There is always a danger when television executives – who live, predominantly, in four-bedroom London townhouses, picking up oat milk flat whites before electric bicycling their way into Soho – decide to depict the lives of working-class northerners. That jeopardy is on full display in ITV’s five-part true crime thriller, The Walk-In, a look at the rise of the National Action terror group in the wake of the murder of MP Jo Cox. Thankfully, this gritty, disturbing drama manages to squeeze pathos out of one of the most troubling stories in recent British history.
Is there a better actor working in British television, right now, than Stephen Graham? After last year’s one-two punch of Time and Help (not to mention The North Water and Peaky Blinders), Graham returns to screens as Matthew Collins, a far-right activist turned antifascist campaigner and journalist. It is a role that suits Graham down to...
Is there a better actor working in British television, right now, than Stephen Graham? After last year’s one-two punch of Time and Help (not to mention The North Water and Peaky Blinders), Graham returns to screens as Matthew Collins, a far-right activist turned antifascist campaigner and journalist. It is a role that suits Graham down to...
- 10/3/2022
- by Nick Hilton
- The Independent - TV
On 1 July 2017, Jack Renshaw walked into a Wetherspoons in Warrington, sat down and told his friends he was going to assassinate an MP.
Then aged 22, he was part of neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action and wanted to seek fellow members’ opinions on his planned attack.
Renshaw told them how he would murder Rosie Cooper, his local Labour MP, with a machete and then take hostages.
He wanted to lure in a police officer who had been investigating him for child sex offences, murder her in revenge and force armed police to shoot him dead.
Among the six other National Action members listening was Robbie Mullen. Unknown to Jack Renshaw and the rest of the terrorist group, he had already turned informant for counter-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate.
“I was saving myself in a way, I knew something was going to happen eventually,” he tells The Independent. “Things were just getting strange – with Jack especially.
Then aged 22, he was part of neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action and wanted to seek fellow members’ opinions on his planned attack.
Renshaw told them how he would murder Rosie Cooper, his local Labour MP, with a machete and then take hostages.
He wanted to lure in a police officer who had been investigating him for child sex offences, murder her in revenge and force armed police to shoot him dead.
Among the six other National Action members listening was Robbie Mullen. Unknown to Jack Renshaw and the rest of the terrorist group, he had already turned informant for counter-extremism organisation Hope Not Hate.
“I was saving myself in a way, I knew something was going to happen eventually,” he tells The Independent. “Things were just getting strange – with Jack especially.
- 10/1/2022
- by Lizzie Dearden
- The Independent - TV
Stephen Graham To Star In ITV Neo-Nazi Drama ‘The Walk-In’
ITV’s has ordered a five-part drama, The Walk-In, a true story of how a Neo-Nazi plan to kill an MP was foiled by an inside man. Stephen Graham will star in the ITV Studios series from writer Jeff Pope as activist Matthew Collins, a reformed Neo-Nazi, now working as a bona fide journalist for the anti-racist organisation Hope Not Hate. Bafta-award winning director Paul Andrew Williams directs the series, reuniting him with Pope — the pair has worked together previously on A Confession and Isolation Stories. They are both executive producers alongside Graham and another regular collaborator, Tom Dunbar. Jo Johnson is producing. Filming for The Walk-In tookin London and surrounding areas and the drama will air on ITV on Monday October 3 for five consecutive weeks. ITV Studios has International distribution.
ITV’s has ordered a five-part drama, The Walk-In, a true story of how a Neo-Nazi plan to kill an MP was foiled by an inside man. Stephen Graham will star in the ITV Studios series from writer Jeff Pope as activist Matthew Collins, a reformed Neo-Nazi, now working as a bona fide journalist for the anti-racist organisation Hope Not Hate. Bafta-award winning director Paul Andrew Williams directs the series, reuniting him with Pope — the pair has worked together previously on A Confession and Isolation Stories. They are both executive producers alongside Graham and another regular collaborator, Tom Dunbar. Jo Johnson is producing. Filming for The Walk-In tookin London and surrounding areas and the drama will air on ITV on Monday October 3 for five consecutive weeks. ITV Studios has International distribution.
