Belle and Sebastian are celebrating the upcoming 25th birthday of their third album The Boy with the Arab Strap by giving it the anniversary reissue treatment.
After the back-to-back success of 1996’s Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister, 1998’s The Boy with the Arab Strap saw Belle and Sebastian bandleader Stuart Murdoch share some songwriting credits with band members Stevie Jackson and Isobel Campbell. While their first two albums were each recorded in just a few days, Arab Strap took months, giving the personnel of Belle and Sebastian time to let their creativity wander.
The 25th anniversary edition of Arab Strap exchanges the green-tinted cover photo of keyboardist Chris Geddes for a blue version, along with a pale blue limited edition vinyl to match. It also comes with an exclusive art print of behind-the-scenes photos from the promotional video for the album, taken by band member Sarah Martin.
Pre-orders...
After the back-to-back success of 1996’s Tigermilk and If You’re Feeling Sinister, 1998’s The Boy with the Arab Strap saw Belle and Sebastian bandleader Stuart Murdoch share some songwriting credits with band members Stevie Jackson and Isobel Campbell. While their first two albums were each recorded in just a few days, Arab Strap took months, giving the personnel of Belle and Sebastian time to let their creativity wander.
The 25th anniversary edition of Arab Strap exchanges the green-tinted cover photo of keyboardist Chris Geddes for a blue version, along with a pale blue limited edition vinyl to match. It also comes with an exclusive art print of behind-the-scenes photos from the promotional video for the album, taken by band member Sarah Martin.
Pre-orders...
- 7/12/2023
- by Abby Jones
- Consequence - Music
Courtney Conlogue lives her life on the hunt, striving to compete for — and win — the World Title. A two-time runner-up in 2015 and 2016, she’s had a remarkable 2019 season, coming in first at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in April. The 27-year-old credits her success in part to discipline and balance, two attributes she learned as a student of Korean martial arts.
“I started competing in martial arts when I was five, and I’d perform in front of five judges, which is similar to surfing,” says Conlogue. “With my...
“I started competing in martial arts when I was five, and I’d perform in front of five judges, which is similar to surfing,” says Conlogue. “With my...
- 9/16/2019
- by Joseph Hudak
- Rollingstone.com
Carole King discussed the inspiration behind her new version of “One” and what it was like returning to the studio during an appearance on Today Tuesday.
“One” first appeared on King’s 1977 album, Simple Things, and last month she shared a new version of the song, which kept the original’s references to injustice while adding an optimistic final verse with the lyric, “At the end of the day, we’ll be able to say love won.”
On Today, King said her new version of “One” was inspired by the...
“One” first appeared on King’s 1977 album, Simple Things, and last month she shared a new version of the song, which kept the original’s references to injustice while adding an optimistic final verse with the lyric, “At the end of the day, we’ll be able to say love won.”
On Today, King said her new version of “One” was inspired by the...
- 11/6/2018
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
By her own admission, Carole King is consumed with writing these days more than music. After publishing her memoir A Natural Woman in 2012, the enduring singer, songwriter and pianist is at work on her first-ever novel. But earlier this month, she returned to a piano — and even her long-ago workplace — for her first new recording in seven years.
At the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Ultimate Women’s Power Luncheon in San Francisco in September, King appeared alongside Hillary Clinton to raise funds for congressional candidates. King played a short set...
At the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Ultimate Women’s Power Luncheon in San Francisco in September, King appeared alongside Hillary Clinton to raise funds for congressional candidates. King played a short set...
- 10/29/2018
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
To call Elvis Costello an artistic chameleon is almost too easy. He’s more akin to a Cheshire Cat, appearing and disappearing across the pop music spectrum at will, identifiable only by the sly grin that permeates his work. The breadth of his collaborations are limited only by his own imagination and good taste; over the last two decades he’s played with everyone from the Roots to the Brodsky Quartet, Allen Toussaint to Chet Baker, Marcus Mumford, Roy Orbison, Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach and — most famously — his crack backing band, the Imposters. So, it makes total sense that he...
- 12/18/2017
- by Jordan Runtagh
- PEOPLE.com
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez‘s love is in the details.
The couple’s Vanity Fair cover story for the December issue revealed more than the scoop on their first date and why Rodriguez says they’re “very much twins” — it also provided a glimpse into their personal lives.
What fun facts did we learn about J-Rod? Read on.
1. Rodriguez Has His Girl’s Back During Her Shows
The 48-year-old singer gives a small nod to her former athlete boyfriend at her All I Have residency in Las Vegas — but it could easily go unnoticed to an untrained eye. Lopez...
The couple’s Vanity Fair cover story for the December issue revealed more than the scoop on their first date and why Rodriguez says they’re “very much twins” — it also provided a glimpse into their personal lives.
What fun facts did we learn about J-Rod? Read on.
1. Rodriguez Has His Girl’s Back During Her Shows
The 48-year-old singer gives a small nod to her former athlete boyfriend at her All I Have residency in Las Vegas — but it could easily go unnoticed to an untrained eye. Lopez...
- 10/31/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
After announcing their inaugural music tour in collaboration with live events giant Digitour in June, twin lifestyle vloggers Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight have unveiled the supporting acts set to open for them on the 16-stop outing. Kicking off tonight in Houston, the show will feature the 17-year-old twins performing new music, including hit singles Dance Like Me and Simple Things.
In Texas this weekend, the sisters have tapped Musical.ly star Grant Knoche to open their San Antonio and Dallas shows. Knoche is a 15-year-old Kidz Bop singer and Nickelodeon actor who has amassed roughly 550,000 followers on Musical.ly. In Chicago on Oct. 12, the girls will be joined by YouTube cover artist Maddi Jane, while pop singer Whitney Woerz will ready crowds during stops in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey later this month.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
In Texas this weekend, the sisters have tapped Musical.ly star Grant Knoche to open their San Antonio and Dallas shows. Knoche is a 15-year-old Kidz Bop singer and Nickelodeon actor who has amassed roughly 550,000 followers on Musical.ly. In Chicago on Oct. 12, the girls will be joined by YouTube cover artist Maddi Jane, while pop singer Whitney Woerz will ready crowds during stops in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey later this month.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 10/5/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
David Foster is speaking out about his ex-wife Yolanda Hadid‘s battle with Lyme disease.
The Grammy-winning music producer opened up about Hadid’s struggle with the tick-borne illness to Entertainment Tonight at the Grammy Museum’s third annual gala at The Novo in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, where he received the Architects of Sound Award for his contribution to the music industry.
“We just always did our best,” Foster, 67, said. “We had some other issues as well, but everybody’s in a good place now. The main thing is that she’s healthy and in remission. She worked...
The Grammy-winning music producer opened up about Hadid’s struggle with the tick-borne illness to Entertainment Tonight at the Grammy Museum’s third annual gala at The Novo in Los Angeles, California on Tuesday, where he received the Architects of Sound Award for his contribution to the music industry.
“We just always did our best,” Foster, 67, said. “We had some other issues as well, but everybody’s in a good place now. The main thing is that she’s healthy and in remission. She worked...
- 9/21/2017
- by Dave Quinn
- PEOPLE.com
After an excruciating five-year battle with Lyme disease, Yolanda Hadid is finally in what “feels like recovery.” While she’s regained her life, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is more dedicated than ever to helping others by sharing her story.
“There was a lot of internal learning to do about myself,” she tells People of her struggle with the tick-borne illness. “I’m such a fighter that I used to keep getting up and doing my thing. I had to surrender to what was going on in that moment, which was I needed rest.”
In 2012, Hadid, 53, was first diagnosed with severe,...
“There was a lot of internal learning to do about myself,” she tells People of her struggle with the tick-borne illness. “I’m such a fighter that I used to keep getting up and doing my thing. I had to surrender to what was going on in that moment, which was I needed rest.”
In 2012, Hadid, 53, was first diagnosed with severe,...
- 9/16/2017
- by Emily Strohm
- PEOPLE.com
Yolanda Hadid‘s children may be superstars at New York Fashion Week, but they’re never too busy to back their mama.
Gigi, Bella and Anwar got their copies of their mom’s new memoir, Believe Me: My Battle with the Invisibility of Lyme Disease, at the the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star’s book signing in New York City. Gigi, 22, even told her Twitter followers about her “cute mom” holding the event.
The fashionable family posed for photos with the book in hand. Yolanda matched her oldest daughter, donning a black top with grey skirt, while...
Gigi, Bella and Anwar got their copies of their mom’s new memoir, Believe Me: My Battle with the Invisibility of Lyme Disease, at the the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star’s book signing in New York City. Gigi, 22, even told her Twitter followers about her “cute mom” holding the event.
The fashionable family posed for photos with the book in hand. Yolanda matched her oldest daughter, donning a black top with grey skirt, while...
- 9/14/2017
- by Stephanie Petit
- PEOPLE.com
Yolanda Hadid has spent the last five years of her life fighting Lyme disease and tirelessly searching for a cure, but in her new memoir Believe Me: My Battle with the Invisibility of Lyme Disease, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star opens up about how her illness once drove her to contemplate suicide.
In 2012, Hadid, 53, was diagnosed with severe, chronic neurological Lyme disease after a Belgium doctor discovered an active infection in her brain. Despite antibiotics, her condition drastically got worse and symptoms like joint pain, exhaustion, insomnia and anxiety plagued her daily life. Simple things like...
In 2012, Hadid, 53, was diagnosed with severe, chronic neurological Lyme disease after a Belgium doctor discovered an active infection in her brain. Despite antibiotics, her condition drastically got worse and symptoms like joint pain, exhaustion, insomnia and anxiety plagued her daily life. Simple things like...
- 8/23/2017
- by Emily Strohm
- PEOPLE.com
A Florida middle school will not be moving forward with an initial offer to let kids skip to the front of the lunch line — for a fee.
Parents of students at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland received a Parent-Teacher-Student Association sponsorship form sent out to raise money for the school, with one line item promising “last name or company logo feature on the website, as well as Ptsa events And front of the lunch line pass” with a $100 donation, ABC Action News reports.
Among those who spoke out against the offer? Dad Chris Stephenson, who told ABC Action News...
Parents of students at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland received a Parent-Teacher-Student Association sponsorship form sent out to raise money for the school, with one line item promising “last name or company logo feature on the website, as well as Ptsa events And front of the lunch line pass” with a $100 donation, ABC Action News reports.
Among those who spoke out against the offer? Dad Chris Stephenson, who told ABC Action News...
- 8/13/2017
- by Jen Juneau
- PEOPLE.com
Exclusive: Aaron Carter Says He and Brother Nick Might Never Reconcile: 'There's Too Much Animosity'
Following Aaron Carter's arrested in Habersham County, Georgia, on Saturday night, the long-standing rift between him and his older brother, Nick Carter, was ripped open even wider.
The 29-year-old singer sat down with Et's Jennifer Peros on Tuesday, opening up about his high-profile arrest and strained relationship with his brother, which he said is basically non-existent now.
"Nick made no efforts to call me, and he knows how to reach me," Aaron shared.
Hours after the arrest, Nick took to Twitter to offer support for his younger brother. The gesture was unappreciated by Aaron, who shared a statement through his rep after being released on bail, saying, "If my own blood (Nick) truly cared about my well-being, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?"
According to Aaron...
The 29-year-old singer sat down with Et's Jennifer Peros on Tuesday, opening up about his high-profile arrest and strained relationship with his brother, which he said is basically non-existent now.
"Nick made no efforts to call me, and he knows how to reach me," Aaron shared.
Hours after the arrest, Nick took to Twitter to offer support for his younger brother. The gesture was unappreciated by Aaron, who shared a statement through his rep after being released on bail, saying, "If my own blood (Nick) truly cared about my well-being, why wouldn’t he call me directly and have a conversation instead of making this about him through a very public forum?"
According to Aaron...
