The Christmas Classic is a festive film directed by Shane Dax Taylor that combines romance and comedy in a holiday-themed storyline. The movie follows Elizabeth Bird, played by Malin Ackerman, as she navigates family dynamics and unexpectedly falls for the owner of a ski resort she intends to buy. Despite being known for action and thriller films, Taylor takes a lighthearted approach in this family-oriented production, even featuring his own daughters in the cast.
Romance and comedy mingle in the perfect holiday cocktail thanks to The Christmas Classic, the latest movie from director Shane Dax Taylor. Co-written by Taylor and Austin Nichols (Minx), the story follows Elizabeth Bird (Malin Ackerman) as she returns home for the holidays with the express intent of purchasing a ski resort for her boss and future father-in-law. The only obstacles in her path are her estranged, oddball family members and the surprisingly cute owner of said resort,...
Romance and comedy mingle in the perfect holiday cocktail thanks to The Christmas Classic, the latest movie from director Shane Dax Taylor. Co-written by Taylor and Austin Nichols (Minx), the story follows Elizabeth Bird (Malin Ackerman) as she returns home for the holidays with the express intent of purchasing a ski resort for her boss and future father-in-law. The only obstacles in her path are her estranged, oddball family members and the surprisingly cute owner of said resort,...
- 11/6/2023
- by Tatiana Hullender
- ScreenRant
IFC has dropped the trailer and art for its upcoming comedy “Paint,” and leading man Owen Wilson goes full-on Bob Ross mode in it.
The film stars Wilson as Carl Nagyl, Vermont’s top TV painter who has everything going for him, from a fanbase to a van and even a perm, until a younger artist takes his spotlight. Nagyl is reminiscent of beloved TV icon Bob Ross, who led PBS’ instructional TV program “The Joy of Painting” from 1983 to 1994. He passed away in 1995 at 52 years old.
Wilson leads the film, having been previously featured in “Zoolander,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Bottle Rocket,” “Loki” and “The French Dispatch.” The actor also has the upcoming film “Haunted Mansion” on his docket with Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto and Winona Ryder.
Joining the Oscar-nominated star, the “Paint” cast includes Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ciara Renée, Lusia Strus, Stephen Root and newcomer Lucy Freyer.
The film stars Wilson as Carl Nagyl, Vermont’s top TV painter who has everything going for him, from a fanbase to a van and even a perm, until a younger artist takes his spotlight. Nagyl is reminiscent of beloved TV icon Bob Ross, who led PBS’ instructional TV program “The Joy of Painting” from 1983 to 1994. He passed away in 1995 at 52 years old.
Wilson leads the film, having been previously featured in “Zoolander,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Bottle Rocket,” “Loki” and “The French Dispatch.” The actor also has the upcoming film “Haunted Mansion” on his docket with Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto and Winona Ryder.
Joining the Oscar-nominated star, the “Paint” cast includes Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ciara Renée, Lusia Strus, Stephen Root and newcomer Lucy Freyer.
- 2/8/2023
- by Julia MacCary
- Variety Film + TV
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, November 27. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise. Wide Creed Director: Ryan Coogler Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Graham McTavish, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Hans Marrero, Will Blagrove Synopsis: "Adonis Johnson never knew his famous father, world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, who died before he was born. Still, there’s no denying that boxing is in his blood, so Adonis heads to Philadelphia, the site of Apollo Creed’s legendary match with a tough upstart named Rocky Balboa. Once in the City of Brotherly Love, Adonis tracks Rocky down and asks him to be his trainer. Despite his insistence that he is out of the fight game for good, Rocky sees in Adonis the strength and determination he had known in Apollo—the fierce rival who became his closest friend. Agreeing to take him on,...
- 11/25/2015
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Summary: 'Cost of a Soul' attempts to portray the gritty reality of veterans returning to their broken city.
Cost of a Soul is a bold attempt at contemporary film noir, telling the story of two Iraqi veterans returning home to the slums of Philadelphia to find their family life and neighborhood in disarray. It's a disturbing and grim look into the reality of the two characters, Tommy Donahue and Dd Davis (played by Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove respectively), and how their attempts to leave behind the violence and heartbreak of war is futile.
Screen Frontpage
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Cost of a Soul is a bold attempt at contemporary film noir, telling the story of two Iraqi veterans returning home to the slums of Philadelphia to find their family life and neighborhood in disarray. It's a disturbing and grim look into the reality of the two characters, Tommy Donahue and Dd Davis (played by Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove respectively), and how their attempts to leave behind the violence and heartbreak of war is futile.