- 9/20/2022
- by Jesse Whittock and Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.
When the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler made its debut in 2018, it was heralded as a revolutionary game-changing hair tool. However, like with most innovations, there was room for improvement, especially when it came to its attachments.
The revised Dyson Airwrap for 2022 (which was announced in March and released on June 2) comes with major changes, promising hair that looks like it was done by a professional stylist. It’s now available in three options for different hair lengths and textures: the Airwrap Complete, the Complete Long and the Complete Coily/Curly.
We tested the Dyson Aiwrap Multi-Styler after receiving a complimentary review unit from the brand. Keep reading for an honest review of the new Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long.
Related: Dyson...
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.
When the Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler made its debut in 2018, it was heralded as a revolutionary game-changing hair tool. However, like with most innovations, there was room for improvement, especially when it came to its attachments.
The revised Dyson Airwrap for 2022 (which was announced in March and released on June 2) comes with major changes, promising hair that looks like it was done by a professional stylist. It’s now available in three options for different hair lengths and textures: the Airwrap Complete, the Complete Long and the Complete Coily/Curly.
We tested the Dyson Aiwrap Multi-Styler after receiving a complimentary review unit from the brand. Keep reading for an honest review of the new Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler Complete Long.
Related: Dyson...
- 6/23/2022
- by Marie Lodi
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Matthew Collins QC praises Wilson’s composure during three-week defamation trial against Bauer Media in his closing address
Rebel Wilson’s “raw” and “candid” testimony during her defamation trial against Bauer Media is evidence she is “obviously not a serial liar”, her lawyer said in his closing address.
On Friday, Matthew Collins QC praised the actor’s behaviour and composure during the past three weeks in the supreme court of Victoria.
Continue reading...
Rebel Wilson’s “raw” and “candid” testimony during her defamation trial against Bauer Media is evidence she is “obviously not a serial liar”, her lawyer said in his closing address.
On Friday, Matthew Collins QC praised the actor’s behaviour and composure during the past three weeks in the supreme court of Victoria.
Continue reading...
- 6/9/2017
- by Australian Associated Press
- The Guardian - Film News
Science Channel is tapping into a science-crazed social media phenomenon for multi-format series I F-ing Love Science, to be exec produced by Craig Ferguson. The show is inspired by the popular Facebook page I F*cking Love Science, which has attracted more than 11M social media followers since it was created three years ago by British biology student Elise Andrew, who is onboard as a consulting producer. The series is produced by Green Mountain West Inc. and Karga7 Productions and will premiere in the fourth quarter, featuring a blend of live-action, animation, and re-creations showcasing the random connectivity of science with appearances by celebrities and scientists. Ferguson made the announcement via taped message Saturday at Science Channel’s SXSW Interactive event . The late-night host will exec produce alongside Green Mountain West partner Rebecca Tucker, Karga7′s Sarah Wetherbee, and Science Channel’s Debbie Adler Myers and Rocky Collins. Science Channel...
- 3/9/2014
- by JEN YAMATO
- Deadline TV
Do you believe? Do you want to believe? Science Channel‘s annual Are We Alone? week is back, starting Sunday, with a week full of unexplained encounters, current research, and possible UFO sightings to feed your interest and/or obsession. Here are all the deets:
Are We Alone? Week Makes Contact This March On Science Channel World Premiere Episodes of Close Encounters and a Special Episode of Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman begins on Sunday, March 2 at 10 Pm Et/Pt
(Silver Spring, Md.) — Seventy-four percent of Americans believe in the existence of aliens – and 15 million believe that they have actually made contact with extraterrestrials. This March, Science Channel returns with its programming event dedicated to one of mankind’s most pressing questions with Are We Alone? – a week-long campaign dedicated to satisfying viewers’ appetite for aliens. The week kicks off on Sunday, March 2 at 10 Pm Et/Pt with the...