- 7/19/2017
- Entertainment Tonight
Identical twin vlogging duo Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight, who count 4 million subscribers on their YouTube channel and 2 million followers on Musical.ly, announced their foray into music in March with debut single Dance Like Me -- an upbeat pop track that debuted at #24 on the iTunes singles charts and clocked roughly 1 million music video views in 24 hours.
Now, Brooklyn and Bailey are showing off a softer side with follow-up single Simple Things -- a ballad about young love. The track debuted at #25 on the iTunes pop charts. The video, which is on the YouTube 'Trending' page and currently counts 620,000 views, follows four young friends -- two girls and two boys -- who appear to mature into young couples. It stars the duo’s real-life boyfriends.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Now, Brooklyn and Bailey are showing off a softer side with follow-up single Simple Things -- a ballad about young love. The track debuted at #25 on the iTunes pop charts. The video, which is on the YouTube 'Trending' page and currently counts 620,000 views, follows four young friends -- two girls and two boys -- who appear to mature into young couples. It stars the duo’s real-life boyfriends.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 5/25/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Comic readers who are fans of Blood & Gourd can now download the first two issues of the series on ComiXology. Also in today's Highlights: a Q&A with Havenhurst director Andrew C. Erin, a clip and a trailer for Blind Sun, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume 38 DVD release details, Arbor Demon acquisition info, and the trailer for Plaga Zombie: American Invasion.
Blood & Gourd Comixology Digital Download Details: The first two issues of Blood & Gourd are now available as digital downloads on ComiXology! If you prefer to collect your comics in physical form, you can limited print copies at bloodandgourd.com.
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Q&A with Havenhurst Director Andrew C. Erin: From the Press Release: "Brainstorm Media and Twisted Pictures have announced the February 10th limited theatrical and nationwide Cable VOD and Digital HD release of Andrew C. Erin's Havenhurst. Co-written by Erin (Sam's Lake, Simple Things) and Daniel Farrands (Amityville: The Awakening,...
Blood & Gourd Comixology Digital Download Details: The first two issues of Blood & Gourd are now available as digital downloads on ComiXology! If you prefer to collect your comics in physical form, you can limited print copies at bloodandgourd.com.
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Q&A with Havenhurst Director Andrew C. Erin: From the Press Release: "Brainstorm Media and Twisted Pictures have announced the February 10th limited theatrical and nationwide Cable VOD and Digital HD release of Andrew C. Erin's Havenhurst. Co-written by Erin (Sam's Lake, Simple Things) and Daniel Farrands (Amityville: The Awakening,...
- 2/10/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
A dancing slider teaser for Nacho Vigalondo’s Colossal and its city-wrecking monster has been revealed ahead of the film’s April 7th release. Also: preview pages from Spectral: Ghosts of War, Erika Ervin (Ahs: Freak Show) joins the Dead Squad cast, a Wizard World website update, Havenhurst release details, and a Scared to Death trailer.
Watch the New Slider Teaser for Colossal: “An unapologetic party girl dreams of a fresh start only to discover a mysterious and fantastical connection between herself and a city-wrecking monster on the other side of the globe.”
Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, Colossal stars Anne Hathaway, Dan Stevens, Jason Sudeikis, Tim Blake Nelson, and Austin Stowell. Following its time on the big screen at Sundance, Colossal will be released in theaters on April 7th by Neon.
If interested in reading a review of Colossal from our very own Heather Wixson, visit:
http://dailydead.
Watch the New Slider Teaser for Colossal: “An unapologetic party girl dreams of a fresh start only to discover a mysterious and fantastical connection between herself and a city-wrecking monster on the other side of the globe.”
Written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo, Colossal stars Anne Hathaway, Dan Stevens, Jason Sudeikis, Tim Blake Nelson, and Austin Stowell. Following its time on the big screen at Sundance, Colossal will be released in theaters on April 7th by Neon.
If interested in reading a review of Colossal from our very own Heather Wixson, visit:
http://dailydead.
- 2/2/2017
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
A whole slew of birthdays were celebrated on This Is Us Season 1 Episode 13, and with them came Jack's realization that his beloved children wouldn't always be soothed by daddy's magical words.
Children grow up, taking with them all of the lessons they've learned along the way. The best parents can hope is the wisdom they've imparted, the love they've shared and the battles they've fought on behalf of their kids gave them everything they needed to be happy and successful.
If one parent dies before the job is done, well, that can throw a wrench into even the best laid plans.
I can't imagine raising three kids, let alone three of the same age. Trying to do right by all of them would be a nightmare.
What you have to love about Jack is his unfailing desire to be all things to all kids at all times. When he couldn't...
Children grow up, taking with them all of the lessons they've learned along the way. The best parents can hope is the wisdom they've imparted, the love they've shared and the battles they've fought on behalf of their kids gave them everything they needed to be happy and successful.
If one parent dies before the job is done, well, that can throw a wrench into even the best laid plans.
I can't imagine raising three kids, let alone three of the same age. Trying to do right by all of them would be a nightmare.
What you have to love about Jack is his unfailing desire to be all things to all kids at all times. When he couldn't...
- 1/25/2017
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
Brainstorm Media and Twisted Pictures have announced the February 10th limited theatrical and nationwide cable VOD and digital HD release of Andrew C. Erin’s Havenhurst.
Co-written by Erin (Sam’s Lake, Simple Things) and Daniel Farrands (Amityville: The Awakening, Haunting in Connecticut), Havenhurst stars genre vet (Julie Benz; Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as a woman battling her own demons while trying to uncover what happened to her apartment’s previous tenant (Danielle Harris; Halloween 4, Hatchet). Benz and Harris are joined onscreen by Fionnula Flannagan, Belle Shouse, Josh Stamberg, Toby Huss, Jennifer Blanc, Matt Lasky and Douglas Tait.
Havenhurst will debut in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Music Hall. The film will also begin weeklong theatrical runs in San Francisco, Denver, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City and Phoenix. Havenhurst will be available on Cable VOD and Digital HD platforms, including Charter Spectrum, Comcast, DirecTV Cinema, Dish, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video,...
Co-written by Erin (Sam’s Lake, Simple Things) and Daniel Farrands (Amityville: The Awakening, Haunting in Connecticut), Havenhurst stars genre vet (Julie Benz; Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as a woman battling her own demons while trying to uncover what happened to her apartment’s previous tenant (Danielle Harris; Halloween 4, Hatchet). Benz and Harris are joined onscreen by Fionnula Flannagan, Belle Shouse, Josh Stamberg, Toby Huss, Jennifer Blanc, Matt Lasky and Douglas Tait.
Havenhurst will debut in Los Angeles at the Laemmle Music Hall. The film will also begin weeklong theatrical runs in San Francisco, Denver, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Kansas City and Phoenix. Havenhurst will be available on Cable VOD and Digital HD platforms, including Charter Spectrum, Comcast, DirecTV Cinema, Dish, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video,...
- 1/19/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
What if the creatures in a game like Pokémon Go came to life and tried to kill those who caught them? This creepy concept is explored in Brendan Jackson Rogers' upcoming film Gotta Kill ’Em All, and we have a look at stills from the new horror film and DVD release details for Rogers' recent movie, Bubba the Redneck Werewolf. In today's Horror Highlights, we also have details on Lionsgate Home Entertainment's Frankenstein: The Real Story / The Real Wolfman double feature DVD and a trailer and release info for Havenhurst.
Gotta Kill ’Em All Stills and Bubba The Redneck Werewolf DVD: Press Release: "The wait is over! Bubba The Redneck Werewolf is available today on DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD! Click here for our official announcement of the release.
Bubba has had an amazing festival run! The film was an official selection at the Silver Scream and Comic Fest in Santa Rosa,...
Gotta Kill ’Em All Stills and Bubba The Redneck Werewolf DVD: Press Release: "The wait is over! Bubba The Redneck Werewolf is available today on DVD/Blu-Ray/VOD! Click here for our official announcement of the release.
Bubba has had an amazing festival run! The film was an official selection at the Silver Scream and Comic Fest in Santa Rosa,...
- 1/18/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
MoreHorror.com
The upcoming horror film Havenhurst opens on February 10 in Los Angeles, select cities and VOD.
The film is written and directed by Andrew C. Erin (Sam's Lake, Simple Things) and stars Julie Benz (Hawaii Five-0, Defiance, Dexter), Fionnula Flannagan (Little Secret, Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, Defiance, Lost), Belle Shouse (Secrets and Lies, Summer's Shadow, A Million Ways To Die In The West), Josh Stamberg (The Affair, Parenthood), Toby Huss (Big Bear, Girlfriend's Day, Halt and Catch Fire), Matt Lasky (The Purge: Anarchy), Danielle Harris (See No Evil 2) and Douglas Tait (Jack The Reaper, The Quest).
About Havenhurst
Welcome to Havenhurst, a gothic apartment complex in the heart of New York City’s historic Tudor City district. A beautifully maintained, turn-of-the-century building that houses over 3,000 residents… and countless dark secrets. The rent is what you can afford and the rules are simple: live a good and...
The upcoming horror film Havenhurst opens on February 10 in Los Angeles, select cities and VOD.
The film is written and directed by Andrew C. Erin (Sam's Lake, Simple Things) and stars Julie Benz (Hawaii Five-0, Defiance, Dexter), Fionnula Flannagan (Little Secret, Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street, Defiance, Lost), Belle Shouse (Secrets and Lies, Summer's Shadow, A Million Ways To Die In The West), Josh Stamberg (The Affair, Parenthood), Toby Huss (Big Bear, Girlfriend's Day, Halt and Catch Fire), Matt Lasky (The Purge: Anarchy), Danielle Harris (See No Evil 2) and Douglas Tait (Jack The Reaper, The Quest).
About Havenhurst
Welcome to Havenhurst, a gothic apartment complex in the heart of New York City’s historic Tudor City district. A beautifully maintained, turn-of-the-century building that houses over 3,000 residents… and countless dark secrets. The rent is what you can afford and the rules are simple: live a good and...
- 1/12/2017
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Michelle Obama recently revealed some big news regarding next week’s state dinner for Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and his wife, Agnese Landini, which is expected to be the final of President Obama’s term.
In addition to a performance by Gwen Stefani, the First Lady announced that Mario Batali will be the guest chef for the event. Batali, who is an expert on Italian cuisine, tweeted his joyful reaction: “Wheeeeeee! I can’t wait !!!!”
Although The Chew host has to keep the ingredients and menu top secret until the big day, he told The Washington Post he’s...
In addition to a performance by Gwen Stefani, the First Lady announced that Mario Batali will be the guest chef for the event. Batali, who is an expert on Italian cuisine, tweeted his joyful reaction: “Wheeeeeee! I can’t wait !!!!”
Although The Chew host has to keep the ingredients and menu top secret until the big day, he told The Washington Post he’s...
- 10/14/2016
- by Jessica Fecteau
- PEOPLE.com
If the films of 2015 have a common denominator it’s the fearlessness with which filmmakers approached the medium and took it in new directions proving that innovation is still possible and that not everything, both in content and form, has been explored. From a comedy shot entirely on an iPhone starring transgender actresses, to a film in sign language designed to be screened without subtitles, to a stop-motion animated feature that emanates more humanity than most live-action efforts, to a new immersive vision of the Holocaust from an emerging auteur, or a Brazilian hand-drawn musical odyssey about the dangers of the modern world, all granted us experiences unlike anything we've previously seen.
It’s hard to tell how many films I watched this year but I’m sure they were many. From that vast pool of cinematic works the 30 films below are the ones that stood out the most and remained ingrained in my memory as rewarding, delightful, moving, and even harrowing accomplishments. There were also films that simply didn't connect as strongly with me as they did with other journalists and audiences, thus they don't appear here. This is after all, like all of them, a very personal and subjective list of the films I loved.