Screen Frontpage
read more...
- 5/20/2011
- by Emily Cheever
- Filmology
Director Sean Kirkpatrick discusses his directorial debut Cost of a Soul, shooting in Philadelphia, landing distribution, and much more
Every year, hundreds of independent filmmakers scrape together money to make their films, with hopes of getting into festivals, and bigger hopes of being picked up by a distributor. Sean Kirkpatrick is one of those filmmakers, who brought his directorial debut Cost of a Soul, to numerous film festivals, although he couldn't secure distribution. Fortunately, the AMC Theater chain held a contest entitled The Big Break Movie Contest, which Cost of a Soul won, earning exclusive distribution in AMC Theaters starting on May 20. I recently had the chance to chat with director Sean Kirkpatrick about his experience in making Cost of a Soul. Here's what he had to say.
I noticed you were a production assistant before becoming a director, and I remembered a story about Eli Roth, how he was...
Every year, hundreds of independent filmmakers scrape together money to make their films, with hopes of getting into festivals, and bigger hopes of being picked up by a distributor. Sean Kirkpatrick is one of those filmmakers, who brought his directorial debut Cost of a Soul, to numerous film festivals, although he couldn't secure distribution. Fortunately, the AMC Theater chain held a contest entitled The Big Break Movie Contest, which Cost of a Soul won, earning exclusive distribution in AMC Theaters starting on May 20. I recently had the chance to chat with director Sean Kirkpatrick about his experience in making Cost of a Soul. Here's what he had to say.
I noticed you were a production assistant before becoming a director, and I remembered a story about Eli Roth, how he was...
- 5/20/2011
- by MovieWeb
- MovieWeb
By Sean Kirkpatrick (writer-director, “Cost of a Soul”)
(May 2011)
It all began with Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” Although it is one of my favorites, the movie itself was not what inspired me to become a filmmaker. Rather it was the sadistic realization of the pain, struggle and hardship that must go into creating something you so strongly believe in.
I saw filmmaking as my opportunity to conquer the “impossible.” I was enraptured by the amount of determination, persistence and purpose put into the making of Coppola’s 1979 masterpiece. From that point on, my life was dedicated to conquering the impossible, and I would forge myself into a talented writer-director or die trying.
It was because of the tenacity I learned from “Apocalypse Now” that I was able to make my first feature film, a film that was also said to be “impossible.”
After graduating from college and working...
(May 2011)
It all began with Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” Although it is one of my favorites, the movie itself was not what inspired me to become a filmmaker. Rather it was the sadistic realization of the pain, struggle and hardship that must go into creating something you so strongly believe in.
I saw filmmaking as my opportunity to conquer the “impossible.” I was enraptured by the amount of determination, persistence and purpose put into the making of Coppola’s 1979 masterpiece. From that point on, my life was dedicated to conquering the impossible, and I would forge myself into a talented writer-director or die trying.
It was because of the tenacity I learned from “Apocalypse Now” that I was able to make my first feature film, a film that was also said to be “impossible.”
After graduating from college and working...
- 5/20/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
By Sean Kirkpatrick (writer-director, “Cost of a Soul”)
(May 2011)
It all began with Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” Although it is one of my favorites, the movie itself was not what inspired me to become a filmmaker. Rather it was the sadistic realization of the pain, struggle and hardship that must go into creating something you so strongly believe in.
I saw filmmaking as my opportunity to conquer the “impossible.” I was enraptured by the amount of determination, persistence and purpose put into the making of Coppola’s 1979 masterpiece. From that point on, my life was dedicated to conquering the impossible, and I would forge myself into a talented writer-director or die trying.
It was because of the tenacity I learned from “Apocalypse Now” that I was able to make my first feature film, a film that was also said to be “impossible.”
After graduating from college and working...
(May 2011)
It all began with Francis Ford Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” Although it is one of my favorites, the movie itself was not what inspired me to become a filmmaker. Rather it was the sadistic realization of the pain, struggle and hardship that must go into creating something you so strongly believe in.
I saw filmmaking as my opportunity to conquer the “impossible.” I was enraptured by the amount of determination, persistence and purpose put into the making of Coppola’s 1979 masterpiece. From that point on, my life was dedicated to conquering the impossible, and I would forge myself into a talented writer-director or die trying.
It was because of the tenacity I learned from “Apocalypse Now” that I was able to make my first feature film, a film that was also said to be “impossible.”
After graduating from college and working...
