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Wamg is giving away Fandango Codes for Judas & The Black Messiah to see the film in theaters.

Brought By Warner Bros Pictures, Judas And The Black Messiah. From Producers Ryan Coogler And Charles D. King And Director Shaka King. You Can Kill A Revolutionary, But You Can’T Kill The Revolution.

See It In Theaters And Streaming Exclusively On HBO Max On February 12th.

Add you name and email address in our comments section below for a chance to win to see the film in theatres.

No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents only. The codes are not redeemable until Friday February 12th.

Rated R.

(L-r) Darrell Britt-gibson as Bobby Rush, Daniel Kaluuya as Chairman Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as Bill O’Neal in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Judas And The Black Messiah,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

FBI informant William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party...

Judas and the Black Messiah Trailers — Shaka King‘s Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) movie trailers have been released by Warner Bros. and HBO Max and stars Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Martin Sheen, Algee Smith, Darrell Britt-Gibson, Dominique Thorne, Amari Cheatom, Caleb [...]

Continue reading: Judas And The Black Messiah (2021) Movie Trailers: The Black Panthers, led by Daniel Kaluuya, are infiltrated by Lakeith Stanfield...

Coming to theaters and streaming exclusively on HBO Max February 12 is Judas And The Black Messiah.

It was announced on Tuesday that the film will screen at the Sundance Film Festival on Feb. 1 https://fpg.festival.sundance.org/film-info/5ff90e89727eec7d64073265

Check out the new trailer now.

FBI informant William O’Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). A career thief, O’Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton’s political prowess grows just as he’s falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?...

Black Panther drama to open in available US cinemas and debut on HBO Max on same day.

Warner Bros has set an awards-qualifying February 12, 2021 release slot for Judas And The Black Messiah starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield.

The film will open in the US in all available cinemas and launch simultaneously on a 30-day run on HBO Max – a controversial distribution model that will apply to all Warner Bros releases in 2021.

Shaka King directed the story about FBI informant William O’Neal (Stanfield) who infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party to keep tabs on its charismatic leader, Fred Hampton (Kaluuya...

Black Panther drama to open in available US cinemas and debut on HBO Max on same day.

Warner Bros has set an awards-qualifying February 12, 2021 release slot for Judas And The Black Messiah starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield.

The film will open in the US in all available cinemas and launch simultaneously on a 30-day run on HBO Max – a controversial distribution model that will apply to all Warner Bros releases in 2021.

Shaka King directed the story about FBI informant William O’Neal (Stanfield) who infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party to keep tabs on its charismatic leader, Fred Hampton (Kaluuya...

Warner Bros. drama Judas and the Black Messiah about Fred Hampton, the Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman who was betrayed by FBI informant William O’Neal, will open on Feb. 12, 2021 in both theaters and on HBO Max.

The studio is planning to push the Shaka King directed feature for the current 2020-21 awards season. The pic stars Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton and Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal. A career thief, O’Neal revels in the danger of manipulating both his comrades and his handler, Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons). Hampton’s political prowess grows just as he’s falling in love with fellow revolutionary Deborah Johnson (Dominique Fishback). Meanwhile, a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul. Will he align with the forces of good? Or subdue Hampton and The Panthers by any means, as FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Martin Sheen) commands?

The pic was originally dated for a Aug.

Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for Judas and the Black Messiah. The feature directorial debut of Shaka King is set to chronicle the life of iconic Black Panther leader Fred Hampton. Daniel Kaluuya is playing the legendary historical figure who was instrumental in the fight against racism in the U.S. and was ultimately assassinated by the FBI. As we can see, the trailer looks to present us with an unflinching look at Hampton's life and influence.

The trailer kicks off with Fred Hampton giving a rousing speech. We then get into the meat of the story's focus, which will hinge on the FBI's plans to assassinate Fred Hampton. It looks to be uncompromising and beautifully shot. Taking place in the 60s, director Shaka King has managed to capture the era quite well, based on this initial footage. There is a surprising amount of action and intensity. Of note,...

© 2020 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved

Here’s your first look at the powerful trailer for Judas And The Black Messiah. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield, the film is scheduled to open in theaters 2021.

