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Fully engrossed, I became, in this hauntingly beautiful, rare telling of the formative history behind one of our nation’s greatest men in history. So much of what we learn in school about Abraham Lincoln focuses on his accomplishments as our country’s 16th President. Rightfully so, but as children in school, would it not make sense to also learn about how these great men and women grew up? Childhood experience is crucial to the development of character, which is paramount to The Better Angels, a film that introduces the audience to a much younger Lincoln than we’re typically accustomed.

The Better Angels illustrates the difficulties Lincoln endured as a child, growing up poor and secluded from anyone but his small family in the remote Indiana woods of 1817. Tragedy strikes his family, hard lessons are learned, but Lincoln evolves on screen before us in raw, subtle form. His father (Jason Clarke) loves him,...

Now playing in limited release is director A.J. Edwards’ drama The Better Angels. The film spans three years of young Abraham Lincoln’s (Braydon Denney) childhood, as it explores how his family and hardships shaped him into the man he would become. It marks the feature debut of Edwards, who previously worked as an editor and second-unit director on some of Terrence Malick’s films. The Better Angels also stars Jason Clarke as Tom Lincoln, Diane Kruger as Sarah Lincoln, Brit Marling as Nancy Lincoln, and Wes Bentley as Mr. Crawford. For more on the film, watch the trailer. At the recent Los Angeles press day I landed an exclusive video interview with Brit Marling. She talked about how he got involved in The Better Angels and what it was like to shoot with A.J. Edwards, Terrence Malick’s influence, how much of the film’s tone was evident in the script,...

Now playing in limited release is director A.J. Edwards’ drama The Better Angels. The film spans three years of young Abraham Lincoln’s (Braydon Denney) childhood, as it explores how his family and hardships shaped him into the man he would become. It marks the feature debut of Edwards, who previously worked as an editor and second-unit director on some of Terrence Malick’s films. The Better Angels also stars Jason Clarke as Tom Lincoln, Diane Kruger as Sarah Lincoln, Brit Marling as Nancy Lincoln, and Wes Bentley as Mr. Crawford. For more on the film, watch the trailer. At the recent Los Angeles press day I landed an exclusive video interview with Wes Bentley. He talked about how he got involved in The Better Angels and what it was like to shoot with A.J. Edwards, Terrence Malick's influence, how he researched the role, what he’s learned from...

Whether it is unabashed idol worship, plagiaristic mimicry or two directors who happen to be cut from the same cerebral cloth, there is absolutely no denying the countless permutations of Terrence Malick's influences permeating every single frame of A.J. Edwards' The Better Angels. Undeniably referential and reverential of Malick -- especially his last three films (The New World, The Tree Of Life, To The Wonder) -- Edwards' impressionistic visual poem captures Abraham Lincoln (Braydon Denney) at around ten years old, as he grows up in rural Illinois. Lincoln's humble upbringing is captured with a moving slideshow of one idyllic image after the next; even young children toiling the land are made to look absolutely glamorous. Photographed by Matthew J. Lloyd with sharp depth of focus and perpetual magic hour lighting, the ever-bedazzling sunlight dances across the images, sublimely showcasing the magical qualities of living a simple existence. The...

This weekend is shaping up to mirror early fall, when specialty distributors packed theaters with new titles. Many of those disappeared quickly, and this weekend could be similar as companies usher in about a dozen limited-release theatrical newcomers. Focus Features’ The Theory Of Everything, however, has amassed a good amount of attention. Directed by Oscar winner James Marsh (Man On Wire), the Stephen Hawking biopic is opening two months after its Toronto debut. Two notable nonfiction titles also join the fray this weekend: Cinema Guild’s Actress, from director Robert Greene, and Zipporah Films’ National Gallery by nonfiction maverick Frederick Wiseman. Both deserve attention as the awards-race heats up. Two years after the theatrical bow of Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, the 16th U.S. President is the focus of Amplify’s The Better Angels — though it focuses a very different phase of his life. Distrib Films is opening Italian political...

Opening this weekend in limited release and expanding to select theaters nationwide on 11/14 and 11/21 is director A.J. Edwards’ drama The Better Angels. The film spans three years of young Abraham Lincoln’s (Braydon Denney) childhood as it explores how his family and hardships shaped him into the man he would become. It marks the feature debut of Edwards, who previously worked as an editor and second-unit director on some of Terrence Malick’s films. The Better Angels also stars Jason Clarke as Tom Lincoln, Diane Kruger as Sarah Lincoln, Brit Marling as Nancy Lincoln, and Wes Bentley as Mr. Crawford. For more on the film, watch the trailer. A few days ago I landed an extended video interview with Jason Clarke. He talked about what it's like winning the "actors lottery," how he got involved in The Better Angels and what it was like to shoot with A.J. Edwards, how he researched the role,...