Even with such an extensive list there are still other great films that deserve to be mentioned such as "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," "Christmas, Again," "Mistress America," "Entertainment," "Felix and Meira," "Victoria," "Mustang," "The Wolfpack," "Xenia," Estonia's Oscar-nominated "Tangerines," "Buzzard," "The Salt of the Earth," "Guidance," "Cheatin'," "Black Souls,""The Mend," "Shaun The Sheep Movie," or "'71." One can only hope audiences will discover them and be compelled by their singular perspectives.
What were your favorite films of 2015?
Special Mention: "World of Tomorrow"
Don Hertzfeldt's thought-provoking and visionary Sundance-winning short "World of Tomorrow" is easily the best short film of the year, animated or otherwise. This 17-minute science fiction journey is a mind-bending study on the essence of humanity and how technology’s ferocious advances to know and control it all endanger our ability to notice what’s truly meaningful.
Read More: 'The 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows' is One of the Most Profound Cinematic Experiences of 2015
30. "It Follows"
The best horror film of the year proves that an intriguing premise embedded into an intelligently written screenplay can bring a refreshing point of view absent in most studio productions. Director David Robert Mitchell takes classic genre conventions and twists them into a terrifying tale with morally ambiguous undertones.
29. "The Gift"
Wearing multiple hats Joel Edgerton demonstrated his storytelling and acting talents in an unpredictable psychological thriller that’s as unassuming as it’s disconcerting. An old friend reappears in a married man’s life apparently seeking to rekindle their past bond, but soon enough his good intentions will unveil much more sinister motives that makes us question who the real villain is. A stunning and perversely brilliant film that thrives on its misguiding simplicity.
28. "Heaven Knows What"
An accomplishment both in technique and emotional power, “Heaven Knows What” is an eye-opening experience brimming with unflinching truth. From the streets to the screen, the unbelievable story of Arielle Holmes is a fascinating example of the rare occurrence when cinema and reality blend almost seamlessly.
Read More: 'Heaven Knows What' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Are Addicted to the Truth
27. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Spearheaded by producer Salma Hayek, director Roger Allers and 8 of the world's most talented independent animators took Gibran's timeless poems and assembled a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
26. "James White"
This emotionally devastating character study put Josh Mond in the director’s chair for the first time and allowed Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon to delve into career-defining roles as a mother and a son struggling to accept each other’s shortcomings in the face of impending tragedy. Mond’s debut is an unforgettable portrait of unconditional love
25. "The Big Short"
The financial crisis and the white-collar criminals behind it are examined in an outrageously humorous and dynamically constructed adaptation of Michael Lewis's book. Director Adam McKay crafted his own visual language to paint a picture of capitalism in America that’s as brutally honest as it’s infuriating. His entire cast, in particular Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell, play along in this satirical exposé.
24. "The Second Mother"
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
23. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter"
Losing grip on reality Kumiko, a solitary Japanese woman, leaves her monotonous and life and her adorable bunny Bunzo behind to search for the money Steve Buscemi’s character hides in the Cohen Brothers’ film “Fargo.” Knowing very little English and with no American contacts, she ventures in the Minnesotan wilderness. Armed with Rinko Kikuchi ’s outstanding performance, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner managed to create an endearing and poignant adventure at the intersection between fiction and reality.
22. "When Marnie Was There"
Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty. More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal- even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
21. "The Hateful Eight"
Sharp dialogue and the search for violent retribution are Tarantino staples, and in his latest Western the revered director channels these through a group of deceitful characters confined to a single location. Race relations are examined via the peculiar interactions of the murderous bunch - each with their ulterior motives and frightening reputation. With a magnificent score by Ennio Morricone, impeccable cinematography by Robert Richardson, and tonally perfect performances by the ensemble cast, in which Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell are the highlights, “The Hateful Eight” is a highly entertaining addition to Tarantino's selective filmography.
20. "What We Do in the Shadows"
This masterful mockumentary capitalizes on the general public’s obsession with reality shows and the allure of vampirism and its promise of eternal life. Four ancient bloodsuckers share a house in Wellington, New Zealand and decide to let a crew film their day-to-day routines as vampires living in the modern world. What ensues are a series of intelligently written occurrences that transform every known convention about these creatures of the night into hysterical gags.
19. "The Revenant"
To say Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest is breathtaking would be an understatement. Emmanuel Lubezkii’s work is absolutely astonishing. No other film this year captured this much beauty in every single frame. The Mexican-born Oscar-winning director has reached a new level of artistry here. Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the best performances of his career, plays Hugh Glass, a man who escapes death to take revenge on the man who killed his son.
18. "Inside Out"
Pixar ventured into the difficult task of decoding the complexity of the human psyche in one of their best features to date. Emotions take on humanoid form in the brain of a young girl adjusting to life in anew city. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must work together to shape her blossoming personality. “Inside Out” also gifted us Bing Bong, who will go down as one of the most memorable animated characters to ever grace the screen.
17. "Ex Machina"
Artificial intelligence crosses the boundaries of mere functionality to become self-aware and to replicate the behaviors of mortals in Alex Garland “Ex Machina.” The provocative screenplay evolves into a fascinating and often unsettling dissection of what it means to be a human being and the seemingly godlike power that comes from creating technology that resembles such qualities. Alicia Vikander is riveting as Ava - a mysterious female A.I.
16. "The Diary of a Teenager Girl"
Bel Powley is this year’s acting revelation and Marielle Heller the woman behind this charming, uncompromising, and original coming of age film, is one of most exciting new directors to emerge in recent memory. Burgeoning female sexuality is treated without moral judgment or shame, and it’s instead embraced in an empowering manner that overflows with truthfulness and charisma. Both Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård are outstanding in substantial supporting roles.
15. "Taxi"
Despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi continues to bravely expose the political and social problems of his home country with films shot in secrecy. “Taxi” takes the director through the streets of Tehran as he picks up an array of passengers with distinct concerns, beliefs, and opinions on the Islamic nation’s current situation: a young girl trying to make a “distributable” film, a guy who considers selling pirated films a cultural campaign, or a pair of elderly women whose fate depends on the survival of a couple fish. Though scripted, each encounter exudes honesty.
14. "The Duke of Burgundy"
Intoxicatingly atmospheric and full of evocative imagery, Peter Strickland’s follow up to his similarly unusual debut “Berberian Sound Studio” looks at the psychology of sexual desires with a seductive gaze. The line dividing power and submission is blurred and interchangeable between two lovers whose turbulent relationship is juxtaposed with the nature of butterflies. Eroticism derived from degradation and punishment is elegantly approached that suggest more than it explicitly shows.
13. "Phoenix"
The final sequence in this new collaboration between writer/director Christian Petzold and actress Nina Hoss is one of the best conclusions ever written. It’s subtle, yet strikingly revelatory. Departing from a Hitchcockian mistaken identity plot from the point of view of a concentration camp survivor, Petzold delves into Germany’s post war sentiments of guilt and the beginning of the long road to rebuild a superficially and morally shattered nation. “Phoenix” is also a love story coated in betrayal and the harsh realization that, when tested, even the strongest bond can be destroyed. Hoss gives an awards-deserving, restrained and perfectly nuanced performance.
Read More: Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' is a Deeply Moving Film About Survivors Rebuilding Their Lives
12. "Timbuktu"
Today, perhaps more than ever, a film like Abderrahmane Sissako’s spellbinding “Timbuktu” is imperative. Capturing some of the most beautiful African landscapes ever seen on film and delicately arranging his stories to create a tapestry of human experiences, Sissako’s latest doesn’t abide by any political or religious dogma. Instead, his vision preaches openness and denounces the terrifying absurdity of the world according to extremist.
Read More: Promoting Tolerance: Abderrahmane Sissako on 'Timbuktu' and a Different Kind of Islam
11. "The Voices"
Playing Jerry, the most charming serial killer you’ll ever meet, Ryan Reynolds gives the best performance of his career in Marjane Satrapi’s wonderfully insane horror comedy. Adding to his already outstanding work as the lovable, if unstable young man, Reynolds also voices both of his character's opinionated pets. Stay tuned after the film for one of the most ridiculous credit sequences ever.
Read More: Too Insane To Ignore: Marjane Satrapi On Her Fascinating Sundance Horror-Comedy 'The Voices'
10. "Güeros"
Using one of the most cosmopolitan and complex cities in the world as his canvas, Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios delivered an audaciously original story that delves into many unique aspects of Mexican society wrapped up into a road trip adventure that helps two estrange brothers reconnect.
It’s a revitalizing work, and one of the best Mexican films of the last decade.
Read More: In 'Güeros' Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios Rediscovered Mexico City Via a Unique Road Trip
9. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Read More: How Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Used Determinación to Go From a Small Town to Nyu to Sundance
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Sundance champion is a tonally nuanced and visually inventive work that ingeniously beguiles you to fall in love with every instant of its strangely imaginative magic. This tragicomedy invokes tropes from a familiar realm and deconstructs or tailors them to the uniquely poignant circumstances of it's characters. It's nothing short of a cinephile's dream come true.
Read More: This is the Review That Tells You Why 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is a Cinephile's Dream Come True
8. "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"
Constructed of gorgeously understated vignettes, which guide us through the grandeur of life by methodically focusing on the smallest but most resonant instants of it, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" by Swedish writer/director Roy Andersson won the Golden Lion at last’s year’s Venice Film Festival. Delving into a wide range of quotidian dilemmas via darkly comedic exploits, this episodic tour de force is as insightful as it’s blissfully entertaining and distinctively stylized.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
7. "Tangerine"
Sean Baker's riotous and perfectly acted latest film shot on an iPhone “Tangerine” centers on Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), two transgender sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard who struggle to get by while dealing with heartbreak, revenge, and their dreams.
Baker captured an unseen side of Los Angeles through the eyes of two equally underrepresented characters who get a chance to showcase their comedic brilliance.
Read More: How Sean Baker Used Beautiful Accidents and New Talent to Deliver one of the Best Films of the Year
6. "The Look of Silence"
For “The Look of Silence,” the indispensable companion piece to "The Act of Killing," director Joshua Oppenheimer focused on the survivors, specifically on a brave family that persevered through the immeasurable pain that quietly permeates Indonesian society even half a century after the genocide. The subjects here are often quiet and contemplative, but their anguish transcends even when words fail to describe their tumultuous sentiments.
Read More: 12 Things Joshua Oppenheimer Wants You to Know About 'The Look of Silence'
5. "Anomalisa"
In "Anomalisa," a delicately melancholic observation on loneliness and the flawed human condition, acclaimed writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson use stop-motion animation to tell a story of small proportions and big ideas. These existential observations include our fears, failures, insecurities and our desperate need to be loved by someone who can look pass our conspicuous scars.
Read More: Human at the Seams: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Make Yearning Tangible in 'Anomalisa'
4. "The Tribe"
“The Tribe,” by Ukrainian debutant Miroslav Slaboshpitsky, is a film that communicates with its audience in a non-verbal manner. There are no subtitles or any other way to know exactly what the characters on screen are saying, but that’s never an issue for it to powerfully make its message heard. It’s the purest form of cinema because it can be shown anywhere in the world without modification, and the devastating result would be the same.
Read More: Interviewing Yana Novikova, Star of 'The Tribe,' Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
3. "Boy and the World"
Alê Abreu’s “Boy and the World” is unequivocally the best animated film of the year. Drawn with the finest ends of an artist's heartstrings and painted with the colorful essence of undefeatable hope, Abreu’s utterly lyrical, visually captivating, musically driven, and extraordinarily sophisticated treasure is the animated equivalent of a childhood dream that thrives on sweet innocence and the pure ability to see the world truthfully for its dazzling beauty and its man-made dangers. As it continues to spellbind the globe with its unconventional artistry and thought-provoking observations, an Oscar nomination would be a more than deserved crown jewel.