Wamg’s Michael Haffner says of this first trailer:

You had me at Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield.

Judas And The Black Messiah looks absolutely riveting and intense. I can’t say this enough… I love the power of good storytelling.

— Michael Haffner (@MPHaffner) August 6, 2020

Chairman Fred Hampton was 21 years old when he was assassinated by the FBI, who coerced a petty criminal named William O’Neal to help them silence him and the Black Panther Party. But they could not kill Fred Hampton’s legacy and, 50 years later, his words still echo…louder than ever.

I am a revolutionary!

In 1968, a young, charismatic activist named Fred Hampton became Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party,...

Warner Bros. has released the official trailer for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” a biopic about the assassination of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton.

Directed by Shaka King, the film stars Oscar-nominated actor Daniel Kaluuya as Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Lakeith Stanfield as William O’Neal, a FBI informant whose betrayal leads to Hampton’s death.

The trailer emphasizes the juxtaposition between the two men by cutting between Hampton leading powerful chants at Black Panther meetings and O’Neal watching him nervously, painfully aware of what he must do. The preview also provides a bit of context to the betrayal, showing how O’Neal’s arrests for car theft and impersonating a federal officer leave him with the decision of going to prison or helping the FBI take down Hampton by infiltrating the party.

Beyond Kaluuya and Stanfield, the cast includes Jesse Plemons,...

Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed new details on the upcoming movie Judas And The Black Messiah.

Chairman Fred Hampton was 21 years old when he was assassinated by the FBI, who coerced a petty criminal named William O’Neal to help them silence him and the Black Panther Party. But they could not kill Fred Hampton’s legacy and, 50 years later, his words still echo…louder than ever.

I am a revolutionary!

In 1968, a young, charismatic activist named Fred Hampton became Chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, who were fighting for freedom, the power to determine the destiny of the Black community, and an end to police brutality and the slaughter of Black people.

Chairman Fred was inspiring a generation to rise up and not back down to oppression, which put him directly in the line of fire of the government, the FBI and the Chicago Police. But to destroy the revolution,...

When it comes to indie filmmaking, few directors get as much mileage out of their limited budget than Joel Potrykus. Rooted in an often humorous, dark perspective, his work puts character first and his latest film, Relaxer, is perhaps the most ideal example of his inventive eye. Arriving in theaters in the director’s hometown of Grand Rapids today (and expanding to NYC and beyond starting next week), the film follows a couch-bound challenge taken to the extreme as Y2K approaches. We’re pleased to present an exclusive clip from the film, which features Joshua Burge getting a visit from Andre Hyland (who also steals the show in the Sundance hit The Death of Dick Long) as they discuss Jerry Maguire and present a challenge within a challenge.

John Fink said in our review, “While many indie filmmakers like Andrew Bujalski started making films in apartments with their friends...

Sitting on a couch playing video games can be a ton of fun. The experience, whether alone or with friends, has been a staple of adolescent and adult entertainment for over a generation now. Some look at it like the lark that it can be. Others, they see it as a detriment to society and part of humanity’s downfall. To some degree, that’s explored in Relaxer, an independent comedy hitting theaters this week. However, what’s more fully on display is a bizarre exercise in discomfort. It’s going to prove divisive for those who see it. This humble critic did not care for it one bit. In fact, it was an actively unpleasant experience. The movie is supposedly a comedy, set in the year 1999. With the impending potential Y2K apocalypse fast approaching, Abbie (Joshua Burge) is stuck on a couch, undergoing abuse from his older brother...

“All I’ve ever dreamed about is living on a couch, playing video games with no one bugging me. Relaxer is the nightmare version of my fantasy,” so says Joel Potrykus when it comes to his latest unsettling, yet riveting film. A fitting companion with his brilliant Buzzard, the Y2K-set feature stars Joshua Burge as he undertakes a challenge with grave consequences. Oscilloscope Pictures has now released the first trailer, which grabs a quote from our SXSW review.

John Fink said in our review, “While many indie filmmakers like Andrew Bujalski started making films in apartments with their friends and scaled up to larger projects, Michigan-based madman Joel Potrykus has gleefully and unapologetically scaled down as his career has progressed. His fourth outing, Relaxer, barely even takes place in an apartment, but rather in the corner of a living room where Abbie (Joshua Burge) is stuck on a couch for nearly six months.