Catch a few glimpses of A.J. Edwards’ directorial debut, The Better Angels, and you could be tricked into thinking you’re watching a Terrence Malick film. As the end credits attest, Malick is the primary producer, although his name’s appearance once the film fades to black feels redundant. More intimate in scope but just as evocative and stunningly photographed as his rural-set modern classics, The Better Angels owes much of its feeling to the director’s mentor. And, that is not always a bad thing. However, one gets the feeling that the new filmmaker is more impressed with Malick than Abraham Lincoln, whose pre-pubescent life is the focus of this first feature.

The film opens in 1817 in the Indiana backwoods where a young boy explores the wilderness, paddling down the river and playing in the fields. When he sticks out his chin, it is clear from an uncanny resemblance...

Movies can be bad for a myriad of reasons. They can be sloppily made, poorly acted, incoherently written, or just offensively stupid. However, I think the biggest sin you can label a film is "boring". I have opted to spend ninety minutes with someone's creation, and if I am not engaged, even in a negative way, that is the biggest failing I think a film can manage. I would much rather a film be aggressive in its badness than to lull me to sleep. It would at least spark some kind of passion in me. Art should bring about a reaction. This brings me to The Better Angels, which is a prime offender of the boring moniker. It is a class one Terrence Malick knock-off devoid of story and had me fighting to stay awake from the first minute. It just goes to show you pretty pictures are not enough.

We here at Collider are happy to debut a collection of character posters from director A.J. Edwards’ drama The Better Angels. The film spans three years of young Abraham Lincoln’s (Braydon Denney) childhood, as it explores how his family and hardships shaped him into the man he would become. It marks the feature debut of Edwards, who previously worked as an editor and second-unit director on some of Terrence Malick’s films. Malick is a producer on The Better Angels, and judging by the trailers we’ve seen from the black-and-white drama thus far, his influence on Edwards is significant. These new posters introduce the film's major characters, including Jason Clarke as Tom Lincoln, Diane Kruger as Sarah Lincoln, Brit Marling as Nancy Lincoln, and Wes Bentley as Mr. Crawford. Check out the Better Angels posters after the jump. The Better Angels opens in limited release on November 7th...

The Better Angels Trailer. A.J. Edwards‘ The Better Angels (2014) movie trailer Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger, Brit Marling, Wes Bentley, and Braydon Denney. The Better Angels‘ plot synopsis: “At an isolated log cabin in the harsh wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, the rhythms of love, tragedy, and the daily hardships [...]

Continue reading: The Better Angels (2014) Movie Trailer: Abraham Lincoln’s Early Years...

The Better Angels has released a trailer.

Terrence Malick produced the film about the early life of President Abraham Lincoln (via The Playlist).

To the Wonder editor Aj Edwards makes his directorial debut on the film, which stars Braydon Denney in the title role.

It charts Lincoln's humble beginnings and his relationship with his parents and, later, his stepmother.

Brit Marling, Wes Bentley, Jason Clarke and Diane Kruger also feature in the movie.

Malick's Knight of Cups and another untitled film are expected in 2015.

The Better Angels will arrive in Us cinemas on November 7. A UK release date is yet to be announced.

There may not be a new movie from Terrence Malick this year (we never really know when his films are going to arrive), but his protégé, director A.J. Edwards has delivered The Better Angels, a coming of age drama focusing on historical icon Abraham Lincoln. But rather than looking at his presidential years, the black and white film looks at the formative years of the future emancipator, his family, the hardships that shaped him, the tragedy that marked him forever, and the two women who guided him to immortality. There's a large influence of Malick in style and storytelling, so this won't be for everybody, but the theatrical trailer looks good. Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger and newcomer Braydon Denney star in the film. Here's the full theatrical trailer for A.J. Edwards' The Better Angels from Amplify: At an isolated log cabin in the harsh wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, the rhythms of love,...

Amplify has released the first The Better Angels trailer for writer/director A.J. Edwards’ poetic drama about the early life of Abraham Lincoln. From the opening seconds of this trailer, the film gives off a very strong Terrence Malick vibe, and indeed Malick produced the feature, as Edwards previously worked as an editor and second-unit director on some of Malick’s films. Beyond the obvious comparisons, the black-and-white film looks to be a rather haunting and lyrical drama about the early life of one of the most influential U.S. Presidents in history, and as a fan of the Malick style myself, I’m looking forward to seeing what the full feature has in store. Hit the jump to watch The Better Angels trailer. The film stars Braydon Denney, Jason Clarke, Brit Marling, Diane Kruger, and Wes Bentley. The Better Angels opens in limited release on November 7th. Via Amplify.

Death was a constant shadow in the life of Abraham Lincoln, from his childhood on the American frontier to his assassination in 1865. In The Better Angels, writer/director A.J. Edwards—a disciple of the film's producer Terrence Malick—focused on the three-year period of Lincoln's youth where his young mother (Brit Marling) died, and his father (Jason Clarke) remarried a woman (Diane Kruger) who recognized Abe's spark of intelligence and helped provide the moral and intellectual foundation that would one day preserve the Union. At his 1861 inauguration, with his country on the brink of civil war, President Lincoln appealed to...