Are We Alone? Week Makes Contact This March On Science Channel World Premiere Episodes of Close Encounters and a Special Episode of Through The Wormhole With Morgan Freeman begins on Sunday, March 2 at 10 Pm Et/Pt
(Silver Spring, Md.) — Seventy-four percent of Americans believe in the existence of aliens – and 15 million believe that they have actually made contact with extraterrestrials. This March, Science Channel returns with its programming event dedicated to one of mankind’s most pressing questions with Are We Alone? – a week-long campaign dedicated to satisfying viewers’ appetite for aliens. The week kicks off on Sunday, March 2 at 10 Pm Et/Pt with the...
- 2/28/2014
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
Here it is, kids! Our first Afm story of 2013! I cannot believe it's that time of year again. In any event, we cannot think of a better way to kick it off than with the living dead. Check out your first word and more for Heart Land.
Directed by Matthew Collins, Heart Land stars Max Madore and Audrey Vasil Meyers.
Synopsis
Jonah, a sweet-faced boy of 11, must band together with the other children in his rural Midwestern town to survive a nightmarish zombie apocalypse. When his group of kids, led by 15-year-old Wendy, comes across another gang led my the malicious boy-soldier Pete, Jonah must be the one to decide who to trust, who to save, and who to kill…
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Dawn changes everything in the comments section below!
Directed by Matthew Collins, Heart Land stars Max Madore and Audrey Vasil Meyers.
Synopsis
Jonah, a sweet-faced boy of 11, must band together with the other children in his rural Midwestern town to survive a nightmarish zombie apocalypse. When his group of kids, led by 15-year-old Wendy, comes across another gang led my the malicious boy-soldier Pete, Jonah must be the one to decide who to trust, who to save, and who to kill…
Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!
Got news? Click here to submit it!
Dawn changes everything in the comments section below!
- 10/10/2013
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Science Channel‘s inaugural Are We Alone? Month last March was a terrific success for them, so they’re doing the right thing and bringing it back this year. Below is a press release with more information, including the schedule for some world premiere shows about where we are in the hunt for extraterrestrial life, from a scientific perspective.
First, though, those crazy Science kids couldn’t resist joining in on the latest craze. Sure I know a lot of you are tired of the whole Harlem Shake thing, but come on, isn’t it an exception when there is alien involvement?
TV Spot: Science Channel – Harlem Shake | Are We Alone?
Click here to view the embedded video.
Science Channel Joins The Search For Extraterrestrial Life
This March With Are We Alone? Month –World Premiere Episodes of Alien Encounters and Aliens: The Definitive Guide Air Tuesdays at 10 Pm (Et/Pt)–
(Silver Spring,...
First, though, those crazy Science kids couldn’t resist joining in on the latest craze. Sure I know a lot of you are tired of the whole Harlem Shake thing, but come on, isn’t it an exception when there is alien involvement?
TV Spot: Science Channel – Harlem Shake | Are We Alone?
Click here to view the embedded video.
Science Channel Joins The Search For Extraterrestrial Life
This March With Are We Alone? Month –World Premiere Episodes of Alien Encounters and Aliens: The Definitive Guide Air Tuesdays at 10 Pm (Et/Pt)–
(Silver Spring,...
- 2/21/2013
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
A mix of North American and British talent will topline an untitled BBC/Science Channel movie about the search for what caused the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle explosion. William Hurt and Bruce Greenwood will star as physicist Richard Feynman and Air Force General Donald Kutyna, respectively. Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner who also assisted on the Manhattan Project, was instrumental in uncovering the truth, as was Kutyna whom he befriended in the process. Brian Dennehy is also on board as William Rogers, the chair of the presidential commission and Joanne Whalley will play Feynman’s wife. British actors Kevin McNally (Downton Abbey), Henry Goodman (The Damned United) and Eve Best (Nurse Jackie) also star. Shooting starts this month on the TV movie that James Hawes is directing from a script by Kate Gartside. Great Expectations’ Laurie Borg is producing. Exec producers are Mark Hedgecoe, Cassian Harrison and Rocky Collins.
- 10/23/2012
- by NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor
- Deadline TV
If you don’t know what a Browncoat is, this probably won’t mean much to you. If, however, you have an I Am A Leaf In The Wind license plate holder and you are contemplating going to your bunk right after you read this, then clearly this is for you.