"You do not leave this couch until the challenge is completed!" Oscilloscope Labs has debuted the trailer for a demented, wacky indie film titled Relaxer, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival last year. Relaxer is the latest work from American filmmaker Joel Potrykus, who has been making some super funky little films including Ape, Buzzard, and The Alchemist Cookbook. This one is just as funky as all of those: With the impending Y2K apocalypse fast approaching, Abbie is faced with the ultimate challenge - the unbeatable level 256 on Pac-Man - and he can't get off the couch until he conquers it. A survival story in a living room. Starring Joshua Burge, David Dastmalchian, Andre Hyland, Madi Bachman, & Amari Cheatom. This looks totally gross and ridiculous, but apparently "an unforgettable experience" according to one critic. Here's the first official trailer (+ crazy poster) for Joel Potrykus' Relaxer, direct from YouTube...

Early adopters believe tech will enable creators to connect directly with potential consumers and fans.

Blockchain is one of the next big disrupters on the horizon for the content industry, but introducing it into the financing, distribution and remuneration chain is still a work in progress, three experts told a Miptv panel this week.

The discussion comes amid growing activity around the technology in the film and TV world, with the first blockchain movie release recently announced for Jeremy Culver’s romantic comedy No Postage Necessary.

Ashley Turing, CEO of London-based LiveTree Adept said the encrypted ledger system, initially created to monitor Bitcoin transactions,...

Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical Roman J. Israel, Esq. (action-thriller; Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Lynda Gravatt, Amanda Warren, Hugo Armstrong, Sam Gilroy, Tony Plana, DeRon Horton, Amari Cheatom; rated PG-13) Wonder (family drama; Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Mandy Patinkin, Daveed Diggs, Izabela Vidovic; rated PG) The Hudson Tribes (drama-thriller; Owen Campbell, Vanessa Rubio, Godfrey, Sherman Howard; not rated) Golden Exits (action-drama; Emily Browning...

Crown Heights Amazon Studios Director: Matt Ruskin Screenwriter: Matt Ruskin Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Nnande Asomugha, Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Nestor Carbonell, Amari Cheatom, Brian Tyree Henry Screened at: Critics’ link, Opens: August 18, 2017. On Disc December 8, 2017 Matt Ruskin, who wrote and directs “Crown Heights” and who a few years earlier directed “The […]

The post Crown Heights Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

"The whole neighborhood know you grabbed the wrong guy..." Amazon + IFC have debuted the official trailer for the indie drama Crown Heights, telling the story of a horrific wrongful conviction in New York in the 1980s. The immensely talented Lakeith Stanfield plays Colin Warner, a boy from Brooklyn who is taken into custody after a teenager is shot in the street. The police pressure a kid to testify as a witness and before he can do anything, Colin is thrown in prison with a life sentence. His friend dedicates his life to learning how to become an attorney in order to one day, eventually, free him. And it took over two decades. The film received a huge standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival, where it went on to win the main Audience Award. Featuring Nnamdi Asomugha, Nestor Carbonell, Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Amari Cheatom. I highly recommend seeing this film,...

The Sundance Audience Award has gone to such indies as “Whiplash,” “Precious” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” in the past several years, and Matt Ruskin was the big winner at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival with his true story drama “Crown Heights.” Starring Lakeith Stanfield of “Short Term 12” and “Atlanta,” the Sundance winner tells the true story of the wrongful conviction of 18-year-old Colin Warner.

Read More: ‘Crown Heights’ Review: Lakeith Stanfield Shines In A Messy Docudrama That Doesn’t Do Justice

The official synopsis reads: “In the spring of 1980, a teenager is gunned down in the streets of Flatbush, Brooklyn. The police pressure a child witness to identify a suspect. As a result, Colin Warner, an 18-year-old kid from nearby Crown Heights, is wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Colin’s childhood friend Carl ‘Kc’ King devotes his life to fighting for Colin’s freedom.