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
2. "Carol"
Exquisitely photographed and fueled by the two best performances of the year, Todd Haynes “Carol” depicts an ethereal and ravishing romance that’s sure to take your breath away. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women from opposite worlds that meet serendipitously and fall madly in love for each other in a time yet unwilling to accept them. Carol (Blanchett) is a wealthy mother and wife whose desires are used against her threatening to stripped her of what she loves the most. On the other hand Therese (Mara) is a working class girl discovering herself and who finds the strength to follow her true instincts in Carol. Heartbreak has rarely been portrayed with such a delicate touch, thoughtfulness, and sincerity. Beneath the glossy Christmas-tinted frames is a story as universal as it is particular in which a single pleading look disarms you. Few films will make you feel such tangible and pure yearning to connect with another soul as Haynes masterwork does.
1. "Son of Saul"
First-time director László Nemes decided to look at the terrifying apparatus behind the Holocaust from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of men whose experience was exponentially more harrowing than that of the average victim. Nemes focuses on a particular man, Saul (Géza Röhrig), a fictional character created from the limited information available on this special group and the filmmaker’s artistic sensibilities.“Son of Saul” is not only the best film of the year, but also the most ambitious debut in ages. Both conceptually and visually, the dynamic, yet organically contemplative vision of one man’s ordeal as he walks through the gates the hell is the work of a master auteur.
Read More: 12 Things Director László Nemes and Star Géza Röhrig Want You to Know About 'Son of Saul'...
It’s hard to tell how many films I watched this year but I’m sure they were many. From that vast pool of cinematic works the 30 films below are the ones that stood out the most and remained ingrained in my memory as rewarding, delightful, moving, and even harrowing accomplishments. There were also films that simply didn't connect as strongly with me as they did with other journalists and audiences, thus they don't appear here. This is after all, like all of them, a very personal and subjective list of the films I loved.
Even with such an extensive list there are still other great films that deserve to be mentioned such as "The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet," "Christmas, Again," "Mistress America," "Entertainment," "Felix and Meira," "Victoria," "Mustang," "The Wolfpack," "Xenia," Estonia's Oscar-nominated "Tangerines," "Buzzard," "The Salt of the Earth," "Guidance," "Cheatin'," "Black Souls,""The Mend," "Shaun The Sheep Movie," or "'71." One can only hope audiences will discover them and be compelled by their singular perspectives.
What were your favorite films of 2015?
Special Mention: "World of Tomorrow"
Don Hertzfeldt's thought-provoking and visionary Sundance-winning short "World of Tomorrow" is easily the best short film of the year, animated or otherwise. This 17-minute science fiction journey is a mind-bending study on the essence of humanity and how technology’s ferocious advances to know and control it all endanger our ability to notice what’s truly meaningful.
Read More: 'The 17th Annual Animation Show of Shows' is One of the Most Profound Cinematic Experiences of 2015
30. "It Follows"
The best horror film of the year proves that an intriguing premise embedded into an intelligently written screenplay can bring a refreshing point of view absent in most studio productions. Director David Robert Mitchell takes classic genre conventions and twists them into a terrifying tale with morally ambiguous undertones.
29. "The Gift"
Wearing multiple hats Joel Edgerton demonstrated his storytelling and acting talents in an unpredictable psychological thriller that’s as unassuming as it’s disconcerting. An old friend reappears in a married man’s life apparently seeking to rekindle their past bond, but soon enough his good intentions will unveil much more sinister motives that makes us question who the real villain is. A stunning and perversely brilliant film that thrives on its misguiding simplicity.
28. "Heaven Knows What"
An accomplishment both in technique and emotional power, “Heaven Knows What” is an eye-opening experience brimming with unflinching truth. From the streets to the screen, the unbelievable story of Arielle Holmes is a fascinating example of the rare occurrence when cinema and reality blend almost seamlessly.
Read More: 'Heaven Knows What' Directors Josh and Benny Safdie Are Addicted to the Truth
27. "Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Spearheaded by producer Salma Hayek, director Roger Allers and 8 of the world's most talented independent animators took Gibran's timeless poems and assembled a cinematic out-of-body experience that deconstructs our existential yearnings and translates them into mesmerizing animated wisdom.
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
26. "James White"
This emotionally devastating character study put Josh Mond in the director’s chair for the first time and allowed Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon to delve into career-defining roles as a mother and a son struggling to accept each other’s shortcomings in the face of impending tragedy. Mond’s debut is an unforgettable portrait of unconditional love
25. "The Big Short"
The financial crisis and the white-collar criminals behind it are examined in an outrageously humorous and dynamically constructed adaptation of Michael Lewis's book. Director Adam McKay crafted his own visual language to paint a picture of capitalism in America that’s as brutally honest as it’s infuriating. His entire cast, in particular Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell, play along in this satirical exposé.
24. "The Second Mother"
Anna Muylaert’s crowd-pleasing, yet thematically complex gem delves into the intricacies of class in Brazilian society through the eyes of an endearing live-in maid. Regina Casé, in an Oscar-worthy performance, becomes Val, a diligent and humble housekeeper that has worked with the same wealthy family in Sao Paulo for many years and who only questions her role within this environment when her strange daughter comes to visit.
Read More: Anna Muylaert on Why the Protagonist of 'The Second Mother' is a Super Hero
23. "Kumiko The Treasure Hunter"
Losing grip on reality Kumiko, a solitary Japanese woman, leaves her monotonous and life and her adorable bunny Bunzo behind to search for the money Steve Buscemi’s character hides in the Cohen Brothers’ film “Fargo.” Knowing very little English and with no American contacts, she ventures in the Minnesotan wilderness. Armed with Rinko Kikuchi ’s outstanding performance, David Zellner and Nathan Zellner managed to create an endearing and poignant adventure at the intersection between fiction and reality.
22. "When Marnie Was There"
Notably current while still unequivocally timeless, Studio Ghibli’s latest film was confected with equal doses of heart-rending drama and life-affirming beauty. More than just a visually delightful tearjerker, "When Marnie Was There" is an animated lullaby that reassures our broken hearts will eventually heal- even from the most indomitable tricks of fate.
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
21. "The Hateful Eight"
Sharp dialogue and the search for violent retribution are Tarantino staples, and in his latest Western the revered director channels these through a group of deceitful characters confined to a single location. Race relations are examined via the peculiar interactions of the murderous bunch - each with their ulterior motives and frightening reputation. With a magnificent score by Ennio Morricone, impeccable cinematography by Robert Richardson, and tonally perfect performances by the ensemble cast, in which Jennifer Jason Leigh and Kurt Russell are the highlights, “The Hateful Eight” is a highly entertaining addition to Tarantino's selective filmography.
20. "What We Do in the Shadows"
This masterful mockumentary capitalizes on the general public’s obsession with reality shows and the allure of vampirism and its promise of eternal life. Four ancient bloodsuckers share a house in Wellington, New Zealand and decide to let a crew film their day-to-day routines as vampires living in the modern world. What ensues are a series of intelligently written occurrences that transform every known convention about these creatures of the night into hysterical gags.
19. "The Revenant"
To say Alejandro González Iñárritu’s latest is breathtaking would be an understatement. Emmanuel Lubezkii’s work is absolutely astonishing. No other film this year captured this much beauty in every single frame. The Mexican-born Oscar-winning director has reached a new level of artistry here. Leonardo DiCaprio, in one of the best performances of his career, plays Hugh Glass, a man who escapes death to take revenge on the man who killed his son.
18. "Inside Out"
Pixar ventured into the difficult task of decoding the complexity of the human psyche in one of their best features to date. Emotions take on humanoid form in the brain of a young girl adjusting to life in anew city. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust must work together to shape her blossoming personality. “Inside Out” also gifted us Bing Bong, who will go down as one of the most memorable animated characters to ever grace the screen.
17. "Ex Machina"
Artificial intelligence crosses the boundaries of mere functionality to become self-aware and to replicate the behaviors of mortals in Alex Garland “Ex Machina.” The provocative screenplay evolves into a fascinating and often unsettling dissection of what it means to be a human being and the seemingly godlike power that comes from creating technology that resembles such qualities. Alicia Vikander is riveting as Ava - a mysterious female A.I.
16. "The Diary of a Teenager Girl"
Bel Powley is this year’s acting revelation and Marielle Heller the woman behind this charming, uncompromising, and original coming of age film, is one of most exciting new directors to emerge in recent memory. Burgeoning female sexuality is treated without moral judgment or shame, and it’s instead embraced in an empowering manner that overflows with truthfulness and charisma. Both Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgård are outstanding in substantial supporting roles.
15. "Taxi"
Despite being banned from filmmaking by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi continues to bravely expose the political and social problems of his home country with films shot in secrecy. “Taxi” takes the director through the streets of Tehran as he picks up an array of passengers with distinct concerns, beliefs, and opinions on the Islamic nation’s current situation: a young girl trying to make a “distributable” film, a guy who considers selling pirated films a cultural campaign, or a pair of elderly women whose fate depends on the survival of a couple fish. Though scripted, each encounter exudes honesty.
14. "The Duke of Burgundy"
Intoxicatingly atmospheric and full of evocative imagery, Peter Strickland’s follow up to his similarly unusual debut “Berberian Sound Studio” looks at the psychology of sexual desires with a seductive gaze. The line dividing power and submission is blurred and interchangeable between two lovers whose turbulent relationship is juxtaposed with the nature of butterflies. Eroticism derived from degradation and punishment is elegantly approached that suggest more than it explicitly shows.
13. "Phoenix"
The final sequence in this new collaboration between writer/director Christian Petzold and actress Nina Hoss is one of the best conclusions ever written. It’s subtle, yet strikingly revelatory. Departing from a Hitchcockian mistaken identity plot from the point of view of a concentration camp survivor, Petzold delves into Germany’s post war sentiments of guilt and the beginning of the long road to rebuild a superficially and morally shattered nation. “Phoenix” is also a love story coated in betrayal and the harsh realization that, when tested, even the strongest bond can be destroyed. Hoss gives an awards-deserving, restrained and perfectly nuanced performance.
Read More: Christian Petzold's 'Phoenix' is a Deeply Moving Film About Survivors Rebuilding Their Lives
12. "Timbuktu"
Today, perhaps more than ever, a film like Abderrahmane Sissako’s spellbinding “Timbuktu” is imperative. Capturing some of the most beautiful African landscapes ever seen on film and delicately arranging his stories to create a tapestry of human experiences, Sissako’s latest doesn’t abide by any political or religious dogma. Instead, his vision preaches openness and denounces the terrifying absurdity of the world according to extremist.
Read More: Promoting Tolerance: Abderrahmane Sissako on 'Timbuktu' and a Different Kind of Islam
11. "The Voices"
Playing Jerry, the most charming serial killer you’ll ever meet, Ryan Reynolds gives the best performance of his career in Marjane Satrapi’s wonderfully insane horror comedy. Adding to his already outstanding work as the lovable, if unstable young man, Reynolds also voices both of his character's opinionated pets. Stay tuned after the film for one of the most ridiculous credit sequences ever.
Read More: Too Insane To Ignore: Marjane Satrapi On Her Fascinating Sundance Horror-Comedy 'The Voices'
10. "Güeros"
Using one of the most cosmopolitan and complex cities in the world as his canvas, Mexican filmmaker Alonso Ruizpalacios delivered an audaciously original story that delves into many unique aspects of Mexican society wrapped up into a road trip adventure that helps two estrange brothers reconnect.
It’s a revitalizing work, and one of the best Mexican films of the last decade.
Read More: In 'Güeros' Dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios Rediscovered Mexico City Via a Unique Road Trip
9. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"
Read More: How Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Used Determinación to Go From a Small Town to Nyu to Sundance
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon's Sundance champion is a tonally nuanced and visually inventive work that ingeniously beguiles you to fall in love with every instant of its strangely imaginative magic. This tragicomedy invokes tropes from a familiar realm and deconstructs or tailors them to the uniquely poignant circumstances of it's characters. It's nothing short of a cinephile's dream come true.
