Writer-director Lynn Roth instinctively knows how to pluck the heartstrings with her heartrending historical drama, “Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog.” Her adaptation retains the wit and wisdom found within the pages of Asher Kravitz’s novel “The Jewish Dog,” whose unconventional conceit chronicling the Holocaust through the perspective of a German Shepherd lends itself to plenty of poetic and fantastical realism on screen. Yet the family-friendly feature all too frequently falls into conventional trappings that it unwittingly sets up for itself, particularly when it strays from the pup’s point of view.
Kaleb is born surrounded by the love of a Jewish German family, the final puppy birthed on a warm, sunny day. He has the misfortune, however, of entering into this world right before a terrible, tumultuous time for the country in the 1930s. But as the pick of the litter, he’s showered with praise and...
Kaleb is born surrounded by the love of a Jewish German family, the final puppy birthed on a warm, sunny day. He has the misfortune, however, of entering into this world right before a terrible, tumultuous time for the country in the 1930s. But as the pick of the litter, he’s showered with praise and...
- 5/27/2021
- by Courtney Howard
- Variety Film + TV
Lightning Entertainment, the Santa Monica-based sales, production and distribution company, has acquired international rights to the hit South by Southwest Film Festival comedy, Gus, starring Michelle Monaghan (Source Code, Gone Baby Gone) Radha Mitchell (Olympus Has Fallen, Silent Hill) and Michael Weston (Fox’s “House,” HBO’s “Six Feet Under”), it was announced today by Robert Beaumont, President of Lightning.
The film, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival to rave reviews in March, marks the feature film debut of Jessie McCormack, who directed from her own script.
McCormack is also a producer alongside Kathryn Himoff, Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer and Erik Van Wyck. The film is executive produced by Richard N. Gladstein (Finding Neverland, The Cider House Rules, The Bourne Identity). The deal was negotiated by Lightning Entertainment’s Joseph Dickstein and ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers. ICM Partners represents Monaghan and Mitchell and is also...
The film, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival to rave reviews in March, marks the feature film debut of Jessie McCormack, who directed from her own script.
McCormack is also a producer alongside Kathryn Himoff, Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer and Erik Van Wyck. The film is executive produced by Richard N. Gladstein (Finding Neverland, The Cider House Rules, The Bourne Identity). The deal was negotiated by Lightning Entertainment’s Joseph Dickstein and ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers. ICM Partners represents Monaghan and Mitchell and is also...
- 5/1/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Oscar® nominees Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton star in Joyful Noise, a funny and inspirational story of music, hope, love and renewal.
The small town of Pacashau, Georgia, has fallen on hard times, but the people are counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. The choir has always known how to sing in harmony, but the discord between its two leading ladies now threatens to tear them apart. Their newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill (Latifah), stubbornly wants to stick with their tried-and-true traditional style, while the fiery G.G. Sparrow (Parton) thinks tried-and-true translates to tired-and-old.Shaking things up even more is the arrival of G.G..s rebellious grandson, Randy (Jeremy Jordan). Randy has an ear for music, but he also has an eye for Vi Rose.s beautiful and talented daughter, Olivia (Keke Palmer), and the sparks...
The small town of Pacashau, Georgia, has fallen on hard times, but the people are counting on the Divinity Church Choir to lift their spirits by winning the National Joyful Noise Competition. The choir has always known how to sing in harmony, but the discord between its two leading ladies now threatens to tear them apart. Their newly appointed director, Vi Rose Hill (Latifah), stubbornly wants to stick with their tried-and-true traditional style, while the fiery G.G. Sparrow (Parton) thinks tried-and-true translates to tired-and-old.Shaking things up even more is the arrival of G.G..s rebellious grandson, Randy (Jeremy Jordan). Randy has an ear for music, but he also has an eye for Vi Rose.s beautiful and talented daughter, Olivia (Keke Palmer), and the sparks...
- 12/22/2011
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Yesterday came the yearly announcement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it extended 134 invitations to several artists and executives "who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures" read the press release. Of course all of them can decline, but I wouldn't necessarily expect that to happen as all who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2009 to the Academy's roster of voting members. "These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," said Academy President Sid Ganis. "It's this kind of talent and creativity that make up the Academy, and I welcome each of them to our ranks." The list follows below and reading around the best analysis I saw of it came from Nathaniel Rogers at The Film Experience who, among other things, pointed out the addition of longtime Darren Aronofsky's...
- 7/1/2009
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
On Tuesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued invitations to 134 members of the film community to join the group. There were a maximum of 166 open slots to fill this year, but the various branch committees endorsed fewer candidates than were proposed to them.
Hugh Jackman, who hosted the most recent Oscar show, has been invited to join. So have Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, James Franco and Michelle Williams. The list even includes a number of comic performers like Michael Cera, Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd.