Crown Heights, Matt Ruskin’s Sundance audience award winner based on the true story of a wrongful prison sentence, will hit theaters August 25, 2017. Amazon Studios and IFC Films are releasing. The drama, written and directed by Ruskin and starring Lakeith Stanfield and Nnamdi Asomugha, won the Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic features at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The film also stars Natalie Paul, Bill Camp, Nestor Carbonell and Amari Cheatom. Crown Heights follows…...

The 2017 Sundance Film Festival is coming to a close with tonight’s awards ceremony. While we’ll have our personal favorites coming early this week, the jury and audience have responded with theirs, topped by Macon Blair‘s I don’t feel at home in this world anymore., which will arrive on Netflix in late February, and the documentary Dina. Check out the full list of winners below see our complete coverage here.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Larry Wilmore to:

Dina / U.S.A. (Directors: Dan Sickles, Antonio Santini) — An eccentric suburban woman and a Walmart door-greeter navigate their evolving relationship in this unconventional love story.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Peter Dinklage to:

I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Macon Blair) — When a depressed woman is burglarized, she...

As the Sundance Film Festival’s groundbreaking and technology-facing New Frontier section kicks off its second decade in existence, the 2017 edition of the section boasts its most stacked and varied programing picks yet. The full slate includes “story worlds” in Augmented Reality headsets, projection-mapped acrobatics, a Vr beauty salon producing neuroscience data via the internet of things and a host of socialized, interactive and immersively haptic Vr story experiences.

The rest of the lineup includes live performances, a feature film and augmented reality experiences built to complement 22 Vr experiences and 11 installations, showcased between three venues in Park City. The Claim Jumper will host 10 immersive installations focused on cross-disciplinary story construction, while the Vr Palace will feature 17 Vr experiences alongside an additional installation and the Vr Bar will offer a lineup of mobile Vr. Two New Frontier projects are part of the Festival’s New Climate program, which highlights the environment and climate change.

Top brass at the Park City jamboree announced on Thursday 20 virtual and augmented reality presentations and 11 installations.

The eleventh New Frontier programme includes storyworlds in Augmented Reality headsets, and a Vr beauty salon producing neuroscience data.

Established Vr artist Chris Milk and Aaron Kobli are behind Life Of Us, while immersive journalist Nonny de la Peña will premiere Out Of Exile: Daniel’s Story.

New Frontier will be staged at three Park City venues: Claim Jumper will host ten immersive installations; the Vr Palace will feature 17 Vr experiences alongside an additional installation; and the Vr Bar will offer a line-up of mobile Vr.

Three projects are part of the festival’s New Climate programme highlighting the environment and climate change.

Shari Frilot, Sundance Film Festival senior programmer and chief curator, New Frontier, said: “In an era that has recalibrated economies, redefined social realms and rewired the connection between the individual and the world, we must also...

Top brass at the Park City jamboree announced on Thursday 20 virtual and augmented reality presentations and 11 installations.

The eleventh New Frontier programme includes storyworlds in Augmented Reality headsets, and a Vr beauty salon producing neuroscience data.

Established Vr artist Chris Milk and Aaron Kobli are behind Life Of Us, while immersive journalist Nonny de la Peña will premiere Out Of Exile: Daniel’s Story.

New Frontier will be staged at three Park City venues: Claim Jumper will host ten immersive installations; the Vr Palace will feature 17 Vr experiences alongside an additional installation; and the Vr Bar will offer a line-up of mobile Vr.

Three projects are part of the festival’s New Climate programme highlighting the environment and climate change.

Shari Frilot, Sundance Film Festival senior programmer and chief curator, New Frontier, said: “In an era that has recalibrated economies, redefined social realms and rewired the connection between the individual and the world, we must also...

Top brass at the Park City jamboree announced on Thursday 20 virtual and augmented reality presentations and 11 installations.

The eleventh New Frontier programme includes storyworlds in Augmented Reality headsets, and a Vr beauty salon producing neuroscience data.

Established Vr artist Chris Milk and Aaron Kobli are behind Life Of Us, while immersive journalist Nonny de la Peña will premiere Out Of Exile: Daniel’s Story.

New Frontier will be staged at three Park City venues: Claim Jumper will host ten immersive installations; the Vr Palace will feature 17 Vr experiences alongside an additional installation; and the Vr Bar will offer a line-up of mobile Vr.