Read More: This is the Review That Tells You Why 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' is a Cinephile's Dream Come True
8. "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence"
Constructed of gorgeously understated vignettes, which guide us through the grandeur of life by methodically focusing on the smallest but most resonant instants of it, "A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence" by Swedish writer/director Roy Andersson won the Golden Lion at last’s year’s Venice Film Festival. Delving into a wide range of quotidian dilemmas via darkly comedic exploits, this episodic tour de force is as insightful as it’s blissfully entertaining and distinctively stylized.
Read More: 7 Reasons Why Roy Andersson's Latest Film is a Must-See Philosophical Wonder
7. "Tangerine"
Sean Baker's riotous and perfectly acted latest film shot on an iPhone “Tangerine” centers on Alexandra (Mya Taylor) and Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), two transgender sex workers on Santa Monica Boulevard who struggle to get by while dealing with heartbreak, revenge, and their dreams.
Baker captured an unseen side of Los Angeles through the eyes of two equally underrepresented characters who get a chance to showcase their comedic brilliance.
Read More: How Sean Baker Used Beautiful Accidents and New Talent to Deliver one of the Best Films of the Year
6. "The Look of Silence"
For “The Look of Silence,” the indispensable companion piece to "The Act of Killing," director Joshua Oppenheimer focused on the survivors, specifically on a brave family that persevered through the immeasurable pain that quietly permeates Indonesian society even half a century after the genocide. The subjects here are often quiet and contemplative, but their anguish transcends even when words fail to describe their tumultuous sentiments.
Read More: 12 Things Joshua Oppenheimer Wants You to Know About 'The Look of Silence'
5. "Anomalisa"
In "Anomalisa," a delicately melancholic observation on loneliness and the flawed human condition, acclaimed writer-director Charlie Kaufman and co-director Duke Johnson use stop-motion animation to tell a story of small proportions and big ideas. These existential observations include our fears, failures, insecurities and our desperate need to be loved by someone who can look pass our conspicuous scars.
Read More: Human at the Seams: Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Make Yearning Tangible in 'Anomalisa'
4. "The Tribe"
“The Tribe,” by Ukrainian debutant Miroslav Slaboshpitsky, is a film that communicates with its audience in a non-verbal manner. There are no subtitles or any other way to know exactly what the characters on screen are saying, but that’s never an issue for it to powerfully make its message heard. It’s the purest form of cinema because it can be shown anywhere in the world without modification, and the devastating result would be the same.
Read More: Interviewing Yana Novikova, Star of 'The Tribe,' Was a One-of-a-Kind Experience
3. "Boy and the World"
Alê Abreu’s “Boy and the World” is unequivocally the best animated film of the year. Drawn with the finest ends of an artist's heartstrings and painted with the colorful essence of undefeatable hope, Abreu’s utterly lyrical, visually captivating, musically driven, and extraordinarily sophisticated treasure is the animated equivalent of a childhood dream that thrives on sweet innocence and the pure ability to see the world truthfully for its dazzling beauty and its man-made dangers. As it continues to spellbind the globe with its unconventional artistry and thought-provoking observations, an Oscar nomination would be a more than deserved crown jewel.
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
2. "Carol"
Exquisitely photographed and fueled by the two best performances of the year, Todd Haynes “Carol” depicts an ethereal and ravishing romance that’s sure to take your breath away. Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett play two women from opposite worlds that meet serendipitously and fall madly in love for each other in a time yet unwilling to accept them. Carol (Blanchett) is a wealthy mother and wife whose desires are used against her threatening to stripped her of what she loves the most. On the other hand Therese (Mara) is a working class girl discovering herself and who finds the strength to follow her true instincts in Carol. Heartbreak has rarely been portrayed with such a delicate touch, thoughtfulness, and sincerity. Beneath the glossy Christmas-tinted frames is a story as universal as it is particular in which a single pleading look disarms you. Few films will make you feel such tangible and pure yearning to connect with another soul as Haynes masterwork does.
1. "Son of Saul"
First-time director László Nemes decided to look at the terrifying apparatus behind the Holocaust from the perspective of the Sonderkommando, a group of men whose experience was exponentially more harrowing than that of the average victim. Nemes focuses on a particular man, Saul (Géza Röhrig), a fictional character created from the limited information available on this special group and the filmmaker’s artistic sensibilities.“Son of Saul” is not only the best film of the year, but also the most ambitious debut in ages. Both conceptually and visually, the dynamic, yet organically contemplative vision of one man’s ordeal as he walks through the gates the hell is the work of a master auteur.
Read More: 12 Things Director László Nemes and Star Géza Röhrig Want You to Know About 'Son of Saul'...
- 12/31/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
A total of 16 films were submitted for consideration in the Best Animated Feature category at the 88th Oscars. After being absent from the race last year, powerhouse Pixar returns with two films, “Inside Out” and "The Good Dinosaur," of which the former is the clear front-runner. Stop-motion animation is represented by two contenders, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson’s critical hit “Anomalisa” and the equally celebrated, though less contemplative, “Shaun the Sheep Movie” from Oscar-winning Aardman. Of the other major studios the only serious film in competition is Blue Sky’s “The Peanuts Movie.” CG animated films such as “Minions,” “Home,” “Hotel Transylvania 2,” "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water," performed well at the box-office but will likely fail to break in.
Thankfully the Academy has been very good at noticing, while not yet awarding, the work of independent artists working in the animation medium. Since 2010, when Gkids garnered its first nomination for Tomm Moore’s gorgeous “The Secret of Kells,” the New York-based distributor‘s films have been present among the five nominees every year. Last year two masterworks from their impeccable repertoire were included, Moore’s “Song of the Sea” and Isao Takahata’s “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” leaving out Warner’s “The Lego Movie,” which was considered a lock for most of the season. This year Gkids has three films vying for recognition, all of which received Annie nominations in the Best Independent Animated Feature category, but there also a few other internationally produced, independently made, traditionally animated works on the list that deserve the attention.
There is no doubt that some of the most unconventional and stunning animated films come from outside the mechanized mainstream, and we hope this year, once again, some of them make it to the Dolby Theater so that such exposure helps them reach a larger global audience.
Note: The only 2D-animated feature not included here is “Regular Show: The Movie,” which, despite having a limited release as most independent films, is an American production by a major studio
"The Boy and the Beast"
Dir.Mamoru Hosoda
Having worked in some of the most beloved anime series of all time before transitioning into greater artistic heights with singular animated features such as “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Summer Wars,” and “Wolf Children,” Mamoru Hosoda is one of the most important figures in Japanese animation today and his work has a loyal following around the world. “The Boy and the Beast,” his most recent film, is a martial arts saga ruled by its very own mythology, yet grounded on universal thematic elements. Following his mother’s death, Ren runs away from home and accidentally finds his way into Jutengai, an alternate reality inhabited by beasts. Reluctantly, young Ren is taken in by Kumatetsu, a bear-like brute desperate to train a disciple in order to be selected as the realm’s new leader. Despite countless arguments and numerous rough patches, a profound bond that transcends the divide between their worlds forms between the two lonely fighters. Fantastical creatures, epic battles, and amusing banter, spice up an endearing story that analyzes parent-children relationship from a highly inventive vantage point.
"Boy and the World"
Dir. Alê Abreu
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
The most awarded animated feature to open in U.S. theaters this year is a Brazilian wonder that ditches dialogue entirely for a storytelling approach that’s purely visual, whimsical, and even heartbreaking. Through the eyes of a playful young boy searching for his father, Alê Abreu’s musical odyssey conveys sophisticated notions about social justice, the voracious appetite of capitalism, and the yoke of oppression. Color pencils, pastels, watercolors, cut outs, and multiple other techniques are blended with an eclectic soundtrack molding a fascinating and gorgeous cinematic experience. Abreu’s animated masterpiece should certainly become the first Latin American animated feature to be nominated in the category (while “Chico and Rita” is set in Cuba, it's actually a European production helmed by Spanish filmmakers), as it would be an unforgivable mistake if the Academy fails to acknowledge dazzlingly craftsmanship on display.
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Dir. Roger Allers
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Realizing her long-awaited passion project, Mexican-born star Salma Hayek produced this mesmerizing reimagining of Lebanese poet Kahil Gibran’s timeless classic with the help of some of the most important names currently working in the medium. Hayek, who also voices one of the lead characters, recruited Roger Allers, the man behind Disney’s “The Lion King,” to craft a linear canvas upon which eight artists could weave in their visual interpretations of Gibran’s poems on specific subjects. Acclaimed animators such as Tomm Moore, Bill Plympton, Nina Paley, and Joan C. Gratz , had complete freedom, both regarding technique and storytelling, to create these breathtaking and distinct segments. Aller’s frame narrative follows Mustafa (voiced by Liam Neeson ), a wise poet, as he is being escorted out of town by the repressive Ottoman authorities that consider his writings and paintings as subversive materials that threaten their tyrannical grip. While each individual vignette offers a lyrical rendition of Gibran’s universal lessons, Moore’s “On Love” is an awe-inspiring standout. “Hypnosis,” the tune written and performed by Damien Rice, is also in contention for the Best Original Song Academy Award.
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
"The Laws of the Universe - Part 0"
Dir. Isamu Imakake
Eleven Arts, a small distributor dedicated to bringing Asian cinema stateside, has entered the Best Animated Feature race with an action-packed contender that will appeal to anime fans fond of intricate plots. Directed by Isamu Imakake, this Japanese sci-fi film centers on five high school friends who are forced to become heroes when they discover an alien conspiracy that endangers the Earth and life as we know it. Teen drama collides with intergalactic standoffs in an exciting and large-scale adventure. It’s luminously stylized character design and the epically orchestrated action sequences elevate the film beyond the conventions and aesthetics associated with anime series produced for TV. Imakake’s previous efforts, "The Mystical Laws” and “The Laws of Eternity," also dealt with adult-oriented and otherworldly duels between powerful evildoers and courageous youths.
"Moomins on the Riviera"
Dir. Xavier Picard
Read More: Review: In 'Moomins on the Riviera' the Beloved Finnish Icons Remain Timeless and Wise
Created in the 1940s by author and illustrator Tove Jansson, these Finnish superstars have an incredibly devout following across Europe and Asia, and though they are still not household names this side of the Atlantic, their humble wisdom cuts across geographical boundaries with ease once one gives in to their charm. In their first big screen appearance in over a decade, the Moomins decide to leave the comfort of rural life in the valley for the extravagant pleasure of the Côte d'Azur. Soon after their arrival, the roundish and unpretentious family realizes that opulence and material wealth are far from what they consider happiness. Elegantly drawn to resemble a nostalgic storybook and drenched in pastel hues, Xavier Picards take on the beloved characters is sure to add new fans to the Moomin legion and to satisfy those that throughout the decades have been enchanted by their innocent humor and surprisingly philosophical observations on the things that really matters.
"When Marnie Was There"
Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
Following Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises” and Takahata’s “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” another Ghibli gem (and as of now their final one) of much more intimate qualities was released to eager U.S. audiences this spring. Hiromasa Yonebayashi's adaption of Joan G. Robinson’s 1967 switches England for a Hokkaido but preserves the moving bond between the protagonist and what seems to be a vision from another time intact. Introvert Anna (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld in the English-language dub) is a young girl that struggles to connect with her foster mother, thus feels alienated. When Anna meets Marnie, a gracious blond girl, while exploring the marshes that surround the town, a secret friendship quickly develops. As their individual histories are slowly revealed through expertly paced twists, it becomes apparent that their initial encounter was not merely serendipitous. Magical realism, instead of more fantastic elements as in most of Ghibli’s films, dictates the narrative, while the artistry that is expected from the legendary studio is as captivating as usual and never disappoints. The way Yonebayashi channels the original material to create a delicate coming-of-age story that accepts its characters flaws and troubling emotional journeys without simplifying them is truly remarkable. Priscilla Ahn’s heartbreaking ballad “Fine on the Outside” is also in the running for the Best Original Song Oscar.