Voting membership in the organization has held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills in September.
"These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," Academy president Sid Ganis. Said. "It's...
Hugh Jackman, who hosted the most recent Oscar show, has been invited to join. So have Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, James Franco and Michelle Williams. The list even includes a number of comic performers like Michael Cera, Seth Rogan and Paul Rudd.
Voting membership in the organization has held steady at just under 6,000 members since 2003.
New members will be welcomed into the Academy at an invitation-only reception at the Academy's Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills in September.
"These filmmakers have, over the course of their careers, captured the imagination of audiences around the world," Academy president Sid Ganis. Said. "It's...
- 6/30/2009
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Check out red carpet photos from La premiere of New Line Cinema's "Appaloosa" including Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and more! The preem took place at the Academy Theater / Beverly Hills, CA. on September 18th. The film makes its expansion this weekend into 800+ venues. Also in the cast are Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, Lance Henriksen, Mike Watson, Rex Linn, Tom Bower, Boyd Kestner, Gabriel Marantz. Oscar nominee Viggo Mortensen ("Eastern Promises"), four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock"), Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger ("Cold Mountain") and Academy Award winner Jeremy Irons ("Reversal of Fortune") star in the Western "Appaloosa," adapted from the Robert B. Parker novel. All images copyright© Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos Set in 1882 in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around city marshal Virgil Cole (Harris) and his deputy and partner Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who have made their reputation as peacekeepers in the...
- 9/26/2008
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Opened
Friday, April 11
Having lingered in major-studio limbo for the past three years (a rare instance of corporate wisdom), this cheesy and ultragory exploitation horror flick is finally seeing the light of day thanks, or no thanks, to Lions Gate.
An homage to horror flicks in general and '70s-era slasher movies in particular, "House of 1000 Corpses" lives up to the spirit but not the quality of its inspirations. Indeed, the only truly scary thing throughout the nearly 90 minutes of bloody torture and mayhem is the onscreen phrase, "A Rob Zombie film".
Yes, it's that Rob Zombie, and it's obvious that the singer -- who wrote and directed this debut effort -- has applied a dementedly loving touch to the proceedings, which are staged with such a lavish attention to decrepit detail that it's no surprise that the enterprise began as a horror display for a theme park. Indeed, far more care has been given to the supremely gruesome props and decor on display than the plot, which is little more than incoherent.
For the information of those who might care, the story, set on Halloween eve in 1977, has something to do with a group of four young cross-country travelers who fall prey to a family of mutant psychos. Their first troubling encounter, and the film's most entertaining segment, takes place at Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a roadside emporium run by the demented Capt. Spaulding (Sid Haig), not the only figure here named after a Groucho Marx character.
The group decides to set out in search of a local landmark: the tree where one of the town's most infamous madmen was hanged. They encounter comely blonde hitchhiker Baby (Sheri Moon), who leads them to a house inhabited by Mother Firefly (Karen Black) and her family of murderous loony tunes, including the grotesque Otis (Bill Moseley), the licentious Grampa Hugo (Dennis Fimple) and the hulking Tiny (Matthew McGrory). General mayhem and torture ensues, filmed with a loving and gleeful attention to entrails-strewn detail by Mr. Zombie, who, strangely enough, is far more decorous here when it comes to sex.
Actually, the gruesome content of the film -- not so far removed from many other exploitation horror flicks -- is less troubling than the general incompetence of the filmmaking. While the proceedings are embellished with a number of stylistic effects, including sudden changes of film stock and various other photographic tricks, the only effective moments are provided by the quick clips of several vintage horror films, the viewing of any of which would be preferable. The end results are almost strangely devoid of thrills, shocks or horror, other than the sight of not one but two former Oscar nominees (Black and Michael J. Pollard) reduced to such a pitiable career state.
House of 1000 Corpses
Lions Gate Films
A Rob Zombie film
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Rob Zombie
Producer: Andy Gould
Executive producers: Andy Given, Guy Oseary
Directors of photography: Tom Richmond, Alex Poppas
Editors: Kathryn Himoff, Robert K Lambert
Original music: Rob Zombie, Scott Humphrey
Art director: Michael Krantz
Cast:
Capt Spaulding: Sid Haig
Otis: Bill Moseley
Baby: Sheri Moon
Mother Firefly: Karen Black
Jerry Goldsmith: Chris Hardwick
Denise Willis: Erin Daniels
Mary Knowles: Jennifer Jostyn
Bill Hudley: Rainn Wilson
Steve Naish: Walter Goggins
Running time -- 88 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Friday, April 11
Having lingered in major-studio limbo for the past three years (a rare instance of corporate wisdom), this cheesy and ultragory exploitation horror flick is finally seeing the light of day thanks, or no thanks, to Lions Gate.