Three projects are part of the festival’s New Climate programme highlighting the environment and climate change.

Shari Frilot, Sundance Film Festival senior programmer and chief curator, New Frontier, said: “In an era that has recalibrated economies, redefined social realms and rewired the connection between the individual and the world, we must also...

Top brass at the Park City jamboree announced on Thursday 20 virtual and augmented reality presentations and 11 installations.

The eleventh New Frontiers programme includes storyworlds in Augmented Reality headsets, and a Vr beauty salon producing neuroscience data.

Established Vr artist Chris Milk and Aaron Kobli are behind Life Of Us, while immersive journalist Nonny de la Peña will premiere Out Of Exile: Daniel’s Story.

New Frontiers will be staged at three Park City venues: Claim Jumper will host ten immersive installations; the Vr Palace will feature 17 Vr experiences alongside an additional installation; and the Vr Bar will offer a line-up of mobile Vr.

Three projects are part of the festival’s New Climate programme highlighting the environment and climate change.

Shari Frilot, Sundance Film Festival senior programmer and chief curator, New Frontier, said: “In an era that has recalibrated economies, redefined social realms and rewired the connection between the individual and the world, we must also...

Entering its 33rd year, Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its official competition and Next line-ups for the 2017 edition of the festival. At first glance, initial highlights include Alex Ross Perry’s Queen of Earth follow-up Golden Exits and two David Lowery projects (his small-budget A Ghost Story starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara as well as The Yellow Birds, which he co-wrote).

There’s also Beach Rats, the latest film from It Felt Like Love director Eliza Hittman, Obvious Child director Gillian Robespierre‘s Landline, and Blue Ruin and Green Room star Macon Blair‘s directorial debut I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore.

Check out the line-up below and images as they become available.

U.S. Dramatic Competition

The 16 films in this section are all world premieres.

“Band Aid” (Director and screenwriter: Zoe Lister-Jones) — A couple who can’t stop fighting embark on a last-ditch effort...

October is upon us. The leaves are changing. Sweaters are becoming more abundant. Awards contenders are popping up in theaters nationwide. But those are far from the only films opening throughout the coming weeks. Below, you’ll find every planned theatrical release for the month of October, separated out into films with wide runs and limited ones. (Synopses are provided by festivals and distributors.)

Each week, we’ll give you an update with more specific information on where these films are playing. In the meantime, be sure to check our calendar page, where we’ll update releases for the rest of the year. Stay warm and happy watching!

Week of October 7 Wide

The Birth of a Nation

Director: Nate Parker

Cast: Aja Naomi King, Armie Hammer, Gabrielle Union, Jackie Earle Haley, Mark Boone Junior, Nate Parker

Synopsis: Set against the antebellum South and based on a true story, “The Birth...

The Alchemist Cookbook will stand as one of 2016’s most bizarre, you-gotta-see-this genre darlings. Science, evil summonings and isolation? Filmmaker Joel Potrykus flips the “cabin in the woods” stereotype on its head with a manic analysis of obsessive insanity, all with the promise of demonic forces to come.

Scenes are fractured by outlandish chapter titles such as “Abusing Magic” and “Dismembering It All,” while a heretic hermit combines chemicals without any regard for safety (sorry, except a gas mask he puts on his cat). So much jovial weirdness around early scenes masks the consuming darkness that soon follows after, until only anxious terror remains. Woodland horror movies usually involve slashers, monsters and what have you – thankfully, Potrykus’ latest is anything but typical.

Ty Hickson stars as Sean, a loner who inhabits a tiny, nowhere shack in the middle of the woods. He has no connection to the outside world, and...

Along with the debut of a brand new trailer (above) for Joel Potrykus’ The Alchemist Cookbook, distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories has announced that the film will be released via BitTorrent Now for pay-what-you-wish on October 7th. The Alchemist Cookbook is a portrait of a Sean, a young hermit in the woods who sets out to solve an old mystery, and loses his mind along the way. Starring Ty Hickson and Amari Cheatom, the film premiered at SXSW and screened at various other festivals including BAMcinemaFest and Fantasia. Potrykus, who previously directed Ape and Buzzard, recently penned an Op-Ed about why he’s a fan […]...

