News

It's a rare thing for any first-time director's film to be nominated for - let alone win - a Golden Globe, but Jennifer Lee's debut movie, Frozen, did just that this year. The win was a meaningful one for Jennifer, who, by her own admission, took a "circuitous" route to the director's chair. She started her career in the world of literature, working in book publishing, before going to film school at Columbia and later landing a gig as cowriter of Wreck-It Ralph. Still, the shift wasn't completely out of left field; serendipitously enough, Jennifer's dream as a kid was to become a Disney animator. Frozen gave Jennifer a unique opportunity to celebrate "wild and wonderful" girls like her childhood self and her own 10-year-old daughter, Agatha. "I was the one that would stain my dress the minute I put it on," she told us with a laugh. The...

Screen Media will release the independent movie drama 3 Backyards starring Edie Falco (TV’s Nurse Jackie), Embeth Davidtz (TV’s Mad Men) and Elias Koteas on DVD on June 28.

Edie Falco keeps her cool on Long Island in 3 Backyards.

Written and directed by Eric Mendelsohn (who directed Ms. Falco once before in his feature film directorial debut, 1999’s Judy Berlin), the film tells the story of three residents of a Long Island town over the course of a seemingly perfect autumn day. The trio consists of addled housewife Peggy (Falco), John (Koteas), who’s equally stressed out over issues concerning love and money, and a 9-year-old girl named Christina (Rachel Resheff) who creates a kind of fairy tale world in her head.

Produced in 2010, 3 Backyards received a limited release in theaters in March to generally solid reviews from critics following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January of...

Today we begin what will be a Friday tradition here on the site. Ioncinema.com's Weekend Watch is a basic rundown of cinematic opening weekend offerings with Erica Elson guiding your choices in U.S Indie, Foreign, Documentaries and Studio film releases. This weekend you'll definitely want to skip the studio picks and the duelling alien items and if you're lucky enough to be in L.A or NYC you'll want to check out Abbas Kiarostami’s gem Certified Copy. U.S Indie 3 Backyards – Eric Mendelsohn – Screen Media Edie Falco stars in this atmospheric drama that takes place over the course of an autumn afternoon. It’s been getting very positive reviews and won the Directing Award at Sundance in 2010. This is Mendelsohn's big return since 1999's Judy Berlin. Metacritic: 75% MovieReviewIntelligence: 66.5% Elektra Luxx – Sebastian Gutierrez – Samuel Goldwyn Films A pregnant ex-porn star goes on a series of adventures in an...

This interview was originally published during indieWIRE's coverage of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. "3 Backyards" opens in limited release this Friday, March 11. Eric Mendelsohn, whose first two films, "Through an Open Window" and "Judy Berlin" (Sundance '99 alum), screened in the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, hit Sundance for the second time with his latest, "3 Backyards." "A trio of brief, yet potentially life-altering, adventures unfold on one ...

This interview was originally published during indieWIRE's coverage of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. "3 Backyards" opens in limited release this Friday, March 11. Eric Mendelsohn, whose first two films, "Through an Open Window" and "Judy Berlin" (Sundance '99 alum), screened in the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, hit Sundance for the second time with his latest, "3 Backyards." "A trio of brief, yet potentially life-altering, adventures unfold on one ...

With a preem at Sundance and follow up fests such as Nd/Nf and Deauville, Eric Mendelsohn's 3 Backyards has had a difficult time finding a distributor willing to partner on a project that may lack in star power, but might be working with a different curriculum. Screen Media have nabbed the rights to the drama will plans of setting it up with a release next year. Written by Eric Mendelsohn this is the story of three residents of the same suburban town over the course of one seemingly perfect autumn day. Seen through a prism of sunlight and glittering leaves, the film peers deep into the private lives of its characters as they embark on journeys that fracture the delicate normalcy of the day. A businessman (Elias Koteas) with marital troubles gets "lost" on a business trip without ever leaving town. A little girl (Rachel Resheff) steals her mother...

