There’s nothing little about the whopper at the heart of “A Little White Lie,” a comic drama about fame and impostor syndrome. The movie’s central conceit — pretending to be a renowned author, a janitor accepts an invitation to visit a liberal arts college — is rife with potential. But writer-director Michael Maren (whose 2014 debut “A Short History of Decay” also featured an author protagonist) sticks to the obvious, ignoring potential themes of blind celebrity worship and oblivious academia that would have added some satirical edge to this genial but dull movie.
Based on Chris Belden’s 2013 novel “Shriver,” “A Little White Lie” focuses on a handyman (Michael Shannon) leading a reclusive life in a rundown apartment building who receives an invitation from a university to be the guest of honor at their annual literary festival.
Simone (Kate Hudson), the organizer trying to protect the flailing event from budget cuts,...
Based on Chris Belden’s 2013 novel “Shriver,” “A Little White Lie” focuses on a handyman (Michael Shannon) leading a reclusive life in a rundown apartment building who receives an invitation from a university to be the guest of honor at their annual literary festival.
Simone (Kate Hudson), the organizer trying to protect the flailing event from budget cuts,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Rene Rodriguez
- Variety Film + TV
“Encanto” star John Leguizamo has signed on to executive produce short film “Triggered” from Tara Westwood.
“Triggered,” which stars Westwood, Isiah Whitlock Jr. (“Da 5 Bloods”), Caitlin Mehner (“Dopesick”) and Robert John Burke (“Law & Order Special Victim’s Unit”), deals with themes of gun violence.
“’Triggered’ is exceptional in that it doesn’t preach and never hits you over the head with a message – but I don’t know how anyone can watch it and not agree that we need to do things differently,” said Leguizamo. “Most Americans, even NRA members, already support basic changes such as improved background checks and this is a conversation that we must have. I’m so excited to be a part of this powerful piece directed and starring Tara Westwood.”
The short tells the story of Ohio (played by Whitlock Jr.) and Virginia (Mehner), who have both lost family to gun violence and who believe a senator,...
“Triggered,” which stars Westwood, Isiah Whitlock Jr. (“Da 5 Bloods”), Caitlin Mehner (“Dopesick”) and Robert John Burke (“Law & Order Special Victim’s Unit”), deals with themes of gun violence.
“’Triggered’ is exceptional in that it doesn’t preach and never hits you over the head with a message – but I don’t know how anyone can watch it and not agree that we need to do things differently,” said Leguizamo. “Most Americans, even NRA members, already support basic changes such as improved background checks and this is a conversation that we must have. I’m so excited to be a part of this powerful piece directed and starring Tara Westwood.”
The short tells the story of Ohio (played by Whitlock Jr.) and Virginia (Mehner), who have both lost family to gun violence and who believe a senator,...
- 8/18/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Cinematographers and their camera crews often tweak equipment to fit their needs. Sometimes it results in Garrett Brown inventing, designing and building the Oscar-winning Steadicam, or Nic Sadler developing the Artemis Director’s Viewfinder, which earned him an Engineering Emmy. But DPs and camera assistants regularly create tools and accessories to help them and their colleagues become more efficient — and occasionally gain a secondary revenue stream.
Second assistant cameraperson Sandra Pennington devised the Pennybox Ltc (lens temperature control), a programmable, heated lens that prevents condensation — particularly useful on cold-weather shoots, underwater and in tropical climates. “The idea had been around for decades,” she says of the concept, based on the practice of wrapping lenses in heated dog blankets. “I took the idea further.”
Pennington read a 1,000-page electronics book and began by building smaller circuits. A friend at Google helped with programming, and another friend loaned out a motion control...
Second assistant cameraperson Sandra Pennington devised the Pennybox Ltc (lens temperature control), a programmable, heated lens that prevents condensation — particularly useful on cold-weather shoots, underwater and in tropical climates. “The idea had been around for decades,” she says of the concept, based on the practice of wrapping lenses in heated dog blankets. “I took the idea further.”
Pennington read a 1,000-page electronics book and began by building smaller circuits. A friend at Google helped with programming, and another friend loaned out a motion control...
- 3/27/2020
- by Valentina I. Valentini
- Variety Film + TV
The character of Nancy Drew, a teenaged girl detective, was first introduced in a series of books in 1930, and she was played on screen in that era by Bonita Granville in B-movies that coarsened and diluted the dynamic force that Nancy had on the page. Many prominent women who grew up in the mid-20th century have said that Nancy was an inspiration to them because she was ultra-confident, smart, and very active; she is often shown holding a flashlight on the cover of the books and looking bold and un-afraid.
The Drew books were written by a variety of ghostwriters under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, and of course there have been adjustments made over time to bring her up to date, not always for the better. In the 1980s, Drew was sometimes drawn on the book covers in a sexualized way, and she became more interested in boys while she was solving crimes.
The Drew books were written by a variety of ghostwriters under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, and of course there have been adjustments made over time to bring her up to date, not always for the better. In the 1980s, Drew was sometimes drawn on the book covers in a sexualized way, and she became more interested in boys while she was solving crimes.
- 3/11/2019
- by Dan Callahan
- The Wrap
The Gallows: competently shot, horrendously written and absolutely f#cking terrifying when it wants to be. In other words, The Gallows is a rigorous task destined to make any found footage fan want to rip his or her hair out. At this very moment, my inner angels and demons are clashing over whether the merits of creators Travis Cluff and Chris Lofing deserve praise or dismissal, because there’s so much to love And hate in this short, compact horror flick.
On one hand, the film immediately proves to be anything but noteworthy. Following a typical cinematic horror formula, we find the stars of this easily predictable maze running through The Gallows’ haunted high schools halls without any surprises. On the other hand, wicked screams ignite bone-chilling scares that reach farther than just a well-placed jump. Can blood-red-tinted moments of true fear outweigh characters who are obnoxiously oblivious to the demonic world around them?...
On one hand, the film immediately proves to be anything but noteworthy. Following a typical cinematic horror formula, we find the stars of this easily predictable maze running through The Gallows’ haunted high schools halls without any surprises. On the other hand, wicked screams ignite bone-chilling scares that reach farther than just a well-placed jump. Can blood-red-tinted moments of true fear outweigh characters who are obnoxiously oblivious to the demonic world around them?...
- 7/9/2015
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
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