If you’ve ever been desperate enough to retreat into the Michigan wilderness and employ alchemy as a means of attaining wealth, you’re in luck! Joel Potrykus’ (“Buzzard,” “Ape”) latest feature, “The Alchemist Cookbook,” does just that and then some.

The good news: All that fresh air and solidarity can really give you time to think on things. The bad news: You might accidentally summon Satan. Watch the film’s newest trailer below.

Read More: The Indiewire Springboard: Joel Potrykus Makes Weird Little Movies In Michigan. Now He’s Fielding Offers From Hollywood. What’s Next?

In the new trailer, Ty Hickson (“Gimme the Loot”) stars as Sean, a hermit who ventures out into the forest in an attempt to materialize money via alchemy, but winds up discovering some something much more terrifying. Juxtaposing dark comedy with bizarre horror, Sean’s descent into madness is as absurdly eccentric as it is grim.

Keep up with the wild and wooly world of indie film acquisitions with our weekly Rundown of everything that’s been picked up around the globe. Check out last week’s Rundown here.

– L.A.-based outfit Strand Releasing has acquired U.S. rights to Michael O’Shea’s Cannes premiere “The Transfiguration.” The film was sold by Protagonist Pictures at Toronto, and it marks the feature debut of writer-director Michael O’Shea. The atmospheric feature puts a new spin on the vampire movie.

“Mr. O’Shea’s film is a unique hybrid that audiences and critics will be compelled by,” said Strand Releasing’s partner Jon Gerrans, who discovered the film at Cannes. No word yet on release plans.

– Oscilloscope Laboratories has announced that Joel Potrykus’s latest dark comedy, “The Alchemist Cookbook,” will be available worldwide for pay-what-you-wish via BitTorrent Now on October 7, before it screens in select theaters across the country.

Earlier this year, filmmaker Joel Potrykus had the NYC debut of his latest film “The Alchemist Cookbook” at the eight annual BAMcinemaFest. Starring Ty Hickson of “Gimme the Loot,” with Amari Cheatom of “Newlyweeds” fame in the only supporting role… Continue Reading →...

I have no clue why Sean (Ty Hickson) messes with the titular book in Joel Potrykus‘ The Alchemist Cookbook. He doesn’t seem to care about money while living as a hermit inside a hidden trailer deep within the woods—bill collectors “no longer owning him”—so gold is out of the question. It might be for an elixir of immortality, his ritualistic incantations recalling satanic verse in search of dealing with a demonic presence that only pentagrams and dead animals hope to conjure. Why Sean plays with forces that push him beyond the boundaries of chemistry is ultimately beside the point. What his journey reveals is the slippery slope of sanity caused by isolation from humanity. Paranoia, anger, and fear arrive quickly; the only transmutation occurring is his.

The film’s title card mimics the cover of William Powell’s The Anarchist Cookbook, a publication brought to fruition as...

Last night, filmmaker Joel Potrykus had the NYC debut of his latest film “The Alchemist Cookbook” at the eight annual BAMcinemaFest. Starring Ty Hickson of “Gimme the Loot,” with Amari Cheatom of “Newlyweeds” fame in the only supporting role (outside… Continue Reading →...

On the heels of his 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards "Someone To Watch Award" nomination, distributor Phase 4 Films released Shaka King's crowd-pleasing stoner dramedy Newlyweeds, on DVD, Cable OnDemand, Digital and numerous digital platforms on December 17th. For those with Netflix streaming accounts, you'll probably want to know that the film is now available on that platform, just a few flicks away. As you relax today, New Year's Day, January 1, 2014, consider adding it to your movie-watching list. The 2013 Sundance Film Festival Next stars Amari Cheatom and Trae Harris in a bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that...

On the heels of his 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards "Someone To Watch Award" nomination, as well in consideration of distributor Phase 4 Films upcoming home entertainment release of Shaka King's crowd-pleasing stoner dramedy Newlyweeds, an awesome new trailer has been cut and released. The 2013 Sundance Film Festival Next selection, heads to DVD, Cable OnDemand, Digital and numerous digital platforms starting Tuesday, December 17th - a week from today, just in time for the X-mas holiday, for the stoner on your gift shopping list. Amari Cheatom and Trae Harris star in this bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that tells the story of...