An homage to horror flicks in general and '70s-era slasher movies in particular, "House of 1000 Corpses" lives up to the spirit but not the quality of its inspirations. Indeed, the only truly scary thing throughout the nearly 90 minutes of bloody torture and mayhem is the onscreen phrase, "A Rob Zombie film".
Yes, it's that Rob Zombie, and it's obvious that the singer -- who wrote and directed this debut effort -- has applied a dementedly loving touch to the proceedings, which are staged with such a lavish attention to decrepit detail that it's no surprise that the enterprise began as a horror display for a theme park. Indeed, far more care has been given to the supremely gruesome props and decor on display than the plot, which is little more than incoherent.
For the information of those who might care, the story, set on Halloween eve in 1977, has something to do with a group of four young cross-country travelers who fall prey to a family of mutant psychos. Their first troubling encounter, and the film's most entertaining segment, takes place at Museum of Monsters and Madmen, a roadside emporium run by the demented Capt. Spaulding (Sid Haig), not the only figure here named after a Groucho Marx character.
The group decides to set out in search of a local landmark: the tree where one of the town's most infamous madmen was hanged. They encounter comely blonde hitchhiker Baby (Sheri Moon), who leads them to a house inhabited by Mother Firefly (Karen Black) and her family of murderous loony tunes, including the grotesque Otis (Bill Moseley), the licentious Grampa Hugo (Dennis Fimple) and the hulking Tiny (Matthew McGrory). General mayhem and torture ensues, filmed with a loving and gleeful attention to entrails-strewn detail by Mr. Zombie, who, strangely enough, is far more decorous here when it comes to sex.
Actually, the gruesome content of the film -- not so far removed from many other exploitation horror flicks -- is less troubling than the general incompetence of the filmmaking. While the proceedings are embellished with a number of stylistic effects, including sudden changes of film stock and various other photographic tricks, the only effective moments are provided by the quick clips of several vintage horror films, the viewing of any of which would be preferable. The end results are almost strangely devoid of thrills, shocks or horror, other than the sight of not one but two former Oscar nominees (Black and Michael J. Pollard) reduced to such a pitiable career state.
House of 1000 Corpses
Lions Gate Films
A Rob Zombie film
Credits:
Director-screenwriter: Rob Zombie
Producer: Andy Gould
Executive producers: Andy Given, Guy Oseary
Directors of photography: Tom Richmond, Alex Poppas
Editors: Kathryn Himoff, Robert K Lambert
Original music: Rob Zombie, Scott Humphrey
Art director: Michael Krantz
Cast:
Capt Spaulding: Sid Haig
Otis: Bill Moseley
Baby: Sheri Moon
Mother Firefly: Karen Black
Jerry Goldsmith: Chris Hardwick
Denise Willis: Erin Daniels
Mary Knowles: Jennifer Jostyn
Bill Hudley: Rainn Wilson
Steve Naish: Walter Goggins
Running time -- 88 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 4/15/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A heavy serving of period melodrama, John Patrick Kelley's "The Locusts" is an oppressive tale of temptation and redemption in rural Kansas.
Bordering perilously on camp, the material -- about a mysterious Young Buck (Vince Vaughn) who wanders onto the cattle ranch of an insatiable widow (Kate Capshaw) -- could have benefited from a lighter, less purposeful directorial touch.
As it is, with a determined, languorous pace that feels all of its 124-minute running time and then some, "Locusts" won't be drawing any swarms at the boxoffice. The sound of crickets is probably a more apt situation.
Drifting into the early 1960s farming town with the nonchalant bravado of a guy who's seen "Giant" too many times, Clay Hewitt (Vaughn), quickly raises the ire of the local bully (Daniel Meyer), not to mention the eyebrows of his intrigued girlfriend, the free-spirited Kitty (Ashley Judd).
With a mysterious past and few prospects, Clay manages to secure lodging and work at the feed ranch owned by the predatory Mrs. Potts (Capshaw), a boozy manipulator who's a sucker for a sweaty T-shirt.
In between warding off her persistent advances, Clay cottons to Mrs. Potts' neglected, emotionally traumatized son, Flyboy (Jeremy Davies), who has been in something of a semi-catatonic trance since the suicide of his father years earlier.
The two form a fast friendship, enabling Flyboy to partially emerge from his crippling shell while Clay latches on to a little nurturing purpose in his own aimless existence.
Fresh from "The Lost World" and "Swingers", Vaughn plays it all with a pout and a swagger; Capshaw seldom strays from a gin-soaked weariness. Only Davies ("Spanking the Monkey") manages to create something more three-dimensionally affecting as the emotionally damaged Flyboy, bringing to mind a young, pre-"Psycho" Anthony Perkins. Judd, too, given a much smaller role, generates a spirited spark as the supportive Kitty.