- 5/20/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Reviewed by James Scarborough
(May 2011)
Directed/Writen by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome, Maddie Morris Jones, Gregg Almquist, Nakia Dillard and Daveed Ramsay
War may be hell, but, as laid out in “The Cost of a Soul,” written and directed by Sean Kirkpatrick, the home front isn’t so cool either. Structured as an out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire Grand Guignol, it tells the tale of two men from Philadelphia linked anonymously by a common mission in Iraq who meet in an explosive, brutal series of tit-for-tat, inter-neighborhood reprisals. Studded with raw and powerful performances and direction that screams without success for order in a universe gone awry, it asks the too-little-asked question: Just what exactly are we fighting for if not for a better life at home?
Two young men, Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson) and Dd Davis (Will Blagrove), enlist to fight in Iraq, motivated more to...
(May 2011)
Directed/Writen by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome, Maddie Morris Jones, Gregg Almquist, Nakia Dillard and Daveed Ramsay
War may be hell, but, as laid out in “The Cost of a Soul,” written and directed by Sean Kirkpatrick, the home front isn’t so cool either. Structured as an out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire Grand Guignol, it tells the tale of two men from Philadelphia linked anonymously by a common mission in Iraq who meet in an explosive, brutal series of tit-for-tat, inter-neighborhood reprisals. Studded with raw and powerful performances and direction that screams without success for order in a universe gone awry, it asks the too-little-asked question: Just what exactly are we fighting for if not for a better life at home?
Two young men, Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson) and Dd Davis (Will Blagrove), enlist to fight in Iraq, motivated more to...
- 5/19/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Reviewed by James Scarborough
(May 2011)
Directed/Writen by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome, Maddie Morris Jones, Gregg Almquist, Nakia Dillard and Daveed Ramsay
War may be hell, but, as laid out in “The Cost of a Soul,” written and directed by Sean Kirkpatrick, the home front isn’t so cool either. Structured as an out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire Grand Guignol, it tells the tale of two men from Philadelphia linked anonymously by a common mission in Iraq who meet in an explosive, brutal series of tit-for-tat, inter-neighborhood reprisals. Studded with raw and powerful performances and direction that screams without success for order in a universe gone awry, it asks the too-little-asked question: Just what exactly are we fighting for if not for a better life at home?
Two young men, Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson) and Dd Davis (Will Blagrove), enlist to fight in Iraq, motivated more to...
(May 2011)
Directed/Writen by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome, Maddie Morris Jones, Gregg Almquist, Nakia Dillard and Daveed Ramsay
War may be hell, but, as laid out in “The Cost of a Soul,” written and directed by Sean Kirkpatrick, the home front isn’t so cool either. Structured as an out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire Grand Guignol, it tells the tale of two men from Philadelphia linked anonymously by a common mission in Iraq who meet in an explosive, brutal series of tit-for-tat, inter-neighborhood reprisals. Studded with raw and powerful performances and direction that screams without success for order in a universe gone awry, it asks the too-little-asked question: Just what exactly are we fighting for if not for a better life at home?
Two young men, Tommy Donahue (Chris Kerson) and Dd Davis (Will Blagrove), enlist to fight in Iraq, motivated more to...
- 5/19/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Sean Kirkpatrick’s crime drama Cost Of A Soul won the “Big Break Movie Contest,” which gives first-time feature filmmakers a shot at distribution in 50 AMC Theaters. And give the judges credit: They didn’t pick some wan relationship dramedy, littered with big-name actors looking to boost their indie cred. Cost Of A Soul is a scrappy little beast, full of unfamiliar faces and tough-guy attitude, shot in stylishly desaturated color-tones. It’s a lousy movie, but it has spunk. Cost Of A Soul stars Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove as soldiers who return from Iraq to their respective ...
- 5/19/2011
- avclub.com
Title: Cost of a Soul Director: Sean Kirkpatrick Starring: Chris Kerson (‘Henry’s Crime), Will Blagrove (‘How Do You Know’), Judy Jerome (‘Bedwetter’), Gregg Almquist (TV’s ‘The Practice’) Social commentary isn’t usually the first thing movie audiences think of when they watch films to be entertained. However, first time screenwriter/director Sean Kirkpatrick instantly grabs hold of the viewers of his full-length feature debut, ‘Cost of a Soul,’ by breaking the stereotype that dramatic interpretations of real-life issues can’t be captivating. His brave determination to show that continued violence hinders the growth of a community continuously shines through in the crime drama. ‘Cost of a Soul’ follows two wounded soldiers, Tommy Donahue...