It's no stretch to say that actor John Morris has been involved in the fanciful world of "Toy Story" his entire life. Morris first voiced Pixar kid Andy, owner of Woody and Buzz Lightyear, at age 7, then reprised the role at 14. Now 25, he's returning to the fold for "Toy Story 3," set to hit theaters in June. The film has young Andy setting off for college; and in the same vein, Morris has also done a lot of growing up over the past decade and a half. The actor is currently auditioning for various roles in film and theater, as well as keeping an eye out for interesting voiceover gigs. But "Toy Story" will always hold a special place in his heart. "Before starting on the third film, I re-watched the first two films in a row," he says. "That was what got me really excited: that the story was going to continue.

While our Sundance home page is the place for all our coverage from Park City, here is a brief rundown of what's been going on during the last 24 hours, including Matt Singer's interview with "The Freebie" writer/director Katie Aselton and co-star Dax Shepard and reviews of the Chace Crawford drama "Twelve," the Banksy doc "Exit Through the Gift Shop," Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut "Jack Goes Boating" and the 3D Aussie doc "Cane Toads 2: The Conquest."

Some were puzzled when Sundance accepted "Batman and Robin" director Joel Schumacher's latest film "Twelve." James Rocchi writes that the concern was justified. Here's an excerpt from his review, which can be found in full here:

Directed by Joel Schumacher ("Batman and Robin," "The Lost Boys"), "Twelve" is unquestionably the funniest film at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival; if only it had been made with that intention. "Twelve"'s ham-handed ineptitude...

As we pack our bags for the Sundance Film Festival, all of our correspondents this year have weighed in on the premieres that we're most excited to see. Check back daily throughout the festival for features, reviews and commentary. 3 Backyards, Eric Mendelsohn. (pictured) I've heard from crew who worked on this that it's great, and I'm a Judy Berlin fan. It’s a domestic drama with Edie Falco and Elias Koteas, and I really hope this is a film that can get suburban-disconnectedness — the bread of butter of Sundance movies — right. — Alicia Van Couvering The Company Man, John Wells. Sue me: I am nuts for The West Wing. I would have a burning curiosity about John Wells' feature debut no matter what it was, and that curiosity will have to be...

Eric Mendelsohn, whose first two films, “Through an Open Window” and “Judy Berlin” (Sundance ‘99 alum), screened in the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, visits Sundance for the second time with his latest, “3 Backyards.” Not only will the Sundance premiere be the public’s first look at “3 Backyards,” it will also be the public’s first look at a film shot in color by Mendelsohn. His previous two films were shot …...

Eric Mendelsohn, whose first two films, “Through an Open Window” and “Judy Berlin” (Sundance ‘99 alum), screened in the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, visits Sundance for the second time with his latest, “3 Backyards.” Not only will the Sundance premiere be the public’s first look at “3 Backyards,” it will also be the public’s first look at a film shot in color by Mendelsohn. His previous two films were shot …...

Eric Mendelsohn, whose first two films, “Through an Open Window” and “Judy Berlin” (Sundance ‘99 alum), screened in the Cannes Un Certain Regard section, visits Sundance for the second time with his latest, “3 Backyards.” Not only will the Sundance premiere be the public’s first look at “3 Backyards,” it will also be the public’s first look at a film shot in color by Mendelsohn. His previous two films were shot …...

St. Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold

Opens: 2010

Cast: Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, David Tennant, Gemma Arterton, Talulah Riley

Director: Oliver Parker, Barnaby Thompson

Summary: A rollercoaster-style treasure hunt for the legendary Fritton’s Gold ensues as the feisty and ever-resourceful schoolgirls of St Trinian’s face their most fearsome establishment rivals yet - the villainous Pomfrey and his sidekicks from the women-hating secret society known as AD1.

Analysis: While it didn't travel much beyond the UK, 2007's reboot of the "St Trinian's" franchise nearly doubled its £7 million production budget in sales in the UK alone - making it one of the top grossing independent British films of the past decade. Reviews were decidedly mixed but generally pretty weak at the time, so the greenlighting of a sequel surprised quite a few.

Despite a critical drubbing, the core audience of young British teenage girls seemed to be satisfied by...