Thankfully the Academy has been very good at noticing, while not yet awarding, the work of independent artists working in the animation medium. Since 2010, when Gkids garnered its first nomination for Tomm Moore’s gorgeous “The Secret of Kells,” the New York-based distributor‘s films have been present among the five nominees every year. Last year two masterworks from their impeccable repertoire were included, Moore’s “Song of the Sea” and Isao Takahata’s “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” leaving out Warner’s “The Lego Movie,” which was considered a lock for most of the season. This year Gkids has three films vying for recognition, all of which received Annie nominations in the Best Independent Animated Feature category, but there also a few other internationally produced, independently made, traditionally animated works on the list that deserve the attention.
There is no doubt that some of the most unconventional and stunning animated films come from outside the mechanized mainstream, and we hope this year, once again, some of them make it to the Dolby Theater so that such exposure helps them reach a larger global audience.
Note: The only 2D-animated feature not included here is “Regular Show: The Movie,” which, despite having a limited release as most independent films, is an American production by a major studio
"The Boy and the Beast"
Dir.Mamoru Hosoda
Having worked in some of the most beloved anime series of all time before transitioning into greater artistic heights with singular animated features such as “The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,” “Summer Wars,” and “Wolf Children,” Mamoru Hosoda is one of the most important figures in Japanese animation today and his work has a loyal following around the world. “The Boy and the Beast,” his most recent film, is a martial arts saga ruled by its very own mythology, yet grounded on universal thematic elements. Following his mother’s death, Ren runs away from home and accidentally finds his way into Jutengai, an alternate reality inhabited by beasts. Reluctantly, young Ren is taken in by Kumatetsu, a bear-like brute desperate to train a disciple in order to be selected as the realm’s new leader. Despite countless arguments and numerous rough patches, a profound bond that transcends the divide between their worlds forms between the two lonely fighters. Fantastical creatures, epic battles, and amusing banter, spice up an endearing story that analyzes parent-children relationship from a highly inventive vantage point.
"Boy and the World"
Dir. Alê Abreu
Read More:Review: Why Alê Abreu's Sublime 'Boy and the World' is the Best Animated Film of the Year
The most awarded animated feature to open in U.S. theaters this year is a Brazilian wonder that ditches dialogue entirely for a storytelling approach that’s purely visual, whimsical, and even heartbreaking. Through the eyes of a playful young boy searching for his father, Alê Abreu’s musical odyssey conveys sophisticated notions about social justice, the voracious appetite of capitalism, and the yoke of oppression. Color pencils, pastels, watercolors, cut outs, and multiple other techniques are blended with an eclectic soundtrack molding a fascinating and gorgeous cinematic experience. Abreu’s animated masterpiece should certainly become the first Latin American animated feature to be nominated in the category (while “Chico and Rita” is set in Cuba, it's actually a European production helmed by Spanish filmmakers), as it would be an unforgivable mistake if the Academy fails to acknowledge dazzlingly craftsmanship on display.
Read More: How "Boy and the World" Director Alê Abreu Handcrafted His Heartfelt & Dazzling Animated Masterpiece
"Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet"
Dir. Roger Allers
Read More: Why 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet' is a Cinematic Out-Of-Body Experience Brimming with Animated Wisdom
Realizing her long-awaited passion project, Mexican-born star Salma Hayek produced this mesmerizing reimagining of Lebanese poet Kahil Gibran’s timeless classic with the help of some of the most important names currently working in the medium. Hayek, who also voices one of the lead characters, recruited Roger Allers, the man behind Disney’s “The Lion King,” to craft a linear canvas upon which eight artists could weave in their visual interpretations of Gibran’s poems on specific subjects. Acclaimed animators such as Tomm Moore, Bill Plympton, Nina Paley, and Joan C. Gratz , had complete freedom, both regarding technique and storytelling, to create these breathtaking and distinct segments. Aller’s frame narrative follows Mustafa (voiced by Liam Neeson ), a wise poet, as he is being escorted out of town by the repressive Ottoman authorities that consider his writings and paintings as subversive materials that threaten their tyrannical grip. While each individual vignette offers a lyrical rendition of Gibran’s universal lessons, Moore’s “On Love” is an awe-inspiring standout. “Hypnosis,” the tune written and performed by Damien Rice, is also in contention for the Best Original Song Academy Award.
Read More: Salma Hayek on 'Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet': 'His Poetry Talks About the Simple Things in Life That Unite Us All'
"The Laws of the Universe - Part 0"
Dir. Isamu Imakake
Eleven Arts, a small distributor dedicated to bringing Asian cinema stateside, has entered the Best Animated Feature race with an action-packed contender that will appeal to anime fans fond of intricate plots. Directed by Isamu Imakake, this Japanese sci-fi film centers on five high school friends who are forced to become heroes when they discover an alien conspiracy that endangers the Earth and life as we know it. Teen drama collides with intergalactic standoffs in an exciting and large-scale adventure. It’s luminously stylized character design and the epically orchestrated action sequences elevate the film beyond the conventions and aesthetics associated with anime series produced for TV. Imakake’s previous efforts, "The Mystical Laws” and “The Laws of Eternity," also dealt with adult-oriented and otherworldly duels between powerful evildoers and courageous youths.
"Moomins on the Riviera"
Dir. Xavier Picard
Read More: Review: In 'Moomins on the Riviera' the Beloved Finnish Icons Remain Timeless and Wise
Created in the 1940s by author and illustrator Tove Jansson, these Finnish superstars have an incredibly devout following across Europe and Asia, and though they are still not household names this side of the Atlantic, their humble wisdom cuts across geographical boundaries with ease once one gives in to their charm. In their first big screen appearance in over a decade, the Moomins decide to leave the comfort of rural life in the valley for the extravagant pleasure of the Côte d'Azur. Soon after their arrival, the roundish and unpretentious family realizes that opulence and material wealth are far from what they consider happiness. Elegantly drawn to resemble a nostalgic storybook and drenched in pastel hues, Xavier Picards take on the beloved characters is sure to add new fans to the Moomin legion and to satisfy those that throughout the decades have been enchanted by their innocent humor and surprisingly philosophical observations on the things that really matters.
"When Marnie Was There"
Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Read More: Review: Wondrous 'When Marnie Was There' is One of Ghibli's Most Profoundly Moving Works
Following Miyazaki’s “The Wind Rises” and Takahata’s “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya,” another Ghibli gem (and as of now their final one) of much more intimate qualities was released to eager U.S. audiences this spring. Hiromasa Yonebayashi's adaption of Joan G. Robinson’s 1967 switches England for a Hokkaido but preserves the moving bond between the protagonist and what seems to be a vision from another time intact. Introvert Anna (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld in the English-language dub) is a young girl that struggles to connect with her foster mother, thus feels alienated. When Anna meets Marnie, a gracious blond girl, while exploring the marshes that surround the town, a secret friendship quickly develops. As their individual histories are slowly revealed through expertly paced twists, it becomes apparent that their initial encounter was not merely serendipitous. Magical realism, instead of more fantastic elements as in most of Ghibli’s films, dictates the narrative, while the artistry that is expected from the legendary studio is as captivating as usual and never disappoints. The way Yonebayashi channels the original material to create a delicate coming-of-age story that accepts its characters flaws and troubling emotional journeys without simplifying them is truly remarkable. Priscilla Ahn’s heartbreaking ballad “Fine on the Outside” is also in the running for the Best Original Song Oscar.
- 12/17/2015
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Read More: Edward Lachman Talks to Thompson on Hollywood From the gritty realism of the Great Depression in "Mildred Pierce" to the lush haze of the seventies in "The Virgin Suicides," no one recreates the past quite like ace cinematographer Edward Lachman. We asked him about his secrets and he wrote us two master classes about his long collaboration with director Todd Haynes. In this first part, he focuses on "Carol," for which Lachman recently won the best cinematography prize from the New York Film Critics Circle. Often in period films there's tendency to over-romanticize the era. For example, why are the cars always clean in period films? Didn't they have dirty cars back then? Why is all furniture from that exact period? People own things that are 10 years or 20 years old. Why is it when you look through a window in a period film they are always clean? Why...
- 12/3/2015
- by Edward Lachman
- Indiewire
Ken Jacobs. Photo by María Meseguer.This past June in A Coruña, Spain (S8) 6th Mostra de Cinema Periferico hosted a retrospective of Ken Jacobs. A legend of experimental filmmaking, this New Yorker gave a master-class about the influence of abstract paintings on his work, presented a broad selection of films in his filmography to the audience, and premiered New Paintings by Ken Jacobs (2015), a new film performance using his famous Nervous Magic Lantern, consisting of a series of abstract slides that he projects with a special device of his own creation. The program focused on Jacobs’ first films, close to a kind of Brakhage-like documentary style, the long series he made along with Jack Smith as an actor/performer, and his experiments with 3D, both in film and digital formats. After all these screenings, we had a coffee or two with him and talked about the films in the program.
- 6/30/2015
- by Víctor Paz Morandeira
- MUBI
Chelsea Clinton is adding a new title to her ever-growing resume: author! The daughter of former President Bill Clinton and current presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will release her first book this coming fall. Penguin Young Readers announced that the mother of one is set to release It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going! on Sept.15. The 35-year-old's book will aim to explain issues such as poverty, climate change, and more to children between the ages of 10 and 14. "That's the age when I started tuning in more to issues I cared about and trying to make a difference," she explained to People. "I loved the book 50 Simple Things Kids Can Do...
- 5/21/2015
- E! Online
The Empty #1
Written and drawn by Jimmie Robinson
Published by Image Comics
The latest Image series comes out this week in the form of Jimmie Robinson’s The Empty. The Empty follows up in similar style to Kurt Busiek’s The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw by unveiling its world, not by overused narration, but by exploring it through character and narrative. The story as it stands follows Tanoor, the designated hunter for a village of notably long armed humans. Her tribe is facing the very real threat of extinction by the Roots, mysterious organisms which emit poisonous gas and have been turning their entire world into an endless desert called the Empty. This changes as a girl by the name of Lila washes up on the shores, sporting massive eyes, an elongated neck, and the ability to miraculously resuscitate the dying plant life. Now Lila and Tanoor journey through the Empty...
Written and drawn by Jimmie Robinson
Published by Image Comics
The latest Image series comes out this week in the form of Jimmie Robinson’s The Empty. The Empty follows up in similar style to Kurt Busiek’s The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw by unveiling its world, not by overused narration, but by exploring it through character and narrative. The story as it stands follows Tanoor, the designated hunter for a village of notably long armed humans. Her tribe is facing the very real threat of extinction by the Roots, mysterious organisms which emit poisonous gas and have been turning their entire world into an endless desert called the Empty. This changes as a girl by the name of Lila washes up on the shores, sporting massive eyes, an elongated neck, and the ability to miraculously resuscitate the dying plant life. Now Lila and Tanoor journey through the Empty...
- 2/11/2015
- by Grant Raycroft
- SoundOnSight
Just saying Babadook can gives any viewer the chills.
From IFC Midnight, “The Babadook” is a truly scary film about a mythical creature leaping out of a children’s story to haunt a mother and her son.
Here’s the synopsis:
Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her 'out of control' 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel's dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called 'The Babadook' turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he's been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control, he becomes more unpredictable and violent. Amelia, genuinely frightened by her son's behavior, is forced to medicate him. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of...
From IFC Midnight, “The Babadook” is a truly scary film about a mythical creature leaping out of a children’s story to haunt a mother and her son.
Here’s the synopsis:
Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline her 'out of control' 6 year-old, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), a son she finds impossible to love. Samuel's dreams are plagued by a monster he believes is coming to kill them both. When a disturbing storybook called 'The Babadook' turns up at their house, Samuel is convinced that the Babadook is the creature he's been dreaming about. His hallucinations spiral out of control, he becomes more unpredictable and violent. Amelia, genuinely frightened by her son's behavior, is forced to medicate him. But when Amelia begins to see glimpses of...