The life of a young Abraham Lincoln before he became one of America's favorite presidents included a lot of hunting and being abandoned by adults, based on a new video from black and white biopic “The Better Angels.” In this exclusive teaser (above), Abe (played by newcomer Braydon Denney) is taken hunting by his cold and distant father Tom (Jason Clarke). They don't catch much, and Tom is forced to abandon his children and ride off for Kentucky in hopes of finding sustenance other ways. See photos: The Top 40 Best and Worst Actors Playing Musicians Before ‘Get On Up’ (Photos) But.

The Better Angels is a “young Abraham Lincoln” story seen through the eye of director Terrence Malick. Or, in actuality, seen through the eye of Malick’s associate A.J. Edwards, here making his directorial debut with a feature that employs Malick’s visual hallmarks. Braydon Denney plays young Abe, while Brit Marling, Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger and Wes Bentley round out the cast to […]

The post ‘The Better Angels’ Trailer: Terrence Malick Protege Chronicles Abe Lincoln appeared first on /Film.

We have seen Abraham Lincoln’s youth in Young Mr. Lincoln and we have seen his Presidency in Lincoln. Now, we finally get to see his boyhood in The Better Angels, a film which I think could really have used the name “Lincoln” in the title.

The Better Angels purports to tell the story of Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood as he grows up in his little log cabin and is shaped by the forces that surround him. The film was written and directed by A.J. Edwards, but it bears the stamp of its producer (and Edwards’ longtime collaborator) Terrence Malick. The trailer is chock full of Malick-ian images, from the soaring, haunting music, to the old-timey voiceover, to the flashes of sunlight across a dappled landscape. If we were unaware that this is the past, the film was also shot in black and white, which is either inspired and artistic or hopelessly pretentious; maybe both.

A trailer for the Terrence Malick-produced “The Better Angels” has premiered, giving us a new look at newcomer Braydon Denney as a young Abraham Lincoln in the feature directorial and screenwriting debut from Malick’s longtime collaborator A.J. Edwards. Derived from an interview (“Lincoln’s Boyhood: Reminiscences of His Cousin and Play-mate, Dennis Hanks” in American Magazine 65, Feb 1908) with Lincoln’s last surviving cousin, Dennis Hanks (played by Cameron Mitchell Williams), “The Better Angels” is a black-and-white cinematic picture depicting the formative years — specifically 1817-1819 — in which Lincoln grew up in the Indiana wilderness with his family, led by [...]

The post Watch: Braydon Denney is a Young Abraham Lincoln in ‘The Better Angels’ Trailer appeared first on Up and Comers.

Director Steven Spielberg did a fine job chronicling a small part of the life of Abraham Lincoln, but now comes a completely different kind of film about the childhood years of the 16th president from A.J. Edwards, a longtime protégé of Terrence Malick. The film is based on 19th century interview with Lincoln's family and follows Braydon Denney as the young boy is shaped into the historically famous man he would become. Brit Marling, Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger and Wes Bentley also star in the film, and it looks to be very visceral, and remarkably different from the kind of film you'd expect about Lincoln. Watch! Here's the teaser trailer for A.J. Edwards' The Better Angels, originally from Apple: At an isolated log cabin in the harsh wilderness of Indiana circa 1817, the rhythms of love, tragedy, and the daily hardships of life on the developing frontier shaped one of...

A.J. Edwards worked with Terrence Malick on The Tree of Life (key artistic consultant) and The Wonder (editor) and he's now written and directed his first feature, The Better Angels, and along with it, the film gets to be promoted with Malick's name attached as producer. Today the first trailer has arrived giving us a new look at the film which stars Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger and Brit Marling in a story focusing on the story of Abraham Lincoln's childhood in the harsh wilderness of Indiana and the hardships that shaped him, the tragedy that marked him forever and the two women who guided him to immortality. Braydon Denney plays young Lincoln. The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year and has played Berlin, Seattle, Deauville and others along the way with Amplify expected to release the feature at some point, though reviews have been rather muted so far, most...

Since it appears we're not getting any of Terrence Malick's three movies he's got cooking any time soon, we suppose this one will have to do. And to be fair he did produce this, and while longtime collaborator A.J. Edwards gets the writer/director credit on "The Better Angels," it so closely apes his mentor's style, it might as well be another Malick movie. A look at the boyhood life of Abraham Lincoln, newcomer Braydon Denney plays Abe in this movie that looks to show the forces around the young man that shaped who he became. Brit Marling, Jason Clarke, Diane Kruger and Wes Bentley are the more familiar faces and names that round the cast, but the movie is one that didn't work for us. Our review out of Sundance called it, "unimaginative, uninvolving and derivative." And certainly, if you wanted to see a close approximation of a Malick film,...