artists: the ultra-secretive Banksy (interviewed in silhouette, of course...

On a hot but breezy September afternoon, I joined the cast and crew of The Man Who Never Cried at a small cemetery tucked away east of I-30. A short film by Austin-based director/screenwriter Bradley Jackson, The Man Who Never Cried features Keir O’Donnell (Wedding Crashers, Miss Nobody), Jess Weixler (Teeth), and local actresses Madison Burge (Friday Night Lights) and Heather Kafka (Lovers of Hate). The story's central character is Rafe Winston (O'Donnell), who has never cried in his life. When his father passes away, he must find a way to cry so he can finally connect with the rest of humanity. He attempts to shed his first tear before the funeral -- but will he succeed?

The Man Who Never Cried was selected earlier this year to compete as a finalist in the Doorpost Film Project, an international film competition based out of Nashville. Hundreds of submissions were sent to the competition,...

Date/Time:  Thursday, June 10, 2010 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm Host:  Austin Film Society Location:  Alamo Drafthouse -- South Lamar More info:  Visit external web page.

Austin filmmaker Bryan Poyser kicks off a local theatrical run of his latest feature, Lovers of Hate, with a benefit screening for the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund (Tfpf). This is especially fitting because Poyser works for Austin Film Society as Director of Artist Services, and part of his job is promoting and administering the Tfpf, which awards grants of money and services to Texas independent filmmakers.

Admission is $10 -- very affordable for a benefit screening. Poyser and other as-yet-unspecified cast and crew will be there for a Q&A.

Lovers of Hate is a comedy about an aspiring novelist whose wife kicks him out and whose brother is a J.K. Rowling-esque successful children's book author. Chris Doubek, Heather Kafka and Alex Karpovsky star in the film,...

Director: Bryan Poyser Writer: Bryan Poyser Starring: Chris Doubek, Heather Kafka, Alex Karpovsky, Zach Green Rudy (Chris Doubek) is a failure, especially when compared to his younger brother Paul (Alex Karpovsky) who is a best-selling author of young adult fantasy novels. Living out of his car, we are first introduced to Rudy as he hopelessly scrambles to find a place to shower and dress before work – a series of scenes that tactfully balances comedy with sympathy (quite an impressive feat pulled off by writer-director Brian Poyser and actor Chris Doubek). We learn a lot about Rudy in these first few minutes. Despite this horrendous situation, he does not want to give up on his failed marriage or lose his job; though his overwhelming tenaciousness teeters on psychotic (especially in the eyes of others). It seems that no matter what Rudy does, his life flushes deeper and deeper down the toilet...

IFC Films hosted a very civilized and chill dinner for Bryan Poyser's "Lovers of Hate," which had its Austin debut here at SXSW and is available on VOD simultaneously, continuing an initiative begun last year in which the NYC-based distributor hosts select titles on demand at or near the same time they're screening at the festival. Posing for a quick shot: IFC Films' Dan Goldberg, actors Alex Karpovsky, Heather Kafka, director ...

You know what really pisses me off? (Other than - to quote the Dead Milkmen - "the god damn periodic table of the elements..."). Line-cutters! Line-cutters this year, especially at the Alamo Ritz, are really pissing me off. Now I understand the occasional one person meeting up with a friend in line, so I'm not too upset about that; but at the Tiny Furniture screening I was counted as 80th in line about an hour before the screening. Before long I was right around the 100 mark, then 120, then somehow I would up somewhere around 150th (since that count didn't include guest list or SXXpress passes, I didn't get in). Considering that I did not move from my place in line, that means that the line in front of me almost doubled with line-cutters. I don't want to pull the "press" card here, but I am trying to do my job here.

What's the best way to say "creepy and at times bordering on the distasteful ... but in a good way"? When you figure it out, let me know so I can describe Lovers of Hate, the latest film from Austin filmmaker Bryan Poyser, which premiered at Sundance this year before screening at SXSW and on IFC Video on Demand (where it's now available to watch). Normally I'm not fond of movies with unlikeable characters doing things that make me wrinkle my nose in distaste, but somehow Poyser and his excellent cast and crew pull it off in an arresting manner.

Rudy (Chris Doubek) is the saddest sack blowing around Austin -- his wife kicked him out and he has nowhere to live except his car, and his job prospects are dwindling by the moment. All he wants is a shower, and his wife Diana (Heather Kafka) back. In the middle of this,...

Late last week we brought you the first and second of our series of promos for Lovers of Hate, a film that debuted this year at Sundance and will be playing the SXSW festival starting today, Monday March 15. It's also one of three SXSW films you can catch starting this Monday on your on-demand cable system, thanks to the IFC Films "Direct From SXSW" program. Today we've got the final of the three short clips from the film, and this time we meet Rudy's brother (Alex Karpovsky) and his ex (Heather Kafka), who are holed up in a mountain resort having an affair. Don't feel too bad for Rudy, though-- he's broken into the house without their knowledge. Check it out below, and look for Lovers of Hate starting today on the main page of your on-demand movies program. If you saw it on TV or at SXSW, tell us...