The lovers at the center of Shaka King’s Newlyweeds are young Brooklynites whose romance more or less revolves around their love of marijuana. King’s often outrageously funny and wistfully bleak movie is a black stoner answer to James Ponsoldt’s Smashed; with genre-bending humor and style to burn, the movie asks delicate questions about the nature and sustainability of their relationship and fissures that may pull them apart. Amari Cheatom’s Lyle is a repo man for a rent-to-own electronics and appliance store while Trae Harris’ Nina is a museum tour guide. He’s a little angry and brighter than his job title would indicate […]...

The lovers at the center of Shaka King’s Newlyweeds are young Brooklynites whose romance more or less revolves around their love of marijuana. King’s often outrageously funny and wistfully bleak movie is a black stoner answer to James Ponsoldt’s Smashed; with genre-bending humor and style to burn, the movie asks delicate questions about the nature and sustainability of their relationship and fissures that may pull them apart. Amari Cheatom’s Lyle is a repo man for a rent-to-own electronics and appliance store while Trae Harris’ Nina is a museum tour guide. He’s a little angry and brighter than his job title would indicate […]...

Newlyweeds, the debut feature of writer-director Shaka King, is many things. It is an intriguing new take on the stoner comedy, the romantic comedy, and one might even say the “black comedy.” It’s a charming independent venture that takes chances, many of which that work, in presenting a love story about growing up and growing apart. It’s also really funny. The film focuses on couple Lyle (Amari Cheatom) and Nina (Trae Harris), two twenty-somethings who spend a rather large portion of their time together getting high. Nina is a free-spirited tour guide at a local museum, while Lyle holds down a job he absolutely despises as a repo man for a seedy rent-to-own company. Together,...

Ganja gets a couple high before dragging them low in Newlyweeds, a small-scale domestic drama that won't help further the legalization cause. In Bed-Stuy, Lyle (Amari Cheatom) dulls the pain of his dreary repo-man life by smoking up with girlfriend Nina (Trae Harris), who gives museum tours to elementary school students while stoned. Theirs is a relationship founded on escaping mundanity through marijuana, though when Nina—instigated by a worldly coworker (Colman Domingo)—decides that she'd like to actually follow through on Lyle's stated desire to visit the Galapagos, friction mounts. Debut writer-director Shaka King dramatizes her characters' descent into disarray with disarming intimacy, capturing the relaxed bliss of their pot-fueled rapport while simultaneously ...

Shaka King's crowd-pleasing Sundance 2013 stoner dramedy, Newlyweeds, will be released theatrically by Phase 4 Films, with a September 18, 2013 (yes, tomorrow, Wednesday) opening date set, at Film Forum theaters here in New York City, for a 2-week run to start.  It'll gradually expand to other major markets in successive weeks. But we'll update you with that info over time. To pre-purchase tickets to what should be a well-attended 2 weeks of screenings, visit Film Forum's website Here. Amari Cheatom and newcomer Trae Harris star in this bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that tells the story of...

Newlyweeds, the debut feature of writer-director Shaka King, is many things. It is an intriguing new take on the stoner comedy, the romantic comedy, and one might even say the “black comedy.” It’s a charming independent venture that takes chances, many of which that work, in presenting a love story about growing up and growing apart. It’s also really funny. The film focuses on couple Lyle (Amari Cheatom) and Nina (Trae Harris), two twenty-somethings who spend a rather large portion of their time together getting high. Nina is a free-spirited tour guide at a local museum, while Lyle holds down a job he absolutely despises as a repo man for a seedy rent-to-own company. Together,...

Shaka King's crowd-pleasing Sundance 2013 stoner dramedy, Newlyweeds, will be released theatrically by Phase 4 Films, with a September 18, 2013, opening date set, at Film Forum theaters here in New York City. Amari Cheatom and newcomer Trae Harris star in this bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that tells the story of polar opposites Lyle (Cheatom) and Nina (Harris) - a repo-man and a flower child whose bond is forged and frayed by their mutual adoration and voracious consumption of cannabis. Isiah Whitlock, Colman Domingo, Tonya Pinkins, Diane Neal, Adrian...