As a writer, Kelley is unafraid to pour on all the intrigue in generous, incest-tinged dollops, but he then attempts to balance the dirt with equal servings of heart-tugging poignance.
It's a daunting equation that never adds up.
As a director, it's clear Kelley has seen Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" more than once, judging by the attention he pays to measured pacing and sun-kissed vistas.
Kelley is ably assisted in that end by director of photography Phedon Papamichael's vivid outdoor photography and Sherman Williams' artful, peeled-paint production design, not to mention the unhurried editing
THE LOCUSTS
MGM
Orion Pictures presents
A Brad Krevoy & Steve Stabler production
A film by John Patrick Kelley
Director-screenwriter John Patrick Kelley
Producers Brad Krevoy,
Steve Stabler,
Bradley Thomas
Director of photography Phedon Papamichael
Production designer Sherman Williams
Editors Kathryn Himoff,
Erica Flaum
Executive producers Adam Duritz,
Beth Holden,
Charles B. Wessler,
Cynthia Guidry
Costume designer Gail McMullen
Music Carter Burwell
Music supervisor Happy Walters
Color/stereo
Cast:
Mrs. Potts Kate Capshaw
Flyboy Jeremy Davies
Clay Hewitt Vince Vaughn
Kitty Ashley Judd
Earl Paul Rudd
Joel Daniel Meyer
Patsy Jessica Capshaw
Running time - 124 minutes
MPAA Rating: R...
Bordering perilously on camp, the material -- about a mysterious Young Buck (Vince Vaughn) who wanders onto the cattle ranch of an insatiable widow (Kate Capshaw) -- could have benefited from a lighter, less purposeful directorial touch.
As it is, with a determined, languorous pace that feels all of its 124-minute running time and then some, "Locusts" won't be drawing any swarms at the boxoffice. The sound of crickets is probably a more apt situation.
Drifting into the early 1960s farming town with the nonchalant bravado of a guy who's seen "Giant" too many times, Clay Hewitt (Vaughn), quickly raises the ire of the local bully (Daniel Meyer), not to mention the eyebrows of his intrigued girlfriend, the free-spirited Kitty (Ashley Judd).
With a mysterious past and few prospects, Clay manages to secure lodging and work at the feed ranch owned by the predatory Mrs. Potts (Capshaw), a boozy manipulator who's a sucker for a sweaty T-shirt.
In between warding off her persistent advances, Clay cottons to Mrs. Potts' neglected, emotionally traumatized son, Flyboy (Jeremy Davies), who has been in something of a semi-catatonic trance since the suicide of his father years earlier.
The two form a fast friendship, enabling Flyboy to partially emerge from his crippling shell while Clay latches on to a little nurturing purpose in his own aimless existence.
Fresh from "The Lost World" and "Swingers", Vaughn plays it all with a pout and a swagger; Capshaw seldom strays from a gin-soaked weariness. Only Davies ("Spanking the Monkey") manages to create something more three-dimensionally affecting as the emotionally damaged Flyboy, bringing to mind a young, pre-"Psycho" Anthony Perkins. Judd, too, given a much smaller role, generates a spirited spark as the supportive Kitty.
As a writer, Kelley is unafraid to pour on all the intrigue in generous, incest-tinged dollops, but he then attempts to balance the dirt with equal servings of heart-tugging poignance.
It's a daunting equation that never adds up.
As a director, it's clear Kelley has seen Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven" more than once, judging by the attention he pays to measured pacing and sun-kissed vistas.
Kelley is ably assisted in that end by director of photography Phedon Papamichael's vivid outdoor photography and Sherman Williams' artful, peeled-paint production design, not to mention the unhurried editing
THE LOCUSTS
MGM
Orion Pictures presents
A Brad Krevoy & Steve Stabler production
A film by John Patrick Kelley
Director-screenwriter John Patrick Kelley
Producers Brad Krevoy,
Steve Stabler,
Bradley Thomas
Director of photography Phedon Papamichael
Production designer Sherman Williams
Editors Kathryn Himoff,
Erica Flaum
Executive producers Adam Duritz,
Beth Holden,
Charles B. Wessler,
Cynthia Guidry
Costume designer Gail McMullen
Music Carter Burwell
Music supervisor Happy Walters
Color/stereo
Cast:
Mrs. Potts Kate Capshaw
Flyboy Jeremy Davies
Clay Hewitt Vince Vaughn
Kitty Ashley Judd
Earl Paul Rudd
Joel Daniel Meyer
Patsy Jessica Capshaw
Running time - 124 minutes
MPAA Rating: R...
- 10/3/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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