Because thanks to the Science Channel the old Firefly gang is getting together for their tenth anniversary, in public, to talk with us, their people. Confirmed are Joss Whedon, Tim Minear, and cast members Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Michael Fairman - eek! he was the evil Niska! – “and the rest of the crew of Serenity.” We therefore don’t know for sure about any of the women, but hopefully that’s just a weird oversight by the people writing the press release. We may know more when the Friday Comic-Con schedule is released tomorrow.
But wait,...
Because thanks to the Science Channel the old Firefly gang is getting together for their tenth anniversary, in public, to talk with us, their people. Confirmed are Joss Whedon, Tim Minear, and cast members Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Michael Fairman - eek! he was the evil Niska! – “and the rest of the crew of Serenity.” We therefore don’t know for sure about any of the women, but hopefully that’s just a weird oversight by the people writing the press release. We may know more when the Friday Comic-Con schedule is released tomorrow.
But wait,...
- 6/28/2012
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
The classic short-lived sci-fi series Firefly is headed to San Diego Comic-Con this year to celebrate its 10 year anniversary!
A panel will be held in its honor with Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion in attendance alongside Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Michael Fairman, writer Tim Minear, and the rest of the the Serenity crew!
The panel is is being hosted by the Science Channel, the hour long panel will include a discussion, never-before-seen footage of the series, and "numerous buzz-worthy surprises."
The panel will be held on Friday, July 13th at 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. This is one of those panels that shouldn't be missed! Hopefully it's not going up against something else we all want to see.
Will you be attending this badass panel?
Here's the full press release:
Science today announced that it will converge on the world’s leading comics and pop culture convention with...
A panel will be held in its honor with Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion in attendance alongside Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, Michael Fairman, writer Tim Minear, and the rest of the the Serenity crew!
The panel is is being hosted by the Science Channel, the hour long panel will include a discussion, never-before-seen footage of the series, and "numerous buzz-worthy surprises."
The panel will be held on Friday, July 13th at 12:30 p.m. in Ballroom 20. This is one of those panels that shouldn't be missed! Hopefully it's not going up against something else we all want to see.
Will you be attending this badass panel?
Here's the full press release:
Science today announced that it will converge on the world’s leading comics and pop culture convention with...
- 6/27/2012
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Press Release:
Are We Alone?
Premieres Tuesday, March 6 at 10:00 Pm (Et/Pt)
For centuries, mankind has looked to the skies and wondered, “are we alone in the universe?” In one month Science partners with Ted and Seti Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), to enlist like-minded individuals everywhere to tackle this defining question with Are We Alone?, a breakthrough multimedia initiative. Are We Alone? is timed to support a major new resource called Seti Live which will empower and mobilize “citizen scientists” from all walks of life to join the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Science’s month of programming begins on-air on Tuesday, March 6 at 10:00 Pm (Et/Pt)with the world premiere of Morgan Freeman’sTHROUGH The Wormhole: Will We Survive First Contact? forecasting man’s first encounter with an extraterrestrial life form. Next, renowned experts including Nick Sagan and Seti Institute’s Dr. Jill Tarter come together to...
Are We Alone?
Premieres Tuesday, March 6 at 10:00 Pm (Et/Pt)
For centuries, mankind has looked to the skies and wondered, “are we alone in the universe?” In one month Science partners with Ted and Seti Institute (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), to enlist like-minded individuals everywhere to tackle this defining question with Are We Alone?, a breakthrough multimedia initiative. Are We Alone? is timed to support a major new resource called Seti Live which will empower and mobilize “citizen scientists” from all walks of life to join the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Science’s month of programming begins on-air on Tuesday, March 6 at 10:00 Pm (Et/Pt)with the world premiere of Morgan Freeman’sTHROUGH The Wormhole: Will We Survive First Contact? forecasting man’s first encounter with an extraterrestrial life form. Next, renowned experts including Nick Sagan and Seti Institute’s Dr. Jill Tarter come together to...
- 3/6/2012
- by Erin Willard
- ScifiMafia
You know what we need? We need a cool investigative show that delves into the far reaches of the darkest corners of science. We need a show that sheds light on some of the horrors of the most disturbing and off-putting experiments ever performed. Luckily, we no longer need to wish for this program. It's about to become a reality.