One of the many independent films that caught my eye from this year’s Sundance Film Festival slate for not featuring any major stars was Newlyweeds. It wasn’t widely-seen or talked about like some of the festival’s bigger hitters, but it should’ve been. Director Shaka King‘s feature debut is a colorful pot-dramedy that works in minimal ways. That bittersweet feel jumps around tonally, and because of that, it’s not an easy movie to sell with only 90 seconds, as shown by the film’s first preview. Feel free to take a look at the trailer’s first 53 seconds – after those first 53 seconds, the preview heads into serious spoiler territory. Something it doesn’t spoil so much is Isiah Whitlock Jr.‘s performance as an eccentric drug dealer that gets slightly intrusive when the lead, played with a lot of charm by Amari Cheatom, spends a night in jail. Whitlock...

A double dose of Sundance films trailer debuts today; first Andrew Dosunmu's Mother Of George. And now... Here's the first trailer for Shaka King's crowd-pleasing stoner dramedy, Newlyweeds, which Phase 4 Films will open on September 18, 2013, at Film Forum theaters here in New York City. Amari Cheatom and newcomer Trae Harris star in this bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that tells the story of polar opposites Lyle (Cheatom) and Nina (Harris) - a repo-man and a flower child whose bond is forged and frayed by their mutual adoration and voracious consumption of cannabis. Isiah...

Phase 4 Films has just released the first trailer for Sundance entry, "Newlyweeds," director Shaka King's feature debut. Part romantic comedy, part stoner comedy, and all heart, the film premiered in Park City before hitting the BAMcinemaFest in Brooklyn this June. Amari Cheatom ("Django Unchained") and Trae Harris star as two lovers torn between each other and their second passion: weed. Sharp-eyed observers will notice two welcome faces in the trailer, both of whom appeared in HBO's highly-respected television show, "The Wire." Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played Senator Clay Davis, shows up in the quick prison scene and Hasaan Johnson, who played West-side warrior Wee-Bey Brice, gives our protagonist proper warning from the driver's seat.  Indiewire's Eric Kohn went behind the scenes of the production before its Sundance premiere. Kohn describes the final tasks performed for the film before it's shipped off to the festival. The film is slated...

Phase 4 Films will open the Sundance Film Festival crowd-pleasing stoner dramedy, Newlyweeds, on September 18, 2013, at Film Forum theaters here in New York City. The gritty, stoner romantic dramedy, writer/director Shaka King's feature film debut, stars Amari Cheatom and newcomer Trae Harris, in a bittersweet blend of comedy and drama that tells the story of polar opposites Lyle (Cheatom) and Nina (Harris) - a repo-man and a flower child whose bond is forged and frayed by their mutual adoration and voracious consumption of cannabis. Isiah Whitlock, Colman Domingo, Tonya Pinkins, Diane Neal, Adrian...

Newlyweeds, the debut feature of writer-director Shaka King, is many things. It is an intriguing new take on the stoner comedy, the romantic comedy, and one might even say the “black comedy.” It’s a charming independent venture that takes chances, many of which that work, in presenting a love story about growing up and growing apart. It’s also really funny. The film focuses on couple Lyle (Amari Cheatom) and Nina (Trae Harris), two twenty-somethings who spend a rather large portion of their time together getting high. Nina is a free-spirited tour guide at a local museum, while Lyle holds down a job he absolutely despises as a repo man for a seedy rent-to-own company. Together,...

Following its acquisition of Shaka King's dramedy Newlyweeds, which made its world premiere at this year's Sundance Film Festival, in the Next <=> section, S&A has learned exclusively that Phase 4 Films will open the crowd-pleaser on September 18, 2013, at Film Forum theaters in New York City. The gritty, stoner romantic dramedy, King's feature film debut, stars Amari Cheatom and newcomer Trae Harris, in addition to Isiah Whitlock, Colman Domingo, Tonya Pinkins, Diane Neal, Adrian Martinez and Hassan Johnson. Jim Wareck, Michael Matthews, Shaka...