- 11/28/2014
- by Gig Patta
- LRMonline.com
A morning, into dusk. I'm still a little rattled, after watching Caribou's mysterious and devastating music video for "Our Love." It's directed by Ryan Staake, who has turned other electronic, dance and beats-oriented jams into moving, strange little worlds, like for Alt-j's "Left Hand Free" and Steve Aoki, Diplo and Deorro's "Freak." "In 'Our Love,' I wanted to create a slow, brooding film that contrasted the seeming limitless of youth with the reality of death in later years. The film (which was photographed by Luca Ciuti) was shot on location in Ireland, at the beautiful Lough Ine House, about an hour and a half outside of Cork," Staake said in a release. "Our Love" is off of Caribou's excellent, dynamic new album of the same name, out now. Tour dates are below the video. And if you're less familiar with Caribou, check out another clip, for "Yeti" off of...
- 10/8/2014
- by Katie Hasty
- Hitfix
A more serious take on slime punk films like Toxic Avenger and Slime City, Jesse Thomas Cook's Septic Man (review) has more in common with Cronenberg’s tragic transformation tale The Fly.
Thanks mostly to the twisted mind of screenwriter Tony Burgess (Pontypool), Septic Man has a lot more going on under the surface than just a basic story about a man trapped underground inside a tank of absolute filth who begins to transform into something monstrous.
Director Cook spoke with us about the film and how it was one of the hardest, grossest experiences of his professional life thus far - but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a hell of a time doing it.
DC: How was your experience at Fantasia with your latest sci-fi film Ejecta? Is there a favorite project you and [Tony] Burgess have worked on so far?
Jtc: Oh, Fantasia was awesome,...
Thanks mostly to the twisted mind of screenwriter Tony Burgess (Pontypool), Septic Man has a lot more going on under the surface than just a basic story about a man trapped underground inside a tank of absolute filth who begins to transform into something monstrous.
Director Cook spoke with us about the film and how it was one of the hardest, grossest experiences of his professional life thus far - but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a hell of a time doing it.
DC: How was your experience at Fantasia with your latest sci-fi film Ejecta? Is there a favorite project you and [Tony] Burgess have worked on so far?
Jtc: Oh, Fantasia was awesome,...
- 8/19/2014
- by Drew Tinnin
- DreadCentral.com
Activision
With the second official movie tie-in game right around the corner, a lot of fans have been speculating what the Amazing Spider-Man 2 will have to offer. The upcoming game is the fourth title to be produced under the Québec-based developer Beenox, whether that’s good or bad has yet to be decided. Promises have been made, with Beenox saying that they have improved upon many of the first game’s established mechanics, ensuring a unique and thrilling ride into the world of the web-slinger. But…have they really?
Okay, so there’s a lot to be sceptical about. Firstly, it’s a movie tie-in game. That alone already says a lot and sets a lot of boundaries for the developers to work within, unlike Rocksteady and their own original take on the Batman universe. I’ve played a lot of video games over the years, most of them...
With the second official movie tie-in game right around the corner, a lot of fans have been speculating what the Amazing Spider-Man 2 will have to offer. The upcoming game is the fourth title to be produced under the Québec-based developer Beenox, whether that’s good or bad has yet to be decided. Promises have been made, with Beenox saying that they have improved upon many of the first game’s established mechanics, ensuring a unique and thrilling ride into the world of the web-slinger. But…have they really?
Okay, so there’s a lot to be sceptical about. Firstly, it’s a movie tie-in game. That alone already says a lot and sets a lot of boundaries for the developers to work within, unlike Rocksteady and their own original take on the Batman universe. I’ve played a lot of video games over the years, most of them...
- 3/28/2014
- by Joseph Taylor
- Obsessed with Film
Doctor Who has survived more than five decades and with good reason. The British series combines adventure, drama, and science fiction into something adults and children alike can enjoy. Although it is generally considered to be a family-friendly show, it is very often dark and terrifying (which is why people like me are so addicted to it). The Doctor has tackled horror staples like vampires, werewolves, zombies, and demons but also hundreds of original foes from all over the galaxy. The following is my list of Doctor Who's most terrifying monsters. I narrowed it down to the ones that personally scared me, not simply my favorites (hello, Daleks). I also aim to focus on the ones who made a major impact in the episode or appeared multiple times. If I were to name every eerie monster on Who, we'd be here all day! Hell, the most recent season alone...
- 1/31/2014
- by Heather Seebach
- FEARnet
In this week's New Girl, the boys tried to throw Jess a surprise birthday party. But guess what happens when you try to keep a birthday party from a person who loves birthdays? That's right, they have a nervous breakdown. But that wasn't the most important part of the episode! No, that was the bonding of BFFs Coach and Winston over their surprise party jobs: decorations and cake. Simple things, but to these two, it meant so much more.Coach aced the decorations part — there were even kazoos. But after Winston messed up the cake, it became a Coach-Winston cake-off. Luckily, while the cakes were baking, they had to band together to keep the secret a secret. And when they pulled their cakes out of the oven? It was a merged double cake. Two cakes became one. Winston & Coach 4Ever...
- 1/22/2014
- by Lindsey Weber
- Vulture
Naomie Harris became a global star as the Bond girl in Skyfall, but her biggest challenge yet has been playing the controversial figure of Nelson Mandela's wife in the new biopic. Luckily, she says, her co-star was Idris Elba…
The first time I met Naomie Harris was in 2010 in a noisy cafe in Portobello Road, London. I thought then that she was the sort of girl you would have wanted to make your best friend if you had met her at school: warm, talkative, not at all puffed up and not dressed up either. I don't remember what she wore but it wasn't aiming to be memorable. The cafe was noisy so she suggested we talk in her nearby flat. She was best known then for her role in Pirates of the Caribbean and for television dramas (Clara in White Teeth, Hortense in Small Island). She was about to pull into the fast lane,...
The first time I met Naomie Harris was in 2010 in a noisy cafe in Portobello Road, London. I thought then that she was the sort of girl you would have wanted to make your best friend if you had met her at school: warm, talkative, not at all puffed up and not dressed up either. I don't remember what she wore but it wasn't aiming to be memorable. The cafe was noisy so she suggested we talk in her nearby flat. She was best known then for her role in Pirates of the Caribbean and for television dramas (Clara in White Teeth, Hortense in Small Island). She was about to pull into the fast lane,...
- 12/1/2013
- by Kate Kellaway
- The Guardian - Film News
There’s something uniquely pure about watching My Neighbor Totoro on Blu-ray 25 years after its initial release. This was the first Japanese-based film from famed writer/director Hayao Miyazaki. He wanted to show audiences and production houses that movies didn’t need violence to succeed. It was an idealistic concept from Studio Ghibli, a company still in its infancy when My Neighbor Totoro was developed. Although the film is not ranked as high as Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, the beauty and innocence of Japan was forever immortalized in Totoro.
My Neighbor Totoro starts off when Tatsuo Kusukabe moves his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, to the countryside to be closer to their mother, who is suffering from a long-term illness. The story doesn’t have an over-arching plot. There are no villains to face or super cure to be found. It’s merely about life. Two city girls discover the wonders of the country.
My Neighbor Totoro starts off when Tatsuo Kusukabe moves his two daughters, Satsuki and Mei, to the countryside to be closer to their mother, who is suffering from a long-term illness. The story doesn’t have an over-arching plot. There are no villains to face or super cure to be found. It’s merely about life. Two city girls discover the wonders of the country.
- 6/17/2013
- by Bags Hooper
- BuzzFocus.com
The Legend of Zelda as a series is something hard to poke at, as some fans don’t like to admit when things might be a bit underwhelming. Now put your pitchforks away, I don’t hate Zelda: I just think Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword were definitely the weakest in the main series. Characters were soulless and the stories felt tired – they just weren’t up to snuff considering the game’s prestigious legacy. But the question is, can Zelda actually work as a triple A title in 2013? I would say yes, if Nintendo were to change things up a bit.
Change is difficult for fans of a long running game series, fans think that change is the reason good things start to suck. Contrary to the belief, it is stagnation that often makes things suck. If imagination and creative thought are put into a change, then it can make something awesome once again.
Change is difficult for fans of a long running game series, fans think that change is the reason good things start to suck. Contrary to the belief, it is stagnation that often makes things suck. If imagination and creative thought are put into a change, then it can make something awesome once again.
- 1/31/2013
- by Jacob P. Kellogg
- Obsessed with Film
Chicago – Since the advent of fancy 3D gaming graphics, it seems most space simulations believe gamers want action pew-pew. “Freespace 2”, “Wing Commander”, “X-Wing vs. Tie Figher”, and a litany of other games essentially presented classic combat flight sim gameplay *in spaaceee*. Now, all those games are excellent in their own ways. “Descent: Freespace” in particular is a *must* play if you’ve ever enjoyed anything related to Sci-Fi.
But even in “Freespace”, something was…missing; A specific kind of human chaos. in “Star Wars,” you had Chewbacca desperately trying to fix the whatcyhamacallit. In “Star Trek,” Geordi or Scotty were consistently put in danger while trying to give more power to the inertial thingamabobbers. In “Battlestar Galactica” and “Firefly,” stuff was *consistently* hitting the fan. Characters we’ve come to care about were almost always in peril, trying to get the damn ship to work right in the face of danger.
But even in “Freespace”, something was…missing; A specific kind of human chaos. in “Star Wars,” you had Chewbacca desperately trying to fix the whatcyhamacallit. In “Star Trek,” Geordi or Scotty were consistently put in danger while trying to give more power to the inertial thingamabobbers. In “Battlestar Galactica” and “Firefly,” stuff was *consistently* hitting the fan. Characters we’ve come to care about were almost always in peril, trying to get the damn ship to work right in the face of danger.
- 1/28/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Actress turned director Sarah Polley has been directing since she was 20 years old and her most recent film as a writer and director, Take This Waltz shows a maturity and confidence that is beyond her 33 years. Take this Waltz is basically at its core a tale of the grass not necessarily being greener and is achingly sad and painfully beautiful.
Beginning with one of those chance encounters we all experience from time to time, Margot (Michelle Williams) finds that whilst on a work trip she encounters Daniel (Luke Kirby) a charming and good-looking chap and a connection is made despite her initial reservations. On the trip home they share a taxi ride and to her horror, Margot realises that Daniel is a newly moved in artist/rickshaw driver who lives opposite her. Margot shares her house with her affable cook book writer husband Lou (Seth Rogen) but there is a...
Beginning with one of those chance encounters we all experience from time to time, Margot (Michelle Williams) finds that whilst on a work trip she encounters Daniel (Luke Kirby) a charming and good-looking chap and a connection is made despite her initial reservations. On the trip home they share a taxi ride and to her horror, Margot realises that Daniel is a newly moved in artist/rickshaw driver who lives opposite her. Margot shares her house with her affable cook book writer husband Lou (Seth Rogen) but there is a...
- 1/2/2013
- by Chris Holt
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Chennai, Oct 12: Bollywood Badshah who is known for his romantic films says females understand love and how to express better than their male counter parts. He says love is a simple emotion and should be kept private. Speaking at the promotional event of his upcoming film 'Jab Tak Hai Jaan', he says, "Relationship and love is between two people. When you are in love you just have to be yourself. Simple things matter like listening to each other and giving a hug. Girls know.
- 10/12/2012
- by Smith Cox
- RealBollywood.com
Mumbai, Oct 9: Known for his romantic films, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says that according to him women understand the emotion of love better than men. He says that love is a very simple emotion and needs to be kept private.
"Relationship and love is between two people. When you are in love you just have to be yourself. Simple things matter like listening to each other and giving a hug. Girls know how to love.
"Relationship and love is between two people. When you are in love you just have to be yourself. Simple things matter like listening to each other and giving a hug. Girls know how to love.