- 5/19/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
Cost of a Soul star Chris Kerson talks about this powerful indie project, shooting in Philadelphia, working with director Sean Kirkpatrick, and much more.
Cost of a Soul is a movie most have likely not heard of, unless you were a regular on the festival circuit over the past few years. This drama, which centers on two Iraq War veterans who return to their hometown of North Philadelphia, and who both fall into troubling circumstances, played at the 2010 Hollywood Film Festival, 2010 Cinequest, 2011 Philadelphia Cinefest, where it won the Audience Award, and many others. Yet, despite all these rounds on the festival circuit, Cost of a Soul still hadn't been picked up by a distributor, until a unique opportunity came along. The AMC Theater chain announced The Big Break Movie Contest, which granted the winner distribution in 50 AMC theaters across the country. Cost of a Soul, which is the directorial debut of Sean Kirkpatrick,...
Cost of a Soul is a movie most have likely not heard of, unless you were a regular on the festival circuit over the past few years. This drama, which centers on two Iraq War veterans who return to their hometown of North Philadelphia, and who both fall into troubling circumstances, played at the 2010 Hollywood Film Festival, 2010 Cinequest, 2011 Philadelphia Cinefest, where it won the Audience Award, and many others. Yet, despite all these rounds on the festival circuit, Cost of a Soul still hadn't been picked up by a distributor, until a unique opportunity came along. The AMC Theater chain announced The Big Break Movie Contest, which granted the winner distribution in 50 AMC theaters across the country. Cost of a Soul, which is the directorial debut of Sean Kirkpatrick,...
- 5/18/2011
- by MovieWeb
- MovieWeb
Rogue and AMC Movie Theaters “Big Break Contest” winner, Cost Of A Soul marks the stunning debut of first time director Sean Kirkpatrick. Along with the film’s stars Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove, Kirkpatrick sat down with us to discuss what it was like making the film and how it feels to finally have their hard work out there.
- 5/17/2011
- by Courtney
- VeryAware
Read our roundtable interview with actors Chris Kerson and Will Blagrove, who portray Tommy Donahue and Dd Davis, respectively, in the new independent crime drama ‘Cost of a Soul.’ The movie follows the two soldiers who have recently returned home to North Philadelphia after serving in Iraq. Tommy and Dd must not only readjust to civilian life, but learn how to cope with the crime, violence and drugs that are plaguing the streets of their slum neighborhood. Rogue will release ‘Cost of a Soul’ into 50 theaters across the country on May 20, 2011, as part of the AMC Independent program. Kerson and Blagrove discuss, among other things, how they...
- 5/17/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
Read our roundtable interview with Sean Kirkpatrick, who made his feature film writing/directing debut with the upcoming crime drama ‘Cost of a Soul.’ The independent movie won last year’s “Big Break Movie Contest,” which gives previously undistributed movies the chance to obtain exclusive on-screen distribution rights across the United States. ‘Cost of a Soul’ will be released by Relativity Media’s Rogue Division in 50 AMC Theaters nationwide on May 20 as part of the AMC Independent program. The film follows two wounded military veterans, Tommy Donahue (Played by Chris Kerson) and Dd Davis (portrayed by Will Blagrove), as they return home to crime-ridden North Philadelphia from Iraq. Kirkpatrick discusses with...
- 5/16/2011
- by karen
- ShockYa
Cost of a Soul is directed by Sean Kirkpatrick and stars Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Judy Jerome, Mark Borkowski, Gregg Almquist and Maddie M. Jones. This film opens in theaters on May 20th, 2011.
Story:
Cost of a Soul is the gritty tale of two wounded veterans who return home to the ghetto they joined the military to escape. As they struggle for redemption, their own families become entangled in a web of crime, corruption and violence. The film was shot in the spirit of the 1940′s film noir, but set in the modern context of a Philadelphia ghetto neighborhood. The locations used during production were some of the most violent neighborhoods in America as Kirkpatrick’s goal was to embrace the reality of the situation within those neighborhoods.
Story:
Cost of a Soul is the gritty tale of two wounded veterans who return home to the ghetto they joined the military to escape. As they struggle for redemption, their own families become entangled in a web of crime, corruption and violence. The film was shot in the spirit of the 1940′s film noir, but set in the modern context of a Philadelphia ghetto neighborhood. The locations used during production were some of the most violent neighborhoods in America as Kirkpatrick’s goal was to embrace the reality of the situation within those neighborhoods.