Science, the channel that brings us shows like "How It's Made," "Monster Bug Wars" and The Running Man-esque "Mantracker," is proud to announce the launch of "Dark Matters: Twisted But True" a science-based program that will investigate historic experiments which pushed the boundaries of ethics and morality. The show will be hosted by unforgettable John Noble.
The six-episode inaugural season will cover such topics as The Philadelphia Experiment, a scientific theory that was being applied to converting apes into a fighting force, and unidentified flying Nazis. Tune in; you may learn something.
Science, the channel that brings us shows like "How It's Made," "Monster Bug Wars" and The Running Man-esque "Mantracker," is proud to announce the launch of "Dark Matters: Twisted But True" a science-based program that will investigate historic experiments which pushed the boundaries of ethics and morality. The show will be hosted by unforgettable John Noble.
The six-episode inaugural season will cover such topics as The Philadelphia Experiment, a scientific theory that was being applied to converting apes into a fighting force, and unidentified flying Nazis. Tune in; you may learn something.
- 8/11/2011
- by Doctor Gash
- DreadCentral.com
SHADRACH
(Screened Thursday)
A period piece -- set in Virginia in 1935 as a 99-year-old slave returns to his former plantation to die and be buried among kin -- was the stirring opening-night offering at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.
Graceful and touching, "Shadrach" is highlighted by a splendid performance by Andie MacDowell and an appropriately surly turn by Harvey Keitel. Prospects look best for "Shadrach" as an art house offering; however, the real afterlife of this luminous film will be on cable. "Shadrach" can win the hearts and minds of a wide range of viewers; namely, it can play just as successfully on the Sundance Channel as on the Family Channel.
Both spare and robust, the saga is, above all, a portrait of man's dignity and how respect is won and lost. Adapted from a William Styron short story, the film centers on the open observations of 10-year-old Paul (Scott Terra) and what he learns about life and death during one unforgettable weekend when his parents are away and he spends time with a ne'er-do-well clan, the Dabneys. Prosperous plantation owners in the 19th century, they've disintegrated to subsistence living, unable to scratch out a living on their tobacco-drained soil. But, as Shadrach remembers it from his youth, the Dabney plantation was once a great place, and he wants to be buried in the slave graveyard with his family and friends.
Abounding with raw irony and scrappy insights, "Shadrach" is a rich film about human failing and kindness. The central story is simple, and from this simplicity screenwriters Susanna Styron and Bridget Terry mine its kind themes. Admittedly, the duo sometimes overstretches with dewy fulminations on life and death, but these are minor quibbles. Under Susanna Styron's steady directorial hand, the yarn is fleshed out through rousing technical contributions, namely cinematographer Hiro Narita's telling compositions and composer Van Dyke Parks' twangy sounds.
MacDowell shines as the beer-swigging wife of Vernon Dabney. Alternately sucking on cigarettes and guzzling beer, it's a grainy, intelligent portrayal of a poor woman somewhat overwhelmed by life's situation but whose spunk and dignity enrich those around her. As her beleaguered husband, Keitel ventures into new territory -- geographical, that is. Southern Virginia is a long way from Scorsese-land, yet Keitel's coiled frustration is perfect for his role as a father who doesn't have much more than a pot for pissing. As the elderly slave, newcomer John Franklin Sawyer is well cast. His granitelike countenance belies an inner tranquility; through his stony eyes we see a being who has lived a full, abundant life. It's on the shoulders of Terra, as 10-year-old Paul, that the film rests, and the young fella is up to the weight. His bright performance smacks of a perceptive but ordinary kid, making his actions and observations all the more heartfelt.
Duane Byrge
PANTS ON FIRE
(Screened Saturday and Sunday)
This is a sleek attempt at a triangular black comedy in a middle-class, yuppie-American setting, but the storytelling is neither as savage nor as concise as it should be; none of the thorny, central issues is resolved. The pivotal character, Julie (Christy Barron), is having an affair and lying through her teeth about it, and as the fibs pile up and start to contradict, her people-pleasing grin turns stiff and desperate.
Writer-director Rocky Collins supplies some sharp dialogue, and there are several deft performances, notably Harry O'Reilly as Max, the deceived husband, an ambitious attorney who is touchingly soft around the edges.