Less than a week worth of recovering from the Sundance Film Festival, and we are already looking forward to our next, big film fest coverage. That would be the South by Southwest Film Festival held annually in Austin, Texas. Last year, Scott and I brought you all kinds of coverage from the Lone Star State, and this year doesn’t look to be much different.

With that, the announcement came last night of the feature films that will be playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Previous announcement were already made about films like Cold Weather, Electra Luxx, Hubble 3D, Lemmy, Saturday Night, and The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights making their debut. Kick-ass was recently announced as the opening night film, as well.

Among the other films being presented this year are some Sundance darlings, a few, highly anticipated premieres, and MacGruber.

Check out the full list...

Late yesterday the SXSW Fim Festival, which runs from March 12-20 in Austin, TX, announced the full lineup of films that will be screening at this year’s event. And baby, it’s quite a list. Mixing big name films with intimate indie gems, the sheer number of films and the vast array of talented filmmakers is sure to be a hit with attendees and critics alike.

This lineup includes premieres of studio films such as Universal’s MacGruber, Lionsgate’s teen superhero actioneer Kick-Ass and smaller films like Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, Michel Gondry’s The Thorn in the Heart and Steven Soderbergh’s And Everything Is Going Fine. With so many films to watch, it will be very difficult to find time to seem them all during the events nine days. But hell, we’re going to try.

For more on...

The 2010 SXSW Film Festival and Conference has announced its initial slate of titles. The list is rife with hot world premieres (Kick-Ass), films fresh from Sundance (The Runaways, Cyrus), hot titles from the 2009 editions of Tiff and Cannes that haven't had much U.S. play (Enter the Void, Dogtooth, Trash Humpers), interesting documentaries (Lemmy, The People v. George Lucas) and much, much more. Simon Rumley's Red, White & Blue, which has received much praise on Twitch based on its Iffr screenings, will have its North American premiere.

Midnight programming courtesy of Fantastic Fest is also back with titles like Higanjima, Monsters, Serbian Film, Outcast, and a yet to be announced special film. Keep eye out for SXSW coverage at Twitch, but for now, pursue the massive list below (descriptions courtesy of SXSW).

Headliners

Big names, big talent:  Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film...

Many independent films take place in a single location out of necessity-- location scouts don't come for free, and if it's just you and your buddies and an HD cam making the magic happen, you'd better be able to control the circumstances around you. With his third film Lovers of Hate, director Brian Poyser takes the relatively limited space of a Park City ski mansion and uses it to play out a very adult, very emotionally fraught game of hide-and-seek. It's hard to explain exactly why Rudy (Chris Doubek) winds up in this mountain home at the same time that his estranged girlfriend Diana (Heather Kafka) and brother Paul (Alex Karpovsky) are using it for a weekend assignation. After all, Diana has just kicked Rudy out of their shared home in Austin, not long after Paul swung through town on the latest book tour for his bestselling series of fantasy...

Awkwardness makes me laugh. And if the awkwardness is so awkward that it kind of hurts, that it's shocking how awkward the situation has become, it makes me laugh even harder. Lovers of Hate, at times, is that awkward. And it's also hilarious. The film is, on the surface, about the rivalry between two brothers. Paul (Alex Karpovsky) is a successful young adult fantasy author and Rudy (Chris Doubek) is recently-homeless, having only just separated from his wife, Diane (Heather Kafka). When Paul sees his opportunity to seize Diane, Rudy must go to any length available to stop the germ of his brother's and ex-wife's relationship. The film, for the most part, takes place within one mansion in (coincidentally) Park City, Utah where Paul attempts to court Diane. In the house, director Bryan Poyser manages to play with a mix of tones, from awkwardly humorous, to hilariously demented, to downright creepy.

The Sundance 2010 lineup was announced over several days last week, and you can find Austin connections everywhere. We may not have had a huge amount of representation in the Spirit Award nominations, but Sundance is almost as Austin-y as SXSW this year. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it's still exciting.

The biggest Austin-y news is that local filmmaker/Afs staffer Bryan Poyser's feature film Lovers of Hate is one of the films in competition at Sundance this year. If you've been reading Poyser's blog, you know all about it (well, not all, but a lot of interesting stuff). The film is about two brothers attracted to the same woman.

Lovers of Hate was shot in Park City last year after Poyser (pictured above) attended Sundance, and also here in Austin. The cast includes a number of locals, including filmmaker Alex Karpovsky (Trust Me, This is All Made Up; and Poyser...

Sundance released their slate for 2010. It includes:43 documentaries on the Middle East12 films about friends who 'discover' something33 movies about people you've never heard about1 comedyHopefully the lineup this year is strong but it doesn't look that way compared to last year. Last year we had Push (Precious), that Lil Wayne documentary that never went anywhere, Mystery Team which might make my top ten, Moon, Mike Tyson documentary, Cold Souls. Just so much last January that was excellent. I hope I don't go out therer and freeze my tail off just to see...I don't know, a documentary about a former Pakistani prime minister or something silly like that.Here's the lineup so far: Premieres To showcase the diversity to contemporary independent cinema, the Sundance Film Festival Premieres section offers the latest work from American and international directors as well as world premieres of highly anticipated films. Presented by Entertainment Weekly.