- 5/6/2011
- by Buzzfocus Staff
- BuzzFocus.com
Cost of a Soul
Directed by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski
Rating: R
Release Date: May 20, 2011
Trailer Score: 5/10
Thoughts by Tsr: Unfortunately, the trailer starts off strong. The music and the brutal imagery work together to create a surprisingly visceral portrayal of the war. It’s definitely an attention grabber, which is always good for business, but sadly, it feels as if they didn’t put forth the same effort and painstaking dedication to the rest of the trailer.
As soon as Cost of a Soul turns to color, it devolves into an over saturated exercise in sensory overload. The main issue with the trailer seems to be that I have no idea what it’s selling except excitement. There’s no sincerity to what I’m seeing or hearing. Rather, it felt like they searched the movie’s running time for all instances of someone...
Directed by: Sean Kirkpatrick
Starring: Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski
Rating: R
Release Date: May 20, 2011
Trailer Score: 5/10
Thoughts by Tsr: Unfortunately, the trailer starts off strong. The music and the brutal imagery work together to create a surprisingly visceral portrayal of the war. It’s definitely an attention grabber, which is always good for business, but sadly, it feels as if they didn’t put forth the same effort and painstaking dedication to the rest of the trailer.
As soon as Cost of a Soul turns to color, it devolves into an over saturated exercise in sensory overload. The main issue with the trailer seems to be that I have no idea what it’s selling except excitement. There’s no sincerity to what I’m seeing or hearing. Rather, it felt like they searched the movie’s running time for all instances of someone...
- 4/28/2011
- by Calhoun Kersten
- The Scorecard Review
New images are in from Cost of a Soul, starring Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome and Maddie Morris. Relativity Media's release is directed and written by Sean Kirkpatrick who produces along with Edward J. Eberwine III and Jonathan Risinger. Cost of a Soul Synopsis: Wounded in the war, Tommy Donahue and Dd Davis return home from Iraq to their North Philadelphia slum neighborhood. Tommy returns home to his wife, Faith, whom he abandoned while she was pregnant. He meets his four-year-old daughter, Hope, for the first time, and she begins to melt his frozen heart. Dd faces the pressure to save his younger brother, James, from becoming a victim of the streets. Meanwhile their oldest brother, Darnell, has risen to become the neighborhood kingpin. The two find themselves trapped in the same slums they joined the military to escape from....
- 3/31/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
New images are in from Cost of a Soul, starring Chris Kerson, Will Blagrove, Mark Borkowski, Judy Jerome and Maddie Morris. Relativity Media's release is directed and written by Sean Kirkpatrick who produces along with Edward J. Eberwine III and Jonathan Risinger. Cost of a Soul Synopsis: Wounded in the war, Tommy Donahue and Dd Davis return home from Iraq to their North Philadelphia slum neighborhood. Tommy returns home to his wife, Faith, whom he abandoned while she was pregnant. He meets his four-year-old daughter, Hope, for the first time, and she begins to melt his frozen heart. Dd faces the pressure to save his younger brother, James, from becoming a victim of the streets. Meanwhile their oldest brother, Darnell, has risen to become the neighborhood kingpin. The two find themselves trapped in the same slums they joined the military to escape from....
- 3/31/2011
- Upcoming-Movies.com
A Queens, New York native, Will Blagrove started out as a Pre-Law graduate
from St. John’s University, but after creating and starring in his own
theater productions, and being elected Vice President of the school’s
theatre community, he couldn’t shake his passion for acting, so he
headed for Hollywood and hasn’t looked back.
Blagrove was thrilled at the chance to show off his comedy chops,
especially in such amazing company, commenting, “"Working with James L. Brooks
and Owen Wilson, and the rest of the cast was a really rewarding experience.
Owen always gave me something to work off of, and he's hilarious, both
on and off the set."
Check out my latest "Versus" and find out more about Will Blagrove and How Do you Know.
Brian S- First off Will, how did you get involved with How Do You Know?
WB- My manager got me an audition,...
from St. John’s University, but after creating and starring in his own
theater productions, and being elected Vice President of the school’s
theatre community, he couldn’t shake his passion for acting, so he
headed for Hollywood and hasn’t looked back.
Blagrove was thrilled at the chance to show off his comedy chops,
especially in such amazing company, commenting, “"Working with James L. Brooks
and Owen Wilson, and the rest of the cast was a really rewarding experience.
Owen always gave me something to work off of, and he's hilarious, both
on and off the set."
Check out my latest "Versus" and find out more about Will Blagrove and How Do you Know.
Brian S- First off Will, how did you get involved with How Do You Know?
WB- My manager got me an audition,...
- 12/9/2010
- by brians
- GeekTyrant
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