David Chute
CITY AT PEACE
(Screened Sunday)
A stirring, emotional experience to watch, "City at Peace" is an involving but conventional documentary from the award-winning team of director Susan Koch and producer Christopher Koch. Focusing on several teenage members of the Washington City at Peace theater project -- who create, produce and perform in their own musical production -- the shot-on-video work is best suited for TV and cable, though limited theatrical exposure in major markets is a possibility.
One weeps for high schoolers Pam, whose brother is HIV-positive; Shanara, whose father is a terrible liar; and D'Angelo, whose brother was killed on the streets. These real-life stories and many more are incorporated in a lively stage musical destined to premiere at the restored Warner Theater, with most of the film following the mixed-race performers through sometimes-wrenching "exploratory exercises" and exhausting rehearsals.
"City" provides updates about the eight principal subjects, all of whom are talented and tough enough to keep trying to overcome troublesome pasts. The messages of never giving up hope, gaining self-respect, cultivating tolerance and promoting racial harmony come through loud and clear.
David Hunter
MR. JEALOUSY
(7:30 tonight, DGA 1 & 2)
There are couple of good laughs in Noah Baumbach's "Mr. Jealousy", a generally sluggish follow-up to his 1995 indie hit "Kicking and Screaming". An amiable comic turn by Carlos Jacott as a good-hearted stuffed shirt of a Manhattan yuppie is responsible for most of the guffaws. In the strongest sequence, Jacott's Vince turns up at a group therapy session under an assumed name, sporting an ascot and a briar pipe, rattling on desperately in a fake accent that vacillates between high-toned Oxbridge English and Highland Scot.
The movie could use a few more interludes of pure, explosive foolishness; most of the time it mopes along, infected by the bummed-out mood of the title character, a sullen, blocked writer named Lester Grimm (Eric Stoltz). He's a vacuum in human form, leeching the zest out of every scene he's in -- which is almost all of them. In fairness to Stoltz, the role is pretty narrowly defined; Lester's pathological jealousy, a lifelong ailment that happens to be focused at the moment upon the past affairs of his forthright girlfriend Ramona S(Annabella Sciorra), is practically all we know about him.
The group therapy subplot, at least, is consistently entertaining. Writer-director Baumbach has real flair for the comedy of embarrassment and social awkwardness, but he's burdened himself with a protagonist so opaque that not even wall-to-wall, voice-over narration offers much illumination. Jealousy can be such a baroque, extravagant emotion; it's a shame to waste it on a simp like Lester Grimm.
David Chute...
(Screened Thursday)
A period piece -- set in Virginia in 1935 as a 99-year-old slave returns to his former plantation to die and be buried among kin -- was the stirring opening-night offering at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.
Graceful and touching, "Shadrach" is highlighted by a splendid performance by Andie MacDowell and an appropriately surly turn by Harvey Keitel. Prospects look best for "Shadrach" as an art house offering; however, the real afterlife of this luminous film will be on cable. "Shadrach" can win the hearts and minds of a wide range of viewers; namely, it can play just as successfully on the Sundance Channel as on the Family Channel.
Both spare and robust, the saga is, above all, a portrait of man's dignity and how respect is won and lost. Adapted from a William Styron short story, the film centers on the open observations of 10-year-old Paul (Scott Terra) and what he learns about life and death during one unforgettable weekend when his parents are away and he spends time with a ne'er-do-well clan, the Dabneys. Prosperous plantation owners in the 19th century, they've disintegrated to subsistence living, unable to scratch out a living on their tobacco-drained soil. But, as Shadrach remembers it from his youth, the Dabney plantation was once a great place, and he wants to be buried in the slave graveyard with his family and friends.
Abounding with raw irony and scrappy insights, "Shadrach" is a rich film about human failing and kindness. The central story is simple, and from this simplicity screenwriters Susanna Styron and Bridget Terry mine its kind themes. Admittedly, the duo sometimes overstretches with dewy fulminations on life and death, but these are minor quibbles. Under Susanna Styron's steady directorial hand, the yarn is fleshed out through rousing technical contributions, namely cinematographer Hiro Narita's telling compositions and composer Van Dyke Parks' twangy sounds.