- 10/10/2012
- by Shiva Prakash
- RealBollywood.com
So, Con Air director Simon West and actor Nicolas Cage re-teamed for a rousing heist film this year called Stolen, but you probably didn’t know that. Why? Because neither did I.
Penned by Safe House writer David Guggenheim, Stolen opened a few weeks ago to a confusingly limited release (141 screens), boasting a befuddling marketing campaign which was ineffectively non-existent. The most I can remember seeing was a small web-site banner here and there, obviously inefficient by the lack of recollection.
But with Simon West coming off his smash-hit sequel The Expendables 2 and routine eccentric Nic Cage drawing hype no matter what film he takes, such an undeservedly small release is only made even more perplexing by a strong supporting cast including Josh Lucas, Malin Akerman, Danny Huston and newcomer Sami Gayle. I’m sure all parties involved are scratching their heads at the underutilized selling points and terrible promotion,...
Penned by Safe House writer David Guggenheim, Stolen opened a few weeks ago to a confusingly limited release (141 screens), boasting a befuddling marketing campaign which was ineffectively non-existent. The most I can remember seeing was a small web-site banner here and there, obviously inefficient by the lack of recollection.
But with Simon West coming off his smash-hit sequel The Expendables 2 and routine eccentric Nic Cage drawing hype no matter what film he takes, such an undeservedly small release is only made even more perplexing by a strong supporting cast including Josh Lucas, Malin Akerman, Danny Huston and newcomer Sami Gayle. I’m sure all parties involved are scratching their heads at the underutilized selling points and terrible promotion,...
- 10/8/2012
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
They've built their brand on polygamists, pot dealers, gypsies and toddlers in tiaras, and now TLC is shining the reality TV spotlight on yet another controversial corner of humanity: The Amish and Mennonite communities.
In "Breaking Amish" (premieres Sun., Sept. 9, 10 p.m. Et on TLC), cameras capture the adventures of five members of the Amish community, ranging in age from 20 to 32, as they make the choice to leave rural Pennsylvania to move to New York City. This is beyond Rumspringa, the Amish tradition which allows kids to experience life beyond the church around the age of 16 -- this is an adult decision to leave the only life they've ever known, possibly forever, and it carries some very real consequences with it. (Watch a trailer for the show above.)
At the Television Critics Association press tour, I caught up with two of the women who went to live in New York...
In "Breaking Amish" (premieres Sun., Sept. 9, 10 p.m. Et on TLC), cameras capture the adventures of five members of the Amish community, ranging in age from 20 to 32, as they make the choice to leave rural Pennsylvania to move to New York City. This is beyond Rumspringa, the Amish tradition which allows kids to experience life beyond the church around the age of 16 -- this is an adult decision to leave the only life they've ever known, possibly forever, and it carries some very real consequences with it. (Watch a trailer for the show above.)
At the Television Critics Association press tour, I caught up with two of the women who went to live in New York...
- 8/3/2012
- by Maggie Furlong
- Huffington Post
Simulation games are always going to be a mixed bag. When you’re going to make a game based around trying to get as close as humanly possible to the real thing, you’re going to run into some issues. Flight simulators are a prime example. Just about everyone I knew growing up wanted to be a pilot at one time or another. When we learned that being a pilot is a lot closer to driving a bus through the sky than to our expectations of flying through rings of fire, most of us lost interest. That’s where the games come in. Allowing us to live out these fantasies without being burdened with the more menial aspects found in difficult career fields is the entire appeal of the genre.
Ship Simulator Extremes is a simulator first and foremost. The boats react very much like their real-life counterparts. That means...
Ship Simulator Extremes is a simulator first and foremost. The boats react very much like their real-life counterparts. That means...
- 7/29/2012
- by Chaz Neeler
- We Got This Covered
Vidhu Vinod Chopra's upcoming Ferrari Ki Sawaari is in full swing winning accolades and appreciation from the filmy brigade including Karan Johar, Sanjay Dutt, and Amitabh Bachchan.The film is getting all the eyeballs for the simplicity of the concept and the heartwarming performances.Recently a special screening was held for Amitabh Bachchan. After watching the film Bachchan was so shaken up that he was in tears.Talking about the movie he said, "Simple things in lif...
- 6/13/2012
- GlamSham
Getting ready for release on June 15th is Ferrari Ki Sawaari directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The movie, which features ecstatic performances by Boman Irani, Sharman Joshi and child artist Ritvik Sahore, is the tale of unconditional love between father and son, the pursuit of an Indian legend’s Ferrari makes a young boy’s dreams of playing cricket at Lords a reality.
The film is apparently in full swing (pun a little intended) winning accolades and appreciation from the filmy brigade including Karan Johar, Sanjay Dutt, and Amitabh Bachchan.
Recently a special screening was held for Amitabh Bachchan. After watching the film Mr.Bachchan was so shaken up that he was in tears. Talking about the movie he said, “Simple things in life, have great value, the greatest asset of this film is its simplicity”. He also shared that he could connect to the...
The film is apparently in full swing (pun a little intended) winning accolades and appreciation from the filmy brigade including Karan Johar, Sanjay Dutt, and Amitabh Bachchan.
Recently a special screening was held for Amitabh Bachchan. After watching the film Mr.Bachchan was so shaken up that he was in tears. Talking about the movie he said, “Simple things in life, have great value, the greatest asset of this film is its simplicity”. He also shared that he could connect to the...
- 6/13/2012
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
"Vampire Diaries" star Nina Dobrev has been on quite the whirlwind this spring -- just this week, she met fans in Barcelona, dazzled in NYC at the Met Ball, and flew to Los Angeles to appear on "Conan." (You can check out her interview tonight at 11 p.m. Est on TBS.)
Lucky for us, she wasn't too busy to give us a bit of scoop on this Thursday's big Season 3 finale, in which Elena will finally choose between Stefan and Damon. It's not a decision that she comes by easily, of course -- each brother has his faults -- but in a moment of personal reflection, Elena will realize that there's one Salvatore she just can't live without.
Of course, if we told you which brother she chooses, we'd probably be tossed into one of Klaus's creepy coffins for all of eternity, so our lips are zipped. Nina did tell...
Lucky for us, she wasn't too busy to give us a bit of scoop on this Thursday's big Season 3 finale, in which Elena will finally choose between Stefan and Damon. It's not a decision that she comes by easily, of course -- each brother has his faults -- but in a moment of personal reflection, Elena will realize that there's one Salvatore she just can't live without.
Of course, if we told you which brother she chooses, we'd probably be tossed into one of Klaus's creepy coffins for all of eternity, so our lips are zipped. Nina did tell...
- 5/9/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Known racking up various accolades throughout her career, Beyonce Knowles can now add a writing award to her shelf of 16 Grammys.
According to the New York Daily News, the “Love On Top” singer is set to win an award from the New York Association of Black Journalists on May 15 for her July 2011 Essence magazine cover story chronicling her 2010 vacation. The nine-month hiatus marked a spiritual and creative rebirth for the singer.
"I had talked about taking a vacation before, but always ended up in the studio after two weeks, so no one believed me,” she wrote in the issue. “This time, though, I was serious. I was going to give myself a year to do the things I never get to do. Simple things like play with my nephew, pick him up from school, visit museums, go to concerts, see some Broadway shows, learn to cook a meal and spend time with my husband.
According to the New York Daily News, the “Love On Top” singer is set to win an award from the New York Association of Black Journalists on May 15 for her July 2011 Essence magazine cover story chronicling her 2010 vacation. The nine-month hiatus marked a spiritual and creative rebirth for the singer.
"I had talked about taking a vacation before, but always ended up in the studio after two weeks, so no one believed me,” she wrote in the issue. “This time, though, I was serious. I was going to give myself a year to do the things I never get to do. Simple things like play with my nephew, pick him up from school, visit museums, go to concerts, see some Broadway shows, learn to cook a meal and spend time with my husband.
- 5/3/2012
- by Brennan Williams
- Huffington Post
A welcoming venue providing 'a healthy dose of cinematic nostalgia'
• Check out our Google map and flickr group
Every week we invite our readers to tell us about where they go to watch films. This week it's the turn of Jamie McHale, who edits Tqs Magazine.
Location
Slap bang in the middle of Leeds's student district, the Hyde Park Picture House is easily accessible from the city centre by bus (10 minutes) or on foot (25).
The building
With a single screen and many original features intact, the Picture House provides a dose of cinematic nostalgia but is also comfortably modern. Purpose-built in 1914, the Hyde Park is a Grade II-listed building and one of the few surviving Edwardian picture palaces in the UK.
The clientele
Despite its studenty location, the cinema attracts a wide range of punters – and, as administrator Andy Moore puts it in this video introduction, "not just Guardian readers...
• Check out our Google map and flickr group
Every week we invite our readers to tell us about where they go to watch films. This week it's the turn of Jamie McHale, who edits Tqs Magazine.
Location
Slap bang in the middle of Leeds's student district, the Hyde Park Picture House is easily accessible from the city centre by bus (10 minutes) or on foot (25).
The building
With a single screen and many original features intact, the Picture House provides a dose of cinematic nostalgia but is also comfortably modern. Purpose-built in 1914, the Hyde Park is a Grade II-listed building and one of the few surviving Edwardian picture palaces in the UK.
The clientele
Despite its studenty location, the cinema attracts a wide range of punters – and, as administrator Andy Moore puts it in this video introduction, "not just Guardian readers...
- 3/27/2012
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
It took a century, but "John Carter" is finally, actually, for real heading to theaters. The result is an inconsistent, structurally over-packed and complicated, but ultimately worthy trip to theaters.
Of all the reasons to go see "John Carter" this weekend, here are the five that stick out to us.
Taylor Kitsch
Taylor Kitsch said it himself that this is a make-or-break year for him. With two major releases, "John Carter" and "Battleship," resting largely on his shoulders, his future as a leading man could live or die with these movies. But based solely on his acting ability here, his record stands at one for one. While a lot of Carter shares a common ground with Kitsch's "Friday Night Lights" character Tim Riggins, the persona works and will ultimately be the one that defines his career. And that's fine by us. He handles even the most awkward Barsoom dialogue deftly...
Of all the reasons to go see "John Carter" this weekend, here are the five that stick out to us.
Taylor Kitsch
Taylor Kitsch said it himself that this is a make-or-break year for him. With two major releases, "John Carter" and "Battleship," resting largely on his shoulders, his future as a leading man could live or die with these movies. But based solely on his acting ability here, his record stands at one for one. While a lot of Carter shares a common ground with Kitsch's "Friday Night Lights" character Tim Riggins, the persona works and will ultimately be the one that defines his career. And that's fine by us. He handles even the most awkward Barsoom dialogue deftly...
- 3/9/2012
- by Kevin P. Sullivan
- MTV Movies Blog
The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, the festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. The Festival has changed over the decades from a low-profile venue for small-budget, independent creators from outside the Hollywood system to a media extravaganza for Hollywood celebrity actors, paparazzi, and luxury lounges set up by companies that are not affiliated with Sundance.
Now the festival is getting ready for the 2012 edition and today they announced the jury members for this year’s Festival. They include Shari Berman, Scott Burns, Charles Ferguson, Nick Fraser, Mike Judge, Justin Lin, Anthony Mackie, Cliff Martinez, Julia Ormond, Dee Rees and Lynn Shelton.
Here is the official press release:
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the 22 members of the six juries awarding prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival,...
Now the festival is getting ready for the 2012 edition and today they announced the jury members for this year’s Festival. They include Shari Berman, Scott Burns, Charles Ferguson, Nick Fraser, Mike Judge, Justin Lin, Anthony Mackie, Cliff Martinez, Julia Ormond, Dee Rees and Lynn Shelton.
Here is the official press release:
Park City, Ut — Sundance Institute announced today the 22 members of the six juries awarding prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival,...
- 1/10/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
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