MacDowell shines as the beer-swigging wife of Vernon Dabney. Alternately sucking on cigarettes and guzzling beer, it's a grainy, intelligent portrayal of a poor woman somewhat overwhelmed by life's situation but whose spunk and dignity enrich those around her. As her beleaguered husband, Keitel ventures into new territory -- geographical, that is. Southern Virginia is a long way from Scorsese-land, yet Keitel's coiled frustration is perfect for his role as a father who doesn't have much more than a pot for pissing. As the elderly slave, newcomer John Franklin Sawyer is well cast. His granitelike countenance belies an inner tranquility; through his stony eyes we see a being who has lived a full, abundant life. It's on the shoulders of Terra, as 10-year-old Paul, that the film rests, and the young fella is up to the weight. His bright performance smacks of a perceptive but ordinary kid, making his actions and observations all the more heartfelt.
Duane Byrge
PANTS ON FIRE
(Screened Saturday and Sunday)
This is a sleek attempt at a triangular black comedy in a middle-class, yuppie-American setting, but the storytelling is neither as savage nor as concise as it should be; none of the thorny, central issues is resolved. The pivotal character, Julie (Christy Barron), is having an affair and lying through her teeth about it, and as the fibs pile up and start to contradict, her people-pleasing grin turns stiff and desperate.
Writer-director Rocky Collins supplies some sharp dialogue, and there are several deft performances, notably Harry O'Reilly as Max, the deceived husband, an ambitious attorney who is touchingly soft around the edges.
David Chute
CITY AT PEACE
(Screened Sunday)
A stirring, emotional experience to watch, "City at Peace" is an involving but conventional documentary from the award-winning team of director Susan Koch and producer Christopher Koch. Focusing on several teenage members of the Washington City at Peace theater project -- who create, produce and perform in their own musical production -- the shot-on-video work is best suited for TV and cable, though limited theatrical exposure in major markets is a possibility.
One weeps for high schoolers Pam, whose brother is HIV-positive; Shanara, whose father is a terrible liar; and D'Angelo, whose brother was killed on the streets. These real-life stories and many more are incorporated in a lively stage musical destined to premiere at the restored Warner Theater, with most of the film following the mixed-race performers through sometimes-wrenching "exploratory exercises" and exhausting rehearsals.
"City" provides updates about the eight principal subjects, all of whom are talented and tough enough to keep trying to overcome troublesome pasts. The messages of never giving up hope, gaining self-respect, cultivating tolerance and promoting racial harmony come through loud and clear.
David Hunter
MR. JEALOUSY
(7:30 tonight, DGA 1 & 2)
There are couple of good laughs in Noah Baumbach's "Mr. Jealousy", a generally sluggish follow-up to his 1995 indie hit "Kicking and Screaming". An amiable comic turn by Carlos Jacott as a good-hearted stuffed shirt of a Manhattan yuppie is responsible for most of the guffaws. In the strongest sequence, Jacott's Vince turns up at a group therapy session under an assumed name, sporting an ascot and a briar pipe, rattling on desperately in a fake accent that vacillates between high-toned Oxbridge English and Highland Scot.
The movie could use a few more interludes of pure, explosive foolishness; most of the time it mopes along, infected by the bummed-out mood of the title character, a sullen, blocked writer named Lester Grimm (Eric Stoltz). He's a vacuum in human form, leeching the zest out of every scene he's in -- which is almost all of them. In fairness to Stoltz, the role is pretty narrowly defined; Lester's pathological jealousy, a lifelong ailment that happens to be focused at the moment upon the past affairs of his forthright girlfriend Ramona S(Annabella Sciorra), is practically all we know about him.
The group therapy subplot, at least, is consistently entertaining. Writer-director Baumbach has real flair for the comedy of embarrassment and social awkwardness, but he's burdened himself with a protagonist so opaque that not even wall-to-wall, voice-over narration offers much illumination. Jealousy can be such a baroque, extravagant emotion; it's a shame to waste it on a simp like Lester Grimm.
David Chute...
- 4/20/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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